episode_0006

“If this level of inspection is enough.”

After sending a creepy murder warning(?) to a familiar but unfamiliar maid, he walked alone down the hallway.

Worried that the butler, who was struggling in the waves of emotion, would be disappointed, he secretly conveyed his message.

Hoping that the recent help wouldn’t come back as a bothersome rumor.

He thought about speaking kindly, but unknowingly, strict inspections must be maintained.

“It shouldn’t matter for a good-for-nothing like her.”

Taking personal responsibility for the young maid may be right, but it was also right to utilize the flaws of the class society to maintain a minimum level of decency.

Instead of taking the young girl to the duty room personally and being labeled as a coward or hypocrite, it was a hundred times better to entrust her to the butler, even if it was a correct decision.

Infamy can be helpful in life, but disgrace is just filth.

If you have to gain a reputation, it’s better to bear infamy.

Anyway, for now.

“I want to lie down in bed quickly.”

From immediately after the possession declaration escape from the harem, meeting with the regretful characters, and the collision with the strangely familiar maid, it was a tiring day.

Reading a harem novel for women that said, “If you want to be my husband, kneel down and beg,” I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I was possessed.

Moreover, it was just before the start of the harem.

Like other possessed individuals, there was no time to blend into the world or to carefully understand the situation.

It was a day that could only be tiring.

“By the way.”

Who on earth possessed me?

Honestly, I didn’t feel any resistance to being possessed.

Falling into a strange world was a bit scary, but for me, who had no regrets in my current life, it was rather a pleasant thing.

The problem was being possessed in a way that said, “Where the hell am I.”

I wondered if it was a grudge against some evil spirit, or if it was anger towards the almighty novelist, but there was no way to know.

It was a normal life for someone who had nothing, and it was a normal life where such dramatic events would never happen.

“Well, in harem novels, the possessed individual is a common citizen.”

Clunk, clunk.

Lost in ridiculous thoughts, I walked for about 10 minutes, and before I knew it, I had entered the place where the final candidates resided.

Located to the west of the main palace, there were four separate houses for the four final candidates, and the security was strict.

The palace guards stood at the entrance and around the walls 24 hours a day, and only the families living there were allowed to enter.

Only the final candidates, the housekeepers and attendants selected from their families were allowed to enter.

The reason was simple.

It was to prevent secret collusion and bonding.

In order to have private interactions between the final candidates, the ‘evaluation team escort’ was a rule, and if you violated the rule and had a meeting, you would receive a warning, and the closer you got to the final victory, the further away you would be.

Therefore, palace guards from the main palace were responsible for security and surveillance at each residence.

The separate houses were private spaces and resting places.

Since they couldn’t monitor the inside, controlling entry and exit was a precaution against unforeseen circumstances.

Of course, one might question whether prevention could be achieved by mere palace guard control, but since humans are ultimately intelligent beings with animal instincts, just setting up a deterrent can have a significant effect.

And.

Being aware of these rules, I was quite surprised.

“…Advisor?”

As soon as I entered the fourth separate house for Count Raphaelian, I saw the Chief Advisor of the main palace, Geldud.

“Oh, you’re here. You’re late, Elder Gongja.”

Even though it had only been half a day since we met face to face, his somewhat arrogant face was so welcoming because he brought the promised ‘answer’.

The Grand Duke, the Chief Secretary, and the Marquis Gongja, though their social status may be similar, the official hierarchy places the Marquis Gongja well above the others.

They wouldn’t have called upon me to deliver the answer.

And the fact that they personally traveled to the territory of the Raphellion family meant that it was an important matter, and that it was likely the ‘answer’.

Please.

I bid farewell, hoping that by tomorrow morning, I would be able to depart to the south of the Northern Province where the Raphellion Marquis was located, not the Grand Duke’s residence.

“I didn’t expect the busy Chief Secretary to personally make the trip.”

“Ha ha. Of course, I had to come. How was your meeting with the candidates?”

He would know.

Everything that happened there, every word spoken.

The person in charge of the Hon’yakdaejun could observe the situation through the magical artifacts worn by the evaluation team.

Secretly, of course.

Furthermore, Gelwood’s insight was described in the middle of the Free Faction as unparalleled.

It may not have been revealed to the public, but he was born between his mother, who was a court scribe of the empire, and a high dragon.

For him, showing his true feelings was more natural than hiding them.

While others may not know, I am well aware of his background and abilities.

Any attempt at concealment would be seen as deceitful, arousing curiosity.

Well.

