Whether Yerpi Deilang was surprised or not,the tiny dragon, the size of a small dog,hissed furiously at the woman sitting on it.
‘Looks like it’s really angry.’
But the feeling of guilt was fleeting.
Thanks to the creature lowering its body like a cat and growling,Yerpi could briefly observe this peculiar being,barely distinguishable from the black chair.
Large golden eyes.Glossy black scales and a tail.The small wings on its back resembled the Growen crest.It just looked excessively young.
‘To think such a magical beast exists.’
Even through all the memories of the original Yerpi,a creature so identical to a dragon was a first.
She didn’t know much about it right away,but she was certain she had disturbed this creature’s peaceful slumber.
“I’m sorry. Were you very startled? I didn’t mean to.”
At Yerpi’s apology, the young dragon flinched,then let out a short, resentful hiss.
It seemed less angry than before, but its wariness remained.
Yerpi lowered her posture to meet the young dragon’s eyes.
“Do you live here?”
At that question, the young dragon’s bright yellow eyes widened.
Roar-!
“Ugh…!”
With narrowed pupils, the dragon leapt off the chair,raced across the grass, and dove into the bushes.
The young dragon was no longer visible.
But to dismiss it as a momentary illusion,the scratches on her arm from the dragon were strikingly vivid.
Just then, a maid carrying tea came out,and upon seeing the scene, dropped everything in shock.
“Oh my, heavens, Your Highness! You’re bleeding!”
While Lien stomped her feet in panic,another maid who had come with her hurriedly fetched a first-aid kitand sat Yerpi down on the chair.
The maid skillfully disinfected the wound,applied medicine, and bandaged her slender arm with clean gauze.
Though it was a small wound, the maid’s touch was swift,and her focused gaze was impressive.
It was a face Yerpi had seen during the maids’ introductions earlier.
Her name was… Rebecca, wasn’t it?
“Thank you, Rebecca.”
“…! Thank you for remembering my name, Your Highness.”
The woman, her eyes wide with surprise, smiled shyly.
“I thought remembering names should come first.It’s a joyful thing when someone remembers you, isn’t it?”
As she said this with a gentle smile,Rebecca stared at the Grand Duchess in a daze.
The reaction of the girl, who seemed just barely an adult, was adorable,and Yerpi swallowed a laugh inwardly.
“By the way, your touch is quite skilled.”
“Oh, whenever I have time, I learn a bit from the castle’s physician.Becoming an assistant doctor is my dream someday.”
Rebecca, training under the physician,had a bright and honest personality.
After checking Yerpi’s arm to ensure it was properly treated,Rebecca asked with a hint of worry.
“By the way, how did you get this wound?It’s a relief it won’t leave a scar, but…it looks like a cat scratched you.”
“Was there a cat in the garden?”
Lien tilted her head, trying to recall.
Yerpi gave a small smile at the two maids’ puzzled expressions.
“It’s probably not a cat.”
It had seemed fine until she apologized,but the young dragon suddenly bolted in a fit of anger.
‘Did I say something wrong?’
All she had asked was whether it lived there.
While Yerpi pondered her encounter with the mysterious creature,the maids, even more confused by the Grand Duchess’s claim it wasn’t a cat,heard a strange question from behind.
“Your Highness, did you perhaps meet Young Master Dante?”
A maid with an ordinary face was smiling with a curious expression.
‘Meidi?’
It was the mysterious maid who had appeared after the others finished their greetings,standing in the garden.
Whether startled by Meidi’s appearance,the other two maids fell silent.
Unfazed by the changed atmosphere,Meidi looked at Yerpi and began to speak.
“If you saw a magical beast that looks like a black dragon,that would be Young Master Dante.His appearance is a bit unusual, isn’t it?This garden is a place he often visits.The fact that people rarely come here in the afternoon helps.”
If she didn’t know the original story, it would have been incomprehensible.
The maids, realizing what Meidi was getting at, gasped and tried to stop her.
“Meidi, what are you saying in front of Her Highness?”
But despite their attempts to intervene, Meidi was undeterred,as if she had made up her mind.
“No, Her Highness will find out eventually anyway.We can’t keep hiding it forever.She might end up more hurt if we do.”
Meidi even blamed the other maids,as if those keeping secrets were worse.
Things were getting strangely complicated.
As if to drive the point home, Meidi continued.
“You may not have heard yet, butYoung Master Dante is indeed the master’s son.”
It was a shocking revelation, beyond mere surprise.
Meidi watched Yerpi with a smiling face, as if gauging her reaction.
But contrary to Meidi’s expectations, Yerpi was remarkably calm.
“I see.”
“What?”
Meidi was visibly flustered by the Grand Duchess’s nonchalant response.
Seeing her bewildered face, Yerpi asked with an impassive expression,
“If I say I understand, why are you questioning me?”
“Well, I’m sorry. I thought you’d be shocked and prepared some comforting words.”
It wasn’t something a maid should say to a Grand Duchess.
Yerpi already knew Raymond had a child.
She had only just learned that the child was a young dragon.
Learning one fact only raised more questions.
For instance, the inexplicable malice she sensed from Meidi.
After looking at Meidi for a moment, Yerpi shook her head.
“No need for comfort.”
The maid was unusually bold, as if she had something to rely on.
Whatever it was, confronting her now wouldn’t yield answers.
Amid the cold atmosphere between Yerpi, Meidi,and the two maids watching cautiously,
“Huh?”
Meidi, who had been looking at Yerpi, let out a sudden gasp.
A long shadow fell in the opposite direction of the sun.As Yerpi turned to the sudden darkness,Raymond Growen stood there.
‘Why is Raymond here?’
More than anything, his muscular frame, bare-chested,caught Yerpi’s attention.
He had clearly doused himself with cold water to cool off.
In her brief moment of surprise,she recalled the butler’s explanation of the castle’s layout that morning.
There was a path connecting the training grounds on the opposite side of the garden,often used as a shortcut by knights or squires.
But she hadn’t expected to encounter Raymond here.
Perhaps sensing the strange atmosphere,Raymond narrowed his brow and asked,
“Why’s the mood like this?”
At that, the other maids lowered their heads and stepped back quietly.
Meidi was among them.
After briefly scanning them, Yerpi shook her head.
“It’s nothing.”
For some reason, Raymond didn’t seem to want Dante’s existence known.
‘It’s probably a personal matter.’
Unless he spoke of it himself, it seemed best to pretend she didn’t know.
Raymond’s gaze, which had been studying Yerpi,soon turned toward the maids.
“Go back, Meidi.”
“Yes, Master.”
Raymond singled out Meidi with authority.
Meidi obediently complied and left the scene.
“I’ll take my leave.”
Bowing to the Grand Duchess, Meidi turned and left the garden.
Yerpi watched the direction the maid went.
It was the same place where the young dragon had disappeared.
After sending Meidi away, Raymond glanced at Yerpi,then left in the opposite direction.
With the troublesome maid and the Grand Duke gone,the strange atmosphere eased.
Yerpi looked at the remaining maids and cautioned,
“Let’s keep what happened today a secret for now, shall we?”
“Of course.”
“I won’t say a word.”
The maids, who had feared the Grand Duchess would press them,looked visibly relieved.
Yerpi returned to the castle with them.
But her thoughts wouldn’t settle.
‘Why does Dante… look like that?’
Even leaning on the memories of her dream,it was hard to understand.
All she knew was that Dante was the biological sonof Roman Growen, Raymond’s brother.
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
