Episode 76. Doubts (3)

The subordinate bowed slightly to Percy and began explaining Beth’s condition.

“She was desperately searching for Daniel, but she’s exhausted and has gone silent.”

“Did she say anything unusual?”

“Not particularly, but…”

The subordinate hesitated before continuing, clearly thinking that what he was about to say was just a joke or nonsense.

“She mentioned that Daniel is the male lead.”

“Male lead…?”

But those words struck a chord with Percy. He tilted his head slightly and asked.

“So, is she saying that she’s the female lead?”

“Well, it seems like some kind of infantile delusion where she believes herself to be the center of the world.”

The problem was that it couldn’t be dismissed as a mere delusion.

‘This is unsettling in many ways.’

Percy nodded.

“That’s an interesting story. It was worth the effort. You’ve done well.”

“And about Daniel, sir…”

Just as Percy was about to commend the subordinate and send him on his way, he mentioned Daniel, causing Percy to pause. Seeing Percy’s interest, the subordinate quickly continued.

“One would think he’d be frantically searching for her after she disappeared, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

“Then what is he doing?”

“He’s apparently shut himself up at home again. The rumors about his panic disorder seem to be true.”

“Hmm.”

Beth was desperately searching for Daniel Bohan, but he had returned home. If they were truly lovers, this behavior would be quite heartless.

‘But he’s not that kind of person.’

If he truly loved her, he would be the kind of man who would risk his life searching for her, not someone who would shut himself away.

‘Of course, I can’t definitively judge his mental state.’

It was hard to say if the panic disorder was a result of being unable to cope with the death of his father, especially given that his lover was involved. It would be difficult to label such a response as either characteristic or uncharacteristic of Daniel.

‘But it’s certainly not the behavior of a male lead.’

What was the truth here?

There was no need to dwell on it. After all, the situation was now in Percy’s hands. He stood up from his seat.

“I’ll go meet her myself.”

* * *

Beth felt like her insides were burning up.

‘Kidnapping? There was no such plot in the original story.’

In the original story, it wasn’t as if Beth was free from suffering. Sienna Liata, the villainess, had tormented Beth on several occasions.

But that torment had always been on a mere prank level. There were no life-threatening attacks that left serious scars, nor any kidnappings that took away her freedom. Even the villains who committed these acts were gentlemanly towards Beth.

And that was why Beth was now even more terrified. None of the people who had dragged her here had shown her any kindness. All she could think was,

‘Something’s gone wrong.’

The story had seemed to be twisting in a strange direction, and now it had come to this. As Beth anxiously bit her nails to the point of ruining them, she heard a sound.

—Clunk.

The door opened, and she heard the sound of someone approaching. Beth tensed up like a frightened wildcat.

As the footsteps grew closer, her heart pounded louder. When she finally looked toward the door with a pale face, it swung open.

A man with gleaming golden hair and cold, red eyes entered.

It was Percy Stewart.

“You, you are!”

Beth recognized him immediately, having crossed paths with him a few times before. The last encounter, in particular, had been so dramatic that it was etched into her memory.

‘So he had an ulterior motive back then when he looked at me and Daniel so strangely!’

It turned out her suspicions had been correct.

“Nice to see you.”

The casual greeting, as if nothing had happened, sent chills down her spine. Beth instinctively took a step back, her voice rising in panic.

“What do you want from me? This is a crime!”

“And so?”

“So…? What do you mean, ‘so’?!”

The calm response from Percy only made him seem more dangerous. Beth bit her lip hard.

‘He really is a frightening man. I thought as much.’

Until now, Beth had never felt fear when facing anyone. Naturally, she was a veteran of this game and there was nothing she didn’t know. Even in moments when she was at a disadvantage, all she had to do was squeeze out some tears to turn the situation in her favor.

So at this moment, Beth felt as though she was being strangled by fear. To her, Percy Stewart was an unpredictable entity, one she could neither foresee nor manipulate to her will.

In the end, Beth resorted to the most threatening statement she could muster.

“If you harm me, Daniel won’t stand for it.”

She invoked the name of Daniel, the male lead of this novel. In this game, it was an unchanging rule that the male lead, Daniel, would save the female lead when she was in danger.

‘So Daniel will win.’

