Even though her fractured leg was healed with holy power, Acelia needed rest.

‘My body aches……’

〈A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step!〉 and 〈The Pinnacle of Swordsmanship〉 had good compatibility. She couldn’t believe the skills she drew with her bad luck turned out to be such a jackpot.

However, after using them, her joints creaked from overexerting her untrained body. She feared what might have happened without the holy power healing.

She couldn’t pinpoint exactly where it hurt, and while sprawled on the bed like a waterlogged cotton ball, she kept hearing annoying ding, ding sounds in her ears.

“Ah, come on! Stop it!”

[Fame increased by 2.]

[Fame increased by 1.]

……

[Information updated. Title changed from ‘The Princess with Faint Presence’ to ‘The Princess Beginning to Be Known’.]

Isn’t there a way to turn off these notifications?

The eerie feeling from killing the gray great bear seemed to linger on her hands, and she tried to ignore it, but the roulette kept reminding her of that moment.

Her fame had already risen to 42.

Acelia recalled the message she checked before going to bed last night.

[〈Character Breakdown〉 has been cast! 〈Acelia Hedwig〉’s damage level increases by 8.]

[You have twisted 〈Liliana Seta〉’s fate! 〈Acelia Hedwig〉’s damage level increases by 5. Current damage level 54.]

Usually, the messages would stop there, but yesterday was different.

[Damage level has surpassed 50, unlocking information.

▶Poison (!#@world O□ ■ing)

— Makes the body weak and sometimes causes coughing up blood, nausea, chills, fever, etc.

▶The Last Leaf (D-59)

— If you fail to resolve ‘Poison (!#@world O□ ■ing)’ within 59 days, you will contract an incurable disease and die!]

The moment her damage level exceeded 50, part of the poison’s name that had been “???” was revealed.

‘Could it be…… that the character damage level is related to the poison?’

She couldn’t help but think so.

That would explain why no one had detected her poisoning until now and why no treatment had worked.

What if she needed to reach damage level 100 to fully unlock the information and solve the poisoning?

‘I need to increase the damage level.’

If everything so far had been accidental, now she needed to break her character deliberately and systematically.

But when she actually tried to increase her character damage level intentionally, she wasn’t sure what to do.

Should she do things the original Acelia would never do?

However, she kept thinking about the maid who took her own life when Acelia tried to find the culprit who poisoned her.

Why did that maid do that?

“Your Highness, His Highness Prince Gale has arrived.”

“Tell him to come in.”

After previously reprimanding the Grand Chamberlain, Acelia ensured that not just anyone could barge into her room.

Even Gale had to enter through the door with permission, not through the window.

He was uncomfortable with it at first—even though he should have been using the door all along!—but now he seemed somewhat adjusted.

“Acelia, I came to check on you.”

“That smells delicious. What is it?”

“Something you might like?”

Despite saying he came to check on her, Gale brought street food instead of flowers or fruit.

‘He really knows my taste.’

Acelia helped Gale spread out the packaged food on the table.

It felt cumbersome to ask the maids for help with such things, and it was also a habit from her college days.

He brought a variety of items: spicy seasoned roast duck, stir-fried vegetables, and fluffy castella cake perfect for dessert.

“Thank you for the food.”

“Eat up, eat up.”

The sight of two members of the imperial family burying their faces in street food was rare.

But no one in the princess’s Palace judged them for it.

Everyone just appreciated how down-to-earth their Princess was.

“That was good.”

“Burp.”

“Hey, turn away when you burp! So rude.”

Gale chuckled and burped again.

Annoyed, Acelia threw a napkin at him.

He caught it on his face and mischievously folded it neatly before returning it to her. He had good hand skills.

“You don’t look like the type, but you’ve been causing quite a stir. Why did you let strange rumors spread at the hunting competition? Did you want to participate?”

“Do you think I wanted that?”

Gale had heard rumors that Acelia killed a gray great bear but didn’t believe them.

After all, his sister was as thin as a twig and could barely lift a spoon, so how could she possibly kill a bear?

Also, since Gale didn’t know about Acelia’s leg fracture, he could speak lightly about it.

He simply thought it was a small incident that had been exaggerated.

And Acelia didn’t bother telling him the truth.

“If you had been there, I wouldn’t have had to do that.”

“That’s too bad.”

“Why didn’t you participate in the hunting competition anyway?”

