The moment Diego’s hand touched her, a sensation Acelia had felt before overwhelmed her.

—Don’t call me brother!

A piercing voice, sharp enough to tear, stabbed her ears.

—Do you think you deserve to?

—Acelia, I heard you’re engaged to the son of Duke Wade. Finally, you’re going to fulfill your duty.

—A person’s worth depends on how much benefit they bring.

—I never cared for you.

Ring, ring, ring!

[!!Error!! 〈Acelia Hedwig〉’s memories have been transferred.]

[Abnormal access. 〈Acelia Hedwig〉’s damage level increases by 15. Current damage level 82.]

Her vision spun, and the wave of emotions that “Acelia” felt consumed her.

—Why, why did it have to be me?

—Brother Diego…… Don’t go. Don’t leave me alone.

—I want to disappear from this world.

Assimilated into the suffocating sadness and despair, Acelia unknowingly dropped a tear.

She couldn’t remember what Diego’s expression was like when he saw her crying.

Was he flustered? Or did he look at her with contempt as before?

But one thing was certain. If Joachim hadn’t appeared then, she would have definitely done something Diego hated.

Then she would have been hated again. I, myself, no, “Acelia” would have been……

Who am I?

“Ugh!”

“Princess, are you alright?”

Strong arms pulled and embraced her as she collapsed. Without time to be conscious of this, Acelia continued to retch.

Seeing her condition was not normal, Joachim asked Diego to withdraw.

“Her Highness is unwell, so we will take our leave now.”

“High Priest Joachim, why you?”

Diego asked sharply with eyes blazing as he glared at Acelia. Joachim hesitated for a moment.

There could have been a safe answer. Something about him being the High Priest who needed to care for a patient.

But Joachim boldly answered,

“We are getting to know each other.”

“What?”

“Then I’ll take that as permission to leave.”

Quoting exactly what Acelia had said at the official reception for the Yulitas delegation, Joachim carried her out of the hall.

“Urgh! Ugh!”

As soon as they reached the royal resting room, Acelia vomited blood. Red blood spattered onto Joachim’s white priest robe.

While holding her firmly in his arms and channeling holy power into her, Joachim growled,

“Princess, will you not tell me what’s really happening to you?”

“Joachim……”

Acelia, barely opening her mouth, called his name with a voice that seemed about to fade away.

“……please save me.”

Save her?

She’s asking me to save her?

Biting his lip, Joachim flooded the Princess with holy power.

* * *

When Acelia opened her eyes with a start, she felt strangely refreshed and wondered why.

‘What? When did I fall asleep?’

She traced her memories. She attended the banquet, found Diego, and then……

“Ah!”

Remembering she had coughed up blood again, Acelia also recalled that Joachim had helped her.

‘Why do I keep getting entangled with that person!’

While pulling her hair in frustration, she suddenly worried that Joachim might have spent the night in the princess’s palace.

But Joachim visited her following proper procedures after hearing that Acelia had awakened.

“……”

“……”

A suffocating silence descended between them as they sat facing each other. Acelia, who was terrible in such atmospheres, wished he would just question her like before.

“After the banquet.”

Just when she was mentally preparing answers to all possible questions, Joachim finally broke the silence.

“The Third Prince took care of you.”

“Did he?”

This was unexpected. She thought Joachim had taken her back. So he only helped with the blood she coughed up. ……But how?

Joachim recalled what happened after the princess lost consciousness.

When he had almost finished dealing with the unconscious princess, Gale, Liliana, and Liam came to the resting room.

However, since he believed the Princess coughing up blood today was a matter that should be kept secret, he only allowed Gale, who already knew about it, to enter and sent the other two away.

Despite strong protests from Liam and Liliana, Gale, who had guessed the situation, chased them away.

Once inside the resting room, Gale furiously lashed out at Joachim.

“You, what did you do to Acelia!”

Acelia was lying limply on the couch wearing only her inner dress. Of course, she was covered with Joachim’s top, but that didn’t hide her light clothing.

It was a scene perfect for misunderstanding, but Joachim cut it off sharply.

