The Mad Princess's Tale of Doom and Survival

  I shoke my head.

 

  “I’ll pass. I prefer being alone.”

 

  “Would you reconsider? Astel-nim has never made a public appearance, so you might not know it well.”

 

  “What am I missing?”

 

  “People… tend to act rudely towards those they don’t like, and it gets worse when they’re in groups. I’m concerned that Astel-nim might get hurt.”

 

  ‘Hurt? I don’t have the heart for such emotions anymore.’

 

  I couldn’t contain myself any longer and burst into laughter.

 

  “Ahaha! You’re even cuter than Magic Tower Lord!”

 

  “Excuse me? Magic Tower Lord?”

 

  “Oh, no. I had a fleeting thought… Well, don’t worry, it won’t happen.”

 

  “…Take your time and think about it. If you change your mind later, feel free to call me anytime.”

 

  “Alright.”

 

  Johann gracefully and politely stepped back.

 

  I watched Johann as he rode away, his body sparkling and reflecting the light.

 

– Anonymous Holy See: I’ve made up my mind. Johann is the one with the momentum.

– Anonymous Holy See: Nah, that kid will be taken advantage of by Astel.

– Anonymous Holy See: Leaving someone like Kael and choosing a twenty-year-old lad. Are you thinking straight?

– Anonymous Holy See: If he’s younger, the world should be grateful. What nonsense from distant, lofty individuals?

 

 

“Kek! Cough!”

 

  I coughed as I accidentally inhaled and it burst out of my throat.

 

  I coughed for a while and then double-checked the mission.

 

  It wasn’t an error.

 

  ‘Indeed, it was truly 200,000 points…’

 

  Getting close with Johann and gaining his favor seemed far more advantageous than dealing with dozens of monsters. Does that logic hold?

 

[Viewer count: 51]

 

  Suddenly, when I checked the viewer count, the number of people watching had skyrocketed.

 

  ‘Why is there such a sudden frenzy?’

 

  Could it be because the scene of my meeting with Kael at magic tower had been shared on the Holy See community?

 

  Accepting Kael’s mission and the heightened anticipation for the dating simulation game might have contributed to this.

 

  ‘But… is this a viable strategy?’

 

  What would happen if there was a competition between Johann’s faction and Kael’s faction?

 

  ‘With more missions and sponsorships, the points will likely accumulate even further.’

 

  Upon accepting the mission, the chat window filled with cheers and sighs. There were even criticisms about questionable management.

 

  ‘Well, it is a form of management.’

 

  The only difference is that I’m targeting the points of Holy See members instead of men.

 

  I gracefully exited the reception room.

 

* * *

 

  As the afternoon approached, the mansion grew chaotic.

 

  It was because Alex Luteous, the troublemaking petty noble, had finally returned.

 

  Alex got off from the luxurious six-horse carriage.

 

  Did he expect the Duke Luteous to come rushing out barefoot? His hopeful expression faded as he surveyed his surroundings.

 

  “Come on, can’t you move any faster?”

 

  The sound of them scolding an innocent servant echoed loudly.

 

  ‘Fool.’

 

  Leaving a brief comment behind, I stepped back from the window.

 

  Seated on the reception room sofa, Genia brought tea and cookies as a post-lunch treat.

 

  Pouring the tea carefully, she asked cautiously, “Lady, Lord has arrived.”

 

  “I’m aware. His voice carries all the way up here.”

 

  “Shall I inform him that you won’t be coming down? Lord can be… quite sensitive.”

 

  “It’s not sensitivity, it’s filthiness.”

 

  Genia lowered her head deeply. Her expression held a mix of emotions, as if suppressing a laugh.

 

  As I savored a cookie, the sound of footsteps resounded loudly.

 

  “Is this the bedroom my father prepared for me? Hm, the size suits my taste, but it’s a bit too quaint. Not my style.”

 

  “Um, My Lord, that’s not…”

 

  It appeared that Alex misunderstood the fourth floor as his own bedroom.

 

  The hesitant voice of the servant continued softly, “But the reception room is quite… huh? Astel?”

 

…

 

  I fixedly gazed at Alex, who appeared in the reception room, while sipping my tea.

 

  True to his Luteous lineage, Alex was a handsome man.

 

  With a height surpassing 190cm and a muscular physique on the verge of bursting, coupled with the harmonious blend of silver hair and emerald eyes, he presented quite a pleasant sight.

 

  To be honest, he didn’t possess the composed and practical demeanor of Astel and Duke Luteous.

 

  However, there was undeniably a charm about him that drew people in.

 

  His actions were rough and unpredictable, but it appeared that he carried hidden pain within his rebellious nature.

 

  That distinctive aura perfectly complemented his appearance.

