Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 1

Revenge Comes with Interest 1

1. Marriage Hell (1/200)

August 1, 2023

‘I, Leah Hamilton, love Allen. Even if the world points fingers, we will marry and live happily ever after.’

The Hamilton Trading Company of the Galdenia Empire had been a family business for generations.

Starting with wool trading in the countryside, it had grown into a massive trading company that now traded with distant continents and handled almost every kind of goods.

And today was the wedding day of Leah Hamilton, the sole heir to the Hamilton Trading Company.

“Miss, shall I add more makeup?”

Sarah hurriedly brought the cosmetics.

“No, this much makeup and dress will be fine.”

Leah decided to finish her preparations. Then, she stood in front of the full-length mirror to check her appearance one last time.

“I want to be a bride worthy of Allen’s status. Elegant and dignified—this is just right.”

Marrying Allen, a nobleman, she didn’t want to be caught up in scandals.

A wealthy merchant marrying a noble, dripping in money from head to toe…

In fact, there had been so much talk about her marriage to Allen.

Every daily newspaper in the capital treated Allen as a snob, saying he chose money over the pride of a nobleman.

“Miss Leah, it’s time to go to the wedding hall.”

Only then did Leah realize that she was really marrying Allen. The bouquet in her hand trembled slightly.

Just then, the door opened and a man appeared.

“Allen!”

“Leah.”

With shining blonde hair, blue eyes, well-defined features, and a tall frame.

And because he was dressed in splendid formal attire, nobility seemed to radiate from him.

He was indeed a descendant of a distinguished noble family.

There was no sign of the hardships of a poor family on him.

“My princess, I’ve come to escort you.”

“How gracious, my prince.”

Leah tried to ease her nervousness with lighthearted jokes, as the wedding was about to begin.

“But, is it even allowed to be this beautiful?”

“Really, Allen…”

Leah felt her heart flutter at the sight of Allen gazing at her intently.

Could there be another woman in the world as happy as her?

Finally, Allen reached out his hand to Leah.

“Shall we go, my goddess!”

“Please refrain from such words. People will laugh.”

“Who cares if they laugh? What can’t I say to my beloved woman?”

* * *

It was a perfect wedding in every way.

Grand and splendid, and most of the invited guests were nobles from the Galdenia Empire.

Until the chief of the Metropolitan Police Agency’s heavy boots ruthlessly disrupted the wedding.

They turned Leah’s wedding into hell in an instant.

“A large quantity of dried poppy flowers was found on the Hamilton Trading Company’s cargo ship that entered the port yesterday. With evidence, related persons, and documents all secured, you must come with us to the Metropolitan Police Agency.”

The words of the chief of the Metropolitan Police Agency caused an uproar.

Smuggling, especially dried poppy flowers that could be used to make drugs, was something that could not be overlooked, no matter how large the trading company was.

As it was the biggest crime in the Galdenia Empire, they would not be able to avoid the death penalty in the worst case.

“Let’s go, Mr. Richard Hamilton.”

As the officers tried to tie up Richard, Allen took Leah and slowly moved towards the back door of the wedding hall.

“Allen! Father…!”

“Leah, we have to get away first.”

“But!”

“The fact that the chief of the Metropolitan Police Agency is here means there was an imperial order. Don’t you know that refusing means becoming a traitor?”

Allen took Leah and hurriedly left the wedding hall.

As Leah was led by Allen’s hand through the church garden to a secluded alley, a loud noise rang out.

Bang, bang!

The sound of several gunshots and screams from the wedding hall, and the bustling noise of people trying to escape, made Leah stop.

“I can’t. I have to go to my father…!”

“Look at me! Leah Hamilton!”

Allen grabbed Leah’s shoulders and shouted. He seemed to catch his breath, then spoke in a calm tone.

“Richard Hamilton asked me to ensure your safety. In case something unfortunate happened, he told me to safely evacuate Leah no matter what.”

“What?”

At that moment, as if prepared in advance, a carriage stood before them.

“Stay in the countryside for now. The coachman will take you to the safe house.”

“What about Allen?”

“I have to save your father. Once everything is resolved here, I will definitely come to find you.”

Only then did Leah burst into tears at the chilling fear that was washing over her.

Moreover, her body trembled with a chilling horror.

Allen hugged Leah, kissed her quickly, and put her in the carriage.

“Wait for me. I will definitely come to get you.”

“Allen…!”

Leah called out to him, leaning out of the window, as he grew farther and farther away.

* * *

The carriage was still running, and it was dark outside.

Where in the countryside were they going that they were running non-stop?

Leah wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and opened the carriage window. Immediately, cold night air rushed in.

But she had no idea where she was.

It was strange that the carriage was only taking rough roads without gaslights.

Could it be that they were only taking back roads to avoid possible inspections by Metropolitan Police Agency soldiers?

It was then. A thud was heard from outside, and the carriage shook violently.

It felt as if the horse and carriage had been separated.

Leah quickly leaned out of the window.

“Oh my god!”

Leah was shocked by what she saw.

The horse and coachman had disappeared without a trace, and only the carriage was left, speeding down a slope.

No, it was racing towards the edge of a cliff.

