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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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“My first kiss…”
Jin fanned her face. Her head was spinning from the heat rising within her.
She remembered Allen’s warm breath on her face. His bright blond hair, delicate features, and condescending gaze flashed through her mind. She had seen many handsome men, but none like Allen.
“Is he really a scoundrel?”
After her encounter with Allen yesterday, her colleagues had expressed their concern. They told her about Allen’s reputation as a notorious scoundrel in Quaran and worried that Jin might have been hurt.
Jin was puzzled. The Allen she experienced was a perfect gentleman. However, she did wonder if there was something wrong with his lower body.
Jin was confident and aware of her own beauty.
“Are they just rumors?”
According to her investigation, none of her colleagues who called Allen a scoundrel had actually been with him. Even Lucy, the only one who had, had few complaints.
She only mentioned that he became rough during sex. Judging by the way he had stolen a kiss, that seemed to be true. Jin suddenly imagined Allen pinning her down roughly, taking her by force.
“Oh, really.”
She fanned her face more rapidly. Jin had a weakness for handsome men, especially those who exuded masculinity. Allen, who was more than just a pretty face, was a perfect match for her tastes.
“But how am I supposed to act?”
Jin forced herself to think about something else. The problem was Allen’s proposition, which she had accepted in the spur of the moment. He wanted her to make everyone believe they were having a passionate affair.
Jin realized there was a problem. She couldn’t fake it convincingly. She had no experience.
“What am I going to do?”
Jin sat on the massage table, tapping her foot anxiously. She briefly considered picking a random customer. She had no qualms about it. She had accepted that reality the moment she entered the brothel.
The problem was that everyone who frequented the brothel was a gossip. Stealing the virginity of Jin, the future ace, would be an achievement they couldn’t resist bragging about.
That would achieve the opposite of what Allen intended. Besides, she didn’t want to give her first time to just anyone. Fortunately, she had plenty of examples to learn from.
“Ahh…”
Jin blushed as she imitated her colleagues. Her moans sounded awkward, and she felt embarrassed by her own acting.
Time passed as she sat there silently. Jin grew increasingly anxious. She started resenting Allen, who had given her such a difficult task and left so heartlessly.
Then, an idea struck her. Did the method matter, as long as the result was the same?
Jin grinned and opened her mouth wide.
“Aagh!!”
Her scream was so loud that it momentarily silenced the entire bathhouse. Those who heard it thought: The scoundrel is at it again, taking another whore. The scoundrel being a scoundrel.
His already infamous reputation grew even worse.
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Quaran, a small port city at the southernmost tip of the continent, was more crowded than ever. Even the small taverns were bustling in the middle of the day, and it wasn’t uncommon to see drunken men brawling in the streets.
They were commoners in shabby clothes, knights in full armor, and nobles with several servants in tow.
They were all after the Blood Princess.
In other words, they were after the Princess who had arrived in Quaran as its ruler, the King’s younger sister.
Indeed, marrying the beautiful Princess, who had inherited a vast fortune from the late King, would change their lives forever.
If I hadn’t known her true identity, I might have joined their ranks as well.
“Blood Princess Eleanor.”
One of the seven witches who would bring ruin to the continent. She possessed the ability to absorb the luck of those around her, accumulating wealth and fame, while bringing misfortune to everyone in her vicinity. Her power was like a natural disaster.
Due to her uncontrollable ability, she would be ostracized by everyone in the latter half of the story for bringing misfortune.
She was similar to Anya, whose beauty brought chaos to the world regardless of her intentions.
In fact, most of the seven witches were like that.
With the exception of one or two, none of them were inherently evil. They were simply ostracized for causing chaos unintentionally, and as a result, they became corrupted and sought revenge against the world that had wronged them.
In any case, judging by the men flocking to Quaran, it seemed the rumors about her ability hadn’t spread yet.
“Though, some must suspect it. Including herself.”
A beautiful princess who inherited a vast fortune wouldn’t be appointed as the ruler of a small, remote city in the south without a reason.
In my opinion, her ability was already at work. These moths drawn to her flame were proof.
Thanks to the sudden influx of people, the merchants were rejoicing. The booming economy led the citizens to praise their new ruler.
But that wasn’t all.
“You bastards! Be careful! Handle them like you would your lovers! What? You don’t have lovers? Damn it! Do you know how much each of these costs? Do you?! You wouldn’t be able to afford it even if you worked your entire lives!”
Docking work was underway on a large ship that had arrived at the docks. I observed the person shouting at the sailors. Judging by his rough skin, he wasn’t a noble, but his clothes were finer than those worn by most nobles.
“A merchant?”
In this world, without any formal identification, appearance was the most accurate indicator of social status.
“Damn it. I’m busy as hell, and now… huh.”
The merchant, who had been cursing under his breath, stopped mid-sentence. He, too, had assessed my status based on my clear skin, fine clothes, and the sword at my hip.
“Who are you?”
“Allen Tolbatz. I have a question.”
“Oh, you’re! Ahem! Master Allen, it’s an honor to meet you! It’s a privilege to speak with someone of your renown!”
