༺ Answer ༻
‘I suppose that’s enough to keep her quiet.’
Walking alone through the corridor, I had just issued a chilling warning (?) to the maid whose face seemed familiar yet was someone I had never met before.
I had secretly conveyed this hoping not to disappoint the old butler who might be drowning in a wave of emotions.
And to prevent the recent help from turning into annoying rumors.
I considered speaking kindly, but as a rule, discipline must be strict.
‘I guess being considered trash with a good heart doesn’t really matter.’
It would have been right to personally take care of the young maid, but to uphold the minimum decency, utilizing the flaws of a hierarchical society was also justifiable.
Instead of accumulating the dishonor of being a coward or a hypocrite by personally taking the maid to the infirmary, it was a hundred times the right decision to entrust the young girl to the old butler.
While infamy can sometimes aid one’s journey through life, dishonor is merely refuse.
If dishonored, it’s better to bear the weight of infamy.
At the moment, though.
‘I just want to lie down in bed.’
From the moment of possession to declaring an escape from the fiancée competition, meeting with the characters of regret, and even colliding with a maid whose face inexplicably seemed familiar, it’s been a tiring day.
I fell asleep reading the female-targeted novel [If You Want to Be My Husband, Kneel and Beg], only to wake up possessed right before the start of the fiancée competition.
Like other possessors, I had no time to blend into this world or thoroughly grasp the situation.
It’s been unavoidably a tiring day.
‘Anyway.’
Who exactly caused my possession?
Honestly, being possessed didn’t repulse me.
Though slightly frightened by being dropped into an unfamiliar world, the change was rather welcome since I had no lingering attachments to my previous life.
The problem was, it felt like being possessed with a “go screw yourself” attitude.
Did I incur the wrath of some malevolent deity, or did I anger the almighty novelist? But nothing seemed to add up.
It was a normal life meant to be lived by someone with nothing, where such dramatic incidents should never occur.
‘Well, according to possession stories, it’s a universal rule for the possessor to be an average citizen.’
Stomping along, lost in trivial thoughts for about ten minutes, I found myself entering the area where the final candidates’ annexes were located.
Located in the west of the Grand Duke’s castle, there were four separate houses for the four candidates, heavily guarded.
The royal guards were stationed around the entrance and walls 24/7, with entry restricted solely to members of the residing families.
Only the final candidate and selected servants and maids from their families were allowed.
The reason was simple.
To prevent secret collusion and agreements among the candidates.
For private interactions between final candidates, ‘accompaniment by the evaluation team’ was the rule. Violating this for private meetings would result in a warning, with accumulating infractions distancing them from the final victory.
Therefore, the Grand Duke’s royal guards also served as watchers and guards for each annex.
An annex is a private space and sanctuary.
Since its interiors couldn’t be monitored, entry restrictions acted as preventive measures.
Of course, one might question if just the royal guards could prevent anything, but humans, being intellectual beings with animal instincts, could be significantly deterred just by setting boundaries.
And then.
Knowing such rules, I had to be considerably surprised.
“…Advisor?”
As soon as I entered the fourth annex designated for the Rapellion family, I saw the Grand Duke’s chief advisor, Gelwood.
“Ah, you’ve arrived. You’re late, Lord Elden.”
Even though we had met just half a day ago, the sight of his pedantic face was surprisingly welcome because it meant he brought the ‘answer’ he had promised.
The Grand Duke, his advisor, and a Count’s son might be socially similar, but officially, the Count’s son stands far higher.
He wouldn’t have called me out just to deliver an answer.
And his coming all the way to the Rapellion family’s sector meant it was a matter of importance, likely concerning the ‘answer.’
I hoped that by tomorrow morning, I could depart for the southern part of Northern Command, where the Rapellion Count’s family resided, not staying in the Grand Duke’s castle any longer.
“I didn’t expect the advisor, busy with official duties, to personally visit.”
“Ha-ha. Of course, I had to come. How was your meeting with the candidates?”
He must know.
Everything that happened there, every word spoken.
The head of the Fiancée Competition could monitor the situation through the magical artifacts worn by the evaluation team.
Secretly, of course.
Moreover, Gelwood was described in the middle part of the free chapters as having unparalleled insight.
Though not widely known, he was born to the Imperial Royal Strategist mother and a high dragon, giving him extraordinary abilities.
Hiding my true intentions from him was pointless; it was better to be straightforward.
To anyone else, hiding might work, but I knew too much about his background and capabilities.
