The Story Is Not Over Yet

Of course, she didn’t believe everything the girl said.
The girl was a child under Sylvia, and Azela had recently come to a realization of the cold reality of the world when you too blatantly believed in anyone purely.

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The only reason the tears burst out was because she remembered Irene, the girl who had prayed for her happiness.

“…It’s alright.
Go and get a handkerchief.”

As she spoke with a trembling voice and took a deep breath, Lina nodded her head and hurriedly left the bedroom.
After a while, she ran to her side with a handkerchief.

Taking the handkerchief from her and wiping her face, Azela sat on the chair with trembling legs.

“Are, are you okay?”

“….”

“What did I… what did I do wrong…”

Lina bowed her head down, unable to continue her words.
Her face, weeping, was pitiful.
Azela, who was looking at the girl, caught her breath.

“You wake me up too early in the morning.
Come at least thirty minutes later.”

“…What?”

“I’m not saying I’m going to let you be my dedicated handmaid.
You are too young to be my handmaid, and there are too many things you don’t know.”

Besides, she was still not trustworthy yet.

Azela swallowed her words and lifted her hand before reaching for Lina’s dazzling orange hair.
The girl had been beaten by Sylvia so much that, just by reaching out her hand, the girl shrunk her shoulders and squeezed her eyes shut.

‘Did she think I would hit her?’

Displeased with Lina trembling in fear towards her, Azela stopped reaching her hand and wrinkled her eyebrows.
But soon, so that Lina would not be surprised, she slowly stroked the girl’s orange hair.

Lina, startled by the sudden warm touch on her head, opened her eyes and stared at her.

“If someone hits you in the future, tell me.”

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“…Yes?”

The girl’s eyes twinkled burdensomely.

She was sure that Irene was like this before.
Stroking Lina’s hair, Azalea avoided that longing and anticipation and spoke softly.

“You are mine now… I am only being responsible.”

“….!”

“Recognize exactly who you are working under, and always work with the right mindset…”

“Yes!”

Even before Azela’s words could be finished, Lina answered with an emotional loud shout.

She seemed pretty happy that she was accepted.
Azela lifted her hand that was stroking her hair and turned her head with a blunt expression, but she was embarrassed as a smile trickled through her gaping lips.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The business went smoothly.
The work of leveling the site did not take as long as expected, and the work of erecting the frames and raising the building proceeded smoothly.

As rumors of Duke Ferial opening a second boutique shop on the outskirts spread quickly like wildfire, many noble madams and ladies from the capital also visited the outskirts to see the progress in a hurry.

As a result, the outskirts were crowded with people, and the luxurious parties of the nobles continued every day.

“…After this party, I will decline.”

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Zagnac gave a painful look as he rinsed his mouth with cold water.`

Azela burst out laughing unknowingly at the horrific expression she had seen for the first time, and she smiled broadly.
Zagnac and Azela, who were doing business with him, were always invited to the party along with her husband, Daniel.

Normally, Azela would have stayed with her husband, Daniel, but because of the business, she was always with Zagnac.
Nonetheless, she was comfortable with it.
Meanwhile, Daniel also seemed happy among the other noble ladies at the party, so there was no big problem.

“When I return to the mansion today, I will burn down all the invitations that have arrived.”

“There’s no helping it.
Everyone congratulates you on your business, enjoy it with pleasure.”

Azela, who carefully closed the window on the terrace, answered with a relaxed smile.
Zagnac shook his head and looked at her with a look of incomprehension as she said that.

“You must have been drinking with me.
How are you okay?”

“Well, I’m not a bad drinker.”

“Oh my God… Humans are amazing.”

As she shrugged her shoulders with a carefree face, Zagnac was at a loss and rinsed his mouth again with cold water.
A sweet scent like flowers spread from him.
Does the devil smell like this when he’s drunk…?

“It will not take long, and the business will be successful.”

“I know.”

“Are you going to take it from Count Todd?”

“Everything is ready.”

Responding to Zagnac’s question, Azela turned her gaze towards a distant place as the wind blew.
While preparing her business, she took her time to prepare to turn everything that was in Todd’s mansion, from Daniel’s to hers.

She was introduced by Zagnac and hired competent advisers and lawyers that worked in the Imperial Palace.
Even if problems arose, they would protect Azela with all the connections and powers that they had.

So, Daniel would lose everything.
All that was left would be her words.
If he agreed, he would turn all of his future assets into Azela’s.

“Are you hesitating?”

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“No way.”

When Zagnac asked, Azela shook her head and turned her head to glance out the window of the terrace.
Without knowing it, her eyes caught Daniel, surrounded by the noble madams.
It looked funny.

“On the day the business preparation ends, I just want to be reborn and to commemorate that day.
I am waiting until then.”

She looked at Daniel with an emotionless gaze before turning her head again.
On the day this business had completed its preparation, the day the business succeeded, she was planning to take everything from him.

…That day, Azela was to be reborn as ‘Azela Vellista,’ not Countess Todd.

She felt refreshed and thrilled just thinking about it.

Azela, who had been absorbed in her thoughts, tilted her head to the sweet scent that kept tickling her nose and gazed at Zagnac.
Even though he looked better than before, strangely, a sweet scent was constantly flowing out of him.

“Are you drunk?”

“No, I think I’m sobering up.”

Following his words, his pronunciation was certainly clearer than it was just a moment ago.
But what was this sweet smell that got more and more clear as time goes on…?

Azela, who tilted her head to one side, asked Zagnac with a curious face.

“You smell very sweet.”

“…Ah.”

At her words, Zagnac let out a brief exclamation and he sniffed the scent of his own body.
He nodded his head as if he understood why she had a puzzled expression.

“I told you.
In order to blend between humans, constant human energy was needed.
I drink alcohol and try to detoxify it, so it seems that I consume more energy than usual.”

“That, that’s why it smells so sweet?”

“Yes.”

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Astonished, Azela opened her eyes wide and stared at Zagnac.
He was still just smelling the sweet smell from his body with an insignificant look.
Her face turned red in an instant.

“Well, then what should you do?”

“I have to say I’m not feeling well and go back to the mansion.”

“However…”

The party had just begun.
If he said he would go back now, it was obvious that the nobles who like gossip would put him on the hot gossip line.

Zagnac took a deep breath and raised his hand to her forehead.
A sweet scent that was stronger than before a moment ago stimulated her nose.
It was similar to the sweet feeling she felt when he came to her and kissed her.

Thinking back on that time, her body felt strangely twisted.
Azela hurriedly looked around her.

It was the terrace, but the structure was invisible from below, and the window was completely closed.
Azela pulled the cord and closed the red curtain.

Those inside the party hall now would not be able to see the two of them.

“What are you doing…”

“…Because this is our contract.
I have to do my job properly.”

Azela, who made sure the curtains were properly drawn, stepped forward in front of Zagnac and grabbed his collar.
And she pressed her lips to his.
She put her soft tongue first through his gaping lips, and Zagnac reacted and grabbed Azela’s waist.

A cool wind blew.

‘…Crazy, Azela.’

The warning sign kept ringing in her head.

This was a party hall, and now she was on the terrace… That meant, she was standing outside.
Even if people couldn’t see it from below… By any chance, if anyone could see it? What if someone opened the window of the terrace and came in?

Then, everything would be over.

Knowing this, Azela only accepted Zagnac, instead of pushing him away.

She put her hand around his neck and opened her lips to crave him in every corner.
As he carefully pushed her against the wall, her body trembled at the feel of the cold wall against her back.