Chapter 27
Baeksan hesitated before changing direction toward the temple.
However, when she reached the temple entrance, all she could see was a locked iron gate and a murmuring crowd.
‘What’s going on?’
As she peered around, she caught snippets of conversation from the people ahead.
“The temple’s closed off.”
“What? Why?”
“It’s supposed to be secret but…”
Baeksan’s ears perked up.
“They say the Emperor collapsed at dawn! Apparently, he was brought to the temple!”
“The Emperor collapsed? Wasn’t he already ill and being treated by the Grimaldi physicians?”
“Yes, but the problem is…”
The middle-aged man’s voice dropped lower.
“Even the physicians don’t know the cause. That’s why the temple is their only hope.”
“…”
A sudden sense of foreboding crept up Baeksan’s spine.
‘Wait. The beginning of «Another Saga» was definitely…’
The text that had appeared on a black background when she first installed the game flashed through her mind:
[…After the Emperor fell, the calamity began.
The plague descended from the mountains.
The vegetation withered and died… and the demons…]
Her ominous feeling wasn’t wrong.
Ding!
Along with an impossible sound, windows popped up before her eyes.
[Quest has been generated.]
[Forced Quest!]
[Player must accept one of these quests.]
What.
Baeksan’s eyes widened.
[MAIN QUEST 1]
Climb the Daltai Mountains and spread the plague.
-Success: First Calamity spreads, 666,666,666,666,666,666 gold.
-Failure: No penalty.
[MAIN QUEST 2]
Frame Princess Bathilda for the Emperor’s collapse.
-Success: 3,600 gold.
-Failure: No penalty whatsoever.
[MAIN QUEST 3]
Gain the Emperor’s trust.
-Success: 2,800 gold.
-Failure: Absolutely no penalty.
‘…What the hell?’
After reading the last quest window, Baeksan burst into hollow laughter.
‘They’re telling me to do this now!’
And amid all this, the tone explaining the lack of penalties was unnecessarily gentle.
As if assuming her reason for not completing quests was fear of consequences. If the system had thoughts, that is.
‘This is insane, really.’
Baeksan rubbed her face and examined the quests again.
First, number 1.
Climb the mountains and release a plague?
‘Yeah, no.’
A quest not worth considering.
Number 2.
Frame Bathilda?
How could a fallen noble without home or temple frame a princess?
How?
‘Goddamn, really.’
Number 3.
This probably meant healing the Emperor’s illness.
But how could a mere fallen noble meet a bedridden Emperor?
Then Baeksan suddenly stroked her chin.
“…or maybe not?”
* * *
Leventor Palace.
Looking up at the main gate where a copper lion statue roared, Baeksan’s mouth gaped open beneath her robe.
‘Free European tour…!’
When everyone else got to visit Europe at least once, she couldn’t because of work.
She felt oddly emotional experiencing this kind of travel in such a place.
But she quickly composed herself and headed to the small information office next to the palace.
It seemed set up to receive tourists visiting the partially open palace and perhaps unexpected visitors.
While Baeksan waited at the information office, she watched noble carriages being inspected by guards before entering the palace.
‘If I revealed my noble status, that would be possible.’
The problem was Baeksan didn’t know how to prove she was ‘Minervina Rethor.’
And honestly, it was better not to prove it.
Waiting patiently, her turn finally came.
The guide in red clothes asked:
“Welcome. What brings you to His Sublimity’s lunar dwelling?”
Baeksan held out the brooch Bathilda had given her before.
“I’m here to see Sir Dominic Kito.”
“…!”
The guide’s expression changed upon seeing the brooch.
“Please wait a moment.”
The guide hurriedly contacted someone.
After a short wait, Dominic, the princess’s guard whom she had seen before, came out personally.
[Dominic Kito]
Princess Bathilda’s guard knight. Second son of House Kito.
Is wary of you. If you could win him over, he might be of great help in causing war…?
With short black hair and blue eyes.
The muscular knight’s eyes flashed with surprise upon seeing Baeksan, but that was all.
“Follow me.”
“Yes.”
Baeksan pulled her robe tighter and followed Dominic.
‘It would be troublesome if anyone recognized me as Minervina Rethor.’
As she passed through the palace, Baeksan glanced around furtively, wondering if there was any useful information to gather.
[Winged Lion Statue]
The winged lion statue in the central palace courtyard of Leventor Palace.
Pushing the lion reveals the ‘Eternal Maze’ beneath the palace. Once used to starve prisoners.
…Nothing particularly useful. Baeksan lost interest in this gloomy palace.
After passing through several reception rooms and one colonnade, they reached what appeared to be the Princess’s residence. The atmosphere inside was overall cool and quiet, with few people around.
Upon reaching the first-floor reception room, Dominic opened the door and said:
“Her Highness is in a meeting. Wait here.”
“Yes.”
Bathilda appeared surprisingly quickly. Less than 30 minutes had passed.
“I didn’t expect you’d really come. Are you in urgent need of money?”
She appeared in the reception room, her short cape attached to her black uniform fluttering.
Brilliant silver hair and red eyes.
These were symbols of the imperial family, though she’d heard that pink occasionally appeared due to bloodline, and that was preferred.
‘Then Exa’s black eyes must be from his mother’s side.’
Lost in thought, Baeksan rose from the sofa and gripped her skirt.
“Fortunately not. I pay my respects, Your Highness.”
It was the noble greeting she’d learned while enduring Elize’s suspicious glances.
“Is that so? How disappointing.”
Bathilda gestured casually. A signal to sit.
“So you’re not here to claim payment for Pavela’s craft that you sold me.”
“No.”
“I was prepared to pay if you asked.”
Really? Then maybe just a little…
…Baeksan barely managed to stop herself from speaking.
“I can earn money anytime.”
Trying to appear composed, she spoke, and Bathilda made a short snorting sound.
“Such nerve. So what’s your purpose? I’ll have you know I left a very important meeting for this.”
Baeksan took a breath, then went straight to the point.
“I can cure His Majesty’s illness.”
When Baeksan said this, Bathilda’s expression didn’t change.
She gazed steadily at Baeksan with eyes that seemed both pink and red.
‘What’s this?’
Baeksan belatedly sensed something was off.
Bathilda spoke with a deliberately slow pace that carried certain implications.
“Lady Minervina.”
Baeksan realized a moment later that she had called her “body’s” name.
“That’s certainly an ‘interesting’ story.”
“…”
Suddenly, this space with just herself, Bathilda, and Dominic felt very alien.
“To think I’d have to say this to you.”
It was an opening she didn’t want to hear the rest of. Bathilda’s expression remained unchanged.
A faint smile of arrogance tinged her sharp gaze.
“How should I put this… I have no particular feelings toward His Majesty. Some filial affection perhaps, but that’s all.”
“…You mean…”
“You’re intelligent. Figure it out yourself.”
Bathilda smiled slyly.
The answer? Wasn’t it obvious?
‘Bathilda has no intention of saving the Emperor.’
Even if it wasn’t Baeksan herself, Bathilda would ignore any other method to cure the Emperor’s illness.
‘Even worse…’
Baeksan hoped Bathilda hadn’t noticed the cold sweat running down her neck.
Her gaze unconsciously turned toward Dominic.
At this, Bathilda burst out laughing.
“Don’t worry, I’m not planning to have Dominic attack you in the middle of the night.”
Bathilda leaned back against her chair.
“I have neither the inclination nor reason to be active on either side. That’s all there is to it.”
