# 3
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Wake up, Dana Hartwin. What a fool you are.
These people don't see you as family.
'I'm the idiot who realized the truth too late.'
Dana quickly shook off her thoughts and sighed.
If she suddenly changed her position here, it would only bring suspicion.
"Jimmy, this is the last time. Please, make it through for once."
“I told you, I understand! Only you care about the marriage preparations!”
What a fool! Insults almost escaped her lips but she caught herf.
If she exploded here, the punishment would be hers alone as usual.
It was best to run away before she got angry.
Dana shook her head, looking at her brother, then left the dining room.
“See? That girl ended up following my words as I expected.”
“That's right, our son is really smart.”
The family members exchanged looks as if they were confident that she would comply as usual.
Adana would always explode in anger, then give in to their requests against her will.
Step by step, Dana walked heavily and angrily, then suddenly turned around.
It's not fair for me to leave everything like this.
'Since that is the case, fail miserably. My mother, my father, and you too, my brother.'
Dana smiled brightly and opened her mouth.
“Oh, Jimmy.”
“What now?”
“Since you're going to invest, take all you can. Squeeze it out.”
“Really, who is my future brother-in-law to stop me? He would be willing to do anything.”
Did you finally say something that made sense?
Jimmy laughed with relief. Dana, the frank and idealistic girl, finally became of use.
Dana looked at him coldly, then changed her expression.
“By the way, when are you going to introduce me to Lord Humbern?”
“At the upcoming Empire Founding Festival, during the dance party at the Imperial Palace.”
Foundation Festival… This was her last chance to escape this house.
"Lord Humbern does not like unruly women. Behave now, understand?"
Jimmy finished speaking and went back to drinking.
He wants a third wife, however, he stipulates that the bride be discreet.
A sarcastic laugh crept from her lips.
Dana quietly went up to her room.
At the top floor, her small, shabby room was waiting for her.
She sat on the rickety bed and began to recall the past.
Dana's life was a complete exploitation.
As a child, she worked as a maid, and when she grew up, it became a way to earn money.
But why...?
She tilted her head in confusion.
'Why was I putting up with all of this without resistance?'
What is the reason behind this sudden decision?
Even to her, these changes seemed surprising.
But a feeling of lightness came over her, as if an ancient curse had been lifted from her.
***
“Dana, about the statistics table you made earlier…”
Kira approached Dana on the work morning cautiously.
Then she tapped the corner of the report with her finger.
There was a yellow paper folded in half stuck there.
‘How to prevent loans in family name.’
So fast?
Dana's eyes sparkled with emotion.
After Jimmy's bullshit yesterday, she turned to Keira for help.
Kira's sister is a brilliant lawyer.
“Thank you very much, Kira...”
“My sister says this is the safest way.”
They whispered quietly inside the office.
Is it possible that this is the way out of the pile of debts that its people have accumulated?
Dana carefully opened the folded paper.
huh? Is that all there is to it...?
Dana looked surprised and removed the paper.
She checked the back and refolded it, searching for other lines.
But Kira, feeling embarrassed, held her hands and stopped her.
"That's it. But it's guaranteed."
“Creating a new family means...”
“Just get married, Dana.”
Marriage? Marriage?
Kira helped the confused Dana to her feet and they walked out together.
They walked down the long corridor until they reached the backyard fountain, without Dana saying a word.
When Kira was sure that no one saw them, she screamed loudly.
“Wake up! What can we do about this Imperial Law?!”
“Yes... Fuck this law...”
Years ago, monsters that once only inhabited the northern borders invaded the capital.
No one knew why.
But what is certain is that people's lives have completely collapsed.
The Hydron Empire opened its doors to aid and launched new policies.
One of the most famous is the low-interest loan policy.
(Low-interest loans: When you borrow from the bank and return the money later, you get interest back with it, which means more money than what you borrowed (of course this thing is forbidden and it is usury), and low-interest loans, meaning the money you increase when you come back to what you borrowed will be small)
People went to banks driven by temptation.
But long queues prevented them from getting anything.
