《BJ Villainess》 CH 1 Prologue. An Effort to be Loved The villainess shouted bitterly at the poor woman. [¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you stop, Theresa Squire-!¡±] However, there was no way the heroine could be defeated. Because this was the scene of killing her half-sister, the villainess. [¡°Oh, Father.¡± ¡°Trying to kill your sister, you¡¯re going too far! I can¡¯t stand you anymore even if you¡¯re my child.¡±] Tak! I stopped the game and checked the playtime. ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m dying too fast this time too.¡± Hair that was cut and tied roughly because it was long and messy. A black hoodie and jeans that I¡¯d worn for days. Pale skin from not seeing sunlight, and narrow eyes from looking at the monitor all day. Though I look like this, I am a game developer. All the team members had left work, and I was the only one that stayed up all night in a studio that was too big to be called a game company. The name of the game currently in production was . It was a reverse harem game. It was a simple story in which the main character, the Duke¡¯s long-lost daughter, found her family again, was loved and built a good relationship with handsome male characters. The game wasn¡¯t all that bad since it was made by investing all of our passion for a long time, but there was a problem. That is, the villainess died too quickly. I made the villainess simple. Adding a jealous half-sister was the easiest way to maximize the position of the beloved protagonist. Unlike the main character who suffered in the slum, she was a born noble, so her ideology and authoritarianism were deeply embedded in her bones. If things didn¡¯t go her way, she got violent quickly. Selfishness, rudeness, arrogance¡­ It was safe to say that all the bad things were added in. Perhaps that¡¯s why she became a villainess who was handled too easily during the gameplay. This couldn¡¯t give any tension at all. The number of male main characters had become insufficient. ¡°Even if I am bad at this, I have to balance it to get to the middle of the story¡­¡± I rubbed my tired eyes and stared at [Theresa], the villainess on the monitor. A beautiful woman with black hair and silver-gray eyes, like a masterpiece. The villainess who seemed to have everything but love. I laughed out loud. In order for one to be loved, does the other have to be unloved? So, I wondered if love really is special. Naturally, my gaze reached [Libby]. The heroine who was loved by everyone I made, but not loving anyone else. For that reason, it was a character that I found difficult to sympathize with. Rather, the narrative of the villainess was more convincing. ¡°¡­Ah, I must be tired. I¡¯m drenched in useless emotions.¡± I am the eldest daughter of a remarried family. My mother who had an eight-year-old daughter married a man from a good family. My stepfather also had two children. One daughter and one son. They acknowledged the existence of a stepmother but eventually refused to accept me. The more I tried to prove that I was a useful daughter to my stepfather so that I wouldn¡¯t be abandoned, the more my siblings hated me. It was very difficult to understand. I yielded anything to my siblings, looked after them when necessary, tolerated their demands, and was treated unfairly. I was willing to be a convenient daughter and a useful sister. No. That position was inevitable. Because nobody wanted me and nobody loved me. I had felt many times that I wished I was gone. So I was more desperate not to be abandoned. Those were disgusting days. Eventually, I became nothing more than a daughter who listened to my stepfather as well as my mother. One day, I asked myself. ¡®Are you tired?¡¯ ¡­¡­. There was simply no right answer. In my faded memory, I had been exhausted since childhood and I had learned to give up after the third year my birthday was passed as nothing. In the meantime, I had repeatedly bitten my lips several times just to say that I also want to be loved. When I saw the broken old dolls and old game consoles that kept the memories of my half-siblings in the closet, I was instantly speechless. My toys were not there. That¡¯s when I realized. I was the only one who felt sorry and I was the only one who tried. By the time I turned 20 years old, I took revenge on the humans I didn¡¯t want to call family and left the house. Nevertheless, painful memories were rarely forgotten. I grew older as ¡®Shin Jiwoo¡¯, a child who was not loved. I felt like a defective product that was branded as indelible. Tak! I brought the game back to the starting point to get rid of the thoughts that had been cluttering my mind. It was to check the villainess who was destined to eventually die through any route. [¡­Loading..] The opening song, which I¡¯d heard so much, came through the headset. It was then. ¡°Uh¡­ Why am I so dizzy¡­?¡± Even before I finished speaking, Boom! The sound of my head crashing down echoed in my ears. It was the last thing I heard on Earth. * * * ¡°Wake her up.¡± It was a solemn voice. The man¡¯s language was unfamiliar, but I strangely understood it. Splash! ¡°Ah!¡± I frantically raised my upper body at the sudden flood. ¡°Wh-what?!¡± ¡°Did you wake up?¡± My eyes turned aside to the voice that woke me up. A middle-aged man with black hair and silver eyes looked down at me coldly. I opened my lips weakly and murmured the name of the familiar man. ¡°Raul¡­?¡± Duke Raul Squire. He was the head of the Duke of Squire and the father of the protagonist of . ¡°Seeing that you call your father by his first name, it seems you¡¯re still half-drunk. Pour another glass of water on the Princess.¡± Then a man next to Duke Raul who appeared to be a henchman tried to pour me a cup of cold water. ¡°Wait!¡± I called out to Raul with a puzzled look. ¡°Fa-Father¡­?¡± Raul is my father? ¡®Then who am I?¡¯ Raul looked down at me with cold eyes and asked in a voice full of disappointment. ¡°Are you sober now?¡± I looked around in amazement. There was a strong smell of alcohol, and bottles of alcohol were lying around in the room. I felt like my head was going to break if I really drank all of this. That¡¯s all I could understand. I couldn¡¯t guess more than that. ¡®What the hell is going on here?!¡¯ The moment I screamed in silence. Ring! [If you set the channel name, the broadcast will start.] ¡ùRecommended: BJ Villainess [?Confirm] ¡®¡­System window?¡¯ I rubbed my eyes. Still, the system window didn¡¯t disappear. ¡®This is too clich¨¦.¡¯ When I opened my eyes, I found a strange ceiling and a familiar-looking foreigner. And my body seemed to have changed somehow. It was a familiar development to me as a game producer who was proficient in subculture. ¡®No way¡­ Game possession? Does that make sense?¡¯ I had imagined something like this. I wondered what it would be like to escape from the beggar-like reality and possess a game or a novel. But it was literally just an imagination. It was something that would never happen, so it was something I could do comfortably. ¡®But this is¡­ It¡¯s not imaginary at all.¡¯ The sensation of water droplets flowing along the jawline. Headache from a bloody hangover. A strong smell of alcohol at the tip of my nose On the day I tried to deny reality, all of my senses sharply awakened my whole body as if to sneer at me coldly. I pressed OK for now. It was also a long-standing clich¨¦ that not following the instructions of the system window in such a situation would immediately lead to death. [Let¡¯s start the broadcast.] ¡­But what does it mean to broadcast? In terms of circumstances, I possessed the game I was producing, . There was no setting for this game to be broadcasted like the YouTube channel. So this is really¡­ [The Constellations enter.] Seriously, it¡¯s like a game of ¡®God¡¯. [The Constellation ¡®Face Inspector¡¯ applauds BJ¡¯s appearance.] My face turned blank. Something was happening, but nothing made sense. ¡®Oh, come to think of it.¡¯ I opened my eyes wide. It was because I remembered that I hadn¡¯t checked the most important thing now. ¡®So who am I?¡¯ My heart thumped violently. My father was Duke Raul Squire, and the channel¡¯s name was BJ Villainess. That means, don¡¯t tell me, don¡¯t tell me¡­ I staggered towards the full-length mirror. ¡°Come here and stand up straight now! How far are you going to disappoint me with your broken marriage?¡± [The Constellation ¡®Dramania¡¯ is satisfied with the bean powder family.] T/L notes: bean powder = dysfunction. Raul shouted, perhaps because all my actions seemed to be strange, but I couldn¡¯t hear him. ¡°No way.¡± I stroked my cheeks and hair with trembling hands. The face, like a God¡¯s masterpiece, was somewhat worn out by a hangover. However, it was still so perfect that it felt like a decadent beauty. Raul had two beautiful daughters and one youngest son. [Theresa], the eldest daughter and villainess, came from a wife that he was married to through political marriage and died during childbirth. [Libby], the protagonist of this world, came from his wife who he was remarried to through love marriage. And the youngest son [Giuseppe]. The important thing here was the ¡®daughters¡¯ side. Raul strode up to me with an angry face. As I continued rubbing my skin, Raul was furious and grabbed my hand. ¡°Can¡¯t you stop, Theresa!¡± I am Theresa Squire. Not the protagonist, Libby, but the villainess who is not loved and will die in every route. It¡¯s me. ¡°Theresa Squire. You are prohibited from going out until the vacation is over.¡± Raoul¡¯s voice was barely audible as if it was just a sound of humming from a distance. My head was so dazed from the shock, my ears were far away, and I couldn¡¯t recognize anything properly. It¡¯s a lie, right? It¡¯s a dream, right? Yeah, it has to be a dream. Otherwise, there¡¯s no way the terrible thing of being the unloved eldest daughter is happening again. ¡°Ha. Hahaha. Haha¡­¡± The laughter soon subsided. Instead, there was a hot and unpleasant feeling that was hard to describe. ¡°Ah, uh¡­ uhh¡­¡± I crumpled, gripping the chest of the crumpled dress as if to tear it apart. I was swallowed up as if beaten by the rushing emotions, and I shed tears so hard that I couldn¡¯t see. I was embarrassed because I had never felt such intense emotions in my life. It was inevitable. ¡°Why¡­ why¡­¡± ¡®Why am I possessing the villainess-?¡¯ Second, boom! My vision turned black, the last thing I saw was Raul¡¯s bewildered face. Author''s Thoughts BJ=Broadcast jockey, the Korean term for a streame CH 2 Raul sighed deeply as he looked down at Theresa, who was being examined by the doctor. The doctor said without worries that the treatment was completed. ¡°It seems that her shoulders and neck have become tight for a moment due to stress, causing her to pass out. She¡¯ll be fine if she rests.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Theresa had a simple personality. She had an honest and direct personality so she got angry when she was angry and smiled when she was happy, so she must have lived without knowing stress until now. ¡°Was the breakup that shocking?¡± Raul sighed again. In fact, considering the breakup, Theresa contributed more than 90 percent of the causes. Although the fianc¨¦ didn¡¯t match the Count¡¯s position, it was too much of Theresa to enslave him cruelly like that. The noble¡¯s son, who was a prospective son-in-law, showed stressful circular hair loss and earnestly asked for a breakup. ¡®How humiliating it was¡­¡¯ Raul was very angry with Theresa and immediately proceeded with the divorce, even giving compensation. Except for his pride, there was no way he could withstand the scandal that Theresa was a princess with a history of breaking up a marriage in the social world. So he ventured out and, not surprisingly, Theresa was drinking and protesting against him that day. ¡°Sigh.¡± However, the tears were really unexpected. Theresa was a child who used evil, spits, and curses in order to get what she wanted, and she had never shed a tear before. He thought it was very poisonous. He was more disgusted thinking about her harsh treatment of his wife and her younger siblings. He thought she was the daughter who had already lost his affection. ¡°Tsk.¡± Raul shook his head as he stared at Theresa¡¯s tear-stained face. Before he left the room, he called the servant. ¡°When Theresa wakes up, tell her that the curfew is canceled.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± ¡°Wake up now.¡± A soft voice pierced the distantly subdued mind. ¡°Cough!¡± I let out a lot of harsh breaths as if I had just escaped from the water, lying on the bed. A dizzying headache, as if I had been stabbed with an awl, and a body heavy as wet cotton felt unfamiliar. How much have I lost my mind? I looked down at the pure white sheet and couldn¡¯t easily raise my head. Just in case this place wasn¡¯t the studio. I was afraid that the strange thing of becoming a villainess in the game I¡¯d been producing that should be a dream had become a reality. ¡°¡­¡± However, my eyes trembled at the wallpaper pattern that I saw as soon as I raised my head. It was a wallpaper designed for the Duke of Squire. I murmured vaguely in a cracked voice. ¡°It¡¯s not a dream¡­¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Gasp! The soft voice of a strange man came right next to me. I crouched back like a herbivore, sensing an instinctive danger. The man looked down at me as if he were having fun. Clatter. I swallowed dry saliva. The opponent had flashy bleached hair, a bunch of piercings in his ears, and he was dressed in a grotesque bright red suit. His eyes lowered down and the corners of his mouth relaxed. Everything about him looked so distorted that it seemed insane. This man wasn¡¯t a character created by our team. ¡°Who are you?¡± The man gave me a Western-style greeting in an exaggerated gesture. ¡°I¡¯m Ozworld, the channel manager. You can think of me as a helper who will help you proceed smoothly for the enjoyment of the Constellations.¡± I remembered the notification window [The Constellations enter] that I had seen before I passed out. Since this possession was not a dream, the BJ and broadcasting weren¡¯t a dream either. ¡®¡­Does that make sense?¡¯ That¡¯s real? Why the hell? Ozworld swung a cane decorated with skull ornament and ruby eyes in his hand. Drizzle! A single sofa was dragged to the bedside like a fish sewn on a hook. I looked at the surreal phenomenon with slightly dazed eyes. Ozworld sat down and made eye contact with me with an appreciative gaze. ¡°You seem to have calmed down to some extent, so let¡¯s talk in earnest, shall we?¡± I sat straight on the bed with a nervous look. My hands clenched the blanket as if it was a solid piece of armor. Oswald¡¯s gaze touched the wrinkled blanket and he smirked. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be nervous about. The suggestion I¡¯m making isn¡¯t going to hurt you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to me.¡± In response to my stern reply, Ozworld nodded, ¡°As you please.¡± ¡°If you compare it to the world you lived in, a channel manager is like a broadcast PD. However, the target is not humans, but the Constellations.¡± Ozworld continued to explain and looked annoyed for a moment. ¡°I have satisfied the Constellation mainly through dark genres such as disaster, war, betrayal, and revenge¡­ Ha-ha. The recent broadcasting trend has changed.¡± Tak! When Ozworld flicked his finger, something like a screen listing the ranking of popular YouTube videos appeared in the air. I¡¯ve been trying my best to come to terms with this situation, but¡­ ¡®What is this?¡¯ Every time a surreal phenomenon occurred, I was shocked every time. Ozworld only said what he wanted to say as if my reaction was not important. ¡°Do you see that everything from No. 1 to No. 30 has genre romance?¡± Tsk. Ozworld clicked his tongue lightly. I could clearly see how much he hated love stories. ¡°This is what the trend is like, so I couldn¡¯t help but join. The popularity of the existing channels is rapidly decreasing. Then, I discovered .¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± I interrupted his words. ¡°Is that broadcast done in a way where the creator is possessing a human creation?¡± ¡°Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn¡¯t.¡± ¡®In that case, the person who possesses the game doesn¡¯t have to be me.¡¯ ¡°¡­Why me?¡± Then Ozworld answered with a strange smile. ¡°Since has typical elements, I thought it is a good start for the romance genre. Well, so are you.¡± A woman who wants to be loved by everyone. A typical self-reliant creator who is so desperate for love that she made a game containing her wishes. As soon as I realized the implied meaning, my face instantly went red. Ozworld looked sorry for me. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of. That¡¯s why I chose you.¡± Those words weren¡¯t comforting at all. I trembled slightly, feeling stuck in the mud. It was so disgraceful and unpleasant. To the point that I wanted to slap him in the face and shut him up. The emotion that soared shook me, but I tried to suppress it, swallowed it, and asked calmly. ¡°This body that I am possessing is a villain, so I can¡¯t lead a romance story the way you want, you know?¡± ¡®I don¡¯t even want to.¡¯ Ozworld replied in a relaxed manner. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s more fun.¡± The way he talked like it was someone else¡¯s business made me angry. ¡°What happens if I don¡¯t do anything?¡± Ozworld smirked. As if my sharp reaction didn¡¯t matter. I guess there had been one or two kids like me all this whole time. ¡°Ah, it doesn¡¯t matter, though. If you don¡¯t feel regretful for the [wish ticket] that you can buy by collecting donations from the Constellations.¡± Ozworld flicked his finger again and a new window popped up. ¨‹ [Store] ?Wish ticket [1,000,000,000 coins] : Grant any wish once. ¡ø ¡°Anything is possible, from a petty wish to kill an enemy or save a loved one to a wish to eliminate a dimension.¡± Does that mean it¡¯s possible to get back to Earth? As if he had noticed what I thought, Ozworld smiled and opened his mouth ¡°Of course, it¡¯s possible to go back to where you lived. Although we have to end the broadcast first.¡± ¡°End the broadcast?¡± ¡°Yes, just as games have an end, the broadcast ends when the content ends. After the broadcast ends safely, you will live as a member of this world. If you don¡¯t want that, you can collect 1 billion coins and buy a wish ticket before the end of the broadcast.¡± It means that to return to Earth, I have to finish the broadcast and collect 1 billion coins to make a wish. ¡°You must have seen the scene where the production crew gave a mission to the cast on TV. Like this.¡± Tak! The moment the sound of the snapping fingers hit my ears like lightning. Ring! [Quest: See the true ending of in hard mode] ?Compensation: End of Broadcast ?Failure: Death A quest window was created. Ozworld explained kindly. ¡°This broadcast is thoroughly based on the content provided by .¡± Games usually have three stages. [Easy Mode] is the easiest stage and you can instantly resurrect even if you die during the game. [Normal Mode] has higher difficulty than Easy Mode, but you immediately resurrect when killed during the game. [Hard Mode] has the most death routes and bad ending elements and it is game over when you die. I have to proceed with in hard mode. I am also the villainess, Theresa. ¡®But you can¡¯t see the true ending with Theresa.¡¯ The true ending is only allowed for the heroine. Like flowing blood, natural hair, and eye color, this is not something that could be changed by effort. Ozworld continued his terrible explanation as if it were not enough. ¡°And BJ who doesn¡¯t play well goes to hell after death.¡± ¡­What do you mean, hell after death? ¡°Hell will make what you fear come true. It¡¯s like putting yourself in misery that you can never solve no matter how many times you repeat it.¡° Oswald snorted with a look of enlightenment. ¡°Your hell most likely will be an infinite repetition of your life from the age of 8 to 20.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I could tell that my face was white without looking in the mirror. Ozworld grabbed my chin tightly with a look of ecstasy. In a blink of an eye, the distance between us became so close I could hardly breathe. ¡°Finally, instead of the damn calm expression, you¡¯re making a face that I really like.¡± His gaze licked my face like a tongue. Tak! Glaring at Oswald as if I was going to kill him, I slapped his hand off my chin in displeasure. ¡°This expression is also exciting. As expected, should I say that my eyesight is accurate?¡± Pervert bastard. Go die. ¡°I want to explain a little more, but if I play the advertisement video for too long, a lot of Constellations will leave. Let¡¯s resume the broadcast now.¡± Ozworld used his cane! When I hit the floor with a sound, I felt like thin static electricity was passing through my whole body. Tik. Tok. Then, the second hand of the clock, which had not been heard before, was heard. The time seemed to have stopped for a moment. ¡°I hope you will become a BJ of a big channel. Miss Shin Jiwoo.¡± Ozworld evaporated as he finished his speech. CH 3 In an instant, the surroundings became silent. ¡°¡­¡± I sat in bed doing nothing. It was the system window that broke the silence. [The Constellations get sick of the boring intro.] I stared at the system window with dead fish-like eyes. How many Constellations are watching me? The thought choked me up. The fact that I became a monkey trapped in a zoo and had to play tricks for unknown beings tied up my whole body like a chain of cold metal. Soon, a smile flowed madly through my loosely parted lips. I¡¯m the developer of the . As such, I understood how thoroughly this worldview revolved around the heroine. The heroine is loved just by breathing. Theresa is the villain who lay all kinds of death flags to make the heroine stand out even more. What do you want me to do with that Theresa? ¡®I can¡¯t believe I have to be loved by a male protagonist in order not to die.¡¯ It was no different from the past when I had to beg for the affection of my family to live. It was disgusting. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [When is the male protagonist coming out?] Like a YouTube Donation, a sponsorship window popped up. In this way, it seemed they were able to talk to me directly through sponsorship. I thought this was a groundbreaking hell. Ozworld, who made me possess the villain of this world, was a demon spawn. To end the broadcast, I had to play until the end without dying once and see the true ending. Just stop. I don¡¯t even know where to start. This situation, the impending death, and the resulting penalty all threw me into a panic. I am not the main character who overcame any hardship or adversity. I am just an ordinary developer who used to make games¡­ ¡°¡­Wait a minute.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t think there is any condition that the quest should be connected with a male protagonist?¡¯ I went through the contents of the quest again. [Quest: See the true ending of in hard mode] ¡°¡­!¡± There was no saying that it should be an ending where I connected with a male protagonist. ¡®There¡¯s a way.¡¯ The hard mode wasn¡¯t completely the worst just because I possessed Theresa. The true ending [Paradise] that could be seen without connecting to the male lead existed only in the hard mode. I didn¡¯t show my joy. Considering that the Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ was looking for a male protagonist and the genre of this show was romance, no one would like an ending like this. Even to our development team, who created this ending, it was just a bonus service. You can see the ending right away if you find [Paradise]. So I was going to show the Constellation what they wanted, collecting 1 billion coins and jumping back to Earth. It didn¡¯t matter if I couldn¡¯t collect 1 billion coins. If I go to Paradise, the broadcast will end. If everything that poses a threat to Theresa is resolved, living as her isn¡¯t bad either. ¡®No, it might be better. It means I don¡¯t have to go back to reality.¡¯ When my thoughts were sorted out to some extent, I thought about what I had to do right now. ¡®To find paradise, I must first lift the curfew and enter the school dormitory. To Theresa, the Duke of Squire is a death flag.¡¯ The Duke¡¯s house was full of hate for Theresa. Because her father, Raul Squire, really hated Theresa. It was now the starting point of the game, just before the heroine entered the Duke¡¯s house. Here, there was only one way for Therese to score points. I removed the blanket that I had wrapped around me like an armor and left the room. The destination was Raul¡¯s study. The current time, 10:40 a.m. The Duke was always in his study at this time. The employees looked at each other with astonished eyes as I walked around in my pajamas. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, miss? Just tell me what you need and come back dressed properly..¡± I walked past the butler and entered the study. Bump! ¡°Father!¡± ¡°¡­Theresa?¡± Raul frowned as soon as he saw me in my pajamas. I gasped out my breath before he could yell. ¡°Father, Libby is alive.¡± Raul seemed frozen for a moment. ¡°¡­What?¡± Yeah, it¡¯s gonna be hard to believe. ¡°I saw her myself downtown. A girl who looks just like Stepmother in a one-act play of a wandering troupe that commoners see.¡± [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ hastily dissuades you.] [¡®Romance Pass¡¯ scolds BJ for doing something that would be disadvantageous.] Then another Constellation popped up a sponsorship window. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [lol lol lol] T/L note: cider is also Korean slang for a feeling of refreshingness. You know, like when you drink a fresh spirite or something ¨t(*¡ä¦á`*)¨s Seeing that they even sponsored me and laughed, it seemed they were trying to cheer me up. Raul didn¡¯t readily believe me. ¡°How can I believe it¡¯s true?¡± ¡°I swear. If it¡¯s not true, you can revoke my Squire authority.¡± Deprive the princess of authority. It was like telling him to kill Theresa. When I pushed that hard, Raul couldn¡¯t handle the nonsense. However, the issue was too important to be believed. ¡°Why are you saying that now?¡± Raul had a deep-rooted distrust toward Theresa. Even if it was true, there was no way Theresa would ever tell Libby¡¯s whereabouts because she would never be happy with her half-sister. That¡¯s how it was set. I had a reason to convince Raul. ¡°Originally, I was going to tell you after I did some research to make sure. But you gave me a curfew.¡± ¡°So. If what you say is true, you want me to lift the curfew?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A trivial deal for the safety of my sister. This is just like Therese¡¯s idea and behavior. [The Constellations are lamenting.] [The Constellation ¡®Dramania¡¯ shouts that this is what he wanted.] [The Constellation ¡®Dramania¡¯ asks if there¡¯s a secret to her birth.] Raul showed signs of disappointment. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t even deliver the order to the servant, and what you do at best is to hold onto your parent¡¯s grief and shake it up.¡± On the other hand, he expressed hope close to despair that he might be able to find his daughter this time. Raul called the butler. ¡°Donovan, scour the wandering troupe that visited downtown¡­ No, I should go there myself. Prepare the horse.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± Raoul, a great noble, didn¡¯t move on his own when he tried to find out something. The fact that he might find a child he thought he had lost seemed to make it difficult for him to still. I guess that¡¯s how parents feel. I don¡¯t know. Raul put on his coat and looked at me fiercely. ¡°Theresa, keep a low profile while I check the fact.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He paused for a moment as if he thought I would protest. ¡°Master?¡± When the servant, who was putting on the coat, called curiously, he finally hardened his expression and fold his arm. Raul left the study with the butler and I was left alone. It was a rather shabby treatment for a princess. I sighed briefly, then suddenly noticed that my palms were sweaty. It was unclear whether I was nervous about negotiating for future safety or whether dealing with Raul itself was burdensome. Maybe it¡¯s both. I went straight back to the room. I had something to do while Raul was away looking for Libby. It was to leave my room. ¡°There. The furniture to the left. Wait, if I leave the dressing table here, the light reflects on the mirror. Move it to the other side.¡± ¡°Yes, miss.¡± Theresa had the second-best room after the Duke and Duchess. Having the best room among the children also meant being the heir to the family, which was very important. I moved all of Theresa¡¯s luggage to a corner where I wouldn¡¯t be able to bump into my family. ¡°Put the vase in the window.¡± ¡°All right, miss. Where should I put this?¡± ¡°In the cabinet over there.¡± However, the place where I was now was not the newly moved room, but the original successor¡¯s room. The reason why I was arranging furniture around here was simple. ¡°When my sister comes, organize it quickly so that she can use it right away. I¡¯ll leave some of my new clothes here that I haven¡¯t worn yet.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± I remembered how Libby¡¯s room was designed and was interested in putting it into practice. It gave me a unique feeling to see my creation come to life. That was the only advantage of this damn possession. ¡®I worked so hard to make this room.¡¯ I felt attached to the room because it was designed by searching through interior magazines and old movies. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Conspiracy Theorist¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [I know lol are you going to make a secret passage like this? That¡¯s how an assassination is carried out.] Did the Constellation come in without knowing this is a romance broadcast? Assassination my ass. ¡®And if I kill the heroine, it¡¯s the same as entering the bad ending route.¡¯ I was in a situation where I had to wish for the heroine¡¯s success and happiness more than anyone else. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Conspiracy Theorist¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [I haven¡¯t seen Ozworld pick a normal person lol aren¡¯t you going to show your true color soon?] ¡®That¡¯s not wrong.¡¯ I was thinking of escaping from Earth or anywhere in the world if I could find a way to Paradise. It was probably not the kind of true color the Constellations wanted. I decorated Libby¡¯s room more enthusiastically. Raul, who applied for paternity testing before the sun went down, would return to the Duke¡¯s residence with Libby. Then a maid came up to me. ¡°Miss, the Madam is here.¡± Looking back, as if a golden rose had become a human, a gorgeous beauty was standing with a rigid face. Duchess Roseanne Squire. She was Theresa¡¯s stepmother. [The Constellation ¡®Dramania¡¯ has some expectations for BJ¡¯s move.] ¡­What expectations? Do you want me to slap her with kimchi? T/L notes: this is just a guess but I think what the mc saying here is a reference to a Korean meme based on a Korean soap opera where a character is hit with kimchi (Look up kimchi slap). It¡¯s probably the equivalent of splashing a drink on someone during a restaurant fight, but honestly, I am not sure. Please do correct me if I am wrong (*¡¥¦á¡¥*)ÈË CH 4 I clicked my tongue and asked Roseanne what she was doing. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°¡­I stop by to see what you¡¯re doing.¡± Roseanne must have heard that I said I found Libby. Therefore, she must have come to Theresa with such a firm expression. Besides, I was changing rooms, so you wouldn¡¯t be able to get anything without checking it with me for yourself. I said lightly. ¡°I feel pressured to use this room. It¡¯s the best room, shouldn¡¯t Libby use it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Roseanne had a solemn posture with her hands clasped together neatly like a Duchess, but at my words, she scratched her delicate skin with her fingernails, revealing her agitation. If the nails were just a little sharper, they would surely have left scars. As such, Libby was a lump deeply engraved on Roseanne¡¯s chest. ¡°Even if Libby comes back¡­ You should use this room. You¡¯re Squire¡¯s eldest daughter.¡± The corners of Roseanne¡¯s lips were trembling thinly as she said that. The gaze staring at me was filled with deep distrust and doubt, and the pretty light green eyes were darkened. It was sad, but I had no special sympathy. It wasn¡¯t my family anyway, and the people here even threatened Theresa. When Libby returned, there would be more candidates for the Duke¡¯s successor. Theresa, who had no special features other than being the eldest daughter, would quickly be pushed out of the candidate list of succession. But with the public eye, they couldn¡¯t just drag her down from the candidate list so they would somehow create a decisive flaw. In the original scenario, Theresa was excommunicated from the family and had a miserable end. ¡®Even if it has nothing to do with the family, Roseanne will not stand still if she thinks that Therese is a threat to her daughter.¡¯ I worked pretty hard on the Duchess¡¯s setup. A mother who looks kind and gentle, but can put blood on her hands for her children. Even if it means killing her stepdaughter. It meant that even if I survived at the Duke of Squire, I could die unknowingly at the hands of the Duchess. There was definitely a route like that. So I had to get out of the Duke of Squire safely. And¡­ to be honest, I didn¡¯t want to do anything to look good to someone who wasn¡¯t even my family anymore. ¡®I¡¯d be much happier if these people just go away.¡¯ I opened my mouth calmly. ¡°Stepmother.¡± Roseanne showed a surprised look as if she had been caught off guard. It was because Theresa only referred to Roseanne as Duchess and had never called her Stepmother before. However, I used the title of Stepmother not to come to my senses or to take a dramatic reconciliation route. ¡°You don¡¯t have to try to do anything for me. I have no desire to be friendly with my family anyway.¡± It was just to draw the line more clearly. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re going to have unnecessary warfare.¡± It meant that we should treat each other only to the extent of a sense of duty that was inevitably intertwined under the guise of blood relatives. It seemed strange to see Therese, who was always violent and vicious and demanding more than she should, showing a cool attitude, so Roseanne couldn¡¯t stay calm. She looked at me with more alert eyes. It was Theresa who had been harassing her more than anyone else so far. Who are you, trying to be my mother? She had been aggravating the discord in the family by arguing that she dared to pose as a duchess. I couldn¡¯t just act as if those things never happened. In order to convince the opponent, a more Theresa-like idea was needed. ¡°Stepmother has won.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°I lost. I used the successor¡¯s room, but I didn¡¯t end up as the successor, did I? But what if Libby comes back?¡± In fact, Libby easily became the Duke¡¯s successor. It was a necessary part of the story progression. So, are you satisfied? You¡¯re welcome. ¡®Who would like it if you suddenly possessed a character and were offered a successor position to take charge of the Duke¡¯s fortune?¡¯ Instead, it¡¯s much better to be a second-generation chaebol because it means having a lot of money with no responsibilities. I shrugged my shoulders lightly. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of getting out of here. So what does it matter if I hand over the successor¡¯s room or not?¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving the house?¡± Roseanne looked completely incredulous. It was only natural. Theresa was the one who wouldn¡¯t stay in the dorm even if she died. The dormitory was also designed very nicely, but in the eyes of Theresa, a noble aristocrat from birth, it must have looked like a commoner¡¯s villa. It was ridiculous to compare the dormitory with the Duke¡¯s residence in the first place It was two completely different things. Completely different. ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to apply for the Valhalla dormitory. I won¡¯t be back home until I graduate.¡± Valhalla was the name of the magic school Theresa attended. adopted your average school story plots. It was a fantasy magic academy thing. The scene of the capital that seemed to be a collection of only beautiful buildings in Europe. White pigeons playing in the sky. A clock tower in the square. And school uniforms. The magic school where the heroine attended operated like a university, but I couldn¡¯t give up on school uniforms. ¡®No matter how you see it, it¡¯s an academy story.¡¯ And with the male lead candidates¡¯ love. Adventures were added as sweeteners. As Ozworld said, it was a typical clich¨¦, but it was also a guaranteed big hit. Of course, it was only if I played the heroine. Theresa was a senior, a fourth-year student at the magic school. Libby, who would enter as a freshman, would only be in school for one year, but it was nothing to be relieved about. The game only dealt with that one year. Two of the male lead candidates were in the same fourth year as Theresa, so this was an inevitable choice in terms of the story. This was because there was a very strong opinion among the developers that they could not give up the student council president and the vice student council president as male lead candidates. ¡®Of course. It¡¯s an academy story, so they can¡¯t give up the student president¡¯s character.¡¯ I made eye contact with the employees who were watching this situation. ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t going to finish the room before Libby arrives?¡± ¡°M-move the furniture this way. Push the carpet!¡± Only then did the employees pretend to be focused on their work again, and everyone avoided my eyes. I turned to Roseanne. ¡°Stepmother, please look over them. I¡¯ll go to the room.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, go ahead.¡± Bow. After being properly courteous, I quickly left the room as if I had no regrets at all. At first glance, I could feel Roseanne staring at me, but it was none of my business. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m hungry¡­¡± This was inevitable because I didn¡¯t eat anything until now after waking up. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Finding Mukbang BJ¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [Please eat something ? I¡¯ll buy you 500 coins.] T/L note: ? is a crying emoji in case ya all don¡¯t notice. I have to eat anyway, so should I just do it? I called an employee passing by. ¡°Hey there, wait a minute.¡± The employee rushed to me with a look of fear. ¡°Yes, please tell me.¡± ¡°Bring me something to my room.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± The employee quickly got out of my sight, relieved that it was just a trivial matter. ¡°Well¡­ Is this the life of a villainess?¡± Even though I¡¯ve been treated as a funny person, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever seen someone fear me. ¡®It¡¯s not about succumbing to dignity, it¡¯s about avoiding a time bomb that might explode.¡¯ ¡°Not bad.¡± Anyway, I kind of liked the fact that she was not a character that could be easily ignored. [The Constellation ¡®Chaotic Evil¡¯ actively agrees.] [The Constellation ¡®Lawful Good¡¯ frowns.] I tilted my head. ¡°This channel just opened yesterday, but there seem to be a lot of people watching it?¡± Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Explanation Bug¡¯ have sponsored 100 coins.] [Yes yes since it¡¯s the Ozworld¡¯s channel, he¡¯s super famous among the channel managers.] ¡°That punk¡­ No, that manager is super famous?¡± There¡¯s no way. [Some of the Constellations like BJ¡¯s punk remark.] [The Constellation ¡®Kick Out the Handsome Manager¡¯ giggles, asking if Ozworld¡¯s face sales power is over.] Aren¡¯t the Constellations supposed to be like Gods¡­? Even that kind of being seemed to be jealous of the appearance of others. ¡®Well, just looking at the nicknames that have popped up so far, they¡¯re not normal.¡¯ Rather than transcendent beings, I felt like they were just viewers of the Earth. ¡®I called him a punk by mistake, but I¡¯m glad the response was good.¡¯ Anyway. I went back to my room and checked the current situation. ¡°First of all, this.¡± I checked today¡¯s date earlier after moving the room. February 15th. There were about two weeks left until the entrance ceremony for freshmen on March 1. Till then, I would along well without any problem, and when I entered the dormitory, my entanglement with the Squire family was over. ¡®I have no choice but to be involved with Libby.¡¯ If I took her to a place where the male leads often appeared and let her be, she would do well on her own. The servants opened the door as I stood in front of the door at the end of the hall. When you enter the room, you can see the middle door with a drawing room much larger than my single room. If you open the middle door and enter it, a bedroom larger than the drawing room appears. The mansion of an aristocrat is very luxurious. I ordered the maids who were following me into the bedroom to stay outside. There was something I needed to check by myself. Thud. I sat on the sofa in a relaxed position that would have made Raul scold me if he had seen it. ¡°Money and power are good.¡± [The Constellation ¡®Chaotic Evil¡¯ actively agrees.] [The Constellation ¡®Lawful Good¡¯ frowns.] I don¡¯t know exactly what kind of channel Ozworld deals with, but it¡¯s certainly the opposite of the lawful tendency. ¡®Why are you coming into a channel where BJ is the villainess in the first place?¡¯ It was a minor question, but that wasn¡¯t the point now. I pursed my lips. ¡°Status window.¡± CH 5 [Theresa Squire] Description: Princess Squire Age: 21 years old Magic Rate: B Intelligence: C+ Mana: A (12,034/12,034) ¡ø ¡°As expected.¡± I thought that if a store existed, a status window should exist too. Therese¡¯s character information was the same as the last time I had set it up. ¡®Except that I¡¯ll be 22 years old after my birthday in a few days, this setting remains the same until the end.¡¯ An ignorant wizard with low intelligence but abundant magical power to cover her shortcomings. ¡°It¡¯s truly a villainess¡¯ setting where recklessness and vicious acts are her daily routine.¡± ¡®The problem is, this kind of setting has become my business.¡¯ [The Constellations wonder what BJ is thinking.] ¡°Oh, I was thinking about Theresa¡¯s intelligence. Because this is part of magic abilities that have nothing to do with my IQ.¡° Magic use ¡®methods¡¯ just like how math use formulas to solve problems. ¡°If you have a high level of intelligence, you can use high-level magic using complex and difficult techniques.¡± The difference is simple. It can be understood that Theresa kills a monster 10 times longer than when a wizard with intelligence B can kill it at once. It is proof that the body suffers when the head is bad. ¡°To improve intelligence, you have to study through magic books, but Theresa hates books, classes, and professors.¡± Therefore, she was destined to be unable to escape intelligence C+ for life. But fortunately, I liked reading. Well, since I graduated from engineering school, I did some math. ¡°It is fortunate that I set the magic formula to be similar to mathematics.¡± My fellow team members were concerned that it might be too scientific, but that turned out to be a godsend. ¡®I should read magic books and raise my intelligence to a B grade.¡¯ You need a ¡®key of dimension¡¯ to enter Paradise. If you open the door of a particular place with a key of dimension, you can find Paradise with a random probability. ¡®The odds are pretty bad, so I have to find several doors and open them all.¡¯ When I open the door, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s blank and not the Paradise. Sometimes you can find something useful for the game, such as connecting to a treasure trove or appearing in mysterious places. ¡°If I have enough personal wealth, it will be easier for me to be independent.¡± Theresa was a princess, but she was in a position to receive pocket money. This was because all the Duke¡¯s property belonged to Raul, and she couldn¡¯t receive an inheritance until he died. Therefore, the children of smart aristocrats inherited decent businesses in advance and made their fortune, but Theresa failed in every business she touched. Because Therese is a stupid and selfish villain, the setting of doing business well is against the odds. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d have any talent for business.¡± In that case, finding a treasure trove is perfect. The key of dimension can only be obtained by participating in the auction house. This is because it appeared as an auction product. ¡®I need money to do that. It¡¯s Theresa¡¯s birthday soon, so I should ask for some pocket money as a gift.¡¯ Theresa¡¯s birthday is five days later on February 20. There is a lot of money in the Duke¡¯s family, wouldn¡¯t they give me some pocket money even if I am the ugly daughter? ¡°By the way, it¡¯s magic¡­¡± Mana. Magic. It was a familiar setting and a familiar word, but at the same time, it was the most unfamiliar thing. I still couldn¡¯t believe that I had that power. I focused on the new sensations that would exist within me. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± In a typical fantasy novel, isn¡¯t it difficult to ask the main character to feel the magic? But just now, I just wanted to feel the magic, but I instinctively learned what it was and how to use it. It was so stable and intimate that it was embarrassing. I tried using magic. ¡°Little ember, burn like a candle.¡± Flash! On the palm of my hand, just as I intended, a small ember of fire fluttered. ¡°Wow!¡± [The Constellations smile warmly at BJ¡¯s innocent reaction.] [The Constellation ¡®Sexworm¡¯ is satisfied with the obvious response from BJ who come from a world without magic.] ¡°¡­Um.¡± Am I too excited like a kid? I was embarrassed and hurriedly removed the flame on my palm. ¡®I need to change the subject quickly.¡¯ ¡°Since there is a status window, there may be other system windows as well. I think there¡¯s a setting for broadcast¡­¡± It¡¯s a plausible assumption. ¡®I¡¯ll check it out right now.¡¯ ¡°Broadcast setting.¡± ¨‹ [Broadcast Setting] Channel Name: BJ Villainess Channel Rating: Bronze Channel Ranking: Out of Top 100 Sponsorship: 2,700 coins ¡ø As expected, I had a broadcast setting. ¡°How many levels are there for the channel?¡± [The Constellations say only Ozworld can tell you that.] I frowned. Why only that person can tell me? ¡®I don¡¯t want to run into him again.¡¯ He was the kind of bastard I just hated, and I didn¡¯t want to get close to him because he had a nasty personality. However, since he was a channel manager, it seemed I would continue facing him. Ugh. I put aside Ozworld, who gave me a headache just thinking about him, and focused on other parts. ¡°That¡¯s strange. How can there be 2,700 coins in donations?¡± I thought I got a lot less than that. Ring! [The Constellation¡¯Explanation Bug¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [Sponsorship poured out when you fell down in front of Raul.] ¡°Aha. ¡­Why?¡± [The Constellation burst into laughter.] What¡¯s this. Don¡¯t just laugh, tell me the reason. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Conspiracy Theorist¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [You were just lying down, but the situation worked out on its own lol you calculated everything, right?] ¡®What happened yesterday?¡¯ I was shocked at the fact that I possessed a character, so I didn¡¯t do anything other than act a little crazy. Not knowing the reason, I tilted my head and gave up guessing. I wasn¡¯t that curious. It was then. Bang! Even if it was the Duke, it was against the etiquette to push into the princess¡¯s room with a bang. Therefore, unless the Duke did something stupid, no one would dare to enter Princess Squire¡¯s room like this. I checked the person who had entered the room with curious eyes. A black-haired boy, about the height of Theresa¡¯s stomach, stormed into the room with his pale green eyes full of life. ¡°What are you up to?¡± The opponent was very angry. On the other hand, I was in deep admiration. ¡®Wow¡­ So cute.¡¯ A handsome boy with smooth hair, fair skin, and round eyes like a puppy. It was Giuseppe, the youngest son of this family. ¡®If you just grow up like this, will you become as handsome as the four male protagonists?¡¯ My admiration ended there. ¡®But we won¡¯t have anything to do with each other soon.¡¯ No, should I say we don¡¯t want to get involved with each other? ¡°Tell me right now! What the hell are you up to!¡± ¡°Is there anything like that?¡± Ha! Giuseppe laughed out loud and harshly criticized me. ¡°Think about what you¡¯ve done. You don¡¯t become a normal person just because you suddenly act with common-sense, right? Unless your soul has changed.¡± Oh¡­ I am a bit shocked at what you just said. ¡®By the way, I didn¡¯t think I acted that wildly, aren¡¯t you overreacting?¡¯ ¡°Even if I have a plan, wouldn¡¯t it be too much to treat me as a soon-to-be criminal who dreams of a perfect crime when you found the family that you thought you had lost?¡± Giuseppe twisted his lips at my protest. ¡°That depends on the person. No one is fooled by your little tricks, you idiot.¡± Therese and Giuseppe had a bad relationship, so they tended to ignore each other without even looking at each other. In addition, Giuseppe was only 13 years old, but he was already a genius who received the attention of the Wizards Association. He was also a siscon. From Libby¡¯s point of view, she thought he was cute. ¡®Ugh. Seeing this, he must be arrogant and rude¡­¡¯ ¡°You really are Theresa¡¯s brother.¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± ¡°Ah, I am saying you really are my brother.¡± Giuseppe¡¯s face turned red in an instant at my words. ¡°Say something that makes sense-!¡± Why doesn¡¯t this make sense? ¡°Is that right? You¡¯re not even my own kid¡­¡± Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [Ah lol lol It¡¯s funny getting the brother pissed off lol lol lol] ¡®Do you think I was being sarcastic? I was just telling the truth.¡¯ Giuseppe, however, seemed to have taken my words like the Constellation. ¡°You¡¯re noisy! I-I really can¡¯t talk with you!¡± It wasn¡¯t even a curse, but it was an overly extreme rejection. His appearance was cute, but he reminded me of the scoundrels on Earth, so I felt uncomfortable. He didn¡¯t call me Sister either. Every time, he just called me you, idiot, etc. ¡®It¡¯s not like Giuseppe hates me that much.¡¯ ¡°You should call me Sister, not you, Giuseppe.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­! Since when have you been my sister?! You and I don¡¯t look alike at all. Not at all! Not at all!¡± ¡®Well, what do you want me to do¡­¡¯ Before the fire could start, I suggested Giuseppe do something he would like. ¡°Your sister will be here soon while you¡¯re dealing with me, so why don¡¯t you go get ready to meet her?¡± Giuseppe closed his lips tightly. The angry expression on his face was so obvious that anyone could see it. ¡®Are you mad that I mentioned Libby?¡¯ If that¡¯s the case, I don¡¯t want to respond to anything. Because it¡¯s so annoying. ¡®What I have to do is not make my family on my side, but just live like this and go into the dormitory. Then there¡¯s no need to get involved with them until the end of the game.¡¯ Giuseppe murmured in a low, seething voice. ¡°¡­You¡¯re always like this.¡± ¡°What-¡° Bang! Giuseppe left the room first before I could ask what he meant. Giuseppe hated Theresa, so I just nicely told him to go see his favorite Libby, but this was absurd. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Conspiracy Theorist¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [Doesn¡¯t it look like he was trying to get your attention?] CH 6 I opened my mouth with a no-nonsense look. ¡°He hates Theresa terribly.¡± [Some of the Constellations smile meaningfully.] That meaning freezes to death. I¡¯m the creator of this game, Constellations. Knock, knock. Then a servant knocked. ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve prepared brunch, shall I come in?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± [The Constellation ¡®Finding Mukbang BJ¡¯ hurriedly wipes his saliva and prepares coins.] I haven¡¯t even opened the plate cover yet, what the hell are you drooling at? I shook my head and opened the cover. There would be a touching tearful reunion scene in a minute, so I should recharge my energy before that. * * * It was around sunset when Raul arrived at the mansion with Libby. ¡°Here comes the Master!¡± When the servant quickly entered the lobby and announced the news, Roseanne, who was waiting nervously, grabbed her skirt and ran out. No one who saw that figure said it was undignified. They were busy wiping away their tears as if they could understand the feelings of a mother who regained the daughter she thought she had lost. The Duke¡¯s people rushed after Roseanne to greet Libby on the porch. ¡°You¡¯ve done a really great job, Princess Squire.¡± Someone spoke to me, standing a little far away from Roseanne and Giuseppe. It was Roseanne¡¯s older brother, Viscount Kevin Williams. ¡°Yes, somewhat.¡± I answered roughly and looked straight ahead. ¡°But your expression is not bright, Princess. Do you have any concerns?¡± The daughter of the only five dukes in the Empire was an honorable existence. It meant that Viscount Williams shouldn¡¯t quarrel with Theresa under the guise of a conversation. ¡®You must be thinking that I¡¯ll be abandoned by Raul soon.¡¯ If was played properly, Theresa would always be abandoned by Raul, so it was a reasonable guess. I nodded my head and affirmed the words of Viscount Williams. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m worried. I thought there are too many outsiders in the family business. I¡¯m going to tell my father that starting next month, only decent family members should be allowed in the house.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The reason why Viscount Williams could be here was Raul¡¯s consideration. I pointed that out, and Viscount Williams¡¯ face hardened as he understood what I was saying. He crept quietly between the other relatives. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [Sigh¡­ The cider is sweet.] Actually, I¡¯m not exactly wrong. Shortly after announcing the news that Raul had found Libby through a messenger in advance, all of the local aristocrats and Rosanne¡¯s family gathered at the Duke¡¯s residence to make a fuss. This was because everyone wanted to share the historical moment of welcoming the true Squire princess. ¡®That¡¯s an excuse, it¡¯s just a trick to impress Raul.¡¯ Obviously, the leeches that robbed the Duke¡¯s barns needed to be thinned out. If you leave it alone, the money will flow into the villain. Soon a huge carriage stopped at the front door. Click. It was Raul who came out of the carriage first. He reached for the door that was still open, revealing a white, fine hand. No matter how hard it is in the slum, surely that woman¡¯s hand isn¡¯t so broken that she can¡¯t open the door? ¡®It feels foreign to see this in real life.¡¯ Soon a woman, wrapped in the cloak that Raoul had worn, came out from the carriage. It was Libby. ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡± Everyone around me gasped. Libby had a lovely look with golden straight hair down to her chest and pale green eyes like soft leaves. [The Constellation ¡®Face Inspector¡¯ nods with satisfaction.] Huh. This is the Constellation that applauded Theresa¡¯s looks before. ¡®Theresa and Libby definitely feel different.¡¯ Theresa with a cold, haughty impression. Libby with a warm and gentle impression. There was a difference in taste between cold beauty and warm beauty. ¡°You look the same as when you were young. Yes, you¡¯re really the same¡­!¡± An old maid who served Roseanne for a long time cried loudly, burying her face in a handkerchief. Libby gave a careful first greeting with rosy cheeks as if she were afraid of the unfamiliar situation. ¡°Everyone¡­ Hello?¡± Roseanne, who was unable to approach Libby, just grabbed her chest and burst into tears. ¡°Madam! Are you all right?!¡± ¡°Madam!¡± Everyone was surprised and tried to approach her, but Libby was the first one to move. ¡°¡­Mother.¡± ¡°Libby¡­! Ah, my daughter, finally¡­ God, thank you. Thank you¡­.¡± Everyone here shed tears as they watched the touching reunion. Except for me. In fact, when I saw the reunion scene, I was worried inside that I would shed tears, which was uncharacteristic of Theresa. But it was only a fluke. The scene of the reunion that I am watching is more than expected¡­ That¡¯s what I thought. I muttered in a low voice so that no one could hear me. ¡°I should have worked a little harder to make the introduction part. That was too much.¡± I felt bad only because I remembered Ozworld¡¯s poignant evaluation. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®MBTI is science¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [You¡¯re certainly a T.] ¡°¡­¡± The Constellations believe in similar science¡­ Raul held a dinner party that day. ¡°How could this happy moment pass without a blessing? Hand out wine and food to everyone in the duchy!¡± As a result, the butler Donovan and the head maid Miranda died while supplying manpower and food. Nevertheless, everyone looked full of happiness. Finally, a true princess who they could enjoy serving had appeared. I stood back a little from the position where my immediate blood relative sat. Both ends of the table were the seats of the Duke and Duchess, and it was normal for their children to sit properly arranged, but it was different today. The Duke and Duchess didn¡¯t want to be separated from Libby, so they gathered around the center in a friendly manner. Giuseppe also occupied Libby¡¯s side with flushed cheeks. It was a friendly and warm family. Except for me, of course. Viscount Williams seemed to be in high spirits again when he found me quietly eating away from this picture-perfect family. He came to my side again and talked to me. ¡°Lady Theresa, you must be very happy to have your sister back, right?¡± This time it wasn¡¯t Princess Squire, it was Lady Theresa. It seemed he wanted to say that Princess Squire was Libby, not Theresa. I could easily guess why Viscount Williams kept trying to provoke me. If he triggered Theresa who was like a thorn in his eyes and made her act evilly as she pleased on this good day, Raul would never let it go. You want to drag me down and make Libby the only princess. It wasn¡¯t for the sake of his beloved niece. How can he already adore the niece he met for the first time today? ¡®It¡¯s a plot to push Libby as the successor and gain profit as the closest relative.¡¯ Viscount was helpful for the play, but he was a card that had to be discarded in the end. Not to mention he was an enemy from Theresa¡¯s point of view. I readily agreed with Viscount Williams. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± He blinked his eyes as he looked back at what he had asked. ¡°Yes? No, I mean, your sister is back-¡° ¡°I. Am. Happy.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Viscount Williams continued to stumble, perhaps because he was embarrassed by the situation that didn¡¯t go his way. I raised a corner of my mouth. ¡°By the way, my Lord. Do you really want me to disapprove of Libby¡¯s return?¡± ¡°Ye-yes?¡± ¡°Oh, are you dissatisfied with Libby, by any chance? So you tried to get my consent.¡± Squeak. I got up halfway and continued. ¡°Geez. You should have said that earlier. Let me help you. Shall we make a fuss now?¡± ¡°N-no! That¡¯s a misunderstanding, Princess. That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± The Viscount stopped me while sweating profusely as he was afraid that I would make a fuss and say that he was the one who started it. Then I stared at him with an expression that asked why he was talking to me. ¡°¡­C-cough! The weather seems to have gotten warmer, it¡¯s very hot today. I¡¯ll be back on the balcony.¡± Viscount Williams tried to sneak away again. I sipped champagne and nodded. ¡°Yes, go ahead. Your face has turned red, so you should cool off for an hour outside.¡± It was just for a short time, but I thought my whole body was going to freeze when I stood outside wearing my coat tight. This evening was much colder, and everyone was indoors, so they had their coats off. You¡¯ll freeze to death if you go on like this. ¡°Penny.¡± I called a maid nearby. ¡°Viscount Williams said he¡¯s going to the balcony because it¡¯s too hot, so guide him there. If he stays too long, he might catch a cold, so get him inside in an hour.¡± A young maid named Penny came out and looked between me and Viscount Williams with a puzzled look. I spoke first before Viscount Williams could open his mouth to change his words. ¡°Exactly an hour. Until then, don¡¯t you dare interrupt his time. By the way, the weather is too hot so he doesn¡¯t need a coat. You understand me, don¡¯t you? ¡°¡­Yes, Lady.¡± I smiled, turning from Penny to Viscount Williams. ¡°Then have a good time alone on the balcony.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Viscount Williams turned pale and dragged himself to the balcony, following Penny¡¯s guidance. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [Amazing example of cider.] I murmured, covering my lips with a glass. ¡°This much is nothing.¡± CH 7 The other Constellations were also satisfied with my attitude and gave several sponsorships. ¡®If the Viscount thinks I am stronger than him, he won¡¯t do anything bad.¡¯ He was the type of person who would hire an assassin if he thought Theresa had become an easy target. The dinner went on peacefully afterward. At that time, Miranda the head maid, who was watching the situation, came to me with a strange smile on her face and an empty glass. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Lady would remember the name of a maid.¡± ¡®Huh? Oh, you mean Penny?¡¯ Of course, I remember her. Penny isn¡¯t just an extra. A great technician is needed to make the female protagonist perfect. Even though she¡¯s just a maid, Penny is set to be a master of grooming and is scheduled to be tasked with Libby¡¯s dress-up due to her good skills. ¡°Ah, she¡¯s good at her job. So I remember her.¡± Then, a twinkle flashed in Miranda¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you¡¯ve been watching that maid, she must have been doing a good job.¡± That was the end of the conversation. Miranda left her seat, and after finishing my meal, I was quietly left alone between all these noises. No, it¡¯s not really quiet, is it? ¡°Lady, is the food not to your taste? Do you want me to serve you something else?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m full.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll serve dessert.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± ¡°Lady, I¡¯ll replace the tableware.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Lady, shall I serve you more wine? Your favorite 73-year-old black cork wine¡­¡± ¡°What? No, thanks.¡± I narrowed my brows in bewilderment and tilted my head. ¡®That¡¯s weird.¡¯ Since Miranda left, I felt like there were more and more employees who keep trying to take care of me. ¡®Wasn¡¯t everyone always trying to avoid me?¡¯ And now, trying to look good to Libby was not enough. It wasn¡¯t the time to be concerned about the bad daughter Theresa. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t say this, but I¡¯m really bad at social life.¡¯ I felt sorry that they couldn¡¯t even take care of the dishes properly because they were serving me, so I asked them to rest. The servants, who I thought would welcome my words, stepped down with disappointed faces. I mean, what¡¯s wrong with you? At that time, I heard a whisper from the maids. ¡°But why is everyone all of a sudden trying to look good to Lady Theresa? Rather, shouldn¡¯t the servants cling more closely to Lady Libby?¡± Yeah. I¡¯m curious about that, too. I pricked up my ears, nibbling at the pudding served for dessert. ¡°Are you a newcomer who just joined?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my first year.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t know. Listen, Lady Theresa doesn¡¯t remember people very well. Especially if you¡¯re from lower-class, she won¡¯t know your face even after 10 years.¡± I was a little embarrassed. ¡®¡­Did I set Theresa too stupid?¡¯ I felt a little ashamed. ¡°However, there are occasional employees who she remembers particularly well. Among them are Donovan-nim and Miranda-nim.¡± ¡°Because they are the butler and the head maid¡­¡± ¡°Both of them got promoted because they caught Lady¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The gist was this. It was said that if Theresa remembered an employee, they would be promoted at a high speed. In fact, the people whose face and name Theresa remembered had exceptional abilities. It was safe to say that what was special for Theresa, who was used to great stuff, was also the best of the Empire. ¡°She was born with natural discerning eyes.¡± ¡®Ugh, I shouldn¡¯t have listened to it. I¡¯m embarrassed.¡¯ I focused on the dessert again, pretending I couldn¡¯t hear the story. Ring! Ring! However, as if to make fun of me, the support was exploding and making me embarrassed. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Conspiracy Theorist¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [Whoa, the big picture wooow You even calculated on taking the initiative like this?] ¡°Is that even possible¡­¡± I lifted a glass of water to dry my burning throat, making eye contact with Libby in the process. Libby looked perplexed, not knowing we would make eye contact like this. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± In the lively atmosphere where the Duke and his wife laughed and drank together, we looked at each other and remained silent. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m facing the main character in the game I made. It felt quite strange. It was often said that our creations were just like our own children, but such strange feelings had nothing to do with me. A creation is a creation. But¡­ ¡°Pretty.¡± She¡¯s very pretty. A lovely Libby made with all my wishes. I¡¯ve only emptied two glasses of champagne, am I getting drunk already? ¡®It¡¯s not like me to get sentimental for no reason.¡¯ With a smile, I turned my head to the place where the crowds who were eager to converse with Theresa had gathered. While ignoring the bright blue eyes that were staring at me so stubbornly. * * * The dinner party ended in one day. The extravagant celebration to publicize the rebirth of the second princess was just to establish Libbyi¡¯s authority. After that, the Duke and his wife wanted to spend time alone with the family. They toured the Duke¡¯s mansion, confirming that Libby¡¯s roots were here. Giuseppe also visited the Duke¡¯s residence every day in search of his older sister. If only Theresa didn¡¯t have an accident, it would have been a perfect day. I willingly locked myself up in the library under the pretext of studying insufficiently ahead before the start of school to ensure their happy time. The library consisted of a small detached house. Moving to a secluded place through the promenade along the garden, an old building with vines growing on the white outer wall appeared. There was a whole new world in it. Even in the era when the printing press was not developed, there were many magic books everywhere, as expected of the Duke. Flap. Flap. ¡°It¡¯s so cool to look at.¡± Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Explanation Bug¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [This is the 100th time you said it¡¯s cool.] ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say it that much.¡± [The Constellations shake their heads.] Are you saying you don¡¯t agree with me? I swept the cover awkwardly. But it¡¯s fascinating. ¡°In , no magic science is created with this logic. It¡¯s a concept that doesn¡¯t exist on Earth.