Chapter 5

As for his stepmother, she was the very person who cursed him so her son would become the Grand Duke.

Apollyon suspected his stepmother as the culprit yet hoped inside that wasn’t the case.

Yet, at the end of the novel, when his curse is lifted, Apollyon gets to know the truth and falls into despair. He then believed no one was ever by his side.

Kind yet poor Apollyon. Although it is said that after hard work, you’ll achieve happiness; yet in Apollyon’s case, the road to happiness was too arduous.

This was the last time he looked for a marriage partner before meeting the heroine.

But, who was Apollyon’s third marriage partner? After his two unsuccessful marriages, the nobles who had daughters were quite reluctant to be associated with the Grand Duke Theavritte.

However, Apollyon didn’t give in and sent marriage letters to several noblewomen. I didn’t know Petunia, who recently broke up with her fiancée, was included among those ladies.

If it was the original Petunia, she would have gotten rid of the letter immediately, which would explain why it wasn’t mentioned. The letter must have been sent on a pulse, so it wasn’t an important event in the flow of the original story.

I recalled that the remaining aristocrats were young who were thirsty for his wealth and power; which eventually led him to the youngest daughter of a Viscount.

She also ran away from the country a week before their wedding. Perhaps he got quite the shock, but he didn’t look for a wife for the next two years.

And then he meets Shriel, who enters his mansion as a maid, then his love story begins.

Even though the way to break his curse is easy, thinking of how Apollyon was going to struggle until the heroine appeared, was enough to sadden me.

That’s why! I’m going to break his curse two years in advance!

It was perfect since I was a perfect match in status and I loved Apollyon, the perfect male lead in the book.

“Petunia…?”

With the call of my parents, I was forced to quickly change the thoughts that were immersed in the sensibility of the original novel.

“Yes?”

“You don’t have to look at that letter. Hand it to me.”

As father reached out his hand to me, I altered my gaze between his hand and the letter before opening the letter.

“Petunia!”

“Don’t tell me, you’re going to meet with Grand Duke Theavritte…?”

“Can’t I?”

“That, of course…”

“I like this guy.”

I blushed, trying to look shy.

“Why?!”

Forte hit the table hard before he stood up.

“Brother, why are you so angry?”

“Why am I angry? Out of all men, the Grand Duke Theavritte! Do you even know who he is before saying you like him?”

I knew. He was a gentle and loving man, who’ll soon be the most handsome man in the Empire.

…I couldn’t say that, so I just nodded instead of answering.

Forte groaned and palmed his face.

“…Petunia, do you have something going on?”

Father asked in a worried voice. It means he was asking whether I…

“There’s no such thing. It’s just, I like this guy.”

I laughed at his words about Grand Duke Theavritte. “You mustn’t be ignorant of the rumors about him. What do you like about him?”

There are lots of things I liked about him. He was pure, kind, courteous, and had a good appearance…

I shook my head when the thoughts of him appeared in my mind. Then I started to talk as if I was possessed.

“Everyone judges Grand Duke Theavritte by his appearance. But how many of them had a proper conversation with the Grand Duke?”

“…”

“The rumors of him contacting the Devil and getting cursed are all made-up. Talking behind his back without knowing what’s under his mask or what kind of person he is inside is frivolous and rather lowly. It is only right for the Inkledov family to walk on the right path.”

My last sentence was written on a painting hanging in the hallway. It was written under the portrait of the first housekeeper, but I didn’t expect to be lucky enough to use it someday.

“You’re… not wrong, but we don’t know anything about him. I can’t let you go to a man who doesn’t have any information, even if the rumors about him aren’t true.”

Father said with a serious expression.

“If his personality wasn’t good. Ignit Empire wouldn’t be standing now.”

“What does that mean?”

“The estate of House Theavritte is located near the border. Beyond the territory, an enemy Kingdom, Caron Kingdom, is located; and the forest near that is frequently visited by dangerous animals. If I were the Grand Duke Theavritte, I would have moved to the capital rather than risking my life at the border.”

“…”

“The Royal Family is the only one that favors the Grand Duke Theavritte. The others are all busy treating him like a monster or someone with an infectious disease. Yet the Grand Duke always protected the Empire even though he knew such rumors were circulating about him. If he wasn’t a good-natured person, he wouldn’t wield his sword for the people who hate him.”

Ah, how well I spoke.

I felt like a wise person when I realized how great words I chose.

“Still, you’ve never met…”

“Isn’t it the same with other people as well?”

“…”

One of my father’s eyebrows twitched. He made eye contact with mother for a moment, then sighed as if he was going to step back.

“Right, it can’t be helped if you like him… I don’t want to ask for a third time.”

“I agree.”

Even mother backed up father’s words.

“You know how careful one should be when sending out a marriage proposal.”

“Yes.”

“The letter that’s sent to you is not different from other families received from him. I mean, you are not the only one. I’m positive he sent letters to others as well. The fact that these documents were sent to other people as well… is not very pleasant for your image.”

That was true, but…

I admired guaranteed safety in my past life. Even before I get to this world, I was preparing for the 9th-grade civil service exam which had nothing to do with my major.

(TL/N: I suppose this line was added to tell that she didn’t care about her image even before she became Petunia.)

There was no need to take any useless adventures, although the ending was set to lift the curse of the good and wealthy male lead and to live a hundred years with a handsome man.

And this was a much more conservative country than 21st century Korea. Although dating was free, they were very strict about the status system and divorce, and there were no media to report even when you’ve faced something unfair.

It was just looking at the situation right now. It was a world in which homosexuals who tried to get married undercover and gangsters who played with their fiancée were walking around in good condition.

Looking at the situation right now, I was in a world in which homosexuals were marrying with the other sex to hide their sexuality and people who bully their fiancée not getting punished.

Since I couldn’t even buy a cell phone properly, there was no way that I could choose the right person to be my husband.

Wouldn’t it be better to choose a safe future than to try my chance with people that are total strangers?

Even though there was a female lead, she was only going to appear after two years, and since I knew the way to lift his curse, I don’t want Apollyon to suffer for 2 more years.

He, I know, was a fictional character in a novel, but in this world, he’s a real person. His curse was too painful for an ordinary human being to bear.

Moreover, Apollyon was the best male lead. I was confident that I wouldn’t be alright even if the female lead appeared and lifted his curse.

“But I believe in Grand Duke Theavritte.”

This was the only thing I could say after all.

I wasn’t disappointed that other people including me were sent a marriage letter. Apollyon wasn’t that kind of person. For me, it was a letter that must have been sent politely after much thought.

There were only a few people who received a letter of marriage from him in the first place, but it was fortunate that I was included.

What better chance would I get to be involved with the male lead? It was an opportunity that should be taken.

And thinking about it, if he sent me a marriage proposal, wouldn’t it mean he was interested in me?

Maybe he had been interested in me for a while, yet couldn’t ask since I had a fiancée at that time.

The positive thoughts kept coming to my mind nonstop. Thanks to them the smirk of a madman appeared on my lips.

“Pe-Petunia…?”

Only after I saw the three looking at me anxiously that I stopped smirking.