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“……By any chance, does the Imperial Family want the House of Martyr? Is that why?”
“Wow, that was the most chilling rejection I’ve ever heard in my life.”
He shook his head slightly as if the wind had been knocked out of his sails, and for a moment, I thought he had given up on his pointless prank.
“We were doing far worse things just a moment ago; is this really that difficult?”
“It’s not that it’s difficult, it’s just… this is something you do when you’re, you know, close.”
This… ‘excessively affectionate, light, and burdensome skinship’ that Yulan was demanding was different from the ‘worse things’ they had done.
Logically, he was right.
Even though it was nothing special, she felt a strange sense of resistance.
It was an instinctive feeling—that if she crossed the line any further, something would go wrong.
Yulan, who had been quietly watching the hesitating Yevgenia, let out a small, mocking chuckle.
Then, he braced his hand against the arm of the chair she was sitting in and closed the distance abruptly.
Yevgenia caught her breath as his cool skin brushed against her cheek.
Lightly pressing their cheeks together, he wrapped an arm around her waist and gave her earlobe a gentle, painless nip.
“……Ngh.”
Her body instinctively recoiled at the breath hitting the back of her neck.
Because they were so close, every one of his movements and every single sound became acutely conscious.
Thump, thump, thump.
Just as she began to worry that her heartbeat was growing so loud he might actually hear it.
Yulan’s low voice drifted into her ear.
“It’s definitely not black.”
“……Did you really have to say it like this?”
It felt as if her eardrums were becoming damp.
The situation was far too awkward, making her conscious of every single tiny peach fuzz on her skin.
When she pushed his shoulder away with force, he stepped back without any resistance, which felt almost irritating.
As she glared at him, he gave a slight smile and spoke.
“I believe in being clear about commissions. What if my voice had been drowned out by the wind and you didn't hear me?”
“……Your excuses are truly top-notch.”
“That’s how I make a living.”
Feeling as though his breath still lingered, she absentmindedly fiddled with her ear.
Then, sensing a gaze upon her, she hurriedly lowered her hand.
She wanted to clear her throat, but fearing that even that would seem like she was conscious of him, she shifted the subject.
“Thank you… for today.”
“Now that’s unexpected.”
“I’m being sincere, so don’t twist my words. If there’s anything you want as a reward, just say it.”
She had put a great deal of gratitude into those words, but for some reason, Yulan’s expression looked strange.
It was as if he had heard something he wasn't supposed to.
Standing askew with his arms crossed, Yulan looked up at her and asked.
“Imperial Princess, you realize that sounded very strange, right?”
“Huh? What did?”
Yevgenia had made a request, and Yulan had carried out that request perfectly.
Therefore, it was only natural to pay the reward for the commission.
What on earth was the problem…
“You must have lost some of your memory because you enjoyed it so much, but while you call it a commission, what we actually did was simply mix our bodies.”
“…….”
“And now, the Imperial Princess is telling me—the man who gave her his body—that she will give me anything as a reward. Do you still not understand?”
Only then did Yevgenia realize the problem with her words, and her face flushed deep red.
“That—that wasn't my intention. I mean, what I meant was……”
“I know. You simply mean you'll reward me because the commission is finished. But given the nature of the commission, it can't help but sound that way, can it?”
She was used to intentionally hurting people—mostly in situations involving Stella—but this was her first time unintentionally belittling someone.
Unable to hide her fluster, Yevgenia stammered, unlike her usual self.
“I’m sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Really. I was taught that contracts involving giving and receiving must be handled clearly.”
Practically speaking, if their relationship ended like this, Yevgenia would be someone who took Yulan’s first experience and satisfied only her own needs.
Yulan, who had been quietly watching Yevgenia stumble through her excuses, tilted his head slightly.
“Imperial Princess, you seem to think this commission was a trade where you didn't lose a single thing.”
“Isn't… that right? The name is gone, and……”
“I guess you forgot everything I told you before. That we don't know what side effects there might be, or when and how they might appear.”
Yulan reached out and grabbed the nape of her neck.
He wasn't applying any force, but the sensation of his large hand gripping her neck made her body tense up instinctively.
Looking quietly at her as she held her breath, he spoke.
“Like this. Your breath could just stop at a completely sudden moment.”
