Chapter 4

I tilted my head in front of the man whom I believed I loved so much.

“Aren’t you going to accept my greeting?”

The tactful Sabrina quickly got up and left the parlor. Meanwhile, George tried to avoid my gaze with an awkward cough.

“Yes. It’s been a long time.”

George, who was left alone, fumbled with the cigar with his head down and said.

“You look inappropriate.”

I slightly coughed because of the strong smell of his cigar, but he still took a quick puff on his cigar regardless.

“..Didn’t you say you’re not feeling well?”

“I feel better after lying down. I hurried down because I was afraid you’d wait.”

George, who swept up his dark blond hair, turned his gaze toward me.

“Don’t get me wrong.”

He lifted the corners of his mouth sweetly.

“I’m just playing around with your maid. It’s just like a practice.”

George caressed my hand that was holding onto the sofa. I grimaced at the awful feeling of a bug crawling through my body.

“I have to learn how to deal with women now.”

“..”

“Have you forgotten? You and the count promised to help me.”

As if trying to soothe me, George tucked my loose hair behind my ears.

“Am I...supposed to help you?”

“Yeah. You even made me the camouflage potion, didn’t you?”

As I turned my head away to resist his dirty touch, I was lost in thought.

‘Did I come back in time before George tried to defame Carlo?”

George came up with a promiscuous way to slander his half-brother. He disguised as Carlo and messed around with countless women.

‘My father thought of that dirty trick when he saw my camouflage potion.’

I was a talented alchemist, so I could make a potion that made George look like Carlo even with my eyes closed.

George, who drank my potion and was perfectly disguised as Carlo, did promiscuous things with many people. He didn’t single out anyone. He did it with his cousin, the Duchess and her young daughter, and even the woman who lived in a monastery.

‘It was a crucial moment to make the angry nobles and priests turn their back on Prince Carlo..’

Carlo has never even held a woman’s hand.

I clicked my tongue and looked at George with narrowed eyes. As he stretched his slick hand, it moved slowly around my waist.

‘Dirty bastard.’

When I stopped him after barely holding back my nausea, George frowned as if he felt suspicious.

“Why? Are you jealous that I’m seeing other girls?”

His stupidity knew no limit. George, who was oblivious to my killing intent, stroked my cheek lightly and continued.

“No matter how superior I am compared to Carlo, I could never obtain the throne by staying still. You know that, right?”

“...”

“Carlo is the son of Her Majesty the Empress.”

He seemed to be hurt by the fact that his half-brother was the legitimate son of the Empress. I wanted to laugh at his face, but my dry mouth didn’t move at my will.

“Even if I was supported by the Count and the holy council, His Majesty the Emperor only favored Carlo.”

George frowned bitterly as he revealed his long-lasting trauma about his bloodline.

“I see.”

He scowled, perhaps wondering about my overly calm answer, and then smoothed my blistered lips.

“You’re cold today.”

“Really?”

I swallowed my saliva as I was nervous if George has noticed my secret.

“Yes. Actually, I thought you’d be mad at Sabrina or me.”

However, rather than doubting me, he looked disappointed.

“You don’t seem to be jealous at all.”

“As my prince said before, I’m the only one for you.”

“Hmm.”

I moistened my lips as I faced George’s smooth face and calmly said.

“I trust you.”

“I’m glad you trust me.”

I quickly opened my mouth as he smoothed my chin with his fingertips.

“What did you think I was going to do?”

“Hmm, I thought you’d be surprised at the very least.”

‘I should’ve pretended to be surprised.’

However, I had just realized that I had returned to the past, so I had no time to think about it.

“Don’t tell me you knew about my relationship with Sabrina all along?”

“No, not at all.”

I shook my head firmly at George’s question.

“By the way, what brings you to Cardinale?”

“Of course I came to see you. The count told me about your marriage to the Grand Duke of Katan.”

‘I want to send him back quickly and organize my thoughts.”

George smiled at me affectionately. He stroked my head when he saw me biting my lips in anxiety.

“There are times when the count is a little coercive to you. I’m sure he’s not a bad person.”

Even though he knew I was assaulted by my father, George would always openly defend him in front of me.

“If you don’t want to get married to Joseph, I won’t force you..but it will help me greatly.”

George whispered sweetly and kissed me on the cheek.

“Of course, I’m sure your marriage won’t last long. When I become the emperor, I will welcome you as my empress. I don’t care if the count opposes it.”

“Are you serious?”

He might not know because I told a red lie, but I questioned him under the guise of indifference.

George, who still had his boyish charm, raised the corner of his lips.

“Of course. A mere duchess doesn’t suit a woman like you. I will make you the most elegant empress in the history of this empire.”

George always tried to coax me with those sweet words because I was ostracized by the high society for being an illegitimate child and an alchemist.

He promised me the position of empress, and persuaded the aristocrats to accept me under the pretext that the concubine’s son like him also had the chance to become the emperor.

‘But that can’t be true.’

The noble blue blood was the symbol of nobility and the validation for authority. Even if I was formally put into a family register, the high society would refuse to recognize me, who was the count’s bastard child.

Instead of me or Sabrina, George welcomed the saintess of the great temple, Ibelina, as the Imperial Empress.

‘I was stupid.’

George, who closed his lecherous eyes, stroked the rim of my ears. He, who had always been shining like a prince in a fairy tale, now looked like a sly snake flicking its tongue out in my eyes.

“Thank you for thinking about me, my prince. I’ll proceed with my marriage to the Grand Duke of Katan for you.”

George’s eyes opened wide as if he thought my answer was unexpected.

“Really?”

“Yes, you will call me to the palace anyways.”

My eyes glistened as if I truly believed in George, while my cheeks were red like a love-struck maiden.

“The Empress’ palace must be more beautiful than the Count’s residence.”

“Of course! Thank you so much, Rita!”

George jumped up from the sofa and hugged me as if he was really happy.

‘Don’t touch me!’

I wanted to act like how I did before, but I got goosebumps at his actions and pushed him away.

“Ah, my bad. I forgot you’re a virtuous lady.”

Fortunately, George mistook my disgusted reaction as a woman’s shyness. Because he couldn’t even imagine a woman rejecting him.

“As expected, Rita is completely different from a shallow woman like Sabrina.”

George clicked his tongue as if he blamed Sabrina when he was the one who had a secret love affair with her in the parlor just a little while ago.

“Why is an unmarried maiden playing around frivolously like that?”

I was seriously dumbfounded. But as though he thought I agreed with him, George caressed my head as if he was praising his pet dog.

“You haven’t even kissed me yet.”

It was fortunate that I refused to have an intimate relationship with George in the past since I wanted to protect my virtues as a refined lady.

“You must be busy. Please go back now.”

“I’ll be back before you leave for Katan, my love.”

George, who kissed me lightly on the back of my hand, grinned. As soon as he left the parlor, I called the maid to prepare a bath.

“Take all the perfumed oil out and prepare it. Bring disinfectant from my lab as well.”

“Pardon? Do you want me to take everything out, my lady?”

“Yes. Everything.”

I wanted to wash away that hideous man’s touch.