The Terminally-Ill Rejects the Approach (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 7

“Your Highness, what color should we prepare for your dress?”

“Of course, a slightly more vibrant hue would suit you best…”

“Should we style your hair up or leave it down?”

The maids bustled about energetically for the rare ball.

I glanced sideways at Seira’s head, who stood mingled among them.

Maidservant Seira of the Third Imperial Princess’s Quarters

Affection: 538

Seira’s affection had dropped considerably since then—because I kept prodding at her guilt.

‘But even so, it’s still far from low.’

I stared fixedly at Seira’s affection level, which remained well above 500.

Over the past few days, after various attempts, I’d managed to uncover a few more functions related to the system interface.

First, those words hovering above people’s heads that displayed their names and statuses!

If you stared intently at them, a detailed information window would pop up with a clicking-like effect, listing the person’s full details.

Ping!

Just like right now.

[Close confidante of Third Imperial Princess Louise Belle Azester. Niece of Countess Arlia, the Princess’s former nursemaid. Entered the imperial palace at age five as the Princess’s playmate and became her maidservant at age fifteen.

▶ Stamina: 138

▶ Magic: 72

▶ Attack: 20

▶ Defense: 161

.

.

▶ Ideal Type: An upright and kind-hearted man

▶ View on Love: Dreams of an honest, sincere relationship with her partner, free of deceit.]

Players could utilize in-game characters as [Allies] within each scenario, and these stats were likely reference data meant for that purpose.

Strangely enough, it even displayed personal details like ideal type and views on love—unrelated to scenario progression—thanks to Hezen’s item, the [Ring of Miriam].

‘That damn scoundrel. To spend real money just to build his harem.’

The [Ring of Miriam] was an item obtainable only through paid purchases and offered no combat effects whatsoever.

His determination to become the protagonist of this game and flirt shamelessly with every female character was infuriating.

‘Well, thanks to it, I did gain some useful information…’

Seira had high morality and held a steadfast belief that true love meant guiding one’s partner down the right path.

So, I deliberately stirred her guilt.

‘Seira, be honest with me right now. Are you perhaps hiding your feelings for Hezen because of me?’

‘Y-your Highness, I—I’ve done wrong, h-huh…’

With each word I spoke, Seira’s affection steadily declined.

But I didn’t stop there. Whenever I found the chance, I went to see Elizabeth.

Through the [Ring of Miriam], I’d learned Elizabeth’s ideal type was a muscular, highly masculine man.

‘Big sister Elizabeth, I’m troubled because of Hezen. You see, Hezen has…’

‘What? Has Sir Hezen grown so lazy in his training that his stomach’s started to bulge?’

‘Yes, all those firm muscles have vanished… Oh! But this is a secret between just us sisters!’

Elizabeth couldn’t hide her disappointment at the secret I’d confided.

Her plummeting affection score in real time showed just how let down she felt.

I even went so far as to visit Sylvia, my rival, and laid the groundwork carefully.

‘Sylvia, do men usually skip washing their hands after using the restroom?’

‘Oh my, how utterly unhygienic! Who on earth would…!’

‘Hezen does. Since he’s the only man I’ve ever interacted with, I didn’t know—so I thought I’d ask you, who has brothers…’

‘Good heavens! That’s horrifying and filthy!’

Sylvia, who suffered from mysophobia, saw her affection for Hezen drop sharply at the mention of his poor hygiene.

Her affection soon hit rock bottom.

Watching the declining affection levels of everyone around me—people Hezen had worked so hard to charm—I snorted in disdain.

‘Hmph. Let him panic at the ball when he sees his shattered affection ratings.’

But these petty pranks weren’t enough.

That damn bastard had been so relentlessly pursuing multiple women that such minor sabotage barely made a dent.

I wanted one big, decisive blow.

One massive strike that would drastically slash everyone’s affection for him!

“Your Highness, you look absolutely stunning today!”

“You’ll surely be the brightest presence at the ball tonight, Your Highness!”

At the maids’ overly enthusiastic voices, I glanced briefly into the mirror.

