Chapter 120
Chapter 120
Strangely, whenever I stand before Leilyranda Jackmüller, I fall into fear.
And that fear isn’t the kind one feels toward a mere human. Not even a demonic beast… but something else.
[Irina, Irina. Are you okay?]
[Oh dear, she doesn’t seem to hear us.]
[What should we do?]
[Irina, Irina, you need to take deep breaths.]
Then when?
Space being torn apart, and blood-red eyes revealed through the gap. Just looking at it makes fear dominate me, and the system becomes unresponsive…
‘That thing’
Yes, ‘that thing.’
[SYSTEM | Switching to administrator mode.]
[SYSTEM | Adjusting ‘resolution’ from ’80’ to ’30’.]
The system seems to have adjusted the resolution on its own for my sake.
Things that weren’t visible before despite the system’s chatter began to come into view after the resolution dropped.
“Haah.”
An involuntary sigh of relief escaped my lips, and only then did I become aware that my back was damp with sweat.
The next thing I saw was Cassis’s profile beside me, though I didn’t know when he had approached.
Cassis was naturally speaking to Leilyranda, who wore a completely different, somewhat blank expression compared to when she was dealing with me earlier.
I finally managed to breathe as I watched a moment that could have been straight out of the original story.
Sounds were muffled as if buzzing.
Though better than before, I still wasn’t calm.
All I could see was Cassis’s handsome profile, and Leilyranda blushing as if she was excited just from quietly looking at him.
‘I don’t understand.’
[Irina.]
‘What’s happening to me right now?’
[Irina, first calm down.]
‘Why do I become like this only when I stand before Leilyranda Jackmüller, the original female protagonist?’
Who on earth is Leilyranda Jackmüller? What is her identity?
She has always been an object of fear for me. Despite the fact that I haven’t done anything strange.
I’ve always been afraid of her and…
<How interesting. Since you were my first, I was planning to break you from the beginning, but you managed to survive with all your might.>
I felt anxious hearing these contextless words.
Despite the original story changing due to my appearance, I was suspicious of her completely changed personality.
[Irina, it’s dangerous to lower the resolution further from here.]
[First, follow my instructions. Take deep breaths. Empty your mind.]
Ignoring the system’s words, I approached Cassis as if entranced.
“Irina, are you all right?”
“Yes… I think I’m fine.”
Grasping at Cassis in desperation, I clung to the hem of his jacket just as a bewildered child would hold onto their mother’s hand.
Cassis looked at me once, then at my tightly gripping hand, before carefully taking my hand in his.
Only when his warmth spread over the back of my hand did I begin to calm down.
“You two seem very close.”
The helpless fear I had felt, similar to when facing a demonic beast, was diluted.
“She is precious to me, so I cannot express it merely as being close.”
“…”
When I raised my head to check, Leilyranda’s face was distorted beyond description.
Though I hadn’t spent much time with her, the characteristic elegance and composure she had shown during our occasional interactions were completely absent.
She seemed to have lost all composure and was behaving like a madwoman.
Noticing my wavering gaze directed at her, Leilyranda finally subdued her expression.
She repeatedly opened and closed her mouth as if trying to say something.
Cassis and I simply waited for her.
After a long while, the words she finally uttered were filled with suppressed emotions.
“Not once.”
“…”
“I…”
Incoherent, abrupt words.
Eventually, Cassis took the initiative.
“Your Highness, is there a problem?”
“…Until the very end, Cassis Luwin, you were never helpful to me.”
“…”
“You won’t be able to pull that off now.”
It was impossible to understand, yet Cassis simply let those words slide.
And I…
With a pale face, I stared intently at the area extending from Leilyranda’s neck to her chest.
‘There’s a wound.’
A dreadful wound, as if cut with a dull knife and hastily stitched together.
‘It’s similar to the wound on Count Adela’s eldest son.’
Leilyranda staggered, whirled around, and disappeared from sight, while Cassis completely lost interest in her direction and focused entirely on me.
I barely accepted the low-resolution world while listening to Cassis’s kind words.
* * *
The highlight of the victory party is actually the Emperor’s commendation.
But for me, this party seemed to have poured all its focus on Leilyranda Jackmüller.
Even while trying to calm myself half-submerged in warm bathwater, there were things that wouldn’t settle.
‘…’
[I’ll increase the resolution once you’re calm.]
[Yes, it’s dangerous right now.]
‘…What would have happened to me without the system?’
