Chapter 61: The Villain's Ending is Only Death
I was taken aback by the sudden appearance of a white rectangular window. I had no idea such a quest existed since I hadn't participated in the hunting competition even in Normal Mode.
Just as I was pondering what to do, new text appeared in the white rectangular window.
〈SYSTEM〉 This is a main quest and will be automatically accepted in 5 seconds.
With the countdown rapidly decreasing, I hastily pressed [Reject] without much thought.
The white rectangular window immediately disappeared. But in its place was...
"Long time no see, Lady Penelope."
I barely managed to suppress a scream. My eyes shook as if they were about to fall out.
‘How did he get here...!’
I had taken my eyes off the Crown Prince for just a moment to check the system window.
In that brief moment, he had approached silently.
The Crown Prince, leaning forward with his arms supporting his body on the opposite side of the table, laughed while looking at me with eyes like a predator eyeing its prey.
His white teeth were visible between his red lips.
It was a scene more terrifying than any ghost. My breath was caught in my throat.
“I... I greet the Empire's Little Sun.”
I forced out the trembling words with great effort.
“It’s hard to see your face.”
“I heard you were burning with fever from the poison. Are you feeling better now?”
Instead of acknowledging my greeting, he spoke of something else, his tone bordering on mockery.
It was true that I had suffered for a few days after he cut my throat.
I desperately wanted to retort, but I was a possessed person who valued my life.
“Thanks to your concern... I have fully recovered, Your Highness. Truly.”
I strained to pull the corners of my mouth into a smile as I replied.
Then the Crown Prince said something that made me feel utterly devastated.
“Don’t you feel hurt? In a relationship that could potentially develop into a romance, isn’t it acceptable to ask such a thing?”
I finally understood what it felt like to faint.
‘What is this kid talking about?’
I put aside my forced smile and, with my trembling lips, barely managed to ask.
“Of course, it’s me and Lady Penelope.”
Boom. I heard a thunderous ringing in my ears.
The Crown Prince, who had driven the point home, stood up and walked around the table.
Before I could react, he plopped down in the seat where Derrick had been sitting.
I froze stiff. He rested his chin lazily and stared at me with his bright red eyes.
“Lady Penelope, you haven’t forgotten our agreement, have you?”
“I distinctly remember you agreeing to explain in detail why, how, and for what reason you came to like me the next time we met.”
He recited the exact words he had said when he let me go, without missing a single syllable.
“Of course, you must have prepared your answer, right?”
The Crown Prince tilted his head, urging me to explain. At the same time, his radiant blonde hair began to shimmer.
If I smiled inappropriately, my goodwill could drop, and I might get my throat cut before the game even ended. It felt like my vision was going white.
“Don’t be shy, just speak your mind. After all, there’s no one around to hear us.”
Indeed, as he said, no one was within a 1-meter radius of the table.
They all stood at a distance, watching the meeting between the Crown Prince and the crazy dog of the Duke’s family with great interest.
The Crown Prince urged me again.
I was desperately trying to think of something to say, and tears of frustration welled up inside me.
‘No matter how scared I was of dying, why did I say such ridiculous things?’
No matter how much I thought, nothing came to mind.
I had only met him twice.
Moreover, he had no redeeming qualities except for his striking hair color. What reason could there be?
The Crown Prince called me again. His voice had sunk to a chilling tone, as if I had delayed too long.
Ah, I don’t care anymore.
“I no longer like you, Your Highness.”
One of the Crown Prince’s eyebrows shot up.
I was afraid he might draw his sword at any moment. I rapped out my words like a machine gun.
“I realized that it’s respectful to give up on unrequited love early.”
“I’m truly sorry, Your Highness! I plan to find someone more realistic and suitable for my position.”
My mind was a blank from sheer terror.
“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry...”
Muttering such words, I managed to deliver my speech quite successfully without stuttering.
‘Everyone must have heard that.’
I made sure to speak loudly.
No matter how capricious the Crown Prince might be, he wouldn’t kill a lady who was apologizing in front of all the nobles, right?
Even if this game had a baseless story, it wouldn’t be set up to have such a crazy character.
After a long silence, the Crown Prince suddenly burst into a loud, hollow laugh.
“Have you found someone else already?”
Suddenly, he stood up and drew the sword from his waist.
Indeed, he was a seriously crazy guy who brought a combat sword to the hunting competition.
“Tell me who you whispered your love to this time with that seductive mouth of yours.”
His blood-red eyes glared at me sharply.
The tip of the sword, poised as if to strike me at any moment, emitted a chilling aura.
‘Damn, why is this game like this!’
“I... I don’t have a specific person in mind yet...”
I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead and reluctantly replied.
My answer seemed decent enough, as my goodwill increased by 1%. But it was far from comforting.
While my head showed an increase, the Crown Prince’s eyebrows twitched menacingly.
“...Is love, as you describe it, really so easy and light?”
Afraid of giving him another excuse, I answered quickly.
“I tend to fall in love easily...”
“Does that mean there are better men in the Empire than me?”
It was true. Everyone except him was fine.
But I felt that answering that way would be disastrous.
As I glanced at the Crown Prince’s head, unable to say anything, he dramatically clutched his chest.
With the hand holding the sword.
“Lady Penelope, that’s really too much. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this day, even losing sleep over it.”
The sword grazed his face dangerously.
Just as I was staring at him, thinking he was crazy, someone appeared as if sent to save me.
“What are you doing, Your Highness?”
A shield that had left me heartlessly had finally arrived.
It seemed as if a halo was shining behind Derrick as he walked over.
I muttered a cry in my heart and hurriedly hid behind him.
“A, isn’t that the young duke?”
The blood-red eyes stared at me strangely for a moment before finally acknowledging him.
Derrick was unexpectedly hostile towards the Crown Prince.
“I asked what you were doing, Your Highness.”
“I was having a deep conversation with my sister.”
The Crown Prince glanced at the sword he had drawn and grinned.
“It’s nothing. There are always flies buzzing around in the forest.”
He swished the sword a couple of times in the air as if to swat a fly, then quickly sheathed it.
From a distance, it might have looked like a cool trick, but to me, he just looked like a madman.
“...Has Penelope offended you in any way, Your Highness?”
Derrick asked, his gaze cold, as if he shared my thoughts.
The Crown Prince stroked his chin, as if thinking, then clapped his hands and said.
“Right. She has committed a grave offense.”