CH 15

Chapter 3. Rule Breaker

Episode 15

“Kari! Karina!”

It was Daniel’s loud voice that broke the romantic atmosphere.

“Well, hmm.”

Aster withdrew his hand on my shoulder, coughing in vain and walking away.

I smiled awkwardly and shook my head.

“The Duke of Malphyrion is looking for you.”

“It’s not often that Daniel looks for me.”

I was stabbed in my conscience for nothing, so I made excuses without realizing it.

Aster looked down quietly with a smile.

“As I said before, I get very jealous. I don’t want my lover to be friends with this guy or that guy like anyone else.”

“My relationship with Daniel is completely over.”

I end up complaining for no reason.

Aster patted my shoulder as if to soothe me. Leaving our regrets behind, we headed towards Daniel who called out my name with a hoarse throat.

~*~

We came out of the garden and found Daniel not far away.

Daniel, who was running after finding me, stopped when he saw Aster with a flat expression next to me.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty was here too.”

“You must not forget what I said, Duke.”

“Of course.”

I could feel the cold air behind my back.

I deliberately approached Daniel without looking back.

“What’s up?”

“Ah, that’s…”

Daniel glanced at Aster.

Since it was Tatiana’s story, he seemed hesitant to speak in the presence of the emperor.

Aster looked at the two of us and shrugged his shoulders.

“Again, it’s something to say between those childhood friends. I’ll be out of it first, so just talk and come back.”

“Thank you, Aster.”

Aster made room for us.

When his appearance completely disappeared in the distance, Daniel hurriedly opened his mouth. Read only at pm tl.

“Tatiana is a little strange.”

I thought he was going to say the usual, but I was stunned.

I closed my mouth for a moment, then stared at him and shot back.

“Did you come to me just to talk like that?”

“Huh?”

“You’re the one who has been playing with Tatiana, Titi, or whatever like that until now.”

Daniel flinched at my tone.

“Well, we’re just friends.”

“No matter how close you are, it’s common sense that you shouldn’t call a married woman by their nickname.”

When I was still holding hope in this world, I had said this to him several times.

It was the time when Tatiana took turns changing the men and carried them around.

I wanted to get Daniel out of that nonsense crowd since I’ve known him since we were kids.

But what came back to me was a cold reaction.

Surprisingly, this world completely excluded any malice towards Tatiana. As a result, it was me who was cursed as if it were normal.

It was Daniel who witnessed the scene vividly up close.

“I’ve told you over and over again, Daniel.”

Daniel didn’t say anything.

Did you lose your affinity for me?

But I thought it didn’t matter because I couldn’t see it.

“Sorry, I was young then.”

To my surprise, Daniel apologized.

He was second only to Wilhelm.

“I will accept that.”

Daniel, who had a very nervous face, relaxed his expression at my words.

He said as he perched on a rock on one side of the garden.

“Ha… It’s like waking up from some kind of magic. What the hell happened to Tatiana, and what happened to me?”

“Magic?”

“When you were fighting with Tatiana, it felt a little weird.”

“Did you feel weird?”

I also thought that the world that was moving for Tatiana was changing little by little.

Maybe something changed for him? My heart was pounding.

I asked Daniel.

“Did it feel like there was a crack? Something you never thought about before came to mind?”

“Ha…that’s…”

After hesitating, Daniel finally answered me.

“It felt disgusting.”

“What?”

The words that came out of Daniel’s mouth were more than I had expected.

It was disgusting to have a female lead who was loved and deserved?

I enjoyed this situation so much.

“She was complaining that I didn’t help her dance with His Majesty the Emperor for the first time in front of the Grand Duke…”

“She’s even complaining from behind?”

As I imagined that scene, I burst into laughter.

A heroine who puts Andrew and Daniel in front of her and insists she wants to dance with another man.

“When I danced with Aster, she must have died.”

“Ha… That’s right.”

“Hmm.”

Other than that, this was certain.

The dominance of the original was weakening.

One of the proofs was that Daniel was now voicing Tatiana’s ridiculous behavior in front of me.

‘By the way, Lily told me there were bad rumors about Tatiana.’

During the academy days, no matter what Tatiana did, there was never a single bad word about her.

But this time it was different.

Rumors spread that she was involved in my breakup with Wilhelm, and her reputation deteriorated.

I raised the corners of my lips and smiled and patted my chin.

Was that why she has been so sensitive lately?

“Really, were you really that kind of kid?”

“Yes. I just didn’t recognize it until now.”

So what was the reason for the weakening of the dominance of the original?

I remembered her nervously fiddling with her bracelet.

“Hey, Daniel. I have a question.”

“Uh huh. What?”

“Remember the bracelet you gave to me and Tatiana?”

Daniel thought for a moment, then nodded his head.

“Oh, that Titi, no, you’re talking about the bracelet Tatiana always wears, right?”

“Yeah. That. Do you remember where you got it from?”

“Hmm… I can’t remember exactly. It’s been so long, has it?”

I was a little disappointed that the source was unknown.

It was a good opportunity to dig into the origins of the bracelet.

“Think a little more. Anything else on your mind?”

“Hmm. I remember buying it when I went to the Academy Festival back in the day…”

“You mean it was just an ordinary bracelet? Does it have anything to do with magic?”

“Ummm…the person selling it might have been a wizard.”

Daniel shook his head.

He couldn’t remember well. Somehow he felt like he had a headache.

“Ugh. But I can’t be sure either. Since your mother just came, how about asking her? I think the Tower Master would know better than me.”

I got up, praising Daniel for speaking properly after a long time.

It was the most valuable information I got from this banquet.

“Thank you for today. One piece of advice, don’t be so nice to Tatiana in the future. It will make your life noisy.”

I turned away, leaving Daniel nodding his head stupidly.

It was time to return to Aster, who was waiting for me.

~*~

The spectacular banquet was over.

As soon as I returned to the duchy, I grabbed the bracelet and looked for my mother.

“Lily, do you know which room mother is in?”

“Uh, um. I’ll go and ask.”

“No. I have to talk to her anyway, so I’ll ask the butler.”

After leaving the room, I went to the butler and asked where mother was. He said with a little bit of joy.

“She’s in the Duchess’ room.”

I, too, felt excited by the unexpected answer. I thought she might be staying in the guest room, but she was in the Duchess’ room.

‘I’m sure father still has regrets.’

Their divorce was not simply the result of the end of their love life. My mother was overworked, and so was my father.

One person spent each day fiercely to support and operate a family, and the other had to deal with the Magic Tower.

In particular, it became even worse when Aster ascended to the throne and numerous civil wars took place.

The days my parents didn’t come back even one day a week increased, and then Daniel and I broke up.

‘The two of them had a great fight.’

I, the person in charge, accepted the matter bluntly, but my parents were different.

My mother was angry that I had been humiliated for keeping the ridiculous engagement.

My father was greatly hurt by those words, and in the end, the feud broke out.

‘After the divorce, it was very difficult.’

My mother and father cared so much about each other that they asked about the other person through me.

However, the problem was that both of them did not bend their pride.

‘I shouldn’t do that.’

Using my parents as an example of what not to do, I stood in front of the Duchess’s room and knocked on the door.

“Mother, do you have time now?”

“Huh? Uh yes. Wait a minute.”

A rumbling sound was heard inside.

What did you drop?

After waiting outside for a while, the door opened.

“Uh, what’s going on?”

For some reason, her face looked redder than usual.

I looked up at her silently. She avoided my eyes and turned her head slightly.

“What is this?”

My mother saw the bracelet in question in my hand.

“Ah, this! I was wondering if you could tell me what the jewels on this bracelet are.”