Apart from the grandeur of the temple, once inside, the current status of the male lead within the royal family became quite apparent.

Looking at the nobles brought by the other princes, it was clear who belonged to whose faction.

While most were accompanied by prestigious noble offspring, I was there with the male lead.

I started to feel a bit sorry for him.

“His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, makes his entrance.”

Following the male lead, I walked on the red carpet, passing by the line of priests standing with due ceremony on either side.

The expressions of those standing around us were subtly filled with disdain and contempt towards the male lead.

For some reason, it made me feel uncomfortable.

By this point, it seemed understandable why the male lead’s personality was the way it was.

It’s all because of the damn tyrant narrative.

Of course, even at the end, the prince, Calix Posman, could never truly find happiness.

The male lead took me to the very end of the line where the princes were standing in order.

Apparently, being the crown prince meant he was last in the order of receiving the sword and entering.

The pope standing on the dais at the end of the red carpet looked younger than I expected.

He seemed to be in his late 30s with a rather amiable face.

Of course, no one knew what he was really thinking.

“Ash Posman.”

The pope called the name of the third prince. I automatically looked up.

That damned third prince I had only heard about.

It was my first time seeing his face, but he had the same hair color as the male lead.

Being the male lead’s brother, his appearance was handsome, but as he wasn’t the protagonist, the aura he emitted was different.

The third prince knelt before the Pope with a devout attitude.

It was strange.

For a royal to kneel.

Clearly, the power of God was visible, suggesting that the divine authority was higher than the imperial authority.

The Pope placed a white sword, shimmering with silver light, into the hands of the kneeling third prince.

‘Is that the sword imbued with holy power?’

From what I understood, this white sword would darken as it killed more monsters, immediately indicating how many monsters the owner of the sword had killed.

This meant that taking this ceremony lightly could disadvantage one in the future battle for the throne.

It was advantageous to make a good impression on the temple.

“Drive away the darkness and, as a faithful servant of Kamesis, illuminate the world.”

Then, a white orb of light formed at the Pope’s fingertips.

“Wow.”

I muttered quietly behind the prince, swallowing my saliva.

Then, the male lead glanced at me briefly and immediately looked displeased.

I felt wronged.

No, can’t I be amazed by that?

I pursed my lips and watched the amazing sight.

“May you be blessed.”

It was then.

The male lead took a step back, bowed, and whispered to me.

Surprised, I involuntarily jerked my body, and the prince, as if telling me to stay still, grabbed my shoulder and leaned in closer.

“At least, if I receive that blessing, you won’t die from a single blow from a monster. It’s an area spell, so it applies to you too. Don’t worry.”

I stared blankly at the male lead.

Why is he telling me this now?

To not be afraid?

Impressed by the male lead’s unexpected kindness, I sent him a look of admiration and responded.

“Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.”

But the male lead frowned as if he didn’t understand what I was saying, then quickly got up as if nothing had happened.

And he calmly turned his gaze to the Pope.

‘Geez, that jerk.’

I simmered in my frustration and anger alone, focusing my gaze on the blessing ceremony.

Most of the princes had black hair, but none of them had as deep red eyes and splendid appearance as the male lead.

“Follow me quietly.”

Finally, it was the male lead’s turn, and I followed him to the front of the Pope.

In the middle of the grand temple, there was a slightly chilly aura floating in the air.

The male lead knelt in front of the Pope as if he was used to it. Like the other nobles, I clasped my hands behind him and bowed my head.

Even during the ceremony, I could feel it.

Gazes filled with hostility.

Even knowing they weren’t directed at me; cold sweat ran down my back.

“Blessings upon you.”

A white light stretched out from the Pope’s hands, and soon a halo of light settled on my head.

It felt like an alien coldness had settled over my body.

The male lead stood up after receiving a pure white sword from the Pope.

* * *

So much for there being no danger of death.

I grumbled as I shouldered my bag and followed the prince up the mountain.

Whether it was a monster or not, I felt like I was going to die climbing this mountain.

I must have been bothering him because he turned to me with a scowl as I crawled up behind him.

“Your Highness, I’ll be there soon,”

I tried to explain why I was late, but it seemed like it was too late.

