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“Do you have any idea how lucky you are? If it weren’t my real nose... what would you have done after headbutting me like that without any restraint?”
“My apologies.”
I glanced at Seo Eden, who had come all the way back to the underground prison for another round of romance talk, pointing at his nose. I could see a book tucked in his arms.
[Becoming the Villain Duke’s Only Chlorophyll]
So this time it’s not a knight commander but a duke. I didn’t even have the energy to resist and just sprawled out on the prison floor.
‘At least the clothes are thick and nice in this situation....’
Warm and soft. Shin Seojin senior, I’ll forgive you with one coffee truck. I half-listened to Seo Eden while closing my eyes.
‘Sir....’
Why is it so hard to see Myeong Jeha? Even if everyone has familiar faces, there isn’t a single person I can trust. Please, when I open my eyes, let it be him.
“Since when did we start letting prisoners roam this freely? If she escapes again, it’s inefficient. Where are the restraints?”
But when I opened my eyes, it was Yun Hyeonjo.
“Assistant!”
“You’re trusting that a suspect who escaped once won’t do it again? I wouldn’t recommend that kind of baseless belief.”
Today again, with perfectly symmetrical attire and a crisp shirt, he looked down at me with that dry gaze. I sighed. Seo Eden hesitated.
“But putting restraints on her feels a bit excessive....”
“Ha... listen carefully.”
Yun Hyeonjo took out a parchment notebook from his coat. It was densely filled with notes.
“The ten thousand gold lost through the bounty? That’s being pushed down the priority list.”
He began explaining with precise diction.
“Because of the escape incident at dawn yesterday, eighty percent of the knight order missed morning training and were diverted to the search. Due to inspections, the Shubetz merchant wagons exited the gate later than scheduled, and complaints are piling up. Their leader is not just strict—he’s rigid. He’ll definitely calculate the losses later and demand compensation. On top of that, the Grand Duke, who is supposed to attend the imperial banquet soon, had to leave his post, and now we’re dealing with a security gap. This level of inefficiency—what should I even call it? All caused by one escaped prisoner who ran off without restraints. I’d like to hold the knight order accountable, but there’s no measurable efficiency gain in doing so, so I’m holding back.”
In a situation where efficiency had completely collapsed, Yun Hyeonjo looked colder than I had ever seen him.
This is the first time I’ve seen him talk this long.
Couldn’t you just efficiently take me to him instead...?
“Ha....”
When a person gets this tired, even speaking becomes difficult. Still sprawled out, I looked at him.
“Wow... you really love efficiency....”
“It’s not about liking or disliking. It has to be done.”
“Sometimes... how about improvising life a little? Just following your heart....”
I said seriously, looking at him.
“People don’t have to live strictly by the rules. Even if something seems inefficient now, it might turn out to be efficient later.”
So please just let me go....
“...Hmm.”
He looked down at me for a moment. Wait. Is this working?
“Just once! Really, just go with your heart!”
“Go with my heart.”
“Even if it feels inefficient! Just close your eyes and do it!”
“Alright.”
I jumped up and rushed to the bars, gripping them with both hands and looking up at him.
It worked!
“So—deliver this when you meet the Grand Duke.”
Yun Hyeonjo pulled out an elegant envelope.
“What is this?”
As he adjusted his jacket after retrieving it, he answered:
“My resignation letter.”
* * *
The place I was taken to was a spacious office with a deep blue carpet.
“So....”
A low voice spread through the cold air. I recognized him instantly from just that one word.
‘It’s Ji Haebeom!’
If the Grand Duke is Ji Haebeom, I probably won’t be executed, right? If I’d known it was him, I wouldn’t have run! I tried to sit up, relieved—until I heard the next words and flattened myself again.
“The culprit who invaded a sacred hall, targeted a holy relic, assaulted an apprentice knight, and fled?”
“Wait, technically I wouldn’t call it assault—”
“Shh.”
