episode_0040

Why.

Of all times, why now.

At this very moment.

After decades of waiting, why did the observer disappear right before the crucial moment of the long-awaited face-to-face meeting?

Could it be.

That Elden Raphellion found out?

No.

It can’t be.

It must not be.

Gelwood said so himself.

In terms of skill, he’s considered one of the best in the industry.

A skilled individual like him wouldn’t be exposed by someone like Elden.

Or maybe, it was revealed to that female bodyguard?

‘…No way.’

I’ve heard that the female bodyguard is so skilled that she’s given the title of the Purple Knight, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she has exceptional tracking abilities.

The other party is known as the best in the industry when it comes to stealth.

Yes.

It must not be.

It’s probably just a minor delay.

They must be absent, not disappeared.

They probably left their post for a moment due to some urgent matter.

They must have been caught up in urgent business that they couldn’t even report back.

Yes.

“…Miss?”

That must be it.

It has to be.

So that I don’t give Elden Raphellion, who’s running away like a rat, any chance to escape.

“Miss!”

“Huh?”

Remyan, who was standing behind the altar, snapped out of his reverie at Marion’s call.

He had been so lost in thought that he didn’t even realize how he had made it from the outer courtyard to the central square.

He had to live in hiding his whole life due to the curse of the giant tribe leader.

Because of that curse, he had to endure harsh things at the academy.

Now, finally breaking free from that, Remyan Winterfell was about to make his mark on the world as he had always dreamed, but his thoughts were once again muddled with thoughts of Elden Raphellion.

“Why?”

“You need to snap out of it. This is the moment you’ve been dreaming of your whole life.”

“Ah… Yeah.”

It should be a moment of joy.

Now that he can finally cast off this suffocating mask and stand proudly before the world.

And, he can confidently step forward in front of the four who had given him hell and declare that the time for repentance has come.

But why does he feel more anxious than happy?

Why does irritation outweigh excitement?

Why does frustration overshadow liberation?

“Sigh…”

Remyan let out a sigh.

Anxiety, irritation, frustration.

It’s not easy to let go of all that with just one sigh, but Remyan tried to clear his mind and looked up at the altar.

The grand staircase that required one to bow their head to see.

Freedom awaited at the end of it.

“Today’s protagonist, Lady Remyan Winterfell, will be escorted-!”

The booming voice of the announcer came from beyond the altar.

Lifting the hem of his white dress, Remyan took his first step onto the stairs.

One by one.

Carefully stepping up the stairs, Remyan had practiced for this day, even though he preferred boots over heels.

He won’t stumble.

He will stand tall in front of the four.

With that determination, Remyan climbed the stairs and stood at the end, on the altar.

He was visible.

The crowd below, looking up at him.

And below, the four looking up at him.

“Wow- Lady Winterfell!”

“Wow-! Even with a mask, your beauty shines through!”

“You must be incredibly beautiful~!!”

“Lady Winterfell! Please look over here-!!”

As the central square erupted in cheers, cries, whistles, and waves of joy, Remyan looked at his father with eyes filled with emotion.

And looking at them all, Remyan felt a perfect moment.

It was a moment of happiness.

It was a moment when one side of my heart swelled with the fulfillment of what I had dreamed of.

However.

‘……’

The overwhelming happiness passed by in an instant, and as Elden Raphellion’s face caught my gaze, I felt as if we were the only two left in the world.

His eyes were clearly those of a fierce and stern predator, but somehow they had transformed into those of a gentle puppy.

Those innocent eyes were looking up at me.

But.

‘……’

What is it that makes me feel afraid?

Why does those innocent eyes, which seem to not understand anything, seem to be poking at something?

Could it be that the secret surveillance has been exposed?

Could it be that he is trying to use it as a weapon?

I was anxious.

How did I come this far, enduring hell with what kind of determination to come this far?

With what kind of mindset did I climb the stairs, preparing for today and planning for tomorrow?

As I descended from this stage, it felt like he would approve of surrender and destroy everything.

Of course, I had no intention of accepting that surrender, but the feeling of being drawn to him was enough to fuel my anxiety.

I felt wronged.

It was so unfair that the victim should feel anxious towards the perpetrator in this irrational situation.

I was on the verge of wanting to make him kneel and shed tears of repentance.

That’s how much I wanted to relieve this anxiety and injustice.

I regretted not listening to Gelwood’s advice a day earlier, regretted not being arrogant about the report without income.

“Now! Lady Remiann Winterfell, the 3rd Duchess, will remove her mask and make her noble name widely known in this world-!”

The ceremony proceeded without my control, moving forward abruptly.

And yet, her gaze was solely fixed on Elden.

Staring through his face, she grabbed the mask.

The reactions of the other three were expected, but Elden’s reaction was completely unexpected.

Derren and Blund, Kyle, must have felt something strange through the 1st and 2nd hints.

They must have felt that it was excessive for a test for verification.

Therefore, the moment he saw his face, he was bound to recall the past regardless of his hair color.

Indeed.

