TIRS 89

CHAPTER 89………………………………….

 I Saw It!

The day before leaving Luenhart.

The royal palace prepared a final banquet for us.

None of the Luenhart officials, including the king, attended—it was a banquet solely for me and my traveling companions.

Sitting at the dressing table while the palace maids styled me, I drifted into thought for a moment.

Even though I was technically a criminal, two members of the royal family had died. And inside the palace, no less.

The Luenhart royal palace, always vibrant with love and passion, had also sunk into mourning.

The deaths of Enzo and Arbella left a lingering unease, but it was time for me to leave Luenhart.

I had things to do at the next destination.

“Honestly… what bothers me more than their deaths is the system side of things.”

Pia had mentioned that the system had been blocked.

Could it be that the system administrator intervened?

“But… why?”

I hadn’t noticed any harm caused to me that would suggest a bug, and it seemed excessive to intervene just to help the player proceed smoothly with the scenario.

At that moment, a knock at the door and a neat voice broke my thoughts.

“Your Highness. Sir Klaus.”

“Come in.”

My styling had just finished, so I motioned for him to enter and signaled to the maids to step out.

“What is it, Sir?”

“I’ve received a message from the home country…”

Klaus stopped in his tracks when he saw me as he walked inside.

“…….”

[SYSTEM] ’s affinity decreased by -10. (Affinity: 839)

“Sir Klaus?”

Klaus, staring blankly at me, suddenly snapped out of it at my call.

‘Yeah… Luibel really does look beautiful dressed in Luenhart style.’

It seemed like a hard life for Klaus, always stiffening and going on alert at the sight of any pretty woman.

‘He was just as defensive around Maria too.’

After being in a sleep-like state for a while, I sought out Maria and suggested that she come along.

Even after completing the scenario and gaining a new ally slot, I had been unsure if it was okay for her to come.

Maria’s faith was extremely strong.

If she happened to clash with the system administrator, her faith could make her a liability… and that would put everyone in danger.

There was no need to recruit every hero from the original story.

After all, the original story had changed the moment I became the player in place of Hezen.

Still, thinking of Maria, who had mourned while I was in that sleep-like state, who had been sincere with me from the first moment we met, I could no longer push her away.

“Do you want to come with me, Maria?”

“R-Really, Lady Luibel?”

Maria’s joy at my invitation was evident.

“Oh my, I’m so happy! I’ll stay by your side so nothing happens to you, Lady Luibel!”

“I should be the one thanking you.”

Even though I had expected Maria’s cheerful reaction, her sincere joy made me feel shy.

I worried that Anselot, who didn’t get along with Maria, would be uncomfortable, but he showed no reaction.

Surprisingly, it was Klaus who objected.

“Y-You intend to take that woman along on Your Highness’s journey?”

“Yes. Maria will surely be of great help to us.”

“B-But she’s a woman!”

“Do you really believe that men and women are suited for completely different roles?”

“Th-That’s not what I meant. But men and women are… different… so how… how can we journey together…”

Klaus answered with a red face, looking awkward and embarrassed.

Though not Korean, I inwardly admired his deeply ingrained Confucian mindset.

‘But I’m a woman too.’

Blinking my eyes and saying that, Klaus looked at me as if he had just realized something, and his affinity dropped sharply.

“Poor Klaus… if he doesn’t overcome his fear of women, he’ll never marry. The Winster lineage ends here.”

I mourned silently for the future of the Winster family.

After that, Klaus no longer opposed Maria joining the journey, but he continued to lose affinity whenever he interacted with me.

Klaus cleared his throat and reported again.

“The Emperor of our homeland wishes to contact you, Your Highness.”

“My mother…?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Klaus handed me a mirror-like communication device.

My mother’s face appeared on the mirror.

“Mother…!”

A surge of joy welled up inside me.

“I heard you got involved in dangerous matters, Luibel. Are you unharmed?”

Her voice sounded casual, but worry was evident.

“I’m sorry for worrying you, Mother.”

I smiled slightly, and my mother raised her eyebrows in mock reproach.

“You enjoy making me worry?”

“No, I just… feel happy.”

“Happy?”

