I Plan to Repay Kindness with Enmity (1 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 15

I flinched involuntarily under his gaze, now far sharper than before.

“That.”

His voice dropped heavily, like a massive boulder rolling down a hill.

“What do you mean by that?”

“The kingdom possesses a mysterious power. Are you aware of that?”

“I know your kingdom can summon rain at will. Are you saying you can do that yourself now?”

I pressed my lips tightly together and nodded.

I couldn’t tell how he interpreted my look, but I could tell he’d grown interested in what I’d said.

The real question was, “How much do you trust me?”

‘If he thinks this is just another scheme by a woman of the kingdom trying to trick him into a fraudulent marriage, he won’t believe me.’

The prince pointed his weapon at me.

“How am I supposed to trust you?”

“If you can’t trust me, then go ahead and stab me with that.”

A deep furrow formed between his brows.

Of course, it was pure bluff.

I’d come here to survive—not to get stabbed by my own lifeline.

But sometimes, in life, a little bluff was necessary.

‘Even on the street, the loudest voice usually wins.’

I looked again at the weapon still aimed at me.

Its edge gleamed far sharper than the old blade of a guillotine, and fear shot through me.

But.

‘If I don’t get this out of the way, death. If I do, a new chance.’

I boldly stepped forward. The sharp tip pierced deeper into my stomach.

If I moved just a little farther, it would fully pierce through my flesh.

As pain registered, another thought immediately struck me.

‘Maybe running away would’ve been the better choice?’

I bit the inside of my lip and stared straight into his eyes as if challenging him. Then I moved one more step forward.

The weapon stayed exactly where it was.

‘He didn’t move it.’

Just as I forced my feet—desperate to flee—to stay planted on the floor,

a sudden, searing pain stabbed through my abdomen, even though I hadn’t moved at all.

[This is the timeline separator]

About seven hours later, dawn arrived at the House of Count Lorenst.

Thud.

Creak.

A booted foot slipped through the gap of the opening door.

Clack, clack, clack.

After taking a few steps forward, I stopped.

Sluggish footsteps, a weary expression, and eyes scanning me as if licking over every detail. Their hesitant “Could it be?” turned into a resigned “Of course.”

An odd thought crossed my mind—was this how a poor nobleman’s daughter felt, returning at dawn after entertaining aristocrats at a ball to save her crumbling family?

‘But I’m not even a real daughter of this house, nor do I have a proper family.’

I muttered to myself inwardly. In my past life, I suppose I’d carried that kind of solemn resolve.

Hubert had once told me the family would collapse without me.

Now, thinking back, that was absolutely impossible.

I lifted my chin a little higher, getting a clear view of the family members.

Madam Emern, sipping strong black tea to fight off drowsiness.

Aris, who’d been dozing against Hubert’s shoulder, snapped her eyes wide open upon seeing me.

Hubert, who’d handed his shoulder over to Aris, was now flipping through a newspaper with his free hand.

For a moment, the ordinary morning scene felt like stepping back into the past.

[You did well, Igraine.][Thank you for your hard work, sister.] [Good. Was there any trouble? What did the prince say?] [Madam, please save that talk for later.] [The servants have all been dismissed. It’s just us—what can’t we say? You’ve done something big, Igraine. Rest if you’re tired; we can talk later.]

When I replied that nothing had happened,

[There’s no need to lie, dear.]

No one believed me.

‘If you’re going to say that, at least hide your suspicious look completely.’

After that, I was treated like vermin. To them, I was a woman who sold her body—and to them, such a woman was no different from a bug.

They praised me with words as someone who’d nobly sacrificed herself for the family, yet their actions treated me like a filthy woman who’d thrown away her dignity.

‘Even if I really had slept with the prince, that still wouldn’t have been acceptable.’

“Igraine?”

Hubert called my name then. The faded memory vanished into the depths of my mind, and the sight of the first floor bathed in pale dawn light came into view.

Hubert asked cautiously,

“Are you all right?”

I tilted my head in confusion, as if asking what he was talking about.

“Of course. You’re all up early. Were you having a pleasant chat over breakfast?”

I asked calmly, as if I’d just returned from a morning stroll, and everyone exchanged quick glances.

Aris studied me with suspicious eyes.

“We were waiting for you, sister. Are you really all right?”

“You were waiting for me? Did something happen? I was reading a bit longer than usual, but there’s nothing wrong with that.”

As I smoothly recited my prepared lines, Aris frowned.

“Wait, what are you even talking about?”

Just then—

Neighhh!

A horse’s whinny sounded from outside. Georgiana rushed in, flustered, and quickly bowed under everyone’s sharp glances.

Jenny, following behind, stood stiffly. She looked utterly exhausted—likely from struggling all night to shake Georgiana off in the library.

Seeing Georgiana drenched in sweat, I knew my freckled girl had done her job perfectly.

