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Chapter 3
After arriving in the capital from the Duchy of Berwen,
I pressed my forehead as I looked at the pile of letters.
‘One is from the military, and the others are invitations.’
The rough letters congratulated me on becoming a Swordmaster and mentioned that I would now lead the military as the next Commander-in-Chief.
“They’re not wrong. It is the social season.”
The elegant letters were invitations to attend their balls.
Normally, they do not send me invitations. They know I never go.
‘Ever since the rumor about the mad Princess, the invitations have increased.’
There had always been quiet talk that the Emperor had chosen me as a potential husband for the Princess.
So people probably assumed things would work out between us.
But now that the Princess was rumored to be insane, they must be thinking, “Perhaps?” and sending invitations with small hope.
‘They’re all wrong.’
I am a woman.
“Your Grace, preparations to enter the Imperial Palace are complete.”
“I understand.”
I put on my jacket and looked into the mirror.
A handsome young man with ash-gray hair and silver-gray eyes stared back.
‘All thanks to dark magic.’
I smiled faintly and adjusted my short hair.
I am a woman living as a man. There will be no marriage or love in my life.
All I want now is to lie in bed and sleep.
“Ha…”
I looked at the large, soft bed fit for a duke.
What is the use of such a bed when I have no time to lie in it?
Once again, I turned my back on it.
And then—
“We greet the Shield of Hailen! Congratulations on reaching the pinnacle of the sword, Your Grace!”
The moment I entered the palace, I was greeted loudly by knights.
After endless greetings, I finally reached the Crown Prince’s palace in the afternoon.
There, I heard about the so-called “mad Princess.”
“So what is her nickname?”
“…Madwoman.”
“….”
For a moment, I thought I misheard.
I tried to stay expressionless, but my lips twitched.
Don’t laugh. You cannot laugh. It concerns your friend’s sister.
“If you want to laugh, you can.”
At Lesius’ permission, I finally burst out laughing.
The gentle and delicate Princess Rosaline being called a madwoman?
It did not match at all.
“Sorry.”
I had laughed too much.
“…It’s fine.”
Lesius coughed and turned his head.
His ears were red. Was he hot?
“So this is what the Princess has been saying?”
“Yes.”
“Hm.”
The paper was filled with words written in the common language of the continent—recordings of the strange language she spoke.
“She especially says this one often.”
“What?”
“[씨X.]”
Pfft!
Hearing that familiar curse from Lesius’ mouth, I spat out my tea.
It had been so long since I heard it.
It was clearly Korean.
My mother tongue from my past life.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes. I was just surprised.”
As I wiped my mouth with the handkerchief Lesius handed me, I thought,
‘Coincidence?’
Maybe a word with similar sound existed here.
I folded the damp handkerchief and read the paper.
“[Send me home.]”
“[There are so damn many things I’m not allowed to do.]”
“[It is pretty, though.]”
“[I want fried chicken. Not this soup—chi-ck-en!]”
As I read them aloud—
“Lewin. How do you understand this?”
Lesius’ expression hardened.
I wanted to answer, but—
“Where is the Princess now?”
“She should be in her palace. She caused the Marchioness to faint and is now confined.”
First, I needed to understand the situation.
A Princess speaking Korean. What is happening?
“I want to see Her Highness immediately. Is that possible?”
“Now?”
“Yes. Right now.”
Seeing my serious face, Lesius became serious as well.
“The Duke of Berwen requests an urgent audience with the Princess. Inform her palace.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As soon as the knight left, I stood up.
“You’re going too?”
“Lewin. It would look stranger if you met Rosaline alone.”
He fiddled with the folded handkerchief in his hand.
“You two are no longer five or six years old.”
He lifted his head and smiled brightly.
“If you meet alone now, rumors will spread.”
He was right.
When we were children, I had seen the Princess a few times while following Lesius.
But as we grew older, it became difficult. Relationships between men and women here were strict.
“Still! You’re busy these days. His Majesty is unwell.”
I pushed him gently back into his chair.
“You should study. You must become a wise ruler.”
“A wise ruler… yes.”
For a moment, something in Lesius’ expression cracked.
But when I blinked, he was smiling warmly as usual.
“Who would dare disobey your request?”
He pressed the handkerchief gently against my cheek.
His warm hand was felt through the cloth as he slowly wiped my jaw and lips.
“There is still some moisture.”
…What? I had wiped it already.
I eventually went alone.
Lesius had never refused my request. Today was no different.
But meeting the Princess was not easy.
“I’m sorry, Your Grace. Please wait a moment.”
Miss Roxon, the Princess’ lady-in-waiting, looked anxious.
Why?
“It was rude of me to come without notice.”
As I bowed politely—
“My lady.”
A palace maid whispered something to her.
Normally, I would not have heard it.
But as a Swordmaster, my hearing was sharp.
“The Princess has disappeared.”
“Ah…!”
The Duke stood before her, and the Princess was gone.
Miss Roxon staggered in shock.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes…”
I caught her as she wobbled.
“You seem unwell. Let me escort you to the infirmary.”
She nodded shyly, her face red.
After delivering her there, she hurried away in embarrassment.
And so—
“Hm.”
I was left alone in the palace corridor.
‘Since I’m here, perhaps I should take a walk.’
As I strolled near the garden—
Thud! Thud!
Bushes shook with the sound of kicking.
“[What is this made of? Why won’t it break?]”
My steps stopped.
The Princess?
I heard scraping sounds.
When I pushed aside the bushes, I saw her.
She was filing the iron bars with a knife.
Several broken knives lay beside her.
“[Ah! It’s almost done!]”
One part of the thick iron bar was nearly cut through.
This was not done in one day.
She had been doing this for a long time.
‘That’s definitely running away.’
Should I stop her as Duke of Berwen?
Or ignore it as a friend’s sibling’s rebellion?
My hesitation was brief.
“What are you doing?”
“[Ah. I’m screwed.]”
She turned sharply.
Her knife pointed at me.
“[W-Who are you?]”
“I am the Duke of Berwen, Your Highness.”
I greeted her properly, but she stepped back, still holding the knife.
“No, not that. What did you say earlier?”
She spoke in fluent common language.
“[This?]”
“Yes! Why are you speaking in that tone?!”
I rubbed my chin.
How should I explain?
“[I remember my past life. That was my native language—Korean.]”
Her expression changed.
“[Past life?]”
“Yes.”
“[So you were reborn here?]”
“Yes. I died in a car accident and woke up as a baby.”
It was a simple conclusion.
If you die and wake up in another world, you assume reincarnation.
Then what about her?
Had she regained her memories after nearly drowning?
“[That’s strange…]”
Her soot-stained face grew serious.
“[I possessed a character inside a novel.]”
“What?”
“[As a villain who gets her head cut off by an obsessive male lead.]”
My eyes widened.
Inside a novel?
“[Want to know something more shocking?]”
She looked at me seriously.
“[This place is going to be destroyed soon.]”
