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Chapter Text

THE CRAMOISE TANGO
Made by yours truly, Ayumu_Angel.

IN WHICH a woman from modern-day society died and was reborn into the novel she read with her husband. Born as the second eldest daughter of the black agriche, the woman plots another's demise.

...
❝ One's heart will never have a limit to what it will do for what it wants. ❞
–[F/n] Agriche Henituse.

From this point forward, I heavily warn you. If you find any of these warnings disturbing or uncomfortable, I advise that you close this book immediately. Please read the following before proceeding with the fanfiction. This fanfiction is intended for a mature audience.
As always, English isn't my first language.

CONTENT WARNINGS AND DISCLAIMERS.

⤦WARNINGS

        ➤        Dark and Mature: This story contains mature subject matter. There will be no explicit sexual content, but some scenes may contain romantic tension, emotionally intense moments, or disturbing imagery. While no explicit scenes will be present, specific topics such as manipulation, trauma, obsession, and grief will be explored in detail. Words like "rape," "murder," cussing, and other disturbing terminology will not be censored. Please proceed with care.

        ➤        Extreme Violence: Violence will follow both canon and original events, including canon-typical gore, bloodshed, and warfare. Readers can expect graphic descriptions of battlefield injuries, physical altercations, torture, and death. As this story focuses heavily on the consequences of war, there will be scenes involving mass casualties, destroyed cities, and psychological fallout from violence.

        ➤        Psychological Trauma & Mental Health Themes: This story contains depictions of trauma-related struggles, including PTSD, grief, emotional instability, and internalized guilt. Themes of depression, self-loathing, and suicidal ideation may appear. The mental health of both Cale and the reader (mainly due to her childhood and involvement in war) will be a significant element of character development. Read with caution if you're sensitive to these topics.

        ➤        Abuse & Toxic Family Dynamics: The reader retains Roxana Agriche's backstory, which includes intense childhood trauma, emotional and physical abuse, manipulation, and toxic familial relationships. Themes of survival, control, and power dynamics will be central to her arc. There will be mentions of child endangerment, poison exposure, psychological torture, and internalized violence from growing up in the Agriche household.

        ➤        Possessiveness & Obsession: Some characters—whether out of love, loyalty, or trauma—may act possessively or display emotionally toxic behavior (e.g., obsession, jealousy, unhealthy attachment). While this is narrative-driven and not romanticized, it is a core part of certain character arcs.

        ➤        Character Death & Angst: Due to the nature of war and canon divergence, this fic may feature major character deaths—both canon and original. Emotional fallout, survivor's guilt, and moments of extreme sorrow will occur. Expect feelings of angst, separation, and profound emotional hurt.

⤹ DISCLAIMERS

        ➜        ​​​​​​​Strictly fan work: Trash of the Count's Family (by Yoo Ryeo Han) and The Way to Protect the Female Lead's Older Brother (by Kin) belong to their respective creators. I do not own the original stories, characters, or worlds; this is strictly fanfiction, created for entertainment and non-commercial purposes.

        ➜        ​​​​​​​Canon Divergence: Major canon events, timelines, and character portrayals will diverge significantly. Character personalities may be reinterpreted to suit the narrative. Expect world-building expansion and emotionally charged storytelling that diverges from the original works. If you're here for 1:1 canon accuracy, this may not be for you.

        ➜        ​​​​​​​OC/Reader Inclusion: This story was originally my OC; however, it was altered to a 'reader.' Roxana Agriche heavily inspires my OC and includes elements of her backstory, abilities, and trauma. The OC was not a self-insert, but an original extension of the TWTPTFLOB world reimagined into the TOTCF universe. If OC!reader x Canon is not your cup of tea, this is your sign to respectfully exit.

        ➜        ​​​​​​​Fictionalized Trauma: This fanfic explores themes of pain, recovery, obsession, and survival. These are not endorsements of toxic behavior or justification for harmful relationships. Nothing in this story is meant to glamorize real-life trauma. Please engage with empathy and caution.

        ➜        ​​​​​​​Comments and Stickers: Civil discussion, constructive feedback, questions, or anything else said in the comments are always appreciated. I enjoy reading comments, and it keeps me entertained. However, harassment, hate, and oc bashing will NOT be tolerated. You'll be given a warning, and if it happens again, you'll be reported and blocked!

        ➜        Things Not To Do: All characters, scenes, and writings are crafted initially by yours truly. Don't ever repost, translate, or copy my works without my permission.

If you'd like to read this book on my other platforms... click these links!

Wattpad! - free to read!

Quotev!- also free to read!

Chapter Text

         Had I known I would be reborn in a novel, I would've spent more time with him.

        [Birth of A Hero]. A novel that my husband would read when we had our days off. This novel focuses solely on a boy named Choi Han, a high school boy who is transported into a different dimension from Earth.

        While this book is about his adventures on the path to a heroic future, I preferred reading romance novels with their fair share of female leads from Korea who are given a second chance at life. And it just so happened that my case was highly similar to this.

        I became part of the novel as a character who was just briefly mentioned.

        Of course, I was shocked that I'd been reborn, but I quickly adapted to this new reality. After all, what could I do? My former body was already dead due to the aftermath of a car crash(?), and as much as I'd like to, I couldn't go back to the past.

        I passed away with almost no regrets. The only thing I wish I could've changed would've been...

        "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Rok Soo." A woman whispered, her hand caressing the cheek of her loved one. "...I'm sorry that I won't be by your side."

        Ah, I shouldn't dwell on the past.

        The first encounter I had with my father was brief, almost like having a small conversation with a partner for a school project... only, you didn't know who your partner was.

        "So, this is the child?" My father asked. Casting a side glance towards me. "I think she looks a lot like you."

        "Yes, but her scarlet eyes resemble yours." Mother replied with a sweet smile.

        "[F/n]." My father abruptly blurted. "The name of that child is [F/n]."

        That indifferent gaze he had towards me at the time was almost as if he wasn't even staring at his daughter. It was clear to me at that moment that he was indifferent towards everyone, no matter who they may be.

        "[F/n], my lovely, pretty baby." My mother smiled, holding the chubby but tiny hands of mine. "You must hurry and grow quickly, and become a great Agriche."

        It was at that moment that everything came into place.

        The Black Agriche, a family that oversaw almost everything, hit rock bottom due to crimes. It was a family that made a living by theft, fraud, trafficking drugs, poison, and killing people in cold blood if and when necessary. Everyone born into this family was a criminal, all of whom ruled the underworld.

        'This... is so troublesome.' I thought, letting myself get my diaper changed.

        Since that day, seventeen years have passed. And within those years, a lot has changed. I took up learning swordsmanship, which I decided to keep hidden, and received a proper education befitting a child born into a noble family. I even passed the "learning" system for the Agriche children.

        After turning fifteen, I married the insignificant antagonist of the novel, Cale Henituse, in the hopes of avoiding entanglements and living a calm and uneventful life. A life people would call A slacker's life.

        I've been married to Cale for three and a half years, living my lavish and ideal life. That was until my current predicament.

        "You're not Cale Henituse. Are you?" I asked. Startling my so-called husband.

Chapter Text

⋆˚࿔ YOU THINK YOU CAN

JUST GET AWAY FROM ME?

        The Lady in Red. Otherwise known as [F/n] Agriche Henituse. The second daughter of Black Agriche residence and the lady of Cale Henituse. This year marks her fourth year of marriage to the lout. At this early age, she's eighteen and stands at 167 centimeters. (5'6" in feet)

        As expected, Lady Henituse has inherited the family trait—crimson-colored eyes with cat-like pupils. While that may be her most distinct feature, she tends to dye her hair a [c] to match her father.

How befitting of Lady Henituse..

⋆˚࿔ I PROMISE YOU,
IT'S NOT THAT EASY.

        The Agriche houses quite a large number of children. Lant Agriche—the current head and father of [F/n] Agriche Henituse—has four wives and two concubines. Among them, Lady Henituse's mother, Sierra Agriche, was the third wife and granted Lant two children. While [F/n] does have a significant number of siblings, she only had one full-blood sibling, Achille Agriche, who is now dead.

        Since marrying her husband, Cale Henituse, [F/n] has welcomed new people into her family. The Henituse family: Count Deruth Henituse and his now-deceased wife, Countess Jour Henituse.

        Not long after her death, the count remarried a woman named Violan Henituse. By the time the two met, she already had a son, Basen Henituse, and after entering the Henituse house, she gave birth to the family's first daughter, Lily Henituse.

        Lady Henituse is powerless. She's counted as a weak woman. However, thanks to her beauty, she learned the art of seduction at the tender age of twelve. And while she does do quite well in that field, she has also taken the liberty of learning the basics of swordsmanship. Perhaps she has more planned...?

        Currently, she has no occupation and appears to have no eyes, having never had any. However, she is associated with the Henituse territory and the Black Agriche's household. There could be more.

⋆˚࿔ HONEY, YOU BELONG TO ONLY ME.

❝ My motto is that: There isn't anything in this world that truly belongs to only yourself. ❞
— [F/n] Agriche Henituse.

⋆˚࿔ I PROMISE YOU, YOU'LL
NEVER EVER BE ABLE TO LEAVE.

       Lady Henituse takes care of her appearance at her father's orders. Constantly wearing modest and dark-colored dresses with occasional bright colors, her style is frowned upon by the nobility. The Agriche family is usually isolated, yet it doesn't mean they don't keep up with the fashion trends.

        As demanded of her status, [F/n] wears tailored, custom-made, high-quality clothes. However, when indoors, she tends to wear high-quality robes and flats, a style reminiscent of Ancient Greece or Egypt (ᴄʟᴀᴜᴅᴇ ᴅᴇ ᴀʟɢᴇʀ ᴏʙᴇɪʟᴀ's ᴡᴀʀᴅʀᴏʙᴇ.) At other times, she would wear outfits and clothes from her husband, Cale Henituse.

⋆˚࿔ I'LL SUCK THE LIFE
OUTTA YOU LIKE A LEECH.

    (Hello there. My pen name is Ayu/Ayumu. It would be fitting in this chapter to mention that you, the reader, are based on my OC, who was inspired by Roxana Agriche. If you don't know who this is, it's fine, as it's not required to read this book; however, I do recommend reading "Trash(Lout) of The Count's Family" if you haven't already. It's quite the work!

        This fanfiction combines elements of the novel and manhwa into one. My OC actually has blonde hair and red eyes; these features have significance in the novel/fanfiction, which will be revealed later.)

Chapter Text

        "Ah, that day should be approaching soon, right?" The woman asked. Sitting in a marble tub full of warm water, she stared at the ceiling, and her feet hung over the edge.

        "After that day passes, I'll be able to live my life to the fullest." I nodded to myself and rose from the tub of water. 'It'll be nice. After all, I would like to see the main character before the war starts.'

        In the first volume of [Birth Of A Hero], [F/n] Henituse was a background character, only having a couple of sentences of time in the novel. All of which only explained her background, what house she came from, and who her spouse was.

        The count's trash: Cale Henituse, also…

        'My current husband.' I deadpanned, wrapping a towel around my body.

        As said in the Novel, Cale Henituse was consistently drunk, and one faithful day it all came back to bite him in the arse. He got drunk and became violent in a chance encounter, meeting the main protagonist, Choi Han. And was beaten to a pulp.

        "This doesn't count as cheating, right?" I stepped out of the washroom, sweating. 'No way it can, right? Besides that was my past life, after all, it's not like I truly am in love with this man.'

        That's right; I was only using this man for my benefit. Of course, it's cruel to use a man, but the original [F/n] married Cale, and to me, Cale is nothing more than a naive man who allowed himself to be used for someone else’s benefit, but I suppose that’s what drew me to him. He reminds me of my mother, in an odd way.

        Although I'm familiar with snippets of the novel, I'm not fully aware of the extent of this book. So, it's better to continue playing the role of a background character. To me, it means my life isn't in danger of getting involved with the main cast. Therefore, this means I don't have to change the novel in any way.

        Plus, my past husband, Kim Roksu, was the one who read it up to the sixth volume, not me. I was too busy reading romance novels and fanfiction to bring my full attention to the book I'm currently reading. Had I known this, I would've concentrated more on the damn thing.

        Sighing, I shut my eyes and dipped my hands into cold water before I splashed it onto my face. "Let's get ready... to slack off."

