Chapter – 07
Still, there was something to gain.
Originally, “I” had been a complete loner with no connections other than the guild.
Was the excuse about being a runaway slave not entirely false after all?
Just like a runaway slave, “I” also had my identity erased.
Without meaning to, I had told Ian something that was very close to the truth.
And most importantly, the most crucial piece of information:
To think that voice belonged to Nine!
Nine.
Of all the dark guilds it had to be Nine.
In the novel, they were the group that relentlessly tormented the female protagonist.
An assassin organization infamous as the greatest dark guild spanning the entire continent.
They would commit even inhumane acts to get their hands on the heroine.
And they were also the ones responsible for plunging Ian into a terrible black magic curse that turned him into a tyrant.
Why did it have to be Nine…
This was far too big in scale.
“No matter where you go, you can never escape us.”
The voice from the shadows echoed again in my mind. Goosebumps raced across my entire body.
“This is insane…”
I muttered while biting my lip.
At that moment, the burning pain in my thigh returned.
What is this?
When I lifted my clothes to check—
I froze in horror.
“AAAAAH!”
There was a number carved into my thigh.
The number 76.
Clear and unmistakable.
“Lady Irene! What happened?!”
Someone burst the door open.
I quickly pulled my clothes back down.
A young girl came running toward me.
“Lady Irene! Are you alright?!”
“Wh-who are you?”
“Ah! My name is Annette. I’ll be serving you starting today. Nice to meet— no, that’s not it! I heard you scream! Are you okay?!”
Her wide eyes were full of concern.
First, I needed to calm her down.
“I’m fine. I just saw… a bug.”
“A bug?!”
Annette looked like she might faint.
But soon she clenched her fist with determination.
“Where is it?! I, Annette, will eliminate it immediately!”
“I think it already ran away.”
“Is that so?”
Her tightly clenched fist suddenly looked awkward as she visibly relaxed.
She was a cute girl.
But I didn’t have time to chat warmly with her right now.
“Annette. Sorry to ask this right after meeting you, but please take me to Sir Ian.”
“Yes! Understood! I’ll guide you to the Captain’s office!”
As we walked toward Ian, I organized my thoughts.
That number 76 carved into my thigh.
It was probably proof of the curse.
They said they placed a time-limit curse on me.
There had been someone in the original story who suffered the same curse from Nine.
When that person failed to complete the mission within the time limit, flames started from the cursed mark and burned their entire body alive.
The vivid description made cold sweat run down my back.
They said I have one year to finish Ian…
Ian was not someone easy to deal with.
If I tried something like that, my life would end first.
“These guys are ridiculous. Why don’t they do it themselves!”
Or at least give me funding!
They’re giving me a terrifying subcontract like this without any support?
The anger hit me late and I found myself muttering.
“Yes? Lady Irene, did you say something?”
“Ah. Nothing.”
When I smiled gently at Annette, she blinked rapidly like she was shy.
What is this suddenly adorable creature?
In this layered despair, she felt like the only healing element thrown into my life.
“Oh my… that’s…”
“That’s the Captain’s lover.”
People whispered again as we passed.
It wasn’t pleasant, but it was convenient how people parted like the Red Sea to let us pass.
Soon we arrived at Ian’s office.
The knights guarding the door announced my arrival.
“Captain, that person has arrived.”
They referred to me as that person, which sounded strangely intimate.
This really feels like I’m here for a secret rendezvous.
The door creaked open.
Ian greeted me with a slightly surprised expression.
“You’ve already made up your mind? …What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
For a moment, I just stared at him silently.
A Holy Knight Commander who only spoke roughly to me.
A clergyman who talked about ghosts—clearly not very devout.
Yet Ian was undeniably the greatest knight of this empire.
My gaze drifted to the sword at his waist.
In the story, he was strong enough to defeat an entire battalion alone with just that ordinary sword.
And if he wielded the true holy sword sleeping in his subspace, no one could oppose him.
Even he had eventually fallen victim to Nine’s schemes…
But that had required many unfortunate circumstances.
“Miss Irene.”
His blunt voice calling my name strangely felt like a lifeline.
