Episode 64. D-day 60(4)

Although the maid had retreated while speaking as if she had taken a strange drug, the words she had spilled didn’t just disappear.

‘The fact that Beth was the first to discover the count’s body is suspicious.’

And if the maid’s words are true, she seemed to have been close to Count Bohan.

‘That means she was progressing along the Bohan route to some extent. It looks like she switched to Daniel.’

If she killed Count Bohan because he was an obstacle to getting closer to Daniel… is that too far-fetched?

‘But for all these assumptions to be correct, one condition must be met.’

Beth has to be a character who can act with free will, like me.

‘Of course, since I didn’t play the game to the end, this might be an even more far-fetched thought. The actual game could have progressed like this.’

Still, I’ve played enough games. I’ve never seen a route where the protagonist kills another character to progress.

‘It doesn’t fit with a pink and fluffy game!’

While my heart was pounding and I felt a sense of urgency about what to do next, Julius’s response was shockingly casual.

“Well.”

“Well? Have you been hit by the protagonist’s beam too?”

Otherwise, how could he react so nonchalantly after witnessing that argument?

Although I yelled, Julius’s reaction was different from what I expected.

“Protagonist…?”

He mumbled the word ‘protagonist’ as if hearing it for the first time, then his face turned pale, and he spoke in an oddly firm tone.

“Protagonist.”

“Huh? Brother, what’s wrong? Did you hit your head?”

Why does he keep repeating ‘protagonist’ with such a scary look? Confused, I blinked my eyes.

A chilling smile crept across Julius’s face.

“That’s a good idea, Sienna. Roles can be swapped, right?”

“Well, that’s…”

I didn’t say anything like that. What are you rambling about?

‘Right, this guy was always like this.’

Recently, I’d been talking to Julius like siblings, calling him a fool, so I’d forgotten. From the beginning, Julius had always had a crazy streak.

While muttering about roles, Julius suddenly flipped his eyes and grabbed my shoulders.

“You haven’t forgiven me, have you?”

He had apologized and cried earlier, and now he was starting again. I glared at him and scolded in a stern voice.

“Why are you going on about forgiveness again? Julius, are you really okay? You were always strange, but today you’re acting like a complete lunatic.”

However, Julius didn’t seem to hear my words and just kept talking.

“When I pay for my sins, you must forgive me. Got it?”

Then Julius suddenly pushed my hand away and stood up, running off. I instinctively reached out to him, worried.

“No, why do you keep saying strange things? I don’t hate you…”

I was about to say that I didn’t hate him when a warning message dinged and caught my attention.

※ Warning: Behavior not befitting a villainess. (2/3)

‘Oh no, one more and I get a penalty.’

I reflexively clamped my mouth shut with both hands. And in that brief moment, Julius disappeared like a squirrel. I realized too late.

‘I should have stopped him.’

Julius seemed more unstable today than ever. He had seemed stable since we started sharing our true feelings, but now he looked troubled again.

‘I hope he doesn’t cause any trouble. Although he looks tough, he’s actually quite timid.’

My heart was pounding, but Julius had never been one to raise his voice to the emperor or the empress. Even if he stormed off, he would probably remain silent in front of them.

‘I need to find Percy and explain the situation…’

Once Julius entered the palace, I would have no way to influence him. I decided to find Percy first and explain the situation. As I was getting up from the bushes, I heard a familiar voice.

“Sienna?”

I turned around, surprised.

“…Sir Daniel.”

Daniel Bohan, the man who had once been my fiancé, was standing there.

* * *

After meeting with Sienna, Julius hurried back to the imperial palace. Without even stopping by his quarters, he walked briskly towards the Emperor’s chambers, dressed in mourning clothes.

His mind was spinning with the conversation he had with Sienna. A cold smile spread across his face.

‘It’s amusing that I only started thinking after hearing about the protagonist. Yes, there are roles in this world, beautifully wrapped in legends or myths.’