¡± I felt strange because it seemed like a real dimension. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Explanation Bug¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [Of course. It¡¯s real here.] That¡¯s what¡¯s fascinating. ¡®Since there are 100 ranked channels, are you saying that there are at least 100 planets like this?¡¯ Come to think of it, the system of channel and Constellation is also very interesting. ¡°Do you use an existing planet every time you broadcast a creation? Or will a new celestial body be created? And are the characters¡¯ memories supplemented according to their probability through self-learning?¡± I also wondered how much authority the channel manager had to make this possible. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®I am sorry¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins] [What the hell is that?] I rummaged through the magic book, amazed and curious. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Professional Instructor¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [Please organize the books.] Dozens of magic books that I had read for several days were scattered all over the table. ¡°It¡¯s not on the floor, it¡¯s all on the table¡­¡± Isn¡¯t this neat enough? Ring! [The Constellation ¡®MBTI is science¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [P.] ¡°¡­¡± (T/L note: In MBTI, the letter P stands for Perceiving, and people with this preference are the ones who want flexibility in their lives and in how their time is managed. Sumber: Google.) * * * These days, when I woke up in the morning, I had a simple meal, ran to the library, and stayed stuck all day until the next meal time. After lunch, I went to the library again. After dinner, I went to the library again. I even brought a magic book to bed and repeatedly fell asleep while reading it with the lamp turned on. As expected, does magic resemble math? No, this is a completely different study. A very mysterious study that I have never really heard of. ¡®It¡¯s fun.¡¯ For me, studying was just a means to be recognized by my stepfather. Therefore, it was the first time that I was so purely immersed in my studies besides the game-related studies. In addition, the concept of magic theory gradually developed, and the time it took to understand and read each new magic book was greatly reduced. It was truly an encouraging achievement. [Some of the Constellations yawn.] Not for the Constellation, though. Knock. Knock. Just as I was about to finish today¡¯s study, the servant came. ¡°Lady, the meal is ready. Go to the dining room on the first floor.¡± These days, I often missed mealtime because I was in the library, so I ate alone, and last night, Raul suggested that I should have lunch together with my family. His words were a suggestion, but it was an order I had to follow. I wondered why it was today that Raul said I should have dinner with the family. ¡®Do you remember?¡¯ Today is February 20th, Theresa¡¯s birthday. I thought there was no way that was the case, but the timing was too coincidental. ¡®I did twist the original, so something might have changed.¡¯ It would be easier to ask for pocket money if Raul remembered Theresa¡¯s birthday. Click. However, the moment I entered the dining room, I knew intuitively that it wasn¡¯t the case. Everyone looked so happy. ¡°You must have done something good.¡± I sat down and asked Raul. Raul looked at me with a caring smile that he had never shown before. ¡°The result of the paternity test came out today.¡± Of course, it was because of the paternity test. ¡°Congratulation-¡° ¡°But Libby, are you really going to Valhalla next semester?! Can¡¯t you go next year?¡± I shut my mouth. I gave congratulations, but Giuseppe interrupted me before I could finish it. [The Constellation ¡®Dramania¡¯ can¡¯t hide their disappointment.] [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ is leaving because they¡¯re bored.] [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ asks when will the male lead come out.] Notifications continued to flow as if the complaints that they had been holding back had burst. An idea flashed across my mind. A family that looks happy except for me. Natural disregard and exclusion. A forgotten birthday Just what everyone hates. ¡®This is the sweet potato section.¡¯ (T/L note: These days, sweet potato is used to express the speaker¡¯s frustrated or impatient feeling about a situation or a person, a feeling similar to what you may feel when you eat sweet potato without any beverage. Sumber: Google.) CH 8 It seemed if I just ate and let it be, the complaints that began to erupt would get out of control. It was absurd that the Constellations were rioting even though I, the person involved, was okay with it, but this was inevitable. It was annoying, but I had to do something. I cut a thick piece of meat and said it in a passing tone. ¡°Father, I want to buy something so I need some pocket money.¡± Raul wriggled his eyebrows. He said with a hint that he didn¡¯t want to be angry on a good day like today. ¡°Tell me later.¡± It was a warning tone not to hurt his feelings anymore. But Theresa was barely holding back what she wanted to say. ¡°Then when should I tell you? It would be better before the semester starts.¡± Raul expressed his anger toward the daughter who showed no signs of maturing. ¡°Your sister has just returned. But now you say things like you want to buy something and ask for pocket money¡­!¡± ¡°Today is my birthday.¡± I spoke as mellowly as I could, pointing to the empty soup plate and ordering the servant to fill it up further. As if a birthday was nothing special. ¡®¡­Damn it.¡¯ The inside of my mouth was so dry that the meat didn¡¯t get swallowed well. Unfortunately, it was because I had triggered my own issue. To be honest, I didn¡¯t want to say that today was my birthday. ¡°Is your birthday important now? It¡¯s a celebration for your sibling. If you just want to eat a cake, you have it right here, so please don¡¯t give your mother a hard time.¡± It was just a confirmation that it was not a very important day. ¡®I think I¡¯m going to have an upset stomach.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t even in the mood to turn over the soup. I wiped my lips with a napkin and raised my head, feeling the calm atmosphere. Raul¡¯s anger eased,, but he opened his mouth with a slightly uncomfortable look. ¡°Even so, you should have come to me separately.¡± Come to you separately? That won¡¯t work. proceeded with a scenario that melted together many of my wishes and also my experiences. It meant that Theresa¡¯s misfortune contained my experiences. Five years since Libby disappeared. Three years since Giuseppe was born. For many other reasons, Teresa¡¯s birthday passed as if it meant nothing. It meant that Theresa¡¯s deep resentment and anger toward her new family didn¡¯t come out of nowhere. ¡®The eldest daughter who is not loved.¡¯ It was a setting that I had to use because it was so much like my story. Now I regretted doing that so much. I would never have done such a thing if I had known that I would possess Theresa. Damn it. I managed to recover from the sinking feeling by biting the flesh in my mouth. I wanted to say it as little as possible as if it were really nothing. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t even know it¡¯s my birthday anyway, but if you did, it would have been a hassle. I didn¡¯t want to tell you either, but I had to bring it up because I needed something.¡± Raul paused. He looked complicated for a moment. ¡°¡­How old are you to blame your father for such a thing as your birthday?¡± Looking at Raul¡¯s reaction, I tried to speak as if nothing was wrong, but it seemed that I couldn¡¯t speak properly because I was in a hurry. From what I heard about Raul blaming me. ¡°Birthday¡­.¡± I closed my lips weakly. I understand. His words, his feelings. Raul was not a bad man. He seemed stern, but he was a kind and caring father to Libby. Theresa was being treated harshly because she was such a jerk. In addition, she was a child born out of a sense of duty due to an arranged marriage, so I understood that she wasn¡¯t a lovable child. ¡®I can¡¯t blame anyone. That¡¯s just how my team set it up.¡¯ So I don¡¯t really resent it. I¡¯m just a little tired. ¡°I think I shouldn¡¯t have said that. Oh, can I get up first? I¡¯d like to replace my birthday present with this permission.¡± If there was sarcasm in my tone, Raul would have noticed it quickly and yelled at it. But he seemed to recognize that I was in a calm state like never before. Raul was silent for a moment. ¡®Are you angry?¡¯ It was not easy to understand Raul¡¯s mood with his heavy gaze alone. It would be impossible to dismiss Theresa without a clear justification, but I thought it would be better to stop doing things that lowered the favorability even further. ¡®Ha. Let¡¯s just shut up and pretend we¡¯re eating.¡¯ If you don¡¯t want to see me, just send me back. The money to buy the key of dimension could be saved up by selling some of Theresa¡¯s possessions. The moment I lowered my eyes making that decision. ¡°I don¡¯t want to give it to you as a gift.¡± It was an angry voice. I didn¡¯t know if it was an illusion, but it seemed that the anger wasn¡¯t directed at me. Raising my head, I made eye contact with Raul. ¡°If you¡¯re tired, go up first. I¡¯ll send Donovan a blank check, so pay with it.¡± What the hell are you thinking, giving a blank check to Theresa? It was an uncomfortably excessive gift. ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for a blank check-¡° ¡°You are Princess Squire. Do you think a blank check is too much for a birthday present?¡± Of course, it¡¯s too much. Checks issued by the Squire can buy mines right away. But I didn¡¯t show that it was too much. ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± My purpose was also achieved, and I didn¡¯t want to suffer discomfort and remain a foreign object in a harmonious family. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get up first. Please have a comfortable time with the family.¡± I looked at Libby before I left. Today must have been a very meaningful day for Libby, but I was a little worried that the atmosphere was ruined by me. ¡°Congratulations, Libby.¡± So I gave her the congratulation that I couldn¡¯t finish earlier. ¡°Oh, yes¡­! Thank you, Sister.¡± Then, after giving a light salute to Roseanne, who looked at me with a mysterious expression, I left the dining room feeling weak. It was then that the window of support exploded. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [It¡¯s good¡­ Give me more¡­] Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Dramania¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [Please raise your channel ratings ?? Bronze can only shoot 100 coins at a time, so I¡¯m dying of frustration.] Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [I¡¯m a legend for watching this broadcast even though the male lead doesn¡¯t appear.] Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Let¡¯s Speedrun¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [What¡¯s with the mood? Sigh¡­ I¡¯m lying down here.] Ring! Ring! Ring! . . . There were a lot who only sent coins without comment. The crazy ringing alarm felt like thunderous applause from the audience who watched a satisfying performance. It was a festival without me. I stood still and stared blankly at the new system window. [10,000 coins in a short period of time!] [New Constellation enters.] [New Constellation enters.] [New Constellation enters.] [Channel Rating Bronze ? Silver] It was natural for humans to be afraid of someone¡¯s hate and feel sad about their indifference. Even though it was natural, I was a person who was too afraid, sad, and terrified. So I barely escaped. I was finally getting used to being alone. This world had driven me to the extreme. On a cliff with nowhere to run. Try to be loved. To seek affection. Otherwise, I am not worth it ¡®I feel nauseous¡­¡¯ The color fled from my face. When helplessness tied me down into a deep swamp. A snake-like eerie voice came from behind. ¡°As expected of the BJ I am looking forward to. Miss Shin Jiwoo.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± I instinctively sensed a threat and tripped while avoiding him. I wasn¡¯t wobbly enough to fall over. Nevertheless, Ozworld gently straightened my waist with his firm arms. It was a gesture so sweet as if I was someone special. ¡°You have to be careful not to get hurt.¡± However, the emotion in his voice that fell on my ears was just the fear of breaking valuable pottery. I quickly took a step back. My startled heart contracted and beat again. ¡°Why are you here?¡± I straightened my voice so he didn¡¯t notice that I was trembling, but I felt nervous. Ozworld smiled thinly and answered kindly. ¡°Popular broadcasts are bound to have advertisements.¡± A broadcast that hasn¡¯t even made it into the rankings is doing well? What a bunch of nonsense. As I looked at him with trembling eyes, Ozworld looked at me with a pitiful face. ¡°You look pale. We¡¯d better change seats for now. Shall we go to the bedroom? Or stand up?¡± Then he extended his arm to me like a gentleman offering for an escort. I stared at the red suit like looked like clear drops of blood. It was amazing. The attitude that regarded me ready to grasp his arm. That arrogance. ¡°The channel just rises a little to the top.¡± I tried to move forward with a clear refusal. ¡°Sigh. What a real nuisance.¡± At that time, Ozworld sighed briefly and swung his cane. ¡°What?!¡± Against my will, my body leaned completely into Ozworld¡¯s arms. I felt his warmth under the cold palms. I thought his blood must be cold, but he was warm like a human being. So it was even more horrifying. CH 9 I tried to loosen my hand with a stiff face, but it didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Undo this.¡± ¡°Will the library be better? It¡¯s where you spend most of your time these days.¡± Neither physical nor mana worked. ¡°Untie this!¡± Ozworld looked pleased with my furious reaction. ¡°Jiwoo¡¯s reaction always makes me feel rewarded.¡± A madman. A dictator. A disgusting bully The helplessness that engulfed me evaporated like a drop of water in front of a huge fire. Instead, what filled me was anger close to hatred. Again, I was accustomed to hating myself, and I realized I didn¡¯t have to. I couldn¡¯t believe the man who put me in the gutter showed up just in time. ¡®Should I say thank you for this?¡¯ However, I didn¡¯t intend to express my hatred hastily. Because I was nothing more than a trifling creature to this man. A trifling creature needed to behave accordingly. This man seemed to enjoy my hatred and fear. He had a dirty twisted personality. I decided to relax my posture and get properly escorted. ¡°Go to the library.¡± Ozworld tilted his head, hummed, and raised a corner of his mouth. ¡°Yes, Jiwoo.¡± We walked down the hall like a couple. Every time Ozworld appeared, the time of reality seemed to stop. People were all frozen as if they were in a paused video. It was a scene with a creepy sense of disparity because it was too unrealistic. Did I flinch my hand without realizing it? I felt Ozworld¡¯s gaze touch my hand for a moment and then fall away. He asked with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve transferred the knowledge from a dimension where sorcery has developed, you seem quite pleased with it.¡± Magic was the most interesting topic these days. But I didn¡¯t give a particular reaction. ¡°It¡¯s so so.¡± I didn¡¯t want to utter even one word of satisfaction about this possession. I changed the subject. ¡°I have a question, how many levels of channel ratings are there?¡± ¡°There are five ratings in total, from bronze to diamonds. Every time the channel rating rises, the maximum sponsorship amount also jumps 10 times.¡± ¡®So, you¡¯re telling me the Silver Channel can be sponsored up to 1,000 coins.¡¯ It would be 1 million coins even if the rating went up to the diamond level. It was the maximum amount of sponsorship. How can I collect 1 billion coins and buy a wish ticket with that? ¡°Is there ever any BJ who bought a wish ticket?¡± When I asked suspiciously, Ozworld replied in a no-nonsense tone. ¡°Of course. Every BJ I chose earned 1 billion coins and bought a wish ticket. You¡¯ll do the same.¡± It was an encouragement that I didn¡¯t appreciate at all. Then Ozworld paused and looked down at me diagonally. ¡°Are you used to the possession now? You¡¯re pretty active.¡± It was unpleasant to see the eyes that were locked in deep as if he was trying to penetrate my innermost thoughts. I spoke as calmly as I could. ¡°I need a billion coins.¡± Ozworld moved forward again with a twisted smile. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing. Looking at you today, it looks like you will grow quickly. You¡¯re also showing a very rapid growth..¡± He had complete confidence in his choice. The unshakable self-confidence in the deep blue eyes was so strong that it twisted my stomach. I turned my gaze to the front and changed the subject. I didn¡¯t want to receive this man¡¯s criticizing gaze anymore. ¡°The Constellations seem familiar with the memes used on Earth, how is that possible?¡± ¡°Some of them are translated for your understanding and some of them actually use a lot of Earth¡¯s memes. Because it¡¯s the civilization with the most advanced media content.¡° When Ozworld¡¯s explanation came to an end, our steps stopped, too. It was because we had arrived at the library. ¡°Shall we go in?¡± Screech. The door that hadn¡¯t been oiled in time opened wide with a faint noise. At that moment, the force that had been imposed on me disappeared and I was able to be separated from Ozworld. I quickly stepped back. ¡°It¡¯s disappointing if you immediately run away as if you¡¯ve been waiting for it.¡± As if stimulated by my actions, Ozworld approached me step by step at a slow pace. ¡°I just don¡¯t have anything else I want to ask.¡± I staggered backward. Soon, the books piled up on the table behind my back caught me. Clatter! Books that had been roughly stacked in one place spilled onto the floor. This man was huge. Moreover, even though he was wearing a suit, I could see that his body was trained for a threat. He was a person who awakened the instinct of the prey. I became nervous. ¡°If you have any business, tell me.¡± There was no way that I, who was not an actor, could do something like excellent acting. The longer I spent with Ozworld, the more difficult it would be to hide my true feelings. ¡°Business? There is no such thing in the first place.¡± ¡®Then why did you show up?¡¯ ¡°As a channel manager, it is my duty to check on Miss Jiwoo frequently. And, usually, because I want to.¡± What? Whether that question reflected in my eyes, Ozworld answered. ¡°BJs usually want to get along with me, the channel manager. Don¡¯t you, Miss Jiwoo?¡± It was time for me to answer yes. It certainly was, but my lips hardly opened. Ozworld¡¯s eyes narrowed after seeing my hesitation. ¡°I guess not.¡± At that moment, I instinctively opened my mouth. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of you.¡± I put down everything I had tried to hide and brought out the inside of me that felt like a disgrace. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can trust you. ¡­That¡¯s all.¡± It must be obvious that the backstory added like an excuse was a lie. But Ozworld didn¡¯t bother to point that out. Instead, he tucked my hair behind my ear and said softly. ¡°You still don¡¯t realize where you are, Miss Shin Jiwoo.¡± His fingers crossed my ear and came down the jawline to the nape of my neck. ¡°You and I don¡¯t trust and rely on each other.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re a toy. Miss Ji-woo.¡± Ozworld gently pressed the pulse there with his fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t forget your role. If you want to be loved.¡± Damn you. Ozworld checked the time and clicked his tongue lightly. ¡°I¡¯d love to deal more with you, but I¡¯ll have to go back. The advertisement is unintentionally long.¡± Thud! As the cane hit the floor, I felt the weak static electricity that I had felt before. It was a signal that time had stopped. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll call you Theresa. You¡¯ll understand your situation better.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°See you next time.¡± Ozworld kissed me lightly on the cheek and left. It was meant to be a greeting, but it was so unpleasant that I wanted to kill him. I scrubbed and wiped my dirty cheeks. My skin became red and sore from the friction, but I didn¡¯t stop. My eyes were glued to the place where Ozworld disappeared. ¡®If there¡¯s a way to break you down, I¡¯ll never hesitate.¡¯ * * * ¡°Donovan.¡± Donovan, the butler, bowed his head slightly at the Duke¡¯s gentle call and waited for him to continue his words. Raul wasn¡¯t a big fan of cigars. But when he had something to think about or when he was in a bad mood, he would snip off the tip of one of them and light it. Usually, it was Theresa who caused the empty spot in the cigar case. It seemed it was the same today. ¡°Have I been so indifferent to Theresa?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. You¡¯ve always tried.¡± Raul breathed out a faint sigh of smoke. His eyes stared at the smoke hovering in the air for a moment. The deep gaze was directed at the smoke, but he seemed to be looking beyond it. ¡°I thought I was never wrong, Donovan. But today when I looked into her eyes¡­ Strangely enough, my heart sank.¡± Raul recalled the bright and fragrant scene of the dining room decorated with flowers blooming in the greenhouse. In it, his eldest daughter, who was sitting calmly like never before. These days, Theresa had been a little strange. He thought she would use her power, as usual, to confirm that she was the real Princess Squire, not Libby. Is it the calm before the storm? For that reason, Theresa was still as quiet as a mouse. ¡°I wondered if it was a new way to scratch my inside.¡± Theresa had been doing everything that a rotten child would do, such as hunger strikes, chipping away, and running away to get what she wanted. ¡°But something¡¯s wrong. It¡¯s so different from before.¡± He was like an empty river who had never contemplated anything. Humans without the ability to think were no different from animals which only had instincts. Beyond redemption. It was the stigma Raul had put on Theresa a long time ago. ¡°She¡¯s 22 years old now, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, she¡¯s 22 years old.¡± Raul could hardly forget the moment when Theresa said it was her birthday. Empty eyes. Dry face. Muffled voice. Like a sinner confessing a terrible crime. CH 10 ¡°Do you remember what I¡¯ve done for Theresa¡¯s birthday so far?¡± ¡°You rented a hotel and let her hold a birthday party.¡± It was something he couldn¡¯t remember. If he had just received that kind of document around this time, he would have given it a rough stamp and allowed it. He didn¡¯t want to get involved and he didn¡¯t want to know. ¡°Previously, Theresa told me that I didn¡¯t know her birthday. She wasn¡¯t asking, she already knew.¡± Raul put his cigar down on the ashtray and rubbed his eyes slowly. ¡°By the way, I remember Libby¡¯s birthday clearly. The birthday of my daughter, who I lost when she was only two years old, was celebrated with my wife every year.¡± That fact felt strange for the first time today. Raul mumbled in a low-pitched voice that mixed with the sound of iron. ¡°I don¡¯t know where it went wrong.¡± ¡°That happens with children. Don¡¯t blame yourself, my Lord.¡± Knock. Knock. Then a servant knocked on the door of the office. ¡°Master, the Lady has collapsed and called the doctor.¡± Jump! ¡°What? Why did Libby fall down?¡± How can you tell such an emergency so calmly! The servant quickly corrected themselves in a slightly bewildered voice. ¡°I am sorry. My explanation was lacking. The one I was talking about was Lady Theresa.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Raul was relieved for a moment, then felt his blood go cold. Why did he feel relieved that Theresa had collapsed? Because she wasn¡¯t Libby? He felt like he was trapped in a bad nightmare. Raul closed his mouth tightly and recklessly went to Theresa¡¯s room. ¡°Open up.¡± Bump! When the door opened, what he saw was Giuseppe and Libby drinking tea. Libby rose from her seat. ¡°Father? What brings you here?¡± Raul became bewildered. ¡®Why is Libby in this room?¡¯ At that moment, Donovan, who followed him in a hurry, apologized. ¡°My Lord, Lady Theresa¡¯s room is not here.¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m sure this is¡­¡± Raul belatedly recalled that Theresa had surrendered her successor¡¯s room to Libby. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to Lady Theresa¡¯s room.¡± Raul followed Donovan without explaining to Libby and Giuseppe, who looked at him questioningly. The Duke¡¯s residence was a very large mansion. That¡¯s why he had to walk for quite a long time to get to the last room in the hallway. In addition, Theresa¡¯s room was in the corner. A room that had been vacant for a long time because such a secluded place was never used. It was an area that was out of everyone¡¯s attention. Theresa was in this kind of place? Click. When the door opened, the room got smaller, and he could see a drawing room filled with complicated things that looked like they were about to burst. Raul became even more baffled. ¡°Why is a Princess Squire using this kind of room? There are still better rooms left, so why don¡¯t you let her go somewhere else?¡± ¡°The Lady said it must be this room¡­ My apologies.¡± Why should it be this room? That vain Theresa. As his mind became complicated like a tangled thread, he ran into the doctor who had just finished the treatment. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here. I was going to tell you the results of the treatment.¡± ¡°I heard Theresa collapse. What¡¯s her status now?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t lose consciousness, she just fell down due to dizziness. I prescribed her some medicine, and she¡¯ll be fine soon.¡± Now that he thought about it, Theresa didn¡¯t eat much in the dining room. She left out all the meat and barely ate the soup. She was pale. ¡°Theresa?¡± ¡°She just fell asleep. Would you like to go inside?¡± Raul shook his head with a stiff face. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± First of all, it was necessary to organize the thoughts that were still stuck in confusion. The servants also didn¡¯t react much as if they knew Raul would be like this. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Raul raised his hand when the servants opened the door to the hallway. ¡°The existing furniture in this room only looks complicated, it¡¯s not elegant. Change everything to a better one.¡± Furniture was a very expensive item. But not just replacing a table or a chair, but he was changing everything to a better one? As the servants were wondering, Donovan stepped up and replied. ¡°I¡¯ll follow your orders.¡± Raoul nodded and went out into the hallway. ¡°Yes.¡± Suddenly, he remembered something from the beginning of last year. He remembered that Theresa suddenly said she wanted a private carriage, but he had dismissed it immediately, ¡®Was it something you wanted for your birthday?¡¯ Raul glanced back at the door, which was slowly closing. Then he opened his mouth as if possessed. ¡°Buy Theresa a special carriage for her birthday.¡± ¡°Then shall we assume that there is no blank check?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll give it to her as it is.¡± Even if he was a descendant from a family where hands were precious, whether it was coming-of-age ceremonies or ordinary birthdays, he would not spend so much money And the birthday party was for none other than the asshole Therese. Donovan almost asked why, but he managed to come to his senses. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll post the documents as soon as I find a suitable carriage.¡± ¡°Therese is the one who will use it, so ask her which one she wants.¡± In the end, Donovan couldn¡¯t stand the shock. ¡°I know the carriage that she wanted. It¡¯s a luxurious carriage, painted with antique olive dyes, and its embossed parts are gilded.¡± It was the carriage that every girl would dream of, with curves as beautiful as tulips. A carriage of that level was used by a duchess or a princess. ¡°Yes, pick that.¡± ¡°Lord, it will be well known in society at once.¡± Just because of Theresa¡¯s room situation, she suddenly gained a high score. ¡°Is my finances so difficult that I can¡¯t even do this for my daughter¡¯s birthday?¡± It wasn¡¯t the case. If he had told him to do it for Libby, Donovan would have gotten the best without protesting. ¡°¡­My apologies, my Lord. I made a slip of the tongue.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. What you said makes sense.¡± Raul walked toward the office with heavier steps. It was too far. The successor¡¯s room and the Duke¡¯s office were all so far from each other. Who created this sense of distance? Raul¡¯s expression darkened. * * * The next day. I just woke up after taking the prescribed medicine, but as soon as I opened my eyes, I found an absurd notification window. [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins] [The timing of the pain is amazing! The whole universe is helping this broadcast!] ¡°¡­What is this?¡± [The Constellation ¡®Conspiracy Theorist¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [This is all part of BJ¡¯s plan lol. Raul is playing into BJ¡¯s palm lol.] The notification window disappeared after a certain period of time even if I didn¡¯t check it. Therefore, it meant that the sponsorship window currently floating was recent. ¡®Have the Constellations been playing around with sponsorship? ¡­Why?¡¯ It was difficult to understand the situation because of all the excitement and nonsense written in the comment section one after another. As I tilted my head, the maids came to the room. ¡°Lady, are you feeling well?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡®Since what happened in the dining room yesterday, I felt chill in my body.¡¯ Shortly after Ozworld disappeared from the library, I returned to my room because I was in no mood to open a book. Perhaps because of the extreme stress, before even entering the bedroom, my head suddenly started spinning, and I sat down and couldn¡¯t get up for a while. ¡°The Duke came here yesterday.¡± I narrowed my brow slightly as my hair was lightly groomed. ¡°Father?¡± No wonder there was a mention of Raul in the sponsorship. ¡°Yes. He was worried and even came to the drawing room and asked the doctor about Lady¡¯s condition.¡± It was natural for parents to worry about their children when the children collapsed. However, the maids were reporting as if they were dealing with something unnatural. It was actually unnatural. ¡°He didn¡¯t have to come.¡± I swallowed a sigh and squeezed the corners of my eyes. Because, from experience, I knew well what would happen if the child he didn¡¯t like was bothering him. This was a difficult situation. It seemed I needed to be a little more careful to get out of the Duke¡¯s residence safely. I slowly removed my hand from the corner of my eyes and said to the maids. ¡°From now on, try to deal with it quietly so that Father doesn¡¯t waste his time walking here just because of a slightly upset stomach.¡± It was Theresa¡¯s specialty to make a fuss around the house, even if it was just pretending. But now she didn¡¯t want them to tell him even if she was genuinely in pain? The maids were perplexed as if they could not tell whether this was true or not. ¡°S-Still, Lady. You really collapsed yesterday¡­¡± ¡°I was just dizzy for a moment. The doctor also said it was nothing.¡± The maids were engulfed in awkward silence, perhaps not being able to understand my true feelings. If I didn¡¯t do anything, the maids would be frozen, keeping an eye on a person who was difficult to understand. I went to the dressing table and sat down. It was an unspoken order for them to start grooming. The maids began to help me groom my hair, looking relieved that they had something to do. There was a luxurious envelope on the dresser. Inside of it was a blank check. ¡®My birthday ended well with this.¡¯ I got what I wanted. Now I could have a quiet day until I needed to write the check. CH 11 ¡°Oh, yeah. How was the dormitory?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been assigned the best room. I¡¯ve also moved my luggage in advance, so you can check it out on the first day of the class.¡± 15 days before the beginning of the semester is a tutorial period for users who play . At this time, they can choose between the dormitory and home. If you choose to go to school, your bond with your family will deepen, and you can receive active support in future plays. Of course, it¡¯s limited to Libby. ¡®Theresa would be safer leaving the house.¡¯ If I chose the dormitory route, I could quickly grow my character skills. More importantly, I had to face the male protagonists frequently. The Play of God has a total of four male protagonists. The president of the student council and heir to the head of the state¡¯s family, [Clyde Willow]. The vice president of the student council and a commoner, [Damian West]. A genius wizard and professor of magic school Valhalla, [Ilya Bernstein]. The emperor, [Euges Rodrigo]. Since there are three male leads in the school, you might think that choosing the dormitory is advantageous. ¡®But there¡¯s a clear loophole.¡¯ That would drastically reduce the routes of meeting Emperor Euges. Why is this a problem? In , there are ¡®True Ending¡¯ and ¡®Bad Ending¡¯ for all male characters, respectively. There is one minimum condition to see the true ending. ¡®Remove all male lead¡¯s bad ending elements.¡¯ Otherwise, it will lead to a bad ending, such as being destroyed or assassinated, no matter which male lead you are connected with. ¡®I made four male leads, so I¡¯ll have to try taking on all of them.¡¯ The setting I put with that intention had become a dangerous variable and I didn¡¯t know how it would work for me now. When the male lead¡¯s favorability reaches the worst, a bed ending appears. However, Theresa is the enemy¡¯s daughter who must be killed. Unlike Libby, she doesn¡¯t have the peculiarity of being raised outside of her family until she became an adult. Can I avoid the bad ending until I get out of this world? ¡®Theresa is so famous that she can¡¯t even take refuge to another country.¡¯ ¡°Haaaa.¡± My sigh caused the maid to wince. She glanced anxiously at Theresa¡¯s pale purple dress, which was one of her most modest clothes, and spat out words like a rapid-fire cannon. ¡°Are you not happy with this dress? I will change it to another dress right away.¡± ¡°No, I was thinking about something else for a second. I like the dress.¡± The maid did not seem to believe my words, but she quietly nodded. Like a person who moved slowly on purpose to avoid provoking a ferocious bear¡­ After I finished grooming my hair, I sat down at the desk that looked new tucked away in the corner of the room. ¡®It doesn¡¯t just look new, it¡¯s really new. There¡¯s no way Theresa would use her desk.¡¯ I took out my ink, pen, and paper on the smooth, scratch-free walnut desk. ¡®I should start by making a list of carnivores that cling to the Squire family and rob our barns.¡¯ I planned to deal with the villains that would definitely interfere with the play. ¡®I¡¯ll give this list to them when I leave the house.¡¯ If I gave this list before that, I could be questioned as to how I knew about it, or if I had any lingering feelings about the successor position. It was all something I didn¡¯t want. While I was writing the list enthusiastically, someone knocked on the door. ¡®Who is it? There¡¯s no one who would come at this hour.¡¯ ¡°Come on in.¡± When I hid the list and answered while taking out a magic book, the servants rushed into the room. They were sweating hard on this cold day. ¡°My Lady, I need to replace all the furniture, so would it be all right if I leave the door open for a while?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the furniture?¡± ¡°The Lord said it doesn¡¯t fit Lady¡¯s dignity and ordered me to replace it with a new one.¡± ¡®What kind of bullshit is this? There is no dignity in Theresa.¡¯ ¡°Hn, yes.¡± I was assigned a dormitory so I didn¡¯t have to come back to this house It felt like a waste to fill this abandoned corner room with new furniture that wouldn¡¯t be used at all after I left. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter because it¡¯s not my money. This furniture, whoever needs it will use it.¡¯ ¡­I thought so and moved on, but it did not end there. The next day Miranda came to me with a smile. ¡°Lady, the private carriage has just arrived, would you like to see it?¡± ¡°Whose carriage are you talking about?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the carriage for Lady Theresa!¡± ¡°Hn? But I¡¯ve never bought anything like that?¡± ¡°The Lord gave it to you as a birthday present. Let¡¯s go see it. Everyone¡¯s going crazy.¡± I¡¯ve never put a setting like Theresa owning a carriage, what are you talking about? Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Haha Bus¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Found it. My sanctuary.] In a dazed state, I went to see the carriage with Miranda. The relatives gathered together like onlookers who came to see a huge supercar, I could hear their voices of admiration. The elegantly shaped, calm olive-colored carriage exuded an overwhelming presence. ¡°Oh¡­ Hn?¡± The design was so familiar that I was instantly stunned. I also vividly remembered the color code of this carriage. ¡°Why is this here?¡± Isn¡¯t this the carriage that Libby will get for her birthday? Donovan approached me as I looked at the carriage with a puzzled face. ¡°You¡¯re here already, Lady. Others will come down soon. Do you like the carriage?¡± Of course, I liked it. A lot of effort was put into the design of this carriage to make the main character stand out. ¡°Is this my own carriage?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The Lord told me to get it as a birthday present for the Lady.¡± ¡°But I also got a blank check? That¡¯s too much.¡± Donovan¡¯s expression became strange at my words, and he spoke in a somewhat more polite manner. ¡°Both the blank check and the carriage are perfect birthday gifts for the Lady. Please accept it with pleasure. The Lord doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s too much at all.¡± ¡®No, I think you¡¯re overdoing it.¡¯ [The Constellations smile happily.] [The Constellation ¡®Materialism¡¯ sends cheers and applause.] Not knowing what to do with the carriage I had already received, I reluctantly nodded my head. Then, I saw the Duke, Libby, and Giuseppe approaching this way, talking freely. Raul arrived and when he found me looking at the carriage, he asked with a blunt expression. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I looked at Raul with an expression of not understanding anything. ¡°Didn¡¯t you collapse?¡± ¡®Why are you asking this?¡¯ It was two days ago that I collapsed. ¡°Ah¡­ I didn¡¯t collapse, I was just dizzy for a while. I am fine now.¡± So, not only Raul, the others seemed to sense the implication that they didn¡¯t have to pay attention. Everyone looked puzzled. Raul coughed briefly and glanced at the carriage and asked. ¡°Do you like the carriage?¡± The fortunate thing about this possession was that basic etiquette came out reflexively. I spoke with courtesy. ¡°Yes, thank you, Father. I¡¯ll use it well.¡± I didn¡¯t know if it was an illusion, but Raul looked at me with a mixed face when I said thank you. ¡®Why are you making that face? Just like someone who feels guilty.¡¯ All I did while possessing this body was to anger Raul just like Theresa. ¡®Actually, Raul kept getting frustrated and angry.¡¯ Do you feel so sorry for forgetting my birthday? But it¡¯s Theresa¡¯s birthday. It was natural to forget. If he suddenly wanted to be a father who looked after his children equally, it was understandable to some extent ¡®Ah. Is that it?¡¯ The game didn¡¯t deal with the Squire family¡¯s inner circumstances. So this could be the aftermath of the setting created by automatically filling in the blanks for the story. ¡®Now that Raul is a real person. I thought he was too simple.¡¯ Raul seemed to want a harmonious family, so I should keep the rhythm. I spoke to Giuseppe, who was flinching because he couldn¡¯t say that he wanted to see the carriage more closely. ¡°You can come closer and take a look.¡± Giuseppe had a slightly deflated look on his face, but eventually, he couldn¡¯t help but look at the carriage. Indeed, it was like a reaction of boys at the age when they were crazy about cars. ¡°Hmm, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen this format.¡± Giuseppe tried his best to look sullen but he opened the carriage door with glittering eyes. ¡°Compared to the exterior, the interior materials are a bit disappointing. Compared to 21-year-old carriages, the interior design is too simple.¡± I taught a trick to Giuseppe who knew one fact but didn¡¯t know the other two. ¡°So the inside is spacious. Originally, the simpler the shape, the more advanced technology is required. The inside is made of materials that are resistant to both moisture and heat, so it looks simple on the outside, but the price is very expensive. By reducing unnecessary weight, wheel wear is reduced, so its security is high.¡± When I finished speaking, everyone was staring at me strangely. In particular, Giuseppe¡¯s expression was the most impressive. ¡°How do you know that?¡± As much as it was a gift that the beloved princess, Libby, received on her first birthday when she returned to the Duke¡¯s residence, it was also a carriage that my team and I had sharpened with our souls. Ring! [The constellation ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Science again¡­] This has nothing to do with science. Maybe¡­ CH 12 Donovan murmured dazedly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Lady was so knowledgeable in carriages.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± Suddenly, I felt like I was on the same level as the young Giuseppe who was crazy about wheels. I changed the subject. ¡°And, you should call me Sister, not you, you know?¡± ¡°Hmph! What¡¯s with that sister thing. So, when are you going to ride this carriage?¡± At that time, Roseanne, who had been watching us silently, said as if she was surprised. ¡°You two look pretty close.¡± Giuseppe jumped. ¡°What are you talking about, Mother! I¡¯m not close to her at all!¡± ¡°Is that how you should talk to your sister, Giuseppe?¡± Giuseppe couldn¡¯t stand Roseanne¡¯s words and kept his mouth shut in a sulky manner. It seemed he didn¡¯t want to talk to his sister even if he had to die. Libby fidgeted with her hands behind her back, then popped out and said. ¡°The carriage is so pretty.¡± ¡°Uh? Ah, yes.¡± Hey, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve even looked at the carriage since a while ago. Now that I¡¯d looked at the carriage, I wanted to go back to my room. ¡®At this rate, I¡¯ve done my role as the eldest daughter of the family.¡¯ I said while looking at Raul and Roseanne. ¡°I¡¯ll go back to my room for now. There are still preparations for the opening of the semester.¡± ¡°Ah, wait!¡± Libby, worried that I might leave, reached out and held out a small box. ¡°It¡¯s nothing special, but it¡¯s a birthday present.¡± I was handed a box decorated with small flowers. ¡®¡­ It must have been today.¡¯ It was a scene where Libby belatedly found out about Theresa¡¯s birthday and handed her a present. In the original story, Theresa, of course, threw it on the floor without even looking at it. If I did that now, I would be smoothly running to the death route. ¡°Can I open it now?¡± Libby nodded, her head lowered with a red face. The present was a handmade thread bracelet. Indeed, the color was pretty and the knot was meticulous, befitting the setting that she was good with her hands. I put on the bracelet right away. ¡°Pretty. Thank you.¡± Roseanne saw me wearing the bracelet obediently and took off her own bracelet. It was a thin thread bracelet that looked similar to mine. ¡°Her sincerity is good, but it¡¯s not enough for Squire¡¯s eldest daughter.¡± Roseanne took out the clear sky-blue jewel pendant from the thread bracelet and attached it to mine. ¡°It¡¯s a jewel I brought when I got married, so it¡¯s not as good as jewelry these days, but it¡¯s aquamarine with good quality.¡± I stared at the jewel the size of a fingernail. The clear aquamarine shimmered dazzlingly in the sunlight like a piece of ice in the North Sea. Theresa didn¡¯t share these warm, family anecdotes with them. There was no such scene in the original. I felt nauseous. I felt like I was going to feel emotions that didn¡¯t fit my limit. I was silent for a moment, not knowing how to react. It was the first time I received a gift containing someone¡¯s sincerity and history. Raul frowned as I remained silent. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you say thank you?¡± Raoul was especially impatient with Theresa¡¯s rudeness to his wife. I thought I made a mistake and quickly thanked her. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve received something like this-¡° Ah. I closed my lips with a surprised face. The thoughts that should have been left to rot inside sprung out of my mouth. ¡°Thank you for the gift. I¡¯m sorry, but I have to go.¡± Then I left the spot as if I was running away. ¡°Theresa!¡± I heard a voice calling me from behind, but I didn¡¯t look back. The Constellations kept sending donations nonstop and it was distracting me. ¡°It¡¯s a toy, Miss Jiwoo.¡± It was as if I could hear Ozworld¡¯s sneers in my ears. It was only for a short while, but I thought maybe this event had happened because I was a person worthy of love. ¡®I don¡¯t even know the subject.¡¯ Libby, who still didn¡¯t know how to spend the duke¡¯s fortune, only did what she could. Also, Roseanne behaved wisely so that Libby¡¯s innocent gift would not be reproached. I knew that. I didn¡¯t grow up being loved, so I found this unusual. So I knew everything, even the fact that in the end, I would only become more miserable and shabby. I cut myself down to protect myself. That was the best self-defense I¡¯d ever learned in my life. ¡°Gasp¡­ Gasp¡­.¡± When I returned to the room, I was out of breath. The maids were surprised when they saw me almost running to the room. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing wrong.¡± Unless they were quite ignorant, they should notice that I wanted to change the subject. The maids looked at me with perplexed faces, not knowing what to do. After catching my breath, I checked the room filled with birthday presents from various families. I needed something to distract me, but I thought this might work well. ¡°I need to finish my birthday letter reply. Are all the presents organized?¡± Eloise, the oldest maid, answered my question. ¡°I finished organizing the list in the morning. The family name that needs to be checked has been written down.¡± I sat at my desk and focused on the documents. As time passed, my jittery mood gradually subsided. I was just a possessor. There was no need to overlap Therese¡¯s situation with mine. After repeating that thought several times, I really felt a little better. ¡®I guess it¡¯s because it¡¯s been a while.¡¯ Hopeful and disappointed, and then I hated myself for expecting it again. That was my daily routine. However, it was something I had gradually stopped doing after getting out of the house, so it seemed I felt mild panic after experiencing a similar situation for the first time in a while. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a big deal, really.¡¯ I checked the gift list in a much lighter mood and stuck out my tongue. ¡®No matter how I see it, isn¡¯t this thing would never end?¡¯ The maids shook their heads, saying that there were especially many letters on this birthday. ¡®Everyone was curious about Libby¡¯s news, so they sent a letter to gather information under the guise of congratulations.¡¯ Because I canceled the birthday party, the nobles were excited. The beginning of the letter started with a happy birthday, why didn¡¯t you throw a party, there seems to be various news in the family, when would we be able to see each other, etc. The contents were similar enough that I was suspicious everyone had planned it together in advance and written it. Most of it was taken care of down the line, but there were a few where I had to write the reply myself. ¡°The birthday of the upper class is not just a day to enjoy.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the letters that bothered me. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®I love Mika¡¯ has sponsored 100 coins.] [Why are you seeing this? lol fcking no fun; Everyone, to Mika¡¯s broadcast, let¡¯s go.] As the channel grew and new constellations flowed in, the so-called ¡®aggressors¡¯ among them began to play havoc. [Many Constellations frown.] Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Doxxer¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Mikappa came to the silver channel and said that; Is she about to be blocked?] At the same time as the Constellation¡¯s sponsorship, a system window appeared. [Channel Manager-Ozworld has blocked the Constellation ¡®I love Mika¡¯.] The aggro referring to other broadcasts was quickly blocked by Ozworld. He said he was the channel manager but he really did manage it. I frowned in displeasure. The aggressors themselves were fine, but they kept confirming Ozworld¡¯s presence. ¡®I don¡¯t want to be aware that the bastard is watching me.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s just think about good things. Only good things.¡± Let¡¯s think of only good things instead the damn bully who cut down my mood mercilessly just by thinking about him. I would soon have the keys to the dimension. CH 13 By the time I was ready to go out, it was already dusk. ¡®Wow, this is hard work, too.¡¯ It was harder than usual to just take care of my hair, so by the time I had decided on my hair¡¯s decoration, I had already lost my energy. Still, the results were good enough to relieve the fatigue. At first, everyone seemed to be doing their best while paying attention to me, but from the middle of it, they were very engrossed in the decoration itself and decorated me. ¡°This is fine.¡± I nodded my head in satisfaction and handed a gold medal to the three people in charge of the decoration. Penny¡¯s jaw went slack at the unbelievable reward and she bowed more politely. ¡°It was very rewarding, Lady. Please call me anytime.¡± She had good social skills too. ¡°Okay.¡± The maids looked at me with dreamy eyes and said. ¡°The Saint Trio Hotel will be overturned today.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to make a fuss.¡± ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s not it, I meant Lady must be the most beautiful person today.¡± Even the maids who seemed to be afraid of the jerk Theresa expressed their sincerity. If it was the real Theresa, she would have liked it and snorted, but I wanted to put something in my mouth because my sugar level was low. ¡°Do you have anything to drink? Something sweet.¡± ¡°Yes! Here it is.¡± The maid gave me juice as if shooting a tranquilizer, fearing that Theresa who had been as quiet as a satisfied beast might run out of sugar and become violent. ¡®Um¡­¡¯ Being treated like a ticking time bomb was embarrassing, but it wasn¡¯t bad. Anyway, after I emptied the sweet juice, I felt like buying some. ¡°The carriage?¡± ¡°I was told to wait downstairs half an hour ago. But the gentleman who will escort you hasn¡¯t come yet.¡± Very few ladies visit alone at this kind of event without an escort. Especially a young and beautiful lady like Theresa. ¡°Escort can be done by a guard. The auction house is only going to take me and my escort. I don¡¯t want to make a fuss and draw attention.¡± Unlike Theresa, I wasn¡¯t the type to like fancy parties. ¡®I¡¯ll just buy some stuff and quickly come back to read the magic book.¡¯ ¡°There are many magic books to look at before the semester starts. I¡¯ll come back soon after I am done with my business.¡± As my explanation continued, the maids¡¯ expressions became more worried. In particular, when I brought up the topic of magic books, they looked like they were looking at a person lying down on a bed. ¡®Is it that weird that Theresa lost interest in parties?¡¯ I nodded after checking the plausibility with a developer¡¯s mind. ¡®It¡¯s weird.¡¯ Theresa couldn¡¯t have done that unless she had a fatal disease or was trying to play a vicious trick. ¡°Today Count Fabio¡¯s family is also attending the auction, is that really okay? It will attract more attention than usual.¡± ¡°Fabio? Who is that?¡± ¡­I realized as soon as I said that. ¡®The family that broke off the marriage with Theresa!¡¯ I was wondering why there were nuances of regrets in my birthday letters. ¡®It was all about the canceled engagement.¡¯ Unintentionally, I didn¡¯t understand the meaning of the word, so I ignored the contents of the marriage breakup and replied to the letters. ¡®No, how can I remember the name of the extra that I named randomly?¡¯ I comforted myself. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s not something I can avoid forever. And it¡¯s my fault that the engagement is canceled.¡± ¡°Lady¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the past anymore. It¡¯s rude to Count Fabio¡¯s family too.¡± As I continued spouting common sense remarks, the servants¡¯ expressions darkened. Someone whispered. ¡°I guess she¡¯s still in shock¡­¡± Yeah, let¡¯s not talk. I finished my preparations and went down to the first floor. While crossing the lobby, I encountered an unexpected person. It was Giuseppe. Spotting me, Giuseppe stopped nearby and frowned. ¡°What¡¯s up with your face?¡± ¡°Why? Is it weird?¡± Although covered by a black cloak, the blue-black dress that exposed my shoulders was decorated with small jewels and beautifully reflected in the light of the chandelier. The elegant hair also had a more perfect curl than usual. It was an outfit worthy of a villainous young lady who felt the force of darkness intensely. Giuseppe glanced at the thread bracelet on my wrist and pursed his lips. It was a cute bracelet that didn¡¯t fit today¡¯s outfit, but it was an opportunity to promote Libby indirectly. It would be a device that highlighted Libby¡¯s innocence, like a baby lark that had appeared among worn-out serpents and raccoons. ¡®It¡¯s originally Roseanne¡¯s role.¡¯ The image of a beast tamer that inspired even the beast Theresa seemed good enough. Giuseppe strode towards me with a grumpy face as I was unsure what it was that he didn¡¯t like. At that moment, I felt magic. ¡°Hem of your dress, shine like the stars in the night sky with every step you take.¡± Handling very small units of magic particles required excellent control. Delicate magic control was Giuseppe¡¯s specialty, and this ability was a sign of affection that was only used for Libby. The light powder was sprinkled just exquisitely, leaving only a mysterious impression when you glanced at it. ¡°You¡¯re worth being looked at now.¡± Giuseppe spoke curtly and rushed to the other side. His reddened ears clearly showed how embarrassed he was. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Conspiracy Theorist¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [That guy, you¡¯ve tamed him¡­] I don¡¯t think so. ¡®He¡¯s doing that because he¡¯s sorry that he couldn¡¯t give me a birthday present.¡¯ Giuseppe was a child who loved his family very much except for Theresa. Even if he didn¡¯t want to be nice to me, if he wanted his family to live in harmony, he¡¯d have grown old enough to match the mood. ¡®That¡¯s something I¡¯ve done since I was eight years old.¡¯ ¡°Still, I didn¡¯t know he would do this much.¡± I moved the hem of my dress gently and headed for the carriage. The maids followed and exclaimed at the light powder flying every time the hem of the dress swayed. ¡°I heard that Young Master¡¯s specialty is this delicate mana control, but I didn¡¯t expect I¡¯d actually see it.¡± ¡°Young Master Giuseppe has been wanting to get closer to Lady Theresa these days. He must have been waiting for Lady to go out again today.¡± Why is the story flowing like this? ¡°Didn¡¯t Giuseppe just come back from going out?¡± The maids grinned. ¡°There wasn¡¯t any dirt on his shoes. He had been going back and forth only in the lobby.¡± The maids must have become more comfortable with me. ¡®That¡¯s why they keep saying weird things.¡¯ I shrugged my shoulders in disagreement, grabbed the hand of the escort knight who was waiting outside, and climbed into the carriage. ¡°Lady, we¡¯ll be with you soon.¡± I was puzzled when they said they would come in another carriage. ¡°The carriage is wide, so why would you do that? Let¡¯s ride together.¡± The maids hesitated as if they were taken aback. I knew Theresa was scary, but it was a little frustrating that they got startled and hesitated whenever I said something. ¡°Get in quickly. If I am late, it¡¯ll be your responsibility.¡± Only then did the maids get into the carriage. They all spoke shyly with bright faces. ¡°Thank you, Lady. It was my wish to ride such a beautiful carriage¡­¡± ¡°No maids have ever ridden such a great carriage.¡± I nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡± Theresa had only taken friends from high-ranking families to high-class events. She called them friends but they were actually young ladies who served her instead of the maids. Therefore, today was the first time Theresa had taken the maids to an event like this. And that too, in her own carriage. The maids were excited about that fact. ¡°If you go to the Saint Trio Hotel today, no carriages will want to stand by this carriage.¡± ¡°Just the carriage? No one would want to stand by her side, right?¡± I scratched my cheek slightly. ¡®Still, I haven¡¯t been violent since I possessed this body. Do I still look like I¡¯m about to tear anyone¡¯s hair apart?¡¯ Then, the maids burst into laughter at the same time. ¡°I meant, because Lady is beautiful, everyone wouldn¡¯t be able to approach her for fear of being compared.¡± ¡®That¡¯s what you meant?¡¯ Embarrassed, I opened the magic book I had brought to read on the carriage. The maids laughed again. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Haha Bus¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [I¡¯m pretty, but I¡¯m the only one who doesn¡¯t know] Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Haha Bus¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [I¡¯m very popular, but I¡¯m the only one who doesn¡¯t know] Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Haha Bus¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [I¡¯m pretty, popular, good at fighting, and have a good family, but I¡¯m an introvert] ¡°¡­¡± The Constellation ¡®Haha Bus¡¯ ran out of control, just what the heck he got excited about. [Many constellations frown at ¡®Haha Bus¡¯ post.] [Channel Manager ¨C Ozworld will mute Constellation Haha Bus¡¯ patronage notification for 24 hours.] ¡®There¡¯s a function like that.¡¯ I concentrated on the magic book after grudgingly removing all the support windows. CH 14 In the meantime, the carriage ran smoothly to its destination and entered the splendid downtown area. ¡°That¡¯s Saint Trio Hotel!¡± The Saint Trio Hotel was a large building that encompassed department stores and theaters. The auction would take place at the hotel¡¯s largest party hall. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived, Miss.¡± The front area of the hotel was lined with carriages with various seals. My exclusive carriage really stood out. Through the open window, I could hear the whispers of the nobles who were smoking outside. ¡°Hmph, that¡¯s a pretty fancy carriage. Did the royal family come?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. Looking at the seal, it is the Duke of Squire.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± When the carriage door opened, a hotel attendant waiting outside brought out a velvet-covered footrest. With my hand clad in a black pearl satin glove, I grabbed the hand of the escort knight who had approached me, and lightly stepped on the footrest, then landed on the ground. When I finally lifted my head, I could see countless gazes flying and piercing me like a rain of arrows. Certainly, Theresa had an overwhelming look when she kept her mouth shut. The employee respectfully kissed the back of my hand with a leisured face even though he knew that the other person was a jerk. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you, Princess Teresa Squire. This way, please.¡± Nod. I moved as quietly as I could with a haughty expression. In fact, my heart was pounding at the explosive attention that I received for the first time in my life. I wanted to hide in a place where people couldn¡¯t see me. ¡°I heard that she was coming today, but I didn¡¯t know it was real.¡± ¡°How can that dress sparkle so beautifully? Even the afterimages remain, just like fairies!¡± The nobles were busy talking about Theresa without mentioning the subject. ¡°It¡¯s really amazing how she wears a dragon to get attention every time, whether it¡¯s a dress or a carriage.¡± ¡°I know, a dress like that would cost a castle. Who can afford such an extravagant woman?¡± I stopped and looked at the owners of intrusive talks. ¡°¡­Ahem!¡± They turned their heads with a grimace. They were extras that I didn¡¯t even remember making. ¡®How dare you attack a villainess who has dozens of death routes despite being an extra?¡¯ The escort knight asked politely. ¡°Should I grab their hair and drag them?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± He was really the villainess¡¯ escort knight. He said crazy words so casually. ¡®The maids are all fine.¡¯ Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Pro Helper¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [If you carelessly look at those things, your reputation will fall further. I have seen it.] I didn¡¯t intend to use direct violence, but I also didn¡¯t intend to let it go. The life of being a ticking time bomb that everyone hated wasn¡¯t bad. I spoke to the maids. ¡°Find out who their families are and tell them that I will remove their names from the list of nobles if I run into them in the future.¡± It was the villainess¡¯s mercy not to forgive and not to kill. The maids had an expression of admiration. ¡°You are so sweet and generous, Lady. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± The hotel staff, who was guiding us, blinked with a doubtful look on his face wondering whether I was serious or not. I openly looked at the staff with haughty eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t you show me to the VIP room?¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me. This way.¡± Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [100% refreshing] I soon arrived in the waiting room, which was only available to VIPs among the numerous nobles attending the auction. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting outside. If anyone needs to be dealt with, please call me, Lady.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The escort knight couldn¡¯t go inside, so I went into the waiting room only with the maids. It was called the waiting room, but this place was no different from a closed banquet hall. ¡®That¡¯s why I spent a lot of money to become a VIP at the Saint Trio Hotel.¡¯ This was definitely a class among the upper classes. These were the people who actually spent money to buy this space. ¡®Certainly, money and power are good. I¡¯ve been to all these places.¡¯ The vivid color of the lights felt through my five senses, the elegantly flowing chamber music, and the scent of flowers tickling the tip of my nose. It was a place where you could feel the dignity tailored to the tastes of the nobles. ¡°I can¡¯t even dream of this unless it¡¯s from a decent family!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only heard that there¡¯s a small banquet hall like this, but it¡¯s so cool.¡± The maids were also enraptured by the high society culture that they would not have experienced if it had not been for me. I spoke to the maids who had suffered all day long. ¡°We don¡¯t really need an attendant here, so everyone enjoys it. Just make sure you don¡¯t get too drunk.¡± The maids seemed very happy ad smiled brightly as if they would burst out flowers. ¡°Then we¡¯ll be nearby, so call us anytime, Lady.¡± I roughly nodded and moved away. ¡®I¡¯m so hungry.¡¯ All I ate today was a few biscuits and a glass of juice. Even if it was a VIP waiting room full of nobles, it would be rare to find a person with a higher status than Theresa. So, no one could talk to Theresa recklessly unless they were close friends, but there were immature kids everywhere. Among the nobles who recognized Theresa, I could see men with cunning impressions smiling at me. ¡®Mm, I don¡¯t want to get involved.¡¯ I deliberately pretended not to see and focused on putting the food on the plate. I wanted to eat without being disturbed by strange people. Thud. At that time, I slightly bumped my shoulder into someone who was holding food next to me. ¡°Tsk, why are you not looking ahead¡­ Whoops!¡± The opponent fell into shock and even dropped the plate in his hand on the floor. I quickly stepped back. ¡®He almost splashed it on my dress.¡¯ The other person trembled like an aspen tree and stuttered excessively. ¡°The-The-The-Theresa! I-I am s-sorry!¡± Anyone seeing this would misunderstand that I had harmed him. For example, like causing hair loss on his head. I somehow knew who this man was. ¡°Lord Fabio?¡± ¡°Y-Yes!¡± ¡®It¡¯s really him.¡¯ No matter how squeamish he was, he looked at least 10 years older than Theresa, but I was stunned. I opened my mouth bitterly. ¡°Your apology is accepted, so you can go now. It¡¯s uncomfortable being together.¡± ¡°Thank you. I will never forget this kindness until I die!¡± Then he went out of the VIP waiting room. The male nobles who had approached me cleared their throats and went back to their seats. Not only that, but I also felt that the other nobles around me were gradually moving further away from me. Beyond the time bomb, I was almost like a plague now¡­ ¡®It¡¯s nice to have a wide space.¡¯ I was able to eat leisurely without being disturbed by anyone. ¡°Oh, Lady Teresa? I see you¡¯re here!¡± When I was having my third bowl of strawberry sherbet for dessert, someone greeted me. When I turned around, there were three noble old ladies approaching me. ¡°How have you been? You¡¯re perfectly beautiful again today.¡± ¡®Uh¡­ Who is this?¡¯ Even if I was the game developer, I had no choice but to know unless they were characters created by the team. ¡°Fortunately, Theresa is a fool, so according to the setting, she doesn¡¯t know the faces of people below her. Wouldn¡¯t it be okay to skip over them in moderation?¡¯ But my thoughts were turned upside down by one character. ¡°I see a lot of familiar faces. Would you mind if I join?¡± ¡°Oh, Mrs. Shati. Of course.¡± I looked at the old lady, who looked very fastidious and stubborn. ¡®Mrs. Shati.¡¯ Mrs. Shati was the mistress of a marquis, but her mother was from the royal family, so she was of noble lineage. She was also a highly influential etiquette teacher in the social world, and Mrs. Shati¡¯s teachings could elevate a lady¡¯s dignity to a true lady. In other words, she was a person who was going to become Libby¡¯s etiquette teacher. ¡®The process is not easy because of Theresa¡¯s notoriety. There are quests you have to complete to please Mrs. Shati.¡¯ If I made a worse impression here, she probably wouldn¡¯t want to serve as an etiquette teacher. Then Mrs. Shati greeted me first. ¡°Long time no see, Lady Theresa. Nice to meet you.¡± Ring! [Quest: Greeting according to etiquette] Mrs. Shati ¡ú?¡ú?¡ú? ?Reward: Rising social reputation ?Failure: Decline in social reputation ¡ùIf the social reputation is below a certain level, you cannot have an audience with the Emperor. ¡®¡­What¡¯s with the sudden puzzle game?