IPDE 04

Chapter : 04

“Even If I’m an Extra, I Refuse a Death Route” (4)

[Prologue. Surviving: The End]

[Death Probability –10%]
[Current Death Probability: 89%]

“Ha.”

A short sigh slipped out.

I regretted brushing it off, thinking it wouldn’t be a big deal.

Though, honestly, even if I’d known, the situation probably wouldn’t have changed much.

Dessert. Mad affliction.

With clues like that, there was no way to avoid what happened.

They helped solve it, sure—but they didn’t let me escape. That was what it meant.

“What do I do from now on?”

The protagonist, they said.

Since when did “protagonist” come to mean someone who keeps rolling through death routes?

Aren’t protagonists not supposed to die?

“…Should I run away?”

I murmured quietly.

It was true that I was happy to have met Iart, and I genuinely wanted to help him.

But if that help was a straight road to my death, that changed things.

I wasn’t some awakened powerhouse—I was just a lowly maid.

I couldn’t be sure I’d survive if something like this happened again.

Who wants to die, after all?

Especially because of some scammy book like this.

“…Should I just burn it?”

I’d said it without thinking, but my eyes suddenly widened.

“Yeah. Let’s burn it.”

If this book was the reason all this was happening, then wouldn’t getting rid of the book solve it?

I immediately grabbed it.

And at that moment—

“…Damn it.”

The book opened on its own, new text appearing.

[From now on, the ‘protagonist’ will depart from the original story and begin writing a new one.]

Instead of eating breakfast as soon as I woke up, I should’ve burned this thing.

At least it could’ve properly explained things first.

This wasn’t like possessing the body of a character in a mystery novel or anything.

“Ugh, I don’t care!”

The new story hadn’t even started yet.

If I burned it before something happened, it should be fine.

Forcing my creaking body to move, I stepped out of the room.

“…Irenea?”

Just as I was slowly making my way along, I ran into Serena.

“Oh, Serena.”

“Where do you think you’re going in that condition?!”

Serena snapped sharply.

Startled by the unexpected shout, I reflexively stepped back.

“Ah, well… I just have something to take care of for a moment.”

“Ahem. I brought your medicine, so take it and go lie down. You’ll collapse again at this rate.”

Apparently embarrassed by her outburst, Serena cleared her throat and held out the medicine.

“Thank you.”

Her attitude was noticeably different from before, which felt a little unfamiliar.

As I took the medicine and thanked her, Serena hesitated, her lips twitching.

“And, um…”

“Yes?”

Now even fidgeting with her fingers, Serena finally spoke.

“…Thank you. And I’m sorry.”

Her words were unexpected.

“For what?”

At my genuinely puzzled question, Serena’s ears tinged red.

“You covered for my mistake. I survived thanks to your cookies, and…”

Her gaze lingered on the bandage wrapped around my neck.

“And I’m really sorry—it feels like this happened because of me.”

Her voice grew smaller until she finally bowed her head deeply.

Watching her, I broke into a bright smile.

“It’s not like that.”

In the first place, it was the book that caused everything.

I wasn’t even sure the dessert had truly solved it, but either way, I survived.

If Serena had gone instead of me, she might have died on the spot.

And then Iart would’ve broken just like in the original story.

If you asked whether I felt unfairly treated, I couldn’t deny it—but I had no intention of blaming Serena.

“It’s really okay, so lift your head. You even brought me medicine. I’m actually in pretty good shape.”

“…Really?”

“Of course. See? I can even walk around like this.”

I exaggeratedly swung my arms as if walking.

Only then did Serena’s expression relax.

“Still, go back and rest soon. The sun’s about to set.”

“I will. I’m just stepping out for a moment.”

“Where are you going?”

At her question, I suddenly realized something.

I’d rushed out determined to burn the book, but I had no idea where the incinerator was.

“Do you know where the incinerator is?”

“The closest one’s next to the training grounds. Why the incinerator?”

“I’ve got something to burn. Thanks, Serena.”

I remembered seeing the training grounds on the way to the palace with Sophie.

After giving Serena a light farewell, I headed toward the incinerator.

Outside, the slanted sun was just about to set.

‘Let’s burn it quickly and go back.’

I hurried my steps.

Passing by the training grounds, I saw the knights still hard at training.

‘Oh right, she said my brother was here.’

Edwin, was it?

I’d probably run into him eventually, but now didn’t feel like the right timing.

I moved as carefully as possible.

Soon, the incinerator came into view.

“I just put it in here, right?”

Staring into the blazing fire inside the furnace made my stomach churn strangely.

“Whew. Here goes.”

I reached out and pushed the book toward the flames.

Just as the fire and the edge of the book were about to touch—

Bang.

“Eek!”

A sharp sound tore through the air as something flew into the furnace and struck it hard.

Caught off guard, I lost my balance and fell to the ground, still clutching the book.

“Irenea!”

A man rushed over to me as I sat there in shock.

He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me up.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“Ah, no…”

I awkwardly replied while brushing dirt off my skirt.

Trying not to be obvious, I glanced at him sideways.

Deep black hair, gentle brown eyes.

A kind-looking face that screamed I’m a good guy, contrasted by a well-built physique.