I now wore a deep wine-red gown with exposed shoulders, my preparation complete.

Over it, the maids draped a black shawl.

“Thank you.”

I gave a brief smile and headed toward the ballroom.

“Her Royal Highness, Third Imperial Princess Louise Belle Azester, has arrived!”

The loud voice of the attendant guarding the door announced my entrance.

All eyes turned to me for a fleeting moment before slowly dispersing.

As I gracefully sipped a drink, wearing a serene smile, just as expected—

“Lulu…”

Hezen approached me with a gentle smile.

For the past several days, Hezen had been circling around me, desperately trying to raise his affection level again by striking up conversations.

‘L-Lulu… About what happened a few days ago…’

[SYSTEM] Emergency alert! [SYSTEM] Emergency alert! [SYSTEM] has begun to feel intense hatred upon hearing your voice…

But each time, my fury surged alongside a full charge of power stats.

‘Hrk!’

Apparently, the memory of that first day—when I punched him so hard his teeth fell out—had left quite an impression.

Thus, whenever Hezen tried approaching me, he’d panic at the emergency alert message, clumsily activate his skill, and flee.

His skill was so effective that all I could do was huff in frustration at his retreating back.

“Been well?”

Hezen asked me in a friendly tone.

‘He knows I won’t attack with so many people watching, so he’s bold enough to come close?’

I clicked my tongue at his cunning.

As I drew near him again, the quest window blared annoyingly once more.

‘Shut up.’

I turned to him, making no effort to hide my irritation.

When sharing the same space as Hezen, I could see his quest windows and system alerts.

And if I came within one meter…

Ping!

An interface appeared.

Various buttons allowed me to check the player’s status, skill usage, and item information.

It once again hit me—this place really was inside a virtual reality game.

Among the options, I briefly glanced at the golden letters labeled [Player-Exclusive Shop].

Then, I quickly turned back to him with a bright smile and greeted him cheerfully.

“Long time no see, Hezen. Have you been well?”

He froze.

Clearly caught off guard by my unexpected reaction, he looked flustered.

“Lulu… have you… forgiven me?”

He asked me suspiciously.

Of course, my affection toward him remained stubbornly at –999.

[SYSTEM] Emergency alert! is beginning to harbor intense murderous intent toward you!

Ignoring the usual warning that blared whenever we got close, I smiled sweetly.

“Oh dear, forgiveness? Anyone overhearing might think we’d had a falling out.”

Then, I picked up a dessert plate from the nearby table and offered it to him.

[SYSTEM] Emergency alert! ‘s murderous intent toward you is intensifying!

“Actually, Hezen, would you like to try some of this?”

The plate held a sticky, honey-based dessert.

[SYSTEM] Emergency alert! ‘s murderous intent is immeasurable! Beware of !

Hezen paled drastically upon seeing the system message about immeasurable murderous intent.

“You want me… to eat this…?”

[This is the timeline separator]

“G-guh… p-please… s-spare me…”

The attendant collapsed to the floor, writhing and pleading in agony.

But bound by an invisible force, he couldn’t escape his spot.

Above his head floated the words: ‘Attendant of the Azester Imperial Palace ‘

“What’s wrong? Who said anything about killing you?”

Anselot approached the attendant with a faint smile.

“I’m just…”

With each step closer, raw terror spread across the attendant’s face.

“I’m going to treat you. With that precious tea the Azester imperial prince sent me.”

In his left hand, he held a teapot—

the very one the attendant had brought moments earlier.

Anselot grabbed the attendant’s jaw firmly with his right hand.

“Ghk!”

Despite his powerful grip, the attendant clenched his teeth shut and shook his head fiercely in defiance.

“Why? Don’t you like it?”

“G-guh!”

At the attendant’s violent resistance, Anselot tilted his head in puzzlement.

“How strange. Didn’t you say this tea was reserved only for Azester royalty? I’m being generous—I’m sharing this rare gift with you.”

“G-gubgh!”

“Hmm… If you really hate it, I suppose there’s nothing I can do.”

