I narrowed my eyes and focused on Claudia’s lips.

‘De… Dou… Doug? Douglas… Why didn’t you call him?’

Claudia frowned and looked around.

Seeing Douglas nowhere, she glared at me once more.

‘You should have called Douglas.’

Why was she looking for Douglas before the duel?

After thinking it over, I slapped my knee.

‘Does she want to show him the moment of victory? Because she’s certain she’ll win?’

My heart ached at Claudia’s confidence and pure love for Douglas.

No one else knew, but as a reader of the original story, I couldn’t help but know.

That Claudia had an unrequited love for Douglas.

That she had suffered for a long time because of feelings she never expressed.

‘I wish those two could be happy too…’

At first, I wanted to build a bridge of love between them.

But soon I realized.

That it would be deceit and an insult.

Their feelings belonged only to them.

I couldn’t interfere and tell them what to do.

Claudia noticed that I wasn’t the Elizabeth from the past.

She might not believe it now, but she would realize that I wouldn’t torment Douglas anymore.

‘I hope Claudia and I won’t be enemies. Who knows? We might even become friends…’

A hope I never dared to dream swelled up inside me.

“Claudia seems relaxed. Simon is very tense,” Nikolai said with interest.

I jeered at Simon, who was armed with leather armor and various protective gear.

He had the same red string tied around his neck as Claudia.

“He’s so heavily equipped even though fatal attacks are forbidden. Gauntlets, shin guards… and his sword is huge too.”

“Simon is a master of the bastard sword with exceptional strength.”

“Can he even keep up with Lady Claudia?”

“He must be confident in his speed too. If Claudia, with her small build, takes a direct hit from that sword, it could be fatal.”

“Isn’t that against the rules? I thought you win by making the opponent surrender or cutting their red string?”

I turned to Nikolai in shock.

Nikolai remained calm.

“If he claims it was unintentional, that’s the end of it. Fatal accidents are not uncommon even in friendly matches.”

“That’s absurd…”

“That’s just how duels are. If you’re afraid, you shouldn’t pick up a sword. Those two have probably forgotten the purpose of the duel by now.”

“You mean they’re only thinking about winning? Even though they could get hurt or die?”

I hadn’t thought someone might die.

If I had, I wouldn’t have set this up.

‘I thought it was similar to Nikolai sparring with knights, or Franz hitting straw dummies. I thought it was just a game…!’

The sharply honed swords looked terrifying.

What had I done?

Without even fighting myself.

My vision darkened with guilt and anxiety.

It was then that Nikolai grasped my hand.

“Don’t regret it, Elizabeth. The duel has already begun.”

“I didn’t know it was so dangerous.”

“The knights accepted it. Your duty is to watch their fight until the end.”

A quiet stillness flowed around Claudia.

Even the gentle breeze and the flow of time seemed to pass her by.

There was no sign of determination to crush her opponent, nor any trace of ambition to win at all costs.

In the absolute silence, her blue eyes shone as brilliantly as the morning star.

“In the name of the Emperor, I command you. Begin the duel!”

[This is the timeline separator]

Franz couldn’t focus on the lesson and kept peeking out the window.

He seemed more interested in the knights’ duel than the literature class.

Douglas closed the thick book.

“Would you like to take a break?”

As if he had been waiting for this, Franz pouted.

“What’s the point of a break? It’s not like I can run to the dueling grounds.”

“Shall we continue the lesson then?”

“You really have no flexibility!”

“I apologize.”

Douglas smiled brightly.

A servant brought in tea and cookies.

Munching on the cookies, Franz asked,

“Aren’t you friends with Lord Roselois? Why didn’t you ask to be invited?”

“I don’t want to see a friend bleeding in battle.”

“You must resent Lady Elizabeth?”

“Not at all.”

“But she proposed the duel and chose Lord Roselois as her proxy?”

“She must have had her reasons.”

“What remarkable understanding.”

Franz drank his milk, looking deflated.

A white milk mustache remained on his upper lip.

Reminded of Susan’s childhood, Douglas wiped Franz’s mouth with a handkerchief.

“In life, we sometimes make choices we regret and feel sorry for. Especially for a woman living a hard life like Elizabeth.”

“But Lady Elizabeth is always going out to play outside the palace. And she’s super rich.”

“A comfortable life doesn’t guarantee happiness. You know that too, Your Highness?”

Thanks to his noble title of Crown Prince, Franz was constantly under threat.

The culprit who poisoned him still hadn’t been caught.

With no mother or maternal relatives, few nobles believed Franz would inherit the throne.

Except for a few servants, there was no one around Franz.

Franz’s expression darkened.

Douglas thought he had said the wrong thing.

But it was only momentary, as Franz shrugged his shoulders.

“Lady Elizabeth said I just need to eat well, play well, and study well.”