        My hand reached for the golden bell that most–if not all–nobles were provided with, and rang it to call for my singular attendant, Emily. This maiden and I grew up together while in the Agriche; she serves me as not only my maid, but also my chambermaid and lady-in-waiting. She does what she’s told, when she’s told, exactly how she’s told. 

        It doesn’t matter what I say to this woman, Emily will do it. That’s her job and place as one of my people and my trusted maid. 

        Say what you want, but if she couldn’t do these things for me now, there’s no way she would’ve survived in the Agriche then. And even now, outside of that hell hole, she knows her place and how to execute it exactly how I like. She’s loyal to me not by force, but rather by choice. I’m the reason she’s still breathing, so it’s only expected that she would do anything for me in return. 

        “Lady [F/n], the shipment of blood has been sent to the [error],” Emily informed, standing near the bathroom window panels. “Would you like me to ask him to give you an update tonight?” 

        [F/n] stayed silent for a moment, considering her options. “No. Rather, I would like you both to be there. Come with the regular reports and meet me at the balcony.”

        Emily nodded and bowed. “As you wish, my lady.” She then rose, reaching for the handle. “Then I shall excuse myself.” 

        “While you’re at it, tell Ron to bring me my morning [drink].”

        “Very well.” My maid then bowed once more and excused herself.

        There’s a war coming, sooner than later. Whether it really does happen or not, it’s none of my concern unless it comes to me. However, I’d rather be safe than sorry. As a noble lady with eye-catching physical features, there isn’t a single knight who wouldn’t fall at my feet to protect me. On the other hand, I have two trustworthy servants who are trained in combat and are willing to lay their lives down for me, which is more than enough. 

        ‘Living in this forsaken world for so long has really shifted my values and beliefs.’ I thought, walking into the bedroom, to see that the bed was already made, courtesy of Emily. ‘I see Cale has woken up earlier than usual.’

        I sat in a red-cushioned armchair, resting my head on my palm and crossing one of my legs over the other. I noted that Cale woke up far earlier than he usually does in the afternoon, leaving it as an afterthought. 

        Cale and I’s bedchamber had two washrooms. One for me, one for him. We used different materials to clean ourselves, and why should I share one bathroom when I’m rich anyway? It’d rather flaunt it. 

        "Ron should be arriving with my tea." I thought aloud, glancing at the door every so often.

        Servants in the Henituse manor avoided Cale, and since I had one personal maid to do everything for me, this hasn’t bothered me. They don’t neglect their duties, but it doesn’t make it any better. If they could, they’d run in the opposite direction from Cale and me. Well, all but one.

        A polite knock came three times, and they waited for my approval. Likewise, I allowed the servant to go in. Seconds after, the door opened to reveal an old man dressed in clothes fit for a butler. 

        "Good morning, young mistress." The servant greeted with a professional smile on his face. He approached me with a cup in hand, and he then placed it on the table before me. “Is the young master inside the washroom?"

        "How should I know? Why don't you go check?" I yawned, gesturing with a hand to the other washroom.

        "Very well," he answered.

        Ron Molan. An assassin who traveled from the eastern continent by sea. He may pretend that he's a benign older man, and he covers this with his occupation as me and Cale's butler, but his true nature is cruel and merciless.

        'If he hadn't left on his own with Choi Han... I would've just handed this geezer over to him myself.' I sighed, taking a sip of my tea.

        "Sour..." I murmured.

        Paying her no mind, Ron approached the bathroom door. "Young master. Are you inside the washroom?" Ron questioned, knocking his gloved knuckle against the door.

        "Yes. I'll be right out." A man's voice answered back. His voice was muffled by the sound barrier between him and the door.

        Leaving the washroom, a man emerged from the room. He wore a bathrobe, his bright red hair dripping with water, and his feet leaving small puddles.

        "Here you go, young master." Ron smiled and gestured to the cup of tea in his palm.

        The man's eyes narrowed. "Great, thanks."

        Ron flinched for a second and had an odd expression, which went unnoticed by the redhead because he had already walked past him. His eyes slimed and then broke out in a larger smile.

        I flinched and scoffed under my breath. 'What an ugly expression for that old man to wear…' I cringed as I watched my husband sit down in front of me. ‘That response he gave to Ron earlier... was far too informal, even for him.' I thought in suspicion, refusing to let it show on my face. 

        "Good morning, Cale," I said, placing my tea on the table. "It's astonishing to see you rouse up so early."

        "Yes... Good morning, too." He replied. Rubbing his chin with his hand.

        A new servant entered the room, bowing with respect. It was a man with a turquoise vest, black slacks, and his hair pushed out of his field of vision.

        "Young master, we will start to dress you now." He announced.

        "Ah, something simple today."

        [F/n] could relate. She hated complicated clothes, and unless she were out or away from the manor, she would rather wear simple clothes.

        They were most comfortable and allowed her to relax, which is why she wore robes and flats indoors. But even if it was understandable, Cale was never the one to wear simple clothes; he instead went for a more extravagant style.

        So this sudden change in demeanor only made [F/n] more suspicious of him.

        The servant nodded and quickly but swiftly pulled out some simple outfits for Cale to choose from, and out of them all, Cale chose the plainest of them all. The outfit consisted of a white blouse with bishop sleeves and a jabot collar; to finish the look, he wore black trousers.

        'The one good thing about this man was his handsome yet beautiful face. He has a face that makes any clothes look good.' [F/n] nodded with her eyes closed. 'The original [F/n] had good taste to choose this man out of the lot. Even if it was just because of his face...'

        "Young master and mistress," Ron blurted, catching the attention of the pair. "The Count wishes to dine with the young master and mistress. It's been a while, will you go?"

        He informed them, causing [F/n] to sigh once more in exhaustion. [F/n] rose from her seat on the armchair and dusted off the imaginary dirt from her robes.

        "Very well, let's go." [F/n] said.

        "Yes, Ron, lead the way." Cale urged. He held his arm out for [F/n] to wrap hers around.

        "Yes, young master and mistress."

        "Cale, are we going for the walk you said we would take today?" She questioned, her eyes trailing to his taller figure.

        "Ah, yes. There's something I have to do anyway." He says, flashing her with a smile before they continue to walk in silence.

        [F/n]'s eyes narrowed, a shadow cast over her face. This confirmed her suspicions. The original Cale would flat-out say "no?" in confusion... because they never made plans for an outing.

        'If he's going to pretend to be Cale, he could at least put more effort.'

        So, who was this if this wasn't Cale she was speaking with right now?

        When they returned to their room, [F/n] could see the astonishment on Cale's face. He was at a loss for words after he received the cheque.

        This family isn't just wealthy, they're filthy rich. Even considering nobility.

        Another good reason [F/n] enjoyed her stay here is that the novel mentions that Cale always received a rather large allowance, but it never states the exact amount. Because [F/n] would check some of his bills from time to time, she had a good idea of what the amount would be.

        "...ten million gallons," Cale whispered, tucking the piece of paper into his back pocket. "[F/n], what's today's date?"

        "Hmm..." She hummed as she crossed her legs in her seat. "It's March 29th, in the year 781 of the Felix Calendar."

        "...March 29th," Cale repeated, rubbing his chin with his palms. "That'll be a problem."

        "What was that?" [F/n] tilted her head in curiosity. 'There's a chance... there's a chance this person might be in a familiar situation as me.'

        "Nothing, [F/n]."

        The fact that this new Cale might be a transmitter could be a problem. He might try to change the plot to reflect what should have happened. And that means…

        'This might threaten my peaceful life.' [F/n] shivered at the thought. 'It's not only because he might be a transmitter,

        It's because…

        Choi Han will arrive soon.'

        "Ron, we're going out. Don't look for us." Cale waved off, his arm intertwined with [F/n]'s.

        Don't look for us.

        That was [F/n]'s and Cale's code for letting Ron know that they were leaving the estate that was located near the rear of the city. While Cale only went so he could drink, and [F/n] went with him to make sure he would be alright, and for her amusement.

        'This is my only source of entertainment after being reborn; it can't be helped.' [F/n] shrugged. She held back from yawning. 'Plus, there are times when they're actually bad people.'

        Cale flicked his finger to signal one of the servants standing at the entrance of the residence to have the attendant walk out with them. [F/n] looked bored out of her mind, and Cale seemed a bit irritated, so the servant didn't say anything the entire time he followed behind the couple.

        Once they exited the residence, [F/n] could feel a chill trail down her back, causing her to shiver. Unknowingly, Cale and [F/n] peeked over their shoulders... only to see Ron's stiff expression through the closing gateway.

        'Scary old man, I'm relieved we shook him off.'

        She wasn't just relieved, she was over the moon that Ron hadn't come with them. That old man was one of the people that [F/n] was scared of the most一of course, next to her father. After all, Ron was still an assassin, whether he still worked as one or not. Although [F/n] came from a house full of lunatics and the insane, she had the right to be scared if her life was at risk, right?

        She stepped into the carriage with Cale's help. Afterward, Cale also entered the carriage not long after they arrived at their desired destination.

        "Young master and mistress, is this the right place?" The coachman cautiously asked as he opened the door.

        [F/n] peeked over the driver's shoulder to see a shop. Both she and the man had matching faces of confusion.

        "Where the hell..?" [F/n] mouthed.

        Her mouth was gaping as she slowly turned her head and looked at Cale as if asking for an explanation. Even after she confirmed this, Cale wasn't the one from the novel; this man hadn't put enough effort into playing the role.

        "Yes, this is it," Cale responded. He walked out of the carriage while he waited for [F/n].

        Cale wore the same clothes as earlier, but this time, he wore a brown coat. And [F/n], who was wearing a new change of clothes that were heavily different from the robes she wore beforehand. Her clothes seemed to match Cale's, which consisted of a vanilla blouse with puffed bishop sleeves and a black skirt held together by silver buttons.

        However, there was nobody around them; this was to be expected, though. With their tarnished reputation, no one would be in sight. Most likely moved out of the way as soon as they saw the carriage with the count's crest on the side.

        [F/n] looked up at a sign and read it out loud. "The Fragrance of Tea with Poetry." Now that rings a bell.

        [The Fragrance of Tea with Poetry]. It was a tea shop that allowed visitors and customers to read poems while drinking tea. It's also a three-story building. One would therefore assume that the owner was very wealthy. And he was, however, the bastard son of a concubine of a prominent guild, and he was here, operating the shop to conceal his identity.

        'Not only was he wealthy, but he was richer than Cale, and that's saying something.' [F/n] tipped her head in thought. 'If I recall correctly, the owner makes his big debut in the novel in volume three to meet Choi Han in the capital. Only then does he claim that he's the illegitimate child of a concubine and that he strives to become the owner of that merchant guild.'

        The man shouts and swears to Choi Han that he will become the owner. [F/n] only read so much of the novel, meaning she wasn't aware if he ever did end up becoming the owner or not, but he was associated with the protagonist, so she thought he probably did.

        [F/n] looked over to Cale and the coachman, who was sweating bullets. Noticing the man, [F/n] sighed and waved him off.

        "You can head off now." She shooed.

        "Excuse me!??" The driver's eyes widened, threatening to pop out of their sockets. [F/n] held back a snort, then Cale decided to step in.

        "Are you going to make her repeat herself?" Cale threatened.

        "I mean, uh–that–don't I need to wait for you, young master and mistress?!"

        "Yeah, but we'll be here for quite a bit, won't we, Cale?"

        The man in question shivered and casually(quickly) headed to the door of the shop. Muttering a quick 'yeah'.

        'Is he afraid of me, or wary?' [F/n]'s eyes squinted, deadpanning.

        She made her way toward Cale, who was holding the door open for her. They both stood at the entrance and took their turns looking around the tea shop. It was late morning, and there weren't many people present. Regardless of the number of people, they all seemed to gawk at [F/n] and Cale.

        Well, who could blame them? These two were the embodiment of the saying "Prepare for trouble, make it double." And in the novel, it did mention that in this region, there wasn't a soul who wasn't aware of who Cale and [F/n] Henituse were. They were quite literally the public enemy of merchants.

        So, it was only expected that when they walked into the shop, a deafening silence would befall the entirety of the store.

        "Welcome!"

        However, the owner warmly welcomed the partners in. [F/n]'s eye twitched, and Cale only stayed silent as they both stared at the man who greeted them from the counter, both having matching expressions that sent shivers down the customer's backs.

        The wealthy bastard, Billos. He had a round face and a plump body just as the novel described; however, one thing was…

        "...He looks like a piggy bank." [F/n] whispered.

