ATIRPBT 68

CHAPTER 68….

The emperor was stiff, but Renald, who was standing beside him, coughed and snorted…! Then he looked at me with a tense gaze.

Whoooosh…

An awkward wind blew quietly between us. Cecil’s pitiful glance pierced the back of my head.

Man, I know—I just made a huge blunder.

“But now that I think about it, isn’t this ridiculous?”

The emperor used to readily grant requests when it came to Yevgeny at times like this. Why does he say yes to that kid but not to me?

“No matter how much I feel like I’m not his daughter, I still feel a bit disappointed…”

Just then, I noticed the emperor’s dazed gaze shift as Renald twitched his finger joints unnaturally and avoided my eyes.

After opening his mouth several times without speaking, he finally said,

“What did you just call me…?”

“…Your Majesty. I apologize if that was unpleasant. I will correct the form of address immediately—”

“No, no. That’s fine. Go ahead and call me that.”

The emperor covered his lips with his palm and let out a faint chuckle. Was I imagining it, or did he look genuinely pleased?

I didn’t miss the chance. With sparkling eyes, I asked again,

“If I do, may I visit the residence of Marquis Idrea afterward?”

“…”

“Pardon? Your—uh, Your Majesty.”

I immediately noticed this address worked, and slumped my shoulders toward the emperor.

Renald looked at me approvingly. The emperor reluctantly opened his lips, then nodded.

“You seem to be completely under her spell these days.”

“That’s just your imagination! Thank you!”

I smiled brightly with joy, but the emperor wore a weary smile as if he had lost an important battle.

Now that I had his permission, I quickly returned to the palace and wrote a letter to Jerron, saying I would visit in three days.

‘Finally, I can get information about the Alea Guild.’

My heart was pounding.

Thinking about how, in my first life, I was always on the losing end, and now I was taking my first step with a sword in hand, I couldn’t help but laugh.

Ilya and Mullin teased me about how much they liked this new, relaxed me.

They had been approaching me more frequently lately, having gotten comfortable with me.

I nodded vigorously and looked forward to the time passing quickly.

And the big day came.

I arrived at the Idrea Marquis’ residence.

Since a princess of an empire was coming, the Idrea residence seemed thoroughly prepared.

Countless servants filled the lobby tightly, greeting with trained noble manners.

Among them stood Jerron Idrea.

“Where is the marquis?”

“My father is currently attending to state affairs. So today’s host is me.”

Today’s meeting was unofficial.

To avoid trouble, people said it was just a mission assigned by the emperor.

‘The emperor must have been worried about me.’

It seemed even Jerron realized the empress was overly wary of me.

I was fine with that.

I held out my hand, and Jerron gently took it, smiling faintly.

“Let’s hope today’s meeting is meaningful.”

We then headed to the Idrea reception room.

“So, what do you know about the dice?”

“Straight to the point, huh? I thought Princess would share heroic tales from the past few months.”

“What heroic tales do I have to tell?”

I tried to smile, but Jerron gave a mischievous smile and let out a thin groan.

“Why not? Although limited to the First Princess’s residence, you’re practically a god to those servants.”

This seemed to refer to the time shortly after my reincarnation, when my palace servants were all replaced.

‘I was an angel back then…’

They had worshiped me like an angel, which was embarrassing.

As I frowned at the unpleasant memory, Jerron suddenly handed me some snacks brought by a maid.

They were macarons with a strong chocolate scent. As I tasted one, the sweet flavor filled my mouth.

I looked at Jerron with slightly softened eyes. He crossed his legs and stared intently at me.

Jerron said,

“May I ask why you’re searching for the dice?”

“Why would I tell you anything when I hardly trust you, Marquis?”

“We are practically engaged.”

No, I had denied it several times.

I slammed my teacup on the table and said,

“Honestly, you don’t seem to know much, judging by you showing up here.”

“That can’t be true. No one knows more about the Alea Guild than I do.”

“How does a marquis know about a guild even the royal family doesn’t? The Alea Guild is shrouded in mystery, so information isn’t widely spread.”

If it weren’t, I wouldn’t be so desperate.

‘If I had even a billion in money, I’d find it immediately.’

That’s why I went through hell at the Magic Tower. I even got a Hamtemack Order. Though for two years, it was forcibly assigned under Dmitri’s property.

Anyway, thanks to orichalcum, I’m definitely going to become a world-class figure.

In my past life, I was a nominal first princess, but now I’m someone who can command people with a single gesture.

“I tried to get information about the Alea Guild but could find nothing, Marquis.”

“…”

“And it seems, from the circumstances… even Her Majesty the Empress has never met so much as a hair of the Alea Guild’s leader.”

“…”

“Then how do you know about the ‘dice’?”

I got angry and blurted out in informal speech.

Despite that, Jerron didn’t seem bothered, shrugging casually at my harsh gaze.

He suddenly stood up.

I followed his gaze as he approached a bookshelf in the room. As he took out a book, the entire shelf moved with a click!

I was startled, eyes wide, watching the scene.

“Shall I show you directly? Follow me.”

“…”

“Leave your guards outside.”

“Are you crazy?”

“Then the dice you will take to the palace won’t exist, right?”

Ah, damn it.

‘They say the one with too many demands loses.’

Fiddling with an artifact in my pocket, I got up.

But first—

‘I brought this knowing it might come in handy.’

The Mirror Artifact.

I used this artifact when I left the palace to meet my grandfather; with a bit of magic, it can follow a person’s presence quickly.