“Yes, it’s been a long time since I’ve felt your concern…”

She paused, then her expression softened, though her voice remained stern.

“You speak strangely. I’ve always worried about you.”

“Excuse me?”

“I mean, from the time you were a tiny baby until now, I’ve always been concerned.”

Her words made my heart tingle, and a smile tugged at my lips.

“I’m glad my health is fine.”

Noticing my expression, she chuckled and asked,

“How is Prince Anselot? That proud head of his still the same?”

“Ah…”

Until leaving Azester, my mother thought Anselot and I liked each other.

At that time, it was a lie to make our journey together seem natural. But in that short time, I truly began to like him.

And he… liked me too.

“Luibel. I like you.”

“Even if you regret kissing me out of disappointment, I still like you.”

“I think I love you.”

“I love you, Lulu.”

Recalling that confession, my cheeks flushed unconsciously. My mother clicked her tongue.

“You’re completely smitten.”

“……”

I had no words to respond. As she said, I was completely absorbed in the lingering emotion of that confession.

“Soon, you’ll arrive at the Kingdom of Lu.”

The Kingdom of Lu, home to the Daeshinjeon.

Though independent from the Daeshinjeon, the mere presence of it within the territory gave the kingdom significant status.

That was my next destination.

“You’ve kept what I asked you to, right?”

“Of course.”

I recalled my mother’s errand to deliver something to the Pope.

“Heh heh heh… finally, I’ll exact my long-awaited revenge on that one.”

Her eerie smile sent a chill down my spine.

‘I hope delivering Mother’s errand doesn’t turn into sacrilege.’

Dinner time approached, and I ended the communication.

“I’ll escort you to the banquet hall…”

Klaus reached out toward me, but stopped when he heard footsteps and turned his head.

Following his gaze, I saw Anselot leaning slightly against the doorframe, a gentle smile on his lips.

Our eyes met, and he straightened up, walking toward me.

“I’ve come to escort you, Princess.”

Anselot bowed elegantly and extended his hand.

I placed my hand in his.

He lightly kissed the back of my hand and then raised his head.

His lips, brushing mine briefly earlier, had now touched the back of my hand with a soft curve.

Perhaps thinking the same thing, Anselot’s gaze dropped toward my lips before meeting my eyes again.

Our gazes slowly intertwined in the air.

Prrr! Something’s suspicious! Something’s suspicious!

Pia stomped her small feet on my shoulder in discontent.

Unable to take my eyes off Anselot, I finally blushed slightly and turned my head.

“L-Let’s go! Maria and Iley will be waiting!”

Prrit?

What? You just dodged my question, Lulu, didn’t you? Right?

Neither I nor Anselot responded to Pia’s question.

Maria and Iley had already arrived, waiting in front of the banquet hall.

“Lady Luibel…!”

Maria approached with a bright smile, linking her arm with mine, while growling at Anselot, who held my other hand.

Anselot just let out a dismissive chuckle.

Iley watched us quietly for a moment, then ran over and flopped into my arms.

Her gesture mimicked Maria’s approach moments ago, albeit clumsily.

I freed both hands from Anselot and Maria to embrace Iley.

“Iley, you’ve gotten more spoiled.”

Giggling, Iley tilted her head.

Since I awoke from the sleep state, Iley had become clingier, always seeking comfort and rarely letting go of my hand.

‘She must be anxious. I was unconscious for several days.’

I patted Iley’s head as we entered the banquet hall.

After dinner, on the way back to the royal palace,

Maria returned to the temple first.

Klaus went to convey thanks to King Titarus at my request.

In truth, my plan was to settle Iley and Pia first, then go for an evening walk with Anselot.

Just as we crossed the palace gates,

“Princess Luibel…!”

A woman suddenly appeared before me.

“Who are you?”

Not because I didn’t know her, but because her appearance was unexpected.

She was Doris, a maid who had served Arbella in the greenhouse garden that day.

“Ah, I’m Doris, who served Lady Arbella. P-Please… save me!”

“Huh…?”

Suddenly screaming for help, Doris squeezed her eyes shut and shouted,

“I-I saw it! The man who killed Lady Arbella and Prince Enzo…!”