Chapter 011
“What should I do from now on?”
Evelina smiled brightly.
“This is the most important part.”
“Huh?”
“You need to become beautiful.”
Alejandro raised an eyebrow. It was something he hadn’t expected to hear. Evelina had bubbly energy about her.
Alejandro had thoroughly investigated Evelina. The Regnis family had barely maintained its name after the Count died due to his debt from gambling.
Evelina, who was supposed to inherit the title, had been bedridden. According to the succession law, if the sole heir falls ill and cannot go through the proper succession procedures, a grace period of seven years is granted.
The decline of Regnis had begun even before the count squandered his assets through gambling. Because of this, Evelina hadn’t even had a proper debutante.
Evelina was not a prominent figure. Just an ordinary young lady from a failing family. It was unclear how she ended up in a coma.
Thus, a new soul had entered her vacant body. What kind of soul from what world was this, that it spoke in incomprehensible words?
“Does being reborn mean becoming beautiful?”
“To some extent, yes.”
Alejandro let out a small laugh. What kind of mindset did she have?
“You’re saying you’re going to turn me into a woman?”
Evelina’s eyes widened.
“No! That’s absolutely impossible!”
Where did such a world-breaking statement come from! The narrative and logic of this world belonged to Alejandro!
It felt like he had heard some incomprehensible mutterings. Alejandro frowned.
“People tend to place importance on first impressions. A pleasant appearance can soften people’s hearts.”
“…”
Evelina stared at Alejandro’s hair, which was obscured by her hands.
“Just changing your style will have a big impact.”
“Why should I do that?”
Evelina carefully chose her words. Most of the rumors about Alejandro stemmed from his unkempt hair and attire.
The cursed crown prince.
He must have a hideous scar on his face.
All the curses of the royal family were directed at the crown prince.
All sorts of rumors clung to Alejandro like a shadow.
“Appearance is powerful, Your Highness. When someone slanders you, another person may come to your defense.”
“Just because of appearance?”
“Just because of appearance.”
Alejandro had little awareness of his own looks.
First, create a pretty model, and then comes the battle of public opinion. Evelina intended to dive directly into that battle.
“We need to consider the appropriate TPO.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, time, place, and occasion. You need to choose the situation, time, and place that will have the most impact on people. I think a fashion show would be a great opportunity.”
“You’re talking about the event you’re planning.”
“I’ll distribute brochures and invitations to the ladies. But the problem is the time and place.”
Evelina glanced at Alejandro. It was the expression she wore when she was about to ask for something. Seeing Evelina’s face, which revealed exactly what she was thinking, made Alejandro chuckle softly.
“I’ll reserve the hall under my name.”
Yes!
Evelina beamed with joy.
“Then, the time and place are settled! Until then, you can carry on as you are now. But we need to go shopping.”
“Shopping.”
Alejandro muttered.
It was an effective way to reveal their presence to their enemies.
Even this moment was exposing Evelina and Alejandro to their adversaries.
And shopping streets always had plenty of people.
Alejandro raised one corner of his lips in a smirk.
“Sounds good.”
Permission was granted. A bright smile spread across Evelina’s face.
* * *
Meanwhile, in a dark alley.
The door of an old inn, which looked closed, creaked open. A woman wearing a dark ash-colored dress without any adornment and a hat on her head entered through the door.
The door that should have been locked opened without resistance.
“Madam Sera. You’ve arrived?”
“Mateo.”
Alvaro’s priest nodded. Mateo stepped aside after confirming the woman’s face. The woman looked around as she stepped inside.
“Was this the best place you could find?”
“It was perfect for avoiding the eyes of others.”
The woman clicked her tongue in annoyance.
“It can’t be helped.”
She found the cleanest chair in the room and sat down. Mateo’s eyebrow twitched, but he held back. To obtain what one desires, one must endure bitter anguish and patience.
For the sweet fruit that will come at the end…
“I heard that the crown prince and that woman appeared together today.”
“Yes, madam.”
Sera’s lips curled into a sinister smile.
That cunning fox must have calculated everything and acted accordingly. The fact that he flaunted Evelina in public was proof of that.
‘He must know what’s inside her. Could he possibly be aware of our intentions too?’
Since she couldn’t confirm it directly, she could only make guesses. Sera frowned. Her master had warned her to be wary of the Crown Prince.
No one knew what kind of beast lurked within that dark and shadowy appearance.
A chill ran down her spine.
‘The woman’s life is in danger.’
She could end up dying in vain. If not, that man might use the girl for his own purposes.
Sera sighed. She should have succeeded in the ritual that day.
His brazen appearance with Evelina might have been a warning to them.
Sera’s mission was to cooperate with Mateo and the other members of Alvaro’s temple to safely secure the woman. It didn’t matter if Evelina got hurt in the process. As long as she was still breathing when they brought her before her master.
“From now on, report all of the woman’s movements to me.”
Unfortunately, the crown prince was not an easy target, and it would be difficult to steal Evelina from his mansion. It was an impossible task, even if Sera risked her own life.
However, for some reason, the crown prince began to display Evelina outside as if showcasing her.
‘It could be a trap.’
Yet she was willing to jump into that trap.
Sera’s eyes gleamed. All of this was for the glory of the Empire.
She tossed the bag of gold coins she had brought to Mateo.
“The master said to give this to you.”
“Thank you, madam!”
The gathering of those who would stop at nothing for their goals was deepening.
* * *
I was riding in a carriage on my way to meet Lehan.
I had mentally preserved the memory of the restaurant Lehan and I had visited. The clothes he wore last night, the food he enjoyed, and his eating habits.
These were things I couldn’t have known from reading the novel.
The idea that Lehan always wore the same clothes was a ridiculous misconception. The black clothes Lehan wore had subtle differences. The patterns on the fabric were different, the buttons varied, or the color of the gemstones used was distinct.
He wasn’t completely uninterested in his appearance.
If not, it was the good sense of the people who took care of Lehan’s wardrobe. There was a reason he kept his hair long and stuck to black clothes.
First, he grew his hair long to cover his crimson eyes. The red mark beneath his eyes was also something that could easily attract others’ criticism.
A curse.
Given the numerous rumors surrounding those eyes, he chose to conceal them.
And the reason he primarily wore black was to suppress his own presence. It had been a habit since childhood, continuing up to the present.
It must have been quite painful in the past, but I wonder how he feels about it now.
Such things didn’t seem to be mentioned in the novel.
“We have arrived, milady.”
“Thank you, Rebecca.”
Rebecca adjusted the hat I was wearing with a worried expression.
“You mustn’t take off this hat under any circumstances.”
“Of course not!”
I reassured Rebecca and got out of the carriage. I stood in front of the tailor where I was to meet Lehan.
“…Evelina?”
“Shh!”
I quickly turned my head at the sound of someone calling my name.
“Right now, that appearance is…”
“Please call me Ethan.”
I mimicked a low voice. Lehan let out a small sigh.
“Did you cut your hair?”
“No. Rebecca is quite skilled. With this, I won’t be discovered, right? That I’m a woman.”
Fortunately, my voice was a bit on the lower side. Just scratching my voice a bit more made it sound like a young man’s. Today, I had chosen to dress as a man.
Hehe, today, call me Ethan!