        Unknown to her, Cale heard, which caused him to raise a brow. He brushed it off, then took out a handful of gold coins and slammed them on the counter, dramatically so, while he ordered.

        "We intend on staying on the third floor all day." Said Cale.

        Billso stared at Cale, then at [F/n] with his most unique trait, his beaming smile. [F/n] cringed as she averted her gaze, deciding to pretend like she hadn't noticed.

        "And bring us any tea that isn't bitter." Cale paused as his eyes lingered on the shelves of books. "Do you have novels here, too, or only poems?"

        [F/n] nodded in agreement. While she did enjoy reading poems occasionally, she preferred reading novels in the genres of action and romance.

        "Yes, of course. We have a wide selection of novels, young master Cale." Billso grinned as his eyes trailed to [F/n]. "I presume Lady [F/n] enjoys novels too?"

        She stayed silent for an uncomfortable amount of time before returning the smile, although it was eerie. "Hm... you assume right, sir."

        [F/n] stared down at Billso. 'This man's gaze is rather intriguing. Still, I'd rather stay away from this baby piggy.'

        "Right then," Cale interjected. "Send us up the most interesting book and a cup of tea."

        "Yes, I understand."

        [F/n] grabbed the gold coins from Cale's palms, who flinched at the sudden skin contact, and then she placed them in Billso's chubby ones. They turned away as Billso tried to return the change.

        [F/n] looked over her shoulder at Billso. "Keep the money, we'll have more tea later on, so keep it."

        "...But it's still too much, Lady [F/n]."

        "We have plenty of money," Cale snickered, his smile full of pride.

        [F/n] smirked knowingly. "Yes, consider this your tip."

        Abusing their power with money. When talking about how rich you are, who cares if the other party has more money? Flaunting around richness was undoubtedly the best.

        After all, since [F/n] was reborn, she hasn't gotten the chance to do something like this, so if she doesn't do it now, when will she get the chance again?

        "If it's too much still, why don't you treat everyone to a cup of tea, hm?"[F/n] offered to the customers who looked to all tremble in fear when their eyes clashed with her red ones.

"Lady [F/n], still..."

        Cale held out a hand, effectively silencing Billso. "Haaaa, enough, just bring our tea." He sighed.

        It was nice to be married to someone whose alias is literally "trash". [F/n] enjoyed being married to Cale because it meant she didn't have to be respectful, not that she cared either way. She and Cale could hear muffled whispers coming from behind them, not that it mattered; there were already numerous rumors swirling about them, the troublesome duo.

        They were on the third floor, and just as they thought, nobody else was there. Probably because it was morning. Cale and [F/n] took a seat in the corner of the third floor and looked out the window.

        'Wait, wait, isn't that the spot where Choi Han gets rejected access to the gate?' The spot where [F/n] and Cale were right now was the best place to see the Northern Gate of this region. 'Don't tell me...' [F/n]'s eyes snapped into Cale's direction. 'he's planning to watch Choi Han from here today?'

        In the novel, after he finishes burying his friends and family, Choi Han goes in the direction from which he hears the villagers. Almost immediately, he ended up heading toward Weston's City.

        The protagonist, who was transported, has already been living in this world for a decade. Of course, the fact that he spent the majority of his life in the Dark Forest made him mature in a somewhat twisted way. Due to such, he was more rational than anybody would expect after such an incident, the massacre of the Harris Village.

        While Harris Village had been remote, it was still under Count Henituse's jurisdiction. And that was why Choi Han went to the city located in the center of the Henituse manor, Western, in hopes that he could, at the very least, hold a small funeral for the deceased villagers.

        Not only that, but he was looking for information regarding the assassins he had killed when he acted on his anger, thus making him unable to ask any of them questions.

        'What a guy... still, no matter how kind, he's still the main character, and I'd rather not get involved.' [F/n] remarked.

        [F/n] looked at Cale, who looked like he was lost in thought. Then it clicked, wouldn't this be a good chance to ask this man whether he was in a similar position to her?

        "Cale," She blurted, causing the dazed Cale to jump out of his train of thought.

        He then started to rub his arm after getting goosebumps, and he quickly took a sip of the tea they ordered. Cale then looked at [F/n].

"What is it?" He asked, trying to conceal whatever caused him fear.

        [F/n] said, gently. "Ah, my mistake,"

        [F/n] stood up from her seat, which was across from Cale, and made her way toward him. She put her hands on his shoulders, causing him to flinch before he relaxed as [F/n] began to rub his shoulder blades, then she leaned down close to his ear and whispered.

        "You're not Cale." She declared.

        Cale only got the chills right back, along with his shoulders tensing. He stayed silent for a moment, processing [F/n]'s words.

        "...What?"

        "You're not Cale Henituse, are you?" She asked, startling her so-called husband. [F/n] smiled and sat in the chair next to Cale. Her palm trailed Cale's arm as she sat.

Chapter Text

        "You're not Cale Henituse, are you?" She asked, startling her so-called husband. [F/n] smiled and sat in the chair next to Cale. Her palm trailed Cale's arm as she sat.

        ‘What did she mean by that?’ Cale thought, pinching his wrist. His expression remained neutral and unreadable, but he fidgeted.  ‘No, that’s a question I know the answer to already. She knows I’m not the Cale from the novel. She knows I’m someone different–’ 

        Cale hasn’t said anything for too long, and that was nearly enough for [F/n], but she’d rather hear him admit it. So, she pressed. "Did I hit a nerve? Not that it matters right now. Feel free to speak to me, we have plenty of time before Choi Han arrives."

        She knew that this ‘world’ is a novel too. What else did she know?... Cale opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. There was no point in lying; this woman is smart enough to notice that her husband changed, and if she were smarter than she looked, she might’ve already set a trap for him, too. 

        "You're right." He says, taking a deep breath. "I'm not Cale."

        "Well, that was obvious; you made no effort to play the role." [F/n] deadpanned, shrugging her shoulders. "So then, what's your name and how did you get here?"

        "Kim Roksu." He replied. He then tilted his head, as if contemplating how he would answer [F/n]'s question. "I'm not exactly sure myself how I got here, but to me, this world is a novel and I'm but an insignificant antagonist to add drama to the plot. I believe the term for my predicament is... transmitted."

        The name that he said rang a bell. One that sent shivers down [F/n]'s spine. [F/n]'s eyes widened, and her mouth fell open. She quickly fixed her face and decided that this could just be another, right?

        "Kim Roksu..." She repeated the words rolling off her tongue. "What an unusual name. You're not originally from this world, right?"

        "I just said that, did I not?" Roksu retorted, deadpanned. "Now, you answer my question. Have you been transmitted too?"

        "My, what an attitude, but I suppose I shouldn't be such a hypocrite when we have similar situations." [F/n] shrugged, leaning back in her chair. "My answer to your question is no. You see, I'm a woman who was reborn into this novel."

        [F/n] allowed her words to sink in. She stared at the silenced man before her while she anticipated her next move. Because if this really were her Roksu, it would be quite the show. However, if it weren't, it would be a tad awkward, but then again, this was already as awkward as it could get.

        "Roksu, did you by chance know a woman by the name, [L/n] [F/n]?" She asked, maintaining a polite smile. 

        Of course he did. How could he not? It’s the full name of his deceased wife. It didn’t make it any better that the woman before him shared the same name as her. Yet, Roksu didn’t flinch at the question, but rather, he tensed. His broad and wide shoulders seemed to be drawn closer to his torso, as if trying to become smaller; he didn’t dare speak. 

        Seeing how Roksu didn’t respond to her, [F/n] continued. "I believe I do. That's the name of my past body. I quite liked the name. You see, I, too, was married to a man named Roksu. It's just too bad I had to suffer a tragic death."

        Silence fell upon the two.

        How was Rosku supposed to react? No, how does anyone react to a situation like this? I mean, seeing your deceased wife after her death, who would've thought? Roksu wasn't one for expressing himself after his wife's death. He grieved for her, yearned for her, and practically died inside for her.

        "It must be awful to see your dead wife in a different body," [F/n] commented, sweat-dropping. "Although I'm grateful even after my death, my memories remained." She gently conveyed her now red, formerly [e] eyes, and her hand caressed Roksu’s new face. "There wasn't a second that passed that I didn't long to reunite with your embrace, your quiet tenderness, and most of all, you."

        Roksu's jaw quivered. He narrowed his eyes at [F/n], his face showing no expression. The two then stared at each other for a moment, only for Roksu to deadpan and quickly turn his face away, bashfully. However, the tips of his ears and nape were tinted red.

        [F/n] smirked. She stood up from her chair and caressed Roksu's cheek, running her fingers along his jawline. "You never fail to keep me amused." She sighed, her smirk lifting into a grin. "However, as much as I'd like to converse more..." [F/n] pushed Roksu's head toward the window. "He's made his debut."

        The moment the gates opened for the morning, a young man wearing worn-out clothes and a cape with rips that appeared to have been caused by a fire, and with multiple burnt spots, approached the gate.

        Cale's eyes widened slightly in realization of who it was, and [F/n]'s smile dropped. It was Choi Han.

        The guards at the gate blocked Choi Han's path before he could proceed any further, his head held low and his face looking completely exhausted. [F/n] and Cale could see their mouths moving; however, they didn't know what they were saying. But after a while, they could see Choi Han shake his head.

        "They must be asking if he has any identification." [F/n] assumed. Her eyes were still stuck on Choi Han's figure.

        The guards in the Henituse territory were generally gentle and pleasant people, still, they were strict when it came to the rules. Their ideal personality was intended to emulate that of their liege, Count Deruth Henituse.

        "Ah, he was denied access."

        "It's expected, after all, there's no way he has anything to identify himself."

        And just as the pair thought, Choi Han turned away from the guards and walked away without throwing a fit. With his slightly recovered conscience, he told himself not to kill an innocent man.

        'He may be walking away obediently right now, but he'll wait until nightfall to jump over the city wall.'

        According to the novel, Choi Han would then run into Cale, who was busy drinking, and [F/n], who was solely there to make sure Cale wouldn't get himself hurt.

        Cale pushed off his chair, a loud screech following the sound. [F/n] cringed at the noise. The two then went downstairs and informed Billos, who was at the counter.

        "Hey, we'll be back soon. Don't clear our spot."

        Billos nodded his head, "Yes, young master and mistress. I look forward to your return."

        The couple decided to ignore Billos's chubby smile as they left the shop, not caring to look back.

        …

        "T-they left without making a scene!!"

        Cale deadpanned when he heard someone's voice from inside the shop, and [F/n] sighed in exhaustion, to be truthful, they couldn't care less, but still…

        "I can hear them from outside the shop, must they be that loud?"

        "You know, when you're not putting up a facade, you're so lazy."

        "Is that what surprises you?" [F/n] retorted, straightening her posture. "Well, I'm pretty sure you're thinking about getting something to protect yourself, right?"

        Cale, in return, sweat-dropped. "You know me too well... literally."

        If [F/n] were to predict what Cale was thinking right now, it would be something along the lines of gaining abilities to protect themselves, just in case they ever come across some other strong characters.

        To survive on a continent where war will befall, one would have to be reasonably strong, just in case someone were to be attacked. Of course, [F/n] was more than aware, which was why she learned swordsmanship to a certain extent. Yet, in this fantasy world, she was still considered weak if she was next to the main cast.

        Among those powers, the one that would be best to aim for first would be the Indestructible Shield.

        The Indestructible Shield. It's not talking about a physical shield. The best way to explain it would have to be a mage's mana shield. Something that wasn't physically there, but could be seen without a physical form. Yet, it was still far from mana shield, on a scale between magic and superpower, it was closer to that of a superpower.

        'If it were up to me, I'd choose almost anything that didn't involve divine powers of any sort.'

        It was almost laughable because the original owner of the ancient power ultimately died as someone who served the gods. Still, whether it be god(s), angels, or devils, [F/n] didn't want to get involved with any of them. It's just too bad the Agriche household worshipped a god.

        "Y-young master and mistress, W-welcome...!"

        Cale nodded his head at the baker, who bowed so low it looked like his head might touch the counter in front of him. [F/n] on the other hand stared in disbelief at the sight and gripped onto Cale's sleeve. The one thing that was on both of their minds right now was…

        '...Should we even be surprised anymore?'

        [F/n] almost felt bad that her and Cale's reputation was so bad that this middle-aged baker was actually trembling before them, scared.

