He Said He Loved Me, but It Was Because of a Potion - Chapter 1

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“Can you believe it? Three men this time!”

A noblewoman gasped and covered her mouth at the sound of her own booming voice.

But compared to the scandalous rumor that had shaken high society, it seemed like a minor flaw.

The very rumor that said, ‘That Anastasia Roxan brought three men to their knees at once.’

“I heard it too. One of them was a priest who had lived his whole life as a servant of God!”

“The priest? You mean that man, right? The one with the unearthly beauty.”

The shoulders of the gathered noblewomen all flinched at once.

Just that description alone was enough to identify him.

To be honest, even in the capital, where all things rare and beautiful gathered, his looks were exceptionally rare.

“And another one just returned with great merit from the war…”

“No way.”

“They say it’s none other than the Duke of Gladinare!”

“My goodness.”

“Now that’s a crazy woman! Of all the men out there.”

Everyone pictured that man without an ounce of human warmth.

Though he was impeccably dressed in clean and perfectly tailored clothes, he still gave off the chilling air of a blood-drenched murderer.

Even the smoothly paved marble floor looked like a mountain of corpses on a ravaged battlefield when he walked across it.

“So who’s the third one?”

All eyes turned toward the innocent-sounding, curious question.

“They say he’s a delicate-looking attendant.”

“An attendant?”

“Does that mean he’s a commoner?”

Someone, with a tone of fading interest as if their expectations had been disappointed, asked again.

Just then—

The doors to the banquet hall opened, and announcements rang out across the hall.

“Baroness Anastasia Roxan has arrived!”

“Duke Ishtan Gladinare has arrived!”

“Sir Frien Izanar has arrived!”

Without exception, every gaze turned toward the entrance of the banquet hall.

Not even a breath could be heard.

Beyond the open doors, a woman appeared and began descending the stairs.

Ebony hair cascaded down in waves, and striking golden eyes sparkled beneath it.

Escorting her with his arm outstretched was the Duke of Gladinare.

On the woman’s other side stood a youthful-looking young man in a neat attendant’s uniform.

And behind them, a man in snow-white priestly robes followed politely.

In a situation where rumors alone weren’t enough, they showed up together at the banquet hall?

All of them?

Everyone in the hall was swept up in the same shock.

Only the people in question remained completely unfazed.

The woman wore a radiant smile throughout and began sampling desserts from one end of the banquet table.

Surrounded by the three men.

Strangely, every time she reached for a wine glass, it would somehow end up in one of the men’s hands.

When the woman, her face slightly pouting, said something, a faint warmth spread across the formerly stoic faces of the three men.

“My goodness…”

Gasps of awe—whether from astonishment, admiration, or something else—escaped softly from all directions.

“Baroness Roxan!”

At that moment, someone bravely stepped forward.

“Are you saying that this display is an admission of the rumors that have been spreading?”

“Rumors, you say.”

The woman, Anastasia Roxan, smiled with a brilliance like the sun in an oil painting.

The one who met her ever-flickering golden gaze flinched instinctively.

“These three men fell under a potion that made them fall in love with me.”

“……”

“You mean the rumor that they turned into pathetic dogs who loved me?”

There was mockery in the woman’s smile.

***

Yes. I figured someone would eventually come ask me.

I stared at the person with a smirk, like a thug who finally found an excuse.

“So what if it’s all true?”

“Such—!”

As if waiting for that, the man burst into rage, and several others joined behind him.

“Horrible!”

“What on earth were you thinking doing this again!”

“Have you no shame left to bring disgrace to your family?”

“This time, you must face proper punishment!”

“Duke! Say something! Aren’t you a victim of this dreadful woman too—?”

Ishtan raised one eyebrow.

Even that minor reaction caused the nobleman to falter and fall silent.

He asked, “What’s the problem?”

“Wh-what? The problem…?”

“I’m happy.”

I clenched my lips to keep them from trembling.

Who would’ve thought I’d live to hear Ishtan say something like that?

“In the end, I believe I’m blessed to be able to love a woman like this.”

It was so serious, yet so outrageously absurd, it was hard to tell if he was joking or not.

