The Double Life of a Wicked Woman

The body I had taken over was sensitive to scents. It was clear that it had some sort of allergy to fragrances, similar to a pollen allergy. However, the book’s narrative never described it as being this severe. All it said was something along the lines of, “Every time Aranhan approached, the strong citrus scent he carried caused Elisabeth, who was sensitive to smells, to often wrinkle her nose.”

So, I hadn’t expected this kind of extreme reaction either. It wasn’t as though the author lacked descriptive skill—far from it. The author’s vague depiction likely meant that Elisabeth and Aranhan had so few encounters, or they disliked each other enough to actively avoid one another. Otherwise, how else could you explain such a brief description?

“Ah… um, I…”

But before I could even attempt to speak, another sneeze threatened to escape, prompting Aranhan to quickly step back. Was it the proverbial three strikes and you’re out? Beside him, Ozben hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to him. Aranhan accepted it with a slight nod, using it to wipe his face, though his expression remained far from pleasant.

Of course, it wouldn’t be. But I had my reasons—how was I supposed to know this body was so sensitive to scents? Wondering if I should try to explain myself, I sniffled and opened my mouth to speak.

“I, uh, was going to mention that I’m sensitive to scents…”

I swallowed the words, “You’re the one who came close without warning,” and instead busied myself watching Aranhan’s expression. My nose still itched, but at least now, thanks to his retreat, I didn’t have to sneeze directly into his face again.

This lady’s body is surprisingly delicate…

For someone so sensitive to smells, Elisabeth had shown no reaction to the perfumes worn by the nobles at the ball. At this point, I was beginning to suspect that Elisabeth’s dislike of Aranhan in the original story wasn’t due to any personal animosity but rather his overwhelming citrus cologne.

“…I see.”

Aranhan, likely aware that he had approached suddenly, refrained from saying anything harsh and instead began to adjust his attire. After a brief pause, he spoke in a slightly heavier tone, directing his words at me.

“It seems, Lady, that now it’s my turn to claim damages from you.”

“…”

How petty.

But it was true—I had spit on his face and even dirtied his clothes. Not to mention, I had embarrassed a duke in front of a crowd of nobles. How would Elisabeth handle this situation? I thought carefully, recalling her speech patterns and behavior, then cleared my throat before responding.

“…Ahem. You’re right.”

It was an accident, though. You’re rich, so you’ll be fine, won’t you?

This wasn’t my life, after all. And if dying as a villainess was the way to return to my original world, I didn’t mind. I had no attachment to this body, so I decided to respond in a tone as cold as I could manage.

“How much do you want?”

“…”

The nobles immediately began whispering among themselves again. Their murmurs, loud enough to be considered gossip right in front of me, were irritating. I sniffled as I glanced around. The young ladies were busy hiding their faces behind their fans, gossiping fervently, while the young lords, likely their partners, clicked their tongues and turned away.

Aranhan, too, seemed displeased by my words, his expression souring noticeably. But why was he reacting like that? He was the one who brought up compensation—I was just asking how much he wanted!

“If discussing this here is uncomfortable, perhaps we could… move to a quieter place?”

I suggested this in an effort to preserve the duke’s dignity and also because I was eager to escape the piercing stares of the crowd.

Of course, I wasn’t well-versed in the etiquette of this world. I only knew bits and pieces from Elisabeth’s fragmented memories, which weren’t all that reliable. Unfortunately, Elisabeth hadn’t been particularly keen on manners herself, so my knowledge was limited.

Still, fragmented or not, the instincts and habits embedded in this body occasionally surfaced. While they didn’t provide detailed memories of her past, I wasn’t too concerned—I remembered enough of the original story to manage.

Without waiting for Aranhan’s response, I gestured subtly toward the terrace and headed there first. Knowing Aranhan’s personality, I doubted he would ignore my suggestion, especially with so many nobles watching. He would need to follow me, if only to finish the conversation about compensation.

As I stepped onto the terrace, the nobles’ gossiping voices faded away, which was a relief. More importantly, I was free from their prying eyes.

…Ugh, I already feel guilty.

