The Villain is Being Suspiciously Kind

Arriving in the Petrosha Empire, they encountered difficulties out of the blue.
“Why did we arrive on the month when there are no houses for sale! The capital must be awfully busy. How could this happen? I don’t think it was like this in my great grandfather’s day!”
“But we still have the contract for the atelier. Adilac.”
Citrina waved the contract in her hand.
That’s right. On Dartrin Street, it was very simple to sign a contract for the atelier. It made it even harder to understand why there were no houses for sale in the vicinity.

“If it doesn’t work out right away, you can stay at my house for a while….”
The real estate market must be going through a slump right now. The broker spat out as he looked at them.
“Well, there’s only one property for sale right now, but only courageous people could go there.”
“Could it be there’s a ghost?”
The frightened Adilac asked.
“That’s not it, let’s visit it for now.”
The broker struggled to lift his heavy body. Citrina somehow had a strange feeling.
So along with the broker, Citrina climbed into the carriage. Their carriage traveled for about twelve minutes. Inside the empire’s capital, the roads were all well paved.

The broker couldn’t see her gaze well, and he coughed at least ten times. Seeing that, she felt a somewhat foreboding hunch.
Citrina exchanged glances with Adilac.
Trying to keep her thoughts indifferent and carefree, Citrina stepped out of the carriage to the townhouse.
The house was fairly small. However, the off-white wallpaper was clean looking and there was a cozy bedroom inside. There was a small sofa in the living room along with a rug.

Overall, it had a moderate and clean impression. It didn’t seem like bad surroundings for two women and a spirit to live.
“Citrina nim, don’t you think this place is really nice? It reminds me of the place our cute puppy, Summer, lived!”
Hearing Adilac’s words, Gemma whispered in her ear.
-Is it good if this is a house where a dog would live?
-Oh, maybe it’s good for Adilac….
“It’s definitely tidy.”

The situation in the capital was not bad, and it was small but clean. It didn’t seem like vermin came in and there were no signs of mold.
Citrina inspected it closely and looked at the broker.
“It’s very secure. You probably never need to worry about being murdered.”
There was a strange emphasis on the phrase murder. Citrina caught on to his hidden meaning.
“I see. Anyway, it’s in the capital and close to the commercial district, so why is security so tight?”
“We, well it’s good to have tight security.”
‘That’s not wrong….’

Citrina looked out of the window. The image outside the window made her wonder.
“What is that mansion?”
There was a large mansion in view of the window, which stood out. It somehow felt familiar…
The broker closed and opened his eyes as if he had been waiting for this to come.
“Haah…I’ll tell you about that.”
“Okay.”
“Actually, that mansion is cursed.
“What curse?”
“That’s actually the mansion of Duke Pietro.”

That’s right, she thought it seemed familiar, and it turned out to be the place she lived four years ago.
The broker stammered. Citrina’s face crumpled.
Did this person still believe in the curse of twins? It was because of this curse that Aaron still suffered.
To her, Desian and Aaron were childhood friends. Anyone who heard bad things about a friend would be offended.

“Who believes in curses in this day and age?”
She gave him a straight answer and the broker’s face turned red.
“…You’re quite courageous.”
-Who is this Duke Pietro? And what’s this about a curse? Gemma can protect you!
Citrina who heard the voices of three people, or rather one spirit and two people, stared at the broker.

“Then you hesitated to show us this house because of the curse?”
“What else is there to worry about? Ah, people have said that the temperature of this house is a bit strange….”
As a dishonest real estate agent, he had sold houses one way or anther so far. Nevertheless, when he tried to sell the townhouse next door to Duke Pietro, his conscience stabbed at him.
‘I don’t need to tell her that Duke Desian Pietro is possessed by the devil.’
However, even as he hinted at it, the woman in front of him refused to budge.

“It’s only warm here.
“It’s definitely toasty, Citrina! It’s definitely like Summer, our cute puppy.”
This modern and simple house was warm and the price was low.
Citrina knew very well that the duke next door to them was not cursed.
“There’s no other problems, if you’re certain….”
“Oh my….”
“Please contact the owner who put this house for sale.”
The broker nodded with a pensive look. Citrina quickly took the lead.

“Then should we wait here?”
“Yes, yes. You can wait a bit here and look some more at the house.”
For now, it would be good to meet with the house owner and secure the contract.
The real estate broker left with a short wink at Citrina. He headed out to meet with the landlord.
Outside the door, he shook his head.

‘Wow. How could you think of living next to Duke Pietro?’
At a time when nobles ran away with pale faces, this woman who looked to be a commoner stood tall. The broker shuddered.

‘Duke Desian Pietro is famous for being a powerful devil who carries a cursed sword that forces him to slaughter everything in sight!’
Truthfully, Desian’s notoriety had passed Citrina’s old knowledge about the curse of twins.
The exact image of Duke Desian Pietro in the broker’s mind was blacked out.
The prevailing evaluation of Duke Pietro was that he was an outsider who killed anyone who opposed him. Wasn’t he the one who took down the dark wizard’s tower?
‘She’s an interesting woman. She must have lived far away to have avoided word of the rumors.’
Anyway, she said she would like in the townhouse next to the duke.

