The officer gritted his teeth, glaring at Cynthia's retreating figure.
He was Captain Gail Declan, a comrade who had shared life and death with Masera.
'How did the Brigadier General turn out like this? The country was on the verge of collapse because of the foolish Royal Family, and it was thanks to us, the underlings who were ignored, rolling around on the battlefield that it recovered so quickly.'
In the past, this country was the first to fall due to the Royal Family's failed policies, which became the fuse for a long world war.
For a long time, countless young people had to sacrifice themselves for the country.
At that time, Masera wandered the battlefield as a boy soldier.
With his excellent eyes and genius shooting skills, his anecdote of annihilating an entire unit alone made the enemy countries tremble with fear.
In that way, Masera became one of the main players who ended the world war.
He was followed by a cruel tendency to indiscriminately kill without accepting prisoner surrenders, and the infamy of driving soldiers to their deaths to save nobles, but it was obscured by the praise of 'war hero,' and no one cared.
On top of that, he had a young and handsome appearance, so marriage proposals were sent from all over as if in competition.
'But I was so surprised to hear that he was engaged to a ghost-like person from the Bariesa Royal Family. There must have been pressure from the powerful federal countries.'
He couldn't stand the injustice.
At that moment, someone spoke to him.
"I find that white hair terribly disgusting, do you, Captain?"
It was Hayden, Eugene's tutor.
When Captain Declan didn't answer, he smiled awkwardly and walked away.
He felt suspicious, but decided not to report it. He thought that whether it was slander or a scheme, he hoped that man would turn a blind eye in return.
* * *
A dinner party with the officers who had returned from the operation.
Cynthia, wary of the awkward atmosphere, took a seat in the corner.
The officers, all with stiff faces, were talking about internal military affairs.
After a long time of difficult stories that could not be understood without military knowledge, someone said.
"She's not even married yet, is it okay for her to be here with us?"
He said it with a smiling face, but he was treating Cynthia like an outsider.
At that time, Captain Declan laughed, "Haha."
"Most of you probably don't know what we're talking about. She's been in a peaceful countryside all her life, so she's far from war."
There were sharp thorns hidden in his joking words.
In response, Cynthia showed her unique innocent smile.
"That's right. It's difficult for me. So, please feel free to talk."
Cynthia, who was used to being hated, didn't care. Compared to what the Royal Family had done in the past, this was nothing.
'What's more painful than being hated is…'
Cynthia sighed softly.
"What luck. She's like a jinxed girl who takes other people's lives!"
"She survived by sacrificing my daughter!"
She was reminded of those who pointed fingers at her in her previous life for miraculously surviving alone.
'The most painful thing was when even the people who hated and blamed me left, and I was left alone. So, I have to get along with everyone.'
First of all, winning Masera's heart was the top priority. To do that, wouldn't she have to get along with his colleagues?
'Yes, I'll bribe them to win their favor.'
Cynthia nodded, determined in her heart, when Captain Declan said.
"The Brigadier General is a war hero known all over the world, and his appearance is perfect, so marriage proposals are still pouring in. I'm worried that it might be burdensome to have such a popular fiancé."
In fact, even after knowing about the engagement, there were people who sent marriage proposals or offered to become his mistress.
After that, the officers continued to provoke her with their flowery, roundabout way of speaking, but Cynthia, the target, didn't hear them because she was so engrossed in thinking about what kind of bribes to give.
'It's not like she's in a position to be jealous in the first place, but how can she be so indifferent?'
Masera was lost in thought, looking at Cynthia, whose expression didn't change.
* * *
That night, Cynthia went straight to Masera.
"I'm thinking of going to the shopping district tomorrow morning. I'd like the Brigadier General to come with me."
"I refuse."
Masera, who was sitting in a shirt and sweater, said without taking his eyes off the book.
"Just go with Dahlia or Diego…"
"I knew you were going to say, 'Just go with Dahlia or Diego.'"
