TROWFT 04

chapter 04

‘It’s going to be ruined…!’

I asked the Princess for an explanation, and this was the current situation.

The Princess, who had been drawing something on the ground, casually wiped her nose with her dirt-stained sleeve.

‘That’s not wiping it, that’s just smearing it more.’

She, now even more grimy, pointed at the dirt with her knife.

Sub Male Lead — Protagonist (Bottom) — Male Lead

Lesius — Shaviyan — Kellian

What was drawn there was a simple relationship chart.

“[…Hold on.]”

I pointed at the names the Princess had written with her knife.

More precisely, the names Shaviyan and Kellian.

“[Aren’t these two brothers?]”

“[Yes, they are.]”

“[You said you read it enough to memorize it. How many times did you say you read it?]”

“[…Ten times.]”

Oh my.

The Princess, who had shrunk a little at my expression, raised her head defiantly.

“[Strictly speaking, these two aren’t related by blood at all!]”

Not related by blood? I didn’t know that.

“[Alright. Continue explaining.]”

I composed myself and urged the Princess on.

“[Hailen wins the war against the enemy nation Bahat, and as a hostage, Bahat’s 8th Prince Shaviyan comes here, to Hailen.]”

Oh. So our Hailen wins after all.

“[So the 8th Prince and Lesius fall in love. But why would the world be ruined? If the two of them love each other, that’s the end of it, isn’t it?]”

*Thump! Thump! Thump!*

The Princess struck the ground fiercely with her knife like a hammer.

“[Ding! Ding! Ding! Wrong!]”

“[Then what is it?]”

The Princess rested her chin on her hand.

“[If it ended like that, it wouldn’t be a novel. Especially since this is a tragic novel.]”

A tragic novel?

“[Kellian, the Crown Prince of Bahat, became curious. How did the 8th Prince drive the enemy emperor so mad? Is there something there? He became interested…]”

And so the Princess’s explanation continued.

Kellian threatens Shaviyan, who was sent as a hostage, recalls him, and falls in love.

Shaviyan, dragged there against his will, is drawn to Kellian’s obsessive affection.

Lesius, unaware of this, starts a war to reclaim Shaviyan.

In summary,

It’s a love triangle where two emperors fight over the 8th Prince who was taken as a hostage.

But the problem is that their fighting is a war!

“[And I die in the process too. The Princess tries to stop the insane Lesius and gets her head cleanly chopped off.]”

The Princess calmly stated her own fate.

“[And so the war begins, and the two yanderes fight, pointing swords at each other, and end up stabbing each other to death. Shaviyan, feeling guilty that two people he loved died because of him, commits suicide.]”

What? All three of them die?

“[But the ‘bottom’ is the chosen one who receives God’s love in the story! God’s wrath spreads across the continent, and eventually, humanity is destroyed.]”

Uh… That’s even more serious.

It’s not just ruin, it’s the extinction of humanity.

Unlike my serious expression, the Princess cheerfully chattered away, holding the knife.

“[The name of this book is ‘The Legend of Bivalus.’ The book ends with a scene where this story is passed down as a legend!]”

“[…Don’t you think you’re talking about this too cheerfully? We’re all going to die, you know?]”

“[Then should I cry?]”

The Princess put down the knife she was holding as if throwing it away.

“[That’s why I was digging this dog hole.]”

“[……]”

“[Rather than watching disgusting things in this suffocating palace and dying, I thought I’d travel and live comfortably.]”

The Princess slightly opened the lid of her backpack.

It was filled with jewelry.

At a glance, it was enough wealth to live idly for a lifetime. She’d ransacked the Princess’s palace.

“[Well, either way, we’re going to die soon anyway!]”

The Princess’s gaze, leaning against her backpack, turned to me.

“[Anyway, big bro…]”

Big bro?

Ah. I’m currently disguised as a man.

“[…I’m a woman.]”

The words that had been lingering at my lips burst out.

A secret I had hidden for a long time.

Honestly, it was comfortable since we were from the same background, and there were other reasons too…

I looked at the Princess in front of me, who was grimy, with leaves stuck in her blonde hair.

Above all…

‘Who would believe the words of the mad princess?’

…So I revealed it.

I revealed it with a big heart, but the Princess’s reaction was lukewarm.

“[Ah. So your past life was as a woman.]”

“[No. This life is too.]”

“[Huh?]”

“[I’m saying I’m a woman now too.]”

The Princess scanned me up and down.

Her hand patted my shoulder incredulously.

“[Oh, come on, no way.]”

“[But it’s true…]”

“[Even though you’re beautiful…]”

Since I’ve concealed my identity to some extent with dark magic, it would be hard to tell.

“[It’s thanks to dark magic.]”

“[Ah, dark magic.]”

I could feel the Princess’s gaze carefully examining my face up close.

“[Actually, there was something that surprised me when I came here. The novel’s content had changed a bit. One of those changes was about the Duke of Berwen, about you, unnie.]”

“[Me?]”

“[Yes.]”

The Princess wiped her chin with her dirt-covered hand. Ugh, she’s just smearing it on her face!

“[In the book, it’s a character without much significance. Rather, like a fool being pushed around by his vassals…]”

“[Well, that’s the original story. I’m fine with it.]”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“[Right? Anyway, in the original, because the Duke of Berwen was such a fool, Lesius grew up more twisted. Since the Border Lord was powerless, Lesius participated in all sorts of wars.]”

Hmm. Lesius is twisted?

“[…Lesius?]”

