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Chapter 14
The Culprit’s Motive
“Confession?”
“This.”
Marie pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Himena.
“What’s this?”
“This was inside the flower basket the marquis sent… I secretly kept it for myself. I’m sorry……”
When the small white card, folded in half, was opened, neat and short writing appeared.
[Lady Sylvestre, I wish you a speedy recovery. I would like to visit you personally, so please let me know a convenient date.
Kylian Termos.]
“…Why did you hide this?”
“I didn’t know what it said, but… I thought maybe it was another invitation for you to attend a party, so… I hated it……”
“Pfft, I see. Like I said earlier, Marie, I won’t be seeing this marquis again. So don’t worry.”
“Heh… I’m glad to hear that.”
Relieved at last, Marie smiled brightly again and stood.
“Well then, I’ll be going now. Please rest, my lady.”
“Mm. Oh, tell Lois to meet me at the training grounds. He’s probably slacking off somewhere again. Tell him to prepare for a sparring session. I’ll head there soon myself.”
“Yes, I will.”
Once Marie left, Himena unfolded Kylian’s card again.
“Why does he keep insisting on visiting a woman he doesn’t even care about? Other than having a handsome face, there’s nothing else to him. Every time he speaks, it’s like an icy draft is blowing. And to think I clung so desperately to a man who even said I was disgusting? Tch.”
She tossed the card onto the table, then pulled out the threatening letter she had crumpled and hidden between the sofa cushions in case Marie noticed, flopping back down.
“A culprit with trauma over obsession and imprisonment. He’s trying to change the novel’s ending… In the story, the male lead locks up the villainess who’s obsessed with him, and marries the heroine—a happy ending. But if the culprit possessed the heroine… wait.”
Muttering to herself while lying down, Himena slowly sat up as a thought struck her.
“Himena, who was obsessed with Kylian. Kylian locking her in prison, letting her die, then marrying Ines. And the culprit who possessed Ines. To change that ending… gasp! Oh my god!”
Himena shot to her feet, staring in shock at the card on the table.
“Could the culprit’s true target… be Kylian?”
“Hm? Why do I suddenly feel a chill……”
While meeting with his aides in his office, Kylian suddenly shuddered.
“Commander, what’s wrong?”
“Ah, nothing. Go on, Weil.”
“Yes. As I said, the recruitment for the knights will proceed over three days.”
“Then for the final matches, have the sub-officers select knights to duel with the applicants. Submit the list to me by tomorrow.”
“Understood.”
“And strengthen security. Keep a close eye on outsiders entering the castle during the event. With all these rumors about the magic stones, someone might use the chaos to slip in.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“That’s enough for today. Everyone except Weil may leave.”
Once the aides were gone, Kylian wrote a card to send to Himena and handed it to Weil.
“Another flower basket, sir?”
“Keep sending them until I get a reply.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to just visit, like last time?”
“You saw it yourself. She’s overly wary of me. Same at the Empress’s birthday banquet. If I show up uninvited again, she may only grow more hostile. This time I’d rather get permission first. Besides……”
Though she seemed healthy—collapsing at the banquet and yet soon going out again—seeing her act erratic, as if she were someone else, left him uneasy.
“I understand your concern, but I still find the lady suspicious. Perhaps it’s all a calculated act just to gain your attention. Please be careful……”
“I know. That’s why I’ve secretly set a watch on the ducal house. Any suspicious movement is to be reported immediately.”
“Yes, understood. But Commander, if you’re sending this card, why not make it longer……”
Weil, opening the small card meant to go with the flowers, looked rather serious.
“Longer? ‘I’d like to visit, please tell me when.’ That’s plenty.”
“Hmm… shouldn’t there be something more enticing to make her reply sooner? Something… striking.”
“Striking?”
“Like, saying you miss her. Or that you’re curious about her……”
“W-what? Miss her? Curious about her?”
“Something that would catch her interest. For example… mold! You could say you want to talk about how the Blue Mold Knights are doing……”
“Weil.”
“Yes?”
“Just send it.”
“…Yes, sir.”
“Hyah! Hah!”
Clang!
Himena’s sword flew from her grasp under Lois’s strike, clattering to the ground.
