ORHML 14

Chapter 14

The Emperor’s behavior toward me is genuine. Otherwise, why would he have rushed over in the middle of the night just to see me walking around at dawn?

“Gracie!”

“Dad?”

“It’s dawn—why aren’t you asleep? What if you fall ill again!”

With this much affection, it’s no wonder Princess Gracie turned out the way she did.

But I couldn’t say that aloud. Honestly, how could anyone hate being cared for like this?

“I came because I missed you, Dad.”

“Did you now?”

The worried expression on his face melted into a smile. It resembled the face of Gracie I’d seen in the prologue, and it made me certain we really were family.

Quest! Take a walk in the garden with the Emperor.
Reward: You can ask the status window one question and get an O / X answer.

“Dad, let’s walk in the garden together.”

“Let’s do that.”

At his gesture, the attendants behind him draped a thick fur cloak over my shoulders. It wasn’t that cold, but I couldn’t push it away because he looked so concerned. This time it was white tiger skin. I’d never touched anything like this before—let alone worn it.

It feels amazing!

Quest complete!
Speak after shouting “Question!”

“Question! Does the status window want me to win this game?”

O

“What was that?”

Hey! You’re supposed to filter that!

“Oh, nothing. It’s just so nice walking with you, Dad!”

“I feel the same.”

Maybe because of what I’d said yesterday, he stroked my head gently, as if being careful. It felt nice. Then I suddenly thought of Adrian, who was probably still in my room, and my mood soured.

“Dad.”

“Yes?”

“Why is my face like this? Ever since I fell in the water and came out, my memory’s been patchy.”

“I’ll summon the royal physician again.”

“What’s a physician going to do about my memory? Please help me yourself, Dad. And besides, I prefer being with you to being with the physician.”

That wasn’t a lie. I was far more comfortable with the Emperor than with the physician.

“Your face—Kiera did that to you.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes. We just lack physical proof, but she’s the one who did it.”

“Why do you think so?”

I tripped on a stone as I walked beside him. Startled, he stopped with wide eyes, then opened his arms instinctively. Like yesterday, I stepped into them and he lifted me easily. Maybe Princess Gracie had been used to this kind of thing.

“She probably thought if she disfigured your face, that De Levois bastard would give up on you.”

“I don’t care about Clayton.”

“I know.”

“I’m sick of Adrian, too.”

‘I broke off the engagement for you. Because you loved that Clayton bastard.’

Adrian’s voice popped into my head, making me bristle. But Kiera’s affection stat for me had been at 100%.

Do affection and hatred display as the same stat?

Or does loving someone that much mean hating them just as much? Love and hate, then.

I was a fool for even wavering over guys like that.

“I want you to become the Emperor,” he said.

“I want that, too.”

If option 3 doesn’t work, then I’ll have to pick option 2. That would mean dethroning my sister and becoming Emperor myself. Killing her felt unpleasant, so if 3 was impossible, 2 would be my fallback.

“Once you become Emperor, you’ll have to discard Duke Russell. But if you want, I can take care of him before then. We’d have to borrow another country’s power for that, though. Whatever you want, just say the word. I’m always preparing the best path for you to take the throne.”

The way he smiled at me made my heart twist—it felt like, in his mind, I really was his only true child.

“They also say your face might be under a curse.”

“Really?”

“Yes. The sages believe there’s some hidden item somewhere.”

“So if we find that item, I can return to normal?”

“That’s right. But don’t worry—we’re already looking.”

The way he focused solely on me as we talked felt strange. I looked him in the eyes and he broke into a bright smile. Princess Gracie turned out spoiled because of Your Majesty.

“Well, falling in the water did have one good effect.”

“Huh? There was a good effect?”

“You don’t call me ‘Father’ anymore.”

“What’s so good about that? I’m starting to feel embarrassed about being so casual.”

My face flushed with shame. After calling him “Dad” so much, it felt awkward to go back to “Father.” Damn it!

“I much prefer it when you call me ‘Dad,’ like when you were little.”

“Then I’ll keep calling you that.”

“Will you?”

“Yes.”

Quest! If you return to your room alone, the next quest will proceed!

