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"Mensis, will you marry me!"
I stared at him in shock, as if my brain had frozen, refusing to process what I had just heard.
"W-What are you talking about, Your Highness?"
He stepped closer, his voice a whisper—soft, yet it felt like a command.
"Be mine, Mensis."
What the hell is going on?
Why is he acting like this?!
We've only met once! Just one day!
"Mensis, you're the one I chose.
Be my weapon, my tool...
Let me control you."
That was the moment I realized the bitter truth.
The marriage he spoke of... was nothing more than a trap.
A chain to bind me.
A means to ruin my life.
He wanted to use me as his tool.
His secret eyes.
His sword to carve a path toward the throne.
And all of it… started on that cursed day.
The day I received an invitation to Lady Elizabeth's salon opening.
My name is Mensis, daughter of a Count in name only.
We are nobles without land, without wealth.
Just a small villa, two maids, and my father—who works as an assistant to the Imperial Advisor.
People assume such a position brings riches, since it's inside the imperial palace.
But the truth... is far different.
My father is constantly bullied by Advisor Frederick, who dumps all the unwanted work on him.
My father has great talent in estate management and accounting—he's every noble's dream employee.
But we, the Carl family, are looked down upon for one reason:
We have a title with no power.
No allies.
No gold.
Only dry noble blood that brings us no glory.
In the eyes of high-ranking nobles, we're no different from commoners—forced to work day and night, silently swallowing insults just to survive.
That day, I was secretly searching for a job.
My father refused to even hear of me leaving the house, but I was determined to ease his burden.
There's one unique thing about our family:
Our hair and eye color changes with the weather.
In the heat, it turns red.
In winter, white.
And when it rains, green.
A useless ability that only draws attention.
Many see it as a meaningless curse.
Our natural form was soft pink hair and bright blue eyes—a rare look in the Valia Empire.
As a child, my father was once summoned to the palace.
They thought our ability might be valuable.
Even the emperor showed interest...
But when he realized it was useless, he turned away like nothing had ever happened—
Leaving my father shattered.
He had believed the emperor was his friend.
The Valia Empire isn't a land of magic or miracles.
Here, strength is everything.
Muscle. Sweat. Martial skill.
This empire was built through raw force—not politics, not clever tricks.
A sculpted body is the ultimate weapon.
Skilled hands are what bring glory.
That day, my only friend and maid, Anne, told me a pharmacy was hiring a temporary assistant.
The place? A dark alley in an abandoned district.
I hesitated, but Anne convinced me.
She was a sweet little girl. She never lied to me.
I borrowed a dress from her—a simple one, a bit short on me, but better than ruining one of my few precious gowns.
Even if I was poor, I was still a noble.
I had to keep up appearances.
I stepped carefully into the alley.
It was raining. The ground was slippery.
"Ah... that hurts."
I tripped on a small rock and fell.
Lifting my head, I expected to have hit a metal door.
But no.
It was... a man.
A man whose body didn't seem real—
As if nature herself had sculpted him.
What is this body...?
That was the first thought that hit me, stealing my words before they left my lips.
If the Valia Empire worships the body...
Then this man was its god.
Refined. Strong. Stunning.
"I-I'm sorry," I whispered, flustered.
He didn't respond.
He just stared down at me with a strange look—one that made my cheeks burn.
He was insanely handsome.
Long black hair fell gently over his face, and his golden eyes glowed under the moonlight—like two stars in a dark sky.
And since it was raining... my eyes and hair had turned emerald green, like some creature out of a fairy tale.
What a shame...
It had to rain on the worst day of my life.
But that night wasn't ordinary.
It was the beginning of something else.
A chain of events that would change everything.
A strange night.
Full of surprises.
And secrets I was never ready to face
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(Hi there! This is my very first novel.)
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