“She coughed up blood. Her dress was soaked with blood, so there was no choice. It wouldn’t be good for this to become known outside, would it?”

“……”

Gale, pressing his lips tightly, threw Joachim’s top away in a show of displeasure and carefully wrapped Acelia in his own clothes. Just as he was about to lift her up, Gale momentarily staggered.

“Ugh!”

“Need help?”

“……No!”

Gale’s face turned bright red with embarrassment as he stomped his feet. Before leaving, Gale turned around.

“Let me ask one thing. Why are you so interested in Acelia?”

“……”

The blue eyes that had been fixed on the floor slowly rolled to look at Gale and Acelia in his arms.

He was incredibly handsome, as if blessed by the gods, but that expression of his—as if he was sick of everything in the world—was strange.

Even a seventy or eighty-year-old would rarely have such a face.

“I will answer that question directly to Her Highness.”

And now. Joachim stared steadily at the princess who was watching him nervously.

“I’ve formed a hypothesis. Would you like to hear it?”

A hypothesis out of nowhere?

“The reason why Your Highness suddenly does things you didn’t do before. The reason why you’re interfering with others’ fates recklessly. And the reason you’re coughing up blood despite having no other symptoms.”

The more Joachim listed, the more Acelia felt cornered.

Just days ago, she had been determined to spill everything, down to her underwear, if caught by Joachim. But it seemed that then and now, she was the one being exposed.

Though she had always lived with the feeling of avoiding landmines since her transmigration, she had never felt this tense before. Acelia looked at the man before her with anxious eyes.

Gulp.

Even though her instincts were sounding alarms, Acelia could only stare blankly as those red lips parted.

“You are not the princess.”

‘I’ve been caught!’

Dong, dong, dong……

Just then, the clock tower bells rang announcing noon, and without time to think, Acelia jumped up and dashed toward the door.

The secret she had kept so carefully was fatal once discovered.

Run. Now that it had come to this, she needed to flee somewhere, anywhere, from that man.

But where? There was nowhere in this world where Acelia could stay peacefully.

Joachim, who had followed quickly, instantly caught Acelia’s wrist and pushed her against the wall.

His face, usually indifferent and bored whenever they met, now radiated a sharp energy.

“Ugh!”

“You, what is your true identity?”

“Let go!”

Their gazes clashed intensely. Those blue eyes clung to her persistently.

Even if she miraculously escaped this situation, now that he had a clue, Joachim would somehow track her down.

Look at those crazed eyes. He was that kind of person. Acelia gnawed on her lower lip.

‘I should never have gotten involved with him……!’

If only she could turn back time, she would. But she didn’t have such ability, and the roulette that used to appear randomly was now silent.

‘Hey, roulette! Come out!’

……

‘Hurry up and appear, do something like you usually do. Tell me how I should act!’

……

Surprisingly, nothing happened. Acelia let out a hollow laugh. She felt resigned to whatever would happen. She brought her face close to Joachim’s.

“Curious about who I am?”

“……”

“Good. I’ve been curious too. What do you know?”

Watching Joachim’s expression twist strangely, Acelia smiled crookedly. It was all or nothing anyway.

The two stared at each other silently for a moment. Joachim frowned, released Acelia’s wrist, and slowly backed away.

“Let’s clarify one thing. You’re really not the princess, correct?”

“I am……”

The moment Acelia was about to confess that she wasn’t from this world—

“Mmm! Mmmmmm, mmm!”

Ring!

[Warning! Unauthorized statement.]

The roulette that wouldn’t appear when needed suddenly had a seizure.

Thanks to it, Acelia’s mouth was sealed shut at this serious moment, making her look ridiculous. Are you crazy? What’s wrong with you!

“It’s a taboo. Don’t force yourself to answer. I think I understand roughly.”

“Mmmmm!”

Joachim took Acelia back to her original seat. Hiss, hiss. Acelia exhaled forcefully through her nose. The roulette really doesn’t help my life!

“Now that I know your secret, I’ll fairly reveal one of mine. I’ve forgotten how old I am.”