Episode 67. Did I seduce you?
“I... Your Highness.”
Rose, still in the Grand Duke's arms, cautiously spoke.
"Why... aren't you leaving?"
Rose awkwardly faced the Grand Duke.
The Grand Duke stared down at her, as if he had something left to say.
"But... have you actually seen Luna's tears?"
"Huh? No. Probably not... I guess not?"
Rose, trying to say with certainty that she hadn't, trailed off and smiled awkwardly.
It was true that she had never seen Luna's tears, but Rose, the heroine of the novel, could have.
“Really nothing?”
Was that important right now?
Rose nodded uncertainly at the Grand Duke's sudden question.
Dissatisfied with Rose’s answer, the Grand Duke stroked his chin, a puzzled expression on his face. The Grand Duke was troubled by today’s events.
When she told the black monster charging into the lake to “run away,” it immediately turned and fled.
Finn was no exception.
It felt as if it was paralyzed by Rose’s single word, not his own.
“The monster, Finn... it seemed as if they couldn’t disobey Rose.”
He was certain that there was a connection between Rose and “Luna’s Tears.” While it was known to the world as a rare necklace, it was actually something much more precious.
Luna’s Tears possessed the ability to control monsters.
“It’s difficult to explain otherwise.”
The Grand Duke took a step back, thinking that Rose might have something she wanted to hide, just as he had secrets.
“...I guess washing up is the priority.”
He called the maid and left Rose’s room. Rose greeted the Grand Duke with a bewildered expression.
“...”
After the Grand Duke left, Rose, left alone, blankly recalled the events of a little while ago.
“What on earth was that...?”
Rose, too, felt something was off.
The black unicorn, Finn, and everyone else were following her orders too well.
Finn, in particular, listened to her own words more than to the Grand Duke, his master.
“Could it be... that the female protagonist in the original work had some kind of hidden ability?”
Rose was deeply confused by the setting, which hadn't been revealed at the beginning of the book.
She slowly tried to sort out what had just happened.
"So... if that black unicorn is a monster, as the Grand Duke said..."
Could it be that she possessed the ability to seduce monsters?
Rose thought back to the black unicorn that had been so affectionately flirting with her.
That unicorn had been incredibly friendly. The monsters depicted in the novel were utterly repulsive, but the one Rose encountered was anything but...
"...It was cute,"
Rose muttered to herself, but at the same time, a question arose.
"But... Finn isn't a monster, so why did he listen to me?"
Rose racked her brain, trying to find a connection between the monster and Finn.
The next day.
Rose had seemed quite busy since morning.
She had finished preparing to leave with a letter for Jane.
Rose boarded the black carriage prepared in front of the mansion, her face extremely excited.
The Grand Duke of Artaeum was looking down at Rose from his office.
“You look quite cheerful as you go to meet that guy...”
He felt a pang of jealousy.
Another of Rose’s business partners.
Rose’s face was incredibly bright as she went to meet him today.
Rose was simply excited about purchasing the department store site, but the Grand Duke didn’t feel that way.
“Ugh... Should I sneak behind you?”
The Grand Duke muttered to himself, his eyes ablaze with madness. However, his plan was foiled before it even began.
“That would be a crime, Your Highness.”
Neruan looked at the Grand Duke with a pitiful look.
“What’s so criminal about following her? I’m just worried.”
“Excessive obsession tends to tire a woman.”
“I... Your Highness.”
Rose, still in the Grand Duke's arms, cautiously spoke.
“Is that unicorn really a monster?”
“Yes. It’s a very dangerous one. There are no black unicorns in this world. Next time you encounter one, run away without looking back.”
Rose seemed completely unaware, but this was truly a dangerous situation.
“They are high-level monsters that feed on human souls. They appear in the form of sacred unicorns to seduce people.”
It was a monster that rarely revealed itself, and this was the first time even the Grand Duke had seen it in person.
Despite the Grand Duke's words, Rose’s suspicions only grew.
“It didn’t seem threatening at all...”
Rose felt the unicorn’s crimson eyes were pure innocence itself.
While she was lost in thought, they entered the mansion.
