The Villain Protects the Lady!

⟨The Real Princess only walks on Flower Paths⟩.

 

The reason I chose this novel was simple and straightforward.

 

First: It was number one when I went to the bookstore.

 

Second: I wanted to see someone being loved without limits.

 

It was for these two simple reasons.

 

‘I started reading it without thinking, and it turned out to be a lot of fun.’

 

I smiled as I climbed into my pre-purchased carriage.

 

They don’t call it a hit novel for nothing.

 

I was fascinated by it.

 

‘At least I have a hobby,’

I thought,

‘that makes this life a little easier to bear.’

 

I always felt like I was drowning, like I was suffocating.

 

At home, where the only place to relax is under the futon or at work, where I’m the only female employee.

 

 

“Selfish. You have all the money, and you’re not even paying us any attention.” 

Whenever my parents emptied my bank account, or my brother told me he had a great new business to start.

  “I want this done by tomorrow morning and back on my desk. What, I can’t stay up all night on the weekend and do it tonight. What’s wrong with your brain?” 

 Another is when I see a boss making ridiculous demands.

 

Whenever I had a hard time, I invested 100 won and read ⟨The Real Princess only walks on Flower Paths⟩, chapter by chapter.

 

I was possessed.

  

* * *

  “…….” 

Hermia bit her lip hard.

 

⟨The Real Princess only walk

s on Flower Paths⟩ is her favorite novel, and she often reread part one while waiting for part two.

 

‘Is that enough reason for the possession?’

 “That’s ridiculous.” 

Shaking her head in disbelief, she shook it vigorously to clear her mind.

 “Let’s get this straight.” 

‘Why did I possess a character from ⟨The Real Princess only walks on Flower Paths⟩?’

 

‘Or why is it Hermia Tekins whose only lines are, “Father! Mother! Argh!”?’

 

She doesn’t know what or why, but all that matters now is that she survives.

   

And now the last obstacle.

 

Grand Duke Leandro is not the same as the stupid Count of Tekins.

 

This guardian is not an ordinary person.

 

He’s either a ruthless ruler who has united an entire continent, or he’s a shadowy, untouchable man.

 

Grand Duke Leandro was definitely the latter.

 

He had many titles, but the one most often mentioned in the original novel was.

  

“The One Who Ended the Long War, The One Who Single-Handedly Killed the Demon King. The hero.”

“Cursed with the Devil’s blood. A monster.”

  

Those were the two.

 

It says in the original story that after spending over 20 years on the battlefield, Grand Duke Leandro has lost his human emotions.

 

What’s left is the pressure to destroy the enemy and his compulsion to stay on the right path.

 

And finally, a very small handful of longing for family.

 

That’s why, as soon as he heard Belloa’s story, he rushed to Count Tekins and swung his sword.

 

Without realizing that he was killing a man.

 

He killed him because he was the enemy and deserved to be killed.

 

And also because it was the right thing to do.

 

And that was the main story of ⟨The Real Princess only walks on Flower Paths⟩, how Grand Duke Leandro and Belloa met and healed each other.

  “Phew.” 

Hermia swept her hand across her knee and ruffled Belloa’s hair, who was fast asleep.

 

The pink tresses parted gently.

 “Dangerous.” 

She never met the Grand Duke personally.

 “I still remember from the novel.” 

The bloodied streets, the bewildered knights of the Grand Duchy, and… Grand Duke Leandro, who never so much as glanced at the man he’d killed.

 “…I’ll be the same way.” 

As it turned out, the man he cut down had committed so many crimes that he was summarily executed.

 

The Grand Duke did what he did because he had to.

 

Surely that standard would apply to her.

 

She stared at Belloa with puzzled eyes. 

 

Belloa was skinny, barely three years old, and her wrists were scarred with the marks of rope ties.

 

She squeezed her eyes shut.

 

If she took her away like this, she’d be the first to fall under the Grand Duke’s suspicion.

 “My reputation is nuclear waste, both publicly and socially.” 

She’d be the most likely perpetrator.

 “In the original story, he wiped out the neighboring fief because it hurt Belloa.” 

‘How many other families did Grand Duke Leandro blow up with his own hands for saying a bad word?’

 

When she read the novel, she thought,

“You’re the best, Uncle!”

 

Now that she’s in the middle of it, she’s in tears…

 “I have to find a way to save my life.” 

