JustPeachyNovels

*** *** *** *** ***

So, five hours before the Crown Prince appeared.

I was lying on the comfortable sofa in the master’s room, killing time without the slightest idea of what would happen in the afternoon.

“Why are you here like this?”

Rader, who had been busy running around with a pile of documents since the morning, found me and asked.

“If I go home, May will pester me.”

Yesterday, I returned the request fee to May. I lied, saying she won a free request as the 100th client.

May was suspicious, asking if I had really taken her request and if I wasn’t just returning her money because I hadn’t.

She also asked detailed questions about the request.

After making up a few lies, I ended up using the excuse that I had an appointment and left.

Rader, having heard the situation, chuckled mischievously.

“Why don’t you just reveal your true identity, Master?”

“The fewer people who know a secret, the better.”

Besides, even if I told her the truth, who would believe it?

Publicly, I, Siella Labyrinth, am a fragile lady in body and mind.

“I’m always surprised when I hear about your reputation, Master.”

“So am I.”

“Do you know the most absurd thing I’ve heard? They say that Master would cry and apologize to a flower for picking it, but in reality, you turn people you don’t like into dolls—Ouch!”

I threw a cushion at Rader and replied nonchalantly.

“That’s not true.”

“Then what’s that?”

“A collectible.”

I hugged the prince plush doll lying next to me.

A few months ago.

I received a request from a doll maker to eliminate an affair.

The request was successful, but the doll maker, who had no money, insisted on making me a valuable doll instead.

I said it was fine, that I didn’t do it for the money and that they could repay me later, but they were adamant.

Eventually, I decided to have a doll made in the likeness of my second favorite, Crown Prince Reynos, for fangirling purposes.

It’s a secret I’ve told no one, but the prince, who is kind only to his woman, is my ideal type.

Because of the original story’s influence, I gave up the dream that we’d be together early on.

‘I won’t get to meet him, so I’ll just enjoy fangirling with a doll.’

Reynos did no public activities as a Crown Prince. In the original story, due to the curse of the evil dragon, he only revealed his identity to the heroine Tirielle and a few close aides, maintaining a mysterious persona.

‘There were even questions about whether he was the real male lead since only the sub-male leads appeared on the novel cover.’

Still, I knew his hair color, eye color, and features through the text, so I asked the doll maker to create based on that.

The doll maker wonderfully realized my imagined prince.

I was very satisfied.

But there was one problem,

“Who asks a doll maker for collectibles?!”

In this world, ‘a doll maker’s doll’ means ‘a cursed doll.’

I really didn’t know. No wonder they said they could only make human dolls.

Fortunately, I realized this at the last moment, so the disaster of a cursed doll didn’t occur. It’s just an ordinary plush doll resembling the prince.

Yet, guild members looked at me like a villain whenever they saw the doll, spreading rumors that I turn people into dolls when upset.

It’s all because of Labyrinth’s special ability. It keeps darkening my reputation.

‘I wouldn’t be so resentful if I used it a lot. I’ve only used the special ability once.’

“Whoever it is, they must be unfortunate to have fallen into the hands of a devil like you.”

Rader looked at the doll sympathetically.

As I hugged the soft doll, about to argue,

I suddenly felt displeased, frowned, and slapped the doll.

“Ugh.”

Rader flinched as if he had been hit himself.

Ignoring him, I angrily pinched the doll’s cheeks and squeezed its body like wringing laundry.

The doll, stuffed with soft cotton, squished and then returned to its original shape.

Since yesterday, I had been hitting the doll modeled after the prince in a sort of protest for not receiving a single reply.

Actually, there seemed to be another reason why I wanted to hit the doll, but I couldn’t remember. Why is my memory like this?

Rader, looking at me with a pale face, stammered.

“You’re not going to make a doll of me, are you?”

“I wouldn’t even if you paid me.”

With one last smack to the doll’s head, my outburst ended.

I stared blankly at the doll’s head, which had squished and then returned to normal, and then, changing my expression to that of a saint embracing all the world’s sins, gently patted it.

Yes, you’re not to blame. It’s the prince, who hasn’t sent a single message, who’s at fault.

Sigh. I’m giving up on fangirling starting today.

I got up and prepared to leave. I gently placed the doll on the spot where I had been lying.