‘She I have tried to dissuade her more?’
But the broker couldn’t bear to let the deal fall through. That was because he knew the recent move of Duke Desian Pietro, who was known to be indifferent to everybody.
He was rumored to have cause concussions to the nobles who had tried to speak to him.
‘Yes, I’ll just keep my mouth shut.’
The broker stood on the townhouse’s lawn and looked around. He thought the landlord said he lived nearby, but where was it? He decided to head to the management office that took care of all of the townhouses on the market.

“Mr. Porter.”
Right then, someone strode into the yard and called out his name.
It was a tall man in uniform. He looked like a knight.
The broker, Porter, looked over at him with clouded eyes.

“Ah, yes.”
“I’m the owner of this house. Nice to meet you.”
This was the only landowner who put a place for sale in the capital’s cold snap.
“Ah, come to think of it, you look exactly the same as the last time I saw you, Mr. Riner. They would like to form a contract.”
“Is that right? Really, truly, thank god.”
Riner said, biting the inside of his cheek slightly. There were thick dark circles under his eyes. He seemed to be really suffering.
Porter looked at his face and said.

“Yes, I’m happy to act as the intermediary.”
“Ah, yes…I’ve prepared the contract here in advance. Let’s go in and discuss the contract. As the owner, I will handle as conveniences for the tenant.’
“Ah, yes. Yes.”
“Tell them they can move in right away.’
“Yep.”
As the broker, the commission was enough. Porter accepted the contract. It seemed he would get a contract fee at this rate. It was a bit awkward, but he said it was okay.

After all, there was the strange freeze in the capital’s market.
But luckily, Citrina was able to get a house.
It seemed like a strange coincidence, but property sales normalized after Citrina purchased her home.

****

She finally had her own house.
Citrina sat alongside Adilac on the sofa. Adilac must have been tired as she had fallen asleep.
Citrina closed her eyes. The real estate contract came together as quick as lightening.
The owner of the townhouse did not show up, but Citrina was told he would take care of most of the conveniences.
‘It was all really good terms. For the atelier as well as the house.’
The monthly costs were also pretty reasonable. It didn’t take long to complete the contract and gather the luggage from the .
– What are you going to do now?
-I’m not sure….

Citrina cupped her chin in her hand and pondered. With a wry face, she opened her mouth.
Come to think of it Gemma, do you know how to do alchemy?
-If I become an intermediate spirit. All I need is the finest Silmaril! Then, this Gemma nim will become unbeatable.
Gemma’s transparent wings drooped.
Citrina tilted her head to the side. Looking at Citrina, Gemma stuck out her lips.
-Alright, your current abilities are great, but if you become an intermediate spirit you’re saying they will be even better?
-Yes!
Gemma rose from the stone she was lying on. Gemma’s fingertips slowly extended. Gemma’s hands stretched out slowly into beautiful shapes, bit by bit.
-I’ll be able to change stones into jewels. I can’t wait!
As Citrina looked at Gemma, she crinkled her eyes and laughed.
– I’ll quickly get you the Silmaril and then we can complete our contract, right?
-Yeah!

Gemma smiled brightly at Citrina’s serious tone. The spirit who had slept for so long was as pure as a child.
Citrina was currently satisfied with this simple life. With the remaining money, she could put a down payment on the atelier, and design and sell jewelry with them gemstones given to her by the dwarf.
It was the first time in a long time that she felt anticipation for the future.

‘I’m still upset and worried after hearing the rumors about the duke’s curse. Perhaps… the situation has become twisted again.’
Maybe she should try to gather rumors about the Duke of Pietro.
As Citrina stared at Gemma with her chin in her hand, Adilac woke up.
The maid residing in the house had come to organize all of the luggage.

“Citrina, what’s troubling you?”
“It’s about a close friend…I heard a bad story.”
“I see.”

Adilac sat by her side and worried with her. How many minutes had passed? Adilac came up with a simple solution.
“But rumors don’t often have any substance. If you believe in the rumors, won’t you look at your friend with prejudice?”
“It’s a prejudice…..”

Adilac’s words pierced her heart like a sharp blade.
“Yes, my mother once went to see a gold mine at the southern border of the Petrosha Empire, but it was full of trash and no gold to speak of…”
Citrina nodded curtly at Adilac’s long speech.
‘Alright, if we can meet later, let’s judge him in person.’

At least when Citrina had last met with Desian, he had been kind.
“This is definitely better. I believe in my judgment.”
But just to be sure, should she go and visit the Duke of Pietro?
She wasn’t sure if he would meet with her just because she asked for an audience.
With those complicated thoughts in her mind, she closed her eyes.
And just the next day, she came across and unexpected and peculiar situation.