At this rate, she wouldn’t be surprised if her head fell off before the Grand Duke.

 “How can I send Belloa away and escape myself?” 

No. In fact, it was the most dangerous way.

 

The collection of trash at the Count of Tekins would certainly pin the crime on her.

 

She thought about smuggling Belloa in, but…

 

‘They would just come after me with the lights on.’

 

A criminal who had abused Belloa sneaking across the border?

 

It sounded like something that wouldn’t be strange no matter how she died.

 

A death ending, that is.

 

‘Why is it a struggle to find a way to live after becoming Hermia Tekins?’

  

Hermia ran the simulation hundreds and thousands of times, trying to find a way out based on the original novel, but…

 “It was all death.” 

Death if she ran, death if she hid, death if she fled to another country, death no matter what she did, death, death, death!

 

In other words, no matter how she moved, there was an almost 100% chance that the Grand Duke would try to kill her.

 

Except for one.

 

There was one way that showed a glimmer of success.

 

The failure rate was high, and the success rate was extremely low.

 

And even then, if she faltered, it was only to bring her head to Grand Duke’s sword.

 

This is the only way.

 

She swallowed hard. She could feel the sweat beading on her clenched hands.

 

Hermia has never played with her life before.

 

She’s a little nervous.

 

Just as she’s about to smile and steel herself.

 *Thump!* 

She hears the wall reverberate.

 “……!” “Hey, lady.” 

Hermia  looked up and heard the driver’s voice through the thin wall.

 “We’re almost there.” 

The driver’s voice paused for a moment, as if to make sure the room was clear, then continued.

 “Get ready.” “Okay.” 

She quickly packed her bags and shook Belloa awake.

 “Come on, my sweet Belloa, let’s get up.” “Uhh…?” 

Belloa blinked a few times and sat up in the stall, then looked at her as if to ask what was wrong.

 “Uhhh.” “I’m sorry, I know you’re tired, but we should get off. We’re almost at the real Belloa’s house. Let’s get ready to get off.” 

Soothing her sleepy whimpers, Hermia carefully re-tie the half-loose strings of her cloak.

 

It’s not cold yet, but it’s dawn.

 

While she was busy, the carriage slowed to a stop.

 “We’re here.” 

As she stepped out of the carriage, she saw a mansion in the distance.

 

The massive mansion, the high gates, and the fog that had settled in just in time.

 

Very atmospheric.

 “Thank you.” 

Hermia stepped out of the carriage and held out her bag of gold coins to the driver.

 “Here is your promised payment.” 

She expected him to take it and run.

 

The driver looked at the pouch, but didn’t take it.

 “No, thank you.” “Why?” 

Just as her suspicion began to creep up on me, the coachman jerked his head and added in a blunt tone.

 “I won’t take it.” “Why?” 

A question came back.

 “The lady sent you all the bond contracts, didn’t she?” “Oh.” 

But what he said next made her understand the situation immediately.

 “My brother,”

he said,

“he’s a bit of an asshole, but he’s not that bad.” “Do you happen to know…” “Well, just saying.” 

The driver shook his head, as if he didn’t want to say any more.

 “Go away. I don’t know anymore. I don’t know anything.” “Mister.” 

The driver, straddling the seat, pushed his hat down on his head and spoke in a low voice.

 “I don’t know what you’re up to, but I wish you luck.” 

That was the last he said.

 

The coachman tightened the reins and sped off, disappearing into the mist.

 “Huh?” 

As she stood motionless and dazed, Belloa called to her from her arms.

 “Uhhh.” 

Hermia shook her head at the questioning tone in her voice.

 “No, I just feel kind of brave.” 

The coachman’s favor seemed to show me that she wasn’t wrong.

 “I guess this is the right way after all, Belloa.” 

Hermia  grinned at Belloa, who was still looking at her in disbelief.

 “Yes, this is the way!” 

She scooped her up in her arms and ran at a brisk pace to the front gate of Grand Duke’s mansion, which was blocked by tall iron bars.

 

‘I live, Belloa quickly finds a new family, Count Tekins is destroyed, and the Grand Duke quickly finds a family and settles down!’

 

Sister good, brother-in-law good. Two birds with one stone, no, three birds with one stone!

 “Greetings! I’m here to offer my head to Grand Duke Leandro!” 

‘I can do it!’