“Summer. The sun has set and it’s quite chilly.”

After Duke Legacy left late at night, Russell came to Summer’s room.

Summer sat on the balcony railing, looking down as she spoke.

“Who was here?”

“A guest came by briefly.”

“Since you’re not telling me who it was, I guess it’s someone I don’t like.”

“Perhaps. Would you like some wine?”

Summer nodded slightly. Russell stood beside Summer with red wine and two glasses.

“Was it Duke Legacy?”

“…Did you see?”

The hand pouring wine into the glass hesitated.

“I didn’t see. I guessed. But I don’t dislike Duke Legacy. I have no thoughts about him.”

“Still, he’s not a good person, is he?”

Russell finished pouring the wine and pushed one glass towards Summer. Summer picked up the glass and drank the first one in one go. It was quite uncouth in this world, but she didn’t care.

“He’s just moving like a puppet, without a self, following the compulsions of this world.”

“…That doesn’t erase his sins.”

Russell worriedly examined Summer as he poured her another glass of wine. Fortunately, Summer just held this glass in her hand.

“Did he do something to personally wrong you, Russell? It wasn’t in the world I read about.”

“You said I was the protagonist, but it seems my past wasn’t mentioned much.”

Russell quietly looked up at the night sky and took a sip of wine. A warm feeling slid down his throat.

It was quite cold in the middle of autumn. Russell brought a shawl hanging in Summer’s room and draped it over her shoulders, then stared at her intently.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Is it a lie that I’m the protagonist?”

“You are the protagonist. More precisely, you’re the supporting lead. The romance is between Julian and Duke Lancaster, while you’re the protagonist who carries out the political intrigue fantasy while those two have their romance.”

Russell’s eyebrows rose in displeasure at Summer’s explanation.

“…Do I only work there too?”

“Unfortunately so.”

Summer smiled faintly as she emptied her second glass of wine. Then she pulled the wine bottle towards herself.

Russell briefly considered stopping Summer but decided to leave her be. Summer in a comfortably disheveled state wasn’t so bad.

Leaning on the railing and watching Summer, Russell abruptly asked a question.

“Was there no one I met there?”

“You mean Russell? No, there wasn’t. There were people who wanted you to end up with Julian, but even to me, it didn’t seem like romance.”

“There’s absolutely no romance.”

Russell replied stiffly. He had never really thought deeply about Julian Dudley as a person.

These days, he was just beginning to learn about Julian Dudley’s existence while investigating Duke Legacy.

“I know.”

“Just in case.”

A brief silence settled between them. Russell emptied his glass and refilled it with wine. The red wine showed a rather beautiful color under the moonlight.

Summer, sitting on the railing and looking at the sky, spoke first.

“Russell, are you going to the Imperial Palace?”

“Why do you think that?”

Russell tilted his head slightly at the sudden topic.

“I predicted that the Emperor would pass away soon. Did you say you believed me, but actually didn’t?”

“I do believe you. But I want to confirm one thing.”

“Hmm, what is it?”

“Does Summer want this world to continue as it is?”

“…”

“Or do you want it to change?”

Summer stiffened as if surprised. Then she faced Russell with eyes full of confusion. Soon, Summer’s head drooped.

“…I’m sorry. I’ve never thought about it. More precisely, I think I thought ‘whatever will be, will be.’ Because I thought this world wasn’t one I would live in.”

“From now on, it’s the world you will live in, so consider it.”

“…Should I live in this world from now on?”

“Of course.”

Russell answered emphatically to Summer’s words. Every time Summer said such things, Russell felt like something inside him was crumbling.

The question of whether one should live shouldn’t even exist. Of course, one should live.

To Russell, Summer’s state of asking such questions seemed dangerous.

As if reading that thought, Summer’s atmosphere became sensitively on edge.

“This world might be real to you, Russell, but to me it’s still fiction. And terrible fiction at that. If I had fallen into a foreign country it would be one thing, but this is a place with a creator and compulsions that move according to his will.”

“Was there no compulsion in that world?”

“We compelled each other. But there was no divine intervention.”

“…”

Russell fell silent. And Summer swayed dangerously on the railing.

Unable to stand it anymore, Russell grabbed Summer’s arm and pulled her down forcefully from the railing. The smell of wine wafted strongly.

Pulling Summer to where the moonlight shone brightly, he examined her face and saw her cheeks were slightly flushed.

She had drunk the wine hastily. Strangely, Russell sighed in relief when he confirmed Summer was in an intoxicated state.

It was somewhat comforting that it wasn’t said in her right mind.