¡¯ The fact that I had to greet Mrs. Shati, who had the highest status here, could be inferred from the context alone without the explanation in the quest window. The problem was the other three. I didn¡¯t know all of their names and titles. The moment I thought, ¡®Give me a hint!¡¯ Ring! [There is a product at the store.] The store alarm popped up for the first time. The alarm came in at impeccable timing, so I thought there had to be something. ¡®Shop.¡¯ ¨‹ [Store] ?Wish ticket [1,000,000 coins] : Grant any wish once. ? Character identification [5,000 coins] : You can check the information of anyone who has introduced their full name. (Including Theresa¡¯s point of view from before the possession) ?Intermediate etiquette [9,900 coins] : Depending on the situation, appropriate etiquette will be used. ¡ø This is it! ¡®Come to think of it, how much money do I have?¡¯ [Sponsorship: 98,900 coins] It was still a small amount, but it didn¡¯t feel burdensome because the store items were not expensive. ¡®Purchase [Character identification], [intermediate etiquette].¡¯ [You have learned a new skill.] [You have acquired a new skill] CH 15 My body moved gracefully on its own. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the late greeting. I didn¡¯t expect to see you today, but it¡¯s an honor to greet you like this, Mrs. Shati.¡± My eyes shifted one after another from the old lady in the light green dress to the left. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Mrs. Hamiel. Mrs. Veneta. Mrs. Sevine.¡± So far, it had been the basic etiquette. The skill [Intermediate etiquette] I learned allowed me to naturally use a generous attitude of a dignified lady and a high-class aristocrat. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to express this joy because you welcomed me kindly even though I haven¡¯t been able to come and go because of a lot of things.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness¡­!¡± I checked Mrs. Shati¡¯s expression with a calm smile. Mrs. Shatti¡¯s face, which rarely smiled, softened. ¡°Your atmosphere has changed a little, Miss Theresa. I hope we can greet each other from now on.¡± At Mrs. Shati¡¯s words, I bowed slightly and expressed my honor. Ring! [Quest: Greeting according to etiquette is done] ?Reward: Rising social reputation ¡®I passed.¡¯ Perhaps she had a bad opinion of me because of her preconceived notion about Theresa, so she gave me a generous score because I reacted differently from her expectations. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Sungjeokchung¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Wow she¡¯s using the money right here; At times like this, other BJs would have saved money and eaten a lot of sweet potatoes] Sponsorship money was precious, so it was just BJ¡¯s position, but from the point of view of the Constellations watching, it was inevitable that they would be annoyed if a cool play didn¡¯t happen. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [It only took 2 seconds for the fraud to buy the item and greet Mrs. Shati ??] Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Rofan-Addicted Young Lady¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [It wasn¡¯t bad, Young Lady.] Hearing the sound alarm Ring! Ring! continued, I guessed the Constellations were satisfied. It was then. [Achieving 100,000 coins in the shortest period of time!] [New Constellations are entering.] [New Constellations are entering.] . . . ¡®Oh, an achievement for the shortest period of time has popped up again.¡¯ However, when that notification window popped up, a notification that new constellations had entered also popped up. Why? Ring! [The Constellation ¡®I hate romance¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [What the hell is this broadcast, the shortest notice again? I¡¯m curious, so I come here;] ¡®Aha. I think notifications related to records appear on other constellations, just like notifications on successful item enhancement in MMORPGs.¡¯ It seemed to be a system in which the Constellations visited the broadcast after hey got curious about the notification. ¡®Can I achieve the 1 million coins donation in the shortest amount of time?¡¯ I didn¡¯t know if it was possible. ¡®I wonder when I¡¯ll be able to collect 1 million coins.¡¯ Ozworld said all BJs he had brought could buy the wish ticket, but I had no idea how it was possible. Does the number of constellations that watch broadcasts increase as the channel rating goes up? ¡®It¡¯s a bit noisy right now, but I think the sponsor window will be more annoying in the future.¡¯ While I was lost in thought for a moment, the ladies continued to admire me. Even my stillness seemed to be seen as humility. ¡°You are indeed the daughter of the Squire family. These days, young people tend to skip this kind of etiquette.¡± ¡°There are more and more places for social activities, but manners are becoming more and more simplified, right? I am skeptical.¡± ¡°An archaic etiquette with many complicated procedures is the best way to prove one¡¯s identity.¡± As a capitalist who put practicality as the highest value, it was a conversation that was very difficult to understand I responded with a calm expression, indicating that I roughly agreed. ¡®I never thought I am a boomer.¡¯ Then Mrs. Veneta asked with a subtle smile. ¡°It was your birthday not too long ago, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Mrs. Veneta¡¯s smile softened at my modest reply. She seemed to think, ¡®This crazy pony seems to have gotten a little more human as she got older¡¯. ¡°The Duke¡¯s daughter¡¯s childhood is still vivid in my eyes, but when did she become such a beautiful young lady? The flower of society may change this year.¡± [The Constellation ¡®Rofan-Addicted Young Lady¡¯ is interested in the flower of society.] The flower of society. It was a prerequisite for the Empress Route. ¡®That¡¯s why you definitely need the teachings of Mrs. Shatti, the master of etiquette.¡¯ The flower of society wasn¡¯t just made up of attractiveness. They had to show above-average abilities in many fields, such as culture, magic, dance, and smooth interpersonal relationships. The flower of society was decided by the Emperor personally putting on a flower crown at the summer ball in August. I smiled calmly. ¡°Well. I intend to focus on my studies for the rest of the semester.¡± Then, I tucked my hair behind my ears and made the thread bracelet visible. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a cute bracelet.¡± As expected, the ladies responded to the bracelet. It was an accessory that was inappropriate for a duke¡¯s young lady to wear, so it stood out. ¡°It¡¯s a bracelet that my younger sister made for me for my birthday. It¡¯s not the right accessory for a place like this, but it¡¯s my favorite these days.¡± At my words, the ladies¡¯ eyes flashed like predatory birds that found their prey. In fact, they must have flocked to me to hear about Libby, so when the subject came up, the atmosphere changed. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Squire family has found the second child they lost.¡± They didn¡¯t hastily offer congratulations. It was because they thought Theresa, who was greedy and selfish, wouldn¡¯t be happy to have a sister to share her stuff with. Mrs. Sevine said in a confidential tone. ¡°It must be strange to have a younger sister who suddenly appeared, but you seem to get along well with her?¡± I thought of Libby, bright, warm, and flawless. Libby who I had seen with my own eyes had a more special atmosphere that couldn¡¯t be captured with graphics. My heart ached every time I made eye contact with her. ¡°Because if anyone sees her, they will have no choice but to love her¡± Libby was simply my ideal. As soon as I realized that I had been staring blankly, I raised my head in surprise. But the four ladies weren¡¯t paying attention to me. Each seemed lost in their own thoughts. Mrs. Shati was the first to speak. ¡°Listening to Lady¡¯s story reminds me of my sister who I had forgotten. After we got married, we naturally lost contact. She followed her husband to the South.¡± Mrs. Hamiel said with a look of great sympathy. ¡°It¡¯s already been more than 20 years since my sister also married an aristocrat from another country and left the Empire. When I was young, I hated her because we fought over desserts every time¡­¡± Mrs. Hamiel couldn¡¯t speak anymore and kept her mouth shut. From her slightly red eyes, I could clearly feel that she was missing her sister very much. Mrs. Sevine brought up her childhood memories of being childish. ¡°I remember crying out of sadness when I inherited my sister¡¯s dress. I really wanted a new dress, too.¡± Mrs. Veneta said, shaking her head. ¡°My sister always threw me chocolate, saying, ¡®Are you still upset?¡¯ after she did something wrong. Like an idiot, I fell for the snack that Sister gave away.¡± ¡°Oh, my sister was the same!¡± The madams laughed as they brought up their childhood stories one by one. ¡°I used to fight and hate her so much, but I don¡¯t know why I miss that time so much.¡± I just blinked quietly. I didn¡¯t have cute memories of sisterhood like them, so I was a little confused about how to sympathize. The madams burst out laughing as if they were fully aware of my situation. ¡°Sisters fight every day over childish things, even when they are older. You may have a chance to experience it in the future.¡± ¡°I fought until I got married. I hope you ladies get along well.¡± I didn¡¯t think that would happen with Libby, but I nodded for now. ¡°I will.¡± The madams looked at me more affectionately with a pleased smile. It seemed that they felt some kind of intimacy stemming from the sense of kinship for having sisters. Mrs. Hamiel held my hand, still slightly red in tears. ¡°Today, thanks to Lady, I remembered a time I had forgotten. Thank you.¡± I was embarrassed. I was just trying to spread rumors that Libby was different from the rest of the nobles by showing her thread bracelet. But the old ladies were reflecting on the memories of their sisters from me. This wasn¡¯t what I wanted. ¡°No, I don¡¯t-¡° ¡°The auction will begin shortly. Please follow the staff¡¯s guidance and move to the designated seat.¡± Just in time, the hotel staff came into the waiting room and we stopped talking. This talk wasn¡¯t very important, so I kept my mouth shut, and the madams smiled softly at me. ¡°See you next time.¡± I, too, saluted with courtesy. Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [I like stuff like this¡­.] Ring! [The Constellation ¡®I hate romance¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [I like stuff like this, too¡­] CH 16 Even if we were all VIP, the guiding staff and the positions assigned to us were all different. I moved to the designated seat with the maids and in the meantime, the sponsorship window kept ringing. Certainly, the Constellations¡¯ response was the best when they got cider, Theresa¡¯s reputation improved, or when I got materialistic stuff. ¡®Although I wasn¡¯t trying to create a situation that would benefit me just now.¡¯ The hall where the auction was held looked extremely luxurious. I sat in a spacious seat reserved for the high-ranking aristocrat in the front. After a while, the host appeared on the stage. ¡°To the ladies and gentlemen who came to shine today, thank you for your patience.¡± After an obvious greeting and introduction, the auction began in earnest. ¡°This is the first auction.¡± Unlike everyone else, I didn¡¯t rummage through catalogs and check out the auction items. Because the only thing I was going to buy was the key to the dimension anyway. The auction items were selling quickly at a low price range. ¡°This is the fifteenth auction. A magic key from an anonymous sponsor. No wizard has ever figured out what device the magic on this key unlocks.¡± It was only then that I looked at the auction with focused eyes. ¡°The key to the unknown secret stimulates the curiosity of collectors. The starting price is 300,000 guerlains. They are priced at 50,000 guerlains each.¡± Guerlain was a unit of currency used in . The auction went smoothly without much heat, stopping at 650,000 guerlains. It was a magic key but it was just an antique in the eyes of others. ¡°Does anyone have 650,000 guerlains? Let me ask you one last question. 650,000 Guerlain-¡° Slide. 650,000 guerlains. The asking price stopped at a smaller amount than I had expected. I raised my hand at this time and they immediately reflected it. ¡°We have 650,000 guerillas. Does anyone have 700,000 guerillas?¡± No one seemed to be interested in the unidentified antique key, so I easily won the auction at 650,000 guerlains. ¡®I purposely made it look like a lousy item, but it¡¯s amazing.¡¯ The key to dimensions and Paradise was actually ¡®easter eggs¡¯. Easter eggs. I said easter eggs, but in the game, it meant elements hidden by developers for fun. I wrote down 650,000 guerlains on the blank check. It was the lowest price of today¡¯s auction. Now that I got my hands on the item I wanted, there was no reason to remain at the auction house. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± [The Constellations show curiosity about the identity of the key that BJ bought.] [The Constellation ¡®Materialism¡¯ sighs at the trivial consumption.] The maids also seemed puzzled by my purchase. ¡°I heard that most of them came today to buy the ¡®Rosario of Love¡¯, which will come out at the end, but is Lady not interested?¡± The Rosario of Love was an item that greatly increased the charm level, so of course I wasn¡¯t interested. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s boring. This magic key is much more valuable than Rosario of love.¡± The maids smiled awkwardly and nodded at my words. ¡°Lady seems to like magic quite a bit these days. It¡¯s nice to see Lady focusing on her studies¡­¡± It seemed the maids had misunderstood me as an eccentric wizard who was obsessed with magic. I couldn¡¯t explain that this key was actually an item of great value, so I just kept my mouth shut. I arrived at the Duke¡¯s residence without any problems and prepared to go to bed as usual. ¡°Then have a good rest, Lady.¡± The maids left the room and the door was swung closed. ¡®Now, shall we get started?¡¯ I took the keys to the dimension and moved to the corner of my room. ¡°Have you all been wondering why I bought this key and why I chose this corner room?¡± [The Constellations nod.] ¡°This key is an easter Egg. I¡¯ll show you its purpose now.¡± It was difficult for the Constellations and Oswald to realize the true purpose of this key. ¡®I have to make them think it¡¯s simply a key to a treasure trove.¡¯ I pushed the cabinet aside and inserted the key into a groove so small that anyone couldn¡¯t see it unless they looked carefully. Click. With the sound of the device being unlocked, mana sprang out of the key, and the door opened inward. ¡°Light, illuminate the inside.¡± When the dark interior was illuminated with light, I could see numerous gold bars, jewels, and accessories. ¡°It is a huge slush fund hidden by the former Duke of Squire. It cannot be opened without this warehouse key.¡± Ring! [The Constellation ¡®Materialism¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Damn, I can count on you!] ¡°By the way, there must be an inventory item somewhere here.¡± ¡®There should be a portable warehouse like a subspace in the magical world.¡¯ ¡°This is it.¡± Subspace was created when mana was injected into a seemingly ordinary brooch. I set the range of the subspace magic and put all the gold, jewelry, and even the key to the dimension into the brooch. [The Constellations are concerned about what will happen to the items inside if the brooch is lost.] ¡°It¡¯s an item bound to me, so It cannot be transferred or stolen.¡± [The Constellations are satisfied with the game system.] Phew. The tutorial was over now. Starting tomorrow, would begin in earnest. ¡®I¡¯m curious.¡¯ I was a little curious about what the main characters would look like in real life. In the Duke of Squire, it was not acceptable to be absent from a meal without a reason. However, Theresa never ate together with her family since she was young. Teresa had always been a person who would make someone angry and offended, so Raul would rather let her eat alone. Thanks to the jerk setting, I¡¯d been able to act alone comfortably, but I couldn¡¯t do that today. Today was the first day of school. Breakfast was served in a rather quiet subdued atmosphere. Because Raul was not in a good mood. The reason Raul was in a bad mood was mostly because of Theresa, and today was no different. ¡°Do you still have no intention of reversing your decision to enter the dormitory?¡± I chose the dormitory and Libby chose to commute to school. So that question was for me. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll graduate in two semesters, so I¡¯m going to concentrate on my school life during that time.¡± Raul looked very upset as if he had heard something immature. ¡°Do you think you can wear the same things as everyone else and follow the rules? In that place, you will not be able to enjoy the dignified life that you do now..¡± Theresa, who had grown up beautifully, would never be able to stand it. However, for me, who had lived in someone else¡¯s house for a long time, there was no place as heavenly as the dormitory. ¡°I will try to adapt.¡± Raul waved his hands out as if he didn¡¯t want to hear it. ¡°Throw away your useless stubbornness and take your luggage out of the dormitory right away.¡± I couldn¡¯t do that. I was looking forward to the day I left the Duke of Squire. ¡°Father.¡± Before I could rebel against Raul, Giuseppe snaped his fork with a tak! sound and he put it down. ¡°Just tell her to get out.¡± ¡± Giuseppe. You¡¯re being rude¡­!¡± ¡°She¡¯s saying she¡¯d rather suffer because she didn¡¯t want to see us! Just tell her to get out, don¡¯t hold her back!¡± Screech. Giuseppe shouted and left the dining room. ¡®Thank you, Giuseppe. Thanks to you, the atmosphere has become more of a mess.¡¯ My head was throbbing. Then Roseanne stepped up and relaxed the rigid atmosphere. ¡°Giuseppe should be scolded a lot. And so do you, honey. Therese said she wants to focus on her studies, so wouldn¡¯t it be nice to support her?¡± ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°Although I¡¯m not a wizard, I know that academic achievement in Valhalla is very important.¡± Raoul let out a deep sigh and changed the topic reluctantly. ¡°When I gave you the blank check, you only used 650,000 guerlains. What on earth did you buy to spend such a small sum of money?¡± I answered as if was something trivial. ¡°I bought an antique key. It wasn¡¯t popular because it had a magic that couldn¡¯t be analyzed. It was fortunate that I won the bid at a decent price because of that.¡± At my answer, Raul clicked his tongue as if it were absurd. ¡°Since when did you consider that as something fortunate?¡± Certainly, just looking at Therese¡¯s dressing room, it was far from words such as saving or rational consumption. ¡®But shouldn¡¯t I like it if I could spend less money?¡¯ I got up from my seat after finishing my meal. ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± Raul said with a tone as if he didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Come home on vacation.¡± I didn¡¯t think of coming back, but I nodded. ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Then, after greeting Rosanne, Libby and I were able to head to the front door. Libby wriggled her hands and talked to me with a look of great courage. ¡°Can I go to school with you?¡± I nodded. ¡°Of course, I was going to.¡± ¡°¡­Hehe.¡± Miranda was out at the front door to see us off. ¡°Have a safe trip. Lady.¡± Before getting to the carriage, I took a document from my bag and handed it to Miranda. ¡°What is this, Lady?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see them, so keep them out of my sight.¡± Miranda flipped through the papers and her eyes widened in surprise. It was because the names of the vassals who had already been investigated for excessive embezzlement were also written. ¡°It must be a pest.¡± Miranda used the word pest as if she was thinking of me, but I just smirked. Seeing my reaction, Miranda made a more mysterious expression and bowed her head. ¡°They are the ones who have offended Lady, so I¡¯ll take a close look at them.¡± ¡°Try to do that. Shall we go to school now?¡± The latter was directed at Libby. Libby replied with a dazed face, nodding belatedly to my answer. ¡°Ah, y-yes!¡± The carriage that carried us left the Duke of Squire at high speed. CH 17 Author: alyalia * * * Magic School Valhalla is a large building comparable in size to the imperial palace. Even if you stepped outside Squire Duchy, you could quickly find the magic school with white outer walls and blue roof spires. I thought the Saint Trio Hotel was attractive when I saw it in person, but Valhalla was on a different level. Its scenery was also exquisite. A huge river crossing the capital and a bridge with historical evidence that could never have been created with the technology of this time. A flock of white pigeons culminated in the white and blue scene. The scenery that would make you happy even if you look at it graphically was in front of my eyes, so I could feel that I had entered an unknown world, making my heart pound. It was more fascinating than the carriage we rode on, which was made by our team. Even more than the younger sister who is with me now. I didn¡¯t make all this by myself, but I feel like I¡¯m the creator. In fact, I was just a pitiful possessor who had to survive in a creative world with all kinds of unfavorable conditions. I was going to arrive at school soon, but seeing useless thoughts made me feel more relaxed. What bothered me the most was the ¡®family¡¯ itself anyway, so the tension was slightly relieved after I got away from the Squire family. I wasn¡¯t the only one feeling a new feeling. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [The big event is coming.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Face Inspector¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Ready to identify.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Performance Obsession¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Ozworld channels always tend to get sponsored better than others, especially for this BJ.] T/L note: Constellation ¡®Sungjeockhung¡¯ will be changed into Constellation ¡®Performance Obsession¡¯ Certainly, the Constellations had sent many messages to support the channel today. I suddenly felt the need to check my current status. Status window. [Theresa Squire] Description: Princess Squire Age: 22 Magic Rate: B Intelligence: B- Mana: A (12,034/12,034) Although it was a short time, my intelligence improved thanks to reading dozens of magic books. Still, it¡¯s not enough. I need to read more diligently. Arriving in Valhalla before I knew it, I thought as I exited the carriage. It¡¯s a bit of a shame that I won¡¯t have to ride this carriage anymore. I looked back at Libby. ¡°Why don¡¯t you use this carriage to go to school? This carriage is too good to be left unused.¡± Libby looked like a startled puppy at my suggestion, then her cheeks turned rosy. ¡°I will ride it carefully. Thank you, Sister.¡± It¡¯s yours in the first place. I couldn¡¯t say that, so I nodded roughly. We mingled with the crowd of people dressed in the same clothes as we entered the lobby. It was amazing to hear the students¡¯ chattering voices. Perhaps because of the freshman entrance ceremony, the students rushed toward the auditorium. I also took Libby and walked in the direction of the auditorium. ¡°The freshman entrance ceremony is held in the auditorium. I will take you there.¡± Libby let go of her tense expression a little and smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯m really glad that Sister and I go to the same school. Actually, I was a little scared.¡± ¡°Scared?¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t believe that I¡¯m a princess. Moreover, I entered Valhalla, where nobles attend. I don¡¯t even know if I have mana. I look like a fool, right?¡± I was at a loss for words for a moment. In the game, it was a natural development for Libby to find her family and immediately enter Valhalla after 15 days. However, when it came to the real situation, I felt that it was too inconsiderate. My heart felt heavy for no reason. ¡°No, you¡¯re not stupid at all. It¡¯s natural you feel so.¡± ¡°¡­As expected, Sister would understand.¡± I murmured ¡®sorry¡¯ in a small voice that Libby couldn¡¯t hear. Libby stood closer to me, then said curiously, ¡°By the way, Sister¡­ Maybe it¡¯s just me, but I think everyone keeps staring at me.¡± I glanced around at her words. I could see the student who had been glancing at us, contemplating and avoiding my eyes. Following the ticking time, They made me feel like a demon who shot curses if someone made eye contact with me. Why would they dare to glance at us when they are frightened of Theresa? The appearance of a pretty freshman must draw attention. I explained in a trifling way. ¡°That¡¯s the way it is. It¡¯s natural for them to look at the pretty freshman.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Why are you helping the female protagonist instead of seeing the male protagonist ??.] I didn¡¯t notice Libby¡¯s blushing face as I was embarrassed to look through the system window, which talked strangely. At that time, loud cheers resembling howls came from the entrance to the lobby. ¡°Aargh! Damian! Look here!¡± ¡°Senior Damian! I love you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re handsome today too!¡± I saw a man running in with a halo of sunlight behind his back. His height, which is taller than others, and his ultramarine blue hair that swayed gently in line with his running steps, drew attention. He was one of the targets, Damian West. I squinted my eyes and stared at Damina. It was because I wanted to confirm something with him. ¡°Hmm. I can¡¯t see anything.¡± The only thing I gained was objective information that, even from a distance, Damian is a very handsome man. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the auditorium, Libby.¡± Drawing by the commotion, Libby glanced at Damina, then nodded at my call and moved along. I headed to the auditorium with Libby, carefully not to look behind me. Because an event is going to happen soon. Damian would run into the auditorium in the crowded lobby while avoiding the students trying to grab him, then accidentally bumps into the female protagonist. It was an obvious clich¨¦ scene from . Tak! ¡°Ah, sorry. Are you okay?¡± I looked up with my eyes wide open. Then I encountered golden eyes like candles lit in the dark. ¡°Are you hurt, Theresa?¡± [The Constellation ¡®Face Inspector¡¯ nods with great satisfaction.] Thankfully, what brought me to my senses was the tactless system window. Why is he bumping into me? Originally, the person who bumped into Damian was supposed to be Libby. Damina, who was busy on his way, said sorry briefly and left Libby confused with a thought, ¡®What¡¯s wrong with that Senior?¡¯ Later Damian came to Libby and said, ¡°Ah! I finally found you,¡¯ and laughed softly. How could this be? I deliberately accompanied Libby to be part of this event. Even if Libby, a complete stranger to him, could just pass by him, why couldn¡¯t Damian just pass by me? Aside from being my classmate, Damian is a student sponsored by the ¡®Squire Scholarship Foundation.¡¯ I tried what I was trying to confirm through Damian earlier. Damian¡¯s personal information. [Damian West] Age: 22 Height: 187 cm Birthday: January 31st Likes: Toys, cooking, sports Dislike: Nobility Likeability: 1 The system window provided basic character information. Based on this, you needed to build up a good impression through gifts or events that were suitable for the target. My gaze skimmed down the information I already knew and stopped at the likeability. The fact that the heart gauge is there means that Theresa can also capture the male protagonist. Right. I felt my head throbbing with the fact that I didn¡¯t welcome it at all. Each time the player filled an empty heart one by one, increasing the male protagonist¡¯s likeability, a corresponding change occurred. Here¡¯s a very simple description of the male protagonist¡¯s recognition level according to their likeability. [Likeability: 0] ¡ú Acquaintance [Likeability: 1] ¡ú Friend [Likeability: 2] ¡ú Best Friend [Likeability: 3] ¡ú Crush [Likeability: 4] ¡ú Lover [Likeability: 5] ¡ú True Ending Then, what¡¯s the black heart that¡¯s currently in Damian¡¯s likeability? That was the color indicating a negative impression. At the same time, it meant the degree of entering the bad ending route. The meaning was completely different from the red heart. Because the black heart was a warning to the players. To summarize. [Likeability: 1] ¡ú Caution [Likeability: 2] ¡ú Border [Likeability: 3] ¡ú Threat [Likeability: 4] ¡ú Murderous Intention [Likeability: 5] ¡ú Bad Ending It was like that. Therefore, Damian was in the ¡®caution¡¯ stage. A black heart from the beginning? Wait, of course, it¡¯s natural since the person is Theresa, but it¡¯s still too much. [Constellations have confirmed the heart gauge description proved by Channel Manager-Ozworld.] [Constellations pay attention to how BJ will attack the male protagonist.] CH 18 Is it fortunate that there is only one black heart¡­? No special event occurred until two black hearts. The target would be just uncooperative. However, starting with three black hearts, the situation would be dangerous. From that point on, it was the stage of executing the threatening behavior. If I were the real Theresa, I would say, ¡®What is this?! You lowly commoner!¡¯ instead of greeting him with a smile. ¡°Hi, Damian. Long time no see. How was your vacation?¡± Then Damian widened his eyes slightly as if surprised, then accepted my greeting, somewhat bewildered. ¡°¡­I had a good time. You look in a good mood today, Theresa.¡± ¡°Yes, because there is something I have to do. By the way, this is my sister, Libby.¡± Damian¡¯s gaze moved in the direction I pointed. ¡°She¡¯s my lost sister. She entered as a freshman this year. Libby, this is Damian West, my classmate, and the vice president.¡± Damina¡¯s face frowned strangely as if my natural introduction was bizarre. His expression was similar to the developer who found an incomprehensible error. Libby took turns looking at Damian and me awkwardly before saying hello. ¡°H-hello. My name is Libby.¡± ¡°¡­Hi.¡± Damian was still observing me as he accepted Libby¡¯s greeting. I didn¡¯t do this change of attitude to prove that I have no hatred for Damian. Still, if I tried to improve our relationship steadily, at least I could avoid entering the path of death. Didn¡¯t they say you can¡¯t spit on someone¡¯s smiling face? I smiled as harmlessly as possible. ¡°Damian, are you on your way to the auditorium to help with the freshman entrance ceremony? Can I ask you to show my sister the way?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not difficult, but¡­ how did you know I was going to help with the entrance ceremony?¡± ¡°Everyone knew.¡± I¡¯m this game developer. How can I not know? However, even if everyone knew, it was normal for Theresa to be indifferent. Damian knew that all too well. That¡¯s why he stared at me as if trying to judge me, who didn¡¯t get out of his way. As we looked at each other as if observing, a very hostile voice came sharply. ¡°Can¡¯t you get away from Damian right now, Theresa Squire?¡± When I turned my head, I saw a lady with impressive short pink hair approaching me. Mimosa Bruni. She is the princess of Duke Bruni and a villainess just like Theresa. Valhalla, which aimed for equality, still couldn¡¯t get rid of the strata, so only a few people could be rude to Theresa. But Mimosa could do that. She wasn¡¯t just a simple princess because her mother was the emperor¡¯s half-sister. So Mimosa had the blood of the imperial family. Her light purple eyes are proof of that. The royal family, who were born with thick blood, have purple eyes. It was because of the special mana of the imperial family. Mimosa tried to push me away without hesitation. ¡°How dare you hit on Damian if you¡¯re not crazy?¡± ¡°Wait, Mimosa!¡± Before Damian stopped her with a surprised look, I grabbed Mimosa¡¯s extended hand and did a handshake. ¡°Oh my, Mimosa. It¡¯s nice to see you from the beginning of the semester. How have you been?¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Mimosa was surprised, making an expression of what was wrong with me. I casually introduced Libby. ¡°This is my sister, Libby. If you bully this kid, your safety won¡¯t be guaranteed in the future.¡± ¡°W-what? Are you crazy! You dare to threaten me now?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth. It¡¯s for you, so you¡¯d better keep that in mind.¡± Libby is the female protagonist, so you will die if you mess with her. My sincere advice made Mimosa look almost fainted. ¡°Dare¡­ You dare to me, to the imperial family¡­!¡± In fact, her status was somewhat ambiguous since she couldn¡¯t use the title of Highness. So people treated her with respect only to a certain extent. She is the same case with Madam Shati. After all, I learned [intermediate etiquette]. When a commotion broke out in the already crowded lobby, the students stopped their way and looked at us. ¡°Theresa must have picked a fight with Damian again. It seems that Mimosa is very angry with that.¡± Theresa hated Damian. All the students were aware of this fact. Another student explained. ¡°Not this time. Theresa even greeted Damian kindly.¡± Ah¡­ I closed my eyes tightly in shame. followed many of the existing school romance drama formulae. The flower of the academy was, of course, the existence of the Four Great Heavenly Kings. Still, then the number of male protagonists increased too much. So, the appropriate compromise was between the two-top students, who were president Clyde and vice president Damian. Since the two were handsome and alluring male students who each boasted different charms, the group that followed them also split into factions. The faction members were filled 99% by noble ladies, so they naturally formed social clubs. The social club is just like a fan club. As anyone had noticed by this point, Theresa is the president of Clyev, Clyde¡¯s fan club, the ¡®Clyde¡¯s Brides-to-be.¡¯ Mimosa is the president of Demisa, Damian¡¯s fan club, ¡®People who are crazy about Damian.¡¯ Two suns cannot exist under the sky. That¡¯s why Theresa and Mimosa were at odds. Isn¡¯t it the same fate with the idol fandom to fight against outside forces? My younger sister is a crazy kid who runs fansite, comes to fan signing events, and even becomes sasaeng fan, [1] is an obsessive fan who stalks or engages in other behaviour constituting an invasion of the privacy of celebrities, specifically Korean idols, drama actors or other public figures. so I know a little about that world. Thanks to that, I got the inspiration to introduce the fan club system in . Honestly, I didn¡¯t think much of it until I went to school. Because the fan clubs and the presidents were just settings. No, it was more accurate to say that I was unaware that I belonged to that club. However, when I realized that I was arguing with another fan club president, Mimosa, in the presence of Damian and many other people, including Libby, I became unbearably embarrassed. It was a terrifying feeling as if the diary in which I had written fanfiction filled with delusions that should never be found out was revealed to the world. Why can¡¯t my body¡¯s reaction be controlled by magic? I was desperate for a way to cool my reddened cheeks. I decided to leave this place for a good reason. Then I saw a savior in my sight. ¡°Huh?¡± It was a man who was much taller than the rest, with long black hair that looked dark red depending on the light, tied loosely. I raised my hand with a radiant smile. ¡°Professor! Professor Ilya!¡± ¡°Professor! Professor Ilya!¡± The man looked back at me with a cool face. He was in size more suitable to become a warrior. Still, strangely, the fact that he is a wizard suited him well, and he gave off an atmosphere of independence and unsocial. Ilya Bernstein, Valhalla¡¯s youngest professor and genius wizard of the Bernstein family. Like Damian, he is one of the male protagonists. [The Constellation ¡®Face Inspector¡¯ shakes his head, saying he¡¯s not his type.] How come? He¡¯s an amazing alpha male. Ilya Bernstein was a perfect carnivorous man with testosterone running down his whole body. If he played baseball, he would be the best pitcher in the major leagues to win the Cy Young Award. If he played football, he would be the quarterback, the field commander. I had a good feeling for Professor Ilya, who stopped walking without ignoring me, and everything looked good. ¡°Look at my mind. I had to go to the professor, but how could I forget about it? Damian, please take care of my sister.¡± ¡°S-Sister?¡± Of course, Mimosa jumped up. ¡°What nonsense is that?! Why would you ask Damian to¡­!¡± ¡°Right, Mimosa. Let¡¯s go to the professor together.¡± In this way, Damian and Libby could be together naturally, and the risk factor of Mimosa was removed, so it was perfect. ¡°W-what? Why me!¡± ¡°Professor is the most genius wizard in the Bernstein family. There¡¯s no harm in being close to him, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t! I don¡¯t think so!¡± Mimosa was terrified because she was afraid of Professor Ilya. ¡°Goodbye! See you later, Damian.¡± I waved my hand to Libby and affectionately walked with my arms folded to Mimosa, who didn¡¯t want to go. ¡°Let go of this! Are you really crazy?! This ignorantly strong thing¡­!¡± ¡°Oh my, don¡¯t say such uncultured words. Mimosa, act like a princess.¡± Ding! [Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [This is Theresa¡¯s cultural style (law of nature.)] I stood in front of Professor Ilya. ¡°Greetings, Professor.¡± Professor Ilya¡¯s dark green eyes indifferently scanned Mimosa. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± CH 19 There was a reason why I called Professor Ilya. Because Theresa¡¯s counseling professor is Ilya. ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you for a consultation about my study.¡± Professor Ilya nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my lab.¡± Mimosa smiled awkwardly and untied my arm with desperate hand movements. ¡°G-greetings, Professor. I have a consultation with my counseling professor¡­ Then I will go!¡± Mimosa almost ran away. Ilya chinned me with an expression of no interest in Mimosa. ¡°Let¡¯s go up.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± He looked at me indifferently for a moment and turned his head. He seemed to feel strange seeing Theresa, who had been desperately avoiding him like Mimosa, approaching first and showing active behavior. While moving to the lab together, I also checked Ilya¡¯s character information. [Ilya Bernstein] Age: 30 Height: 194 cm Birthday: January 31st Likes: Silence, books, research Dislikes: Noise, ignorance, angels Likeability: 5 Professor Ilya¡¯s heart gauge was completely empty. Perhaps because of the shock of seeing a black heart just before, Professor Ilya looked like an angel to me. Click. Professor Ilya opened the door and said, ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± I had a pleasant smile on my face until I sat down on the soft sofa under his guidance. ¡°So. Do you have anything to say?¡± Dark green eyes with cool energy stared at me indifferently. It was a strangely familiar look. His gaze was as if he looked at not a human but a small ant that would burst and die if you pressed it with your finger. Ozworld¡­ That bastard looked at me with the same gaze. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Scion of Black Flame¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Lowly clown BJ, I have a question. Why does this professor hate angels?] What is this concept? I slightly frowned at the appearance of the strange Constellation, then paused. is a worldview where gods, angels, demons, and magic beasts exist. And the setting that each system in which they lived maintained a distance of a far-distant dimension so they couldn¡¯t interfere with each other. However, due to some incident, the dimension distance became rapidly closer. The twins of ¡®Archangel Ilya¡¯ were involved in the incident and died due to the angel¡¯s trick, which made Ilya himself banished to the demon realm. Archangel Ilya fell and engraved a new name on his soul. That¡¯s how the archdemon [Abllo] was born. ¡°¡­¡± I lost my smile sharply. It was because I suddenly realized that the man before me wasn¡¯t a human professor but a former archangel and current archdemon. It¡¯s¡­ going to be okay. After all, this man¡¯s real purpose is to destroy the angels and the celestial world anyway. He has nothing to do with me. Although, in order to do so, the human world, the only intermediate passage to the celestial world, must first be overthrown. Ilya¡¯s revenge was slowly being completed over 100 years. Valhalla is a magic school to nurture powerful wizards who would kill demons and protect the human world. However, it wasn¡¯t a powerful wizard that could save the world, but the existence of a proper female protagonist. Because Ilya¡¯s bad ending would be the destruction of the human world. I was a fool who didn¡¯t notice that I was following a tornado while thinking I was safe. As long as there¡¯s no black heart, Professor Ilya won¡¯t kill anyone just because they¡¯re stupid. So I should never offend him! I tried to maintain a calm attitude so that I won¡¯t cause a black heart. However, no one could ever be calm when they were alone in an enclosed space with a murderer. isn¡¯t such an unkind game that will make you die from the beginning¡­ Still, I can¡¯t predict what will happen to Theresa. Even if Profesor Ilya is a being who could easily turn a handful of human beings into ashes, since his heart gauge was empty, there was no reason for me to become ashes yet. ¡°Theresa Squire, I don¡¯t like wasting time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± I dared to come up with a place before I became ashes for daring to waste the archdemon¡¯s time. Ah! As usual, Effort never betrays you. When I was desperately thinking, I remembered something. I hurriedly took out the magic book from my bag. I always carry it with me to read these days, but I didn¡¯t expect this to be so helpful. Even the book I was reading is my major book . ¡°There is something I couldn¡¯t understand while reading.¡± Professor Ilya glanced at the book, then raised his gaze and stared at me. ¡°It¡¯s a second-year textbook.¡± He was saying as if it made sense for a fourth-year student to bring this book and ask about something they didn¡¯t understand. That¡¯s because Theresa didn¡¯t choose this major because she was interested in or talented in attribute magic¡­ Ilya is a genius wizard who had never appeared before. The major magic he taught was called ¡®attribute magic,¡¯ so it was a very difficult and demanding discipline. Thanks to that, Ilya¡¯s direct disciples were only the student council president, Clyde, and Theresa, who followed him. Theresa wasn¡¯t an intelligent wizard but more a physical one, so studies such as attribute magic were difficult for her. That¡¯s why her grades were a mess. It was doubtful whether she could graduate. Professor Ilya didn¡¯t express further doubt as if he was fully convinced as he knew Theresa¡¯s grades had gone to the other world. ¡°How much did you understand?¡± I opened the end of the book and pointed to a paragraph. ¡°This part. Attribute magic is magic that deals with elements¡¯ properties. Still, I wondered why black magic and white magic other than water, fire, earth, and air couldn¡¯t be used. In theory, shouldn¡¯t it be possible to use white magic and black magic, which are said to have been lost since the ancient kingdom of magic?¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Sorry, I don¡¯t get it¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Uurgh¡­ please summarize it in 3 lines¡­] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Best Hiphop Artist¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Wow¡­ Do you know how to rap?] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Professional Instructor¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [I thought she was the MC villainess, not a BJ villainess.] Professor Ilya explained. ¡°The contents of that part will be covered in . The ancient kingdom of magic cannot be covered in just one chapter.¡± The book means¡­ ¡°It¡¯s the third-year curriculum.¡± I knew it. I found myself in a terrible situation where I became a person who proudly confessed my ignorance and insincerity in front of my professor. Ilya asked, flipping through the magic book I brought, ¡°Did you understand everything?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In my answer, he put on a look of thought, ¡®It can¡¯t be that way.¡¯ ¡°Let me ask you a few questions.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± I¡¯m suddenly taking a test? I was nervous and anxious about his questions. However, the questions were easier than I thought. Still, it seems that he asked questions out of consideration of my level. When I answered the question without hesitation several times, Professor Ilya nodded with an expression of understanding the level. ¡°What book did you read during vacation?¡± There was much to say, so I said about five books except basic magic books. ¡°Did you understand everything?¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s pretty much the case.¡± Magic was oddly similar to making a game. The rune language used in magic felt like a programming language used in the game. The process of linking the runes into magic circuits and constructing the formula was like coding. When you inject mana into the completed spell, the magic manifests itself as if the game were running. Is that why magic is fun? It followed a familiar formula but was decisively different when it materialized. Magic was a study that seemed to combine flawless mathematics and ecstatic art. After conversing about my favorite topic these days, I felt a little relaxed. But that didn¡¯t mean I wanted to stay in the lab. I want to go out now. Professor Ilya casually asked when I was measuring the timing to get up. ¡°So what¡¯s the real business?¡± Ugh. I almost bit my tongue. He must have noticed that the book was just an excuse. Then why didn¡¯t you just let it slide? If you were going to pretend you didn¡¯t know, don¡¯t tell me until the end. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m making fun of anyone. I was forced to tell the truth as I rolled my eyes. ¡°Actually, I was in a bit of a difficult situation earlier, but I was glad I could run away as I saw Professor¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ilya narrowed his brows. ¡°So you ran away to me?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The place I fled to is the archdemon¡¯s laboratory. It was one of the worst. Professor Ilya suddenly stood up, took out three magic books on the bookshelf, and put them down in front of me. ¡°Read all these and come to me if you don¡¯t understand anything.¡± Huh¡­? Professor Ilya¡¯s act of lending a book was a representative action that appeared when one heart was filled. Embarrassed, I checked Professor Ilya¡¯s likeability. [Likeability: 1] CH 20 What? Which part made his likeability gauge increase? Professor Ilya spoke in an indifferent tone. ¡°It¡¯s a punishment for your rudeness.¡± I became more confused. Why did his heart gauge increase when he said it was a punishment? I didn¡¯t remember setting up Professor Ilya has strange taste¡­ Was it like a gap created when games became a reality? Anyway, if it continues like this, I¡¯ll have to be wary of increasing his likeability. The more likeability he felt for me, the harsher punishment may be. Still, I thought it was a rather generous punishment and asked Professor Ilya. ¡°When should I finish reading them?¡± ¡°You¡¯d better read it as soon as possible. You have to understand all of that to be able to take the lecture this year.¡± Does he mean to read everything before the lecture? The lecture would start tomorrow, so he wanted me to read it all in a day? Urgh. I like reading magic books, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s physically possible. With this, it was confirmed that I would stay up all night. I nodded with a darkened expression. ¡°I understand. I will read and test them all.¡± At the word ¡®test,¡¯ Professor Ilya raised one eyebrow slightly. I didn¡¯t know the meaning behind that act. Just looking at his expression, it seemed like he was asking what nonsense I was talking about. I wasn¡¯t brave enough to be in an enclosed place where I was blocked from the eyes of the outside world with the archdevil, who was in the form of a human. Can I go out now? Ilya didn¡¯t respond much when I quietly stood up from my seat, holding the books in my arms. Phew. I guess it¡¯s okay to leave now. I quickly bowed my head. ¡°Then, I will leave now, Professor.¡± Ilya nodded his head once. I turned around and quickly left the lab. ¡°Hua. I¡¯m out of breath.¡± Who would like to be alone with a professor? It was very different to be with a professor who was a real devil¡­ rather than a devilish professor. Moreover, he¡¯s my counseling professor. I trudged toward the dormitory with a chuckle. Since Valhalla was mostly attended by nobles, the schedule wasn¡¯t as tight as Korean universities. On the first day of class, I did things other than classes, such as visiting my counseling professor or engaging in social activities. Still, I will have to finish these books in a day. Suddenly, I wondered what would have happened to Libby and Damian. Still, I didn¡¯t feel like visiting the entrance ceremony for freshmen. I¡¯ve got too much on my plate. I don¡¯t think I will be able to read them all night, so let¡¯s just read the books. I was visiting the dormitory manager and being guided to the annex that I would use for the next year. ¡°Lady Theresa!¡± ¡°Oh my! It¡¯s really Lady Theresa!¡± When I turned my head away, attracted by the voices of many people calling me, I saw a brilliant group of young ladies. They came up to me with a grin and chatted. ¡°Kyaa, long time no see! I was very, very bored because I couldn¡¯t see Lady Theresa during vacation.¡± ¡°By the way! Did you receive the birthday present I sent you? It was very unfortunate that there was no party this time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made a lot of new portrait cards of Lord Clyde!¡± ¡°But what happened in the lobby earlier? Lady Mimosa looked very upset. Did Demisa finally come to their senses and surrender to Clybe?¡± Oh wow, it¡¯s chaotic. I shook my head. All of them were members of the Clybe. I could recognize them at once because they had a silver butterfly ornament studded with sapphire, which symbolizes the members of Clybe. For reference, Demisa¡¯s emblem was a golden rose studded ruby. I wasn¡¯t wearing a silver butterfly ornament today, but everyone didn¡¯t seem to wonder. Does that mean my position is solid and won¡¯t be shaken even if I didn¡¯t wear any ornament? Thinking so didn¡¯t make me feel so good¡­ I gloomily said, ¡°I just greeted Mimosa to introduce my sister.¡± They twinkled their eyes with curious expressions on their faces. ¡°Anyway, I heard about Lady Theresa¡¯s younger sister. She must be being guided to school after finishing the entrance ceremony.¡± ¡°Lady seemed to be on good terms with your younger sister.¡± ¡°She is a great beauty! Of course, she¡¯s nothing compared to Lady Theresa.¡± Libby originally appeared as a freshman and, at the same time, was bullied by Clybe. It was because Clybe¡¯s president was Theresa. However, this time, maybe because I went to school with her in a good atmosphere, Clybe was friendly to Libby. ¡°I hope everyone treats my sister well.¡± ¡°Of course! If it¡¯s Lady Theresa¡¯s younger sister, she¡¯s a member of our Clybe family!¡± If Clyde and Libby get closer, this shallow favor will be broken. When Libby chose the Clyde route, the biggest obstacles would be Theresa and Clybe. As long as I¡¯m the president, Clybe won¡¯t be able to bully Libby. The problem was Damian. Damian was the character with the lowest difficulty level among the four male protagonists. The thing Damian detests and hates the most is nobles. Still, Libby has the peculiarity of living like a commoner because she was a member of a traveling theater troupe. That was a very important point. [¡°You¡¯re different from the nobles I know¡±] This was what Damian said when his likeability reached three hearts. Libby is a character with so many attractive elements, including her personality, appearance, and her unfortunate past, which makes anyone can¡¯t help but love her. Sooner or later, if Damien realized Libby¡¯s true worth, they would naturally come to her. If that¡¯s the case, Mimosa won¡¯t stay still. Of course, the likeability won¡¯t accumulate in a short period of time. Still, it would be better to organize the villains to some extent, just in case. Is there any way to get rid of all fan clubs? ¡°Lady Theresa?¡± I was lost in my thoughts for a while, but when my name was called, I woke up from my thoughts. ¡°Ah, sorry. What were we talking about?¡± The young ladies were startled. ¡°Sor¡­ry?! Please don¡¯t say that. Lady Theresa is heartless and relentless, and we deserve to be treated like worms!¡± ¡°Right, right. There¡¯s nothing for the noble Princess Theresa should ever apologize to any of us. Please look down on me more!¡± Uh¡­ is this an insult? They¡¯re blaming me now, right? However, their expressions were extremely serious. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you not to surround yourself with people who only say nice things about you. They weren¡¯t like a self-esteem keeper, but a truck with a broken brake that was on the verge of ruin together. It didn¡¯t sound particularly nice to hear, but¡­ ¡°By the way, Lady Theresa! Where are you going now?¡± ¡°Dormitory.¡± ¡°Dormitory?¡± The young ladies tilted their heads and soon found the townhouse made for nobles to use, which made them even more curious. ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s my first time seeing a dormitory in the third grade. It¡¯s like a very small toy house!¡± A toy house? Of course, it will look like a toy house compared to the mansions where nobles live. Still, it took the form of a wealthy village. I understand a little bit why Raul made such a fuss in the morning. They¡¯re reacting to this extent, but if real Theresa saw this place, she must have cursing, saying what kind of chicken coop it is. Anyway, isn¡¯t it too much? Which university dormitory will give you a two-story detached house? I was going to reap the benefits of that ridiculous setup. The janitor who guided me to the dormitory gave me the key. ¡°You can use this place from now on.¡± When I accepted the key, the young ladies made a frightened expression. ¡°Lady Theresa, are you going to stay in the dormitory?!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Will you be alright? The number of maids that can be brought from the family is limited to one, right?¡± ¡°This building doesn¡¯t even have a yard! Maybe it¡¯s because the house is too small.¡± I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be that hard. The dorm is pretty too. I like it because it feels like a vacation home.¡± ¡°Lady Theresa¡­ Is everything alright?¡± Everyone looked worried as if my answer wasn¡¯t like Theresa¡¯s at all. At that time, the young lady who tied her hair in pigtails exclaimed. ¡°Oh my god, I really can¡¯t beat Lady Theresa!¡± ¡­What? I blinked slowly because I didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Lord Clyde is also living in a dorm this year! I gave up because I thought I couldn¡¯t live in a dorm. You¡¯re so amazing.¡± It was only then the young ladies were very surprised with an expression that they knew why I chose the dormitory. ¡°Indeed¡­!¡± ¡°As expected from Lady Theresa. I will try harder too!¡± ¡°Lady also succeeded in breaking up your engagement this time. No matter how much I think about it, young master Fabio didn¡¯t suit Lady Theresa. I¡¯m glad.¡± Ummm. I felt like I had become a sasaeng fan unexpectedly, so I was a bit nervous. ¡°I just chose the dormitory to concentrate on my studies.¡± ¡°Yes? Hahaha!¡± The young ladies burst into laughter at the same time. They must have taken what I said as a joke. CH 21 Of course it¡¯s not true, but it feels strange to be treated as a joke. The young ladies twinkled their eyes, curious about what the dormitory looked like. I had no choice but to show them around. The size of the dormitory was certainly not that big. Still, the first floor had a small living room, dining room, and a room for the maid. The second floor was the bedroom and dressing room. ¡°So that¡¯s how it looked like¡­¡± I liked the dormitory, which was decorated with much more reality rather than imagination. Contrary to me, the young ladies swarmed each other, and their expressions grew darker as they looked around the dormitory. ¡°I¡¯m worried about how Lady Theresa will live in such a shabby place¡­¡± Now I understand why Damian hates nobles. I¡¯m going to send them all out and read the books. ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m going to finish reading these books by tomorrow.¡± So why don¡¯t you all go back? However, my words were also arbitrarily interpreted to suit Clybe¡¯s taste. ¡°I was going to tell you that Lord Clyde was in the library, but you already knew, right?¡± No, I had no idea. Clyde was set to often seen in the library. ¡°The meticulousness of preparing books in advance! I respect you, Lady Theresa.¡± I smiled grimly. ¡°Uh-huh. I guess so¡­¡± I thought it would be better if I went to the library since everyone would be quiet and not make a fuss. Even if I stayed here, I would hear a lot of frustrating stories about how to live in the cramped dormitory, let alone read. I had to run into Clyde anyway. My gaze turned to the notification window. [The Constellation ¡®Face Inspector¡¯ expects this male protagonist to be his taste.] [The Constellation ¡®Let¡¯s play the game¡¯ is satisfied with confirming all the male protagonists from the first day.] Yes, let¡¯s go. I rushed to the library in the main building with the young ladies. As soon as I entered the rather small library on the first floor, I had to be careful not to exclaim. There are more books here than in the Duchy! Don¡¯t you all have a dream? A library where you climb a ladder to take out a book. Anyway, I had that dream. A library that has two-story bookshelves and is filled with magic books. It¡¯s much cooler in person. My heart pounded with excitement. At that time, the young lady right next to me whispered with a blushing expression for a different reason. ¡°There he is¡­!¡± As I moved my gaze along her fingertips, I saw a breathtakingly beautiful man. The owner of the neat silver hair looked like a crystal of innocence, with a pure and innocent face. That man with an aura that made anyone lose their sanity just by looking at him was the student council president, Clyde Willow. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Face Inspector¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [What a face genius.] This Constellation seemed like a cold beauty, like a sculpture. Damian wouldn¡¯t have looked particularly gently if it weren¡¯t for his sad expression and glasses. At first glance, he might seem very friendly, but that was a made-up impression. However, from their appearance, Clyde and Damian were definitely opposites in all aspects, including impression, attitudes, and origins. We huddled together near Clyde. I put down my books and glanced at Clyde, who didn¡¯t even look toward us. Clyde¡¯s character information. ¨‹ [Clyde Willow] Age: 22 Height: 188 cm Birthday: January 31st Likes: ¨C Dislikes: Love Likeability: 2 ¡°¡­¡± He already has two black hearts. I quickly lowered my eyes. That meant that Theresa¡¯s existence itself was an annoyance. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Detective¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Find a clue. The male protagonists who have appeared so far have the same birthday as January 31st.] I borrowed the stationery from the young lady who brought a pen and paper to draw Clyde¡¯s figure, then sat down a little further away. I wrote the explanation for the Constellations on that paper. [The Constellations understood your explanation.] The place wasn¡¯t appropriate to burn the paper, so I slightly used my mana and rubbed the letters with my fingers. Then, the mana burned only ink, so the letters disappeared. Such a delicate control wouldn¡¯t have been possible without training. When I raised my head with a proud smile, my eyes met with Clyde. Since when has he been looking at me? There was no way he could see the writing on the paper, but I felt awkward because I was facing that cold gaze. I smiled as naturally as possible and opened the book, averting my gaze. When I checked Clyde with a side glance, he was also concentrating on his book. [Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ wants you to sit in front of Clyde.] What nonsense. I like my situation right now. Unlike the previous two male protagonists, this situation won¡¯t require me to exchange words with Clyde. How comfortable. That¡¯s why Clyde went to the library to prevent his followers from acting recklessly. And there was another reason. It¡¯s also to avoid his disgusting family members. Magic School Valhalla was also the residence of Duke Willow. Clyde is the successor to the Willow family. It was decided naturally because his grandfather was the chairman of Valhalla, and his father, who should have inherited the family, died. Of course, the reason why he became the heir was that he had overwhelmingly outstanding abilities. However, being young is a factor that easily causes problems. Among the elders of the Willow family, collateral families, and cousins of similar age, many were jealous of Clyde and hoped he would be ruined. There was also a suitable excuse. ¡°Look at Lenox becoming a madman, my Lord. There¡¯s no guarantee that Clyde wouldn¡¯t be like his father when he grew up!¡± However, that was also a word that touched Duke Willow¡¯s anger. It became an opportunity to announce Clyde as his successor. Nevertheless, the elders and collateral families didn¡¯t accept it and waited for the opportunity to bring down Clyde. After graduating from Valhalla, Clyde¡¯s qualities couldn¡¯t longer be questioned. To doubt Clyde was the same as to doubt Valhalla and Duke Willow. It was no different from treason. This year was their last chance. For Clyde, he only had to make it through this year well. That¡¯s why he wandered off to deserted places and avoided the annoyances. That¡¯s why Clyde tends to pop up all over the school out of the blue. If you wanted to target him, you had to go to deserted places. So, if you didn¡¯t want to run into him, you had to go to crowded places as much as possible. However, Damian often appeared in such places. Those facts made me in a dilemma. There would be a male protagonist wherever I go. Whoever made this game they¡¯re so meticulous. While I was reading a book and dozed off for a moment, the young ladies got up from their seats one by one and whispered to me, probably tired from reading. ¡°I need to go back to my family now.¡± There were three libraries in Valhalla. However, since this library only kept high-level magic books, there were no general education books or history books, so everyone seemed to be really bored. That¡¯s why they admired my thorough preparation for preparing the books in advance. The young ladies thought the books I brought were romance novels, but when they saw those were magic books, they made strange faces as if asking why I had brought such books. But this kind of book is interesting. It was around the time when I was in the middle of reading and flipping through the pages. Tuk, tuk. I looked up at the sound of tapping and saw Clyde. I stared at him in silence with a puzzled expression. There¡¯s no way Clyde would talk to Theresa first though¡­? ¡°It¡¯s 5 o¡¯clock.¡± All libraries except the largest one on the first floor were closed at 5 o¡¯clock. ¡°Already?¡± I took out my pocket watch and checked the time. I didn¡¯t even notice the time passing because I was so focused on reading the magic book. No wonder I get hungry. I got up quickly with my books, then saw the empty library. Before I knew it, only Clyde and I were left here. Oh, it¡¯s a perfect situation to misunderstand that I purposely stay until the end, right? I smiled awkwardly and quickly greeted him. ¡°Thank you for letting me know. I will leave now.¡± It was when I tried to turn around like that. ¡°That¡¯s funny, Theresa Squire.¡± CH 22 ¡°¡­What?¡± Clyde replied with a look on his face as if I was asking something obvious. ¡°It¡¯s funny that you remain in the library. Didn¡¯t you follow me even if I died here?¡± If Theresa followed all the places where Clyde appeared, it would be difficult for the player to work on his likeability. So, I excluded a few places and set him to appear randomly, and one of the places was the library. ¡°Ah¡­ that, because I¡¯m already in the fourth year. I¡¯m thinking of focusing on my studies this year¡­¡± I said it with my own mouth, but it sounded like a ridiculous excuse. Clyde laughed as if he had felt the same way. ¡°You?¡± I understand you can¡¯t believe it, but I didn¡¯t think you should be so openly disrespectful about it¡­ Clyde circled the table that was between us and came towards me. It was a wobbly gait that didn¡¯t match his neat and elegant appearance. He stood in front of me, leaning on the table with one hand. Unlike his handsome face, as if it were carved from crystal, his ferocious body seemed to devour me. I didn¡¯t want to be nervous, but he was quite intimidating. It was because Clyde had a modest appearance, but his personality wasn¡¯t like that. Because the characters of Clyde and Theresa are like third-generation conglomerates, they are like dragon and tiger [1] . He was like the typical male protagonist, which was common to find in movies with academic settings. ¡°If you¡¯re going to make a ridiculous excuse, why don¡¯t you just keep your mouth shut? My constitution makes my stomach churn when I hear nonsense.¡± Why does this bastard speak harshly? However, as a pitiful possessor who was obliged to endure the karma accumulated by Theresa, I apologized quietly. ¡°So¡­? Sorry¡­¡± Clyde looked at me like an irreparable piece of garbage. I would have been stabbed hundreds of times if his eyes were blades. He offered a generous offer. ¡°If you really feel sorry, drop out of here. I will accept your apology then.¡± The expulsion function existed in . It meant that it would be game over if you got expelled from school. The same was true of the dropout route. Because you couldn¡¯t maintain your school life, you just went out on your own, and it would be treated the same as game over. What will happen if there¡¯s a game over here? Will I die? My question was soon solved. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Performance Obsession¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [If you dropped out or were expelled from the school, isn¡¯t it game over? If so, you should never let that happen. The penalty could lead to actual death.] As expected, that would be the chase. ¡°That¡¯s going to be a little difficult¡­? Instead, I will encounter you less from now on.¡± Since it was impossible not to encounter him at all, it was a moderately compromised proposal. Clyde burst into a violent laugh. His scary eyes made me swallow my dry saliva. ¡°Will someone who says she will encounter me less apply for a dormitory?¡± His brutal questioning left me even more speechless. No matter what I say, it will only be an excuse. Clyde said in sharp sarcasm with a tone of contempt, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a human being as intemperate, stupid, selfish, and greedy as you.¡± He had a precise understanding of Theresa. As the developer, I was embarrassed and chose to be silent, which made Clyde sigh. He had a clear look of boredom. Then he asked me with a completely incomprehensible expression. ¡°Why on earth do you like me?