I don’t just mean the help with debt repayment due to the system. My resolution seems to always be fixed at ’80’.
If I had lived without the system, with a resolution of ‘100’, would I have failed to adapt to this place and given up?
With no response forthcoming, I slid into the water until it covered my face.
‘…I’m confused. I can’t make sense of it.’
After that, the party continued quite formally.
The Emperor appearing with tremendous music, reluctantly praising Cassis with all sorts of flowery words despite disliking him, and the watchful gazes visible even in such a situation.
<In recognition of Cassis Luwin’s achievements in Count Adela’s territory, we award him a medal for his service.>
<Furthermore, in recognition of his victory in the war against demonic beasts, we command him to protect Jedo.>
Well, he spouted such nonsensical statements.
Cassis, who had been subjected to constant threats and brainwashing from Roen and me, splendidly refused the Emperor’s order.
<There are still many demonic beasts in Count Adela’s territory, and the situation is not good.>
<I appreciate the glorious position of Jedo’s guardian that you’ve offered, but I must decline.>
<I will protect the empire by fighting directly in Count Adela’s territory. Please forgive my rudeness.>
Well, that’s how he persuaded the Emperor.
The Emperor, believing himself to be the most important person, seemed very displeased with Cassis’s decision.
But considering that Cassis’s decision greatly benefited the empire, and everyone around him was applauding in admiration, the Emperor had no choice but to give his approval.
Well, the issue that Roen and I were most worried about ended so anticlimactically.
“Leilyranda Jackmüller… I just don’t understand.”
The more I pondered, the more confused I became.
The instinctive fear I feel just by standing in front of her. The large wound glimpsed under the hem of her dress. The demonic beast. Count Adela’s eldest son.
“…”
I lifted myself from the tub, droplets sliding down my skin.
It was clear to me that the thoughts I’d had since the party couldn’t be resolved by simply remaining as I was.
“System. I’m fine now.”
[Really?]
[Are you sure?]
“Yes.”
[SYSTEM | Switching to administrator mode.]
[SYSTEM | Adjusting ‘resolution’ from ’30’ to ’80’.]
After drying off, getting dressed, completely drying my hair, and finishing my preparations for bed, I decided what I needed to do right away.
* * *
“Why are you looking for Lord Sian Terezia?”
“I have something to say to him.”
“He’s someone our lady cares for deeply.”
“No matter how impressive your lady might be, she’s probably no better than me.”
I should have been certain from the moment all traces of Sian Terezia were being intentionally erased.
That there was someone backing him, and that person’s power was considerable.
Otherwise, a person with no connections in this world wouldn’t leave so little trace.
“I heard your lady is a fan of ‘Lu & Cream.'”
“…”
“I heard she doesn’t get along well with the daughter of Baron Canua…”
The butler’s expression, which had always maintained an impenetrable façade, wavered at the mention of ‘Baron Canua’s daughter.’
“Tell him this. If Sian Terezia doesn’t show himself, he’ll see ‘Lu & Cream’ entering Baron Canua’s territory.”
About 10 minutes after uttering those petty words that were almost like a threat, I was able to find out Sian Terezia’s whereabouts.
* * *
“Sian, do you know how much I’ve run around to find you?”
“Seeing that you’ve come this far, I guess you put in quite some effort?”
I didn’t use ‘quite’ some effort.
“‘Quite’? Such a disappointing thing to say. I really put in a lot.”
Sian, who had been sitting languidly, smiled slightly. He seemed to find my words amusing.
“So, Lord Sian, who is behind you?”
“Is that the first thing you ask? Aren’t you curious about anything else?”
“…Is the person behind you Princess Leilyranda?”
At my question, Sian clapped his hands briefly and stood up.
“Took you a while or not, you finally caught on?”
“How did you know?”
“I warned you about Leilyranda Jackmüller, Irina. You should have listened.”
He did warn me, but how could I believe and act on such a cryptic warning?
But Sian opened his mouth as if my circumstances were none of his concern.
“You still don’t know whether Princess Leilyranda is behind me, or I am behind the princess.”
“…”
“But one thing for certain is that the princess asked about the world’s destruction, and I merely agreed.”
Sian rose from his seat and approached me. His fingers gently rested on my chin. My head was lifted by his force.
Sian was looking down at me as if it were a pity, or perhaps as if it were laughable.
“Then… was all of this caused by the princess?”
“The princess wanted it, and I granted it.”
“All of it?”
Sian tilted his head as if thinking for a moment, then shrugged.
“Maybe?”
