Chapter – 01
(2022.01.05)
The bustling shopping district was crowded with people, horses, and carriages. Among the famous spots packed even out onto the terraces, beneath the roughly painted sign of Café Cardinal, a woman stood watching the passersby with shining eyes.
She had smooth honey-gold hair like chamomile tea steeped to perfection, pale skin, vivid violet eyes, and soft pink lips. She was strikingly beautifulâsomeone who would naturally attract attention.
However, once she tightly tied her hair and tucked it into a bonnet, then put on an old, worn coat, she looked no different from a lower-class commoner in this rigid class society.
Ronaâs sharp eyes carefully examined only the young women in dresses among the crowd. Her gaze was alert, but her expression and movements were extremely anxious.
“Sigh⊠Meeting the female lead is seriously like trying to pick a star from the sky.”
Ronaâs real name was Won Yoonji. Once, she had been a healthy young woman in South Korea who had just started her career. She had even landed a good job and was celebrating her good fortune when she suddenly transmigrated into a romance fantasy novel she had been casually reading.
She had read the beginning carefully, but skimmed more and more toward the end because she got busy after getting hired. As a result, she didn’t remember everything clearly.
Still, she was certain of one thing:
This was the world inside the novel <The Flower of the Blind Beast>.
The master of the estate where she worked, Grand Duke Ireon Clement, was the male lead of that book.
And he was her only hope of returning to her original world.
“If you see the original ending, you can return to your world.”
That was the first memory that surfaced after she possessed this body.
Getting a job at the Clement Grand Ducal estate had been pure luck, but Rona had been thrilled because it meant she could watch the original story unfold from the closest possible distance.
“Why can’t the two of them meet?”
These days, Ronaâs biggest worry was simple:
Why wasn’t the female lead appearing?
In a corner of the Grand Dukeâs vast garden, there was a strange herb growing like a weed. It looked completely out of place, but it was actually a rare medicinal plant that would restore the Grand Dukeâs sight.
It only bloomed once every ten yearsâand only for ten days.
If brewed and consumed, it would completely cure Ireon, who had lost his sight due to a deadly poison.
Such a miracle herb blooming in the backyard? Clearly the author’s convenient plot device to ensure the male lead regained his sight.
The original female lead, Karina, was supposed to appear, cure Ireon, and the two would fall in love.
Since Rona had possessed a completely insignificant extraâsomeone who didnât even appear in the original storyâshe tried to be careful not to disrupt the plot.
But now a whole week had passed since the flower bloomed, and the female lead still hadn’t appeared.
Rona had discovered the faintly glowing, auspicious flower during a night walk. Since then, she had been burning with anxiety for reasons no one in this world could understand.
Why did the author have to make it bloom for only ten days?
Why not make it bloom longer?
Every day, Rona grew more desperate.
In truth, she knew exactly why the male and female leads hadnât met.
You can’t pick stars if you never look at the sky.
Ireon, blind and withdrawn, never left the estate.
If not for his blindness, he would have remained the Empireâs greatest knight. Instead, he had become a complete shut-in.
Today was rareâhe had been summoned to the Imperial Palace by the Emperor.
Since Rona had no identification due to her lost memories, she couldnât accompany him as an attendant. Thanks to that, she finally had free time to spy on CafĂ© Cardinalâthe stage where Ireon and Karina were supposed to meet.
Even though she knew he would regain his sight, she still felt sorry for him as he was now.
And she also pitied herself, waiting for him to recover and reach the proper ending so she could return home.
Where on earth is the female lead?
Rona had even considered visiting Karinaâs count family estate, but Ireon constantly calling for her prevented it.
She had tried sending a letter instead.
No reply.
The letter read:
[Lady Karina, please forgive this sudden letter. I have something important to discuss and hope to meet you at Café Cardinal. If you can spare the time, please reply via the post box.]
Maybe it looked too suspicious.
Karina probably thought it was spam.
Rona glanced again at the Café Cardinal sign.
“They were supposed to meet here originally⊔
She had no idea what had gone wrong.
But lately, all her attention was fixed on their first meeting.
Please appear before the flower wilts.
She prayed desperately.
Rona entered the café.
At the counter, a well-built middle-aged man greeted her.
“Will you be dining in?”
“No, I wanted to ask something.”
“Oh?”
His tone changed immediately.