A handsome man who looked great in a knight’s uniform.

“…You.”

His voice dropped low in an instant.

Then he suddenly grabbed both my shoulders.

“What happened to your neck?”

Hey—too close.

Having lived a life far removed from men, even this level of closeness made my whole body stiffen.

“W-wait…!”

As his face came closer, I instinctively pushed him away with both hands.

His skin’s really nice—no, that’s not the point.

He didn’t seem particularly bothered by my reaction.

“I asked what happened.”

“It’s nothing.”

Even with a gentle face, someone with presence can be intimidating.

Especially a man with such an imposing build.

I shrank back instinctively, but at the same time, a sense of defiance rose up.

“Who are you to ask me that? And getting this close is—well, it’s rude!”

At my words, his expression instantly turned flustered.

I do speak my mind, you know.

“Irenea. Did you just ask who I am?”

“….”

The hand on my shoulder fell away limply.

“What on earth happened to you…! It’s me, Irenea. Edwin!”

Ah.

I should’ve guessed the moment I saw the knight’s uniform.

But the situation had unfolded too quickly to think straight.

The tables turned in an instant.

I’d shoved away his completely natural concern as if he were some creep.

I had to salvage this somehow.

“Uh… gotcha! Just kidding!”

I spread my hands wide, smiling as playfully as I could.

“…Kidding?”

Edwin’s face was still frozen in disbelief.

“You looked so worried, I just wanted to tease you a bit.”

“Irenea, you really…”

Edwin frowned deeply and rubbed his forehead.

After letting out a long sigh, he said,

“Who jokes like that?”

“Sorry. But I really am okay.”

“So what actually happened? Your neck.”

“I just got lightly scratched somewhere, but the person I was with worried a lot, so they wrapped it up.”

“…Really?”

Meeting Edwin’s suspicious gaze, I nodded.

There was only one reason I wasn’t telling the truth.

I can’t let my favorite get badmouthed.

That’s just how fandom works.

The child of my heart—I’m the only one allowed to complain!

Anyway, something like that.

“By the way, what were you doing here?”

“Oh.”

Right. I came to burn the book.

The flying wooden sword had knocked it back out of the furnace.

“I was trying to burn something.”

“What, that book?”

“Yeah.”

Answering Edwin, I naturally pushed the book back toward the furnace.

And then—

Bang.

Another wooden sword flew in.

This time, Edwin quickly pulled me into his arms to shield me, so I didn’t fall.

“You idiots! What do you think you’re doing?! Are you out of your minds?!”

“S-sorry, sir!”

Two knights ran over, bowing deeply.

“Once is bad enough—twice?! What the hell is wrong with you?!”

“We were just sparring like usual, but the sword slipped and—”

“You call that an excuse? Pick up your weapons and get back. You’re not sleeping tonight.”

The two knights’ faces crumpled in despair.

They looked so wronged that I felt a bit sorry for them.

And then I realized—

This has to be the book’s doing.

Both times, the wooden sword flew the exact moment I tried to burn it.

And straight at me, no less.

Burning the book was probably impossible.

“Ha…”

So in the end, I had no choice but to do what the book wanted.

A hollow sigh escaped me.

Unaware of my thoughts, Edwin assumed I was just shaken and tried to comfort me.

“Are you okay? That scared you, didn’t it?”

“No, I’m fine. I should head back now.”

Before I knew it, the sun had nearly set.

“I’ll walk you back.”

I didn’t really need it, but I didn’t have the energy to refuse.

As we walked toward the palace, my mind churned with countless thoughts.

And in the end, I reached one conclusion.

If it’s come to this, then I’ll survive spectacularly.

The next day.

Maybe thanks to the medicine Serena gave me, my body felt much lighter.

The pain was almost gone, too.

“Ugh, I finally feel human.”

The pain was one thing, but not being able to move properly had been far more uncomfortable than I’d expected.

I’d never been injured this badly before, so I had no idea how to deal with it.

With my much lighter body, I stretched deeply and got up.

At that moment, I felt a heavy weight in my hand.

“…What now?”

At some point, the book was naturally resting in my hand, emitting a faint glow.

Good thing I’d prepared myself mentally.

“Whew.”

Letting out a short breath, I opened the book.

[Episode 1. What You Need Most Right Now]
[Keywords: Information, Position, Future]

The familiar format from the prologue appeared at a glance.

“Ha…”

I let out a long sigh, deep in thought.

Since I’d resolved to survive brilliantly, I had no choice but to focus on the book’s contents.

“What I need most right now…”

I murmured the title of the first episode to myself.

I needed to figure out what to do next based on the keywords listed below.

First, information.

No matter where you are or what’s happening, the more information you have, the better.

I knew that—but the problem was,

“How much can I really learn as a mere servant?”

The only information I had was what I’d read in Evening Primrose.

And from the perspective of changing the story, that information would become less useful over time.

“…Let’s set the future aside for now. What about ‘position’?”

Position—literally, a position.

Did it mean where I currently stood?

Was it telling me to secure a place, or to create one?

As the same thoughts repeated, I felt my not-yet-fully-recovered body growing tired.

I couldn’t exhaust myself first thing in the morning.

Let’s go back and think about it later.