CH 168

In a way, it was different. I’d thought that while I was facing all the hardship in the world, the future I wanted was to avoid everything relating to the original novel and disappear. But as so many people congratulated me, I realized how foolish that wish was and how happy I was now.

And I’d like to be even happier.

As I calmed down, wiping my eyes, Lina came over and handed me a present.

“So,” she said, “I don’t know if you’ll like this, but…”

It was a handmade hair elastic. She must have remembered hearing me complain about how my hair got in the way when I was working in the palace. It was well made to fit with an expensive dress.

“Thank you, Lina,” I said. “It’s so pretty. I’m going to wear it, starting tomorrow.”

Eris handed me a big box. “This is mine!”

I gasped as I opened it. “This is—”

“It’s the hat from that tailor from last time,” she said. “A famous designer made it, and it reminded me of Iona right away.”

The present Eris had given me was a stylish brim hat. It was hard to find one with the bonnet as the default here.

“Thank you!”

I received a lot of presents. Ravis gave me a protective accessory with divine power, Dylan gave me small daggers I could carry around, and the attendees left me all kinds of small items.

I hadn’t expected the attendees to celebrate my birthday with me. Later, they told me that it was because they were glad that I’d come back alive, which had in turn saved their lives. I really should have sent Ridrian back to the palace immediately for their mental sake.

Ridrian, who seemed the worst fit for the birthday party awkwardly handed me a piece of paper. “Happy birthday.”

I felt a little uneasy. He had a history of giving me the past Liman Kingdom’s national treasure to me as I left the palace before.

“It’s not a land registration, right?” I asked him before I opened it.

He got an odd smile on his face. “No.”

He looked just as he had when he gave me the necklace. I gazed down at the rolled-up paper.

Is it some kind of guarantee?

He tilted my head and opened it. I casually read it and froze.

W-what is this?

“Why, what is it?”

“Mm? What did His Majesty give you?”

Ravis and Eris both peered over my shoulders at the paper’s contents and froze in unison.

“There’s nothing there yet,” Ridrian said, “but in two to three years, it should be quite a sight. If you don’t like it, I’ll just make the entire island—”

I quickly stopped him.

“No!” I exclaimed desperately. “It’s okay! Really, honestly—I’m okay. This is enough.”

I didn’t know much about it, but this must have cost a fortune. I didn’t want a necklace situation like the last time. That necklace was in storage with that dress right now.

“What is it?” Eris whispered to Lina, whose face turned pale.

“What? A cottage? Out of all, the Catalaif cottage, the biggest cottage on the Lefta Island being developed? Including the beach?”

Just how did Lina know this? She looked at me for confirmation, and the attendees’ eyes sparkled on hearing this.

I just wanted to run away.

“Whew.”

After eating and chatting for some time, I stepped out onto the terrace for a breath. The hot hair brushed my cheek.

It’s hot, I thought. Maybe we should’ve gone to the drawing room with ice stone.

Still, I sat on the terrace fence, the smell of the grass filling my nostrils. After two glasses of wine, I was a bit upbeat. I gazed up at the sky with a smile on my face.

I’m happy.

I couldn’t hold down the childish joy I felt. From the moment I realized that Ridrian and Eris hadn’t kissed and that they didn’t have feelings for each other, my heart hadn’t stopped pounding.

I’m greedy.

Unlike in the original novel, I’d been spared and reinstated. Thanks to Ridrian, I had my house, my title, and my future, but I also wanted Ridrian. I hadn’t realized I was this greedy.

I didn’t think I’d be this happy knowing they weren’t interested in each other.

I thought it might be out of line, but it looked like the relationship between the male lead and female lead was done. I was happy about that fact, but also a little guilty. He’d lost his certain way of curing his wound because of my greed. I remembered the storyline of his wound from losing someone special was healed by someone else special. My heart gave a flutter.

Maybe I can be the replacement.

Perhaps it might be harder and more dangerous than playing dolls with the tyrant. But for his future, I had to do it. I looked up at the sky, clutching my pounding heart.

Recently, the two moons had been getting closer. Nowadays, I’d been checking almost daily.

Are there about 3 months left? In the original, Ridrian goes on a rampage when the two moons get together.

That weird feeling of two moons getting together occurred twice a year, and it didn’t really impact people. It was just a day of celebration for them. But in the original, the day Ridrian went on a rampage was the day the two moons came together.

Did it have another meaning?

I wanted to keep the daily life for the first time. The life where people were happy about my life and my birthday.

It won’t be easy.

I had to face the demons. In the original, Ridrian never faced the demons himself, so I didn’t have information on whether he could beat them, and although my power was as great as that of the Pope, I wasn’t certain I could beat them.

A chill traveled down my spine at the thought of having to fight that creepy Piett alone.

Will I be able to face Piett?

“You’re here.”

Ridrian had come outside at that moment. He pulled off his cravat and took some buttons off his tunic as though he was hot. I blushed as the memory of his rock-hard chest filled my mind.