☀ Chapter 8 ☀
The moment I finished speaking, Ate stared at me in disbelief.
“So you’re here because…!”
“I got engaged today. It hasn’t been announced to the public yet, but once His Majesty returns, it’ll be officially declared.”
I smiled lightly and added that I was perfectly capable of bleeding and crying, unlike the rumors claimed.
Ate’s clear blue eyes darted back and forth in confusion.
Well… the rumors had been ridiculously exaggerated.
The cruel woman everyone talked about and the person standing in front of him simply didn’t match.
“So after completely ignoring my brother’s proposal, what suddenly changed your mind…?”
He narrowed his eyes.
“If you’re after power, I won’t forgive you.”
Wow.
How terrifying.
Watching him, it became obvious that Ate admired Ivan more than anyone.
He really fooled even his own little brother…
I might actually need to learn image management from him.
Honestly, it was almost impressive.
Lying to the entire Empire was one thing.
Lying to your own family with that perfect angel act?
That was on another level.
“We talked, and he turned out to be a good person.”
“Of course he did. Where else would you find someone as amazing as my brother?”
Ate puffed out his chest proudly before hesitating.
“By the way… are you going to be okay?”
“Hm?”
Okay?
Tilting my head in confusion, I watched him awkwardly clear his throat before mumbling,
“Um… the nobles outside the palace… they’re after you…”
He trailed off before finishing.
Even though I couldn’t hear everything clearly, I understood what he meant.
The nobles were all targeting me.
Well… that’s only natural.
From the public’s perspective, I had ignored the Crown Prince’s proposal for weeks.
That alone had already made me everyone’s enemy.
And if I actually accepted his proposal…
The position of Crown Princess—the dream every noble family had coveted for years—would disappear overnight.
“It’s alright. I’ve already signed the engagement papers. No one will dare treat the future Crown Princess carelessly.”
“That’s not what I meant…”
Ate scratched his cheek.
“Forget it. My brother will handle it.”
“So you were worried about me?”
I smiled gently before poking the bridge of his nose.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
His soft, marshmallow-like cheeks instantly turned bright red.
No matter how prickly he acted…
He was still just a child.
He was so adorable that I suddenly wanted to pull him into a hug.
Just then—
Cough! Cough!
A painful fit of coughing shook his tiny body.
It sounded as though his throat were being torn apart.
Moments later…
Bright red blood stained his pale lips.
…It’s because of that incurable disease.
He’s still so young…
Reading about Ate’s illness and witnessing it with my own eyes were two completely different things.
Seeing him suffer like this made me genuinely want to help him.
According to the novel, Shana failed to save Ate simply because she found him too late.
If treatment began now…
There was still a good chance he could recover.
I can’t openly bring up the prince’s illness or ask others for help…
The only option is to naturally guide Shana into discovering his condition.
I silently resolved to become close to Shana once I visited the temple.
Taking out the handkerchief I carried, I held it toward Ate.
Honestly…
I wanted to wipe the blood away for him.
But judging from his personality, he’d probably rather do it himself.
“…What’s this?”
“You should wipe the blood off. Your white shirt will get stained.”
Ate simply stared at the handkerchief in silence.
His expression looked noticeably softer than before.
After a moment, he accepted it and casually wiped the blood from his lips with practiced movements.
“I like that you didn’t make a huge fuss.”
He looked away.
“Plenty of people act like I’m about to die just because I coughed once.”
“Everyone worries differently.”
I smiled.
“But they all wish for you to recover.”
“I know that.”
His voice became quieter.
“It’s just…”
“…Even though I’m still alive, everyone looks at me like I’m already dead.”
Since attendants weren’t allowed inside the Imperial Library, he probably came here to escape those pitying gazes.
Now I understand why he read all those difficult magic books.
Finding the book I needed, I decided it was time to leave.
“Well then, Your Highness.”
“I’ll see you again.”
“Hmph.”
He crossed his arms.
“Why would I ever see you again?”
Ouch.
Back to being prickly already…
Even so, his eyes quietly followed me as I turned away.
