Chapter 10
Theo, being too young at the time to remember, tilted his head curiously and asked. But Demian refused outright.
“No.”
Theo shifted his gaze toward me and silently mouthed the question.
“‘Do you remember, Rose?’”
“‘Not at all.’”
Memories from before the age of eight were naturally vague, so it was no surprise that I couldn’t recall.
Maybe Demian could remember, but still…
Falling in love at eight, keeping that feeling for over eight years, and then sending an engagement letter?
‘Even if our engagement happened early, that’s a bit creepy.’
But to Estelle, it seemed to be nothing but a romantic story. Her eyes sparkled.
“That’s really wonderful.”
“Yeah, I’m curious too.”
I said that while raising my glass. Demian smiled and moved a sandwich onto my plate.
“Do you remember, Rose?”
“…Well, it’s too early to recall such childhood memories.”
I mumbled something, and Demian’s gaze lingered persistently on my face. I sipped my juice to signal that I wouldn’t say more.
“It’s such a wonderful story. Even I would have fallen in love.”
Estelle placed her hand over her chest and let out a soft sigh. Theo frowned.
“Was it really that wonderful?”
“Yeah! I fell for my sister again because of it!”
Ah, it wasn’t Demian’s story, but mine.
Demian laughed at Estelle’s reaction. I glanced at him.
This time, he deliberately avoided my gaze, as if he had no intention of speaking.
In fact, he even changed the topic entirely.
“That’s not the only story.”
“Oh, right! Theo, do you know about the Magic Empire?”
“Magic?”
The sudden, unfamiliar topic made me ask again, and Estelle nodded. She leaned forward slightly and lowered her voice.
“Originally, this entire continent was one empire. The Land of Death was its capital.”
Theo’s eyes widened. I took another sip of juice.
‘Estelle is right.’
According to the original story, the Land of Death had indeed been the capital of a vast Magic Empire.
“Magic… I honestly find it hard to believe.”
“But magic is the most fitting explanation for the monsters crawling out of the Land of Death.”
Demian responded to Theo’s murmur and took a bite of his sandwich. Upon hearing the word “monsters,” Theo’s expression immediately grew serious.
Monsters were shadows. They crawled along the ground like shadows, assumed human-like forms, and wept endlessly with white eyes.
Theo said uneasily,
“That seems to suggest the monsters were once human.”
“Well… isn’t that a somewhat credible story? Not entirely implausible.”
Demian countered sharply. I nodded silently.
It was at least a somewhat plausible theory. It was suspicious that all the magicians had disappeared after that day.
‘…But this is something Estelle would only find out after going to the Land of Death.’
I tried to recall, but nothing came to mind.
Had the royal family even known about the Magic Empire in the original story?
I didn’t remember reading anything like that in the original.
After all, Estelle and Demian’s connection was only through me. I only appeared briefly to get married and then disappeared.
With such a minor role, Demian wasn’t treated as significant either.
Of course, thanks to the final twist that left a strong impression on readers, he wasn’t completely forgotten like me.
So, if the royal family already knew, does that mean they even knew about the existence of the Saintess?
But the timing seems off—there was a gap before Estelle became a Saintess and was dispatched.
While I was pondering, Theo, who had been skeptical about magic, changed the topic again.
“Hmm, more importantly, will you take another boat ride while the weather’s still nice?”
“It’s not bad, but seeing that more people have gathered, enjoying the scenery seems better.”
Demian replied to Theo in a gentle tone.
Led by the two of them, Estelle occasionally offered her opinion, and the conversation continued. I chewed on my sandwich.
The taste in my mouth was tangy.
The picnic remained cheerful throughout. I decided to leave early and got up first with Demian.
I thought that if only the two of us left in the royal carriage, the rumor might spread more dramatically.
Since my siblings had had to appease Demian on the picnic day because of me, I hoped we could at least have a more comfortable time now.
During the ride back, Demian didn’t act in any particular way. We spoke briefly.
“Do you think the rumors will spread properly?”
When I clasped my hands in worry, he smiled brightly.
“There are many eyes watching, so the story will change within two days.”
“I’m sorry for troubling you despite your busy schedule.”
I lowered my gaze. The day had been excessively long. Golden sunlight streamed through the carriage window.
“No need to feel burdened. This is also something I want.”
He held my hand. I felt warmth. Something… excessively kind, perhaps.
I forced a shy smile and fidgeted. I wanted to pull my hand away, but couldn’t.
‘Was he always like this?’
Even a month before regaining my memories, I couldn’t recall exactly how he had looked at me.
Had I ever looked directly into his eyes? I was always too preoccupied with passing time.
But still, this kindness didn’t erase my caution.
Was he a ruthless person in the original story?
Not at all. He simply didn’t appear directly, but his shadow was present throughout.
From the way Theo was treated, from Theo’s indirect remarks in letters, and the soldiers’ reactions.
Theo spoke dreamily. The Emperor—Demian, who killed the Emperor in the novel and took the throne himself—prepared a magnificent feast for them. He promised to give them the most beautiful engagement ceremony, for those who had worked for the continent.
‘It was a lie, though.’
I wondered why he made that choice in the original story. What truly drove him?
Was it really love? Or was there another reason I missed?
I gazed at him quietly. His face was shaded from the sunlight, and his pupils glimmered a dark purple.
If I knew the reason, I could stop his choice.
If only I could cover his eyes and run away with the three of us, even now.
Right now, I grasped at every possible option without knowing which was safe.
I lacked the ability to distinguish which rope was solid.
If I continued like this, I might end up fumbling and follow the story as written.
Even now, he maintained distance from me, despite the kiss on the gondola. Not even a fingertip touched me.
I deliberately swayed slightly a few times, but his arm didn’t flinch to catch me.
Of course, being in the carriage, I wouldn’t fall, so that could explain it.
Ah, he’s difficult.
I let my hair fall naturally in the sunlight and met his gaze.
“…I’m glad you came today.”
Showing impatience about rumors or emphasizing the marriage would only raise suspicion.
I decided that was enough.
After parting with Demian and returning to the mansion, I hurried to my room.
I needed more information from my diary—the version from my perspective in the original story.
Information to save my siblings and prepare for my future.
When I opened the drawer and saw the dark red cover, my heart trembled.
I hoped there would be useful information.
I took a deep breath and opened it. What I read next made me doubt my eyes.
[While having tea in the drawing room with my siblings, a servant rushed in with a telegram. We were all shocked. Estelle fainted, and Theo panicked, so I had to go to the palace.
The Emperor, Empress, and Father coughed up blood and collapsed. Poisoning. The culprit is under investigation.]
“…What is this?”
I couldn’t believe it.
This diary entry was from the second week after Estelle had arrived at the mansion.
The poisoning occurred before Estelle and Theo’s dispatch.
Moreover, it happened about a month earlier than the assassination event in the original story.
‘This is impossible.’
The diary’s events diverged completely from the novel.
Which story am I supposed to trust?
As my head spun, the paper of the diary felt weighty beneath my fingertips.
I tried to deny it and read earlier entries.
I played with Estelle and Theo… I flipped forward. Today, I played with Estelle again…
It was truly just stories of playing with them. I flipped further.
[To celebrate Estelle’s arrival at the mansion, a designer was called.]
I thought it would be another playful story with Estelle, but a strange word caught my eye.
‘Scar.’
As far as I knew, Estelle had no scars, nor any reason to get one.
