NOVEL NEXT Episode 11
Episode 11
Not the words “I love you,” but the words “I will love you.”
It meant that he did not love her yet. Verona smiled, thinking it was fortunate.
“So promise me, Verona. You won’t try to run away from me anymore.”
“Yes. I promise.”
That was enough.
Once Carlos found out she was not pregnant, he would forget that vow entirely.
Verona, who was well aware of modern medical knowledge, recalculated the dates. The chances of her being pregnant were extremely low. Within a maximum of three months, the pregnancy could be confirmed.
She planned to stay quietly in the imperial palace until the Emperor grew tired of her and then return to Waterfall.
After all, he was just a supporting male character, and she was merely an extra with no presence in the novel. He might even fall in love with another woman.
‘One hundred days is enough time to fall in love.’
With that thought, Verona willingly accepted his lips descending onto her cheek.
* * *
The departure to the imperial palace was set for the next afternoon.
From the morning, Carlos attended to her excessively. Initially, he intended to personally carry Verona to the imperial palace.
However, just as they finished breakfast, a messenger arrived from the palace. The court meeting had been completely suspended due to the Emperor’s absence.
It was a matter that required urgent decision-making, and with the Emperor suddenly disappearing, it was a major incident. The chamberlain clung to Carlos’s pants in desperation.
Verona managed to push the irritated and sighing Carlos to go.
“Go with the chamberlain. I will send carriages and knights as soon as I arrive at the palace.”
“Okay.”
Carlos finally departed for the palace after several reassurances.
She felt almost fully recovered from the chills, so she believed she could leave as soon as the carriage arrived.
Pulling the shawl tighter around her shoulders, Verona turned to head back to the bedroom. At that moment, someone greeted her.
“Hello.”
The person acknowledging her was the house owner.
Grand Duke Osmond Portrey.
The male protagonist of
The only rival to the great Emperor and the true victor who held everything the Emperor longed for.
Meeting his blue hair and blue eyes, she involuntarily stiffened. Despite his resemblance to the familiar color of the sea she knew so well.
“May I have a word with you, Princess Verona?”
His tone was polite and courteous, with a sweet smile and gentle demeanor. However, Verona detected the hidden competitiveness in his eyes.
“Or should I now address you as Your Majesty the Empress?”
Why is the main character talking to me?
Although suspicious, she couldn’t ignore him. Verona responded with a natural smile.
“No, please call me princess.”
Osmond smiled and nodded obediently.
“Then I shall call you that, Princess.”
“May I ask what you wish to discuss with me?”
“It’s difficult to discuss here.”
Osmond glanced at the servants who had come out to see Carlos off.
“Shall we go to the drawing room?”
“…Alright.”
Verona followed Osmond to the drawing room. His gaze felt unsettling, but she couldn’t overtly refuse.
Considering that he already knew about her relationship with Carlos, she thought he wouldn’t act rashly.
Osmond led the way to the drawing room on the first floor. Verona took a seat opposite him.
A woman who appeared to be the head maid served tea and left the door open as she withdrew, likely due to the presence of the Emperor’s confidant and his woman in the same space.
“Please have a cup. It’s tea brewed from leaves picked in the mountains of Blenica. The aroma should be delightful.”
“Thank you, but I’ll pass.”
Osmond gave an awkward smile at Verona’s response.
“Oh dear, I must have thoughtlessly offered tea to someone who has been through an unfortunate event. My mistake.”
Smoothly steering the conversation, he quickly apologized.
“I apologize on behalf of Miss Olivia for her rudeness towards you. As her guardian, I take responsibility. She probably acted out of curiosity, having seen someone like you for the first time. Even if it was an act born of ignorance, it doesn’t excuse her behavior.”
Osmond bowed his head politely.
“Once again, I apologize. I am truly sorry.”
Verona was quite surprised. The Grand Duke bowing his head was a rare sight, typically reserved for his parents or the Emperor. Even though she was a princess, she wasn’t on par with an Grand Duke of the empire.
That he bowed without hesitation to someone with a status akin to that of a count’s daughter was unexpected, even if he anticipated she might become Empress.
As the Grand Duke saw Carlos as a rival, he had no obligation to show courtesy to her, who was not even an Empress yet.
“It’s not something Your Grace should apologize for.”
Verona answered calmly.
“Miss Olivia is not Your Grace’s daughter. She is an adult, correct?”
“Indeed. She wished to apologize to you personally. However, His Majesty prevented her from doing so.”
Osmond smiled gently.
“Nevertheless, as it happened at my residence, I felt it necessary to apologize as well. Had I known you were a princess, I would have rescued you myself. It’s unfortunate that such an incident occurred during my absence due to busy state affairs.”
It sounded to Verona as if he were saying, “It’s not my fault Olivia did it, but I’m magnanimous enough to apologize. So, please understand.”
He truly matched the rivalry he had with the crown prince.
Verona decided to accept his apology. There was no need to provoke the male protagonist.
