He was decent-looking, but he wasn't my fiancé. I knew that because my fiancé was supposed to have silver hair.
'Ah, he must be the assistant,' I thought.
His name was Ben. Strangely, while my memories of my fiancé's face were still hazy, I recognized Ben the moment I saw him. It was as if I’d inherited Charlize’s memory for faces, just like I had with the tyrant brother.
"...Greetings, Your Highness."
Ben looked at me and then at Bond, the butler who was still on the floor. He seemed to be piecing together the situation. After Bond finished explaining everything, Ben frowned slightly.
"I am sorry, Princess, but the Duke is currently out of town and not available."
"That’s unfortunate," I said, tilting my head. I let my eyes wander and gave a small, subtle smile. "But I must see him today."
"...Pardon?"
For a brief second, Ben looked completely perplexed. Seeing the slight heat in his gaze, I nearly whistled. No matter how much he might dislike Charlize, her beauty was apparently enough to momentarily enchant even him.
"I’ll wait here," I declared.
"...What are you planning this time? No, what is it you want?"
"I’m not planning anything," I replied softly.
"We cannot have guests in the mansion while the Duke is away. I am very sorry, but please return another time. I will inform his Lordship of your visit without fail." Ben’s tone was harsh now, as if he was angry with himself for being momentarily distracted. "I will risk my life to say this: if you persist, the Duke will only hate you more."
I flinched. The original Charlize would have enjoyed that kind of reaction and ignored the warning, but I wasn't her.
'I can't let him hate me even more. That would be a disaster.'
I couldn't afford to lose any more "affinity points" before I’d even met the man. I slowly stood up.
"Fine. You're saying I can't wait inside while he's gone?"
"That is correct."
"Great. Then I'll wait outside."
"I... what?"
Ben’s jaw dropped. He was a decent-looking guy, and the stunned expression on his face wasn't entirely unattractive.
"Has anyone ever told me I *can't* wait outside?"
"No, not exactly, but..." He looked utterly baffled. He clearly thought I was joking. *Are you really going to wait outside? That makes no sense.*
He was right—the real Charlize would never have done it. But I was in a hurry. The breakup had to be stopped.
"Then tell the Duke I’m waiting for him in the garden."
I brushed off my dress without a second thought. Even Bond, who had finally stood up, was staring at me in disbelief.
"Thank you for the explanation," I said to them. "And I'm sorry for the trouble. I really am. It’s not worth risking your life over a misunderstanding."
I walked past the stunned group and headed for the garden.
'Ugh, this hangover...' My head was still pounding. The medicine hadn't completely cleared it.
* * *
"...She’s at my mansion?"
Askin Remut had been busy since dawn. There was a mountain of paperwork to review and several meetings to attend. He had returned to the mansion closer to dawn than morning, only to be greeted by unpleasant news.
"Khm, yes... she is still here."
"Where?"
Ben scratched his cheek, looking more agitated than Askin had ever seen him.
"...She’s in the garden. She said she’d wait for you outside."
"...Outside?"
Askin had returned via the back entrance to keep his movements secret, so he hadn't seen Charlize as he arrived.
"What kind of scheme is she up to now?"
"I’m not sure, my Lord."
Askin frowned. Charlize? Waiting outside? It was ridiculous. "Ignore her. She’s probably acting on a whim. The woman won't walk three steps without complaining about the sun or her skin. She always has a maid with a parasol and a knight to lean on. She even has blackout curtains in her salon because she hates the light. You expect me to believe she’s sitting in a garden in this weather?"
"T-That is... Duke..."
"What?"
Ben pointed toward the window. Askin’s office was on the third floor, giving him a clear view of the grounds. He walked over and looked out.
There she was.
It wasn't hard to find her. Her vibrant pink hair stood out like a beacon against the green landscape. Her dress looked like a rare flower blooming amidst the bushes.
It was definitely her. No one else in the empire had that specific, sacred hair color.
"...What is she doing?"
Askin watched his hated fiancé, searching for a motive. He quickly came to a conclusion. 'She’s planning to ruin the garden.' Given Charlize’s track record, anything she touched ended up destroyed.
"Where is Aria?"
"In her room, my Lord."
"Good." Askin turned away from the window, his face cold. "Let her be. If she wants to destroy the garden, let her. It's Aria’s favorite place, but I'd rather she ruin the flowers than my sister."
He assumed Charlize would never enter the building itself; it was far too "frugal" for her tastes. She was the type of woman who believed that looking at something poor would make her eyes "poor."
Askin gritted his teeth. He just needed to be patient. The end of the engagement was near.
"D-Duke..." Ben stammered.
"What now?"
"That woman... she was... a bit strange today."
"How so? When is she ever *not* strange?"
Ben looked conflicted. His Lord was right, but something about today had been... different. "Is it important?"
"...No."
"By the way, my Lord... the Princess has been waiting out there for three hours now."
Askin hesitated. He turned back toward the window for a split second.
"She’s just sitting on a bench. She hasn't moved."
"..."
"Leave her," Askin said, walking away from the desk. "A leopard doesn't change its spots. She’s probably just brainstorming a new way to cause trouble."
He sat down to work, while in the garden below, Charlize had finally succumbed to exhaustion and fallen fast asleep on the bench.
* * *
'Oh, my stomach... my head...'
I slowly opened my eyes, the pain returning with a vengeance. I was shocked to see that the sun was starting to set.
'My god, how long was I out?'
I tried to sit up, but my body protested with a series of cracks and groans. I had been dozing on the bench, and somewhere along the way, I’d managed to lie down comfortably. The shawl I’d brought made for a surprisingly good blanket, but a wooden bench was no bed. My neck was stiff, my back ached, and my stomach was in knots.
'What a disaster...'
Reality hit me hard. In every other "isekai" story I’d read, the protagonist usually had it easy once they got settled. Why was my experience so miserable?
'The family is rich, sure, but this goal is impossible.'
The road to getting my money back was paved with hangovers and back pain. I hadn't expected it to be easy, but this was a lot.
"Okay... let's do this..."
I forced myself into a sitting position, leaning against the back of the bench. I patted my chest, trying to settle my stomach. I felt like I was going to be sick. The late-stage hangover was finally hitting its peak.