Chapter 2 Part 1
The female protagonist, Hertiana, who looked exactly like her original novel description, was right before my eyes.
When passersby helped her pick up dropped items, she bowed her head in gratitude – it was unmistakably Hertiana’s manner.
“…What’s going on?”
The female lead was supposed to appear right after the Flore Party, so why was she already in the capital?
Moreover, it was still four days before the party was set to begin.
Originally, Hertiana should still have been in the countryside.
Yes, that’s definitely how it should have been. But why…
“Rosiel, what’s wrong?”
Belatedly coming to my senses at Abel’s call, I realized I had sprung up from my seat, startled by the female lead’s far too early appearance.
The shop’s attention, which had already been stealing glances this way, now fully concentrated on me as if they’d been waiting for this moment.
“Ah, well…”
“Ah, that person must be the new prospective Saint candidate who recently came to the Grand Temple. She’s even more beautiful than the rumors say.”
One of the knights Abel had assigned as my guard looked out the window and let out a brief exclamation.
“A Saint?”
Abel tilted his head at the guard’s words and stood up from his seat. He was apparently trying to look out the window.
This was an emergency situation.
Unfortunately, Abel was destined to fall in love with Hertiana at first sight.
What’s even more unfortunate was that Abel wouldn’t immediately break off our engagement even after falling for Hertiana.
The reason was none other than House Laté’s power.
In the original story, Abel had built up his influence by riding on Laté’s power.
He shared a romance with Hertiana, the Saint candidate, emboldened by his elevated status, which dealt a severe blow to Rosiel.
Rosiel, who had suddenly become nothing more than Abel’s tool, despaired and raged at her miserable situation.
Until now, I had to follow the original plot, but in this life, I didn’t want to experience those feelings.
At least until I found a definite way to treat my heart condition, those two shouldn’t meet.
If they do, events will unfold exactly like in the original story…!
So I have to prevent Abel from looking out the window no matter what.
“Your Highness.”
Ah, I don’t know what else to do. Let’s just stop him first.
I forced an awkward smile and blocked Abel’s path.
Stealing a glance, I saw Hertiana was still picking up her dropped items.
Hertiana, please hurry up and pick them up, then get out of… no, disappear…!
Abel looked at me with puzzled eyes at my wooden, awkward movements.
What should I do? Abel still looked curious about what was outside…
I needed a brilliant move strong enough to make Abel forget about the Saint’s existence.
Right now.
“Rosiel, are you alright? You don’t look well.”
“Well, you see…”
While I hesitated, customers curious about the prospective Saint had already gathered near the window.
“If she becomes our Saint, I must visit the Grand Temple to pray.”
“Where, where? I want to see too.”
“Oh my, how can someone be so beautiful?”
“She looks just like a white swan that turned into a human.”
The same reactions from when the female lead first appeared in the original work echoed word for word, sending chills down my spine.
Those voices felt like they were rushing me, making it hard to breathe.
“Rosiel, I’ll just take a quick look outside…”
Watching him approach the window, I made up my mind about the action I’d been hesitating to take.
Hah, fine. If I’m headed for an early death ending at this rate, rather than dying so futilely, I might as well face a moment of embarrassment.
Finally defeated by the mounting anxiety, I squeezed my eyes shut and shouted loudly at Abel’s retreating head.
“Your Highness, don’t look at other women! I’m jealous!”
– I’m jealous…! I’m jealous…!
For some reason, the unwelcome echo seemed to ring in my ears hundreds of times more.
At that moment, the noisy clamor instantly subsided, and an eerie silence sank icily into the shop’s interior.
At the same time, my lost sense returned at a fierce speed.
What… what did I just blurt out?
* * *
After parting with Abel, I boarded the carriage back to the Duke’s residence only after the sunset.
“My lady, are you alright…?”
Lynn’s voice, carefully testing the atmosphere in the terrifyingly quiet carriage where not even the usual wheel sounds could be heard, dissipated into the suffocating air.
“…No!!”
“My lady…”
My cry of anguish filled the spacious carriage interior.
My mind, having caused a scene at the dress shop, had long since left my body.
After my desperate and shameful confession, whether fortunate or not, Abel’s attitude became even more agreeable.
Instead of going to the window, Abel bought out Madame Antoinette’s shop rights and handed them over to me entirely, saying he wanted to respond to my feelings.
Thanks to that, I suddenly had an exclusive shop.
And not just any shop, but one of the most prestigious in and outside the empire.
“My lady, don’t be too upset. Everyone thought it was romantic.”
“What?”
Romantic…? Who, what, where?
At my bewildered response, Lynn started chattering excitedly with an enchanted expression.
“I’ll never forget the scene when His Highness said ‘I’ll buy the shop. Everything will be Rosiel’s!’ Everyone there cheered so much!”
Come on, romantic? Since when has he ever done anything for me?
He’s the trash who would run to Hertiana with all sorts of dresses and jewels while I was his fiancée.
Even that line was exactly what he said in the original story when he gifted Hertiana a dress shop on my birthday!
“He’s just doing things that benefit others.”
Today’s events would surely spread rumors about how solid Abel’s and my relationship was.
Capturing the arrogant duke’s daughter of the uncontrollable House Laté would only strengthen Abel’s authority further.
“Well, today’s events certainly put those rumors of discord between you two to rest.”
“Of course, otherwise there’s no way he would gift a shop in his right mind.”
Although I had no choice right now because my heart condition came first, such unpleasant things shouldn’t happen twice.
“But look at this, there’s even an article saying your honest side is charming!”
In the newspaper Lynn hurriedly unfolded, my confession was printed in huge letters.
Honest side? No way. It was the most artificial moment of my life.
I thought it was strange how reporters were persistently following Abel and me, but I didn’t expect them to publish an article so quickly.
No matter what world it is, reporters’ hands are faster than their eyes…
The reporters following us were probably all Abel’s doing to manipulate public opinion.
He’s a man who acts only for his own benefit in everything.