Beth never considered the possibility of Daniel losing. After all, the story wouldn’t progress otherwise.

And as if seeing right through Beth’s thoughts, Percy sneered.

“What if I defeat Sir Daniel?”

“That could never happen!”

“Why? In the fate you know, I suppose I’m incapable of defeating Daniel?”

“……!!”

Beth’s body stiffened at his words, which struck right at the heart of her belief.

‘That’s right. Daniel is the male lead. No character can defeat Daniel—it’s only natural.’

But the problem was that a character from within the story was saying this.

‘He might not know that we’re in a game yet…’

Would a man who realized he was just an extra still act according to that role? Beth couldn’t be certain.

She looked up at Percy with a pale face. Percy gave a small smile and said,

“Yes, the protagonist in a story is never meant to lose. No matter what trials or hardships come their way. It’s not bad to believe that. Though I am curious as to how you’ve come to be so firmly convinced that you’re the protagonist.”

Percy took a step toward Beth. She tried to scoot back, but the realization that she couldn’t escape only deepened her despair.

Percy looked down at Beth with cold eyes and said,

“I have only two requests for you. First, write a letter to Sir Daniel, asking him to come save you.”

“Y-you’re not planning to put Daniel in danger, are you?”

Percy only smiled at Beth’s question, without giving a direct answer. That was as good as confirmation.

‘It’s true!’

Beth’s eyes trembled uncontrollably. This frightening man was indeed trying to bring Daniel to him.

At that moment, Beth’s mind swirled with thoughts.

‘Is this really a trial? Is Daniel going to defeat this final villain and find happiness?’

But, terrified as she was by Percy, Beth couldn’t shake the doubt that Daniel might not actually be able to defeat him. What disturbed her even more was the fact that Percy hadn’t appeared in the original story.

‘But what can I do here? Wouldn’t it be better to hurry and urge Daniel to come save me?’

Fear-stricken, Beth was about to nod in agreement when a prompt appeared.

▶ (Do not answer)
▶ I can’t do it!

‘Damn it!’

The forced choice, which allowed only the options typical of a kind female protagonist, activated.

It was, in fact, the correct response. A heroine as angelic as Beth wouldn’t summon her loved one into danger, even knowing the peril they’d face.

But to uphold such principles even in a life-or-death situation?

‘No, I need to think more positively. Maybe if I act in line with the heroine’s role, the original story’s constraints will kick in.’

Perhaps then even this man would be moved by Beth’s noble spirit.

With that thought, Beth clenched her fists and chose the latter option.

“I can’t do it! If it were just about tormenting me, that’d be one thing, but you’re trying to trap Daniel!”

“Indeed.”

As Percy didn’t deny it, Beth’s lips curled up slightly.

‘Of course.’

This world was, after all, one built for her. A world that turned in such a way that she could remain forever kind and gentle.

‘So all I have to do is keep saying the right things.’

With that thought, Beth bit her lip.

“Then let’s move on to the second request.”

As Percy spoke, Beth suddenly felt an immense pressure weighing down on her entire body. It felt as if a giant hand was crushing her.

“Ugh! Ugh…!”

As Beth writhed in pain, it was as if a string snapped inside her, and she collapsed.

Then, in a flash, her mind cleared, as if a computer had been rebooted.

‘Was it a dream?’

The terrifying man, the conversation they were having, and then the sudden pressure that crushed her—all of it.

As Beth stood there, dazed, the same devilish man appeared before her eyes again.

Percy whistled in amazement and said,

“You really don’t die. A normal person would have perished.”

“What… what is this…?”

Beth’s fingers turned cold at the word “die.”

He was right. The overwhelming pressure, the suffocating sensation that had snuffed out her consciousness—was that death?

‘So, did I die just now?’

Beth stared at Percy with a pale face. He muttered nonchalantly, as if he hadn’t just killed someone.

“Ah, to be precise, it’s not that you don’t die, but rather that you die and then come back to life. It’s a curious thing.”

His tone carried the implication that he might kill her again, just to test it out.

Finally snapping out of her stupor, Beth threw herself to the ground, groveling.

“I don’t know anything! Please, let me go!”

Percy crossed his arms and tilted his head. He came to a conclusion in his mind: this woman was certainly special and possessed abilities beyond his understanding, but she didn’t seem to be particularly smart.