“You’ve come to find me, Lady Praviche.”

Raphael didn’t make me wait long. He matched the description in the book perfectly. Neatly dressed, long chestnut hair.

Above all, his striking feature was his blue eyes.

Raphael Celestian. This guy had clearer blue eyes than was indicated in the book.

“Even though it’s the same smiling face, it doesn’t feel quite like this in Evelyn’s memories.”

I recalled the situation from earlier. He had a different expression as soon as I mentioned that I had come to make a request to the leader of the Dark Guild, Pograsium.

I still couldn’t shake off the chills from that abrupt change in temperature. But I couldn’t afford to look weak in front of him. I casually ran my fingers through the fur I was wearing and relaxed my tense face as I grinned.

“I have a request.”

“A request?”

Raphael, sitting across from me, crossed his legs, folded his hands, and inquired.

“May I ask how you knew I am the leader of Pograsium?”

“No, you may not.”

I brushed off his question in a casual tone. Despite my audacious attitude, Raphael still smiled, as if he found something amusing.

I grimaced as I wondered what he found so entertaining.

‘He’s quite handsome for a supporting character. But I’m a reader who knows the original work. I know what kind of person he really is. Just from the fact that the dark guild’s business suits him so well, everything becomes quite clear.’

‘Geez, you should stay away from people like him. Anyway, it’s all because of that guy, Ulysses.’

Life is a constant struggle except for money, but at least Raphael didn’t try to kill me. I went straight to the point.

“My request is simple. Pretend to be my fiancé.”

“…Fiancé?”

Raphael’s momentarily amused expression vanished, replaced by a look of surprise. He cautiously asked, as if to confirm.

“An operation to incite jealousy in His Highness the Crown Prince, something like that?”

“No, it’s the opposite. I don’t like him anymore. But he won’t leave me alone.”

“…What?”

Raphael’s eyebrows twitched in a strange way.

He probably won’t understand. Ulysses is so infatuated with me, after all. He’s probably interpreting my words as a baseless fantasy.

There’s no need to say more; I showed him the crumpled letter I found in the morning, trampled on and torn.

The corners of Raphael’s mouth parted slightly as he unfolded the crumpled letter with an expression that was far from pleasant.

Raphael looked at the letter in Ulysses’ own handwriting and finally admitted to my statement.

“…It’s true.”

“So, while you pretend to be my fiancée, please make sure to drive him away. Here’s the down payment.”

I tossed a pouch with 200 gold coins, a light throw but it made a substantial sound due to the number of gold coins inside.

“Hmm.”

Raphael held the pouch in his hand.

He’s quick with calculations. He didn’t seem to have a strong desire for money, but anyone would appreciate money rolling in so easily.

“Alright.”

Raphael readily nodded his head. I secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

‘He’s accepting the request for a surprisingly low price.’

As expected, bargaining often requires you to strike half the price you had in mind. I smiled and played it safe, just in case he might change his mind.

“Good. Let’s start by writing the contract.”

“You’re surprisingly thorough.”

This guy.

His tone seemed to be mocking me, but honestly, if it were the real Evelyn, he probably wouldn’t even think about writing a contract.

I explained the details while he was writing the two contracts.

“There’s a reason for this. I reported to His Majesty, the Emperor.”

“What? Really?”

Raphael’s hand stopped. It seemed he never dreamed that it would go all the way up to the Emperor.

“People may not know, but His Majesty the Emperor favors me greatly. If necessary, His Majesty would forcibly arrange an engagement between me and the Crown Prince.”

“That’s a huge exaggeration.”

Raphael replied in disbelief. It was actually quite reasonable.

Although His Majesty the Emperor privately had a fondness for me and Ulysses, he did not publicly show it. It was because of the infamous reputation of Evelyn Praviche.

How clever you are.

In fact, under the guise of using me for Ulysses’ behavioral correction, he made it seem like I was the one interested in him.

‘Well, if it were the real Evelyn, it would have been a win-win strategy.’