“I told you. I’m not interested in hunting.”

Looking at the indifferent Gale, Acelia suddenly had a thought,

‘Could Gale’s absence be because of the Second Prince?’

This year’s event ended abruptly due to the unfortunate incident, but Diego had won the hunting competition for the past three years.

He would likely have won this year too.

Now seemed like the right time to ask Gale about Diego’s fiancée.

Acelia hesitated a bit before beginning.

“Gale, I have something to ask you.”

“Why so serious?”

“I heard about what happened between you and the Second Prince.”

Playfulness gradually disappeared from Gale’s face.

Then a crooked smile appeared on his lips.

Seeing his cynical sneer, Acelia was inwardly surprised.

‘I didn’t know Gale could make such an expression.’

It was truly a look befitting the “Rogue Prince.”

Like he might do something reckless at any moment……

To the tense Acelia, Gale responded nonchalantly.

“What exactly?”

What exactly? The nuance in his voice suggested there was more than one thing.

“……About his fiancée.”

“Ah. That.”

Gale nodded.

“What do you want to know?”

“Well……”

“Whether it’s true or not. Whether there was a misunderstanding. Acelia, would you even believe me if I told you? The words of a rogue?”

Gale cut off Acelia’s words, leaning over the table and bringing his face close to hers.

“……”

When she couldn’t say anything in response to his intimidating aura—something she had never felt from him before—Gale straightened back up.

“I’m in a bad mood. I’m leaving.”

Seeing the hurt in Gale’s eyes as he turned away, Acelia didn’t dare stop him.

* * *

‘Stupid, stupid! Why did you hesitate to answer? Am I really an idiot?’

After Gale left, Acelia pulled at her hair, severely blaming herself.

Anyone would be hurt if met with silence when asking “Do you trust me?” Especially during such a serious conversation!

‘Gale too. If he had told me, of course I would believe him.’

……Would I?

Acelia paused for a moment. She definitely cared deeply for Gale. But could she fully trust him based solely on his word?

Perhaps she couldn’t readily say she believed him because she knew herself too well.

That even while saying she trusted Gale, a corner of her heart would harbor doubts.

‘I’ve ruined everything……’

Acelia repeatedly banged her forehead on the table.

Gale was hurt, right? I hurt him, didn’t I? What should I do, really……

“Your Highness, a guest has arrived.”

“Who?!”

“Lady Liliana Seta, daughter of Duke Seta.”

“Ah…… who is that?”

Acelia, who had brightened thinking Gale had returned, banged her head back on the table upon hearing the unfamiliar name.

Oh no. What should I do……

“Shall I send her away?”

“No. I might as well see her face. Guide her to the reception room.”

The Grand Chamberlain asked, probably because Acelia looked seriously distressed.

Since this problem wouldn’t be solved immediately no matter how much she worried, and since it felt uncomfortable to turn away someone who had come to visit without even seeing them, Acelia had the guest guided to the reception room.

She invited close friends like Gale to her room—Liam was an exception because he was rude—but properly received guests in the reception room.

After tidying her appearance, Acelia went to where the lady was waiting.

When the door opened, she saw a woman with snow-white hair elaborately styled.

When their eyes met, the woman narrowed her golden eyes and smiled brightly.

The lady greeted her with textbook-perfect etiquette.

“Hello, Your Highness. I’m so moved to see you again. I’m Liliana Seta. Patrick Seta, the Duke, is my father. Do you remember me?”

“I’m sorry, who……”

“That’s disappointing. I thought our first meeting was quite intense.”

Whether she was joking or being sincere, the lady rested one cheek on her palm with a dejected expression.

‘Why do I feel guilty again……’

“You saved me at the hunting competition.”

“Hunting competition……? Ah, the lady who fell!”

“Yes! So you do remember!”

Acelia searched her hazy memories and recalled the hair color of the fallen noble daughter.

So it was this person. She felt touched that someone she had saved came to find her.

“Why did you come looking for me?”

“I was so grateful for your brave rescue. But afterward, I was upset that rumors spread claiming your heroic actions were false.”

The lady seemed to have a really nice personality. This was the first time Acelia had met such a character, so she looked at her with curiosity.

“That doesn’t matter. Is that why you came?”

“Ah, my father wanted to express his gratitude to Your Highness, so I came here.”

Liliana clapped her hands once.

“Your Highness, do you like money?”