“Your words are easing my mind. If Miss Olivia sincerely regrets her actions, there is nothing I cannot forgive.”
“You truly have the heart of a descendant of the sea.”
Osmond smiled with his eyes and then spoke smoothly.
“Actually, when I first saw you, Princess, I felt an indescribable, strange sensation.”
“…Pardon?”
What is he talking about now?
After hearing such words from the supporting male character, she was struggling to adapt to similar words from the main male character. Verona was bewildered by his sudden familiarity.
“I wondered why that was, but after speaking with you, I understand. As a princess blessed by the gods, it’s no wonder I felt that way.”
“…”
“Moving forward, I wish to support you to ensure you don’t experience such incidents again. Is that alright?”
Is the main character hitting on me?
Verona was left speechless.
‘Why are all the male characters treating me like this instead of the female lead?’
She felt a headache coming on. All these significant characters were too troublesome for someone who was merely an extra.
Verona nodded.
“If Your Grace, as a loyal subject of the empire, continues to support the imperial family, I should be the one to thank you.”
“…The imperial family?”
“Yes, the imperial family.”
“…”
Verona emphasized once more that she stood with the Emperor. Osmond looked displeased for a moment but quickly masked his expression. Seeing her fatigue, he suggested she rest before departing for the imperial palace, and sent her back to her bedroom.
‘I just wish everyone would leave me alone.’
Verona sighed, collapsing onto the bed. How did an extra get entangled with such significant characters?
‘First, I need to contact my father as soon as I get to the imperial palace.’
She would figure out the rest afterward.
With that thought, Verona lay down on the soft bed. The tension released from her body, and sleepiness quickly set in. Her eyelids started to droop.
But her brief moment of sweet rest was soon interrupted.
“Princess!”
Even without seeing the face, the delicate voice was unmistakable. Verona frowned and opened her eyes slightly.
‘Now it’s the female lead?’
Verona tried to pretend to sleep again, but she had to open her eyes when Olivia ran over and hugged her.
“Sniff, Princess, I’m so sorry!”
“Olivia? W-wait a moment.”
“I know that no amount of apologies will be enough. And you must hate me, sniff…”
As much as she wanted to say, “Of course,” she couldn’t.
Verona kept her mouth shut.
Seeing Verona’s reaction, Olivia widened her beautiful violet eyes and knelt beside the bed.
“What can I do to make you forgive me? Please, tell me.”
Is she acting, or is she sincere?
If she were the heroine from the novel, she would be sincere. But based on Verona’s experiences, it could be an act.
Regardless, the two possibilities both pointed to Olivia. Verona could not easily decide. One thing was clear: she couldn’t trust the female lead.
Anyway, it was fortunate that Olivia’s actions had put Verona in a superior position.
“Then, Olivia, I have a request.”
“I will do anything! As long as it’s something I can do. If you forgive me, I will do anything.”
Verona recalled what she knew about Olivia.
Olivia Merayton would graduate from the academy but continue to pursue her academic passions.
She would enroll in the Court Academy within the imperial palace, diligently building a rapport with the Grand Duke, who frequently attended court meetings. The Emperor, as a Sub-male lead, would watch them closely.
‘To get into the Academy, it was customary to work briefly in the palace, wasn’t it? Where did Olivia work?’
Due to the imperial sponsorship of many studies at the Academy, even noble children had to show some loyalty to the palace. Most of the time, it was a mere formality.
Olivia would be no different. However, no matter how hard she tried to recall, Verona couldn’t remember Olivia’s workplace.
‘I guess there’s no choice.’
Olivia had wronged her, and Verona intended to use her to escape the palace.
“Olivia, would you bake bread for me?”
I don’t plan to eat anything you give me, but I need to keep you close.
“What? Do you mean…!”
“Come with me to the imperial palace. I’ve already gotten permission from His Majesty.”
“Oh my.”
Olivia seemed deeply moved. She must have heard that the Emperor wanted to bring the princess of Waterfall to the palace and interpreted Verona’s words as an invitation.
‘It fits the novel’s plot for the female lead to go this way. Olivia always stayed close to the Emperor.’
Of course, she would later weigh between the Emperor and the Grand Duke and end up becoming the duchess.
Olivia had her foot in the Grand Duke’s camp, but she was likely seeking a way to throw a bait towards the Emperor. Capturing the mermaid was probably her intended bait.
Although she must have been disheartened by displeasing the Emperor, offering her another chance to get closer would be irresistible.
Whatever happened between the female lead and the Sub-male lead didn’t concern Verona. Though Olivia was annoying, Verona’s goal was to escape while the Emperor was distracted by another woman.
‘It’s best for an extra to gracefully bow out.’
Verona thought it would be a good thing if it happened that way. After all, Olivia had to work at the palace. This would allow the novel to proceed smoothly, and the extra could disappear happily.
“Thank you so much, Princess!”
“Then I’ll take it as your acceptance to become my maid.”
“What? A maid?”
“Yes. I’ll let you stay in the kitchen for a long time.”
“…”
“Why? Don’t you like it?”