“My lady, why are you so distracted today? If you’re going to half-ass it like this, you should’ve just stayed in your room……”
“Haah……”
Himena sighed and slumped down on the training ground floor.
“Sorry. My head’s too messed up right now to focus on anything……”
She couldn’t shake the thought that had struck her before coming here.
If the culprit’s real target is Kylian—?
In this world inside a novel, where there’s no author to threaten into changing the plot…
The culprit doesn’t know that because of Himena’s possession, she no longer obsesses over Kylian.
So they’d think Himena is still destined to be imprisoned and die insane.
To prevent that ending, wouldn’t they try to kill Kylian instead?
If that’s their plan for coming to the capital…
And while she wasted time searching unfamiliar places, the culprit—who knows the story better than her—already approached Kylian ahead of schedule?
Then he’s truly in danger.
Even as a master swordsman commanding the Crimson Moon Knights, if a woman fated to captivate him at first sight approaches and then carries out a plan in his bedchamber……
‘Right. If she suddenly pulls out a dagger in bed and plunges it into his heart—what can even the Crimson Moon do? He’d just keel over! And then what? If the male lead Kylian dies……’
She remembered clearly, even though she usually skimmed over the cringe-worthy romance scenes: if he, descendant of the Niger tribe meant to break the black dragon’s curse and restore Kataraetz, died, then the magic stones would revert to lifeless rock and the continent would be overrun with beasts, becoming a land of death.
‘What, do I die again? I died chasing the culprit in my past life, and now, after trying so hard to avoid the male lead to live here… this still happens? Wait, not just me—everyone dies! Marie, Lois, even the unicorn, all of us!’
It wasn’t an exaggeration.
In her past life, the culprit had seemed to plan suicide from the start—after stabbing the author, they’d leapt without hesitation off a high ledge.
‘Damn it, that’s it! The culprit doesn’t care about this world! The lives here mean nothing! They hated the story’s ending before, so now they’ll just destroy everything, including themselves!’
Furious, Himena leapt to her feet.
“Lois! Forget sword training! We’re all about to die!”
“…Huh? What are you suddenly shouting about?”
Seeing her yelling in panic, Lois frowned as if she were pathetic.
“You idiot! The culprit! Kylian! Us! This world! Damn, where do I even start explaining this!”
Himena grabbed her head, on the verge of tears, and plopped back down.
“Oh, right, my lady. Speaking of Lord Termos, I’m planning to take the Crimson Moon entrance exam this time.”
“Yeah, the Crimson Moon will die and… wait, what?”
“It’s been my lifelong dream. I’ve been waiting to turn twenty just to take the test. This is my first chance. I might fail, but I’ll keep trying until I pass. So, could you give me a few days off? I plan to leave for Acticos in three days. The exam is held at the marquis’s castle.”
“What—you’re leaving me alone in this crisis to go take an exam?”
“I’m not abandoning you! Of course, if I pass, I’ll have to stay there, but who knows if I will. Besides, our contract here is almost up.”
“Wow… so this is betrayal. I’m racking my brain trying to save the world, and you’re ditching the Blue Mold to run off to the Crimson Moon?”
“Stop with the mold talk! There’s no ‘knighthood,’ it’s just you and me! And you’re not even a knight! Joining the Crimson Moon under Lord Kylian Termos is every knight’s dream! If I pass, I could serve him directly, learn swordsmanship from him himself!”
“……”
“Why are you suddenly silent? You’re making me nervous.”
“To… serve him directly?”
“Yes, Lord Termos. I’d get to watch him wield a sword up close, learn firsthand……”
“That’s it!”
“…Huh?”
“Yes! That’s it!”
“What’s it…?”
Himena’s eyes gleamed.
‘Stay at Kylian’s castle and watch whether Ines approaches him. If she moves early to target him, I’ll stop her! I’m the only one who knows her true identity! She doesn’t know the detective inside Himena sees through her! As long as I ensure nothing happens until the monster-slaying tournament, we’ll be safe!’
“Lois! Follow me!”
“Uh? Where to……”
Himena grabbed him and dragged him back into the mansion.
“From now on, we plan an operation!”
“Operation… what operation?”
“The Crimson Moon Entrance Operation!”
“…Eh?”
