TVWD 39

Chapter – 39

For a moment, silence fell.

“…What did you just say?”

“Did I… just hear that correctly?”

The people around Merina turned their gazes sharply toward her.

She had literally said that every man who showed interest in her belonged to her—how outrageous!

I had to hold back the laughter that threatened to escape.

Oh, Merina. No matter how many times you go back and say the same thing, I can never decide whether to be pleased or exasperated at your response.

“What I meant is that I don’t really know who I like yet, so I want to meet more people and decide later.”

“I understand your true intentions, Miss Ikel.”

“You truly are shameless beyond words.”

Merina tried to recover the situation belatedly, but the response was icy.

“Don’t trouble Merina! W-Words can come out wrong sometimes, can’t they?”

By now, Violet was staring at Guard Yeong-sik with complete disdain.

“Congratulations, Guard Yeong-sik. It seems you’ve become just one of Miss Ikel’s many men. Well, since you’re not particularly popular, you must rank low among them.”

Violet’s sarcasm caused laughter to break out in multiple places.

“Miss Clen!”

“Considering Guard Yeong-sik insulted Miss Clen earlier, he really has no reason to be angry.”

“That’s right. To raise your voice at a lady—what a failure as a gentleman.”

In the social circle, ladies and gentlemen each had their domains, but this time, everyone unanimously criticized Guard Yeong-sik.

Especially for the men present who had feelings for Merina, Guard Yeong-sik was nothing less than a rival.

However, some of the men present began to lose interest in Merina because of this.

This is how it must continue—she must isolate those who would defend her.

Take good care of it, Merina.

Until I find a way to die, you’ll occupy the role of the villainess.

The boat party caused quite a commotion, but the tea party continued, and Merina and Guard Yeong-sik couldn’t find a spot to join and eventually left.

“Miss Pink, I had a wonderful time.”

“It’s a pity the boat party ended early. Still, thank you for organizing this event.”

Being a Pink family event, the lavish boat party left a deep impression on everyone and concluded.

It takes about twenty minutes by carriage to get from Swan Lake to the city gates.

But today, it was expected to take longer than usual due to the Royal Knights’ intervention.

A clandestine gambling den called Blue Bird had been discovered in the suburbs, leading to conflict with the Royal Knights.

Boom! Crash!

The sound of explosions—clearly magical in origin—made my escort frown.

“I’ll check the situation. Please wait here for a moment.”

Sir Bart left, but when he didn’t return for a while, Lady Mary stepped out of the carriage, telling me to remain inside briefly.

The carriage windows were curtained, so I wasn’t visible from outside.

I quietly opened the door on the side opposite from where Lady Mary had stepped out and slipped away, wearing the hooded cloak I had prepared in advance.

Soon, Lady Mary would notice my absence, and the two knights would worry—but I couldn’t help it.

Something far more important awaited.

“Go back that way! You must not come here!”

The streets were filled with panicked screams, the chaos of the knights, and the noise from Blue Bird. Fragments of debris rained down on the ground.

I slipped through the crowd, avoiding the guards and flying shards, and headed toward the gambling den.

I remembered there were three entrances. Two were blocked by the knights, so I had to find the remaining one.

The last entrance led through the basement of a shabby tavern.

As expected, the tavern was empty. The only thing I could do in this miserable state—forced to return to the past—was head into the illegal gambling den, armed only with a dagger.

Blue Bird was full of masked men, so no one paid me any attention as I drew my hood tightly over my head.

“Damn it, burn all the important documents!”

“Stop the Royal Knights!”

The Royal Knights’ raid had thrown the place into chaos.

I calmly headed to the warehouse in the basement where supplies and drugs were stored.

Having been attacked here before, I remained cautious.

Once inside, I went to the innermost shelf and located the tattered bundles of papers.

I tucked them under my arm, took three steps to the left, and drank the crimson-hued muscle-strengthening potion among the drugs spread out before me.

I stuffed small glass bottles and magical stones into a large bag, then left the warehouse without hesitation.

Avoiding the smell of burning, and the busy Blue Bird members, I headed for the exit.

“Move!”

Someone shoved me from behind as I pressed against the wall.

I dropped the package I was holding while grabbing my hood. The bottles rattled as they hit the floor.

“Who the hell are you?”

A menacing man grabbed my shoulder.

If he stabbed me here, I wouldn’t be able to move for a while, so I had to handle the situation carefully.

I couldn’t tell if he was a simple worker or a member of Blue Bird—but I had to take the gamble.

“Don’t just loiter here. Do you think He would allow it?”

I lowered my voice, and he flinched.

“He? What are you talking about?”

But that lasted only a moment. He shoved me again, checking the dropped bag.

“You don’t know Him? Who are you, then? You must be a Blue Bird member.”

“What’s Blue Bird? Did another organization send you?”

He truly seemed unaware of Blue Bird.

“You! You’re the one who reported our gambling den!”

The sight of the items in the bag twisted the man’s face.

“You bastard, trying to steal something valuable in the confusion.”

I grabbed a dagger from my hood pocket, but he struck me with brutal force first.

Thankfully, the muscle-strengthening potion allowed me to stay on my feet.

“You bastard.”

He grabbed my collar again, and I quickly cut his arm.

“You bastard!”

Feeling the pain, he drew a knife from his own pocket.

Passersby glanced at us briefly but ignored us. Violent incidents were happening all around—it was nothing extraordinary.

Somehow, things were going my way.

I was about to use the self-defense magical firework I had obtained from Ted when a heavy strike sent the threatening man to the ground.

Another man appeared behind him and asked incredulously,

“What are you doing here?”

I touched my hood to check if it had slipped, but it was fine.

“You really thought I wouldn’t recognize you?”

Even though my face was barely visible, the man in front of me immediately recognized me.

It was Lexian.

“I don’t know what you were doing here, but follow me.”

He swiftly picked up the package nearby.

Boom! Crash!

A loud noise came from deeper inside, and the ground shook beneath our feet.

“Rosia.”

Lexian called my name softly, holding me close.

His firm embrace was reassuring, but I felt uneasy.

“Let go of this.”

“Wait until the shaking stops.”

“I said let go now!”

I worried that if debris hit him while he held me, he could die…

I tried to push him away, recalling the countless times he had blocked arrows, but he possessed the ability to remain completely still if he wished.

“Stay still, Rosia.”

Hearing Lexian’s calm voice, I felt a pang of sorrow.

I never wanted to be a villainess, yet the world considered me one, denying even the love I sought.

“AAAHHH!”

“Who the hell used a bomb!”

People began to flood out, and Lexian effortlessly lifted me in his arms.

“Excuse us.”

The familiar warmth of his embrace made me relax briefly—after hundreds of times, it still felt reassuring—when suddenly,

“Dieeee!”

A dagger-wielding man lunged at him.

As if anticipating it, Lexian subdued him with one hand and tried to move toward the exit.

Or at least he tried—until another assailant aimed a decorative window at my neck.