 

  ‘Well then, what am I supposed to do? Despite his temperament.’

 

  After a brief pause, Alex lifted his chin arrogantly.

 

  “If you see the Lord, you should promptly rise and offer your greetings. Instead of lazing about like a sloth. No wonder they say you’re crazy.”

 

  “A hunter, you say?”

 

  “… Did you hear that from Father? But why is your reaction like that? Well, how could you possibly grasp its significance?”

 

  Grumbling to himself, Alex flopped down on the sofa.

 

  Surprisingly, he seemed calmer than Astel’s recollections, despite his brusque words and boisterous behavior. It was somewhat endearing.

 

  “So even a scoundrel ages, huh?”

 

  Alex, who had been rubbing his weary eyes, raised his head and smirked.

 

  “But what’s the matter with your true nature? Did you come here on purpose to welcome me? Or to catch a glimpse of the Hunter? If you’ve seen his face, then go ahead. Don’t bother me.”

 

  “Didn’t you hear it from the Duke? I now live in accordance with my true nature.”

 

  “What…?”

 

  “I reside here. In my true nature.”

 

  Alex spoke as if speaking to himself.

 

  “…That can’t possibly be true, right?”

 

  “Why? Can’t I live true to my nature?”

 

  “Of course not! You…”

 

  “What about me?”

 

  Startled, Alex exclaimed loudly.

 

  “Because you’re a murderer! You! You killed our mother!”

 

“…”

 

  The notion that he had become calmer with age was a misconception. Alex remained rebellious as ever.

 

  Perhaps he had momentarily silenced himself earlier due to fatigue.

 

  *Sigh…*

 

  Alex often presented illogical arguments that I, as a rational person, couldn’t comprehend.

 

  For instance, it went something like this:

 

  “It’s because of you! It’s because of you that Mother died!”

 

  “Oh, dear brother…”

 

  “Why should I suffer because of you? Why should I sacrifice myself for your sake?”

 

  “I’m sorry, I was wrong…”

 

“Do you want to live with such reluctance? Do you think you’ll be happy if our whole family dies and you’re left alone? Isn’t it enough that you killed Mother?”

 

“…”

 

“You should have died instead of Mother.”

 

  No, he means to say that Astel has done something to her?

 

  ‘And what sacrifice did she make? Isn’t Astel in the same situation, having grown up without a mother?’

 

  To my ears, it sounded like a form of gaslighting, but Astel appeared genuinely troubled.

 

  I believed there was a genuine issue with myself.

 

  I placed my teacup down.

 

  “This is my designated space provided by the Duke. Go to the fifth floor. Your bedroom should be there.”

 

  “Why should I use the fifth floor? Isn’t it more appropriate, based on hierarchy, for you to have the upper hand? From today onwards, this place is mine.”

 

  “Hey, enough with the complaining. Just go.”

 

  “Oh, whoops. I didn’t realize I started talking like I did in my past life.”

 

  I absentmindedly tapped the teacup, as if silently asking myself, “What did I say?”

 

  Alex couldn’t summon any anger because he was bewildered. It must have been the first time Astel spoke so harshly.

 

  It was surprising to witness the timid boy, who couldn’t even make eye contact properly, displaying such confidence. Truly astonishing.

 

  At that moment, Alex’s mouth hung open in disbelief.

 

  “Y-You, could it be… a Hunter?”

 

  So the Holy See informed him. Well, regardless, he’s being impolite.

 

  “Yeah, I’m a Hunter.”

 

  “R-Really? A genuine Hunter?”

 

  “That’s right.”

 

  “…Can anyone become a Hunter?”

 

  “Did you think you were the only one chosen by the Holy See in this world? The selection of Hunters is done through a random gacha system. Sorry to burst your bubble, but that’s the reality. You were simply lucky to be chosen.”

 

  “Gacha…?”

 

  Alex’s expression became blank.

 

  I could understand his emotions as if they were written on the palm of my hand.

 

  Being a Hunter was a source of pride for Alex.

 

  Only I could see the messages that ordinary people couldn’t, and only I could slay monsters with my own hands.

 

  It was only natural for his arrogance to grow when he became someone special.

 

  ‘Above all, he must have enjoyed the attention from the Holy See so much that he couldn’t bear it.’

 

  The Holy Sees must have been the ones who explained it in detail to him who was confused at first and helped him adapt to the sudden power.

 

  How thrilled he must have been to receive praise that surpassed even that of our esteemed father. Imagine how high he would have soared if he had obtained their sponsorship.

 

  He undoubtedly had complete confidence that he was chosen by the Holy See.

 

  But to hear that it was simply a random selection…

 

  ‘His inflated self-esteem must have taken a significant hit.’

 

I observed with indifference as Alex struggled to salvage his crumbling self-esteem.