Chapter 168: I need someone to fulfill my desires

Black Rose,

It was the alias used to describe Mardian.

It was a fitting name for her, who had a glamorous appearance like a rose.

It seemed that she had gained considerable fame even in this Märchen kingdom.

After all, it wouldn’t be that strange.

In the Empire, Mardian was a powerful figure who dominated high society.

Except for me, she was always the queen of the social scene.

A sharp yet suffocatingly decadent beauty, coupled with her equally impressive eloquence.

Mardian was that kind of woman.

A captivating presence, wherever she went, would naturally mesmerize people with her allure.

Unlike ugly me, of course.

Anyway, to return to the main point, Mardian was one of the most influential figures in Märchen.

I didn’t know it at the time, but apparently, she had a natural talent for art.

She was said to have occupied half of Märchen’s best exhibition hall with her paintings.

With the immense wealth she accumulated through her art, she had even purchased a mansion and was living a life of luxury built with her own bare hands.

“We’ve arrived.”

And now, the mansion before my eyes was Mardian’s residence.

As I followed the sunny forest path, the mansion appeared.

I heard that the entire forest was owned by Mardian.

“I’m glad I could rent a carriage…”

If I hadn’t, I would have had to walk through this forest for half a day.

‘Somehow, it seems like she became wealthier after being disowned by her family.’

I slowly got out of the carriage and approached the front gate.

There, two strong-looking knights were guarding the door.

“Who are you?”

One of the knights stopped me with a stern voice.

From his presence and the aura surrounding him, he seemed like a skilled warrior.

“Uh… I… I’ve come to see Lady Black Rose.”

I cautiously mentioned Mardian’s name.

The knight scanned me from head to toe.

“Are you her lover?”

For some reason, the word ‘lover’ didn’t seem like it referred to the kind of relationship I had in mind.

But seeing his hostile demeanor, I quickly realized that denying it would mean being denied entry.

I nodded, trying to keep a natural expression.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Very well. But what is that box you’re holding?”

“Oh, this? It’s a gift for Lady Black Rose.”

“I’m afraid external items are prohibited from being brought in.”

“Oh… I see.”

A feeling of disappointment washed over me. These were gifts I had carefully chosen after spending the whole day in the city yesterday.

But considering Mardian’s fame, it was probably a necessary measure.

“We’ll hold on to it for you and return it when you leave.”

“Okay… I understand.”

After a light body inspection, the knight let me through without saying anything else.

He probably judged that it was safe to let me pass due to my small stature.

It wasn’t an incorrect judgment, though.

“I’ll guide you.”

The massive iron gate slowly opened. Following the knight’s lead, I walked down a neatly maintained path.

After climbing a marble staircase for some time, a beautifully manicured garden unfolded before me.

‘…It’s similar to Viviana’s mansion, isn’t it?’

The scale and intricacy of the building were as magnificent as Viviana’s mansion, if not more.

I never imagined she would live in such a lavish place. At this point, she might be leading an even wealthier life than in the Empire.

I heard that Mardian had an innate talent for art, and it seems that talent truly flourished after she came to Märchen.

I stopped walking and stared at the mansion absentmindedly.

At that moment, the knight glanced at me, as if something seemed odd, and asked.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, not at all… It’s nothing like that.”

As I looked at the magnificent mansion, a sudden thought crossed my mind.

Perhaps, Mardian is living a happy life right now.

Having left the somewhat stifling culture of the noble society in the empire, she might be spending peaceful days in Merhen, the city of art.

If that’s the case, is it really right for me to seek her out to apologize?

Could it be that the painful memories that have been buried might resurface because of me?

And if so, I began to think that everything was driven by my selfish desire to ask for forgiveness.

I was afraid that my unnecessary visit might disturb her happiness again.

‘…Should I turn back?’

I hadn’t even seen Mardian’s face yet, but my resolve to earnestly seek her forgiveness was wavering.

Is my visit really for Mardian’s sake, or is it simply my own selfishness? I couldn’t make a judgment.

“Excuse me?”

It was then, as I stood lost in thought, gazing at the mansion.

A woman was standing on the path of the beautifully manicured garden.

She wore a daringly designed black dress, and her long red hair was draped over her shoulder as she covered her mouth with a fan.

“You’re someone I’ve never seen before.”

“Lady Rushel.”

The knight greeted the red-haired woman politely.

The woman, called Rushel, nodded briefly to the knight, then approached us with a bright smile.

“And who is this?”

“Ah, she’s said to be the lady’s lover.”

“Hmm…”

Rushel’s red eyes scanned me up and down.

Her eyes were slightly duller than Mardian’s reddish hue.

“Knight, you can’t just let anyone in just because they look somewhat pretty.”

