“I understand, don’t worry.”

Lord Diart, reassuring her until the end, locked the door.

She couldn’t hear what conversation they were having inside, but she could guess that words were probably being exchanged quietly yet intensely.

‘Phew, what should I do now?’

She fell into contemplation while returning to her room.

‘Should I tell Carl? Since he deliberately removed the heresy charges from the trial because of me, I feel like I should tell him……’

But when she thought that he might become endangered because of this matter, she couldn’t readily open her mouth.

In the end, she couldn’t make a decision even after several days passed. Then Carl, growing tired of waiting, contacted her first.

He said he wanted to meet.

The Confession is Too Much

A few days later at the Celsior ducal residence.

She got out of the carriage with a determined expression. After much deliberation before coming here, she had made up her mind.

She would tell Carl the truth.

When she put herself in his shoes, she felt it would be disappointing to have the truth hidden from her, even if it was for her safety.

She could see Carl pacing under the pergola of the beautiful garden in the distance.

Soon, discovering her approaching with the butler’s guidance, he came with quick steps to escort her.

“I hope I didn’t force you to come out when you were busy.”

“No, it’s fine. I was about to contact you soon anyway.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

Carl, personally pulling out her chair, pointed to the table and said.

“These are from a dessert house that’s popular among young ladies these days.”

The table was packed so full of colorful desserts that there wasn’t an empty spot to be seen.

Strawberry cheese fresh cream cake, blueberry chocolate mousse, cherry tart, vanilla cream donuts, etc.

At this level, it was as if he had moved an entire dessert house, so she opened her eyes wide.

“Wow, it looks delicious.”

“Try it.”

Carl personally placed a fork in her hand. She started eating the cake closest to her.

The sweet yet not greasy cream melted smoothly in her mouth.

Carl, not taking a single bite himself and just watching her eat with his chin propped up, asked casually.

“Does it suit your taste?”

“Absolutely. It’s really delicious.”

She gave a thumbs up with full sincerity. Still, having spent quite some time as her bondservant, he had picked out exactly the flavors she liked.

Wow, if you raise one bondservant well, you get dozens of delicious things.

She was smiling proudly when it happened.

“……!”

A finger suddenly reached out from in front and wiped the cream from the corner of her mouth, then brought it to his own mouth.

At the sight of Carl looking straight at her and nonchalantly eating the cream on his thumb, she became more embarrassed and lowered her eyes.

That guy is really quite shameless.

‘This won’t do. I need to quickly tell him about the registry.’

She couldn’t keep eating desserts forever. She came here today with a clear purpose.

She put down her fork with a thud and opened her mouth resolutely.

“Carl, actually I have something to tell you.”

“Me too.”

“Can’t I go first?”

“I want to go first.”

Usually when things overlap like this, it’s common to yield and tell the other person to speak first, but that wasn’t the case with them.

A strange battle of wills began over who would speak first.

“Let’s decide with rock-paper-scissors.”

“Fine.”

She put strength into both eyes and threw out paper. If you’re a man, wouldn’t you throw rock?

“……”

“I won.”

She looked down dejectedly at her hand in a scissors shape. Isn’t there some law against this kind of thing?

Carl smiled triumphantly and was about to say what he wanted to say.

“Wait, we didn’t decide if it was single elimination. How about best of three?”

She quickly raised her hand and suggested. Then the red eyes that had become familiar narrowed.

“Tsk, that’s a bit petty.”

“Originally, competitions should be done persistently.”

And to pass a bill quickly, you have to do it by surprise attack.

“If you don’t throw, you lose, rock-paper-scissors!”

She shouted without giving him time to think. Then Carl also reflexively put out his hand.

The results came out before long.

“I won all three rounds.”

With her complete defeat.

“Kugh, d*mn……”

She clenched her fist and made a frustrated expression. Of course, she wasn’t really angry, it was mixed with a bit of overacting.

Carl, who had been watching her quietly, said in a voice tinged with gentle laughter.

