In this Chaotic World, I Am Doing Fine - Chapter 5

Acelia, who had awakened the <Excellent Actor> trait with her ability, thought that if she tried hard enough, she might be able to remove the <Sickly> trait and acquire <Robust> or <Healthy Constitution>.

Then, wouldn’t she be able to weaken the <Poison> that formed a combo with <Sickly>?

And at some point, the terminal illness problem might be solved too.

It wasn’t certain, but she had to try something.

No matter how you looked at it, this body was hopeless.

So there was no choice but to train it.

Three days later, when she was able to move around, Acelia came out to the garden dressed in ordinary clothes instead of a dress.

At her declaration to build up her stamina, the maids hovered around anxiously.

“Your Highness, you haven’t fully recovered yet. Please rest for a few more days.”

“It’s fine. I’m all better now.”

“But didn’t the imperial physician say you should be careful?”

Yeah, that quack.

“I know my body better than anyone. And since it’s the first day, I won’t overdo it.”

Acelia, who had roughly estimated the size of the garden, said nonchalantly.

“I’ll just run about ten laps.”

“What……?! Your Highness, you can’t!”

The nanny and maids turned pale.

They would have tried to stop her even if she said she’d walk ten laps, let alone run.

It was too much for Acelia, who was prone to minor illnesses.

Shaking off the hands of the maids trying to hold her back, Acelia started running slowly.

But her body, betraying her will by far, was already out of breath before she could even reach a hundred meters.

‘Damn it, is this… a corpse, or a living person?!’

Since she had already spoken, Acelia gritted her teeth and kept running.

Even if she stopped here, no one would say anything, but her meager pride wouldn’t allow it.

Perhaps she only barely ran one lap.

The garden that had seemed about the size of an elementary school playground now felt like a university campus.

‘Why am I… suffering like this!’

Behind Acelia, who was sweating like drops of rain, a casual voice was heard.

“What are you doing?”

When Acelia turned around, a young man in a loose outfit, rarely seen in the imperial palace, was standing crookedly.

She decided to catch her breath at this opportunity.

Seeing the glossy honey blonde hair, handsome face, and clothes made of expensive fabric, he looked like someone from a noble family.

Already struggling to death, Acelia retorted sharply, thinking some prodigal son from a noble family was picking a fight.

“What… get lost.”

“Get lost? Are you talking to me?”

“Yeah. Is there anyone else here besides you?”

“Ha, this is funny.”

Kind words beget kind words.

Acelia glanced at the man once and was about to ignore him and leave when an alert sound rang.

Ding!

[You have activated ‘You’re the first woman to treat me like this!’ on Third Prince ‘Gale Hedwig’. Do you want to open the romance route? Y/N]

What, what is this…….

‘If he’s the Third Prince, isn’t he my blood relative?! A romance route between siblings?’

No, no, no! This unprejudiced soap opera world view.

Acelia, who almost had a romance with her blood relative, shuddered with goosebumps.

As Acelia looked Gale up and down with a sour expression, he raised his eyebrows.

“What’s with that look? It’s unpleasant, okay?”

“What? Don’t you know this is my palace? You are trespassing.”

“Suddenly using formal speech? What can I do if your palace is on my way?”

When Acelia gave him a ‘what is this’ look, the corner of Gale’s mouth twisted upwards.

“You’re quite different from what I’ve heard.”

“You’re exactly as I’ve heard.”

“You know me?”

Acelia flinched at the green eyes full of interest.

‘Ugh, I only know that he’s the Third Prince……’

As she hesitated to speak, Gale smiled a mischievous smile that looked like he was about to cause trouble, saying “Hmm.”

“Your Highness!”

‘Nanny!’

Acelia brightened at the appearance of her savior.

The nanny stood in front of Gale and asked about the purpose of his visit instead.

“Aren’t you the Third Prince? What brings you to the Princess’s palace?”

“I was just passing by. Hey, little sister. Let’s meet again. Try to be cheeky next time too.”

With those words, Gale sauntered away.

‘What is he saying, this crazy guy.’

Acelia glared at his retreating back.

“Your Highness, what conversation did you have with the Third Prince?”

“Nothing much.”

“Did Prince Gale perhaps offend you?”

“What’s with that person to get such a reaction?”

“That person is……”

The nanny hesitated to speak.

“Speak comfortably.”

“Prince Gale has long since given up his right to succeed the throne and is living a carefree life. He’s famous for his somewhat rough speech and behavior……”

“Ah.”

