Chapter 73
“Your Highness!”
From a distance, Sian, Yeniel, and Max came running toward the Crown Prince.
Their clothes were blotched with red, stained here and there as if they’d been caught in the bloody rain.
“Oh my, I’m so glad you’re safe, Your Highness!”
While their attention was on the Crown Prince, I subtly tilted my head and whispered in a voice only Yurell could hear.
“Sir Yurell, you’re awake, aren’t you?”
I’d already noticed he had regained consciousness.
Unlike when he was truly unconscious, now he was distributing his weight through his dragging legs, trying to support himself.
This guy—unbelievably—pretended to be asleep just to avoid the attention.
“Tell Lady Eveline this: as expected, it’s better to meet at the end of the third floor. So make sure she knows to meet me there.”
It wasn’t a line April would usually say, but I had to answer clearly—even if it raised suspicion.
I’d decided to get through the defense game first before moving on.
“April will be waiting in front of the stairs to the second floor. Please pass that on.”
The rules of the defense game are simple.
You choose a few of the seven towers outside the mansion as your base, and then defend the Grand Mage’s mansion from monsters attacking from outside.
In this game, only two factions participate—Protagonist Yeniel’s and Villainess Eveline’s—so only two towers are used.
And, of course, they’re always placed on completely opposite sides.
The tower with the highest contribution gets reward items dropped in real time.
Am I going to rig it so Eveline’s faction gets the higher contribution?
No. It wouldn’t be good for Yeniel’s side to see me as a useless asset.
So, I planned to claim all the reward items myself by racking up the highest contribution.
I’m the only one who knows rewards are given in this game because I’m the one who played The Grand Mage’s Mansion.
Of course, if I snatch them right in front of Yeniel’s faction, I’ll be caught.
But think about it.
What if there’s no one near me? Or at least if Yeniel isn’t?
My plan was simple.
The reason Yeniel, the Crown Prince, and Max were even venturing into dangerous places was because they believed they were relatively safe.
Because with Sian, who could protect multiple people with spirits, and me, who could freely swing a massive battle spear—two strong fighters were in the group.
But what if Sian became powerless?
“Lady April. Did something happen while you were separated?”
Yeniel approached and asked in the calmest tone she could muster.
Well, considering I was now even more bloodstained than before and dragging an unconscious Yurell, anyone would think something serious had happened.
But I didn’t feel like explaining everything to Yeniel, so I smiled sweetly and dodged the question.
“Hmm, April doesn’t really know, but April thinks she’s as pretty as a deer. That’s why His Highness said I was beautiful like a deer.”
“I see… Since Lady April doesn’t lie, His Highness must have really said that.”
Even Yeniel seemed at a loss for words at that line.
If she believed it, she probably thought the Crown Prince had finally lost it.
“Anyway, I’m glad you’re safe. Let’s hand Sir Yurell over to Sian’s spirits and head to the kitchen to wash the dishes. We’ve secured some cleanser.”
“Yes!”
I answered brightly.
I still couldn’t read Yeniel’s true intentions as she casually took my hand and led me.
“Lady April. Please hand over Sir Yurell. I will deliver him to Lady Debnoa’s side.”
“Okay.”
By the time we reached the kitchen sink, the reunion with the Crown Prince seemed to have wrapped up, and Sian received Yurell from me.
Now’s my chance.
Yeniel happened to have her back turned. Max and the others were too focused on washing the dishes with the cleanser.
The bloody dishes in the sink were visibly becoming clean with just a few drops.
As I handed over the limp Yurell, I subtly pressed the pocket watch I’d picked up earlier against Sian.
Tick. Tick.
The sound of the hands winding backward.
A sound only I could hear.
[You have cursed Strategist Sian!]
During the next combat event, the trait <High Spirit Arts> will be disabled.
And then, I suddenly wondered—how likely is it that I’m mentally ill?
If the story about my brother being the Hero was just my delusion, that would be a huge problem.
If I imagined a game that doesn’t exist and convinced myself I’d played it 99 times in a row in the dead of winter indoors—then yeah, I’d definitely be insane.
Yeniel was handing the now-clean dishes and bowls to the headless kitchen servant while talking.
Most of the other survivors seemed to have finished their tasks and weren’t particularly busy anymore.
Headless servants moved in and out, placing invisible food on plates.
The curse ritual had ended without issue.
Sian would be useless in the next battle.
“So, what should we do now, Lady Yeniel?”
The Crown Prince asked, and Yeniel replied,
“We wait for the banquet to end. Then the doors will open. While we’re in the banquet hall, we’ll observe the situation. Based on the clues, I believe this banquet was the last meal shared by the First Emperor and the Four Founding Lords.”
“The F-First Emperor?!”
Max shouted, clearly excited.
Seeing Yeniel calmly lead the group, the Crown Prince suddenly spoke seriously to her.
“The First Emperor and the Founding Lords, you say. I couldn’t have guessed that myself. But your sharp insight, Lady Yeniel, is truly impressive—and appreciated.”
“Though the compliment is sudden, thank you, Your Highness.”
He must have grown very thankful to Yeniel and Sian, especially after she forced herself into being the de facto team leader by pulling me and Yurell back earlier.
We stood near the banquet hall walls.
The hall was spacious, and the headless servants stood freely in areas where they wouldn’t obstruct the guests.
I felt someone watching me from afar. When I turned, I saw Eveline and Duke Kyle looking my way.
Behind them, Yurell was standing upright, eyes sharp as ever, as if he’d never been unconscious.
I smiled lightly at Eveline and thought:
‘Looks like they made it just fine.’
