At first, Serelith thought Christopher would at least feel a little guilty. After all, even though he was a Prince, his earlier behavior—which came off as belittling—was still unacceptable.
But it turned out her assumption was completely wrong when she saw the man's response. Christopher folded his arms across his chest and looked at her arrogantly.
Serelith could clearly read the prince's expression. Even though he wore a mask, the area around his mouth was uncovered, allowing her to see a faint, mocking smile there.
"Apologize," said the girl, whom Serelith guessed was either Christopher's subordinate or perhaps his friend.
That command made Serelith turn her gaze toward the girl again. But before she could open her mouth, Evander suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her to stand beside him.
He glared sharply at the elegant girl before stepping closer to her. "Kathlyn, you may be Christopher's guest. But Serelith is also mine, so you'd better watch your words. She doesn't have to apologize to anyone."
After receiving that reprimand from Evander, the girl named Kathlyn fell silent. Serelith thought she might be reflecting on her actions, feeling guilty. But what happened next was beyond Serelith's expectations.
The girl actually gave a mocking smile—directed at Evander! Oh gods, Serelith truly couldn't understand this kind of political game.
"If she's your guest, then she shouldn't bother with anyone other than you, Crown Prince." That was what Kathlyn said in a sarcastic tone.
Now her gaze shifted toward Serelith. The girl looked her up and down before making another comment, "Isn't that also a great opportunity for you to get attention from two Princes at once?"
Serelith's mouth almost fell open at that remark. But before she could say anything, Christopher's voice interrupted them all.
"Kath, we still have some work to finish. Talking to them would only waste our precious time."
From his tone, Serelith could tell there wasn't even a trace of humor in his words. Were all members of the royal family like this?
Serelith certainly knew about intrigue and rivalry within governments. But she never imagined it would happen this openly.
Even if they hated each other, weren't they supposed to maintain appearances?
Ah, whatever. Why should Serelith even care about this? The only reason she came here was to kill Evander. If the man wasn't well-liked in the palace, wouldn't that make her mission easier?
In the middle of her thoughts, Serelith suddenly felt someone's grip on her wrist. Before she could even process what was happening, her body was gently pulled away from the scene.
A soft pull, of course.
And in that position, Serelith finally realized one thing.
"Why does this feel like two people trying to stop their partners from fighting?!"
---
All night long, Serelith couldn't sleep. Even though she had been tossing and turning, restlessly trying to find a comfortable position. The room Evander had given her was already luxurious and spacious.
Apparently, that wasn't the problem. But why couldn't Serelith fall asleep no matter how many times she tried to close her eyes?
"Ah!" Serelith groaned, then immediately sat up in one swift motion.
She cast her gaze around, only to admire how luxurious this guest room was. Yet, even though her body felt comfortable, for some reason, her soul still felt disturbed.
"Is this because I haven't carried out the mission properly?" The girl fell silent for a moment, then rubbed her face with both hands while exhaling deeply several times.
"I need a plan. In a palace this big, it's impossible for me to move freely without raising suspicion."
She actually wanted to try completing her mission by sneaking around or doing something else that could make it easier. But her body seemed unwilling to cooperate.
So the girl just dropped herself back onto the bed—so soft and fluffy like a cloud—then screamed while kicking the surroundings brutally. "System, isn't there any way to get out of here?"
[ I thought you really liked this game. You spent almost 16 hours a day playing it. ]
"Yeah, I know. But this is completely different. I'm no longer a mage, and I'm not the strongest player anymore. Now I'm just a low-level assassin who's still learning."
[ Why are you belittling yourself? I feel like I'm talking to a stranger instead of my Nonaku. ]
Right. After reflecting on her conversation with the system, why did Serelith feel like she had been acting so self-deprecating?
The girl rolled to her left, resting her chin on the pillow with a lazy expression. "But I'm serious, how long am I going to stay here? I can't possibly live inside a game forever, right? I mean, I have a life."
[ So? ]
"So, where's the log-out button?"
[ System error! ]
[ Sorry, your request could not be processed. Please try again. ]
Serelith rolled her eyes lazily. "How do I get out of here?"
[ You must complete the game if you want to leave. ]
"Alright, so where's the log-out button?"
[ System error! ]
[ Please repeat your command again later. ]
Serelith felt like she didn't even have the energy to be angry anymore. So instead of yelling or screaming like usual, she just sighed in frustration.
A moment later, she stopped talking to the system altogether. Her gaze drifted to the night sky, clearly visible through the large window right in front of her.
At that moment, a light bulb suddenly lit up in her mind. Without waiting any longer, the girl jumped out of bed with newfound excitement.
The moment she stepped out of the room, she looked left and right just to make sure no one else was around. After confirming the coast was clear, Serelith began walking and turned into the main corridor.
But just as she turned the corner, she ran into someone she'd actually rather not see. Not because she disliked him or anything negative like that. The problem was that the person Serelith encountered in the corridor was the King.
Yes, it was King Marius. Someone Serelith had been trying to avoid, because it would be troublesome if they met right now. But it seemed luck was not on Serelith's side.
Even though she wanted to disappear and be swallowed by the earth, Serelith did the opposite. The girl smiled politely before bowing to show respect. "Your Majesty."
