Chapter 15: Here Already?

So here he was, stripped of his princely identity, forced to take on the guise of a nameless mercenary.

Adopting his new persona hadn't been easy. Mercenaries in Neora were a dime a dozen, and few were respected. Without proof of skill or a well-known reputation, Alex was just another foreigner with a sword.

He'd spent the past few days wandering through Neora's bustling streets and shadowy back alleys, gathering scraps of information...

From the palace to the streets... He understood that his father was testing him, he didn't agree with it though. It was a stupid test.

Selena woke up with a pounding headache, the kind that made her feel as if tiny hammers were chipping away at the inside of her skull. Groaning, she turned onto her side, pulling the covers over her head to block out the sunlight streaming in through the tall windows of her bedroom.

Her mouth felt dry, her limbs heavy, and her thoughts scrambled like a puzzle missing a few key pieces. As she shifted under the covers, she became aware of an odd sensation—her clothes were different.

Selena bolted upright, only to immediately regret it as the motion sent a wave of dizziness crashing over her. Looking down, she saw that she was dressed in a light, comfortable nightgown she hadn't put on herself. Panic flickered through her for a moment, but then she remembered.

Right. Maids.

She was not Ming Yue anymore. She was Selena Whitlock, the infamous villainess of a romance novel she had been reading before her untimely death and transmigration. Of course, her maids would have changed her clothes.

This wasn't the modern world where people respected your personal space. She sighed, leaning back against the plush headboard, her panic subsiding.

But her relief was short-lived.

The events of the previous night came rushing back in fragments, like a poorly edited montage. She remembered the tavern, the alcohol, her emotional spiral about her old life, and then…

"Oh no."

Selena buried her face in her hands as a fresh wave of mortification washed over her. I asked someone to be my boyfriend.

She groaned, her headache intensifying. What had possessed her to do something so absurd? Well, she knew exactly what had possessed her—alcohol and a lingering sense of spite.

She was not about to stand being cheated on in both her lifetimes. She could not teach her ex-boyfriend a lesson, but she would surely make the Duke regret it!

She had been sitting in that smoky, crowded tavern, mourning both her old life and the new one she was stuck in. The Northern Duke had been the catalyst for her misery in this world, and she had no intention of letting him ruin her any further.

If he can find someone else, so can I.

The thought had been loud and clear, even through her drunken haze. She had wanted to humiliate him, to show him that she was not some desperate, pitiable woman clinging to his coattails.

If he flaunted his new lover in her face, then Selena would one-up him with someone even better.

The memory of the man's face drifted to the forefront of her mind. He was… Devastatingly handsome. His tanned skin, wavy black hair, and those piercing green eyes had stood out even in the dim light of the tavern. No wonder she had been tempted.

Drunk or not, Selena was still practical. She remembered thinking that her reputation would make it difficult to find someone willing to go along with her plan.

Most men feared the Northern Duke and those who didn't feared her. It was impressive that her drunken self had managed to rope someone in at all.

Now, if only she could remember how.

Her stomach growled, was she drooling? Was it over him or was it just because she was too hungry? She shook her head trying to get rid of all those thoughts!

She rushed into the bathroom to clean herself. She needed some peace and quiet, and perhaps something to get rid of those unholy thoughts!

The maids scrubbed her body clean, she felt extremely self-conscious but she couldn't fight them.

Her hair was dripping wet when she emerged, they wouldn't let her have anything to eat before her hair was completely dry. Selena resented being a noble for the first time. All these useless rules she had to obey and for what?

Selena was pulled from her spiraling thoughts by the sound of a knock at her door. She groaned softly as one of her maids entered, holding a towel and brush to dry her still-damp hair.

"Good morning, my lady," the maid said cheerfully, oblivious to Selena's current state.

Selena offered a weak nod and let the maid get to work, trying not to think about her humiliation. But then the maid added something that made her sit up straight.

"My lady, there's a man waiting for you in the drawing room. He claims you offered him a contract last night."

"What?!"

Selena's headache momentarily vanished, replaced by a surge of adrenaline. She twisted in her seat, causing her maid to drop the towel in surprise.

"A man? What man?"

The maid hesitated. "He didn't give his full name, but he said you would remember him. He has dark hair and green eyes."

Selena's eyes widened. Ignoring her half-dried hair, she stood and raced out of the room, much to the dismay of her maid. Her silk slippers barely made a sound against the marble floors as she hurried to the drawing room.

Selena froze in the doorway when she saw him.

The man—Alex, she now remembered—was lounging casually on one of the sofas, his posture so relaxed it was almost insolent. He looked completely out of place amidst the fine furnishings and delicate décor, but he didn't seem to care.

He glanced up as she entered, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"You're up early," he remarked.

Selena blinked, momentarily thrown off by his casual tone. She wasn't used to people speaking to her like that—most were either grovelling or glaring.