Chapter 9
“Why Am I Showing Up There?”
“Ahh!”
Even as I was knocked backward, I didn’t let go of the silver coin.
“…Not a nosebleed.”
I wiped my nose and looked at the person who had suddenly blocked my way. A chubby man was grinning smugly.
Ugh, that smell.
His shabby clothes, yellow teeth, and the random layers he wore made it obvious—he was a homeless man.
“I picked it up first! My hand was underneath!”
“Don’t push it. If it’s in my territory, it’s mine.”
The man glared at me.
Oh yeah?
I widened my eyes right back at him.
You think I’ll lose? If I don’t get this money, I’ll starve too!
Crackle. Crackle.
It felt like sparks were flying between us.
“Grr…!”
Maybe pressured by my glare, the man hesitated for a moment—then suddenly shoved my shoulder hard.
“Ah!”
I fell backward.
Watching me, the man casually picked up the coin and slipped it into his pocket.
“Don’t mess with my territory, newbie.”
“N-Newbie? I’m not a beggar!”
“You look exactly like one.”
“What are you talking about…”
As I said that, I looked down at myself.
Clothes that didn’t fit, dirt and dust from running away from Idris…
Well… it did make sense.
“So if you dress like a beggar, you’re a beggar?”
“What’s the difference? Got a house?”
“A house…? …No.”
“Got money?”
“A little.”
“Same here.”
I lowered my head gloomily.
…Wait. That really does make me a beggar, doesn’t it?
“S-Still! I picked it up first!”
“You little brat!”
The man raised his hand.
Ugh—he’s way bigger than me, and he’s going to hit a defenseless girl?!
I squeezed my eyes shut.
But no pain came.
When I opened my eyes, a stranger was lightly holding the man’s wrist, stopping him.
“Who are you?”
Even as the beggar spoke, his eyes quickly scanned the stranger’s clothes.
“It seemed a lady was in trouble, so I stepped in—even though it’s not my business.”
“A lady? What lady? She’s clearly a beggar. We’re just fighting over food here, so don’t interfere, rich boy.”
Just as he said, the tall, slender man looked like someone from a wealthy family.
The man turned to me.
“Lady, do you need help?”
As if the beggar’s words meant nothing.
I nodded quickly.
Yes! Help me!
“You little—!”
At the beggar’s shout, I hid behind the man.
The beggar grumbled for a while, but perhaps he couldn’t bring himself to harm someone who looked like a noble, so he eventually left.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, thanks to you. I really thought I was going to get hit.”
“That’s a relief. Actually, I followed you because you dropped this earlier.”
He held out his hand.
On his palm was the cheap fake ruby necklace the scammer had left behind.
“Thank you—for this, and for helping me earlier.”
When I said that, the man smiled brightly.
Only then did I get a proper look at his face.
He was unbelievably handsome. Like a prince straight out of a fairy tale.
“You’re welcome. It was only natural.”
His voice was soft, almost like he was singing.
Wait a minute.
A blond, handsome man?
Sparkling features, neat teeth, a kind smile, and green eyes like melted emeralds.
Even though I looked like a complete mess—so bad I was mistaken for a beggar—he still politely called me “lady.”
A strong feeling hit me.
Even without hearing his name, I felt like I knew who he was.
The male lead of this novel—the snake beastman who would conquer the world… Ozar Sedora?
Yeah. With looks like that, he had to be a main character.
The most handsome man in a novel is either the villain… or the male lead.
And since the villain was Idris, that meant this man must be the male lead.
“May I?”
Before I could even answer, he stepped closer.
Wow, he even smells nice. Are male leads supposed to be this fragrant?
“Excuse me.”
He moved behind me and fastened the necklace around my neck.
Ugh, cold.
When his hand touched my neck, I instinctively flinched. His hand was very cold.
Maybe because he’s a snake beastman?
“All done.”
He smiled brightly.
My stiff neck relaxed again.
With a face like that, who cares if his hands are cold? This is what you call a perfect man.
It felt like all the hardships I’d gone through were melting away.
Maybe I was staring too blankly, because he tilted his head.
“Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“N-No, I’m fine.”
At my answer, he smiled gently.
“By the way, your pants are quite dirty.”
