Chapter 5
“……You sure know how to be rude.”
The atmosphere froze in an instant.
Then, Fred stepped in.
“Now, now, let’s not stand around like this. Let’s sit down and talk, okay? Bella, you sit here too. I’ll also…”
“Duke Fred.”
“Huh?”
“I’m sorry, but I’d like to speak with the young lady alone.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Fred, who was about to sit on the sofa, abruptly stood up.
“Ahahaha… I see… I guess I barged in without realizing. Well, then, you two take your time. I’ll just go for a walk or something—”
“Father.”
Fred, who was about to leave, stopped and turned around.
There, Princess Bella was smiling as she looked at him.
Her lips were smiling, but her eyes were not.
“What, what is it?”
“We’ll see each other at dinner, right?”
“Uh… yeah.”
“You better. Father. Don’t even think about running away. Hehe…”
“Y-yeah, sure.”
If Fred had a tail, it would’ve been drooping.
For a duke, he looked pitiful.
As Fred left, only silence remained between Bella and me.
Wendy, who had been watching the situation from the side, started clinking the teacups as she prepared the tea.
I was the first to break the silence.
“How long are you going to stand there? Sit down.”
“……”
Bella remained silent, standing still.
She didn’t even glance at me, as if she hated being in the same space as me.
Even her cold demeanor was incredibly beautiful.
Just as described in the original novel.
It really hit me that I had entered the world I had loved so much.
“Heh…”
“…Why are you laughing?”
Bella frowned as she spoke.
“Are you here to mock me? If that’s the case, you can leave right now.”
I couldn’t forget why I was here.
I straightened my expression.
“I came to apologize for what happened last time.”
“What… did you say? Apologize?”
“Yes. I came to apologize in person.”
Bella’s eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed.
“Ha… I see what you’re trying to do. Do you think I’ll be moved by your apology and agree to marry you? Don’t get the wrong idea.”
She didn’t seem to believe my apology.
Considering Tristan’s image, her suspicion was justified.
I pulled out my trump card.
“I’ll cancel the engagement.”
“……What did you say?”
“As a gesture of apology, I’ll cancel the engagement. Isn’t that what you wanted, Princess?”
Bella looked completely taken aback, as if she hadn’t expected this.
“Are you joking right now?”
“No. I’m serious.”
“Tea… have some tea…”
I sipped the tea Wendy had poured.
Hmm, the aroma is wonderful.
While I was calm, Bella still couldn’t believe it.
“It’s hard to believe… You were so desperate to marry me, even going as far as threatening my father.”
“Threatening? That’s harsh. I merely made a request to the Duke.”
“You shameless man…”
50 billion Kael.
The debt Izakhel owed to Ruelberta.
That was why Tristan, as a count, could manipulate Duke Fred.
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Personality Trait: Tycoon
Rank: S-
Details: You possess exceptional wealth. Value is apparent to you, and your vaults are always overflowing with treasures. Those indebted to you tremble in fear. As a result, people dislike and envy you. Unfair? Well, you’re rich, so deal with it.
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Among Tristan’s personality traits, ‘Tycoon’ was the only decent one.
He had more money than he knew what to do with.
Thanks to that, the engagement with the ducal family was easily arranged.
Though now, I plan to cancel it.
“We haven’t even had the engagement ceremony yet. So, canceling it shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“……Hmm.”
By now, Bella seemed to realize I wasn’t lying.
Still, she didn’t drop her suspicious gaze and asked me,
“What’s gotten into you? You’ve been stalking me for years.”
That was true.
Tristan had been obsessed with her.
The funny thing was, it wasn’t because he loved her.
It was simply due to his innate trait of ‘Greed.’
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Personality Trait: Greed
Rank: SS
Details: You are filled with desire. You are constantly consumed by the urge to possess. You will stop at nothing to own what you desire.
*This trait is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
+
It wasn’t love, but a desire to possess.
He simply wanted to own the most beautiful woman in the empire.
His greed eventually led both of them to a tragic end.
I won’t follow that path.
“Bella.”
I looked straight into her eyes and continued.
“I’ve been thinking hard over the past week. Even if we were to get engaged, you probably wouldn’t accept my feelings. Am I right?”
Bella looked at me as if to say, “You’re just realizing this now?”
“Yes. I dislike you. So what?”
“I wanted to possess you. I wanted to make you completely mine. So, I tried my best… but I couldn’t win your heart. Instead, we only grew further apart.”
“Huh? Who said I ever had feelings for you—”
“That’s why I’ve decided to give up. I don’t like wasting time. And I don’t have enough time to invest in a hopeless love.”
I paused for a moment before speaking again.
“Still… the time I spent with you was enjoyable. Thank you.”
“Ha…?”
Bella was speechless.
The only sound in the room was me sipping tea calmly.
But that didn’t last long.
“Don’t… don’t lie to me! Are you saying you’ll cancel the engagement for that reason?! Do you think I’ll fall for that?”
Ugh… she still doesn’t believe me.
Then, it’s time for the final move.
“Believe it or not, it’s up to you. Oh, by the way, why don’t you have some tea? It’s really good.”
“I don’t need it!”
“Kyaah!”
Crash!
Wendy, who was serving tea, accidentally bumped into Bella’s elbow and fell.
