LVSFN 35

LVSFN

Posted by Ali, Released on July 16, 2025

Chapter 35

Things in life never go as expected.

Especially when someone is deliberately coming at you.

I thought Nathan would stay quiet, but he went around spreading the word everywhere—yet ironically, the one person I actually hoped would gossip said not a word outside the estate.

I underestimated Eclat far too much.

Even though I practically cast a magic spell telling her not to say a word to anyone, she actually kept her mouth tightly shut.

I genuinely appreciated it, but—this was one of those times where a little gossip would’ve been just fine!

It was well past noon, but the rumor I’d been hoping to hear still hadn’t reached my ears.

“Eclat, did you hear anything from Elome today?”

“No, my lady.”

Eclat replied sweetly as she dusted off the shelves.

I cleared my throat and tried again.

“Did you perhaps mention anything about me to Elome?”

“No, of course not. You told me explicitly not to tell anyone, didn’t you?”

“Right, I did. That’s true.”

“Honestly, it’s been a little awkward. Every time I go out, people won’t stop asking me things. ‘Are they really getting married?’ ‘What did the Grand Duke give her as a wedding gift?’ ‘What does the dress look like?’ ‘Why hasn’t Lady Bernadette said anything?’ I mean, it’s only natural for them to be curious when the main subject of all the rumors just stays locked up at home.”

“Oh, goodness.”

“They can’t exactly ask the Grand Duke, so they all hound me instead.”

Eclat shrugged as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“And every time, I just keep my mouth shut and act like I don’t know anything.”

No, it’s okay to talk! Please, go ahead and talk! Say I’m not getting married!

“Oh, by the way, my lady.”

Eclat clutched her duster a bit tighter and glanced at me carefully.

“My lady, are you really okay with all of this?”

I didn’t know how to answer that question.

At this point, it felt like I couldn’t escape no matter what I did.

This story—it’s definitely trying to smother me to death this time.

No matter what I do, I can’t get away from Jerlach. The entire plot and all the circumstances are like a trap set to erase me.

“I’m not sure.”

At that, Eclat lowered her voice to a whisper.

“Do you truly dislike the Grand Duke?”

The real problem was…

That I didn’t dislike him.

I knew I had to get away from Jerlach. I knew that was the only way. I’d been trying so hard to escape, to stay away.

But my heart kept saying something else.

I didn’t hate him.

In fact, maybe… the opposite.

But if I stay tied to him like this, then in a few days, I’ll be completely erased from this story.

And after that?

What happens after I disappear?

Will the story just reset, starting from the beginning?

Will I simply be someone who never existed in the first place?

It might already be too late to turn things back.

Maybe I’ve already gone too far.

But even so, I couldn’t answer whether this path was okay.

“I really don’t know, Eclat.”

“My lady…”

Eclat looked at me with concern in her eyes.

“Would you like me to bring you something sweet?”

Strangely, I didn’t feel like eating anything sweet.

“It’s okay.”

“Oh no! This is serious—our lady is in real trouble!”

Eclat set down her duster and stepped closer to me.

“What’s with that expression?”

“I’m worried, that’s all. You turning down sweets is a clear sign something’s wrong.”

“I don’t know… I kind of feel like eating something spicy.”

“Spicy?”

“Yeah, like tteokbokki, ramen, stir-fried baby octopus, grilled cartilage, chicken feet with soju… stuff like that.”

“Pardon? What was that, my lady?”

“Ah, never mind. Just pretend you didn’t hear that.”

I let out a slow sigh. That’s when Eclat suddenly clapped her hands together like she remembered something.

“Oh! My lady, today’s the day!”

“What day?”

“It’s the 10th. You remember, the tea party at the Shurane Viscount’s estate?”

“Oh… right. That’s today.”

I slowly nodded.

But I had neither the energy nor the heart to attend.

Besides, if I went to that tea party, everyone would swarm me asking whether the marriage rumor was true.

Still, if I did show up and said, “Actually, we’re not getting married,” in front of all the gathered noble ladies, the news would spread like wildfire within an hour.

Then Jerlach would rush over. And if I ended things right there, it would be the perfect scenario.

That was the whole plan. What I’d been trying to do all along.

But for some reason… I didn’t feel like going through with it anymore.

That was when a thought crossed my mind.

“Should I ask one more time? I mean, no matter how hard I try, Jerlach clings to me like a leech. Maybe, like Eclat said, this really is fate.”

Maybe the astrologer made a mistake.

She’s just a person—it’s possible she was wrong!

Yes. I had to go and ask again.

I glanced at Eclat and casually spoke up.

“Eclat, you won’t be able to see Elome unless I go, right?”

“My lady, are you saying you won’t attend?”

“Well, I’ve been feeling really tired since yesterday. I think I need to rest.”

I pressed a hand to my forehead.

“Oh no, are you okay?”

“I think I have a bit of a fever.”

“A fever? Oh my, what should we do?”

“I should just sleep for a while. Eclat, I’m going to lie down. Go ahead and meet Elome.”

I blinked slowly as I rose to my feet.

“But my lady, I can’t just go out to have fun when you’re sick. I’ll go down and get some medicine.”

“No, no. I think I’ll feel better if I just sleep it off. I’ll be asleep for a long while, so don’t worry and go.”

Eclat hesitated.

But I knew. Just a little more push, and she’d definitely go meet Elome.

“Really. I’m just going to sleep.”

“My lady…”

“Oh, and Eclat. Please tell them at the Shurane estate that I’m sorry I couldn’t attend because I wasn’t feeling well. I’d really appreciate it.”

“Ah, understood. I’ll come back quickly then.”

“No, it’s fine… I’m going to sleep, so take your time.”

Yes. Success!

While Eclat was off at the Shurane estate, I quietly snuck out of the house like a stray cat.

Worried someone might see me, I tied up my hair tightly and pulled my robe all the way over my forehead.

I knew I probably looked more suspicious in broad daylight dressed like this, but I had no choice.

I had to hurry. Eclat might come back early.

Thankfully, Jenniton Street wasn’t far from the house.

But—

“What the… I’m sure it was here.”

I’ve always had a decent sense of direction and was good at finding places, but no matter how much I looked, the astrologer’s shack was nowhere to be found.

“Weird. It should be right here.”

Had it vanished into the sky or sunk into the ground? It was completely gone.

What now? I really wanted to ask her again.

Tomorrow is the start of the festival.

I was just about ready to say, to hell with it, but the old woman’s chilling voice still lingered in my mind.

If entering this world from a book is possible, then vanishing from it surely isn’t impossible either.

That uncertainty—it scared me.

It terrified me.

And that fear always felt worse when I was alone.

But seriously, where did that old woman go?!

“Ribe?”

Someone called my name. Instinctively, I turned around.