“Um⊠have you seen a customer like this recently? A young lady around my age, with shining silver hair and green eyes. Very beautiful.”
The owner laughed.
“How could I find someone with just that? Try finding someone with blonde hair and purple eyes like you.”
“Ha⊠I guess you’re right⊔
Just as Rona was becoming discouragedâ
“Hey, isn’t she like that poster?”
Some rough-looking men on the terrace interrupted.
They pointed toward a wanted notice issued by the temple.
[Elicia Uther
Blonde hair, violet eyes, pale skin, very beautiful.
Anyone who sees her should report to the nearest temple or Hadunsha.
Reward: 9,990 gold coins.]
Seeing the absurd reward, Rona shook her head.
“How could anyone find someone from that? There must be hundreds of similar people.”
The portrait looked like something from a playing card queen illustration.
Did they seriously think this would help find someone?
It was so ridiculous she almost laughed.
She was about to return empty-handed whenâ
“Hey, miss. Wait.”
The same thugs followed her outside.
“No matter how I look at it, you resemble that poster.”
“Me?”
No way. How do I look like a playing card queen?!
But before she could argue, three men surrounded her.
“Whatâs your name? Where do you live? Got identification?”
“W-who are you people?”
“If you’ve got time, come with us to the temple.”
“You have no right! Let go!”
A rough hand grabbed her wristâ
Thud!
The man holding her suddenly flew through the air.
At the same time, Rona was pulled into a strong arm and held protectively against a man’s chest.
“Isn’t that rude to a lady?”
A familiar voice spoke above her head.
“What the hell? Who are you?”
“He’s blind. Why interfere?”
The thugs charged again.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Three clean strikes.
“Then you are worse than a blind man.”
Only then did they realize.
“G-Grand Duke Clement?!”
Holding Rona tightly with one arm while wielding his cane with the other, he declared coldly:
“You touched someone who belongs to me. Youâll pay for that.”
Then his voice dropped into a quiet whisper.
“Is this why you stood me up, Rona?”
Rona jumped.
“Lord Ireon! What do you mean?!”
He struck another attacker calmly.
“Weren’t we supposed to have tea this afternoon after I returned from the palace? But you weren’t at the estate. I heard you came to a cafĂ©, so I came to escort you back.”
“Ugh⊔
The thugs quickly crawled away without even daring to threaten revenge.
Rona finally exhaled.
“âŠI’m sorry.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
He nodded.
Then Rona widened her eyes.
“How is that standing you up?”
“Because that’s how it felt.”
“And we didn’t agree to drink tea together. I was just serving you tea.”
Anyone listening would think it was a friendly tea date.
“If you serve tea and drink it together, it’s the same.”
“That’s too much. Yes, I disobeyed, but I didnât expect you back so early.”
Sometimes Ireon used strangely familiar wording that confused her.
He’s a Grand Duke⊠isn’t that too casual?
She resolved to lecture him later about appropriate phrasing.
Thenâ
“Didn’t you say there was a cafĂ© you wanted to visit?”
“Yes. This one. CafĂ© Cardinal.”
If Karina wouldnât come, maybe she should at least bring Ireon here herself.
“Since we’re here, shall we have tea?”
Ronaâs eyes widened.
“Really?! Yes! I’d love that!”
Maybe heaven was finally helping her.
They sat across from each other inside.
“What would you like to order, Lord Ireon?”
“What is there?”
“Coffee, tea, juice. Cookies, cake, chocolate.”
“What do you like?”
Rona thought, then gave up. The Grand Dukeâs estate chef was far better anyway.
“Coffee and chocolate.”
“I’ll have the same.”
She ordered and paid.
Then she looked around anxiously again.
Where is Karina? She should appear now.
In her previous life, Yoonji believed social media was a waste of time.
But now she wished this world had it.
At least she could send a DM.
“Waa⊔
She suddenly gasped while looking at Ireon.
In his formal uniform from the palace, he looked breathtaking.
This was the first time he had left the estate since she started working there. She had nearly had a heart attack seeing him that morning.
He looked like a lone crane among chickens sitting in this commoner café.
It was tragic he couldn’t see.
“You returned safely from the palace?”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“The Emperor said he had something important.”
He stopped and smiled slightly.
Why stop there?!
“What did he say?”
“He said I’m of marriageable age and should marry.”
Before the original female lead even appeared, Ronaâs guaranteed ticket back to her world was suddenly in danger.