Aris narrowed her eyes, glancing between my calm self and Georgiana’s flustered state.

Georgiana stole a quick look at Aris’s expression.

“Why are you so late?”

Just as expected—Aris’s voice was icy, clearly displeased.

“You’re even later than your sister. Did you get lost or something?”

It wasn’t that she truly believed Georgiana had gotten lost; it was a veiled reprimand.

Georgiana’s face turned pale.

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

“What are you talking about? Did you really get lost?”

Ha! Aris gave a cold, mocking laugh. But when Georgiana’s expression didn’t change, she quickly stopped laughing.

“Where?”

Georgiana answered in a trembling voice.

“The library.”

“You got lost in the library? What a foolish mistake…”

Aris muttered to herself for a moment, then tilted her head.

“Wait—if that’s the case, you must’ve seen your sister too?”

“Huh?”

Georgiana’s head snapped up. Madam Emern immediately chimed in, as if confirming something.

“She’s asking if you saw Igraine in the library!”

“I… I saw her until just before that.”

Georgiana answered as if crying out in alarm.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I saw her enter the library and start reading, but when I looked away for just a moment, she disappeared…”

I couldn’t suppress a smirk.

Aris looked at me with triumphant satisfaction.

“Really? So you vanished halfway through? That’s strange—sister said she stayed in the library all night.”

Madam Emern nodded in agreement.

“Strange indeed.”

“Sister wouldn’t lie about something like that.”

Aris said it subtly, and Madam Emern grumbled.

“That girl doesn’t even have the cunning to lie like that. Why would she lie unless something difficult happened… Wait.”

Her expression changed blatantly. For a moment, I couldn’t understand what she meant.

“That could be possible—maybe she received something separately.”

Madam Emern’s eyes gleamed with greed.

‘Oh, right. That’s what she’s thinking?’

She must’ve assumed I’d charmed the prince into giving me jewels or something.

‘How can she have such vulgar thoughts?’

I hadn’t even considered that possibility.

If nothing else, their imagination when it came to the worst-case scenario was truly impressive.

I glanced sideways at the only person who hadn’t said a word. Hubert still hadn’t taken his eyes off the newspaper.

What was he thinking?

The longer his silence stretched, the colder the air around me grew.

Aris and Madam Emern’s attitudes were manageable. What worried me was Hubert’s true feelings.

I kept my eyes fixed on Hubert. He finally looked up after finishing the last line of his paper.

‘Now’s the time to show “me”—overflowing with love and sacrifice for Hubert.’

My hesitation was brief.

‘It’s obvious.’

I blinked my eyes unnaturally fast.

“No matter how hard I think, my dull mind just can’t understand what Madam is saying.”

“You don’t understand?”

“You know I’m slow.”

I’d always worried about appearing less vulgar and less frivolous, which made me seem slow.

“If you have something to say, please just say it honestly.”

It was dirty and petty, but belittling myself always worked.

After all, people tend to be more generous toward those they see as beneath them.

‘Though some spread their arms wide just to devour you further.’

“What do you call that—words?!”

Madam Emern burst out in frustration, her face exasperated—as if she’d already been picturing the wealth and glory this incident would bring her.

“Why on earth are you acting like this?”

“It’s because you’re lying right now!”

“Lying?”

I tilted my head innocently. Madam Emern spoke as if she were about to faint from frustration.

“We all know exactly where you went—how can anyone believe you when you say nothing happened?”

“Huh?”

My blinking sped up even more.

A deliberate display of obvious fluster.

Would he fall for it, or remain suspicious?

Hubert crossed his legs without getting up from his seat.

‘So he’s suspicious for now.’

If only a single tear would fall—it’d be perfect. Wasn’t that the cheapest, most common way to prove sincerity?

Every time Aris shed gem-like tears, sweet, sparkling things were placed in her arms.

For some, it was an easy method—but sadly, it was anything but easy for me.

‘You’d have to have cried freely at least once in your life for that to work.’

Prolonged silence wouldn’t do—it’d look like I was scheming.

In my haste, I abruptly stopped blinking, determined to squeeze out tears somehow.

‘My eyes just hurt.’

Just as I began regretting not preparing a more plausible excuse, I saw it.

Three pairs of dull eyes, thick with mockery and distrust.

The doubt I’d felt standing before the prince’s door, forcing myself to rationalize it as duty for House Lorenst. The relief when he’d told me to rest.

That complex mix of emotions reversed.

In that instant, every feeling—and the image of myself standing there, lost and unnoticed—flashed through my mind.

Tear.

The tears I couldn’t force out earlier now flowed gently down my cheeks.

“…What on earth are you even saying?”

My voice, thick with moisture, filled the room.

“I read books in the library all night. It’s my fault for forgetting my duty and coming back late, but I didn’t lie. I swear it.”