She was special just by existing. When Ian’s eyes met hers, he realized that the idea of a soul being penetrated wasn’t just a literary expression.

He couldn’t explain it objectively, but the moment he became aware of her presence, a desire to possess her emerged within him.

If fate hadn’t connected them, he was ready to coerce even the gods of fate to entangle their destinies like threads.

Still, Ian was always cautious. He feared that his excessive desire and obsession might ruin their relationship.

He didn’t want to become like the Emperor. He didn’t wish to live with just a hollow shell of a soul. Ian’s greed exceeded even that of the Emperor. He wanted to possess every drop of her soul completely.

That’s why he didn’t approach her hastily. He was deliberate and careful, fearing that if she looked into the monster in his blood, she might lose her soul and disappear.

Instead of stepping forward rashly, he let her approach first and extend her hand. She had a soft spot for those who were sick and pitiable.

She would say, “It’s just a job to make a living,” but she couldn’t bear to ignore someone in pain in front of her. Though she claimed it was for money, she often treated those without funds at her own expense.

Ian was thankful for his illness. The redness of his eyes, the high fevers, and the troublesome dreams were tolerable.

After all, it was because of this illness that he had met her and could keep her by his side.

The excuse that he couldn’t be treated by other healers was quite useful.

Recently, the recurring dreams made him more impatient to possess her.

He was consumed by the fear of losing her. That’s why he had proposed, using his dream as an excuse. She seemed to take it as a joke, but Ian was serious.

“I can go by myself.”

Jane insisted on leaving alone because the servant was hurrying her for the official meeting. Ian felt anxious. He was afraid he might never see her again if they parted now. He feared a ferocious golden dragon might snatch her away.

Ian hoped his ominous premonition was just needless worry.

“Why is it raining so heavily? It’s not even the rainy season…”

I stared at the pouring rain with a tired expression.

“Hopefully, it doesn’t keep up like this. Maybe I should change the packaging…”

I mixed the carefully dried tea leaves with the medicinal herbs to be sent to Ian.

Since the pharmacy wasn’t making much profit from just the herbs, I blended dried fruits and flowers into tea for the nobles, adding a unique aroma.

The tea, with its unusual fragrance, was popular among those who sought different flavors. Compared to combining herbs with significantly varying effects based on dosage, this was a simpler task.

Though I didn’t enjoy this fruit-infused tea much myself – it smelled sweet but didn’t taste as such, leaving me feeling empty.

“It’s better to drink sweet fruit juice than tea.”

Yet, on rainy or cold days like this, having a warm cup of tea wasn’t too bad. Just as I finished packaging the tea, Simmons, Ian’s chief servant, entered.

“The rain is torrential.”

Greeting me as he entered, the ever-dignified servant still looked robust. His long white beard hinted at his age, but it was hard to believe he was older than my grandfather.
He carelessly shook his black umbrella and leaned it against the wall next to the door. Despite using an umbrella, he was completely drenched.

“It’s been a while.”

His usually neatly combed white hair was now wet and messily stuck to his forehead, and his smooth silk pants were stained with muddy splashes.

Despite the downpour, his usual well-kept appearance as a chief servant seemed to have suffered.

I quickly found a dry towel in the drawer.

“Are you alright? It’s unusual for it to rain so much in winter.”

Winter in the Calobanian Empire was usually dry, with little rain. Most precipitation fell in spring and summer, so snow and rain were rare in winter.

“When it rains in winter, they say dragons descend to the land and cast magic before returning. Seems like today will be a day of magic. Even an old man like me feels a bit excited.”

While he claimed to be excited, his expression looked more bewildered than anything.

I handed Simmons the towel.

“This is new to me.”

“It might be unfamiliar to Miss Jane. I heard it from the elders in my village when I was young. Puff!”

If he heard it as a child, those who told him would have lived in an era when magicians were more common. I was intrigued and wanted to ask more, but his coughing hastened me to light the fire.

“Please sit here for a moment. I’ll make you a warm drink.”

Considering Simmons’s age, I didn’t want him to catch a cold, so I wrapped him in a thick blanket and quickly prepared the drink.

I boiled chopped ginger and cinnamon with dried yuzu in a pot, then added wine.

This beverage was popular in countries with long winters, not typically Calobanian, but my grandfather often made it for me during winter.

I added a bit of brandy for Simmons, knowing alcohol would add warmth to his body.

“Seems you’ve added brandy. It has a nice aroma.”

As expected, he recognized it immediately. I heard he enjoyed brandy aged in oak barrels, subtly caramel-scented, and kept it by his bed for sleepless nights.

“I thought you’d like it. But why did you come in the rain? You could have waited until it stopped…”

At this, Simmons sighed deeply, looking years older.

“His Highness insisted I visit Miss Jane today. He had a bad dream…”

I was aware of that dream. Wasn’t it about being crushed by a dragon? Even after hearing about it, nothing major had happened. Maybe the interpretation was wrong.

Could the dream mean a windfall, like the phrase “hit by a money truck”? Dragons symbolized wealth, honor, absolute power, and emperors – generally positive things.

Although I doubted any financial windfall for me, I was more hopeful than anxious.

“He was so worried he wouldn’t see you safely with his own eyes. If there hadn’t been urgent matters at the palace, he would have braved this rain himself.”

“Has something happened?”

I took out a tin box filled with cookies. These were gifts from maids and servants from noble houses whom I treated. Sometimes, when they couldn’t pay the medical fees, they would offer cookies instead.
Whenever I had cookies, I would give them as gifts to the backstreet children I treated, telling them they were for enduring the pain well. But today, I planned to enjoy them with tea while listening to Simmons’s stories.

17 years ago, when I first met Simmons, we were almost like adversaries.

He disapproved of my casual and friendly behavior towards Ian, whom he saw as a younger brother, and I did not like him for forcibly bringing me and my grandfather and threatening us.

Moreover, his constant nagging about royal etiquette and manners made me label him as a stubborn old man.

That was all in the past… Perhaps we felt a sense of camaraderie because we shared a secret, or maybe Simmons softened with age, or he just gave up on trying to enforce manners on me, but his nagging reduced over time.

I, too, matured with age. Even though I was always somewhat old beyond my years, at least now I address Ian as ‘Your Highness’ and speak formally.

Over these 17 years of getting to know Simmons, we occasionally shared various stories, especially when he came to pick up medicine. These were usually about the royal family or social events.

Chatting with Simmons over tea and snacks became one of my favorite things.

Simmons, who had to live a life of silence, seemed to enjoy these moments where he could share stories, often visiting under the pretext of needing medicine to engage in conversation.

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!!!