Perhaps Royan might be looking for her. They had grown quite close recently. Charlotte might also be stomping her feet, saying she lost her cotton candy.

Thinking about them brought back a bitter feeling. Reibella shook her head as if trying to shake off the regret that was creeping in unconsciously and took out the flower from inside her clothes.

A slightly withered purple flower. Raffle. An antidote herb.

‘This is really the last time.’

Once she left the Empire, there would be no reason to keep poison in her body anymore. Reibella plucked the flowers she had brought and put the petals into her mouth one by one. As she chewed, a bitter taste along with the flower’s scent filled her mouth.

‘When I get to the Kingdom of Baribe, I’ll find a home…… and when I save enough money, I’ll look for Calyx too.’

She wanted to ask the Duke of Vicheravali about Calyx, since he had bright news about the war, but she had held back.

Because she was going to escape.

If the child sent by the Emperor disappeared, it would undoubtedly cause trouble for Vicheravali’s position. If they knew she was looking for Calyx, they might keep watching that direction.

So she had held back. She wanted to know what had happened to Calyx and if he was doing well, but she kept her mouth shut and pretended not to know.

But it would be fine to inquire directly after crossing over to the Kingdom of Baribe. Once she left the main stage, no one would assign meaning to ‘Reibella Felicity’ anymore.

‘I should start with a small business. Maybe sell flowers?’

It seemed good to start with things that wouldn’t raise suspicion even if done by a child, gather information, and then decide what to do.

A life without knowing the future. It was a bit scary, but also exciting.

Thinking about it made her feel somewhat thrilled. Somehow her body felt hot too…

No, she was clearly running a fever.

‘……The Emperor really is a jerk until the end.’

Since she had received treatment from the priest and had rested for a week, it shouldn’t be a health problem. It must be the fever from the detoxification process after eating the antidote herb just now to neutralize the Emperor’s remaining poison.

When she first ate the poison and then took the antidote, she had an extreme fever, and it seemed she was experiencing similar symptoms this time.

Suddenly. She recalled the day she was heading to Louvindisi.

‘Are you alright?’

When she had unconsciously fainted from a fever and woke up, the Duke of Vicheravali had asked her that in a kind voice.

His purple eyes were so warm. She had to do her best to lock up her heart that was trying to loosen.

Aiden, Cleo. All the other knights. Everyone had been so good to this insignificant supporting character.

Creeak. Even though she heard the sound of the door opening, somehow she didn’t want to open her eyes.

Feeling that if she opened her eyes, reality would crash down on her.

Afraid that her ankle would be caught by that reality, which had been happier than expected.

‘So hot……’

Gradually, the fever built up and her breathing became rapid. She felt dizzy and her mind was becoming hazy.

At that moment, someone who entered the carriage lifted her up.

‘Is it the Master?’

Picking someone up without saying anything. Did he think she was sleeping?

He wouldn’t leave her behind, would he?

Worried, Reibella struggled to open her eyes.

And she met them.

Purple eyes.

‘……Why?’

Why is this person here?

After looking at him with eyes full of bewilderment, she hurriedly pushed him away. But there was no way her small hands could push him away.

He was the Undefeated Knight recognized by the Empire, a man as great as the Emperor.

How could she escape? While forcibly turning her hazy head to think, the Duke suddenly asked.

“Where do you think you’re going in this condition?”

His usually composed face was tinged with worry.

Slightly narrowing his brow, he asked again in a somewhat incomprehensible voice.

“Was Vicheravali not to your liking?”

No. It was too good.

“Or am I lacking as a guardian? Because the noble Felicity shouldn’t associate with the dirty Vicheravali?”

“That’s not it!”

That really wasn’t it.

“Vicheravali is not dirty.”

Honestly, when reading the novel, she hadn’t thought it was a clean family.

Vicheravali, who moved only for their own benefit.

Just like the phrase ‘Evil Nobility,’ they joined hands with the Emperor for their own interests, arbitrarily allied with other noble families, raised and managed dark organizations, and were cold to others, almost ruthlessly.

Perhaps because they had experienced numerous wars, they were insensitive to killing people, and were portrayed as a family without any empathy, so honestly, she couldn’t say they were good.