I set a pillow under its head and covered it with a small lap blanket as if tucking it in.

“Where are you going?”

“To the general store.”

“If you need anything, I can have it prepared for you.”

“No, it’s a personal matter.”

Hearing it was personal, Rader didn’t try to stop me further.

I waved to him as a sign of appreciation for his hard work and left the guild.

*** *** *** *** ***

At the general store, I bought a map of the continent.

I also purchased books detailing each country and essays by people who had been on long journeys.

‘I’m going to leave.’

While hitting the doll, I suddenly realized. No matter what I do, the love triangle between Tirielle, Duval, and Reynos has already begun.

It’s bound to be two men fighting over one woman. Just thinking about it made my stomach churn.

‘I can’t bear to see that.’

If you dislike the temple, you should leave as the priest, right?

I decided to leave this damned empire as soon as I broke off the engagement with Duval.

So, when I returned home, laden with supplies for my escape, May, who was shocked by the sight, asked what all this was about. I told her, “I’m going to escape this empire.”

Just then, my loyal butler appeared, informing me of a visitor.

“Someone came to see me? Who?”

“Well… they keep repeating that they promised something with you.”

The butler frowned, finding it suspicious that the visitor wouldn’t disclose their identity.

But I had instructed the household to not turn away anyone who mentioned my name, expecting a guild member from the Sielle Romance Manipulation Guild to visit.

‘Who could it be? Rader?’

But Rader wouldn’t appear before me in the guise of Siella Labyrinth unless it was an emergency.

Besides, hadn’t I just been at the guild?

Even as I pondered this, I headed to the front to check on the visitor.

And I was shocked.

“Hello, Lady Siella.”

“……!”

Golden hair that seemed to be melted gold. Even more dazzling golden eyes.

His stunningly handsome face, which wouldn’t get tiresome to gaze at all day, wasn’t dimmed even by the black robe he wore.

Outwardly, he seemed warm and composed like a knight, but I knew this man’s true nature.

He would show infinite kindness to those within his circle and boundless coldness to those outside it.

I almost called him “Your Highness” but bit my tongue.

Siella has never met the Crown Prince.

So, I had to pretend not to know him. Even though he looked exactly like I imagined, I couldn’t act like I knew him.

‘Oh, right. Speaking of which.’

I hurriedly glanced at his waist. After all, in the original story, it was the Crown Prince who sent Siella to the guillotine. He might have come to kill me in a fit of rage over my proposal for an affair.

As I tensed up, the butler interjected, oblivious.

“Do you know this person?”

“Uh, yeah.”

I roughly answered, nervously checking if he was armed. Suddenly, the Crown Prince held something out to me.

“Since it’s our first meeting, I thought it would be rude to come empty-handed.”

Yikes.

I flinched and stepped back, thinking he was about to attack. Then I saw what he was holding and became even more flustered.

Lilstein’s roses?

“Th-thank you.”

I hastily took the bouquet, trying to calm my startled heart. I was so out of it that I didn’t even notice the Crown Prince’s ears turning red as he awkwardly blushed.

“Let’s go to the parlor. May, prepare tea and snacks, and butler—”

“Yes, my Lady. This way, please, sir.”

“No, I meant I’ll show him in myself.”

I dismissed May and the butler and personally led the Crown Prince to the parlor. I thought it best not to leave him with the servants, who didn’t know his true identity, in case they made a mistake.

That was my mistake.

“Please, go ahead.”

In the sudden encounter, I had forgotten that I was holding ‘Travel Guides for Long Journeys.’ I opened the parlor door and looked at the Crown Prince.

He didn’t enter immediately.

Following me, he glanced at the book I was holding with a peculiar expression, then softly whispered so only I could hear.

“Lady Siella, you know who I am, don’t you?”

Oh no. I should have left it to the butler!

“I won’t ask how you know. But—”

He squinted and stepped closer, so near I could feel his breath.

Startled, I held my breath, and with a smooth motion, he snatched the travel guide from my hands.

“Long journey? Where are you planning to go?”

Hot breath fell over my head. His golden eyes, filled with ferocity, were locked solely on me, their gaze intense.

He whispered menacingly.

“Weren’t you planning to have an affair with me?”

Episode 5 – Episode 7