        "Give me some bread."

        "Excuse me?" The baker gaped.

        Cale pointed at one piece of bread on the left side of the table and then pointed to another loaf on the far right side of the table. After he sternly responded.

        "Give me everything from here to there." He ordered, dropping a spinning gold coin on the wooden table. "Pack it all."

        The baker was frozen in place. [F/n] decided to speak up, following in her husband's pattern. "Only one of these coins is a week's worth of salary," She paused, not particularly asking. "I suppose that two or three more coins would be a week's worth of bread, right?"

        The baker didn't respond immediately as his gaze was still on the gold coin, which had soon moved to [F/n] and Cale, who were already staring at him. If the baker's eyes could speak, they would be saying something like, "It's too much money to pay for bread?!"

        Cale placed one of his palms on his cheek, appearing to be lost in thought. "Well, I could go elsewhere if you don't want the gold coin..." He trailed off, faking innocence.

        The baker's eyes shot open, staring at Cale wide-eyed. "NO! Ahem. No, that's not the case, it's nothing like that, young master! I'll pack it as fast as possible!"

        The baker was now even more respectful than he was earlier, of course, with a newfound motivation. Not long after the baker ran off, [F/n] and Cale left the bakery with Cale holding a bag of bread slung over his shoulder.

        Although it was just a sack of bread, it weighed a significant amount. [F/n] could see as she walked alongside Cale, who started to frown, both of them ignoring the baker who watched them leave onto the main street.

        [F/n] and Cale calmly strolled down the street, both noticing the number of people who quickly turned and walked away. Most of them were people who ran away to avoid making eye contact with the two.

        'I've forgotten... what did Korea look like again?' [F/n] asked herself, looking around the market. A place she'd gotten used to seeing, but the feeling was always foreign, after all, it is a fantasy book, no?

        [F/n]'s eyes trailed to Cale. She watched how any time Cale made eye contact with any of the civilians, they'd immediately become wide-eyed and avoid him altogether. An action [F/n] has long since become acquainted with.

        Living in the black agriche, as the second eldest daughter of the newest generation, [F/n] was bound to be feared by many. Whether it was discomfort caused by her father or if it was from her, [F/n] couldn't frankly bring herself to care.

        [F/n] Henituse is an Agriche. But above all, she's a character who was barely mentioned. She played no role other than to stand by Cale's side like a trained puppy in the main story. [L/n] [F/n] is a woman in fiction. Written solely to entertain those who have the time to read of her sufferings through letters and words.

        These thoughts plagued the Agriche while she and her husband walked in the market. The direction they headed was west, the same path where the slums of Weston City are located.

        No matter how wealthy the Henituse territory is, those same rules couldn't apply to everyone. Depending on how you look at it, anyone could interpret the hierarchies of these concepts as the rich getting richer and the poor staying poor.

        This saying could be seen as a contrast between the beautiful staying beautiful and the ugly staying ugly. However, that isn't always the case. Seeing how even commoners have risen to the nobility title and nobility have lost their titles, the ugly becoming beautiful or vice versa, everything is unattractive in a way, which is why it's beautiful.

        The reality of the situation is that, even if someone gives food to another, it won't automatically change one's situation if they're not ready to fight for it. And in such situations, one might assume a lady like [F/n] would give handouts to the less fortunate. That's what you think, right? If it were, it would be unfortunate because that wasn't the case.

        [F/n] could almost feel the burning gazes Cale had on him while people peeked at them as soon as they entered the slums. This is the place where the most idle and vicious people lived together.

        Although one would think they'd know the face of their lord, the count, but no. Out of all the faces they knew, it was Cale's. It was reasonable, after all, they needed to pay attention to who created the most ruckus in the city.

        As for the reason why they didn't know [F/n]'s... it was simply because whenever they'd seen her person, she'd always have her face covered or blocked. Either way, she was never the one to cause a racket but rather watched in amusement.

        Grinning, [F/n] bashfully expressed herself, "I feel as if I shouldn't be entertained currently, but I most certainly am."

        "Tsk." Cale clicked his tongue.

        Regardless of what they knew about Cale, those who had been starved would never resist food, and it just so happened they were lured by the sweet scent of the bag of bread Cale held. [F/n] and Cale ignored the starving looks and continued to walk.

        [F/n] glanced at her leather boots and then towards Cale's leather shoes, which had started to be covered in muddy water. An unknown stench filled both her and Cale's noses, one that made Cale frown and [F/n]'s face scrunch up in disgust.

        "I'm glad I'm wearing boots, which are perfect for..." [F/n] trailed off, eyeing her and Cale's footwear. "Dirt. I would like to leave this area quickly."

        "Yeah, but... what the hell is that smell?"

        "Never mind that, let's leave."

        On that note, the married couple started to walk faster, which slowly turned into a speed walk.

        The slums were located on one side of a small hill and consisted of old, worn-down houses. And just as one would think, [F/n] and Cale were heading up to the top of that very hill. Of course, Cale fell behind due to the bag of bread over his shoulder; thus, [F/n] was in the lead.

         One thing that went unnoticed was that the stares and whispers from the people had started to lessen. Well, not by choice, the role of Cale's glare played a big part in this as well.

        "Freedom." [F/n] breathed, inhaling the fresh air through her nose and out of her mouth.

        "Phew... hu... hah." Cale gasped for air, greedily.

        After being freed from the sickening stench and a glare or two from Cale that was directed to [F/n], they turned around and looked down at Weston City. The hill was nearly as big as the Henituse manor. Well, this hill couldn't rival the Henituse Manor, after all, why would they allow the lord of their territory to live somewhere lower than the slums?

        [F/n] squinted her eyes at Cale, who caught his breath yet was still sweating bullets. The sight before her almost made [F/n] laugh at his face.

        Snickering, [F/n] pointed out, "...You make Cale's body look weak."

        Breathing hard and gasping for air, Cale glared at [F/n]. "You... hah... You don't know how tiring it is to hold that bag."

        "You're right, I don't." [F/n] sneered, eyes narrow. "However, compared to you, I'm sure I wouldn't be sweating as much."

        "Haaa..." Cale huffed in defeat, fair to tired to argue.

        After the bickering came to an end, they headed toward an old tree that was fenced off. The fence was made of rotting wooden planks about the height of Cale's shoulder blades. And as expected, it broke easily when Cale pushed the fence.

        The massive tree before them was capable of lasting hundreds of years, which was unusual, seeing how most trees in the slums almost always ended up as firewood or had their layering removed, rendering them overall useless. However, this tree wasn't anything like that, but then again, this was a fantasy world.

        "Hey! Red riding hood, quit your daydreaming, we need to work quickly." [F/n] bumped Cale's shoulder, pulling Cale out of his trance.

        [F/n] picked up the bag of bread, which was notably easier for her in comparison to Cale. She then opened the gate to the tree, walking inside with Cale trailing behind her.

        "So..." [F/n] trailed off, staring at the tree. "How old do you think this tree is? If you had to estimate, I mean."

        "I'd say a couple centuries." Cale shrugged.

        It makes one wonder how the hell this tree managed to stay so well-preserved. You'd think it would be surrounded by people out of curiosity or plain suicide. Well, the reason was simple…

        "You... you can't approach that t-tree!"

        Out of all the people they passed when the Henituse couple walked through the slums, only two followed them until they reached the end of the slums, which happened to be children.

        [F/n] flinched, and Cale stood still, both completely stunned.

        '...A child?' [F/n] gawked.

        "You can't go there! It's a man-eating tree!"

        A Man-Eating Tree. It's said that anyone who hanged themselves from this tree would turn into a rotting corpse overnight. Additionally, any blood that touched this tree almost instantly vanished.

        Looking over her shoulder, [F/n] eyed the man-eating tree. 'That means this is the tree Roksu has been looking for.'

        Long ago, during ancient times, there was a person who adored food so much that their gluttony led to their expulsion from the temple where they worked. Not long after, that person ended up starving to death.

        This tree is said to have grown from the body of the person, and their grudge and strength are believed to reside within it. The Indestructible Shield that (Mostly) Cale and [F/n] were looking for was here.

        Cale took a piece of bread out of the bag and carefully observed a hole in the ground, near the tree's trunk, which was about the size of an adult head.

        "Is it there?" [F/n] muttered, looking over Cale's shoulder.

        Her voice was almost inaudible due to the children's constant squeaking and complaining; Cale and [F/n] had to send them away before they started their work.

        However, before either of them could say anything, the children's voices became louder this time. Probably since they couldn't see Cale from outside the gate because he was crouched down in front of [F/n].

        "You're going to die! Don't do it!" They warned.

Cale pressed his temples with his fingers. "Sigh..."

        "Cale, you're more than aware there will always be nosy people around, especially children." [F/n] put a hand on Cale's shoulder, sweat dropping. "They're only curious, don't be harsh."

        In response, Cale looked up at her with a sarcastic yet irritated smile that slowly turned into a frown. He then looked away and sighed once more in defeat.

        "We'll need to shoo them away before anything."

        "Thank you, Roksu."

        Cale's frown slightly raised into a small smile, but his smile dropped when he turned around and stood up from his crouched position. He was met by a girl who appeared to be around ten years old. Standing next to the girl was what Cale assumed to be her younger brother, both of whom were looking at Cale.

        Seeing that Cale was frowning and looking at her, the young girl stumbled with her words and started to stutter.

        "It's a man-eating tree... you'll d-die." She warned meekly this time.

        "I won't die. Get lost." Cale shot back, deadpan.

        [F/n] mentally face-palmed, she then walked toward Cale and the children. After she was standing next to Cale, she took out two pieces of bread and threw them to the girl. Luckily, beforehand, she had individually wrapped them, so it didn't matter if they rolled on the ground.

        "Take that and leave, quickly." [F/n] said.

        The younger boy next to the girl almost instantly grabbed the bread, but the older girl was hesitant. In the end, [F/n] knew they would have to end up using their identity to shoo them off, and it looked like Cale was already aware of that, too.

        [F/n] closed her crimson eyes, and stood next to Cale with her head tilted to the children, then she opened her eyes again... her eyes seemed to have glowed an intimidating glare, showing off her blood-like eyes.

        "...You aren't aware of Cale Henituse?" Cale asked, taunting the two. "The Trash of the Count's family?"

        The little girl's face paled, and her younger brother held the bags of bread close to his chest as he stared up at Cale and [F/n].

        "S-sister." The boy tugged on his sister's arm. "Let's go..."

        While the two ran off, the gray-haired girl looked at the tree and back at [F/n] and Cale as her brother was pulling her away.

        "You...can't die." She mumbled.

        "Tsk."

        Cale clicked his tongue in irritation at the girl. Before deciding to continue their work, [F/n] made sure nobody else was around and nodded to Cale in affirmation. Concluding that no one would be able to see what they were doing unless they came directly up to the gate.

        "We can continue now." [F/n] reassured, walking up to Cale.

        "Then let's get started."

        They nodded to each other and took a loaf of bread out of the bag. They then crouched down in front of the hole and placed the bread in. [F/n] watched as her hand soon vanished into the darkness underneath the tree, and Cale shivered when he felt the cold sensation of the bread disappearing in his palms.

        He felt like his whole hand might be sucked in, and quickly took it out.

        "I freaked out thinking my hand would get sucked in as well." Cale sweatdropped, looking at his palm.

        Nevertheless, the darkness in the hole underneath the tree was still the same.

        "I don't know, it feels like I put my hand into a bag of ice." [F/n] shrugged, her hand still in the hole. "Overall, I think my hand is numb."

        Cale flinched and yanked [F/n]'s hand out of the hole. "Must you be so difficult? You'll make me get white hairs early."

        This "man-eating tree" wasn't actually a man-eating tree. Instead, it was a tree that would eat anything. It was the leftovers of the person who had starved to death.

        "It's amusing that this thing has an ancient power, especially in Weston City." [F/n] smirked, a hand placed on her hip. "But I guess it's worth it, after all, these abilities are far more reliable."

        Cale pointed at the hole. "I remember reading that we need to feed it until the darkness disappears." He recalled.

        The darkness inside this hole was not the result of shade or an animal, but rather a grudge.

        Anyone could remove the darkness, but only if they could provide a large amount of food. Only once the darkness disappears will it be replaced by a bright light that has been hiding underneath.

        And once they see that light, the Indestructible Shield will be theirs.

"Eat your fill."

