Emojis
ForTestingPurpose“If only he had just admitted he was wrong and apologized properly from the start, it could’ve all been resolved.”
Who knew what kind of illegitimate children that guy might have had running around the capital?
That’s why I tried to let it go peacefully, but seeing how he acted… it was utterly infuriating.
I was even willing to leave him a sliver of breathing room.
But if he chose his own punishment, who was I to stop him?
In the end, the Sachsen family had to pay a large settlement.
Pedro was the one at fault, but since the engagement involved not just me and him, but our two families—the Sachsen and Estarote houses—it was feasible.
There was no point trying to get alimony from Pedro himself—he was basically broke.
So this worked out even better for me.
I heard they had to sell all their luxury items, which they had been flaunting thanks to money leeched from our family, for dirt cheap—just to barely keep their estate and pay the settlement.
It must have felt unfair and infuriating for them, but for me, it was finally square.
I had recouped every single gain they made off of me and my family.
And Pedro?
He was ruined.
You’d think he couldn’t fall any lower—but he could.
He was expelled from his family.
“You stupid bastard! You couldn’t even keep your pants on, and now look at you!”
“Exactly! Acting like you’re some big shot, not knowing how good you had it, screwing it all up!”
Even after settling with me, one thing still remained: a lawsuit for seduction under the pretense of marriage and fraud.
The Sachsen family, now facing the prospect of having to pay that compensation too if they kept defending Pedro, ultimately disowned him.
He became a commoner.
He lost the tiny scrap of wealth he still had to the lawsuit compensation and was thrown out with nothing.
He couldn’t come crawling to me, so he tried to go to his mistress.
But who in their right mind would take him back?
She had already packed up her house in the capital and disappeared with a letter of recommendation I wrote her.
He didn’t even have the chance to beg.
In the end, Pedro ended up at a monastery.
There weren’t many places a fallen noble could turn to.
So even though conditions were terrible, the fact that the monastery took him in was a blessing.
Getting into a monastery without some donation was nearly impossible.
Naturally, I pulled some strings.
Not because I pitied him, but because I wanted him to live the rest of his life reflecting on all he had lost.
‘He was a knight in name only, with no real skill. If he’d at least been good with a sword, he could’ve made a living as a mercenary…’
Pedro’s level was only slightly above someone who’d never learned swordsmanship—he was all bluff with no real combat experience.
If he died from a stray sword while playing at being a merc, it would’ve been a fitting end.
Anyway, that was the end of Pedro.
Whether he survived in the monastery or ran away didn’t matter to me.
If he ran, he’d never be allowed back.
And if he lost even the roof over his head because of yet another poor decision… what better ending could there be?
In the end, I was able to get the engagement annulment certificate.
EmojisForTestingPurposeInterest.
“Ha-ha. That took a while.”
***
I received the annulment certificate in the spring of the new year.
Originally, I was supposed to marry Pedro around this time.
Who could have known it would end in annulment?
I should say it’s a relief—I avoided stepping into a hellish marriage.
It was truly a stroke of fate that I happened to overhear the gods’ conversation.
To complete the annulment process, I visited the government office within the imperial palace and watched as the approval seal was stamped onto the document with a loud thud.
Finally, it was truly over.
“What a beautiful day.”
While my heart was restless from the long one-sided love coming to an end, the weather was unbelievably pleasant.
It was so clear and sunny, yet hardly anyone was around—probably because it was still working hours.
As I walked down the palace corridor that opened up on one side, I leaned against one of the columns that supported the roof in place of a wall and looked up at the sky.
It really was a beautiful day.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Hic!”
I wasn’t regretting or mourning the annulment.
But it was inevitable to feel emotional—this was someone I had spent nearly half my life with, since I was ten years old.
I thought we’d always be together.
Even though it ended badly, that history still weighed on me.
Since no one was around to see me, my tears wouldn’t stop.
I was weeping miserably when suddenly—a person in a black hood appeared before me.
The hood was pulled so deeply I could barely see his chin.
I wondered if he could even see properly—but his sudden appearance actually helped.
I was so surprised the tears stopped.
