Chapter 13  

Derrick reached one hand out to me who got up with my dressed held up with my hands.

‘Did you eat something weird?’

I blankly stared at Derrick , who was trying to escort me, with wide eyes.

After a while, he frowned.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to get down?”

I came back to my senses and looked around me.

The gazes of the nobles who also just arrived were all looking this way.

“Thank you.”

I hurried took Derrick’s hand, and got off the carriage.

With my hand on his,we walked up the stairs to the ball room.

“Entering young master Derrick Eckart and Gong-nyuh Penelope Eckart from the Eckart family!”

It was around when the giant door to the ballroom opened following the loud shout of the servant.

“Don’t be rash.”

Derrick’s cold words reached my ears.

“You didn’t forget that you’re timeout has just ended yesterday, have you?”

“...... .”

“If you make a fuss again, then it won’t end just with some timeout.”

My feelings of excitement disappeared from his words.

I wanted to talk back to Derrick’s displeasing words, but I held it back.

“Okay, I’ll be careful.”

I put my effort in making a smile while I spoke. After my reply, Derrick turned his face away from me.

‘Tsk.’

I pouted at the time he wasn’t looking.

The party held at the palace went by really smooth. In other words, it was very boring.

Right after we entered, Derrick left my side and was now busy greeting other people.

Compared to that, there were no one coming to talk to me.

It seemed like the rumours of me making a fuss did a great effect.

I looked around to see the noble ladies of Penelope’s age dancing and whispering as a group.

I watched the scene in a corner where not much people passed by.

‘I’m not lonely.’

This is definitely not brainwashing.

Really. I had a clear reason why I came here, and I might be able to escape this horrible place if I succeed.

‘Ack! Just when is that damn crowned prince coming!’

More people were glimpsing and gossiping about me as time passed.

It was when I thought I reached the limit of taking in all the stares.

“Entering her majesty the empress and his highness the second prince.”

It was finally the start of the actual event that happens in this chapter of the game.

The nobles who were giggling and talking all either bowed kneeled to the ground, facing the entrance.

I also bowed, following what all the others were doing.

The empress and the second prince did power-walking in a confident pose down the red carpet and it seemed like they were saying ‘we are the royals’.

The golden hair which was the symbolism of the royals shined under the bright light of the ballroom.

They walked cross the ballroom to the stairs, then walked up. Up the stairs were the seats where only the royals had the rights to sit.

I, who was watching the whole scene, was surprised at the sight of the second prince sitting on one chair.

‘Isn’t that the seat for the crowned prince?’

The seat the second prince sat on was the seat in the middle which was located higher up than the other chairs.

The golden throne with a fancy golden dragon decoration.

It was the seat for the emperor.

However the emperor almost never showed up in the game, so normally the crowned prince would sit on it instead.

‘But why is it the second prince?’

I was dumbfounded with the empress and the second prince being so calm when they did something like that. It was as if it was totally a normal thing to happen in the first place.

Is it allowed because it’s the second prince’s birthday>

“Everyone may rise.”

The second prince who sat on the seat, commanded. The people rose up as commanded.

“I thank you all for attending to my birthday ceremony even when I’m sure everyone must be busy. There’s not much prepared for today but I hope everyone to have a great time.”

With the second prince’s speech finished, the party officially began. No, it was going to be, until...

Thud-! A loud noise came from the entrance all of a sudden.

“What the?”

“Wh, what’s happening?”

The nobles all turned to face where the noise came from and started to chatter.

A figure walked through the crowd, into the ballroom.

Step, step-. The sound of the footsteps could be heard.

At the same time, the sound of something being dragged was also heard.

“I, it’s the crowned prince!”

Someone shouted. I hurriedly turned to look at that shout.

Elegant blonde hair that seemed like it was made with real gold, swayed in the air.

The shining golden hair of the empress and the second prince now seemed to be a joke.

The blonde, golden haired man with a red cape fluttering behind was the one who really was shining to the eyes.

“Is, isn’t that...... isn’t that a person?”

“Gasp! Th, that’s......!”

People who stood close to the crowned prince started to scream.

Drag, drag-.

I didn’t realize from being distracted by the crowned prince’s appearance.

That that something he dragged in here with him was a person with absolutely no movements.

“Happy birthday, dear brother.”

The crowned prince who reached the stairs, tossed the person in his hand.

“B, brother!”

“C, crowned prince!”

The empress got up from the spot and pointed at the crowned prince.

“W, what disgraceful thing are you doing!”

“How is a big brother attending his little brother’s birthday ceremony a disgraceful thing to do, mother?”

“You’re a crowned prince and yet you do this horrible thing at a place where you’re not even invited......!”

The empress’ face ignited bright red and trembled, not allowing herself speak about a person who was dragged in here.

“What do you mean I wasn’t invited. Those words are saddening.”

“Who are you to come to a place like this!”

“It’s because I was invited that I set aside all my duties to come running here.”

The crowned prince shrugged sarcastically. He didn’t look sad at all judging my his face.

I couldn’t understand the situation of the two.