I shut my mouth immediately. All I could see were his shoes. His polished shoes tapped the floor rhythmically, as if he had found something interesting.
“And that’s not all. You damaged every wanted poster.”
“....”
“And frightened the citizens of ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) my territory.”
“....”
Is there... a hint of laughter in his voice?
“And then you trespassed into the wolf tribe’s territory and stole food. That could escalate into a diplomatic issue.”
“They gave it to me, I didn’t take it by force—”
“Shh.”
Where does the joke end and reality begin? That’s what makes him scary.
‘Still... I feel like I can get out of this....’
Just as I felt a flicker of hope, someone rushed in, shattering the atmosphere. ƒrēewebnovel.com
“...You pressured my aide into resigning?”
“No no no! Not at all!”
Startled, I looked up—and met Ji Haebeom’s cold gaze. The northern dusk cast sharp shadows across his face.
His neatly slicked-back black hair made him the perfect image of a Northern Grand Duke. Medals adorned his broad chest.
As I stared, he raised one eyebrow, as if telling me to explain.
“We were just chatting, and Assistant Yun—no, that person—made his own decision. I didn’t tell him to quit. Really.”
“So now the aide position is vacant...?”
Ji Haebeom gestured to the messenger.
“Go bring him back.”
“It’s too late. He already escaped efficiently, taking only shortcuts.”
“How troublesome. It’s not easy to find someone that sensible.”
Ji Haebeom sighed.
“With an intruder and a vacant aide position, the search for a banquet partner has been temporarily halted. There’s no time for correspondence. It would be best to invite someone directly and resolve it at once.”
“I don’t like inviting people into my home....”
“After the last campaign, you didn’t bring a partner to the banquet. Her Majesty has said she will not overlook it this time.”
At that, Ji Haebeom—who had been sitting with his legs crossed—looked straight at me.
“How old are you?”
“I’m twenty-four!”
“...Twenty-four.”
He nodded briefly.
“That’s still too young. What a waste.”
There was laughter in his voice again.
“Too young for immediate execution, right?”
“ExactlyIstillhavealonglifetolive.”
“Mm. I see.”
He stood up.
“In that case, I’ll take her to the banquet. No need to find a partner. Judgment complete.”
* * *
I sat in the incredibly smooth carriage, both hands neatly placed on my knees.
“Relax. Make yourself comfortable.”
Like that’s possible. I’m extremely uncomfortable. Ji Haebeom stared at me from across, making cold sweat run down my back.
‘Have I ever been in such a small space with Ji Haebeom senior for this long?’
No. Never.
If only Shin Seojin senior were here. Or at least Eun Baekhap senior. Or... him.
“I told you to relax, not to space out.”
“Spacing out? Absolutelynot. I was just feeling grateful for Your Grace’s generosity.”
“You’re teasing an adult.” ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Ji Haebeom chuckled softly. I even controlled my breathing.
“Then that makes two.”
“Two what?”
“Your debts to me. I spared your life, and I dressed you up.”
He raised two fingers.
“Will you repay them?”
I nodded awkwardly.
“Of course. I have nothing now, but if you give me a chance later—”
Clatter.
The carriage jolted.
Jingle.
A few gold coins Dami had given me clinked together.
Silence fell.
Ji Haebeom stared at me.
“...Lying to an adult?”
“It’s not much, but please take this—”
I hurriedly placed three gold coins on my palm and offered them. He pushed my fingers closed again.
“Keep that. Buy snacks later. Why did you target the relic? I was honestly surprised. How did you break through that barrier?”
“I didn’t break it. I just... opened my eyes and I was there....”
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Well. Whether that’s true or not, we’ll find out after the banquet.”
Through the open carriage window, the imperial palace came into view.
“Here. Take my hand.”
I took his gloved hand and stepped out of the carriage.
At last, I had arrived at the imperial palace—
Where, most likely, Myeong Jeha was.
* * *
The announcement of Ji Haebeom’s arrival echoed, and the massive doors of the imperial palace opened.
