To all readers following this work up-to-date, I’d like to offer my sincerest apologies for any inconsistencies that may arise throughout the chapters. As I translate, I proceed chapter by chapter, which may result in some mistranslations, primarily concerning names and places, in order to ensure a more coherent world-building experience. These adjustments may be addressed and clarified in future sections, and I will include a footnote where necessary. Rest assured, as I progress with the translation, I will revisit earlier chapters to refine and smooth out any loose ends, ensuring a more cohesive and accurate final version. Moving forward, I intend to avoid such inconsistencies. Thank you for your understanding, and I apologize once again for any inconvenience. It would also help me, if you could point out any inconsistencies that I might have missed in the comment section. Thank you and happy reading~
TNBTW | Episode 4
by cookieThe Duke was handsome—handsome enough to make one lose their senses. Even the goddess of beauty herself could not deny this fact.
Handsome men were rare in any world, and the Duke was undoubtedly the most striking among them.
But that was all. Edith’s heart wasn’t so easily swayed by just a pretty face.
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“I don’t think so. If that’s all, then I’m fine.”
Luckily, the Duke relieved Edith of her worries. His response was surprisingly calm, especially for someone who had asked such a question, leaving Edith even more bewildered.
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“Let’s get to the point. Our marriage.”
Hearing “our” and “marriage” coming from the Duke’s lips, Edith couldn’t help but feel a strange sensation. As she nodded, the Duke lowered his gaze and then raised it again.
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‘His eyelashes are so long.’
It was an odd time to be thinking such things, but those long lashes fit his eyes perfectly. She almost felt like she was looking at a celebrity.
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“I’ll ask you first. Did you come here because it was difficult to refuse His Majesty’s command, or did you come because you wanted to marry me?”
However, that feeling faded quickly. Edith’s mouth hung open. She had sensed the Duke’s straightforward nature, but she hadn’t expected him to ask such a blunt question.
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“If it’s the former, I’ll speak to His Majesty myself, so don’t worry. You won’t be harmed in any way.”
“…It would be a lie to say it wasn’t a burden, but it wasn’t only because of His Majesty’s command.”
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She was momentarily taken aback but answered calmly. With his expression still unreadable, the Duke asked again.
“If it wasn’t that, then why do you want to marry me?”
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“That is…”
Edith, of course, had her reasons. But she wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to tell the Duke honestly just yet.
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She hadn’t expected him to ask so openly during their first meeting.
Whether Edith was confused or not, the Duke continued.
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“You said you don’t have any romantic interest in me. And seeing how you act, I suppose that’s true.”
His voice, matter-of-fact as it was, didn’t betray the slightest disappointment. It was merely a statement of facts.
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“You’re not particularly passionate about improving your social standing, and if you were after my wealth, I would have granted that right then and there. You wouldn’t be wasting time like this.”
His words were accurate. Edith hadn’t come here for those reasons.
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“Do you have something else in mind?”
Just as she was about to answer, Edith’s eyes caught a glimpse of the view in the office. Everything in the room was arranged symmetrically, at perfect angles—nothing was out of place.
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She turned her gaze back to the Duke. His buttoned-up collar and the stiff edges of his shirt revealed his compulsive and perfectionistic tendencies.
‘It won’t work to beat around the bush with him.’
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It was an easy judgment to make.
“Actually, I came to ask you for something. But it’s not a request I wish to make of you, the duke…”
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She swallowed dryly, then took a deep breath.
“It’s a request I’d like to ask of the wizard.”
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The Duke, whose gaze had been following Edith’s movements, paused, his eyes locking onto her with a sharp gleam.
“You want something from me, not as a Duke, but as a wizard?”
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“Yes, that’s right.”
As soon as she said it, her heart began to pound.
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There was no guarantee that the Duke would fulfill her request, nor was there certainty that it would come to pass, but simply being able to voice something she’d been thinking about for so long made her heart flutter.
“Interesting.”
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A flicker of something unusual appeared in the Duke’s normally indifferent eyes. Edith realized she had made the right choice.
“I understand. We’ll discuss that later. But there’s something you should know first.”
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Just as Edith let out a sigh of relief, blinking at him in confusion, the Duke suddenly brought up a different topic.
‘Something I need to know?’
