The Villain's Ending is Only Death Chapter 13
Just as I was about to descend, holding the cumbersome skirt, Derek suddenly extended his hand to me.
"Did you eat something wrong?"
I widened my eyes and stared blankly at Derek, who seemed to be offering to escort me.
Then his brows furrowed slightly.
"What are you doing? Aren't you getting down?"
Only then did I realize my mistake and looked around.
The eyes of the nobles who had just arrived and were getting down, like us, were glaring at me.
I quickly took Derek's hand and got down from the carriage.
Holding his hand, I ascended the pristine white stairs leading to the ballroom.
"Announcing the arrival of Lord Derek Ecart of the Ecart Dukedom and Lady Penelope Ecart!"
Just as the butler's loud announcement echoed and the massive doors of the ballroom opened.
Derek's cold voice pierced my ear.
"You haven't forgotten that your punishment was lifted just yesterday, have you?"
"If you cause a disturbance this time, it won't end with just being locked in your room."
The excitement I had felt was suddenly doused.
I wanted to retort against Derek's annoying voice, but I suppressed it.
Forcing a smile, I obediently replied, and Derek turned his head sharply.
I pouted when he wasn't looking.
The palace party was very dignified. In other words, it was extremely boring.
As soon as we entered the ballroom, Derek was busy greeting the many people approaching him, leaving me standing alone.
Not a single person came near me.
It seemed that Penelope's reputation as someone who would attack like a rabid dog if provoked was well-known.
Looking around, I saw that the noble young ladies of my age were busy clustering together, dancing, and whispering.
Standing alone like an isolated island, I observed the scene from a secluded corner of the wall where few people passed by.
This is absolutely not self-hypnosis.
It's true. I had a clear purpose for being here, and if I achieved it, I might be able to escape this wretched place...
'Ah! When is that wretched crown prince going to show up!'
As the party progressed, more and more people glanced at me, whispering, especially today when I was unusually quiet.
Just when I thought I had reached my limit of standing awkwardly alone,
"Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Second Prince have arrived!"
Finally, the game story was about to get on track.
All the nobles, who had been chatting, knelt towards the entrance.
I also lowered my body appropriately, following their lead.
The Second Prince and the Empress, who had just entered, exuded an aura that said, 'I am royalty.'
Their blonde hair, a symbol of the royal family, shimmered in the lighting.
They walked across the ballroom and ascended the stairs at the far end, to the highest and most prestigious seats reserved only for the royal family.
I watched them in hushed silence, and I was startled when I saw the Second Prince sit in the throne.
'Isn't that the Crown Prince's seat?'
The Second Prince sat in the highest and most central seat, the most prestigious of the prestigious.
The golden throne adorned with a magnificent golden dragon.
However, since the Emperor rarely appeared in this game, the Crown Prince had always occupied the throne at official events.
'But why the Second Prince?'
I was perplexed by the Empress and the Second Prince's calm demeanor, despite the Crown Prince's seat being taken.
Is there a custom of seating the birthday person in the throne?
"Everyone, you may rise."
The Second Prince, who had just taken his seat, commanded solemnly. The people rose in unison.
"Thank you all for attending my birthday ball despite your busy schedules. I hope you have a pleasant time, even though it's a modest gathering."
With the birthday celebrant's speech, the ball was about to officially begin. Or rather, just as it was about to begin.
Bang! A tremendous explosion suddenly echoed from the entrance.
"What, what's happening?"
The nobles murmured and looked towards the source of the noise.
Someone pushed through the crowd and walked into the ballroom.
Thud, thud. A low sound of footsteps was heard.
At the same time, a scraping sound, 'squeak, squeak,' followed.
"It's, it's the Crown Prince!"
Someone shouted. I perked up and looked in that direction.
His blonde hair, which seemed to be made of gold, fluttered.
The brilliance I thought I saw from the Second Prince and the Empress earlier was just an illusion.
The blonde man, walking with a red cloak billowing behind him, was blindingly radiant.
"That, that's... not human, right?"
At that moment, people near the Crown Prince, who was passing by, let out shrill screams.
I was captivated by the Crown Prince's appearance and didn't immediately realize what he was dragging into the ballroom.
"Happy birthday, brother."
The Crown Prince, who had finally reached where the Empress and the Second Prince were seated, threw the person he had dragged onto the stairs.
The Empress jumped up from her seat and pointed at the Crown Prince.
"What, what is this outrageous behavior!"
"Why is it outrageous for an older brother to attend his younger brother's birthday ball, Mother?"
"To do such a disgraceful thing at a place where you weren't invited, now that you're the Crown Prince...!"
Unable to bring herself to say that he had dragged a person and thrown them, the Empress's face turned bright red and she trembled.
"You weren't invited. How dare you come here!"
