CH 1

The rain fell in droplets outside on the big day of the Lockhart Count Family.

The Lockharts were still unaware of the weather, and their servants were hurriedly proceeding to work on the party preparations.

“Is that everything for the chicken?”

“Who put fingerprints on all the silverware I spent so much time polishing?”

They had no time to slack off.

The Earl and Countess of Lockhart had poured their hearts and souls into this event, and no mistakes could be made.

There was only one purpose for today’s party.

The Lockhart family was looking for a husband for Britia Lockhart, the younger sister and twin of the Earl.

“I didn’t have enough invitations, so I made more in a hurry”.

Leon, the paladin of the Holy Valendug Knights and the youngest of the three Lockhart brothers and sisters who had dressed up early and finished preparing, arrived.

“I sent the invitation to everyone, including my classmate, the graduates who are still single, and the teachers.”

Leon’s shoulder shot up into the sky as if he were proud of the amazing feat he had accomplished.

However, Britia’s expression was not happy as she turned to look at her younger brother.

She was at a loss since she was feeling so overwhelmed by the fact that she was the star of the party today.

“Don’t worry, I’ve bragged about how beautiful my sister is.”

Even in this kind of circumstance, her younger brother was the only one who could babble on without seeming out of place.

“The number of invitations you sent is useless”.

Earl Lockhart, the oldest of the three siblings, spoke up while lounging on the couch and leisurely reading the newspaper.

“The important thing is the number of people who accepted the invitation.”

Leon was unable to respond to Earl’s query regarding the number of invited guests that would be attending.

“While you were sending the invitation, why didn’t you invite our parents as well?”

And the Earl, who was trying to make fun of his younger brother, said while grinning.

Because five years had passed since the death of their parents.

“Even a man with such a horrible personality was able to marry. It doesn’t make sense that you, my sister, will be unable to find one.”

Leon spoke in a low voice to Britia while looking annoyed after hearing his brother making fun of him.

“Leon Lockhart, I can hear everything.”

“Even his hearing is quite impressive.”

The Earl smirked when he saw that his younger brother was also making fun of him.

“Let’s imagine for a moment that a few kind and lazy gentlemen accept Lenny’s invitation.”

“What do you mean by few!”

“Just a handful of your jolly buddies.”

The Earl changed the phrases when Leon got angry, but they remained the same. He carried out what he said despite his booing brother’s attempts to stop him.

“This time, both my wife and I have put in a lot of work, so I think we have quite a few guests.”

While fiddling with his beard, the Earl expressed excitement about the event.

“That’s too much.”

Britia’s sighs and mutterings went unnoticed by the siblings, who were engaged in a heated verbal brawl.

“So, my dear brother, how many wonderful people have you invited?”

Leon sent a disdainful glance in the Earl’s direction.

“The Marquess of Slanford.”

He made a haughty gesture as he remarked while raising his chin.

“What Marquis?”

“It’s Slanford, Lenny.”

“That socialite freak?”

[T/N : “Socialite” someone, usually of high social class, who is famous for going to a lot of parties and social events: a wealthy socialite.]

Upon hearing him, Leon gave a dry laugh.

“To choose our sister’s husband, you invited that freak to the party? Brother, are you out of your mind?”

“Crave….!”

Britia’s eyes widened in shock when she heard her brother inviting someone with such personality, and she called out to the Earl.

The Lockhart Count family was going to throw a party on that day. Of course, she and the guests had to dance at least once in accordance with aristocratic custom, and that person was included in the group.

“I find it tough to keep up with someone like him. Being with someone who is so lavish would completely overwhelm me.”

“Don’t make that face, Tia. I won’t even advise you to go on a date with that guy, no matter what.”

What did he mean by date?

She was finding it very hard to just stand in front of him. Speaking of dating, the very thought of it made her feel sick.

“You can trust me, sister. The Marquis was not one of the candidates I invited to be your husband.”

Britia was calmed by the Earl’s soothing tone.

“So why did you send him an invitation?”

A big smile appeared on Earl’s face as Leon, who was bewildered by his brother’s behavior, questioned him with suspicion.

“That man is very popular in social gatherings.”

“So what?”

