Lumi’s banquet ended successfully.

Klaus and I left the venue a little earlier than the other attendees.

“Ah, I’m tired.”

Klaus, sitting in the carriage, closed his eyes and muttered.

It wasn’t surprising; he seemed exhausted. Terrified of being left alone, he stuck closely to me after briefly catching his breath on the terrace and returning to the banquet hall when Lumi was absent.

“We’ll arrive soon, but it might be good to rest your eyes for a bit.”

He looked pitiful. If only there was something I could do to alleviate his fatigue.

Klaus gently opened the eyes he had closed in response to my words.

“Really?”

His faint smile seemed somewhat uneasy.

Without waiting, as if indicating that he had been waiting, he moved to sit beside me.

Then, he leaned close, resting his head on my shoulder.

“Only until we arrive.”

I stared straight ahead as if resigned. Yes, it would be over soon anyway.

Klaus’s distinctive refreshing scent wafted to my nose.

I must ask the steward later what perfume or bath product Klaus uses.

“……. ”

But today, for some reason, he approached me much more warmly.

Whether it was the kiss as a gratitude for the dress, the brief touch on the terrace, or now leaning on my shoulder like this.

It wasn’t Klaus’s usual cool demeanor, just a simple expression of warmth.

I looked out the carriage window.

“……. ”

I could guess two reasons for his behavior.

Firstly, Klaus’s desires might not have been completely satisfied.

Secondly, he might have developed rational feelings toward me.

If I were more naive and romantic, I might have convinced myself that the second assumption was correct.

Unfortunately, I’m practical.

I didn’t even need to think about which of the two hypotheses I considered more realistic.

Around Klaus, there are many other women besides me.

All of them are small and pretty, with good backgrounds, fitting perfectly into the role of a romance novel heroine.

Yet, why would he develop feelings for me? It’s something that only happens in novels or dramas.

This place is not only a world of romance novels but also a cold reality where people live.

Eating, sleeping, seeing, hearing, and feeling.

It’s another reality where countless lives breathe and exist.

Therefore, I can’t easily dismiss this world as just a novel.

It’s not over-identification. I’m acknowledging and accepting this world as my reality, one that I’ve chosen.

Originally, my role was to be a sub-male lead who loved the original female lead, but now it’s different.

I have a duty to assist the ruler in making this country a better place. I’m a young official in the palace.

Not the female lead conquering love.
The carriage happened to stop, and I woke Klaus up. Klaus, still half-asleep, shook his head.

“Have we arrived already? Why is it so close?”

Smiling quietly while listening to his grumbling, I knew exactly what I had to do. To be by his side whenever he wanted or needed me. I willingly gave myself to him when he needed it.

My goal is not to be Klaus’s lover but to make him an excellent ruler.

After the banquet, I started working on bringing intellectuals, not the privileged class, to our side, as I told Klaus.

“I’ll try wearing it again after a long time.”

I took out women’s clothes and cosmetics from under the bed. Somehow, it felt welcoming.

Disguised like this, the place I was going to was the newspaper office.

If I visited the newspaper office as Muselle, journalists might write articles that could embarrass Klaus.

So, I had to go in a different disguise.

“Only have a day off, so busy, geez.”

In the morning, I had a tea lesson with Evangeline, and in the afternoon, I had to visit the newspaper office.

It would be nice if I had a few more bodies without being greedy.

One for meeting Evangeline, one for visiting the newspaper office, and the remaining one for checking on Lumi.

All because of that 1000 crowns root business. I was pleasantly surprised when it came out of Lumi’s head, seeing it excessively aristocratic.

Even though Lumi was just possessed by characters from this world, he somehow became thoroughly aristocratic to the bone.

When I first met Lumi, I thought he was too immersed in the characters of a novel.

But now, having acknowledged this place as reality, I wondered what Lumi was thinking.

“What should I contact him about?”

Should I ask if he memorized the note I gave him? Or maybe inquire about how he came up with the idea for the 1000 crowns business?

There wasn’t an easy answer. I got up.

First, I had to go receive tea lessons from Evangeline.

I carefully packed my bag with clothes and cosmetics, then left my accommodation.

Evangeline greeted me with her usual elegant and gentle smile.

“It’s time to gradually improve your tea taste, Lady Muselle.”

“Haha, I don’t know if I can do well.”

Facing Evangeline’s sharp gaze, I poured hot water with a slightly tense heart.

“Is this enough…?”

Carefully, I followed the timing I practiced and poured the finished tea.