episode_0017

“Wow… Huh… ”

Isabel rushed over, placing her hands on her knees and breathing heavily.

I asked with my mouth open in confusion.

“… What are you doing?”

“Phew… for a moment… Let’s talk for a moment. Please.”

Madness flashed in Isabelle’s eyes as she took a deep breath and started talking.

I was shocked and stuck out my tongue.

‘Do you really think I’m crazy?’

Isabel was a noble among nobles who valued culture and dignity more than anyone else.

But look at her now.

A chase with a maid in pajamas with messy hair, as if she had just woken up from sleep.

This was the reason why the count’s complexion was dark.

“… Please do me a favor.”

Isabel bit her lower lip and looked desperate.

What was so unsettling was that she looked at me without moving, as if she were tied by a rope, and her shoulders were shaking.

“… .”

If it were normal, I would have avoided the conversation or anything.

However, is it because now that the engagement has been concluded, there is at least some leeway?

At least once before leaving, the thought that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to hear what Isabel said she wanted to do so much suddenly crossed my mind.

“Stir… Would you like me to guide you to the reception room?”

At that moment, the maid who was watching the situation cautiously asked me.

When I reluctantly nodded, Isabel took a deep breath.

The maid immediately started guiding.

After passing through a hallway covered in gold decorations and pure white marble, I arrived in front of a somewhat familiar entrance.

A reception room located on the first floor of Count Justia’s residence.

This is the place where Kyle visited several times and whispered his love to Isabel.

Squeak—

I pulled back my chair and sat down.

Isabel carefully sat across from me, her eyes fixed on me.

“Could you bring some snacks and tea for me?”

“Yes, lady.”

The maid, who left at Isabel’s instructions, soon entered the reception room, pulling a cart with refreshments and tea on display.

After lightly setting the table, she bowed her head and left with a formal greeting telling her to have a comfortable time.

“… ”

“… ”

An eerie silence filled the air.

I stared at Isabelle with a blank face.

‘What on earth are you thinking?’

I was always curious.

Why did Isabel hate Kyle so blindly?

Is it because Kyle’s mission given by the world is that of a ‘villain’?

If not that too… Could it be that all of this is a play designed to achieve the ‘villainous end’ required by the system?

There must have been some reason.

That’s probably why he treated Kyle so harshly.

I tried my best to understand Isabel in my own way.

However, it wasn’t easy either.

No matter how much I am a modern person possessed by the world of games, the hatred of others is not something I can easily get used to.

Every morning, I looked at Kyle’s face in the mirror and felt a terrible sense of disconnection.

The eyes of hatred that poured in just because he was a villain or because he was an illegitimate child were shockingly unfamiliar.

The malice lurking in the daily verbal abuse was sharper than any other blade.

want to go home.

Not in this fucking world full of hate.

To my world where the family I desperately miss awaits.

Yeah, I’m sure that’s the case.

“… … Do it.”

why. for what reason. Come now.

“Sorry… … ”

Is Isabel shedding tears looking at me?

“… … sorry… sun… ”

I’m the one who wants to cry.

“Sorry… … do… … ”

I barely managed to keep my face from distorting.

“Because I don’t trust you… … . For hurting me… … .”

Isabel was suffering from not even being able to breathe properly.

“Just once… … . Just once… … . Opportunity… … .”

Isabel’s chest went up and down due to her heavy breathing.

She was shaking and repeating the same words in gibberish.

In a small, trembling voice.

“…”

I was speechless.

Neither the sudden atonement nor the sincere regrets were unexpected.

I looked at Isabelle’s tearful face and barely managed to choose what to say.

“1 year.”

“… ”

“You started treating me coldly. I started to sort out my feelings for you.”

“Kyle… … .”

“It is a decision made through hard work over the course of a year.”

A picture of Kyle from a year ago appeared before my eyes.

The image of Kyle, who had been unable to sleep at night after hearing Isabel’s verbal abuse demanding an end to the engagement, flashed before my eyes like a film.

It was a part of the memory fragments obtained while possessing Kyle’s body.

“Why on earth.”

“… ”

“Why now.”

“… ”

“It took me a year just to sort out my mind, so what should I do now? Should I forgive you? Or should I just pat him on the back and say I understand everything?”