He had heard of my infamy. Sometimes, my reputation as a scoundrel was useful.
“Those barrels all seem to contain salt. Can a small city like Quaran handle that much salt?”
The barrels the laborers were struggling to carry were filled with white lumps. Unrefined rock salt.
Countless barrels of salt, a commodity so valuable it was called “white gold,” were being unloaded from the ship. Their value must have equaled the manor’s annual budget.
“It would have been impossible before.”
“But not now?”
“Of course not. This area is known for octopuses, which inlanders detest. But recently, we’ve been catching a good amount of herring, along with the occasional cod.”
“Herring?”
Herring, thanks to its abundance, was a common fish in coastal towns. However, Quaran was an exception. For some reason, herring was rarely caught in these waters.
“On the other hand, the catches in Dresden have decreased. The Count of Dresden, angered by the fishermen who turn to piracy when there’s no work, must have cursed them. And then, a person of high status arrived in Quaran.”
“The ruler?”
“It happened soon after her arrival, so it must be thanks to her blessed bloodline.”
In this era, where many phenomena couldn’t be explained by science, it was common for people to believe in superstitions.
“So, it’s a good time to invest in Quaran?”
The merchant waved his hands frantically.
“Absolutely not. This is only temporary. The Count of Dresden, taking this matter seriously, has begun cracking down on piracy. Besides, our guild master said that this has happened before, but it always returned to normal soon after.”
In an era where knowledge was scarce, experience was the most reliable source of information. The merchant, glancing nervously at me, excused himself. I left the docks and continued on my way.
“Herring…”
The merchant said it was temporary, but I believed this was also a result of the ruler’s ability. After all, in the game, herring was Quaran’s specialty.
I had an idea for making money. The problem was that it required a large amount of capital, and the family coffers were empty. I continued to ponder as I walked south.
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Just as I reached my destination, an idea struck me.
If I played my cards right, I could secure the necessary funds, get rid of Roland, and push Anya towards the Princess of Quaran.
The Swordsmanship Guild was surrounded by a high stone wall, but at 190cm, I could easily see inside. There was a large, square training ground in the center, with angular buildings behind and beside it.
“Haa!”
“Aagh!”
Fifteen people were training on the grounds: some swinging their weapons at wooden dummies, some practicing their forms and correcting their sword paths, and some sparring with each other.
I had come here for experience points. Now that Roland had been revealed as Sophia’s pawn, I needed another way to gain experience. I had accepted Roland’s invitation to Quaran to secretly visit this place.
“Hey! What are you peeking at?!”
I must have been watching for too long. A figure clad in a chainmail shirt that reached their thighs, a padded jack, a chainmail coif, and a helmet that completely concealed their face strode towards me.
“I’m here to see Sir Andrei.”
“My father?”
“Father?”
As I was taken aback by the unexpected title, the figure removed their helmet. A sweat-drenched face with tanned skin, freckles, and short brown hair was revealed.
I recognized the strong features and husky voice, clearly belonging to a woman.
“Fiore.”
“Allen? Allen?!”
We recognized each other. Fiore immediately frowned.
“What are you doing here? Get lost!”
She didn’t hold back on the insults.
“I’m here to see Sir Andrei.”
“You think my father would want to see you? He had an unnecessary duel with Sir Maxim because of you! And now you think you can just show up and pretend nothing happened? I won’t allow it!”
The Swordsmanship Guild was an uncomfortable place for me as well. Of course, it was my fault.
Fiore continued her rapid-fire barrage of words.
“Embezzling tuition fees for your own pleasure? I can understand that! It’s your choice! But you should have told Sir Maxim the truth! Why did you lie and say you were still taking lessons, making him come here and get angry after seeing your pathetic skills?!”
In my immature days, I had acted recklessly without regard for others. Facing Fiore’s wrath now was the price I had to pay.
“Honestly! Sir Maxim was unreasonable too! He drew his sword without even trying to understand the situation! Do you know how shocked I was?!”
Even after all this time, Fiore was still a devoted admirer of her father. I remained silent, waiting for her to calm down. Knowing Fiore’s temper, any attempt to explain myself would only make things worse.
As expected, Fiore eventually ran out of steam. When she started taking deep breaths instead of speaking, I spoke again.
“I’m here to see Sir Andrei.”
“You! Did you even hear what I just said?!”
“And you?”
“What?”
“Do you have the right to stop Sir Andrei’s guests?”
In this era, where children were practically considered their father’s property, a child couldn’t stop their father’s guests.
“What? Guest? Guest?!”
Fiore’s face turned crimson, as if she were about to explode. I ignored her and turned to the figure who had been watching us from behind Fiore.
“Isn’t that right, Sir Andrei?”
The middle-aged knight with a neatly trimmed beard nodded silently.
Andrei de Santo. A vassal knight of Quaran, and renowned as one of the strongest knights in the region, alongside my father.
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Ugh another lady again! What will Allen do?? Get you lewd mind away a bit guys! 😆