The employees in the Grand Duke Artaeum's residence glanced at the Grand Duke and Rose.
The naked Grand Duke and the daughter of Count Serviat in his arms.
Rose felt utterly burdened by their fervent gazes.
The Grand Duke, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by their gazes.
Despite having just passed through the short corridor, dozens of eyes were frantically scanning Rose.
“Turn your head towards me,”
The Grand Duke whispered to Rose, who was at a loss in his arms. He seemed to sense Rose’s discomfort under the servants’ gaze.
The Grand Duke intended to be considerate, but his words only made Rose feel even more dizzy.
“If I turn my head towards the Grand Duke, where should I look?”
Raising her face would be a source of embarrassment, yet lowering her head in the Grand Duke's embrace would feel like her heart would burst.
After a moment of deliberation, Rose buried her head in the Grand Duke's chest and closed her eyes.
The sound of his trudging footsteps, mixed with his ragged breathing, tickled the back of her ear.
Rose swallowed dryly without realizing it and wiggled her fingers.
After how long had it been? Rose's body, still in the Grand Duke's arms, began to slowly descend to the floor.
"Are we there now?"
Rose cautiously opened her eyes. She had arrived at the room the Grand Duke had given her.
"I'll have the maid run you a bath, so you should warm yourself up in the hot water and go to sleep."
"Oh, yes. Thank you."
The Grand Duke didn't leave the room despite Rose's answer, just standing there blankly.
“Yes. It’s a very dangerous one. There are no black unicorns in this world. Next time you encounter one, run away without looking back.”
Rose seemed completely unaware, but this was truly a dangerous situation.
“They are high-level monsters that feed on human souls. They appear in the form of sacred unicorns to seduce people.”
It was a monster that rarely revealed itself, and this was the first time even the Grand Duke had seen it in person.
Despite the Grand Duke's words, Rose’s suspicions only grew.
“It didn’t seem threatening at all...”
Rose felt the unicorn’s crimson eyes were pure innocence itself.
While she was lost in thought, they entered the mansion.
The employees in the Grand Duke Artaeum's residence glanced at the Grand Duke and Rose.
The naked Grand Duke and the daughter of Count Serviat in his arms.
Rose felt utterly burdened by their fervent gazes.
The Grand Duke, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by their gazes.
Despite having just passed through the short corridor, dozens of eyes were frantically scanning Rose.
“Turn your head towards me,”
The Grand Duke whispered to Rose, who was at a loss in his arms. He seemed to sense Rose’s discomfort under the servants’ gaze.
The Grand Duke intended to be considerate, but his words only made Rose feel even more dizzy.
“If I turn my head towards the Grand Duke, where should I look?”
Raising her face would be a source of embarrassment, yet lowering her head in the Grand Duke's embrace would feel like her heart would burst.
After a moment of deliberation, Rose buried her head in the Grand Duke's chest and closed her eyes.
The sound of his trudging footsteps, mixed with his ragged breathing, tickled the back of her ear.
Rose swallowed dryly without realizing it and wiggled her fingers.
After how long had it been? Rose's body, still in the Grand Duke's arms, began to slowly descend to the floor.
"Are we there now?"
Rose cautiously opened her eyes. She had arrived at the room the Grand Duke had given her.
"I'll have the maid run you a bath, so you should warm yourself up in the hot water and go to sleep."
"Oh, yes. Thank you."
The Grand Duke didn't leave the room despite Rose's answer, just standing there blankly.
"Why... aren't you leaving?"
Rose awkwardly faced the Grand Duke.
The Grand Duke stared down at her, as if he had something left to say.
"But... have you actually seen Luna's tears?"
"Huh? No. Probably not... I guess not?"
Rose, trying to say with certainty that she hadn't, trailed off and smiled awkwardly.
It was true that she had never seen Luna's tears, but Rose, the heroine of the novel, could have.
“Really nothing?”
Was that important right now?
Rose nodded uncertainly at the Grand Duke's sudden question.
Dissatisfied with Rose’s answer, the Grand Duke stroked his chin, a puzzled expression on his face. The Grand Duke was troubled by today’s events.
When she told the black monster charging into the lake to “run away,” it immediately turned and fled.
