[Aloof and strict, that was my first impression of him. However, as I got to know him more, Archen was caring and kind.] - The sun that melts the snowy mountain, Vol. 1, Ch. 20

FL you liar! Caring and kind my ass! This man is mental!

I internally screamed. Archen, The man that's portrayed as nice and caring albeit strict was now pointing his pen against my neck.

How did I get into this situation?!

A few moments ago.

Wow. 

Woah.

So cool.

Oh my god.

Look at that shine.

Chandeliers so high up, carpet that just makes you want to roll over it, silver and gold decorations, knights dressed in red uniforms. Now, this! This is the mansion of an Aillard, not that pathetic waste of land.

"M-- dy-- My lady!"

"Ah! Oh... What is it?"

"I've been calling out to My lady for a while now. You're drooling."

Ack.

I swear I'm not usually like this! I'm a dignified and elegant lady! It's just that I haven't been to a castle since...

???

I've been to a castle?

"Ahem! Your Grace. Lady Raina Atara has arrived." Mr. Butler said. He opened the door.

I slowly walked in. 

Fuuuuuuck... 

He's handsome. Hair like the night sky, rose-colored eyes, fair skin. With his round glasses, he looked like a diligent scholar. Damn! If a side character like him is so handsome, just how good-looking is Azriel?!

No, no, no, we must focus! I should greet him!

"Greetings, your grace, the right hand of His Majesty, Duke Archen Richter von Aillard el Oberon."

Archen glanced at me before looking down at his hand and staring at me with hostility.

? What's wrong with him? 

"You may sit." He said.

God, His voice is so cold.

I sat down on the sofa. Oh... It's so soft... It's more comfortable than Raina's bed in the annex... Damnit! You're enjoying a luxurious sofa while I get a mattress that feels like death?!

"I heard you consumed Nimen."

'So you knew and never visited?!' — is what I want to say. 

I looked down to hide my 'embarrassment' and fidgeted with my fingers.

"Are you mute?"

"No, I mean yes, no wait." Arggghhh. "Yes, I consumed Nimen. And No, I'm not mute."

"...So, what do you want?"

Money- I mean get on your good side. 

"I... Wanted to apologize..."

I peeked at him to see his reaction, and he looked shocked. "I've been reflecting... And I realized just how b- Hyuk!"

"Who?"

I felt my body freeze. Archen glared at me menacingly. What did I do?! "So-Sorry?"

"Who are you?"

Huh? No way. What? A hundred thoughts came running through my head. I'm so confused.

"Answer." Archen held the tip of the fountain pen against my neck.

And that's how we came to this situation and to be honest, I don't know what I did to deserve someone threatening my life like this. Like, come on, I just died a week ago.

"What do you mean?" Scared, I asked.

He scoffed. "You're not her."

Shit, how did he know? 

Like answering my question, Archen said, "That girl was never the type to apologize."

...Huh? That's your reason. Although that's such a weak argument, he looks like he believes it wholeheartedly!

I can only think of 3 options. [1. Regrets after nearly dying.] [2. Amnesia] [3. Tell him the truth. No. Just No.] 

"That's true... But after nearly dying, I have realized that... Everything I did to you and everyone was wrong... I want to change and be a better person. So I thought the first thing I should do was apologize!" I said enthusiastically.

"You're a good actor."

Why thank you. Ah, wait, no.

"I'm upset. Acti-" Archen's pen dug deeper.

"The twentieth day of the fifth month. Year Az 1." 

Bitch, what?

"On that day, what did you tell me?"

"..." How the hell would I know?

"You don't know? Admit it."

"...This is embarrassing..." Archen's left eyebrow raised. "My memory...I can't... I've lost my memory." Believe me, damnit. Fucking believe me, please.

My desperate praying was halted when I felt a sting on my neck followed by a trickling sensation. He's adamant about this.

"What did you do to her? Who are you? Mind control? Metamorphosis? Soul swap?" His grip on the sofa and pen tightened. "I sensed black magic. It was faint, but it was there."

Black magic? If it's Archen saying it... Was Raina a black magician...? 

Ah...

HA. HA. HA.

I take back what I said! To the one who got me here, don't even think about showing up in front of me or I'm going to beat you up till you're black and blue.

"Oh, fuck it!" I'm at my wit's end. 

A wise warrior must know when to retreat. – Sun Tzu, The Art Of War, probably.

"I'm not Raina! My name is Sienna!"

I suddenly felt a cold sensation on my wrist and couldn't help screaming. Archen shut my mouth with his left hand, the other swiftly putting a handcuff on me. 

Huh?

"Quiet. Be obedient." He sat back on his chair, hands on the table, clasped together. "State your name, age, occupation, and where you live."

He's interrogating me.

"Thank god."

"What?"

"Nothing. Sienna Argerich. 18 years old. As for my work and address, I'm a scholar. I came from the North of the Rosenlite empi-ARGHH!!!" I felt electricity run through my body. Did I just get electrocuted?! I just got electrocuted??!

