Chapter 42
The romance fantasy novel <I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Count's Family> starts when an earthling woman becomes the daughter of an alien count's family.
Noble status.
Beautiful appearance.
Huge wealth.
She was the perfect protagonist, possessing all the elements that others would envy.
‘Isn’t it already over?’
I had no expectations because it was clear that handsome bachelors would line up, even without reading the novel any further.
And it flowed as expected, without any twists to break my prediction.
“Manager, do you find this interesting?”
“I think it’s stranger for men to enjoy fantasy novels about hitting and killing people.”
“Ah, yes.”
I immediately raised the white flag at Manager Seo Hye-joo's perfect rebuttal.
Anyway,
“There are really a lot of men who like the protagonist. The escort knight, the prince of their own country, the foreign prince, the young emperor, the famous mercenary, the childhood friend, the smart servant…”
It seemed that all the handsome men appearing in this novel were involved.
They fall in love just by making eye contact with the protagonist!
“That’s why it’s a novel.”
“Ah!”
But isn't it a bit too much for several men to orbit around a woman marked by the emperor of a superpower nation, yearning for her love? Unless they want to be assassinated...
There were many other strange parts that didn't make sense, but I had nothing to say since it was a popular work!
“Mr. Kang Moon-soo, how about you?”
“It was painful to read all the way. The ending was also unsatisfactory.”
The irresponsible ending where she couldn't choose a man to marry until the very end and left it to the reader's imagination.
The moment she chooses, other men will either rage with anger or commit suicide from loss, so the writer had no choice.
By the way...
“I don’t see the coach. Manager, do you know where he is?”
“......”
“Manager?”
“He's currently returning home to be investigated by the police.”
“Cough! Why?”
Suddenly the police?
“It's the coach's duty to protect and manage the players. But he wasn't there when you collapsed, Mr. Kang Moon-soo.”
“Still…”
“He was at a gambling house at that time. There's also a statement from a lady who said she received money from him. You understand without further explanation, right?”
“......”
I was at a loss for words in such a realistic (?) reality.
“It's not your fault.”
“But he got into trouble because of me..”
“He shouldn't have done it in the first place. He even chose a cheap transportation to arrange entertainment funds.”
“Ah...”
I thought the passenger ship, which was treated almost like livestock, was strange.
But I didn't expect that such a purpose was hidden!
I shivered with feelings of betrayal.
“Do you feel a bit better now?”
“...Yes. So, what happens to me now?”
In the few days I slept, I lost the coach who had been leading me.
‘Does this make sense?’
But since it's a stark reality, I had to accept it. Just as I convinced Song Seon-young and Choi Kang-min, who were denying reality and were captivated by dreams.
I'm no exception.
“I don’t know either. How about partnering with me on this opportunity?”
“You said I’d become a fool.”
What kind of intention is it to suggest it after frightening me that my brain cells would be destroyed?
Manager Seo Hye-joo, who seemed to have made a mistake, averted her gaze and spoke.
“Generally, yes, but Mr. Kang Moon-soo has an abnormally good recovery, so it will be okay.”
“Please look into my eyes and tell me.”
“Ah! Aren't you hungry? You just looked at books as soon as you woke up.”
“...I am hungry.”
I, who gave up arguing, stroked my thin stomach.
‘This is interesting.’
Upon waking up from the dream, I immediately read the romance fantasy novel<I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Count's Family>.
Originally, I was planning to just skim through the beginning and rest...
“Did you enjoy the novel?”
“No. The actions of the men who liked the protagonist were unrealistic, so it was hard to immerse myself.”
They were ready to dedicate even their souls to a woman who, besides her repeatedly emphasizing beautiful appearance, had no other merits!
I wondered how such pathetic behavior could govern territories and countries, and be a respected figure.
“You were quite focused and read well for someone who criticizes it?”
“......”
I couldn't refute Manager Seo Hye-joo's rebuke. Because it was true.
I couldn't stop halfway and ended up reading all five volumes.
‘I was completely hooked!’
I read till the end wondering how she would sort out the complicated relationships with men and who she would marry, but it ended irresponsibly with an open ending.
It was really ridiculous...!
“Mr. Kang Moon-soo, let's go out. I'll treat you.”
“The coach said it's dangerous outside the hotel...”
“It's dangerous. That's not a lie. But the area around the hotel is relatively safe because security guards and police protect tourists.”
“Ah!”
Manager Seo Hye-joo, who changed into casual outdoor clothes, led the way.
“Follow me.”
“Thank you for coming.”
“Don't worry about it. The chemical formula you brought from the future is worth it.”
“Even if you say that...”
I, who was not an expert, couldn't even guess its value.
“The world will change. Just like the P aptitude test machine did.”
“To that extent?”
I hope the day she mentioned comes soon.
* * *
It wasn't a long time, but I couldn't help but give a bitter smile at the fact that the coach, whom I had been indebted to, had deceived me.
‘Is this my karma.’
Through Song Seon-young's dream, I knew that he was recruiting a swimmer and approached him intentionally.
I calculated that he would definitely choose someone with skills, even if their aptitude was different!
But the world wasn't easy enough to move according to my plans.
「Coach: I'm sorry.」
A very short text arrived on my smartphone.
"Ring~ Ring~♪"
I immediately called, but he didn't pick up no matter how long I waited.
Click.
