Chapter 4

After returning to her room, Talli lay on her bed and flipped through the book, carefully reading every page.

The first half expanded upon the complete worldview that she hadn’t fully grasped when reading the novel before.

Every little detail was filled in, leaving no gaps.

The latter half finally introduced the Arrogant Monarch—

Deritz.

Perhaps due to the limitations of the artist’s skill, Talli could only discern that he was a young man with long, deep blue hair tied up in a high ponytail.

In the sketch, he was depicted with a few simple strokes—his head lowered, eyes closed. Because of this, Talli couldn’t see his eyes.

Deritz lived up to his name.

As the only ruler who had survived from the era of High Magic to the present, he had inherited a portion of divine power. Even though he could not be called a “god,” his existence remained a deep taboo, an unspoken fear within this world.

And he was also the one Talli was destined to be sacrificed to in a month.

In the original novel, he almost never appeared.

He was one of the few major characters who did not succumb to the female lead’s charm or bow beneath Theresa’s skirt.

Although his existence served no purpose other than to drive the plot as a mere background figure, his presence was something that could never be ignored.

—A presence of absolute, undeniable, and supreme arrogance.

An arrogance unbefitting of a god. That was why, when Talli first saw Deritz’s statue in the temple, she instinctively deemed him a “demon.”

She flipped further. But after only a few more pages, the text on the book became unreadable.

It was as if she had suddenly become nearsighted—every word seemed submerged in water, rippling and blurred. Even pressing her nose against the page didn’t help.

…Forget it.

Talli sighed and closed the book.

Maybe she simply did not have the “right” to read further yet.

Like in a game, where a notification appears: “This area has not been unlocked yet. Please return later to explore.”

She clutched the book uneasily. There was no doubt—this book was important. At first, she placed it on the bookshelf. Then, after hesitating, she took it down and put it under her pillow.

After another moment of doubt, she took it back out and simply held it tightly against her chest.

It wasn’t until a servant called her for dinner that she finally stuffed the book into the bedside drawer and hurriedly left.

The door clicked shut behind her.

And then—

From the book’s embossed hardcover, faint blue mist began to rise. Like tendrils of smoke, it seeped into the intricate carvings of the cover, swirling and gathering—disappearing into an endless abyss of darkness.

Beyond the void, as if pulling back the veil of illusion, a towering structure emerged—its jagged spires rising through a maze of thorns and sinking marshlands. At the peak of a hundred-meter-high iron tower, a single black boot stepped lightly onto the rusted shrine.

The tip of the shoe pressed down slightly, and with a single kick, the shrine carved with ancient deities was sent tumbling.

The young man with deep blue hair, tied in a high ponytail, leaned against the iron railing. One arm was bent, revealing his left eye beneath the cascade of his long hair. His gaze was narrowed as he lowered himself slightly, his long, slender fingers resting lightly on the crossbow.

He hummed an indistinct melody.

As the final note fell, his pale fingertips twitched.

Like a gust of wind sweeping past—

The bolt was loosed.

A moment passed.

“Ah.”

He seemed to hear something, his voice bright and pleasant.

“It hit.”

Somewhere in the vast expanse of the dark plains, hidden within the fog-laden forest, yet another ancient creature had been struck—its dying cry still trapped in its throat, dissolving into the air before it could be released.

—

Dinner that evening was far from pleasant for Talli.

And the primary reason for that was none other than the temple priest—Ryan.

She had assumed that his visit earlier that afternoon was for some official business, after which he would leave. She hadn’t expected him to stay for dinner.

She couldn’t stand this seemingly refined and gentle young man.

One reason was that, in the novel, he had once ignored the original host’s desperate and sorrowful pleas for help.

Upon learning of her impending fate, the original host had tried countless times to escape her preordained death. Yet every attempt had ended the same way—captured and dragged back by the well-trained household guards of House Fred.

Except for one time.

She had gone to the temple with Lady Theresa, the saintess, to pray. The prayer session lasted for hours, during which all servants were dismissed beyond the temple gates. Only the young ladies of the Fred family were allowed to stay.

It was during this time that she made her escape, while Theresa was completely absorbed in prayer before the statue of the Monarch.

She ran and ran—winding through the vast temple, a labyrinth in itself.

But time eventually ran out, and no matter how much she searched, she could not find an exit. Hearing the approaching footsteps of the royal guards searching for her, she hid behind a small statue, pressing a hand over her mouth, desperately holding back the sobs of fear and panic that threatened to escape. Her entire body trembled.

And then—A priest passed by.

She remembered him.

He was a kind man—one who had once distributed food in royal relief efforts for refugees and had patiently healed the wounds of children injured by lesser magic beasts.

Her trembling fingers reached out— And clutched at the hem of his robes. The footsteps stopped.

The helpless girl was like a lost lamb, a drowning traveler—grasping at the hem of his robes as if it were her last lifeline.

‘Save… save me…’

Tears welled in her eyes as she mouthed the words, ‘I beg you.’

“……”

The pure, untainted priest remained utterly unmoved beneath her pleading gaze.

And then—

He took a step forward. The fabric slipped from her fingers as he walked away.

Empty.

The priest left, still noble, still sacred.

And the girl lost her only chance, forever swallowed by the darkness.

When Talli first read this passage, she hadn’t felt much. But now, after meeting Ryan in person, she realized just how deceptive that face was.

Noble. Righteous.

With a face like that, anything he said—if he so wished—would be believed without question. No one would doubt that he might have hidden a doomed girl in her hour of need.