Finn was no exception.
It felt as if it was paralyzed by Rose’s single word, not his own.
“The monster, Finn... it seemed as if they couldn’t disobey Rose.”
He was certain that there was a connection between Rose and “Luna’s Tears.” While it was known to the world as a rare necklace, it was actually something much more precious.
Luna’s Tears possessed the ability to control monsters.
“It’s difficult to explain otherwise.”
The Grand Duke took a step back, thinking that Rose might have something she wanted to hide, just as he had secrets.
“...I guess washing up is the priority.”
He called the maid and left Rose’s room. Rose greeted the Grand Duke with a bewildered expression.
“...”
After the Grand Duke left, Rose, left alone, blankly recalled the events of a little while ago.
“What on earth was that...?”
Rose, too, felt something was off.
The black unicorn, Finn, and everyone else were following her orders too well.
Finn, in particular, listened to her own words more than to the Grand Duke, his master.
“Could it be... that the female protagonist in the original work had some kind of hidden ability?”
Rose was deeply confused by the setting, which hadn't been revealed at the beginning of the book.
She slowly tried to sort out what had just happened.
"So... if that black unicorn is a monster, as the Grand Duke said..."
Could it be that she possessed the ability to seduce monsters?
Rose thought back to the black unicorn that had been so affectionately flirting with her.
That unicorn had been incredibly friendly. The monsters depicted in the novel were utterly repulsive, but the one Rose encountered was anything but...
"...It was cute,"
Rose muttered to herself, but at the same time, a question arose.
"But... Finn isn't a monster, so why did he listen to me?"
Rose racked her brain, trying to find a connection between the monster and Finn.
***
The next day.
Rose had seemed quite busy since morning.
She had finished preparing to leave with a letter for Jane.
Rose boarded the black carriage prepared in front of the mansion, her face extremely excited.
The Grand Duke of Artaeum was looking down at Rose from his office.
“You look quite cheerful as you go to meet that guy...”
He felt a pang of jealousy.
Another of Rose’s business partners.
Rose’s face was incredibly bright as she went to meet him today.
Rose was simply excited about purchasing the department store site, but the Grand Duke didn’t feel that way.
“Ugh... Should I sneak behind you?”
The Grand Duke muttered to himself, his eyes ablaze with madness. However, his plan was foiled before it even began.
“That would be a crime, Your Highness.”
Neruan looked at the Grand Duke with a pitiful look.
“What’s so criminal about following her? I’m just worried.”
“Excessive obsession tends to tire a woman.”
“It’s not obsession, it’s protection.”
“If I were to receive that kind of protection, I think I’d lose interest.”
Neruan’s polite expression and unspoken tone irritated the Grand Duke.
“Don’t go. You never intended to do that in the first place. That’s what I’m saying.”
The Grand Duke quirked his brow and glared at Neruan.
“You brought me the information I asked you to find out, right?”
Neruan nodded at the Grand Duke’s words.
He began recounting the information he had gathered at a rapid pace.
“He’s male. He’s a renowned elite in the industry, and his exceptional abilities earned him a scourge from the imperial family. Born into a baronial family, he has a distinguished background and a good personality, earning him the trust of those around him.”
As Neruan heaped praise on Rose’s business partner, the Grand Duke of Artaeum’s expression contorted pleasingly.
“Those kinds of people always end up with bad consequences.”
The Grand Duke, feeling a pang of frustration, looked at Neruan.
“Is that all you have?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Is that all you’ve found out? You’re missing everything important.”
There was no mention of his age, height, or marital status.
In fact, Neruan had discovered every last bit of information about his butler, Gwen.
Everything, down to the number of dishes in his house.
However, he didn't want to tell the Grand Duke of Artaeum.
“If I were to receive that kind of protection, I think I’d lose interest.”
Neruan’s polite expression and unspoken tone irritated the Grand Duke.
“Don’t go. You never intended to do that in the first place. That’s what I’m saying.”
The Grand Duke quirked his brow and glared at Neruan.
“You brought me the information I asked you to find out, right?”
Neruan nodded at the Grand Duke’s words.
He began recounting the information he had gathered at a rapid pace.
