Chapter 45
In the days that followed, Lisian and I began a routine of walking together.
Our destination was always the Central Library.
The “Hall of Wisdom” served as a testament to the staggering wealth of the Great Nobility, with its very foundation radiating the immense capital poured into its construction.
One only had to glimpse the inner courtyard, nestled in the heart of that massive repository of books, to understand the scale of such luxury.
The walls surrounding the courtyard were crafted from vibrant stained glass rather than simple panes.
Tiny, multicolored shards climbed toward the rafters in intricate geometric displays.
Lisian and I occupied a lounge chair positioned right against that kaleidoscope of glass.
Even with the dim, wintry sun, the prismatic light that seeped through the windows possessed a soothing, almost supernatural quality.
Thinking back, I had been absolutely livid with the librarian just a short while ago.
Now, however, I viewed the resolution of that conflict as a stroke of luck.
I suspected that the ordeal had allowed Lisian to lower his guard around me just a bit more.
Without that shift, these casual outings would likely never have happened.
I cast a subtle look toward my companion.
Lisian was focused on a daunting volume, a book that appeared to be nearly eight hundred pages long.
His reputation as the Academy’s premier scholar was clearly no exaggeration.
I marveled at how he could absorb such dense, microscopic print with such effortless speed and focus.
As the light caught his silver hair, giving him a divine, ethereal glow, I found myself staring at him with my mouth slightly agape.
It was undeniable.
People often claimed he possessed the beauty of an angel sent from the heavens.
There was a very specific reason he stood as the primary romantic lead of .
Nearly every player, without exception, focused their efforts on winning Lisian’s heart the moment they started the game.
Only after achieving his ending—the “true” route—would they branch out to pursue other characters based on their personal tastes.
He was the quintessential first love of the franchise.
Of course, there were darker paths that players frequently sought out.
Specifically, the “Corruption” ending.
In that scenario, one would maximize Lisian’s devotion only to “accidentally” let him witness a romance with another man. It was a path designed to shatter that angelic composure until he completely lost his sanity.
Looking at him now, I could see why that would be such a devastating transformation.
Lisian was exactly what he seemed: a breathtaking, pure-hearted man with silver hair.
“Lisian,” I said, breaking the silence.
“Hmm? What is it?”
“I’ve been wondering… why did you never write back to me?”
I asked the question out of a sudden sense of playfulness.
Even though he was the only person who hadn’t treated Tulia with contempt from the start, he was still a mystery.
Why had he ignored the steady stream of correspondence I’d sent his way?
Indeed, ever since I woke up as Tulia and received that grueling Main Quest, I had been a whirlwind of activity.
Perhaps because I had spent so many years playing this game as Han Ina, my instincts took over. My body reacted automatically even when my mind was reeling.
While I was busy securing the Grand Duke’s favor and dodging the traps set by Lilius’s kin, I had been diligently mailing the Academy.
The notes were addressed to the twins, Lisian and Leon.
They weren’t deep letters—just basic greetings and polite inquiries about their health, written with the strained formality of a sister who wasn’t particularly close to them.
Still, I felt compelled to send them.
Lisian and Leon Frazier were both critical romantic interests in the game.
To reach the daunting A-rank requirement, I had to max out the affection stats for every single male lead.
The sheer workload of it all was exhausting to think about.
Since I didn’t have the luxury of time to woo them individually, I stayed consistent, mailing the Academy every few days.
I even took care to vary the wording of each letter in case the brothers ever compared them.
I didn’t have a printing press or a personal clerk to do the work for me.
I did it all by hand.
Every three days, I personally penned two distinct letters.
I hadn’t managed to drive Tedrick away with just a few notes through sheer luck; I had been putting in the work.
Yet, despite my efforts, the silence from their end had been absolute.
I didn’t hold a grudge over it.
In fact, I had expected to be ignored and simply pushed forward like a bulldozer, regardless of whether they replied.
But seeing Lisian looking so serene now, after he had ghosted every single one of my messages, sparked a sudden, mischievous curiosity in me.
“But… I did write back,” he stammered.
“What?”
“I sent… seventeen different letters.”
I blinked in confusion. “I never saw a single one.”
“Wait, really?”
“Really.”
We stared at each other in mutual bewilderment.
I narrowed my eyes, feeling a flicker of doubt. “You aren’t just making that up, are you?”