When people's complaints escalated, procedures were facilitated.
It has become possible to apply for the loan if one family member has a financial guarantee.
Even using only his ID card!
Out of joy, the Hartwin family members borrowed huge sums of money in Dana's name.
'My life has gotten worse...'
Dana ran her hands over her face as if washing away worry.
Then she made up her mind.
“Kira, you’re right. If I stay in this miserable house, there won’t be anything left of me to the bone.”
“Exactly! Think of it as a marriage that needs to be concluded quickly!”
Crush them all! Kira punched the air with her fist.
Kira, did you mean marriage or fight?
Dana stood up and held Kira's hands tightly.
“Thank you for standing by my side.”
“This is the least possible among friends!”
The sunlight hits Keira's elaborate orange braids.
She was a loyal friend indeed.
In the background, the sound of the fountain was flowing gently.
Some singing birds flew by from time to time.
What a peaceful scene indeed...
“What are you two doing here?!”
-The peace was broken.
They were interrupted by the screams of Lighten, the head of the Potions Department.
“What's the matter, Mr. Lighten?”
She knows he's cold-headed, but for him to object to even a short break...?
'He used up lunch for a full three hours!'
Dana looked at Lighten with an unkind look.
"Paul Damon is coming! Secretary to the Minister of the Department of Magic!"
What is this person doing here?
The Potions Department was considered a peripheral department of the Ministry of Magic, and was sometimes even described as the Waste Department.
Layton said with great enthusiasm, a tense face on his face:
“He must have an important message from the minister! Like a promotion, for example... or another promotion...”
Lighten, an incompetent man, had achieved his position by sycophancy and evasion.
However, his desire for promotion did not subside even for a moment.
“Anyway, hurry up! Everyone has been asked to gather!”
There was no time to get emotional, so Dana and Kira had to quickly catch up with Lighten.
Dana's desk was adjacent to the office door.
Dana decided to use the time until Paul arrived to finish the piled up papers, so she picked up her pen.
“Oh, you've arrived!”
A disturbed voice echoed throughout the place.
What appeared next to her was...
'What's that ass?'
Layton's ass was curved as he squirmed.
At such moments, she cursed the location of her desk next to the door.
'What a wretch I am, it's morning and I'm witnessing this shit.'
Dana backed away slightly and avoided his butt before getting up from her seat.
Layton approached Paul, rubbing his hands coquettishly.
“What brings you here...Does the Minister have a message for us or something like that...”
“I apologize for the inconvenience at work.”
Paul interrupted, his face showing no apology.
“I have come to introduce you to a new employee who has joined the Potions Department.”
Everyone started whispering, a new employee is rare.
Then a radiant man appeared from behind Paul.
Brilliant golden hair, more beautiful than that hair...
There was no doubt. It was the angel she saw yesterday.
Because of his unforgettable features, Dana immediately remembered that it was Edwin.
The other employees couldn't hide their admiration when they saw him.
As for the cute Kira, she gently closed everyone's astonished mouths.
The only one who seemed calm was Edwin himf.
His gaze was directed only at Dana.
When their eyes met, he smiled softly at her.
Paul shook his head as if he had seen an unbearable sight, then began introducing the new employee.
“The new employee’s name is Edwin… Lambert. Please keep an eye on him so he doesn’t cause chaos.”
What is this method? As if he were presenting a predatory beast in a cage!
Lighten said with an unenthusiastic face.
“...That's it? Didn't the appointments end last month?”
Ah… Paul looked at Edwin out of the corner of his eye.
His face said: I don't even want the trouble of lying.
“This… young man was sick, so he couldn’t come yet.”
After these words, Paul immediately left the office.
As if a ghost was chasing him, he left with hasty and confused steps.
As for Edwin, he stared at Dana uninterruptedly.
Dana was a little confused, and smiled at him shyly.
But his eyes opened wide.
His red eyes burned like fire.
As for Dana, her first impression was completely different...
'He seems to be a weak man.'
That's Dana's first impression of the new employee, Edwin.
Paul's lie created that false impression.