“He’s male. He’s a renowned elite in the industry, and his exceptional abilities earned him a scourge from the imperial family. Born into a baronial family, he has a distinguished background and a good personality, earning him the trust of those around him.”
As Neruan heaped praise on Rose’s business partner, the Grand Duke of Artaeum’s expression contorted pleasingly.
“Those kinds of people always end up with bad consequences.”
The Grand Duke, feeling a pang of frustration, looked at Neruan.
“Is that all you have?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Is that all you’ve found out? You’re missing everything important.”
There was no mention of his age, height, or marital status.
In fact, Neruan had discovered every last bit of information about his butler, Gwen.
Everything, down to the number of dishes in his house.
However, he didn't want to tell the Grand Duke of Artaeum.
'He's over sixty, and his child is about the same age as the Lady Serviat, so he wouldn't be this anxious.'
Recently, the Grand Duke of Artaeum had been pushing his work to Neruan because of Rose, so his workload had increased.
This was Neruan's small revenge.
Neruan smiled healthily and watched the Grand Duke fidget with amusement.
While Neruan and the Grand Duke bickered, Rose had sent a letter to Jane and was waiting for Gwen.
Rose's expression was incredibly bright as she waited for Gwen in her private room.
The bell rang with a refreshing tinkling sound, and the door slowly opened.
Rose jumped to her feet at the sight of Gwen entering, his graying hair neatly slicked back.
"Gwen!"
“How have you been?”
Gwen also greeted Rose with a bright smile.
“I’ve been doing well. How have you been, Gwen? Nothing much has happened, right?”
Gwen smiled silently at Rose’s words.
In fact, after being fired by Eric, Cedric’s subordinate had come to visit.
“The Master wants to continue working with you. What are you going to do?”
Gwen politely declined his offer, saying he wanted to retire and live out his old age quietly.
Cedric offered Gwen a large severance pay, but he refused.
“...Since I’ve decided to work with Rose, I can’t accept that money.”
The severance pay was a fair compensation for Gwen's hard work, but he didn't want to leave even the slightest leeway for Cedric to hold him back.
It was a monumental decision for Gwen, who didn't even know what kind of business Rose was planning.
Gwen nodded belatedly at Rose's words and said,
"What's different about an old person's daily life?"
He didn't bother to tell Rose that Cedric had come.
"It's so nice to see you again. And thank you again for agreeing to work with me."
Rose smiled brightly at Gwen for choosing her.
"Shall we sit down and talk?"
"Of course. I'm really looking forward to it. I wonder what kind of ingenious business you've got planned."
Rose faced Gwen and began to explain her plan to him.
She even revealed that she had received support from the Grand Duke of Artaeum.
Gwen had to know exactly how much Rose's assets were worth. Hiding the fact that Rose had received support from the Grand Duke could have cost him his trust.
Gwen maintained a look of utter surprise from beginning to end.
"...Rose is even more incredible than I thought."
Despite serving her for three years, this was a first.
And to have even managed to win the cold-hearted Grand Duke of Artaeum over to her side.
He wasn't astonished by Rose's business plan as he was by Rose's ability to win people over.
Gwen, he, too, had fallen for this quality of Rose's.
"You're truly remarkable. Your generosity is extraordinary. Asking for a loan of 10 billion Res? You must have been so confident in your success, weren't you?"
Rose scratched her cheek sheepishly at the Grand Duke's words.
"It's not so much confidence as it was a testament to my trust."
Gwen's eyes widened at Rose's words.
"I used to be a really negative person. I'd tell others they could do it, encourage them to try, but I didn't do anything myself. I was so afraid of failure,"
Rose said softly, recalling her life in Korea.
"A bit cowardly, huh? I've never really challenged myself. The safe, smooth path was the best."
She'd lived steadily, without any setbacks. She graduated from elementary, middle, and high school, went to a prestigious university, and landed a job at a major corporation.
Her life could have been the envy of others.
"I wanted to believe in my potential. It's such a shame to do nothing out of fear. You might regret it after you're dead, right?"
Recently, the Grand Duke of Artaeum had been pushing his work to Neruan because of Rose, so his workload had increased.