“…What?”

“I know all of the Black Rose’s lovers, but this one is new to me.”

For a moment, the knight’s gaze shifted to me. Slowly, a hint of suspicion began to show in his eyes.

“…I made a mistake. I’ll have them leave immediately.”

Just as he was about to approach, the red-haired woman stepped forward.

She gently extended her hand and lightly placed it on my shoulder.

“No, from here, I’ll take over. You may go inside, Sir.”

“Excuse me?”

“Seeing your plain attire, you probably had some intentions to lean on the Black Rose… but well, at least I should give you a chance.”

Rushel’s voice was low and slow, as if she was enjoying the situation itself.

“Lady Rushel, but…”

“Sir, I’ve already said I’ll guide her.”

Her sharp gaze pierced the knight.

He looked back and forth between Rushel and me, and finally let out a short, suppressed sigh before bowing politely.

“…Understood.”

With that, the knight stepped back, and soon only the two of us remained in the garden.

Rushel gave a mischievous smile and gently patted my shoulder.

“You’re quite a pretty thing.”

“…I came to see the Black Rose.”

Rushel raised an eyebrow slightly. Her expression seemed more intrigued than surprised.

“Did you know?”

She chuckled softly.

There was no sign of suspicion at all. She seemed completely relaxed and indifferent.

“People like you, who hear rumors of the Black Rose and come trying to get close, are not a few.”

“…”

“And I chased all of them away.”

“And who are you?”

“I’m the one who has the most favor with the Black Rose here. That’s why everyone calls me the mistress.”

Rushel lightly tickled the tip of my nose with the tip of her finger. Then, once again, she scanned me from head to toe and flashed a meaningful smile.

“So, if you’re trying to get something from the Black Rose, you’d better make a good impression on me first.”

“…”

“The only reason I haven’t kicked you out right now is because you’re decently good-looking. Though, not as much as I am.”

I could roughly understand the situation.

Mardian, one of the wealthiest in Märchen. And according to rumors, she is said to have quite a taste for women.

It seemed that Rushel thought I was someone who, after hearing those rumors, was trying to get something from Mardian.

“That’s not what I intend, Rushel.”

“Heh, everyone says that. No one would want to be seen as greedy, after all.”

A sneer passed through her voice.

Her slanted eyes scanned me again, now holding a playful scorn.

I didn’t feel like continuing the conversation any longer.

I came to apologize to Mardian, not to engage in unnecessary power struggles.

“Are you going to guide me to the Black Rose?”

Rushel’s eyes narrowed. She looked irritated.

“Ha, you’re really clueless, huh?”

She suddenly switched to informal speech, as if she no longer felt the need to maintain politeness.

There was nothing too unusual about it.

I’d heard that Märchen was a place free from the customs of class society, so it was common to speak informally to strangers.

“You look younger than me, so I’ll drop the formalities. Hey, do you even know how hard it is to meet the Black Rose?”

Honestly, I didn’t like her much, but there was some truth in her words.

Currently, Mardian was one of the most powerful figures in Märchen, while I was just a traveler from the Empire.

In some ways, just passing through the front gate of the mansion felt like a miracle.

“…How can I meet her?”

“You seem pretty deaf too. You have the kind of personality the Black Rose would totally dislike.”

Before I knew it, Rushel had stepped closer and bent down.

Due to our significant height difference, she had to do so to align her gaze with mine.

“You’re pretty, so I’ll say it once more. Make a good impression on me.”

“…On you?”

“Yeah. If you win me over, I’ll ask the Black Rose to consider you as a potential lover. If you become her lover, you’ll get a lot out of it.”

I briefly looked around.

There were knights in full armor positioned around the place. From the looks of it, she seemed to have her own personal knight order.

Moreover, seeing how the knights didn’t budge at Rushel’s word, it was clear that her words weren’t just empty threats.

It wasn’t a situation where I could just walk into the mansion because I wanted to see Mardian.

I didn’t want to make a scene when I was there to apologize, after all.

“…What should I do?”

A meaningful smile spread across Rushel’s lips.

“Sadly, the Black Rose and I don’t share the same sexual tastes. I have quite a sadistic side, but with her, I have to act like a docile lamb.”

Suddenly, she confessed her sexual preferences.

What was she trying to say?

“So?”

“Just so happens I need someone to fulfill my desires… And here you are.”

Now I understood what she meant by her words.

But, was it just me, or did this feel eerily similar to my first encounter with Mardian?

“So, what’s your answer?”

Rushel looked down at me.

A sinister desire slowly began to seep into her dark red eyes.

I hesitated for a moment, pressing my lips together, then met her gaze without looking away.

“I…”