“[Yes. I thought it was strange too. Lesius’s personality is so different from the original. Originally, he’s really cold and selfish. Why do you think they call him a madman?]”

Twisted, cold, selfish.

‘Those are the exact opposite words to describe Lesius?’

Kind, gentle, warm. Those were the usual words used to describe Lesius.

Though he’s a cold handsome man, he’s always smiling, so the atmosphere is generally soft.

“[A madman? Surely not.]”

“[I want to believe that too. But…]”

The Princess narrowed her brow, as if recalling something.

“[I’m a possessor, but I also have the Princess’s memories. But when I look at her childhood memories, it’s a bit strange?]”

“[What kind of memories?]”

“[From a young age, Lesius was good at lying. If he wanted something, he’d act, and he’d get it no matter what, even by deceiving others.]”

That’s just about when they were young.

Lying is bad, but calling a child a madman for it is a bit…

The Princess let out a deep sigh and brushed back her dusty hair.

Here is a Princess who’s called mad within the capital, and she’s calling our Lesius a madman. Who should I believe?

‘I still side with our Lesius.’

But I kept my poker face.

Of course, I know she’s not really crazy. Still, I’m on my childhood friend’s side.

“[Maybe I’m just being sensitive.]”

Sand clumped in her blonde hair.

“[Also, since I know Lesius’s personality from the book, it’s hard to be objective, and since I’m a writer, I have a vivid imagination.]”

A writer?

I looked at the Princess, who shrugged her shoulders.

“[I’m not the author of this novel, I’m a playwright. Of course, I’m still an undergraduate student.]”

The Princess trailed off, as if embarrassed, making excuses.

“[Actually, I’ve been thinking hard about how to break through this situation. About what I would do if I were the author of this novel.]”

“[So, did you find an answer?]”

The Princess nodded.

“[Yes. A simple one.]”

“[What is it?]”

“[We just need to make sure Lesius and Shaviyan don’t fall in love in the first place.]”

“[Can’t we just not accept the 8th Prince as a hostage?]”

The Princess shook her head.

“[Shaviyan has to come to Hailen. Otherwise, he’s scheduled to be sent as a hostage to the violent barbarians.]”

The Princess gave me a suggestive look, as if she wanted something from me.

Why that look?

“[Someone from Hailen needs to fall in love with Shaviyan instead of Lesius.]”

“[Who?]”

As I asked, the Princess stared intently at my face.

No way… Me?

The Princess brandished the knife in her hand.

“[The Duke of Berwen would be the most suitable!]”

At some point, the Princess’s knife was pointed at me.

Reflected in the blade was a man with ashen hair and mysterious silver-gray eyes. Me.

“[Here, this Duke is perfect. A swordsmanship genius, status of a Duke. Smart, and even looks…!]”

The Princess gulped. Why are you swallowing?

“[So charming. Enough to not lose to those two yanderes.]”

“[But why would that…]”

“[Because the one Shaviyan loves is those two yanderes, right?]”

She threw away the knife and stared fixedly at me without taking her eyes off.

“[That means Shaviyan’s taste is for yanderes. And unnie, you have enough qualities to be a yandere!]”

“[Pardon?]”

“[Unnie just needs to seduce Shaviyan instead. If Shaviyan falls in love with unnie, he won’t become Lesius’s lover, and then Kellian won’t have a reason to be interested in Shaviyan!]”

Then, excited by her plan, she jumped up.

“[That means no world destruction either! The End. It ends here! A happy ending!]”

“[……]”

“[That’s what I think. No matter how much they’re protagonists, we can’t leave the world to those madmen!]”

“[…Hold on.]”

“[Unnie, please become a fake yandere!]”

The Princess extended her hand to me.

“[Let’s save our world.]”

Her golden hair, dyed in the sunlight, sparkled like flames.

The moment the Princess’s eyes, burning with zeal, met mine.

My hand reached out instinctively.

But,

‘There’s one thing I couldn’t say though.’

What the heck is a ‘yandere’?

“[Um, is a yandere someone’s name? Or a nickname or something?]”

The Princess, who had been enthusiastically shaking my hand, froze.

Aghast, she cupped her own cheeks.

“[No way, unnie, you don’t know what a yandere is? Were you just listening to me without knowing what BL is at all?]”

“[…What’s that?]”

The Princess adjusted the backpack resting on the grass.

“[Follow me. This is going to be a Spartan training session from now on.]”

She turned her body towards the palace and gestured to me.

“[What are you doing? Hurry up and come on!]”

Hoo. I sighed and got up from my spot.

‘I can’t fully believe the Princess’s words that this place is inside a novel, but.’

There’s still enough time to verify, so I’ll find out slowly.

“Your Highness the Princess.”

I returned from my past life as Kang Hanna to being Duke Berwen.

“[Why are you putting on such a heavy air? Yes, that’s it. That’s a yandere’s posture… Ah! What is it?]”

I scooped the Princess up in both arms and lifted her. She struggled in my arms, but.

“If we go back like this, not only will you be scolded, but it will also add fuel to the rumors about you, Your Highness.”

“……”

“Let’s just say you tripped and fell.”

She seemed to recall the nagging she was sick of, and kept her mouth shut.

And then.

“Your Grace the Duke? Y-your Highness the Princess!”

As soon as the Princess’s lady-in-waiting, Lady Roxon, came out of the infirmary, she fainted again upon seeing us.

“Did you hear that? The Duke of Berwen was holding the Princess…”

“Lady Roxon fainted at the sight, so maybe there was something more intimate…”

It was the beginning of gossip that would last for a long time.