"You—"
"I... I'm the Crown Prince's guest."
Serelith was forced to tell the truth. If she lied about her identity, she was sure it would not end well for her.
Hearing Serelith's answer, Marius only nodded slowly. "That boy never changes. Even after I've announced his treatment schedule."
"Huh?"
Serelith knew it was impolite. Asking something like that to a king was taboo. But come on, she did it purely out of reflex and spontaneity. After saying that, she immediately shut her mouth and bowed again. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I didn't mean to be disrespectful. Please forgive my rudeness."
Even though Serelith didn't really enjoy talking to Marius, she honestly had no intention of being rude. Blame her sharp ears that could easily catch Marius's muttering.
Besides, why did Marius have to mutter that in front of her? Wasn't he afraid of talking about personal matters in front of a stranger?
"It's fine. I know my son's nature, so you don't need to feel guilty. You just need to serve Evander for the duration he gives you," Marius explained again.
The man nodded briefly before walking away, leaving Serelith alone. Up to that point, nothing was actually wrong. Serelith even let out a relieved smile while patting her own chest.
"Thank goodness I survived today," she muttered. But just as she was about to walk in the opposite direction, a familiar whisper echoed in her ears.
[ Didn't you have a mission to carry out? ]
Serelith almost jumped out of her skin when she heard that sudden voice. Of course she was startled, since she had been thinking about something else at that moment.
But even though she was annoyed, Serelith had no reason to ignore the system. "Isn't everything clear already? You know it too. If I didn't intend to carry out the mission, I wouldn't even be here right now."
[ Then why did you let the King go? ]
Not understanding what the system meant, Serelith could only frown. Her gaze followed the King's departing figure before turning back to the floating object in front of her. "Then what's the problem? What does the mission have to do with the King?"
[ Oh, for heaven's sake! Think about it — the King is the person closest to your target. You have no reason not to chase him. ]
One second, two seconds, three seconds — Serelith remained silent, trying to process the system's words. Until, after who knew how many seconds, the girl finally realized something and shouted, "Oh my God, you're right!"
Without waiting any longer, she turned around and ran after Marius, who had already disappeared from her sight. Luckily, when she reached the corner leading to another corridor, she caught sight of the robe Marius was wearing.
"Your Majesty, wait!" Serelith shouted as she tried to make Marius stop walking.
And indeed, when he heard that call, Marius immediately stopped and turned around. Slightly surprised to see the strange girl his son had brought, now chasing after him.
Even so, he still stopped to wait for Serelith to catch up to him. It was clear Marius wasn't a cruel or arrogant king. At least, that was Serelith's impression from their first meeting.
When she finally reached him, without feeling shy or awkward, the girl bowed while trying to catch her breath. After calming herself a little, she straightened up and looked at Marius.
She smiled awkwardly at Marius, who raised an eyebrow as if signaling her to state her business. Thankfully, Serelith was smart enough to understand that gesture.
"Well— may I know where the Crown Prince's room is?" Serelith asked directly. "I don't mean any harm. It's just that I was brought here to serve the Prince, so I think it would be nice to surprise him by visiting his room directly. I'm sure you understand what I mean, Your Majesty."
This time, even though it might sound ridiculous to others, Serelith was determined to act fast. She didn't want to waste any more time waiting for opportunities. Instead, she had to create those opportunities herself.
After talking with the system earlier, at least she had gained some clarity on what she needed to do.
And fortunately, Marius's response didn't disappoint her.
The King nodded several times, then a strange smile appeared as he looked at Serelith from head to toe. "You're not as innocent as you look. But I'm sure my son didn't make a mistake choosing a servant."
"Damn it. Do I really look like a servant?" Serelith grumbled inwardly.
Even though she cursed in her heart, Serelith's face still showed a wide, polite smile toward the man. "Ah, that's too much. But I'm sure the Prince's taste isn't bad at all."
Marius nodded again. He seemed to think for a moment before speaking, "His room is quite far from here. You can ask another servant to escort you there. Honestly, I would like to take you myself, but I still have many duties to attend to."
"Of course. You don't need to trouble yourself, or I'll feel terribly bad."
After a brief conversation, Marius finally left Serelith first.
"Father and son are the same, after all. I thought a King would show more authority in front of a stranger. Then again, if you think about it, a child always inherits their parents' traits," Serelith muttered after making sure Marius had gone.
But whatever, there was no point in grumbling here. So the girl decided to find a servant to guide her to Evander's room.
When she stood at the doorway of the room—three times larger than her own—she could only stand frozen there after dismissing the servant. "Should I go in now?"
The girl took a deep breath, arguing with herself in her mind. Then, after a moment, Serelith finally made her decision.
She would surprise him by not knocking.
Yeah, it sounded rude. But Serelith had made up her mind. At first, she thought it would be difficult, assuming she might have to break the lock to make the surprise work.
But she was completely wrong when she realized the door wasn't locked at all. That, of course, raised a big question in her head. "Why would an important room in the palace be unlocked?"
So, with what she thought was a well-considered decision, Serelith finally chose to walk straight in. But once inside, she was met with a sight that made her legs tremble and her mouth fall open. "You?"