“I’m not! I promise!”
His face flushed a deep crimson as he tried to defend himself.
“Dear Lisian… hello. I hope you are… well…” He started to recite, but then, looking frustrated with his own stuttering, he grabbed a pen and began to write frantically on a scrap of paper.
As I watched his elegant, precise handwriting fill the page, my jaw dropped.
This was incredible. He was writing out the exact text of the letters I had sent him.
He had committed every word to memory.
“You really are a prodigy, aren’t you?” I whispered.
“It’s… it’s nothing special,” he murmured.
If he remembered them that clearly, then he must have actually written those replies.
“They probably got lost when I changed rooms,” I suggested.
Given the chaos of my life recently, it was entirely possible the mail had gone astray.
“I honestly didn’t get a single one from you.”
Lisian watched me for a long moment before pulling out a fresh sheet of stationery.
His pen began to fly across the paper without a second of hesitation.
“Lisian? What are you doing?”
I leaned in closer and felt my breath catch.
To my dear Tulia. I hope this finds you in good spirits. I am writing to answer the letter you sent. Please take care not to catch a cold…
He was meticulously recreating the letters.
“Wait, are you actually rewriting every single reply I missed?”
“Yes.”
“Right now? All of them?”
The idea seemed insane. Why would he subject himself to such a tedious task?
“Tulia,” Lisian said, his posture perfect as he continued to write. “You were… you were hurt by the silence, weren’t you?”
I didn’t know what to say.
“So… please…”
I remained silent.
“Just give me three hours. I can finish them all.”
He looked at me with such earnestness. “I remember everything I wrote.”
I felt a strange, heavy warmth blooming in my chest, like a dry sponge soaking up water.
Perhaps it was just the effect of his snowy hair and his gentle nature.
His kindness felt like a soft snowfall landing on my heart and melting away the frost. It was a suffocating sensation, but not an unpleasant one.
A soft smile touched my lips.
“It’s alright, Brother.”
I reached out and gently rested my hand over his, stopping the restless movement of his pen. His skin felt warm against mine.
“You don’t have to do this. I’m just happy to know you cared.”
Lisian looked into my eyes for a long beat before a radiant, genuine smile broke across his face.
“I… I am happy too.”
“Good.”
The air between us felt light and slightly shy.
As I smiled back at him, a sudden realization struck me.
Could Lisian be the one? The one person who actually loves me?
There was a constant presence in my life, a small companion so loyal that I had almost stopped noticing it, like a shadow that followed my every move.
It had delicate, fairy-like wings and a body that shimmered with golden light.
It was my status window icon—a little sprite that reminded me of something out of a magical girl anime.
I focused my gaze, mentally clicking on the icon to pull up the main interface.
Translucent text shimmered into existence before my eyes.
Main Quest: Atonement for Karma
Current Status: You are a social pariah!
You have no wealth, terrible luck, and the world despises you!
(With one exception) No one loves you!
Objective: Reach A-rank before the ’original’ arrives!
Penalty for Failure: Death
I checked my status often, but I rarely looked at the main mission details.
The word “Death” was a bit too blunt for my liking.
But today, one specific line stood out.
(With one exception) No one loves you!
That one person…
My grandfather certainly cared for me now. He adored me, actually.
But that was a result of my own grueling efforts.
Back when Tulia was nothing more than a spoiled, shallow brat who lived only for luxury—back when she made no effort to be liked—someone in this world had loved her.
Could it have been Lisian all along?
I felt a surge of curiosity. In my entire life, I had never experienced family members this kind, even if they were technically Tulia’s relatives and not mine.
I wanted to see exactly where I stood with him.
But how could I trigger the display?
The affection bar for my grandfather never appeared when I wanted it to; it seemed to show up and vanish whenever it felt like it.
I hadn’t cracked the code for what triggered the visual aid yet.
Then, a notification pinged.
[System] Would you like to view ‘Lisian Frazier’s’ affection level?
[System] Character Importance: ☆☆☆☆☆
I blinked.
It was as if the game were reading my mind.
Unlike my grandfather, Lisian had a full five-star importance rating.
It made sense, considering he was the primary male lead of .
[YES]
I selected the option with a mental click.
A soft chime echoed in my ears.
A colored bar materialized over Lisian’s head.
Wait.
As I took in the color of his affection gauge, my heart sank and my brow furrowed in confusion.
