Annie was lucky.

Curiously, most of what she says becomes real.

That’s why people around her often make ridiculous requests.

[My Lady, ‘Carla will only walk a path full of riches until the end of her life.’ Can you say it?]

[Lady Dsev, do me! ‘You will meet a crazy handsome guy who is only good to you and will live happily ever after. Oh, and also good in bed too!’]

[Lady Annie, for me, I need you to win the first prize in the lottery…]

Oh, she’s tired of it.

Whenever that happens, Annie would shed tears instead of answering, but people’s doubts never stop.

[Annie, aren’t you really blessed by a goddess? Be honest with me. Say it. Because of your words, the designer Sanel was naturalized as Porcaus! ]

Sanel was a designer with a nose as high as the roof of the cathedral that towers over the capital.

In the meantime, the neighboring powers around her had offered her all sorts of conditions to take her away, but it was an iron castle where none could take her away.

An arrogant genius who rejected all good conditions by Annie’s motherland, Porcaus, and its long-time rival, Harknon.

Like most brilliant artists, the free-spirited Sanel tried to remain neutral.

However, Annie recently said, ‘It would be an honor if Sanel D. Zainer came to the Porcaus Empire…’ Shortly after saying it, Sanel became a Porcaus citizen.

Annie’s neighbors enthusiastically said that Goddess Silvas made her wish come true.

Anyway, Sanel’s naturalization flipped the entire continent.

When reporters asked her if the reason for moving was for money, Sanel responded briefly and boldly.

[A man’s true love moved me.]

People even speculated that Sanel had fallen in love with the people of the Porcaus Empire.

Why was it important? Annie was just one of her biggest fans and used to write fan letters all night long.

Sanel began her activities in many ways with the full support of the Porcaus Imperial Family.

With her outstanding aesthetic sense, she was originally unique, but she began various activities by designing various accessories such as bags, shoes, and clothes.

The designer Sanel, who received the Light of Porcaus, made a brilliant name like a precious purple crystal.

Thanks to this, she held a discount event for her own citizens, saying that she wanted to repay the country, and all her goods dropped to half price.

Annie’s favorite dress waistband was also designed by Sanel.

The waistband that wrapped around her chest was a cream-colored silk with a beautiful silver cubic

And…

[Lady Annie! The lemon tart at the capital bakery is on discount! Buy one and you get one more!]

Great!

Annie threw the book she had been reading and entered the black carriage.

It was a huge bakery that had never held an event in half a century. But this time, they had put one item on discount.

Isn’t that the magical lemon tart that wakes you up even while you’re sleeping?

While Annie had refrained from paying such an evil amount even if she could afford it, the news of the discount pulled Annie’s lips upward. When she thought of that fantastic sour feeling, she could feel herself drooling.

In the carriage on the way to the capital, Carla, her maid, continued to chatter in an excited voice.

On their way to the capital, Carla, her maid, chattered excitedly.

[My Lady said before that you want to get a discount here, right? Oh my gosh. Again, My Lady’s wish came true. That’s really amazing!]

[ Yes.]

Annie nodded, her face swollen in anticipation.

Usually, she would have responded profoundly that it was a coincidence, but her dizzying anticipation for the lemon tart clouded her judgment.

Since then, the Dsev family kitchen had to prepare a plate of lemon tart at least three times a week.

What Annie says comes true, no matter how trivial it is.

For example, ‘Anberter bread is a magical bread. We have to reward the person who made it!’

When she did, that chef really won the Empire’s three-star awards and a big prize.

When Annie heard it, she smiled happily and said, “He’s a person who deserves it.”

There was also a small business that Annie started because the family’s finances were staggering. At that time, Annie was invested by a resourceful businessman who succeeded and settled all of her family’s debt at once.

That’s not all. When Annie said she wished that her preferred dressing room would provide her clothes, bag, shoes, and others for free, it became true.

All the clothes and miscellaneous goods have been given to her for free for over a year as long as she would review the fit of those clothes.

Anyway, Annie is incredibly lucky these days.

It has been about seven years.

Initially, she had lived a boring life, but from a certain point onward, it only turned into a never-ending road of ups.

It was troublesome, but it was fun.

Annie sometimes squeezed her hands as if she was praying to the sky.

‘Thank you, Goddess Silvas. I will live nicely!’

Really, Annie is lucky. This is also very good.

Except for one thing.

Men.

Annie had terrible luck with men. Her fiancée of 6 years had abandoned her. When she moved to another country, there was no man who lined up for her that had a sane personality.

She was going crazy.

