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Episode 94: Rules of Negotiation (IV)
Woooo— Woooo—
I was lying on the bed, trying to sleep, but the wind blew a lot.
It was noisy, so I rolled deeper into the blanket and closed my eyes.
‘I have to sleep. There’s a lot to do tomorrow.’
Even in my sleep, I thought so.
Woooo— Woooo woooo—
From afar, I could hear the sound of the forest rustling in the wind, and even the howling of wild animals.
A bad night for a deep sleep in many ways.
Still, my consciousness became dimly blurred and I was sleepy.
I thought that if I waited like this, I would be able to get a full deep sleep.
Klack-lak!
Until I heard someone open the window.
“!”
Immediately, I opened my eyes.
Then I got up and looked towards the window.
An amazing sight was present.
The two red eyes of the beast standing on the window sill were flashing in the dark and facing me.
It was a wolf.
It was almost impossible for a normal wolf to jump up to my bedroom.
Besides, I had never heard of a red-eyed wolf.
‘Is it a dream?’
Just as I thought I saw something in my sleep, the wolf came down into my bedroom with an elegant gait.
The gray wolf, with its rich tail and thick mane, came to me, and stopped with a flash of red eyes.
He had a letter in his mouth.
“
Shadow sent you.”
“Krrrr.”
I lightly stroked the wolf’s head and tried to receive the letter.
But the wolf shook its head and turned and did not give the letter.
“
Why?”
Then later I remembered it. A wolf’s gallbladder.
I pulled out a red ornament the size of a fingernail from the bedside table.
“If the Queen has it, you will be able to get the information you want.”
Was it a proof of trade with Shadow?
While I was thinking like this, the wolf came up to me and nodded its head.
“
I guess this is right. Here you go.”
I held out the gallbladder, and the wolf dropped the letter on my lap, then swallowed it.
I picked up the letter with the wolf’s teeth markings on it.
“That mean bastard, I don’t know if he sent the information properly.”
“
.
”
Talking to myself, I opened the letter.
“The handwriting is also poor.”
With a sigh, I read the poorly written text, frowning throughout.
In the letter it was written:
<Madam Deborah has recently traded for three items.
As promised, I will only let you know two of them.
The remaining will be given to you after confirming the authenticity of the ‘Fragment of Zephyr’s Tombstone’.
What Deborah took was;
‘The Breath of Johannes.’ and ‘The Poison of Mandra Gora.’
It’s a powerful antidote and poison.


What this means, the smart queen will know?>
As soon as I checked the contents, my heart throbbed and I was sweating.
This set was usually only obtained for one occasion.
When you intentionally use poison and detoxify that poison.
‘

It’s a self-made play.’
I could fully anticipate a scenario in which I would be overturned by my poison-proficient image.
‘And, maybe

 This is what Yuria is trying to use, right?’
Due to Deborah’s personality, there was no way she would directly engage in such a dangerous work.
Besides, with the power of words she was a great enough woman to roast and boil it with her tongue, not ever needing to commit such a thing.
‘In the end, Yuria is going to be ruined!’
I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache coming.
“I didn’t think she was this kind of person
”
Although she was obsessed with the male protagonist, Rixus, in the original story, she was not so reckless.
‘She only stood next to Deborah, how can she change like this?’
I bit my lips and read the rest of the letter.
<P.S. Instead of Deborah’s real name, on the entrance to Calypso, the name ‘Mary Jane DeCzeco’ was written.>
It was a name I had never heard of anywhere. In particular, the name of the baron family of ‘DeCzeco’.
‘It was Deborah’s maid.’
In order not to leave any evidence, the transaction was made under a borrowed name.
Mary Jane DeCzeco, it was a name that appeared in the original; so as soon as I traced my memory of her, it became clearer.
This was the information he gave me without even asking for it.
‘I don’t think he was meant to be this generous

 It feels like he’s especially like that to me.’
As I pondered, I started wondering what I would receive as a ‘welcome gift’ that Shadow specially added.
‘Now that I know about her scheme

 I have to prepare.’
I immediately wrote what I wanted on a piece of paper.
Then I called the wolf.
“Come here.”
“Kreung.”
I hung the letter around the wolf’s neck, and tied it with a ribbon with a red string. Its fur was very soft.
Maybe it was because it was part of the canine family, even though its eyes were red, they were so bright and cute.
‘What do wolves eat?’
I felt a little sorry that it was running my errands, so I pulled the calling string and had the maid bring me raw meat.
I made the excuse of giving it to the cat.
The maid was instructed to leave it outside the door, luckily preventing her from fainting at the sight of the wolf.
“Go on, eat.”
“
.
”
“It’s very delicious and fresh and raw, dripping with blood.”
“Keur
 Reung
?”
Somehow, the wolf did not eat well when I offered the plate. I even felt like it was dodging it when I pushed the plate nearer.
I smiled and stroked its fur.
“What is it, are you covering your face? How cute.”
“

.”
I had no choice but to pick up the raw meat with my hands and put it in the wolf’s mouth.
“Come on, eat.”
It was then. When the wolf spit out in disgust.
“Ugh, puak!”


