The Terminally-Ill Rejects the Approach (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 6

A bad ending? Impossible!

This is precisely the perfect revenge I can bestow upon that player who dared to build a harem using my beloved’s body!

Hezen’s face instantly turned deathly pale, as if he’d read the exact same sentence.

[SYSTEM] Activating skill . [SYSTEM] Your movement speed has temporarily increased by +500%.

“L-Lulu! Something urgent came up… I-I’ll see you next time!”

He spun around and bolted away in an instant.

He fled so swiftly there was no chance to grab him.

Just as I watched his retreating figure and huffed out a breath through my nose—

Whistle.

A whistle sounded from beside me.

The moment I looked at Hezen’s face, consumed by a surge of rage, I belatedly remembered the man’s presence.

“How amusing.”

The man grinned at me.

‘W-What is this?’

It felt even eerier somehow that the man who’d just tried to kill me was now smiling gently.

Just as I hesitated, stepping backward—

“Third Imperial Princess Louise Belle Azester.”

He approached me, suddenly using polite honorifics in an unnervingly sweet voice.

‘What? He already knew my name? And he acted like that even knowing I’m an imperial princess?’

Before I could recover from my bewilderment, he slowly extended his arm toward me.

Instinctively, I squeezed my eyes shut—then suddenly felt a cold touch at my throat.

Clinkle—

When I opened my eyes at the sensation of a metal chain slipping against my skin, his face loomed mere inches away, gazing down at me.

“I’ll lend it to you—the pendant Her Imperial Highness picked up.”

He tilted his head toward me, fingers brushing the pendant hanging around my neck.

“You’ll need it.”

Then he lowered his voice and added softly,

“To crush that bastard just now.”

“What…?”

His vulgar words clashed so absurdly with his gentle demeanor that my eyes bulged wide.

But he immediately withdrew his hand from the pendant and slowly lifted his eyes, a sly glint flashing within them.

“In return, please allow me to stay by your side while I lend you this.”

Despite his exceedingly courteous words, his gaze was piercingly intense and relentless.

A faint trace of killing intent flickered in those gleaming eyes.

Realizing this, goosebumps instantly rose on my skin.

Isn’t he planning to find an opportunity to kill me while staying close?

“…Stay by my side?”

I swallowed hard and asked. He smiled faintly and replied,

“Just as I said. While I remain in the Azester Empire, I wish to serve Her Imperial Highness from the closest possible position.”

Still, nothing appeared above his head.

Nervously pressing a hand to my pounding chest, I raised my voice and demanded,

“Isn’t it proper etiquette to reveal your identity first?”

“Oh.”

He let out a short exclamation, as if only just realizing his oversight.

Then, slowly stepping back, he knelt on one knee before me.

“Prince of Luhenhart, Anselot.”

The man kneeling before me looked straight into my eyes as he announced himself.

“My name is Anselot, Your Imperial Highness.”

His cold lips brushed against the back of my hand.

‘Prince Anselot of Luhenhart…?’

And at once, it came back to me.

‘Did you hear? They say Luhenhart Kingdom sent that insane prince whose hobby is cutting people down as their envoy.’

The voice of a certain noble lady gossiping at Elizabeth’s tea party not long ago.

[This is the timeline separator]

Even after returning to my room, the eerie sensation of that man’s lips on my hand wouldn’t fade.

“Prince Anselot of Luhenhart…”

I quietly murmured his name.

Envoys from across the continent were gathering for my mother’s upcoming birthday celebration.

And from the neighboring Kingdom of Luhenhart, they’d sent their envoy too—

That insane, homicidal prince whose hobby was slicing people open!

Rubbing my hand furiously, I replayed our earlier conversation in my head.

‘W-Why suddenly does he want to serve me…?’

‘Hm. Do you need a reason?’

He tilted his head at my question, then grinned and answered,

“I fell for you at first sight.”

“Liar! You tried to kill me at first sight!”

“It was your imagination.”

He lied with utmost composure, without even blinking.

“Don’t doubt my love. It hurts my heart when you keep doubting me.”

“What nonsense—”

“—As if my chest is tearing apart.”

…What did you say? Are you going to tear me apart?

For a moment, I fell speechless, staring at him with a terrified expression.

Despite his softly curved eyes, his flashing gaze was dreadfully menacing.

As if he truly would tear me apart.

‘They say he smiles while slitting his opponent’s throat if the slightest thing goes wrong…’

‘But they also say once you see the prince’s face, you can never forget it.’

‘Despite his handsome looks, he’s remained unmarried until now because…’

‘Every woman engaged to him has died under mysterious circumstances—and the prime suspect is none other than that bloodthirsty prince…’

The noble ladies at the tea party, gathered around each table, all exchanged stories about him.

Because of them, I learned that back in his homeland, Prince Anselot was known as the “Bloodthirsty Psycho,” abbreviated to “SALTTO.”

The more I recalled the ladies’ gossip, the heavier my heart grew.

He wasn’t just some bastard—he was SALTTO.

SALTTO had tried to kill me.

And I, without a shred of fear, had openly defied SALTTO.

I nearly died right then and there, long before my already-short remaining lifespan ran out.

“If things had gone differently, I truly would’ve died right on the spot.”

I swallowed hard, gently clutching the pendant around my neck and examining it.

