DED 68

At last, Bartholomew officially became the head of the Faraday Ducal House.

Lucy personally received an invitation to a banquet held in his honor.

Even the Imperial Palace acknowledged Bartholomew as the new Duke of Faraday.

Bartholomew really became the family head.

Lucy was once again reminded that the game’s story had changed.

At the same time, she felt worried.

The story was beginning to diverge from the one she had played in her previous life.

Since Bartholomew has taken over Alexander’s role.

Would the quests and events change as well?

Lucy thought of Alexander.

What will happen to Alexander?

In a way, it could be said that he had lost the protagonist’s position.

She had no idea how the reversed destinies of Bartholomew and Alexander would affect the game.

I need to meet Alexander.

Before she knew it, the day of their promise to meet again had arrived.

Looking forward to seeing him, Lucy entered the dessert shop where they had agreed to meet.

However, even as the appointed time approached, there was no sign of Alexander.

Lucy found it strange.

When they had parted, Alexander had spoken as though their next meeting would be something special.

Because of that, she had never doubted that he would keep his promise.

Suddenly, Lucy remembered how Bartholomew’s fate and Alexander’s fate had switched places.

Where had Alexander, who was originally supposed to become the heir, gone?

Could he have disappeared just like Bartholomew was originally supposed to?

If so, where had he gone?

Had she never met him, it might have been different, but she could not imagine someone who had existed suddenly disappearing.

As though he had never existed in the first place.

Come to think of it, Bartholomew’s existence had been similar.

If Lucy had never met him and formed a connection with him, people might never have known he existed.

Bartholomew had only begun appearing in high society because of Lucy.

Otherwise, he might have vanished like smoke, leaving people wondering if he had ever existed at all.

What if that happened to Alexander?

Lucy felt an odd sensation.

Would there be anyone in this world who even knows Alexander existed?

The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth.

She hoped Alexander would appear, even now, so she could escape this unpleasant feeling.

But in the end, he never showed up.

Don’t tell me…

A sudden sense of foreboding struck her.

What if Alexander was dead?

His health had not been good.

He had even coughed up blood, just like Bartholomew.

Alexander was healthy in the original game.

Then why had he shown those symptoms?

Could Alexander be suffering from the curse too?

If that were the case, Lucy could help him.

Just as she had helped Bartholomew.

But how could she help someone who was nowhere to be found?

Lucy did not even know where Alexander lived.

Eventually, she rose from her seat.

By then, the sun was already setting outside the shop.

Leaving her tea cold and untouched, Lucy stepped out.

In the end, she could think of only one way to learn about Alexander.

I need to ask Bartholomew.

What kind of relationship did they have, and what had happened to him?

For some reason, she felt that Bartholomew might know.

When she returned to the annex, Bartholomew was waiting for her.

Lucy looked surprised.

She had assumed he would be extremely busy right now.

Now that he had officially become the Duke of Faraday, he must have countless matters to handle.

Perhaps because of that, she could see exhaustion on his face.

Yet despite that, he had come to see her.

The realization stirred emotions within her that she could not quite explain.

“Bartholomew, are you okay?”

Bartholomew nodded.

“I came because I wanted to see you.”

For a moment, Lucy was speechless.

She had never expected to hear those words from Bartholomew.

A strange ticklish feeling rose in her chest, but she dismissed it.

After all, those were words Lucy often said to Bartholomew herself.

She had never thought much about it when she said them, but hearing them from him felt strangely different.

Had Bartholomew felt this way too?

Feeling inexplicably embarrassed, Lucy changed the subject.

“I received the invitation. Aren’t you busy preparing for the banquet?”

At the mention of the banquet, a slight frown appeared between Bartholomew’s brows.

“I never wanted to hold one in the first place.”

Bartholomew had no interest in such things.

Not in high society, nor in interactions among nobles.

However, the banquet had been ordered by the Emperor.

The Emperor had chosen not to reveal that the former Duke of Faraday had used dark magic.

Instead, he had helped Bartholomew fill the sudden vacancy.

He had ordered the banquet so that Bartholomew could establish his position.

“Besides, preparing for it isn’t my job anyway.”

The servants of the estate could handle the preparations.

Suddenly curious, Lucy asked,

“So, are you going back to the North now?”

At present, he was staying in a temporary mansion in the capital, but the Faraday family’s actual estate was located in the North.

In truth, seeing him this often was already unusual.

Now that he was the official heir, Bartholomew had a duty to govern the North.

“Then it would be harder to see you.”

Bartholomew answered calmly.

Lucy was momentarily at a loss for words.

He kept catching her off guard.

Clearing her throat awkwardly, she asked,

“But you still have work to do.”

“I can handle my work perfectly well from the temporary mansion.”

That was true.

Having inherited all the responsibilities of the former Duke of Faraday, Bartholomew was drowning in mountains of paperwork these days.

There was so much to do that he had been cutting back on sleep.

Returning to the North would make things more efficient, but he had no desire to leave Lucy behind.

Unless Lucy came with him.

But Lucy had no reason to live in the North.

Would she really relocate because of him?

At the moment, Bartholomew considered that impossible.

“You’ll attend the banquet, right?”

At his question, Lucy nodded.

“Of course I will. Who do you think invited me?”

Lucy replied playfully.

Bartholomew smiled at her response before speaking again.

“I invited those people too.”

“Those people?”

“The men you wanted so badly to become friends with.”

Lucy’s eyes widened.

He was referring to Cecil, Patrick, and Logan.

Although Bartholomew knew them by face, he had no real relationship with them.

That made it strange that he had invited them.

And there was something else that had been bothering her.

“Does it bother you that I’m trying to get close to them?”

Lucy remembered something Bartholomew had said on the day he killed the Duke of Faraday.

Then try seducing me too.

As if she were actively trying to seduce those men.

To be fair, her attempts to pursue the capture targets could certainly have looked that way.

Like she was trying to seduce them in order to escape the status of an abandoned princess.

But hearing those implications from Bartholomew himself made her uncomfortable.

For some reason, she felt compelled to explain herself.

“Becoming friends with them would be good for you too.”

Lucy wanted Bartholomew to expand his connections and interact with more nobles.

That would strengthen and solidify his position.

“I have no interest in that sort of thing.”

A faint smile appeared on Bartholomew’s lips.

“I’m interested in something else.”

Having said that, Bartholomew remarked that simply seeing her was enough and then left.

Just as Lucy had expected, he had made time to visit her despite his packed schedule.

Watching his retreating figure, Lucy stood there in a daze.

Interested in something else?

What exactly had he meant by that?