This was where nobles who committed crimes were confined.
Unlike a normal prison, there were no iron bars. At first glance, it even looked like a quiet drawing room.
Vivian sat upright on a red sofa in the center of the room.
Even in confinement, her posture was flawless. She looked every bit the noble lady.
Across from her sat Count Angus, dressed neatly, his face full of worry.
“Vivian, tell me the truth. Please.”
“….”
She kept her lips tightly sealed.
“You must confess yourself if you want to avoid the worst punishment. If this continues, the trial will turn against you. It will damage our family’s reputation. Please, say something.”
“…I can’t.”
“We need to know what happened to help you.”
Despite his pleading, she only lowered her head in silence.
Then the door opened and a guard stepped in.
“Visiting hours are over.”
The count tried to persuade him.
“Let me speak with my daughter a little longer. There isn’t enough time.”
“If you do not leave immediately, I will carry out my duty under imperial law.”
Reluctantly, the count left.
Vivian remained alone, sitting like a statue.
When the room grew dark, she sensed someone and looked up.
“Gasp—!”
A hooded figure stood before her.
Her face turned pale, almost blue. Her body trembled violently.
“I-I didn’t say anything… I didn’t…”
Her teeth chattered. Tears streamed down her face as she fell to her knees.
“P-please… spare me…!”
The hooded figure extended a hand and muttered in a low voice.
“Awe silentium aeternum. Claudatur vox, obvolvatur anima.”
“N-no…!”
She tried to speak, but only a muffled sound came out, as if something was blocking her throat.
“Cough—!”
Blood spilled from her mouth. She collapsed onto the marble floor. After convulsing for a moment, she stopped moving.
Perfect silence followed.
She was dead.
***
Like a dog watching a chicken fly onto the roof, I stared blankly at Jerome’s retreating figure.
What?
Why didn’t the skill work?
Why is he suddenly shutting me out?
The skill had never failed before.
“Wait…”
I immediately grabbed a mirror.
My face was pale with dark circles. Honestly, I looked terrible.
Did he lose interest because of how I looked?
Did my “look sick and fragile” strategy backfire?
Still, Jerome was one of the male lead candidates. He wouldn’t abandon the heroine just because she looked bad for a moment… right?
I took a deep breath and opened the system window.
There was new text.
[Skill activation failed.]
[To activate the skill, special conditions must be met.]
Special conditions?
What does that mean?
How am I supposed to meet them?
Wasn’t getting rid of Vivian enough?
I thought I was close to going home. Now the system was throwing obstacles in my way again.
Of course. This game was notorious for its brutal difficulty. It wouldn’t become easy just because one villain was gone.
As I stood there in shock, Lowell suddenly appeared.
“Where did Duke Winston go?”
“Ah!”
Why does this elf-like man appear without making any sound?
“He had urgent business and left.”
“Already? That’s a shame. I didn’t even greet him.”
Lowell smiled brightly.
For someone disappointed, he looked oddly cheerful.
What’s he so happy about?
While I was depressed over failing the route, he looked delighted.
Then he said with the brightest smile I had ever seen on him,
“I have news. The Crown Prince has ordered an investigation into the increased monster activity.”
Ah. It was that time.
Around now, the imperial palace would dispatch knights to investigate the monsters. Lowell, as an imperial mage, had to go too.
“You’ll be coming along on this expedition. It’s sudden, so you should start packing.”
“When do we leave?”
“Tomorrow at dawn. Help me pack?”
I nodded and followed him. As we packed books and magical tools, Lowell hummed happily.
Is going on assignment that fun?
In the game, he used to complain about being busy with research.
Something felt off.
Just then, an attendant hurried in with a letter.
“Urgent news.”
Lowell took the letter casually, but as he read, his humming stopped.
His face darkened.
“Lady Angus is dead.”
“…What?”
“An investigation found no signs of murder. It appears she took her own life.”
My mouth fell open.
I wanted her punished, not dead.
Did she choose death over disgrace?
In novels, nobles sometimes killed themselves to protect their honor.
But if she valued honor so much, would she have used black magic?
Something felt wrong.
Still… she was just a character in a game.
I couldn’t afford to dwell on it.
I had my own ending to worry about.
***
The imperial knights rode through a dense forest. Their silver armor shone under the sunlight.
I sat in the carriage with Lowell, my mind racing.
[To activate the skill, special conditions must be met.]
What are those conditions?
At least give me a hint.
Should I switch targets?
I glanced at Lowell.
No. Even if I’m desperate, I’m not going for the taxidermy psycho.
Next was Theodore Blair, the red-haired holy knight.
Bright personality. Horrible ending. Burned alive.
Hard pass.
Then there was Harkin of the imperial knights. Dark brown hair, sun-kissed skin, sharp eyes. Honestly, my type.
Except for the fact that he had a violent jealous streak and killed innocent people.
Reforming a murderer? No thanks.
Lastly, Crown Prince Caliton.
Arrogant, but handsome enough to justify it.
He was the safest option… except for the political faction that poisoned him.
If I dug into that and got poisoned too?
In the end… Jerome still seemed like the best choice.
Just as I decided to keep trying his route, the carriage stopped.
A knight knocked on the window.
“Sir Chiprian, please come out.”
Lowell stepped down.
“Monster traces have been found.”
“Monsters?”
We followed the knight.
The forest was devastated. Trees were uprooted or snapped in half. Deep claw marks gouged the earth. Dark red blood stained the ground.
Animals lay stiff, frozen in fear.
Lowell’s expression hardened.
He muttered a spell. The knights drew their weapons.
Then he grabbed my arm.
“Stay by my side this time.”
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The ground trembled.
A three-meter-tall monster emerged from the bushes.
“Kerurrrr…”
Its head and legs resembled a chicken. Its body was like a snake. Its wings were like a dragon’s.
The sheer size was overwhelming.
I couldn’t believe I was seeing it in person.
It was a basilisk.
And in the game…
It had been the stepping stone to my love.
