I Just Needed Someone to Hate - Episode 9.2

Even stuck in this mire, her life seemed perfect.

Just as all the servants were obediently about to leave at the word that they could go,

“Martha.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Would you stay and help me dress? I’m meeting someone very special today, and I need you to show off your skills.”

“Yes? Ah, yes, of course.”

Martha glanced at the head maid and stepped forward from the group. As expected, the eyes following her were filled with jealousy.

Recently, Miss Mergoville hadn’t been seeking out maids separately, and she had been doing things like dressing and bathing alone. The fact that she had singled out Martha, who she was particularly close to, in front of everyone was significant.

Coincidentally, the head maid had been thinking that Martha was disregarding her authority by reporting issues with the new servants directly to the housekeeper of the mansion, without going through her.

The maids had been gossiping that Martha might become the young lady’s personal maid.

Martha, who was blinking in bewilderment at the too-easily-given opportunity for a private audience, snapped to attention as soon as the door closed behind her.

Was it about the personal maid issue?

Or had the matter she had told the housekeeper about reached the young lady’s ears?

“The reason you called me.”

“Pick out the best dress.”

“…”

“That kid finally came to the capital, I can’t just wear anything.”

Right, today was also the day the young lady was meeting her childhood friend, Mr. Madison.

Martha nodded, saying, “Yes,” and pondered which dress would make the young lady shine the most. It would be good to choose a dress that could be put on without ruining Vivianne’s carefully styled hair.

As she was thinking this, Vivianne opened a drawer in the vanity. Instantly, her pajamas slipped off her arm, revealing mottled skin. When Martha’s surprised gaze caught Vivianne in the mirror, she quickly pulled down her sleeve.

It was definitely a bruise.

“Could you pretend you didn’t see that?”

She kept her head down, but continued to speak, as if checking in the mirror that Martha was nodding.

“Thank you.”

“…”

“And I have something for you to deliver among the newly arrived maids.”

Martha, feeling unnecessarily nervous, almost held her breath as she waited for the young lady’s words. As soon as the young lady finished speaking, she was ready to confess every strange thing about the new maids.

“If there’s a maid who knows the names Freddie, Harvey, Cane, or Cole, could you give them this letter?”

The words that followed were not what Martha had expected.

“Miss, but they are a little…”

“I know, Martha. I heard everything you told the mansion’s housekeeper. What’s so strange about a rumored underworld strategist working with foreign maids? What I need right now is a maid who isn’t chatty.”

“…”

Martha hesitated, then obediently accepted the letter the young lady held out.

“Also, tell the butler to prepare my car so I can go out.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Vivianne only curved her lips softly instead of offering thanks.

❖ ❖ ❖

Vivianne Mergoville, daughter of the Marquis, Ludwig Rex. Finally, an engagement announcement?

That smile was truly a masterpiece. A photo like this was worth risking one’s life to follow Vivianne around all day.

Madison Parker thought of the lucky paparazzi who would be the first to take this photo. Rolling around in the silent battlefield that was the capital wasn’t so bad, either. Whatever the case, it looked much easier than Madison’s own work.

There would be no grenades dropping nearby, and no need to cross borders or continents.

‘Still, being here in such a quiet place like this unintentionally makes me feel like I’m playing a spy.’

A black fedora snatched from a junior’s desk. Wearing a jacket that happened to catch my eye today, hiding my face with a newspaper.

‘Waiting for a friend, but dressed so dramatically that it wouldn’t be strange to get shot.’

To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, Madison quickly took off the hat and placed it on the outdoor table. Golden curls that didn’t reach the shoulders showed off a free-spirited charm.

Just as she was folding the newspaper and reaching into her pocket for a cigarette,

A black classic limousine stopped across the street. A person hurried out of the driver’s seat, opened the back door, and said,

“My lady.”

My lady?

One lady with a complicated life is enough.

As Madison was about to get up, she noticed a familiar crest on the driver’s uniform and muttered,

“Who is that?”

At the same time, the person in question appeared. As their eyes met, the lady, who smiled at the entire empire, softly curved her lips and walked over. Madison put a cigarette in her mouth and gave a bland smile.

“Vivianne.”

“Madison.”

Vivianne, who reached a few steps in front of her as Madison rose from her outdoor seat, seemed quite surreal. The aristocratic lady, treating her no differently than when they were children, spoke with a worried expression.

“Why don’t you go inside? It’s cold.”

“It’s fine. Save that for your aristocratic lady friends.”

It was too much concern for a war correspondent. But she was born with that kind of sensitivity.

“Whenever news came out of Akaro, the Kingdom of Savebridge, where you are, I listened with bated breath. Oh, is Daniel doing well?”

Her voice was still cheerful and untarnished. Madison, seemingly not disliking her childhood friend, listed what had happened in the meantime, based on the five Ws and one H. An experience where a bullet grazed her shoulder, the battlefields she had seen, unkind soldiers, young children, comrades who didn’t return, Daniel, who had grown up so much and was now a full-fledged air force officer.

