IDTRAFTML 21

~Chapter 21~

As soon as I stepped down from the carriage, the strong sunlight made me squint.

Even though Eric held up a parasol for me, the sun felt stronger after staying indoors for a few days.

“It’s a little hot, but finally, I can breathe again.”

How many days was I stuck inside just because of a bump on my head?

Apparently, the Viscount couple, who had argued with Amelie before I possessed her, had been avoiding her ever since she said she didn’t want to see them.

It was a good thing that the misunderstanding with them was cleared up after the night I fainted.

But their overprotectiveness after that was honestly just a hassle.

“Welcome, Lady Amelie.”

Who’s this?

While the luggage was being taken down from the carriage, Sir Harbor came out with the other knights to greet me.

It was nice seeing him again after so long—he had been away on a mission since the sparring night.

“Sir Harbor! How have you been?”
“Yes, I’ve been doing well thanks to you.”
“I do deserve a lot of the credit.”
“You’re absolutely right.”

I joked lightly, and Sir Harbor nodded seriously.

Come on, that’s no fun.

I wanted to see him get a little flustered, but he just accepted it, which ruined the mood.

Still, ever the diligent knight, he helped carry the luggage along with the servants.

“I heard you were injured, Lady Amelie. Are you alright?”
“Yes, it wasn’t a big deal.”
“But you had a lump the size of a fist on your head and were bedridden for days. How can that not be serious?”
“I was in that bad of a state?”

How did a small bump and fainting for half a day turn into that?

No wonder people kept glancing at my head.

The rumor had clearly blown out of proportion without me knowing.

“Who told you that?”
“I heard it from Sir Claire, but that’s what everyone believes.”

So this is how rumors spread.

For a moment, I got a glimpse of what life is like for a public figure.

“That’s totally exaggerated, Sir Harbor. I just lightly bumped my head on a door. The bump went down in a day.”
“But if you couldn’t come to the training ground for several days…”
“Really, I’m totally fine. I couldn’t come because of my overprotective parents.”
“If that’s the case, I’m glad to hear it.”

He still looked a bit doubtful, but at least he stopped staring at my head.

Now how am I going to explain this every time I run into someone?

Just thinking about it makes my healed head hurt again.

But now I realized—Lysa, my only shield, wasn’t here.

“Is Lysa on a mission again today?”
“The vice-commander went to the main castle after being summoned by His Highness the Crown Prince.”

The crown prince? That’s Richard’s half-brother.

From what I’ve learned, the crown prince is the only son of the first empress, and despite being born from different mothers, he gets along well with Richard.

So there’s no power struggle over the throne between them.

That’s a rare kind of relationship in romance fantasy.

“Lysa is close with the crown prince too, right?”
“Yes. His Highness sometimes spars with the vice-commander.”
“I see.”

Being close to both the male and female leads…

Is the crown prince a good guy or a villain?

That’s the first thought that came to mind as someone who knows the story.

Hoping he stays good is just wishful thinking.

In this kind of story, a character like the crown prince often ends up being the final boss.

‘Looks like I have someone new to keep an eye on.’

My “watch list” changed from the Viscount couple to the crown prince.

“You’re making that suspicious face again.”

As we were nearing the 2nd Knight Division’s training ground, I ran into Richard.

“What do you mean suspicious face? I haven’t been here in days. Can’t you at least say hello?”

Seriously, this guy lacks basic manners.

I clicked my tongue loudly enough for him to hear.

Still, seeing him nitpick again after a while felt kind of familiar and—dare I say—welcoming.

“You look perfectly fine, so what’s the point in asking how you are?”
“You must be proud of that sharp tongue.”
“You had a fist-sized bump on your head, and you recovered this fast. Is your skull made of stone?”
“I told you that rumor is fake!”

Okay, I take back what I said.

He made a joke out of my pain—he doesn’t deserve any friendliness.

“If you say so.”

The male lead, who teased me until the end, casually walked off.

But I think I saw a slight smile on his face as he walked away.

“That’s Richard for you.”

Seriously, it’s impossible to be friends with him.

I calmed my boiling frustration and got ready to hand out snacks to the knights.

Boxes of drinks and salt bread I made last night were placed on a small table.

CRACK—!

“Ah!”

Just as I was about to set down two more boxes of drinks, one of the table legs broke and everything collapsed.

“Lady Amelie! Are you alright?”

All the knights nearby rushed over to check on me.

But my body was fine. It was my heart that was broken.

My drinks!

Thankfully, the table with the salt bread was fine, but the drinks had burst as they hit the ground.

“U-um, Lady Amelie.”

As I tried to see how many drinks were spilled, one knight approached me.

‘Oh, I think he’s helped carry stuff before.’

I didn’t remember his name, but I knew he was from the 2nd Knight Division.

“Yes? What is it?”
“The vice-commander asked if you could come with me for a moment.”
“Lysa?”

I was surprised since she had gone to meet the crown prince.

But then—wait. A thought struck me.

‘Could it be… the crown prince wants to see me?’

You know, like in those familiar storylines—

When the villainess-turned-good girl gets summoned by important characters who want to check if the change is real.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

If that’s the case, I have to go.

It’d be a great chance to prove I’m not a threat to Lysa—and to get a read on the crown prince. Definitely a win.

“I’ll come too.”

Eric came over from cleaning up the mess, ready to go with me.

“No, this mess happened because of our drinks. You should stay and clean up.”
“But it’s dangerous to go alone.”
“I’m not alone—the knight is guiding me. Don’t worry, just handle the cleanup.”
“…Alright.”

Eric looked suspiciously at the knight but reluctantly agreed.

With his “permission,” I followed the knight out of the training ground.

But the direction we were going felt unfamiliar.

“This doesn’t look like the way to the main castle.”
“The vice-commander said she’d meet you somewhere between the training ground and the castle.”
“Oh, I see.”

Where exactly is that?

I didn’t know the layout of the capital well, so I just followed quietly.

As we got farther from the training ground, there were fewer people around.

Is this really where Lysa and the crown prince are waiting for me?

“Is Lysa still with the crown prince?”
“Uh? Oh, yes. I think so.”
“Wait… didn’t Lysa tell you to come get me?”
“Well, actually, someone else passed the message to me. So I’m not sure.”

Hmm. Strange.

Why not come themselves instead of sending a message?

Maybe something urgent came up?

Also, this guy seemed a little too nervous.

As I was sorting through my suspicions, the knight suddenly stopped.

“…We’re here.”
“Here? But where’s Lysa—”
“I’m sorry, Lady Amelie!”

He suddenly apologized and ran off, leaving me alone while I looked around for Lysa.

I’ve been tricked.

Standing alone in an empty area, I finally realized I was in deep trouble.

Trusting a knight just because he wore a uniform—that was my mistake.

‘I need to get out of here—fast…’

Rustle.

Just as I tried to move, a figure stepped out from the bushes.