When SALTTO attacked me, a red light from this necklace blocked his strike.

Though the pendant was as suspicious as the Prince of Luhenhart himself, right now I needed it.

Because this pendant allowed me to see the player’s system window.

“I must find out exactly what Hezen is up to—so I’ll keep it only until I cleanly break off our engagement.”

Once the engagement was over, I’d toss away this dubious pendant without a second thought.

“But why was there nothing visible above SALTTO’s head?”

Frowning, I replayed the scene in my mind.

“But Hezen clearly saw something back then…”

Though I’d been blinded by fury upon seeing Hezen’s face, I’d still clearly witnessed it—

Hezen glaring intently at the space above SALTTO’s head.

“There’s no doubt Hezen saw text there.”

Then why did I see nothing at all?

Moreover, he’d even stared directly at Hezen’s system window and asked, “You can see that, right?”

He could see Hezen’s system window—without needing this pendant, just like me.

He couldn’t possibly be a player…

Could he be another transmigrator like me?

Or some special being I wasn’t aware of?

“There’s something going on.”

First Hezen, now this suspicious homicidal prince.

My once-peaceful life had been stormed by chaos, giving me a headache.

“Ugh.”

“Y-Your Imperial Highness?”

Shaking my head and sighing, I noticed Seira watching me anxiously.

“Are… are you alright? Did… did Hezen come looking for you and cause you trouble…?”

I stared straight at Seira.

Handmaiden of the Third Imperial Princess

Affection: 999

“You didn’t tell Hezen where I was, did you?”

“Y-Y-Y-Y-Yes?”

Caught off guard, Seira stammered, her face visibly paling.

“Since when?”

My question, implying I already knew everything, made Seira shake her head wildly—until she finally bowed it deeply and cried out,

“I-I’m so sorry!”

Tears welled in her eyes as she apologized outright.

“I… actually… since three years ago….”

“What? Three years ago?”

“M-More precisely, since the spring of three years ago….”

I’d first met Hezen at the autumn martial tournament three years ago.

So “the spring of three years ago” was long before I’d even met him.

“I… only told you about Lord Hezen because he begged me to help him become friends with Your Imperial Highness….”

“……”

Now that I thought about it, Seira had played a huge role in how I grew close to Hezen and started our relationship.

She’d always shared good things about Hezen with me and actively facilitated our closeness.

“B-But right after Lord Hezen became engaged to Your Imperial Highness, I immediately resolved to stop all this!”

“……”

“It’s true, please believe me! I just haven’t fully cut ties yet, which led to today’s mistake….”

After listening silently to Seira’s explanation, I let out a long sigh.

“Right, Seira. It’s not your fault. Hezen’s the real bastard.”

“Y-Your Imperial Highness?”

“It’s alright, Seira. I’ll definitely save you from his clutches.”

“Y-You’re… not angry with me…?”

Seira asked in confusion.

I nodded.

Though it would be a lie to say I felt no betrayal toward Seira, I myself had also been toyed with by that monster.

‘When you think about it, Seira met Hezen before I did. And Seira liked him, but Hezen used her like a tool.’

I felt just as sorry for Seira—used without ever having her feelings reciprocated—as I did for myself.

Just then—

The number above Seira’s head seemed to blur for a moment, then sparkled as it changed.

Handmaiden of the Third Imperial Princess

Affection: 913

‘Huh…?’

For a moment, I doubted my eyes.

‘Affection can drop like this too?’

Was it because I’d triggered Seira’s guilt?

There was no Hezen around, and he hadn’t done anything—but Seira’s affection had still decreased.

My eyes instantly lit up.

Just like the moment I’d discovered Hezen’s bad ending route.

“Kgh…”

“Your Highness? Are you in pain…?”

Hearing my strained sound, Seira anxiously checked on me.

“Heheheh…”

But I wasn’t groaning from pain.

It was laughter I couldn’t hold back from sheer delight.

Maybe breaking off my engagement with Hezen would be much easier and faster than I’d thought.

‘I’ll smash that damn harem he built to pieces!’

From today onward, I had a new goal.

I’d shatter the affection levels of every character Hezen had “conquered” and grind his manhood into cornmeal until he logged out forever!

Seeing me twitch my lips and snort like a madwoman, Seira flinched and took a step back.

“I-I’m so sorry, Your Highness!”

Then, bursting into tears, she dashed out of the room.

Handmaiden of the Third Imperial Princess

Affection: 879

Handmaiden of the Third Imperial Princess

Affection: 860

Watching Seira’s affection steadily decline even as she fled, I burst into laughter.

“Welcome to Hell Mode!! Kehahahahahahahaha!!!”

[This is the timeline separator]

A week had passed since then.

Today was the night of the ball held for foreign guests.

From tonight until my mother’s birthday, a ball would be held every night for the next week.

And my remaining lifespan was…

Third Imperial Princess of Azester Empire

Status: Lover, Terminal (Remaining Lifespan: 6 days 06 hours 47 minutes)

Merely six days, six hours, and forty-seven minutes.

Considering the current time was 5:13 PM, I would die precisely at midnight on the night of my mother’s birthday ball.

“And when I die, the awakening event will begin.”

So I intended to destroy everything Hezen had built before my mother’s birthday banquet commenced.

Tonight’s ball would be the starting point.