“Do you know how many responses I received of accepting the invitation when word spread that he would be attending the party?”

The Earl raised his two fingers, beaming broadly.

“I’ve got 20 letters. Within a day!”

“So you’re using that clown to attract guests, right?”

“Call it strategy, Lenny.”

‘This is all for our Britia’ he said proudly.

“Wow, brother, What a letdown.”

Leon mockingly laughed at his brother.

“Are you that sure of yourself just because you invited that jerk?”

“Do you have a person in mind who is more social than he is and who has the ability to attract people’s attention?”

Earl Lockhart struggled in his own way to hear the Marquis’s definitive response that he would attend.

But it bothered him that he still hadn’t received the confirmation from him and that it appeared as though he was being neglected.

“And here I thought my elder brother had invited the renown “Mad Dog of The North….”

Leon smirked as he observed his brother’s expression.

“I’m not an emperor who could call the crazy dog whenever he wanted, and how can you call a crazy dog that never leaves the north, much less attends a party?”

The Earl laughed while telling his brother to quit talking rubbish.

He had really given him an invitation two weeks ago, but the Earl was quiet about it. Considering that he didn’t even receive a rejection reply.

“I didn’t invite the mad dog, even though I knew the hall would likely be crowded with curious onlookers if he showed up.”

Even though he lied in front of his siblings to boost his self-esteem, the Earl couldn’t help but regretfully click his tongue.

The mad dog of the north, Sig Turas.

He was a man who carried many frightening legends, treated as if he were a legendary beast.

Young-ae, who ventured to look at him from the front a few years ago, turned to stone.

And ironically, he never met him at a party and instead ran into him somewhere else, despite his best efforts to avoid running into him.

“If a timid person like me looked at him, I would surely turn to stone.”

Britia exhaled a sigh of relief, since she had been worried that he might attend the party.

“That person scares me a bit.”

“Hey, Lenny, the way you say it sounds like you’ve met him.”

“Because I did .”

As he continued his story, Leonie grinned and made an intentionally eerie voice.

“You know what? The mad dog twists the beast’s neck with his bare hands.”

“No way. Is he really a human?”

When the Earl told him not to brag, Leon shook his head.

“I saw it with my own eyes.”

‘Why should people call him a mad dog without cause?’

In Spite of his brother’s stunned expression, Leon laughed as he said this.

“If what you say is real, wouldn’t people rip like paper when he touched them?”

“Can you explain what you mean?”

Britia’s expression darkened as the two brothers chattered excitedly.

“If someone hides a mutilated corpse, it will be difficult to find it in the north due to the snow.”

“I agree with you. It’s impossible to find the body.”

Britia’s mouth started to dry out as she overheard them discussing gruesome things.

She was perplexed as to why these lovely brothers could speak such nasty things so casually.

“But the Duke is in the North, isn’t he?”

With a dry mouth, Britia said.

Sig Turas was an individual who would only travel to the capital upon the emperor’s call.

He was someone from a very far-off world in the eyes of Britia, who had never met him.

“No, he’s in the capital right now. I met a well-known northern knight a few days ago in a shopping district….”

Without waiting for the excited Leon to finish, the Earl spoke up.

“Lenny, if you knew that, you should have invited him to the party. That is what acquaintance means!”

“What are you saying all of a sudden?”

Leon scowled at the Earl, who abruptly cut him off by shouting.

“Yeah, what are you talking about?”

Britia, who had been taken aback by her brother’s unusual behaviour, agreed with Leon’s comments.

“I said, why didn’t you send him an invitation?”

“Of course, I did!”

While trying to support Leon, Britia realisedm something was odd, so she swiftly turned to face her younger brother.

“Did you send it?”

“Well.”

“What?”

“Yes, I sent the invitation.”

Britia’s eyes widened as she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Why did you send it?”

“You said that he was so cruel and that he ripped people to pieces!

It’s a lie, isn’t it?”

Britia grabbed Leon and shook him to tell her that it was just a joke.

Looking at his sister like this, Leon tried to shut his mouth but failed to do so and burst into laughter.

“It’s a lie after all! Do you enjoy teasing your sister that much?”