“I’m tired of reading works where only the protagonists are happy.”

“Summer.”

Russell called Summer’s name softly. Summer knew what that meant. It was the tone Russell used when trying to dissuade her.

But Summer really wanted to leave this work. She wanted to close this book with its predetermined ending.

“I know, it’s not something I should say in front of you, Russell. So leave me alone now. Don’t ask questions either.”

“…”

Summer’s eyes softened a little.

Actually, she was grateful for Russell being by her side. To the point where she felt lonely when he wasn’t around.

But at the same time, because he was the closest, she unknowingly hurt Russell often.

At such times, she felt sorry, but then suddenly resented him. If he just left her alone, he wouldn’t get hurt. Why does he keep guarding her side while getting hurt?

It was a bit too much to be just sympathy.

“It might be fiction to you, but to me it’s real. I breathe here, move, and live. I live here. I will continue to live.”

The large hands holding Summer’s arms squeezed gently.

“Yes, this must be reality for you, Russell. I know.”

Summer replied sarcastically.

“And you, who I see before me, are also real to me. I believe in what I see, what I hear, what I feel. More precisely, I believe in what remains. Records, evidence that exists now, experiences I’ve had.”

“…”

“I don’t know what Summer thinks of what she’s done since coming to this world, but from what I see, Summer has been living quite admirably.”

At Russell’s last words, Summer pushed him away and burst into fierce laughter.

At the same time, Summer staggered and knocked the glass on the railing with her arm.

The transparent glass fell straight over the balcony. The faint sound of breaking glass was heard from far away.

“Admirably? Haha, Russell. Since coming to this world, I’ve constantly despaired, feared, and been anxious.”

“…Do you want to say that even those moments when you smiled at me were lies?”

“…That’s.”

Summer hesitated. Because it wasn’t a lie. But if she answered that those moments were happy, she felt a compulsion that she might never be able to leave this world.

Russell lowered his gaze slightly at Summer’s silence. He didn’t have the confidence to face her directly right now.

“I acted emotionally for a moment. Rest.”

“Um, Russell…”

Summer called out to Russell softly, but Russell pretended not to hear and left the balcony.

Summer stared at the place Russell had left, then clutched the shawl he had put on her tightly with both hands.

This wasn’t what she wanted. Words that hadn’t passed through reason kept popping out.

It was close to her true feelings, but there was no need to hurt others by saying it.

Summer, feeling dejected, opened the balcony door and came inside.

The room felt chilly even though the fireplace was clearly lit. Finding it strange, Summer looked around the room and saw that a window was open.

And cat footprints on the windowsill.

Before she could recognize what it was, something pressed firmly on Summer’s arm. Something soft and warm.

“Uh, aah!”

Startled, Summer flailed her arms and fell down. There was quite a loud noise, but no one came running. Summer stared at the intruder from her fallen position.

The intruder who had opened the window and invaded was a black cat.

With mysterious purple eyes.

“What, did you end up fighting after all?”

“…Fei.”

It was Fei. A face she hadn’t seen in a very long time.

Only then did Summer relax, get up, and dust off her clothes.

“No. I just behaved badly towards Russell one-sidedly.”

“I’m sure. You’re angry at your own helplessness right now.”

Fei transformed into human form and stood on the windowsill, smiling like a child with her nose scrunched up.

“You say I’m angry? I don’t even have the energy to be angry.”

Summer protested. But Fei didn’t seem to agree much with Summer’s words.

Fei waved her hand once, and a teapot and teacup appeared in the air. Fei poured tea into the cup and replied casually.

“Well. I guess it’s because you don’t know who to be angry at or where to start. More importantly, I have something to tell you.”

“What is it? Aren’t you done with me now?”

“Poor soul. Do you still want to go back?”

“Yes. I want to go back.”

The answer came without a moment’s hesitation.

Fei thought of Julian, who had come to her asking to tell Summer about him, and clicked her tongue.

Poor puppets. The people of that world would never treat the people of this world as equals.

“Do you dislike this world that much?”

“Yes. If I could go back, I want to go back. If that’s not possible, I’d rather end this book.”

“Oh, calm down. Who am I? I’m the best witch and the one who can save you.”

“Is there some way? Huh?”

Summer rushed to Fei and clung to her clothes. Summer’s eyes, glinting in the moonlight, were tinged with madness.

Fei recoiled in horror and removed Summer’s hands.

“Are you curious about how to go back?”

Foolish human. Consumed by regret and lingering attachment. Fei embraced Summer, who was panting unable to control her emotions, affectionately.

Then she whispered in her ear.

“There is a way, Summer.”