“No, no. Please, just leave me alone. I’ve never caused any harm to Julian. Can’t you just believe that?”

It was frightening. What if the protagonist learned about the strangeness of this world? What would happen to the world?

Fundamentally, in romance, the main character is usually the female lead.

Summer couldn’t imagine a world without Julian.

What if the world learned the truth and abandoned Julian who opposed it? What would happen if the world built for Julian turned against her?

A chill ran up her arms.

“Summer. I need to know. And you should know this.”

“……”

“No matter what happens, I’ll be on Summer’s side. I don’t care if Summer is a heretic or a witch. As you said, I didn’t receive divine power because of any great piety in the first place.”

“Julian……”

“Let me help you. If you just allow that, I won’t… I won’t anymore……”

“Julian.”

Tears welled up in Julian’s large eyes. The sight of her pursing her lips, trying hard to hold back tears, was pitiful.

“I won’t bother Summer anymore. I want to be helpful to Summer now, not a burden. Please allow me. Anything is fine!”

“You shouldn’t say such things carelessly.”

“I can do anything for Summer!”

Julian raised her voice, as if feeling wronged.

“Can you kill me?”

“…What, what are you saying?”

“I’m asking if you can kill me.”

Julian froze as she noticed Summer’s eyes sinking coldly. Tears rolled down her round eyes.

“How can you say such a thing, Summer! Summer, what happened? It was like that after all, wasn’t it?”

“Answer me, Julian. You said you could do anything.”

“……”

“Why can’t you speak? Answer me. You said you’d do anything. I’m telling you to kill me. Can’t you do it?”

Summer’s attitude was chillingly calm.

Julian trembled but held onto Summer tightly. She was scared. It truly felt like Summer might shatter and disappear in the sunlight at any moment.

More than anything, she felt disgusted with herself for not being able to help her. Julian began to feel self-loathing at how useless her divine power could be.

She had been arrogant. Just because she had the strongest power didn’t mean she could solve everything.

“Why, why are you saying such things? Summer. No matter how hard it is, why……”

“Leave me alone. Julian, leave me alone.”

“Summer……”

“What I need now is a friend who will go to hell with my death, so just be quiet.”

“…I won’t give up. I’m going to save you, Summer.”

“Do as you please.”

Summer replied with a tired expression and fixed her gaze on the floor. As if refusing any further conversation.

Julian opened and closed her mouth, trying to say something more, but then pressed her lips shut.

“I’m going, Summer.”

“……”

“And, I can’t grant your request to kill you.”

“Okay.”

Julian hastily left the place.

Anyone would comfort the female lead running away scattering tears. Consoling herself with that thought, Summer sat down on a nearby bench with a tired face.

On a truly dark night, there was no one around.

A quiet stillness. A cold wind. Summer lowered her gaze to look at the glass in her hand.

The wine had spilled half out because Julian had grabbed her hand earlier.

“…Huh?”

And there was something in the glass. Summer carefully pulled out the object with her fingertips.

It was a piece of cloth. On the cloth, stained red with wine, a message was embroidered.

Below that, words were faintly added.

-Drink the wine.-

The writing at the very bottom disappeared into thin air as soon as it touched the air.

Summer hesitated for a moment, then drank the wine while tightly gripping the cloth.

With a sensation of her throat burning, Summer clutched her neck.

“Kuhak!”

The glass fell and shattered. Summer’s body collapsed.

The pain was as intense as the poison given by the Pope. Summer twisted her body violently, clawing at her own neck.

“Oh my, what’s that sound……”

“Kyaaak!”

Hearing the strange noise, some nobles approached but ran away screaming.

Soon people will come. And somehow, it didn’t seem like Ferotia would kill her.

Even if she died, so what? It’s not like the world would collapse if one Summer Lindsey disappeared.

Summer exhaled cynically. And at that moment, a familiar voice was heard in her ear.

“Summer! Please, wake up……”

Russell? Summer tried to call his name, but only red blood gushed out.

How strange. Summer closed her eyes, feeling something warm falling on her face.

How strange. That Russell wouldn’t cry.

As soon as Summer opened her eyes, she checked her hand first. The cloth was gone, taken by someone.

Still, she was glad that Russell had found her. If it was Russell, he would have surely handled everything flawlessly.

“Summer.”

The door burst open, probably thinking Summer was still unconscious.

Russell called Summer softly and stood still at the doorway.

