episode_0041

“It’s been a while. It’s been several years since graduating from the Royal Academy, I can’t even remember how many. I’m glad you’ve been putting the stolen top graduate certificate to good use.”

It was the greeting extended to Deron.

Immediately after, his face lost its color.

It was the face he had longed to see, the face he had dreamed of.

It was refreshing.

“I was worried you wouldn’t recognize me with my changed hair color. Luckily, you remembered me. It’s an honor.”

It was the greeting extended to Blund.

Immediately after, his face was filled with intense despair.

It was the face he had been waiting for, the face he had longed for.

It was satisfying.

“I’m glad we can meet like this again. They say that white hair suits me better than black, what do you think? Does it suit me even in the eyes of Lord Kyle?”

It was the greeting extended to Kyle.

Immediately after, his face was engulfed in a hellish despair similar to that day’s self.

A deep and dark hell that seemed to have no end in sight.

Kyle fainted, rolling his eyes back.

He was pleased.

“….”

And so, finally, he stood in front of Elden.

From the moment he faced him at the altar, he vowed not to be captivated by resentment.

Just as Elden had transformed into the Northern Lord of May as described by Gelwood, he felt a firm determination melting away like the snow-capped mountains of the Northern Lord of May.

That must be it.

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

As a truly clumsy and foolish question, he ruined the moment he had longed for.

His plan to stand on his superiority with calm and composure was shattered, and he threw away his childish sentiment as if it were a question.

He spat out a disgraceful remark that should have been avoided as a mature woman, all because of Elden Raphelion.

Why is it that things never go as planned when he stands in front of him?

Why does he keep looking for his approval?

Why does everything get messed up when he gets involved with him?

Thinking about it, there is now one more reason to reject his confession.

Since he found out about Erenshia, he would be even more proud of rejecting the secret confession of a Grand Duchess.

Did his clumsy confidence turn into arrogance?

If so, it can’t be anything but ridiculous.

The fact that the victim who should have stood confidently in front of the perpetrator has become self-righteous and self-blaming.

‘This is not right.’

It was clear that his innocent face should have contorted with shock and horror, but the feeling that his insides were rotting away felt like a joke, no matter how many times he thought about it.

Deron.

Blund.

Kyle.

Through the three of them, the composure and coolness he had cultivated disappeared without a trace, and the satisfaction, coolness, and joy he felt through them vanished into thin air.

Inside, which had started to become complicated from the moment he faced Elden, was filled with anxiety and worry, and his brave opponent poking at his weaknesses irritated him.

Please.

Give me a chance.

Just give me one chance to take revenge.

He begged.

It was ridiculous and disgusting that the victim had to beg, but there was no other way.

His stubborn attitude and strong gaze were so straightforward that he had to beg just for a prayer.

Even when faced with himself, he showed no hint of hesitation, as if he could slip away at any moment.

The end is near now.

Deron, Blund, and Kyle have already reached the end and are being pushed down the steep path.

Elden also had to roll down with them into the endless descent below.

He had to walk the path of repentance, shedding tears as he tumbled down to the ground.

But soon.

When he responded with a faint smile, Remyang had to feel his heart sink.

A timid smile was a first for her.

“I am grateful, but now that it is known, it becomes even more firm.”

What…?

What is becoming more firm?

“Well… what do you mean?”

“It means that I am a man who is lacking and cannot even reach the toes of the Third Princess.”

Stop spouting nonsense like that.

How many times is this now?

“Could it be that you don’t know who I am?”

“I honestly find it hard to believe… but now that I know, it seems that I will not be able to win the heart of the Princess. I apologize.”

Even when facing me, you say such things?

If I had realized I was Elysia, then I should have had a face similar to hers.

No.

I should have at least shed tears.

Isn’t that the minimum courtesy towards the victim?

Now you say you will change?

If you can’t step back on your own, why do you shamelessly raise your head?

“Why? Why, why can’t you accept it?”

I understand.

I know.

Because I am Elysia, I understand why you can’t accept it.

But to withdraw from the forfeit and do your best to win in the pre-engagement competition, just like I did!

“As I mentioned, I realized that I do not deserve to be loved by anyone. I want to humbly return to where I should be and reflect on myself. I deeply apologize for the past.”