It was a journalist’s habit. Come to think of it, it seemed like a childhood friend’s habit as well.

The very essence that had made Madison dream of becoming a journalist, and the long-standing childhood friend of that lady who always listened to her stories with interest, her storytelling instinct.

‘Yeah, I can say it’s thanks to her.’

As Madison was talking about the most impressive photo a colleague had taken, she casually glanced at Vivianne’s thick fur coat, the earrings that were noticeably flashy for everyday wear, and the eye-catching, dangling hair.

As the image of the two sitting together in the tea room was completed, the contrast became even starker. Madison was wearing a pair of pantaloons and a beige tailored jacket, with a black tie under her vest, and their attire alone distinguished their lives.

At one time, Vivianne had regarded this difference with curiosity, as a trait or visible boundary that stood between their friendship, and would vent her spite on her for no reason.

Madison felt sorry for leaving her alone like that. There were many letters she hadn’t replied to.

‘I was worried, but I’m glad she seems to be doing well.’

Even if they had rented out the entire store, there was no way to stop people passing by the glass windows from glancing at her. But what was strange was that Vivianne didn’t seem to mind the attention. And what was with that mismatched title of underworld strategist for a noble?

‘It would be rude to ask, since I’m a journalist.’

Vivianne hadn’t been able to concentrate on the conversation the whole time.

Soon, Madison stopped talking and silence fell, and Vivianne looked at her with an apologetic face. Vivianne said, as if explaining, that she had been thinking about whether a letter she had sent to a friend had arrived safely. Without saying who she had sent it to.

‘That’s strange. A friend to this lady?’

There were many people she associated with in society, but Vivianne had never called them ‘friends.’

So, had that letter reached Vivianne’s new friend this time, Madison wondered.

To Daatro’s underworld boss and my fiancé’s superior,

Click.

Click.

Fwoosh-.

A cheap lighter spat fire in the darkness.

At the same time, the face in front of the flame flickered briefly in the brilliant light. The deep jawline and almost perfect appearance made even the shadows cast under those rough lines beautiful. Indeed, it was a perfection that passersby would glance at once.

Neatly pomaded black hair was ruffled under hard knuckles.

The man, who had read up to that point, took out an old fountain pen from his inside jacket pocket and scribbled on the back of the letter.

Oil lighter. This time, something expensive enough to avoid the noble lady’s keen eye.

The man, who had put away the fountain pen and put it back in his jacket, began to read the letter.

I am Vivianne Mergoville, daughter of the Marquis of Mergoville and fiancée of Ludwig Rex.

As you know, Ludwig Rex has another lover besides me. That hasn’t been a big problem so far. However, it is different now, with the engagement announcement party just two weeks away.

Carolina Russella.

My fiancé’s new woman has a personality that likes to show off.

The gaze of the young man reading the letter stopped. Judging by the handsome smile on his face, he seemed to be guessing the next content.

Was she asking him to replace her fiancé, or to dispose of the actress?

He wasn’t interested in the lower-level people’s lower-body affairs, but it was interesting that Ludwig Rex was meeting that clumsy noble-acting actress. It seemed like there had been a lot of noise about that actress coming to Daatro on a trip from the New World across the ocean, and he had already laid his hands on her.

He decided to continue reading the neat handwriting to satisfy his curiosity.

Hadn’t the letter he had been waiting for come to him only after a year?

“If your feelings are the same after a year, then I will personally eliminate the Mergoville young lady.”

That winter last year, when he had returned Vivianne to the Mergoville mansion, Edmund had said that to his organization’s advisor. During the time he had tried to forget Vivianne after that, he had left her alone, no matter what she did.

She was being called an underworld strategist, and the journalists were talking about her like that.

That gave him frequent opportunities to see Vivianne’s face, made him realize that he couldn’t forget her, and made him search for her traces even more.

In the end, he had even attended this year’s Mergoville family New Year’s party, making the lame excuse that he had to be careful because it was a matter of disposing of a person, just to see that woman’s face.

At that time, Vivianne was still that Rex’s brat’s fiancée, and therefore, his woman.

He didn’t know what she was thinking.

He continued to scan the letter containing her thoughts.

Please instruct Ludwig Rex to act in a way that benefits the Mergoville Marquis family, at least in official settings. Then, as an excellent Red Herring, I will hide the imperial aristocratic lineage strategist you are trying to hide.

I will use the attention from the press as a weapon to hide him in the shadows.

A red herring was a foul-smelling fish that his uncle had used intermittently to train hunting dogs. Just as the fish paralyzed the dogs’ sense of smell, she would also produce sensational articles with the topicality of her name to blind the public.

It seemed that she had written it as a powerful device to obscure the essence of the incident and distance the public from the truth or the real strategist – him. It was not surprising, as it was what Vivianne had been doing so far.

