Chapter 1

Dark clouds had settled over Harriet’s life.

It was clearly daytime, yet whenever she looked up at the sky…

Huh?

There wasn’t even a hint of sunlight.

Only pitch-black darkness greeted her.

Then again, maybe that was because her eyes were tightly shut.

Why were they shut?

Because life was hopeless, infuriatingly so, and she couldn’t bear to look at it!

After going in circles only to end up back where she’d started, Harriet finally reached one undeniable conclusion:

My life is a complete dead end.

She struggled to steady her fading consciousness.

“The Sinia Palace has plenty of rooms.”

The emperor absentmindedly twirled a strand of his silky silver hair around his finger.

He was so beautiful he looked like a painting.

If only he hadn’t just spoken her name, Harriet might even have applauded while shamelessly flattering him.

“So one more maid staying there wouldn’t even be noticeable.”

His long eyelashes fluttered.

Slowly opening his eyes again, the emperor’s gaze landed squarely on Harriet.

“Harriet Brown.”

“You will stay at Sinia Palace.”

“Near me.”

…

Should I just faint?

Harriet squeezed her eyes shut.

If I simply pass out… maybe all of this will disappear when I wake up.

“Y-Your Majesty, that is—”

“Is there a problem with having a maid I favor stay in my residence?”

There are countless problems, Your Majesty.

Very, very serious ones.

Harriet swallowed those words before they escaped.

Why was the emperor of the Swan Empire—her sworn enemy—standing before her?

And why was he ordering her to stay in his palace?

To explain that…

They had to go back to the day after Harriet published that provocative newspaper article.

Until the previous day, Harriet Brown had been a bestselling author.

Now, thanks to offending the emperor, she had become public enemy number one.

Life…

Leaning against the headboard of her bed, Harriet stared blankly into space.

Her dramatic fall from success was shocking enough.

But an even more urgent crisis had greeted her the moment she woke up.

After searching her wallet…

Then tearing her apartment apart several times…

Harriet finally accepted reality.

I’m broke.

Her hands began trembling.

She never should have resigned from her job the instant she calculated how much royalty money she’d be receiving from her newest novel.

Or…

She simply shouldn’t have provoked the emperor.

If I collect my royalties, I’ll finally have money…

…but everyone will discover that I’m Elliot Dark.

She had kept her pen name secret even from her family and relatives because she wanted to reveal it only after becoming successful.

She communicated with the magazine serializing her novel solely through letters.

Her modest royalty payments were collected through a post office box set up by either the publisher or the magazine.

Thanks to that unintended air of mystery, no one yet knew Harriet Brown and Elliot Dark were the same person.

But the moment she claimed the royalties from Ladies’ Night, the truth would inevitably come out.

The money was right there…

Yet she couldn’t touch it.

Harriet felt like crying tears of blood.

She stared gloomily at the four banknotes lying on her table.

That was her entire fortune.

Enough to survive…

For exactly two weeks.

…Maybe three if I’m careful.

If I only eat two pieces of bread a day and fill the rest of my stomach with water…

Then all I have to do is find another job within three weeks.

Surely I won’t starve to death.

First things first…

I’ll go back to the count’s estate where I resigned.

I’ll tell them I temporarily lost my mind and beg them to hire me again.

Pride?

Who cared about pride when starvation was staring her in the face?

Comforting herself with those thoughts, Harriet began planning her future.

But as the saying went…

Misfortunes never came alone.

Ding—!

“Miss Brown, open the door.”

“I know you’re in there.”

The shrill voice piercing through the door immediately made Harriet glance at the calendar.

February 21st.

Dear God…

For perhaps the first time in her life, Harriet prayed.

“Miss Brown?”

“Y-Yes! Coming!”

The instant the door opened, her stern-looking landlady shot her a disapproving glare.

It clearly said:

“Why didn’t you open the door immediately and make me wait?”

You only waited thirty seconds!

