Chapter 6

He approached me with long strides. Unlike when we danced together, the way he gazed at me was terrifyingly cold. Perhaps the reason my heart stung from his gaze was because of my original character, which loved him in the original work.

“I hate Cartina.”

I know, it’s pretty obvious. However, that’s not very pleasing to hear.

I nodded, working to hide my emotional perturbation as much as possible.

“That’s alright. I don’t hate Erhardt.”

I placed my hand on his forearm while smiling pleasantly.

Startled, he stepped back. Nonetheless, I didn’t let him move any more than a certain distance.

“Let’s speak for a minute.”

“I have nothing to say. I believe I’ve shown enough courtesy to the lady by granting a dance for her debut.”

No wonder Rodrigo instantly accepted the dance request, not caring to refute.

Was that a gentleman’s courtesy?

I once again realized he was a very good man before blackening.

Cartina was the one who turned this man into a demon.

The original version of me.

“That’s still not enough.”

I smiled while bending my eyes gently; the lethal weapon of the Cartina family.

However, unfortunately, this was a Cartina-limited technology.

My heart shattered the second I caught Rodrigo’s strangely crumpled impression.

It seems there was something wrong with the old saying, *you can’t spit on a smiling face.

*TL/N: You can’t spit in a smiling face basically means it’s hard to get angry at a smiling face. This is a korean proverb.

I grabbed Rodrigo’s forearm.

Rodrigo seemed displeased as he raised his eyebrow.However, he didn’t brush my hand off.

What a gentleman.

“The balcony would be nice, wouldn’t it?”

It was a question, however I didn’t require an answer.

I wasn’t expecting Rodrigo to listen obediently.

So, I decided to carry out a radical method.

I pulled out the dagger securely hidden inside my sleeve.

Rodrigo attempted to retreat as he sensed something odd, however, I swiftly approached him.

And positioned the tip of the knife on his side.

“This is your most cherished Duke Gloria’s banquet, and there are many eyes out here. If you don’t want to make a fuss, you’d better follow me.”

I positioned my stance so that Eyla, incessantly hovering around us, could see the dagger. I also hastily whispered to him.

Eyla stood back and silently observed, believing I’d taken the lead.

“Do you really need to see blood?”

It was a subtle threat.

I didn’t know if it would work for Rodrigo.

Rodrigo’s cold eyes gazed at me.

His piercing gaze, causing goosebumps to pass through my body, nearly brought me to confess this was all just an act.

If he hadn’t burst into laughter all of a sudden, I would definitely have done so.

“Ahahaha, lady Estiya. You really…”

It hurt my pride when I observed him laughing like a madman, although my dagger threatened his waist.

Do you even know how much I could do with a dagger?

I can do this, that, and this.

“You’re quite humorous. Did you think you could threaten me with a single, small dagger?”

Rodrigo grabbed me by the waist as he pulled closer. His big hand overlapped the top of mine; the one which was holding the dagger.

I watched him as he was doing it.

Rodrigo turned the edge of the knife toward me. The blade slightly touched the side of my neat dress.

Are you trying to kill me now?

“If I place a bit of pressure, it won’t end up a matter of ripping a thin dress. Even piercing it.”

Rodrigo’s hand swept my back. Goosebumps arose from his delicate touch.

“How much strength does it take to tear apart a woman without weapons against her?”

Rodrigo didn’t stutter for nothing.

He checked to see if I wore something such as mithril armor under my dress.

The moment I took out the knife, Rodrigo threw his fake gentleman mask.

As Rodrigo was fighting for his life, he was convinced it would be meaningless acting like a gentleman in this case.

“Well, is such strength enough to crush an apple?”

I answered the question audibly, not caring to blink an eye.

Rodrigo narrowed his eyes.

I smiled beautifully. Then, I grabbed him by the wrist.

I didn’t turn the blade towards Rodrigo. Rather, I grabbed Rodrigo’s wrist that held the dagger, and used more strength to pull it towards my side.

Rodrigo’s face hardened. He held on with his other hand to keep the dagger from stabbing me in the ribs.

He really is a gentleman.

The short clash ensued.

It was an embarrassing posture for a man and a woman who had met for the first time.

Soon, a light sigh flowed from his mouth.

What an unexpected reaction.

Rodrigo seemed genuinely tired.

“Let’s have a talk.”

As I held his wrist tightly after he attempted to let go of his grip, my eyes pointed towards the balcony.

“Alright. Let’s head there.”

Rodrigo’s resigned voice pleased me.

We headed to the balcony at a fast pace. As soon as Rodrigo entered, he leaned against the railing and folded his arms.

I closed the door tightly so that no one would hear our voices, and even drew the curtains carefully.

The last moment before the curtains were completely closed, Eyla’s gaze met with mine; her eyes were trembling with worry and her nose was sore.

As I closed the door, Eyla clenched her fists and turned toward the door of the banquet hall. That was the last scene I witnessed.