She couldn’t wrap her head around the idea of being considered a failure unless she dated and married a man.

Instead of choosing a spouse, shouldn’t people be prioritizing free will?

No matter how hard she tried to persuade them, her family just forced Annie to deal with it.

Annie, who was troubled by it, pulled out her sword to cut through this troublesome process all at once.

“I’m never getting married.”

[Five Days After Declaration of Not-Marrying, by Dsev]

Sunlight poured through the wide-open windows, letting in the peaceful sound of birds chirping.

Half-sitting on her bed, Annie rubbed her eyes with a limp yawn.

‘I want to sleep some more…’

The brown short hair that came to the corners of her ears are becoming rounder and rounder. There are even eyebags around the purple eyes.

She hasn’t been able to sleep lately, and her condition has become indescribably messed up.

After her declaration of no-marriage, she did not have time to properly focus on her family’s backsiding and family affairs.

In the meantime, her business was still going well. She even donated to single mother charities and orphanages and made sure she gave a hand in helping them.

Rattle.

The loud sound of pulling out something.

As she turned her head, she saw the back of a very busy woman standing near the closet. 

Her most beloved maid, Carla.

Carla, who tied her long blonde hair low, asked in an impatient voice as she pulled out several dresses.

“Lady, what dress do you want to wear?”

“Just take out anything.”

Last night, she couldn’t sleep for hours, so her voice was soaked in fatigue.

As Annie covered her mouth with one hand and yawned again, Carla said. 

“Come on. Come on, get up.”

Annie rubbed her tired eyes with the back of her hand and raised her body to stand in front of the full-length mirror.

‘It’s so stupid.’

She doesn’t like her face with fatigue. Frowning, Annie tapped her hand on her cheek a few times.

Still, her tiredness had not gone away, so she rubbed her sleepy eyes again under the back of her hand.

Is it because you are older? As the year goes by, her chronic fatigue grows more and it gets worse.

“Does this suit you? No, wouldn’t it be better to have lace?”

Carla asked aggressively, looking at her master’s evening dress over a gorgeous red or black dress.

The dress she chose was unconventional, not only in color but also in design. It seems like her shoulders and chest lines are clearly visible.

Annie, who usually wears a plain, monochromatic dress, could not hide her embarrassment.

I’m not going to show it today, so what’s the uproar?

“Carla. You can just bring my usual dress.”

“Oh, My Lady! What are you talking about? Today is your first time going out.”

“The first time?”

“After the declaration of non-marriage. So please, please do me a favor.”

As Carla expressed her strong determination, she tightened her hand on the dress. On the back of her white hands, blue tendons that do not match with her fragile appearance were entangled like spider webs.

It was obvious that everyone would glance at Annie and gossip, so she couldn’t stay still.

As a maid who cared for Annie like a sister, Carla didn’t want to make a mess.

Annie laughed embarrassingly at Carla’s infectious energy, something that she would never take for granted.

Annie had a lot of time to spare anyway, but she also didn’t want to disappoint the maid who cared for her.

It wasn’t that bad.

Well, if she wore new clothes, there was a possibility that it could change her mood.

“Okay. I’d like a dress that suits me best.”

“Yes!”

Carla looked up to Annie, just like a docile maid would look to her master. At first glance, Annie’s features may look ordinary, but her eyes are more beautiful than amethyst.

She would say, ‘I get why My Lady’s eyes are purple. It’s God’s grace!’

Whenever she said something like that, Her Lady would block her ears and tell her to stop, but Carla didn’t stop.

Since Carla was a child, she has cherished Annie sincerely.

The clothes selected by the excited Carla revealed a bit of her creamy, silky chest, along with a lacy finish.

She felt a bit awkward, so Annie rubbed her chest with her hands.

“Isn’t it a little weird?”

“Hoohoo, it’s just pretty. I’m just worried about the guys who are going to fall in love with you.”

“Carla, are you sick?”

Carla gently brushed Annie’s hair with a wooden comb. A hum came out of her mouth.

The master who didn’t follow fashion knew what hair suited her the best. She always insisted on short hair, and Carla loved grooming it.

Before long, after finishing her master’s grooming, Carla grabbed Annie’s straight shoulders.

Carla flashed a bright smile in the full-length mirror at Annie’s clean, shiny appearance.

“Well, how is it?”

“Well, as expected, our maid is the best. The competent maid of Harknon will also fold a hand in front of our Carla.”

“Eh. She’s a maid, and she’s even the Vice Deputy of the Imperial Elite Knights.”