Did it just spit strangely like a human?
‘It’s weird! A wolf that didn’t like raw meat is weird!’
The wolf that spewed out the raw meat quickly jumped to the window sill.
Then, in the blink of an eye, he changed himself into a human figure and smiled.
“Fufu.”
What? That kid?!
“Shadow

!”
When I got up from my position in bewilderment, Shadow leaned leisurely on the window sill and said,
“The Queen’s words are well conveyed to myself. ‘A mean bastard who writes poorly’. Well then, bye.”
“!”
“It was a very painful visit.”


No, he was saying he had heard all the bad things


Shadow frowned and added as he touched his chest as if he had been hurt.
“And I can’t eat raw meat. I only eat steak.”
Then whoosh— swiftly, he turned into a wolf and jumped off the window sill.
When I ran towards the window, startled, I saw a gray wolf running and jumping with incredible speed far away.
The wolf disappeared soon after.
Oh my—
A howling sound was heard in the distance.
“
What the heck, you idiot.”
‘Why are there so many crazy people in this country?!’
‘You’re cute.’ — I realized I said this to Shadow earlier. And so I rinsed my mouth thoroughly with salt water and went to bed.
* * *
The next day.
Finally, it was the day of the fireworks festival.
From early morning, the streets were lively, and the outside of the palace was noisy.
Tonight was a day as bright as daylight.
A day where even those with dark and hardened hearts saw only the shining things.
And for lovers, it would be a day to identify each other.
As per the purpose of the fireworks festival.
“Your Majesty the Queen! Today I will do my best to decorate.”
From morning on, the chicks were firmly energized.
“Seryl will make Your Majesty an angel today! Tell the Crown Prince. Just find the most beautiful person in the square!”
Maribel was already choosing my clothes without saying a word.
“
It’s okay. You don’t have to care that much.”
Seryl shook her head violently.
“No! ‘Oh, who is that beautiful person?’ I’ll make it so he can find you just by looking at you.”
‘
Isn’t the example situation too specific?’
Being with maids who were so thrilled, busy, and hardworking, I unknowingly felt excited as well.
Everyone showed off their ‘craftsmanship’ and decorated me one inch at a time.
“
I’m going to wear a mask anyway, so why are you working so hard?”
“Ah! The point is this!”
Seryl pretended that she was wearing a mask with her hands, then took it off and made a pretty expression.
“Perfect for the mask! As soon as you take it off, he will fall in love at first sight.”
“Hahaha!”
Even Maribel laughed out loud, so I ended up laughing too.
After a while.
The moment they let me look at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t help but be amazed.
I had to admit it. The beauty of ‘Berylia’ was better preserved than any other appearance I had ever seen.
I felt a little strange looking in the mirror.
“How about it?”
“
I like it. Though it’s a bit unfamiliar.”
Then I raised a magic tool and changed the color of my eyes.
The chicks blinked curiously as they saw my right eye slowly turn from a diamond color to red. Then they immediately exclaimed.
“Ah
! If you change the color of your eyes!”
“Won’t it be difficult to find the Crown Prince
?”
I replied softly.
“If I don’t change it, people will notice that I am me. I won’t be able to enjoy the festival properly.”
“
That’s true
”
Maribel looked worried for a moment, and soon she told me.
“You will find him. You two are ‘destined’.”
My heart pounded at the word ‘destined’.
Suddenly, I remembered what Rixus had said.
“Don’t you want to test our fate?”

Okay, maybe this was an opportunity to ask heaven about my relationship with Rixus.
“I’ll definitely find you.”
Even if our fate had been harsh in the meantime, if we sincerely care for each other in this life

“Even if you are among hundreds or thousands of people, even if you are mixed in some form I don’t know.”
Rixus’ heart

“I can find you.”
If it was so clear and intense;
Our always harsh fate could be changed this time, and I felt like I would have faith.
Without running and pushing him away, I would be able to trust Rixus a little.
Finding me among so many similar-looking people wasn’t something that could be done with an ordinary mind.
“
.
”
I took a slow, deep breath. I was nervous and trembling as if my chest was tightening. Tonight, I had a feeling that something was about to happen.
The first event I set my eyes on.
The fireworks festival.
I was going to try a small gamble with Rixus in this event.
After hiding my face with a butterfly mask, I gradually made my way to the square.
My heart was beating hot in my chest.