Attempting to conceal would only appear as deceit to him, arousing his curiosity.
Well.
‘Telling the truth might also pique his curiosity.’
Since arousing his curiosity was inevitable regardless of my response, I decided to vaguely convey my feelings.
“The meeting was tiring.”
Gelwood laughed with an interested look in his eyes.
“Ha-ha, it was a tiring meeting, you say.”
Then he politely gestured towards the entrance of the annex.
“Shall we talk while walking?”
**
I followed Gelwood up the stairs to what’s known as the ‘master’s floor,’ the top floor.
One might harbor the hope that this visit would sharpen my escape plans, but unfortunately, the opposite was likely true.
If my request for withdrawal had been approved, there would be no need for delay.
Taking the trouble to come here and still delaying means the conversation is going to be long, implying that the desired answer wasn’t reached.
‘…It’s time to initiate Plan B.’
Of course, I had formulated a plan for the eventuality of my withdrawal being rejected, so there was no need for despair.
It was merely the easiest and fastest escape plan that failed.
As we reached the upper part of the stairs, Gelwood, who had been silent, finally spoke.
“I wonder, did you enjoy your meal? It was your first meal hosted by the Grand Duke’s family.”
“It was excellent. I’d like to eat it every day.”
“Ha-ha. Does that mean you’re considering retracting your withdrawal?”
“…”
Of course not.
Even if the royal chef prepared meals every day, I refuse to be subjected to revenge by the heroine for sins I didn’t commit.
Instead of answering, I simply smiled, prompting Gelwood to ask another question.
“Yet, you don’t inquire?”
“About the ‘answer’ you promised?”
“Yes.”
We had finally reached the top floor.
A floor where general servants couldn’t casually enter, accessible only to the family’s head butler and a few selected servants, indicating there were no prying ears or eyes.
I was curious.
What kind of ‘answer’ required such prolonged anticipation?
After all, rice loses its flavor if simmered for too long.
Yet,
I didn’t broach the subject because I believed there must be a reason for a sage-like character like Gelwood to delay.
“There’s no rush.”
“Ha-ha, that’s truly odd.”
“What is, may I ask?”
“The Lord Elden I know from the Rapellion family is known for his impatience, unable to bear any doubt.”
…Unfortunately, as Junwoo, a modern individual, I possess strong patience.
Having lived without much, one must develop such patience.
And being possessed didn’t mean I could disguise myself as the wretched character Elden.
I neither wished to live as a scoundrel nor felt inclined to perform just for the sake of disguise.
“I’m trying to cultivate patience.”
Responding bluntly, I felt Gelwood’s gaze beside me but didn’t react.
For those aware of the mystical power in Gelwood’s eyes, avoiding it was the only option.
“Ah, I hope your wish comes true.”
“By the way, where are we going?”
Despite reaching the top floor and being in a place devoid of listening or watching eyes, Gelwood continued walking without revealing the ‘answer.’
The third floor of the annex, designated for the master, contained the master’s bedroom, a multipurpose room for preparations, a waiting room for the residing servants, a dressing room, and a parlor for receiving guests.
“We’ve arrived.”
Gelwood finally stopped.
In front of a door marked ‘Parlor.’
Simultaneously, an ominous sense began to resonate.
“I mentioned I would provide an ‘answer.'”
“Yes, but…”
As Gelwood opened the parlor door and pointed inside,
“Someone is waiting for you.”
“…Who might that be?”
Hesitant to enter, I asked, and when a smile spread across his pedantic face, the ominous sense wrapped around me became certainty.
“It’s the ‘answer’ to your request for withdrawal.”
Cautiously, I peered inside.
A woman sat on the sofa.
Wearing a mask.
**
At the moment Elden received his answer in the parlor,
In one of the many rooms on the upper floors of the Second Grand Duke’s castle, a young woman’s voice echoed.
“Miss~!”
A voice searching for its charge.
The voice of a maid who had hurried back, worried her charge might be concerned about her late return.
“Miss~? Where are you~!”
No response came.
At this hour, the Miss, who usually sat at the bedside reading a book, was nowhere to be seen.
“Hmm, where did she go?”
The maid stepped out into the corridor.
This floor was exclusively for the third Northern Grand Duchess, sealed off to anyone but authorized personnel.
Hence, it was quiet.
“Is she in the study…?”
Considering the Miss spent her days researching magic and alchemy and even read scholarly works before bed, the maid began heading towards the study.
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud.
Using a crutch,
It was the young maid who had received a chilling warning from Elden.