When he didn’t know the world’s secrets, he merely sought to borrow the power of the strong. He had baited Percy with the promise of the empire’s division for that reason.

He believed that would be the ultimate revenge against the Emperor and Empress, who tormented him, thinking the empire would last forever.

‘But this world doesn’t change. If it doesn’t, there’s only one way.’

Take the role himself.

‘I’ll protect Sienna by taking on that role.’

With that thought, Julius marched towards the Emperor’s bedroom. After exchanging a glance with the chamberlain, he opened the door, and a wine glass flew past his face, shattering against the wall.

“Damn it! You idiot!!”

“Father.”

The Emperor hadn’t even spoken a word, yet he was already throwing things. Julius clenched his fist. The Emperor’s insults, which he had feared his entire life, poured over him.

“I’m fuming, and what are you here for? And empty-handed?! Didn’t I tell you not to return unless you brought that girl?!”

“Ha, ha…”

Julius’s nails dug into his palms.

The reason he attended Count Bohan’s funeral today was precisely because of this.

When the plan to kidnap Sienna failed, the desperate Emperor ordered Julius to bring her himself.

‘When the kidnapping failed, the servant sacrificed in the cleanup was buried in front of Sienna’s palace.’

The body’s location was revealed just a few days ago. It’s unclear whether the Emperor had buried the body sloppily to send a message to Sienna or if Percy had discovered it while trying to find who endangered Sienna.

The hysterical Emperor commanded Julius.

– Bring Sienna to the palace! If you don’t, I won’t spare you!

He then showed Julius the ‘Emperor’s Secret,’ known only to him.

– Now you understand, right? Even if you ask how to kill the crown prince, know that you’re just a cog in the machine.

This was meant to intimidate Julius.

But instead, it pushed Julius’s fragile mind further into despair.

‘What’s the point of living like this? Maybe it’s better to just die quickly.’

When he was on the verge of wanting to hang himself and die, Sienna’s kind words pierced through.

– Why do you look so weak?

Hearing that, his pent-up tears burst out like a fountain.

‘What am I doing to this child?’

To avoid being killed by the Emperor, he had no choice but to hand Sienna over. But how could he hand over someone so kind to the Emperor?

‘No, I must die instead.’

Death was frightening, but he didn’t want to live cowardly. As he was teetering on the edge of indecision, a strange woman gave him courage and resolve.

– I saw you pushing the Count down the stairs.

He had only thought of two ways: his death or Sienna’s sacrifice.

But there wasn’t just one way.

‘Neither I nor Sienna deserves to die.’

Rather, it’s this man in front of him.

Julius shut the door tightly to ensure no sound escaped. He spoke in a calm voice.

“Father, you showed me the truth of this world the other day, didn’t you?”

“So? You idiot. You still look dazed after seeing that truth?”

The Emperor sneered at him. Julius looked at him with calm eyes and asked,

“Is there a reason for us to torment others in this confined world?”

The Emperor screamed in response. To him, Julius was a fool who denied reality and spouted idealistic nonsense.

“That girl is destined to live as a villainess. She’s mine!”

Julius’s eyes glinted coldly. He slowly moved forward.

“If Sienna can’t escape her villainous role, and I’m just a puppet…”

The glass shards crunched under his feet. As he got closer to the bed, the smell of blood grew stronger, indicating another servant had been killed.

Julius drew the dagger he had brought. The blade glinted sharply even in the dim light.

“There’s no reason why it has to be you pulling the strings.”

“Y-You! What are you doing! Ugh!”

A drunken, old, and sick Emperor stood no chance against the healthy Julius.

Moments later, Julius emerged, covered in blood. The servants standing outside flinched at the sight. Julius spoke in a dry tone.

“Prepare for the state funeral.”

After a brief pause, he added,

“Summon Duke Stewart. We need to discuss the coronation.”

And so, the Emperor was replaced more easily than expected.