Cynthia, who had already memorized his repertoire, shrugged.
"I'll buy you a super delicious parfait. I heard it's full of delicious cookies and fruits?"
"I'm not a child."
He frowned slightly, sweeping back his platinum blonde hair.
Then Cynthia made an expression that she couldn't believe. She seemed to think that it was the best way to win him over that he couldn't refuse.
Masera raised one eyebrow, looking at her outfit.
"And why do you keep wearing that strange dress?"
She was wearing a bizarre dress sewn together with checkered cloth.
"What's so strange about it? What's wrong with a handmade, eco-friendly, upcycled dress?"
"I'll say it again, I'm not poor. Try to buy new clothes if possible."
Masera, thinking that arguing would be a waste of time, waved his hand to tell her to leave.
"Anyway, if you don't want the parfait… then there's nothing I can do."
Masera, watching her give up so quickly for once, suddenly remembered his conversation with Dahlia.
"The other servants say she wears ridiculous clothes, why is that?"
"It's not that she's deliberately trying to be frugal and down-to-earth… it's a dress that I accidentally ruined and repaired for her."
He thought she was protesting against his indifference, but it wasn't.
"I told the servants the truth, and they said she was trying to get back at me for making a mistake, but that's not it either. Everyone sees everything she does negatively, so I can't help it… I think she's wearing it on purpose because she's afraid I'll be embarrassed."
'Dahlia has completely fallen for her.'
Feeling regret, Masera took out a check, signed it, and handed it to her.
"You don't have to worry about money, you can use it as much as you want."
People reveal their true nature in front of money. Her tendencies will be revealed depending on where she spends this money.
He also had a slight desire to no longer be treated as poor.
Cynthia, who received the check, widened her red eyes and looked back and forth between the amount on the check and Masera several times.
"You won't regret it, right? You'll really buy everything you want? I'm confident I can clean you out?"
As expected, in front of money.
Masera was silently sneering at her when she, who was about to leave with a visibly excited gait, turned to him.
"Oh, right. You were talking about drilling and construction with the officers earlier. You're talking about Nox, right?"
There was a possibility of oil deposits in the Nox area that he had received from Count Queensguard, so he was preparing for drilling work by gathering investors.
There were investors among the officers, so the story naturally came out.
'Nox's name didn't even come up, how did she know?'
It was a story that would soon reach Count Queensguard anyway, but he didn't know what kind of troublesome things he would do.
Like the servants he had dealt with before, there were more than one or two shady things about him.
'Of course, it's useless to plot to break off the engagement and get the land back. The Count won't be able to afford the huge cost of the work.'
Since the work takes at least 10 years, it was impossible to gather investors without a certain amount of trust.
He had calculated in advance the various variables that the Count would take.
"Brigadier General, start by the rabbit-shaped mountain range in the west. You'll definitely find treasure."
He hadn't thought of this variable.
At Cynthia's unexpected words, Masera's eyes widened slightly before returning to normal.
"On what basis?"
"The luck I have. You've seen it many times."
Cynthia, who was smiling brightly, turned around and left the room.
Masera unknowingly opened the drawer and looked at the 'gem ring that brings wealth' that she had made for him with a bread bag tie.
'I forgot to throw it away.'
He left the ring as it was and closed the drawer again.
* * *
Cynthia, who came out of the room, walked down the hallway with a happy heart, holding the check.
'I'm going to buy everything I want. We're going to make a lot of money anyway.'
She had felt a sense of déjà vu from the way to the capital.
After that, she looked up Medea and the wasteland Nox area…
This world was perfectly consistent with the geography of the world she lived in in her previous life.
And the Nox area was where a huge amount of oil would be discovered in the future.
Cynthia went to the shopping district, bought everything she needed, went to a café with Dahlia to eat winter strawberry parfaits, and bought street waffles, donuts, crepes, and buttered corn.