¡± It was when I froze for a moment at a very embarrassing question. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Rofan-Addicted Young Lady¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [The standard of Rofan would reply that you no longer like him. But that would be too obvious and a lame answer.] I thought so too. But I couldn¡¯t help but to answer that. If I don¡¯t officially give up on this one-sided love, Theresa will surely die. The number one cause of Theresa¡¯s death was her love for Clyde. So, I had to tell Clyde that I didn¡¯t love him anymore, but honestly, I felt affection for him. Being the main protagonist meant the amount of work invested in them was incomparably higher than other characters. It was somewhat difficult for me not to love ¡®Clyde Willow,¡¯ whom I created by repeatedly revising and modifying character designs, settings, narratives, and abilities. In fact, I felt like that for all the characters. When I looked carefully at this world, its people, architecture, and objects, I felt an indescribable instinctive affection and intimacy. To the point where I felt guilty in the corner of my heart, even to the people of Duke Squire. Will I be able to hide this feeling? Let¡¯s just say it out loud. Rather than being suspicious and taking an incomprehensible route, I thought it would be better to consistently play with my own choices every time, just like what Ozworld said. ¡°It¡¯s so natural for me to like you that it¡¯s hard to explain otherwise.¡± What is the best way to express this feeling? After thinking a bit, I chose the word I thought would most accurately express this feeling. How can I express this feeling? ¡°I love you like destiny.¡± Then, the notification sound was constantly heard in my ears. I didn¡¯t look at them. It was also because I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off Clyde, who was staring at me with a hardened face. I didn¡¯t know if this expression was right, but he looked like someone who was stabbed by a person he always believed in. ¡°¡­You say you love me like destiny?¡± As I nodded, I could see Clyde¡¯s straight jawline tightening. I felt embarrassed as I could see his expression of barely enduring something. Theresa always says she loves him, so why is he reacting so seriously? Of course, all of Theresa¡¯s words and actions were the ones that Clyde feared the most. Clyde hates love. No one in this world knew him better than I did. ¡°You¡­¡± I raised my hand when I felt the eerie madness in his eyes. ¡°But I won¡¯t love you anymore!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Professional Instructor¡¯ has donated 1,000 coins.] [What are you announcing over there?] I felt belatedly ashamed from the Constellation¡¯s comment. I¡¯m in a hurry, so I say whatever¡­ Clyde¡¯s eyes had a shady aura, so I had no choice. Clyde is half human and half demon. Anyway, Clyde¡¯s eyes looked more normal than before, so I cautiously continued. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t like you.¡± I lowered my raised hand and asked for a handshake. Clyde¡¯s eyes followed the trajectory of my hand gesture. ¡°Let¡¯s get along well while ignoring each other moderately, Clyde.¡± There was no answer. Instead of acrimonious criticism and ridicule, he stared at me fiercely and strode out of the library with an expression of the unwillingness to do so. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing¡­¡± I shamelessly took back my hands. ¡°Did I get through safely?¡± It was only the first day of school, but why did I feel so tired? Growl. ¡°¡­Even in the midst of this, I¡¯m still hungry.¡± I should go back to the restaurant and get a sandwich. With that thought, I trudged out of the library. * * * Clyde went out of the library as if he was running away. He had no destination. He only desperately needed a place where people¡¯s eyes wouldn¡¯t reach. Fortunately, there were no people at school late at night. Even if there were, it would be difficult to find them except in the club room, cafe, restaurant, or near the library. So it was a relief. ¡°Keugh¡­!¡± Clyde hurriedly covered his eyes with his palm while running away. At the same time, he could feel the insidious heat rushing into his eyes as if it touched his hand. Creak! He ran into the empty powder room with a nearly closed view. Clyde lowered his hand that was covering his eyes and rested it on the dressing table, looking at the mirror. There, he had red eyes. As soon as he saw it, a unique red light with a strong scent that made him go crazy completely dyed his blue eyes. Humans cannot have red eyes. Because it was the stigma of corruption and the fate of those who had demonic powers. Clyde was half human and half demon. The world called such existence as trash. The most corrupt and cursed existence that should never exist. He closed his eyes painfully. But inside, a terrible joy was welling up. -It was the first time I felt such pure feelings. The demon¡¯s greedy black tongue, which occupied half of his body, ran through his organs. -It felt like I was going to get sick every time Theresa said she loved me. She just released the energy I didn¡¯t want to eat. But the sublime feeling of love he tasted for a moment ago was so sweet and ecstatic. Clyde felt that all his trust had been betrayed. How could that be? It was absolutely impossible for Theresa Squire to feel like that. So, no matter how much she talked about love, he could ignore it and put up with it. Because her love was like a stench. -Today was different as if her soul had changed. Why? If it¡¯s that soul, it will find a dream until it dies¡­ ¡°Shut up. Stop it.¡± -Why? You¡¯re a demon born of a succubus. Ah¡­ don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re still considering yourself a human being, don¡¯t you? ¡°Shut up!¡± -Humans would never acknowledge half the blood flowing through your body. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. ¡°Damn it!¡± Shatter! Sharp fragments splattered and tore his skin as he smashed the mirror with his fist. Blood was dripping, but the heat rushed into his head to the point where he couldn¡¯t feel the pain. ¡°Haa¡­ Haa¡­¡± He glared hatefully at his bloodshot eyes. As he stretched his arm out to the side, a subspace appeared, and his hand disappeared. Then, as if pulling something out, he pulled back his arm, and there was a white fan and glass bell in his hand. They were taken out of the subspace. Clyde clenched the glass bell as if to break it. -This. Are you really going to run away from yourself again like this? Hahahaha. The glass bell began to purify the demonic energy that engulfed Clyde with its holy energy. This was the holy relic Clyde held in his hand when he was born. The red energy that filled his blue eyes slowly drained away, and the hallucinations that had been tormenting him stepped back as it licked its lips. -You won¡¯t be able to keep running away forever. Clyde glared hatefully at the demon. ¡°Get lost.¡± In the shattered mirror, he was staring at himself. CH 23 I went to the school cafeteria, packed sandwiches, and went back to the dorm. Click. When I opened the door and entered, Eloise approached me. ¡°You¡¯ve been back, Lady. Dinner¡­Oh my, did you pack it up?¡± I held out the paper bag in my hand. ¡°Yes. I brought yours just in case. Do you want some?¡± Eloise looked a little surprised at my behavior, then smiled softly as she accepted the paper bag. ¡°Thank you so much. Even if it wasn¡¯t for it, I was thinking of ordering dinner. Do you want to eat this too?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to eat something simple. Ah, I¡¯ll eat alone in the room, so take a break now.¡± ¡°Alright. Rest well, Lady.¡± I went up to the bedroom on the second floor. ¡°Whoa.¡± As I entered the bedroom, I unknowingly breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time in the day, complete silence came. Of course, I knew that the Constellations were watching. However, I¡¯ve got quite used to them now. First of all, I put the books down on the dressing table and loosened my stiff shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­¡± I wanted to finish the day quietly by eating the sandwich and reading the rest of the book. ¡°How have you been? Miss Theresa.¡± Damn it. As soon as I turned around with a stiff face, my eyes twitched slightly. There was Ozworld again. ¡°I guess you played an advertisement video again today.¡± The end of my voice cracked as I tried to swallow my irritation. Ozworld approached me with a pleasant-looking face and kissed the back of my hand. ¡°Thanks to Miss Theresa¡¯s hard work, there were a lot of requests for an interview. We¡¯re going to have a short Q&A session.¡± Of course, it was an act that didn¡¯t consider my opinion. It was very unpleasant for him to keep kissing regardless of the cheek or the back of my hand without hesitation. As soon as Ozworld let go of my hand, I subtly wiped the back of my hand with my skirt. Then Ozworld snatched the paper bag from my hand. ¡°What is this?¡± I flinched as my hand became empty in an instant. ¡°It¡¯s my dinner. Give it to me.¡± While I stretched out my hand toward the paper bag in an awkward motion as if to ask for it to be returned, Ozworld opened the paper bag and checked the contents. ¡°It¡¯s a sandwich.¡± He threw back the paper bag containing the sandwich. Puck! The sandwich popped out of the paper bag and rolled around on the floor in a mess. Thanks to that, my mood became very miserable, just like the sandwich scattered on the floor. Ozworld looked worried about me with a sad face. ¡°You have to take care of your meal. You will get exhausted if you skip meals.¡± Cut the crap. Why are you worried about my meal? I wanted to scream at what he did, but I bit my lower lip and closed my eyes tightly before opening them again. When Ozworld tapped on the bedroom table with his cane, it was quickly filled with sumptuous food. In the center of the table, there was even a damn elegant centerpiece and candle. The thick chunk of meat, which looked like it would bleed when cut, didn¡¯t look appetizing at all. Just a piece of a sandwich was enough for me. Like a gentleman, Ozworld pulled out the chair and offered a seat. ¡°Have a seat.¡± I knew too well now that this was coercion, not invitation. After I sat down first, Ozworld sat across from me, and the meal began. Ozworld showed very dignified table manners. I wasn¡¯t being sarcastic; my words were sincere. The only nobles I had eaten with were those from the Squire family, but I didn¡¯t feel them as perfect dignity and composure as the man in front of me. What is the other identity of this guy? It was questionable how vulgar and noble could be felt at the same time, but that was it. I lowered my stiff gaze to the piece of meat being dashed by the knife and looked at Ozworld again. Rather than spending quality time with him while eating food I didn¡¯t want to eat, I wanted to finish this business quickly. ¡°When are we doing the interview?¡± Ozworld smirked with an expression that showed he knew how I felt. ¡°I guess you hadn¡¯t learned yet from our previous conversation.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the Constellations will like this boDing section.¡± It was said mechanically, but on the other hand, I thought it might be true. I didn¡¯t think BJ on the silver channel would have fans, but even if they did, I didn¡¯t think they would be popular enough to do an interview. My advice by the reasonable judgment was simply ignored. ¡°It can¡¯t be true.¡± Ozworld smiled and flicked his fingers. Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! ¡°!¡± My ears almost fell off for a moment. I looked at the notification window that filled the room with dismayed eyes. [The Constellation ¡®Ozworld is Real World¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Aaaaaah!!!!!! Ozworld!!!!!!] [The Constellation ¡®Ozworld to see and believe in¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Ozworld, this time it¡¯s fun.] [The Constellation ¡®Ozworld_Slave_75¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Your face is holy again today¡­ I will earn more coins¡­ Come often¡­] In addition, there were numerous notification windows with the Constellations name Ozworld attached to them. It was a reaction to the point of madness. When Ozworld snapped his finger again, the notification sound and window disappeared. ¡°¡­¡± A strange silence has come. As I was frozen, Ozworld shrugged his shoulders as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°As you can see, they like me just appearing on the broadcast.¡± I felt an unpleasant sense of deja vu. It was because the notifications of sponsorship from the Constellations who were enthusiastic about Ozworld seemed to overlap with Clybe and Demisa. Even the unpleasantness of the followers was similar. Ozworld opened his mouth. ¡°As you can see now, the sponsor windows you see are censored. Didn¡¯t you feel that you had more coins compared to the number of times you saw the sponsorship window?¡± Ah, maybe that¡¯s why. No wonder every time I checked the total amount of sponsorship, I felt that it was a strangely large amount. It was like that even now. [Sponsorship: 151,500 coins.] It was only the day before that I reached 100,000 coins in the shortest period of time. However, donations were already piled up this much. I just assumed that there must have been sponsorship while I passed out or fell asleep, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Come to think of it, she had never seen Constellation with the word ¡®Ozworld¡¯ in it until now. She started to cut the meat again. Even such a quiet time was fun for the Constellations, so there was nothing else to refute. Ozworld put down his fork and knife and fickle as if he didn¡¯t like my rapid silence. ¡°I don¡¯t really like it because it¡¯s downright offensive, but having a meal while conducting an interview wouldn¡¯t be bad.¡± I found it funny how he discussed manners and decency. Wouldn¡¯t the most depressing things here be his rainbow-colored bleached hair, thick piercings, and a bright red suit? However, I didn¡¯t express my feelings. Ozworld displayed a translucent window beside him and hurried as if to begin the interview earnestly. ¡°Before the Constellations enter the broadcast, they find out what the content of this broadcast is through the description.¡± In order to understand the broadcast, it was necessary to know what worldview was used here. Ozworld said that the Constellations acquire basic information through the game manual he wrote himself. It meant that they didn¡¯t know the information that could only be obtained by playing it yourself, such as the true identities of the male protagonists and what kind of ending they could see. ¡°However, if necessary, I can also add subtitles or guides to help them understand better.¡± Even so, he said that he couldn¡¯t provide as much direct information as the BJ themselves. Anyway, that was a spoiler. ¡°BJ needs to provide the right information at the right moment. But if you tell everything, the expectations will decrease, and the fun will disappear.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Then could you take that into account and explain what¡¯s going on today?¡± It was not difficult. ¡°Professor Ilya is a fallen archangel, then becomes an archdemon who pretends to be a human being. He plans to contaminate the human world with demonic energy and turn it into a second demon world.¡± The human world was like a subway transfer station. The world of gods, heaven, and demons cannot directly interfere with each other except in very special cases. However, the human world could be more or less easily connected anywhere as an intermediate passage. Ozworld glanced at the window next to him and asked. ¡°If he is the Archdemon, isn¡¯t he simply the Demon King?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you consider it like that.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s a being like that, shouldn¡¯t he be able to annihilate the human world at once?¡± Then it would be impossible to proceed with the game. Our team also agonized over the plausibility of that part and put constraints on it. ¡°Humans cannot live in water, and fish cannot live on land. The realm to which he doesn¡¯t belong like water or land. Professor Ilya is using his human shell as an oxygen tank.¡± ¡°I understand. But demons are invading this world, right? How would you explain that?¡± ¡°Low-level demons that cannot transform themselves into humans like Professor Ilya can interfere with the human world through contracts with humans.¡± I also explained that Professor Ilya¡¯s bad ending is the destruction of the human world; Clyde is half human, half demon; the relationship between Squire and Willow was as bad as Montague and Capulet family. I even explained that Mimosa and Theresa admired the male protagonists to the point they were willing to wage war between families, just like the first-generation idol fans. Ozworld then asked with the most harmless face I had ever seen. ¡°Is the world view of reverse harem games originally extreme?¡± CH 24 I made a quick excuse out of a guilty conscience. ¡° is technically a role-playing game.¡± It was a combined genre of simulation and role-playing, but a worldview of this scale is natural! Actually, I didn¡¯t intend to make it into such a large-scale worldview from the beginning¡­ The game that the motivated team members did their best without a veteran developer steadily went to the mountains. It was to the point where the genre had to change. As a result of the passing that you can¡¯t do if you replace your youth and life, my team and I repeatedly stayed up all night. It was something I never wanted to do again. Ozworld nodded. ¡°I see. Let¡¯s move on to the next topic.¡± He looked as if he was not at all curious about the production story. ¡°Miss Theresa met three male protagonists today. Who did you like the most?¡± There was no such person except because everyone surprised me by the high synchro rate between the original and real situation. I don¡¯t have a rational affinity for them. Maybe it was because their appearance was too unrealistic or because I was not interested in dating. Ozworld tilted when I couldn¡¯t pinpoint one person. ¡°I know you¡¯ve never been in a relationship, but have you ever had a crush?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± You acted like you knew everything about me, but you didn¡¯t even know that. Indeed, Ozwolrd seemed omnipotent, but from what I¡¯ve seen so far, it seemed like he couldn¡¯t even read my mind. He skipped the subject as I couldn¡¯t answer. ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about your ideal type. Who is the closest to your ideal type among the male protagonists?¡± ¡°¡­None.¡± Ozworld sighed softly. It¡¯s a romance broadcast, so was it a complacent answer? Suddenly, I thought I should come up with a useful answer as it was an interview to entertain the Constellations. But my ideal type¡­ I¡¯ve never really thought about that. It didn¡¯t suit the context, but it was okay to say my favorite character in . ¡°There is a supporting character who hasn¡¯t appeared yet that suits my ideal type.¡± ¡°It will be an interesting point to watch in the future. Who is it?¡± ¡°Professor Felix Lockhart. He¡¯s a man with a botanical garden-like lab. He also has an excellent ability to interact with animals.¡± It was not a rational sense but just an interest in a mysterious researcher. He was the most intriguing person for now. I briefly added my impressions of the male protagonists. ¡°Even though the emperor character hasn¡¯t come out yet, seeing the three male protagonists today, they were all amazing.¡± It was somewhat weird because a person who had been designed flawlessly and perfectly appeared in front of me, so they had a very inhuman beauty. ¡°They¡¯re a bit unrealistic, but I like them all. Because they¡¯re the characters created by our team.¡± I was serious about this. I even felt affection for Theresa, whom I was deeply sorry to be possessed by. Theresa was a character that encompassed everything I disliked. Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t recklessly hate her because I understood her loneliness and the desire to be loved. Ozworld evaluated my sincerity like this. ¡°That¡¯s a common impression.¡± I thought it was a strange thing to say. I wasn¡¯t talking about the appreciation of virtual content. I told the truth about the reality what happened to me. A common impression? How can this situation that will open the world be so common? To me, Ozworld was like a god who was particularly ruthless to humans, just like the god Cthulhu Mythos in Lovecraft. This man was far more dangerous than the male protagonists I faced today. What can you do with me right now? No, he was already doing something. The moment I felt the chills, I got goosebumps all over my back. His question had a side that reminded me of being insignificant and helpless. Maybe he did it on purpose. Seeing how he called me as Theresa. I¡¯m sure everything I¡¯m saying will sound trite to Ozworld anyway. No matter what answer I gave, Ozworld would feel it was ¡®common.¡¯ So what if he was the one being asked? If I interview Ozworld, I won¡¯t have to answer any more questions. Isn¡¯t that a pretty good idea? Since the number of Constellations who were enthusiastic about him was enormous, most of them would enjoy the interview. ¡°I also have a question.¡± Ozworld squinted his eyes for a moment and smiled leisurely as if he had no choice. ¡°Ask me.¡± ¡°You told me this was your first time on a romance broadcast. What do you think when you try it?¡± I didn¡¯t expect a good answer while asking like this. I thought he¡¯d definitely say something rude and aggressive that would scratch my stomach. ¡°There¡¯s nothing romantic about it yet, right? But, well, I honestly thought it would be boring. Still, it¡¯s pretty fresh and fun.¡± It was a bit of an unexpected answer. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t like romance.¡± Ozworld laughed briefly at my moderate expression, making a deflating noise. ¡°I still don¡¯t like it. But it is you who makes it feel fresh and fun.¡± Ozworld looked me in the face with his smiling eyes. ¡°To the point where I feel like I¡¯m going to be your fan, Miss Theresa.¡± I almost snorted at the ridiculous fan comment. He even did lip service because the Constellations were watching. He must be showing affection for the success of the broadcast he manages, but he becomes my fan? Even his empty words made me feel unpleasant. Let¡¯s think about the next question. I thought I should ask the real question before this man talked more nonsense. ¡°I have another question. Shouldn¡¯t I be able to analyze other successful channels for this broadcast to be successful?¡± Market research was essential for this kind of thing. However, I didn¡¯t know what other channels were on and what romance was popular. Ozworld didn¡¯t hide his ridicule at my question. ¡°That¡¯s a very human point of view.¡± Human point of view. This was not meant to be humanism. It was a nuance that it was an uncivilized idea that was done by a very uncivilized race. As I frowned slightly with an expression I didn¡¯t understand, he explained in a tolerant manner. ¡°First of all, you have to consider that your viewer is not human. Also, this is not a personal broadcast. Didn¡¯t I already say it? It¡¯s similar to the PD broadcasting station.¡± Ozworld flicked his finger. Ding! [Quest: Join the student council.] ?Reward: +100,000 coins ?Failure: Commuting to school It was the first quest window that had popped up since the last time I had to greet Madam Shati and the three madams. I gritted my teeth while looking at the failure part. It seemed that if I didn¡¯t do that, I would dare to sweat at Ozworld without knowing it was a waste of my precious life. It was only an hour ago that I told Clyde that I would encounter him less from now on. But you want me to join the student council? It was clear that he was determined to screw me up. Damn it. Ozworld told me to put aside unnecessary worries. ¡°Nothing is more stimulating and fun than seeing BJ struggling in an unfamiliar world. So, if you¡¯re the type who begs for love, the broadcast will become more prosperous.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I told you to try to be loved. Unlike your past life, which has been pathetic so far, aren¡¯t there enough requirements to get it back now?¡± My lips trembled. No, my whole body was shaking. I asked, staring at Ozworld with hot bloodshot eyes. ¡°Do you even know what love is¡­?¡± Is love like being a clown and begging for coins and attention? Ozworld replied. ¡°Of course I know, Miss Theresa. That¡¯s what you want the most, isn¡¯t it? That¡¯s why I gladly prepared the stage for you. Be loved to your heart¡¯s content.¡± He treated the affection I longed for from my family and the coins thrown by the Constellations the same way. It was funny. I found it so funny to ask a jerk who¡¯s not even a human being about what love was. As I shivered silently with anger, Ozworld glanced at the clock, stood up, and buttoned his suit. It was a very elegant move. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to wrap up the interview here.¡± Ozworld came up to me and bent down. He was about to kiss my cheek. Before his lips touched, I shook my head. For now, I didn¡¯t want to put up with the kiss that disgusted me. Ozworld paused for a moment and muttered as if he had realized something. ¡°Aah, weren¡¯t you familiar with this culture?¡± I didn¡¯t answer. I just turned my head as if I didn¡¯t want to deal with him. At that moment. Kwak! ¡°Agh¡­!¡± Ozworld¡¯s strong hand grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. His deep blue eyes seemed to glow with madness. ¡°But, Miss Theresa, don¡¯t you dare to avoid my greetings. Do I have to match your culture one by one?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I bit my lips hard enough to leave a mark. Otherwise, tears of anger seemed to flow from my already hot eyes. As if making fun of me, Ozworld kissed me on the cheek. ¡°Good luck, Miss Theresa.¡± With that remark, Ozworld disappeared. CH 25 I closed my eyes tightly. The tears that had just barely filled the corners of my eyes and then rolled down were very hot and wet. The tears moistened my cheek. That son of a b*tch. Damn it. I want to kill him. Please, I want him to be dying like me! The intense feeling of hatred filled me like a raging wave. But my anger and tears have always been powerless. Knowing that fact well, I instantly sorted out my feelings. My eyes opened slowly. The dinner that had been set on the table had disappeared without a trace. Only the sandwich scattered across the floor remained as proof of his visit. I have to get rid of this first. I picked up the sandwich in the paper bag and wiped the dirty floor with a damp cloth. It was fortunate that the sandwich wasn¡¯t with sauce. I changed my clothes, rubbed my tired eyes, and picked up the magic book I had randomly placed on the dressing table. ¡°Ah.¡± It was only then I belatedly remembered that cleaning up the mess could have been done with magic. That made me feel a little down. I put a cushion behind my back and sat down on the bed. Then, I lit the lamp just enough to read the book and looked up at the ceiling for a while. ¡°It¡¯s just the first day.¡± It was such an eventful for the first day in Valhalla. A dizzying fatigue weighed down my entire body. I wanted to lie down and fall asleep as if I were ignoring reality, then open my eyes and wish it was all a dream. ¡°It can¡¯t be true,¡± my murmuring voice was astonishingly cynical. I let out a long breath, just like spitting out the poison that filled my inside. Soon, the sound of paper being turned filled the silence. This place was a game on Earth that freed me from reality for a while. Magic played its part here. I was very grateful for the punishment Professor Ilya gave me. Because I really wanted to forget this reality right now. * * * Knock, knock. ¡°Lady, are you awake?¡± I opened my eyes busily to the voice from outside the door. Seeing the sun shining, it seemed to be morning. I remembered reading the book until the dark dawn. After that, I seemed to have fallen asleep. ¡°Ah¡­ In the end, I couldn¡¯t read them all.¡± I sighed as I looked at the last book I couldn¡¯t finish. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to read it all until today¡¯s lecture. If the professor who told me to read all the books was just a professor, I would bow my head, and pretend to be sorry as if I really tried. Still, unfortunately, the professor who told me to do that is an archdemon. He won¡¯t kill me for not reading the books, right? ¡°Come in, Eloise.¡± Eloise entered the room with a tray of breakfast. I sat at the table looking disheveled and had breakfast. I was so hungry that I stuffed the sweet bread and butter in my mouth, but I actually longed for the spicy kimchi stew. However, I didn¡¯t dare to cook it myself. Making it was a steady challenge, but the reason I didn¡¯t dare to cook it myself was because of the splendid record of me giving birth to strange food that couldn¡¯t be eaten. I mean, what¡¯s wrong with cooking with the mathematical approach? I was born in a country where the delivery culture had developed, and I didn¡¯t know how fortunate it was. After eating and washing, I changed into the new school uniform that Eloise brought. Eloise, who was helping change, said upsetly, ¡°I think the school uniforms are a very uncivilized culture. When Lady was at the Duchy, Lady even changed your dress at least twice a day.¡± Eloise is the daughter of my family¡¯s vassals, so she is also a noble. Therefore, the uniforms that weren¡¯t distinguished between morning and afternoon dresses disappointed her. It looks the same, but there are ten more school uniforms¡­ It took time to wash and iron it, so you had to have at least 10 uniforms to keep your clothes looking new all the time. Moreover, I wore them only for one semester. I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°I like it.¡± When I was a college student, I wanted to wear a school uniform. How comfortable that you don¡¯t have to worry about what to wear every day. I wore the school uniform with the feeling of becoming a noble lady, then stuffed the magic books in my bag. The last book I had only read in the beginning would be read on my way to the main building, so I held it. At that time, Eloise took out a gorgeous jewelry box. ¡°Lady, you haven¡¯t worn the brooch yet.¡± Inside, it was a silver butterfly brooch, which meant you were part of Clybe. I shook my head. ¡°Put this brooch away. I¡¯m not going to wear it in the future.¡± Eloise paused with surprised eyes. If Raul saw Theresa wearing that brooch, he would have grabbed it and crushed it off right away, that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t wear it in the Duchy. It must have been very surprising to hear she didn¡¯t want to wear something she always wore until today. Eloise replied with a look of delight, ¡°I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± How crazy was Theresa to be a fan club president because she wasn¡¯t allowed to have a crush on the successor of her enemy family? Even though it was just a setting. As soon as I left the dormitory, I sighed on the way to the main building of Valhalla. It was because I suddenly remembered the quest. To join the student council¡­ There was not only Clyde in the student council, but also Damian, the vice president of the student council. That gave me a headache. Let¡¯s put out the urgent fire first. The urgent fire was to read through the magic books lent by Professor Ilya. It was when I was walking with my eyes fixed on the book as I thought I should finish read it quickly. Thud! If you walk without looking straight, you will have an accident. I hit my forehead on the stone wall. No, I thought it was a stone wall. ¡°¡­Uh.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± It was Damian that I bumped into. [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ likes this development.] [The Constellation ¡®I hate romance¡¯ hates this development.] I bumped into him again. Yesterday, Damian bumped into me, and today I bumped Damian. So were we tie? I quickly checked Damian¡¯s likeability. [Likeability: 2] ¡­Uh? There was definitely only one black heart yesterday! How come it increased to two just in one day?! [The Constellation ¡®I hate romance¡¯ likes this development.] [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ hates this development.] Was it a mistake to run away yesterday? Things had already happened. The way to get rid of it¡­ I didn¡¯t know. Let¡¯s just apologize for bumping into him before his black hearts increased to three. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t know there was a person in front of me because I was reading a book.¡± Damian also frowned slightly as if he didn¡¯t expect to see me from the morning, and shook his head with an apologetic face. ¡°No, I should have been careful.¡± How could you be careful not to let the person behind you bump into you? Ah. If it¡¯s him, it¡¯s possible. A vice student president whose main job is a student and side job is an assassin. When I made it into a game, I thought Damian¡¯s duality was his attractive point. But who knew it was a dead point. Why is there no ordinary male protagonist in ? If I had known that I would be possessed like this, I would have made more common male protagonists, who were loved in happy families and have soft personalities. Damn it. I smiled awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s because I bump you from the back. Did you get hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, but your forehead is red, Theresa.¡± Damian reached out to my forehead with a worried look on his face. Swish. I pulled my head back unknowingly. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± We looked surprised at the same time and an awkward silence came. This is all because of that demon, Ozworld. I was forced to ignore the unpleasant memories of yesterday. However, it was difficult to smile, so I muttered with a firm face. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry because it¡¯s not hurt¡­ Then, goodbye.¡± The dormitory used by commoners and nobles were different, but they were in a similar location, so they used the same way to the main building. Therefore, even if I said goodbye, we had to walk side by side on the same road in the end. But there¡¯s nothing more to talk about, and I have to read the book. Damian didn¡¯t bother to talk to me when I lowered my eyes to the book again. It was still early, so there was no other person on the way to school. The sound of our footsteps, the sounds of paper turned over, and the sound of birds chirping filled the silence. Well, it was too peaceful for a peaceful situation. ¡°¡­Hooaam.¡± It was to the point my drowsiness was pouring out. Wiping away tears from my eyes, I felt frustrated. I can¡¯t concentrate because I¡¯m sleepy. Still, I thought I slept for an hour, but maybe because I read a book, terrible sleepiness kept clouding my vision. I was used to staying up all night. Originally, developers and stayed all night were something couldn¡¯t be separated. However, it could be achieved only when they are accompanied by a high caffeine drink called an energy drink. Doing tasks in this caffeine barren land was a bit harsh¡­ I need to drink coffee in the morning. The thought of iced coffee, the modern people¡¯s potion, made me desperate for it. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have time to drink coffee¡­¡± Other than me, there would be students who go to cafes in the morning, and in this worldview, coffee wasn¡¯t likely to be served at a very fast pace like modern times. And most importantly, the cafe was a place like a hideout for professors. There are often events where you meet Professor Ilya at the school cafe. I hadn¡¯t read all the books yet, but I didn¡¯t want to meet Professor Ilya. No, I didn¡¯t just want to meet the professor¡­ Damian, who then heard my murmur, made an unexpected suggestion. ¡°Coffee, do you want me to make it for you?¡± CH 26 He scratched his cheek as if he was too shy to suddenly talk to me. The awkward smile naturally could tickle another person¡¯s heart, but it wasn¡¯t for me. Because I knew that smile was fake. I asked curiously. ¡°You¡¯re going to make me a coffee? Where?¡± ¡°I have a tool to brew coffee in my private lab. Would you like to come with me if you don¡¯t mind?¡± No matter how hostile Theresa was to Damian, she would have accepted such an offer, saying, ¡®Hmm, the coffee made by commoners would be terrible, but I will drink it.¡¯ I didn¡¯t really like to refuse, but his offer was too doubtful. Because it was an event where you had to fill Damian¡¯s heart. I rechecked Damian¡¯s likeability, just in case. [Likeability: 2] What? His likeability is still black. Damian¡¯s offer would have been interpreted as a threat if there were three black hearts, but two weren¡¯t numbers leading to the death route. What should I do? This event was essential in the game. However, it was an event that didn¡¯t apply to Theresa. Because there was no reason for Damian to invite Theresa or for Theresa to accept Damian¡¯s invitation. Does he have any other purpose? Damian is an assassin who only moves with calculating movement, so he won¡¯t do something in vain. There was no way his action was to earn a favor. Maybe he¡¯s trying to use me to approach Libby. But this was an opportunity anyway. It¡¯s not a bad sign for Damian to give me room like this. Recommendations from existing executives or professors were required to join the student council. Even if they were recommended, if the majority of executives opposed it, they couldn¡¯t join the student council. The setting I put in to create a special event where Libby unanimously joined the student council was like holding me back. He has two black hearts, but I¡¯m lucky because he gave me the lab invitation event. ¡°Thank you, Damian, but won¡¯t you be troubled?¡± Damian waved his hand in surprise at my concern. ¡°No way. It¡¯s because I want to drink the coffee too.¡± Damian despised Theresa. The black hearts were the evidence. Nevertheless, I suddenly thought it was good to hear considerate words, so I didn¡¯t feel burdened. I knew it was a fake act that he learned to look like a good person so no one could even guess he was an assassin. But it was clear hypocrisy. I knew so well how hard this act was. Because I¡¯ve done that before. In fact, Damian and I were no different. We¡¯re wearing a good child mask for survival. Maybe that¡¯s why I could understand him a little. I even felt sorry and thankful for Damian, who acted kindly to Theresa, who was extremely rude to him and hated by everyone. My mouth, which had been stiff until just now, was loosened. ¡°Then I will gladly accept your invitation.¡± Damian¡¯s smile was strangely distorted for a moment in my answer. He seemed surprised by something. Then he turned his gaze to the front and muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you smile like that.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± I swept my lips unconsciously. Damian stared back at me with a lively smile. ¡°What time is the first lecture?¡± He made this kind of chat properly so that the atmosphere was not awkward. I answered faithfully and occasionally asked him back, ¡°What about you?¡± Like any other friend, a calm atmosphere was flowing between us. As we got closer to his lab, the more I forgot the unpleasant feeling from Ozworld, and the more I expected the coffee flavor that Damian, who is good at cooking, would make. ¡°This is my lab. It¡¯s a bit messy, right?¡± Damian¡¯s lab wasn¡¯t messy. It looked rather desolate. ¡°It¡¯s neat and nice.¡± ¡°Ahaha. I¡¯m relieved that you think so.¡± Contrary to Damian¡¯s fresh smile, this place was really bleak. The space tends to reflect the personality of the character. In that respect, this laboratory was the place that most clearly revealed his duality. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Detective¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [I can¡¯t feel the traces of people. Some artificial tools that seem forcibly equipped create a sense of incompatibility. Presumed as a space for doing secretive work.] The constellation is sharp. I looked around the lab and met Damian¡¯s eyes, who were taking out a coffee dripper. He asked with a habitual smile. ¡°Come to think of it, is this your first time coming here?¡± I was about to answer but hesitated. Even if Damian had never invited her, Theresa could have come in on her own. I had never put a specific description or dialogue about it, so it would have been better to gloss over it appropriately. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t remember at all.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Damian skipped over the question, perhaps because he wasn¡¯t particularly curious about it. The lab was simply nothing to see. Rather than forcing myself to wander around looking for something to see, I decided to observe Damian brewing coffee. As I sat across from him, Damian spoke again. ¡°By the way, wasn¡¯t the reason you and your sister went to the auditorium yesterday to congratulate her on being at the top of the admission?¡± Judging from the way she spoke, it seemed like an affectionate interest. But Damian knew that Theresa wasn¡¯t the type to celebrate the achievements of others. So, this was a deliberate attempt to test Theresa¡¯s reaction. He¡¯s probably trying to find out exactly what I think of Libby. ¡°I was going to. But just because I don¡¯t watch doesn¡¯t mean Libby wasn¡¯t at the top of the admission.¡± The direct blood of the Squire family is uniquely gifted with a lot of mana. Libby is the pinnacle of that setup. No other than Clyde possessed more mana than Libby among the current students. A mysterious freshman who took the top spot with overwhelming mana. Well, it was a very typical female protagonist setting. Damian nodded his head and continued. ¡°Still, your sister looked a little sad yesterday.¡± I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t my future, whether I will be graduating, be more important than congratulating my sister? You know, my grades are really terrible.¡± ¡°¡­Ahahaha.¡± Damian couldn¡¯t help but laugh awkwardly. Valhalla was run in a very strict system. You would be expelled if you couldn¡¯t prove that you¡¯re a good wizard. If your grades were too low, you would be expelled. If you couldn¡¯t deal with demons due to injury, you would be expelled. If you didn¡¯t fill out your graduation credits, you would be expelled. There were too many reasons to be expelled. Just like Theresa¡¯s death route. Damian still spoke with a puzzled look on his face. ¡°¡­We¡¯re already in the fourth year, so it¡¯s time to pay attention to that.¡± I didn¡¯t know you would care about that, but I guess you really want to say it. I pulled forward a cup of coffee, which was hot and smelled deep, and recited pleasantly. ¡°It smells good.¡± Hot coffee was good to enjoy the scent, but I liked the iced coffee better. Jujujuk¡ª I used the magic and froze the remaining water Damian used. Then, after cutting the ice floating in the air into cubes to fit the size of the cup, I dipped them into the hot coffee and drank it straight. ¡°Hua, this is it.¡± After a cool drink, I put down my cup and saw Damian put on a strange expression. He had an expression of witnessing a human being enjoying weird food he couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Did you¡­ drink cold coffee?¡± ¡°Yes. It tastes better when you drink it like this.¡± Damian followed me with a doubtful look, tried to make iced coffee, and nodded lukewarmly. ¡°Um, I think it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t know, but I guess this is a trend in the society these days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. I¡¯m just drinking like this. If you drink iced coffee at social gatherings, you probably won¡¯t hear anything good about it.¡± Maybe they would say the person who did it was so uncultured. Of course, no one would openly say that to Theresa. ¡­Wait a second. I poured another cup of coffee and tilted my head. Did Damian say it to ridicule me? Damian is a person who socialites skillfully, so it wasn¡¯t easy to tell if he was being sincere or not, even if you knew his personality. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Rofan-Addicted Young Lady¡¯ has donated 1,000 coins.] [I think Damian was ridiculing your bad manners just now. Even though he¡¯s a commoner, his ability to use socialite-style speech is top-notch.] Ah. It must have been like that. I put another ice cube into my coffee. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has donated 1,000 coins.] [Yes~ If you don¡¯t understand it~ It¡¯s okay to interpret as you want~] CH 27 They say you should enjoy your favorite food to your liking. But in fact, I didn¡¯t even have time to sip hot coffee gracefully. Ah, come to think of it, what time is it now? It was nine o¡¯clock when I left the dormitory. I took my pocket watch out of my pocket and checked the time. It was already 9:20. It¡¯s time for Mimosa to go to school soon. Spending quality time drinking tea in Damian¡¯s personal laboratory was essential to increase his likeability. However, you shouldn¡¯t be caught by Mimosa. Mimosa would visit Damian¡¯s personal laboratory on rare occasions. However, as soon as you got caught by Mimosa, the gameplay difficulty increased dramatically due to Demisa¡¯s bullying. What would happen if Mimosa found out that I drank coffee with Damian in his personal lab? Would it be that she misunderstood that I fell in love with Damian and was willing to compete with her, or that she would try to hire an assassin, or even ask if I came all the way here to bully Damian? Anyway, it seemed obvious that my life-and-death decision would happen either way. That¡¯s troublesome. I got up from my seat to avoid the death route. ¡°Thank you for the coffee.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re leaving already?¡± Damian looked very sad. If I didn¡¯t know his level of likeability, I would have mistakenly thought he was holding on to me because he liked me. I said as I lifted the book. ¡°Because I have to read everything before my major lecture.¡± I would be the one who got in trouble if Mimosa found out I was with him. At that moment, I felt strange. Wait, why do I feel like a cheater? It was true that the situation was similar, but I felt confused. I left the lab with a bag and a book. At that time, despite being quite far from the stairs, pink hair with a clear presence caught my eye. It was Mimosa. My eyes widened to the point they couldn¡¯t get any bigger. Why is she already appearing?! [The Constellations watch the unexpected situation with interest.] To make matters worse, Damian was coming close behind me. ¡°Then let¡¯s go there together. I have a lecture soon too.¡± It was time for me to go crazy. I turned around and pushed Damian¡¯s chest back into the lab. ¡°Theresa? ¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡± Damian was puzzled and gently pushed back. ¡°Hide!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this. Mimosa is coming!¡± I shouted in a suppressed voice and looked around. ¡°Ah¡­ Mimosa.¡± Damian nodded as if he understood my reaction only then. At first glance, one corner of his mouth seemed to lift slightly. That¡¯s not important now. ¡°Is there no place to hide here? To a place that Mimosa would never touch.¡± A place where nobles wouldn¡¯t want to touch it, so a place like a warehouse would be nice¡­ It was then. Knock, knock, knock. ¡°Damian, are you inside?¡± I got goosebumps as soon as I heard a sweet nasal sound. It felt like I read a school ghost story. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Question Mark Killer¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Is this a horror movie?] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Mad Mania¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [No, no, it¡¯s love and war ??. My blood boils for the first time in a whileeeeeee.] There¡¯s no place to hide¡­ Over there! Equipment storage was located in the corner of the lab. It seemed that two people could get in if they squeezed their bodies in somehow. In the game, there was no option to hide like this, so I didn¡¯t know what the outcome would be. I dragged Damian there and opened the door. ¡°Can I come in? I said I¡¯d give you a lunch box today, but you haven¡¯t forgotten, did you?¡± Go in! Hurry! I pushed the unnecessarily large Damian into there and entered through the remaining gap. It was too cramped for adult men and women to enter and hide, but it was not the time to argue about that. I got as close to Damian as I could, tucked my feet into there, and immediately closed the door. ¡°I¡¯ll go in~¡± Creak! I heard Mimosa enter the lab. Thump. Thump. A heartbeat that didn¡¯t know whose it belonged to rang throughout the body. Only then did I realize that I was close to Damian. A cold light penetrated the crack in the door vertically as if it were separating us. Our upper body was barely separated by the book and bag I brought in, but our legs were too close in the shape of a crossing. Damian¡¯s face was right above my head. It was a distance that would be very, very difficult if I lifted my head. Gulp. Somehow, I swallowed my dry saliva. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!] ¡°¡­¡± In an instant, the strange tension that enveloped my body was shattered. Thanks to that, my panicked mind calmly subsided as if it had been hit by cold water. Ah, come to think of it, Damian didn¡¯t have to hide. When I saw Mimosa, who suddenly appeared, I panicked, took Damian, and hid in the storage. No, this is better. Just in case, Damian might tell her where I¡¯m hiding. I had no trust in Damian. He¡¯s not going to leave the storage suddenly, right? I wiggled slightly and grabbed Damian¡¯s jacket with my hand, which wasn¡¯t holding the book. With that, I raised my head and gave him a threatening look that I wouldn¡¯t let him go if he did anything to get out of here. Damian then smirked. Immersed in the darkness, Damian looked completely different from when he was exposed to light. His golden eyes, which were pretty as candlelight, were not terrifying like reptiles. ¡°Lululu~ ¡­Huh? Why are there two coffee cups?¡± Flinch! Damian whispered as my shoulders trembled at Mimosa¡¯s words. ¡°If you move, we will get caught.¡± Nod, nod. Then Damian laughed softly. He changed his posture comfortably as if he had accepted the situation quickly. I hugged myself precariously caught between Damian¡¯s thick body and the cold wall behind me, but I couldn¡¯t make any sound. My mind was filled with the bad ending from the male protagonist, who was the master of the assassination guild. ¡°Oh my. Is there a rogue mark on the cup? It must have been a woman who drank coffee with him. Grit. I could hear the sound of gritting teeth. ¡°What kind of young lady seduced our innocent Damian? Doesn¡¯t it seem like she¡¯s not afraid of Demisa?¡± If I get out of here, I will have to erase my rogue first. No, I would have to throw all the cosmetics to be used on my lips. ¡°Just try not to get caught. I will expel you at all costs!¡± Mimosa stomped violently out of the lab and closed the door with a bang. I looked outside through a crack in the door. It was just in case Mimosa might have pretended to go out, just like in the horror games. Is this the feeling of the protagonist hiding in a closet to avoid evil spirits in a horror game? There seemed to be no one outside. We couldn¡¯t stay like this forever, so let¡¯s go out soon. ¡°I think it¡¯s okay now. Shall we go out?¡± When I asked in a slightly embarrassed voice, Damian opened the door first. ¡°Go ahead, Theresa. You could get hurt.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Getting out was difficult because I forced myself into a narrow gap. I almost fell while trying to get my body out of the gap in an uneasy position holding the bag in my arms. Damian easily supported me and pulled me out with all his strength. ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± ¡°No. You had to hide like this because of me.¡± That¡¯s true. Ah, I need to wipe my lips. I took a handkerchief out of my bag and rubbed it on my lips. Damian looked at me blankly and said with a strange smile, ¡°But Theresa. If you¡¯re going to hide in the future, you¡¯d better not choose a place like this.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± As I rubbed my lips and raised my gaze, Damian continued with a thin smile. ¡°You will be caught in no time.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Conspiracy Theorist¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Is this kid a bad guy?] It was natural for the Constellations to feel that way. I didn¡¯t know if it was someone else, but the person I was talking to was none other than a professional assassin. Of course, Theresa wouldn¡¯t understand and would have been angry at him for pointing that out. I thought Damian¡¯s advice made sense. Anyway, it was advice from a professional. ¡°Really? Then tell me where you prefer to hide later. Hide there next time.¡± So I just reacted insignificantly, but Damian seemed to interpret it differently. ¡°Does that mean you will come again?¡± ¡­When did I say that? Damian didn¡¯t even give me time to say no. ¡°Theresa. I have a question?¡± His expression was quite serious. What? What is he trying to ask with such a serious face? Damian hesitated and opened his mouth as I also faced his eyes with a serious look. ¡°You don¡¯t hate me now?¡± This was an unexpected development. I awkwardly nodded in affirmation. ¡°¡­Uh. I don¡¯t hate you.¡± It was you who hated me, not me who hated you. Damian¡¯s golden eyes flashed sharply for a moment. ¡°Then what do you think of me?¡± CH 28 For some reason, I felt strange, as if I was being interrogated by my lover, and I replied shyly. ¡°A friend, I think?¡± ¡°Ah, friend¡­ Like Mimosa?¡± I considered him a friend, but what did he mean ¡®like Mimosa?¡¯. It was absurd. ¡°How are you and Mimosa, a friend? Mimosa sees you as a man.¡± Damian widened his eyes slightly as if he hadn¡¯t expected me to say it so directly. Then he asked with a strange look. ¡°If you don¡¯t see me as a man, why did we hide earlier? As if you were caught having an affair with me.¡± Ugh. He must have felt the same way as I did. Embarrassed, I put the handkerchief I had roughly wiped on my lips back into the bag and lowered my head. ¡°That¡¯s because if Mimosa misunderstands, the school will be noisy.¡± ¡°You said we¡¯re friends. Then, will we continue to meet secretly like this in the future?¡± Huh? What kind of friends keep meeting like this? ¡­That kind of thing isn¡¯t between friends. It was when I was thinking about how to make this common sense. Damian said, ¡°Ah!¡± as if he had realized something. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why you asked me to tell you where to hide earlier?¡± My lips parted helplessly in bewilderment. ¡°No, that¡¯s because you told me not to hide in the equipment warehouse¡­!¡± Damian reached out to me with a friendly smile. It was a quick and graceful movement without a chance to avoid it. His thumb ran over my lips. It felt cold. ¡°I¡¯m glad our relationship is finally getting better. I like you, Theresa. I always wanted to be your friend.¡± ¡°¡­Really? But this hand¡­¡± ¡°You still have rouge on your lips. You can¡¯t let Mimosa know you were with me.¡± That¡¯s true. But isn¡¯t this too strange? Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Like kissing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!] Right. It was like kissing. I narrowed my eyebrows and grabbed Damian¡¯s hand, which was gently rubbing my lips, and dropped it down. ¡°I don¡¯t make friends do this.¡± Damian tilted his head with an innocent look. ¡°Then?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s what lovers do. Something like this.¡± ¡°Really? But there are other people who aren¡¯t lovers who want to do something like this to me.¡± I let out a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s because they like you as a man.¡± Even as I explained, I didn¡¯t understand why the hell I had to tell him this. However, if I said, ¡®Don¡¯t pretend you¡¯re innocent,¡¯ the number of his black hearts would increase, and he might quietly kill me while I slept. Let¡¯s match the rhythm. Right, think of it as role play¡­ This way, even when hanging out with noble ladies, he will be able to get what he wants and get out of the way like a raccoon while pretending to be innocent. I thought this was all the karma of the developer and decided to humbly accept it. He didn¡¯t even have a clue about it. ¡°Anyway, your behavior just felt too much for me.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Like Wolf Guy ?¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Why is this BJ so conservative? ? Oppa, can you teach me how to flirt with a man? ?] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Block Angler¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Don¡¯t go far away. Bye!] [Channel Manager ¨C Ozworld has blocked the Constellation ¡®Like Wolf Guy ?.¡¯] I blinked for a moment. ¡­Was I conservative? Suddenly, I started to get confused, thinking that maybe Damian¡¯s behavior wasn¡¯t so strange. At that time, Damian hid the red rogue smeared on his thumb with an awkward expression. ¡°Sorry. I must have crossed the line because I thought we had become close. If you think so, I will be careful from now on.¡± Having said that, I felt like I did something wrong, right¡­? I wrinkled my brows and bit my lips in difficulty. Then I replied. ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay as long as you don¡¯t go too far. To the extent that others don¡¯t misunderstand when they see it.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± It seemed that staying here would only make things more confusing. I said goodbye to Damian, feeling that the coffee I drank had been wasted by what had just happened. ¡°Then, see you next time.¡± ¡°Yes. Goodbye, Theresa.¡± Unlike before, Damian didn¡¯t follow right away this time. It was a little strange, but I thought it was something I had to do. Ah, I couldn¡¯t finish reading the book after all. Sigh. School life isn¡¯t easy. * * * Damian watched Theresa leave, then took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s strange. Why can¡¯t I read her pattern?¡± Each person had a pattern. Therefore, if the subject had been observed for a long time, their behavior wouldn¡¯t deviate greatly from expectations. However, Theresa he saw yesterday and today seemed to have completely changed her behavior as if she had become a different person. Damian picked up the coffee cup on the table and dropped it in the trash can. Clank! The sound of the cup breaking was deafening. ¡°I can¡¯t figure her out. It¡¯s annoying.¡± Damian closed the still-open door to the equipment storage, then leaned his head against the door for a moment and thought for a moment. Mimosa would have caught him if he couldn¡¯t use his body skillfully. Actually, he was thinking for a moment about just letting to get caught. It was until Theresa grabbed him by the collar and behaved strangely. Unlike usual, the eyes glaring at him didn¡¯t have any venom, so it only looked fierce. Theresa is originally stupid, but she isn¡¯t completely stupid. There was something different to say that her personality became harmful. It¡¯s clumsy. Right, she became clumsily normal. Too much that it stood out more. Tap, tap. The bird tapped the window with its beak. It was a homing pigeon. Damian untied the note tied to the homing pigeon¡¯s ankle and gave it food and water. In this day and age, it was a wonder if someone would really fly a homing pigeon. Still, there was a risk of being tracked down if you used a magic telegram recklessly in Valhalla. Therefore, even if it was cumbersome, he contacted the guild through this traditional method. The people, who were accustomed to magic as soon as they got used to it, were vulnerable to traditional methods. Damian opened the note. ¡°Hmm.¡± He remembered the blonde freshman he had seen yesterday. That person wasn¡¯t very similar to Theresa. He only saw her briefly, but she was definitely different from other noble ladies. Did they say she lived in a slum? Compared to her, Theresa was noble among nobles. She sometimes behaves arrogantly as if she was born with nobler lineage than Mimosa. But what¡¯s wrong with Theresa today? ¡­I don¡¯t know yet. Theresa he had known so far and Theresa he had seen today mixed irregularly in his head, and everything became uncertain. In the meantime, he had a feeling that this wasn¡¯t even funny. It wasn¡¯t bad that Theresa stopped being hostile to him. Damian wrote the report on a small piece of paper. The guild was looking for a white wizard who was already said to have disappeared. This rare attribute was most likely to come from noble bloodlines. Sure enough, the white magic attribute was detected in Libby. Thanks to Theresa¡¯s eccentricity of entrusting her younger sister to him yesterday, he could check it easily. That¡¯s why Theresa was suspicious. I¡¯m sure he introduced me to her younger sister on purpose. What was the reason? Could it be that she threw the bait, knowing that he was looking for a white wizard? No way. Theresa is stupid. It was safe to say she was a low-level witch with human skin. Even if she knew that he was the successor of the assassination guild, she couldn¡¯t have made up her mind to confuse him like this. She clearly wouldn¡¯t be like that. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking, but I¡¯m confused as to what kind of person Theresa Squire is. Should he tell the guild about this? But what should he write about her? Her atmosphere, which had always been on edge, became strangely softened. She didn¡¯t seem to be aware of it, but she often put on a blank expression. No. She had many facial expressions. Suddenly laughing, frowning, surprised, scared. It made it hard to figure out what she was thinking. That¡¯s why specific observation was needed. ¡°¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t write such content in the report without going crazy. She was definitely changed, but it wasn¡¯t something to be considered. Damian sent out the letter without mentioning Theresa. As for Theresa, who had changed, he felt like he could still observe her alone. CH 29 It was during the lunch break. I still haven¡¯t finished reading the book. This was because even though it was a thin book of only 100 pages, it was much more difficult to understand than the previous books. It¡¯s Professor Ilya¡¯s lecture after lunch. My situation only made me sigh. It was a time when I tried to have lunch while reading the book. I passed the lobby on the first floor, looking for a place to sit down. ¡°Hmm.¡± I stopped walking in front of the bulletin board. The bulletin board had notices and social club sign-ups. The most eye-catching thing was, of course, the notice to join the club Clybe and Demisa. But there was something else I was focusing on. ¡°A notice to join the student council¡­¡± Since I had to proceed with the quest, I would also have to fill out and submit the application form. [The Constellations are curious about what the student council is doing.] I looked around to ensure no one was there, then whispered quietly. ¡°The student council is like a group of magic knights created to defeat monsters and demons, led by the student council president and vice president with the best grades.¡± The student council president and vice president were selected from the fourth year after summarizing all grades from the first to third year. They were like knight commanders and vice commanders. ¡°The student council has to participate in demon subjugation on a regular basis, which is reflected in their grades as well. They¡¯re also the first manpower to be recruited when demons appear.¡± Clyde and Damian had always been student council members, so they were like student council executives more than anyone else. However, Theresa and Mimosa weren¡¯t members of the student council. It was because letting anyone join recklessly to hunt demons and monsters was very dangerous. ¡°The student council executives determine acceptance through interviews.¡± First of all, wizards belonging to the student council were several times more likely to die than other students. If they failed to prove their performance as a member, they would be expelled in the middle. Being expelled is treated as a serious disgrace, and one cannot even set foot in society, which means that one¡¯s life as a noble is considered to have ended. Nevertheless, there was a reason why consistently prominent people applied to the student council. It was because the title of being from the Valhalla Student Council was like a stepping stone to an early career. Students from the student council were protected by Duke Willow even after their graduation. They were officially invited to the imperial palace to receive the emperor¡¯s medal. This was like a hidden card that served as an advantage for those who needed a title or competed for the position of successor to the family. The problem is that position is useless to me. Duke Willow is treated as Squire¡¯s family enemy. I didn¡¯t even need a title. It wasn¡¯t bad to have a pension, but even that wasn¡¯t an advantage for me as a Princess of Squire. Besides, I had the slush fund from the former duke. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to do something like a student council activity that would raise death flags, but what can I do? I¡¯d rather fight the monsters than join them. I let out a sigh and turned sideways. ¡°¡­! P-Professor.¡± Professor Ilya was looking at me from only three steps away. For a moment, it felt like I got goosebumps. Uah, I thought my heart was falling. I bowed down in embarrassment. ¡°Greetings.¡± Professor Ilya nodded his head and glanced at the book in my hand. Oops, I couldn¡¯t read all of them, but I ran into him like this. I was about to move the book behind my back, but Professor Ilya spoke faster. ¡°It would be better for you to read the book from the other two and read this one the last.¡± I blinked in bewilderment. It was because Professor Ilya thought I was reading this magic book first and advised me. Professor Ilya clearly said this yesterday. ¡°You¡¯d better read it as soon as possible. You have to understand all of that to be able to take the lecture this year.¡± Didn¡¯t he say I should read all three books before the lecture? I was confused and spoke like an excuse, ¡°Even so, I read the other two first.¡± ¡°¡­You read it all?¡± ¡°Yes! However, this book is difficult to read, so I couldn¡¯t read it quickly.¡± Even in college, I never sent an email about my assignments or grades, so why am I making excuses for not doing my assignments? Still, my opponent is the archdemon. My lips moved spontaneously, even without being aware of it, and I eagerly brought out my defense. I also showed him the paper bag with the sandwich in my hand. ¡°I tried to read it all during lunch. That¡¯s why I brought a sandwich now!¡± Professor Ilya looked at me with indifferent eyes asking what to do. His silence made me more nervous. Eventually, I told him the truth. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will be able to read everything until your lecture¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± My voice grew smaller towards the end. I thought he won¡¯t kill me, but I was scared to face him¡­ I sincerely hoped that I misunderstood Professor Ilya¡¯s words and that I should read them before the lecture. It would have been better if I didn¡¯t sleep and read all the books. It was when I was fidgeting with the hand holding the book as he looked at me. Professor Ilya asked an odd question. ¡°How about sleep?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°I asked if you had slept?¡± I blinked and answered in a dazed way. ¡°Yes, I slept.¡± To be exact, I took a nap for a while. Professor Ilya stared at me in silence. Oh, is it because I have dark circles? It wasn¡¯t that bad when I looked in the mirror. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. With the book and paper bag in both hands, it was like I wiped away tears. Or like running some water over one¡¯s face. Either way, neither of them was polite. It didn¡¯t matter because Theresa was a b*tch character who wasn¡¯t particularly bound by manners. Still, Professor Ilya was staring at me, which made me self-conscious. As I felt his silence was quite long, Professor Ilya spoke. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°¡­? Ah, yes!¡± I followed Professor Ilya with a restless heart. It was a path to a place that was oddly familiar. Creek. No wonder the path was familiar. The place where Professor Ilya stopped was his office. ¡°Come in.¡± Even if it was yesterday, why did you call me to the office today? I went into his office, unsure of the situation or Professor Ilya¡¯s thinking. Professor Ilya pointed at me with a chin on the sofa. I steadily followed his instructions and took the right seat. What are we going to do now? I looked up at the professor, who had to turn his head even though I was already standing side by side with a book and sandwich in my arms. Is it because of the pressure of the height of your gaze? Or is it because the sunlight that came through the window clearly showed his handsome features like an angel statue? Professor Ilya looked extremely holy and noble. Looking at him, I could feel the grace befitting an archangel more than anyone else, so my lips parted naturally. There was no slightest trace of corruption to be found in him. There was only a transcendental atmosphere that made me feel overwhelmed. Professor Ilya¡¯s mouth seemed to have stretched slightly horizontally for a moment as I blinked blankly. Was it¡­ a smile? His expression, which was so vague that it was hard to be sure, disappeared quickly, and his lips opened. ¡°Are you thinking of joining the student council?¡± ¡°Yes. How do you¡ª¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re looking at the bulletin board.¡± The notice to join the student council was posted as the second largest on the bulletin board after the notices to sign up for Clybe and Demisa. But normally, when it was Theresa, you wouldn¡¯t think of her joining the student council. Should I say that he has no prejudice? Professor Ilya didn¡¯t sit on the sofa like last time but headed towards the door as if he was going to go out and said to me, ¡°I will be back before the lecture starts. Stay here until then.¡± ¡°What? Alone?¡± ¡°Yes. Alone.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Rotten Taste¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Gasp, confinement?] There¡¯s no way that would happen unless Ilya went crazy. Professor Ilya added his words. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you read during your lunch break?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Read it here. Mark the parts that need explanation.¡± I tilted my head at his strange kindness and soon nodded. ¡°I will. Go ahead, Professor.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Professor Ilya answered slowly, turned his eyes slowly, and soon left the office. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Gourmet¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Love with a young and handsome genius professor¡­ This is so precious.] CH 30 ¡°That¡¯s strange¡­¡± [The Constellations are curious about BJ¡¯s thoughts.] ¡°Professor Ilya¡¯s office is a space that you can enter when you fill up his likeability, just like Damian¡¯s personal laboratory. There was a special incident yesterday, but it¡¯s not particularly so today.¡± What on earth made him feel good about me? Did he give credit for working hard on his assignment? Indeed, he is a professor anyway, so he might see this as a good thing. Outstanding academic achievement was also a way to target Professor Ilya. I¡¯m relieved that the archdemon likes me¡­ I don¡¯t know why, but it¡¯s not bad anyway. I ate my sandwich and began to finish reading the book. However, this was a very wrong choice. When I was full, I felt sleepy as the sofa was too comfortable and soft, and the content of the book was too difficult. My eyelids became heavy on their own, and I repeatedly closed and opened them slowly. My mind was already in a state of confusion, so I often corrected my posture before my head tilted forward and then fell. ¡°Hoaam¡ª¡± The coffee I drank in the morning made me yawn. I didn¡¯t have strength to wipe away my teras, so I leaned my head on the back for a moment. The heavy throbbing in my head somehow felt like it was clearing up. If I rest properly for a moment, my energy will recover. I¡¯m sure the sleepiness will go away to some extent. I closed my eyes for a moment, rationalizing that¡­ The objective fact that most people fell asleep after closing their eyes like this was erased from my memory. Soon, I lost my consciousness. * * * Creek. The door of the office, where only the sound of quiet breathing was quietly heard, opened, and a student with a straight and elongated silhouette entered. A man with an appearance that seemed to consist only of sharp straight lines and no unnecessary corners. It was Clyde. He took a step forward with a nonchalant gaze that didn¡¯t scan his surroundings, and then suddenly frowned. Her cold blue-eyes, resembling the color of water, pierced through diagonally below. There, he could see Theresa sleeping soundly against the sofa. ¡°¡­¡± Of all things. Clyde hesitated and tried to turn back. Why should I avoid my seat? Moreover, to the pathetic woman who created a ridiculous social club called Clybe? He walked to Professor Ilya¡¯s table with mixed steps and put down the paper in his hand. It was an application to join the student council. Earlier, Professor Ilya came looking for him out of nowhere and asked for an application form to join the student council. He wasn¡¯t the type to give orders like this, so it was a strange request. Clyde turned around with doubtful eyes. There, he could still see Theresa, who was sleeping, breathing lightly. Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because of Theresa. ¡°¡­No way.¡± Clyde laughed at his guess. Theresa is a very selfish and cowardly person. There was no reason for him to try subjugating demons or hunt demons that could put her in danger. Sacrifice herself? It was the most uncharacteristic thing of Theresa. She¡¯s the most greedy and selfish person in the world. Clyde turned away, glaring coldly at Theresa, not hiding his disgust. Having finished his work, he was about to go out. Thud. At that moment, the book, which was barely holding in Theresa¡¯s hand, fell to the floor. It was an instinct that his eyes were drawn to the fallen book. ¡°Ancient magic?¡± It was the magic book that students should have studied in their third year. Only then did Clyde find two books on the table. They were also the books that should have been studied long ago. Is she trying to focus on her studies, even belatedly, because she¡¯s worried about graduation? It won¡¯t be possible. Theresa¡¯s poor academic performance was due to her stupidity. It was a matter of natural talent rather than working hard, so even if she tried hard, she wouldn¡¯t be able to graduate. At that moment, he suddenly remembered what Theresa said. ¡°Ah¡­ that, because I¡¯m already in the fourth year. I¡¯m thinking of focusing on my studies this year¡­¡± Wasn¡¯t that what she was saying? Clyde picked up the book that had fallen on the floor in slow motion, threw it on the table, and stared at the sleeping Theresa. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Sleeping easily in the professor¡¯s office. Everything she did was completely out of common sense. The most out of common sense was none other than her remark yesterday. ¡°You love me like destiny?¡± On the subject of a foolish human being drunk on this damn shell and following it without recognizing its essence. Clyde rather understood that. Clyde¡¯s appearance was so handsome that any human could be captivated at a glance. This was the influence of succubus¡¯s blood flowing in him to seduce and corrupt humans. However, humans with good senses felt uncomfortable being with Clyde. Although he perfectly calmed the demon with the holy relic, it was because they could feel a chilling instinct for danger against their natural enemy. For example, people like Mimosa. Perhaps it¡¯s because of the blood of the imperial family, she¡¯s especially sensitive to this. Compared to her, Theresa felt no danger from him. It must be because of the characteristics of the Squire family. Among the prestigious families, some special families were born with unique characteristics. The Rodrigo family¡¯s ability to sense demons, and Duke Squire¡¯s abnormally high immunity to the demon. That must be why she was able to say such a carefree thing. Even if you were a human with the blood of the Rodrigo family, would you have said you loved me like destiny? Can she, who is more like a demon than demon itself, truly love someone like that? It wasn¡¯t even funny. ¡°Disgusting.¡± [Likeability: 3] Clyde left the office in a very unpleasant mood. If Theresa tried to join the student council, he would stop her. * * * Flap. That was undoubtedly the sound of turning pages. Even though my consciousness was blurred due to sleep, I clearly recognized that face. Because it was also my favorite sound. My throbbing head somehow cleared up. I slowly opened my eyelids, still in a hazy view. My view was partially covered by a messy system window. As my gaze naturally went to the part not covered by the system window, I froze the moment I noticed the familiar dark red hair. Professor Ilya was sitting across from me with his legs crossed and reading. Did I fall asleep here? There was no need to question it. My head was now resting comfortably on the armrest of the sofa. At that time, Professor Ilya opened his mouth without taking his eyes off the book. ¡°If you¡¯re awake, raise up.¡± ¡°¡­Yes!¡± I jumped up from my seat. Professor Ilya looked at me strangely and pointed down with his chin. ¡°I meant to straighten out your body. Sit down again.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± You should say it so. I grumbled inwardly, but quietly sat down. Then Professor Ilya handed me a piece of paper that was lying on the table. ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± Mine? The document was an application to join the student council. Even Professor Ilya¡¯s autograph was written there. I was thinking of joining the student council on the recommendation of a professor, but I didn¡¯t even expect this situation. Professor Ilya continued, making eye contact with me calmly. ¡°If you intend to join, fill it out and submit it to me. I will deliver it.¡± I replied with a bewildered expression. ¡°Thank you, Professor.¡± He nodded his head once and checked the time. ¡°Now, go to the lecture room.¡± I hurriedly packed my papers and books in my bag and followed Professor Ilya, who was already leaving the office. He walked so fast that the hem of his coat fluttered. Thanks to that, I had to walk very busily as I had relatively short legs and Stride. Step, step. Stride. Step, step. ¡­This made me feel like I became a small dog taking a walk with my owner. When I arrived at the lecture room on the second floor, I was a little short of breath. It was when Professor Ilya entered the lecture room first and I was about to follow right after. ¡°Oh? Lady Theresa!¡± It seemed that there were quite a few people in front of the lecture room, and there were young ladies wearing silver butterfly brooches. They must have come to see Clyde. ¡°Ah, yes. I fall asleep before the lecture.¡± ¡°Oh? Did Lady not sleep yesterday? No wonder, the bottom of Lady¡¯s eyes are slightly sunken!¡± Then another young lady burst into laughter. ¡°Lady couldn¡¯t sleep must be because she thought of Clyde being nearby! I think I would end up like that too! Did Lady happen to run into him by chance?¡± For a moment, I remembered what happened in the library yesterday, but I shook my head calmly outside. Nevertheless, the young ladies laughed among themselves at what was so fun. ¡°Ah, I guess I should have applied for a dormitory too.¡± ¡°If we had the same major before that, we would have been able to enter this lecture room. What a shame.¡± The grass is always greener on the other side, and the past choices were regrettable. You won¡¯t do it even if you get a chance now. I nodded moderately, thinking that I should hurry into the classroom before it was too late. ¡°It¡¯s time for the lecture to begin, so I¡¯ll go in now.¡± Then the young ladies clenched their small fists and cheered. ¡°Yes! Have a good day today!¡± They looked like a group of chicks, and they somehow looked cute¡­ But even if they¡¯re this cute, it¡¯s frightening that they suddenly change like crazy when it comes to Clyde. Is this why there is a saying that loves drive people crazy? I smiled awkwardly and entered the lecture room. CH 31 The lecture room was rather empty. Popular lectures were overflowing with students even if that weren¡¯t their majors, but Ilya¡¯s lecture wasn¡¯t like that. The lecture taught by him wasn¡¯t popular because it was non-combat. Wizards were divided into combat-type and non-combat-type; by an overwhelming margin, combat wizards were popular. If you made a name as a combat wizard, you could become a hero and a big star of this empire. Because wanting to be loved is a very natural desire. It was a setting that I personally opposed. Anyway, for that reason, Ilya¡¯s lecture, which was both non-combat and difficult to understand, was treated as minor. However, as difficult as it was, there were certain advantages. Wizards with a high level of understanding of had no type of magic they couldn¡¯t handle and were able to cast high-level magic very quickly. An excellent attribute magic majors are much stronger than combat majors. Ilya and Clyde are living proofs. As I came in late, I quickly took a seat that was close to me. It was unfortunate that I happened to be seated next to Clyde. Right, it was just an accident. Clyde always sat in the front row, and I arrived later than the professor, so I had to sit somewhere quickly. Honestly, I think the fact that the seat I picked was right next to Clyde like intentional. However, I didn¡¯t look at Clyde. I didn¡¯t even say hi to him. Clyde didn¡¯t even turn his head this way, apparently deciding to treat me completely invisible. He even gave off a colder atmosphere than yesterday. I glanced at Clyde just in case and quickly confirmed his likeability. [Likeability: 3] ¡­Yes? Suddenly? Before I could even startle, I saw that Clyde was about to turn his head slightly, perhaps feeling my gaze. I quickly dropped my gaze to the book. My heart felt like it would explode. It¡¯s dangerous. Three black hearts wouldn¡¯t lead to death right away, but it was a step that implied the possibility of death route. How could I join the student council? If I fail to join, I will have to commute from the duchy. I didn¡¯t want to die. I closed my eyes tightly for a moment. Outside, the club members¡¯ chattering voices were faintly audible. They must have waited for the lecture to be over and were trying to chase after Clyde again. Looking at them in real life, it seems to be much more troublesome than I thought¡­I could fully understand why Clyde¡¯s black hearts increased. If I disband the club, will his black hearts decrease? To disband Clybe, Demisa had to be disbanded as well. It was because if only one disbanded, Damian or Clyde¡¯s black hearts would rise. Then, events toward a bad ending were naturally arranged, and the probability of demons appearing increased. That was even worse. I don¡¯t know¡­ Let¡¯s just listen to the lecture first. As soon as I raised my head with a disturbed expression, I made eye contact with Professor Ilya. Was he looking at me¡­? He then slowly lifted the chalk as if he was waiting for me. It was likely that I was mistaken, but I felt comforted nonetheless. At least one person in this world seemed to favor me. Professor Ilya spoke plainly when I picked up my quill pen. ¡°Let¡¯s start the lecture.¡± * * * ¡°Uuuugh¡­¡± After the lecture, I fell to my desk with a groan. My eyes felt like they would fall out, and my fingers were all sore from using the quill I wasn¡¯t used to. I was confused as to whether it was torture or a lecture. Professor Ilya is the kind of person who proceeds mercilessly. Should I say that he¡¯s the type who believes that I can¡¯t keep up with the contents of the lecture because I¡¯m stupid? I looked through my notebook, put it in my bag, and got up. It was an unfortunate coincidence that Clyde also got up at the same time. Let¡¯s not get involved as much as possible. Just ignore him like an invisible man. I left the lecture room before Clyde mistaken that I was bothering him again. But that wasn¡¯t a very good choice. It was because the front of the lecture room was crowded with the club members. ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Lady Theresa! It must have been hard for you to listen to this torture-like lecture, right?¡± I looked around with a look of surprise. If Professor Ilya heard it, it would be a disaster. Thank god, he¡¯s already gone. I feel relieved for a moment. Now, something absurd filled my mind. Don¡¯t they have lectures? Why are they still here all the time? At that time, a young lady with dark brown hair tied tightly with a large green ribbon spoke shyly. ¡°Lady Theresa¡­ You didn¡¯t come out with Lord Clyde today¡­? Cough.¡± She is a lady with a skinny body that looked sick, with darkened eyes that shone strangely. ¡°¡­Lady Lumio.¡± This young lady was a [Demon Contractor] created by our team. She¡¯s not a contractor yet. Unlike Lumio, the male protagonists acted relatively contextually because they were full of settings. However, the demon contractor, who was only a one-time villain, was different. This character was a ticking time bomb ready to summon demons at any time if a very simple condition was met. The condition for Lumio to make a contract with a demon was that Clyde wouldn¡¯t connect with Theresa. It meant that if Clyde got close to someone of the opposite sex or showed an excessive distance from Theresa, the demon would appear. Why did we set this condition? It¡¯s driving me crazy. I made a plausible excuse not to upset Lumio. ¡°I came out quickly because I had something to discuss with Professor Ilya. It¡¯s a little urgent.¡± The easiest excuse to use in times of trouble was to sell out my professor. ¡°Cough, I see¡­ I wanted to see you two side by side¡­ cough.¡± At that time, another young lady pushed Lumio away and approached me. ¡°Lady Theresa! Why didn¡¯t you come to the club room today? This morning, we had black tea from precious tea leaves!¡± I quickly looked at Lumio. She was glaring at the young lady who had pushed her with terrifying eyes as if she would kill that lady. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Scion of Black Flame¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Hahaha! I can feel the sweet life.] At that time, Clyde, whom I most didn¡¯t want to encounter, came out of the lecture room. ¡°Get out of the way.¡± Of course, Clybe let out a mixture of scream and exclamation, even staggered as if overwhelmed by his appearance. ¡°Aah! So handsome!¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, today you¡¯re also dazzling¡­! I feel like my eyes are going to be blinded¡­!¡± ¡°Please Marry me!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you go away?¡± It¡¯s really embarrassing, Clybe¡­ I hurriedly pulled out my watch before Clyde¡¯s anger was directed at me. ¡°Oh, the assignment is due today, but isn¡¯t it time for Professor Ilya to leave work soon? I will go first!¡± Clyde had already distracted everyone, so no one listened to me except for Lumio. ¡°Ooh¡­! Ah¡­¡± Lumion looked back and forth between Clyde and me with a very regretful look on her face, then quietly backed away. Seeing that there was no creepy look on her face, she seemed to have accepted the situation of me having to visit the professor. Sigh. That¡¯s a relief. Just before leaving like that, I turned my head and met his blue eyes. Clyde was staring at me blatantly. ¡°¡­¡± Even though I knew it was the only time to escape, I was caught in his gaze. This was a force majeure. Clyde was like a shining star in the dark night sky. No matter how dark it is, his starlight-like presence shines brightly, so you start looking at him unconsciously. The setting of a child born from succubus is this dangerous. I dropped my gaze with a stiff look. Clyde might do something unexpected, so I had to be careful again. Clyde is an invisible man. He¡¯s not shining. Even though our team made him, he¡¯s not my baby¡­ I left this place as if I was running away, repeating sentences that were almost like self-brainwashing without even knowing that Clyde¡¯s gaze was still on me. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Originally, love starts with hatred¡­ For your information, I like Damian¡­] What a crazy thing to say. What started from hatred wasn¡¯t love but death. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Face Inspector¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Clyde has the best facial combination.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Stock Genius¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [When I see it, I definitely choose Ilya ??. My stock, let¡¯s raise!] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Minor Artisan¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [My heart responds to Oz x Theresa.] This Constellation is the most insane. I turned off the notification window because it wasn¡¯t worth responding to. CH 32 [The Constellations wonder where BJ is going.] I answered as I went down the stairs. ¡°The library. There is no better place to run away from students than there.¡± The wizards of thoroughly valued practice over theory. That way, there won¡¯t be anyone in the library. It was an extreme setting that was put in because it was supposed to be Clyde¡¯s refuge and a place to build a tingly narrative with the player. However, that didn¡¯t mean students didn¡¯t use all the libraries in Valhalla. At least the place with the most users was the library on the first floor. It was also the largest main library and could be visited by outsiders. Anyway, it was the most visited place by students, even for assignments. It¡¯s a library Clyde never goes to. In addition, the library on the first floor also had a private reading room, so you could use it immediately if you applied. What I was aiming for was a private reading room. I was going to read the book that Professor Ilya had lent me there until the members of Clybe went home. I crossed the lobby that was still crowded with people. I¡¯d rather be safer in a place like this. Even if Lumio came after me, we couldn¡¯t talk here, so I could get rid of her quickly. There was another advantage of the market-like lobby. That is, your murmur would be buried by the surrounding noise. ¡°Can you all hear me?¡± [The Constellations nod.] I opened the book and spoke. To others, it looked like I was muttering while memorizing. ¡°The young lady I called Lumio earlier is a ¡®demon contractor.¡¯ Ah, I guess I should still call her as a prospective contractor.¡± [The Constellations are curious about what kind of demon contractor is.] ¡°Humans contract with demons to make their wishes come true, right? It¡¯s the same in .¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Detective¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Lumio seems to be strangely obsessed with Theresa and wants to connect Theresa with Clyde. I presume that she will make a wish related to it.] ¡°Exactly.¡± Lumio had the opposite personality from Theresa. She greatly admired Theresa, who was arrogant and confident in everything. For her, Theresa¡¯s behavior was worthy of her status as a princess. A healthy, beautiful, and imposing Theresa with the cold, indifferent Clyde. Lumio reinterpreted the character Theresa at her will and enjoyed the delusion of matchmaking her with Clyde, the man she thought was the most perfect for Theresa. It could be understood as fantasizing about dating your favorite celebrity. [The Constellations wonder what happens when a demon contractor summons a demon.] ¡°That¡­¡± I think it would be long and boring to explain in words. Since it was something you would definitely experience in the scenario anyway, I thought that going to that time and seeing it for yourself would be a much more vivid pleasure. Even Ozworld told me not to explain too much. ¡°It will be easier to understand when you see it for yourself.¡± [The Constellations respect BJ¡¯s judgment.] I wonder if today will end like this. Since morning, I have been through various things, which made me feel tired, maybe more so because of my lack of sleep. But I wonder what the first-floor library will look like. I wondered what kind of magic book there might be, so I walked faster and faster to the library. Then a familiar voice came from nearby. ¡°Is it you? You¡¯re the one who crawled into Damian¡¯s personal lab this morning?!¡± ¡­It¡¯s a voice I know? When I turned my head and checked, sure enough, it was Mimosa who was raging with anger. ¡°I already said it¡¯s not me for the fourth time, Senior.¡± It was Libby who refuted in a calm voice the opposite. I became perplexed. What? Why are they together? Mimosa screamed with a face as red as her pink hair. Thanks to this, I could clearly hear what she was saying even in this noisy lobby. ¡°The color of the rouge on the coffee cup is the limited edition of the Jannelle, which was recently released. It¡¯s the same color as what is on your lips now!¡± ¡°Limited edition doesn¡¯t mean it was me.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s a limited edition with only 10 pieces?!¡± ¡­I can¡¯t believe it was. I should throw away my cosmetics when I go back to the dormitory. Anyway, It seems like Libby was suspected by Mimosa for using the same rouge as me today. My conscience was pricked just to leave them alone while pretending not to know about it. It happened because of me, so I have to deal with it. After letting out a short sigh, I approached them. ¡°I also have that limited edition, Mimosa.¡± ¡°Sister¡­!¡± Libby looked at me with relief, and Mimosa was annoyed. ¡°Are you here to side with your sister now? Since when have you been that kind of person!¡± Theresa wasn¡¯t that kind of character. As I shrugged my shoulders insignificantly, Mimosa looked back and forth between Libby and me, then narrowed her eyes. ¡°I see now. Did you deliberately let your sister approach Damian on purpose?¡± In the end, Mimosa treated Libby as a spy from Clybe. Is there anything to be gained¡­ by doing something like that? If Libby and Damian were connected, it would be easier for Theresa to be wary and keep an eye on the person she hates. If it was the original Theresa, she wouldn¡¯t have thought of such a high-level plan. Still, it seemed the angry Mimosa highly valuated Theresa. Should I be thankful? I left Mimosa, who was freely delusional to her heart¡¯s content, looked at Libby, and reached out to her. ¡°Libby, come here.¡± ¡°¡­Yes!¡± If I reacted to her nonsense, I would get more tired. As I was about to leave the place with Libby, who came to my side. Ding! [Quest: Get an apology from Mimosa.] ?Reward: ??? ?Failure: Expulsion due to Demisa¡¯s retaliation ¡­Until this quest window popped out. Really, everything is sent as a quest. Besides, I didn¡¯t know why the reward part wasn¡¯t clearly mentioned. My enthusiasm plummeted. To get an apology from Mimosa, who has a great pride second to Theresa? It was impossible to get Mimosa to admit her fault and make her apologize. Therefore, the only way to forcefully get an apology was to make a fight. I really didn¡¯t want to do wasteful things like a verbal fight, but¡­ ¡°Mimosa, you¡¯re really good at catching innocent people.¡± Mimosa narrowed her brows for a moment as if she was thinking about what I meant. Her puzzled expression, ¡®I think it¡¯s a compliment because she said I¡¯m good, but why do I feel dirty,¡¯ gradually turned like a demon. Mimosa, who finally understood what I meant, was very angry. ¡°How dare you make fun of me?!¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Conspiracy Theorist¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [The more I look at Mimosa, the more she looks like a high-status person¡¯s child who entered a prestigious university through the backdoor.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Madmania¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [I rather like this.] Surprisingly, Theresa had a lower grade than Mimosa. If had been released, people would have asked why the villains were so stupid¡­ Murmur! ¡°Is it another fight between Clybe and Demisa?¡± ¡°Oh! Isn¡¯t she the representative of this year¡¯s freshman? Is she being bullied?¡± The number of onlookers naturally increased as the fight showed no signs of stopping. It was a very unpleasant situation for me, who didn¡¯t like getting a lot of attention. At this rate, Clybe will flock. I was running away from them, but if Clybe and Demisa also gathered here, it would turn out to be nothing. There was a quick way to end this fight. It was to reveal that I was the one who entered Damian¡¯s personal lab. But if that happens, I will be attacked by Demisa. Clybe will also suspect my change of mind. The biggest problem would be Lumio. She might think I switched from Clyde to Damian, which could lead her to summon a demon. There was an excuse to avoid all those problems. However, if I used that method, I wouldn¡¯t be very willing to get involved with Damian privately. There¡¯s no other way now. I raised my chin and put on a look of disdain at Mimosa. ¡°Are you sure Libby went into Damian¡¯s personal laboratory?¡± ¡°Of course! She¡¯s the only one who put on a rogue from Jannelle in this school!¡± ¡°Really? No matter what, you think it¡¯s Libby, right? Will you bet on your honor?¡± As I pushed it forward, Mimosa hesitated as if she sensed something strange. However, because of her pride, she seemed to be unable to reverse her words, so she talked with a more ferocious expression. ¡°Yes! I can bet everything!¡± There was a stir among the students who heard Mimosa¡¯s declaration. Now that the perfect situation had been created in which her words could not be reversed, I have driven a wedge here. ¡°Then let¡¯s make a bet.¡± ¡°¡­A bet?¡± When the word ¡®bet¡¯ came out, Mimosa seemed to sense that something was going wrong, and her spirits slumped down. However, it would be difficult if she backed off like that. ¡°If it turns out that it wasn¡¯t Libby who entered Damian¡¯s personal laboratory today, write an apology letter and post it on the bulletin board.¡± I arrogantly crossed my arms and continued. ¡°If I¡¯m wrong, I will also post an apology on the bulletin board.¡± Mimosa hesitated, not readily accepting. ¡°If you don¡¯t have the confidence, apologize to my sister right away.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Professional Trainer¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [A true winner only bets money on the winning game.] I came closer to Mimosa to put some pressure on her. ¡°G-get out of the way?!¡± We had quite a physical difference. Mimosa was much smaller than average, while Theresa was slightly taller than average. ¡°Hurry up and choose.¡± In order to get what I want, I shouldn¡¯t ask my opponent for a subjective answer. It was an unconditional choice. Also, both options must be in my favor. This method worked better when your opponent was careless and in a situation where they couldn¡¯t help but to go with it. They couldn¡¯t think deeply, so they would choose from the options you¡¯ve offered. It¡¯s a trick I learned while calming down the ridiculous demands from my younger sibling. Although it didn¡¯t work after they got older. ¡°Hurry!¡± When I pressed on once more, Mimosa somehow hid her bewilderment and shouted. ¡°L-let¡¯s do it!¡± She got caught. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Excellent.] I then talked to Mimosa with a sorry expression. ¡°I was the one who went to Damian¡¯s personal laboratory today.¡± CH 33 ¡°¡­!?¡± Mimosa opened her lips with a face like she had been completely hit in the back of her head. The students and Libby, who heard my unexpected remark, all looked at me with surprised faces. ¡°Don¡¯t lie! Why are you going to Damian¡¯s personal lab?!¡± ¡°I told you from the beginning. That I have that rouge too.¡± ¡°But your lips are pink right now? The rouge is dark red!¡± I lied blatantly. ¡°Because it had been erased. I haven¡¯t repainted it.¡± Mimosa grumbled and tried to refute something, but I opened my mouth first. ¡°Mimosa, do you remember what time it was when you found the coffee cup?¡± Mimosa answered my question with a displeased look. ¡°¡­It was probably around 9:30. Because I got out of the carriage before that.¡± ¡°Damian and I met on the way from the dormitory to the main building around 9:00, went straight to his lab, and drank coffee. By the way, you know I live in a dormitory, right?¡± Judging by Mimosa¡¯s sullen expression, she must have heard the news. When I began to logically solve the situation, the students listened with interest. I looked back at Libby. ¡°Libby, what time did you arrive today?¡± ¡°It was probably around ten o¡¯clock.¡± That¡¯s right. That¡¯s the school time set for Libby. You have to go to school early on purpose to meet Damian. The stamina required for the ¡®special action¡¯ was consumed at that time. Usually, in a game like this, when working on a certain character¡¯s likeability, it is like using a ticket that allows you to see someone once a day or using the stamina from the stamina gauge. [The Constellations cheer and applaud.] I heard the constant sound of notifications in my ears, but now wasn¡¯t the time to look at the system windows. Murmur! ¡°What? Then the time matches, right?¡± Mimosa responded with a red-hot face when she was cornered. ¡°That¡¯s just your claim!¡± ¡°We can tell immediately when the time the carriage came in just by looking at the logbook.¡± ¡°Hiik¡­¡± I kindly suggested. ¡°How about it? Do you want to go check it out together?¡± Mimosa could not answer. The game is over. Mimosa also only stared at me with an expression of realization that she had lost. I gladly waited for her to say something first and admit her own defeat. She¡¯s rude but not a character who forces someone to do anything. It was because she was crazy about her love for a moment. Still, Mimosa was able to distinguish her own matter as she was a princess with imperial blood. Mimosa admitted with a look of resentment on her face. ¡°¡­I admit my mistake. Libby Squire, I¡¯m sorry I doubted you. I will write a formal apology for today and post it on the bulletin board.¡± Ding! [Quest: Get an apology from Mimosa.] ?Reward: Decrease the number of Demisa members, and increase the number of Clybe members. ¡­How is this a reward? Now that I saw it, it was clear why the system didn¡¯t show the reward because it was terrible. ¡°But Theresa.¡± The quest was over, but Mimosa and I weren¡¯t yet done. ¡°Why were you and Damian in the lab together?¡± Mimosa looked very cold and rational, unlike before, when she was like a mad colt running wild angrily. No. What is rational? Her eyes are averted. Those light purple eyes, as pretty as jewels, glittered with madness that she wouldn¡¯t stand still if I didn¡¯t explain accurately. I definitely knew this question would come up¡­ though I hoped it wouldn¡¯t come out. I frowned with an expression that I didn¡¯t understand Mimosa asking this question. ¡°Damian has succeeded in becoming the vice president of Valhalla. There¡¯s no reason I, the Squire Scholarship Foundation board member, shouldn¡¯t be alone with him.¡± Of course, I had never been left alone with him in the original. Theresa, as the direct blood of Squire, didn¡¯t have significant power in her family. The most valuable thing was the Squire Scholarship Foundation, which she didn¡¯t even operate properly and was left to others. Theresa was only interfering with that operation to put Damian at a disadvantage. Mimosa was well aware of that face, so she put on an expression she couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°What¡¯s the point of being alone with him when you always bullied our Damian?¡± I took a deep breath for a moment. The moment I said these words, the ¡®event¡¯ would begin. ¡°I will select Damian West as my escort wizard.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± This was originally an event triggered by Theresa in when the player filled Damian¡¯s two red hearts. Damian was originally a scholarship student who stood out from an early age. If it hadn¡¯t been for Theresa¡¯s interference, he would have become an escort and vassal of the family. So this was quite natural. I didn¡¯t want to make that obvious, but¡­ My escort is an assassin. I didn¡¯t know he would protect me or try to kill me. Mimosa bit her lips with a furious look. No matter how imperial or princess she was, she couldn¡¯t interfere in the matter of using someone else¡¯s family scholarship student as an escort. I smiled, then turned my head toward Libby. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Libby.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Libby¡¯s answer was exceptionally lively. * * * After the confrontation with Mimosa, things went peacefully. I had safely finished reading the book Professor Ilya gave me. I was going to throw away the rouge from Jannelle but decided to leave it alone. I mean, I was the one who revealed I went to Damian¡¯s personal lab, but do I have to throw it away? What was surprising was that Damian came to the dormitory that evening. ¡°Hi, Theresa.¡± I looked at him with a puzzled look. ¡°¡­You know it¡¯s against school rules to visit the girl¡¯s dormitory at this time, right?¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here without being caught.¡± His expression, as if asking, ¡®I did well, right?¡¯ made my blood pressure soar. Of course he didn¡¯t get caught. He¡¯s an assassin. ¡°¡­Really? That¡¯s a relief.¡± Damian hesitated a little and opened his mouth carefully. ¡°I heard what happened today. They said you would pick me up as your escort. Is that true?¡± I nodded my head gently. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s late, but I¡¯ll sign a formal contract if you don¡¯t mind.¡± This was a guarantee of Damian¡¯s right to enjoy. Becoming a vassal of a noble family is like promising a commoner, like Damian, to be treated as semi-noble. Damian wasn¡¯t a person who would hesitate if he had the opportunity to naturally infiltrate the noble family. He would probably be happy with my offer. As expected, Damian readily agreed. ¡°I will. Become your escort.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Let¡¯s get married.] I ignored the notification window and nodded. ¡°Okay. I will tell my family.¡± I was about to tell him to go now that his business was over. Damian suddenly got down on one knee and held my hand. It seemed that he was about to perform an oath to pay his respects to the lady he was supposed to guard. However, this wasn¡¯t an action needed now as he hadn¡¯t been officially appointed as my escort. ¡°You hadn¡¯t been formally selected yet, so this¡ª!¡± Before I could finish my words, Damian kissed the back of my hand. Only the surface of his lips barely touched my skin, and the very light, itchy touch felt for a brief moment and parted away. Damian raised his head, looked at me, and grinned. ¡°Is that how you do it?¡± Why is this assassin smiling so brightly¡­ Damian stood up, brushed his knees, and smiled brightly like a lamp. ¡°I will get going now. Good night, Theresa.¡± Am I mistaken if the warmth I feel comes from his smile, not the lamp¡¯s light? ¡°Yes. You too.¡± It was when Damien smiled with his eyes as if in response to my greeting and turned around. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Stock Genius¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Let¡¯s check this character¡¯s likeability. Doesn¡¯t it smell like a sudden rise?] I also had a strange feeling, so I immediately checked his likeability. [Likeability: 1] Huh? When did it change to red heart? It was clearly a black heart until the morning, but I didn¡¯t think I did anything to overturn his thought. Even in the original work, if there was a decisive event, the black heart could change into a red heart at once or vice versa. It was like choosing well when the answer options popped up or solving a major event well. No matter how much I think about it, the change is too immediate and fast. Of course, this wasn¡¯t a game, so it was natural. I could see their likeability, but they¡¯re human beings, not AI. ¡°¡­¡± It was a bit scary and depressing. I didn¡¯t want to give affection to the characters. I also didn¡¯t want to be connected emotionally. That way, I could escape to paradise without regret. CH 34 As soon as dawn broke, I went to Professor Ilya¡¯s laboratory. ¡°Here you are, Professor.¡± I returned the books I had read to him. Ilya glanced at the books, only raising his gaze to stare at me. ¡°Any questions?¡± ¡°I studied the unknown part by looking up other magic books in the library.¡± Professor Ilya raised his eyebrows at my answer that I solved it on my own. He remained still for a moment with a thoughtful expression, then took out a new book from the bookshelf and handed it to me. ¡°Read this for this time.¡± I had an ominous hunch. He¡¯s not giving me a personal assignment to read a new book every time, right? It was good to read magic books, but it was burdensome to visit the professor and spend time with him every time. But what can I do? If the professor told me to do so, so be it. ¡°I understand.¡± I was receiving the book and putting it in my bag, and Professor Ilya spoke in a passing tone. ¡°Don¡¯t stay up all night.¡± It was a word that pointed out the fact that I had spent all night reading the previous three books. His expression was indifferent. His tone wasn¡¯t friendly either. Still, I felt his kindness. ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± Professor Ilya tilted his head at an angle and asked an unexpected question. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± Did I smile? I rubbed my lips with my hand. As he said, the corners of my mouth were raised slightly. Don¡¯t tell me I looked like I was laughing at him? Theresa¡¯s impression was so arrogant that the smile didn¡¯t seem well-intentioned. I desperately appealed that I had no ill intentions. ¡°B-because I like it¡­?¡± ¡°What do you like?¡± Is he by any chance trying to pick a pod? I rolled my eyes and answered honestly as I felt. ¡°I like that you worried about me.¡± Then Professor Ilya narrowed his forehead. He looked like he was asking me when he was worried about me. It¡¯s embarrassing¡­ He changed the subject as if he wouldn¡¯t go along with this nonsense anymore. ¡°I have submitted your application for joining the student council, so the results will come out.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After saying that, I left the laboratory because I had no more business. Then, the place I stopped by was the club room. This wasn¡¯t voluntary. It was because I got caught by members of Clybe passing by and forced to come. In the club room, young ladies gathered in twos and threes to enjoy tea time. Fortunately, Lumio was nowhere to be seen. The young ladies looked very excited. ¡°Lady Theresa, did you read the apology letter? How come Lady flattened Demisa¡¯s nose as soon as the semester started!¡± They drank a cup of tea with joy, almost like knights who won the war. ¡°Maybe because of what happened yesterday, the number of applicants to join the club has increased dramatically! I heard that there are quite a few people who left Demisa.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. We too, will follow Lady Theresa¡¯s example and trample on them more thoroughly so that there will be no place for Demisa to appear at the May Festival!¡± ¡°Everyone calm down.¡± We¡¯re members of a fan club, not a battle club¡­ * * * A week has passed since then. I greeted the professors regularly when I ran into them while passing through the hallway. ¡°Greetings, Professor.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, y-yes.¡± Whenever that happened, the professors were often surprised, as if they had encountered a carnivorous animal that had become polite. ¡°Professor, I have a question for you.¡± ¡°Yes? Yes?!¡± A professor, who saw my diligent attitude in class, even reacted like someone who encountered an evil spirit. Well, it was fine anyway. I slowly got used to school life and found my own pace. Even if a new routine was added here, I thought I could easily digest it. ¡°But why is the student council not contacting me?¡± The application results should have come out right away. Considering Clyde¡¯s number of black hearts, there is a high possibility that he will oppose my entry. Soon it was time to end joining the club. I¡¯d rather choose to visit the student council and settle it. In the student council room, of course, Clyde was there. ¡°It looks like dogs and cows can come in and out of the student council room these days.¡± He was my baby, but the way he talked was very¡­ Hold it, hold it in. The weak one is supposed to hold it in. Clyde then laughed. ¡°You said that we would encounter each other less, but don¡¯t we see each other more often?¡± Then what do you want me to do when we¡¯re in the same school, in the same grade, and in the same major? I pretended not to hear it because it was impossible to argue like that, so I brought up the matter. ¡°I submitted an application to join the student council, but the result hasn¡¯t come out yet.¡± ¡°Aah, that one?¡± Clyde rummaged through the drawer like someone who remembered something he had forgotten, pulled out a piece of paper, and smiled crookedly. ¡°That¡¯s just right. The results of your application have just been decided.¡± ¡°What?¡± At that moment, I could feel the flow of mana from Clyde. I opened my eyes at the clear magic of fire. That jerk, he¡¯s trying to burn my admission¡­! ¡°With the authority of the student council president, Theresa Squire¡¯s application to join the student council¡ª¡± Before he could even finish his words, I also spread my hands wide and chanted magic. ¡°Paper with my name on it, summon it here!¡± In the , just as common as the other contents, humans were the weakest race. On the other hand, demons had tremendous destructive power. Therefore, no matter how unserious Clyde was, it was very difficult for Theresa to destroy his magic. The application, which was held in his grasp, was covered with powerful mana. I felt an extreme backlash as my mana was added to it. However, I summoned the rune I needed with perfect concentration. The mana I used serves as a circuit connecting rune to rune. Specify the target and move the position. Magical particles raised instantly and took control of my field of view. It only took 3 seconds for me to recognize his mana and summon the runes to complete the magic. The paper was summoned into my hands. ¡°¡­Did it!¡± I shouted, flashing up the application like Rafiki, who lifted the baby Simba. [1] ¡°I did it!¡± It was thrilling. In the meantime, I¡¯ve used minor magic a few times. Still, I¡¯ve never demonstrated my ability to penetrate my opponent¡¯s mana. It made me feel like I had my first victory by fighting a real user after always fighting weak AI in AOS games! Even more, my opponent is Clyde! I pushed the application to Clyde with a smirk on my face. ¡°Look at this! I broke through your mana and summoned it! Right? Right?¡± Clyde opened his mouth with an annoyed expression. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [???? I see you mocking him.] I quickly hid the application behind my back in a panic. Then Clyde laughed openly. ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t take that document when you hide it like that?¡± ¡°¡­Just because I joined the student council doesn¡¯t mean I will always be alone with you. Doesn¡¯t the student council not have enough manpower to hunt monsters anyway?¡± Clyde frowned disapprovingly at my rebuttal. Because it was an irrefutable fact. The student council had a really insignificant number of members compared to Clybe or Demisa. I pushed harder because I thought it was time to do that. ¡°If I join the student council, more people would apply as mercenaries to hunt monsters, right?¡± Mimosa and I had a great influence on the reason for the low number of student council members. As the two princesses made the club by themselves, everyone became more passive in dealing with monsters and demons. Originally, Libbay was supposed to be a role model for the students as the first princess to join the student council. I¡¯m sorry, but my quest was more urgent. It was then. Clap, clap, clap! Suddenly, I heard applause from behind, and when I turned around, I saw an old gentleman with gray hair dressed in pure white. The old gentleman praised me with a gentle smile on his wrinkled face. ¡°Excellent.¡± I quickly set my example. ¡°Greetings, Mr. Chairman.¡± This gray-haired old gentleman was Noel Willow, Duke of Willow and the chairman of Valhalla. He approached me with a big laugh and tapped me on the shoulder. ¡°To take something for Clyde, it seems that Miss Theresa¡¯s magic level is higher than what is written in the student record book.¡± It was as the chairman said. Status window. ¨‹ [Theresa Squire] Description: Princess Squire Age: 22 Magic Rate: B+ Intelligence: B Mana: A (12,034/12,034) ¡ø Within a week, Theresa¡¯s intelligence had risen by one level, becoming a B class. It seemed that reading several more books carefully selected by Professor Ilya had been effective. ¡°If such a talented person joins the student council, it will be more reassuring. With the chairman¡¯s authority, I will allow Miss Theresa to join.¡± Ding! [Quest: Join the student council] ?Reward: Acquiring 100,000 coins CH 35 It¡¯s done! Clyde urgently called his grandfather as if he couldn¡¯t accept it. ¡°Mr. Chairman!¡± But it was useless. The quest has already been completed. I politely bowed my head. ¡°I will not harm the reputation of the student council.¡± ¡°Haha! I¡¯m looking forward to the future.¡± Clyde looked at me as if he were looking at the most stupid thing in the world as we were laughing haha hoho like we were close. Do you think the chairman likes me just because he compliments and laughs? Of course, I knew it wasn¡¯t like that. In fact, he was the person who believed Theresa was stupid, more than Clyde. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Born from Theresa¡¯s Heart¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [What is that person¡¯s deal? Why is he looking down on our kid?] ¡°Then don¡¯t fight, get along well.¡± The chairman left us with advice that would be given to a child, then he left the student council room. Clyde laughed at me as soon as his grandfather disappeared. ¡°Your stupidity amazes me every time. It makes me want to make sure if you¡¯re really a human.¡± Who modeled him? Who made Clyde so rude? I smiled in moderation and glossed over it. ¡°Yes. I know. I wouldn¡¯t have broken through your mana if I had been more stupid.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [?????????????????????????????] Realizing my mistake belatedly, I curled my lips inwards. I must be crazy. No matter how pissed off I am, he¡¯s not someone I should talk back to! Clyde frowned his brows and put on an expression of pondering my remark. It was obviously sarcasm, but he believed Theresa couldn¡¯t be saying that way to him, so he became confused. ¡°What did you mean? Do you really think you can become something just because you managed to break through my mana once?¡± ¡°¡­No? No way.¡± I knew I would succumb to force. Life is precious, and there are many things I haven¡¯t done yet. They said life is full of regrets. Let¡¯s retreat before my rebellious temperament inside me goes rampant again. ¡°I have a lecture, so I have to go. I look forward to your kind cooperation. Goodbye!¡± I left the student council room at a rapid pace and headed for the lecture room. My step across the corridor was light, but it became urgent as if something was chasing me. It was because Clyde strode behind me with his hand in his pocket. The students glanced at us with questioning eyes. Originally, I should have been the one who followed him, but the position was reversed, so it looked strange. I even saw members of the Clybe coming from afar like a swarm of clouds. He¡¯s going to catch up at this rate. It was when I turned the corner with a quick glance behind me like a prey being chased by a wild beast. Thud! This is why you must carefully look ahead on the road where many people pass by. I bumped into something and fell back. ¡°Uargh!¡± Tak! Fortunately, Damian supported my waist from the front, and Clyde supported my back before I fell to the floor. Suddenly, like a sandwich, I got stuck between the two male protagonists. It was a very bad situation. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!] ¡­though for some, it was a scene where their dopamine explodes. [The Constellations pay attention as two male protagonists appear at the same time.] The current situation seemed very exciting not only to the Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ but also to other Constellations. Before I could even apologize, Damian laughed. ¡°It¡¯s already our third time bumping into each other.¡± ¡°Sorry again¡­ I must be a little careless.¡± Actually, one of my nicknames was Racehorse. It was a nickname that came from a narrow view. However, Damian didn¡¯t care at all. ¡°Not. It¡¯s fine as long as you don¡¯t get hurt.¡± Like a habit, I checked his likeability. [Likeability: 1] The red color that made me feel reassured just by looking at it, brightly lit up the status window like a rising stock. As expected, a child with a red heart has a different personality. He looks like an angel. As I was thrilled, a cold voice came over my head. ¡°Can you stand up right now?¡± I almost fell into Clyde¡¯s arms as I almost fell backward. At his point, I raised my upper body and shyly expressed my gratitude. ¡°Thank you for holding me.¡± Clyde raised his eyebrows as if I was talking nonsense. ¡°I didn¡¯t hold you, I stopped you. So that you don¡¯t roll on the floor and get in my way. So what you have to say isn¡¯t thanks, but an apology.¡± He even brushed his hands like a person who touched dirty things. ¡°¡­Uh, sorry.¡± And Clyde suddenly snatched the application in my hand. ¡°Even if you joined the student council under the chairman¡¯s order, shouldn¡¯t you still submit the application?¡± I clenched my fists, which I hid behind the hem of my skirt so that Clyde couldn¡¯t see them. Ironically, he¡¯s right. Damian, who was silent at that time, tilted his head. ¡°Theresa, did you join the student council?¡± ¡°Yes. If you join the student council, you get a lot of extra points. The fourth year is an important time.¡± Damian had a strange expression on his face for a moment and soon smiled brightly. ¡°Great. We will see each other more often.¡± I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good thing to do life-and-death club activities together. ¡°Yeah. I know.¡± While we were talking, Clyde passed by without saying goodbye. However, the lecture room he entered was the one I had to enter as well. Aah, I wondered why he was following me, but our majors were the same¡­ It was a depressing realization. ¡°Uaah, Lady Theresa!¡± In the meantime, Clybe was close by. It seemed like they would dragging my feet too much. That¡¯s why I ran away to the lecture room. I said goodbye to Damian urgently, waving my hand as if playing at 2x speed. ¡°Then, see you next time!¡± It was when I opened the lecture room door and went in. ¡°Student council¡­¡± Before the lecture room door was closed, I heard Damian¡¯s low voice and involuntarily turned my head. I could see his cool profile through the gap in the door that was slowly closing. ¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D¡± Creee- Tak. The door closed. I tilted my head with an uneasy feeling. ¡°It will be fun.¡± What did he mean by that? Professor Ilya¡¯s lecture went smoothly. Since the theory was so complex, it was rather good that I didn¡¯t have time to think as I was fighting a war against note-taking. The problem was the other lectures. The lecture was practice-oriented, so I had a lot of free time. ¡°Come out one by one and turn this flower into a butterfly. Students who succeed at once will be given extra points.¡± While the students went and struggled to turn flowers into butterflies, I pondered what Damian meant. Why did he say it would be fun when I joined the student council? What did he think was going to be fun? It wasn¡¯t a nuance of being happy to have a close friend join the same club. But I felt a bit bothersome. Boom! Boom! Bang! ¡°Kyaa! Why is it becoming a man-eating plant, not a butterfly?!¡± ¡°Something seems wrong, Professor! The butterfly has a poison needle!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a butterfly. It¡¯s a long-lived wasp. Next!¡± The professor quickly rejected the students who failed to transform and reduced the turn. ¡°Argh! Professor, the flower suddenly attacked me!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t recall the exact image, no matter how much mana you put in, the results won¡¯t come out properly. Next!¡± As my turn approached gradually, I continued my thoughts in a daze. I don¡¯t know what will happen in the future, so I¡¯ll have to remove the bad ending element. I sighed as I looked at the Ulysses Swallowtail [1] sitting on my finger. ¡°Sigh. It¡¯s difficult.¡± The professor next to me said to me with a perplexed look. ¡°¡­ You seemed to be thinking about something else throughout today¡¯s lecture, but you turned it into a butterfly at once.¡± I tried my best to be as calm as possible to not show my sullen expression. ¡°I succeeded at once by following Professor¡¯s emphasis on recalling the exact scene in my head.¡± The professor widened his eyes as if he hadn¡¯t expected these words to come out of my mouth and blinked a few times quickly. ¡°¡­Okay. I see. A wizard is a being who materializes an image. Even abundant mana will be useless if you don¡¯t train your imagination well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe Student Theresa, who was the worst at it, gained enlightenment at once. This is the proudest day of my teaching career.¡± The professor looked at me warmly with slightly teary eyes as if he was really moved, then continued. ¡°Please continue to keep working hard.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s continue to devote ourselves.¡±¡± ¡°I will make sure to.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Alright, next!¡± Fyuuh. Fortunately, it seemed to go well. CH 36 The next lecture was about alchemy. ¡°The ratio of material to mana must be 1:1. If you get the ratio wrong even a little, you will have to throw away the whole thing, so focus!¡± The alchemy professor kindly wrote down the explanation on the blackboard. Wouldn¡¯t there be a problem if I couldn¡¯t make it after seeing this? I applied the mana to the materials on the table, chopped them in order, and boiled them. Plop, plop! Clatter! As I poured the materials into the pot, the professor ran to me angrily. ¡°Huh! Adding the materials all at once like that requires more proficiency¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He glanced around, watching the reagent in my pot emit a golden light. ¡°Everyone, come here and check Theresa¡¯s reagent.¡± Why? Is something wrong? As I blinked blankly, the professor opened his mouth in disbelief. ¡°It is a very well-made reagent.¡± Is it the aftermath of the lecture? Calm flattery began to trickle out of my mouth. ¡°Of course. I did as the Professor wrote on the blackboard, and the results came out well.¡± ¡°¡­Cough! Of course. Did you take notes?¡± I nodded in wonder. ¡°Yes. Didn¡¯t Professor write it on the blackboard for us to take notes?¡± ¡°Cough. The other students just produce rat-colored reagents even when I already explained it.¡± The students who came to see the reagent I made turned their heads away from the professor¡¯s stinging gaze. If I received praise like this, there would be more people who would become jealous. Wizards are basically independent, stubborn, and out-of-the-box people. In particular, the Valhalla students thought they were very great geniuses. And Theresa is the representative of those people¡¯s ideology. I said humbly, ¡°I was just lucky.¡± I really meant it. Originally, I was always poor at making things, but strangely, I made something well. Since the explanation was correct, I assumed the correct result would come out. Rather, the problem lies elsewhere. ¡°Today, we will practice waltz. Come in pairs of two.¡± Valhalla taught not only magic but also culture. Magic was important to nobles, but the latest ballroom dancing, the latest manners, and the ability to speak foreign languages were also very important. As a system was created so that not only was magic selected when nurturing a character, but they also had to take liberal arts classes as a necessity. I¡¯m in trouble. I don¡¯t know how to dance. Unfortunately, the dance skills didn¡¯t have an automatic correlation function like beginner etiquette. At that time, the store was activated after a long time. Ding! [There is a product in stock at the store.] Clearly, a skill that corrected the dancing skills was in stock. ¨‹ [Store] ?Wish coupon [1,000,000,000 coins] : Any wish will be granted once. ?Intermediate Dancing [39,800 coins] : Wherever you go, you can show off your dancing skills to a level where you won¡¯t get caught. ?Dancing machine [150,000 coins] : You can become a legendary dancer. ¡ø Ding! [The Constellation ¡®As Long as It¡¯s Not Me¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Dancing machine? You should choose this.] Without hesitation, I chose [Intermediate Dancing]. Dancing machine? Who do you think I am? Ding! [The Constellation ¡®As Long as It¡¯s Not Me¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [You don¡¯t fall for it¡­] This wasn¡¯t a 2000¡¯s variety show opening stage, why would I need a dancing machine? Shall we see how much sponsorship has been accumulated? [Sponsorship: 527,600 coins.] The sponsorship piled up far more than I expected. What? When did it pile up this much? Even so, I had no intention of buying dancing machine or anything like that. Anyway, in this way, the necessary items were stocked at the appropriate time, so I was able to safely attend the lecture. The professor who taught ballroom dancing told me with suspicious eyes. ¡°Today, you didn¡¯t make any movements wrong for some reason.¡± Other than the setting that Theresa was stupid, it wasn¡¯t detailed much, but I guess she couldn¡¯t memorize the dance moves well too. I smiled awkwardly and took care of why I was different. ¡°Thanks to the Professor¡¯s excellent teaching, I finally understood the movements.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± The professor seemed to find it difficult to accept Theresa¡¯s polite attitude. Still, I could see the corners of her mouth twitching as if she felt good. ¡°I heard that among the nobles who became the flower of the ball, no one didn¡¯t take dance lessons from Professor. Because of the teaching of such a person, it seems that my lack of skills has also improved.¡± My unexaggerated plain tone of flattery must have sounded quite sincere, and the professor¡¯s expression broke the boundaries. No matter how stupid she was, it wasn¡¯t coming just from a noble lady but a princess. The weight of the words given by status was heavier than gold. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Conspiracy Theorist¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Have you ever been a disloyal subject in your previous life? Why are you so good at flattering?] ¡­Did I? I didn¡¯t make up a completely empty word. All the lectures were interesting and good. It was so easy to understand, so it was pointless to worry about whether I would be able to follow the fourth-year curriculum. And flattery was the worst thing I could do. If I had been really good at it, my life as Jiwoo wouldn¡¯t have been so difficult. I shrugged my shoulders, packed my things, and headed to the library on the first floor. I had to read the book that Professor Ilya gave me, and that place was the most comfortable to do so. The space was large, and there weren¡¯t many users, and anyone won¡¯t notice you. You could enter the private reading room and be cut off from the world. I have to go into the private reading room today. It was a pity that the private reading room had no window, so I couldn¡¯t see the outside landscape, but my mind was comfortable there. As I entered the private reading room, I put my bag on the desk. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± It¡¯s weird. Why do I feel so stuffy today? At that moment, Damian¡¯s voice flashed through my mind. ¡°If you¡¯re going to hide in the future, you¡¯d better not choose a place like this.¡± ¡°You will be caught in no time.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ really.¡± I rubbed my tired eyes roughly with my dry hands. Seeing the heat rising from the spot I touched, my fair skin must have turned red. It¡¯s alright here. Damian doesn¡¯t use the library on the first floor. ¡­Was it really so? What if another developer, not me, added such a setting, which I hadn¡¯t checked out yet? Suddenly, being in a private reading room made me feel uncomfortable. It wasn¡¯t safe here. No. No matter where I go, I¡¯m not safe. Sticky thoughts like a string of black oil tore through me. What was the male protagonist¡¯s behavior pattern like when there was only one red heart? How did I get a good impression? That¡¯s stupid. Did I think I might be able to live here like everyone else? I have to do something right now. Otherwise, no one will love me. Like Shin Jiwoo. I want to go out. I want to go out. I want to go out. I want to go out. I want to go out. I want to go out. I want to go out. I want to go out. I want to go out. I want to get out of here right now! ¡°Slowly.¡± It seemed that I was hyperventilating without even realizing it. Someone hugged me from behind and quietly whispered to me while I was breathing so roughly that my eyes were spinning. ¡°Breathe slowly. I already stopped time.¡± Leaning on the red wooden table, I forced myself to exhale slowly, not even thinking about wiping away my tears. A soft hand stroked my cheek. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be broken already, Miss Theresa. Do you understand?¡± I desperately held onto the hand that was stroking my cheeks as if I had met a savior. The hands were warm and larger enough to cover all of my face. ¡°¡­¡± Then I couldn¡¯t hear a voice that was whispering to me. It¡¯s safe. ¡°Hmm.¡± There was a quiet voice that seemed to be something the savior didn¡¯t like. ¡°This is not fun.¡± Snap! After I heard the snapping finger. . . . ¡°¡­Why was I lying down?¡± I got up from the table with a puzzled face. My memory had evaporated cleanly since I entered the private reading room. I was a bit tired, but did I fall asleep? Strangely enough, I didn¡¯t see the sponsorship notification window where they were chatting while I was asleep, as usual. I furrowed my brows in an uncomfortable feeling and got up to pack my things. Strangely, I wasn¡¯t in the mood to use the private reading room today. CH 37 Raul looked into the papers and made deep wrinkles between his brows. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the number of contaminated areas has already increased. It¡¯s faster than last year.¡± It had already been 100 years since demons began indiscriminately eroding the human world. It was becoming a daily occurrence that the Magi eroded animals and plants, turning the nearby village into a mess. To prevent this, the imperial family, as well as the nobles, were struggling. However, the world seemed to be running to the end toward destruction, and the situation was getting worse every year. It¡¯s not a situation where it could be resolved just by putting more guards, which was like pouring water from the bottomless dock. Unless a fundamental solution emerged, there would be less land for humans to use, and food would be severely scarce. Raul handed over the next document. ¡°Huh. It was a report accusing the vassals of doings such as misappropriating the family¡¯s funds or exploiting the territories. All of them on the list were vassals to be eliminated that Theresa had given to Miranda. ¡°How did she find out about this¡­¡± She is his daughter, but she is really a mysterious child to him. ¡°My Lord.