Blocking the woman’s view into the apartment with her body, Harriet forced a smile onto her face.

“What brings you here?”

“What brings me here?”

The landlady raised an eyebrow.

Crossing her arms, she glared through her spectacles.

“I’ve come to collect the rent.”

“Shouldn’t you be bringing it to me without being reminded?”

“You must’ve forgotten completely until I showed up.”

“I always thought highly of you because you’d never been late before.”

“Oh my, I’m so sorry!”

“I was just about to bring it!”

How could I possibly be late?

You personally come every month on rent day!

With the despair of someone coughing up blood, Harriet turned around.

Her trembling hand extended three of her four precious banknotes.

If she failed to pay now…

This merciless landlady would throw her into the freezing winter streets without hesitation.

Outside, the bitter north wind slammed against the windows.

Spending even one night outside meant freezing to death.

The landlady plucked the shaking banknotes from Harriet’s fingers.

After counting all three…

Her expression softened slightly.

“Are you cold?”

“Why are your hands shaking?”

“H-Haha…”

“I suppose I am.”

“I should add more coal to the stove.”

“Winter’s practically over.”

“Don’t overfill it.”

“If the stove breaks, repairs cost money.”

She’d probably complain that removing my frozen corpse would cost money too.

The vein bulging on Harriet’s forehead twitched.

She somehow managed to suppress it.

Only after the landlady finally left with most of her life’s savings did Harriet slump weakly against the doorframe.

One banknote remained.

Four loaves of bread…

If I eat one loaf a day, I can survive another four days.

“Oh, Miss Brown.”

“Y-Yes?!”

Why are you back?!

Harriet immediately straightened as the landlady returned.

“Your mailbox is overflowing.”

“Go empty it.”

“Must I remind you of everything?”

Overflowing?

I only skipped checking it for three days!

How could three days’ worth of mail possibly fill an entire mailbox?

“I’ll take care of it right away.”

Though anger blazed inside her, Harriet continued smiling.

If she didn’t go immediately…

The woman would surely come back just to scold her again.

Grinding her teeth, Harriet wrapped a shawl around her shoulders.

Spring was approaching, but the air remained chilly.

Why did the mailbox have to be on the first floor…?

Her room was on the fourth.

After walking down three flights of stairs, she opened the mailbox.

There were only three pieces of mail.

Maybe you need new glasses.

She glanced at the envelopes while climbing back upstairs.

Looking more closely…

It wasn’t three letters.

It was two letters…

…and one telegram.

She opened the telegram first.

Please come immediately. Urgent.

Sender: House Phelan.

Harriet tilted her head.

“What happened?”

She had been planning to visit them anyway.

But she couldn’t imagine why they would summon her first.

She checked the remaining letters.

One was a tax notice from the National Revenue Office.

This ridiculous kingdom never does anything for its citizens, yet it never forgets to collect taxes every single month.

Suddenly, Harriet regretted yesterday’s reckless outburst.

Penelope had stormed off after yelling,

“If you keep living like that, you’re going to ruin your life!”

The curse—

Or perhaps prophecy—

Had come true in less than a day.

“I should put a prophet in my next novel.”

Muttering that it would make good story material, Harriet flopped into her chair.

She tossed her shawl aside and sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

The final letter remained in her hand.

The envelope was of decent quality.

The familiar handwriting made her temples throb.

It was from her mother.

She already knew exactly what it would say.

“I’m proud that you’re serving as a noble family’s maid.”

“Have you met anyone yet?”

“An affair is unacceptable, but a widower or divorcee would be perfectly fine.”

“A noble title covers every flaw.”

The usual.

If this letter had arrived two days earlier, Harriet would have opened it without hesitation.

And proudly written back:

“Mother, my book is displayed in the bestseller section of every bookstore.”

“…Damn that emperor.”

If he had so much free time, he should have paid more attention to his own people.

Why did he have to take an interest in a novel from a tiny neighboring kingdom?

He’ll never become a wise ruler at this rate.