"Since I was invited, I rushed here, leaving my busy state affairs behind."
The Crown Prince exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders. His face was far from sorrowful.
I couldn't understand the confrontation between the two.
'Is the Crown Prince's mother not the Empress?'
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince continued.
"But the servant who delivered the invitation was terribly inexperienced."
As he finished speaking, the Crown Prince bent down and grabbed the hair of the person he had dragged, forcing them to stand halfway up.
The person's face was hidden by a black mask. But upon closer inspection, their attire, which was clearly that of an assassin, was unmistakable.
"Since he kept refusing to give me the invitation and only did other things, I decided to teach him a lesson."
"Brother, you should have chosen a proper servant."
Swish. The Crown Prince, who had been empty-handed, suddenly drew a sword and beheaded the assassin he was holding.
Worst! Blood began to gush out like a fountain.
"Let this be my birthday gift."
The Crown Prince threw the severed head at the Second Prince's feet.
The Empress's piercing scream echoed through the ballroom.
The human head rolled like a ball.
The Second Prince, pale as a ghost, was about to faint and couldn't speak.
"If you want another gift from me, feel free to send for me."
In the ballroom filled with shock, only the Crown Prince smiled.
His savage smile was like that of a demon from hell.
He disappeared as quickly as he had appeared, leaving behind only immense shock and silence.
As the Crown Prince's presence completely vanished, the sound of people catching their breath could be heard from all around.
I clutched my thumping chest and desperately tried to recall my memories.
'This scene wasn't in the game, right?'
No matter how hard I thought, I couldn't remember such a horrific scene.
It wasn't something I had seen in passing, like Penelope's needle marks.
[The Crown Prince, who had a poor relationship with the Second Prince, left the ballroom in a bad mood after a minor commotion.]
That was all the game had described.
'How is this a minor commotion, you crazy game!'
I screamed inwardly as I watched the servants clean up the body and the bloodstains.
At that moment, a white square window appeared before my eyes.
〈SYSTEM〉 The [Iron-Blooded Crown Prince, Calisto Regulus] episode is about to begin. Would you like to teleport directly to the maze garden?
I pondered for a long time. The Crown Prince I had just seen was far more insane than in the game, and I hesitated to follow him.
'Will I get beheaded as soon as I meet him?'
But the fear of death was fleeting. After all, I didn't come here to die.
'If I endure this one time, I might be able to return home.'
Besides, I had the reset feature as a safety net. If I really died, I could just reset.
With that, I steeled my trembling heart and pressed [Yes] with my shaking hand.
The scene before me flashed white.
When I opened my eyes again, I was standing at the entrance of the maze garden.
Actually, I was worried about getting lost since I had a poor sense of direction. I didn't know the game had a teleportation feature.
"Alright, let's go see if I can die once."
I steeled my resolve and entered the maze garden.
Fortunately, I didn't have to worry about getting lost in the maze.
Thanks to the system's consideration, or something, only the correct path had lit lanterns.
I walked for a long time, following the lanterns, until I reached the deepest part of the maze.
'How much further do I have to go?'
I had walked for quite a while, but the lanterns showed no sign of ending.
Just when my feet, clad in shoes, started to hurt,
A lantern at the far end of a corner flickered. Finally, it was the end.
I ran to the corner and turned.
Beyond the corner was a spacious area with a small fountain and a bench for resting.
There were no more lit lanterns anywhere. This was definitely the end.
However, there was no sign of the Crown Prince.
I tilted my head in confusion and cautiously approached the fountain. At that moment,
Swish. I felt a cold and heavy sensation next to my neck.
"Who's this little rat, creeping around?"
The Crown Prince walked in a semicircle from behind and came in front of me. The blade at my neck also turned, scraping against my skin.
Pain. A chilling sensation as the blade cut into my flesh, and something warm trickled down.
But I didn't realize that my skin had been cut.
"Isn't this Ecart's mad dog?"
His golden hair, reflecting the moonlight, and his blood-red pupils.
The Crown Prince, who looked at me as if he had encountered something amusing, smiled like a demon. But it was only for a moment.
"To think you would follow me here after seeing what happened in the ballroom. Are you crazy, wanting to die?"
His face turned expressionless in an instant, sending shivers down my spine.
"Speak. Why did you follow me like a little rat?"
The blade pressed deeper into my neck. The killing intent was even more intense.
I knew instinctively. The Crown Prince was about to kill me.
I frantically searched for the reset button with my eyes.
Even if I were to die, I needed to know where the reset button was.
"Since you're not answering, I'll let you say your final goodbyes to your brothers."
But there was no reset button in sight.
"I'll deliver your last words to Ecart personally."
There was no reset button anywhere.
'Reset! Where is it! Reset-!'