Chapter 4
“Ugh… heavy.”
After tossing Adolf onto the bed, Isabel collapsed beside him, completely drained.
Panting as if she’d run a marathon, she was once again shocked by her terrible stamina.
To think that just moving him to the room next door would make her legs shake and her arms feel like they were about to fall off.
They say novelists are always locked in a battle with their physical limits.
She used to think her stamina was fine…!
Hah, this useless body.
She couldn’t help but sigh at this frail frame, one that frequently fell ill with colds and fevers, before pushing herself up.
Ding—dang—dong!
An ominous chime rang in her ears, announcing midnight.
When the sound faded and silence returned to the room, Isabel noticed the atmosphere had shifted slightly.
It felt like a ghost could pop out at any moment.
Mm, I’m imagining things.
Even if it were true, she had a bigger problem than encountering a ghost.
Her gaze drifted from the old grandfather clock to the man lying on the bed.
The culprit behind all this mess, Adolf, was sleeping soundly.
I really hate to say this in a situation like this… but he’s handsome.
She had to admit—his looks were flawless.
Well, except for the big lump sticking out of his disheveled platinum hair.
I… I had no choice. I almost died.
Of course, knocking someone unconscious wasn’t exactly commendable, but in this case, it was self-defense.
And it had even led her to a new discovery.
Her expression grew serious as she opened the hardcover book lying beside her.
As I thought, that really happened just now.
The original novel had ended, yet now, new words were being written, describing the events that had just occurred.
Could this be the clue to returning to my original world?
It wasn’t an entirely absurd thought. Or at least… she wanted to believe it.
Maybe if the empty pages were filled and the story truly completed, she could go back.
Which meant… like it or not, she had to help Adolf and finish this book.
“Ugh… this is insane.”
Messing up her hair in frustration, Isabel glared resentfully at Adolf.
Her days had been so ordinary, but now her life was in chaos—
—All because of this man barging into her uneventful life.
Still, she couldn’t abandon this possible lead back to her world.
Fine. Once he woke up, she’d apologize. Then she’d finish this job as fast as possible and get home.
Resolving to drop to her knees and apologize until her hands ached if she had to, Isabel stood up.
Right now, she didn’t have the energy to think further. All she wanted was to return to her bedroom and rest.
But just as she began to drag her exhausted body away—
“…Don’t go.”
A deep, husky voice seized her by the ankle.
When did he wake up?
She turned and saw Adolf awkwardly raising his upper body. Still looking drowsy, his head drooped, his body swaying slightly.
So much for his lofty demeanor—his sleeping habits were terrible.
Putting on a polite smile, Isabel approached him.
“Your Majesty, are you alright?”
“…”
“Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”
She tilted her head and reached out to him.
Swaying slightly like a reed in the breeze, his movements suddenly stilled. At the same moment, Isabel’s hand froze in midair.
Huh… something’s off.
A sinister aura seeped in through her toes, crawling upward through the clammy air.
This feels bad. I should step back—
But then, a hand shot through the air and seized her wrist.
“…Ugh!”
The grip was so strong it felt like he meant to snap her bone. A groan escaped her before she could stop it.
“Your Majesty, let go!”
“…”
“Did you hear me!?”
She struggled with all her strength, but he didn’t budge.
Is this another fit of madness?
…No. The feeling was different this time.
Rather…
Her eyes narrowed as their gazes locked. For a moment, her gray eyes flickered with faint violet light.
This sensation…
The once-empty crimson eyes suddenly brimmed with life, and Adolf’s expression shifted into an open, cheerful smile.
Then, in a voice she’d never heard from him before, he said—
“This is my first time seeing such a lovely darling.”
“…Excuse me?”
…Darling?
Before she could recover from her confusion, Adolf yanked her toward him and tapped her pointed nose with his free hand.
“What’s with this gloomy dress? Are you cosplaying a vampire?”
“…”
Her expression grew icier by the second.
He was acting like an entirely different person—and far too familiar with his hands. The hand that had been caressing her pale face drifted over her shoulder, down her waist, and stopped dangerously low.
“Darling, black suits you because you’re so fair-skinned, but next time, why not wear something cuter? Like a maid outfit, for example.”
“…”
“Hm? Why are you smiling like that?”
Ha. You call this a smile?
Forcing her lips into an upward curve, Isabel tightened her grip on what she was holding.
What were the odds she’d be holding a thick book at the exact moment the emperor groped her?
…Which meant this was self-defense, too.
Before the thought could finish, a heavy thud shook the bedroom.
Whack!
The book flew through the air, and Adolf collapsed once again without resistance.
Picking the book up from the floor, Isabel looked at his now-bright-red cheek and shouted—
“You perverted jerk!”
For the first time in a while, the Herphelder household was lively.
Though clients visited from time to time, consultations were usually one-on-one. It had been ages since so many people gathered here.
Well—if you could call three people “many.”
Damn. This is awkward as hell.
Not naturally sociable, Isabel kept stealing glances at the two men across from her.
They looked almost identical. If she strained, she could pick out differences, but at a glance, they were hard to tell apart.
The two men stared at her with vastly different expressions.
The one in the fine frock coat smiled excessively; the one in the silver knight’s uniform glared as if he wanted to kill her.
I can guess why, but still…
At that moment, the snake-like smile of Kezeff curved even wider as he spoke.
“I must say, I was shocked. I never imagined you’d knock His Majesty unconscious.”
“Ah, that’s…”
“If His Majesty hadn’t given the order, I’d have cut your head off on the spot! How dare you lay hands on him?”
Hutman cut in, grinding his teeth.
“But it was self-defense…”
“Well, so what? It’s not like his life’s in danger. Personally, I think it’s a refreshing memory. When else would our emperor get the experience of being knocked out? And twice, at that.”
“Kezeff, I’ll forgive you a lot of things, but if you insult His Majesty, I won’t let it slide.”
Hutman half-drew his sword in warning.
“My, my. The emperor’s faithful hound really is well-trained, little brother.”
“Shut up, Kezeff!”
With a low chuckle, Kezeff finally introduced himself.
“My apologies for the late introduction. I am Kezeff, Chancellor of the Celesio Empire. This here is Hutman, Captain of the Imperial Knights. As you can see, we’re twins.”
“Ah, I see…”
“Hmph! As if I need to introduce myself to the likes of her.”
Oh, come on—can I get a word in?
After enduring Hutman’s contemptuous glare, Isabel’s patience finally wore thin.
How many times had this happened now? Every time she tried to speak—interrupted. Again and again.
And then he had the nerve to ask—
“By the way, Lady Herphelder, are you naturally so quiet?”
…Do you really think so?
“Well, I’d say right now I’m just not getting the chance to speak.”
She forced a polite smile, implying you two keep cutting me off.
“My, my. But if you’re so quiet, doesn’t that make social gatherings difficult for you?”
Kezef looked at her with mock sympathy.
Before she could answer, Hutman snorted.
“A cursed woman everyone avoids at parties? Don’t make me laugh. I hear she even hides her identity for detective work. At least she knows to be ashamed.”
“Hutman, watch your words.”
Isabel calmly replied, gripping and releasing the hem of her dress.
“It’s fine. He’s right—it’s true. Not like there’s any benefit in advertising it.”
Feeling utterly drained from this brief conversation, Isabel decided to cut to the chase.
Since she already had a guess, there was no need to drag it out.
“I’d like to hear the details of the request now.”
“That’s not something we can discuss lightly. When His Majesty wakes—”
Isabel cut Kezeff off.
“Is this about the ghost possessing His Majesty’s body?”