Chapter Text

        "You’re going to need more.” [F/n] commented, staring at the black hole. “About ten more, I believe.” 

Ten more bags of bread. Something only a person with a three-million-gallon allowance would dare say so casually. Others would gawk at the price, but then again, this is nobility we’re talking about here.

        [F/n] and Cale put the bag’s opening into the hole and shook out the bread form within. And, if this were any other situation, or rather, world, the hole should’ve been full of bread. However, the void within the said hole remained. Regardless of such, the void was no longer pitch black and instead lit up ever so slightly, so much so that people with glasses probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

A loud rumble, something akin to that of a stomach growling out of hunger, came from the tree. The ground shook, mimicking an earthquake, yet it felt like it was asking for more food if anything.

The young Henituse couple backed away from the tree, the two shared uneasy expressions, and nodded to each other to get away from it. Cale narrowed his eyes at the tree and made an odd expression. Notable sweat marks were rolling down his cheek, and there was a sure cold sweat down his neck. On the other hand, [F/n] didn’t know what type of expression to make.

"...It's a bit scary," Cale muttered, rising from his crouched position. When he stood, he wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

‘Such a frightening thing, gluttony.’ [F/n] thought. She turned on her heel and brought her attention to Cale. “Let’s return tomorrow.” She said.

As if the tree were a person, which it was in the past, [F/n] waved goodbye to the tree. Unbeknownst to her, the tree had waved farewell, shaking its branches to do so. [F/n] followed after Cale, who had already left the fenced-off area. When exiting the area, she saw Cale stop to stare at the siblings leaning against the stone wall. The two kids ate the bread that was given to them, silently and on guard.

‘For children who say we shouldn’t be around a man-eating tree,’ [F/n] spared them a glance and quickly diverted her eyes elsewhere. ‘They look to be enjoying their meals. If you can call it that.’

As anyone would assume if they had a brain, the siblings were too wary to go near the man-eating tree. Yes, wary. Not afraid. And that’s what fascinated [F/n]. They’re children, shouldn’t they be protected and safe? They should always be on the safer side, no matter the circumstance. So, why are these children not?

There’s a saying about the slums. “Children raised in the slums know no fear for it’s a foreign concept.” And it’s true. To cherish and value every grain of food ever given to them, they know no fear of what a blade may do if it comes too close. Constantly being cradled in the hands of death, as if raised by it, they learn not to fear it. After all, the greatest worry was being starved. They trembled at the thought of not eating rather than death. What a fearful thing, gluttony.

        If [F/n] could recall, that quote was something said in [The Birth of a Hero.]

        Finally, snapping out of her train of thought, [F/n] saw Cale talking to the siblings.

        "If you want more bread tomorrow, don't say a thing." He warned.

        Cale then ignored their gazes, grabbed [F/n]'s hand, and began walking down the hill, intending to return to the tea shop.

        Upon their return to the tea shop, the first thing they saw was a happy Billso, who greeted the two.

        "Young master and mistress, you're back." He welcomed happily.

        "Yes." Cale nodded. "Bring us a new cup of tea."

        Without another word, Cale and [F/n] headed up the spiral staircase to the third floor. Without a doubt, it should've been relatively busy, especially at this time, but there was nobody here.

        "Hm," [F/n] sneered. "They must be avoiding you, your trashy majesty."

        "You're known as trash, too." Cale deadpanned. "Either way, why should I care? It only means I can relax more."

        "You're like a tired puppy." [F/n] sighed as she sat down in her seat.

        It has been a few minutes since they last talked with Billso. Not long after, they saw Billso coming up the stairs with a tray.

        "Here is your tea, young master and mistress. I also brought some desserts."

        "Is that so? You've done well, Billso." [F/n] said.

        [F/n] gave Billso a (fake) smile of gratitude. She then grabbed her tea, cupping her palms around it, seeking the warmth it emitted onto her body.

        "Yeah, thanks," Cale responded.

        Billso made a face as he observed Cale's face. With an odd expression, he then quietly left the third floor.

        "Euagh."

        [F/n] coughed into her hand, her shoulders trembling with each cough from her mouth. Cale bit his lower lip and stared at [F/n] in confusion.

        "You're laughing." He yelled, tilting his head. "Why?"

        "You... You don't sound like Cale at all..!" [F/n] laughed, holding her stomach.

        ...

        Cale flinched and avoided looking at [F/n], his gaze stuck on the city gate. [F/n] pleaded with Cale to look at her; however, he kept this up until the skies turned a shade of orange and yellow.

        "Don't do this to me."

        [F/n] whined as she leaned back in the chair beside Cale. She pulled at her scalp and then looked back at Cale.

        "Can you please look at me?"

        "No."

        "ARGH." [F/n] groaned. "Please?"

        "No."

        "AHUGH."

        This continued until [F/n] was physically on her knees pleading to Cale to cooperate with her and until she convinced him that he did sound like the Cale from the novel. (He didn't.)

        Night had fallen, and the skies were enveloped in a dark blue hue, while the stars shone brightly.

        "Are you leaving?"

        "Yes."

        Although from when [F/n] and Cale arrived, it was nearly empty as if it were a ghost town. There were people here and there, but just in small numbers.

        This is understandable; it's past nine, and this time, people wouldn't gather at a tea shop, of all places, but rather at the bar.

        "Then I will look forward to your return, young master and mistress."

        Cale nodded, and [F/n] only stared at the plump man.

        "By the way, the tea was delicious," he told Bilos, who was eyeing him and his wife. "And the book... I only read half of it, but it was interesting. I liked the main character, who's recognized, and the way he grows."

        [F/n]'s face scrunched into a cringe as she looked at Cale. Honestly, before she realized that he was her husband from a past life, he was unaware of his surroundings. He spoke in a manner from his mind 'If I were to act like this at the Agriche, I would have been punished in the illusion room,' She averted her gaze elsewhere, recalling the events in her home. 'I shouldn't dwell on that. Nevertheless, Rok soo looks like he enjoyed the book.'

        Her eyes then snapped over to Bilso. His face changed, and his eyebrows furrowed, leaving him with a blank expression. She then looked over to Cale, who hadn't noticed Bilso's sharp gaze.

        [F/n] smiled at Bilso, drawing his attention to her now. "I intend to make my visits here frequent, don't let anyone read that book in particular?"

        Cale's eyes trailed to [F/n], a smile on his face. As expected of his wife in both his old and new life. She had reread his mind, although it did scare him in some loving way.

        "Ah, yes! I will reserve this book just for the lady!" Bilso's smile [F/n] urged her and Cale to return. "I'll be awaiting your return!"

        'Is this how he brought in customers?' [F/n] hummed, blankly staring at the man.

        "Sure, whatever." Cale brushed off, a bitter taste in his mouth.

        How irritating, now she felt inclined to return. [F/n] frowned. Not a moment after, the bell jingled, and the voices of lively conversation picked up. Though it was loud inside, it was much noisier outside.

        The sun retired, making way for the moon to rise. The people of Weston City all swarmed and filled the emptiness of the bars, seeking this opportunity to drink the night away until sunrise.

        The count's son and daughter-in-law walked amongst each other in the boisterous streets. It was a quiet walk, at least it seemed to be.

        "I've been meaning to ask: Why do you always smile in front of Bilso?" Cale asked, his eyes stuck on the trail ahead, yet he was still listening.

        [F/n] In response, she stayed silent, carefully picking out her following words. She stopped abruptly and looked at her husband. She covered her smirk with the sleeves of her shirt.

        "That baby piglet will soon prove to be useful, just like in the novel." [F/n] said flatly, keeping quiet when talking about the novel. "Keeping a biggy bank close is a good thing to practice, especially in this world that's often filled with coincidences."

        She wasn't wrong. In this world, just about anything is possible. Having been given a silver spoon laced with poison in her mouth, (in this place) [F/n] learned that pretending to be submissive would prove to be useful.

        She learned how to stay quiet and accept everything as it is, all while being patient. She left the Agriche household, just as in the novel, not just because the events had to unfold, but because she needed time to put everything in order.

        [F/n] had sworn on his life that she would make him pay, and until she was stronger and was able to do that... her husband, Cale or Rok Soo, wouldn't know how her life was in this fantasy world.

        Cale frowned. "Don't get too close to him." He said, urging his wife to walk as they conversed. "...Don't get into any trouble, it might backfire, your plan, I mean. Also, I would much rather slack off somewhere, maybe in the countryside, away from the war."

        [F/n] clasped her hands together and pursed her lips in a kissy motion. "Anything for you, my pretty princess!”

        Cale flinched and looked away from [F/n]. "...Tch." He clicked his tongue, ears flushed.

        [F/n] and Cale stopped in front of a local bar, one that [F/n] was too familiar with. After all, she called this her 'stage show' of all things... Otherwise known as the bar the original Cale and [F/n] went to, to drink the night away.

        [F/n] sighed tiredly, then followed Cale into the pub. The exhaustion of wearing these lavish, extravagant clothes was beginning to catch up to her.

        [F/n] looked around the bar as if she hadn't been there plenty of times. Her eyes trailed over to a bottle of booze, a smug smile on her lips. 'I'll get a drink too, it'll be much easier to cope with that by doing this.'

        She stood beside Cale, and the once smug smile turned into an amused grin. She found it most endearing to see the frightened faces of the people who resided in this city, which is why she hadn't bothered to change the character of "[F/n]."

        "Oh my. Young master and mistress, welcome!"

        The owner exclaimed, bowing to a perfect ninety-degree angle. Fear was written all over his face; only those who were blind wouldn't see it.

        [F/n] rose a brow, knowingly.

        It was known far and wide in the Henituse territory that whenever Cale and [F/n] Henituse entered a bar... all hell would break loose.

        The infamous Cale and [F/n] Henituse truly lived up to their name "Trash" with almost every bar fearing Cale for breaking pretty much everything within a 20-foot radius. If [F/n] had to guess, she and her husband would be on the very top of blacklists at all bars in Western City.

        Cale didn't respond to the owner's welcome, seeing this, [F/n] reached into her skirt's pocket and threw a golden coin at the man.

        "Bring us our usual bottle." Said [F/n].

A/N: If you don't drink, you could always imagine the beverage to be something more appropriate, such as juice or water. However, throughout this book, the drink(At bars) will typically be wine or grape juice.

        A hand on her hip while her other was holding a pouch of what was assumed to be golden coins.

        Cale looked at [F/n] and then back at the owner.

        "Oh, and give me some roasted chicken breast, don't add salt."

        "Excuse me? Um... y-you don't want to find a seat first?"

        Cale frowned and [F/n] ignored the man, looking elsewhere. The married couple fell silent, staring only at the owner.

        ...

        ...

        ...

        "Immediately! I'll bring your drinks right away, young master and mistress!"

        The owner ran off, a cold sweat running down his neck; however, he looked as if he were smiling. For the most part, it was probably because Cale wasn't planning on staying long. On the other hand, it could've been because he got a good look at [F/n]'s beauty firsthand.

        [F/n] had zoned out the conversation between Cale and the owner and decided to divert her attention to looking around the bar. Everyone present avoided looking in her direction, their heads turned away.

        "Hm..."

        "Tsk."

        The sound waves of [F/n]'s humming and Cale's tongue clicking were heard throughout the silent bar.

        [F/n]'s lips thinned into a line as she observed everyone.

        'They look like dogs with tails between their legs, cowardly whimpering at a larger animal. Although...It's no wonder.'

        Typically, in fantasy novels, the villain of the book tends to be a gangster or an outright terrible person. In this case, men. In these types of novels, they typically engage in romantic entanglements with women, drink excessively, and create a scene of all sorts.

        However, in this novel, the minor antagonist, Cale Henituse, hates these types of people the most. It was all thanks to [F/n] Henituse, his beloved wife, who kept him in check. Of course, never stopped him completely because she was almost just as bad, but she did her part.

        "Young master and mistress, here are the bottles you requested."

        "Great."

        Cale grabbed a bottle and a bag of chicken while [F/n] took the other bottle. From what [F/n] could tell, this was the drink they always bought, the most expensive alcohol in this bar. They accepted their orders and left.

        Almost immediately, Cale opened the bottle and drank half of the contents. At the same time, [F/n] opened hers and took a swig of it, licking her lips.

        Cale hummed and savored the taste of the alcohol.

        "Ho..."

        [F/n] looked at the bottle, the flavor still lingering on her taste buds. 'At this rate, I'll become a drunkard.'