…But he didn’t.

As Talli watched the young man across from her, quietly eating with his head lowered, the sound of her knife and fork clinking against the porcelain seemed sharper, more grating to her ears.

Of course, he had no obligation to help her escape.

But what disgusted Talli was—

Ryan had always known how it would end.

He knew exactly who the desperate girl clinging to his robe was. He knew why she would die, how she would die, and whose replacement she was meant to be.

And yet, he still chose to do nothing.

He silently allowed it to happen.

That moment of hesitation had been what ultimately solidified the wavering priest’s resolve—to betray his conscience and his faith, kneeling at the heroine’s feet.

And she? She had been nothing more than a prop to push them closer together.

A first-rank priest, no less…

Talli suddenly lost her appetite.

Even if he was slow on the uptake, he would have noticed the weight of her gaze by now.

The young man set down his knife and fork, wiped the corner of his mouth with a pristine white napkin, then lifted his gaze toward Talli—his eyes reflecting quiet confusion.

Carl’s pace of eating also slowed. He glanced at the young man from the temple, then at the black-haired girl radiating an air of unapproachability.

“…Excuse me, Miss Talli, have we met somewhere before?”

Ryan asked politely.

“No, we haven’t.”

Talli replied.

“I thought as much.”

Ryan nodded.

…They had only met this afternoon.

“Then, have you perhaps heard any unpleasant rumors about me?”

“No, I’ve never even heard your name before.”

“……”

“Are you in a bad mood? Troubled about something?”

“Yes.”

Carl raised an eyebrow. He, too, set down his knife and fork, looking intrigued.

“May I know the reason?”

“…It’s because of this.”

Ryan paused briefly. “…What?”

Talli put down her utensils, wiped her lips clean, dipped her hands into a bowl of clear water, then turned back to him and said—

“Being endlessly questioned by some nameless guy—that is my trouble.”

“Pfft—!”

Ryan hadn’t even had time to react before Carl burst into laughter right at the dining table.

“Carl!!”

The head of the Fred family, who had been holding back, finally lost his patience.

Even the priest’s usual composed smile wavered.

Talli hopped down from her seat and pushed her chair back. “I’m done eating.”

Carl choked a little and called after her, “…Father and our guest are still here!”

“So what?” Talli’s steps only paused for a moment before she continued walking forward.

“Do you even understand basic etiquette?”

“I don’t.”

Talli didn’t even turn her head. “No one ever taught me.”

“You—!”

“—Enough, Carl.”

The head of the household spoke with a dark expression, his shoulders tense.

“Let her go.”

“But you clearly—”

“It’s different.”

He cut the young man off.

Of course, it was different.

The esteemed heir of the family and a sacrifice set to die in a month—there was no comparison.

Across the long dining table, the priest silently watched the girl’s departing figure, lowering his gaze without a word.

—

In about a week, the holiday would end, and the heroine would return from the temple.

In the misty, steam-filled washroom, Talli soaked in the warm water, curling up with her arms wrapped around her legs, resting her chin on her knees.

She felt herself slowly relax. This was one of the few moments in her day when she could truly let go.

She wiped the foggy mirror with her hand and saw the reflection of a girl with lowered eyelashes.

Droplets clung to her black lashes, and her cheeks, forehead, lips, and hair were all damp, making her appear slightly softer than she had in the daytime.

She recalled the heroine’s nearly bug-like charm in the novel.

Every man who admired Theresa, without exception, held overwhelming hostility toward Talli.

Like madmen, they sought to eliminate anything that could possibly threaten Theresa.

With her presence here, Talli wasn’t sure if the butterfly effect would take place. Would these tiny changes lead to a fate even worse than the one in the book? Would she die before the sacrifice even took place?

…For the last time, she called out in vain, hoping for some kind of system that could connect the real world to the novel and give her an answer. As expected, she was disappointed.

She buried her head in her arms.

Feeling… a little tired.

Somehow, she suddenly recalled the book she had borrowed earlier in the day—the part at the end about Deritz, vague and unclear.

…She wanted to take another look at it.

With that thought in mind, Talli propped herself up and rose from the water, stepping barefoot onto the cool tiles. She reached out for the shirt in the cabinet.

Just as she opened the cabinet door—

“Thud—clang!”

A short, dull noise came from outside the washroom.

Talli’s movements halted almost instantly.

Partially muffled by the sound of running water and the creaking door, the noise wasn’t entirely clear—but her instincts were sharper than most. She was certain this wasn’t her imagination.

A servant?

No, she had dismissed them before bathing and had locked her room door.

Something from outside?

No, she could tell the difference.

Talli resumed her movement, but much slower this time.

She slipped on the long shirt, placed one hand lightly on the doorknob, and with the other, she reached for the porcelain basin on the washstand.

Through the mist, the candle flickered inside its crystal casing, its glow dim and uncertain beneath the thick white vapor.

More than half a minute passed. Every second felt unbearably long.

No other sound came.

Talli pressed down on the doorknob.

At that very moment—

“Crash—!” A pair of hands suddenly shot out from behind her with lightning speed! One clamped over her mouth and nose, the other locked around her throat, giving her no time to react before yanking her backward!

Talli barely had time to register what was happening before those hands dragged her down with force!

“Splash—!”

Warm water surged into her nose and mouth, cutting off her breath instantly. The moment she opened her mouth, nothing came out but bubbles—she couldn’t make a sound.