¡± Raul looked out of the papers at Donovan¡¯s call. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Donovan held out a silver tray containing only important letters. Hundreds of letters poured into the Duke Squire every day, and requests for visits never ceased. It was one of the tasks that a butler had to be able to do to reduce the fatigue of the head of the family by distinguishing important things well. However, today, a letter came in which was difficult to judge even with Donovan¡¯s good sense. It was a letter from Theresa. Usually, Donovan checked its contents and reported to the head family when there were unusual issues. Still, he had a strange intuition this time that he shouldn¡¯t do it. That¡¯s why he decided to bring the letter to Raul, even if Raul would scold him like, ¡®Should I even check this?¡¯ ¡°Lady Theresa has written it.¡± At that moment, color permeated Raul¡¯s expression, which had only been indifferent, as if by magic. Although it wasn¡¯t pleasant, it was Raul¡¯s most lively expression recently. ¡°Give it to me.¡± As expected. Donovan immediately handed out a neat white envelope. He even put it on top in the first place. Raoul looked down at the envelope with his narrowed brows and pulled out the letter. He skimmed through the contents and set it down on the table. ¡°She says she will select Damian West as her escort wizard.¡± ¡°He is the most notable wizard from the Squire Foundation. There is talk of him being the next president of the association.¡± Raul also nodded with an expression of familiarity. ¡°But I thought he had a very bad relationship with Theresa. What made her change her mind?¡± ¡°I will check about it.¡± The conversation about Theresa did not end there. After going to school, Raul wondered how his eldest daughter was doing these days and whether she had any trouble. ¡°How is Theresa doing these days?¡± Donovan had earlier guessed that there would be such a question. Just yesterday, he had received several reports from Theresa¡¯s maid, Eloise. ¡°Even if not for the letter, I had something to report. She said that Lady Theresa joined the student council.¡± ¡°What? Student council?¡± Raul felt his blood pressure soar for a moment. ¡°You mean she even got into the student council because of that guy, Clyde?!¡± There was no other reason than circumstantial evidence. Donovan expected Raul to be brimming with anger, so he waited quietly. ¡°Ha. I had let her make that damn club, but she¡¯s held hostage by the Willow family now.¡± The student council was a group that had to face monsters and demons directly under Willow¡¯s control. But Squire¡¯s daughter joined the student council? This could be seen as an overstatement and acknowledgment of Willow¡¯s superiority over Squire. His stomach twisted when he thought of the dark intention of the Willow family, who allowed this to happen. ¡°I have no face to my predecessors.¡± Raul sighed over and over again and accepted the reality. In fact, the thing that he had been worried about for a long time exploded just now. There was nothing more he could be surprised about. ¡°Is that all?¡± Donovan went on apologetically. ¡°Lady Theresa¡¯s maid wants to call for the family¡¯s seamstress. She said the lady¡¯s school uniform had to be completely mended.¡± ¡°Why is the school uniform all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I heard lady has lost a lot of weight lately.¡± Raul¡¯s eyebrows twitched at once. ¡°How on earth did her maid take care of the princess that she had to mend all her clothes?¡± There was a child who was like a greedy incarnation. Whether it was goods or food, she had to enjoy the best to the fullest to be satisfied. There was nothing to worry about her health as her actions were vigorous only until she was barely satisfied. But even before school started, she ate strangely little. Donovan added quickly. ¡°She says that when the lady starts reading the magic book, lady concentrates so much that she forgets her hunger. Lady doesn¡¯t even eat her snacks.¡± ¡°¡­Theresa?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard that the books lady reads daily also change.¡± Raul pursed his lips and blinked his eyes. It was an absolutely unbelievable story. Donovan¡¯s report continued. ¡°In addition, lady has never invited anyone to her dormitory until now, and there is no sign that she has been drinking.¡± That was also a shocking remark. Theresa was literally crazy about alcohol and parties. She drank at least four days a week heavily, using alcohol to cure her hangover and injecting herself with vicious shots. It was to the point of being banned several times. The kid who got caught drinking secretly even though she was prohibited from drinking is now not having a party or drinking? Raul washed his face dry momentarily and asked Donovan in a ridiculous tone. ¡°Did Theresa make her maid tell lies?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± At that time, Libby appeared softly with a knock on the office door. ¡°Father, I¡¯m here.¡± As soon as Raul saw Libby, he rose from his seat with a smile on his face. They held hands and sat side by side on the sofa. ¡°You came early today. Did everything go well at school?¡± ¡°Of course. The lectures were fun, and I made a lot of friends.¡± Not just saying this, Libby had already invited the ladies of various families to drink tea twice this week alone. The ladies who were invited were well educated from dignified families. They were a qualitatively different group from the young ladies Theresa had always been with. Clyde¡¯s bride-to-be¡­ She knows how to humiliate her father with that social club. I made her get engaged to pull herself together, but the engagement was annulled. Raul began to ask Libby what he had never asked, perhaps because he was talking with Donovan about Theresa. ¡°Did your sister seem to be doing well? Did she fight with Princess Bruni again?¡± Libby pursed her lips. Um, Sister already had a fight, but¡­ She had not told anyone the big fight was because Mimosa misunderstood her. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­? The first and fourth year don¡¯t often run into each other.¡± ¡°Is Clyde¡¯s bride or something like that still there?¡± Libby nodded with a troubled look. Then Raul clicked his tongue as if he knew it. ¡°When on earth is she going to come to her senses?¡± ¡°¡­Father, I don¡¯t know much about older sister yet, but the ones I¡¯ve heard of and experienced firsthand seem to be very different people.¡± Instead of asking what it meant, Raul looked at Libby quietly and waited for her to continue. Strangely enough, it was because of Libby¡¯s face and her faintly quivering voice he could sense her rebellion against him. However, it was strangely pleasing. ¡°Older sister is a good person, Father.¡± It was the opposite of public opinion. Even he, her father, would never think so, but Libby firmly stated that Theresa is a good person. Raul laughed bitterly and patted Libby on the back of her hand. ¡°Yes. If you felt that way¡­¡± Clack! Before Raul could continue, Giuseppe came in with a rough door opening. ¡°Young Master.¡± Donovan hurried up to Giuseppe with a frustrated expression and called him as if to dissuade him. Raul also made a stern look at Giuseppe¡¯s rude behavior. ¡°Giuseppe, aren¡¯t you past the age to enter the office without permission?¡± ¡°I was going to ask permission. Until Sister Libby says something strange.¡± It was the first time Libby had seen Giuseppe antagonize her, so she looked taken back, then she asked him with a calm face. ¡°Do you think I said something wrong?¡± ¡°Yes. Totally. She¡¯s a bad person, a spoiled human being. If Sister heard what she did to our mom, Sister could never say she¡¯s a good person!¡± Of course, Libby had heard things about Theresa. However, she didn¡¯t see Theresa as someone who would do such a thing. Raul said in a frightening, pressing voice. ¡°Stop it, both of you. Especially Giuseppe. If you behave more recklessly, I won¡¯t let you off.¡± Giuseppe was only huffing and puffing, but he no longer ran amok. Raul suddenly felt a sigh and sent both his children out of the office. He suddenly remembered a cigar for the first time in a long time and took it out. When he thought about it, he realized it had been quite a while since he last smoked a cigar. There was no need to smoke cigars because Theresa was not at home. Somehow, he laughed out loud. CH 38 ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve heard children fight.¡± Donovan replied to his murmur. ¡°Lady Libby and young Master Giuseppe are always on good terms.¡± ¡°To think that two people on good terms would fight over Theresa, who is not even in there. Really.¡± Raul shook his head, found Theresa¡¯s letter, and looked over its content again. As if reporting to the boss, the letter clearly summarized the matters and listed them in polite sentences. ¡°I should go to Valhalla.¡± Donovan almost jumped. All kinds of talented people gathered in Valhalla. Hence, they had no choice but to send Squire¡¯s children there, but the parents¡¯ observation was unprecedented. Not even Duchess, but Duke Squire himself visiting? This was something neither Willow¡¯s side nor the Squire¡¯s elders would welcome. ¡°Master. That¡¯s¡ª¡± Raul cut off his words with an expression that he wouldn¡¯t listen to his rebuttal. ¡°Prepare the donation.¡± ¡°Does Master even need to do that? It¡¯s for your opponent, Willow family.¡± ¡°You know that the emperor is pressuring Squire while pretending to be worried about family disputes.¡± The emperor was clearly on the side of the Willow family. To be exact, he hated the Squire family so much. Therefore, he pretended to dissuade the two families famous for being enemies among the great noble families and always persecuted the Squire family for undermining the solidarity of the empire. Raul smiled crookedly, recalling the emperor¡¯s shining appearance. ¡°If we take this opportunity to pretend to be on good terms, he might bother our children less this social season.¡± Donovan couldn¡¯t answer back. Fortunately, Theresa entered Valhalla, and thanks to Clybe¡¯s unconventional club activities, she was able to avoid the emperor¡¯s grumpiness, but even that had its limitations. ¡°At this point, I will have to see Damian myself and decide whether or not to select him.¡± Donovan immediately set an example. ¡°I will prepare as you ordered.¡± * * * Knock, knock. ¡°Lady, are you up?¡± I raised my heavy eyelids to the voice of Eloise waking me up in the morning and answered in a hoarse voice. ¡°Um¡­ Come in¡­¡± Click. Eloise entered the room and gaped at the books and papers scattered on the desk and floor. ¡°Did Lady study until late again? Your eyesight will deteriorate.¡± ¡°I have to do this much to keep up with the lecture.¡± I stretched my stiff body and yawned. I didn¡¯t get enough sleep, but this was the same when I was in Korea. It wasn¡¯t an unusual lifestyle. I¡¯m not particularly overdoing it at this level. But lately, I haven¡¯t been feeling in good condition. It wasn¡¯t bad, but I had frequent headaches. Is it because there are a lot of things to pay attention to? It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration, but actually, I¡¯ve been studying magic to the extent that I¡¯ve been overdoing it since the start of school. It wasn¡¯t just because the magic was interesting but because it was an investment to survive. It may take a long time to find the gates of paradise. There were a total of five dimensional doors that could lead to paradise. They opened at the same time in even-numbered months. Before entering Valhalla, I opened one door and obtained a large number of slush funds hidden by the former Duke Squire, so now there were four left. It meant that if I was unlucky enough to find the door to paradise at the very end, I would only be able to see the true ending in October. Because only one dimensional door could be opened in one month. In the end, it was inevitable to develop characters and proceed with the story according to the actual game. I sat at the table, swaying like a zombie, and ate breakfast. When I asked Eloise for something simple, she brought me chicken soup and salad instead of bread and jam. This soup looks like Baeksuk. I feel at ease. Eloise felt sorry for me as I slowly and forcefully stuffed the food into my mouth. ¡°Does this not suit your taste too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the best. Why?¡± ¡°For some reason, the new chef wasn¡¯t very trustworthy. I will go and ask them to make it again.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s really delicious.¡± Eloise became very sullen. ¡°I will pay more attention tomorrow, Lady¡­¡± It seemed that she thought I was deliberately giving her a hint. I gave up trying to explain further. These days, Eloise was sensitive and picky about what I ate and how much I ate. I¡¯m saying it¡¯s delicious, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with making it more delicious¡­ ¡°Yes. Take care of it.¡± Eloise asked as I was getting ready after finishing the meaningless breakfast. ¡°Today is the day of the social club orientation, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Finally, the club registration period was over. I safely became a student council member and was soon to be appointed. I was a little nervous at the thought of having to deal with the magic beasts in person, but I wasn¡¯t scared or worried. There were other things that were really scary and worrying. It was Clybe OT. Valhalla traditionally held parties to welcome newcomers in each club, and so did Clybe. I really don¡¯t want to go. At first glance, I heard that the number of members of Clybe this year was the highest ever. It meant that the number of Clyde¡¯s Bride-to-be was at an all-time high¡­ No prince in the Middle East would have had this many brides. I asked Eloise with a slightly depressed expression. ¡°Have you heard back about the selection of Damian West as my escort yet?¡± ¡°No, there has been no news yet.¡± That¡¯s strange. It¡¯s something that shouldn¡¯t be this late. I wondered why, but it was only a matter of time before Damian became my escort anyway. ¡°Should I go to the duchy today and ask?¡± I nodded, took out the small box and letter I had prepared last night, and handed them to Eloise. ¡°I have one more thing to do for you.¡± ¡°Please speak.¡± ¡°I plan to run the Squire Scholarship Foundation in earnest from now on. To do that, I thought it would be good to publicize what kind of talent the foundation has.¡± To put it grandly, Damian was the only person who belonged to the foundation. I spoke shamelessly. ¡°Please mobilize the knights to inspect Damian West¡¯s residence, which is registered with the foundation, and make a large inspection. Where Damian lives is where Squire will protect.¡± Eloise twinkled her eyes. ¡°Certainly, commoners who are vulnerable to monster attacks will find great value in publicity like this. What a wonderful idea.¡± The knights would march vigorously through the streets carrying flags embroidered with colorful butterfly crests symbolizing the Squire family, promoting the foundation¡¯s existence. The commoners would envy them, thinking that if they belonged to the Squire Foundation, they would be safe as well as their families. ¡­However, it was all a trick. I had no intention of running the scholarship foundation properly. Since it was already mid-March, it was time for an incident in which beasts eroded by demons would attack the village where Damian lived. If that situation wasn¡¯t stopped, Damian¡¯s black heart would increase. It was because the area under the jurisdiction of the Squire family next to it attacked at the same time and was safely protected. I tapped my chest and said, ¡°There is no need to charge the family for the cost of marching and inspecting. I have someone who can help me.¡± The person who would help was the late Duke Squire. Asking Raul to process the expenses would be complicated and take a long time, so it was better to do it myself. That money was rotten anyway. I also held out the small box. Inside it was a high-grade ruby. ¡°And this is the price of hard work.¡± Eloise waved her hand with a look of great perplexedness. ¡°I¡¯m alright, Lady. I¡¯m just doing what I¡¯m supposed to do as your maid, and they¡¯re paying me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I feel sorry for you for coming all the way here alone and suffering. Take it.¡± I forcibly handed over the small box to Eloise. ¡°Since it¡¯s a good jewel, matching it with a new accessory would be nice.¡± Eloise was so moved that she blushed. ¡°¡­Thank you, Lady. I didn¡¯t expect you would care about me this much.¡± There were so many jewels, so I gave her the right amount, but I was shocked to see her liking it too much. I quickly got ready and left the front door. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± The way to school was still quiet. That was inevitable. Only a few nobles used the dormitories. Since there doesn¡¯t seem to be anyone to bump into, I can read a book comfortably. Reading on the way to school, which had become a habit before I knew it, and heading to the main building, I looked around once in a while. It was because I wanted to refrain from the coincidence of bumping into Damian. Then I found a guy who I shouldn¡¯t have met. Needless to say, it was Clyde. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± We frowned at the same time. Of course, we didn¡¯t greet each other. CH 39 I looked away, pretending not to see anything. Should I just leave the dormitory right now? I have a lot of money, so I wanted to buy a townhouse near the school and become independent. But it¡¯s impossible. Sadly, was consistently low in human rights sensitivity considering the characteristics of the times. The setting was that the unmarried couldn¡¯t become independent here. How can I not change this? As a person from a country where the president was changed through voting, I couldn¡¯t agree with the saying that evil laws are also laws. Although this law was created by our team¡­ If there was no such setting, all the male protagonists would be characters who would leave their parents ¡®house.¡¯ Not only the male protagonists but Theresa as well. Take a look at Theresa, who had accumulated a record of running away from the law early on. She was truly an outlaw. I couldn¡¯t concentrate on the book because I kept getting distracted. It made me close the book and concentrate on getting to my destination quickly, avoiding Clyde. But it wasn¡¯t easy. Step, step. Step, step, step. Stomp, stomp, stomp. Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp. If I took two steps, he took three steps. If I took three steps, he took four. Even the stride length doubled. Clyde, who had apparently been walking behind me, had overtaken me before I knew it. That jerk? Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Dopamine Addiction¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [So childish ??.] As a result, I was devastated. Even though I walked fast enough to heat my cheeks, I fell far short of Clyde¡¯s leisurely pace. He made me really upset and resentful. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Generous¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Cunning¡¯s people specialty) They suddenly had a confrontation without anyone ordering them to do.] W-who said it was a confrontation? I walked very gracefully to my destination, pretending that nothing had happened. Today, all lectures ended in the morning. It was because we had to conduct orientation for social clubs in the afternoon. Clybe used the best club room on the first floor. I heard that the chairman personally ordered to give the best place because Clybe broke the record of the biggest number of members this year. The justification was plausible, but he gave preferential treatment to his grandson¡¯s fan club in the end. Anyway, I went into the club room of Clybe. Inside, the young ladies were already laughing and talking while looking around. With a quick glance, I checked to see if Lumio was there. Is she not here yet? I can¡¯t see her. In the meantime, the young ladies found me and flocked to me. ¡°Lady Theresa! You¡¯re finally here!¡± ¡°The club room is really nice! I can¡¯t tell you how proud I¡¯m as Clybe¡¯s members increasing day by day.¡± ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s right¡­¡± ¡°This is all thanks to Lady Theresa, our leader. I respect you!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s give a round of applause to Lady Theresa!¡± ¡°Uaaaah~¡± Clap, clap, clap! I received applause with a look of neither laughing nor crying. Subsequently, Theresa¡¯s right-hand man gathered the scattered members. ¡°Everyone, the orientation will begin now, so gather around!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Patricia looked back at me as everyone sat down at a large table set up for the meeting. ¡°On a historic day like today, it is impossible not to listen to our president, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± No. Please don¡¯t do that. I hate things like that! ¡°Lady Theresa, please come forward!¡± Clap, clap, clap, clap! I reluctantly climbed onto the podium with a smile on my face at the pouring applause. To think that I, who didn¡¯t give presentations even during group assignments, was standing in place like this. Still, I¡¯m less nervous than I thought. Seeing that Lumio never showed up, she seemed absent due to her poor health. It was a common occurrence in the game as well. So I decided to take it easy. After all, Theresa wasn¡¯t an eloquent speaker anyway, and I didn¡¯t particularly want to boost their morale. Right. Now that this has happened, I need to announce about the club activities. ¡°Everyone, I welcomed you to Clybe, not Demisa. Thanks to you, we have a nice club room.¡± Laughing! The young ladies burst into laughter at my greeting. Yeah. So far, it has been a normal greeting. What I really wanted to say started from now on. ¡°As Clyde¡¯s bride¡­ to-be, we have a duty to set an example for others. Especially than Demisa.¡± The existence of rivals helps each other grow. Of course, Clybe had an almost like religious belief that they should naturally beat Demisa. But oddly, even the newcomer could be seen nodding their head with a fighting spirit in their eyes. Is this just a group of crazy people? I went on coldly. ¡°In the future, Clybe plans to be reborn as a group that pursues great academic achievement and outstanding personalities. So that everyone knows that we alone are the finest ladies!¡± ¡°We alone are the finest ladies¡­!¡± Everyone seemed immersed in the social club, where I brought up the secret targets using lax words. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Born From Theresa¡¯s Heart¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [My child was born to be on stage.] I calmly set the mood with my cold, sunken eyes. ¡°In order to do that, it would be appropriate to first ban the things that most damage our reputation in school. Do you all agree?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Lady Theresa!¡± Everyone had an expression of bewilderment. Good. Now that water has been spilled, the new rules have been announced. ¡°From now on, Clybe, as the well-educated ladies, will not chase Clyde without any special business.¡± Then young ladies said, ¡°Ah¡­!¡± as if they let out a sorrowful sigh. But not all of them were like that. ¡°I think it¡¯s a necessary rule.¡± Not everyone chased Clyde just because they were in Clybe. The young ladies, who were uncomfortable with that act, but couldn¡¯t bear to say it, took this opportunity to say one word at a time. ¡°Not only did Lord Clyde feel uncomfortable, but it also hindered other students¡¯ ability to listen to the lecture. I strongly agree with this rule.¡± ¡°I agree too!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Under these circumstances, everyone concluded that a new rule was necessary. I finished with a happy smile. ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say. Now have a good time eating the prepared refreshments.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± So far, what happened was still in common sense.¡± ¡°Do you know what I brought for today? Tada!¡± Until a young lady, out of the blue, took out a large bottle of alcohol. ¡°Oh my goodness. What is that?¡± ¡°Hoho. 30 years old ficacci. It¡¯s my father¡¯s collection. I brought this strong drink because I thought it would be better for us young people to drink it so my father could live a long life.¡± ¡°What if you get caught?¡± ¡°Just try to fill the bottle with black tea of the same color as possible! Hehehe!¡± The young lady next to her also took out a bottle as if she had been waiting. ¡°I also brought the champagne my grandfather said he would open on the day my younger sibling gets married. My younger sibling won¡¯t get married anyway!¡± ¡°Only friendly people gathered in Clybe! In fact, I also brought alcohol that my grandmother found with great difficulty 50 years ago¡­¡± I was watching a series of processes with a ridiculous stare. If anyone hears it, they will think this is a group of unfilial ladies, not a social club. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Rofan-Addicted Young Lady¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [This¡­ Is this really rofan¡­?] At that time, the young ladies surrounded me and poured alcohol into the glass. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s start with Lady Theresa, who is the best drinker in the empire!¡± ¡°Yes? No, thanks. I can¡¯t drink.¡± ¡°Pardon? Lady Theresa? Your joke is so funny!¡± I¡¯m not kidding. It¡¯s real. Although I possessed Theresa¡¯s body, it wasn¡¯t easy to challenge myself to drink alone as I was a light drinker. My whole body turned red from just two glasses of soju. I took the glass rather awkwardly and paused. There was a very colorful and elegant fragrance coming from the glass. Huh? Why is it so fragrant? I tilted my head at the ecstatic scent that seemed to have no bitter taste at all. Should I just take a sip? Sip. I widened my eyes. ¡°¡­This alcohol is sweet.¡± I¡¯ve never thought alcohol was delicious, but I felt it tasted very rich. It reminded me of the fact on the day Libby returned, I drank naturally like an instinct. At that time, my heart was fine, let alone pounding. It was the same now. I drank the rest of the alcohol at once and smoothed my lips. The alcohol stuck in my mouth. ¡°This is delicious.¡± ¡°Right? I thought Lady Theresa, who likes to drink, would definitely like it!¡± ¡°I want to try it too!¡± The young lady took a sip of the same alcohol and coughed. ¡°Cough, cough! What is this?! It¡¯s bitter!¡± Then another young lady next to her smiled. ¡°I guess you haven¡¯t tasted the bitterness of life yet. It tastes sweet to me. Because my life is more bitter¡­¡± ¡°Drink it! Drink it!¡± CH 40 I naturally joined the drinking party and started drinking a glass or two. Originally, I didn¡¯t like drinking, nor had I ever been to a drinking party. But today, I felt I knew a little bit about why people were drinking like that and having a drinking party. It was the first time in my life that I drank so much alcohol. I tried to restrain myself because I didn¡¯t know exactly how much Theresa could drink, but I was still fine no matter how much I drank. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not drunk.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± ¡°Really¡­ I¡¯m not drunk. Why am I so fine? I guess I¡¯m a good drinker¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already the 49th time you said you weren¡¯t drunk. If you said it one more time, it would be the 50th time.¡± ¡°I mean¡­ that¡¯s strange. I¡¯m not drunk at all.¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯ve said it for the 50th time.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Bet Your Life on Mingming¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [She¡¯s not as good as Mingiming, but she¡¯s cute ??. I should do some sponsoring too.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Born From Theresa¡¯s Heart¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [If you¡¯re a newcomer, shut up and just get used to it.] ¡°Annoying.¡± As I was shaking my head because of the Constellations who kept making noise about sponsorship, I felt something was getting messy around me. As the sun set down, each family came to pick up their young ladies. ¡°Oh my gosh, Lady! Why did you drink so much when you couldn¡¯t even drink?¡± Some young ladies sent out the drunk young ladies one by one with normal faces and ordered the servants to clean up the club room. The drinking party ended like that. ¡°That¡¯s too bad¡­¡± Let¡¯s just have one more drink. I¡¯m not drunk at all yet. I felt a familiar loneliness. Being left alone because no one was looking for me was something I have always experienced since childhood. ¡­I have to go back to the dormitory. Patricia caught up with me as I got up and was about to leave the club room. ¡°I will take you there, Lady Theresa!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ I can go alone.¡± ¡°Yes? Even when you¡¯re staggering like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m walking straight¡­ I¡¯m alright¡­¡± ¡°But you¡¯re walking sideways right now.¡± At that time, a voice that shouldn¡¯t have been heard here resonated heavily in my ears. ¡°Theresa Squire.¡± I checked the person who said it with half-open eyes as I couldn¡¯t feel my strength. ¡°¡­Father.¡± As soon as he appeared, Raul looked around the club room, where the atmosphere was frozen, and faced me. He clicked his tongue and said with a distorted expression. ¡°Follow me.¡± * * * I was sure I had walked straight. Was the road here so bumpy? When constructing the terrain, I was sure that I laid them out in a straight line. It wasn¡¯t just the road that was strange. The strangest of all was that Raul was here. Raul didn¡¯t come to Valhalla. That was the setup. But why did he come? He also came to me. And I had no idea. The moment I tilted my head, Raul, who was leading the way, stopped walking, and he looked back at me fiercely. ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± It seemed like I was laughing like an idiot without even realizing it. However, I felt good. My heart tickled. Raul scolded me with a more bewildered look. ¡°Did you laugh at this situation?¡± ¡°Father, you¡¯re my father now, right¡­?¡± I¡¯m Theresa, and Raul is my father now, right? ¡°If you¡¯re drunk, just follow me quietly.¡± I extended my hand toward him, despite his very displeased tone. ¡°Because you¡¯re my father¡­ Can we walk hand in hand¡­?¡± I also wanted to walk hand in hand with my dad to the house¡­ I was confused as to whether I had uttered the words out of loud or swallowed them inside. Strangely, neither the road nor Raul stayed still, so I was distracted. Still, I patiently reached for Raul, who kept moving back and forth. My sincere words and actions, which wouldn¡¯t have been easily done normally, came out without hesitation with the help of alcohol. Raul sighed deeply and turned his back without holding my hand. Holding hands together¡­ It¡¯s my wish. While I was muttering quietly, Raul suddenly knelt down on the road. ¡°I will give you a piggyback ride. Because it will take you a long time to get to the dormitory.¡± ¡°¡­Hehe.¡± How did he know that my wish was to be piggybacked by my dad? When I carelessly rode on his back, Raul stood up without difficulty. Even though he was middle-aged, he was as strong as his youthful and strong appearance. Well, Theresa was also good at using her strength. I laughed and said, ¡°Theresa¡­ looks like Father.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. When I was young, I was never like you.¡± ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s the same¡­¡± ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Somehow Raul¡¯s voice seemed much softer than before. It seemed my laughter permeated into him. Maybe that¡¯s why I had the courage to tell him the secret I had been buried in my heart all my life. ¡°Father¡­ did you know?¡± I had to say something important, but just in time, drowsiness poured in, and my eyes closed. The arms that firmly supported me, the warm warmth, and the body that seemed to sway gently at every step were all like lullabies. ¡°I always¡­ envious of other kids¡­ when their parents came to pick them up¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ never did that before¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No one is looking for me¡­ But today Father came¡­¡± One of the numerous thorns embedded deep in my chest slowly pulled out. The lonely memories would have been buried deep in the black subconscious had it not been for something like today. ¡°That¡¯s why¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve become¡­ a less pitiful person for today¡­¡± Ding! [Achieving 1,000,000 coins in the shortest period of time!] [New Constellation is entering.] [New Constellation is entering.] [New Constellation is entering.] . . . [Channel Rating Silver ? Gold.] ¡°Ugh¡­¡± My eyes were wide open from a sudden headache. There was an uproar in my head. This was definitely a hangover. No matter how much Theresa was a heavy drinker, she couldn¡¯t stand it when all kinds of alcohol were mixed and poured. ¡°Ugh¡­ If I drink again, I won¡¯t be human.¡± I¡¯ve seen countless humans who said this thoughtlessly and no longer became human, but I really meant my words. In addition, my head was dizzier because the Constellations poured out their sponsorship enough to cover my entire field of view. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Broadcast Genius Theresa¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [If you touch Theresa, you will die.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Bet Your Life on Theresa¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [I didn¡¯t know back then¡­ To think my love changed just from one day¡­] ¡°¡­What?¡± Hang on. Is there something strange about the sponsorship? I rubbed my eyes in case I saw something wrong and checked the sponsorship again. However, the sponsored amount still appeared to be 10,000 coins instead of 1,000 coins. Feeling some kind of premonition, I removed the sponsorship widow and found the system window, which was both a cause and effect. [Achieving 1,000,000 coins in the shortest period of time!] [Channel Rating Silver ? Gold.] ¡°I achieved the shortest time again?¡± Even the channel¡¯s rating went up. I think I can collect 1 billion coins at this rate, right? Wish coupon. It would have been a lie if I said I didn¡¯t want the item that would grant anything you wished for. My dry saliva passed. It started to feel real that all the BJs managed by Ozworld bought the Wish coupon, something that would happen to me in the near future. However, there was a problem. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything except drink yesterday. So why did this happen?¡± I had no idea why this outcome happened. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Haha Bus¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [This BJ is the most thrilling!] ¡­I can see you¡¯re just treating me like a fool. ¡°Broadcast setting.¡± ¨‹ [Broadcast Setting] Channel Name: BJ Villainess Channel Rating: Gold Channel Ranking: 99th Sponsorship: 1,397,500 coins ¡ø The Constellations who were watching my broadcast sent new sponsorship as if cheering me. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Performance Obsession¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [This broadcast is brighter than my future.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Stock Genius¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Kyaa, look at this broadcast skyrocketing to major leagues as soon as it starts; it is even unmatched to the blue-chip stock.] Looking at the reaction, it seemed that the promotion of the channel and entry into the top 100 was quite encouraging. ¡°How high is the 99th place?¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Explanation Bug¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [High; Even if the gold channel has never entered the top 100, so it¡¯s the first time to enter the top 100 as soon as your channel becomes gold;] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Explanation Bug¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Ah, come to think of it, most of the gold channels managed by Ozworld seem to have set a record of entering the top 100? As expected from Ozworld.] Even if they said that, I didn¡¯t know how many channels there were and how they coexisted, so I couldn¡¯t get a sense of it. I just felt bad because I felt like I was proving that Ozworld was amazing. CH 41 At that time, Eloise brought in honey tea and soup. ¡°Lady, wake up and have some of this. You will feel much better.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± I gulped down the honey tea first and then took a spoonful of soup. Eloise asked, organizing the surroundings. ¡°Do you remember what happened yesterday?¡± ¡°No, not at all. Come to think of it, how did I get here?¡± The last time I remember was when I opened the 10th bottle for my solo drinking in the club room. Eloise answered awkwardly with an expression of what to do. ¡°Patriarch brought Lady yesterday?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Patriarch? You¡¯re not talking about the patriarch I know, right? ¡°Patriarch himself carried Lady on his back and laid you down on the bed. It seemed like he walked for a long time, but I don¡¯t know where he started carrying Lady on his back.¡± I opened my mouth in amazement. Raul wasn¡¯t the character to come here unless Libby was in danger because of the demon popping out of the school. ¡°Why did he come?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact reason, but I heard he donated a huge amount to the school.¡± Donation? What kind of development is this? ¡°A new training ground, garden, and library will be built in Squire¡¯s name. Famous restaurants and cafes will open within the next month.¡± Is it because of Libby? Since this was where his precious daughter enrolled, he might put off the fight between families aside for a while. Either way, it wasn¡¯t bad. ¡°That¡¯s great. Because we can¡¯t live to be hostile with the Willow family forever.¡± In order to see the true ending, reconciliation between the two families had to happen. Of course, it wasn¡¯t me who was going to do that. But the shocking story didn¡¯t end there. ¡°The gain from the shopping mall will be paid to scholarship students in the names of Squire and Willow. The supervision duty will be left to the Squire Scholarship Foundation.¡± This was a story that could hardly be believed. Being supervised by the Squire Scholarship Foundation meant leaving the authority to me. Did you make that decision after seeing me drunk yesterday? But Raul hates it when someone is being rude. I even wondered if this situation was a bug. Eloise smiled and pointed to the table. ¡°Look there, Lady.¡± A note was left on the table. [I have appointed Damian West as your escort wizard. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s a wizard of outstanding talent. Since he¡¯s from humble status, there is no need for the appointment And today, I saw that you lost a lot of weight. Don¡¯t skip your meals, eat well, and drink alcohol in moderation. -Your Father, R.] It was a note with unexpected nagging. Eloise said while making a teary face, ¡°Did you read that? Lady doesn¡¯t know how much the lord scolded me yesterday. He complained about how I treated Lady to make Lady end up as light as a child?¡± I scratched my cheek awkwardly. Honestly, the feeling of nagging and worrying like this wasn¡¯t too bad. It felt like the inside of my heart was being filled with fluffy bubbles. Feeling embarrassed for no reason, I hurriedly finished dressing up and left the dormitory. It was because Eloise¡¯s gaze, which kept looking at me with delight, tickled me like a feather, making me feel like I was about to sneeze. As I entered the school, I heard more lively conversations than usual. ¡°Good morning!¡± ¡°You too! Did you go home safely yesterday?¡± ¡°I drank too much, so I¡¯m not feeling well today.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Even the students who used to go alone went to school in groups of twos and threes, laughing with each other, perhaps in the aftermath of the orientation of the social club. It was no different in Clybe. ¡°Hello, Lady Theresa!¡± ¡°Good morning, Lady Theresa!¡± A friendly look was on the faces of the freshmen who greeted me. Aren¡¯t they having a hard time after drinking yesterday? As expected from freshmen. They had the stamina from their age where they could chew even a stone. ¡°Yes, hello,¡± I responded to the greeting by waving roughly, although their attention was burdensome. Then the freshmen laughed out loud at what was so good. They weren¡¯t the end of people who were pretending to know me. There weren¡¯t a few young ladies who greeted me as if they were proving that it was not nonsense that our club has the highest number of members ever. Some of the young ladies were worried about what had happened yesterday. ¡°The Duke looked very angry yesterday. Is Lady okay?¡± I couldn¡¯t readily answer. Because I didn¡¯t remember. According to the young lady, Raul seemed angry when he saw me drunk. But I wondered why he didn¡¯t get angry until the end and why he gave me so many things? At that time, another young lady smiled subtly with an expression of ¡®You didn¡¯t know about that?¡¯ ¡°Ah, didn¡¯t you see that Duke Squire carried Lady Theresa on his back to the dormitory yesterday? There were not only one or two students who saw it on their back from the main building of Valhalla!¡± ¡­I¡¯ve heard that he carried me on his back, but I¡¯ve never heard of this before? When I made an expression that I had never heard of before, the young lady, who brought it up, looked even more surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? Yesterday the Duke carried Lady Theresa on his back from there!¡± Following the tip of the young lady¡¯s finger, I moved my gaze beyond the window and saw a wide, straight road leading into the main building. It was the busiest road because it was connected to the main gate. ¡°¡­Is that for real?¡± Seeing my reaction, the young lady said with an expression that she understood me. ¡°Is Lady worried that it¡¯s against etiquette? But no one who saw that scene yesterday would look down on the Duke who carried his child on his back. Honestly, I was jealous of that.¡± Another young lady who had been quietly listening to the story also added. ¡°He looked very sweet. In fact, no matter how close the family is, nobles don¡¯t do such intimate things because they¡¯re concerned about saving their faces.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying that etiquette is bad, but sometimes it feels a little too cold.¡± I didn¡¯t expect it to be to this extent when I heard Eloise¡¯s words. To think that Raul did such a thing without caring about the eyes of others. The young ladies, who were talking to each other about how nice the sight of yesterday was, suddenly looked at me and covered their mouths with their hands. ¡°Oh my goodness¡­ Lady Theresa¡¯s face is red.¡± ¡°Uh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s even redder now!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I was very embarrassed and covered my face in a hurry. My cheeks felt warm, as if I had been exposed to the spring sun for a long time. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Bet Your Life on Theresa¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [C!!!!!!!! U!!!!!!!! T!!!!!!!! E!!!!!!!!] ¡°Is Lady ashamed of that?¡± ¡°No way. Lady Theresa is known for having no shame! She drank so much yesterday, so she must not be feeling well.¡± ¡°No, this must be because Lady is ashamed! Am I right? You were ashamed that you looked friendly with the Duke, right?¡± Stop¡­! Please stop¡­! The young ladies were seriously debating about this. They didn¡¯t even think to lower their voice, so the students passing by were listening to all of this astonishing conversation. The eyes that glanced at me increased. No. I¡¯ll have to run away. I was in the middle of the main lobby. In order to escape, I had to climb the stairs to another floor or go to the library. Let¡¯s go to the second floor. ¡°Guys, it was nice to meet you, and goodbye.¡± ¡°Yes? Where are you going, Lady Theresa!¡± ¡°Are you running away because you¡¯re ashamed?!¡± At this point, I think they were purposely teasing me, not being ignorant¡­ Anyway, leaving the young ladies behind me, I climbed the stairs. It was when I reached the second floor at a surprising speed and was out of breath. ¡°Theresaaaa¡ª¡± I could see Mimosa approaching from the other side with a terrifying look on her face. ¡°Why is she being like that again¡­?¡± She shouted as if to vent her anger. ¡°How dare you hit me in the back by joining the student council?! Leave immediately!¡± ¡­So that was the problem. I thought Mimosa, who never joined even though Damian was in the student council, was because she was afraid of demons and monsters. But it looked like it wasn¡¯t because of that, so she would surely get angry. That¡¯s why I purposely didn¡¯t tell anyone about joining the student council, but I was caught. Damn it. I should¡¯ve run to the library. While I wondered if there was any way to solve this situation, I found Professor Ilya looking this way with an unknown expression. ¡°Professor!¡± ¡°Ugh?!¡± Mimosa, who had come close, immediately stopped walking. I approached Professor Ilya with a brighter smile. Our professor was overflowing with the dignity of the archdemon to the extent that Mimosa couldn¡¯t approach him today. ¡°Greetings, Professor. I was going to visit you, and just in time, I see you like this.¡± Professor Ilya raised one eyebrow and glanced at Mimosa standing behind me. ¡°G-greetings¡­ Professor¡­¡± I raised my heels, comforted by the fact that Professor Ilya was being used to avoid the crisis again. The effect would be minimal, but it was to obscure his vision. ¡°Professor? I finished reading the book you gave me last time, so could you lend me another one?¡± This time, I really have a business with him! Professor Ilya looked at me from below and spoke in his characteristic nonchalant tone. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I looked back at Mimosa. ¡°See you next time, Mimosa.¡± ¡°Hiik!¡± Mimosa stomped her feet with a very angry expression, but she couldn¡¯t bear to follow us. CH 42 Professor Ilya led the way with an expression completely I had no idea what he was thinking. It was such a fast walk that I wondered if he was trying to get rid of me. Normally, I would have caught up while sweating, but now I was just running up the stairs on the second floor at full speed. In the hangover, I had no stamina left. ¡°P-Professor, slowly¡­¡± Fortunately, he stopped and looked back at me as if my pathetic voice had touched the professor¡¯s ear. He sighed briefly. ¡°Stamina is the basic quality of a wizard. Like an old wizard, if you only delve into theories and fool around, you will become prey to the magical creature.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± He reached out and turned the door handle. He didn¡¯t stop because of being considerate of me but because he arrived at the lab. ¡°Come in.¡± Originally, people had different laws when they entered the bathroom and when they left. Having solved the problem of Mimosa, I had no desire to enter that lab, but my legs moved steadily, following my survival instinct. Tak. As the door closed, Professor Ilya held out his palm as if offering an escort. Huh? You¡¯re going to escort me to the sofa? Is this person such a gentlemanly character? I was a little puzzled, but there was nothing wrong with that, so I put my hand on top of his. Then Professor Ilya twitched his hand and asked in an absurd tone. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I was asking for a book that you finished reading.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Crazy, crazy, crazy! So embarrassing! I hurriedly withdrew my hand, rummaged through my bag, then spilled all the things on the floor. It was really a mess. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Over Immersed Otaku¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [Ah¡­ Watching this makes me want to die from embarrassment¡­] I really wanted to die. Professor Ilya bent over himself and picked up the book he had lent me. Tak! Then, when he snapped his fingers, the items that fell on the floor were arranged one by one in the bag and flew to the sofa. I spoke in a horse voice. ¡°Thank you, Professor¡­¡± He asked, looking completely disinterested in my gratitude. ¡°Any questions?¡± Any questions? What does he mean by any question? This time I didn¡¯t want to make a mistake, so I rolled my eyes and found the book he was holding in his hand. ¡°Ah, I have. It¡¯s about the magical creatures that have been corrupted by the demons.¡± Fortunately, Professor Ilya nodded and sat down in the chair as if my question was right on the topic. I walked cautiously close by and continued. ¡°I want to know more specifically about the magic that restores magical creatures that have been corrupted by Magi. Is there any book I can refer to?¡± While asking this question, I was confused about whether I could ask this question to the archdemon. Professor Ilya answered my question with a nonchalant expression. ¡°It will be easy to understand if you read the book written by Professor Felix.¡± ¡°Professor Felix Lockhart?¡± Professor Ilya¡¯s eyebrows were raised when I answered the question with a smile on my face at the familiar and welcome name. ¡°¡­Do you take that professor¡¯s class?¡± ¡°No,¡± That was a big deal. Professor Felix Lockhart was the one who taught . All animals in this world hated Theresa. That¡¯s why the magical beast is especially ferocious toward ¡®Theresa.¡¯ The moment she heard that lecture, Theresa would be threatened by all sorts of dangerous magical creatures. Nevertheless, the reason I was interested in magical creatures corrupted by Magi was just to prepare for any dangers in the future. Because it¡¯s so common for living things to be corrupted by Magi and threaten humans. I was going to be exposed to such danger more often as I became a member of the student council. Creek! At that time, the office door suddenly opened, and someone frantically entered. ¡°Professor Ilya! ¡­Oh my, there¡¯s a student.¡± He was a man with disheveled gray hair, large glasses, and a white doctor¡¯s coat. As soon as I checked him, my eyes widened. Because that man was Professor Felix Lockhart! I greeted him warmly. ¡°Greetings, Professor Felix.¡± One of the Constellations that remembered my interview with Ozworld the other day, commented in the sponsorship window. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Face Inspector¡¯ has sponsored 1,000 coins.] [This mad scientist-looking professor is your ideal type?] Did I describe it too roughly back then? Looking at his appearance alone, it was difficult for someone to say that he was your ideal type. Professor Felix looked at me with a puzzled expression and carefully approached me with a step that seemed to have found a strange creature. ¡°That¡¯s strange. If my data isn¡¯t wrong, this black hair and silver-gray eyes must be student Theresa Squire.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡± Professor Felix, startled by my gentle reply, took a step back, came up to me again, and poked me in the cheek. ¡­What are you doing? ¡°What are you doing?¡± Professor Ilya uttered a word that perfectly matched my thoughts. Professor Felix poked me in the cheek a couple more times without expressing any doubt. ¡°What am I doing? I wondered if this might be a doppelganger monster.¡± ¡°Stop it. This is my student.¡± ¡°Professor Ilya, look at her carefully too. Student Theresa¡¯s face was always like a wildcat that had been corrupted by Magi.¡± It was rude to say in front of the student himself, who was like a corrupted wildcat. ¡°Looking at her today, doesn¡¯t she look like a whining puppy?¡± Did I look like a whining puppy? I murmured, sweeping my cheek, which had been poked awkwardly. ¡°I think it was because I drank a little at the social club orientation yesterday.¡± Professor Felix widened his eyes at my answer and burst into laughter. ¡°Puhaha! Look at this, look at this! Is it run out of Magi now?¡± Professor Ilya dismissed it with a look of annoyance. ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± Professor Felix smiled brightly and said, without pretending to hear. ¡°My special honey tea is the best cure for a hangover! The honey obtained from the magic flower has a great effect.¡± That, of course, was a known fact. ¡°I know. And the fact that cosmetics made with that honey is Professor¡¯s main source of income.¡± It was the setting I put it in. ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± Professor Felix coughed like he was very embarrassed and finally calmed down and asked me. ¡°H-how did you know? I didn¡¯t use my name at all.¡± ¡°Are you asking how I know Professor owned the Janelle Studio?¡± ¡°Cough¡ª! Cough¡ª!¡± Professor Ilya said with a very disgusted expression, ¡°Just go die.¡± It was the way he wished Professor Felix would die. I patted the back of Professor Felix, who was coughing badly, and said with a reassuring smile that it was okay. ¡°No one will know but me. Um, I don¡¯t know if this information is known in other places like the information guild.¡± ¡°H-h-how did you know?¡± ¡°Well, from the power of status?¡± To be precise, it was from the power of being this game developer. Professor Felix asked me, clasping my hands with a sympathetic expression. ¡°You¡¯ll keep it a secret, right¡­? I sold cosmetics in limited editions a few times because the supply wasn¡¯t smooth, so I often received death threats¡­¡± ¡°Sure. I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± ¡°Really, really? Then shall we draw up a contract?¡± ¡°Professor Felix, I think it¡¯s better for you to stop being rude.¡± Somehow I felt this situation was interesting, and I burst into laughter without realizing it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, really. I¡¯ll get a cup of honey tea from Professor in exchange for the secret. Professor Ilya will be your witness.¡± I looked back at Professor Ilya with a smile and asked. ¡°Right, Professor?¡± Professor Ilya seemed to agree with his unique indifferent expression for some reason. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Only then did Professor Felix sweep his chest with a relieved face. ¡°Alright. Then let¡¯s go to my lab right away. If it¡¯s honey tea, I¡¯ll give you even 100 cups!¡± ¡°Ah, can I borrow a book that describes how to turn a magical creature that has been corrupted by Magi?¡± ¡°Oh my god. Is our student Theresa interested in my lecture? Okay, I¡¯ll lend it to you. You can apply for my classes if you want. This school has a strong influence from the nobles, so it doesn¡¯t matter if you change your major midway through.¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true.¡± I tried to say goodbye to Professor Ilya before following the smiling Professor Felix. However, Professor Ilya was also getting up to follow us. Why is this person coming too? I was puzzled but thought he might have something to do with Professor Felix, so I passed it on. Professor Felix¡¯s lab was right next door. ¡°Come on, everyone, come into my lab!¡± Click. As soon as the door opened, I encountered glistening yellow eyes. ¡­Uh? ¡°Grrr¡ª!¡± A chill ran down my spine at the sudden howl of the animal. CH 43 The animals were emitting golden mana. That means they were magical creatures. It was much more of a situation for me. The compatibility between Theresa and the magical creatures was the worst. So if I want to live, I have to avoid it. I had to run away. Right now! ¡°Kwaaaang!¡± A lot of magical creatures flashed their eyes like lightning bolted toward me. I closed my eyes tightly at such a speed that I didn¡¯t even have time to cast magic. Am I dying so vain? I waited for the terrible pain to come soon. But no matter how long I waited, I felt no pain other than my buttock falling to the floor. ¡°Huk, huk, huk.¡± When I gently opened my eyes at the strangeness, my eyes met the jaguar staring at me with its round eyes shining brightly. And the huge wolf was next to it. Little birds with white feathers sat down from my shoulders to my arms and made sounds. I could feel the heavy weight above my head, so something was clearly sitting there as if it had made a nest. What¡¯s going on here? I felt like the old pigeon lady in a Christmas special movie who kept staying at home alone and beating thieves¡­ Did the professor save me? I looked up and saw Professor Felix. But he was much more surprised than I was, with his mouth wide open and a look of astonishment. Judging from his reaction, it seemed that he didn¡¯t help me. ¡°Professor? What should I do now?¡± Professor Felix jumped up at my question as if he had barely come to his senses. ¡°Ah! Sorry, sorry! I forgot to release the kids for a moment. Still, magical creatures are very intelligent, so they don¡¯t act recklessly¡­¡± ¡°Does that mean the magical creatures treat me highly?¡± ¡°N-no¡­ that¡¯s not like that¡­¡± Instead of being perplexed, Professor Felix began to look at the magical creatures with a curious expression on his face. ¡°Hoo, this is very rare. Magical creatures are highly intelligent and independent, so they don¡¯t follow humans like this.¡± Whatever it was, I wanted him to get rid of the magical creatures who were rubbing, singing, and partying among themselves. They were heavy. ¡°Professor, guys¡­ Ugh! Enough!¡± ¡°Huk, huk, huk.¡± The jaguar and the wolf licked my face to see what they liked. ¡°Don¡¯t do it. I told you not to.¡± Slurp, slurp! No matter how sternly I spoke, the creatures didn¡¯t even pretend to hear. The more I reacted, the more they seemed to think that I was playing with him, so I just went crazy. I wondered whether I should tell them not to do it, but my mouth didn¡¯t move. To be honest, it was because they were cute. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Haha Bus¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [This is it! This is what I wanted to see!] Professor Felix uttered a crazy sound. ¡°I think¡­ you¡¯re a genius in magical life!¡± ¡­All of a sudden? I looked suspiciously at Professor Felix, who had become very unreliable due to a series of events. He kept talking nonsense as if he hadn¡¯t read my eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t you change your major right away? There are very few wizards who can handle magical creatures. The quality of your natural mana must be good, and your compatibility with magical creatures must be excellent.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doubting Professor, but how do you know that?¡± ¡°Look around you now. Magical creatures are crazy about you. This is really unusual!¡± Hmm, This must have been an anomaly, as this situation certainly didn¡¯t exist in the game. Why on earth are they following me? The magical creature was acutely aware of Theresa¡¯s evil temperament. In addition, because of her unique mana of the Squire bloodline, it was set that her compatibility with magical creatures was the worst. Therefore, showing their sharp teeth that were likely to rip through skin when Theresa got close to them was normal. I don¡¯t understand. It was a situation that I, the developer, couldn¡¯t understand, so Professor Felix must have felt the same way. Professor Felix hurriedly began to record something like an artist who came up with inspiration as if lightning struck him. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever seen something like this happen. It never appeared in any papers! Maybe it has something to do with Theresa, who was like a cat corrupted by Magi, becoming a whining puppy.¡± It was an unpleasantly strangely accurate insight. Professor Felix asked me with his eyes shining. ¡°I think all the magical creatures will follow your words. Would you like to try it?¡± Is that so? I opened my mouth with a half-hearted look. ¡°Sit down.¡± Thud! ¡°Get down.¡± Slump! ¡°Hand.¡± Tak! What? Why are they so good? I involuntarily stroked the jaguar and the wolf, who looking at me with glistening eyes. Professor Felix looked at me like a genius of the century. ¡°As expected! Even though you didn¡¯t give your mana as food, they followed you so well. You were born to be loved by magical creatures!¡± It¡¯s very burdensome¡­ At that time, Professor Ilya raised me from sitting down and hid me behind him. ¡°Grrrr!¡± ¡°Kyaak!¡± ¡°Kiruru! Kirururu!¡± Then the magical creatures growled and backed away. Magical creatures that react sensitively to Magi seemed to instinctively sense that their opponents were their natural enemies. Professor Ilya stared at the magic creatures for a while and soon said to Professor Felix. ¡°Theresa is my student.¡± I looked up at Professor Ilya with bewildered eyes. This was the best expression of affection from Professor Ilya, who had one red heart. However, those were words spoken to the player, not words spat out as if declaring war on another professor. Professor Felix asked back with an expression of what the problem was. ¡°You know that her performance in attribute magic is a mess, right? Then wouldn¡¯t it be much better for her to transfer?¡± The professor was quite rude. Anyway, I had no intention of transferring my major. Ilya¡¯s likeability level would drop to zero if I changed my major. Professor Ilya shook his head. ¡°Theresa has just begun to stand out in attribute magic.¡± ¡°Professor¡­!¡± Professor Felix hit the nail on the head when I was a little moved by the words that recognized my efforts. ¡°What are you talking about? You and Clyde are the only sadistic wizards who stand out in attribute magic. Theresa is just a poor wizard who chose the wrong major.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Fact is Violence¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [He hit mark well.] Professor Felix¡¯s remarks were strangely slightly upsetting, but on the other hand, it was also pleasant. Anyway, it meant that I showed aptitude in a certain field. However, I had no intention of changing my major. ¡°Thank you for your suggestion, but I¡¯m already in my fourth year, so it will be difficult to change my major.¡± ¡°Then, how about getting a double major?¡± Why don¡¯t you just tell me to die? At that time, the magical creatures who had been growling and wary of Professor Ilya roamed around me, looking very anxious. ¡°Kaing¡­ kaiing¡­¡± I thought I knew why they were doing this. They think I¡¯m in danger. We need to help her. We have to protect her. The feeling came through and made the tip of my nose a little teary. Professor Felix said, stroking the whining creatures. ¡°It¡¯s the first time they¡¯re as energetic as today. They were all corrupted by Magi and only recently returned to normal.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I was worried because they weren¡¯t in good condition until today, but as soon as they saw you, the magical creatures came back to life. They¡¯re pumping out their mana properly, and they¡¯ve become completely healthy.¡± I approached the magical creatures and stroked them carefully. If it¡¯s an animal, wouldn¡¯t giving them a little affection be okay? When the magical creature was corrupted by Magi, it was swallowed by a pitch-black shadow and turned into an evil figure with its eyes shining red. It really became a beast. I¡¯m sorry. I felt guilty. I¡¯m the one who made you this way, so why do you like me? The magic animals shared the warmth as if they were comforting me. It¡¯s okay. Thank you. I like you. I could feel their fragmentary emotions intuitively. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®I hate romance¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [It¡¯s not often, but I think I¡¯ve seen quite a few BJs who go through this phenomenon on their own channel?] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Explanation Bug¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [The more sensitive you¡¯re, the better you feel the creator¡¯s purity and affection. The greater the creator¡¯s affection for the world, the more the world recognizes the creator as the creator and acts friendly. Of course, there are cases where it¡¯s the opposite.] It must have been like that. I looked at the magical creatures with new eyes. I felt like we were connected, but I didn¡¯t know if it was real. It was a bit ashamed and embarrassing. CH 44 ¡°Huk, huk.¡± ¡°Kiruru.¡± I stroked them with an awkward hand and whispered softly. ¡°Don¡¯t get sick and be healthy. Got it?¡± They responded to my words with their own sounds. For a moment, Raul¡¯s note came to my mind. Now I understood better what kind of emotion his nagging to eat well and drink moderately came from. At that time, Professor Ilya, who was keeping a strange silence, opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s time for the lecture to begin soon. Let¡¯s go.¡± Oops. I forgot I had to go to a lecture because so many things have been going on since this morning. ¡°Ah, wait! You have to take this.¡± Professor Felix quickly took out the book I was going to borrow and laughed cheerfully. ¡°Give it back any time! The sooner, the better.¡± He looked sure that I would visit this place again. I left the lab with the cliched answer that I would. The first lecture was Professor Ilya¡¯s anyway, so we moved to the lecture room together. As I was looking through the book, Professor Ilya asked in a low voice. ¡°Are you thinking of changing your major?¡± ¡°Pardon? No. Absolutely not.¡± ¡°¡­Magical creatures are sensitive. I can¡¯t possibly match their mana wavelength as a human being.¡± Magical creatures were powerful but difficult to control, so only a few students studied them. So, if I changed my major to magical creatures, the opportunity would be like a great blue ocean. ¡°However, you¡¯re strangely compatible. It would be a great talent.¡± But becoming a great wizard was neither my goal nor my dream. So I shook my head and spoke my thoughts firmly. ¡°I prefer to be recognized by Professor. Now I barely understand attribute magic.¡± In any case, when mastered properly, was a discipline with infinite possibilities. Silence fell between us again. Well, come to think of it, isn¡¯t it very difficult to follow the professor? As I raised my gaze curiously, I saw his still unconcerned profile. It wasn¡¯t an illusion. Professor Ilya was actually adjusting his speed. No way? I checked his likeability, just in case. [Likeability: 2] ¡°¡­?!¡± [The Constellations pay attention to the change in likeability.] [Some Constellations routing for the ¡®Ilya¡¯ route.] It hadn¡¯t been long since the semester started, but it¡¯s already filled this much? It was unbelievable speed. Even if I played as Libby, I had to meet him personally more than 20 times to fill 2 red hearts in hard mode. That meant that I had done something decisive to fill Ilya¡¯s likeability. What was that? How did I do that? Ah, maybe¡­? Is it because of the magical creatures? Magical creatures originally inhabited the heaven world. However, 100 years ago, due to the dimensional rift caused by the archdemon, flora and fauna of the heaven world came over to the human world. In particular, Ilya during his archangel days, could easily rule all magical creatures. But that relationship ended with his fall. The magical creatures he was more familiar with recognized him as an enemy. He¡¯s not a character who would be jealous of me with that fact in mind. That¡¯s why Ilya is so noble. I didn¡¯t know if the expression of noble was appropriate for the archdemon who had no choice but to destroy heaven. Anyway, I think it¡¯s true that my affinity for magical creatures stimulated him. Did I stare at Professor Ilya too much because I was thinking about it repeatedly? He looked down at me, frowning slightly as if my gaze was annoying. ¡°The act of staring at the other person silently is either to insult or to seduce. I don¡¯t think either of them seems like something a student would send to a professor.