I sat down next to Kyle’s empty seat.
It was a great spot.
From here, I could clearly see the faces of Deron and Blund sitting across from me.
Despite the chilly atmosphere, both of them were sweating profusely.
Their lost eyes were wandering aimlessly around the room.
Although their pale faces looked a bit pitiful, I had already done my bare minimum in terms of warnings and hints. So there was no need to feel a shred of guilt or regret.
It felt like I was watching a dramatic movie on a 3D screen.
For the sake of this moment, I had preached self-reflection at the expense of the Regretful Trio’s disdain.
As a transmigrator who had fulfilled my responsibilities, all that was left was to anticipate how the dinner spread on the round table would taste and to wonder about the flavor of the romance fantasy dish.
“Will it be monster cuisine again this time?”
I really wanted to lift the lid and see.
What kind of dish would be served this time?
My heart was racing with excitement.
Oh, by the way.
“Is Lord Kyle feeling unwell?”
I asked Blund.
Those two had always been close, sticking together throughout our academy days.
If Kyle hadn’t pulled that disappearing act, he definitely would have come with Blund.
However, instead of an answer, I was hit with a question filled with accusation.
“Elden, you knew about this, didn’t you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Stop playing dumb! You realized that the Third Duchess was Erenscia and withdrew, didn’t you?!”
Sigh, here we go again.
Are they really going to take out their frustrations on me again?
I’m just a simple citizen chasing comfort and romance.
With Blund’s sharp tone, I pouted my lower lip and shrugged my shoulders.
“I just found out today, you know.”
Bang!
Deron slammed his fist on the table.
Then he shot me a glare filled with resentment and grievance.
“If you knew, you should have shared that information with us! How could you abandon your comrades like this? We’re all in this together!”
Hmm…
In Elden’s memories, I can’t recall anything that could be considered ‘comrades’…
They always seemed to use Elden as a tool. How could they so shamelessly talk about camaraderie now?
Can they still blame others instead of themselves, even at this moment?
Truly, what remarkable individuals they are.
“As I mentioned before, I only learned about it today. I was quite surprised as well.”
“Don’t feed me lies. You’ve been cozy with Erenscia all along, haven’t you?!”
What fresh nonsense is this?
I declared my withdrawal precisely because I didn’t want to engage with them.
“Yes! There must be a reason why she favored you, Elden. What did you offer her in exchange? Spill it!”
Honestly, all I wanted was to know what was on the dinner plate.
I just wanted to taste the follow-up dish to that roasted drake leg.
Why does everyone target me like this?
Why does everyone make my life so difficult?
“Just tell us what you and Erenscia are planning. What does Erenscia want from us—speak up!”
Since an annoying exchange was about to unfold, I reached for my mana recorder.
It seemed the Regretful Duo had momentarily forgotten what they had accused me of just a few days ago, so I intended to remind them.
However,
“The third Northern Duchess, Lumia Winterfell, is entering.”
The voice announcing the start of the ceremony forced me to stand and greet the heroine.
Lumia entered the Grand Hall dressed in a beautiful red dress and matching shoes.
Her attire seemed to herald a tale of revenge… one that might be filled with blood and tears.
“Please take your seats.”
As I sat down, I looked at Lumia. Her eyelids seemed slightly swollen, but I decided it was just an illusion.
The chilly air in the Grand Hall turned icier upon her entrance.
Or rather, it became eerie.
Although it felt like a fierce blizzard was approaching, it was unsettlingly quiet.
Deron and Blund couldn’t even make eye contact; their heads were bowed ever since Lumia walked in.
They had been shouting at me just moments ago, but now, they looked like puppies that encountered a tiger, their cowardice evident.
Then Lumia broke the silence.
“After seeing my father off, I learned that Lord Kyle Beallon has gone missing… He abandoned his possessions, his retainers, and even his honor.”
What…
I thought Kyle was just sick after collapsing…
But he really took off, didn’t he?!
Such audacity should really be applauded. Regardless of how reckless, remorseless, or foolish his actions were.
Yet, considering his transgressions, his escape wasn’t entirely unanticipated.
While Deron might have been the mastermind, it was Kyle who literally shoved bugs into Erenscia’s mouth, abused her, and mocked her. He was definitely a despicable villain.
Indeed,
From Erenscia’s point of view, Kyle was probably the worst one of them all.
Naturally, her hatred for him, as the orchestrator of her suffering, would overshadow any hatred she bore for Deron, who remained in the shadows.
The fact that Kyle fainted during the Unveiling Ceremony shows he must have been aware of this reality.