“…….”
“On the other hand, there is no risk to my life, nor will I feel pain. Because that is the nature of my ability. Furthermore, thanks to the Imperial Princess, I’ve gained new experimental data.”
‘Ah, come to think of it, that was true.’
Since she had long since accepted that whether she lived or died was out of her hands, hearing this now only felt redundant.
However, having her situation explained objectively made her realize that she probably looked like a bit of a strange person.
As she agonized over how to explain herself so she wouldn't seem weird, a pale finger touched her chin.
Lifting her chin slightly to meet her eyes directly, Yulan asked.
“Imperial Princess. Do you still think this is a trade where you lose nothing?”
His calm green eyes glowed darkly.
As if they had absorbed all the darkness of the night sky.
Unable to answer, she kept her lips pressed tight, and he reacted first.
“Fine, I get it.”
“…….”
“The Imperial Princess is either thoughtless or stupid. It must be one of the two.”
If his tone had been one of anger because her attitude was frustrating, she might have brushed it off even if she didn't fully understand.
But his voice, dry and devoid of a single shred of emotion, sounded as if he were telling her he was disappointed in her, and her chest stung for no reason.
‘Hah. It’s not like I’ll ever see him again anyway. Whether he’s disappointed or not is none of my business. Who does he think he is to be disappointed in me? This is ridiculous.’
While grumbling to herself, Yevgenia stealthily hid her hands behind her back.
She feared that if she left them be, she might unconsciously grab him and start making all sorts of excuses.
“……I’m leaving.”
“Please go inside, Imperial Princess.”
“Honestly, until the very end……”
The moment the carriage door clicked shut, the strength drained from her body.
It felt as if all the fatigue that had accumulated throughout the night hit her at once.
Leaning back into the plush cushions of the carriage, she let out a deep sigh.
“To think it was such a crazy thing that those words would come out after seeing each other's faces only a few times.”
Of course, Yevgenia knew that what she had done didn't seem particularly sane.
She knew it all too well, but that was exactly why, in this situation…
That is to say… she wanted to escape the reality where she could not get away from Raymond.
Setting aside the fact that Raymond was objectively not a good person, the daily stress of being caught between them as a couple and suffering needlessly was too much.
Imagine the exhaustion of just listening to a couple of friends break up and get back together repeatedly, and then imagine being the foreign object stuck in the middle of it.
And not because I wanted to, but by force!
‘If he knew the future—that it ends in a miserable death—he would never be able to criticize me……’
But she couldn't blurt out such crazy talk in front of Yulan.
It wouldn't be strange if he sent a letter to her father saying the Imperial Princess had gone mad and was running wild, believing hallucinations to be reality.
“Haaa……”
Sighs continued to flow out of her.
Holding her throbbing forehead and remaining in silence for a long while, Yevgenia slapped her own cheeks.
“No matter what a complete stranger says, this is a decision I made. I won't regret it, and I won't look back.”
Regardless of the fact that Yulan was a decent person, he was a stranger who had no connection to Yevgenia.
Which meant it didn't matter at all how he evaluated her decision.
She had more than enough reason to be happy that the name was gone; dwelling on a stranger's words was a waste of time.
Once she finished organizing her thoughts, the world seemed brighter.
“We have arrived, My Lady. The House of Martyr.”
“Ah, right.”
A magnificent mansion that shone brightly even in the dim dawn.
For Yevgenia, it was a place of infinite familiarity and peace of mind.
Though that might change depending on how her father reacted after hearing her story tomorrow.
‘I think Father will like it. He always looked at Raymond with dissatisfaction.’
Every time she went to see—stalk—Raymond, her father would toss out a comment without fail.
‘Yevgenia, does it really have to be that fellow?’
‘He’s the son of the father of my friend’s son, and he’s a truly decent lad. Why don't you meet him? Not a loafer like that one, but someone very steadfast……’
How many dozens of times had he used "introductions" as a guise for his hatred of Raymond?
Even now, while the name was an issue, it seemed he didn't oppose the breaking of the engagement itself.
So, if she told him that the name had disappeared overnight, Father would surely support the breakup……
“Absolutely not. The engagement ceremony will proceed as planned. The name… since you’ve never revealed it anyway, you can just keep it covered from now on.”
Uh, wait.