¡± At his questioning, I shook my shoulders and thought of an appropriate excuse that wouldn¡¯t get on his nerves. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ because Professor looks so cool today¡­?¡± Until now, my proper flattery was working very well with the professor, so the reaction won¡¯t be bad this time¡­ ¡°Was it a seduction?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?!¡± Professor Ilya put a very faint smile on his signature expressionless face. It was hard to notice unless you looked closely. ¡°You¡¯re bold.¡± Then he strode forward as if he wasn¡¯t interested in my reaction! [Some Constellations strongly routing for the ¡®Ilya¡¯ route.] ¡°No, wait¡­! Ah, really.¡± I couldn¡¯t hide my bewilderment, but when I remembered that the first lecture was from Professor Ilya, I hurriedly followed. * * * Word spread in Valhalla. There were a lot of them. For example, it was something like this. ¡°I heard that Duke Squire donated a huge amount of money. Does this mean they improved relations with the Willow?¡± Or something like this. ¡°Senior Damian was appointed as the escort wizard for Senior Theresa. To say that Duke Squire personally came and appointed him, isn¡¯t this more luxurious treatment than those who went through the ceremony? He¡¯s a man of talent. Still, he¡¯s a commoner.¡± If not like that, then something like this. ¡°Did you hear that Theresa has hung out in the library these days?¡± ¡°Really? I should never go there.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t normally go to the library. You idiot.¡± In other words, it was all rumors related to the Squire. And the heart of the rumor was, of course, Theresa. Above all, the rumor that shocked the students the most was that Theresa had joined the student council. It was like driving a wedge. I was very burdened by the pouring stares and attention. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Bet Your Life on Theresa¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Devilish like a star charm.] And now this star is in an extreme position. Suddenly, rumors with much attention spread simultaneously, so I avoided people¡¯s eyes. It wasn¡¯t because I did anything wrong. Still, it was because the number of people who approached me out of curiosity or to gain something gradually increased. ¡°Where should I eat lunch today?¡± I walked along the secluded path with a sandwich bag and searched for the right place. The campus was full of flowers in full bloom. Time passed steadily, and it had become a complete spring. I watched the flying petals with blank eyes and pressed my temples. It was because I often felt a slight headache from some point on. ¡°Why do I keep getting headaches?¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Explanation Bug¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Maybe possessed syndrome? There are quite a few BJs who show symptoms like this around this time after being possessed.] Possessed syndrome. What a strange thing to say. ¡°It¡¯s possibly a syndrome.¡± I felt that I was under a lot of stress myself. For unknown reasons, the place blocked in all directions felt particularly cramped, and even after sleeping, my eyes opened as if I had suddenly awakened. At times like this, I often shut myself up in places where no one was around and cut off from the world. It was safe to say that I was still looking for such a place. Come to think of it, it seems that the entire time I was in Squire Duchy, I had been locked in the library the whole time and being cut off from the world. Possessing a villainess. If you¡¯re not bothering someone, that would be strange. How long did I walk? Sitting on the entrance stairs of the annex far from the main building, I put down the book and sandwich bag I was holding. It was a place where the moderately chilly wind and the warm sunlight shining through the flowering trees created a plausible atmosphere. ¡°No one will come here.¡± Not only the male protagonists but also Clybe and Demisa. Rustle. I stared at the sandwich I took out of the bag and put it back in. I had no appetite. Thinking of Eloise and Raul¡¯s nagging, I had to chew and swallow something, but I was reluctant. ¡°Does having a lack of appetite also come from possessed syndrome?¡± Hmm. No. I often remember hearing the phrase, ¡®You eat anything dirty and distastefully¡¯ on Earth. It was when I was leaning my head against the railing and sighing. ¡°Senior Theresa¡­?¡± Attracted by a small voice that seemed to deny reality, I turned my head and saw a lady standing on the top of the stairs. A skinny and modest appearance. Her dark brown hair was neatly braided, and her school uniform looked worn as if it had been inherited from someone else. That lady was a character made by our team. ¡°Reini Rose.¡± ¡°-!¡± Reini curled up like a hamster in shock as if she had never thought I would know her name. I took a quick look around the annex. I chose this place because it felt familiar somehow, but it must be an abandoned annex where Reini often appears. Even at a glance, Reini was severely wary of me. Is this inevitable? Reini is a commoner. And Theresa was a madman who dared not tolerate commoners talking to her. I¡¯ll have to move away. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t know there was someone here.¡± It was when I got up and brushed off my butt. Growl-! Reini instantly grabbed her hungry stomach with a bright red face. After thinking for a while, I handed out the sandwich bag to Reini, who was very embarrassed. ¡°Here. Take it.¡± ¡°¡­What is this?¡± ¡°Sandwich. I didn¡¯t even bite it, but I don¡¯t have an appetite right now. Would you like to eat it instead?¡± Reini looked very wary and confused as if she couldn¡¯t believe my actions. However, it seemed that hunger had overcome her wary, so she bowed her head and accepted the bag. ¡°Thank you.¡± It was a small voice, almost audible. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± I replied and left. CH 45 Author: alyalia * * * It was the next day. I packed two sandwiches and went to the abandoned annex. Reini was very surprised as if she hadn¡¯t expected me to come again, and when she found the sandwich bag, she tried to hide her joy. ¡°Take this. It¡¯s for you.¡± Reini still looked wary, but she took the sandwich faster than yesterday. It was when I smiled lightly and tried to leave for a deserted place. ¡°You can stay here¡­¡± Reini just spat it out and looked regretful. It seemed that she said it because she wanted to repay the sandwich. I wondered if it would be right to avoid her or to stay here. If I refuse her offer, it will look like I refused because I don¡¯t want to be in the same place with commoners. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll stay here for a moment.¡± I sat down on the stairs and opened the book. Reini saw me sitting on the stairs. As if to secure a safe distance, she sat on the furthest stairs and began to munch on the sandwiches. It was the same for the next day. And the next day again. Reini descended one step at a time from the last step, finally leaving our distance just two steps. I felt like I was gently enticing a wary cat with food. Today, Reini even spoke to me first. ¡°¡­Are you interested in magical creatures?¡± ¡°Yes, a little. The problem of magical creatures being eroded by Magi is getting more and more serious. The more this happens, the greater damage to people that aren¡¯t prepared.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Reini reacted awkwardly as if she had heard something unexpected, then glanced at my book and said, ¡°For magic plants, it will be easier to see because there are illustrations in the book called rather than that book.¡± ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll borrow it at the library today. Thank you.¡± When I smiled brightly, Reini looked like a person surprised by the stinging static and avoided looking at me. ¡°Y-you don¡¯t have to thank me.¡± Reini was the type of character who was blunt but warm-hearted. Seeing that her original personality was revealed, she seemed quite friendly to me, so I didn¡¯t feel bad. Reini chewed her lips and spoke again. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve sent knights to Panzi Village since yesterday.¡± Panzi Village was the village where Damian lived. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s going to last for the next month. How did you know that?¡± ¡°I live in that village too. I learned about it because my mother liked it and told me it became a village protected by Duke Squire.¡± I smirked. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± It was cute when Reini thanked me indirectly for protecting the village. ¡°Because you¡¯re cute.¡± So I spoke frankly of my thoughts, and Reini sprang up from her seat with a face as red as a ripe plum. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go get ready for the next lecture!¡± ¡°There¡¯s still a lot of time left for lunch.¡± Reini left without answering. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Born From Theresa¡¯s Heart¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Aah¡­ My child again¡­] I don¡¯t know. I should finish reading the book. ¡°¡­Hoaaam.¡± Maybe it was because I hadn¡¯t been sleeping well lately, but when Reini disappeared, my drowsiness instantly came over. Eventually, I leaned against the railing and closed my eyes momentarily. * * * Two figures appeared in the abandoned annex where Theresa slept. It was Ozworld, still wearing a bright red suit and colorful dyed hair, and a man in a blue coat who looked sickly with sunken cheeks. It was really a combination that didn¡¯t fit place and time. The man in the blue coat looked at the sleeping Theresa and asked Ozworld. ¡°Is your BJ that person?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Jang.¡± The man called Jang took a stethoscope from his bag and, approached Theresa, began examining her. ¡°Huh. As expected, it¡¯s a possessed syndrome.¡± ¡°Is she in a bad state?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to consider it as if there is an error. Maybe she instinctively noticed that her condition was strange and managed it. She must have the intelligence to know what she needs most.¡± Ozworld recently watched Theresa put everything aside and only go in and out of the abandoned annex, which was so boring. Originally, he would have forced the system to give quests to make the broadcast more interesting, but he didn¡¯t. Humans are weak. Many BJs couldn¡¯t endure the possessed syndrome and died. The channel manager called it ¡®Dud.¡¯ Ozworld had no intention of letting Theresa, who was setting new records one after another, become a dud. That¡¯s why he called a doctor as soon as there was an error. Jang put away the stethoscope, gathered star-like mana in his fingers, and put it on Theresa¡¯s forehead. ¡°Usually, the impression of the possessed body changes at this time. This BJ has a very different face from the one I saw in the initial video.¡± As Jang had said, Theresa¡¯s impression had changed enormously. Her body was greatly influenced by her soul. Even though she was asleep, the melancholy on her face made her look completely different from her confident and vicious impression. It reminded Ozworld of Shin Jiwoo¡¯s original appearance. Perhaps it was because of the resemblance of the black hair and fair face. If the original Theresa had the menacing, splendid, and arrogant appearance, now there was a mysteriousness as if she was covered in fog. ¡°It¡¯s rare for an impression to change this dramatically.¡± Ozworld smiled as Jang spoke admiringly. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m looking forward to it. The more her impression changed, the more BJs who made me happy.¡± ¡°What a nasty word.¡± It was clear that Ozworld, famous for pushing BJ to the limit, would be very sadistic to the extent that it entertained him. As Jang healed Theresa¡¯s soul, he looked closely at her calm face. It was just a quiet sleeping face. But strangely, her closed eyes seemed to sparkle. Is it tears? Jang wiped her eyes with another hand as if possessed. No, he was going to do that. Tak! Before his hand could reach it, Ozworld grabbed his hand with a smile on his face. However, Ozworld¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t smiling at all. ¡°It¡¯s against work ethics.¡± ¡°¡­Mistake.¡± Jang clicked his tongue inwardly. This was just a human toy to entertain the constellations, but he acted as if something possessed him. It was an obvious mistake. ¡°I apologize.¡± Only then did Ozworld release Jang¡¯s hand, which he gripped firmly as if he was about to break it. Dangerous b*stard. Jang shook off his tingling hands and devoted himself to healing quietly. If he offended Ozworld again, he could have been destroyed. Ozworld, who was more devilish than the devil, ever killed the same manager and paid the price for his sin with coins. He was so rich that even if he did such a thing over and over, his coins would still overflow. I heard that he has many coins enough to buy divinity. The mana that was tied to Jang¡¯s fingers disappeared. The healing was over. ¡°The distortion of the soul has been removed. Since she¡¯s perfectly settled in the body, there will be no more possession errors.¡± Possession error. It was a phenomenon in which trauma suddenly exploded without any warning. It was just like when Theresa suddenly recalled Damian¡¯s words and showed symptoms like claustrophobia. ¡°Good work, Jang. I just deposited the coin, so check it out.¡± ¡°As always, it¡¯s generous compensation. I will accept it without hesitation.¡± The reason why Hang, who was afraid of Ozworld¡¯s dog-like temperament, but always accepted the job from him was because the pay was too big to refuse. ¡°Goodbye, then.¡± Jang grabbed his hat¡¯s brim, bowed his head, and then disappeared. However, Ozworld didn¡¯t leave immediately and looked at Theresa sleeping peacefully. ¡°I¡¯m worried that the bugs that have already smelled are attracted to you, Miss Theresa.¡± Although invisible to ordinary human eyes, Theresa¡¯s soul was imbued with the light of countless stars. The purer your fan from the constellations, the clearer the starlight. In Theresa¡¯s case, she was like a diamond bathed in sunlight. It¡¯s so beautiful that you wanted to ruin it. ¡°That¡¯s why Jang is shaken by a mere toy.¡± Ozworld clicked his tongue, then gently grabbed Theresa¡¯s face with one hand as he lowered his head to the side. As her small, fair face was put in his black leather-gloved hand, he suddenly remembered what had happened in the private reading room. The way she acted desperately like someone with no other place to rely on in this world was innocent enough to stimulate his bad temperament. At that moment, Theresa shrank back as if feeling the cold. ¡°Uuumm.¡± Ozworld took out his pocket watch, checked the time, then sat down on the stairs and had Theresa lean on his arm. Since he still had free time, he considered putting Theresa to sleep more. As time passed, Ozworld watched the pocket watch, playing with her hair. Soon the minute hand pointed to the hour. It was time for him to visit another channel. He then moved Theresa to lean against the railing again. ¡°Uuumm.¡± Theresa dug into his arms when the warm warmth was about to leave. Ozworld rechecked his pocket watch. The constellations would be very upset if he played more ads. Despite knowing that, Ozworld didn¡¯t turn off the ads or leave for another channel. It had been such a long time since he had such a peaceful time, so he felt like he wanted to idle around unnecessarily. He decided to spar just one more minute. ¡°I¡¯ll see you next time when you¡¯re awake.¡± Finally, after a minute had passed, Ozworld kissed the sleeping Theresa on the cheek, then left. CH 46 I had eaten twice as many breakfasts as usual and was getting my hair done. ¡°Lady has been eating a lot lately. Your complexion has improved!¡± As Eloise said, I ate well, slept well these days, and didn¡¯t have a slight headache. As my condition improved, I didn¡¯t want to lose energy, so I stopped avoiding people. I can¡¯t stay away from them forever. Of course, that was also because of the static broadcasting for several days. My ranking was pushed out of the top 100. The competition for the ranking is really fierce. Eloise continued to admire me as she finished getting my hair done. ¡°As the days go by, it seems that Lady¡¯s beauty is getting better and better. Lady is always beautiful, but I feel like it¡¯s hard to take my eyes off you these days!¡± I gave a realistic reply. ¡°That¡¯s because you only see me.¡± ¡°Only see Lady, that¡¯s not like that!¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Face Inspector¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [That¡¯s right! I feel badly insulted too!] ¡°I see. By the way, Eloise, I need you to do something.¡± I took my school bag and said to Eloise, who was pouting her lips out of unfairness at her being criticized in his eyes. ¡°There is a commoner student named Reini Rose in the third year. It seems that her sponsorship isn¡¯t smooth, so check it out and bring her to our foundation.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Give her the best treatment. She will be a student of the Squire Scholarship Foundation, so please take care of her not to be ignored by others.¡± Reini is the daughter of a poor family. The noble who sponsored her was the eldest son of a family with poor scholarship management. I wouldn¡¯t have known if she hadn¡¯t caught my eye, but when I saw Reini, who was barely dressed in school uniform and couldn¡¯t even eat, I couldn¡¯t stand it. Because this is the real world. You reap what you sow. ¡°I will take care of it perfectly. Don¡¯t worry, Lady.¡± I nodded and headed for school. Apart from my improved condition, my steps were heavy. Because today was the day of the student council meeting. ¡°Haaaa.¡± As I sighed deeply, I heard a voice behind me. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Damian, whom I hadn¡¯t seen in quite a while, was approaching. ¡°Today is the first meeting of the student council.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a simple meeting, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡± Well, can the eldest daughter of Squire enter the student council, which is full of people who are in line with the Willow family? ¡°If it is necessary, I will help.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ Thank you for saying that.¡± Actually, I wasn¡¯t afraid of the guys on Willow¡¯s side biting me. It was fine if they treated me like how they always treated Theresa. What worried me was what Clyde, who had three black hearts, would do. Even the battle difficulty changes depending on Clyde¡¯s likeability. Originally, it was supposed to be a battle with 3 monsters and a simple battle with horses. Still, it could change into a battle against 20 monsters. Can I survive? The life of a villainess was also hard. * * * After the lecture, I visited the student council room in time for the meeting. Creak. When the door opened, the executives, who were already seated at the meeting table, all looked at me at the same time. These are faces everyone knows. The student council was a place where users who played could be active, so even the extras with little activity had to be implemented. However, the difference between the protagonist and the extras had to be clearly distinguished, so the extras were a bunch of featureless appearances, as if they were made in a factory. Since there were two male protagonists in this place, the shabbiness of the extras was indescribable. I¡¯m a little sorry. But in reality, beauty is a minority. That¡¯s what happened, guys. I looked for an empty seat while receiving burdensome glances. But the only empty seat was between Clyde and Damian¡­ Are you kidding me? We didn¡¯t make a place like this in the game. As I sat down with a deep sigh inside, Clyde, who had ignored me without looking at me, opened his mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s start the meeting.¡± The Valhalla Student Council is an armed group with substantial military power. It was politically threatening as it was led by the children of several families at once, so an external justification was needed. For example, it was packaged as a group that helped the busy emperor and cared for the people¡¯s livelihoods. That¡¯s why the contents and activities of the meeting were written as a report and submitted to the Willow family and the imperial family, so the activities in the student council soon led to success. Therefore, the student council members took the meeting very seriously. ¡°Recently, there have been reports of magical creatures being eroded by Magi near the capital. Action is urgently needed on this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. In particular, the fear from the commoners is becoming more extreme day by day. Commoners that don¡¯t belong to the protected areas of noble families also require attention.¡± ¡°Of course, the same goes for villages where the affiliation is unclear.¡± ¡°It is necessary to reassure the commoners by increasing security around the village protected by Duke Willow.¡± Would it be too self-conscious if their argument seems strangely conscious of my actions to send knights to Panzi village? Damian, who had been silent at that time, spoke. ¡°If we do it that way, the protected area will just keep expanding endlessly. We¡¯ll have to manage near the capital and other areas. The budget is not unlimited enough to pour gold throughout the empire.¡± He said it kindly, but in the end, it meant not to talk about bullshit that wasn¡¯t realistic. Until now, the people who were excitedly talking about increasing the guards here and there were ashamed of the sharp criticism and closed their mouths. Although their opponent was a commoner, they seemed to be generally convinced, as if they didn¡¯t dare to refute Damian. However, not all people think rationally. ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t Lady Theresa help us?¡± Everyone, including me, looked at the guy who just spoke. ¡°I heard you sent knights to a village at your own expense this time. It¡¯s been a month.¡± A pomade hair with a face had no personality, as if it was stamped with a mold. Was his name Dorno? Dorno¡¯s words became the starting point. ¡°That¡¯s right! If it¡¯s about Willow¡¯s family, wouldn¡¯t Senior Theresa step forward?¡± ¡°Maybe she¡¯ll double the protected area in the name of President Clyde.¡± Hoo. Look at these? Theresa would have been pleased with herself and Clyde being talked together, but I wasn¡¯t. Come to think of it, I¡¯ve been quiet since the beginning of the semester, right? So they dare to touch the hairs of a sleeping lion? Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [It was getting boring, but these guys made it more fun.] Clyde slammed the desk with a cold expression. Those who laughed and chatted among themselves closed their mouths at the same time. ¡°We can expand the protected area at our own expense from the executives who just mentioned it. The level should be as good as the Squire Scholarship Foundation.¡± ¡°Pardon? President, what do you mean!¡± ¡°Of course, I would be willing to pay for it, but to say it¡¯s as much as the Squire Scholarship Foundation, that¡¯s too unfair¡­!¡± ¡°Shut up. So, does that mean what you guys just said is fair?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± I looked at Clyde with wide-open eyes. What? Why is he taking my side? The executives looked back and forth between me and Clyde with betrayed faces, as if it wasn¡¯t just me who felt that way. It must be absurd that Willow¡¯s successor was helping the Squire¡¯s eldest daughter. I felt the same way. Ding! [Quest: Discourage Dorno.] ?Reward: +500,000 coins ?Failure: Expulsion due to the young masters who hate the Squire family This will lead to expulsion? It¡¯s really too much. Well, it was rather good. I was dumbfounded by it, but in any case, to avoid being expelled, I had to do my best. I narrowed my brows anxiously with the expression that Clyde was right. My eyebrows should be drawing a very plausible shape. ¡°That¡¯s right. The words you just said were dangerous. It would have been more difficult if our President hadn¡¯t stopped it. Wasn¡¯t it something worth reporting to the emperor?¡± The effect of the gentle teasing was excellent. ¡°Hiik¡­¡± The executives were shaking their fists as if they felt that they hated me more than their younger siblings stopped them. It wouldn¡¯t have been good if their mind was shaken because of this much. I haven¡¯t even started yet. I continued, pressing my chest as if my heart were pounding with fear. ¡°Besides, as much as the Squire family. Anyone who hears it will think that Willow family and my family are competing.¡± When I said this, everyone looked at me with eyes like, ¡®Everyone knows that the two families are enemies. So what are you talking about?¡¯ I smiled coldly. ¡°You dared to speak of the land ruled by the emperor, the lord of the world?¡± My eyes were fixed on Dorno. He turned pale and dared not to say anything. What else can I say here? His words could be regarded as treason, and his family could become a mess. CH 47 How many families were swept away by Emperor Euges? The emperor has no tolerance for deceiving and challenging his authority. Therefore, even if this remark came from a childish mind, it could have completely ruined his future life. Because the emperor was such a person. The family that bears his grudge right now is Squire. Since the eldest daughter of such a family said it, they wouldn¡¯t have heard it normally. The atmosphere in the student council room became chilly as if someone had poured ice water. Dorno lowered his head towards me and opened his trembling lips. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. It was all a slip of the tongue. Please don¡¯t listen to my foolish words. I beg you.¡± Dorno bowed to me and opened his trembling lips. Ding! [Quest: Discourage Dorno.] ?Reward: Acquiring 500,000 coins Now we can have a smooth meeting without any unnecessary noise. Suddenly, I felt eyes staring at me from both sides. ¡­Why are they like this? Looking at both sides curiously, Damian had a strange smile on his face, and Clyde had a strange expression. Was it impressive that I didn¡¯t argue wildly with no logic, just like Theresa? At that moment, the servant came to Clyde with an urgent expression. ¡°Lord Clyde. It is said there was a monster attack in Tuberosa Village just now, and only ten people were injured. The chairman asked the student council to check it out.¡± Sighs poured out here and there. At the same time, there was a strange feeling of heat. It was also an opportunity to be active. Please leave me out. Despite all my hard work, my intelligence hadn¡¯t yet crossed the huge Class A mountain. On the other hand, the student council executives were all magicians with an intelligence level of A or higher. That being said, our physique was different. I kept my head down like a student desperately avoiding the teacher¡¯s gaze to avoid being called. Clyde then spat out words like thunder from the sky. ¡°I, Damian, and Theresa will go. Prepare the horses at once.¡± That Jerk! Damian told me. ¡°I¡¯m glad I went with you. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Now I knew what feelings the executives felt earlier. * * * Of course, I didn¡¯t know how to ride a horse. As I stood in front of the horse with a sullen face, Damian started talking to me. ¡°What are you doing, Theresa?¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That I may be able to ride a horse.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± I prayed for it to pop! ¡­ That¡¯s what my heart felt as I shouted inside. System, drop store items! Ding! [There is a product in stock at the store.] As expected, a notification popped up saying the product was in stock immediately. ¨‹ [Store] ?Wish coupon [1,000,000,000 coins] : Any wish will be granted once. ?Horsemanship [499,000 coins] : You will have skilled horsemanship ¡ø Geez. I¡¯m spending all the money I earned from quests. Isn¡¯t this a trick? So how many coins do I have? [Sponsorship: 3,616,400 coins] Oh. The sponsorship piled up much more than I expected. After becoming a gold channel, the speed at which sponsorships accumulate is different. Come to think of it, there was no dancing machine in the store. Unpurchased items seemed to automatically disappear. Clyde approached me on horseback while I was purchasing horsemanship. ¡°What are you procrastinating about? It¡¯s an urgent situation.¡± ¡°So hot-tempered and impatient¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Uh, sorry. I suddenly forgot how to ride a horse. I just remembered now.¡± Clyde put on a look of contempt as I got on the horse without saying anything. ¡°Your intelligence is unbelievable.¡± He didn¡¯t nitpick whether he thought Theresa was worthy of it or whether it made sense. It was fortunate that Theresa was surprisingly unpredictable in terms of learning. Damian got on his horse and said to me with a sorry look. ¡°If something like this happens again, tell me. I¡¯ll help you out.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Why is this side more unpleasant than earlier? ¡°Stop chatting. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Giddy up!¡± We set out for the village of Tuberosa. * * * The village of Tuberosa, where we arrived in haste, had a gloomy atmosphere. The captain of the guard, who was handling the situation, approached us with a haggard face as soon as he found us. ¡°You are here, little Duke.¡± Clyde asked, getting off his horse. ¡°Are there any injured?¡± ¡°They¡¯re receiving treatment in that empty house. There are no deaths, but the atmosphere is not good.¡± We entered a house that was being used as a temporary base with the guard captain. ¡°This is the map of Tuberosa Village. A total of five monsters invaded this place, and they looked like wolves.¡± ¡°Why of all things?¡± Wolves were pack animals, and it was very likely that only five weren¡¯t the end. That¡¯s why the atmosphere in the village was very bad. ¡°So, how many did you kill?¡± ¡°One was killed, and one was successfully purified alive. Even the dead wolf has been purified.¡± The land will be polluted if you leave the monster¡¯s corpse alone. Therefore, even after killing them, you had to use purification magic to return them to their original form. ¡°I don¡¯t know when the next raid will be. Since no village has responded to our request for assistance, we had no choice but to contact Valhalla as soon as possible.¡± The student council didn¡¯t appear anywhere recklessly. It was because it was too precious manpower, and the commission fee was formidable. However, in the case of the village managed by the Willow family, they could ask for help in case of an emergency. ¡°Even the emperor is most concerned about the recent increase in monster attacks. This is something that our family should step forward to resolve.¡± The captain of the guard and the guards looked very relieved at Clyde¡¯s words. While they were talking, I looked at the map with a troubled look on my face and then opened my mouth. ¡°Why did you leave the guard empty here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an uninhabited place. Even if monsters invade there, it overlaps with the area guarded by the guards.¡± The expected answer came back. What can I do? That¡¯s how it was set up. Of course, there was not enough manpower to deal with monsters, so it couldn¡¯t be wasted on a place like this. But this is where the monsters invaded this place. If the player didn¡¯t investigate, at least the wells and windmills in Tuberosa Village would be destroyed. No matter how much money was spent on restoration, commoners would inevitably suffer a big blow to their lives until the restoration was completed. ¡°But isn¡¯t this place too vulnerable? If a pack of wolves invades this way, the damage will be great.¡± ¡°I apologize, but we don¡¯t have enough manpower to protect the houses.¡± The captain of the guard replied with a firm expression of displeasure as if he thought I was nitpicking his fault. It can¡¯t be helped. ¡°Then I will scout this way. It¡¯s not good to leave it empty after all.¡± Then Damian and Clyde spoke at the same time. ¡°Theresa.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless.¡± I looked at two people for a moment as if guessing for a moment. One had three black hearts, and the other had one red heart. Their likeability wasn¡¯t high enough to be mobilized in the battle. You have to fill at least two red hearts to make them follow your suggestion first. ¡°I¡¯m not being reckless. Because I also learned purification magic.¡± By saying so, I instantly completed a magic spell and infused mana into it. ¡°O eroded life, be purified.¡± There was no target to be purified, so the magic stayed in the air for a while and then disappeared. Even so, if you had studied , you would be able to recognize that the magic I completed was correct. ¡°Still, being alone is dangerous, so I¡¯ll go with you. I¡¯m your escort after all.¡± Clyde coldly replied to Damian¡¯s words. ¡°The first thing to do is to look at the damage and fix it. I want you to remember that you were the vice president of the student council before being an escort.¡± Clyde turned to me and smirked with a knowing look. ¡°Monster has a habit of repeatedly attacking the place it invaded once. And yet you said you¡¯d scout the wrong place? How am I supposed to accept that?¡± How to accept that? He was already saying it as if thinking I would run away from the monster by scouting another place. However, since I was the one who lacked justification, I refuted it by trying to look as rational as possible. ¡°I know that. However, this area is close to farmhouses that grow magical plants. Monsters tend to appear frequently in places with lots of magical plants. It¡¯s already established at the conference. You know that, right?¡± We stared at each other in silence. As there was tension between us, I spoke as if taking a step back. ¡°Damian won¡¯t accompany me. I have no intention of wielding him in the name of an escort, not only this time but also in future student council activities.¡± The captain of the guard, who was watching us, cautiously put his words. ¡°We can¡¯t pay attention to this because we don¡¯t have enough manpower, but it¡¯s true that scouting it is necessary, just like Princess said.¡± The captain of the guard seemed convinced that scouting it was necessary for a valid reason, not an irrational opinion. Even so, Clyde frowned as if he disapproved of my attempt to act alone, but he nodded soon after. ¡°If something goes wrong, send a magic telegraph right away.¡± Even so, Clyde frowned as if he was dissatisfied with me trying to act alone but soon nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Of course I was thinking of sending a telegram immediately if I saw even the shadow of the monster. How can a B-level intelligence wizard like me, who had no experience in real combat, deal with a horde of monsters? ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back.¡± I rode my horse to the place where the monsters were supposed to appear. CH 48 The village looked very dreary and desolate even after looking at it again. It was completely different from the rich and beautiful scenery of the capital. All the places used by nobles, including the downtown area, were peaceful and perfect as if they were drawn in a dream. However, the atmosphere in the village where the poor commoners lived was so different. Looking at this place, I was able to clearly realize that the worldview of was a dystopia. I murmured in a complicated way as I looked at the black-contaminated soil. ¡°The erosion has already progressed a lot.¡± That¡¯s why people didn¡¯t live in this area. No, they couldn¡¯t live here. The Squire family couldn¡¯t feel the peculiar smell of the Magi, which was so gloomy and creepy. Now I was fine too. In other words, it meant that ordinary humans felt those things in the eroded land. My heart was weighed heavily. ¡°Grrr.¡± Startled! I could hear the cry of an animal from a distance. When I raised my head, the black eroded form of the monsters was reflected in the sunset light. What? Doesn¡¯t it still take more time for monsters to appear? ¡°Hiiing!¡± The horse, startled by the monsters¡¯ presence, convulsed. In the game, the horse was fine, but in reality, it wasn¡¯t like that. God damn it! ¡°Ugh! Calm down!¡± ¡°Hiiiiiing!¡± At this rate, I would be more seriously injured by falling off the horse, so I came down safely using magic. The horse ran away as soon as it was out of my control. The monsters excluded black Magi, and their red eyes glittered, giving off an illusion of leaving afterimages depending on movements. I quickly sent the magic telegraph and slowly retreated. It was only five minutes from here to the temporary base. I just need to hold out for five minutes. A cold sweat ran down my back. First battle. A real battle that might cost my life. Will the magic I¡¯ve learned work in practice? I stared at the pack of monsters with nervous eyes. Just in case, I studied how to purify magical creatures until I was worn out. I also learned a few battle magic in my spare time. However, when I faced monsters in front of me, I felt that it wasn¡¯t enough, which made me feel deep regret. I should have studied more! Then the monsters roared threateningly. ¡°Uuung!¡± ¡°Kwaang!¡± The monsters didn¡¯t come close, but I was startled and poured purification magic over a wide area. ¡°O eroded life, be purified! Be purified! Be purified! Be purified! Be purified! Be purified!¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Professional Instructor¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Stop it. Everything is purified.] ¡°What?¡± Was it all purified so easily? Because the purification magic was spread over a wide area, the power must have been extremely weak. I looked at the wolves with bewildered eyes. The wolves, which had been eroded by the pitch-black Magi, were running toward me as if they were in a good mood. ¡­Does it really work? ¡°Am I stronger than I thought?¡± Just in time, I saw new monsters approaching with menacing growls. I was no longer nervous. Crack, crack. I tilted my head from side to side and warmed up lightly. ¡°Let¡¯s have a time of purification.¡± * * * I was running until I was about to throw up. I¡¯m running away? No. ¡°Hey! You there! Stop?!¡± I ran to catch the running monsters. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [I didn¡¯t expect to watch a romance broadcast and end up seeing violence.] I shouted in resentment. ¡°Gasp! Gasp! What is this! There¡¯s no such setup where the monsters run away!¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Fact Is Violence¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [They also don¡¯t expect to be unilaterally purified by you either.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®As Long As It¡¯s Not Me¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [That¡¯s right!] Even though the purified wolves helped me drive away the monsters, the purification process wasn¡¯t easy. At that time, people on horseback rushed in. They were the guards. ¡°Look there! The monsters are attacking the princess¡­!¡± ¡°Be purified! Be purified!¡± ¡°Attacking¡­¡± ¡°Please stand still! Be purified!¡± ¡°H-help! The monsters are running away! Stop it!¡± Then Damian broke through the guards and quickly blocked the retreat monsters in an instant. ¡°Be purified!¡± Thus, I finally finished the purification of the last monsters. I sat down on the ground, gasped for breath. ¡°Gasp¡­! Gasp¡­!¡± Professor Ilya was right. The core of a wizard is stamina. Stamina is more important than mana. The purified wolves came up waving their tails and licked my face as I lay there. Slurp, slurp! I was on the verge of being crushed to death by as many as 20 wolves flocking to me. It was Damian who saved me. Damian raised me up and asked anxiously, ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°Uuh¡­ I¡¯m not okay¡­ I¡¯m dying¡­¡± ¡°Thank god, you¡¯re fine.¡± By the way, when I saw in the book, it was said that they definitely needed a recovery period. Still, even though the wolves had just escaped from erosion, they weren¡¯t suffering and were playing very lively. It was to the point where anyone would think that I was the one who had been eroded and purified. Damian¡¯s gaze slowly scanned me as I stroked the wolves who were turning my school uniform into furry clothes with an exhausted look on my face. ¡°I think I¡¯m seeing a lot of unfamiliar things from you these days.¡± I looked at him, asking what he meant. Damian smiled lightly. ¡°Were the magical creatures always good at following you?¡± He knew better that it couldn¡¯t be like that. ¡°No, they suddenly became like this.¡± I didn¡¯t say any more. I thought giving less information would be better than lying in response to open questions. Because they will continue to have doubts about the fact that I¡¯ve changed a lot from the original Theresa. Then one of the guards said with a flushed face. ¡°They¡¯re not just following well. This is an unprecedented phenomenon!¡± The guard¡¯s clothes had a badge belonging to the Wizards Association. That meant he was a fairly skilled wizard. By the way, doesn¡¯t this person know who I am? Theresa was such a celebrity that only a few people in the capital didn¡¯t know her. Even in modern times, if you¡¯re a famous villainess of the upper class, it would be a daily issue, but how stimulating and interesting would it be in this area when there is an absolute lack of things to enjoy? However, this guard looked at me excitedly as if he wasn¡¯t afraid of Theresa¡¯s notoriety. He almost looked at me like I was a hero. ¡°It¡¯s very difficult to purify magical creatures that have been eroded by Magi. There¡¯s a high probability of failure. But Princess succeeded effortlessly as if to show off!¡± As he said, I succeeded in purifying with a 100% probability. ¡°Even though the purification intensity was so weak, it didn¡¯t make sense! Perhaps one of the Squire family¡¯s predecessors was a heavenly tribe?¡± ¡°Well, they were all human.¡± During a somewhat absurd conversation, Clyde appeared with the guards. Magical creatures didn¡¯t like humans very much. To be precise, they ignored humans. It was because they regarded humans as a lower race than themselves. That¡¯s why people didn¡¯t find it strange to see magical creatures approaching me to avoid Clyde. Because I was the odd one. ¡°Hoo, magic creatures sometimes follow people.¡± ¡°Even they all look healthy. The wolf we purified is not in good condition.¡± Clyde clenched his fists as he looked at the magical creatures, who clearly looked uneasy about him. He knew that he would be ostracized because he was a half-demon. It was the moment when he realized once again that he was a cursed being who shouldn¡¯t stay on this earth. Phew. I spoke to Clyde, who had sunk darkly with a sense of inferiority. ¡°Do I have something to do with this?¡± I should have treated him as an invisible man, but I made an exception for now. Otherwise, his face would be endlessly gloomy like that. Clyde looked at me with a face pretending to be calm, loosening the strength on his fist. ¡°We have to write a field report, so follow me.¡± ¡°Okay. Ah, wait a minute.¡± I stroked the wolves before following him. ¡°Guys, now go back to where you lived. If it¡¯s eroded land, move to another place.¡± ¡°Huk, huk, huk!¡± ¡°Once purified, magical creatures become resistant to Magi and will no longer be eroded. Be careful though.¡± The wolves were wagging their tails, feeling good about my worries, and suddenly started howling one by one. ¡°Auuuuu!¡± The holy magic of the magical creatures permeated the village, spreading in all directions. Then something surprising happened. ¡°¡­! The eroded land is being purified!¡± Obviously, the contaminated black soil began to give off a healthy brown color. CH 49 ¡°Oh, my God!¡± ¡°Oh God, the contaminated land is returned!¡± ¡°God hasn¡¯t abandoned us yet!¡± When everyone was thrilled, I was also thrilled. ¡°Thank god¡­¡± If the contamination of the land wasn¡¯t properly prevented, Damian¡¯s bad ending route would be accelerated. In that case, the commoners lose their reason due to anger against the privileged class. The imperial family appeases people by appointing an appropriate person and executing them. The target was Theresa, the most famous crazy dog in the empire. The wolves finished howling, circling around me before leaving. The guards kept going while and cheering. ¡°This is all thanks to the Princess! Long live Princess!¡± ¡°Long live Princess!¡± I¡¯m getting attention for nothing. This time, instead of wolves, people seemed to spin around over me, leaving me behind. Then Clyde reached out to me. ¡°Don¡¯t procrastinate, hold it.¡± ¡°¡­Why? I can go alone.¡± ¡°With those shoes?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Looking down, I saw my shoes¡¯ heels were completely ruined from the aftermath of sprinting on rough ground. No wonder the world looked lower than before. But why is he showing such a favor? Ah, maybe? [Likeability: 3] What? It¡¯s still three black hearts. Could it be a trap? Clyde had a habit of pushing his opponent to hate him even more. Therefore, it was likely that he was doing me a favor because he wanted to see my bottom. I took off my shoes and held them in my hand. ¡°This is fine. You said we had to write a report, right? Let¡¯s go.¡± Clyde pursed his lips with a frown, then turned around as if he was done with me. ¡°Do whatever you like.¡± Then he took the lead to the temporary base without any consideration. I was walking carefully so I wouldn¡¯t hurt my feet. Suddenly I realized that all the villagers were out of the house without notice. They didn¡¯t cheer like the guards. It looked like they were still figuring out what was going on. At the same time, they were shocked to see me walking barefoot on the dirty ground. ¡­Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t it wrong to show your feet with the concept of chastity at this time? Was it only in Joseon? While tilting my head with a puzzled expression, Damian approached me and held out his arm. It was a gesture to hold him. He then smiled kindly. ¡°At times like this, you need to use an escort, Theresa. Befitting your noble status.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Rofan-Addicted Young Lady¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Nobles don¡¯t take off their shoes and don¡¯t walk on the dirty ground. In a situation where there is an escort, they don¡¯t walk on their own. It¡¯s not too late now, so it¡¯s better to correct it.] It¡¯s easy to deal with that much. I quickly put my arm around Damian¡¯s neck and blamed him. ¡°Should I order you one by one? You should have come on your own.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Broadcast Genius Theresa¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [This is what ¡®villainess¡¯ means~!] Damian looked at me, clinging to him like a cicada on an old tree, with a puzzled expression. ¡°What are you doing? Lift me, quickly.¡± He quickly regained his senses and hugged me like a princess quickly. It looked like he had a pretty slender body from the outside, but when I hugged him, he definitely had a huge body. Aren¡¯t his muscles firm like rock? How much training do I have to do to become like this? Indeed, he had a great physique as a genius assassin. ¡°¡­Theresa.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Damien hesitated as if to say something, then frowned and stared straight ahead. ¡°Never mind.¡± It sounded like a sigh. Come to think of it, his face seems to have been a little red. What? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because I¡¯m heavy? Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Check his likeability!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!] I didn¡¯t know why they suddenly asked me to confirm his likeability, but I obediently responded to that request. [Likeability: 2] ¡°Uh?¡± I suddenly made a noise, and Damian gave me a puzzled look. I also looked at Damian in wonder. He asked first. What¡¯s the matter? Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°¡­No. It¡¯s nothing.¡± I think my contribution to purifying the contaminated land was a factor that increased his likeability. I already achieved two red hearts from two of the male protagonists. The progress was faster than expected, and the achievement rate was very good. At this rate, I thought I might really be able to see the true ending that connected with someone. I saw the back of Clyde, who was walking ahead. Clyde had two black hearts at the start. It has now increased to three. Then, how many black hearts will the emperor start with? Clyde already had three black hearts, but I haven¡¯t even seen the real insane person yet. However, if I met the emperor who hated the Squire family terribly, my life would likely end quickly. Unless I go to the imperial family, the chance of meeting the emperor is extremely low. Good. Let¡¯s just stay like this. I wouldn¡¯t have to see the emperor for a while! 10. The Emperor¡¯s Invitation A middle-aged man with long, silver hair neatly hanging down was walking along a huge hallway that would have been enough for twenty people to walk side by side. This was the heart of the imperial city. It was the palace of the sun where the emperor, the owner of the world, resided. The Palace of the Sun was covered in gold on all sides, and all the fabrics were embroidered, making it splendid and magnificent. Anyone in that space would forget the world was in crisis. But the man wasn¡¯t intoxicated by the sweet space like a dream. It only increased his vigilance against the palace owner, who was trying to make him intoxicated with this kind of pleasure. It was said to be the most private space of the emperor, so outsides were strictly restricted from entering, but it was horrifyingly quiet. The man saw the servant¡¯s feet passing by like a host. The servant was putting a cloth on his shoes. This meant that the emperor¡¯s neurosis had returned. He sighed deeply. When he finally arrived at the emperor¡¯s office, the chief chamberlain in front of the door announced over the door as if he had been waiting. ¡°Your Majesty, Lord Gordon Willow of the Willow family has requested an audience. Shall I let him in?¡± ¡°Let him in.¡± Gordon, the second son of Duke Willow, hesitated before entering the open door. It was because of the smell of cigarettes wafting through the cracks in the open door. He felt like he was going to cough, but he endured it. He didn¡¯t dare to cough or frown in front of the emperor. Gordon immediately set the example as hard as he could. ¡°Greeting to His Majesty the Emperor, the supreme ruler of this country and the lord of the Palace of the Sun.¡± ¡°Get up.¡± The emperor was a man with a sense of splendor, even with his back to the sunlight. His platinum hair gleamed in the sun, and the gold and jeweled rings on all ten fingers shone even more. He inherited the throne at age 5 and was now 31 years old. He had lived almost his entire life as emperor. Euges Rodrigo. He was throwing the papers he held in his hand one by one on the floor in a disheveled posture. Even though it was a very frivolous action, the emperor¡¯s pressure didn¡¯t decrease at all. Besides, that kind of frivolousness made another person more nervous. ¡°I heard that Princess Squire was very active in her first student council activities, right?¡± The damn Squire. Gordon wanted to close his eyes at the dizziness. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°finding a way to recover the land contaminated by erosion. It¡¯s something no wizard has ever done. In addition, she showed an amazing ability to control magical creatures?¡± The emperor burst into laughter. But Gordon didn¡¯t think this was a genuinely satisfied laugh. It was obviously angry. ¡°I have a question for you, Gordon.¡± ¡°Please speak.¡± ¡°It has already been 100 years since the Squire family lost their arcane magic. But how is it still alive?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If they lose the arcane magic that has been passed down from generation to generation, shouldn¡¯t they just quietly walk down the path of decline like other families and disappear into the back of history?¡± It was an irrefutable argument. ¡°I thought the Squire family would fall because of their stupid eldest daughter this time.¡± It was the same with Gordon. ¡°If Theresa had the ability to deal with magical creatures, you should have recognized her earlier in Valhalla. How come you didn¡¯t figure it out?¡± ¡°The princess had already shown the worst compatibility in her aptitude test. However, for unknown reasons, she suddenly¡­¡± Puck! The emperor threw the seal on the table and hit Gordon on the shoulder. ¡°-!¡± Gordon swallowed his screams thoroughly. Today, he must never make a sound out of any pain. If that happened, the uncomfortable emperor would surely increase the severity of the punishment. CH 50 Cold sweat dripped down Gordon¡¯s dry cheeks as he endured the pain and groans. ¡°As you know well, I hate deception.¡± No one liked deception. However, few people hate deception as much as Emperor Euges. It was inevitable. Emperor Euges ascended to the throne at the age of five. Although he was exceptionally intelligent from a young age, he was only a child. When his eyes and ears were blocked by adults, he had no choice but to grow up without knowing anything. The Empress Dowager and high-ranking nobles controlled the empire by manipulating the young emperor. They looked for the most stupid of the former emperor¡¯s illegitimate children in preparation when they couldn¡¯t longer be regent as Euges grew up. If necessary, they would change the emperor. That was their plan. Although it was discovered by the Willow family and led to a bloody purge. Because of that, the emperor hated deception terribly. It was to the point he showed his cruelty by burning the Empress Dowager and the nobles who dared to play with him at stake in front of everyone. Gordon immediately lay down on his stomach. His shoulders, which must have been cracked, trembled uncontrollably, but he held out. ¡°Please forgive my incompetence, Your Majesty.¡± The emperor was a madman but never a stupid man. He only killed as long as he had their evidence. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t get rid of the Squire family, who had rebelled but had no evidence. ¡°Of course I forgive you. Because I care for you.¡± It was a lie. The emperor believed in nothing and spared nothing. ¡°¡­I¡¯m really grateful. I will do my best.¡± The emperor beckoned behind Gordon. Then the chief chamberlain, who was holding his breath, approached Gordon and held out a silver tray. On the tray lay a luxurious and special letter sealed in wax with the emperor¡¯s seal on it. It was an invitation to the Sun Palace. The emperor will personally meet a princess who wasn¡¯t even the family¡¯s heir? An unmarried young lady and unmarried emperor? It was something that would turn society upside down. It was easy to see why the emperor bothered to send an invitation to face him in person. He must be trying to see if Theresa would continue to live as the crazy dog of the empire as he wished or whether she would become an annoying variable. That excuse was plausible, but no one would take it for granted. Delivering the invitation through Valhalla, not the Squire family, was even more meaningful because it was an act that eliminated any room for Raul to intervene. Anyway, the important thing was that the emperor had deep resentment for Theresa and was curious at the same time. Gordon¡¯s role was to be the middleman in delivering the emperor¡¯s invitation. And to carefully examine Theresa from now on. So that I can remove her if necessary. ¡°I will gladly convey Your Majesty¡¯s will.¡± * * * It was an unusual morning. There were just thick clouds covering the sky. The breakfast was a little underwhelming except for the trivial misfortune of dropping Professor Felix¡¯s book on my feet while putting it in my bag to return it. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s cold.¡± The wind was especially cold today. I crouched down and reached the main building at a quick pace. However, the atmosphere was a bit chaotic. I think I see outsiders? They didn¡¯t look like professors but weren¡¯t even wearing school uniforms. Looking at them, they were wearing Wizards Association badges on their clothes. When they found me, they glared their eyes as if they had found the person they were waiting for and chatted among themselves. At that time, the chairman came down the stairs with a man in dull clothes. Oh my. The president of the Wizards Association, Milo? It meant that the crazy wizard wanted something, to the extent that he even visited Valhalla, which he didn¡¯t even like. I don¡¯t have a good feeling about it. The chairman found me and approached me with a delighted look. ¡°Oh! Just in time, Student Theresa is just coming over here.¡± I wanted to quietly avoid them, but I had no choice but to approach them. ¡°Greetings, Sir Chairman. And President Wizards Association.¡± Mile, the association¡¯s president, glistened his eyes from the moment he saw me. ¡°Princess Theresa! I¡¯m so glad to see you. Since the moment I received an urgent report about your performance yesterday, my heart has been beating so fast that I came here in the morning without sleeping a wink.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­.¡± ¡°To purify the contaminated land by using magical creatures! It¡¯s clear that Princess¡¯s mana must have special powers.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t use the magical creatures. They just did it on their own.¡± As if the association president couldn¡¯t hear my words, he was talking excitedly to himself. ¡°We absolutely need that ability. It¡¯s only natural to purify the contaminated land.¡± The association¡¯s president spoke coercively, then suddenly pretended to be rational and said, ¡°But Princess cannot purify all Magi and contaminated land. It¡¯s physically impossible.¡± Doesn¡¯t this human being think it¡¯s wrong from now on? ¡°So, if we investigate the secrets of Princess¡¯s mana, wouldn¡¯t other wizards be able to use similar abilities?¡± Ah. So you mean you want me to become the test subject for the Wizards Association? The moment Libby blossomed with white magic, such an event took place. I didn¡¯t know that this event would apply to me too. It was a trap. When you receive it, it will be game over immediately. The association¡¯s president spoke slyly as if he were carrying out a holy duty. ¡°So, can Princess cooperate for humanity?¡± On the subject, he just wanted to study new magic, not for humanity. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Born From Theresa¡¯s Heart¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [What are you saying, crazy old man.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Detective¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [As a result of the analysis, it turned out to be bullshit.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Go away! Theresa! Go and crush him!] The chairman was smiling all the time as if he wouldn¡¯t intervene. The surroundings were crowded with students, professors, and association members watching the situation. They were buzzing, looking very curious about what I would say. However, as I did not answer, their words gradually decreased, and soon the lobby fell silent. That¡¯s fascinating. Just a while ago, I would have hated this situation where I got attention enough to get goosebumps. Still, it just ended up being a little uncomfortable. Have I gotten used to bumping into people? Well, anyway, I opened my mouth slowly. ¡°First of all, before answering, there is something wrong with the words of the President Association. I¡¯m indeed good at purification magic, but it¡¯s not true that I used magical creatures to purify the contaminated land.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± I continued my speech so that the association¡¯s president wouldn¡¯t intervene. ¡°And you spoke as if my mana has a special power, but Valhalla¡¯s internal aptitude test has already revealed that my mana has no attributes.¡± It would only mean he didn¡¯t trust Valhalla¡¯s system if he denied this. ¡°And did you say it was for humanity? I joined the student council at the risk of a dangerous mission even though I¡¯m only B+ rank.¡± I smiled, but my eyes weren¡¯t smiling at all. ¡°Are you saying I should go further and become a test subject based on reasoning close to the Wizards Association¡¯s wishes?¡± The first people to react to what I said were members of the Wizards Association. ¡°T-that such an outrage!¡± ¡°The rumors about Princess Squire are indeed true!¡± ¡°She can¡¯t even think of sacrificing for the empire. So selfish!¡± The extras, who couldn¡¯t proudly criticize in front of me, were just saying one word after another, believing only in the number of their heads. None of them were particularly accepting it well. ¡°Isn¡¯t what she said right?¡± ¡°Why should Valhalla students have to be selected as test subjects for Wizards Association?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean that every student with special talent should be a test subject? But where can you find students without talent in Valhalla?¡± It was when the atmosphere was turning into a mess. ¡°Those who have just talked recklessly about my daughter had better confess.¡± Huh? This voice¡­? I turned around in astonishment. Not only me but everyone here, especially the chairman, looked at the person who suddenly appeared with a strangely distorted expression. ¡°Father?¡± Raul approached me with an expression as if he was going to beat someone to pieces and wrapped his arms around me as if to protect me. When I was taken aback by the unexpected warmth, Raul said, ¡°If you don¡¯t confess your sins and kneel, I will make you can¡¯t stand forever.¡± It was the moment you knew where Theresa¡¯s crazy DNA came from. CH 51 The Constellations were in an uproar. [The Constellations are enthusiastic about Raul¡¯s appearance.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Over Immersed Otaku¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Daddyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!] Even if I had a clearer justification, my opponent was the president of the Wizards Association, and the chairman allowed this ridiculous claim. In this way, the ending could have been fuzzy, and there could have been a situation that forced me to sacrifice again later. So I was full of thoughts about solving it somehow by myself. Until my protector showed up. The timing is amazing. Feeling awkward for some reason, I lowered my head, and Raul, perhaps misunderstanding something, completely covered me with the hem of his cloak. It was an action that seemed to protect his child from external danger. He looks overprotective¡­ Still, people gazed less at my whole body, so my mind was at ease. I thought I had developed resistance to the gaze of others, but it seemed I couldn¡¯t help it at all. Raul yelled furiously at the people on the side of the Wizards Association. ¡°Confess your sin of trying to harm my daughter to satisfy your heinous self-interest!¡± The members of the Wizards Association were completely overwhelmed by Raul¡¯s aura and didn¡¯t know what to do. I raised my head from behind the hem of his cloak and watched their pathetic actions. At that time, the association¡¯s president, Milo, stepped up brazenly. ¡°Even if it¡¯s your child¡¯s business, don¡¯t go too far, Duke Squire. We only sought the help of Princess for humanity. Didn¡¯t you misunderstand something?¡± Raul snorted at once. ¡°Are you saying something in front of me that even a child wouldn¡¯t believe?¡± ¡°I may have gone a little too far with my earnest heart, but it doesn¡¯t feel good to be criticized for the sake of the world.¡± Milo, the association¡¯s president, was a man crazy about magic experiments. Reasoning with common sense wouldn¡¯t work for him. He abandoned rationality and logic as much as he wanted for his own purpose, and Raul was well aware of that fact. Beating up by club was the medicine for that crazy man. Raul proclaimed as if he was too lazy to deal with him more. ¡°I have nothing more to say. If anyone bothers my daughter, I will regard it as an insult or an attack on Squire and declare territory war.¡± The whole area turned upside down. ¡°What do you mean by territory war!¡± In particular, the chairman reacted most fiercely to the word ¡®territory war.¡¯ The chairman, who looked down at everything like an emperor, exclaimed with a reddened face as if he couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°Duke Squire! You better be careful with your words!¡± Raul looked at the chairman with indifferent eyes. ¡°Squire doesn¡¯t tolerate insults. I¡¯m sure Duke Willow knows that too.¡± ¡°Duke!¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Question Mark Killer¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Who won the territory war 100 years ago?] Good question. And the answer to that question was given by a student nearby. ¡°Come to think of it, isn¡¯t the Squire family unbeatable in the territory war? Didn¡¯t even the Willow family lose in the last territory war?¡± ¡°Shh, speak quietly. At that time, Squire killed the Willow head of the family, so the two families became enemies.¡± It was customary for the territory war 100 years ago to end with the losing side paying the price with the head of their lord, just like the days in the ancient kingdom. It was because the imperial family sanctioned it. ¡°There must be pressure from the imperial family. Why did they do that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that? The two families were trying to form a marriage alliance. Still, the eldest son of the Willow family ran away with his lover on the day of the wedding.¡± Princess Squire quickly became a laughingstock, and the family head, who was very angry at this, declared territory war and killed the family head of Willow to thoroughly punish them. Since their head family died, the Willow family was also very angry. They secretly attacked in the middle of the night and burned the library containing Squire¡¯s arcane magic. As a result, the two families became enemies. Raul tilted his head. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have prepared that much for touching my child?¡± He had no qualms about intimidating the chairman, who was about twice his age. Uuh, this is so suffocating. However, maybe I was the only one who felt suffocated by the situation, and the reactions around me were somewhat different. ¡°Wow, he¡¯s so cool¡­¡± ¡°The way he carried the senior on his back was kind and dignified, but today he looks like a berserker!¡± ¡°I want to be a father like that when I have a daughter.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong from the start of the marriage, my friend.¡± Surprisingly, there were a lot of favorable eyes on Raul, despite the fact that Valhalla was widely joined by people who were friendly to Duke Willow. ¡­Well, he looks cool even to me. Perhaps considering the fact that the reactions around him were favorable to Raul, the chairman made an effort to create a generous expression while gritting his teeth. ¡°I admit my mistake. I should have protected Lady Theresa, a proud student of our school, but I was late in responding.¡± The chairman looked at Milo, the association¡¯s president, and said sternly. ¡°President Milo. Today¡¯s work was definitely hasty. Please officially apologize for your mistake through the association¡¯s official letter so there will be no more noise.¡± Milo, the association president, smacked his lips as if things were regrettable, then shook his shoulders at the sight of Raul¡¯s blazing eyes. ¡°I have gone too far today, Duke Squire. And Lady Theresa. Please trust me that I didn¡¯t mean any harm. I only value your special talent.