TTOSS 34

Chapter 34

“Answer me, Ripe. Promise me you’ll never do that again.”

A deep sigh slipped from Liriope’s lips.

After hearing that she had dealt with the monster that attacked the tent, Theo had gone pale — and even the Duke, who had been worried sick about her safety, joined in to make sure she would never get involved in anything dangerous again.

Although she’d already said I understand several times before, even long after the hunting festival was over, Theo still came to the Duke’s mansion today, determined to get another confirmation from her.

It was ironic, really.

Normally, someone talented enough to graduate at the top of their class from the academy would be praised — admired, even.

Besides, Theo himself had once said her abilities were “too precious to waste,” insisting she needed to go to Feran.

Yet, despite Liriope’s obvious strength — the kind that made her look like she could roll up a monster and eat it for lunch — Theo and the Duke treated her as if she were made of glass.

It was frustrating, to say the least.

But if she didn’t answer, she knew he would nag her endlessly. So she nodded once more and replied.

“Yes, yes. I’ve already said it seventeen times. I get it, I won’t ever do it again.”

She raised both hands firmly, and only then did Theo nod, seemingly satisfied.

“Good. Since you’ve finally given me a definite answer, we’ll leave it at that.”

Liriope raised her eyebrows, incredulous.

But then Theo said something that made her body stiffen instinctively.

“The Empress said something strange.”

Feeling guilty already, Liriope swallowed dryly and asked cautiously.

“Strange… how?”

Trying her best to look clueless, she blinked innocently. Theo stared at her, clearly unconvinced.

“She said you’re going to be the next Empress.”

“W–What? Haha… That’s absurd, don’t you think?”

“Exactly. That’s what I thought too.”

Theo nodded in agreement.

“My woman, an Empress? Ridiculous. Unless I start a rebellion and make myself Emperor.”

“Wh–What?! You can’t just say something that dangerous so casually!”

Liriope jumped in alarm, glancing around nervously in case someone had overheard.

Theo looked at her blankly and went on.

“She’s the one who made me say it.”

“Th–The Empress must be mistaken. It’s not like I meant to save the Crown Prince or anything. I mean, I did save him, but not in a way that deserves all this savior talk…”

“Exactly. You never should’ve helped that idiot in the first place.”

(If I hadn’t helped Kadin, your future wife would’ve ended up obsessively in love with him, you know?)

Liriope bit back a sigh. Theo, as usual, was talking without knowing anything.

“Anyway, you don’t need to worry about what the Empress said. My father told me not to mind it either.”

“Of course. You’re my woman. My woman, an Empress? That’s impossible.”

Liriope didn’t know how to respond to that.

Before the hunting festival, Theo’s constant my woman, my woman talk had been annoying and childish — but now, a tiny part of her almost wished it could really be true.

She scolded herself silently.

The Harvest Festival was coming soon, and as long as she didn’t interfere, Theo and Rosaline would naturally fall for each other.

By then, Theo would probably bring up breaking off their engagement himself. And if he didn’t, she would do it first.

The thought that her time with him like this would soon come to an end left her oddly melancholic.

A selfish part of her even wondered if it would be so wrong to cling to him, to beg him to stay — but she knew it was pointless.

This world was one bound by printed words — the world of a novel.
Even if everyone seemed to live and breathe freely, the main characters could never stray too far from the original story.

No matter how differently Theo or Kadin acted, they would still fall for the heroine, Rosaline, in the end.

Yes… that’s how it’ll be.

With that thought, her heavy heart felt a little lighter.

She decided to do only what she could — as long as it didn’t get in the way of their destined love.

First things first — the North.

She couldn’t bear to watch the Grand Duchy, the land Theo had built with tireless effort since childhood, fall into ruin because of the Empress’s schemes.

“When can I go to the North?” she asked.

Theo answered without hesitation.

“Whenever you want.”

Liriope nodded thoughtfully.

Maybe tomorrow or the day after, she should head out.

But then Theo asked, “Has Sir Gray returned yet?”

“Oh, he said he’ll be a bit late, but he should arrive by tomorrow.”

“Then you can leave after he returns. The Duke wouldn’t send his only daughter to the North without Sir Gray, would he?”

Liriope nodded again.

He was right. Even though her father had agreed to let her go, he’d probably panic if she tried to leave without Gray.

He’d already given her a hard time about attending the hunting festival without him.

Since only young nobles could participate, the Duke couldn’t attend himself — and he’d nearly forbidden her from going altogether.

In the end, she’d insisted and gone anyway — only to end up slaying a high-ranking monster that had crashed into the tent, and the one that had attacked Kadin afterward.

No wonder the Duke had nearly fainted.

When she returned home, he’d made the family physician check her head to toe, used expensive holy water to make sure she was completely healed, and only then finally calmed down.

So yes, it would be best to wait until Gray returned before heading North — if only to ease her father’s mind.

“Ripe.”

Lost in thought, she looked up when Theo called her name.

He was looking at her with that strange, unreadable expression he sometimes wore.

“Have you thought about it?”

“…About what?”

“The payment.”

“Oh, that. It’s fine. You already got your tea leaves, and you’ve helped me so much for no reason at all. Honestly, just believing in me was more than enough.”

If it hadn’t been for the barrier he’d set up around her tent, she wouldn’t have been able to defeat the monster.

And despite seeing that she somehow knew the monster was coming, he’d never once asked how.

That quiet trust of his had meant more to her than she could say.

Theo smiled gently — a smile so soft it made her heart skip.

“My woman really doesn’t ask for much, does she?”

“What? No, I’m actually really greedy!”

“Let’s say you are.”

He chuckled, and she almost protested again — but decided against it.

“Then next…”

When he said that, Liriope tilted her head curiously — only for Theo to suddenly open his arms wide toward her.

“I told you I wanted to hold you.”

Her face went up in flames.

Honestly, this man had no shame whatsoever.

How could he say something like that — so calmly, in a situation like this?

Covering her burning cheeks with both hands, she peeked at his broad chest.

Theo’s low, rich voice rumbled softly.

“Can’t I?”

His tone — gentle, coaxing — made her ears tingle.

Inside her head, instinct and reason began to wage war.

Come on, it’s just a hug. What’s the big deal?

Her devilish side shrugged.

No! He’s the male lead — Rosaline’s man! You’re the villainess who got beheaded for being jealous of the heroine, remember? Are you trying to make the same mistake again?

But then her angelic side countered, wings fluttering.

It’s just a hug. It’s not like I’ll start hating Rosaline because of that. She likes me too, for heaven’s sake.

The two sides argued so loudly that Liriope’s head started to throb.

Absolutely not. If you give in, you’ll never escape the story’s fate.

“Don’t want to?”

Theo’s voice dipped lower — soft, sweet, teasing — and her reason evaporated.

To hell with fate!

She darted forward and threw herself into his arms.

The moment her cheek brushed against his solid chest, her heart went wild.

Even her breathing turned erratic, and her nose twitched involuntarily.

Wrapping her arms around his firm waist, she pressed closer, greedily taking in the warmth and hardness of his body.

And then—