The Romance Fantasy Novel MC is Only Into Me

“Happy eighteenth birthday, Ransell Dante! On such a fine day, why die….”
“Die or not, I’m heading to the Capital. Any objections?”
“W-what did you say?”
“Come with me.”
“……?”
“Come with me.”
After felling Grand Duke Dante in an instant, Ransell set off for the Capital without looking back.
Marigold.

Ransell felt as if she had vanished completely from this world.
But that wasn’t so.
She had existed in every cycle.

—————————
※ What are the Karma penalty thresholds?
Over –10: initial travel funds are stolen
Over –50: start in a dangerous area

Over –100: begin with a frail constitution
Over –200: permanent physical defect
Over –500: permanent terminal condition
—————————
‘A terminal condition!’

Marigold’s Karma was 864.
In truth, Ransell wasn’t entirely unprepared—he simply lacked proof.
No matter where he looked in this world, there was no trace of her.

No game screen, no ending, no record of the Marigold family, nowhere in the Empire.
As if she had truly disappeared.
‘Mary, how early did you die?’

Ransell couldn’t even laugh at the absurdity.
Now that he knew she had clearly existed here, only one task remained.
Find proof.

Yes. Ransell wanted to find proof that she had lived and departed this world, even if she didn’t exist now, even if it was only a trace.
‘…Mary…’
He needed to see with his own eyes that she had lived.

‘The question is how.’
After Marigold’s disappearance, there had been one method he’d tried in his third life—and failed.
He resolved to try it once more. There was nothing else like it.

“Are you truly Ransell Dante, the champion of the Eastern Imperial Sword Tournament?”
“You can see for yourself. In this life, I pledge my loyalty to Princess Claria. But I have one condition.”
“Hmph. I’ll hear it. Think carefully. It must be something I can grant. If it’s too reckless, I’ll refuse outright.”
The Third Princess regarded Ransell—fresh from his tournament victory—with intrigued eyes.
He felt guilty admitting it, but Claria was the easiest royal to deal with. Her thoughts were simple; she wasn’t one to stab you in the back. With any other royal, trust would have been impossible.
“I wish to search for signs of the deceased. Lend me personnel for this.”
“What is that? That’s nothing special. Granted!”

Claria reacted as if it were no great challenge.
“Ransell, your swordsmanship is stellar, but your ambitions are smaller than a bean? That’s all you ask. For a moment, I feared you’d confess love for my beauty and propose marriage—and I didn’t know how to react! Oh ho ho!”
“…….”
Of course.

Before long, the investigation forces dispatched across the Empire drained nearly half his fortune, leaving him too broke even to host a party.
“Just trust me, Ransell Dante!”
For now, she merely threw back her head and laughed a stern laugh.

‘What a convenient girl.’
Naturally, she did not intend only to exploit him; Ransell had pride too.
He meant to let her feel the pride of having the Empire’s strongest knight at her side—lending his strength whenever a fight or duel arose.

“Eeek! My brothers always look down on me at every chance. I’ll flatten their noses this time. Summon Ransell. I want a duel tomorrow!”
“You called, Your Highness?”
“Ransell! I need your might. My brothers are trying to take over the art gallery I planned! They scoffed that a child like you had no aesthetic sense!”
“Leave it to me.”

He would train her knight order, finding hero candidates in the process.
“Wonderful! My knight order is finally becoming a proper knight order, thanks to you, Ransell!”
“Well, because they actually are a knight order.”

And at every National Day parade or royal ball, he would stand by her side to bolster her spirits.
“Ransell, when the parade starts, hoist me onto your shoulders! I want to look down on the Empire’s people from above!”
“They’ll see you only as a child.”
“Huh? What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Finally—when war threatened or death loomed—he would scoop her up and whisk her to safety.

‘Surely that’s worth more than my keep.’
Yes. For the Third Princess, who died so casually in each cycle, this would be a grand repayment.
At least, Ransell thought so.

“Sir Ransell!”
And when Ransell turned twenty-six:
“I believe I have found what you asked for.”

At last, news arrived from the Imperial Investigation Corps. A few months later, war would have broken out.
‘In a place like this….’
Ransell swallowed bitterly as he gazed at the map.

“You did well. After ensuring Her Highness’s safe evacuation, go see it for yourself. My disciples will keep her safe.”
“Yes, Sir Ransell.”
 
After passing through the rugged forest, he came upon a plain.
“…They say it’s darkest under the lamp.”

Ransell entered a small village of a few huts, removing his hood. The rain had ceased, and mist clung to the air.
It was a four-day ride from the Dante estate: ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ Erica Village.
At the village entrance, he saw people: women carrying vegetable baskets, men wiping sweat as they farmed, children and puppies and livestock chattering in the square.

An unguarded, defenseless village with no militia.
“Who goes there?”
An old man’s voice came from the open palisade gate.