        While most must think that drinking half a bottle of alcohol would make just about anyone drunk within minutes, it wouldn't affect these two. Why? Because their tolerance to alcohol is high.

        The only difference between these two was... Cale's face flushed easily, making it seem as though he was a lightweight. Meanwhile, [F/n]'s face would get stuck in a constant deadpan, and the alcohol would make her body hot, hence making her face redden ever so slightly.

        "Ah, I'm beginning to get hot..." [F/n] whined, fanning herself with her free hand.

        "Me too." Cale nodded.

        They walked further until they reached the city walls. The tall stone wall began at the gate. It was a large wall that protected everything inside and kept any threats out.

        Recalling the information from the book, [F/n] glided her palm against the cold stone walls.

        "Follow the wall. Approximately one hundred steps from the city gate."

        Just about at that length, they would find Choi Han. At that location, that should be where Choi Han jumped over the city wall. Depending on the person, it could be about a hundred steps from the city entrance.

        [F/n] held the empty bottle closer to her chest as she strode beside her husband to the calculated location. Her eyes trailed over the few people who roamed the streets. In this residential area, the only light sources were the torches perched on the stone walls and the dimmer lights from nearby windows.

        Nevertheless, it was enough —at least for [F/n]. The eyes of an Agriche are similar to a cat's, thus meaning that [F/n] can see during the night.

        As she waited for Cale's eyes to adjust to the dark, [F/n]'s eyes spotted things curled against the stone wall. She glanced at Cale and then grabbed his wrist to avoid him bumping into anything. They then decided to get closer.

        Meow Meeeeeow.

        The cries of the shaking felines. There were two cats curled up together. In the corner of her eye, [F/n] can see Cale beginning to smirk.

        Inside this world full of coincidences, once Choi Han jumped over the wall, he twisted his ankle to avoid crushing the smaller red cat after the larger cat pushed it into the place where Choi Han should've landed.

        'How kind, I'm almost moved.'  [F/n] tilted her head in thought.

        Although in most cases, Choi Han wouldn't have hurt himself, only this time he did. I mean, who wouldn't? After burying dozens of corpses and killing even more for the first time, Ho'ss body had finally reached its limit.

        "Meow..."

        "Meow."

        Hearing the whining of cats, [F/n] briefly glanced over in Cale's direction, who was already crouched in front of the kittens. She then set her gaze back on the man who was down the opposite alley from which she and Cale had come.

        'I suppose that's him.' [F/n] guessed, biting her lower lip.

        The man was sprawled on the ground, back pressed against the stone-built city wall. He had worn and torn clothes, shaggy and unkempt hair to match — perhaps even burnt? Attached to his hip lay a sword in a condition that was just as bad, maybe worse.

        [F/n] was lost in thought, replaying a lost memory. 'How befitting, I haven't felt a gaze like this since I left the Agriche.'

        She shivered, and a bone-chilling feeling ran down her back. The feeling is akin to having a fingernail trail along your backbone. It was caused by those chocolate-brown eyes that belonged to Choi Han, although they weren't just focused on her, but on Cale, too.

        She shivered, a sickening smile on her face, one fitting for an Agriche. 'Encountering such a stare after a long time makes me uneasy—yet excited.'

        The curious and daring feeling erupted, [F/n] glimpsed once more. It was cold, terrifying, and thrilling. But I guess that's what to be expected of an animal born and raised inside the Black Agriche.

        A while back, [F/n] had finished drinking her bottle. It's a shame, it could've helped her right about now, but she'll have to make do with this... by-chance encounter.

        [F/n] put a hand on Cale's shoulder blade, leaning down and whispering over his shoulder into his ear: "Calm down, dear. I'll handle this until you can do so."

        She pulled away, her palms lingering the longest on Cale's coat before letting go. [F/n] turned, now she had other things to worry about...

        'Good first impressions...'

        It would be ridiculous if you were to ask her, but if it helped her beloved husband, she would do her best, even if she wasn't the type to make a good first impression.

        [F/n]'s face switched to its once stoic form, swallowing. "You look hungry," she said, almost as if it were a statement.

        She looked toward Choi Han and met his gaze, the two of them staring at each other quietly.

        ...

        The sickening silence had begun to consume the two, chewing and spitting them out, yet they maintained eye contact throughout.

        Cale felt a shiver go down his back, and a cold sweat was building up. Faintly clicking his tongue, he gave the two kittens the shredded chicken breast. It was a scene that would make you question whether he didn't like cats.

        And if you were to ask him, "Do you like cats?" He wouldn't answer right away because, well—he didn't like them. But ever since waking up in this novel, he's grown to appreciate the eyes of cats at the very least.

        After all, he knows someone with eyes that are very similar to theirs.

        "Do you have a place to go?" [F/n] asked, staring at Choi Han.

        [F/n] knew she had to act fast unless she was willing to get caught by the guards who would patrol this location soon. Knowing Cale, he would also want to work quickly.

        "Tell me, are you hungry?" She pressed on, "I'm sure you don't have a place to stay, so that knocks out the chances of sleep..."

        No response. Although expected.

        "You're exhausted and tired. Aren't going to answer me?"

        After a long silence, Choi Han responded hesitantly, " I'm hungry."

        While [F/n] knew if it was needed, Choi Han could kill her and Cale. Yet, it wasn't anything new to her; she'd always been weak. In or out of the Agriche, she'd been weak compared to all her siblings, servants, and relatives in general.

        Stepping in, Cale approached Choi Han, [F/n] following behind him closely. Both knew that the guards would be here soon.

        "Hey"

        Now that they had gotten closer, it was [F/n]'s turn to observe Choi Han. His black hair and brown eyes were quite a sight to behold. Having grown accustomed to this fantasy world, it was uncommon to see such a combination. She crouched in front of Choi Han.

        She smirked. "Let's go,"

        Cale put a hand on [F/n]'s shoulder and held out the other to Choi Han, a smile on his face.

        "We'll feed you." They both said in sync.

Chapter Text

        The newfound trio returned to the count's estate, and they walked silently. Finding his courage, Cale glanced behind him and saw his wife, only to see Choi Han, who was limping yet kept up with the two. Cale then whipped his head back around and walked more slowly for Choi Han, although he was nervous.

        [F/n], on the other hand, was getting a bit giddy at the thought of taking the 'itchy' and 'stiff' clothes off her body from a long day. Seriously, she disliked wearing such things even while in the Agriche.

        Whilst in her daydream, the trio, led by Cale, had finally made it to the count's estate—Of course, only after passing all the noticeable wealthy citizens' houses and such.

        Someone had grabbed--no--yanked [F/n] by her arm, forcing her to look back. In front of her, she saw the redhead and the hero stop walking.

        "Ah..." [F/n]'s lips parted. She then turned back around and began to walk forward, looking over her shoulder. "Are you coming or not?"

        She already knew the young hero, Choi Han, was again evaluating whether she and Cale were truly an easy kill. Not that [F/n] cared on her behalf; after all, her life was always on the line when she was home.

        They resumed walking closer to the count's estate, this time, [F/n] leading with Cale close behind her and Choi Han even closer. Once they reached the manor's main entrance, the guards greeted [F/n] and Cale.

        The two guards stumbled over their words, a faint blush on their cheeks once they saw [F/n]. "Y-young master and mistress?..."

        [F/n] stoically stared at the guards, licking her lips. 'Must they always stutter whenever we come into sight? It's embarrassing.'

        Compared to Cale, who was doing his best to act like the absolute lout, [F/n] didn't bother helping. Not that she couldn't, she believes that because Rok Soo and Cale are two different people, why even bother?

        The truth was that [F/n] was too lazy. But she did find the stammering of the guards whenever she came into sight both amusing and embarrassing. There were times when it would hurt her ego or make it skyrocket, and right now, it truly hurt her pride.

        'Stumbling over their words in front of a guest?' [F/n] frowned, biting her tongue.

        She then waved her hand, which signaled the guards to open the main entrance gates swiftly.

        "Please excuse us, my lady, head on inside."

        Unknowingly, Cale had gotten closer to his wife. Not that she minded. [F/n] looked over her shoulder at Choi Han, calmly.

        "Stay close," She advised.

        Hearing her words as an order, Choi Han obediently obliged. The young Korean limped closer to her and Cale, and then she took that as her cue to walk through the gate.

        Once the trio found themselves inside the Henituse manor, they were greeted by their favored servant, Ron Molan. [F/n]'s frown turned into an outright scowl of irritation, and Cale sweat-dropped.

        "Welcome back, young master and mistress." He welcomed, bowing his head.

        "...Yes, we have returned." [F/n] replied, her pupils returning to their slit form. 'My mood is wrecked—no, my night is ruined.'

        To think this old man had patiently waited outside the door for her and Cale's return. Didn't he have things to do? Surely he didn't stay here... the entire time, right?

        Either way, this by-chance encounter benefited [F/n] and Cale. [F/n] saw Ron's eyebrows lift once he noticed Choi Han before his 'kind' smile widened.

        [F/n] leaned over and whispered into Cale's ear: "We still have something else to do."

        Yes, it would be much easier if they dealt with this now instead of later. This meant they couldn't care whether Choi Han and Ron were being hot-styled towards one another; after all, they weren't finished with their work.

        "Follow me," Cale told Choi Han, walking off with [F/n].

        As they walked up the staircase, Ron turned on his heel, confusion written on his face. "Young master, what's happening? I'll take care of this guest if you permit me.

        "There's no need for that." [F/n] replied for Cale, not bothering to even look at the butler.

        It wasn't long after they reached the top of the staircase that they were welcomed by somebody else.

        Deputy Butler, Hans. A young and talented butler, he has light orange hair and wide grey eyes. Born into a relatively poor family yet blessed with skills acknowledged by the Count, he was assigned to Cale and [F/n] Henituse.

        "Young master and mistress!" He beamed, "You've returned even after drinking tonight!"

        Cale sighed in response, just as he was about to lift his bottle to aim it at the butler, a hand stopped him.

        "Ah, for me? How thoughtful." [F/n] said, taking (yanking) the bottle from Cale.

        An awkward silence filled the air.

        "A-ah, my lady, why don't I take that?" Hans fearfully reached out towards the bottle.

        "Why? So you can throw it away?" [F/n] frowned and stepped away from Hans. "I'd rather not waste it. Give me a moment."

        She turned, her back facing the three. They were silent, although the sound of [F/n] chugging the wine echoed.

        Two minutes passed...

        "Throw it out," [F/n] ordered, tossing the empty bottle to Hans.

        "Yes, my lady." Hans caught the bottle and held it behind his back.

        After that was taken care of, Cale rolled his eyes, grabbed [F/n] by her wrist, and walked off. They found themselves in front of their desired location: Kitchen Two.

        [F/n] looked over her shoulder towards Hans and said: "Wait out here, won't you?"

        "Yes, my lady!"

        Afterward, she quickly followed Cale and Choi Han, who were already inside the kitchen. Once she entered the already open kitchen door, she was met by none other than Ron's son, Vicross Molan.

        Shing... Shing.

        Alone in Kitchen Two, Second Chef Vicross sharpened the blade of a knife carefully, a grin of pleasure on his face. Although just as quickly, [F/n] saw the smile, it disappeared as soon as he saw the group.

        'He's been in here, sharpening a knife, with that smile?' Cale and [F/n] thought in sync, both sweat-dropping.

        They shouldn't get sidetracked, at least not after all the trouble they went through to get to this point. They needed Choi Han to meet the chef because when Vicross witnessed Cale being beaten in the novel, he seemed to acknowledge Choi Han for his profound skills and later swore loyalty to him.

        What was the saying in the Agriche? [F/n] couldn't recall yet..

        'If Vicross left with Choi Han, Ron would naturally follow suit.'  Cale anticipated, eyeing Vicross. An image of the three leaving him and [F/n] alone flashed in his mind.

        Just as Cale was about to put a hand on Choi Han's shoulder, [F/n] beat him to it. She patted his shoulder in a way to ease him as she stared at Vicross.

        "Give this man something to eat," Cale said, gesturing to Choi Han.

        "Pardon?" Vicross replied, his face deadpan. He held the knife that seemed to gleam and reflect the light.

        [F/n] silently huffed and rephrased, "Give him food, he's hungry. I won't repeat myself, I'm far too tired."

        "I understand, young master and mistress," Vicross responded, tilting his head slightly.