But the Vicheravali she had actually experienced wasn’t like that. It was a family of people who were warmer and kinder than anyone else in this world.

They were the people who had first reached out to Felicity in this cursed world.

“Then why?”

How could she tell him?

That in the future, they might be ruined. Not just ruined, but thoroughly, with nothing left but ashes.

She thought the future might be different now that Royan and the Duke of Vicheravali had reconciled, but Reibella couldn’t rule out the worst-case scenario.

Because that’s what happened to Felicity too. A perfect family turned to ashes overnight.

“Are you afraid we’ll be annihilated like Felicity?”

When Reibella looked at him with wide eyes, the Duke said,

“I can see your fear, how could I not know?”

“……”

“You’re uncomfortable getting close to people, trying to keep your distance. Yet you couldn’t bear to see me and my son drift apart, so you fretted about it.”

She avoided becoming close to others, but couldn’t stand by and watch another father and son grow distant. And occasionally showed concern for Vicheravali’s future.

“……I’m sorry.”

For Reibella, it was an action taken because she knew the future, but for the Duke of Vicheravali, it must have been unpleasant. It might even have been insulting to him.

But he didn’t get angry. He was just curious.

“Why did you think that way?”

For what reason did you think that way?

Reibella had only one thing she could say.

“……Because I saw it collapse overnight.”

No one could defeat the protagonist. Whether it was a villain with a backstory or a nameless extra, it felt like their purpose for existing was simply to be swept away cleanly by the rushing current of the protagonist’s fate.

“If the Emperor wants it, that’s what will happen.”

“So you wanted to run away?”

Reibella bit her lip tightly and lowered her eyes. Then the Duke continued.

“That’s not it. Reibella. Your real reason for wanting to run away isn’t just that.”

“……”

“You became scared. Afraid of losing again.”

“Of course I am.”

Though she talked about protecting someone or whatever, she hadn’t actually accomplished anything properly.

She hadn’t protected anyone, and had only experienced failures.

Would Vicheravali be any different?

Though she was thinking optimistically, the future was uncertain. It would be fortunate if things went well, but if the Princess, a blessed being in this world, and the Emperor, the strongest in this worldview, intervened, even a smooth path could turn into a thorny one.

Knowing this, she couldn’t help but be afraid.

What if she grew attached only to lose them again?

She couldn’t bear it. Truly, one such experience was enough.

Right now, just Calyx was overwhelming. So she wouldn’t create anything precious anymore.

“It’s better not to have something from the beginning than to lose it and suffer.”

Resignation tinged Reibella’s voice, which was wet with emotion.

The Duke of Vicheravali’s eyes filled with sympathy as he read the emotions in her voice.

“You’re a coward.”

Reibella felt a surge of indignation but couldn’t bring herself to refute.

Because it was true.

No matter what excuses she added, the truth was that she was running away because she was a coward.

As Reibella bit her lip and lowered her gaze, the Duke of Vicheravali said.

“So I will protect you.”

……Protect her?

It was nonsense. The final boss in the novel, the villain, the mastermind. The Duke of Vicheravali with terrifying epithets. Unless one was the protagonist, the ending was obvious.

If the protagonist wanted it, he would disappear like a candle in the wind.

Of course, she knew the Duke of Vicheravali’s strength, but the problem was that human conflicts aren’t always resolved by ‘strength.’

Putting those thoughts aside, the Duke of Vicheravali held the trembling Reibella firmly and continued with a reliable face.

“I will be a place where you can lean on when you need it. I’ll build a safe fence until you grow up more. A child needs such a place.”

I don’t want to hear this.

Reibella would rather cover her ears and close her eyes. As if refusing to accept anything. Nevertheless, his voice continued to flow into her ears. She increasingly wanted to cry.

After quietly observing the tearful Reibella, he suddenly asked a question.

“When Felicity collapsed, your father tried to smuggle only you to another country, right?”

Reibella was startled and opened her eyes at those words. She was surprised how he knew.

“Do you remember where he told you to go?”

It was Postarimo.

“And the name of the person who was invading that country.”

……The Duke of Vicheravali.

Looking at him with wide eyes, the Duke wore a faint smile.

“The Duke of Felicity was trying to send you to me. Saying he would send his child, so please take good care of her.”