This isn't how it was supposed to go.
“Wow, that was the most chilling rejection I’ve ever heard in my life.”
He shook his head slightly as if the wind had been knocked out of his sails, and for a moment, I thought he had given up on his pointless prank.
“We were doing far worse things just a moment ago; is this really that difficult?”
“It’s not that it’s difficult, it’s just… this is something you do when you’re, you know, close.”
This… ‘excessively affectionate, light, and burdensome skinship’ that Yulan was demanding was different from the ‘worse things’ they had done.
Logically, he was right.
Even though it was nothing special, she felt a strange sense of resistance.
It was an instinctive feeling—that if she crossed the line any further, something would go wrong.
Yulan, who had been quietly watching the hesitating Yevgenia, let out a small, mocking chuckle.
Then, he braced his hand against the arm of the chair she was sitting in and closed the distance abruptly.
Yevgenia caught her breath as his cool skin brushed against her cheek.
Lightly pressing their cheeks together, he wrapped an arm around her waist and gave her earlobe a gentle, painless nip.
“……Ngh.”
Her body instinctively recoiled at the breath hitting the back of her neck.
Because they were so close, every one of his movements and every single sound became acutely conscious.
Thump, thump, thump.
Just as she began to worry that her heartbeat was growing so loud he might actually hear it.
Yulan’s low voice drifted into her ear.
“It’s definitely not black.”
“……Did you really have to say it like this?”
It felt as if her eardrums were becoming damp.
The situation was far too awkward, making her conscious of every single tiny peach fuzz on her skin.
When she pushed his shoulder away with force, he stepped back without any resistance, which felt almost irritating.
As she glared at him, he gave a slight smile and spoke.
“I believe in being clear about commissions. What if my voice had been drowned out by the wind and you didn't hear me?”
“……Your excuses are truly top-notch.”
“That’s how I make a living.”
Feeling as though his breath still lingered, she absentmindedly fiddled with her ear.
Then, sensing a gaze upon her, she hurriedly lowered her hand.
She wanted to clear her throat, but fearing that even that would seem like she was conscious of him, she shifted the subject.
“Thank you… for today.”
“Now that’s unexpected.”
“I’m being sincere, so don’t twist my words. If there’s anything you want as a reward, just say it.”
She had put a great deal of gratitude into those words, but for some reason, Yulan’s expression looked strange.
It was as if he had heard something he wasn't supposed to.
Standing askew with his arms crossed, Yulan looked up at her and asked.
“Imperial Princess, you realize that sounded very strange, right?”
“Huh? What did?”
Yevgenia had made a request, and Yulan had carried out that request perfectly.
Therefore, it was only natural to pay the reward for the commission.
What on earth was the problem…
“You must have lost some of your memory because you enjoyed it so much, but while you call it a commission, what we actually did was simply mix our bodies.”
“…….”
“And now, the Imperial Princess is telling me—the man who gave her his body—that she will give me anything as a reward. Do you still not understand?”
Only then did Yevgenia realize the problem with her words, and her face flushed deep red.
“That—that wasn't my intention. I mean, what I meant was……”
“I know. You simply mean you'll reward me because the commission is finished. But given the nature of the commission, it can't help but sound that way, can it?”
She was used to intentionally hurting people—mostly in situations involving Stella—but this was her first time unintentionally belittling someone.
Unable to hide her fluster, Yevgenia stammered, unlike her usual self.
“I’m sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Really. I was taught that contracts involving giving and receiving must be handled clearly.”
Practically speaking, if their relationship ended like this, Yevgenia would be someone who took Yulan’s first experience and satisfied only her own needs.
Yulan, who had been quietly watching Yevgenia stumble through her excuses, tilted his head slightly.
“Imperial Princess, you seem to think this commission was a trade where you didn't lose a single thing.”
“Isn't… that right? The name is gone, and……”
“I guess you forgot everything I told you before. That we don't know what side effects there might be, or when and how they might appear.”
Yulan reached out and grabbed the nape of her neck.
He wasn't applying any force, but the sensation of his large hand gripping her neck made her body tense up instinctively.
Looking quietly at her as she held her breath, he spoke.
“Like this. Your breath could just stop at a completely sudden moment.”
“…….”