“I’m sorry, sister,”

Leon gently hugged Britia and apologized in advance.

“I really sent him the invitation.”

After the youngest Lockhart confessed that he had invited the mad dog of the north, Britia’s expression, which had been relaxed, stiffened.

Leon started laughing again when he noticed her tensing up in that way.

“Hey, are you still trying to make fun of me?”

Leon gave Britia a tight hug, rubbing her cheek against his while acting warmly as she bit her lips.

“My dear sister, I’m truly sorry.”

Britia struggled when her big, strong brother hugged her tightly and forced her to bear his weight.

“Do you mean the Duke of Turas will attend the party? My standing in this aristocratic society will soar.”

When the Earl learned that his brother had invited a difficult-to-reach person, he was thrilled and puckered his lips in a smile.

“My dear brother, I’m sorry to say that, but put your ambitious dream aside.

He might not accept the offer just because we are acquainted.”

Leon confessed that he had not received a reply that he was coming or not.

“As expected….”

Despite his disappointment, the Earl clicked his tongue and muttered, ‘I knew it would be like this.’

“I’m sorry about the duke, Tia, but if there’s a guy you like, please let me know as soon as you can.”

Leon scoffed at him as he watched the Earl pointing his thumb to his chest to reassure their sister of her elder brother’s reliability.

“It’s funny when you say it. So, tell us what you’d do if she sent a signal.”

“I can go to the man and give him a little hint as to how much we can give him as dowry.”

“You’re the worst!”

Leon shook his head.

“Do you want to marry our sister to a money-obsessed person?”

“Lenny, don’t get too excited. It was only natural to wonder what might happen if the man our Tia liked turned out to be that kind.”

“You mean you’re going to lure that man with money to marry our sister?!”

As if to shield her from their older brother, Leon hugged his sister even tighter in his embrace.

“Lenny, you don’t have to worry because you’re not the one that’s getting married…”

The Earl shook his head at Leon, as if he were staring at his naive younger brother.

“That’s what marriage is all about.”

“Ah, is that so? Well then, Did you talk about it in front of your wife?”

“Of course, I didn’t.”

Leon grinned at the quick denial.

“Even your sister is abandoning you, bearded married man. Go find an empty room and face loneliness.”

“Lenny, do you want to see me cry?”

“If you beg me to open the door for you, kindly give me a call. I’ll be there to laugh at you.”

Leon burst out laughing.

“Tia, put an end to your evil brother. Do you want to see my tears?”

“You deserve it.”

“How could the three loving Lockhart siblings behave in such a way?”

While circling the other two, the Earl wailed.

“If our late mother and father saw this, how heartbroken they would be!”

Britia glanced at the Earl, who deliberately uttered a sad voice.

“Hey, what’s going on there?”.

He immediately turned around after hearing a voice.

And it was the Countess of Lockhart who caught his attention.

“Oh, Wife!”

The Earl happily extended his arms towards her, but when he noticed the weird expression on her face, he quickly retreated.

“What are you and Leon doing here?”

With a look of incredulity, the countess yelled.

“I’ve been busy circling the area to check on the progress of the food and to find out when the guest would be arriving.”

“By the way, are you all fooling around here like this?”

She was so furious that her shoulders trembled.

“Wife, it’s not like that…”

“You go by yourself and check with Walter right now to make sure there are no issues with the preparations!”

As per the countess’s command, the Earl moved swiftly.

“And Leon!”

“I have nothing to prepare.”

“Is there nothing to prepare after sending 100 invitations?”

The countess’ eyes appeared to pop in rage upon hearing her foolish brother-in-law.

“Oh, no. It’s a lot. I have a lot to prepare!”

As Leon bolted from the room, the Countess let out a heavy sigh and turned to Britia.

“Why does Britia, the key character of today’s event, have such a long face?”

“There’s no point in trying like that.”

Britia Lockhart believed she was simply an ordinary person, but she had a secret.

“A woman who sees strange things is weird. Nobody would want to be near such a woman, much less marry her.”

Britia was born with a unique ability.

She had the ability to see things other people couldn’t see.

“Britia, I know you’re upset, but don’t say something like that.”

The Countess who was saying this now had a brown tail that hung below her waist.