“Baroness Roxan is loyal, brilliant, and admirable. Not to mention dazzlingly beautiful. There’s nothing lacking for me to stake my life on loving her.”

Even I felt dizzy listening to it, let alone anyone else.

“Isn’t that a far better position than being a mutt who kicked away good fortune with his own paws?”

His gaze found Rohwinas Canesion precisely, even among the crowd.

“Of course, I have no intention or desire to end up pounding the ground in regret like someone else.”

My eyes met those of Rohwinas’s fiancée, Meriana Peregrine, standing next to him.

As if sensing my wavering heart, someone reached behind and grasped my hand beneath my skirt.

“You’re doing great.”

It was Zaka.

Our eyes met.

And behind him, I could also see Frien, guarding me like a shadow.

“We’re the ones involved, and we say we’re fine. What business is it of yours?”

Zaka retorted sharply, glaring around at the others.

“The Baroness explained everything to me. Even so, I chose to stay by her side.”

Frien also clearly expressed his stance in a firm voice.

“So I’ll decline any further meddling or criticism.”

“Well, I’m happy, that’s all.”

“…Duke. That’s enough. Please stop.”

I gave Ishtan a sideways glance while biting down on my teeth.

Then I looked around at everyone and shrugged. “They say so. What are you going to do about it?”

Everyone was looking at me like I was a crazy woman.

Fine, go ahead and think that.

I’m not stopping now either.

A strange sense of satisfaction brushed past me.

“……”

So this is it.

How did things end up like this?

It all began four years ago, on the day it was revealed that my famous and handsome lover had taken a love potion.

That was when I became infamous as the crazy woman who drugged a man into loving her.

No, maybe it truly started when he drank the antidote and cast me aside like a worn-out shoe.

Or perhaps…

Not long ago.

When these three men drank a love potion and confessed their love to me all at once?

Anyway, my life had once again started to shift drastically.

‘Are you somewhere here?’

The real culprit who spiked the potion.

The enemy I must uncover no matter what.

This time, I refuse to crawl obediently into the mud like you want.

Now, even if I have to throw away everything, I will see this through.

Love is not something you can beg for.

And the love potion—never once was it my will.

So.

‘I swear on my life, this time I will definitely find you.’

No matter what.

1

A bright autumn day. Osmanthus petals fluttering through the sky.

‘You’re here?’

‘Were you writing a letter?’

‘Yeah.’

‘That guy the viscount introduced last time?’

‘That’s right. You remember?’

‘Was he good-looking?’

I had to hold back laughter as Rohwinas leaned in, subtly pressing his shoulder against mine.

‘Probably not as good-looking as you. I can’t even remember what he looked like.’

As if satisfied, Rohwinas’s lips curled deeply.

There was a subtle possessiveness in the arm he wrapped around my waist.

Drawn like a bee to honey, I lowered my head toward his lips…

‘I never loved you.’

A voice rang out like thunder.

‘The time we spent together, every word I said…’

The world twisted like it was being sucked into a funnel.

‘It was all a lie.’

“Asha!”

I jolted awake.

The blazing sunlight of a summer day poured down directly onto my face.

…Ah.

What a useless dream.

‘Why did I suddenly dream about that again?’

Frowning, I rubbed my eyes as Julie’s sharp voice rang out.

“Where did you go again, Lady Asha? Lady Asha!”

I peeked down to see Julie stomping her feet.

I debated whether to surprise her or keep hiding—

But then Julie spotted the shadow flickering by her feet and immediately looked up.

“Lady Asha!”

“Good morning, Julie.”

I waved gently, and Julie shrieked.

“You’re on the roof again!”

“Ah… haha.”

I hung from the edge of the roof, peeking my head out and laughing.

When you have nothing to say, sometimes a laugh is best.

“What if you slipped while drunk! I’ve told you, if you must drink, please do it with your feet on the ground! Are you mocking me?”

“See? I didn’t fall. I’m fine.”

As I stood up, I accidentally stepped on an empty bottle and stumbled awkwardly.

Barely regaining my balance, I glanced at Julie.

‘Even my dreams were rough. What kind of day is this going to be?’