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Ji-yoon returned to her room, tired and bloated from everything she had eaten. She quickly took off her heels, stretching before collapsing onto her bed. "Ahh, I'm so tired..."

The sound of the door creaking open was like an ambience as she began to drift to sleep... "Wait, what?" She thought aloud, sitting straight up as a brunet man in a dashing suit walked into her room, closing the door behind her.

She sat straight up, putting her hands up as she walked backwards. "I... um... I don't know what I did to offend you, but I'm sorry." She blurted out.

"You're sorry, huh? For spreading those disgusting rumors about the duchess, you snake!" He exclaimed.

'I don't remember this part in the webtoon!' She thought, her head spinning. "Rumors? I... don't know anything about that."

The man ignored her and tried to plunge the knife into her side, and she dodged narrowly. "Wait, I never spread any rumors! I haven't spoken to the duchess for days!" She tried to plead with him, grabbing his arm before he striked her.

This seemed to catch him off guard, as it gave Ji-yoon time to grab ahold of the knife. "Let go of it!" He exclaimed, as Ji-yoon fought with him over it. She quickly twisted his arm, making him temporarily lose his grip.

Grabbing the knife, she gasped as the man pushed her into the vanity, coming up behind her and grabbing her head in an attempt to kill her using blunt force trauma. She shouted in pain as her head repeatedly was hit on the edge, putting her into a daze as she dropped the knife.

Falling to the floor with a hand on her head, she gasped when it returned with blood on her fingertips. Exhaling, she swiftly grabbed the knife and stabbed both of his feet.

'Ouch.' She winced as she heard his scream, pushing down her guilt and reminding herself she did it to protect herself. 'What is wrong with me? I'm the one who almost got killed, and I feel bad?' She gulped, standing up and staring at the man who was crying on the floor.

Duke Ergi suddenly rushed into the room. "Rashta! Are... you alright?" He looked caught off-guard, and quickly recollected himself. "Wow... Murder isn't exactly the best way to take out stress, I should know."

Ji-yoon just stared at him. "I... he..." She stared at him. "Attacked me first..." She touched the shallow wound on her head, which stung.

The duke nodded. "Alright. Let's get you out of here."

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Ji-yoon laid on her bed, with a physician by her side along with the emperor. She had a migraine and seemed to be suffering from vertigo. The physician pressed along her stomach, humming.

"Do you need to be touching her stomach like that?" He questioned the doctor, as if he knew why he was doing it.

The physician stood up and bowed. "Congratulations!" He smiled.

"Lady Rashta is with child!"

Sovieshu looked shocked, taking a step back.

Word soon spread around the palace, with Sovieshu going to inform Navier (for no reason, since Navier was believed to be infertile.)

As Rashta rest in her room, a certain skank opened the door. She stirred in her bed, and then gasped and scrambled to her legs once she noticed Viscount Lottesheu in the room. "YOU-you creep! Can't you leave me alone?!" She screamed.

"I hope you don't remember I'm taking care of your child. You haven't been paying me. It would be saddening if it were to be revealed that you allowed your child to die of starvation..." He threatened.

'What a jerk... First, he made Rashta think her child was murdered, and then blackmailed her for money?' She thought. She quickly yanked off her necklace and threw it at him. 'I have to get rid of him. But how?'

He stared at it for a moment, then smirked. "This will do."

"Viscount, I don't want to be associated with you anymore. Just... leave and don't come back." Ji-yoon looked away. 'He has a stench too.'

"What did you just say?" His eye twitched. "Your child-"

"I said leave!" She yelled, shocking him and her. "You... if you don't leave, I'll tell the emperor about how you're blackmailing me. He already dislikes you, so I wouldn't test your luck."

The viscount scowled. How dare Rashta act like she had authority over him, as if she didn't grow up as a slave as a punishment for her father's crimes? She was as important as the dirt beneath his feet.

His face darkened. "You better watch your mouth, Rashta. You may be the emperor's lapdog for now, but you are also just his mistress, and the day the emperor is bored of you, is the day your life ends." He warned her, leaving.

Ji-yoon sighed, holding her aching head. 'I don't remember Rashta ever being pregnant... or getting stabbed. Is the story changing because of me? What is happening?!'

She narrowed her eyes, lying down. 'Now that everyone knows I'm pregnant, Sovieshu can't possibly kick me out. Instead, I need to get rid of Viscount Lottesheu. That way I can sell jewelry to make money for myself.'

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Sovieshu walked into Ji-yoon's room, kissing her forehead. She tried to avoid the urge to shrivel in disgust. "O-oh... emperor! Why are you here?" She asked.

"Well, if my loved one got stabbed, I wouldn't just ignore her. Do you feel well?" He asked. She nodded. "Yeah, I just need to sleep and eat lots of food." Ji-yoon said, sitting up.

The emperor looked away. "Viscount Landre, he attempted to murder you and endangered my child." He recounted, his eyes darkening. "I'll make sure to punish him greatly. It'll be considered treason."

Ji-yoon thought for a moment. 'I don't really remember... I think that the empress saves the guy from death row because of Ducchess Tuania? I shouldn't let the news get out, the ducchess already hates my guts.'

She quickly turned away, and after a few seconds, she faced Sovieshu, eyes filled with tears. "Sovieshu, please, don't do that!" Ji-yoon sniffled. "Rumors have been going around that you're sacrificing the empire to help me, and this might lead them to believe it's true! I don't want you to get hurt!"

'It's lucky that I got Rashta's crocodile tears too.' Ji-yoon thought, patting herself on the back for the show she put on. "Please, don't treat it so seriously. He shouldn't stay in the dungeon for so long!"

Sovieshu looked taken aback, but sighed. "I suppose, since you're doing it to protect me. However, you can't let people continue to walk over you. He'll stay in prison for a week before I allow him to leave. Is there anything else you would like?"

She smirked, then pretended to act nervous. "I have something to admit... it's about Viscount Lottesheu." 

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