Chapter 36
Persistent Shadow
“If you have more… you also have more to lose. Standing at the pinnacle of power and looking down on people, holding so much in your hands might seem like it would make you happy, but at the same time you’re always anxious and on edge — afraid you’ll lose it, afraid you’ll fall back to the bottom.”
Himena plucked a dandelion seed from the garden and blew. The seeds scattered against the blue sky and fluttered away on the breeze.
“It’s uncomfortable and hard if you have too little, but having a lot doesn’t necessarily make you happier. Besides, being trapped in the imperial palace and forced to live by imperial etiquette, doing whatever His Majesty orders — I’d rather die than live that suffocating life.”
Himena spoke indifferently and resumed walking ahead by herself.
“Princess…”
Eron watched her from behind with a blank expression, then his face brightened and the corners of his mouth lifted without him realizing it. He hurried alongside her and asked,
“So… things went well with Prince Diego? You decided to call off the engagement?”
“Ah, well…”
Himena started to speak, stopped, and then — for some reason — looked Eron squarely in the face and asked,
“Eron, you are my close friend, right?”
“Of course, Your Highness. We agreed on that last time…”
“Then why did you go back to calling me ‘Princess’? We’d agreed to use each other’s names.”
“Ah, that, um…”
Eron looked flustered, then reddened slightly and answered in a quiet voice.
“When I heard you were to be married to Prince Diego soon… I worried that if I got too close, I might cause trouble for you…”
“Cause… trouble?”
“You’re about to be betrothed to the crown prince. If people hear an outsider calling you by your name… they might spread unpleasant rumors…”
“Ah…”
Only then did Himena understand why Eron hadn’t come up to her like he used to, and she suddenly burst out laughing.
“Pfft! Hahaha. Is that what it was? Oh my, you worry about the strangest things.”
“…Yes?”
“Eron, besides the engagement gossip, have you heard anything else about me? Any weird rumors?”
“Ah… well… yes, I heard some, but I don’t believe them. I know you’re absolutely not that kind of person! I scolded those who spread those empty rumors! How dare they gossip without really knowing anything! You don’t need to pay any attention to those baseless rumors!”
“That rumor was one I started.”
“Excuse me?”
“I started the rumor. Like… saying I behead knights, and that I do all sorts of things with men at night…”
“Ah…”
Eron’s eyes widened; he was speechless and blinked rapidly.
“Heh heh. Sit here, Eron. I’ll tell you everything.”
Himena sat at a table in the garden and told him in detail about the grand operation she and Rois and Mari carried out to fend off the proposal.
“My goodness… why on earth would you do that on purpose…”
“As you know, if I refuse an imperial proposal without reason, it would make my father’s position difficult… so I did something reckless. Things didn’t go exactly as planned, and the rumor got blown up more than I expected. Thinking about that night just makes me so mad at Rois and Mari!”
She remembered, with a shudder, overhearing the two of them drunkenly blurt out things at the party.
“What? Five men in one bed? Mari, isn’t that too much? And Rois, what did you say? Like ‘chop off their heads’ or something? What the—!”
They had exaggerated so much it was like they’d set off a bomb; the memory made her clench her fists. Sigh — who can I blame? I was the one who made the plan in the first place.
She forced a wry smile and continued.
“But I thought if I did that, the imperial court would be so shocked they’d withdraw the proposal themselves. I was being clever. We should be hearing from them soon, haha.”
“Princess…”
Eron looked at Himena, who spoke casually and smiled, with awe.
To deliberately make scandalous statements that would wreck the marriage every noble lady desired — even at the cost of her own honor. Her boldness and extraordinariness… their depth is unfathomable!
“Eron?”
“…Yes.”
“So please, stop worrying and go back to being my friend, all right?”
“Ah, yes… then… Himena…”
He smiled shyly and softly spoke her name.
That’s odd. When others use my name it sounds villainous, but when this man says it… why does my body feel all tingly?
“Himena, your hand…”
“Huh? We already exchanged greetings earlier, didn’t we?”
“No. Not properly.”
“Really?”
Himena tilted her head and offered him her hand. He pressed a long kiss to her fingers and said affectionately,
“I’ve missed you.”
His smile and the way he looked at her made Himena’s heart flutter and her face heat; she quickly changed the subject.