“Even if I speak sincerely, it will still arouse curiosity.”

Regardless of what answer I give, arousing his curiosity is a given, so I decided to convey my feelings in a way that would pique his interest.

“It was a tiring gathering.”

Gelwood chuckled with an interesting look in his eyes.

“Ha ha, a tiring gathering indeed.”

He then politely gestured towards the guest entrance.

“Shall we talk as we go?”

**

Following Gelwood, I climbed the stairs leading to the top floor known as the ‘Owner’s Floor’.

One could expect that Gelwood’s visit would bring sharp tension, but unfortunately, the opposite was more likely.

If the surrender had been approved, there would be no need to hesitate.

To walk and pause unnecessarily was to imply that the conversation would be long and that the desired answer had not been reached.

‘…I’ll have to activate Plan B.’

Of course, I had already planned for what to do if the surrender declaration was rejected, so there was no need to sigh.

It was just that the easiest and fastest escape had failed.

As we reached the upper floor of the staircase, Gelwood, who had maintained silence, spoke up.

“So, did the meal suit your taste? It was the first meal served at the Grand Duke’s residence.”

“It was excellent. I would want to eat it every day.”

“Ha ha. Are you saying you will withdraw your surrender?”

“….”

As if that would happen.

Even if the imperial chef prepared the meal every day, I would not seek revenge on the hostess for a crime I did not commit.

Instead of answering, I smiled, prompting Gelwood to ask again.

“You’re not asking about the ‘answer’ you promised?”

“Yes.”

We had already reached the top floor.

Only the head of the household and a select few attendants could ascend to this floor, signifying that there were no listening ears or watching eyes.

I was curious.

What kind of ‘answer’ could be causing such hesitation?

Just as food loses its taste if left too long, lingering on a topic too long could also lead to a loss of interest.

Yet, I had not pushed my luck because I believed that Gelwood, being a sage-like character, had a reason for hesitating.

“Is there something urgent?”

“Ha ha, it’s truly strange.”

“What do you mean?”

“Surely the distinguished readers of the Raphellion Marquis must be impatient and unable to contain their curiosity.”

…Unfortunately, this modern man named Lee Jun-woo had a strong patience.

One had to endure when there was no other choice.

And even though I had possessed him, I couldn’t disguise myself as a character like Elden, a complete loser.

I didn’t want to live as a loser, nor did I want to put on a show for the sake of appearances.

“I’m trying to cultivate patience.”

Despite the curt response, I could feel Galwood’s gaze from the side, but I didn’t respond.

I trudged forward, keeping my eyes fixed ahead.

Anyone who knew the mysterious power in Galwood’s eyes would have no choice but to avoid it.

“Ah, I hope your wish comes true.”

“By the way, where are you going?”

Even though we had reached the top floor, Galwood continued to walk without answering.

The three-story annex consisted of the owner’s bedroom, a multipurpose room for entertaining guests, a waiting room where servants resided, a dressing room for preparing appearances, and a reception room for welcoming guests.

“We’re here.”

Galwood finally stopped walking in front of the door labeled “reception room.”

At the same time, a foreboding feeling began to vibrate.

“I said I would give an answer.”

“Yes, but…”

As Galwood opened the door to the reception room and gestured inside, I hesitated.

“Someone is waiting for you.”

“…Who is it?”

I couldn’t bring myself to enter right away, and when I asked hesitantly, a smile appeared on his stern face, and the foreboding feeling turned into certainty, enveloping me.

“It’s a ‘response’ to the declaration of withdrawal.”

I cautiously peered inside.

A woman was sitting on the sofa.

Wearing a mask.

**

The moment Elden responded to the declaration of withdrawal.

In one of the many rooms on the upper floor of the Second Grand Castle, the voice of a mysterious woman echoed.

“Miss~!”

A voice searching for the one being served.

It was the voice of a maid who had hurriedly arrived, worried about the late return.

“Miss~? Where are you~!”

There was no response that should have been heard.

At this time, the young lady should have been sitting at the head of the bed, reading a book as usual, but she was nowhere to be seen.

“Hmm, where did she go?”

The maid stepped out into the corridor.

The entire floor was reserved for the Third Northern Grand Duchess, shrouded in secrecy, and except for authorized personnel, no one else could enter or leave the sealed floor.

Therefore, it was quiet.

“Is she in the study…?”

Since the young lady spent all day conducting magical alchemy research and reading research books until she fell asleep, the maid began to head towards the study.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

With a cane.

She was the young maid who had given a warning to Elden.