What would Elden do?

With a respectful expression, Remiann slowly removed her mask.

“Oh-! F-Finally-!”

“Please show us your peerless beauty-!”

As the mask came off, revealing her smooth forehead, joy blossomed in the square. When her blue eyes were revealed, exhilaration bloomed. When her delicate nose was revealed, delight bloomed. When her red lips were revealed, a thunderous cheer erupted.

“Wow-!!”

“Kyaa-!!”

Even so, Remiann heard nothing in her ears.

1 second.

His face was calm.

2 seconds.

His eyebrows twitched.

3 seconds.

His eyes widened.

4 seconds.

His mouth opened.

5 seconds.

With a shocked expression frozen on his face.

‘……’

That was Remiann, who failed to verify even the hypothesis of knowing her true identity and fleeing.

Of course.

The astonishment etched on Elden’s face held a different meaning.

**

‘Wow…! X, what the hell is that. X, she’s so pretty!’

Insane.

Crazy.

Is that a person?

Has a goddess descended?

No.

‘The illustration on the cover felt like a copy-paste AI, with a normal feeling.’

Moreover, even in the composition that turns a beauty into a monster when looked at from below, she shows off a goddess-like beauty?

Even from a distance, can features be so clear?

She seems much prettier than Erinshia in the original Elden’s memories, doesn’t she?

As Ariel said, is it because the snowy white hair color goes perfectly with the red color?

Truly, it was a beauty that could be described as not an exaggeration even if the goddess of the eyes herself had sculpted it, not a mere craftsman.

Encountering the extreme beauty that even the cutting-edge technology of AI could not achieve, it was a job that could only make one’s mouth drop open.

It was a common reaction not only for me but for everyone gathered in the square.

The rumor circulating in the world that the ‘Cinderella’ was an outrageous lie was proven in an instant, as Remyang’s beauty was blinding to the eyes.

A halo shines.

A heavenly beauty that informs that the unbelievable falsehood is the truth.

It seems that our female protagonist was not the type to seek attention through photos (?).

Of course, aesthetic standards vary according to individual preferences, but Remyang’s beauty was something that could not be disputed, boasting only absolute praise.

If the original novel was not just a women’s romance novel, she would have been the owner of a beauty so enchanting that one would fall in love at first sight.

And.

“Wow-!!”

“Kyaa-!!”

Clap clap clap clap!

The cheers and applause resounding loudly, regardless of age or gender, indicated that there was no need for further explanation of her beauty among the crowd filled with cheers and joy.

I turned my head.

Among the crowd filled with cheers and joy, only Ariel showed a different reaction.

??????????????????

It was a face full of question marks, as if a cognitive dissonance had occurred.

Just a few days ago, she had confronted Erinshia with her white hair.

I almost laughed at her expression, but I held back, afraid of giving Remyang the wrong idea.

I turned my gaze to the trio of Regretful Characters.

As expected.

“…!”

“…?!”

“…!!!?”

With faces full of confusion, and with bewildered and ominous glances, they looked at each other.

They must have been puzzled.

The first and second evaluation rounds were not ordinary.

Judging by the shocked expressions, it seemed that the protagonist’s plan to give hints had worked out well.

A moment later.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Remyang began to descend the steps of the platform.

The deeper the descent, the more intense the shock.

In the eyes of the Regretful Characters, it must have felt like death was approaching.

“I want to see the Grand Duchess up close too-!”

“Grand Duchess! Please come here too-!!”

And so, Remyang descended the platform and stepped onto the ground.

From left to right, Deron, Blund, Kyle, me.

Standing in order, the first to receive her greeting was Deron.

As Remyang extended her hand, Deron kissed the back of it.

Then, as Remyang offered her greeting, it was not clear what she said amidst the bustling square.

Judging by his face turning pale as the greeting continued, it seemed that it was not a normal greeting.

After passing through Blund, Remyang stood in front of Kyle.

Although it seemed like the same greeting, as soon as she removed her mask, Kyle, who had been staggering since then, suddenly collapsed to the ground, eyes rolling back.

It was the beginning of the women’s romance novel.

“Kyaa-! Kyle Gongja has fainted from the overwhelming beauty of the Grand Duchess!”

“As expected! Even the nobleman cannot handle such overwhelming beauty-!!”

Of course, to the general public who did not know the details, it seemed like a fainting spell caused by the beauty that even made the country lean, but it was not.

Blund quickly supported Kyle, and Remyang approached me.

‘Wow… She looks even more insane up close. She’s really damn pretty.’

To the point where the six-letter word naturally came out, she was unbeatable up close.

Erinsia, who always walked around modestly, looking shabby and unsuitable for a noble family’s daughter, seemed like a completely different person when she saw Remy with a full makeup on.

Without saying a word, she reached out her hand and kissed the back of her alabaster-like hand before lifting her head.

And then.

“Even like this, are you really going to reject my confession?”

She exuded an immense confidence that could enchant a kingdom.

……

………

…………

Phew.

I almost said ‘no’.