Then, with a sudden smile, he tilted the teapot over the attendant’s head.

Splash.

The moment the lukewarm tea soaked the attendant’s hair—

“G-gyaaaah!”

—the attendant fainted instantly.

“Tch.”

Anselot nudged the unconscious body with his toe.

Fainting at something so trivial was utterly boring.

He tossed the teapot aside carelessly.

His sensitive nose caught a faint trace of paralysis toxin.

An ordinary human wouldn’t have detected such a subtle scent.

After prodding the attendant’s chest with his foot a few more times, a hidden dagger clattered to the floor.

So, after paralyzing his limbs, the attendant had intended to kill him with that.

Anselot scoffed, picked up the dagger, and drove the sharpened blade straight through the attendant’s body.

The attendant died on the spot.

Rumors would surely spread again that Anselot of Luhenhart, the killer prince, had taken another life—but Anselot didn’t particularly care.

There was someone far more worthy of his attention than such trivial gossip.

‘Louise Belle Azester. Third Imperial Princess of the Azester Empire…’

A woman who fluttered like spring blossoms, instantly stealing his gaze—

and possibly… a woman who had slipped beyond this world’s [System].

He’d first encountered Louise Belle on his way to meet the emperor as Luhenhart’s envoy.

The moment he saw her, he’d involuntarily paused.

It wasn’t just her appearance that caught his eye.

She carried a strangely familiar scent.

Then, he noticed the pink window hovering above her head.

Anselot frowned unconsciously.

‘So she’s the sacrifice for this cycle’s awakening.’

The pink window signified a romantic bond with a player—and he well knew that the despicable player achieved awakening through [the death of his lover].

He hadn’t planned to interfere with the player’s awakening.

Yet for some reason, that ‘999’ affection rating annoyed him.

Every woman he’d seen here had an affection of 999.

The absurdity of it had once made him laugh bitterly.

And seeing her affection also stuck at 999 gave him an odd, inexplicable sense of disappointment.

‘She’s no different from the rest.’

He deliberately tore his gaze away from her and left the spot,

because the strange shiver he felt the moment their eyes met had unsettled him.

Not long after, he discovered that cunning, thieving-cat of a woman had stolen his pendant.

At first, he intended to kill her.

But then he learned she could use ‘that power’ and see the [System].

Anselot became deeply intrigued by Louise Belle.

So, he decided to let her live—for now.

Perhaps she was the very one who could finally fulfill his long-held desire.

“Time to go meet her, I suppose.”

Humming a soft tune, Anselot stood before the mirror.

Today was the ball held in honor of foreign guests.

Thanks to that unannounced visitor, he’d ended up arriving late to the banquet.

He didn’t particularly enjoy noisy gatherings, but Louise Belle would be there.

Thinking of how she’d spent the past week dodging him brought a chuckle to his lips.

For instance, stomping through the palace in a huff, then instantly feigning illness the moment she spotted him.

‘*Cough, cough…* Sorry, I’m not feeling well today… Let’s make another appointment for next time.’

‘Weren’t you just running around earlier, swearing to catch that damn player and beat him senseless?’

‘…’

Or the next day, using illness as an excuse to avoid him, hiding behind maidservants.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but Her Imperial Highness isn’t in right now—Oh dear!”

“What’s that sitting on the windowsill?”

“…I am merely a phantom image of Princess Louise Belle.”

Then, spouting ridiculous nonsense, she’d leap out the window and flee.

“Good heavens, Your Highness! I’ve told you countless times—jumping from the third floor is dangerous!”

‘…’

He’d let her antics slide because her mouse-like behavior amused him, but it was about time to collect payment for the pendant he’d “lent” her.

“I’ve missed her, too.”

Remembering how Louise Belle’s eyes widened like a frightened rabbit each time their gazes met filled him with unexpected delight.

Anselot snapped his fingers—and instantly, words appeared above his head.

Prince of Luhenhart Kingdom

After a quick glance at the hovering text, he smiled contentedly and strode out lightly.