“To the willow forest! Got it? Right now! The forest at night is dangerous! She won’t even have a torch!”

I left these words with the servant chasing after me and immediately spurred the horse.

“My goodness, Lady!”

For days, I had been shut in my room, only looking at maps and documents of the North.

I had memorized the map long ago. But did having it in my head mean I could find my way without getting lost?

As if something guided me, I ignored the possibility of things going wrong and smoothly rode on, almost out of a sense of duty.

“Please, Rose. It’s still much earlier than in the original story.”

In the original story, the heroine finds the treasure warehouse of the North. Rose Temery is involved with the treasure warehouse of the North just as in the original.

Rose, jealous of the saintly heroine who suddenly appeared and captivated Darius’s heart.

“I must surpass that woman. If I make a contribution, Darius will surely notice me.”

But Rose had no means to do so. She couldn’t help people like the saintly heroine with divine power.

Then Rose’s thoughts reached the ‘legendary treasure left by Duke Inkheart,’ which she had thought was only a tale.

If it were true and she could find that treasure, perhaps Darius would think of her again.

The heroine found the treasure of the North next to Rose’s corpse.

Both thought of the treasure at the same time, and though they reached it, Rose was already dead. Holding the cold body of the woman who envied her, the heroine cried while obtaining the treasure of the North.

“I thought I twisted the original! Since I wasn’t supposed to be here at this point in the original story, and since my attempt to obtain the Northern treasure was earlier than in the original, I thought such a thing wouldn’t happen!”

I didn’t care about Rose.

She was a character meant to lose to the heroine. Even a character meant to die after losing to the heroine.
It seemed laughable and even pitiful that she didn’t realize her fate.

“You’re trying in vain; you’ll never win Darius’s heart. No, you’ll actually overstep and die because of it.”

“But getting a bit cheeky doesn’t warrant death, does it? If you die now, you’ll be dying earlier than in the original story.”

Please, be alive.

The treasure warehouse I was looking for was where Rose was. But I couldn’t tell if I was looking for the treasure warehouse or Rose herself.

“Rose, Rose Temery!”

I screamed.

“If you die now, I’ll take the male lead for myself! I mean it! I won’t give him up to you, even when the heroine’s not around!”

My voice echoed meaninglessly across the white snowfield.

A horse’s whinny was heard.

‘The willow forest.’

It was one of the places I had deduced. A place where Darius, Rose, and Sir Lucion used to play as children.

The place where the founder Inkheart had hidden the treasure.

‘It’s too vast.’

The view was obscured by dense trees. I had a destination, but no clear direction.

‘Rose…’

Answer me, Rose.

Let me save you.

Suddenly, something like a green firefly appeared before me.

‘What is this?’

The firefly-like light moved slowly as if signaling me.

‘There’s no guarantee it’s not a trap.’

This forest was a place of legend and hidden treasures. A place where danger and allure coexisted.

Sigh.

I steadied my breath and pulled the horse’s reins.

“Neigh!”

The horse reared up and pawed the ground.

‘Just be alive, Rose. I’ll make you copy etiquette books for a lifetime.’

I hesitated no longer and chased the strange green light.

“Annette!”

Then I heard a voice urgently calling me from behind. It was Darius.

‘Darius!’

“Over here, take my hand!”

A group of knights followed Darius.

I turned hastily, but it was already too late.