Ah……

So in the end… even though you know I am Elysia, and even though you want to reflect on the past, you won’t go all out for me until the end?

What are you, really?

Why are you so confident?

Why are you so shameless?

Why are you so composed?

How can you easily apologize like that?

How can you easily express sincerity?

Do you think I’m doing all this just to receive a simple apology?

If that’s the case, you shouldn’t have tormented me in the first place!

Tears welled up.

Strangely, tears welled up.

A lump of sorrow rose in my throat.

With that pitiful apology, a lump of sorrow rose in my throat.

I forced them down.

I didn’t want to show anything.

I didn’t want to show my weak side, or my inability to overcome anger.

“If I forgive you? If I give you the right? Are you still going to refuse? If you are truly sorry, shouldn’t you accept it instead?”

Yes.

If the apology is sincere, you should not run away but face it head-on.

If it is not a lie, you should not try to avoid it with words but show it through actions.

Where is your answer?

Where is your proof?

Is your apology sincere or false…!

However.

Instead of answering, Elden threw a sharp question.

It was enough to wake up Remyang, who was trapped in anger and resentment.

“Are you confessing your love sincerely to the Grand Princess?”

“……What?”

In an instant, the moisture that had been filling her eyes dried up.

She realized that her eyes had been capturing only Elden’s figure for some time.

Only now, she saw the colorful scenes of the square in Elden’s full view.

Her closed ears opened.

She realized that her ears had been listening only to Elden’s voice for some time.

Only now, the bustling sounds of the square could be heard in her ears that had been listening only to Elden’s voice.

A feeling of expansion in her narrowed, closed senses.

In this strange and unfamiliar sensation, Remyang looked at Elden with bewildered eyes.

She had to answer.

But.

‘No.’

If she answered like that, she might reveal her true intentions of using lies to seek revenge.

‘I guess so.’

But she couldn’t just answer like that.

No.

She didn’t want to do that even if it meant death.

Because it wasn’t sincere.

It was just a means to hold onto Elden.

“……”

She found herself in a precarious situation, with nothing to do but remain silent and wander aimlessly. In the end, unable to come up with any response, she had no choice but to turn back.

She couldn’t afford to spend much time with him.

In the end, Erinshia was once again forced to flee, just like at the academy.

**

“Well then, let’s conclude the first meeting with this~!”

Remyang left the square with Duke Logan.

The current meeting was just a prelude event.

It was a special event held for the veiled youngest daughter of the Duke’s family.

“I almost got into big trouble.”

To calm down Remyang’s excessive reaction, a somewhat rude question was thrown.

It was a necessary question to throw, as her excessive reaction could have derailed things.

If not, Remyang’s hand that was being held back might have slapped my cheek.

Of course, even if such a crisis had occurred, the outcome would not have changed, but it is important to avoid any disruptions to the plan.

This morning, according to the report of the cowardly and superstitious old butler, after the first meeting, Logan Winterfell was going to leave for the capital for a while.

And after he leaves, the second meeting, which is also the main event, will be held in the evening.

In the capital where the first meeting was held, Remyang and the final four candidates will gather for the main event.

In the original work, the real competition would have started from the main event.

All the comments were expecting that.

If it were the original work, Elden Raphellion would have also participated in the competition and shed tears.

I felt sorry for Remyang.

There was no malice or intention, but in her eyes, I could only appear as a sly fox running away.

So she must be fixated and throwing a tantrum like this.

But even if I apologize, I can’t avoid filming the competition.

I just hope she can focus on the competition that has just begun now.

With that in mind, I arrived at the capital.

It was not yet time to lay down the cards.

Even the best cards are useless if not used at the right time.

To use good cards, you also need to have patience for the right time.

After passing through the guard’s inspection, I entered the capital.

It was 10 minutes before the main event was to begin, so everyone should have arrived.

The three regretful characters who always arrived early were there.

But.

“…Hm?”

I couldn’t see Kyle.

Deran and Blundman were standing guard as if contemplating with a vial in front of them, but Kyle’s seat was empty.

And he.

“Lady Remyang, will you please enter.”

He didn’t show up until the protagonist of the main event arrived.

……

……

Oh.

Kyle Bellion, the former ninja?

You.

A former deserter, Genka?