        It was done. The connection between Vicross, Choi Han, and even Ron had been finished in less than a day.

        Although [F/n] wasn't finished. She removed her hand from Choi Han's shoulder and gave Vicross another order.

        "Prepare something for my husband as well. He mentioned he was hungry." Overlooking Cale and Choi Han's gaze, she added, "The steak you made for yesterday's breakfast tasted wonderful; perhaps that will ease Cale's hunger.

        Almost the entire time she talked, Vicross kept his eyes down, not bothering to glance at her.

        "You did well."

        "Yes, it was a praiseworthy dish." Cale chimed in.

        At least, until she and Cale praised him.

        [F/n] turned on her heel and began leaving the kitchen, Cale and Choi Han following. As they left, Vicross stared at their retreating figures.

        As they exited the kitchen, they met back with Hans, who was patiently waiting outside the kitchen. Immediately after they came into sight, Hans trailed behind [F/n] and Cale.

        "Young master and mistress, what shall I do with the guest?" He asked, glancing over to Choi Han.

        Cale looked over his shoulder, looking at Choi Han. "At the moment, he's our guest. But you take care of him."

        Now that the leading trio of the novel has met, their job for today has been finalized. Meaning, they wouldn't have anything to do with them for the rest of the day, at least. And on the off chance that Vicross or Ron would overlook Choi Han's abilities, they'd make him beat someone who isn't Cale.

        As Cale and [F/n] drew closer to their shared chamber, they halted before entering, and Cale said, "Hans, bring me my meal once it's ready."

        "...Yes, young master."

        Cale shut his and [F/n] bedroom door once they were both inside, leaving Hans and Choi Han alone. After changing into some nightwear, he slept beside [F/n] before he got his food.

        Late that night, Hans stood before the count, giving his report as the count listened diligently.

        "As if right now, he's asleep in his room," Hans reported, bowing.

        Just as always, the report was short and summarized. Yet, this time it was different, which caught Count Deruth's attention. Even so, Hans wasn't finished just yet.

        "The carriage driver informed me that the young master and mistress visited the Flynn Merchant Guild's illegitimate son's tea shop. Now they've returned with an unidentifiable young man home." Hans concluded, not saying anything more.

        "There won't be any need to observe [F/n]. She only follows after Cale. So, you'll only need to continue reporting to me about Cale." He commanded, resting his face on his knuckles.

        Out of all the deputy butlers, Deruth acknowledged Hans the most. He did his job swiftly and deemed him a man worthy of his trust.

        Hans bowed his head once more. "I understand."

        Deputy Butler Hans is from the slums: a commoner and the lowest of the low. Barely having enough sustenance to get by, constantly eating foods that have long gone spoiled, and water that was filled with unsafe chemicals for a growing child.

        Men surrounded a child who wailed in pain, coughing harshly with a slight wheeze. The kid had tainted short orange hair, dirty from its surroundings, and skin so rough and scarred—pitiful.

        "To think something as disgusting as you had the nerve to steal from me?" Said the tallest man amongst them, grinding his teeth harshly in distaste.

        The child, a boy, looked up at the man with tear-filled eyes. "P-please... I need the food! I-I haven't eaten in weeks—"

        The boy was hunched over on the ground, looking up at the man as he begged. His knees were scraped, and his bony arms were the size of twigs yet filled with scars and bruises.

        "That's your problem, kid!" The man screeched, kicking the boy in his stomach. "Keep your grubby hands off of my food, you little shit!"

        The boy screamed when he saw the adult launch himself at him, his teeth bared and eyes filled red with hatred. With what strength he had, the orange-haired boy held his head and leaned against the wall, bracing himself for a beating.

        ...

        Yet, it never came.

        "How troublesome. Beating children now, are we, Cullen?" A feminine voice called out, echoing ever so slightly.

        The door to the young Henituse couple's chambers opened once Hans entered the room. In his hand was a plate of food, probably meant for the now-sleeping Cale. Beside Cale sat [F/n], who had a book in her hands and wore a new set of robes; she glanced at Hans.

        "Tell me what I want to know." She muttered, eyes on the page of her book.

        "The count seems to be concerned about the young master's actions," Hans stated, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Although he does not seem to care for your movements, Lady [F/n]."

        "I don't care what he thinks of me. Is that all he said? Did he mention anything about Choi Han?" [F/n] responded harshly and closed her book before getting off her shared bed.

        "The count didn't mention anything about Choi Han directly, but I believe he's cautious of him." Hans nodded, not minding [F/n] blunt words. "He asked me to keep reporting to him. I suppose that's his way of asking for more information about the son of Flynn."

        [F/n] stayed silent for a moment, looking at the floor with clenched fists. Behind her, by the nightstand, Hans had a glass of water and a piece of paper that had a purple powder on it.

        'It's that time?' She furrowed her brows at the sight, annoyance filling her body.

        Each Agriche is expected to build a resistance to poisons by the age of eleven. They're predicted to already have a nice hold against all sorts of poison and even immunity to some.

        ...So, why must [F/n] continue to drink poison every day at that? It's because of the Poisonous Butterflies.

        The Poisonous Butterflies. It is a valuable weapon when used correctly. The butterflies are a demonic species themselves, and their development is all the more nerve-wracking. They're typically hatched from an egg and preferably nurtured in a greenhouse full of poisonous plants. To establish authority over the butterflies, the master must feed his or her blood regularly. Yet, it could do more harm to the owner than the desired target, with side effects of fatigue, fainting, throwing up blood, etc.

        For faster results in hatching the poisonous butterflies, the owner should consume poison and steadily increase the intake. Thus, [F/n]'s situation. Of course, no sane person would do this to themselves; it was an order from her Father.

        "The increased poison intake has effects. Would you like me to list them?" Asked Hans, biting his lower lip as he watched [F/n] slip the poison into the drink.

        "Speak."

        Hans took a deep breath and thoroughly explained, "This increase will have side effects such as abdominal pain, temporary paralysis, blood loss that wasn't present in the last stage, and breath that smells of chemicals."

        "Very good. Now get out." [F/n] shooed him off and picked up the poison-filled water before chugging it.

        "Yes, my lady."

        "Wait, take that plate with you." She ordered.

        [F/n] watched Hans leave her chamber before settling into her bed beside Cale, who was soundless the entire time. She glanced at her husband with a sense of guilt.

        'It's too bad that I'm incapable of telling you my situation in this world yet.' She thought, relaxing into her side of the bed for the night.

Chapter Text

        Just as always, [F/n] woke up first in the mornings. Not that she wanted to, but she needed to make sure to get any scent of poison off of her. She changed her robes into something more comfortable than the last, although this one had more colors.

        Sitting in her most favored armchair, she had her legs crossed and her hand held her cup of morning tea. [F/n] sat in her and Cale's chambers quietly.

        She was irritated.

        I mean, who wouldn't? Who wants to wake up bright and early in the morning only to have the world's sourest drink shoved into your face before you can even get a word out? Certainly not [F/n] Henituse.

        "Tch." She clicked her tongue angrily, yet resentfully took sips from her tea. 'I remember asking for tea, not this unpleasant... drink.'

        Cale had slept through it, just like any other day. And much like the suffering [F/n] in her chair, Ron brought him fairly sour lemonade.

        "Young master, you were sleeping so soundly, so I didn't wake you."

        Cale gaped at Ron, turning his attention to the bandages that wrapped themselves around the old butler's neck.

        "Did you injure your neck?" Cale asked, reaching for Ron's cup of lemonade.

        "Are you worrying about me?"

        "No. It's an eyesore to look at."

        "Well, it's nothing much." Ron traced two fingers over his bandaged neck, an odd smile on his face. "I was only scratched by a cat."

        'Like I'm supposed to believe some bullshit like that.' [F/n] bit her tongue, sweat dropping. She turned her head to both avoid Ron's presence and to place the empty tea cup on the table beside her.

        "Will you and the young mistress be heading off right away?" Ron questioned, taking the empty cup from Cale. He walked in [F/n]'s direction and took her cup as well.

        Before Cale could answer, [F/n] stood up from her chair and replied before him. "Yes. We'll eat and take care of ourselves outside."

        "Is that so? But, young master and mistress.."

        [F/n] huffed, and Cale let go of the door handle, looking back at Ron, who caught their attention.

        "How was the lemonade?"

        Cale furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance and confusion. "It was delicious..?"

        'It was disgusting but okay.' [F/n] responded silently, a scowl on her features.

        Who the hell asks a question like that, out of the blue, and the drink itself tasted horrible? I'm not the one to pry, but Cale meant to say it tasted too sour.

        "Is that so?" Ron's voice dropped before he turned his attention to [F/n], who was already staring at him. "What about you, young mistress?"

        "It tasted fine." She reluctantly answered, speed-walking over to Cale.

        Wanting to get Ron out of her presence, before Cale could reach for the doorknob, she grabbed it and swung the door open—and then slammed it shut.

        [F/n] gaped at the door, not knowing what type of expression to make. Meanwhile, Cale flinched and snapped his neck to look at the old butler.

        "...Ron!"

        "Useless old geezer..." [F/n] whispered to herself, side-glancing at Ron.

        With a warm smile on his face, the old servant approached the young married couple. "I didn't think you'd be so startled." He murmured, "Your guest from yesterday is waiting outside."

        Correction: they were surprised. The moment [F/n] opened the door and was greeted by Choi Han's face, Cale swore his heart had dropped into his ass. The slamming of the door was pure muscle memory, the Agriche could really stick with you...!

        'Why is this idiot holding onto that ten million galleons like it's me?' [F/n] raised a brow when she saw Cale reach into his inner shirt pocket; a sense of jealousy ringed through her. But, was it okay to be jealous of... money?

        While [F/n] was processing why exactly she was jealous of the currency, Ron continued to speak. He had his hands behind his back.

        "The mistress opened it so quickly that I missed the chance to tell you. I told that young man to wait comfortably in his room, but insisted on seeing you and the young mistress."

        'Didn't get the chance to tell us my ass.' Cale and [F/n] deadpanned, glancing at each other with the same thought process.

        The old man had the opportunity to tell them, but he just chose not to. Why? Who knows, but regardless, the two couldn't call him out on something they didn't have proof of.

        [F/n] inhaled through her mouth and exhaled through her nose before she reopened the door again. Cale and [F/n] had silently agreed to pretend to have never shut the door in his face.

        "What's the matter?" She asked.

        "Do you need something?" Cale questioned after.

        The two maintained an unreadable expression as they inspected Choi Han. It was clear the protagonist had taken a shower and taken the liberty of changing into new clothes and fixing his hair.

        Yet, even though he emanated a pure and almost welcoming feeling... it was still difficult to see his eyes due to his hair and the way he was slightly hunched over.

        'He didn't budge even after having a door slammed in his face.' [F/n] thought.

        "I'll work it off..."

        [F/n] flinched at the hoarse and stiff voice. She swung her head around, looking for the owner of such a voice. Cale grabbed her chin and made her look back at Choi Han.

        "I'll definitely repay you for the meal!"

        'Please don't.' [F/n] deadpanned, staring at Choi Han.

        There's no sane person in this world who would make Choi Han work for them, much less do manual labor. What nonsense was this puppy-like man spouting?

        Cale folded his arms, intertwining one of them with [F/n]'s before speaking again. "No need. Is that all you had to say?"

        He hastily turned down Choi Han's offer and then asked if there was anything else he needed. Choi Han fell silent, his eyes still stuck on the couple in front of him.

        Choi Han opened and closed his mouth several times before answering, "Then... I'd like to request your help if it isn't too much." He clenched his fist, maintaining eye contact.

        [F/n] internally groaned, and Cale closed his eyes at the word: "help." They both didn't want to get involved with Choi Han. After all, it was a no-brainer that his request would concern Harris Village. Also, Cale had his ass handed to him for uttering that the townsfolk were useless...

        Recalling the scene, [F/n] jabbed her finger into Cale's torso, beckoning him forward—a warm smile on her face.

        Cale bit down on his tongue and said, "Inform Hans about your request." He advised, although it sounded more like a whisper.

        [F/n]'s blood-colored eyes met Choi Han's gaze. He stood stiffer when he saw [F/n] staring at him.

        She tilted her head and closed-eyed smiled, then said, "Hans is a talented butler. He will see to your requests with the utmost efficiency."

        'Boosting about Hans now, are we?' Cale's sweat dropped, he looked at his wife, and then at a lamp that he suddenly found interesting.