“…By the way, Eron. What brings you here today?”
“Oh, I almost forgot. I came because I wanted to show you something… uh? Where is it?”
Eron dug through the inside pocket of his jacket in a fluster and then, as if he’d remembered, said,
“Oh no, I must have left it on the parlor table earlier.”
They returned to the parlor of the manor where Eron had been waiting.
“Huh? I think I left it on the table here?”
Eron looked under the table and couldn’t find anything; Mari entered.
“Oh my! Captain, you’re still here? I thought you’d gone.”
“Ah, I was strolling with the princess in the garden for a bit. But I think I left a book on this table before I left… did you see it?”
“Oh, do you mean this?”
Mari quickly handed Eron a thin book.
“Yes, that’s it.”
“I thought you’d already left, so I kept it to return to you next time.”
Mari smiled politely and offered the book.
“Thanks.”
“I’ll bring some tea.”
“Thanks, Mari.”
After Mari left, Eron handed the book to Himena.
“Himena, I came to show you this.”
“This book? Why?”
Himena looked puzzled as she examined it.
“‘Please cure that princess’s obsession’? Ha! What a ridiculous title. Let’s see…”
She flipped through the pages and suddenly widened her eyes in surprise.
“‘Himerauna — the princess — fell in love at first sight with Marquis Kairion the moment she saw him enter the banquet hall. Jet-black hair, sharp yet sensuous crimson eyes that pierced through people, an arrogant-looking nose and a chiseled jawline…’”
She read aloud, staring at Eron with shocked eyes.
“W-what is this? Himerauna? Kairion? Is this…?”
“Yes. I think… no, every reader of this novel will probably think the same: the male and female leads are clearly modeled on you, Himena, and Marquis Kailian Termos.”
“N-no way!”
Himena sat down and quickly skimmed the pages. The book was thin, so it didn’t take long.
Oh my God! They only changed the names a bit but this is our story — the evil heroine Himerauna obsessed with Kairion, following him at the imperial banquet and rolling down the stairs and hurting her head — it’s all the same. She mocks Kairion at the banquet about the Blue Mould Knights and he declares a rift and they become mortal enemies?
The book ended with a scene where their relationship soured and Himerauna schemed to slander Kairion, laughing like an evil witch.
What is this? Did author Ham die and possess some other writer in this world? No way!
Clutching her head in horror, Himena — no, Himerauna — suddenly noticed that the character Ines didn’t appear at all in this novel and composed herself.
No, wait. That can’t be. Ham’s novels usually have Kailian and Ines as the main couple, but here I’m the heroine with Kailian. The latter plot differs a bit too.
“Eron! What’s going on? Why are stories about me and Marquis Termos in this book…?”
Eron looked embarrassed as he explained.
“This book came out the moment you descended to Anatole, and it immediately became hugely popular among noble ladies. Above all, it used the two of you as models and the stories are happening in real time, so interest exploded.”
Himena was astounded.
This is outrageous! Even if Ines is missing and the later parts are different, isn’t this plagiarism? Thank goodness the authors live in different worlds — if Ham saw this book she’d sue her socks off!
“Eron, if that’s volume one… what about volume two? Is volume two out?”
“No. Volume two hasn’t come out yet. I think volume two will probably include… the engagement scandal between you and the prince.”
What? If that’s included I’ll be forever recorded as the shambles of a villainess. Who wrote this cheap rubbish? I’ll find that author!
“Eron! Isn’t this too much? They’re digging into people’s private lives and selling it as a novel!”
“Yes. I think it’s utterly nonsensical. It tarnishes your honor…”
“I won’t stand for this! Who is this author? I’ll go demand compensation — at least for likeness rights!”
“Um… Himena, that’s one thing, but actually that’s not why I came.”
Unlike the indignant Himena, Eron’s expression grew serious.
“What? What else is it?”
“Look at the letter I slipped into the back of the book.”
“Huh? Now that you mention it…”
Himena realized she hadn’t noticed a folded letter tucked into the final page, because she’d been too excited by the novel.
“This… this is!”
Upon reading the letter, Himena’s expression turned to one of utter horror.
[Change Himerauna’s temperament. Make her a good woman, not a villain. Make her the true heroine.
If you don’t, you will become the sixth author to die at my hand — in reality.]
