TLVGAJ 55

~Chapter 55~

“Actually…”

I told Fabian the story about Sophie—how I suggested she try being a makeup artist, and how she recently achieved success from that suggestion.

He was my only friend, after all.
It felt natural to share good news with him.

After hearing my story, Fabian spoke with interest.

“…You’re more warmhearted than you seem. It’s not easy to give such an opportunity to a maid working in your household.”

“It’s Sophie, after all. She’s always taken great care of me.”

I smiled lightly.

“It’s a good thing, isn’t it? If Sophie can earn money and become independent, that’s even better.”

In this world, most maids were young ladies from poor noble families—technically nobles, but no better off than commoners.

They usually worked in high-ranking noble households to help their family finances, and often aimed to become fully independent.

And I… wanted girls like Sophie to be able to live independently one day. Even after I was gone, I hoped they could live well.

Helping create that foundation made me happy.

Of course, there was another reason I could help so sincerely.

“Honestly… I’m a bit envious of Sophie. The way she lives with passion.”

Living with passion—
For someone like me, whose fate was to die soon, it was still a feeling I didn’t understand.

“Maybe it’s because I’ve lived close to death since I was young. I’ve never had a reason to live desperately. I only waited for my predetermined death.”

I couldn’t exactly say I was experiencing a second terminal life, so I kept it vague.

“So I wanted to help Sophie. It gave me… a sense of living through her.”

Yes, living through her—that was probably my biggest reason.

Unlike me, Sophie would live a long life, and she had clear dreams. Helping her made me feel as if I could live on with her.

“…Interesting.”

Fabian stared at me. I tilted my head.

“Hm?”

“I said it’s interesting—that you can look at the world without such a twisted view.”

“…”

When I looked at him in confusion, he continued.

“I’ve looked at the world through a twisted lens for a long time. I was born with an unfortunate fate too.”

“…Ah.”

I exhaled softly, beginning to understand what he meant.

Fabian, who moved through time slower than others and barely felt emotions.

“It was a long and boring life. Having to endure a numb existence sometimes felt like pain.”

“…”

“Ordinary humans live passionately through something called love. I used to resent my fate, wondering why I couldn’t feel anything at all. I started liking whiskey and chocolate back then—alcohol and sweets were the only things that could make me feel good.”

I silently looked at him.

Maybe that’s why I felt comfortable with him—
I had lived close to death, and Fabian had lived far from it.

We seemed different, yet… we both viewed life from a step away.

“But as someone who’s lived a long time, I’ll give you one piece of advice…”

Fabian lowered his long eyelashes for a moment, then lifted his gaze, his mysterious violet eyes meeting mine.

“Even if your life feels meaningless with little time left, it might still be precious.”

“…”

“Having an end is what makes life valuable. Ordinary humans think that way. They live loving until the very end before leaving.”

For some reason, it felt like I’d been struck in the head.

Seeing my stunned face, Fabian shrugged.

“So make good use of your remaining time. It’s your chance to do whatever you truly want.”

“…”

“Doing something—anything—will leave you with fewer regrets than doing nothing at all. I’m sure of it.”

“Sigh…”

I had been sighing ever since.

Even after tea time with Fabian, I stayed seated for a long while, his advice echoing in my mind.

[So make good use of your remaining time. It’s your chance to do whatever you truly want.]

[Doing something—anything—will leave you with fewer regrets than doing nothing at all.]

He wasn’t wrong.

I still had time left—and I even roughly knew how much.

So why was I staying cooped up in this mansion like someone who would die tomorrow? Why wasn’t I trying anything?

Because I thought I shouldn’t change the original story…

But was there really a reason I couldn’t change it?

Had I even kept to the original so far?

“Sigh, this so-called ‘original’…”

After another deep sigh, I stood up.

Feeling restless, I left my room to take a walk. As I passed by Sophie’s room, I paused.

“….”

After a moment’s thought, I knocked. “Come in,” came her voice.

When I opened the door, Sophie looked surprised from where she sat at her dressing table.

“Oh, my lady? Why did you come in person instead of calling me? Do you need something?”

“No. I was just… passing by.”

I glanced at the cosmetics spread out before her.

“How’s it going? Is everything ready?”

“Yes. I replied to all the letters earlier, and now I’m studying more makeup techniques.”

She laughed shyly and scratched her head.

“Everyone has different skin tones, right? I think each person needs makeup suited to them—not just the same style for everyone. The ladies at the last tea party seemed to like that idea, so I want to focus on it more.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Of course, I’ll have to study a lot, but… I think this is the right direction.”

“…Good. I’m glad. You look very motivated.”

Looking into Sophie’s burning eyes, I smiled.

“Then, keep it up. If you need help, just tell me.”

“Yes! Thank you so much for your support, my lady.”

I smiled at her and closed the door with a click.

But I didn’t walk away. I stood still in front of her room.

Yes, it’s true…

Sophie had found her own dream and was working hard toward it.

Suddenly, I wondered—
Could I really call her just a “character” from a novel?

She had chosen to follow my advice and pursue her dream—something never mentioned in the original.

She was working to shape her own future.

Could I say she was only a fictional character?

…No.

I shook my head.

She wasn’t just a character. At least here, Sophie had free will.

And she wasn’t the only one.

The four male leads, the knight Deon, Irene’s parents—
Even Emily, who might be somewhere waiting unknowingly for the “original” story to start.

Here, they were no longer characters. They were people moving according to their own hearts.

And—

“….”

I realized something. The same applied to me.

I was both Irene… and Yoon Sehee.

I was already making choices and acting according to my own will.