A single tear I hadn’t managed to blink away slipped down my cheek—and he suddenly extended a hand.
Startled by his suspicious appearance, I flinched, but what he offered wasn’t anything strange.
A handkerchief?
It was a neatly folded white handkerchief.
Strangely plain—no embroidery or initials.
Maybe he wasn’t a noble?
As I stared at it blankly, surprised by its simplicity, his hand moved slightly, as if to urge me to take it.
Probably suggesting I use it to wipe my tears.
I had my own handkerchief, but somehow, I didn’t want to reject this stranger’s kindness.
Even though I didn’t know who he was.
As I cautiously reached out, our fingertips brushed.
It was a small, insignificant touch, yet the man flinched like a scandalized maiden and yanked his hand back.
“…Huh?”
I couldn’t help but let out a confused sound.
The man, looking flustered, quickly turned and fled.
I stood there, dumbfounded, handkerchief in hand, watching the direction he ran.
“…Ha-ha. What a strange guy.”
He must be a good person, seeing how he couldn’t bear to ignore someone crying and offered a handkerchief.
But with that suspicious outfit and his shy escape, it was kind of funny.
His actions lingered in my mind, and I smiled faintly as I wiped my face.
“Hm… what’s this scent?”
A fresh aroma—like mint.
Without thinking, I sniffed at it and blushed.
It was rude to so openly take in someone else’s scent.
“I should return this…”
Who was he?
Would I ever meet him again?
Even if we crossed paths, would I recognize him?
His clothes were plain, making it impossible to guess his class.
They say over ten thousand people pass through this vast palace every day.
Tracking down one person would be nearly impossible.
The handkerchief had no distinctive features.
Maybe he had no intention of getting it back when he lent it?
“If it’s fate, we’ll meet again.”
***
Shaking off the lingering emotions, I continued down the corridor.
EmojisForTestingPurpose[The House of Hoo-Pi is the Most Perfect House]
Well, even as a Korean, I feel like it would be a bit difficult for me to eat that.
Seaweed that looks like purple veins…
If there’s nothing else to eat, I might understand, but still…
The texture is slimy and unpleasant, right? ㅠㅠ
EmojisForTestingPurpose[VS Death’s Easy-Choice Villain]
If the man you love traps you and serves you this seaweed dish for every meal, what would you do?
Stay and endure being trapped vs escape.
EmojisForTestingPurpose[The House of Hoo-Pi is the Most Perfect House]
Are you crazy?
A year has passed since the breakup.
After the prophecy saved my life, it disappeared, and I thought the miracles were over, but suddenly, another window with the future appeared in front of me.
“God…”
A plague.
The shocking news made me cover my mouth in disbelief, and I quickly pulled out the paper to read and take notes.
Thankfully, it hadn’t happened yet in my time period since they were gods who could see the future.
“Still, it’s urgent. It’s next year, after all.”
I looked over the summarized notes and stood up.
Everyone was surprised when I suddenly said I was going on a trip after being cooped up in the family estate for so long since my breakup.
“Well…
It’s been a year, so you should be able to recover by now.”
They probably thought I was in seclusion due to the pain of a breakup.
It would be a lie to say my heart didn’t hurt at all, but it had been a month since I had shaken it off.
I didn’t have many friends, and since Pedro had humiliated me so much, my breakup news was likely already spread around.
I just didn’t want to go to social events and hear gossip, so I stayed at the estate…
As I hesitated on how to explain myself, my parents said:
“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to marry, and you can live with us forever, so don’t worry too much.”
“Right. When I inherit the family estate in the distant future, I’ll take care of you for the rest of your life, so don’t worry.”
My older brother, Shinsir, who was the heir, also said that to me.
Encouraged by their words that I should live freely with the inheritance, I finally gathered the courage to speak.
“I want to start a business.”
“A business? What kind of business?”
“Just… anything.”
My parents offered me a position in the family’s trading company, but I shook my head.
Who would want to buy seaweed from a strange-looking seaweed I didn’t even know existed, especially when it came from a sudden addition to the family?
If I wanted to act freely, I should use my own money to do it.