The system wants me to win.

The Emperor wants me to succeed the throne.

I needed to keep both of these in mind.

“I’ll go back to my room alone now. You go to the training grounds, Dad.”

“You remembered I go to the training grounds at this hour?”

No, I just noticed your outfit and the sword you’re carrying.

“Of course—I’m your daughter.”

I’d expected clearing this game to be hard. That meant I needed to use everything at my disposal.

If possible, I wanted things to work out with my sister.

But I wasn’t going to be stupid enough to throw away my backup plan.

‘Filthy girl.’
‘An orphan like you wants to go to college?’
‘Just get a part-time job. That’s all you’re good for.’

I’ll carve out my own place. Here, too, I’ll make my own seat at the table.

The quest proceeds!

When I entered the room, Adrian Russell was still half-undressed on the bed. He was sitting on the edge, looking at me, as if waiting.

“Why haven’t you left?”

“Tell me what made you angry.”

“I’m not angry. I just realized I might need you, but not in this kind of relationship.”

His eyebrows twitched as he stood, striding over with his long legs. Even in this spacious room, he reached me in no time.

“We’re only engaged because we each want something from the other, right?”

“…”

“You want to be the Emperor’s consort, and I want to be Emperor.”

His expression told me I was right.

“So stop pretending to love me. Let’s just make things easy for both of us.”

I said it with a smile, but it wasn’t how I really felt.

“What’s this about? You’re the one who clung to me saying you liked me, and now you do this?”

“I guess I did back then. But not anymore.”

I heard footsteps behind me. When I turned, someone I’d never seen before was approaching.

“You called for me, Master.”

Uh, no I didn’t.

A status window popped up beside the man’s bold smile.

Joshua Dayrid
Crown Prince of the Dayrid Kingdom / Affection stat unavailable.
▼ Taken hostage by the Bastian Empire.

“Another threesome?” Adrian asked casually, as if used to this. That made me even angrier.

Princess Gracie’s life wasn’t just a mess—she was living like a dog.

“A threesome, my ass. Both of you, get lost!”

I stood at the door, blocking the entrance. Another quest window popped up.

Even without a direct quest order, you’ve been rewarded for completing the objective.

Are you really on my side?

For the next week, the status window’s restrictions will be lifted.

“Did falling in the water drive you insane?”

“No. It woke me up. I don’t want to live like this anymore.”

“And what’s this sudden whim?”

“Hello, Joshua. Nice to meet you—as if for the first time.”

Once his name was spoken, he became polite.

Joshua had blond hair and emerald eyes—a stunning man. Of course, he would be; he was one of the five male leads.

“And you brought him here?”

Joshua hesitated, then gave a forced smile and came inside, starting to undress. My gaze drifted to the muscles of his back.

That back was perfect. Intimidatingly perfect.

“If you two don’t leave, you’ll have to step over my corpse.”

I meant it.

I didn’t need men who loved my sister, not me. I’d survived 24 years without a man just fine.

So get out of my way!

Maybe because they knew words wouldn’t work, I grabbed the sword from the guard at the door. He didn’t even stop me, just watched as I drew it. In the distance, Francis was running toward us.

“Get out.”

The blade against my neck felt cold, but my mind was growing clearer.

This wasn’t the last guest who would come. Francis probably wasn’t trying to show just me, Adrian, and Joshua together. If the man my sister loved was Clayton…

“Gracie?”

Yes. You’re the one who should come. The heroine of this game and the man she loves.

So my sister really does like Clayton.

She staged this to show him this scene—me mixed up with other men. That’s why she disfigured my face.

You tried to drown me.

I finally understood what I needed to demand an apology for. It was like finding a clean, simple answer.

“Why are you doing such childish things, Sister?”

At my words, the broken mask she wore flickered back into its original face for a moment before re-forming. She put on a pitiful expression, as if crafted.

“Gracie, what are you saying now?”

You call me a villainess?

“What do you think? You tried to kill me by throwing me into the river.”

“Gracie…”

“What are you going to do now that I didn’t die? Must be such a shame for you. Oh dear.”

Fine then. I’ll show you what a real villainess is.