Chapter 4
I filled my arms with blue roses and moved toward the quest location. Halfway through, Francis helped by cutting them down with his sword, so gathering them wasn’t too hard. What was supposed to be just one bouquet ended up filling my arms completely, thanks to him.
The tightly packed blue roses brushed against the lower edge of my mask, releasing a fresh fragrance. It filled my lungs and made my heart beat with excitement.
「 Francis Patella : Captain of the Imperial Guard / Affection Level Unknown ▼ 」
Francis was still behind me. I had a faint hope that maybe his status had changed, so I tapped the arrow with my fingertip.
「 ▼ He despises Princess Gracie enough to want her dead. 」
Well, yeah. People don’t just like someone so easily! Of course. That’s right.
“Where has Duke de Lavoie been?”
Francis let out a long sigh, then looked into my eyes. He stared at me like he couldn’t believe I really didn’t know, then finally spoke.
“He returned victorious from the Northern Campaign.”
“I see. He wasn’t injured, was he?”
“Why? Do you wish he had been?”
What the hell? Why is he suddenly acting all snappy after being nice earlier?
“No. I was worried he might have been hurt.”
I answered with a silly smile, and he immediately frowned and turned his head away.
Princess Gracie… why did you live your life like this? What on earth did you do that not a single person seems to like you?
“Is this the residence where Duke de Lavoie stays?”
“Yes.”
“Then if we wait, he’ll show up, right?”
“Yes.”
The navy-blue uniform suited his red hair well. Since he was so tall, the hem that would have trailed on the ground if I wore it only fluttered near his calves. I stood waiting with the door open to greet the Duke, but after a while, my legs started to ache.
The freesia scent from the handkerchief tied around my wrist was drowned out by the roses. I was also wearing the earrings I had taken from Caroline.
“What if he hates it?”
The thought suddenly crossed my mind, so I asked Francis. His lips parted, his expression strangely softened—
That only made it feel even more ominous.
“Do you think he’ll like it?”
Right. If it were that easy, it wouldn’t be a quest.
“I hope he does.”
There was no way a high-level quest would be simple. I must’ve let my guard down because life had been going unusually well these days.
Nothing in my life had ever been easy.
“I just hope he’ll at least accept it.”
I muttered weakly. His lips twitched slightly. Seeing such a big, intimidating man looking like he didn’t know what to say was almost funny.
Taking a deep breath, I stood properly at the door. By now, the Duke would have met the Emperor and would be on his way to the residence assigned to him.
Thankfully, there were no instructions about exactly where I was supposed to give him the flowers, so I chose this place.
I prayed it would go smoothly and end quickly.
When I opened my eyes, a crowd was approaching in the distance.
“His Grace is arriving!”
My heart pounded wildly, reminding me of the day I had my job interview. I had been so nervous back then, I felt like my heart might leap out of my chest.
Wow. Is this Clayton de Lavoie?
Oh my god—he’s so handsome!
He stood against the sunlight streaming in, his black hair swaying gently in the breeze. It gave him a mysterious aura. His cold blue eyes were as clear as the sky, capturing every vivid color of the world.
“What is this?”
Snapping back to my senses, I shook my head. The Duke was glaring at me.
But even his glare…
Was insanely good-looking.
Maybe this guy’s the real protagonist?
「 At long last! Player 2 has met Duke Clayton de Lavoie! Please choose one of the following options. ▼
Option 1. Hand him the flowers. Option 2. Throw the flowers on the ground. Option 3. Cry while holding the flowers. Option 4. Run away. 」
Option 4 was tempting, but I knew if I picked something crazy like that, the system would just give me another clean-up quest.
I used to hate games so much…
If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve listened more when my friends talked about their mobile games in college instead of brushing it off.
I chose Option 1 and handed over the armful of blue roses.
But he didn’t seem like he was going to accept them. His expression was cold enough to freeze over. If he wanted to shoot laser beams at me, fine—shoot.
Shoot me dead and force-quit this whole thing!
Then would it be CPR again?
Should I test it just one more time?
No, no more tests. I need to clear this thing. I only have one year! CLEAR! CLEAR! CLEAR!
My lottery ticket expires in a year! One year!
“Were you hurt at all?”
I asked as gently as I could, but he only continued glaring at me. Then he slapped the roses out of my hands. As the petals scattered to the ground, he suddenly grabbed my shoulder. The falling blue leaves looked strangely beautiful.