        Carrying on the conversation, [F/n] gestured a hand to Ron, who stood slightly behind her and Cale. She could see that Cale wanted to leave urgently. After all, in the Agriche, they say: "If you have a stone, kill two birds with it for good luck."

        "Also, Ron is also a capable man. He can help you, too." [F/n] looked over her shoulder to Ron, a shit-eating grin on her face. "Isn't that right, Ron?"

        Ron merely stayed silent. Probably didn't know how to respond, but he stared back at [F/n] in silence instead of answering.

        Cale put a hand on Ron's shoulder, catching on to what [F/n] was doing. "Ron, he's our quest—see to whatever he needs."

        After saying his input, Cale removed his hand from Ron's shoulder and folded his arms. In response to what the young Henituse couple said, Choi Han gaped in shock before protesting.

        "But you don't even know who I am?" He muttered.

        Cale glanced back at the hero with narrowed eyes, "Do we need to? Do we need a reason to help out the needy and less privileged?" He asked.

        [F/n] could tell the hero might've been ticked off by Cale's choice of words. Yet, frankly, she couldn't bring herself to care. If he tried anything, she'd lay down her life before the young man could get to her husband.

        Nevertheless, [F/n] decided to respond to Choi Han on Cale's behalf. "Guessing by your situation, I have reason to believe you won't ask anything out of the ordinary. But, if it is, Hans will know when to stop you." She pushed Ron towards Choi Han, then grabbed Cale's arm. "Well then, we'll be off. Goodbye."

        Cale glanced at [F/n], leaning over to whisper in her ear: "We need a large–larger allowance today. So, we'll stop by the count's study."

        Once they turned the corner, they could hear Ron calling out to them and saying he would do as they commanded. 

        When Cale was aware they weren't in anybody's sight, he pressed a faint kiss on top of [F/n]'s head.

        With a quick change of clothes, the young Henituse couple found themselves back at the tree they had been at the day before. As the two marched through the hilltops of the slums, the siblings from the day before greeted them.

        Only this time, they hadn't said anything and quietly stared. Cale clicked his tongue at the sight, a wave of familiarity washing over him. Noticing [F/n] glanced at him and back at the children before holding out two small bags to them.

        "Have them." She said, "We do not need it."

        Hearing her words, the dirty silver-haired girl reached out—only for [F/n] to yank her hand away. Cale's neutral expression turned into one of disturbance as he watched the girl limp toward him and [F/n].

        Before Cale could open his resort, something to the children, [F/n] thrust the bags at the boy. "You there, come and take these."

        The redheaded boy sprinted over, grabbed the bags, and sat beside his sister. The distance he ran was short. Despite that, his hair flopped around as he ran; it was a dimmer hue of crimson next to Cale's bright red hair.

        Without another thought, [F/n] strode off, heading for the man-eating tree with Cale following close behind her.

        Cale had a disapproving stare at the leafless tree before him. Its branches swayed as if welcoming the pair. Hunching over, Cale emptied the bread sack into the pit—and, as always, the bread vanished.

        What followed next was a voice that mimicked a woman's voice. It meekly cried, "More... Give me more!"

        It was now [F/n] who had a grimace. [F/n] glared at the tree and muttered: "How... charming."

        "This is precisely how the tree responded in the novel," Cale recalled, sweat-dropping.

        The man-eating tree was not common—anyone could tell that much. Regardless, the glutton in this tree is a priestess who died of starvation. Unlike today's followers of temples and shrines, ancient priestesses were often referred to as shamans. Many shamans of this time could bend forces and achieve supernatural powers.

        [F/n] moved away, urging Cale to follow. If what Hans told [F/n] was accurate, Deruth, the father of Cale, wanted to convey something to the two. Hence, they needed to return to the manor before dusk.

        In addition, the married couple still intended to cut half the tree's hunger today. That meant the two would have to return to town to replenish their supplies. When Cale and [F/n] left the barrier around the tree, they caught the eye of the siblings who were munching on the meal from [F/n].

        Cale scowled at the fleeting view. Clicking his tongue as he passed.  

        "It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth when I see them." [F/n] expressed, "Of course, it doesn't mean I'll help them."

        Does one need a reason to show compassion to the pitiful and needy? That was a question Kim Roksu knew the answer to all too well. And it was a question [F/n] Agriche that made one ponder.

        The day before, the Henituse bought out every loaf at the bakery from the previous day. That meant they would have to set off for a new baker. With that thought in mind, [F/n] and Cale roamed.

        Coincidentally, a woman's voice said, "Y-young master and mistress!"

        Cale spun around and saw a middle-aged woman with her hands raised. She pointed out her shop, and her hands trembled. [F/n] looked from over her shoulder. Red piercing eyes clashed with the woman, further frightening the lady.

        With hesitance, she spoke with mock confidence. "We have plenty of bread at our bakery!"

        Cale cheekily grinned and thought, 'This woman knows how to do business.'

        "Is that so?" [F/n] turned her body toward the female. "Go pack up everything. I don't like to wait. Work quickly."

        Once [F/n] finished giving her input, Cale threw the baker a gold coin that the lady gingerly caught. The surrounding merchants watched skeptically, curious to see how the exchange would go.

        "Please wait a moment!" She held the coin to her chest and smiled happily.

        The pair watched as she rushed into the bakery. Moments later, she returned with a bag stuffed with bread.

        Dropping it on the floor, she bashfully smiled. "Here it is, young master and mistress. Pleasure doing business with you..!"

        "My, that took barely any time." [F/n] covered her mouth with her hand. "A true saleswoman you are."

        [F/n] and Cale were fond of people who didn't hesitate to take opportunities served to them on a platter. With each passing minute, the two liked this lady more.

        To top it off, she mentioned that she could get them another one. It's too bad she already had competition. From the block over, an elder wearing an apron butted in.

        "Young mistress, we can offer more bread than that!"

        Just like before, Cale tossed him a coin. "Then I'll visit yours next. Have a bag ready." He ordered.

        "A-ah—Thank you very much!"

        The Henituse territory represents the Count in one way or another. The citizens were bold and lacked the fear to make a day's worth of money. Perhaps they noticed Cale never approached anyone but gangsters? Regardless, it was no surprise that the Henituse territory was doing so well.

        "The fact that you spent that large sum of money. Spread like wildfire." [F/n] smirked, walking beside Cale. "I swore I could've seen their eyes sparkle in delight once that lady saw us."

        "You think so? Well, it just means less work for me. We'll return to those three bakeries tomorrow."

        One gold coin was worth a million galleons—a week's profit in one day. For bakers, Cale was a heaven-sent fool for their goods. As he did yesterday, Cale gave the bakers at least one gold coin; he'd buy a second bag tomorrow.

        Approaching the hill for the second time today, the couple met with the siblings again. Perhaps it was fate? Destiny? Cale and [F/n] couldn't bring themselves to care. Not when they had an objective, so why were they wasting time?

        "Th-this isn't bread!"

        "Does it have to be?" [F/n] asked, eyeing the girl.

        The gray-haired girl mumbled. "W-well..."

        [F/n] doesn't have a soft spot for children. Yet, it doesn't mean she isn't fond of obedient children. However, these kids were anything but that.

        Ultimately, [F/n] had still given the gray-haired girl medicinal herbs. And Cale bought them.

        Cale paid no mind to them and walked toward the tree. The shabby red-haired boy blocked his way.

        "I won't let you die."

        "Move."

        Cale no—Kim Roksu was an orphan with nothing to his name. Tons of people pitied and were generous to him. As Roksu grew, he heard a saying: "Does one need a reason to show compassion to the pitiful and needy?"

        The weight of that saying was something he took the wrong way. As he grew older, he came to understand the proper meaning of it. There will never be rational explanations for what your heart will push you to do.

        When Roksu passed this saying to [F/n], she thought, "Does that mean one's heart will never have a limit to what it will do for what it wants?"

        "How bothersome."

        Cale hated seeing children in pain. On the other hand, maybe it was the true Agriche inside her talking, but [F/n] didn't care either way. The sight of children weeping and crying for their mothers was a scene [F/n] had grown acquainted with.

        [F/n] carelessly told them, "We haven't died the few times we came here, no?"

        At that, the siblings quit following them.

        "More... give me more! More, more!"

        "Right, right... eat it all." Cale sweat-dropped.

        At this point, Cale was no longer afraid—still cautious—just not scared. Time and time again, the bread disappeared. The space within the once-pitch-black hole had turned a shade of gray.

        "Looks like you got your money's worth." [F/n] deadpanned, looking over Cale's shoulder.

        After dumping the third sack of bread, they left. Only this time, they hadn't seen the siblings—maybe that was for the best. As they were trudging down the hill, two whining cats neared them.

        The two cats quieted down as they got closer. Cale did his best to ignore them. Meanwhile, [F/n] hadn't even acknowledged them.

        Once Cale and [F/n] returned to the estate, Deruth said something that almost made Cale faint, and [F/n] was overall irritated. In all seriousness, who knew Cale could pull off such an expression...?

        "Could you repeat that, just one more time..." Cale asked, unblinking.

        [F/n] averted her eyes, suddenly finding the bookshelves interesting. 'Is this what they call the butterfly effect?'  She asked herself.

        "You, Cale, shall be our family representative to the capital." The Count repeated, hands behind his back.

        Cale knew he'd have a migraine later on.

        "And [F/n]," Deruth trailed off, catching everyone in the room's attention. "There was word saying you would represent the Agriche family alongside your brother, Jeremy Agriche."

        "I suppose it's been a while since I've seen him in person."

        Turning back to Cale, Deruth added, "Basen was supposed to go. However, you're the family's firstborn, are you not?"

        Cale's mouth opened and closed, not a word coming out. [F/n] rubbed circles onto his back. Seeing how Cale wasn't saying anything, Deruth continued.

        "The crown prince is hosting a big event. Noble offspring representing their family's territory have been called upon a day prior." Count Deruth added, a gentle smile on his face. "In your place, Cale, Basen has been present at these social events. Yet, he has never been to a royal one, so I hope you'll attend."

        "Ah," [F/n] remembers now, 'Speaking of which... that reminds me.' She deadpanned, placing a hand on her hip.

        This scene is from Birth of a Hero: The Plaza Terror Incident. Citizens of the capital gathered just as an organization decided to launch a terrorist attack. The protagonist, Choi Han, interfered and stopped about half of the scheme. During this time, he saved numerous people, later met the royal family, and became acquainted with the crown prince.

        'And to think that Cale and I would partake in said events.' [F/n]'s eye twitched. To top it off, she would have to meet with her family again, which she had done only once in the last three years—almost four.

        Anyways, the novel failed to mention the effects of the attack on the children who attended. It only addressed what Choi Han could see with his eyes. After all, he was of top importance. It described how he built a stronger image of himself. In response, he gained more allies and a stronger image.

        "Choi Han could see other people who looked to be important figures." It's a sentence from the novel. [F/n] could only assume that the 'important figures' were the young nobility.

        'They were the ones with the second-highest priority after the royal family, so it only makes sense, I suppose.' [F/n] thought, her lips thinning into a line. Her red eyes looked over the room she was in, not really paying attention to anyone else.

        Once she listened back in, she caught Cale staring at Basen. The younger stood stiffly, overlooking his older brother's glance. [F/n] watched as her husband looked lost in thought.

        As mentioned earlier, usually, Basen would participate in these events. Novel version Cale had an image so far gone that it only made sense not to authorize him to participate in such important matters, so they gave up on Cale. Allowing the next candidate for heir, Basen, to step up and take over.

        Which brought up the question…

        'Why would Deruth be trying to send me now?' Cale wondered, now turning his attention to the Count.

        "You two will leave within five days."

        'This is most definitely Cale's fault.' [F/n]'s eye twitched, blaming her spouse.

Chapter Text

Dear readers, 

I decided to cut the chapters since every time I upload a recent chapter, I go on hiatus because I'm tired. Writing at least 4k-10k words per chapter gets tiring, and this just makes it easier for me to upload more chapters. Please look forward to more frequent uploads, as I've finally returned. In the meantime, feel free to read my other book. It's a Bungou Stray Dogs fanfic that follows the manga and features a female original character, the wife of Dazai Osamu. I plan to upload many other books in the future, and I'm currently accepting book requests, depending on my mood.

Thank you for all the support up until now. Have fun reading.

Yours truly,

@Ayumu_Angel