Chapter 13 : Chapter 13
Volume 1
Chapter 13 : The Protagonist’s Power of Correction!
“No way…”
Muen’s face suddenly turned pale.
There was no time to think about anything else.
He immediately pulled out the black book and carefully reviewed everything he had experienced from yesterday until now.
“As expected, the only variable that could have influenced the current situation is that maid named Noelle!”
“In the original story, she would never have had the chance to rest, because the original Muen Campbell was never this lenient or kind!”
“Perhaps she was harshly punished by Muen Campbell, worsening her illness, which caused her to lose composure at the banquet!”
“In other words… has my kindness altered the course of the story?”
Clutching the black book tightly in his hands, Muen suddenly slumped down onto the sofa in frustration.
“Then what was the point of everything I have done?”
Selicia still lay there, sleeping peacefully—like a princess in a fairy tale, waiting for her prince to arrive and awaken her with a kiss of true love.
But to Muen, the sight was nothing but bitter irony.
A princess who could not wait for her prince was merely a sleeping beauty locked away in a tower.
Such a story would never reach a happy ending.
If he, Muen, failed to achieve his destined ruin perfectly, what awaited him might be an even more miserable fate.
Just like in the prophetic dream shown by the black book.
The words “Do not change” still echoed in his mind, followed by the horrifying image of being cut to pieces.
Muen had never imagined that his carefully crafted plan would completely collapse because of a single, tiny deviation.
She was the protagonist of a Soaring Phoenix story—how could she be so easily derailed?
“No… no, it is not time to draw conclusions yet!”
“That is the protagonist we are talking about! The kind of protagonist who can get lost in a mansion with hundreds of rooms and still somehow stumble into the correct one!”
“She is the true favored child of destiny. Even if the timeline has deviated slightly, she will surely rely on her overwhelming luck to correct it!”
“It is not time to give up yet!”
A sharp light burst forth in Muen’s eyes, and a blazing determination reignited in his chest.
Though everything seemed dire, it was not yet the moment of despair.
He had to believe in the protagonist—in her destiny.
After all, in any normal Soaring Phoenix yuri story, no sane author would ever write something as disgusting as the heroine being stolen by a blond villain!
The protagonist was probably just arriving at the last moment—like in those stories where the hero always shows up at the critical second, heightening the reader’s excitement!
So, until Selicia truly woke up, everything was not yet over!
That was right—before she woke up!
“Mmm…”
A soft murmur suddenly echoed through the room.
“…”
N-No way.
That fast?
Hallucination. This must be a hallucination!
“So hot…”
“…Not a hallucination.”
It was over.
The light faded.
The fire died.
Muen felt his entire body grow cold.
He stiffly turned his head to look at Selicia.
Sure enough, Selicia’s delicate brows were slightly furrowed, and her body shifted restlessly.
She seemed uncomfortable—yet no matter how one looked at it, she was on the verge of waking up.
“This is really the end…”
“The first thing Selicia will do when she wakes up is definitely kill me.”
“There is no need for any destined ruin anymore. My life will end right here.”
“…Sob…”
Completely despairing, Muen turned toward the still-closed door, tears of desperate hope streaming down his face.
“Lady Ariel! Protagonist! Savior!
What the hell are you doing?! Hurry up and come save me!”
…
At that very moment, the protagonist Muen had been desperately waiting for—Ariel—was holding up one side of her skirt, wandering like a headless fly through the complicated corridors of the Duke’s residence.
A clear stain could be seen on the hem of her dress—the result of a piece of cake accidentally dropped there earlier by the clumsy Lia.
So now Ariel was searching everywhere for a restroom.
Unfortunately, she had not expected the Duke’s residence to be this complex, and she herself was a hopelessly directionless person.
As expected, she had gotten lost.
Yet perhaps guided by some unseen force… or perhaps by the overwhelming luck of a protagonist, Ariel was now only one turn away from the room where Muen was.
At this rate, if she continued wandering like this, she would inevitably stumble upon the correct door within minutes—perhaps even sooner.
But this time, fate took a different turn due to a subtle twist.
“Who is there? Come out!”
Ariel suddenly looked toward the shadow at the corner, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.
Tap.
Crisp footsteps echoed from the darkness.
A figure in a black-and-white maid uniform slowly emerged.
It was a maid.
“My apologies, honored guest. This area is restricted within the Duke’s residence.”
The maid bowed politely toward Ariel.
“I must ask that you turn back.”
“Restricted area?”
Letting out a breath of relief, Ariel frowned slightly in confusion.
“What restricted area?”
“It is a confidential matter of the Duke’s residence. I cannot disclose it.”
“Tch, how stingy.”
Ariel clicked her tongue, looking indifferent, though her bright eyes darted about—clearly plotting something.
“Miss, your dress seems to be stained.”
At that moment, the maid suddenly knelt in front of Ariel.
She lifted the hem of Ariel’s skirt, and a faint glow appeared at her fingertips.
“[Cleanse].”
A soft light flashed, and Ariel’s dress was restored to pristine condition.
“That is amazing.”
Ariel blinked in surprise.
“Do all the maids in the Duke’s residence know how to use magic?”
“Only a little. It is nothing worth mentioning.”
The maid stood up and smiled.
“In a short while, the banquet will begin serving a limited quantity of Pachichi cake. If you like it, please do not miss it.”
“Pachichi cake!”
Ariel’s eyes lit up instantly.
That was her favorite cake!
Unfortunately, it was expensive, and only a handful of pastry chefs in all of Belland could make it, so she rarely had the chance to eat it.
“Thank you for your help!”
Ariel bowed deeply at a full ninety degrees, then turned and ran off.
Even her long formal dress could not slow her down.
After all, even in a place like the Duke’s residence, Pachichi cake was served in limited quantities. If she arrived late, there would definitely be none left!
…
After running for a while, Ariel suddenly began speaking.
Yet there was no one around her. She seemed to be talking to herself.
“I know that maid was suspicious.”
“That ‘restricted area’ nonsense was definitely a lie.”
“There was a smell of blood on her… and that other person hiding nearby is also concerned.”
“But—none of that has anything to do with me!”
“Even if she is plotting something, it is happening inside the Duke’s residence. It will not involve me.”
“Looking for Princess Selicia? Come on, Her Highness is not a child—she is not going to get lost.”
“Nothing is more important than my Pachichi cake. Nothing!”
“My dear Pachichi, here I come!”