He’s honestly such a cute kid.
“Oh, and about that handkerchief…”
I stretched both arms dramatically.
“It’s veeeery precious to me.”
“So you absolutely have to wash it properly and return it, alright?”
“H-Huh…?”
Blinking several times, Ate slowly nodded.
Mission: Befriend the Soft-Hearted Prince — Complete.
Leaving the library in a satisfied mood, I headed straight for my laboratory.
Making magical potions wasn’t particularly difficult, so it shouldn’t take long.
So Ivan wasn’t just saying he’d take care of me.
The laboratory he prepared for me had once belonged to Imperial Court Magicians.
Everything I could possibly need was already there.
In fact…
It was even larger and cleaner than I expected.
Almost exactly my style.
“Wow… Lastul’s Beard!”
“That ingredient is incredibly difficult to buy!”
Enjoying the privileges of power to the fullest, I looked around the laboratory before opening the magic book I’d borrowed.
Following the recipe, I mixed together the ingredients for the memory potion.
After conducting several additional experiments…
I finally succeeded.
The potion that restored forgotten memories was complete.
Of course, it wasn’t easy.
If someone makes something difficult look easy…
It simply means they’re an expert.
Like me.
Ahem.
“Looks like spending my childhood making hundreds of potions in the laboratory finally paid off.”
Back then, every single one of my thousands of failed experimental potions had somehow ended up in Rion’s hands.
I still had no idea what he’d been using them for.
“Well then.”
Gulp.
Thinking about the memories I wanted to recover, I drank the potion.
Moments later…
The forgotten scenes from the original novel slowly became clear again.
“…Ah… that’s right.”
The original novel—
<The Monster Duke’s Doll>, or simply Monster Duke—
had still been ongoing when I was transported into this world.
I never learned how it ended.
However…
I recovered all the memories I had before possessing this body.
Leaning back onto the sofa, I let out a long groan.
Things had progressed much further than I’d thought.
I’d assumed this was still the beginning.
“I was wrong.”
“This is just before the story enters the middle arc.”
“If we divide it into beginning, middle, and end… we’re already in the early-middle section.”
“This is exactly when the serial killer suddenly disappears.”
The serial killer—
In other words…
Ivan.
There had been a brief period when no more victims appeared.
The reason?
Soon, during the Empire’s Founding Festival, Ivan would attend the celebration…
And fall in love with Shana at first sight.
“I know he promised to act like a fiancé devoted only to me…”
“But the original story is still the original story.”
“He won’t be able to avoid falling for her.”
Regardless of what he truly was…
Ivan was still the second male lead.
That fact wouldn’t change.
After organizing everything I remembered…
I realized Shana should soon be leaving her secluded life inside the temple.
She would finally be allowed outside thanks to Duke Barat, the male lead, who rescued her from the temple’s exploitation.
I should visit the temple before the Founding Festival.
After the festival…
Shana would become far too busy and famous to meet easily.
It would be better to get acquainted beforehand.
There was Ate’s illness…
And I also wanted to ask her about the mysterious power Ivan called Filtre (Filtrer).
Thinking that I should arrange a visit to the temple soon…
I returned to my bedroom.
Sis, who had apparently been waiting for me, hurried over with shocking news.
“Lady Rine!”
“We just received word.”
“His Majesty is returning to the palace tomorrow!”
“There’ll be a victory banquet, so you absolutely have to attend!”
“…Tomorrow?”
I frowned.
“His Majesty wasn’t supposed to return until next week.”
The original story changing was one thing.
But even this?
The Emperor was supposed to return a full week later.
What happened?
“I heard Crown Prince Ivan sent His Majesty a letter.”
“No one knows what it said…”
“But apparently, that’s why His Majesty moved up his return.”
Ivan sent a letter?
What on earth did he write…
The Emperor had advanced his schedule by an entire week because of it.
It can’t be because of the engagement.
The Emperor in the original novel never interfered with whatever Ivan chose to do.
Even if it involved getting engaged.
I don’t know exactly what happened…
But somehow… it feels like the devil simply did what the devil does.