"We're not there yet, Dahlia. I hope you don't disappoint me."
"My lady, please remember that it is a sin to leave food unfinished."
Dahlia, with her hands full of food, was a big eater, and Cynthia felt like she had found a soulmate in food.
'…More than that, it seems like he doesn't care at all.'
Cynthia recalled Masera's indifferent expression as she looked at the guards who followed her, almost to a burdensome extent.
'He's such an enigmatic person.'
She sighed, gripping the handle of her parasol tightly.
Earlier, before leaving the official residence, she had once again asked Masera to go with her, but he flatly refused.
So, when she called it a date, he made the most serious face in the world.
"Dahlia, is Brigadier General Masera usually so shy and taciturn?"
"Yes."
Dahlia, who had already finished her corn, nodded.
"He's probably never had a girlfriend before, has he?"
There was a formula that male leads in romance fantasy novels were always single, so it wasn't even worth asking, but she somehow became curious about his past and asked anyway.
Cynthia only knew that Masera was an orphan of war.
"He never had time for that."
"Well, he must have been busy since he was always going on expeditions, right?"
"That's also true, but he's just someone who lives without any leisure."
Dahlia recalled the Masera of the past.
Eyes devoid of emotion, a haggard and subdued atmosphere, a calm yet ruthless personality, but surprisingly, he was a man of compassion.
He never abandoned his subordinates on the battlefield, and after the war, he took in retired soldiers who were rejected by society.
Dahlia's amber eyes turned to Cynthia, who was smiling while holding her parasol.
'Perhaps, that bright and kind Princess…'
Might fill the Brigadier General's dark shadows with light.
* * *
While Cynthia and Dahlia were in the shopping district, Maryseiren's designer came to the official residence to apologize.
"I am truly sorry. A new employee came that day, and the dress disappeared with him in the middle of everything…"
"I understand. Just make it again."
Masera, understanding his position as the victim of theft, nodded.
The designer clenched his fists.
"Brigadier General, you saved my life when I was about to be attacked by a gang. I can say with certainty that I will create a masterpiece that will never be seen again."
"I said it back then too, you can just do it roughly."
Masera took out a piece of paper from his pocket, signed it, and handed it to him.
"And this time, don't put a limit on the cost."
His expression was as solemn as usual, but somehow, it felt full of determination.
The designer, with wide eyes, swallowed the words, 'How is that doing it roughly?'
Instead, he resolved to create a dress that would be incomparable to the one worn by the Duchess.
After the designer left, full of determination, Eugene approached Masera, who was drinking tea alone in the garden.
"Uncle, I don't like white-haired big sis."
Eugene had been diligently carrying out his plan to drive Cynthia away.
But when he gave her frogs and bugs, she thanked him, making him feel guilty, and when he put snowballs in her clothes, she sang strange songs like, 'Do you want to build a snowman?' and chased him around all day.
Having failed all of his carefully planned operations, Eugene finally decided to speak directly to Masera.
Cynthia was no ordinary opponent.
"Why?"
Masera asked, putting down his teacup.
Eugene sat across from Masera with a serious expression.
"Because she's a white-haired villain. Don't marry her. I'd rather marry her and be tormented."
Masera shook his head with a serious face to match Eugene's.
"I have to marry her. I proposed first."
Eugene, who knew 'marriage = love,' was startled and widened his eyes. He had thought that Cynthia, the princess of a bad country, was tormenting his uncle and forcing him to marry her.
In fact, Eugene had an underlying anxiety that he would be abandoned after the marriage. He feared that the bad princess who had taken over the official residence would order, 'Throw that brat away.'
This was largely due to the influence of the servants and officers who harbored animosity towards the royal family, as well as his tutor.
"Does she torment Uncle by kissing him too?"
At Eugene's question, Masera's body twitched as he held his teacup.
"Are you really not going with me? I'm actually asking you out on a date…"
Masera recalled Cynthia's flushed face and innocent smile.