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Puzzled, Edith tilted her head slightly, unsure of what he meant, when the Duke spoke.
“I have a younger brother, one who is sixteen years younger than me.”
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The Duke was twenty-three, so his younger brother would be seven. With such a significant age gap, it seemed his parents had a strong, loving relationship.
“He must be adorable!”
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If he took after the Duke, he must be quite the looker. Even if not, children were endearing regardless of their appearance, so Edith responded brightly.
However, the Duke’s expression as he spoke about his younger brother was far from what she expected. The atmosphere had grown noticeably colder, and Edith was beginning to question what was going on.
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“My younger brother has been possessed by a demon.”
…What? What in the world did that mean?
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***
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“Edith Irene Brussels. Born of the Brussels baron family, twenty-two years old, fluent in both the Imperial language and the Continental Common tongue, correct?”
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“Yes!”
“Let’s take a look at your experience.”
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The middle-aged man with a stern expression flipped through the documents without any emotion.
“Worked for a year with Viscount Linguini, another year at Count Mosswell, and another year at Count Hedon…”
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“I also worked for six months at Viscount Brosia after the Viscount Linguini.”
Nervously standing before him, Edith hurriedly added a correction. The man briefly looked up at her and asked.
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“Normally, we prefer someone who has worked longer for a single family rather than switching between many families. Is there a reason you’ve worked for so many?”
If she were another nobleman, Edith might have been offended by his blunt tone. But thanks to her memories from Korea, she wasn’t fazed.
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Moreover, the post-war era had shifted the focus toward wealthy merchants. Poor, fallen aristocrats weren’t treated with much respect, and Edith had grown accustomed to being treated poorly.
“I originally planned to come to the capital city. If I stayed with one family too long, it would be hard not to leave a mark on their children’s hearts…”
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“Ha!”
But even the ever-optimistic and adaptable Edith couldn’t help but pause at the sarcastic response.
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Startled, Edith stopped speaking, and the man clicked his tongue in annoyance.
“Did you think the young heirs of noble families would be sad to part with a tutor? Come on, speak logically. If you were dismissed, you should have come up with a better excuse.”
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“It’s not like that…”
It wasn’t an excuse, it was the truth!
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Edith was about to defend herself but stopped short when she realized the man had already made up his mind. He likely wouldn’t listen to her.
“…I’ll be able to work for at least three years, so please contact me if a position opens up.”
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With one last polite request, Edith left the employment agency. As she passed through the door, the blinding sunlight greeted her.
‘Phew.’
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The sky was clear and blue, but Edith’s mood didn’t match. Her shoulders slumped in exhaustion as she walked.
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‘As what I’ve said, my younger brother was branded a demon by the Pope and imprisoned in the temple for it.’
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The Duke’s voice echoed in Edith’s mind.
Just yesterday, he had told her about his younger brother—an incredible tale of a boy possessed by a demon and locked away in a temple.
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‘So, marrying me means becoming connected to a family with demonic blood.’
Edith’s mind raced as she struggled to speak. The Duke had even added an explanation.
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‘Of course. A man like him, so perfect, would never have married if there wasn’t something wrong.’
A sigh escaped Edith’s lips.
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She’d had doubts from the start. Why would a war hero like the Duke marry into a fallen family like hers? What did he need with that?
‘But a demon…’
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In a world with magic, it wasn’t impossible to believe in demons. However, she certainly didn’t want to be near one.
‘How terrifying.’
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She had always been afraid of ghosts and spirits.
And demons were even worse. It was all because of a horror movie she’d seen as a child. A film about a demon possessing a child’s body—she still remembered how realistic the makeup was, sending shivers down her spine.
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If that was frightening in a movie, imagine seeing a person possessed by a demon in real life. Edith couldn’t bring herself to do it.
‘I should visit the Magic Tower tomorrow. I need to at least get a rough idea of how much it’ll cost.’
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The duke, who was as unattainable as rice cakes in a painting1—or perhaps more aptly, a wizard in a painting—was regretfully someone she had to let go.
Thud.
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As Edith walked, her mind still reeling, she bumped into someone. She hadn’t been paying attention to where she was going. It wasn’t a hard collision, but a collision nonetheless.
“I’m sorry… Daisy?”
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As she quickly lifted her head to apologize, Edith’s eyes widened in surprise.