“Elizabeth is an excellent teacher.”

“You think just anyone can become my education officer?”

“Is that so?”

“She nags a lot and has a rough personality, but Lady Elizabeth is a good woman.”

“A good woman?”

Douglas blinked at the unexpected expression.

As if amazed that Douglas didn’t know this, Franz raised his chin.

“She’s bold, smart, and doesn’t flatter anyone, right? She might not compare to Mother, but women as beautiful as Lady Elizabeth are rare.”

“She is indeed rarely beautiful.”

“Men who like weak and submissive women are all fools. To accomplish great things, one should marry a woman like Lady Elizabeth.”

“It seems Elizabeth is Your Highness’s ideal type?”

“Wh-what nonsense!”

Franz stammered, his face turning bright red.

“I was just speaking in general terms. You should take note too, Marquis!”

“I’d like to marry a woman like Elizabeth too.”

“It’ll be difficult, but give it a try. Lady Elizabeth is the Emperor’s lover, after all.”

“Is that really true?”

“For a literature professor, you’re quite out of touch with popular stories! They have that kind of relationship. I saw it with my own eyes.”

What exactly did he see to be so certain?

Douglas was suddenly curious.

But he shook his head.

It was probably better not to know.

‘The rumor is a collaboration between me and Lord Owen. Created at Elizabeth’s request.’

Douglas had refined the story with his own hands.

He portrayed Elizabeth not as a villainess, but as a pitiful woman.

He transformed Nikolai from a playboy into a man of pure love.

But Elizabeth was not a lucky girl basking in the Emperor’s love.

Nor was Nikolai a fairy tale prince who loved only Elizabeth.

Douglas recalled the book sleeping in his drawer.

‘The latter half of the book was torn out. I only know the beginning. A woman who lived as a villainess is reborn and suffers from unrequited love for a tyrant. The tyrant keeps pushing her away, and the woman is deeply hurt.’

Too many parts matched up for it to be just a coincidence.

The protagonist rejects the fate of becoming empress and becomes close to the crown prince.

A man who loves her passes down a divine object inherited through his family.

Up to this point, it was exactly the same as reality.

Would it continue to be so?

According to the book, the protagonist obtains three divine objects.

Each object had unimaginable powers hidden within.

Powers that would greatly change the fate of this country.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Franz raised an eyebrow.

Douglas smiled gently.

“I’m glad to see you looking healthy.”

“I’m very healthy. Thanks to Lady Elizabeth.”

“I know that well.”

The divine object of the Nettleton family that had passed to Elizabeth.

An old copper monocle.

Did it really have the power to see through illnesses?

‘If so, it explains how Elizabeth saved His Majesty. Even without medical knowledge, with just the divine object…’

Whatever the truth, his vow remained unchanged.

He was determined to keep the book’s existence a secret if it could erase the constantly rising anxiety.

But what if the events described in the book actually happened?

Douglas suddenly turned his head.

Dark clouds were gathering in the distant sky.

[This is the timeline separator]

– Clang! Clang!

The sharp sound of clashing metal rang out.

The glint of sparks flying from the blades pierced the heart.

Claudia was fast, strong, and beautiful.

She moved almost too quickly for the eye to follow.

But I couldn’t miss it.

Claudia leaping into the air, pushing off from the ground.

I swallowed a gasp at her light movements that seemed to defy gravity.

Her movements were as graceful and captivating as the dance of a divine priestess.

It wasn’t just beautiful.

The power in her sword was enough to split the sky and crumble the earth.

Simon, who I expected to surrender quickly, was blocking all of Claudia’s attacks.

Though he was panting and rolling in the dirt.

“Was Simon always this strong?”

“Well, not just anyone becomes the Crown Prince’s swordsmanship instructor.”

“His dodging is impressive too.”

“He might be trying to wear Claudia down.”

“Lady Claudia will win! She’s the Empire’s strongest knight!”

“Weren’t you afraid of her before?” Nikolai asked.

Instead of answering, I cheered until my throat hurt.

“Crush him, Lady Claudia! Cut him in two!”

“What happened to your concern about people getting hurt?”

“Why should I care what happens to Simon? As long as Lady Claudia is safe, that’s all that matters!”

“…I wouldn’t want to be your enemy.”

“Go, Claudia! Sweep him away, Silver Wings!”

The heads of the four great noble houses watched the duel with tense expressions.

Marquis Brenden was shouting himself hoarse.

“Wake up, Simon! The fate of our entire family rests on your shoulders! If you don’t win, you’ll die by my hand!”

What happened to all his boasting about his son?

He’s such trash, really.

Perhaps Marquis Brenden’s threats worked, as Simon attempted a counterattack.

The huge bastard sword was raised high into the sky.

He aimed to strike at Claudia’s weak point the moment he landed.

“No!”