There were many women who courted him, but something was different.
He decided to define the unfamiliar feeling he had felt since he first saw her as 'discomfort.'
Seeing Masera's expression, Eugene nodded with conviction.
"Hmph, bad villain. But I can't beat her with my current strength. I'll make her cry buckets when I grow up."
"I already made her cry."
At Masera's words, Eugene, who was picking up a cookie, looked surprised once again.
"So, is that big sis taking revenge on me for that?"
"No, you little villain."
Suddenly, Cynthia's voice cut in.
Seeing Cynthia, Eugene was startled and hid behind Masera.
Masera tilted his teacup and crossed his legs.
"So, did you spend my money to your heart's content?"
At his sarcastic tone, Cynthia lifted her chin with a triumphant expression.
"Of course."
She proudly presented the receipt with the list of purchases.
Contrary to expectations that she would have bought clothes, shoes, or jewelry…
There were only a bunch of useless things like aquarium decorations, yarn for sweaters, and a puppy doll. What on earth did she buy a hammer and saw for?
But it wasn't like she spent less because she was being considerate.
"Why did you buy aquarium decorations? There aren't even any fish."
"I'm going to decorate the house for the frogs that are hibernating."
At Cynthia's answer, Eugene's eyes showed curiosity, but he quickly pursed his lips, pretending not to care.
Masera pointed to the yarn part with an expression that he couldn't stand it any longer.
"Are you perhaps trying to knit a sweater? I'm saying this in advance, but I don't need one."
He was imagining Cynthia making a sweater with a bizarre design and trying to make him wear it.
"The cat in the garden had kittens. I'm going to make sweaters for the baby kittens to wear to prepare for the cold."
"That's a relief then. It's a bit suspicious that you even bought a hammer and saw, though."
"I'm going to build a house where the cat family can stay warm."
Masera sensed that he would end up making it when Cynthia brought a gift box that a servant was carrying and handed it to him.
It was a bribe he had bought to give to the officers.
"These are macarons from a famous dessert shop. I waited in line for a long time to finally buy them. I also bought ingredients to treat the officers to dinner."
Masera looked at Cynthia without a word.
She seemed to be trying to make an effort in her own way, but he wondered if it would be of any use.
"Eugene, you eat one too. And let's decorate the frog house together later."
Cynthia smiled brightly as she handed Eugene a macaron.
Eugene, who had unknowingly reached out his hand, suddenly flinched and stepped back.
"You shouldn't get close to people with white hair, Eugene. Because you'll be hated by people too. The Esatain people are bad monsters who spread epidemics in the past."
He remembered the words of his tutor, Hayden.
The picture of the white-haired monster eating people in the book he showed was enough to instill fear in the child.
'If it's known that my mother had white hair, everyone will hate me, right?'
Eugene's mother was also an Esatain.
Eugene was conscious of his surroundings and avoided Cynthia, but he couldn't help but approach her. It was because Cynthia reminded him of his late mother.
In the end, feeling confused, Eugene ran away with a pale face.
"Eugene, hello! You've grown a lot, haven't you?"
As Eugene was walking through the garden, dejected, an Esatain officer with silver-white hair greeted him happily.
He was an Esatain officer who had fled to the Federation as a refugee before the empire was destroyed by the invasion.
The Federation, which included the Republic of Rutemia, had accepted a large number of war refugees and Esatains from various countries.
Eugene's tutor, Hayden, was also one of those who had defected to this side, and he held ideologies that hated the Esatains.
"Don't act friendly with me! White-haired monster!"
Eugene clenched his fists and shouted.
Eugene's green eyes flickered uneasily as he saw the Esatain officer looking embarrassed.
He felt guilty about his actions, but he didn't want to be kicked out of here.
"…Monster?"
And Cynthia, who had followed him, worried about Eugene's pale face, witnessed the scene.