Was this really the right thing to do? Was I handling this well? Lost in thought, I stared blankly at the ballroom through the terrace window. It was quite the spectacle. As soon as I disappeared from their view, the nobles flocked around Ozben and Aranhan, fussing over them and checking on their well-being.

Meanwhile, the court musicians resumed playing, and the ballroom regained its lively atmosphere. Seeing it all made me feel strangely out of place in this world.

I raised my head to gaze at the night sky. The deep navy-blue expanse was dotted with white stars that glittered faintly.

Back in the real world, I was too busy to even look at the sky. But here, I actually have the luxury to stargaze.

As I mused over this, I lowered my head to glance at the terrace door. The man I had momentarily forgotten about was now making his way toward me, weaving through the crowd of nobles enjoying the ball.

Through the clear terrace door, I could see that his expression was far from pleasant—understandable, considering I had sneezed on his face.

With a heavy sound, the terrace door opened and shut with a loud bang. Aranhan, brushing off a bit of dust from his sleeve, looked at me and spoke.

“Well then, Lady, shall we continue our earlier conversation?”

“Fine. So what would you have me do? Surely the empire’s only duke isn’t lacking in clothes, and with all your wealth, I assume financial compensation isn’t necessary.”

“That’s right. After all, I am the empire’s only duke.”

There was no need to emphasize “the empire’s only duke” like that. Okay, I get it—you’re upset. No need to rub it in; it’s obvious. Though his words left an odd feeling, I looked back at Aranhan and spoke again.

“…You were just joking earlier, right? About what you said before?”

Aranhan and Elisabeth didn’t have a good relationship. Knowing that, I could tell his earlier comment was just something said in passing. Besides, he was the type who avoided scandal at all costs. While being a close friend of the emperor played a role, his position as the empire’s chancellor likely factored into it as well.

So when he brought up compensation earlier, it probably wasn’t because of my sneezing incident but just something he said without much thought.

“What if I wasn’t joking?”

“…Well, if you weren’t… then I suppose I’d have to do something for you, wouldn’t I?”

I avoided saying “maybe.” The way he said, “What if I wasn’t?” without so much as a twitch of expression made it feel like I really would have to do something for him. Watching his face, I found myself glancing up at the sky for a moment, gauging his mood.

Even though I was in Elisabeth’s body, my timid personality as Lee Sehwa hadn’t gone anywhere. After all, it had only been a day since I ended up in her body.

If I were the cool and confident type like Elisabeth, I might have simply declared, “Fine, I’ll compensate you,” and walked away with my head held high. Or perhaps I’d have nonchalantly asked what kind of deal he wanted.

But expecting such boldness from my timid self was absurd. It had taken all my effort to act like Elisabeth back in the ballroom earlier.

Though… I have to admit, it was oddly satisfying.

“Well, let’s discuss this later,” Aranhan said, leaving abruptly.

I tilted my head, puzzled by his attitude, which seemed to simultaneously imply that he wanted something and that he didn’t. Through the now-closed terrace door, I saw him behaving as he always did—neither rejecting nor encouraging the noblewomen flocking toward him. He maintained an impeccable balance of politeness and courtesy, even flashing a smile I’d never seen him direct at Elisabeth.

Of course, he’s popular with women.

The Aranhan family was known for being full of strong-willed women, likely due to the author’s deliberate setting. Growing up in such an environment, Lat Aranhan clearly knew how to handle women.

I used to think someone like him wouldn’t care much about romance, but given how he fell for the angelic Ozben, he must have some romantic notions after all. Or maybe the women in his family were all just overly domineering.

Anyway, I spent the rest of the ball idly, occasionally teasing Ozben while planning to head home.

Then, just as I was contemplating leaving, the sound of trumpets filled the air. This fanfare was louder and grander than the one that announced the duke’s arrival. It was clear that someone of higher status than the duke had arrived.

And in this hall, there was only one person who outranked a duke.

“His Imperial Majesty, Karlsia Senil Morch, the Radiant Light and Eternal Sovereign of the Morch Empire, has arrived!”

Finally, the emperor I had to win over had made his entrance.