“On the other hand, there is no risk to my life, nor will I feel pain. Because that is the nature of my ability. Furthermore, thanks to the Imperial Princess, I’ve gained new experimental data.”
‘Ah, come to think of it, that was true.’
Since she had long since accepted that whether she lived or died was out of her hands, hearing this now only felt redundant.
However, having her situation explained objectively made her realize that she probably looked like a bit of a strange person.
As she agonized over how to explain herself so she wouldn't seem weird, a pale finger touched her chin.
Lifting her chin slightly to meet her eyes directly, Yulan asked.
“Imperial Princess. Do you still think this is a trade where you lose nothing?”
His calm green eyes glowed darkly.
As if they had absorbed all the darkness of the night sky.
Unable to answer, she kept her lips pressed tight, and he reacted first.
“Fine, I get it.”
“…….”
“The Imperial Princess is either thoughtless or stupid. It must be one of the two.”
If his tone had been one of anger because her attitude was frustrating, she might have brushed it off even if she didn't fully understand.
But his voice, dry and devoid of a single shred of emotion, sounded as if he were telling her he was disappointed in her, and her chest stung for no reason.
‘Hah. It’s not like I’ll ever see him again anyway. Whether he’s disappointed or not is none of my business. Who does he think he is to be disappointed in me? This is ridiculous.’
While grumbling to herself, Yevgenia stealthily hid her hands behind her back.
She feared that if she left them be, she might unconsciously grab him and start making all sorts of excuses.
“……I’m leaving.”
“Please go inside, Imperial Princess.”
“Honestly, until the very end……”
The moment the carriage door clicked shut, the strength drained from her body.
It felt as if all the fatigue that had accumulated throughout the night hit her at once.
Leaning back into the plush cushions of the carriage, she let out a deep sigh.
“To think it was such a crazy thing that those words would come out after seeing each other's faces only a few times.”
Of course, Yevgenia knew that what she had done didn't seem particularly sane.
She knew it all too well, but that was exactly why, in this situation…
That is to say… she wanted to escape the reality where she could not get away from Raymond.
Setting aside the fact that Raymond was objectively not a good person, the daily stress of being caught between them as a couple and suffering needlessly was too much.
Imagine the exhaustion of just listening to a couple of friends break up and get back together repeatedly, and then imagine being the foreign object stuck in the middle of it.
And not because I wanted to, but by force!
‘If he knew the future—that it ends in a miserable death—he would never be able to criticize me……’
But she couldn't blurt out such crazy talk in front of Yulan.
It wouldn't be strange if he sent a letter to her father saying the Imperial Princess had gone mad and was running wild, believing hallucinations to be reality.
“Haaa……”
Sighs continued to flow out of her.
Holding her throbbing forehead and remaining in silence for a long while, Yevgenia slapped her own cheeks.
“No matter what a complete stranger says, this is a decision I made. I won't regret it, and I won't look back.”
Regardless of the fact that Yulan was a decent person, he was a stranger who had no connection to Yevgenia.
Which meant it didn't matter at all how he evaluated her decision.
She had more than enough reason to be happy that the name was gone; dwelling on a stranger's words was a waste of time.
Once she finished organizing her thoughts, the world seemed brighter.
“We have arrived, My Lady. The House of Martyr.”
“Ah, right.”
A magnificent mansion that shone brightly even in the dim dawn.
For Yevgenia, it was a place of infinite familiarity and peace of mind.
Though that might change depending on how her father reacted after hearing her story tomorrow.
‘I think Father will like it. He always looked at Raymond with dissatisfaction.’
Every time she went to see—stalk—Raymond, her father would toss out a comment without fail.
‘Yevgenia, does it really have to be that fellow?’
‘He’s the son of the father of my friend’s son, and he’s a truly decent lad. Why don't you meet him? Not a loafer like that one, but someone very steadfast……’
How many dozens of times had he used "introductions" as a guise for his hatred of Raymond?
Even now, while the name was an issue, it seemed he didn't oppose the breaking of the engagement itself.
So, if she told him that the name had disappeared overnight, Father would surely support the breakup……
“Absolutely not. The engagement ceremony will proceed as planned. The name… since you’ve never revealed it anyway, you can just keep it covered from now on.”
Uh, wait.
This isn't how it was supposed to go.
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