The eldest son of the Beallon family, their ray of hope, had fled abandoning all hopes for his household.
“Oh dear! You all look so pale! Deron, Blund? Are you both worried about Kyle?”
Lumia smiled as she directed her words at them, which finally made both of them lift their heads.
But her next words caused their heads to droop once again.
Even lower,
Even heavier.
“Don’t fret. He will return on his own. Why? I have personally sent a letter to the head of his family. I’m sure you all understand what that means.”
This meant that Kyle’s father would become aware of the heinous acts committed by his son.
It was a clear threat of retribution while the Grand Duke was absent.
Lumia was practically declaring that no one could leave the Grand Ducal Castle without her permission.
Had I fled right after announcing my withdrawal, she would have resorted to other means to bind me.
But for someone like myself, without parents to report me,
The method would have been impulsive and harsh,
Now, it was evident that an outright escape wasn’t a feasible plan after all.
“There’s no need to worry if no one tries to run away from their sins; everything that happened at the Academy and everything that happens in this castle shall be buried and forgotten.”
The classic carrot-and-stick approach.
First instill fear, then offer hope.
In doing so, she plans to crush everything with even greater brutality.
“Don’t give up now. In the entirety of our Grand Duchy’s history, there has never been a case where a ‘winner’ hasn’t emerged in the Grand Betrothal.”
Since Lumia spent three long years being tormented by the Villainous Quartet, she knew their strategies better than anyone and how to utilize them to her advantage.
“And that ‘winner’ will receive everything. Forgiveness, the desires of their heart, wealth, and of course, love.”
By promising a hopeful future that could overcome the gnawing fear, she urges participation.
In just five minutes of not getting caught, there was hope to temporarily halt the ongoing torment… but that hope was always dashed, pushing Erenscia into deeper despair.
And it was,
《This is for your own good, okay? How would you survive in this cruel world being such a weakling?》
Lumia was effectively throwing Deron’s advice back at them.
Then,
Thud-!
A pair of knees hit the Grand Hall floor.
“E-Erenscia…! N-No! Third Northern Duchess Lumia Winterfell! I’ve committed a sin deserving death! Please forgive me!”
The younger brother overshadowed by an accomplished older sibling,
The second son who lacked his father’s approval,
The Duke’s stray who must prove his worth through victory.
That was Deron Caelid.
The one who had always observed from the back was now the first to rush forward, wanting to be part of the action.
Of course, this just meant he bit into Lumia’s bait faster than anyone else.
Click-Clack.
Lumia stood from her seat and approached the kneeling Deron.
Then, she revealed the dish placed in front of Deron.
Oh!
It was the same meal I had seen in my Monster Cuisine Guide while traveling with Rachel toward the second evaluation.
This dish was so intriguing that I had even asked Rachel about its flavor.
The dish was…
Drake’s tail!
Although the tail’s meat was marked with irregular bubble-like protrusions, and appeared rather rough, the texture was reputed to be exquisite.
Ah,
My mouth was already watering.
Lumia abruptly flipped the dish over.
Right in front of Deron.
Splat-!
The red sauce from the meat splattered across the Grand Hall’s white floor.
It looked strikingly like a pool of blood.
But,
Why on earth would she waste such a delicious dish?!
Does she not realize that wasting food is the utmost sin? Divine punishment could fall upon her at any moment!
“…….?”
As he glanced at the spilled food before him, Deron raised his eyes and glanced at Lumia.
It was the same sorrowful gaze of mercy that Erenscia might have worn back in the day.
However, Lumia merely smirked at him.
“Did you know, Lord Deron? There’s nothing cleaner than the Grand Hall’s floor. But look at it now! If you lick it clean… I might even forgive you.”
Then, shock mingled with hope flashed in Deron’s eyes.
His expression eerily echoed that of Erenscia.
A tear-jerking scene was unfolding before my eyes.
Just a moment ago, Deron and Blund were lambasting me, but now, they were licking the food off the floor.
They were desperate to prove their worth.
They wanted to show their families that they were needed.
And,
They were seeking ‘Erenscia’s’ forgiveness.
It was truly a pitiful sight to witness, these men discarding all sense of pride, lamenting as they licked the floor smeared with monster meat while gagging.
Also,
It was rather ironic given that Elden recalled the times when Erenscia swallowed countless bugs simply to escape further torment.
Strangely enough, searching through the Original’s memories, I couldn’t find a single ounce of joy for Elden when Erenscia suffered.
Only feelings of disgust lingered within him.