“No!”

Leah screamed and pushed the doorknob to get out of the carriage.

With a clunk, the door opened and the rear wheel of the carriage fell off.

Really, it was about to fall off the cliff, into the abyss.

She thought about jumping out for a moment, but the carriage was going too fast to even think about it.

‘I have to jump out anyway.’

If she stayed like this, she would be trapped in the carriage and fall to her death under the cliff.

Leah took a deep breath and tried to jump out of the carriage.

Rip, the voluminous dress was torn and caught in the carriage door, making it impossible for Leah to move.

Now, at the very moment when she was about to fall off the cliff, the shadow of death rushed towards her.

“Ahhh!”

Crash! The carriage ran to the edge of the cliff and fell into the dark abyss.

Leah’s desperate scream roughly cut through the night air.

The carriage crashed and rolled down the steep cliff, shattering into pieces.

* * *

The sound of dogs barking and unfamiliar voices. More precisely, men’s voices. Leah tried to open her eyes.

‘People….’

Leah moved her pupils to the side. But she couldn’t feel anything below her neck.

‘One dog, two dogs, three dogs, four dogs. No, one person.’

Three hunting dogs and a man silhouetted against the moonlight.

Following the high-quality hunting boots, she saw a long gun in the large man’s hand.

The man’s black hunting clothes had a splendid golden eagle pattern embroidered on them.

As the wind blew, his cloak fluttered like wings.

Leah was curious about the man’s face and tried to open her eyes wider, but even that was not easy.

He seemed to have black hair and sharp eyes.

Then, just as Leah’s consciousness was fading again, she heard the man’s voice.

“It’s lucky for a person to die peacefully. I hope you go to a good place.”

The man’s pitiful words were the end of her consciousness.

Leah felt like she had been holding her breath underwater and then came out to meet the air.

She breathed very gently and slowly.

She felt her soul disappear like smoke and then reappear.

Leah was tormented by a terrible nightmare.

But whether there was an end to the pain, her body gradually felt as light as a feather and seemed to float in the air.

‘I’m dead.’

Otherwise, her body could not be so free without such terrible pain.

Leah was swept away by the wind like a dandelion seed.

‘Did I become the wind after death?’

The world turned into a riot of colors, and the wind blew her to an unfamiliar place.

Then, she fell weakly into a magnificent castle.

On a rainy night, a woman and a man were arguing in the rain.

“Terrence, why do you keep postponing the wedding? If that’s the case, why did you get engaged to Grace?”

“Grace, don’t be so petulant.”

Leah was embarrassed.

‘What am I looking at? Is this a dream?’

She didn’t know why she had to watch the lovers’ quarrel of a complete stranger.

Then, the man’s sharp eyes glanced at Leah.

‘That’s the man I saw on the cliff.’

Leah instinctively tried to run away.

But as if caught in a huge whirlpool, her body was sucked into the woman named Grace.

No matter how much she struggled to get out, it was like falling into a swirling swamp.

Only after her body was completely sucked in did her consciousness disappear.

‘Death was not the beginning of fear, but rest.’

Only then did Leah feel at peace.

Sometimes she had a headache and coughed severely, but each time someone came and put a wet towel on her forehead.

Not only that. When the time came, bitter medicine was swallowed into her mouth.

After repeated fever and pain, cold sweat flowed all over her body and the fever subsided.

“Ugh… uh!”

As Leah groaned and blinked her eyelids, she heard busy footsteps.

“Miss, are you feeling better?”

In her dim vision, she saw a woman with neat black hair and freckles on the bridge of her nose.

‘It’s not Sarah. Then who is it?’

Just as she was wondering, the strange woman began to nag like a burst dam.

“You know the Duke’s personality, don’t you? But why did you suddenly beg him to marry you on a rainy day?”

‘What are you talking about? It didn’t rain on the day I got married. And Allen is not a Duke.’

“I’ve told you over and over again that men get tired of women more easily when they actively pursue them, right?”

“Who…?”

Leah managed to make a sound with her dry, chapped lips.

She seemed like a maid, but she was curious about her name.

“Oh my! Did you forget my name after being sick? It’s Pauline.”

“Ah! Paul…ine, I want to get up.”

Pauline helped Leah up and propped several pillows behind her back.

Leah looked around the space she was in. It was unfamiliar, but not completely unfamiliar.

Her room was more luxurious than this, and the furniture, lighting, curtains, and sculptures were all top-notch. Moreover, there was a scent here that she had never smelled before.

‘A lonely and deprived scent.’

Just then, the door opened and a cool breeze entered.

Familiar footsteps were heard, and soon a man stood before her, exuding a strong presence that filled the space.

‘Who is this man?’

Leah remembered this man exactly.

He was the man who had repeatedly appeared before her, even in the moment when her consciousness disappeared and when she became a dandelion seed wandering the world.

His jet-black hair contrasted with his white skin, and his sharp but thoughtful eyes were a clear black.

His stubbornly haughty nose and firmly closed lips seemed perfectly drawn.

He was definitely handsome without any flaws, but what overwhelmed people was his intense presence.

“I’m glad you woke up, Grace.”

‘Grace, me?’