Chapter 61
Lucy was confused.
Bartholomew was an extra character.
When she played the game in her past life, he was never even mentioned.
“And now Bartholomew becomes a new male lead?”
The system window blinked cheerfully, but Lucy could not focus on it at all.
“More importantly…”
Lucy looked at the middle-aged man lying on the floor.
“Bartholomew killed someone.”
The blood on his sword clearly proved it.
“He said he is now the heir of the Faraday family.”
As if he had taken someone else’s place for himself.
A sudden thought hit Lucy.
“B-Bartholomew… that man, could he be…?”
“That’s right. He’s Duke Faraday.”
Bartholomew answered calmly.
Lucy was shocked.
It was surprising enough that the man he killed was Duke Faraday, but what shocked her even more was Bartholomew’s attitude.
He showed no fear or hesitation after killing someone.
Instead, he looked relieved, as if a long-standing problem had finally been solved.
A quiet, still lake.
That was what Lucy thought of when she looked at him now.
There was a strange sense of calm around him.
Lucy had never seen Bartholomew like this before.
He felt like a completely different person.
That made Lucy shrink back slightly.
Still, she had to ask.
“Why did you kill Duke Faraday?”
Bartholomew stared at her in silence for a moment.
“Because he deserved to die.”
That was all he said.
He did not explain any further.
Lucy was left speechless.
Someone who deserved to die.
Maybe, as Bartholomew said, Duke Faraday really was such a person.
Lucy did not know what had happened between them.
“Still…”
Her gaze fell on Duke Faraday’s cold body.
When Lucy stared at the corpse with a pale face, Bartholomew stepped in front of her and blocked her view.
“Are you scared?”
“…What?”
“Are you scared of me?”
Lucy could not answer right away.
It felt like she had been hit in the back of the head.
She should be afraid of Bartholomew for killing someone.
But…
“Bartholomew!”
Lucy grabbed both of his arms.
“No matter how terrible he was, you shouldn’t have killed him like this.”
“……”
“You’ll be arrested for murder.”
Bartholomew’s eyes widened slightly as he listened.
When he stayed silent, Lucy grew anxious.
“This is not the time for this. If someone reports it—”
“Lucy.”
Bartholomew cut her off.
“You’re not afraid of me.”
Lucy frowned, confused by his words.
“You’re worried about me.”
Her eyes widened.
He was right.
More than the fact that he killed someone, Lucy was worried about what would happen to him.
He had clearly committed a crime and could be thrown into the imperial dungeon.
He might spend the rest of his life there.
Lucy had been so focused on that, she hadn’t realized it herself.
“Yes… normally, I should be scared.”
But for some reason, Bartholomew did not seem frightening.
Lucy felt that there must be a proper reason behind his actions.
It was her instinct, built from watching him for a long time.
Bartholomew smiled as he looked into Lucy’s confused eyes.
“I’m happy you’re worried about me.”
“…Happy?”
Lucy understood him even less.
“But don’t worry.”
Bartholomew stood up and held out his hand to her.
Lucy stared at it for a moment, then took it.
Her legs were shaking too much to stand on her own anyway.
When she took his hand, Bartholomew looked pleased.
Of course he did.
Instead of fearing him, she worried about him—and even took his hand without hesitation.
Bartholomew thought Lucy was dangerously innocent.
“I already contacted the Imperial Knights.”
“You contacted them first?”
Lucy’s eyes widened.
That meant he had confessed.
If the knights arrived, Bartholomew would be arrested.
The words “Run away” almost came out of her mouth.
As if he understood her feelings, Bartholomew spoke calmly.
“Duke Faraday committed unforgivable crimes. Even if I hadn’t killed him, he would’ve been executed.”
When Lucy tried to look at the body again, Bartholomew grabbed her shoulder and made her look at him.
“He tried to escape. I only drew my sword because I had no choice.”
Lucy hesitated, then asked softly,
“Are you… okay?”
“With what?”
“You killed your father.”
At the word father, Bartholomew raised his eyebrows.
Then he laughed.
Lucy stared at him in shock.
It was the first time she had ever heard him laugh out loud.
And yet, strangely, he looked more unstable now than when he looked gloomy.
“That’s right. Since he was my father, I’ll inherit the Faraday family.”
Lucy frowned.
“Is that really what matters right now?”
“It matters the most to me.”
Bartholomew lowered the hand that had been on her shoulder.
“I need to become the head of the Faraday family to have value to you.”
“What do you mean?”
He tilted his head slightly.
“Didn’t you want to get close to people from powerful families?”
Lucy had no answer.
From his point of view, it might have looked like she was trying to get close to Cecil, Patrick, and Logan for that reason.
She couldn’t exactly say it was just to raise affection points and reach the true ending.
“Lucy. I’m the one you’re closest to, right?”
He asked as if confirming.
“And now I’ve inherited the Faraday family. Isn’t that good for you too?”
No.
Lucy hadn’t stayed close to Bartholomew to raise affection points like with the others.
He was the only person she could rely on in this world.
She thought of him as a real friend.
“That’s why, Lucy.”
Bartholomew leaned closer, bringing his face near hers.
“From now on, you only need to focus on me.”
“……”
“I’ll become your strength. I’ll give you anything you want.”
Lucy was struggling to find words when—
Rumble.
The ground shook.
The Imperial Knights arrived on horseback.
They entered the mansion in perfect formation.
The cake and gifts Lucy had placed on the floor were kicked aside under their boots.
“Lord Bartholomew, we came after receiving your message.”
The man who seemed to be the knight commander looked around.
“Is this man Duke Faraday?”
He pointed at the body on the floor.
Bartholomew nodded.
The commander sighed quietly.
“Then you must come with us.”
His gaze shifted to Lucy.
“Isn’t that Princess Lucy?”
He looked back at Bartholomew.
“Is the princess involved in this incident?”
“The princess has nothing to do with it. She only came to celebrate my birthday and got caught up in the situation.”
Bartholomew answered calmly.
Even in front of the knights, he showed no fear.
The commander nodded and led Bartholomew outside.
Bartholomew looked back and said,
“I’ll see you later, Lucy.”
He stayed calm until the very end.
As he disappeared from sight—
Ding!
[Hidden Quest Triggered!]
[Due to a change in the scenario, a hidden route has been unlocked.]
[A hidden quest for the new male lead, Bartholomew Faraday, has begun.]
A hidden route?
Was there really a route where Bartholomew became the main character?
[Hidden Quest: Discover the two secrets Bartholomew Faraday holds. (0/2)]
A new quest was assigned to Lucy.
