Translator: Nox
Chapter: 21
“Dante is fine, but I really don’t want to save the Emperor.”
“Why?”
“Because I hate him.”
Sion bared his teeth slightly in a smile.
Were they natural enemies or something? Why did they hate each other so much?
“What if I say I still want to save the Emperor?”
“Why would you?”
“Because I don’t want anyone else controlling me.”
There was a fatal flaw in Sion’s plan: it would hand over all the power to the Grand Lords.
“Sion, I have something I must do. Becoming a princess is just a step in that process. If I have to accept interference from others, I’d rather not be a princess at all.”
In that sense, the Emperor’s crisis was a great opportunity for me.
“I’m going to save him and ask him to recognize me as a princess in return.”
Sion sighed as he looked into my blazing eyes.
“You want me to cure the Emperor, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
In the original story, Sion was skilled enough to create a cure for Moonlight Syndrome. He was also adept at handling poisons.
If I wanted to save the Emperor, Sion was the best choice.
“But on one condition. You must tell me honestly what your goal is.”
“What?”
I was caught off guard by his demand.
‘Wait… did he use Dante as bait just to learn my goal?’
I eyed him suspiciously, and he smirked like a fox. “Shall I add more conditions?”
I shook my head and took a deep breath. If it’s come to this, I might as well be honest—but the words wouldn’t come out.
After a long struggle, I finally spoke with a trembling voice.
“Do you remember what I said when we first met?”
Sion just stared at me in silence. I smiled awkwardly and continued.
“I said I saw a future where vampires go extinct. You didn’t believe me, but it was true.”
“……”
“Sion, I’m a prophet who can change the future. That’s why I know what’s coming.”
I looked at his face, but I couldn’t read what he was thinking.
In the end, I confessed my goal without any certainty of how he’d react.
“I want to rescue someone trapped in the basement of the Full Moon Palace.”
“Someone?”
He gave me a dissatisfied look, demanding more explanation. I added defensively,
“He doesn’t have a name yet. Maybe he hasn’t even been born. But I have to stop him.”
In the original story, the protagonist only gained a name after escaping the Empire. So technically, I wasn’t lying.
Sion thought for a moment before asking,
“Is he your goal?”
“Yes. Because he’s the one who will cause the extinction of vampires.”
I watched Sion closely, bracing myself. He furrowed his brow slightly.
“I don’t understand. If that’s true, why didn’t you ask me to kill him from the start?”
I gave a bitter smile.
“Because he can’t be killed.”
He was the protagonist of this world, after all.
“In the future I saw, he died three times. But each time, someone sacrificed themselves to bring him back.”
The first time, his comrades used a self-sacrifice spell.
The second time, villagers gave up a legendary resurrection relic.
“The third time, you were the one who killed him. But even then, the blood knights who were once his enemies were moved and brought him back.”
This world revolved around him. No matter what, someone would bring him back.
It was fun when I was just a reader—but terrifying now that I was living it.
“If I can’t kill him, I want to make him my ally. I’ll rescue him before he holds any grudges. But I need to be royalty to access him.”
After finishing, I let out a sigh. I felt like my soul had left my body.
“So? Do you believe me?”
I waited anxiously for Sion’s response.
Even if he thought I was crazy, I wanted him to believe me.
Instead of answering, a cool scent enveloped me. The next thing I knew, I was in his arms.
“I believe you. Every word.”
Tears welled up in my eyes.
But I didn’t want to show I was about to cry, so I forced a cheerful voice.
“Are you sure? Maybe you think I’m lying inside?”
“You’re bad at lying, Princess. But just now, you weren’t lying.”
Surprised, I looked up.
With a gentle smile, Sion brushed my cheek.
“You’ve been through a lot.”
That simple phrase broke me. Tears spilled from my eyes before I could stop them.
“I…”
The truth was, I wanted someone to understand me.
Charging toward a future of ruin was terrifying and lonely.
“Thank you… for believing me.”
Flustered, Sion pulled out a handkerchief.
“Please don’t cry. It feels like I made you cry.”
“You weren’t supposed to believe me…”
“Now that’s a lie. If you really thought I wouldn’t believe you, you wouldn’t have told me.”
Was that really necessary to point out right now? You jerk.
I smacked him, and he laughed.
“You’re so sweet. Stay still, please.”
He gently wiped my tears and asked,
“Princess, what happened to you in that future?”
“Huh? I wasn’t there.”
I answered without thinking—and flinched. Sion’s face turned ice cold.
“We must act quickly. I need to deal with the Emperor.”
“You mean save him, right? Not kill him?”
Sion noticed my nervous tone and added,
“I want to earn his favor so I can secure what’s underground. I’ll feel uneasy without it.”
I grabbed him before he could rush off to the Emperor.
“There’s no need to hurry. In the future I saw, you didn’t meet the boy until you were an adult.”
If Sion and I were around the same age, then the protagonist hadn’t been born yet—or was still an infant.
“……I was an adult?”
“Yeah, definitely.”
Sion went quiet, deep in thought.
I studied him for a moment and asked,
“Sion, how old are you?”
“How old do you think I am?”
There it was again—mystery mode.
I stared at him seriously.
“You’re a bit taller than me… maybe ten?”
“Then I’ll require the respect due to my senior.”
“Let’s just both be eight.”
No matter what anyone says, Sion is eight now.
He smiled softly.
“Come to think of it, I doubt the Emperor will willingly let me treat him. I’ll have to do it by force.”
Thrown off by the sudden change in topic, I nodded. He was right—knowing the Emperor,
he’d refuse help even if it would save his life.
I agreed to the forced treatment.
And right on cue, the spam popped up.
[Web Message]
Refusing is not allowed
(๑ơ ₃ ơ)ﻌﻌﻌ♥(◞ ‸ ◟ㆀ)
Forcefully treat the dying Emperor
-Reward: 30,000 EXP
-Failure: Emperor’s death
A whopping 30,000 experience points.
But failure meant death. It wouldn’t be easy.
“Just getting close to the Emperor will be a problem.”
If he was so close to death, approaching him would be difficult.
“I have an idea.”
“What is it?”
Following Sion’s meaningful gaze, I spotted the glittering armor.
With a sly smile, Sion said,
“The Emperor gave you that outfit. Of course you should wear it to show him.”
“…That one?”
Wait. He’s joking, right?