In short, it meant he was a good-for-nothing.

‘Wow. He’s better than me.’

The good-for-nothing prince seemed much more interesting than the sickly and unnoticeable princess.

As she was drinking the water handed by a maid, the nanny made a shocking statement.

“Also, Your Highness and your older siblings have different mothers.”

“……?!”

Puhuk!

When Acelia spat out water spectacularly, the servants rushed over in panic and patted her back.

“Your Highness! Are you alright?”

“Khk! Nanny, why do you say such things when I’m drinking water? I almost went to meet my ancestors.”

Acelia wiped her mouth with the back of her hand after stopping her cough.

“What do you mean by different mothers? Don’t tell me it’s some secret of birth or something?”

Acelia’s eyes wavered.

“The three princes are the children of the late Empress who passed away, and Your Highness is the child of the current Empress.”

Acelia heaved a sigh of relief.

She thought a soap opera setting was coming out here.

‘I thought it was going to be like the conflicts between wives and concubines, palace intrigues that I’ve seen a lot in historical dramas.’

As the sweat cooled, she felt chilly, so Acelia discreetly moved towards the palace.

Her resolution had lasted only one and a half laps.

The nanny and servants watched nervously as the princess staggered with her legs giving out.

“But is it okay that I didn’t recognize the Third Prince?”

“Since the two of you haven’t had any interactions, it’s not strange that you didn’t recognize him.”

“Is that okay for family?”

“Just because they’re family doesn’t mean they’re all close. Especially in the imperial family with many members. Moreover, Your Highness rarely went outside the palace due to your weak health.”

“Then it’s fine.”

Although she had only run lightly in the garden, Acelia was bedridden the next day with a low fever and muscle pain.

But since even a three-day resolution should last three days, she dragged her heavy body outside.

“Your Highness, you must drink it all at once.”

“It’s so bitter! What did you put in it?”

“It’s good for your body. Drink it down in one go.”

Unable to break Acelia’s stubbornness, the nanny had another imperial physician prescribe a tonic and made her drink it.

“Slurp.”

With a grimace, Acelia started running slowly.

She planned to run only as far as this body could endure, without pushing herself like yesterday.

As she was running her second lap, something suddenly fell from the sky.

“Eek!”

“You’re doing this again.”

“Wha, what? Where did you come from?”

Acelia, who had fallen flat on her back, pointed at Gale.

Gale pointed at the tree behind him while removing a leaf stuck to his hair.

After grasping the situation, Acelia burst out in anger.

“Why are you in a tree when there’s a perfectly good path?!”

“Why are you running? You look like you’re about to run out of breath.”

“What’s it to you…… Just go on your way.”

Acelia dusted off her bottom and stood up, ignoring Gale and moving her legs again.

Now that her flow was interrupted, it was even harder to take a step.

Her lips were parched, and she could taste blood on her tongue.

‘I feel like I’m going to die……’

If she died while running, what would be written on her tombstone?

Anyway, it would surely be something shameful enough to make her bolt upright even while lying in her coffin.

“Hey. Hey. What was your name again? Amy? Angelica? Aislyn?”

“Go away.”

“Right, Aislyn was my ex-girlfriend’s name. I’m asking what your name is.”

“Ah, I said go away! Don’t make me talk when I’m struggling!”

Acelia finally exploded.

Gale, with his eyes wide open, burst into laughter.

“When you get angry, you look just like a squirrel baring its teeth. It’s really funny, I tell you.”

“I hate rodents, okay? Get lost. Won’t you leave? Damn it.”

“Oh, how scary. Was this your real personality?”

Gale was genuinely amused.

Feeling like she had become his plaything, Acelia stomped her feet and headed towards where the nanny and servants were.

“You’ll come out tomorrow too, right? Let’s meet again!”

“I won’t come out! Don’t come!”

The nanny approached Acelia, who was shouting at the top of her lungs, with a face full of things to say.

“Your Highness……”

“Don’t say anything, Nanny. I’m already regretting getting involved with that person.”

Because of some weird guy, she would have to put off running for a while.

After washing up, having a light meal, and lying down on the bed, an unwelcome alert sound rang in her ear.

Ding!

[An ominous presence is approaching!]

‘You’re more ominous.’

Acelia snorted and went to bed, covering herself with the blanket.

The next day, an unexpected guest arrived.

Her fiancé, who only looked good on the outside, smiled awkwardly at Acelia.

“Acelia, I came to apologize for what happened last time.”

‘So it was you, the ominous presence?’