¡± I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m fully aware of the good intentions of the wise President Milo. So I don¡¯t think this will ever happen again, right?¡± Mile, the association president, trembled her eyes at my words. It was an expression that he didn¡¯t expect me to draw a line so that wouldn¡¯t happen again. ¡°¡­Of course.¡± Rau glared at the association president and the chairman alternately with a cool face, then suddenly turned his gaze to the side. On the other side stood the members of the Wizards Association, who were talking about me being selfish and so on. ¡°I remembered all the faces of those who didn¡¯t confess. You better be prepared.¡± ¡°¡­! W-wait! Please wait!¡± Raul took my hand without looking at me. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Mad Mania¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [This family is the best.] At that time, someone showed up at the entrance, bringing the servants with them. I recognized who that person was. Gordon Willow? He was the second son of the chairman and uncle to Clyde. Gordon seemed to have hurt his shoulder. He might have used healing magic, but if he wasn¡¯t completely healed, it meant he had a major injury, at least a broken bone. Gordon stood right in front of us. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Duke Squire.¡± Raul reacted coldly. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to say greetings because of your father. Get out of my way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to say hello because of your father. Get out of my way.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Cider Pass¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Wow, this is real madness ?? [1] .] ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s going to be difficult.¡± Gordon¡¯s gaze locked on mine. ¡°Theresa Squire, bow before you receive a personal letter from His Majesty the Emperor.¡± Everyone was gasping in vain as if something interesting was about to happen again. I, too, widened my eyes in surprise, and Raul gritted his teeth. I quickly set my example before Raul flipped over again. As old-fashioned as possible. How I set my example would surely reach the emperor¡¯s ears through the servants lined up on both sides of Gordon. They were the servants of the imperial palace after all. Gordon opened his mouth. ¡°I invite you to the Sun Palace to congratulate Princess Theresa Squire, who has made the greatest contribution to protecting and rebuilding the village attacked by monsters.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so honored.¡± An invitation while I had already decided to avoid the emperor. My heart was pounding. Meeting the emperor was also a problem, but the bigger problem was that it was too early. If you want to meet the emperor, you must learn advanced etiquette. Because that¡¯s the minimum requirement to take the emperor¡¯s route. However, my etiquette was only intermediate. If I went to the imperial family like this, my mistakes would be criticized and killed by the deception of the emperor. System, please stock up on a new product in the store! ¡­Unfortunately, it was not the right time yet, so nothing happened. Anyway, I needed to receive the invitation, which Gordon handed over with both hands. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Rofan-Addicted Young Lady¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Finally meeting the emperor! I was only looking forward to this moment. Only a man standing at the pinnacle of power is qualified to be the protagonist¡¯s partner.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Face Inspector¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [The main character¡¯s partner qualifications are face, body, and wealth.] The chairman approached us with a happy expression and deliberately congratulated us. ¡°A private audience with His Majesty the Emperor when you¡¯re only a princess. This is a family honor.¡± What an honor it is to have an audience when he was obviously called me to catch my faults. Raul looked at the chairman as if he was going to hit him. I told the chairman before the second round began. ¡°Mr. Chairman, could you lend me the parlor so I can have a little chat with my father?¡± ¡°Of course. You there, take these honored guests to the best parlor room.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Raul glared at the chairman, who behaved disgustingly, then headed to the parlor. CH 52 From the territory war declaration to the emperor¡¯s invitation. It will be buzzing all over the capital. The servant of Valhalla opened the parlor door wide and spoke politely. ¡°You can use this place. I will prepare refreshments, so please wait a moment.¡± As soon as the servant left, Raul cast several powerful security spells. He was determined to never trust the Willow family. ¡°The damn things. As if the Wizards Association isn¡¯t enough, they even involve the imperial family?¡± I asked what I¡¯d been curious about the whole time. ¡°But what brought Father here?¡± Raul sat down in his chair and said acrimoniously. ¡°What happened yesterday was delivered to me too. I thought that disgusting old man wouldn¡¯t let you go. As expected, my prediction wasn¡¯t wrong.¡± This time, he looked at me displeased and started nagging me. ¡°And if you had that ability, you should have told your father first.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°The family of wizards often holds a cause that transcends their status regarding monsters. Even if you¡¯re a princess, your status will only become useless if you¡¯re pushed out of the cause. Don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± But isn¡¯t this a bit unfair? ¡°I didn¡¯t even know I had this ability. I also didn¡¯t know it would cause such an uproar.¡± Raul shook his head as I mumbled with a pout. ¡°Does it make sense not to know that? When I was your age, I got married and had a child. How can you not know the world so well?¡± Ugh. I lost at his attack. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in advance from now on.¡± Raul finally stopped nagging me upon my declaration of surrender. I hurriedly opened the emperor¡¯s invitation before he began another nagging. In the invitation, very cliched and formal sentence, ¡®Come to the Sun Palace this Sunday. If you don¡¯t come, you will die,¡¯ was written eloquently. I haven¡¯t learned advanced etiquette and haven¡¯t made my debutante yet, but to be invited to the Sun Palace? How many steps did I go beyond the game? I was deeply saddened to think my precious weekend would be spent on unpleasant work. Raul clicked his tongue after confirming that it was a simple invitation. ¡°Calling an unmarried young lady alone to the Sun Palace? It looks like the emperor got dementia at a young age.¡± Oh no. No matter how much security magic he put on, it was too much. ¡°Stop by the house before you go to the imperial palace. The emperor is a man who values etiquette very seriously, so you must pay attention to your appearance.¡± When you visited the imperial family, you had to dress appropriately. The only clothes I brought to the dormitory were my school uniforms or simple dresses, so I thought it would be better to do as Raul said. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll go home with Libby on Friday.¡± Then Raul smiled for the first time today. ¡°I will be waiting.¡± No, it seemed like it was the first time in my memory. Maybe that¡¯s why I felt awkward and wiggled my hands. It was safe to say that is a story about competing with the madness of the madmen surrounding Libby, the only rational character. Our team lavished msg on the story with a strong will to make the game a hit. Thanks to this, I was paying the heavy price of being afflicted by madmen. ¡°You have to change your major right now!¡± Professor Felix followed me around, repeating the same words like a broken radio. ¡°Listen to my lecture! You had to be my student!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t buy it. I won¡¯t buy it.¡± ¡°When I recognized your talent, I had to do anything to get you¡­!¡± Felix was obsessed with me to the point of being a very annoying professor with many regrets. ¡°I will tell Professor Ilya well. Okay? Theresa, you¡¯re a national talent!¡± Who decided on that? I warned Professor Felix severely just in case he was talking nonsense to Professor Ilya. ¡°I have only one professor, and it¡¯s Professor Ilya. If you bother him, Professor will¡ª Uub!¡± ¡°Okay. I got it! Please keep that secret.¡± That¡¯s how I got rid of Professor Felix and went to the cafeteria to pack my sandwiches as usual. ¡°Get out of my way! You commoner.¡± ¡°Hey, I heard you entered the Squire Scholarship Foundation? If you¡¯re powerless and poor, you should be aware of it. Don¡¯t you know what it means to be sponsored by a Squire in Valhalla?¡± ¡°She must be mistaken for being as good as Damian West. Ugh!¡± However, some garbage-like guys were harassing Reini. I approached them and slammed one guy on his shoulder like a rugby player. Thud! ¡°Get out of my way. You on the subject of the lower things.¡± ¡°Uargh!¡± The guy who was making a fuss fell on the floor. I ate and slept well these days, so my body was full of surplus energy. It meant that I still had some energy left. ¡°What! Who the heck¡­! Ah.¡± The guy who fell on the floor got angry, then looked at me and calmed down as if his anger control disorder had been cured. ¡°S-Senior Theresa.¡± ¡°I wonder how I, the Squire, will treat you when I see you bullying the scholarship student of the Squire family?¡± They didn¡¯t even dare to squeak. ¡°If you catch my eye from now on, I will throw you as food for the monsters. You guys have heard rumors about me lately, right?¡± Recently, I got a new nickname. It was ¡®Monster Hunter.¡¯ The nickname was born because of rumors spread by those who saw the scene of violent monsters trying to tear apart all human beings running away from me. ¡°Hiccups! I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± The guys became contemplative, apologized immediately, and left as if they were running away. ¡°If this happens in the future, call me. Or just beat them up. I will pay for the damage.¡± ¡°I¡¯m confused whether Senior care about the Foundation¡¯s image or not¡­¡± ¡°This is the selling point of our foundation. What do you want to eat today?¡± Reini and I became friends, having lunch together when the time was right. Reini was a little bit awkward, but thanks to the foundation¡¯s sponsorship, she looked more relaxed than before. ¡°How¡¯s your research going?¡± ¡°Yes. In the end, the problem with alchemy is finding the ingredients, so now that the cost has been resolved, there is no blockage.¡± Reini is an alchemy specialist. Alchemy inevitably required a lot of material costs, so it was difficult to develop talent without sufficient support. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Senior would support me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sponsoring you because you have a talent for alchemy. Our foundation doesn¡¯t sponsor anyone.¡± Reini grumbled with a blushing face, ¡°I¡¯m not as talented as Senior Damian.¡± We parted ways after lunch. ¡°I want to show Senior the results as much as you supported me.¡± It was because Reini invested all her spare time doing alchemy. I also devoted the rest of my time to studying magic. This was because I wanted to improve my intelligence quickly, and there was something I was personally researching. It was too cumbersome and inefficient to create a new magic circuit every time I used magic, so I was looking for a way to set it up like a shortcut. While reading a magic book in a secluded place without people, I fell into another thought. Anyway, the number of people who argue indirectly with me seems to have increased significantly recently. They couldn¡¯t attack me openly because they were scared, but I could feel the change in how they looked at me. Observing, envy, jealousy, vigilance, etc. They were all directed to me. In the past, Theresa, far from being a threat to Willow, made herself a laughingstock. That¡¯s why there was no need to cause friction, but things have changed now. In other words, I was quite a threat to the Willow family. It was only natural that the student council had been flooded with requests to include me in their missions these days. It¡¯s good to purify the monsters, but I also have to prepare for my future. It was now the end of March. In April, the gates of paradise would be activated. If I¡¯m lucky, I would see the true ending straight away. Thinking about it like that makes me feel a little restless. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± I woke up from my thoughts and looked up at Damian, who had come to my side before I knew it. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of anything.¡± Starting from the second red heart, the male protagonist sometimes came to the player first. Damian didn¡¯t even appear in such a secluded place, but he came here on purpose to find me. He smirked and sat next to me. ¡°You¡¯re lying. Do you know what expression you make when you think alone?¡± ¡°Expression?¡± Damien lowered the corners of his eyes and made a sleepy look. ¡°You¡¯re looking there blankly with that expression on your face.¡± It couldn¡¯t have been. Theresa basically had a haughty and cold appearance. If she had been expressionless, it would have been a cold expression. ¡°I don¡¯t make that face.¡± Then Damian murmured. ¡°Hmm. You don¡¯t seem to know how much you¡¯ve changed.¡± CH 53 ¡°What¡± ¡°You¡¯re cute.¡± Damian smiled, pinching my cheek slightly so that it wouldn¡¯t hurt. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Romance Pass¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [It¡¯s now!! Kiss him!!!!] If I did such a thing to Damian¡¯s meaningless skinship, my end would be assassinated by him. I didn¡¯t even want to kiss him in the first place. ¡°Look. You¡¯re making a blank face again.¡± This wasn¡¯t a blank expression but an expression of looking at the support window with an absurd remark written on it. I couldn¡¯t explain it like that, so I just looked down at the magic book. However, Damian wasn¡¯t tired of playing with my hair and occasionally talked to me. ¡°You said you were going to the Sun Palace this week, right? Aren¡¯t you nervous?¡± ¡°It¡¯s natural to be nervous.¡± I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll die. Today was already Friday, and two days later I had to see the emperor. The thought of facing the crazy tyrant alone distracted me from reading the magic book. It¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯ll be fine. I was fine being in front of the archdemon but in front of the human emperor¡­ I didn¡¯t think I would be okay. Huhu. Since I received the invitation, I couldn¡¯t avoid attending it. I relaxed by studying magic that was useful in practice as much as possible in case of an unexpected situation. Damian got up first as I put the book in my bag. ¡°I think it¡¯s almost time to start the lecture. Shall we go?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡± When I got up after him, Damian held out his arm with a mischievous smile. ¡°Link your arms around me, Lady. I¡¯d like to escort you to the main building.¡± I couldn¡¯t help laughing at the sudden prank. Indeed, whatever the handsome men did was interesting. But apart from the pleasant feeling, I refused, pushing his arm away. ¡°No. Being seen by Mimosa will only hurt my head.¡± Due to things like the student council and escort wizard these days, Mimosa was barking at me like an angry wild cat. ¡°Aah.¡± Damian dropped his gaze obliquely as if he was contemplating something with a smile on his face. That was an expression of contemplating how to deal with an annoying opponent. And usually, when he made that expression, his choice always leaned toward the direction he was comfortable with, that is, to get rid of the annoying things. Oh my. I quickly linked Damian¡¯s arm to protect Mimosa. ¡°On second thought, I don¡¯t think I need to be troubled as I¡¯m receiving an escort from my escort wizard.¡± As I clung to his arm, Damian erased his gloomy eye and smiled brightly as if he had been given a sedative. The emperor is not the only problem. This guy and that guy are all problems. It was my sin to make them like that. * * * I stared at the olive-colored carriage with a dazzling presence from afar with cold eyes. If anyone sees it, they¡¯ll think the imperial family has visited. I heard that the carriage itself had become legendary in Valhalla, not just a famous one. In front of the legendary carriage, Libby, who was born as a noble lady, was surrounded by male students. ¡°What are you doing this weekend? Would you like to come to my house to play?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s go to the lake with me. It¡¯s a nice day to go on a picnic.¡± ¡°Take this flower. I bought it because it looks like you.¡± ¡°When are you going to give me an answer to my confession?¡± It looked like the side characters were having a war. I got up close to them with an upright posture. Then Libby, who was troubled but still making a friendly expression, found me and was very happy. ¡°Sister!¡± The male students shrugged their shoulders at the same time and looked at me stiffly. They looked so hazy that no one could be compared to Libby. As I mentioned before, the protagonist is a being that requires an enormous amount of work cost. Of course, the work cost included labor costs. Naturally, my labor is included! It¡¯s even tremendous! Were the side characters, who were automatically generated, trying to seduce her even without knowing their subjects? The male students hurriedly backed away with pale faces, probably reading my eyes full of murderous intent. ¡°I-is your sister here? Then I¡¯ll be on my way!¡± As they left in a hurry, Libby tilted her head and soon approached me with a bright smile. ¡°This is the first time we¡¯re going home together like this!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I climbed into the carriage, watching the surroundings with a wary eye for anyone trying to approach Libby. ¡°From now on, if any annoying guys approach, use me as an excuse. Most of them will back off on their own.¡± At a time like that, you have to use Theresa¡¯s notoriety. When else will you use it? Libby laughed as if she thought I was joking. Come to think of it, the current Libby can love someone even if that person isn¡¯t necessarily the male protagonist. Honestly, the male protagonists have the charm of wanting to make you conquer them in the game. Still, in reality, they were characters who made your life difficult when you got involved with them. So I became curious. ¡°Libby, do you have any ideal type?¡± ¡°Ideal type?¡± Maybe it was an unexpected question, but Libby tilted her head and put on a serious, worried expression. ¡°I like someone who is honest, quirky, and friendly.¡± There aren¡¯t any male protagonists like that¡­ All of them were gloomy and tyrannical guys hidden behind their masks. ¡°Really? But I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone like that¡­¡± When I mumbled troublingly, Libby replied cheerfully. ¡°There is! It¡¯s Sister. I like someone like Sister.¡± Then she laughed about what was good. I narrowed my brows. It¡¯s a big deal. Libby¡¯s eyes are really worse. Theresa wasn¡¯t honest but rude, she wasn¡¯t quirky but downright bizarre, and she walked a completely opposite path from friendly. Ah. Is she referring to me after possessing Theresa? Even so, looking back on what I did when I was with Libby so far, I wasn¡¯t different from Theresa. I showed her nothing but bickering with my father and fighting with my friends. It was when I threw my eyes out the window in confusion. ¡°¡­Giuseppe?¡± Outside the window, I happened to see Giuseppe surrounded by boys taller than him. I knocked the carriage to stop before I could even think about what the situation would be like. It doesn¡¯t look like a good situation at all. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Sister?¡± ¡°Giuseppe is there.¡± There was no time to explain further. Just looking at the atmosphere, it seemed that one-sided bullying would happen at any moment. As I approached the boys, I began to hear them arguing with each other in high-pitched voices. I tried to call Giuseppe. ¡°You¡¯re not close to Princess Theresa.¡± Until the boys mentioned me. Do his friends have to talk about me when they¡¯re fighting? As I approached them curiously, I heard their words more clearly. ¡°They said you would be the next duke. How are you going to beat your older sister, who controls the magical creature? You can¡¯t even purify the monster!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°My dad said that you will be kicked out if the princess becomes the successor. Everyone knows that Princess Theresa hated her new family so much!¡± ¡°I told you to shut up!¡± Giuseppe finally tried to cast magic, and the boys responded as if they had waited. Many nobles saw this situation as it was a shopping district with high-end shops. Things would get out of control if the shopping district or nobles got caught up in this fight. I put my index finger on my lips. ¡°Shh.¡± This was a magic spell that destroyed the existing form. In order to use magic as simple as setting a hotkey, it had been improved as simply as possible through a few actions and short language. ¡°Ub? Uub?!¡± The boys were confused when their lips, which were about to chant a spell, suddenly stuck together. ¡°Now, cancel everyone¡¯s magic.¡± And this was the second method I was developing. To use magic as if talking straight away. Existing magic had to give specific commands through the most precise language. In order to use the same magic conventionally, an incantation such as ¡®O magical power, cease thy creation and disappear!¡¯ was required. This method also works in practice. I approached the boys and moved my fingers from side to side. ¡°Attention. You can talk now.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, I can speak now!¡± Giuseppe was also controlled by my magic, so as soon as he found me, he shouted with a furious look. ¡°What are you doing! Release me right now!¡± ¡°No. If I release you, you might fight again with magic.¡± After saying that, I smiled at the boys, who were staring at me with a stunned look. ¡°Hi?¡± The boys looked at me with bewildered expressions and burst into admiration. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Just then, Libby came to my side. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The boys looked at Libby and made another admiration. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Face Inspector¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Reactions of boys who saw a ridiculously beautiful woman for the first time in their lives.] It was just like the title of NeoTube [1] . CH 54 I asked the boys, stroking Giuseppe¡¯s head. ¡°Are you Giuseppe¡¯s friends?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fight with your friends and get along well.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± I snapped my finger like Ozworld. Snap! Then the magic that had been controlling the boys disappeared. As soon as Giuseppe was able to move his body, he struck out my hand, which was stroking his head. Regardless, I took Giuseppe¡¯s hand and gently waved the other hand at the boys. ¡°Then everyone, go home safely. Let¡¯s go, Giuseppe.¡± ¡°What, what are you doing?!¡± ¡°Why? I want to hold my beloved younger brother¡¯s hand.¡± Giuseppe¡¯s face flushed red with my brazen words. ¡°Stop talking nonsense! What are you planning? Why are you doing this?¡± I lowered my head and whispered in Giuseppe¡¯s ear. ¡°If we look like we have a good relationship, won¡¯t the kinds behind you be more careful in the future?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s almost time for dinner. Libby, come here too.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Libby smiled and quickly took Giuseppe¡¯s other hand. Giuseppe had become calmer than before, but he still glared at me suspiciously. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll support you to become a successor just because you help me? You¡¯ll never be Duke Squire. Because you¡¯re stupid.¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re all right.¡± ¡°Hiik¡­! Do you think I¡¯m kidding?¡± I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t even have the desire to become a duke in the first place though?¡± Giuseppe snarled low and shook my hand with all his might. ¡°Then why were you so anxious that you couldn¡¯t kick me and my mom out?¡± Libby remained silent, perhaps because she thought it was not something to intervene recklessly. What should I say? It wasn¡¯t something I did, but it was a burden I had to carry as I live as Theresa anyway. ¡°Sorry.¡± Giuseppe¡¯s eyes widened, probably not expecting to hear an apology from me. ¡°It was hard to accept you and stepmother. I feel like I will be left alone.¡± I reached out to Giuseppe and asked for forgiveness. ¡°From now on, no one can kick you and stepmother out of the duchy. Of course, Libby too. I promise with my life.¡± It was a very simple oath. It was because I just needed to be treated silently. In the first place, I wasn¡¯t greedy for the family and was even less interested in the title. I just wanted to get away from the main plot. Did he feel my sincerity? Giuseppe still had a fierce expression on his face, but he made an irritating sound and took my hand again. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgiven you yet.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just pretending to be close because stupid jerks are watching us from behind. Don¡¯t be mistaken.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Giuseppe spoke rudely, but he held my hand quite calmly. In the meantime, I was conscious of the boys who glanced behind me once in a while and were still staring blankly at us and the nobles who were giggling and looking at us in surprise. ¡°Hmph.¡± Giuseppe unconsciously shook his hand as if he felt better. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Mad Mania¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Why am I watching this heart-warming scene? ?? My taste is not like this.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Bet Your Life on Theresa¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [That¡¯s because you were influenced by¡­] The carriage carrying us entered the still magnificent and splendid Squire Duchy. It stopped at the entrance where the servants were waiting. Miranda, the head of the maid, welcomed me with a smile. ¡°Oh my, how did the three of you come together?¡± ¡°I met them on the way.¡± Then Roseanne appeared. She also had a surprised expression, as if she didn¡¯t expect the three of us would return together. They didn¡¯t consider me as their family. However, as the boys did earlier, since my position had changed, acting carelessly will only fuel the disturbing rumors. In the end, this act is choking me. I needed a level of intimacy where they wouldn¡¯t feel the need to get rid of Theresa. Also, the wounds they suffered caused me to feel uncomfortable. That was all. I greeted them with courtesy first. ¡°I¡¯m back, Stepmother.¡± She paused for a moment at my polite greeting and then smiled softly. ¡°Yes. Welcome back.¡± Giuseppe watched my actions with a sullen face and snorted. ¡°Hmph. Pretending to be nice all of a sudden.¡± I clasped my fingers at Giuseppe, who spoke hatefully. ¡°Ugh! Why are you holding my hand again?¡± ¡°Because there might be people spreading rumors about us here too.¡± ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t help it. I have no choice but to hold it.¡± Then the servants widened their eyes as they had witnessed a strange sight. Roseanne said, ¡°Oh my,¡± and covered her mouth as she looked at us with surprised eyes. With that kind of ripple effect, the rumors about me kicking them out because of our bad relationship would have subsided. ¡°I¡¯ll escort you to the second floor, Little Gentleman.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a kid. And I will be taller than you half a year later, you idiot. Can¡¯t you tell just by looking at our father¡¯s height?¡± Giuseppe had a temper but didn¡¯t let go of my hand until we reached the room. Shake, shake. The hand that held him moved as if it were shaking in the spring breeze. * * * Theresa¡¯s dressing room was almost full. Unopened jewelry and shoes were piled up like a mountain. I¡¯ll just wear something suitable. But Roseanne and the maids seemed to think differently. ¡°¡­What are all of these?¡± I got up late, came down to the hall to get some snacks, and froze. Dozens of mannequins stood in the hall, each dressing in dazzling clothes. I thought there was a fashion show for a moment. Roseanne said as if she was happy when she found me, ¡°You woke up. I was about to call you even if you didn¡¯t. You have to pick out the clothes and accessories to wear to the Sun Palace tomorrow.¡± Eloise, who had a grudge against my school uniform, looked ecstatic at the boutique staff setting jewelry on the table with velvet. ¡°Finally, Lady is going to wear proper clothes, not the boring school uniforms!¡± I said with a panicked look. ¡°I have a lot of dresses, so it¡¯s okay not to have to buy new ones.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Materialism¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Please! Just! Take! It!] [The Constellations strongly agree.] Shopping for clothes was a cruel task for me, who adhered to Steve Jobs¡¯s fashion of black tops and jeans all week. But I guess people usually like things like this. Dressing paper dolls and dressing sticker dolls have been popular since ancient times. Even in mobile games, dressing-up games have been consistently released. Right. This is a dressing-up game. Just think of it as a game where you die if you don¡¯t dress properly. I thanked Rosanne after enough self-brainwashing. ¡°Thank you for your care.¡± ¡°Since you were invited to the Sun Palace for the first time in your life, no matter how much you prepare, it won¡¯t be enough. I wonder if you have clothes to wear on your mind.¡± If it had been Theresa, none of this would have caught her eyes, but they were all too flashy for me. If anyone sees it, they¡¯ll think I¡¯m aiming for the position of empress, right? Just as the product sightseeing was about to be completed, Raul came down the hall dressed in loose clothes as if drawn by the commotion. ¡°It¡¯s been noisy since morning.¡± Libby also appeared after hearing the news. ¡°Wow! What¡¯s all this?¡± Finally, Giuseppe trudged along, scanning the whole view of the hall with pathetic eyes. ¡°Did you make a fuss again? Please stop calling the boutique staff to our house. Aren¡¯t you tired of shopping?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s Stepmother who called them.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay to call it once in a while.¡± After that, they settled down on the prepared sofa and stared at me. ¡°Excuse me¡­ Why are you all sitting here?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you picking out clothes to wear for having an audience with His Majesty? Of course, I, your father, should watch it.¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t miss it too!¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll ruin our family. It¡¯s annoying, but I will hold back.¡± ¡°Uum, I see¡­¡± I was embarrassed and ashamed to suddenly find myself in a situation where I was choosing clothes to wear in front of the whole family. I¡¯ll have to pick one and finish it quickly. I picked out the clothes that were closest to me. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡± I just wanted to pick and finish it quickly, but it was impossible. ¡°It¡¯s too plain. It won¡¯t even satisfy His Majesty¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°Then with this¡­¡± ¡°Um, since it¡¯s spring, wouldn¡¯t it be better to be a little brighter? In contrast to Sister¡¯s dark hair.¡± ¡°Or this¡­¡± ¡°You look like a fat orange.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Professional Trainer¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [First on the left, the second row from the back to the right, first on the right, and fourth, don¡¯t even think of choosing them.] ¡°¡­¡± What on earth do you want me to do? CH 55 ¡°I think these dresses are the best. What do you think?¡± Before I got more pissed off, Roseanne stepped in and narrowed the candidates to three. ¡°Let¡¯s buy all three first, and we can choose what to wear tomorrow.¡± No matter what, it¡¯s good. All three were great designs, so whatever I wore would look great with Theresa¡¯s perfect beauty. I asked with a tired expression. ¡°It¡¯s over now, right?¡± Roseanne tilted her head. ¡°What are you talking about? We haven¡¯t even looked at the hair ornament, jewelry set, gloves, shoes, bag, parasol, fan, and handkerchief.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After buying all the things to wear from head to toe, the long shopping trip was over. It was an arduous time to the extent that I never wanted to receive an invitation from the emperor again. But everyone¡¯s reaction for the shopping was good except for me. ¡°It reminds me of the day when Theresa made her social debut. Isn¡¯t that right, Honey?¡± ¡°Of course, I remember. It was the day Theresa ripped off young Master Wickham¡¯s hair.¡± Roseanne quickly changed the subject. ¡°Oh my, look at this, Honey. It¡¯s gorgeous.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Rofan-Addicted Young Lady¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Ha. I¡¯ve never been so satisfied.] I took refuge in my room before being dragged to buy something more. The [advanced etiquette] that I really need to buy isn¡¯t stocked at the store. The skills I¡¯ve needed so far have been stocked right before I use them, so they will also stock up tomorrow. Thus, the long-awaited Sunday was approaching. * * * The imperial palace was a large-scale building. Even the Saint-Trio Hotel and the Magic School Valhalla felt a bit shabby compared to this huge and magnificent castle. I entered the place where the carriage could enter and got off the place where the court ladies, dressed in the same clothes, stood in line with each other. They greeted me at the same time with expressionless faces like puppets being manipulated. ¡°We have been waiting for you, Princess Theresa Squire. Welcome to the imperial palace.¡± It was a fairly robotic welcome. Then a man in a neat uniform approached. ¡°Welcome, Princess. My name is Jeffrey, the chief of aide to His Majesty. Didn¡¯t you have a long way to go?¡± ¡°Greetings, Lord Jeffrey. It was the day of my long-awaited visit to the imperial palace, so everything was pleasant, and I didn¡¯t feel far away. After all, we¡¯re still in the capital.¡± ¡°Haha. Princess is someone who speaks your words very beautifully. I will guide you to the Sun Palace, so please don¡¯t refuse my escort.¡± I grabbed Jeffrey¡¯s arm and moved on. Jeffrey brought up a few things to talk about so I wouldn¡¯t feel nervous or awkward. ¡°Princess has changed a lot from before. You seem much calmer.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I was in a mess inside, but I looked fine on the outside. System, stock up the items! It was already my 200th shout. I was getting more and more anxious. Surely I wouldn¡¯t have to meet the emperor with [Intermediate etiquette], right? ¡°His Majesty, like Princess, has been looking forward to today.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± It was a completely nonsensical statement that didn¡¯t make any sense. I waited for the notification to the extent that I wasn¡¯t interested in the fantastically embodied beauty of the imperial palace. Is the system judging that advanced etiquette is not needed now? As I was preoccupied with other thoughts, I inadvertently spat it out when I started to see a familiar palace. ¡°We¡¯re already reaching Sun Palace.¡± Jeffrey then asked in wonder. ¡°You noticed before I told you. Have you been here before?¡± Among the young ladies of the empire, I would be the first one to visit it, so I doubt I¡¯ve ever been here. This was just the information I knew because I was the developer. ¡°As far as I know, court ladies wear different clothes for each palace. The court ladies who follow me now and the court ladies here have the same clothes, so I guessed that this place is the Sun Palace.¡± Jeffery¡¯s eyes lit up in admiration at my answer. ¡°Hoo¡­ Princess has a good eye.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Rofan-Addicted Young Lady¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [It seems like you¡¯re one step closer to the empress¡¯s seat.] What a scary thing to say. ¡°This is the VIP parlor. Ah, you could see the chamberlain over there. I shall leave now.¡± As soon as Jeffrey turned around, the neat-looking chamberlain approached and greeted me. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Princess. My name is Bein, the chief of the chamberlain.¡± ¡°My name is Theresa from the Squire family.¡± My gaze briefly touched the tightly closed door of the parlor and fell. I asked the chamberlain as if I wanted to greet the emperor in perfect shape. ¡°Chief Chamberlain, can I take a moment to check if there are any problems with how I look?¡± He replied with a nod, ¡°Of course. There is a powder room, so please use it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Tak. As soon as the door closed, I murmured devastatingly. ¡°I¡¯m doomed.¡± [The Constellations are curious about the reason.] ¡°Have you seen the feet of the court ladies? It was wrapped in cloth. When the emperor is in a bad mood, all the court ladies of the Sun Palace add cloth to make their shoes sound muffled.¡± So it meant that the emperor was in a very bad mood. Maybe the reason was because of me. What¡¯s the point of calling someone and feeling a bad mood from it? Then you shouldn¡¯t call them at all. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®I Hate Romance¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Then, what¡¯s different from usual?] ¡°When he was in a bad mood, someone was always seriously injured or killed.¡± Most likely, the person who would be seriously injured or killed would be me. Still, in this situation, there was no news from the store. ¡°Everyone, I think today could be my last broadcast.¡± However, the Constellations seemed to be more interested in my death notice. Seeing that everyone urged in unison. [The Constellations are curious about ¡®Euges¡¯] [The Constellations are hoping that BJ will go to the parlor quickly.] Ha. Right, dying is my job. Now it had come to this, it couldn¡¯t be helped. I had no choice but to deal with the emperor using all my knowledge. I left the powder room after a solemn resolution. The chamberlain opened his mouth as I approached the parlor. ¡°Your Majesty, Princess Theresa Squire of the Squire family asked for an audience. Shall I let her in?¡± It was when I was nervous and waiting for an answer. Click. Instead of answering, the door opened. Huh¡­? Purple eyes that were cold enough to give the illusion that they were blue, looked straight at me. He was a man whose arrogance and pride flowed through his whole body, as one who owned the world. Emperor Euges Rodrigo opened the door by himself. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you, Princess.¡± I hurriedly set up an example. ¡°Greetings to Your Majesty the Great Emperor, Lord of the World.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Rofan-Addicted Young Lady¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [His dignified appearance is worthy of being an emperor.] Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Face Inspector¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [He¡¯s not my taste, but I¡¯m strangely attracted to him.] Euges smiled and said, ¡°Come in.¡± Maybe I just passed the greeting test. Now it was time to check out the next challenge. Person information. [Euges Rodrigo] Age: 31 Height: 190 cm Birthday: January 31st Likes: Betting, drinking, smoking, stories Dislike: Deceit, Squire, boredom, trifle Likeability: 4 ¡°¡­?!¡± There were four black hearts from the start? Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Fact Is Violence¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [Oh¡­ This seems like a messed-up situation, right?] No matter how hard mode it is, isn¡¯t this too much? Euges went to the table where the refreshments were splendidly prepared and handed me a chair. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± I sat down in a chair with stiff movements. Euges pushed the chair inward and whispered in my ear. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± My whole body shuddered at his whisper. I tried to say no, but the moment I met his purple eyes, a helpless honesty came out. ¡°¡­Yes. I was a bit, very nervous.¡± It was an answer that would seem stupid, regardless of etiquette. He¡¯s not going to kill me just because I¡¯m stupid, right? Ilya could be like that, but Euges had no particular opinion about being stupid. Besides, he hated too smart and boring types the most. Actually, if you raise your intelligence too high, it¡¯s difficult to get in Euges¡¯s route. Therefore, this was strategic stupidity¡­ That¡¯s how it was anyway. CH 56 Euges grinned as he sat in the top seat and watched me frozen. ¡°Your impression has changed a lot from last summer¡¯s ball.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor if Your Majesty remembers.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite impressive to see Princess eager to dance with me.¡± F*icking hedonist Theresa. No matter how much money, power, and appearance the emperor had, why didn¡¯t you keep your fidelity to Clyde? I thought carefully about how to answer. If I look like I¡¯m aiming for the position of the empress, I¡¯ll lose his likeability right away. In other words, it meant the number of black hearts would increase. The bad ending of Euges was the massacre of the Squire family. Let¡¯s appeal that I¡¯m not the only one who was like that. ¡°All the young ladies wanted to dance with Your Majesty. Because Your Majesty is like a prince from a fairy tale.¡± ¡°Prince?¡± I was taken aback by Euges¡¯s question. Is it too much to call an emperor a prince? Don¡¯t tell me he will think that I¡¯m being sarcastic, as if I don¡¯t acknowledge him as the emperor. I hastily added an explanation. ¡°Uh¡­ Usually, the emperor is a man with a long beard¡­ No, I mean, they¡¯re not too young and handsome like Your Majesty¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°They were attracted to me because I¡¯m young and handsome?¡± That¡¯s what it sounded like, but it was too plain. ¡°It was never meant to be erotic. It was more yearning.¡± The emperor is a tyrant. He is a cold and cruel tyrant that seduces someone with his enchanting appearance and scent but instantly kills those who try to get drunk on him. In a way, he¡¯s pretty similar to Clyde. If Clyde was mad with self-loathing, this side believed only in himself and thought that everyone was lying except for himself. At my desperate excuses and persuasion, Euges¡¯s eyebrows went up. ¡°For something like that, Princess¡¯s eyes toward me were very intense, weren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°I naturally have a strong impression.¡± ¡°And you always talk back to me.¡± Sh*t. Does he believe in Confucianism? Even I, the developer, didn¡¯t know about that. Let¡¯s be patient. Those who exist are the ones who get hit, and those who don¡¯t exist mean that they are the ones who get beaten in life. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Stop being sorry and have some refreshments prepared. I told them to prepare everything that is popular these days, but I don¡¯t know if it will be okay.¡± Even if it wasn¡¯t so, I was running out of sugar because I was dealing with the emperor. So I ate the cake right in front of me. Euges took a bite of the macaron and threw it with his fork. Just as I was opening my mouth to eat the cake, I froze in that position. ¡°That¡¯s terrible. Is this all you can do to entertain a distinguished guest who has made a contribution?¡± Then, the court ladies, who exist like air, quickly approached and cleaned up the macaroons. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I will bring a new one.¡± I put the cake in my mouth, quickly chewed it, and swallowed it. I think I¡¯m going to have an upset stomach. Euges asked, and I stopped my fork in case he started screaming again. ¡°Does it not suit your taste? I don¡¯t think I can eat it.¡± ¡°Ah, no. It¡¯s delicious.¡± I forked hard, fearing he might overturn the table, and Euges murmured softly. ¡°Really? It didn¡¯t suit my taste. It looks like you have a good stomach.¡± Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Finding Mukbang BJ¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [So, are you telling her to eat it or not?¡ª It¡¯s making me crazy.¡± That was what I was saying. When I ate diligently, Euges suddenly got up. ¡°For the sake of Princess, I will show you around the Sun Palace. After a short walk, dinner will be ready.¡± It was an unwelcome suggestion at all, but I would rather take a walk than chew a cake that doesn¡¯t even know if I eat it with my mouth or my nose. ¡°It is an honor, Your Majesty.¡± As I followed and got up, Euges held out his hand to escort me. I smiled awkwardly and lightly touched the tip of his hand. As I pretended to touch it, Euges held my hand like a beast trying to suffocate its prey. It felt like I could never escape. ¡°I¡¯m upset that Princess is having a hard time with me.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not like that at all.¡± We left the reception room and walked along the quiet corridor. It wasn¡¯t good weather for a walk as it started to drizzle, but it had its own charm. While only Euges¡¯s and my footsteps echoed, he broke the silence. ¡°I heard that there was a commotion in Valhalla not too long ago. Duke Squire seems to be very angry.¡± ¡°There was a misunderstanding, and it was resolved smoothly and well.¡± Euges snorted at my nonchalant answer. He didn¡¯t seem to believe at all whether he had known the situation in detail beforehand. Although it didn¡¯t go smoothly because father threatened to do territory war. ¡°Well, let¡¯s say so. The important thing is not that, it¡¯s the award for meritorious service Princess had done. How about becoming the imperial wizard right away? I will support you as much as you like with your personal magic tower and assistants.¡± To become an imperial wizard, you had to quit school. Neither was the direction I wanted, so I carefully chose my words and refused. ¡°I¡¯m grateful that Your Majesty rated my abilities highly, but how can a person who hasn¡¯t graduated from Valhalla become a member of the imperial family?¡± ¡°So you reject it. Compared to the status of a princess, it¡¯s not a particularly attractive proposal. If so, tell me what Princess wants.¡± It was an obvious test. You shouldn¡¯t want something too much or too trivial. If you couldn¡¯t come up with a well-balanced answer, you wouldn¡¯t know how Euges would react. But is there such an answer? Klatang! The unpleasant sound of stones being kicked to the marble floor rang out clearly. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± A terrifying silence passed. After stepping on the stones, the courter became contemplative and immediately bowed to the floor and prayed. ¡°Please spare me, Your Majesty!¡± Euges put his big hand on his forehead. His hand trembled slightly, and blood vessels stood on his forehead. It was a big deal. Euges¡¯s shallow patience was about to be running out. The court lady would surely die. Because today was the day to put fabric on all the shoes! ¡°Your Majesty, there is something I want.¡± I didn¡¯t think of myself to be particularly chivalrous. However, I didn¡¯t have the mental strength to watch a person die in front of my eyes. ¡°I want to see ice thorn wolf¡¯s bane. If it¡¯s the flower garden of the imperial family, there must be such a precious flower.¡± ¡°Ice thorn wolf¡¯s bane?¡± Euges looked back at the chamberlain with a furrowed expression on his face that he had never heard of before. ¡°Is there such a thing?¡± ¡°There is a small garden of it, Your Majesty.¡± When he heard that there was a separate flower garden, Euges looked even more puzzled. The chamberlain continued. ¡°It¡¯s a flower that is always placed in Your Majesty¡¯s bedroom.¡± ¡°Ah, that flower.¡± Ice thorn wolf¡¯s bane is a magical flower with a powerful paralyzing poison. It¡¯s a dangerous plant that if a non-wizard holds it with their bare hands, their whole body becomes paralyzed and dies within five minutes. Still, it was an effective herb for the emperor. Euges¡¯s neurosis was a disease caused by his lineage. Because his five senses were very sensitive, the paralyzing effect of the ice thorn wolf¡¯s bane worked positively on him. Euges smiled nervously and looked at me. ¡°Do you mean to tell me to look at those flowers to calm my temper?¡± If I really meant it that way, it would only be a sarcastic remark to the emperor. I flatly denied it. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m saying this because Your Majesty seems to have felt a headache from the sharp sound. Taking painkillers will have an immediate effect, but frequent use is not good for your health. So if Your Majesty goes to the garden with me, you will have a similar effect.¡± ¡°Going to the garden for my health can be a prize for Princess?¡± There was no hesitation in my answer. ¡°Yes. If it works, I will take good care of Your Majesty. There is no greater reward than that.¡± Euges might not believe it, but I was sincere. He stared at me with an expression that he wanted to strangle me, then gently closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes again, his expression softened. ¡°Guide me.¡± The chief chamberlain thanked me with a wink and hurriedly led us to the flower garden. ¡°I didn¡¯t know magic plants were left in the imperial family. I thought the flowers in the bedroom were brought from outside.¡± As soon as it was reported that monsters were attracted by magical plants, the imperial family replaced the garden with ordinary plants. The chamberlain replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re taking care of it thoroughly, so it¡¯s not dangerous.¡± ¡°I see. I don¡¯t think monsters will attack on this scale.¡± Magical plants were also great for ornamental purposes because of their mysterious shapes and colors. The ice thorn wolf¡¯s bane was emitting an enchanting light that could only be found in a celestial garden. Still, the light was much more prominent because of the rainy weather. ¡°Hmm. It calms me down quite a bit.¡± His relaxed action made the court ladies look relieved inside. I thought the emperor was being generous today. Still, he had a stiff look on his face. If he was really in a good mood, he would have ordered the cloth covering the court ladies¡¯ shoes to be undone. Euges reached out gracefully and grabbed the hair of the court lady who had stepped on the stone and pulled it away. ¡°Aargh!¡± The atmosphere froze again in an instant. ¡°Let¡¯s pretend princess¡¯s efforts to ease my heart, so I give you a chance,¡± Euges said to the court lady with a benevolent expression. ¡°Pick that flower that is said to be effective for me.¡± CH 57 Flowers were medicine for the emperor, but they were poison for court ladies who were only ordinary people. ¡°Y-Your Majesty, this servant has committed a great sin. Please forgive me once so that this will never happen again¡­!¡± He tossed the court lady in annoyance. The court lady screamed and stepped back when she saw an ice-thorn wolf¡¯s bane before her eyes. ¡°You, the one who became a court lady for loyalty, unable to pick a single flower to cure my neurosis?¡± ¡°Please save me, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°You b*tch embarrassed me in front of the Princess.¡± He just wants to kill that court lady. Pretended to test his loyalty with flowers, but it was just a way to vent his anger. It was like showing off to me, the princess of Squire. With a pale face, I forced open my hardened lips. ¡°Your Majesty, may I take his place?¡± Euges grasped my hand, which he had been holding like a trap the whole time as if to twist it. Grasp! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± He held my distorted face with his other hand. His eyes were filled with murderous intent. It was scary. The tension I felt when I first encountered the monster was incomparable to my current fear. Still, I didn¡¯t avert my eyes. Even if my eyes were bloodshot or tears welled up, I should never do that. I don¡¯t regret my actions. Euges made a strange expression and released his hand that had held me tightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Princess has so much compassion.¡± He took a step back. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this. I will ask you a question, and if I like your answer, I will spare the court lady. If I don¡¯t like it¡­ Princess will kill him yourself. Will you accept this bet?¡± The emperor likes to bet. His black hearts would increase if you retreated, so I had no choice. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± When I answered, Euges looked at me arrogantly with a satisfied face. The bet started. ¡°Until now, anyone who deceived me was burned at the stake. However, now that punishment has become insignificant, so more and more people are being lax like today.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What kind of punishment do you think this court lady should be given to make everyone aware not to do deception?¡± ¡°What punishment do you think this court lady should be punished for making everyone aware of deception?¡± He asked what kind of punishment could be more effective to raise awareness rather than burning them. Simply, being cruel wouldn¡¯t be a trivial and oblivious answer to the emperor¡¯s heart. This was a scene and a question that didn¡¯t appear in the game. Here, I had to use my judgment and answer considering Euges¡¯s character. He liked betting, drinking, smoking, and stories. The breakthrough was ¡®story.¡¯ ¡°Before I answer, may I tell you a story?¡± Euges generously allowed it. ¡°Try it.¡± I had no talent for telling stories in an entertaining way. Instead, I knew how to make it appear amusing. After all, I wrote the game scenario. It wasn¡¯t a story I made alone, but I had the experience to express the story. It happened to be raining today. So I drew the rainwater using my mana and made an exaggerated character like an animation. ¡°A mischievous god gave his son, who was unable to use magic, the ability to use tricks to change the shape of stolen objects.¡± This was the story of Sisyphus, a Greek myth. ¡°With that ability, the son of god stole the cow of Sisyphus, the king of the region called Corinth, and changed its appearance to make its color brighter and its belly fatter.¡± Euges was indifferent at first but gradually focused on the characters I created. ¡°Sisyphus became suspicious of the son of God as the number of his cows decreased, and the number of cows of unknown origin increased. Then he came up with a trick.¡± I engraved ¡®Sisyphus¡¯ on the cow¡¯s hoof. ¡°Sisyphus visited the son of God and showed him the hoof of a cow on which his name was engraved. Thus, the theft was discovered, and not only the son of the god but also the god came to hate Sisyphus.¡± What I need this time is Zeus, the god who rides on clouds with lightning, and Nymph Aegina, the river god. ¡°One day, Sisyphus discovered that the god of lightning had kidnapped the beautiful nymph, Aegina. The nymph¡¯s father was a river god, and Sisyphus traded the information with him because his kingdom needed water.¡± The emperor wasn¡¯t the only one who focused on the story. Before I knew it, everyone here was looking at the character made of water I made with a blank expressions. ¡°Sisyphus got the water, and the lightning god was furious when the abduction failed. So he sent the god of death to Sisyphus.¡± However, Sisyphus tricked the god of death into confinement. Because of that, death disappeared from the world for a while, and Hades, who ruled the underworld, suffered great damage. ¡°Sisyphus was taken to the underworld as punishment. However, he deceived even the god of the underworld and returned to the human world and enjoyed a long life.¡± Euges, who had been silent, opened his mouth. ¡°From your story, I know who is God and who is Sisyphus. But Sisyphus came back alive from the underworld and lived a long life. Does that mean I have to let that court lady live?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Sisyphus eventually died at the end of his life span. The gods didn¡¯t forgive Sisyphus for deceiving them, so they punished his soul.¡± The rainwater formed a huge mountain. And at the foot of the mountain, there was a small Sisyphus and a boulder. ¡°Sisyphus was punished by pushing a boulder to the top of the mountain for deceiving the gods. But before reaching the top, the boulder rolled back down again, repeating his punishment forever.¡± After I scattered the magic away, I made eye contact with Euges. ¡°Since the court lady deceived God, what if her punishment is pushing the boulder?¡± This was my answer. ¡°Ha¡­ Hahaha!¡± The emperor laughed like a boy. ¡°That answer is really to my liking.¡± Ah¡­ thank god. It felt as if the strength of my whole body was released from the relief. ¡°I will punish that court lady by rolling the boulder, just like the Princess said.¡± ¡­What? ¡°Your Majesty,¡± I called him with a stiff face. The court lady, who thought she would stay alive, shed tears silently, lost her temper, and shouted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that if you like the princess¡¯s answer, you will surely spare me!¡± Euges clicked his tongue. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t order to kill you. Can¡¯t you hear me?¡± The chief of chamberlain sighed, and the court lady was dragged out. I looked at the emperor, trembling slightly all over my body, looking pale and tired. Euges carefreely picked flowers from the flower bed, even getting hit by the rain himself. The rain-soaked flowers were emitting more light and fresh fragrance. He smelled the scent of the flowers and then approached me with a sluggish smile. ¡°It really works. Even Princess¡¯s messy etiquette doesn¡¯t bother my eyes.¡± Obviously, the emperor was in a good mood and held out the ice thorn wolf¡¯s banes to me. ¡°Take it. It¡¯s the first time I give flowers to a woman.¡± ¡°¡­I am honored, Your Majesty.¡± I received the flowers with cold hands, then confirmed something. [Likeability: 3] Euges¡¯s likeability was reduced to three black hearts. In addition, he even permitted the court ladies to remove the cloth attached to their shoes. I really made him feel better. Really¡­ My body trembled. I had lost a lot of stamina and had been out for too long in the cold rainy weather. Euges held my hand with his hot hand. ¡°We¡¯ve been outside for such a long time that your body has become cold. Let¡¯s go to the banquet hall and have some warm food.¡± I wanted to avoid his touch, but my condition made me have to be supported by him to walk. Euges wasn¡¯t offended at all. Rather, he almost held me in his arms with an expression of delight. I felt dizzy. It seemed like the frantic ringing of sponsorship notifications was heard mixed with the cries of the court lady who was being dragged out. Crazy b*stard. The emperor was truly a madman. It was to the extent that I could say that he was by far the worst of all the male protagonists. I was able to return to the duchy with a completely upset stomach after having a grand dinner. CH 58 Euges felt happy for the first time after a long time. ¡°It¡¯s no one else who amused me but Princess Squire. Since I live, there¡¯s nothing more absurd than this.¡± After a rather early dinner, Theresa left the imperial palace. Keeping an unmarried lady until the evening would be a burden even to Euges, who was known for his carefree. The rewarding time was until dinner, but beyond that time was only allowed for lovers. Euges wasn¡¯t a romantic person to love the daughter of a family whom he would be happy if he could tear them off to death. However, it was an indisputable fact that Theresa entertained him today. Jeffrey, who was being handed the emperor¡¯s coat, said with a smile, ¡°It seems you were satisfied with today¡¯s meeting, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°The level of her etiquette hasn¡¯t changed. It¡¯s difficult for me to bear with it. She kept getting on my nerves, and I almost strangled her.¡± ¡°Even so, you seem to like the princess.¡± ¡°Right. Seeing her myself, I knew for sure. Her etiquette remains the same, but quite a few things have changed.¡± Euges deliberately opened the door parlor without saying a word to greet the princess. Ladies like Theresa often made big mistakes out of pride when they received such special treatment. That¡¯s why he made such a move, but as soon as he opened the door and saw Theresa¡¯s expressionless face, he had a hunch. That the plan to make her make a mistake had failed. ¡°At first, I thought she was someone else.¡± Theresa was a beautiful woman, but she didn¡¯t have a good impression to the point that her appearance didn¡¯t stand out at all, so he hadn¡¯t properly recognized that fact until now. But today was different. Her watery, silver-gray eyes were like transparent glass beads, and even his chronic neurosis seemed to be suppressed when he looked at them. Jeffrey also deeply agreed with the emperor, recalling Theresa. ¡°I also felt that she had greatly changed when I guided her to the Sun Palace.¡± He relayed to the emperor the story about how Theresa immediately recognized the location when they arrived at the Sun Palace. ¡°Really?¡± Euges smiled and poured a drink into a crystal glass. Since he felt good, he chose a soft drink with a rich aroma and taste, not his usual strong alcohol. He didn¡¯t want to spoil this excitement with anything. Jeffrey asked, helping him change clothes. ¡°Could she be a demon contractor?¡± They suspected Theresa¡¯s sudden abnormal power might have been caused by a pact with the demon. Euges shook his head. ¡°Not at all.¡± The immediate imperial family had special powers. It was the eyes that recognized the existence of outsiders. Those who were born with weak imperial blood only vaguely felt the Magi. Still, the emperor saw through a more distinct essence than that. ¡°It was different from the foggy feeling I felt when I saw Ilya Bernstein and Clyde Willow. I could see everything, but it just felt like I couldn¡¯t figure out the identity because I lacked knowledge.¡± Euges took a sip of his drink and wrinkled his brows. It reminded him of the overwhelming image of Theresa, who had acted like a fool, telling him a story with her eyes shining like starlight. He had been engulfed by the aura coming from Theresa for a moment. ¡°It felt unpleasantly nice.¡± Theresa was obviously enraged when he told to take the court lady away. She despised, feared, resentful, and disappointed with him. Even so, she exuded an aura that gently wrapped around him. What was that aura? ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of variable the princess will become in the future. Tell Gordon to keep an eye on the princess.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Oh, and.¡± Euges put down the glass and smiled mischievously. ¡°Send gifts to the princess who pleased me today without any shortage.¡± * * * It was the next day. ¡°L-Lady, I think you should come out and see¡­!¡± To go to school from the duchy, I had to busily prepare from early morning. As I was taking medicine given by the doctor because I wasn¡¯t in good condition in the aftermath of the previous day, I went down to the first floor, feeling strange anxiety from the maid¡¯s fuss. ¡°¡­What¡¯s all this?¡± From the morning breeze, knights in imperial uniforms and male courtiers with handsome looks were entering the duchy in a long queue. As many as them, the roofless wagons were full of all sorts of rare things, attracting spectators outside the duchy. It was to the extent that all the servants of the duchy had to be mobilized to organize them. Raul also approached me with a bewildered look and said, ¡°All of them were sent by His Majesty the Emperor.¡± Those gifts were all precious things. ¡°Oh my gosh, how did he send such fine embroidered silk?¡± ¡°What about this golden angel!¡± Even the duke¡¯s servants, who wouldn¡¯t even flinch at a simple sneeze, were all speechless. Ding! [The Constellation ¡®Rofan-Addicted Young Lady¡¯ has sponsored 10,000 coins.] [I can¡¯t believe he sent gifts to the young lady with whom he only spent more than half a day. Moreover, this much.] Everyone looked at me, including Raul. ¡°What on earth happened at the Sun Palace yesterday? Don¡¯t tell me you got proposed to?¡± ¡°No, absolutely not.¡± I flatly denied it. People were even more puzzled. I could understand them being puzzled. This situation could only be interpreted as the emperor falling in love with me and sending many gifts. Raul entrusted the disposition of the emperor¡¯s gifts to me completely. ¡°You can send it back, or you can use it all. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. First of all, can Father manage all of these? I¡¯ll think more about how to handle it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± When I let out a sigh with a troubled expression, Raul clicked his tongue and said, ¡°No matter what the truth is, it¡¯s hard to avoid rumors that you might end up in the empress¡¯s seat.¡± Ah. I don¡¯t want to go to school. The area around Duke Squire was a residential area lined with townhouses of wealthy nobles. Among them, of course, there were Valhalla students. Each of the students whispered about the amazing sight they had seen that morning. Whisper. Whisper. I couldn¡¯t hear them talking, but their eyes were on me, so I roughly guessed what they were talking about. It was probably about the gifts from the emperor and the possibility of Theresa becoming the empress. Ouch, my head. Where should I run away today? Library? Abandoned annex? If not¡­ ¡°Lady Theresa!¡± Even before deciding on my destination, members of Clybe flocked with serious faces. They swallowed dry saliva and asked me in trembling voices. ¡°Is it true that His Majesty proposed to Lady Theresa?¡± I guess the rumor has already reached the point of a marriage proposal. I widened my eyes and firmly denied it. ¡°It¡¯s not like that at all. The gifts that came to the duchy today are just rewards for finding a way to purify the eroded land.¡± The young ladies¡¯ expressions brightened noticeably. ¡°Aah! As expected, it was like that! T-then, the rumors that Lady might drop out of school and join the imperial family¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s definitely not the case either.¡± At that time, Lumion, who was quietly buried among the young ladies, murmured grimly with a shady face. ¡°But¡­ I heard that His Majesty has never presented a woman with flowers¡­ Cough.¡± She squeezed the small notebook and pen that she always held until they made a crackling sound. ¡°Lady Theresa is so beautiful and enchanting¡­ Even His Majesty recognized it¡­ I¡¯m sure¡­!¡± A face with grotesquely shining eyes and dark circles much darker than before. It was the expression of a madman who was completely absorbed in something and half out of their mind. It¡¯s dangerous. The demon would be summoned when Lumio breaks the pen with her grip! I shouted in a hurry. ¡°It can¡¯t be! Even so, it¡¯s only Clyde to me!¡± If I jumped out to paradise anyway, whether it was marriage or anything else would be left behind. So, without hesitation, I shouted to avoid the crisis in front of me. ¡°I will never marry anyone but Clyde!¡± ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Kyaa!¡± A voice that should never have been heard at this moment came behind me. I literally jumped back, screaming in fright. ¡°S-s-since when have you been here?¡± Clyde looked at me with a disdainful gaze and sneered. ¡°I don¡¯t know? Maybe since I¡¯ve heard of your poor marriage proposal.¡± That means he had heard it all from the beginning.