The male lead, emitting a sense of irritation, started to turn his body towards me, and I froze at the sudden and rough movement.

His red eyes focused on my bag. His handsome eyebrows shot up.

“What on earth did you bring?”

“Uh, this and that…”

He growled at my words, then grabbed my wrist.

“The monsters come out when the sun goes down, so hurry up and follow me.”

Then he started to pull me along.

I was confused.

Is he helping me right now?

Ironically, the prince holding my wrist and pulling me along made the difficult mountain climb a little easier.

I glanced at him with a slightly furrowed brow at the sudden change in conversation.

He pointed to the ground with his finger as he walked ahead.

“A goblin passed by here.”

In the spot the prince pointed to, there were footprints that were slightly smaller than a human’s.

I stared at the prince’s hand for a moment.

Did I hear wrong?

Why is there a goblin in a romance fantasy…?

“Your Highness, did you just say a goblin?”

This isn’t how the story is supposed to go!

“One of the representatives of fallen species of Moricias.”

I couldn’t believe how casually he said it.

“Unless there’s a strong leader, they’re easy to deal with due to their weak nature, so stop looking and just walk.”

With those words, the male lead gently pulled me along.

I was flustered.

No, why is he suddenly being so nice and making a fuss? And I didn’t even ask.

In the end, it just scared me more.

‘Wasn’t it just about avoiding monsters?’

Regardless, he dragged me to a cave on the mountainside.

“It’s a hideout.”

The cave he introduced as a hideout had a completely different appearance from the crystal cave or firefly cave I had visited on a middle school field trip.

It looked like I had to go in right away and survive on mugwort and garlic for 100 days.

It’s like a bear will come out.

“What are you doing?”

“Your Highness… in case there are wild animals…”

I had never seen a wild animal in my life.

The only wild beast I’ve ever seen was the cat Samshik who lived in our apartment complex.

The male lead naturally laughed at my words.

“If you’re trembling at the thought of wild animals, what will you do about the monsters?”

“……Of course, that’s a very big problem…….”

It seemed faster to resign to fate.

‘I am a nobody… I am a lowly one…’

Cursing the damn caste system, I forcefully suppressed the insults that rose to my throat.

The male lead looked at me with displeasure, clicking his tongue a few times before dragging me into the cave.

“Wait here. Ugh, this damn event. I’ll get some food.”

For a moment, I doubted my ears.

Get what?

I immediately got up and went in front of the male lead, saying, “Your Highness, I will do it.”

“What are you going to do? You seem like you’d tremble in front of a wild animal.”

It was quite troublesome.

No matter what, the male lead is the crown prince, and I am just a maid.

Even though I came today as the daughter of a baron, it’s still an act of insolence to ask the crown prince to fetch food.

Especially since the male lead’s reputation is already at rock bottom, what would others think if they saw it?

In truth, having watched him from the side, the guy was annoying, but I did start to feel a bit sorry for him.

‘Damn the setting.’

What about the ending exclusive to Calix Posman?

For survival, for his mother’s revenge, he kills his brothers with his own hands and ascends to the throne.

The male lead, twisted by his tragic past, imprisons the female lead he falls for at first sight, ruining her life.

Because of this, his only friend betrays him, sympathizing with the female lead, and he ends up locking the female lead in his bedroom after killing Ruel.

‘And the female lead never opens her heart in the end.’

I looked at the male lead with pity, moved by compassion.

In fact, the prince didn’t seem that crazy yet.

He’s just a bit lacking in common sense.

Maybe he went crazy after killing his brothers with his own hands?

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, Your Highness.”

I  avoided the prince’s gaze. And quickly gathered my belongings.

I had to return to the cave before sunset.

“What are you doing?”

He asked, standing next to me shamelessly.

“I’ll follow you.”

“Huh?”

He laughed as if he was amazed, but I bowed my head and followed him closely.

It was more dangerous to be left alone here anyway. If I stayed by the prince’s side, at least I wouldn’t die.

Or not?

“How could I, as a subordinate, bother Your Highness with trivial tasks.”

“Ah, so you’re saying you’re scared to be alone. You really make it sound so complicated. Don’t you think your expression says it all?”

With a sneer, he went out of the cave.

Damn, he was quick to catch on.