“I’m fine. More importantly, Russell, about what was written on the cloth……”

Summer’s words couldn’t continue. It was because Russell threw down the silver tray and towel, quickly walked over and embraced Summer.

“Ru, Russell……”

“Why on earth!”

“……”

“You knew too. So why! Are the people who care about you now invisible to you?”

“I’m… sorry.”

Summer apologized meekly. Russell, as if finding it difficult to look at Summer like this, dropped her from his arms and lowered his head.

“I didn’t say that to hear an apology. It’s nonsense I’m saying because I’m relieved.”

“I know I only cause you worry every time, Russell. I’m sorry.”

“Do you really not need my help?”

Russell grabbed Summer’s shoulders and stared directly into each other’s eyes.

The thought crossed her mind that he might be asking because he knew something, but even Russell couldn’t have figured out how to turn back time.

Summer’s lips trembled slightly as she tried to speak, then she forced a smile.

“It’s okay. More importantly, did you check the contents written on the cloth?”

“……”

“Did someone else take it by any chance? That information is really important!”

“I checked it and the imperial search team took it.”

“Ah, that’s a relief. Really……”

Summer brushed her chest. She had worried what would happen if it fell into someone else’s hands. That’s why she had held onto the cloth tightly even as she lost consciousness.

Russell looked at Summer, who was visibly relieved, with a crooked eye and opened his mouth.

“It’s not such a relief to me. Because you don’t seem to value your own body very much now.”

“Russell.”

Russell slightly lowered his eyes and lightly grabbed a lock of Summer’s hair. The golden hair scattered softly from his fingertips.

Russell bent his head and lightly kissed Summer’s hair, then looked up at her.

“I’m so careful even just touching you like this. Why are you so reckless?”

“…My Lord……”

She felt as if she could feel the sensation even in her hair.

Summer lowered her head and let her hair fall to hide her face that was becoming too hot.

“Why? Am I difficult for you again now?”

“That, that’s not it……”

“Then why can’t you look at me properly?”

“Well,”

As she was about to protest that anyone would be like this if you looked at them with that face and that expression from such a close distance, there was a knock and a servant’s voice was heard from outside the door.

“Um, My Lord. His Majesty requests your attendance at the banquet……”

“Damn it.”

Russell cursed angrily as he ran his hand through his hair.

Summer found Russell’s behavior quite awkward.

It might be similar to the feelings of an office worker angry at excessive work, but somehow Russell seemed to have fallen in love with both work and love, so this level of reaction from him was surprising.

“…Russell?”

“I’m not saying it to you. Just… I’m wondering if I should say I’m sick and go back.”

“But who else would handle the imperial administration if not Russell?”

“This isn’t even administration. Strictly speaking, it’s criminal law, so Ian should be in charge.”

“Still.”

Goodness, Russell complaining that he doesn’t want to work. Summer still felt like she was in a dream.

If only where she and he were wasn’t on a bed, she would have wanted to hug Russell tightly once and run away.

“Haa, I understand. Please just stay here safely.”

“Ah, about my attendance at tonight’s banquet……”

“Are you talking about a banquet after drinking poison and collapsing? Stay in bed and don’t move.”

“I want to attend.”

Russell now knew Summer well. When Summer spoke this definitively, it usually happened no matter what.

Russell gently pushed Summer back down and quietly covered her with the blanket.

“…Your dress is ruined and can’t be used. I’ll try to arrange it, you should be able to attend wearing a ready-made dress from the imperial palace.”

“Thank you.”

“If you’re thankful, please take care of your body.”

Russell left and Summer was alone in the spacious room. It seemed to be one of the empty guest rooms in the imperial palace.

“Did Russell arrange this?”

The room was quite large and nice. Summer, who couldn’t sleep anyway and felt surprisingly light, got up from the bed.

When she opened the curtains, light poured in.

“I was out for a whole day.”

No wonder Russell was worried. But for someone who supposedly drank poison, her body felt light and refreshed as if the toxins had been removed.

As she was considering going out to the balcony, there was another knock at the door.

“Who is it?”

“Lady Julian Dudley requests a visit.”

“…Tell her to go back, haa, no, let her in.”

“Yes.”

The door opened and Julian entered. Somehow Julian looked even more haggard than Summer who had drunk poison.

“Summer.”

“Julian, look. I’m fine and my body is okay……”

“Was it Lady Legacy who did this?”

Julian’s face had become half its usual self, but her eyes were hardened.

She’s made some kind of decision. Summer could instinctively tell.