‘Is the empress not the crowned prince’s brith mother?’

While I was thinking that, the crowned prince added,

“But the servant who brought the invitation was too immature.”

The crowned prince then bent down low, and got up as he forcefully pulled the dragged body by the hair so that he was half way standing.

His face wasn’t shown due to the black mask. However seeming from the dark and fitting clothes he was wearing, he seemed like a murderer.

“He’d not give me the invitation I told him to give but do other things instead so I taught him a little lesson.”

“...... .”

“Why didn’t you pick more proper servant, little brother.”

It was then.

Srrr-. The crowned prince used his free hand to slide his sword out, the right away sliced the neck of the murderer.

Splatter-! Blood started to spurt out like a water fountain.

“I’ll replace my gift to you with this.”

The crowned prince tossed the head to the second prince’s foot.

“Aaaaaack-!”

The ballroom was filled with the loud scream of the empress.

The head of a person’s what was rolling like a ball on the floor.

The second prince’s face was pale as if he was going to faint any moment and couldn’t speak a word.

“Send the servant like him again with the invitation if you want a gift from me again.”

The ballroom filled with shocked people. Only the crowned prince smiled within all those people.

His keen and sharp smile resembled the lion from the hell.

He left the room as quickly as he did when he entered the ballroom. Only leaving us with shock and fear.

The crowned prince was completely out of sight when the people letting out their breaths that they were holding back until now could be heard.

It was the same for me.

‘......What.’

I shuffled through my memories, grabbing onto my chest.

‘Something like this really never happened in the game!’

No matter how much I thought back about the game, this kind of huge incident never once happened.

It was too huge for it to be not mentioned in the game like about the needle marks on Penelope.

[The crowned prince who was not in a great relationship with his brother the second prince, leaves the ballroom, displeased with the small incident.]

This was all that was mentioned.

‘How is this a small incident, you crazy game!’

I panicked mentally, looking at the servants cleaning up the blood and the corpse.

It was then when a white box popped into view.

<SYSTEM> The episode [The Crowned Prince With The Iron Blood, Callisto Régūlus] has begun. Would you like to go to the ‘Maze Garden’?

[Yes./ No.]

I thought about it for a while. The crowned prince I saw was far crazier than how I imagined him to be which made me doubt a little.

‘I think I’d get sliced the second we meet.’

However the fear for death is only a second long. I came here to die anyway.

‘If I endure it once this time, then I might be able to go back.’

And I also had an insurance with me called ‘reset’. If I really do die and not go back, then I can always click the reset button.

Thinking that, I calmed down my trembling hand and pressed on [Yes.].

Then everywhere around me turned white.

The moment I opened my eyes again, I was standing at the entrance of the Maze Garden.

“This is useful.”

historical

I was actually quite worried because I tend to get lost often, but I didn’t know it had the teleporting system just like the game.

“Now, let’s march to death.”

I stepped in the Maze Garden, already prepared.

Thankfully I didn’t get lost at all in the maze.

Maybe it’s the system being mannered because the lights only lit up on the path I should be taking.

I walked through the big maze for a while, following the lights.

‘How much longer?’

I’ve walked for quite a long time but the lights didn’t seem like it was going to turn off somewhere.

About when my foot was starting to hurt from wearing the high heels.

A light on the far distance from me that was sparkling more than the other lights were, could be seen. It was finally the end.

I reached that end, then took a turn.

The place was very spacious with a small water fountain with a bench you could sit and rest on.

“What the. Where is he?”

Looking around me, I could see no other lights that were on. I was pretty sure that this was the end of the maze.

However no matter how much I looked around me, there were no hints of the crowned prince.

I tilted my head, then hesitantly walked towards the water fountain. Then.

Srr-. I felt something cold and heavy by my neck.

“Gasp!”

“I wondered what mouse it was that was wondering places.”

The crowned prince walked towards me, his sword circling my neck.

Sting. With the sensation of my flesh being sliced, something hot dripped down.

But I wasn’t able to realize that I’ve been cut.

“Huh, isn’t this the Eckart’s crazy fuss-maker dog?”

Brilliant golden hair with the moonlight reflecting on it, and the crimson red eyes that seemed to be soaked in blood.

The crowned prince who was staring at me in interest, smiled with a ghostly expression. However that only lasted a moment.

“To think you’d come and follow after witnessing the scene at the ballroom. Seems like you have a death wish?”

I felt goosebumps from the crowned prince’s expression suddenly turning emotionless.

“Speak. Why did you follow me like a sneaky mouse would?”

The sword dug deeper into my skin. But what felt more stinging was the deathly aura directed at me.

Then I realized. That the crowned prince is going to kill me right now.

‘Reset button!’

I wandered around with my eyes, trying to find the reset button.

Though I’m going to die anyway, it would be nice if I knew where it was before I die.

“Judging from you having no answer to my question, shall you start your last farewell to your brothers?”

However wherever I looked.

“I’ll be nice and deliver them, the Eckarts, your last words.”

The reset button was not seen anywhere.

‘Reset! Where’s the reset! Reset-!’

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