Chapter 4 Part 6

At my question, a subtle tremor rippled across Hyle’s calm green eyes.

Looking at him, I spoke again.

“I mean your knights. Since I wasn’t the one who tampered with their memories, I wondered if there were any side effects. If problems arise, I’m responsible.”

After all, I was the one who used Caligo to tamper with their memories, so if any unfortunate incidents occurred, I would need to take responsibility and resolve them.

“…Some complained of headaches and were sent on leave.”

Hyle seemed to understand my meaning and gave a brief response in a slow tone.

“That’s quite mild for having their minds touched by a demon. Perhaps House Feros is different?”

When I giggled softly, Hyle’s expression momentarily darkened.

Come to think of it, Hyle had been making such expressions fleetingly throughout our conversations.

Though I wasn’t sure, his face seemed to mix several complex emotions.

While I was wondering what it meant, Hyle’s green eyes met mine.

Those eyes held some distant question.

“Why… Do you always speak so negatively? When that’s not really how you are.”

Staring directly at me, Hyle posed a question with a difficult nuance.

When that’s not really how you are… Why is he suddenly saying such things? Judging by his face, this isn’t just casual talk.

“For someone from House Laté, that’s not exactly a compliment… You lack consideration.”

If it wasn’t a joke, I could make it into one.

But Hyle, apparently unsatisfied with my attempt to brush it off, took a step closer to me.

“I know you’re not bad. That you’re not the villainess from the rumors.”

“…What are you trying to say?”

“The video threatening me was fake, and it was you, Rosiel, who evacuated all the knights to the inner forest.”

“Hyle, let me tell you something because you seem to be misunderstanding… I’m not as kind as you think.”

As long as my ultimate goal was to survive beyond my predetermined lifespan, I had no intention of being picky about means and methods.

That was natural.

Even if the process was somewhat selfish, to me this was just a world inside a novel.

Coldly speaking, becoming attached to characters born from keystrokes would only hurt me when I eventually escaped this book.

I didn’t have the confidence to live alone yearning for people I could never meet again.

Especially if they were characters in a novel.

So from the moment I realized I had possessed a book character, I decided not to carelessly like anyone.

Perhaps that’s why I’d been able to stay faithful to my role as Rosiel the villainess all this time.

If there was no need to form attachments, there was no need to pretend to be nice.

I was just someone who needed to survive and leave this place.

“I don’t know why, but at least in front of me, you don’t need to put up your defenses.”

But Hyle’s quiet words that followed made my heart sink with a thud.

So this is how it feels to have hidden feelings discovered.

Some indescribable, subtle emotion took root in a corner of my heart.

This feeling was more intense and lingering than what one might feel toward a lifesaving benefactor, but that didn’t matter.

It was both fascinating and frightening how quickly Hyle had figured me out in what was really quite a short time.

I would need to keep maintaining various secrets going forward, and lies would inevitably pile up.

For some reason, I felt like Hyle would see through me every time.

Just like now.

“You speak so confidently while knowing nothing about me.”

“I know that you’re pushing yourself too hard.”

At that moment, I saw my reflection clearly in Hyle’s straight green eyes.

In them, I wore a strange expression, neither smiling nor crying.

“…Don’t comfort me unnecessarily.”

“I’m glad it was comforting.”

Perhaps what I wanted wasn’t simply ‘survival’ but ‘life.’

Not the past days of being pointed at and cursed as a villainess, but an ordinary, unremarkable life where I wasn’t hated by everyone.

* * *

“Rosiel, try to refrain from using black magic. If you want to purify your heart quickly.”

“That’s quite a demanding request. I’ll try.”

As the party atmosphere stabilized, we returned to the hall.

Hyle was quickly surrounded by various people in his role as Viscount Feros, gradually distancing him from me.

Until the moment he let go of my hand, Hyle firmly whispered not to do anything foolish.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t grant Hyle’s wish.

How could I, on such an important day?

I decided to quietly wait against a nearby wall until the Cardinal appeared on the platform.

People glanced at me occasionally, but no one dared approach.

That was inevitable, as I was currently a time bomb caught between the most noble men in the Empire.

With both the Crown Prince and the Viscount of Feros on either side of me, what foolhardy man would dare speak to me?

As for the women, they were already afraid of me, so that was nothing new.

“…Come to think of it, I don’t see Hertiana.”

The bright purple dress I bought her should be quite noticeable, where is she?

Belatedly realizing Tia’s absence, I carefully scanned the party venue trying not to look suspicious.

“She’s not here?”

The party was in full swing. If Tia had attended, she should have arrived long ago.

I slipped into a shadowy corner of the party venue where there were no people and called for Raphla.

Since the party was being held in the Grand Temple, Raphla’s range of movement was very limited.

But if the connection was lost, I could follow the traces like last time.

“Raphla, find Hertiana…”

“Rosiel, let’s talk.”

Just as I was about to give instructions to Raphla, a familiar and unwelcome voice came from behind.

When I turned around, Abel was looking at me with a somewhat tired expression.

Ugh, he managed to find me tucked away in this corner…

I took a short breath, hid Raphla, and faced Abel.

“I have nothing to discuss with Your Highness.”

“What do you want?”

A sinister glint flashed in Abel’s purple eyes as he abruptly asked what I wanted, with a look suggesting he’d grant anything.

“I don’t want anything. I have enough.”

“No, you’re lacking.”

But Abel firmly replied while drawing increasingly closer to me.

“There’s no man in the Empire who can take care of you like I can.”

His purple eyes looking down at me were much darker than usual.

Abel was now openly obsessing over me.

Realizing this, I barely managed to swallow the sigh that was about to escape my throat.

Abel clinging to me wasn’t part of my perfect scenario.

It would be a lie to say I wasn’t confused by Abel’s unexpected attitude… but I couldn’t show that here.

“You never know, perhaps someone is closer than you think?”