A room much larger and more luxurious than the annex.

Charlie sat there blankly.

The huge bed, almost twice the size of a king-size bed, made her already frail body look even smaller.

“What is this…….”

This was beyond destroying the original story; it was completely shredded. Additionally, Charlie’s mental state was also shattered.

“Why…….”

Why were they overprotecting her?

Feeling a sense of déjà vu, Charlie shivered.

Emma being her personal maid was adorable.

Leon had carried her to the main mansion, saying she shouldn’t strain herself.

He even made her wear a robe as tall as she was, in case she caught a cold.

The problem was that this behavior didn’t match the warm weather of midsummer at all.

For reference, she was even wearing a hood fully pulled down.

Moreover, the room Charlie was sitting in was just the adjacent room. In other words, it was not a servant’s room for an attendant maid.

“This is…….”

It was the Grand Duchess’s bedroom, connected by a door to Hector’s bedroom.

To be precise, it was the room Liliana used in the original story.

“s*x…….”

That’s right.

How much history had been made in this room, on this bed.

To put it simply, Hector used his powers to float Liliana in the air and f*cked her until she begged for mercy…….

“Sh*t.”

And that’s not all.

When they did it standing up, Liliana clung to the bedpost engraved with leaves.

The arched window with white curtains that wiped away the steam from Liliana’s er*ect n*pples.

And the dressing table and mirror decorated with a golden eagle emblem, where Liliana, watching Hector’s p*nis penetrate her, cl*maxed and squirted her fluids.

Everything that pierced Charlie’s retina reminded her of the descriptions in the novel.

The only difference was that the owner of this room was now herself, not Liliana.

“Sh*t.”

Given this, it was impossible for Charlie’s mind to remain intact. No, leaving everything aside, the most serious matter was the red gemstone necklace Tanner had given her.

[This is a mana stone necklace with a shield spell. So, you must never take it off.]

Charlie, being the one who possessed the character, knew very well that this was not just an ordinary mana stone necklace.

In the original, Hector gave it to protect Liliana.

“Hector’s mana stone…….”

It was like a direct copy of Hector’s magic.

Like a doppelganger, perhaps?

Therefore, it could block all magic below the rank of Grand Master.

In other words, no one in the empire, except the Emperor, could break this shield.

In the original, even Kaisis could only create a crack, so it was practically non-existent.

Moreover, the moment another’s magic touched it, Hector would feel it and could fly over immediately.

In other words, it also had a tracking function.

“A man who claims to be unwell…….”

Creating a mana stone required pouring immense magical power into it.

At first, it seemed so romantic that she thought, ‘As expected! It’s a romance fantasy.’ and cheered.

Later, when she saw the part that said, ‘Actually, it was for tracking purposes.’, it was chilling.

“But why on earth is this…….”

Hanging around her neck.

‘No way, it can’t be for tracking, right? He wouldn’t be obsessed with me?! It must be just for protecting the guide who barely survived.’

Charlie stroked her goosebump-covered arm, thinking positively as she would in difficult times.

* * *

“Who let her in?”

Hector, who was resting while leaning against the bed, frowned as he saw Charlie.

His complexion was pale due to the magic he had consumed making the mana stone. The fatigue from the cost of his powers was also evident.

[This door connects to His Grace’s bedroom. If this bell rings, it means His Grace is calling, so you can enter through here. Although His Grace won’t come in, if you’re worried, you can lock it.]

Of course, the lock Tanner mentioned looked so weak that Charlie felt she could break it with a kick.

[If you want to purify His Grace, you can enter through this door anytime.]

“Uh……. I came in through that door.”

Charlie pointed to the door she had entered.

She had definitely knocked and called out to Hector several times.

When she heard no response, she was worried he might have collapsed like she did and entered out of concern.

“I didn’t call for you.”

Hector, who had issued an order to leave, turned his head away from Charlie.

His response was so cold that it was almost colorless, but Charlie didn’t move.

She couldn’t move.

“…….”

In fact, Charlie had wanted to leave before Hector told her to.

No, she wanted to leave this novel entirely.

But the fact that he was her lifesaver held a significant presence.

Hector had not left his bedroom all day.

He didn’t go to the office or even the dining room.

Since the rooms were connected, it was natural for Charlie to know his every move.

Thus, blaming herself, saying, ‘It’s because of me.’ circled around Charlie, whipping her conscience.

She remembered Hector’s monologue in the novel, filled with emptiness, saying he shouldn’t have been born.

The word ‘vanish’ stuck in her mind.

Besides, she had seen him bedridden. Ignoring it any longer was impossible.

After all, who would see this and call him a mad, destructive Grand Duke?

Charlie’s heart sank heavily.

And after all, didn’t she have a bit of seduction technique in her holy power?

If he had seen her as a woman, something would have happened long ago.

“I want to purify……. you.”

Hector’s gaze turned back to Charlie.

“I heard you saved my life. Thank you very much.”

As she bowed her head, the red mana stone around her neck sparkled.

Hector, who had been staring at her for a moment, spoke.

“It’s fine. Go rest.”

This was not the Charlie who had squirmed on his hand last time.

She wasn’t smiling sheepishly, and her pheromones were heavy.

Trying to purify while fearing him.

It would be better to visit her while she was asleep.

Just as he was about to send her away.

“……?”

Hector turned to Charlie, feeling a sudden surge of pheromones.

Charlie was standing with her hands clasped as if in prayer, eyes tightly closed.

“…….”

Hector couldn’t say anything.

Charlie’s warm pheromones felt as if they were comforting and embracing him.

* * *

A few days have passed since then.

In the meantime, Charlie’s body fully recovered.

Fortunately, Hector did not open the locked door and come in.

Since he continued to rest, there was no work for her as an attendant maid.

Thus, the long-overdue purification for Hector arrived.

“Miss Charlie, just think happy thoughts and sit there. Sir Leon and I will be waiting outside, so if you feel even a little tired, come out immediately. This is also permitted by His Grace.”

Tanner reassured the nervous Charlie.

“If you feel uncomfortable, you can close your eyes.”

Leon, concerned for Charlie, added.

“But is it really okay for me to be there? Did the other party agree?!”

Even though it was natural for a guide to participate in the purification ritual. This was already the umpteenth time Charlie asked this question.

Each time, Tanner kindly responded in the same tone.

“It’s specified in the contract, and I confirmed it again, so you don’t have to worry about that part.”

s*x between dominants.

In other words, the purification ritual was contractual.

A relationship of contact agreed upon for necessity. Nothing more, nothing less, just a ritual for purification. This was a customary act for dominants.

Of course, the fact that only one purification guide was participating was a special case.

Especially for a Zero guide.

But who was Hector? A man of allure and a Grand Duke.

“Even if His Grace meets one applicant per day, purification would take about a year.”

Tanner’s words were not an exaggeration.

Truly, the desk was piled high with the documents of dominant females.

Although all the women who married into the Hunt family had short lives, those who coveted power and the position of Grand Duchess were endless.

Usually, mates were found through purification rituals, so everyone was eager to present their conditions.

To Charlie, the one who possessed a character, it was a world she couldn’t easily understand.

But as they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. If this was the way to survive, what choice did she have?

Anything was better than dying.

The original story was none of Charlie’s business.

She had no thoughts like, ‘Hector must only receive purification from Liliana!’

Finding another purification partner was better than facing an ending of annihilation.

That way, her role as a guide would end sooner.

And the Hector alive in front of her wasn’t the madman described in the novel who deserved to die. At least, not to Charlie, who he had saved.

* * *