He pointed at them—still covered in dust I hadn’t brushed off.
“It’s fine. I can clean it off easily.”
“Please, take this instead, beautiful lady. You don’t have to return it.”
He took out a handkerchief and handed it to me.
On its edge was purple embroidery of a snake—confirming my guess.
“Thank you—for helping me, the necklace, and the handkerchief.”
“It’s nothing. It’s getting dark and dangerous. Shall I escort you home?”
“No! I mean—my father is strict. If he sees me with a man, he’ll probably arrange a marriage on the spot.”
“I see. Then it can’t be helped.”
Just like in the novel—kind, noble, and principled.
When I bowed slightly, Ozar walked past me gracefully.
Then he suddenly stopped and turned back.
“Lady, may I ask your name?”
“My name… why…?”
“I’m not sure. I feel like we might meet again.”
“Uh… it’s Silla. Silla Rolta.”
I had a bad feeling about telling the truth, so I quickly used names I remembered.
“Silla Rolta.”
He repeated it quietly, as if memorizing it, then smiled again.
“I hope we meet again, Lady Rolta.”
With that, he disappeared into an alley.
I stared in the direction he left.
“…He was seriously handsome.”
Sometimes being inside a novel had its perks—seeing such unreal beauty. Twice, even.
But then a question hit me.
Why is Ozar here?
This Nerun territory was far—over three days and nights by train from both the capital and the snake territory.
He wouldn’t come here without a reason.
Which means…
Rodrio is going to die soon.
The realization hit me like a blow.
Ozar came here to kill Rodrio.
“If a tiger with blue eyes and white fur is born, the snakes will fall, and the world will belong to the White Tiger.”
At first, Percop had laughed at the prophecy. The only surviving white tiger beastmen were the old Tesmillion and the unstable Idris.
But when he learned there was another—one with blue eyes—he could no longer ignore it.
In the end, Percop, head of Serviyan, ordered Ozar to eliminate Rodrio.
Though Ozar didn’t like killing a child, he had no choice.
“Ozar, you remember what Atigrado did, don’t you?”
“…Yes.”
“If they regain power, there will be bloodshed. Even our house won’t escape it.”
“…I will eliminate the blue-eyed white tiger.”
As that passage came vividly to mind, so did Rodrio’s face.
I sank to the ground.
I had known from the moment I realized I was inside a novel—that one day, Rodrio would die.
It was necessary for the story.
After his death, the real plot would begin—with Idris’s rage threatening the world.
It was sad, but I shouldn’t interfere. If I changed the story, things could go terribly wrong.
After all, the white tiger family were villains.
A small change could create a huge disaster.
That’s why I had sworn countless times not to interfere.
But now that his death felt so close…
My chest ached.
He was rude, but still just a kid with a soft side.
Too young to die…
I grabbed my head.
“But I can’t save him… If I let him die… but I can’t save him…! Still, I feel bad for Rodrio…”
After agonizing like a crazy person, I finally stood up.
“…Then maybe I’ll just follow Ozar. Not to save him or anything—just to know what’s going on. I’ve got nothing to do until my train tomorrow anyway.”
Making excuses to myself, I carefully walked toward the alley where Ozar disappeared.
“Where did he go so fast…?”
As I looked around—
I heard voices, deliberately lowered.
Oh—he’s nearby!
I quickly hid beside a pile of trash.
“Are you certain?”
It was Ozar’s voice—but no longer gentle. It was cold.
And the other man?
“We confirmed the blue-eyed white tiger. But we’re not sure about the woman.”
Ah. One of the intruders from Idris’s mansion.
So they really were from Serviyan.
But… what woman?
“The one who saw her lost consciousness immediately and still hasn’t woken up.”
“Still, we should confirm it.”
Who is she?
I couldn’t think of anyone from the novel.
“So should we eliminate her along with the blue-eyed tiger?”
“Yes. She’s more dangerous than the tiger. We must remove her at all costs.”
WHO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!
There were only maids in that mansion!
“Then we must be careful. To think Cecilia Erizo—the one we’ve been searching for—was with the white tiger.”
…Huh?
Me?
Why is my name coming up here?
I blinked in disbelief, wondering if I had heard wrong.
