Chapter 13
The execution by burning was scheduled for noon tomorrow, so naturally, Seungeon couldn’t leave this prison until morning.
Maybe the guard was just trying to calm the excited crown prince.
Hearing his words, Seungeon almost burst into laughter.
‘What a strange character.’
His expression and tone were indifferent, but his actions were odd.
Rather than the crown prince, who was getting worked up over saving her, her eyes were drawn to the guard.
“Wait a moment!”
At first, the crown prince replied, “Very well,” to the guard’s suggestion, but then he caught on to the real meaning and his face twisted in anger.
Shing—
“You dare mock the crown prince?!”
The guard bowed even more politely.
“Mockery, Your Highness? I would never. I assure you, I had no such intention.”
“Then open this door at once!”
“I could… but…”
“But?!”
“The door will open naturally in just a few more hours. Is there any reason to force it open now?”
“What?”
“If Your Highness wishes, I can prepare a waiting area for you.”
The guard, polite to a fault, looked ready to fetch a chair nearby when—
“You insolent cur!”
The crown prince thrust his sword toward the guard’s neck just as he began to turn away. The prince’s breath hissed through his nostrils with such intensity that it sounded like a snarl.
‘This is going to get ugly.’
As realistic as this whole situation felt, she couldn’t forget it was still a virtual world. Even so, she had no desire to see someone’s head chopped off in front of her.
Apparently, past Seungeon felt the same way.
Before her thoughts could catch up, her lips moved first.
“Hold on.”
She stepped toward the bars and spoke to the crown prince, who was glaring daggers at the guard.
“Let’s all calm down first.”
Wearing a calm smile, Seungeon met the prince’s eyes as he turned his gaze from the guard to her.
“Since escaping prison would affect my honor, let’s try to think of another way, okay?”
“No matter what happens, I, the Crown Prince, will prove your innocence, Sola! Just wait a little longer!”
With that, the prince, who’d looked ready to rip the iron bars off with his bare hands, finally turned and disappeared. Only then could Seungeon breathe again and start sorting out her thoughts.
‘I mean… they wouldn’t actually kill me, right?’
Sure, she was facing the threat of a public execution almost immediately after starting the game, but it’s not like the developers would kill off a brand-new player just like that.
After all, this was a romance game.
‘There has to be a way out.’
It wasn’t an RPG. This was a game about meeting the love of your dreams, not getting a GAME OVER right at the beginning.
So Seungeon decided to face the situation with calm acceptance and waited for dawn to break.
But then—
“Sola! Are you here?”
“Sola, I’ve come to rescue you!”
“Sola! Come with me!”
“Sola!”
⦙
Shortly after pacifying the crown prince, a stream of visitors came: a purple-haired noble, a red-haired merchant, a blue-haired aristocrat, and even royalty from a neighboring nation who had supposedly come as hostages.
All of them were there to break her out.
‘…Huh.’
They were all handsome and insisted that she wasn’t a witch, trying to escort her out of prison.
But—
“The prisoner cannot leave until sunrise.”
“Offering bribes is a punishable offense.”
“Invoking the kingdom’s laws won’t change the rules here.”
The guard answered each attempt—whether by bribes, threats, or pleas—without blinking an eye.
His professionalism was so unwavering, she almost wanted to scout him herself.
‘He’s actually kind of impressive.’
After sending away the would-be rescuers, Seungeon’s eyes landed on the steadfast guard rather than the rainbow-haired men.
“You… don’t intend to leave?”
Noticing her gaze, the guard asked in a low voice.
It was the first time the previously stiff guard had asked her anything. Though surprised, Seungeon smiled sweetly and replied naturally.
“If I leave now, you’ll report me, and I’ll just get caught by the guards. Better to wait here than to die like a dog, don’t you think?”
The logic of her past self’s words made complete sense even now.
‘That’s true.’
Even if she escaped with one of the men, the eagle-eyed guard would surely report her. Her escape would be over in moments.
“How much time is left before the execution?”
When Seungeon asked, smiling casually, the guard paused briefly before turning his head away.
It was as if he didn’t want to meet her gaze.
‘Cute.’
Watching him try to avoid her made the corners of her mouth twitch upward involuntarily. Apparently, past Seungeon felt the same way, because her lips kept moving.
“By the way, how old are you?”
“…”
“How long have you worked here?”
“…”
“Are you always this bold? Be honest, were you scared when you stood up to the crown prince?”
“…”
“Just a tip—next time someone offers a bribe, just take it. That way, later on—”
“Someone else is coming.”
Again?
“The Grand Commander of the Holy Knights.”
How he knew that from the sound of footsteps on the stairs was a mystery.
While Seungeon was marveling at the guard’s statement—
A man clad in silver armor from head to toe appeared before her.
‘The Grand Commander of the Holy Knights…’
A servant of the divine.
‘Shouldn’t he be my natural enemy as a witch?’
As the man approached the cell and removed his helmet, Seungeon tensed.
Had they sent someone to secretly kill her before the execution?
Just as her nerves peaked, the man who had been staring at her finally spoke.
“So… you were truly here, Sister Sola.”
His green hair fluttered in the prison’s breeze as he knelt before her and sighed deeply.
What…?
“Oh, Lord above. Something is terribly wrong. This woman is the epitome of kindness. She is no witch! She is certainly not some evil, vile sorceress!”
The green-haired knight mumbled reverently, then looked up at Seungeon, who was staring at him in bewilderment.
His handsome face was hard to ignore.
“Sister Sola, I will speak to His Holiness the Pope at once! I will tell him that the only thing you are guilty of is your radiant, pure heart! Even if you had sinned—it doesn’t matter!”
What?
“If you have been tainted by evil, you can still be saved—by staying by my side! I am a servant of the divine, blessed with powers of purification. Spend time with me, and you will surely repent. Let us pray together, Sister!”
The green-haired knight was now kneeling at the bars, beckoning her closer. Seungeon felt a headache forming.
She didn’t want to move, but her body responded as her past self had done, standing up against her will.
As she moved toward the knight muttering “Oh, Lord!” over and over—
Pfft.
Someone let out a short laugh.
It came from the guard, who until now had remained unfazed by the parade of men.
Seungeon’s eyes, and the green-haired knight’s as well, snapped to the source of the sound.
“Did you just laugh at me?”
The knight, who moments ago had been humbly asking her to pray, now radiated murderous intent.
He reached for his sword, about to draw it on the guard.
Seungeon quickly stepped between them, awkwardly smiling.
“Okay, okay—everyone, calm down. Let’s all just… take a deep breath, okay?”