Isabel avoided my gaze and let out only occasional gasping sounds.

“After thinking about it for a year, I finally said the words to break off the engagement.”

“… ”

“Isabel, you are asking for my affection in just a few days.”

“That’s… … .”

“You know, it’s already too late.”

I quickly handed out the divorce papers with the Count’s signature attached.

Isabel carefully checked the documents.

After a while, Isabel’s hand holding the document gave way.

◆ Scenario progress

: 15%

The progress rate has increased.

But I couldn’t stop the words from pouring out.

“Why did you do that to me?”

: 16%

Isabelle looked at me with unfocused eyes.

“You know what? Your voice that looked down on me still pierces my eardrums like an auditory hallucination at night.”

: 17%

Isabel’s neck shook.

“I told you so. I don’t love you anymore.”

: 18%

What on earth was she denying? Isabel repeated several times that she was not.

I continued speaking in a quiet voice with a short sigh.

“Please, leave me alone.”

“… … ”

I’ve finished everything I wanted to say.

If it had been like this, Isabel would have understood.

That there is no point in obsessing over me anymore.

“Phew.”

I slowly got up and gathered the documents.

It was then.

“… Kyle.”

A hoarse voice came from behind me.

“… Don’t go. please. Kyle.”

I ignored it and moved on.

Soon, the maid, who found Isabel half unconscious, was frightened and ran towards her.

“Lady! miss? Can you hear me?”

“Kyle… Left… ”

“Yes? What do you mean by that?”

“If you’re with me… I can’t breathe… ”

“Lady! Please come to your senses!”

“I’ll be back again… okay… Obviously, if you get your feelings under control… ”

Isabel muttered something in an ecstatic voice.

I left the reception room without batting an eye.

It was my last meeting with Isabelle before leaving.

****

The engagement was concluded, and I returned to the mansion without hesitation.

The atmosphere in the mansion was the same as always.

No one was interested in Kyle, so I wasted my time quietly in my room.

Now there is only one thing left.

To leave this damn duke’s house forever.

And then move to the imperial capital and find the holy relic.

“Diana.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The method of leaving the Duke’s residence itself is simpler than you think.

In the quiet early morning when no one is awake, all you have to do is get out of the mansion in a carriage prepared in advance by someone.

“Have you packed all your luggage?”

Diana nodded lightly.

‘We can leave right away.’

The ore stones bid at the auction and the sales proceeds were deposited in a bank operated by the association, and the ore stones ripped from Justia were also agreed to be received at the imperial capital.

Is that all? A blank check with Winfred’s seal was also set aside.

I looked out the window.

It was dawn in thick darkness.

It is truly the right time to leave the mansion.

“Let’s go.”

“I will take the lead.”

In order to prepare for any unexpected situation, I followed Diana, who had bright ears.

We walked through the hallway and down the main staircase of the mansion to the first floor.

After passing through the hall covered with dazzling carpets, the entrance to the mansion began to appear in the distance.

“… ”

I took a step forward while holding my breath.

Diana pricked up her ears and looked around.

We arrived at the main gate before we knew it.

Squeak—

When I turned the doorknob, the door opened with a faint friction sound.

The cool early morning breeze passed by the tip of my nose.

After taking a short deep breath, I left the mansion.

I left the gate and walked along the path leading to the castle gate.

I think it took about 5 minutes to walk.

A dim light was visible far away at the end.

“… ”

It’s a carriage.

There was urgency in my steps.

After a while.

“This way.”

The driver who was waiting got out of the carriage and opened the door.

Although it looked shabby on the outside, it was big enough for just two people to ride.

I boarded the carriage first, and Diana followed suit.

The door slammed shut, and the coachman’s call to depart rang out.

It was then.

“… Lord.”

Diana called me with a seemingly serious look on her face.

Then he stretched out one finger and pointed out the window.

“Someone is running this way.”

Holy crap.

Out of urgency, I urged the coachman.

“Let’s leave quickly!”

The seat moved up and down and the carriage moved.

Soon the carriage shot forward at a frightening speed.

I turned my head in the direction Diana pointed.

When I strained my eyes, I saw a woman sitting on the floor.

“… ”

It was Luna Winfred.