Chapter 73: 73

“……”

“Can you tell me in more detail about what’s going on?”

Benny asked, still using polite speech.

I rubbed my eyes and told him the truth.

Thomas, who kidnapped Lily, presented me as a fake princess. And that I was terrified and pretended to be Lily.

From then, on to what happened with Michael. 

The only part of the story I omitted was ‘This is the world in a novel, and you are the main character.’

Even if it was Benny, it would be hard to believe that, and it wasn’t something I had to tell.

“…I see.”

Benny, who had been listening to me silently, calmly nodded his head. To him, my story didn’t seem too shocking.

“Benny.” 

I knelt in front of Benny. Benny was a little flustered and grabbed my shoulder.

“Princess. What are you…” 

“Help me. Please.” 

I bowed my head, so low that my nose touched the ground.

It had been a long time since I needed to abandon my pride to survive.

“I know there is no reason for you to help me. But, but…”

Originally, I didn’t mean to ask such a favor in this servile manner. I thought of at least 100 words to persuade Benny.

But the moment I saw the portrait of the duchess in Alan’s room, my heart and all my plans fell apart. 

“I, I… want to run away from this castle.”

I didn’t really want to run away. On the contrary, it was closer to the opposite. 

I wanted to stay in the castle. 

Ironically, running away was the only answer to erase that desire.

“Please. Help me run away.” 

I begged with all my strength, holding onto Benny’s shirt tightly.

“If you want to stay here and live as a guardian of the duchy, I will find a way. I’ll do my best to hide the fact that you helped me from anyone. I, I… I’ll do my best. I will do whatever you ask me to do for the rest of my life.”

I bit my lips while talking gibberish, repeating what I had said before.

“…I only have you.”

Benny was silent for a while.

He stayed still until it was completely dark around us, and raised my upper body.

I was shocked to see his face.

“Princess.” 

Benny was smiling. The boy’s unique smooth lips drew a faint arc like a crescent moon.

He gently grabbed my forearm and asked a random question.

“Have you ever seen the real moon?” 

“…The real moon?”

“Not what you see inside the barrier, but the moon outside.”

The moon that existed before this world was eaten by evil spirits?

I shook my head. I had never seen anything like that.

“I will show you.”

Benny pulled me into his arms. 

‘Is it because we’re both young? The beating of our touching hearts is very fast.’

“I will take the Princess to a place where no one can harm you.”

Darkness was deeply laid down. Sensitive breathing and touch replaced time.

The moment the white moon appeared from behind the tree, Benny shook his head and smiled.

“Now I know what I am going to do with my life.”

I could tell just from Benny’s voice. This child was not disappointed in me. He was rather happy that I was a fake.

***

“Our daughter is back.” 

On the top floor of the tower, which was engulfed in darkness as the sun set.

Alan stared at the portrait hanging on the wall without a single candle lighting the open room. 

The woman in the picture smiled brightly at Alan.

It always made him feel good to gaze at the smile fixed in a lump of paint.

Along with affection, he felt pain, like he was being stabbed with a knife. But if she smiled at him, he could bear it all.

But sometimes he would rather she stop smiling. Even so, he hoped that she would move on alive.

Yes, like their youngest daughter, alive, breathing, laughing and crying.

“Lily is healthy. That’s a good thing.” 

Alan sat down on a hard chair and clasped his hands together.

“I don’t know how that can happen.”

His low-pitched voice slowly submerged like a dying man.

“I know.” 

He sighed for a while, then whispered inaudibly.

“Lily is dead.” 

It was the horrifying truth.

It was the secret of the mad duke that could only be revealed to the portrait.

“I saw it with my own two eyes. I held our cold child in my hands.”

Alan clearly remembered the tragedy. A newborn baby who stopped breathing less than a week after birth. 

Like a lie, he laid his daughter in a cradle instead of a coffin.

The pain of losing even that tiny body. 

He was able to recall all his despair as clearly as if it had happened yesterday.

“…By the way, the child came back alive. She called me daddy, so I…”

Alan’s eyes staring at the floor were as faint as burning ashes.

“I couldn’t ask anything.” 

‘Loss’ hurts. It was not a metaphor, but a physical pain.

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“I just couldn’t do it.”

Alan bowed his head and put his forehead against his interlaced hands. 

His crooked back was like an old tomb. 

The black uniform he always wore slowly melted into the darkness of the night.

For 10 years, he only wore mourning clothes.

***

As summer passed and autumn drew near, Benny headed to the garrison outside the duchy to prepare for the battle. 

I hadn’t seen Benny since he left.