“I come seeking news of the Marigold family.”
“Marigold? People came from the Capital not long ago looking for that too. Seems some rumor’s spread.”
Probably the prior investigation corps.
“Come right in. Once you reach the graveyard, the gravedigger will be there. Speak to him.”

‘Graveyard.’
Ransell’s steps grew heavy. His heart pounded; his breathing faltered.
After tens of minutes’ walk, he reached the graveyard and saw a familiar face.

“……”
The gravedigger, glancing at him, looked familiar.
“If you’re an unwanted guest, turn back.”

He nearly didn’t recognize him—bushy beard and all—but at the sound of his voice, Ransell realized who it was.
“Alpert.”
“……!”
The steward of the Marigold household, standing guard with a wooden staff.

His pupils trembled, then he spoke.
“How do you know my name……?”
“Steward Alpert. I wish to lay flowers. Please show me the way.”
“……”
He remained silent for a long moment.

“Follow me.”
He turned and led the way.
—Marigold Curtain, Marigold.
—Child who gave happiness, now at rest.

Ransell finally stood before Marigold’s tombstone.
Across his many past cycles, the trace he had so desperately sought was left only in this brief epitaph and the smooth gravestone before him.
He found himself at a loss for words.

Brushing the stone, he felt only cold, smooth rock—no warmth, no gentle sparkle of her gaze remained.
“When did Marigold pass away?”

“……”
Alpert hesitated again, then spoke after meeting Ransell’s expression.

“Her Highness lived for thirteen years and three months.”
Thirteen years old. Just as he thought. She died before fifteen.
‘What a shitty game.’

Even with a terminal condition, the game should at least let you start and finish. This was pure game over.
If it were a real game, he’d have to reset the data and start anew—a bug-level penalty. Ransell couldn’t shake his disbelief.
Yes. It wasn’t entirely unexpected; even when Marigold was once blind, it had been so.

But he was still speechless. Finding this gravestone felt like a miracle.
Even if it was only because he’d spent so much money and the Third Princess constantly prodded and encouraged the investigation corps.
Had he been a few months late, war would have broken out and this news might never have come.

It was why his previous attempt in another life had failed.
“Mary.”
Ransell spent the next two years tending Marigold’s grave.

It wasn’t that all hope was lost. There was a way to lower her Karma. It wouldn’t be easy, but he would find a way.
===============
—Imperial Year 826, June 3, Weather: Clear.
—Hero candidates uncovered by the Marigold Order: two. Marigold’s Karma decreases by 2 points every two years.
—Current Karma: 855.
※ Blessing of Happiness: Marigold’s Karma does not reset across cycles!

A total of 355 points remained to free her from the terminal fate.
‘At 2 points every two years, continuing after each cycle… about 350 years?’
Including the disciple he raised in the Capital this cycle, there were two hero candidates.

‘Still far too few.’
Yes. 350 years meant 35 cycles—far too long.
‘If I gather ten, that’s 50 points per cycle… well-trained heroes will lower her Karma quickly.’

Ten meant just six cycles—and then she could rest easy for sixty years, soon free of her terminal destiny.
“Soon, I will come to see you.”
Ransell gently placed a bouquet at her tombstone.

Ten years passed.
.
.
.
“Eighteenth birthday…”
“Enough. Hurry and bring out the wooden sword.”
“Huh?”

Next life.
The moment he opened his eyes, Ransell once again rushed to the Capital and reunited with Marigold.
“……?”

 
Before his half-asleep eyes appeared a familiar yet very different figure: One-Horned Marigold.
“…You’ve…shrunk?”
At best, she looked under ten years old; her single horn was the size of a finger joint, so petite.

But Ransell trembled with delight just to see her.
How long had it been since he saw Marigold? Even this One-Horned Marigold, for some reason, had changed to a small size.
As he raised his hand to touch her—

-Uhuhu.
Another arm appeared, lifting One-Horned Marigold high into the air.
She hung limply—utterly powerless.

‘…?’
Ransell looked up at the arm’s owner and widened his eyes.
“Two Marigolds?”

The other Marigold held One-Horned Marigold. Her eyes, backlit by the dazzling sun, were gently closed. A small pair of shining wings sprouted on her back.
-Ransell-nim.
For some reason, the winged Marigold approached with arms open.

Her face felt familiar.
Only when Ransell fell into her embrace did he remember who she was. The touch of her hand gently stroking his hair—unmistakable.
-All will be well, Ransell-nim. Well done, well done.

===============
—Born with lowest stats, lowest achievements, Karma penalty (Status Ailment: Blindness), highest Happiness condition. bestows the Blessing of Happiness.
※ S-Rank Guardian Star changes from ‘Demon King’ to ‘Mealworm’.
※ Because her Karma is too low, the ‘Demon King’ is sealed. All Guardian Star bonuses (Charm, Stats, Combat Talent, Magic Power, Karma Gain) are sealed. They will unlock once her Karma rises.