CHAPTER 45
“Now more than ever, I must protect Roelin!”
I had come to quite like this world. I didn’t want to end up like the villainess in the original story—consumed by jealousy and envy toward Roelin and eventually dying a miserable death.
Right now, the best thing I could do was shed my villainous image as soon as possible and get out of the imperial palace.
“W-Who said I didn’t like you?”
“You don’t need to say it. I can tell. I’m still a person, you know. I can pick up on that much.”
I hurriedly walked away after saying that. Now that he’d regained his senses, my role was over.
I was rushing to leave before anyone else arrived, when suddenly, Rekanon yelled at the back of my head.
“Hah! Like a pig could read the room. Hey! I can’t live with debts! I’ll repay this, got it?”
Only after hearing Rekanon shout so loudly did I finally let out a sigh. It was a mix of emotions that words couldn’t explain.
When I returned to my bedroom, the spirit still looked human. Awkwardly studying him, I waved.
“Still here, huh.”
[“It’s not like I waited in this form for you or anything.”]
Blushing, the spirit turned his eyes away. He looked so cute that I almost smiled, but I clenched my lips to resist.
It was obvious he’d waited for me. He was just pretending otherwise.
“I figured you’d have left. But you waited.”
[“Ahem. Everyone’s in a fuss because the stork woke up.”]
The spirit had been calling Rekanon “the stork” for some time now. It didn’t seem like he was confused about the word “prince”—he probably just didn’t want to acknowledge Rekanon as royalty.
Well, to be fair, I also thought Rekanon couldn’t possibly be a prince when I first met him.
“Thanks to you, I survived. I’m not sure how to repay this debt…”
[“If you’re grateful, break the contract.”]
With a flickering light, the spirit transformed back into pure energy as he replied.
As his face—framed by flowing green hair—vanished in a flash, I felt an unexpected tinge of regret.
Why was I even feeling this way?
“Fine. So how do I do it?”
[“It’s simple.”]
The spirit, who had saved both Rekanon and me, was truly a lifesaver. If he asked for anything, I felt I owed it to him to grant it.
[“I’m not going to stay bound by a contract I don’t even remember making. But a contract is a contract. I can only be free if you die. So, let’s work on ending that contract quickly, shall we, contractor?”]
…Excuse me? Die? Are you kidding me? After everything I’ve done to survive, now you tell me to die?
[“If dying right away is too hard, tomorrow works too.”]
No, no. Calm down. Think this through. What he means is, he can’t be freed until I die. Because I’m the contractor?
“So until I die, our contract can’t be broken, huh?”
[“How do you know so little? How did you even make a contract with me?”]
Well, duh. It was the original Lady Elufe Inferna who made the contract. How would I know?
Since I had no memory of doing it, it must’ve been done by the original Elufe before I possessed her.
“Then what about you? Why don’t you remember making a contract with me?”
If he was going to show up anyway, why didn’t he appear sooner? Why now, just to startle me again?
Learning about black magic that didn’t exist in the original setting was already overwhelming enough—now I had to deal with a spirit too?
The spirit didn’t respond right away.
[“Ahem. There’s another stork standing outside the door.”]
Knock, knock, knock.
Just as he said, a knock came from outside. I had been waiting for Refaynor, so I rushed to open the door.
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
I bowed politely. Refaynor waved awkwardly.
“I apologize for visiting at this late hour. Did I interrupt your sleep?”
It was still dawn. The sky was dark, and only the silver moonlight glimmered faintly in the shadows.
On any normal day, Elufe would’ve been asleep. But not tonight. Rekanon didn’t have time to spare.
“Not at all. Sleep is for the dead, anyway.”
I answered with a vague joke and a sweet smile. Refaynor blushed and adjusted his twisted pajamas before reaching out his hand to me.
“I’m ashamed of how I treated you based on my own prejudice.”
“All of a sudden?”
“Rekanon has just woken up. Fortunately, you won’t be tried for attempted regicide anymore. But it looks like you’ll still face trial for attempted murder of a royal.”
I stared at Refaynor’s extended hand in silence. After a moment, he sheepishly withdrew it.
“We’ve arrested everyone you mentioned that day. Unfortunately, they all committed suicide, which complicates things.”
Suicide? What were they so afraid of that they’d take their own lives?
“Then I’m still considered a suspect?”
I had to ask, suspiciously.
Refaynor looked at me with apologetic eyes. I didn’t feel the need to look away.
“A trial will be held soon.”
“Surely… I’m not the one on trial again, am I?”
At my bitter question, Refaynor’s face stiffened.
His silence said everything—yes, they still intended to put me on trial.
“No matter what happens, I swear I won’t let the truth be distorted. That’s a promise.”
“You say that, but you never once mentioned bringing Rekanon in to testify.”
Caught off guard, Refaynor’s eyes widened.
“He just fell asleep again after waking up. Luckily, his breathing is stable now, but he’s still recovering.”
“And?”
“He’s not in any shape to stand in court. Forcing him could endanger him further.”
My insides were burning. How much of this prince’s words was I supposed to trust?
“And how am I supposed to trust you, Your Highness?”
If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have tried to look cool for Rekanon.
If I’d just asked him for help from the start, things might’ve turned out better.
“I want to protect you, Lady Elufe. That much is true.”
His words left me speechless. You call this protecting someone?
“Why do you want to protect me?”
“Like I said. You’re like family to me.”
Family? If this is what he does to family, I’ll be executed after a second round of bonding.
When the actual trial came, all I could do was laugh in disbelief.
If I were really Refaynor’s “family,” would he even dare put me on trial?
Of course not. That would mean I was royal. Royals don’t face trials or punishment.
So in the end, it was because I was just a noble—and the villainess Elufe Inferna—that I ended up here.
He’s the crown prince. He knows exactly what it means for a noblewoman to be put on trial.
In a world where even rumors can ruin a marriage alliance, what would it mean to be a noblewoman standing trial?
It was not only humiliating but utterly disgraceful.
Would the Count even let this slide? Ugh.
So this is what they meant when they said people act differently when they enter and leave the bathroom.
One moment I was “like family” and a “math genius,” and the next I’m charged with attempted murder?
How could the imperial family treat a life like that of an ant?
Was it my fault for trusting Refaynor in the first place?
Honestly, it makes sense there’s a saying in the palace: “Never trust a royal.”
I raked my fingers through my hair and closed my eyes. Of all people, why did I have to possess a helpless child in a world like this?
This was far too much for me to handle alone.
[“After today, our contract will end, huh? Caught trying to assassinate the stork—minimum sentence is death. Tsk.”]
When I opened my eyes, the spirit was circling me again. Fortunately, no one recognized him for what he was.
“Start reading my thoughts from now on.”
The spirit grumbled.
[“Weren’t you the one who didn’t want me to do that before?”]
‘That was then. Now everyone’s watching. I can’t look like a crazy witch talking to myself. They already hate me enough for being the Count of Inferna’s daughter.’
[“I see your brain still works, at least.”]
With that, the spirit glimmered near the judge presiding over the trial.
“Lady Elufe Inferna, do you admit to attempting to assassinate a member of the royal family?”
[“Shall I kill this green-haired man? He’s accusing you.”]
Clearly, the spirit didn’t understand how human society worked.
I knew the green-haired man was accusing me falsely, but that didn’t mean I could just kill him.
‘You can’t kill everyone who slanders you. Human society doesn’t work like that—it’s not just about strength.’
[“But that stork is healthy and walking around just fine. Why are you the one in this state?”]
I had no answer.
Yeah… Why am I the one suffering here? Maybe I thought I knew too much. Life is a solo game. Why did I think we were on the same team?
