Chapter : 17
“……Can’t you speak?”
Sirinu’s expression looked oddly awkward.
No, I can speak, but I can’t exactly tell you I was spying on you, can I?
While I was wondering what I should say as my first words, Sirinu’s expression suddenly turned serious.
He turned his head and scanned the surroundings, then muttered in a low voice.
“I’m pretty sure I spoke just now. Is this another side effect?”
His voice and face really matched perfectly.
I happily admired Sirinu’s face.
Thinking that I might never get another chance to see his face this close again, even blinking felt like a waste.
Sirinu glanced sideways at Selene, who was staring straight at him.
She looked like she was observing something.
‘Is she watching my reaction? She’s not afraid of me?’
Sirinu didn’t fully understand all the possible side effects that could arise from the contract.
He decided to run a small test.
‘Lower your head.’
If the contract had been properly formed, Selene should act exactly as he willed.
But Selene continued to stare directly into Sirinu’s eyes.
Sirinu frowned. There was nothing he could do.
For now, he needed to find out how she had repelled that monster earlier.
When he lowered his gaze, he saw Selene’s hands trembling faintly.
‘As expected.’
Being able to look straight at him was probably the same instinct as a small animal being unable to look away from a predator.
There was no way she wasn’t afraid.
What difference did it make that she came from another world? Humans were all the same.
Having reached that conclusion, Sirinu was about to say something intimidating—
When suddenly, the irritating crown prince’s voice echoed in his head.
‘You need to treat her kindly. You can at least do that, right?’
How exactly was he supposed to do that?
Sirinu furrowed his brows.
If he said something wrong and she ran away again like last time, it would be troublesome.
‘If she runs, it’ll be annoying.’
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to just grab her and lock her up now.
Sirinu casually turned his head to check the surroundings.
Arkas—the one who usually stuck close to this woman—was nowhere to be seen.
He might never get another chance like this.
He knew at least five ways to make someone lose consciousness instantly.
Having sorted his thoughts, Sirinu reached out his hand toward Selene.
“Gasp!”
At that moment, Selene’s tightly closed mouth finally opened.
Sirinu froze, his hand still outstretched, and stared down at her.
What was she about to say? Beg for her life? Or try to run?
But Sirinu was caught completely off guard by Selene’s next action.
“Ahh…… is this really okay…….”
Selene suddenly grabbed Sirinu’s extended hand tightly.
“What the—?”
“It’s an honor…….”
Holding Sirinu’s hand respectfully with both of hers, Selene bowed deeply.
Sirinu was so flustered that he couldn’t even think to pull his hand away. When he froze, Selene looked up at him and said,
“But wow, you’re really handsome.”
“?”
As the bewildered Sirinu was about to speak, a sharp pain stabbed into his left eye.
“!”
BOOM!
A deafening roar shook the ground.
Meanwhile, back in the party hall Selene had left, the remaining guests were deep in conversation.
“You look even more impressive in person.”
“I’m so happy to finally meet you like this.”
The sight of nobles chatting while each held a dessert plate was oddly amusing.
“I heard you like desserts…… but you haven’t had any…….”
“Maybe she’s nervous since it’s her first party?”
Everyone tilted their heads in confusion.
“What should we do to make her happy?”
“Let’s tell her some interesting stories when she comes back.”
At someone’s suggestion, Noel smiled brightly.
“Does anyone have a story prepared?”
“I do.”
“Me too!”
Hands shot up here and there, and people began deciding the order in which they would tell Selene their stories.
Then—
BOOM!
A massive sound echoed as the floor shook.
Wine glasses on the tables toppled and shattered.
“Kyaaak!”
Startled guests dropped their plates, leaving the floor in chaos.
A knight rushed into the hall and knelt before the Emperor to report urgently.
“A massive monster has appeared near the annex! You must evacuate immediately!”
The hall erupted in unrest.
“A monster?”
“That’s impossible! This place is protected by magic stones!”
Faces filled with disbelief.
Noel gathered the knights who had rushed in and instructed the knight commander to escort the Emperor, Empress, and nobles to safety.
“Everyone, please stay calm. The main building will be safe. The remaining knights, follow me.”
The crowd began moving to leave the hall.
Through the gaps, Arkas rushed forward and asked desperately,
“Seli— Selene, where is she right now?”
At his words, color drained from everyone’s faces.
“Huff… huff….”
Holding my shoes in my hand, I barely managed to keep up with Sirinu as he ran.
The dress made it hard to run properly, but I couldn’t stop.
Sirinu glanced back at me and spoke coldly.
“Why are you following me? Go back.”
‘I want to go back more than anyone else.’
But I couldn’t.
Earlier, when I asked someone rushing through the garden what had happened, they said a monster had appeared near the annex where the servants were gathered.
“There’s someone I need to find!”
Just saying that left me out of breath.
I clenched my mouth shut and focused only on running.
After running for a while, I saw knights in armor ahead.
Crumbling buildings. Screams from people fleeing.
Beside the collapsed structure, a gigantic monster—at least three times larger than the one I’d seen before—was roaring.
“GRAAAH!”
The knights had surrounded it, but its vicious aura made it hard for them to approach.
“Out of the way!”
Sirinu shouted as he pushed through the knights.
At some point, he had drawn a massive sword.
The blade moved in a blur, blocking the monster’s movements.
Every time Sirinu swung his arm, black blood splattered onto the ground.
“Don’t interfere with Duke Lifrix!”
At a knight’s shout, the others formed a circle, pointing their swords at the monster.
Some knights were still helping people evacuate from inside the building.
I ran toward them, grabbing fleeing people by the arm.
“Have you seen a girl with crimson hair? She’s wearing a mint-colored dress!”
“I don’t know!”
They shoved my hand away and ran.
I shouted as I scanned the crowd.
“Luri! Excuse me! Have you seen a girl in a mint dress? She has red hair!”
Then someone who had just escaped with the help of the knights said to me,
“That girl…… she’s still inside!”
Hearing that, I hurried against the flow of people and looked deeper inside.
The scene was horrific.
One side of the building had completely collapsed, likely smashed by the monster.
Most people seemed to have escaped, and the injured were being supported by knights as they exited.
“Waaah!”
Cheers erupted from the knights. Sirinu had succeeded in severing one of the monster’s arms.
The flying limb turned into black smoke and vanished.
I narrowed my eyes, searching desperately for Luri.
Behind the monster, beneath the collapsed rubble, I spotted crimson hair.
I screamed toward her.
“Luri!”
Luri, who had been lying on the ground, struggled to lift her body.
Looking closer, she seemed pinned beneath the debris.
I ran straight toward her.
“Miss! You can’t go in there!”
Someone shouted behind me, but I ignored them.
The monster was focused on Sirinu. If I moved fast, I could save Luri without being noticed.
“Luri!”
“A… Miss…….”
She looked at me with a tear-streaked face.
The dress she loved was completely ruined. My eyes stung with tears.
I crouched beside her and began clearing away the stones pinning her down.
There weren’t as many as I expected—I could probably free her quickly.
“It’s okay. Don’t worry. I’ll get you out soon. Don’t cry, okay?”
“Miss…… thank you…….”
Then Luri screamed while looking behind me.
“Miss!”
When I turned around, I saw the monster—its leg severed by Sirinu’s sword—staggering and falling toward us.
At this rate, we’d be crushed.
I wrapped my body around Luri and stretched my hand toward the monster.
“No!”
BOOM!
A tremendous sound rang out, making my ears ring. Dizzy, I braced myself against the ground.
Nausea surged up.
‘Ah… so this is how I die.’