As my feet approached the balcony, I could hear agile footsteps above.

It took effortless amount of time to guess Kaylan and Ether were moving on the second floor.

Where did Eyla go?

I’m in a hurry.

It would be too much, protecting Rodrigo against all three of them. I went to the point immediately.

“Cartina is after you.”

Although I threw a serious topic, Rodrigo seemed indifferent.

“It wasn’t only a day or two this happened. Speaking of which, is that Cartina up there?”

Rodrigo leaned against the railing and glanced up at the roof.

His face was exposed defenselessly in the air.

I ghastly called to him.

“Rodrigo!”

Kaylan wouldn’t miss such an opportunity. As predicted, I heard a slight rustle.

I jumped at him and clung my arms around his neck. At the same time, I heaved in opposition to the balcony with my two feet.

As I pulled his weight along and rebound, Rodrigo’s firm body moved along.

I could then hear a deep, blunt force clashing to the floor.

“Do you want to die?”

I lowered my voice so as to not be audible.

At that moment, confusion passed through Rodrigo’s eyes.

“No.”

He ceased speaking for a while, then opened his mouth again.

“How long are you going to hang on?”

His gaze fell downwards.

My thighs were tightly wrapped around his waist.

I held onto Rodrigo just like a koala.

“No matter how much we danced together, this is too much of a touch for the first time.”

Feeling embarrassed by his light tone, I scrunched my nose and bent backwards to the floor.

Rodrigo’s hand, which seemed to slightly touch my back, exaggeratedly spread to the side.

“This makes it clear Cartina is after me.”

I can’t believe you held off to witness an assassination attempt yourself, although I’ve warned you so much.

Rodrigo’s eyes darkened. He lifted the corners of his mouth.

A dangerous atmosphere penetrated from him.

It was a distinctly different feel from before. Perhaps because the density of the air has changed, my shoulders felt noticeably heavier.

“You, what are you?”

A low voice struck heavily on the balcony floor.

“What are you doing with me?”

An average person would be panic-stricken in this scenario.

His spirit was so intimidating, any ordinary person would have been nervous and undergone a difficult time answering properly. But for me,l

“I told you, I am Estiya from Cartina.”

A smile spread across my face as I continued.

“And, the person who will save you.”

I grabbed Rodrigo’s kravat with both hands and pulled him closer.

The distance between Rodrigo, who’d been dragged defensively, and I, became very close.

It was so near, I didn’t even know which of the breathing sounds were mine apart from his. His breath smelled strangely sweet.

“What are you doing…”

“I also just saved your life.”

Before Rodrigo could conclude his words, an arrow passed where his head was just positioned. Rodrigo alternated my hand grasping his collar, and the arrow stuck in the balcony curtain. Seeing his widened eyes wavering made me feel considerably better.

“Ha?”

A ridiculous exclamation burst from his mouth.

You can’t believe it.

A Cartina helping you.

You most likely think that’s an impossible occurrence. You suspect it’s a trap.

Maybe he was now trying to reassure himself, using the notion I was pretending to help him only to fall into a deeper hell.

“I understand you don’t trust me. You might think I’m trying to carry out something worse while pretending to assist you.”

Perhaps because of the closer distance, Rodrigo’s agitation was much better taken.

“Nonetheless, think about it. I’m Cartina. Rather than setting shrewd traps to catch a deer, it is Cartina’s feature to simply catch the mountains on fire. Don’t doubt me. I’m not the kind of person who would bother to trap you.”

I know what I’m saying is not very convincing, but if you look back on Cartina’s previous actions, Rodrigo had no choice but to believe me.

“I see. You are a Cartina.”

As expected, he seemed to believe me.

“What is the reason? Why you want to save me.”

Rodrigo asked.

His suspicions were quite natural.

“Why I want to save you? Please return my favor later on.”

If my plans turned successful, I would unite Rodrigo with the woman he loved, and transport him to a small island with his family.

In addition, I hope this world will not perish until I grow old and die naturally.

To do that, Rodrigo has to be happy. He should not hate Cartina. I must remove our bad relations of the past.

I’m willing to work for Rodrigo’s happiness. So please show me your mercy for my own happiness.

I also thought about keeping Cartina alive.

I’ve met priests in the guise of mere coincidence, scattered books on the floor filled with professors talking about social justice, and even participated in charity events…

It was all useless.

They seduced priests into drinking alcohol, handed back the money to professors to corrupt them, and stole everything from charity events.

Cartina reestablishment is deemed impossible.

The last hope was Rodrigo.

To look good in front of him, and to protect him from Kartina.

There was no other way than this.

“You might not believe this, but I really don’t want you dead.”

I took a deep breath. Then, I placed my hand on Rodrigo’s cheek.

I fixed my gaze on his blue eyes. Even the most skilled actors couldn’t lie with their eyes.

Please let my true feelings reach him.

“I want you to be happy.”

He paused.

Did my sincerity have an effect?