I couldn’t be bothered to explain all that, so I shrugged my shoulders and said reluctantly.

“Anyway, on the day you confessed to me, you chased me down, gave me a large bouquet of roses and a ring. I remember that you gave it to me, even though I will wear the ring myself.”

“…Raphael.”

Raphael slapped his forehead. He was the type of guy who didn’t hold back, and things were urgent for us as well.

I glared at him, as if asking if he had any complaints, and he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ahaha!”

And his laughter grew louder. He wiped away tears as he laughed.

“Sorry, ahaha. Well, telling the story, it’s more fun than I thought.”

“Is it? I don’t find it amusing.”

Even as I spoke seriously, Raphael couldn’t hold back his laughter.

I began to feel uneasy. Since Raphael’s appearance, there had been readers with an absurd appetite for ridiculous pairings. Specifically, Raphael and Evelyn.

The names were diametrically opposed, making them a sub-male lead and a villainess. It was fine when I was a reader. But now that I had become Evelyn, I wanted to block the memories of my past self.

Am I going to be killed?

The original story had Ulysses as the one who killed Evelyn, not Raphael. So why tie him to it?

Raphael also has a deficiency in affection, and he’s crazy on top of that.

I’m a person, too, why wouldn’t I want to get involved with a handsome man? But I don’t want to recklessly reach out to a real-life lunatic, especially a love-starved murderer.

I aspire to have a healthy and peaceful relationship.

Please, don’t take an interest in me.

I quietly handed another pouch of gold, this time taking it from Douglas.

“… 300 more. Add one more condition.”

“What is it?”

“Don’t fall for me.”

“Pfft.”

Raphael’s laughter erupted again. His angelic face smiled, but for some reason, it felt like he was mocking me, which made me somewhat annoyed.

I expected to look crazy, but not to have such unwarranted confidence.

Evelyn was indeed beautiful. Despite her imperfect personality, being a hothead and even knocking the prince, she had it all – wealth, power, and beauty. Many had tried to court Evelyn.

“I made them taste my fiery temperament, and they all withdrew.”

Nonetheless, Raphael insisted that Evelyn’s charm would not be overshadowed by the nickname “villainess.” Raphael stopped laughing and regained his composure.

“No more additional fees are needed. It’s not that difficult to receive an amount greater than the principal,” Raphael assured as he handed me back my purse. My concern for his excessive confidence prompted me to take back my purse first, and I gave him a warning.

“…But if you ever show signs of liking me, consider the contract null and void. I’ll claim up to ten times the earnest money as a penalty.”

Suddenly, Raphael’s hand, which had been moving erratically, stopped abruptly. He turned his gentle gaze toward me and smiled.

“It seems you completely rule out any possibility of me falling for you.”

To be honest, if he had just shown that smile in public, every passing woman would have fallen for it. That’s how full of charm he was, and he was aware that he was a handsome guy.

However…

“I prefer people who are in good mental health.”
In response to my statement, Raphael’s lips finally sealed. The smile that had been on his face all this time disappeared, and he regained his composure.

I lifted one corner of my mouth and asked, “Did I say something wrong?”

In response to my question, Raphael remained silent, although it was clear that he didn’t think he’d end up being treated as a madman by the resident madwoman of this area.

We had treated each other like crazy people in each other’s presence. This was a good start for an employer and employee relationship once the contract was over.

Enjoying a subtle sense of victory, I placed an invitation card on the table with a loud thud.

“Then, I’ll entrust you to play the role of the fake fiancé starting tomorrow.”

With an air of triumph, I stood up from my seat and elegantly left the mansion. Frankly, while I found Raphael to be surprisingly refined and somewhat likable, he was still the leader of the underworld.

“I’ll end it after the contract is over.”

Only then could I spend my life enjoying luxury and spending money as I pleased. I continued my calm thoughts until I returned home, not even noticing that Raphael’s gaze was fixed on me.