Stay calm. Calm down, Lee Seoyeon.
I steadied myself.
Let’s review my options.
Option one: Follow Nine’s order and kill Ian.
Impossible.
Maybe the original 76 had some special ability, but I didn’t. I was just an ordinary person who didn’t even know how to properly hold a sword.
And Ian wasn’t someone I could “finish off” even with an army.
That’s why he was the strongest character in the world.
Option one: eliminated.
Option two: run away.
Also unwise.
Nine had roots across the entire continent. If I ran carelessly, I’d be caught quickly.
Option two: eliminated.
And finally—
Option three.
I let out a hollow laugh.
How could this absurd option look like the most attractive one right now?
“Captain.”
“Yes. Go ahead.”
I clenched my fists and spoke.
This was my best choice.
“Let’s do it.”
“Excuse me?”
“The engagement. Let’s do it.”
“…Suddenly?”
Ian raised one eyebrow.
“You’re the one who suggested it. You didn’t change your mind, did you?”
“Of course not…”
He stepped closer.
Standing right in front of me, he whispered in a lower voice.
“I hope this is a carefully considered decision. Are you serious about becoming my wife?”
A chill slid down my spine like ice.
Maybe I was jumping into a tiger’s mouth to escape a lion.
Still, I suppressed my fear.
My instincts told me this was my best survival path.
“Yes. I mean it.”
Ian’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.
I quickly added:
“On one condition.”
“One condition?”
He tilted his head slightly.
“Please guarantee my safety.”
His expression changed slightly in surprise.
I hurried to explain:
“If I become the Holy Knight Commander’s fiancée, I’ll attract a lot of attention. Someone of your position must have many enemies. People who can’t harm you might try to kidnap me instead.”
“You don’t need to worry about that. Now that you’re on my side, no one will dare touch even a single hair on your head.”
I appreciated the confidence…
But honestly, right now, the person I feared second most after Nine was the man standing in front of me.
I pushed that thought aside and continued:
“Please assign me a bodyguard too. Someone strong. Someone with magic or holy power would be even better.”
So I wouldn’t be helpless again against shadow magic like before.
Ian looked slightly surprised again.
Feeling self-conscious, I added:
“I’m very sensitive about safety.”
“…Understood. I was planning to assign one anyway. But more importantly…”
Ian bent slightly closer.
His jewel-like blue eyes stared straight into mine.
Without realizing it, I held my breath.
“Are you going to properly break up with your lover?”
“Ah.”
Right. I had lied about having a lover.
But after seeing 76’s memories twice, I was now sure.
76 was alone.
A perfect loner whose true face no one knew except Nine.
Which means I don’t have to worry about any past relationships.
No lover would come running saying how could you betray me!
So I answered confidently:
“I’ll break up.”
“You said you were deeply in love.”
I don’t think I said that much…
I cleared my throat.
“Well… it’ll hurt, but I must. For the greater good.”
“Hmm…”
Ian examined me carefully.
Why is he interrogating me so much? Just accept the engagement!
Then he said something ridiculous.
“No cheating.”
“…Cheating? This is a fake engagement anyway.”
“Still not allowed. A relationship like this runs on trust.”
Wow.
Well, I had no plans to date around anyway, so I nodded.
He’d be the one losing out anyway.
It wasn’t me wasting that good face and body.
“Good. Let’s proceed.”
Ian looked satisfied.
“Now let’s hear your demands.”
“Ah.”
Right. The most important part remained.
“What changed your mind? It doesn’t seem like just money.”
“Ahem.”
I cleared my throat.
“Then I’ll state my conditions.”
Interest flickered in Ian’s eyes. Lucian also leaned in to listen.
I spoke:
“First, I’ll accept the amount you offered.”
“Good. 10 million Mars. What else?”
“You already agreed about the bodyguard.”
“I’ll also gift you a top-grade defensive artifact. For my safety-sensitive new fiancée.”
“Thank you. And lastly…”
This was the most important part.
Maybe even more important than the 10 million.
“Please help me disappear from the Empire after one year.”
“…”
This clearly surprised him.
His eyes widened slightly.
