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Chapter 73
Even so, she kept waiting—just in case—and now she was exhausted.
Guess I shouldn’t have trusted the male lead…
Regret pressed her lips flat. She couldn’t even force a smile.
Just go back. What would venting change?
She sighed and turned—
“Gray?”
A man, panting like he’d run from far away, came into view. He hadn’t brought Deborah. He wasn’t even carrying the basket.
“If you’re going to make excuses, spit them out and leave. I don’t want to see your face right now.”
Riana snapped, but Gray didn’t seem to hear. No excuse, no explanation. He just closed the distance with long strides.
“W-what are you doing?”
Riana, startled, stepped back—his hand moved faster.
He snatched the hat she’d been holding since he’d pulled it off that morning.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
He grabbed her gathered hair, twisted it up fast and rough, jammed it under the hat, and shoved the hat down. Then, with dark, sunken eyes, he stared her up and down.
“You—”
He didn’t look like someone she could reason with. Riana stopped scolding and started shoving him away.
Even charging a bit of magic into it, she couldn’t pry loose the hand pressing on her hat.
This is a first…
He’d threatened her a few times, sure—but he’d never pushed her this hard, this carelessly.
His eyes aren’t right.
Nerves jangling, she took a breath and stopped resisting. Survival instinct: at least one of them had to calm down.
The moment she stopped, Gray’s grip loosened.
He slowly bent his knees and lowered himself. The hand that had been pressing the hat slid down her arm and stopped at her wrist.
As he sank, his fixed stare tilted upward—those red eyes looking up at her, dark crimson, almost like a glare.
“You…”
Her dazed voice mixed with his sigh.
“Ha—”
Kneeling on the ground, he looked up and studied her.
And then he knew.
His hand slipped away, useless.
A tangle of emotions flushed him red from chest to ears.
“…It was you.”
“What are you even talking about?”
Gray looked into her wide, confused eyes.
He remembered eyes just like that—looking down at him that day.
Eat a lot.
The warmth in those words. The tiny pity tucked inside.
His savior. The only ally in a life like a war.
The first and the last—it had been her.
Riana tore into her sandwich, angry.
Salty turkey breast and the faint tang of cream cheese wrapped her tongue. Fresh tomato and lettuce softened the punch and made it all click perfectly.
“Why are you so mad today?” Mrs. Baker hovered, asking.
Because I got betrayed!
Gray had wrecked the rehearsal. How could she trust that actor and put him on the real stage now?
Her “love potion for retirement funds” project was racing toward failure at bullet-train speed (KTX-fast), and it burned her up.
The casting was wrong from the start. Of course the ending would be bad.
The fact I trusted that jerk? That’s what’s shocking and annoying.
He’s the male lead! Why did you trust him?
Chewing hard, Riana scolded past-Riana.
Did I get so spooked by the prince that I lost my cool?
Gulp. She finished the sandwich and chugged her orange juice.
Man—this world is lacking in a lot of ways, but the fruit juice being all fresh-squeezed? Love that.
“Ma’am, could I get another glass?”
“You…”
Mrs. Baker searched her face and finally nodded.
A moment later—
“Ma’am, could I get one more—”
“Okay.”
And a little later—
“Ma’am, one more—”
“Are you… having a hard time?”
“I would be, if I couldn’t drink orange juice.”
“I see.”
The full glass disappeared fast into Riana’s mouth.
She dabbed her lips with a napkin and looked at Mrs. Baker.
“Ma’am, could I get one more—”
“All right, all right! But just drink alcohol instead!”
“Oh? You have some?”
Mrs. Baker snorted. “You realize it’s evening, right?”
Riana waved and smiled. “Of course. I’m joking. I have to go back to the Isolation Tower soon—no booze.”
“Then why are you still glued to my seat, draining my oranges!”
“All drained…?”
There’s none left? Riana’s eyes shimmered. Mrs. Baker snorted.
“No. There’s plenty. Drink it all.”
Thunk.
This time she brought the whole bottle. Riana’s smile lit up at the glowing orange color.
“Thanks so much, Mrs. Baker. Honestly, you’re the only trustworthy person in this castle.”
“Whatever. Drink and go. The Knights’ Club kids will swarm in soon.”
Mrs. Baker reached toward Riana’s messy hair, then pulled back.
“…Ehh.”
She couldn’t understand why such harsh things kept happening to this young woman.
From what she’d seen, Riana was simple and upbeat—the type who should live being loved.
So why did bad luck keep snagging her? Honestly, taking the job with a built-in tragic ending—that had been her misfortune from the start.
I almost wish the scandal were true, Mrs. Baker thought.
If she’d been the first Isolation Tower maid truly favored by the Duke—it might have been better.
But the girl herself said it wasn’t, so it probably wasn’t.
A soft fondness warmed Mrs. Baker’s gaze. Meeting it, Riana smiled sweetly.
“Why are you staring? Because I’m too pretty?”
“I’m staring to tell you: scram.”
“I’ll finish this and go.”
“Take the bottle and drink it outside. Other maids are coming.”
Riana only shrugged, which made Mrs. Baker more anxious.
“Hey! They still don’t believe your explanation! They’ll whisper for sure—why sit here and listen to that?”
Riana blinked. “So you believed me?”
“You’d hand over your liver and gall if someone fed you. If it were true love, you’d have said so. Don’t think you’d lie about it.”
“You have a very… unsettling kind of trust in me.”
“Exactly, so get out! Ugh, seriously!”
Mrs. Baker grabbed the bottle and poured herself a glass of orange juice, chugging it just like Riana.
Riana let out a small laugh. That annoyed, protective look—she hadn’t expected to see a friend’s eyes in this world.
Crisis does sort enemies from friends. In this crappy reality, she’d found a friend.
“Sorry, ma’am. I’m staying a bit longer.”
She felt good—but she wasn’t here to hang out. And it wasn’t a hang-out kind of day.
“Are you crazy? Didn’t you hear me? Or are you some weirdo who enjoys being the subject of dirty rumors?”
“Well, I did always dream of being cast as the lead—”
“What are you saying—are you, like, actually… unwell?”
Mrs. Baker twirled her cup. A single sip of juice sloshed inside.
“It’s juice, not liqueur. Do you get drunk on juice?”
“When the only choices left in life are getting strangled to death by the prince or starving on a deserted island with no retirement money? Maybe, yeah.”
Riana lifted her glass and tapped Mrs. Baker’s lightly.
“Cheers.”
Watching her down another glass in one go, Mrs. Baker clicked her tongue.
“Yep. You’re just crazy.”
“Maybe.”
“Ugh. Fine—do whatever you want!”
“Thanks for worrying. I mean it.”
“Hmph!”
Mrs. Baker tossed off her apron and scurried away.
Setting the glass down, Riana propped her chin on her hand, face going serious.
There is no way my life has only two choices. I won’t allow it.
If there isn’t a way, she’ll make one.
Her eyes narrowed—fixed on the dining hall entrance.
Soon, as Mrs. Baker predicted, the Knights’ Club members trickled in. They came in chattering, then went quiet, faces weird, the moment they saw Riana.
Why are you looking at me like I’m a blood-stained teddy bear?
We’ve sat and laughed together, at least a little.
They weren’t close, one by one—but her guts still twisted.
With a lopsided gaze, Riana kept staring at the door.
When is he coming…?