In the first place, the ‘aristocratic lineage strategist’ who had raised the underworld that the press was looking for did not exist, and the small error was that he, the boss, was the sole leader and commander of the force.

Vivianne Mergoville must have maintained the engagement for that time in order to make this proposal.

Then why.

The eyes of the man who had not lost interest in the letter continued to read the words.

Once decided, my engagement announcement party must be perfect.

I promise this is not for foolish reasons such as being the daughter of the Marquis or loving that loose-tongued rascal.

If I am to be of help to you, neither I nor my family must be made a laughingstock.

Please make him act like my fiancé in a presentable manner.

Then I will make sure that things like the bruises on my back are well hidden from the press.

Even a cute threat.

The faint smile on his lips deepened. He didn’t like that someone had touched his thing, but Vivianne Mergoville was always cute, so it couldn’t be helped.

I believe your organization also has much to gain from my marriage, so all procedures must be perfect, at least in appearance.

The young leader of the Daatro underworld, who had read the end of the letter, muttered.

“You seem to be doing well.”

He carefully folded the letter and put it neatly in his jacket pocket. He hesitated for a moment whether to burn it, then headed for the telephone.

It was then that a knock echoed in the suite.

“Bellman here, I’ve brought the rest of the Count’s luggage. May I come in?”

“Come in.”

At his words, the hotel room door opened and a bellboy wagon entered the room before the man.

“Where would you like me to put the luggage?”

At those words, the man gestured with his chin, and the bellman bowed his head and began to move the luggage. Afterwards, the bellman gave a brief tour of the room.

As the story was coming to an end, the man, who was called Count, rummaged through his pockets and finally took out a checkbook.

“I don’t have any cash on me right now, so I’ll use this instead.”

“That’s fine. Thank you, Your Excellency.”

The bellman stared at the cheap-looking fountain pen that didn’t match the man’s spending habits, then stared at the name the man was signing.

Edmund Hiad Colt.

As he had heard, the person staying in this room was indeed the only son of the Prime Minister. The young prodigy of the empire who had thrown himself into the business world instead of the political world.

‘I thought I was used to seeing celebrities, but it’s still amazing.’

He looked like the young Prime Minister, but something seemed different when he looked closely.

The bellman wondered if it was because of the Prime Minister’s son’s imposing physique, or the smell of cigarettes coming from him.

As he walked out after receiving a tip with a check, he heard a voice talking on the phone in the room. It was a royal suite, so the soundproofing was good and he couldn’t hear exactly what it was, but it sounded like he was asking them to prepare a limousine because he would be down soon.

❖ ❖ ❖

The official residence of the Prime Minister of the Daatro Empire is located at 3 Medwick Street.

Unlike the bleak surrounding government offices, you just had to find a striking stone townhouse. The building was not flashy, but it was grand enough to be majestic.

Looking down from the third-floor office window, you can see the entire garden.

It was the same scenery every day, but the Prime Minister had no choice but to play an unpleasant hidden picture game, at least for now.

There was a black dot he hadn’t seen before next to the back gate.

“Have you been well.”

Since when was it? His voice was much more mature and solid.

He chuckled, as if he had been caught watching the limousine carrying his son through the window. His stride had grown so much. He had left for boarding school at the age of thirteen, and now it was already 18 years. Time was so cruel.

The aged face reflected in the window was quite softened.

He thought he might have forgotten the voice of the good-for-nothing, but his memory did not betray him. The only flaw in the world he had manipulated at will, the only thing he could not control at will, which had frustrated him. Colt, the underachiever, a deputy minister, a member of the House of Representatives, and a naval officer, soothed the bitterness in his heart with the antics of the collateral relatives. His lips did not fall easily.

It was some time later that the Prime Minister opened his mouth.

“If you’re going to show your face, you’re the last one, since you came after Liam.”

He barely parted his lips to avoid revealing his stifled feelings. Then, as if nothing had happened, the Prime Minister walked to his desk in the office and looked up at his son from his seat.

“I was thinking it was an unexceptionally good day, apart from the unexpected uninvited guest. Norman will show you to your room.”

“I won’t be staying in the capital for long. I’ll stay at a suitable hotel.”

“I was hoping there would be something to look forward to, since you’re showing your face after so long.”

Finally, Prime Minister Colt spoke in the voice of a politician.

“It seems you didn’t bring a congratulatory gift.”

“I’ve only come to say hello. I’ve seen that you’re healthy, so I’ll be on my way.”

“Now you don’t even offer your father a meal?”

“…”

“Never mind, I don’t have much of an appetite these days, so I don’t intend to sit at a table set with your uncle’s money. But you were in the Duchy of Senovick, and you came to the capital as early as your cousins, as soon as you heard the news of my election.”

Edmund’s reply flowed out leisurely and slowly.

“Whether the voting results were one way or the other, it was the same good excuse to see my father, so there was no reason to hesitate.”

“That great business is.”

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