"That handcuff is an artifact blessed with holy power. The effect of it depends on the gravity of the lie."

???

This was never mentioned in the novel.

Well, it's not surprising. This is a fantasy world after all. Artifacts are invented by saints and are usually imbued with holy power. "...Truthfully, I'm not from this world."

The handcuff didn't do anything. Archen's left eyebrow raised and his head leaning on the chair came forward. "Go on."

"One week ago, I died in an accident. A truck hit me."

"Truck?"

"Hmm. It's a large vehicle in my world. Anyways when I woke up, I found myself in a strange place. I learned that the body I was in was a lady from a prominent family. I thought Raina's living situation was too pathetic for a lady and wanted to investigate and oh boy! It was really bad. So, I went to complain to you but who would've known that Raina was a black magician?"

"That girl is not a black magician."

"But you said you sensed black magic!"

"You're the black magician."

"I am not a black magician." I raised my hand. Archen pursed his lips. 

Tsk. Middle finger to you, man. How can you accuse me of murder and having a contract with the devil when seeing a drop of blood makes me pass out?

"But...not..." He murmured.

"What?"

"No, it's nothing."

He didn't visit her when she was sick, so why are his eyes like that?

"Are you worried about her?"

"No!" Perhaps, thinking that he was too rash, he composed himself and said, "No. Why should worry about her?"

"I see." I felt a ticklish sensation in my arms. 

God, even small lies like this? 

"You guys don't seem to have a good relationship, so I'll be straightforward, It's likely she already died. It's probably of suicide too."

Archen's brows were knitted. "Didn't you say you came here a week ago? How would you know about that?"

'Observation.'

"The only books in the annex are related to herbs, plants, and flowers. The books were old and worn out as if someone had open and shut them thousands of times, there were a lot of notes written on them too."

"In addition, Nimen has a distinctive appearance and has a special process to procure it. 5 jars of procured nimen leads to death... Raina, She drank 7. Isn't it obvious? She's knowledgeable, yet..."

Archen sighed. I couldn't see his expression as his palm covered his face.

"Nimen is a fast-acting agent, in estimate, she should've been dead by the 3rd day she overdosed. I was thinking that me occupying this body was merely a coincidence now that I know Raina has black magic, then perhaps..."

"It was intentional." We both said in unison.

"Yeah. Highly unlikely that they specifically planned on my soul though." I sighed, "The most important part is what I can't wrap my head around. If she did use black magic to insert a soul in her dying body, what was her goal?"

The both of us were silent, then Archen raised his head and spoke with certainty, "Retribution. On the duchy. On the Aillards. On...me."

"Hmmm... That's a possibility."

"She's been wronged by our family. She was neglected and shunned by everyone, not just the duchy but also other families surely she has resentments."

I figured but didn't think he'd outright admit it. 

"I agree. Raina must hate everyone- especially you, a lot. At least I would if I were in her shoes. However, we aren't too sure about that. Logically speaking, if she just randomly picked a soul, shouldn't she have left a note to convey what she's planning? But I found nothing."

"That's indeed puzzling..." He said in a low voice and then he became quiet again.

Its been 30 minutes since Archen became silent, he's smart so that should be enough time to process what i just said right?

"So, about the real reason I came here. Care to listen?"

Archen continued with his overbearing silence.

Is he ignoring me? You mo- No, Sienna, he's your biggest backer at the moment. 

"Excuse me? Mr. Duke-y duke the greatest of them all?"

His face was full of disgust, "What is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry. I'll stop." Like hell I will. "So about my request...?"

He sighed, "You're quite... dauntless."

Is that a compliment or nah? "Well, whatever it takes to live a free and easy life."

"What is it that you want?"

"A new bedroom, I don't really care about what color or aesthetic it is, just make sure everything is nice and clean, especially the bathroom. Delicious foods, it doesn't have to be 5 star michelin level but at least make it appetizing. The finest clothes and jewelry, I don't know much about this world's fashion trends at the moment so I'll trust you when it comes to that, as for the jewelry, my favorite gem is sapphire, oh and i appreciate it if you throw in a bit of pearls... Hmmm... What else...? I think that's it. Yeah that's it."

"Jerome."

The door opened and Mr. Butler came in, "Yes, your grace?"

"Show the lady to her new room."

"Pardon?"

"That room."

Huh? What? Why is he being cryptic? He's not going to put me in prison is he? "Hey, that room you're talking about... It's nice and clean with a soft bed... Right?"

He ignored me and waved his hand basically telling us to shoo off.

"Lady Raina." Jerome smiled sheepishly. 

"Before you go, you would want to take this," Archen said, before throwing the keys to me. Not very gentleman-like if you ask me but I still catched it gracefully, of course.

I opened the handcuff and handed it to Mr. Butler "Thank you."

He nodded, "Shall we go to your room, Lady Raina?"

"Hmmm. Let's go."

To be continued.