Hopefully, at Your Mercy - Chapter 23

Chapter 12.2

Could it be that they didn’t get along as an engaged couple? Sometimes, families force people into relationships they don’t want.

“He’s away on a business trip in the Kingdom of Rumeyer. He’s a highly skilled official!”

“Ah… so he’s gone there. Right, I remember now. When will he be coming back?”

“He should be arriving soon. But he’s always so busy, it’s hard to say exactly.”

“I see.”

Delinda had hoped Rose would mention his name, but no such luck. All she learned was that he was some brilliant administrator.

‘It probably wouldn’t be smart to ask his name outright, huh?’

Delinda kept her gaze soft and expectant, hoping to get more out of Rose.

“You’ve chased after the count for so long… but now that someone new has shown up, are you shifting your attention to him instead?”

“It’s not like that.”

So, he’s a count?

“You’ve already enjoyed a secret rendezvous with His Highness, and you’ve only just met him!”

“It wasn’t a rendezvous. I was just showing him around the mansion. And I didn’t invite him. His Highness came on his own accord and personally asked me to give him a tour.”

“…”

“In fact, it was His Highness who approached me first, not the other way around.”

If Rose’s assumption were right, then the prince was the one making the first move. If anyone was doing the seducing, it was him.

Rose’s eyes narrowed into slits.

“My lady, even the noblest of men can easily be swayed by a woman who looks the part. That’s the nature of men.”

“I see.”

“Yes. They couldn’t care less about the lady’s character. Whether she’s empty-headed or crude, as long as she’s as beautiful as a flower, that’s all that matters!”

“Hmm. So what you’re saying, Rose… is that you think I’m beautiful?”

The moment Delinda played dumb, Rose looked like she was about to explode. Her fists clenched, and her sharp gaze grew even more venomous.

A woman who “just looks the part.” Empty-headed. Crude. Rose had clearly said those things to insult Delinda, but none of it stung.

After all, this wasn’t even her original body. And besides, none of what Rose said was true. So, Delinda simply pretended not to understand and accepted the insult as a compliment.

“You’re already lucky to be engaged to the count, my lady. If you reach for more than what you deserve, it’ll all fall apart.”

“Oh, I see.”

“So please, don’t let your ambition blind you. Be mindful of your actions. I’m truly concerned about the behavior of the person I serve.”

Rose barely masked her anger as she delivered her warning with a calm tone. Delinda nodded sweetly.

“I understand, Rose. But maybe you should ease up on the advice. I am a noble lady, after all. There’s not much that could be considered ‘more than what I deserve,’ right?”

Being a noble lady means most things are within my reach if I want them. Of course, money is key, which is why my father’s last business venture absolutely cannot fail.

Rose looked genuinely angry this time. Her eyes burned, and the veins in her clenched fists were visibly pulsing.

She had tried to wound Delinda with her cruel words, but instead, they bounced off and came back at her, leaving her the one hurt and angry.

Delinda decided to just ignore her.

Her thoughts drifted to the pitch-black carriage trailing behind her own, and the man inside it.

Grand Duke Iskan Anagrok.

Lately, he seemed to be drawing her attention more and more. Maybe it was because she saw him so often, but for some strange reason, he kept popping up inside her mind.

‘Is it because he’s handsome? I mean, the guy’s so good-looking he could make you fall in love in 0.1 seconds and keep you smitten for the next 500 years. Even if he had a weird hobby, like collecting salamanders, I’d still be on board.’

With a face that ridiculously handsome, it was hard to disagree with herself.

As Delinda continued nodding along to her internal monologue, Rose, still fuming on the inside, angrily flung open the carriage window.

* * *

The journey to the mine ended up taking far longer than expected. What Delinda thought would be a half-day trip turned into a grueling two-day carriage ride.

She was feeling nauseous and could hardly stand the constant jostling. Every bump in the road made her stomach churn, as though the food she hadn’t even eaten was sloshing around inside her.

Ugh, I want ramen. Kimchi ramen… or maybe black bean noodles with green onion kimchi…

The thought of ramen and kimchi seemed like the only thing that could settle her stomach. But she wasn’t in Korea anymore. This was the Barkyan Empire, and there wasn’t any ramen here, let alone black bean noodles.

For the first time since getting stuck in this world, Delinda truly felt miserable.

Even when her father, Duke Schultz, offered her cookies at every stop with fatherly concern, she refused.

“We’re almost there, Delinda. Just hang on a little longer.”

“Yes, Father. I’ll be fine,” she said, nodding energetically.

As the duke gently patted her hand, Delinda climbed back into the carriage.

Or at least, she was about to, when someone called out her name from behind.

“Lady Delinda.”

“Yes?”

Delinda turned, standing with one foot on the carriage step. She looked back, and there he was.

Iskan Anagrok, standing arrogantly, with his back to the forest.