“There’s nothing I can’t do. I’ll give you some time to think. If you want, you can start learning swordsmanship tomorrow.”

“Oh my. My Lady, were you joking?”

Clap clap.

Annie’s low spirits suddenly shot up as Carla smacked her back.

She mumbled, saying she didn’t need to learn swordsmanship.

“Somehow, after giving birth to your second child, you’re smacking has gotten worse.”

Carla, who ignored Annie’s muttering, grabbed her hands tightly as her eyes glistened.

“My Lady, promise me.”

“Don’t reject those who come to you. Even if you don’t like them, give them a chance and meet them again?”

“Exactly.”

“Hah… Carla. I told you. I have no intention of being in an arranged marriage. Everyone is going to the Imperial Palace today for family affairs.”

“But you don’t know about people.”

“Okay, okay.”

“You’re giving me another dry answer.”

Annie laughed bitterly when Carla pretended to be really upset.

Annie gently covered her hand on the back of Carla’s hand.

“Yes. Anyone but the terrifying tyrant. I will consider the things you just said.”

Annie said playfully.

“That’s a given. Would this Carla send the lady to that crazy tyrant?”

Click.

With the window locked, Carla’s golden eyes turned to the carriage in front of the iron gate of the mansion.

The purple carriage, symbolizing the Dsev family, was already sitting by and waiting.

“You’ll be right back after filing your taxes, right?”

“Should be.”

Annie, who was feeling optimistic, stretched out to relieve her fatigue.

The two stepped on the shiny marble floor of the Imperial Palace to file taxes for the family during the season of the rose wind.

Today was that day too. Although it was cumbersome, it only happened once a year, so it was necessary to deal with it immediately.

Carla, being the meticulous maid that serves the smartest member of the Dsev family, put Annie’s pre-filled tax return in a brown folder and packed it in her arms.

Meanwhile, Annie was lost in her thoughts as she sat in the carriage, on her way to the capital.

The enormous imperial castle, looming in the distance, even looked daunting.

That is the tyrant, Ejed’s residence.

‘A tyrant…’

Was it because his name slipped out of her mouth this morning?

She suddenly recalled the story she had forgotten a long time ago.

Shhh, don’t cry, baby.

If you don’t stop, then the tyrant will come to catch you.

A story that has been passed down from her grandmother since she was young to the point where it became a scab in her ear.

The horrors of the tyrant Ejed Jean Porcaus had spread throughout the empire like a plague to the point where his name alone made men and women tremble.

Even before Ejed was born, Robish Abge, who was called the Lion of God, received a bizarre divine message.

The next emperor will also be a tyrant who will rule the empire and spill enough blood to write in the history books in red. Those who oppose him will be chopped into two and become a delicacy for the crows.

Everyone believed in the Divine Lion as it had helped the imperial family for over two generations.

In the end, people were talking about a bloody, ruthless slaughterer even before Ejed was born.

Twenty years later.

Currently, all the empires that declared war with courage have disappeared without a word, and there is no one to stand against the tyrant.

To be precise, there was one until a few days ago, but now he has completely gone into the underworld. All of them were judged by Ejed’s ruthless sword.

During her childhood, Annie was just like the average, snotty child. She was afraid of the tyrant younger than her, and every time her family made fun of her, they mentioned Ejed’s name.

[Annie, if you don’t eat, you will be caught by the tyrant and become his bride!]

[Waaahh!]

‘There was a time when I was so pure too.’

Annie smirked. She was really afraid that she would become the tyrant’s bride and obediently followed her family’s words.

Why was she so scared of that threat? The

tyrant who was younger than her should be an even snottier kid, yet she was so frozen.

But that was a distant past.

Even if she went to the Imperial Palace anyway, there is no need to be afraid of someone who she could not even run into. This was because, even in the Imperial Palace, Ejed does not appear often.

Outside his official position, most of his whereabouts were unknown. He went down to the underworld and beat his demons, where he destroyed other countries, killed someone, and so on. There was only a lot of talk about things like that.

There are more people who have lost their lives to the sword than the number of people in the capital.

‘Well, it’s not like it has anything to do with me.’

As she got older, Annie’s fear disappeared because she, as a mere aristocrat, would never have a private relationship with Ejed, the Emperor.

However, it was not that there was no contact at all.

Both of them have attended the same social gathering in the past.

‘That’s already 7 years ago.’

It was a long time ago, and it was faint, as if covered in a haze, but she vaguely remembered it.

Annie opened her mouth as soon as she saw Ejed that day.

[Is he a real person?]