Although I sent letters to Benny periodically, I didn’t bring up any secrets because I was afraid someone would steal it during the delivery.

Four years passed like that. 

As soon as a new spring arrived, Benny started the battle to recapture the Western Continent, and returned home with an overwhelming victory after half a year.

It was a month before Lilietta’s 14th birthday.

***

“Oh my God, can you believe it? The Duke did it!”

“I can’t believe that monster… ahem… that knight would really bring back the Western Continent that had been stolen by the evil spirits!”

“Let’s make a toast!”

The whole duchy was in a festive mood. 

It was because today was the day Alan’s army officially returned from the battle to retake the Western Continent.

Paper petals were scattered all over the street, and various souvenirs were sold in rows of stalls. 

‘The carnival that was opened not too long ago wasn’t as glamorous as this…’ 

I opened the window of the newly built annex and looked out.

Then a long, smooth hand approached the side of my head.

“Princess, I’ll tidy up your hair now.”

The quartet maids, the larks, surrounded me.

Their smiling faces were the same as if it was a copy from four years ago. 

They brushed my hair, letting it flutter in the air, and quietly sat me in front of the dressing table. 

A red-haired girl was reflected in the mirror that was as clean as silver.

A brilliant sheen was dripping from my red hair, which were parted into pigtails, and the skin without baby fat was healthy and smooth.

The girl in the mirror was pretty. It was hard to believe that it was the same person as the beggar who came to the castle one day.

“Princess, aren’t you excited? It’s been a long time since you’ve seen the Duke.”

The larks braided my red hair in two parts and placed a little hat with a matching flower onto my head.

They looked more excited than me, and the light colored ribbon tied below their chin swayed.

“Yes. That’s right.” 

I nodded my head politely. What the larks said was true.

My heart had been pounding since earlier. But it wasn’t because of the expectations of meeting my dad.

The larks laughed as if they knew my heart.

“In addition, finally! Benimus is coming back with them.”

“It’s the return of the hero!” 

Standing behind them, who were excited and jumping, I glanced at my clothes.

The luxurious ribbons and jewels were just as colorful as when I was young, but the overall tone of the outfit was calm for a 14-year-old.

‘Really, I’m still 13 years old.’ 

Then I felt a stinging gaze on the back of my head.

As I looked back, I made eye contact with Yuria, who was scrutinizing my clothes with hawk eyes. 

She strode over to me and immediately helped me tie my dress ribbon.

“If it’s the Princess, you can do it. Definitely!” 

A fire blazed in Yuria’s eyes.

I tilted my head. 

“I can do it? What?” 

“Of course…”

Yuria whispered into my ears, looking at the larks that were leaving to call for a carriage.

“Capture the heart of the returning hero.”

I was wondering what she was saying.

When I responded with ‘Ah…’, Yuria got excited and stomped her feet.

“All the ladies in the Empire are going crazy because they want to talk to Benimus even once.”

“Really? Just four years ago, everyone hated Benny.”

I remembered the reaction of society when Benny’s power was first revealed.

Alan’s supporters pretended to approve of Benny, but deep down in their hearts, they despised him.

Alan and the imperial family’s vassals used to talk about and swear openly at Benny.

Yuria, who has now become a full-fledged young lady, was also one of those who were reluctant towards Benny in the past. Though, her attitude had now changed like a palm flip.

“It was because they didn’t know back then. There are even people saying that the fact that he’s an evil spirit stimulates a mysterious feeling.”

“Really?” 

Indeed, the judgements of people depended on the situation.

The power that was called ‘monstrous’ when he was a mere slave was upgraded to a ‘unique charm’ when he became the hero who saved the empire.

“But… even if the Imperial Princess comes, she cannot defeat you, Princess. Approach him with the old memories the two of you share as bait. Do you know?” 

Yuria, who had referred to Benny as ‘that slave,’ continued to speak naturally, as if she had forgotten everything she said in her childhood. 

I looked at the ribbon behind my back in the mirror and asked without thinking much.

“Is it already decided that I will seduce Benny?” 

“Are you going to give up then? Princess, you’ve been using all kinds of methods to approach Benimus since four years ago.”

That was true. I had nothing to say. 

When I didn’t answer, Yuria spoke without interruption. 

“You’ll definitely go to the celebration party at the Imperial Palace, right? Everyone in society is paying attention. Whether the Duke will acknowledge the engagement of Princess and Benimus or not.”

It was not uncommon for nobles to marry their daughters to guardians who have made great achievements.

So the rumors about me and Benny’s engagement made some sense.

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