There existed a tiny cabin on the bank of the lake in woods in the outskirt of the Smallville town. The town was located in the most northern part of the Crimson Kingdom. It was surrounded by high mountains and was far from Imperial city and the town folks only amounted to 1500. Despite it being the border town, there wasn’t much of a troop, as the time was peaceful between three great empires. Even if the trouble were to arise, Smallville’s location wouldn’t have attracted much attention to itself anyway.  

The cabin didn’t look so shabby from outside, but still not enough to take a second look when passing by. It had a faded chocolate color and occasionally thumping sound could be heard from inside.  

The cabin was containing 18 years old girl who had flowing long black hair which was loosely tied with a ribbon. If anyone saw her now, they couldn’t help but wonder if she was a porcelain doll. Her appearance truly looked like that of a beautiful doll with her petite figure and pale skin with a rosy cheek. Her name is Anir. 

“Finally, it’s time to go back. I just hope there won’t be any obstacle this time,” she mumbled as she packed her things.  

She glanced at the wall calendar to see that day was March 17th. It has been exactly five years since she first came here to live. When her uncle sent her to this remote countryside, he said he would pick her up when the situation improves. At first, she thought it would take at most a week. But who would have known her return to keep being postponed one after another?  

As she thought of this, her smile faded a little. She couldn’t help becoming suspicious again. [Did my uncle really have a reason for not wanting me beside him as uncle Lee Taek said?] 

[Will I need to unpack again?] She shook her head and said, “Let’s not be inauspicious. If I were to unpack again, I’ll... I’ll...”, she thought for a while and decided, “I’ll just move into that Demon Lord’s lair. Who’d dare to bother me then?”  

Just as she was imagining the dark look of said ‘Demon Lord’ and feeling amused, a loud noise came from outside. “I know you’re here. Come out if you are not afraid!” someone shrieked.  

Anir rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her mischievous smile. “Just on time.” 

She walked out the door to see a handsome guy with a resentful expression. “What are you doing here instead of packing your things? Or are you already done?” she asked with a smirk. 

“You fraud! I want my money back!” the young man pointed his finger at Anir accusingly.  

She furrowed her brows in a confused manner and asked, “What money?” further fanning his anger.  

The guy blinked at her in disbelief. “You’re so shameless! You can’t do this to me!!"

At first, she hated living here. But as time passes, she's gotten accustomed to the quiet lifestyle of the town and developed her own twisted sense of duty to relieve all these pitiful villagers from their boredom using any means. 

With this “noble” reason, there’s no telling how many of the villagers fell for her dirty tricks. But J-Hope’s case was a little different from theirs. People grow up with experience, but he was the one who had been swindled by Anir the most. Without learning his lessons, he lost to her again and again. 

J-Hope looked at Anir with a fiery vengeance in his eyes. “Your talisman didn’t work at all! I shouldn’t have trusted you again. Because of you, Joy wouldn’t look at me again. How are you going to compensate for this?!!” he shouted with each word becoming louder than before. He wanted to scratch her ever existing smirk from her face.  

All of the chaos started last Friday, with him wandering around the town. When Anir first came to this town, he followed her as a bodyguard. As the town was quiet and peaceful, he had nothing really to do. Without firm resolution in his job and burning in his young blood, he developed a hopeless habit of falling in love left and right. As he was waiting for his next true romance, his gaze fell on the girl who was caring for the flower garden beside the orphanage.  

That girl was Joy. Everyone knows her. She was the little star of the village. She had nothing she couldn't do. Her kindness was well-known throughout the village.

That gentle touch and her kind gaze she was showing without her notice had attracted J-Hope’s attention, the town’s renowned ‘playboy’. Emphasis on the playboy part, because his love was never reciprocated.  

Back to the topic, Anir was the kind of person who uses people’s deep desire of the heart to gain profit, and J-Hope’s honey dripping gaze for her friend didn’t pass by without her notice.  

“Did you hope to steal this elder sister’s friend under my watch? Not today.” After thinking a little she added, “Not ever,” extinguishing any hope left in his heart.  

J-Hope was furious. “You say Joy is your friend. But everyone knows that you treat her like your slave. Don’t try and act like a Saint. And what ‘sister’? You are four years younger than me!” he grumbled. 

They glared at each other. Anir was extremely stubborn when she set her mind and she had a solid belief that ‘What’s mine is mine, what’s yours is also mine’.  

“You lowly creature! You dare to covet what’s mine, aren’t you afraid that this great one will punish you?” she lifted her chin and looked down at J-Hop