Typically, in male-oriented novels, a female character could redeem herself from her transgressions through a process known as the ‘Washing Machine’.
Based on the outcome, she could even be elevated to the status of a Heroine…
Could this imply that…
The Original Novel set up Elden Raphelion as the Male Lead after undergoing this ‘washing’ process during the Betrothal Contest?
While Lumia’s obsessive fixation on me gives credence to this theory, I may also be completely off base.
Regardless of the Original Novel’s plot, it wouldn’t hinder my plans for my Culinary Journey.
“Ugh…!”
“Gah…”
Meanwhile, Deron and Blund continued to gag.
The difference now was that they stuffed themselves with monster meat seeking forgiveness, despite their growing nausea.
Heh,
Once the Grand Duke left, all restraints were lifted, and Lumia’s rampage commenced.
The essence of a Tragic Romance Fantasy lies in its unreasonable thrill, and perhaps the original author sent the Grand Duke away to let the protagonist freely unfurl the wings of vengeance.
However, with the Novel’s plot thrown off course and Lumia’s mental state being rather dismal… The absence of the ‘Brake’ known as the Grand Duke may have been either a genius move or a calamitous mistake.
It feels more like the latter.
Click-Clack.
And then, Lumia finally approached me.
I stood up, maintaining my composure.
Even though I was contemplating escape, I still needed to uphold basic courtesy.
Our situation was simply a shared misfortune.
Both the Heroine, who stepped onto a darker path due to unforeseen changes in the story, and I, burdened with a Villainous Character, were all victims of circumstance.
But,
I was just curious about what type of dish would get scattered on the floor.
To my surprise, Lumia didn’t lift the lid of the dish.
Instead, she initiated a conversation.
“You asked me, didn’t you? Whether my confession was sincere or not.”
……Wait a second.
Is she really bringing ‘that’ confession up with Deron and Blund around?
Oh, so this is her play? Have we already entered into a confrontation?
“It was sincere.”
“Pardon?”
“I said it was sincere. That I supported you, that my love for you was genuine.”
No,
Hold on a second there.
You… As… in… Me?
Lumia typically referred to me as Lord Elden, or with some other formal title, never just ‘you’.
Did she make an error?
Or had she forgotten her formalities?
What’s with this sudden change in treatment?
Caught off guard by her unexpected advance, I struggled to form a response, and Lumia continued.
She extended her delicate hand toward me and said,
“So… Will you marry me?”
…….What?
She’s proposing? Just like that?
Lady, weren’t you just giving those two a motivational pep talk moments ago? And now you’re snatching away that same hope by proposing to me?
I turned to look at the Regretful Duo.
They were staring at me, their faces contorted with disgust and tears in their eyes.
Their expressions trembled as their hopes were ruthlessly dashed. Their mouths hung open, dropping the red sauce on the ground.
They had found hope amidst despair.
The hope of salvation, the fulfillment of their aspirations. Yet, their hope was brutally snatched away, plunging them into an overwhelming tide of despair.
Lumia hammered the final nail into their coffin, forcing the duo into the Abyss.
The same abyss filled with tears and blood that she once plummeted into.
“I swear to grant you everything you desire. The revival of your fallen house, esteem, power, affection, and forgiveness. Whatever you wish, I shall provide it to you. This is my vow in the name of Winterfell.”
Whether this new proposal was merely a clever strategy to crush Deron and Blund’s hopes, a new tactic to “capture me,” or the result of a twisted obsession, I couldn’t tell.
For me, who merely wished to experience a male’s romance. To dive into the unknown. To embark on a Culinary Journey… Being locked inside the Grand Ducal Castle was utterly unforgivable.
Moreover, the absence of the protective figure that is Logan Winterfell only solidified her advantage.
I politely bowed my head.
With that, I made it clear my intention to decline was relentless.
“I’m sorry.”
Then I lifted my head.
Upon seeing Lumia shedding tears, an impact caused my head to snap aside.
A crisp sound followed suit.
Slap-!
All this time, I had been curious about something.
How delightful could a female-oriented novel be?
Driven by intrigue, I found and read this novel. Unfortunately, I ended up transmigrating after consuming all the free chapters.
Since I hadn’t read much of the Novel’s content, I couldn’t fully grasp the Heroine’s character depth.
But one thing now seemed undeniably clear.
The Author’s portrayal of female protagonists in such Romance Fantasies was rather… No, it was spicy… Yes, a spiciness that tingled.
Hmm-.
Her hands felt quite spicy too, didn’t they?
I think my face is stinging a bit.
Maybe I should have dodged that slap.
.
.
.
Ouch-.
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