Prologue

Prologue

It was a beautiful night under the soft moonlight.

“Suella. I have something to tell you.”

“Hm?”

I looked up while happily munching on a sweet cookie.

“You’re so messy.”

Kyle unbuckled the clasp on his wrist and took off his gauntlet. Then, with his big hand, he brushed the cookie crumbs off my lips.

Embarrassed by that annoying gesture, I quickly rubbed my mouth with the back of my hand.

“What do you want to say?”

Kyle’s face, as usual, showed no emotions.

“Why? What’s it about?”

He was the one who started the conversation, but he paused for so long that I became nervous.

Kyle Servel Novovich, the hero who united the continent.

He was the male lead of this world, the only legitimate heir of the imperial family.

Ah, but right now Kyle was pretending to be a wandering hero, and he had no idea that I knew.

Of course, I couldn’t tell him that I had possessed someone inside this novel. That was my biggest secret.

Watching Kyle sit there silently made me frustrated. As always, this impatient noona had to help.

“Should I send some medicine supplies?”

With a top-grade holy water? That could save even people who were dying in the expedition.

“No.”

“Then should I follow you on the expedition?”

Soon, he would have to leave Snidel to kill the first demon, Gevex.

As for me, I had barely ever been outside the Kingdom of Mermanham. Except for a short 3-month study trip to Narkim, I had never really traveled. Right after getting my medical license, I came straight back—no tours, no journeys.

But even if I didn’t have the chance, I always had the desire to see the wide world.

The continent! If I went with the expedition, I could explore every corner of Sionia.

“…No.”

Kyle’s discouraging reply reached me. Fine, if not that.

“Then should I introduce you to someone in a merchant guild I know?”

“……”

Kyle didn’t answer. I started thinking.

Why on earth did Kyle call me out here to this lonely lakeside in the middle of the night—a place perfect for an “accidental fall”—just to talk?

“You’re not asking to borrow money, are you?”

Absolutely not. My mom always said never to sign as a guarantor or lend money.

“Why are you taking so long to say it? Just tell me already.”

I gave him a look that said, *It’s fine, I’m ready, just say it.*

When our eyes met, Kyle was… beautiful.

His black hair shone with a blue tint. His violet eyes gleamed under the moonlight.

Even while carrying a great sword as tall as me on his back, the way he walked was as elegant and sleek as a black panther.

His towering height and broad shoulders—so big they could block the sun—were those of a true hero.

Despite years of war, his white skin was flawless. Without a doubt, he was the male lead that the author poured all their love into.

And maybe that was why… Sometimes, when I looked at him like this, I forgot time. My heart would pound.

*I’ve never even fangirled like this in real life.*

But here, in this world, I was fangirling over the male lead.

Honestly, he had always been my favorite character.

From the moment I saw his illustration drawn by a famous artist, he was my ultimate bias.

I had only ever read romance-fantasy novels, but I switched to martial-fantasy because Kyle’s face looked so good on that book cover.

Now, seeing him in real life—how could I even describe how I felt?

He was the male lead. If I couldn’t *have* him, then I would just *enjoy* him.

*…But I can’t have him.*

Once, there was a time when Kyle held my hand and we walked together.

But that was only for a moment.

That was before I realized Kyle was the male lead.

I shook off the bitter thought.

And then—

“Suella.”

“Yes.”

Kyle, now with both gauntlets removed, suddenly grabbed both of my hands.

These were the same big hands that could swing a massive greatsword with ease.

My hands, held in his, looked half their size.

*Wait, that’s not the problem—why is he suddenly holding my hands?*

I widened my eyes and looked up at Kyle.

“After this expedition…”

His gaze met mine, and his eyes were deep.

“I’ll propose to you.”

“…What?”

I blinked, unable to understand his words.

“Propose?”

I tilted my head.

“To me?”

The male lead proposing… to me?

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Kyle’s destined partner had already been decided by the author.

Marriage partners should match in status! Kyle’s partner was supposed to be Saint Berni, fitting for the title of continental hero.

But… it had been so long since I read the original novel that I couldn’t remember if he had already met the female lead or not.

“Because I like you.”

“Thank you. I like you too, Kyle.”

I was shocked, but luckily my 10 years of living as a transmigrator made my mouth react quickly.

“But I can’t marry you.”

“Why not?”

Kyle had been staring at me intensely this whole time.

That gaze was too much for me. I couldn’t recall him ever looking at me like this before.

Sure, I had looked at *him* in secret, but…

“I… I’m a priest.”

Phew. Nice save.

I let out a relieved sigh inside. Yes, that excuse worked perfectly.

Had Kyle been hit in the head with some gun that didn’t even exist in