“Sigh…"
“Are you still concerned about the coach?”
“Of course.”
“Hmm~ Mr. Kang Moon-soo, you seem to cherish relationships.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“Half and half.”
“Huh.”
But I couldn't mope around forever.
We, who filled our stomachs with exotic food and returned to our accommodation, embarked on a serious study.
Which study?
“The dream seems to be in the latter half of the second volume when the conflict arises with the ducal family with whom the protagonist has a marital agreement.”
“It's strange. If the patient read up to the fourth volume and acted just like the protagonist, the war wouldn't have happened...”
“It seems to have escalated to war when the protagonist was caught kissing the escort knight by her fiancé.”
“That content is not in the novel.”
In the original novel, the protagonist, 'Angelina Chimac', attempts to hold back the escort knight, who is trying to leave to clear his mind, with tears.
But they didn't kiss, and the fiancé didn't catch them…
‘Is it because the essence has changed?’
The original protagonist was lucky enough that a new handsome man appeared to help her in every crisis.
But that good fortune didn’t follow the patient, who only shared the protagonist's appearance.
“This is just my speculation, but perhaps the patient couldn’t perfectly remember the protagonist’s lines and actions?”
"That seems to be the case. The protagonist in the original novel was passive when it came to men."
“Yet, she is malicious.”
We analyzed the romance fantasy novel <The Youngest Daughter of The Count> in depth.
We strived to understand the characters in the work more than the creator, the author.
In order to predict the next actions of the patient who took over the protagonist of the novel!
“But, manager. Is this analysis meaningful? It got messed up because a war that wasn't in the original story broke out."
“It is. If I were the patient, I'd try to recover the relationship by any means necessary.”
“Why?”
“If you're a fan of this novel, you would never give up the fiancé. Allow another woman to take him? Just imagining it is dreadful!”
Manager Seo Hye-joo fervently stated in a firm tone.
“...You are a fan?”
“I was satisfied except for the ending. I was expecting an ending where she turned all the men into puppets and peacefully unified the continent.”
“Ah, yes.”
It was cleaner than an open ending, but it was hard to agree with.
“Who wins the war would be the key.”
“Can you predict that?”
“...I'm not sure since their military forces seemed evenly matched.”
“Then they would have pretended to fight and had a truce to save the nobles' face.”
“Pretend...?”
Many people died in vain. But their deaths were for the sake of the nobles' dignity?
Manager Seo Hye-joo explained in a tone like a school teacher.
“Until cannons that could break solid stone walls were developed, it was very difficult to conquer castles in the Middle Ages. It was said that at least ten times the military force was needed.”
“Why is that?”
“If the military forces of the two territories are similar, even if you win, you can't seize the castle. Unless you capture the lord and heir on the battlefield.”
“Ah!”
“And even if you win, if the damage is severe, the neighbors are the problem. Would they just watch a golden opportunity to easily seize a castle? A peace treaty of the weak is no different from a scrap of paper. History proves it.”
“That makes sense.”
“We just need to assume a draw and design the future.”
“...Let's start right away.”
The experience of wandering around without knowing anything and dying foolishly once is enough.
My brain cells are precious!
The patient's memory, who roughly knew the novel's progression, was a variable, but we came up with a solid strategy considering that as well.
One day, two days...
We drew the world of the novel on a map, memorized the characters' settings and relationships, and prepared step by step.
And finally,
"Let's give it another proper go!"
"Are you confident?"
"I think I'm prepared enough to consider cleanly giving up if I fail even with this much preparation."
"Great determination."
"Manager, see you later. Please send my regards to the new coach."
"I will explain well. Ah! Right! Let me know if you meet my favorite character."
"The method to overthrow the empire and unify the continent?"
I thought it was a joke...?
"Please."
"Well... I'll think about it."
I set off again to meet the patient who was captivated by the novel!
* * *
The starting point for the second time was the wasteland where I had died.
As for my clothes...
"It's like a beggar."
Though it was only for a short while, it was the uniform I wore while serving as a soldier.
A thin coat with the emblem of the Chimac family drawn on it, worn over a slightly better-than-slave-soldier leather outfit, which was practically unarmed.
But even that was a thing of the past.
‘How many people stepped on my corpse?’
The torn battle uniform was covered with footprints and bloodstains, and there was no intact place to be found.
And in the war zone, which was as messed up as these clothes, women and children were digging the ground as if looking for treasure...
“Little miss.”
“Yes!”
A girl about as tall as my waist answered confidently.
“What are you looking for?”
“Corpses!”
“......”
It didn't seem like something to say with an innocent smile...?
Quickly shaking off the culture shock, I asked again.
“Why are you looking for corpses?”
“If I sell rings, my mom and dad won't starve.”
“...I see. You're kind.”
It wasn't difficult to interpret the child's offbeat answer.
“What are you doing here, brother?”
“I am...”
“Is it a secret?”
While stroking the head of the impatient child, I spoke.
“I came to scold a bad sister.”
"Where do you live?"
"Over there."
I pointed towards the city where Count Chimac's mansion was located.
"But why are you going in the opposite direction?"
"I need to prepare."
"What preparation?"
"It's a secret."
I bid farewell to the child with a pouting lip and hastened my steps.
Towards the territory of the Duke of Somac, who was the protagonist's fiancé.
Sorry for the long hiatus, was busy in IRL. Expect regular updates from now onwards.....
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