She had been nervous ever since arriving at the ducal mansion, and now she finally messed up.
Just as I expected.
“A-are you okay?”
“I’m so sorry! I’ll clean it up right away!”
Wendy hurriedly started wiping up the spilled tea.
With her small frame and curly hair, she looked like an adorable little animal.
I wasn’t the only one who thought so, as Bella’s expression softened slightly when she looked at Wendy.
This should be enough.
I looked at the spilled tea and said,
“It’s a shame. I really liked that tea.”
“Eek! I-I’m so sorry! I-I made a mistake…”
“Don’t worry about it. Everyone makes mistakes.”
“Th-thank you.”
“By the way… Wendy, how much is your salary?”
“Huh? My salary…?”
“Yes. I need to know so I can calculate how many years you’ll have to work without pay to cover this loss.”
“Hiccup?!”
At my words, Wendy turned pale and even started hiccuping.
With her tearful eyes, she looked like the most unfortunate person in the world.
Her personality trait, ‘Misfortune,’ probably played a part in this.
“…Stop it.”
It was Bella who stopped me.
“It was my fault for spilling it. I’ll take responsibility. Leave her alone.”
That was her personality.
She was the type to extend a helping hand to anyone.
+
Character Profile.
Name: Bella Izakhel.
Age: 22.
Occupation: Daughter of Duke Izakhel.
Personality Traits: Purity, Justice, Peerless Beauty, Frugality, Noble Bloodline.
+
Bella was an important NPC in this game.
She was a kind-hearted character who would never turn a blind eye to injustice.
That’s why Bella could never forgive Tristan, the villain.
In the end, Tristan couldn’t win her over.
Like oil and water.
Bella and Tristan’s relationship was one that could never mix.
“Do you enjoy tormenting a child like this? I’ll pay for the tea, so leave her alone.”
“20 million Kael.”
“What…?”
“That’s the price of the tea she just spilled.”
I glanced at the spilled tea.
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Name: Premium Orangerie Herbal Tea.
Description: A herbal tea cultivated in the highlands of Orangerie, a distant eastern country. It’s difficult to grow and even harder to obtain, making it extremely expensive.
Estimated Value: 20 million Kael.
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“20… Kael?”
“No. 20 ‘million’ Kael.”
“Haah……”
Bella groaned at the staggering amount.
“I didn’t know… Count, you were drinking such expensive tea.”
“This tea isn’t even considered that expensive.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“So, how do you plan to pay this debt? 20 million Kael is too much, but this amount should be around 2 million Kael.”
“Just… give me some time.”
Bella spoke as if she was in a difficult position.
Even if she couldn’t pay, there was nothing she could do, but it seemed like she genuinely intended to pay me back.
‘This is Bella’s weakness…’
She’s too kind.
It’s her nature to do her best to be kind to those around her.
While she’s not as much of a pushover as her father, Duke Fred, in the original story, her kind nature often got her into trouble.
Of course, I didn’t come here to collect tea money from her.
“You don’t have to push yourself to pay. I’m well aware of the ducal family’s situation.”
“…Don’t pity me. I’ll sell things from the mansion if I have to.”
“No, that’s not necessary. I came here today to apologize for what happened last time, not to collect debts.”
“……”
“If you really want to repay me, how about doing me a favor instead?”
“A favor?”
Bella clicked her tongue and sat on the sofa.
As far away from me as possible.
“Tch. I knew it was strange that you’d cancel the engagement so easily. Let’s hear it. If it’s something weird, I’ll refuse.”
“A while ago, after you rejected me, I couldn’t sleep because my mind was so unsettled.”
“…And?”
“I’m planning to take a rest. I heard there’s a ‘good place’ in the Izakhel duchy…”
“No.”
Bella flatly refused.
“That place is a sanctuary. Someone like you can’t set foot there.”
“True. But if you guide me personally, it’s possible.”
This was my goal from the start.
Bella seemed to have realized it too.
“You… what are you scheming? What’s your goal?”
“To rest.”
“Don’t lie to me! Do you think I’ll just guide you to ‘Eden’?”
I shrugged.
“It’s fine if you don’t guide me. I was planning to ask Duke Fred if you refused. I’m sure he’d kindly guide me.”
“You’re despicable…”
“So, what are you going to do? I’d appreciate it if my ‘ex-fiancée’ guided me personally.”
Bella turned her back to me.
I paused before continuing.
Her shoulders were trembling with anger.
I pretended not to notice and waited for her answer.
The answer was already decided, but…
“If that’s the case…”
She had no choice but to reluctantly agree.
Bella accepted my proposal, albeit unwillingly.
“I’ll send a carriage to you in two days.”
“Thank you.”
“…If you do anything strange, you’ll be punished. You.”
“That’s terrifying.”
Bella sighed as if she was exhausted.
“Sigh… Whatever it is, this is the end of our relationship. Understood?”
“Sure.”
Of course, that’s a lie.
Bella is a crucial character who will inevitably face the players a year later.
She’s an important character I can’t avoid encountering.
Though, aside from her kind and beautiful appearance, her personality is quite prickly, so I’d rather not meet her too often…
“Hey. Why do you keep staring at me?”
“It’s just… you’re still beautiful.”
“Huh?”
Bella looked at me as if I was ridiculous.
“You’re just realizing that now? Ex-fiancé.”