I breathed magic into the Mirror Artifact and carefully placed it on the sofa.

I took Jerron’s hand.

“If I disappear, His Majesty will immediately suspect you, Marquis.”

Not forgetting to threaten him.

Jerron smiled brightly.

“Of course.”

Behind the bookshelf was a hidden space.

There was a staircase leading underground, so eerie I swallowed nervously.

At the bottom, I saw nothing. In the dark, I frowned. Jerron breathed magic into a lantern hanging by the stairs, lighting it up.

Only then could I see where I was.

Beneath the underground floor was a ‘gate.’

Upon closer look, it was a teleportation gate.

A teleportation gate in a place like this…?

“You will head wherever the princess wishes.”

“Huh?”

“This way.”

Jerron carefully led me by the hand.

The moment I stepped into the gate, a teleportation spell activated.

Countless lights shot upward.

I squeezed my eyes shut. When I opened them, I couldn’t hide my surprise.

Of course.

“It’s Danju!”

“A lazy Danju!”

“Danju! I want to tear people apart! Smash everything! Grind it down!”

“Danju! How long do we have to hide?! Wait, who’s this lady?”

Rough-looking men with dark masks covering half their faces rushed at Jerron.

I clung tightly to Jerron.

Naturally, their eyes shifted from Jerron to me.

With wide, bright eyes, they asked,

“Is she your girlfriend?”

“Is she your fiancée?”

“Danju’s got a temper? What crime did he commit in his past life… tsk.”

No, are you crazy? Don’t drag anyone into this!

I wanted to say that, but Jerron frowned and took charge.

“Shut up and don’t cause trouble. She’s a client.”

“Huh?”

“No, why would Danju be involved with just any client…”

I was just as confused, but even amidst the confusion, the word ‘client’ caught my attention, and I stared at Jerron.

Client? Danju?

The client must be me… and Danju is Jerron…?

Wait, client? Danju?

These were guild terms.

And just minutes ago, I was asking Jerron about the Alea Guild.

My mind raced as scattered puzzle pieces strangely fit together, and I quietly covered my mouth.

Jerron looked at me with a “Finally figured it out?” expression, so I quickly corrected our relationship.

Cancel, cancel. We have to be best friends.

I canceled my previous plans to never see him again.

A useless Casanova was promoted to a useful one.

“I suppose since you revealed your identity directly, you’re on my side?”

I asked, looking around what seemed like the Alea Guild’s base.

No wonder I couldn’t find any trace of the Alea Guild.

It made sense.

Their base was not an ordinary building—it was above a quaint dessert café popular with noble women.

Who would see a cozy dessert café and think, “Ah, is that the famous Alea Guild?!”

The empress is amazing. How did she find the Alea Guild’s building?

Just as I thought that, my question was answered surprisingly quickly.

“There was a leak from one of our members. They found out the empress was searching for the Alea Guild and leaked information, probably for the money. So we sold the old building and moved here. Even if you looked, Princess, you wouldn’t think ‘There’s the Alea Guild.’”

“Impossible to think that way.”

“Right?”

Jerron smiled brightly, and I chuckled softly.

When I finished looking around, Jerron quietly approached and whispered like a snake.

“Did you enjoy the tour? It’s surprisingly fun to break away from routine. I could easily get you out of the palace more easily than your escape using Lihart.”

“Nice offer, but I don’t want an engagement.”

“I thought so.”

“If you’re going to be on my side, what should I give you?”

At my question, Jerron tilted his head lazily.

He reached out and tapped my shoulder, showing stitches in his hand.

“Give me your side.”

I hesitated.

A hundred times, a thousand times, I pondered whether to accept this offer.

But Alea.

The Alea that specializes in killing royalty!

Rumors said that Alea members were vampires who craved human blood and committed massacres.

If the leader of such a crazy group becomes mine, why refuse?

If I have him, my life is guaranteed.

No matter how fiercely the empress searches, she won’t surpass Alea.

I carefully reached out my hand.

“Can you do anything?”

“If you want, anything.”

A perfect answer.

Probably.

Before returning to the palace, Jerron gave me a magic tool for communication.

He explained it was a magical device that allows us to communicate anytime.

But he warned its durability was not worth the price, so I should be careful.

I remembered and returned to the palace with Cecil.

The emperor called me early.

When I went,

“Looks like nothing happened. Go back.”

And he sent me away again.

I was a bit baffled, but since good things had happened, I let it slide.

‘He must be bored.’

—That’s what I thought.

“Princess looks happy. Did something good happen at the Idrea residence?”

“Did the marquis give you a gift?”

Ilya and Mullin asked me one after the other.

I chewed on the toast Ilya brought and said,

“I received something more precious than a gift.”

“Did the marquis offer his life?”

“…Something like that.”

Because he became my dog.

As I roughly dodged their questions, Cecil came in holding something.

Our three pairs of eyes fixed on Cecil.

Cecil handed me a letter and said,

“Did you become pen pals with Marquis Idrea? He sent this only a few hours after you returned to the palace.”

“A letter?”

Before leaving, I had asked Jerron to find the empress’s weak points.

He had readily agreed.

But whenever something is given, something must be received.

Jerron also made a request.

I asked if becoming his dog was the end, but he insisted there was something more important.

He said he would send a letter. This must be it.

I finished the toast and took the letter.

Ilya’s eyes gleamed.

She leaned forward, curious, so I quickly hid the letter and tore it open.

A warm brown letter, reminiscent of Jerron’s warmth,

was inside.

I read.