“Shailyn, you’re kind of amazing.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“From the first time you kicked someone in the back, I thought you were extraordinary.”

“……Ahem!”

No, why bring up that incident now?

She made an awkward expression as the vivid memory of their first meeting came back, when she had mistaken Carl for a thief and knocked him unconscious with a flying kick.

In contrast, Carl smiled smoothly as if recalling a beautiful memory.

“You provided a new direction for my life that had been wandering aimlessly. In a direction I had never once imagined.”

His voice, lowered to a pleasant level, reached her ears seriously.

She also became tense in an instant and straightened her back. A subtle tickling sensation surged up from under her feet.

“Only after meeting you did I realize. That I’m not just an unhappy and unlucky person.”

“……”

“That I can be happy enough.”

Those words were, in a way, applicable to her as well.

She had felt like the most unfortunate person in the world after transmigrating to a game right after winning the lottery, but after meeting Carl, she became less unhappy because she had someone to overcome difficulties with.

Not only that, but thanks to his promise to become her friend and family, she was able to shake off some of the loneliness that had followed her like a shadow.

Carl must have felt something similar from her.

“At first I was curious about you, then I became concerned about whatever you did, and before I knew it, I wouldn’t mind living as a bondservant for life if I could stay by your side.”

The more his words continued, the faster her heartbeat became.

Even though it was an abnormal pounding, strangely it didn’t feel bad.

“But ridiculously, when I thought of another man standing next to you instead of me, I found myself wanting to reclaim my original status.”

The finger that had been gently tapping her hand now gripped it firmly.

That weak yet strong force felt as if it was captivating and shaking all her five senses.

All her nerves were completely focused on him.

“From you I learned how to smile, experienced having someone else become more precious than myself, and realized the feeling of loving someone.”

Carl slowly made eye contact with her. The corners of his mouth drew a bright arc.

His ruby-red eyes held very clear emotions as they captured her.

Those named affection.

“Shailyn Sharofe, I love you.”

Her breath stopped briefly, then she took in a small breath.

Her chest swelled up. Even though this wasn’t the first confession she’d received, her mind floated up as if she was hearing it for the first time.

Love was clearly an abstract concept, yet Carl’s love seemed to take some form and envelop her.

But soon, as if to grab her and pull her down to the ground.

— Ding!

【A mission has occurred.】

An unwelcome window appeared.

【Mission: Oh my, are you my destiny?

Kyaak! People of the neighborhood, look here!

Olle-ri-kolle-ri, she got confessed to~ ⸜(⌯’▾’⌯)⸜

You who stole everyone’s hearts like a true female lead!

Right now, accept the confession and confirm the other person’s identity!

Time limit: Until you give an answer to the confession

Success condition: Respond positively to the other person’s confession

Success reward: Confirm whether Kyllen Celsior is the male lead of the hidden route

Failure penalty: Unknown】

The feeling that had been soaring like flying in the sky just seconds ago plummeted in an instant.

A hollow laugh escaped her.

‘What kind of system is this?’

Why is it interrupting someone in the middle of receiving a confession to give a mission?

It even transformed the confession she received on her own into a mission as it pleased.

Thanks to that, she also came to her senses as if cold water had been poured over her.

Right, that’s correct. I’m currently playing the female lead in a game and clearing missions.

She tried her best to approach the current situation rationally.

‘I haven’t sorted out the other male leads yet…… but should I accept the confession for now?’

If Carl was indeed the hidden route male lead, she would be able to enter the hidden ending.

She should also answer that she liked him—

“……”

She should……

Strangely, no voice flowed out from between her lips that were opening and closing.

Why? Was she afraid Carl might not be the male lead?

‘……No, Carl is the male lead.’

She could tell from her cheeks and ears that had turned reddish, and her heart that had been beating crazily since earlier.

The hidden male lead is the person I want.

In other words, the person I like.

And I……

‘I like Carl.’