“What kind of nonsense is this?”
He wasn’t looking at me—he was staring at the earrings on my ear.
So there was a reason he told me to wear them.
“Are you trying to humiliate me again?”
He let go of my arm, and the roses I had been holding collapsed in a heap on the ground. Stepping right over them, his tall figure loomed closer.
“What the hell is this…!”
“I wanted a different flower.”
Seriously? Are these guys all friends? Why do they keep saying the same damn line?
When he reached for my mask, I instinctively grabbed his wrist. I didn’t want to show my ugly face to everyone here—even if they already knew.
“How could an ugly sight like me be a flower?”
I muttered bitterly. His hand froze. Relieved, I looked up, but then his face moved closer. The scent of the roses at our feet made me feel faint.
“So that’s why you rejected me before?”
“…”
“Then why now?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Why are you doing this now?”
「 Choose your reply below. ☆ Remember: Duke de Lavoie is essential for clearing a future quest. Keep that in mind!
Option 1. Can’t we take it back? Option 2. Why? Do you hate my games now? Option 3. I need you. Option 4. Kiss him. ▼ 」
Wow. Not a single sane choice here.
What does Option 1 even mean? Option 2… yeah, that sounds like something the princess would say, with her nasty personality. No wonder everyone hates her. Option 3… that’s the only one that seems halfway decent. Option 4 isn’t even an option. Pass.
「 ▼ Time limit: 3… 2… 1… 」
Even while I was reading, the countdown ticked away.
Option 3! Option 3! I spammed it and quickly stepped back. I almost picked disaster!
“I need you.”
“What?”
“I said I need you.”
That’s when I noticed the crowd behind him. Of course he wouldn’t live here alone, but I hadn’t expected so many people. They couldn’t enter fully, so they just stared in this direction.
“Ha.”
Now that I realized how many eyes were on us, embarrassment washed over me. It was humiliating enough to be rejected in front of one person—much worse in front of a whole crowd.
“So after you pushed me into a war to die, I come back victorious and suddenly you need me?”
“What?”
“If I had lost, would you still have said that crap?”
I could understand why he was angry. Which only meant… I had nothing to say.
But hey, none of this is even my fault! Why the hell am I the one paying for it?
While I was lost in thought, he grabbed my chin, pulling my face closer.
This is a dream. If I kiss him here, it doesn’t count in real life, right? And if my first kiss is with such a gorgeous man, well… that’s not so bad.
But still—who the hell tries to kiss in a situation like this?!
—Smack!
Even though I wanted to stay calm, I couldn’t help it—I slapped him.
His head turned, but after a moment, he looked back at me with icy eyes.
「 Clayton de Lavoie : Duke / Affection Level Unknown ▼ 」
I sighed and tapped the arrow.
「 ▼ Weak to tears. 」
Oh? Then maybe I should cry. Crying is one thing I’m really good at.
I’d always been the best at faking tears in unfair situations. Sometimes, it was the only way to get out of them.
“Ugh… You’re so cruel…”
「 Event! Clayton de Lavoie has been weakened by your tears! His affection level can now be checked. ☆ Warning: Checking will trigger a deferred quest.
Option 1. Check. Option 2. Don’t check. 」
The final quest is about my sister anyway, so why bother checking his affection? Useless.
I pressed Option 2—
But it wouldn’t work.
「 Invalid selection. 」
Option 2!
「 Invalid selection. 」
Option 2!!!
「 Invalid selection. 」
What the hell?! Then just give me Option 1 only!
Fine. Option 1.
「 Clayton de Lavoie : Duke / Affection Level ▼ 」
Ugh, damn it. If it’s useful, I’ll just have to endure it.
「 ▼ 99% p.s. After checking once, you cannot reopen this until certain conditions are cleared. 」
I stared blankly at the status window, dumbfounded.
He looked just as stunned as I did.
“You’re disgusting.”
“…”
“Get. Out.”
He covered his mouth with his big hand as he ordered me to leave.
I thought—hey, aren’t princesses technically above dukes? Is it really okay for him to kick me out like this?
Apparently, it was. With hulking knights lined up beside him, I had no choice but to leave with Francis.
As I was driven out, I glanced back.
It was me who was being thrown out, but it looked like Clayton was the one truly wounded—his face was twisted with pain.
What a lunatic.
Still… if it means I can go back within a year, I can play the lunatic even better.
