Chapter 255

Chapter 255

At my words, Kaichen’s smile widened. He seized me gently by the waist, lifting me with a half-turn before placing me daintily within the carriage.

He then assumed an air of nonchalance, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. His voice, dripping with honeyed sweetness, reached my ears.

“Perhaps.”

Unbelievable! He was utterly insane! Beyond reason! Was he out of his mind?

My jaw remained slackened as I grappled with disbelief.

The expressions on the mansion employees’ faces, their eyes widened as if their blood vessels were on the verge of rupture, were a sight to behold. I was confident my own expression didn’t differ greatly from theirs.

Yanghwa sprang into the carriage, closely followed by Kaichen.

Only once I felt the carriage commence its motion did I begin to regain my senses.

“What on earth were you thinking?”

With legs elegantly crossed, Kaichen sat comfortably. His focus lifted from a spell book, his gaze met mine.

Caught off guard by the innocence reflected in his eyes, I bit my lip gently before finally uttering a few words.

“Why did you… Ahem! Why did you behave so differently from your usual self? You’re poking fun at me.”

“Because it seems like everyone’s curious.”

“Yes, but still…”

“Would you have preferred I act differently?”

Well, no. There wasn’t exactly a rulebook for unveiling a romantic relationship! While it might seem somewhat unjust, I couldn’t deny that I didn’t mind the display. So, I simply pouted in response.

“I wish you had given me a heads-up. My heart felt like it was about to leap out of my chest. I’m certain everyone saw my stupid expression…”

The situation was utterly mortifying. Beyond embarrassing.

Even if that weren’t the case, any remaining shreds of dignity befitting a count would likely evaporate, leaving Barristan to contend with the repercussions.

With a smirk, she poked me in the side as she gazed out the window.

“You’re complaining, yet you secretly enjoyed it!”

“Princess, don’t become too friendly with Azel.”

“Why?!”

“Your behavior is starting to resemble Azel’s.”

Ever since Yanghwa took up residence in the mansion, she frequently accompanied Kaichen to Acrab to meet with Azel. Moreover, she even communicated with him daily via a communication device she acquired using pocket money gifted by Julius.

It was heartening to see her forge another friendship alongside our own. Still, there were moments when her innocent, childlike demeanor mirrored Azel’s, as if she had lived for decades – an endearing transformation, albeit slightly embarrassing.

“Azel is quite similar to Rosa. Maybe that’s why? She’s strangely friendly.”

Her smirk was undeniably cute, prompting me to release a sigh. Yanghwa seemed to have developed an affinity for kind-hearted, older figures due to her early loss of a mother.

Although I welcomed Yanghwa’s newfound resilience and maturity, I remained puzzled by the metamorphosis.

Settling into my seat, I leaned back slightly.

Duke Manuwell’s residence lay on the outskirts of Heulin’s western region, a bit farther from the Imperial Palace. Given the proximity of the other dukes to the palace, the Duke of Manuwell’s unique residence placement raised my curiosity.

Julius explained with a somber expression.

Initially, the Duke of Manuwell had resided closer to the heart of the palace.

However, tragedy struck when his beloved daughter, Dia Grande Manuwell – the youngest member of the family, known for her fondness for lavender – disappeared overnight.

‘Dia Grande Manuwell…’

Piecing together Yanghwa’s detailed account of her experiences, I arrived at a chilling realization.

Based on the original narrative, Dia Grande Manuwell was meant to be the young lady who, alongside Lamia Sorel, would be active in society as a “flower of society.”

However, the individuals now associated with that title were Lamia Sorel and someone entirely unfamiliar, ‘Dubonnet Tally.’

Five years ago, the sudden vanishing of Dia Grande, who had set out in her carriage to attend a ball, had been a significant incident that shook the empire. Yet, the Duke’s daughter remained elusive.

It was said that Kaichen had encountered Daiman in the past while investigating Dia Grande’s disappearance. Despite his best efforts, Dia Grande’s whereabouts remained a mystery.

Though I couldn’t know precise timings, it was possible that the ball Dia Grande had intended to attend was the same one where Julius and I had first met.

As a potential lead character, Dia Grande’s disappearance had initially struck me as peculiar. However, after hearing Yanghwa’s account, the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

It became evident that Exchetra’s involvement extended to Dia Grande as well, as the trasnmigrated individual referred to the candidates for the female lead.

This pattern held true for another female lead contender, the ruler of the back alleys – the Queen of the Night.

Consequently, the three women who were meant to be entwined with Julius in the original narrative were now conspicuously absent.

The reason Julius possessed relatively weaker powers compared to Princess Exchetra was likely due to the absence of these potent allies.

‘They likely perished.’

But then, a fundamental question arose: Why had Exchetra spared her?

Gazing at Yanghwa, who peered out the window with wide eyes, I could only arrive at a conclusion drawn from my past experiences.

‘Because Yanghwa… is the true female lead.’

Her survival wasn’t a result of her mere candidacy but rather her designated role as the female lead destined to meet Julius.

Yet, the puzzling question persisted: ‘Why?’

Why can’t Exchetra eliminated her?

I contemplated the enigma, knitting my brows. The complexity of the situation seemed to send my thoughts spiraling, my forehead furrowing in anxiety.

‘Why can’t she be killed? Are we not allowed to alter the original storyline so drastically? Has there been a previous instance of punishment for such actions? Or is this an entirely new development? But that doesn’t align with my prior experiences… Ugh, what could it be? Did Exchetra let her live for amusement’s sake? What is the underlying reason?’