Isn’t Being A Wicked Woman Much Better? - Chapter 51

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 51
Diera Orgo, a woman of noble character and unwavering justice, was absolutely not the type to be driven by material desire. She was a single-minded devotee of training and swordplay, and her integrity earned her the respect of the knights—a description that appeared multiple times throughout the novel.
If such a woman as Diera had accepted something from someone, it must have been either something she genuinely cared about or something she truly needed.
‘Given Diera’s personality, there’s no way she would have casually accepted something crude like a vase or bracelet.’
At merely twenty years old, she had claimed the position of Vice-Commander of the Knight Order, and the only thing this genius known as the Sword Saint showed genuine interest in was—!
Swords.
Just one thing alone.
On the table before me lay an old iron sword, its surface corroded with rust.
‘That sword feels like hitting the jackpot, doesn’t it?’
I desperately hoped the price would be reasonable. Or that there would be no competitors.
I waited for the sword to be presented, praying with the fervent hope of receiving a windfall from the universe, and before long, the auctioneer picked up the item.
“Now, pay attention, everyone! This is a bastard sword once wielded by the Dark Knight, a berserker of the demon realm. Notice this pommel adorned with a skull! Can you not feel the intense, sinister aura emanating from it? We’ll start the bidding at 50 gold.”
‘But how on earth would someone use such a menacing iron sword to hatch an adorable holy turtle?’
“50 gold.”
Did that even make logical sense?
A moment of unease washed over me, but I immediately raised the stakes.
“100 gold.”
“100 gold! This generous and magnificent lady has immediately doubled the bid!”
I had bid quite aggressively. The man who had been hoping to secure the sword at 50 gold seemed uncertain, and my bold move gave me tremendous confidence.
‘Why is my luck so good lately?’
Remarkably, the sword hilt barely visible at the man’s waist bore an engraving—the Black Mark.
The Black Mark. The seal of the Black Knight Order.
And Diera was the Vice-Commander of the Black Knight Order, one of the Empire’s four great knight orders. It was clear that this man had won the sword at today’s auction to present it to Diera.
“110 gold.”
The man, who appeared to be Diera’s aide and had been eyeing the sword all along, refused to back down and raised the price incrementally.
“220 gold.”
“Ohhhhh!!”
But I demonstrated my resolve to double the bid unconditionally, and the man’s face hardened as he clamped his mouth shut.
I paid immediately, and the old bastard sword, presumed to be a jackpot item, came into my possession.
‘Based on its appearance alone, it seems far removed from a hatching item.’
Surely I wasn’t supposed to beat the egg senseless with this to crack it open. I would need to conduct research over time. Having achieved my primary objective, I spent the rest of the auction simply for entertainment.
Dragon scales, demon horns, an earring said to contain the soul of an ancient empress—all manner of items designed to tempt the gods continued to emerge.
‘They really know how to dangle temptation in front of people.’
I too was momentarily tempted to bid on the earring said to contain the soul of an ancient imperial empress.
‘If only it hadn’t exceeded 400 gold.’
Just as the fever pitch inside the Auction House reached its peak, the auctioneer held up an old book.
“Ladies and gentlemen! This ancient manuscript is a morality book of an ancient sage, filled with wisdom and lessons for living. We’ll start the bidding at 60 gold.”
‘Seriously?’
The atmosphere suddenly turned solemn, as if doused with cold water.
Morality. A theme far too distant from creatures like me, who had flocked to this auction house driven by greed and the hope of luck.
‘And it’s ridiculously expensive at that.’
“60 gold.”
In the end, only a single bidder participated in the auction.
The protagonist of the moral tome was a tall man draped in a lustrous white robe. Even the sharp jawline barely visible beneath the hem exuded an almost violent handsomeness.
‘Indeed, virtue finds its proper vessel in the righteous.’
I was nodding in admiration when the man who had acquired the Sage’s moral tome suddenly began walking toward me at a leisurely pace.
‘What is this?’
“We meet again.”
A soft, resonant baritone caressed my eardrums. As the man lowered his hood, gem-like emerald eyes and resplendent golden hair gleamed in the light. He pulled down his white half-mask with a subtle smile, his eyes crinkling with amusement.
It was Isidore.
I started at this unexpected appearance, then felt a pang of suspicion. Most of the noble youths should have been at the masked ball held in the Imperial Palace—so why was Isidore here?
‘Something’s off.’
“Knight Isidore, your face belongs in a ballroom, not in an auction house filled with such ruffians.”
He shrugged at my remark.
