Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Chapter 14

It wasn’t even mentioned that much in the novel she read.

‘E-L-F. So, it was real.’

Before she even gained the memories of her previous life, she was so indulged in Karpel that she never had the time to get interested in the subject.

‘Are they like the actors dressed up in movies?’

After putting the book back inside the shelf, she tried to search for a book about the forest elves. Or about Elsium, their country.

The books were organized under the title of the Imperial language, but it was difficult to find the particular one through all of those variations of colored covers.

She thought of going through the book about the ‘Political Situation of Neighboring Countries’ later after organizing her weekly schedules.

But there was nothing about Elsium.

She snooped for a while, and when she had no gain, she remembered about her fiance’s presence.

Karpel was looking over at her rummaging through the shelves while standing in a corner with his arms crossed. As he frowned when their eyes met, she lowered her eyes politely.

‘Why are you here? Are you here to search for a book like “How to Drive a Rebellion Effectively”. Wait, no, there can’t be a book like that. Or are you here to meet the rebels?’

She glanced at the door, wondering if she should return quickly.

But soon, Karpel was beside her.

“What are you looking for?”

“Some information about Elsium.”

Karpel looked at her, collecting his eyebrows.

She only thought he hated her. But now, the way he was looking at her said she didn’t even deserve his hate. He frowned, as if trying to find her reason to search for something about Elsium here of all places.

‘Is that so strange?’

“All the books about Elsium are in the library of the mansion.”

“Really…….?”

She had seen it earlier, but it wasn’t there. To be exact, there was no information about that ‘binary race’.

However, to think it could not just be one country that was bordering the Krenberian territories.

‘I should’ve looked for a geography book.’

It was extremely embarrassing to think how pathetic it was to come out all the way here when everything was already within the mansion’s walls.

“I…I went there, but I didn’t see it.”

“……”

“Then, I’ll go and look for it again. Y-You can return to your business.”

She laughed bitterly and bowed to him without even stealing a glimpse at him.

“I’ll go first.”

She quickly dashed towards the door but Karpel stopped her.

“Hey.”

“Huh?”

“Let me escort you.”

“Why?”

“……..”

Karpel went silent, so she was aghast.

Why would she go when the person who lived next to her room asked her to go with him?

“I thought you’d pretend not to see me. We’re accomplices anyway, right? And, I can’t tell my father about this.”

“Let’s go back.”

Karpel, who took the lead as he said so, began walking to the opposite way of the secret passage she came from.

“Where are you going?”

“To the carriage.”

“Did you bring a carriage?”

“I’ll borrow it.”

“Didn’t His Highness sneak out through the waterways like I did?”

“I did.”

“Then why—”

“I didn’t know you were sneaking out of there, too.”

He said it as if she had been sneaking out of the mansion habitually to wander around.

“……This is the first time?”

“F*ck. The Duke of Krenberia will never let you go again.”

She thought he was going to let her father know that she secretly sneaked out.

‘If Father finds out about this, he’ll block all the entrances to my room’s secret passage.’

“This is my first time.”

She insisted on her innocence.

She noticed him patting his jaw where she hit him earlier. She remembered him getting surprised at her technique. But she couldn’t explain since it was something she learnt in her previous life. Well, she wouldn’t even believe it if she was in his position.

“I would never sneak out again, Your Highness.”

She pleaded, but no response came back.

“It wouldn’t be better if you find all the secret passages blocked.”

‘And since you are the leader of that rebellion, it wouldn’t be good if you were tied up, would it?’

She hated the rebellion, but she had to build up her strength because the current Emperor wasn’t trustworthy of them.

Krenberia was also in a state that needed to be strengthened, but there weren’t many forces which could help the Dukedom.

“I won’t sneak out again. I swear it on my ring.”

Karpel sighed, glancing at the ring on her hand. It was the one that tracked the location of the other partner.

“Fine.”

He agreed, turning to the hidden entrance to the waterway, with Inaila following him.

He easily slipped into the narrow hole before holding out a hand to her for support. He took the lead as they walked in the dark path.

Somehow, she now felt safer than when she came out alone.

She speculated that he must have gone through this path countless times.

‘And this is the way he meets Shabelle in the novel, right?’

“Your Highness, have you ever helped a lost person in the square before?”

She asked in case he had already met her.

“…….Let’s just get you home.”

But it sounded more like an excuse to avert her question. That much she knew about him.

‘Why are you making excuses when you did something good? It’s suspicious.’

Did he fall in love at first sight while helping her?

‘That… That can’t be true, right? In the novel, Karpel only meets Shabelle at the beginning and doesn’t show up anymore!’

Absolutely not.

In the novel, Karpel was portrayed only as the incarnation of revenge.

She once confessed it to him, but she only received a dim look in return.

The only thing that ever mattered to him was getting revenge.

‘Yeah, it can’t be like that.’

He wouldn’t fall for Shabelle when he was already seeing a beautiful girl like Inaila every day.

It was natural for Shabelle to fall in love with Karpel, but the opposite could never be true.

Though he always had a fierce look sitting on his face, he was very handsome even without a camera filter.

She was staring at his back for quite some time when Karpel whirled around suddenly, studying her from head to toe.

“Uh?”

‘I didn’t say anything. Or did it hurt when I was staring at you too much?’

She pretended to look elsewhere, turning her head slightly, wondering what was behind her. It was too dark to make out anything.

Karpel said.

“We haven’t seen each other since that day.”

“Who?”

Puzzled, she turned her head to face him. A slight blush crept up on his cheeks.

“Nothing.”

He moved back to continue his steps forward, but this time he was taking short paces.

Arriving at the entrance to her room, he opened the door and pushed her in before warning her.

“Don’t drink ever again.”

As if he had been thinking about it.

“Ever again? Never in the future? Not even as an adult?”

She thought it’d be fine if she drank as a grown-up, but he shook his head.

“No, you’ve made some mistakes that day…….”

When she slowly stepped back in protest and tried to enter the passageway, Karpel grabbed her ankle and pushed her forward into the room.

“Do not drink.”

And then, he silently closed the door.

It was not her fault to be banned from drinking after acting cutely and asking her fiance to hug her.

‘This is unfair.’