This was Neruan's small revenge.
Neruan smiled healthily and watched the Grand Duke fidget with amusement.
While Neruan and the Grand Duke bickered, Rose had sent a letter to Jane and was waiting for Gwen.
Rose's expression was incredibly bright as she waited for Gwen in her private room.
The bell rang with a refreshing tinkling sound, and the door slowly opened.
Rose jumped to her feet at the sight of Gwen entering, his graying hair neatly slicked back.
"Gwen!"
“How have you been?”
Gwen also greeted Rose with a bright smile.
“I’ve been doing well. How have you been, Gwen? Nothing much has happened, right?”
Gwen smiled silently at Rose’s words.
In fact, after being fired by Eric, Cedric’s subordinate had come to visit.
“The Master wants to continue working with you. What are you going to do?”
Gwen politely declined his offer, saying he wanted to retire and live out his old age quietly.
Cedric offered Gwen a large severance pay, but he refused.
“...Since I’ve decided to work with Rose, I can’t accept that money.”
The severance pay was a fair compensation for Gwen's hard work, but he didn't want to leave even the slightest leeway for Cedric to hold him back.
It was a monumental decision for Gwen, who didn't even know what kind of business Rose was planning.
Gwen nodded belatedly at Rose's words and said,
"What's different about an old person's daily life?"
He didn't bother to tell Rose that Cedric had come.
"It's so nice to see you again. And thank you again for agreeing to work with me."
Rose smiled brightly at Gwen for choosing her.
"Shall we sit down and talk?"
"Of course. I'm really looking forward to it. I wonder what kind of ingenious business you've got planned."
Rose faced Gwen and began to explain her plan to him.
She even revealed that she had received support from the Grand Duke of Artaeum.
Gwen had to know exactly how much Rose's assets were worth. Hiding the fact that Rose had received support from the Grand Duke could have cost him his trust.
Gwen maintained a look of utter surprise from beginning to end.
"...Rose is even more incredible than I thought."
Despite serving her for three years, this was a first.
And to have even managed to win the cold-hearted Grand Duke of Artaeum over to her side.
He wasn't astonished by Rose's business plan as he was by Rose's ability to win people over.
Gwen, he, too, had fallen for this quality of Rose's.
"You're truly remarkable. Your generosity is extraordinary. Asking for a loan of 10 billion Res? You must have been so confident in your success, weren't you?"
Rose scratched her cheek sheepishly at the Grand Duke's words.
"It's not so much confidence as it was a testament to my trust."
Gwen's eyes widened at Rose's words.
"I used to be a really negative person. I'd tell others they could do it, encourage them to try, but I didn't do anything myself. I was so afraid of failure,"
Rose said softly, recalling her life in Korea.
"A bit cowardly, huh? I've never really challenged myself. The safe, smooth path was the best."
She'd lived steadily, without any setbacks. She graduated from elementary, middle, and high school, went to a prestigious university, and landed a job at a major corporation.
Her life could have been the envy of others.
"I wanted to believe in my potential. It's such a shame to do nothing out of fear. You might regret it after you're dead, right?"
She spoke from experience.
She'd died before.
She regretted not taking on the challenges she'd set out to pursue with more passion.
"So this time, I decided to bet on success, not failure. You only live once."
Rose calmly confessed her feelings and smiled heartily.
Gwen looked at Rose with a surprised expression, then laughed along with her.
"That's a risky gamble. Hard work sometimes betrays us. Hard work alone doesn't guarantee success."
Gwen's words were resolute, striking the point.
"If you act only on ideals, you might end up in debt."
Rose froze in stone at Gwen's hearty laugh.
She'd died before.
She regretted not taking on the challenges she'd set out to pursue with more passion.
"So this time, I decided to bet on success, not failure. You only live once."
Rose calmly confessed her feelings and smiled heartily.
Gwen looked at Rose with a surprised expression, then laughed along with her.
"That's a risky gamble. Hard work sometimes betrays us. Hard work alone doesn't guarantee success."
Gwen's words were resolute, striking the point.
"If you act only on ideals, you might end up in debt."
Rose froze in stone at Gwen's hearty laugh.
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