At first, when someone said they came to see me, I thought it was Carl and rushed over in a hurry.

I should hit his back once and shake him down to hear an explanation of what happened.

With that in mind, I flung open the drawing room door.

“Ah……”

The person sitting on the sofa wasn’t Carl but someone else.

I felt disappointed without realizing it, then quickly managed my expression, conscious of the other person.

Because the visitor who came instead of Carl was none other than the crown prince.

“Have you been well? I know it must be bewildering that I came without notice.”

The crown prince, who swept back his fine golden hair to reveal his handsome face, asked with a rarely tense expression.

“I’d like to have a conversation. Could you spare some time?”

“……Of course, Your Highness. Naturally.”

Though it was disappointing that it wasn’t Carl, facing the male lead wasn’t bad.

When I took a seat across from the crown prince, he immediately said.

“First, let me apologize. I’m sorry.”

He even bowed his head slightly, so I was more flustered than by his unannounced visit.

“Uh… why are you apologizing? In fact, I wanted to thank Your Highness. You stepped up for us during the heretic trial and brought it to an end.”

If the crown prince hadn’t quickly stepped forward and petitioned the emperor then, who knows how the trial would have proceeded.

It could have ended inconclusively and they might have imprisoned us again, saying they’d schedule another trial.

“And I heard that you supported our side during the court meeting discussing whether to hold the heretic trial.”

Dain told me this after we returned home. That without the crown prince, we wouldn’t have been able to hold the heretic trial.

So I was only grateful to him in many ways, but the crown prince opened his mouth hesitantly with a guilt-ridden expression instead.

“……But during the previous court meeting, I turned away from you.”

Mm, right. He did do that.

He swept his mouth with his hand, lowered his eyes, and apologized again.

“I was truly sorry then. I’m really shameless.”

I widened my eyes, not expecting to receive such an apology for that matter, then replied seriously.

“To be honest, it’s true that I was hurt when you turned away from me at that time.”

The crown prince’s broad shoulders trembled slightly. Seeing his golden eyes wandering aimlessly, I held back the laughter that was about to come out.

“But when I thought about it slowly later, I felt that Your Highness must have been in a difficult position too.”

At first, I cursed inwardly asking if he was really the male lead, but in fact, the tower master and head priest who rolled up their sleeves and immediately stepped forward were remarkable.

Above all, they could help secretly from behind, but the crown prince had to step forward openly and help, so his situation was a bit different.

Nevertheless, he supported our side publicly from the middle, so the crown prince also did his best.

“Your Highness isn’t someone who would do that for no reason. You must have had your circumstances. Since you helped us in the end, it’s fine.”

There must have been reasons for hesitating in a matter that involved not only me but also his childhood friend Dain.

When I smiled brightly as if it was really okay, the crown prince stared at me with a slightly dazed expression.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Have you perhaps fallen for me anew?”

By my beauty and character?

At the playful question I threw out, the crown prince’s expression hardened. What, wasn’t it funny.

Just as I was about to read the situation, he opened his mouth in a low voice.

“Do you remember the conversation we had at the ship party before? I rejected the engagement proposal from the Celsior ducal family because I had someone in my heart.”

“Yes, that’s right. I remember.”

“That person in my heart.”

The crown prince looked straight into my eyes, paused for a beat, and said.

“Count, it’s you.”

Well, what. I expected it might be me, but I didn’t know he’d say it now, so I blinked my eyes in bewilderment.

The crown prince, whose ears had turned red, rubbed the back of his neck and continued.

“From some point on, you wouldn’t leave my head. When I can’t see you, I’m too curious about what you’re doing.”

“Your Highness, those words……”

“Yes, I like you, Count.”

At his attitude of honestly admitting it was a confession, a system window popped up.

— Ding!

【Crown Prince Linus’s favorability has reached 100♥.

Congratulations.

You have achieved ♥100 favorability♥ with all male leads.】

That means…….

【From now on, the hidden route that allows you to return to the original world is open.】

“Crazy……”

When I muttered a curse without realizing it, the crown prince awkwardly rubbed his neck.

“I know it’s a sudden confession. I’m sorry if I surprised you greatly. I thought you had noticed to some extent.”

“……What? Oh, no. You don’t need to apologize.”

I wasn’t cursing at you. I was cursing at the system window!

When I waved my hands and actively explained, he chuckled.

“I told Mother that I wanted to personally introduce the woman who would become crown princess. If you have feelings, you can tell me anytime.”

“Ah…… I understand. Thank you.”

I nodded in bewilderment. Though the crown prince’s favorability didn’t have much left, I didn’t know it would be achieved like this.

Is this what they call joy coming after hardship?

‘I can finally go back……’

While thinking that, I suddenly realized. That I hadn’t checked what the hidden route was yet.

“You look distracted, so I’ll leave for today. I’ll wait for your contact.”

“Thank you for your consideration. Please return safely.”

After seeing off the crown prince who tactfully left, I sat down reverently and called up the system window.

Quickly tell me about the hidden route!

【The hidden route is conquering ‘the male character you want.’】

The male character I want? What does this mean?

【It refers to the male character you currently have the highest favorability with, excluding the three male leads.

You can reach the ending by conquering that character and achieving the conditions together.

The hidden route success conditions are as follows.】

……What?

The system window didn’t care that I was confused by the suddenly rushing information and kept pushing forward.

No, wait! Who is the character I have the highest favorability with?!

【Hear the words ‘I love you’ from that character and accept his heart.】

I read and reread the text that appeared in the window in a daze.

But no matter how much I denied reality, the content didn’t change.

“No, now I have to find a hidden male lead too……”

I held my head and suffered. How do I objectively determine which man I currently have the most favorability with.

Don’t tell me I have to look among blond men again?

With complicated feelings, I sat there only sighing deeply, when Mandy came rushing urgently.

“Miss! A letter came from the Celsior ducal family!”

“……What?”

I jumped up and hastily checked the letter Mandy handed me.

Kyllen Celsior

Seeing the name neatly written on the envelope’s surface made me feel strange.

Right, it’s not Carl anymore.

It was the contact I had been waiting for so long, but somehow it felt like it came from a stranger.

「To Master

Can I visit tomorrow afternoon? If not, tell me a date that works.

— Sent by Carl」

But the content actually written in the letter was indeed the Carl I knew.

I let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

‘At least he intends to maintain our relationship.’

The fact that he still called me master meant he wouldn’t settle his connection with me just because he became a duke.

I wrote a reply saying it was fine to come tomorrow and sent it.

And I seriously pondered all night.

‘Who could be the male character I want? Could it be among the blonds who were eliminated before……?’

Morning broke while I couldn’t sleep properly, recalling the countless blonds who had passed by me.

I drooped like a zombie all morning, but when the time Carl was supposed to come approached, I suddenly felt energy enter my body.

“Miss, Duke Celsior has arrived.”

It was quite strange that Mandy called Carl ‘Duke Celsior’ instead of ‘Mr. Carl.’

I went down to the drawing room feeling nervous for some reason. When I carefully opened the door and entered, a face both familiar and unfamiliar greeted me.

The moment my gaze met with those red eyes, I blurted out without realizing it.

“Who, who are you?”