“Isn’t it the same for both of us? I heard rumors of a rare item being auctioned and came to investigate, but I never expected to find a princess in such a chaotic place.”
Fair point—I’m hardly one to lecture, given my love of parties.
“But how did you know it was me?”
I asked, still suspicious, and he curled his lips upward before sliding his mask back into place.
“Knights naturally possess keen observational skills. A person’s gait, build, and posture alone are enough to identify a dance partner. Plus, your hair came loose.”
He pointed to the strands of violet hair that had spilled out from beneath the robe.
‘Careless.’
I hadn’t even noticed my hair had come undone when I was swept about by the crowds entering the Night Market.
While I hastily tidied my disheveled hair, he studied the moral tome with genuine focus, concentrating remarkably well despite the noise and chaos around us.
“Does it contain only life lessons and wisdom, or does it have other useful information as well?”
Curiosity got the better of me, and Isidore extended the worn book toward me.
“It’s a gift. Read it if you’re curious.”
“Why?”
There’s no reason to refuse something free, but this felt rather sudden.
“It appears the contents are entirely unnecessary for me. However, it might prove quite useful for a princess.”
I shrugged at his words.
“I doubt it. It doesn’t look useful to me either. As you know, I’ve never cultivated morality, tolerance, or etiquette.”
And I had no intention of ever taking an interest in such righteous pursuits.
“Haha!”
He laughed as if amused and pressed the book into my hands.
“Fortunately, this book doesn’t contain such unnecessary content.”
“Does it contain something remarkable?”
Something profitable, perhaps? A way to earn money?
“Perhaps?”
He smiled mischievously.
“Well then, I’ll take it.”
‘Is this actually written in the Empire’s language?’
As I scrutinized the ancient document, unable to decipher its meaning, Isidore posed the question.
“Deborah Simour. Is there anything else you’d like to purchase here?”
“No.”
“It’s too loud. Why don’t we step outside and watch the fireworks? They’ll be starting soon.”
Fireworks?!
Isidore had made quite an enticing proposal.
The fireworks were an event meticulously prepared by the Imperial Mages, a spectacular finale to the Spring Flower Festival. The scale was so immense that fragments of it remained even in my memories.
In my previous life, I’d been too caught up in grades and part-time work to properly enjoy such romance, so I felt a spark of genuine interest.
Besides, Isidore was my Ball partner today. Even if this charming man had something slightly suspicious about him, watching the fireworks together wasn’t particularly unusual.
“Let’s go.”
I adjusted my mask while engaging in various internal rationalizations.
After proposing the fireworks first, the moment I consented, Isidore’s emerald eyes behind his mask widened noticeably.
He blinked slowly, then suddenly spun around.
“This way, if you please.”
He opened the tightly sealed back door of the Auction House and produced a single sheet of paper inscribed with a golden magic circle from the empty corridor.
“What is that?”
“A short-distance teleportation scroll. It would be a shame to miss even a second of such an entertaining event, wouldn’t it?”
“We’d see it just fine once we step outside.”
“Pardon me for a moment. It’s designed for two people, so we need to stay close.”
Isidore suddenly seized my arm. Caught off guard by his abrupt action, the paper tore with a sharp sound, and my vision flashed brilliantly white as the surrounding landscape transformed in an instant.
“You could see it from anywhere, but this is better, wouldn’t you say?”
Better was an understatement. An unreal vista stretched endlessly across my field of vision.
The scroll had transported us to the very peak of Tower Peak, where the night scenery of Horun District unfolded before us in its entirety.
‘Magnificent.’
Faced with such a wondrous sight, I was left speechless.
The arched bridge connecting Yones District and Horun District, the river flowing between them, the narrow alleys lined with the Night Market adorned with crimson lanterns, the densely packed dwellings, the grand Academy with its distinctive domed roof, the elegant Imperial Palace bathed in brilliant light….
I, who had maintained a detached perspective, treating this as merely a world confined to pages, felt a peculiar shock and emotion atop this tower. It felt less like being cast into text and more like being invited into a new world entirely.
I gazed slowly at the beautiful landscape, then pulled my cumbersome robe behind me and removed my mask.
Isidore had also removed his mask, standing beside me with a pleased expression as he enjoyed the cool breeze. His unhurried demeanor seemed to transfer to me, and the facial muscles I’d kept tense all day finally relaxed.
“It’s about to begin.”
He swept back his wind-tousled bangs lightly and leaned his large frame forward over the railing.
“Dangerous…!”
The railing looked too flimsy to support his substantial frame, so without thinking, I grabbed his collar and pulled him firmly back toward me.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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