Chapter 84: An Unexpected Fact

Xavier will die.

Unlike Eli who calmly delivered this shocking news, I froze.

My chest, which had just started to feel clear, became tight again, and my mouth went dry with thirst. With each breath, it felt like something was choking me.

“Are you really alright? Your face has gone completely pale… Is your throat still uncomfortable?”

“N-no.”

I gasped for air while flailing my hands ungracefully.

‘Xavier will die early. With almost 100% certainty.’

Like a fool, I hadn’t considered this at all.

Even after witnessing Xavier transform into Kiki multiple times, I felt pathetic for missing this most crucial fact.

“My lady?”

When I came to my senses, Maya was already by my side with digestive medicine.

“Maya… you came back quickly.”

“Yes. The pharmacy was nearby. But why do you look worse than before?”

“Maya.”

Looking at Maya’s face suddenly made my throat ache. I felt an overwhelming urge to pour out my heart that was in chaos from the shock. Tears welled up, barely clinging to the corners of my eyes.

Seeing me unable to speak, she asked with wide eyes.

“My lady, what’s wrong? Are you in pain again?”

I shook my head vigorously.

‘Don’t cry here, Yuria.’

I couldn’t tell them that Xavier was a beastman. While I kept my mouth shut, Maya glared fiercely at Eli who was sitting quietly.

“Perhaps…?”

Not understanding why I was acting this way, Eli just blinked innocently behind his elephant mask.

“Sir Eli, you didn’t do anything to harm our lady, did you…?”

“No, Maya. I’m just a bit tired.”

When the straightforward Maya tried to go after innocent Eli, I quickly cut her off.

“Is that so? Then let’s return to our lodgings, my lady.”

“I’ll wash my hands first.”

I made up an excuse after seeing a small fountain installed by the festival organizers for hand washing.

If I stayed here any longer, I felt like I might burst into tears. I needed to buy some time alone with that excuse and collect myself. But would Maya let me go alone?

“I’ll come with you.”

“Tsk. Why follow me there? It’s right there. I’ll be right back.”

I pointed to the small fountain just a few meters away, trying to act normal as usual.

“Sigh, alright. Please be careful then.”

“I will.”

I waved with a bright smile to reassure her, then quickly hid my trembling body among the crowd.

The crowds that had been annoying earlier were now a blessing. How fortunate that I could hide my face behind the mask.

I stumbled along, swept this way and that by the waves of people.

‘Ah… Xavier.’

The thought of Xavier’s short life expectancy felt like it had torn a huge hole in my heart. I couldn’t think straight or figure out what to do.

‘How can I save him? How on earth…?’

I started walking aimlessly, letting my feet lead the way.

‘What will I do if Xavier dies?’

When that thought hit me, my aimless steps came to an abrupt halt.

People started avoiding me as I stood in the middle. I just stood there, letting people stare and push past me as they wished.

Suddenly, I was shoved hard. Some impatient passersby pushed my shoulder and yelled.

“Move aside! What are you doing standing there?”

“Ah!”

“Hey! Get out of the way!”

“Ah, sorry…”

I snapped back to reality and looked around.

‘Where am I?’

The fountain that was supposed to be just a few meters away had disappeared. I looked back to see if I’d passed it, but couldn’t see any landmarks. All I could see were masks of various colors.

I froze like a statue by the roadside.

‘Am I lost?’

While I might know Pins, I certainly didn’t know the imperial capital’s geography.

‘Get it together, Yuria.’

As I scolded myself and looked around carefully, I realized I was at the entrance of the founding festival venue where I’d bought the mask earlier, away from the main square.

Muttering that it was fortunate, I turned around. I could return to where my companions were by going back the way I came.

“Huh?”

But I couldn’t move forward.

Because not far from the mask stall, I saw a familiar silhouette.

It was Rosetta, wearing a splendid pink dress and smiling brightly. She seemed to be choosing masks among the crowd.

I’m not sure how I could pick out Rosetta among so many people. Perhaps this was the influence of her being the former female lead.

‘Wasn’t Rosetta supposed to be resting at the ducal residence…?’

Then I noticed the person beside her, and my mind froze. Though wearing a robe with the hood covering their head, that long silver hair peeking through the gap unmistakably belonged to the Crown Prince.

‘Why are the Crown Prince and Rosetta here?’

The two were pleasantly choosing masks and putting them on each other. Anyone watching would think they looked like an affectionate couple.

Was it natural attraction since they married in the original story? I remembered Rosetta blushing while talking about the Crown Prince at the victory banquet.

‘Right. She might be hiding their meetings out of shyness. After all, Rosetta admired the Crown Prince.’

Had Arthur finally come to truly love Rosetta, not just as the Saintess?

I would be happy to congratulate them if they fell in love with each other. But something felt off. Rosetta aside, the Crown Prince’s sudden change in just a few days was strange. From my experience so far, Crown Prince Arthur wasn’t a simple person.

Suddenly, I remembered how Arthur had come all the way to the campsite to pressure Xavier.

What was he plotting now?

An inexplicable anxiety started coiling in a corner of my mind.

Rosetta and Arthur put on monkey masks. Arthur extended his hand to Rosetta, and she took it as they prepared to leave.

I have to follow them!

I frantically followed the two. Though I tried to keep up by following glimpses of the elaborate dress, it wasn’t easy to move through the massive crowd.

Just when I thought I was catching up, they’d get further away, and my small frame kept getting pushed back by the crowd.

“Ah, no!”

Just as I was trying to squeeze through the crowd while holding my skirts, something blocked my path.

“Hiccup. Who’re youuu?”

A slurred voice came from above. A man with a red nose, probably from drinking during the day, was looking down at me while holding a bottle. His animal mask was half-down, revealing dazed eyes.

“Why’re you suddenly bumping into peopllle?”

“I’m sorry. There are too many people, I’ll just pass through quickly.”

Standing on tiptoe, I could barely see the tops of the couple’s heads in the distance.

‘I can’t lose them!’

I lowered my head and tried to go around the drunk man. That’s when he grabbed my wrist and yanked it up, lifting my upper body.

“Aah!”

“Where’re you goinggg? Hiccup!”

“Let go!”

I struggled and looked toward Rosetta, but they had already disappeared.

Ah, what a nuisance.

Are there troublemakers everywhere, here just like in Korea?

I clenched my fist, ready to strike the drunk man’s protruding Adam’s apple. Fortunately, the height difference wasn’t too great, so I planned to hit quickly and run.

Just as I was about to drive my fist into his throat,

“Well, well… A pretty little rabbit mask lady. Looks lonely walking alone. Come play with us!”

“Look how short she is. Are you really a rabbit? Hehehe.”

Two more thugs appeared from nowhere and gathered around, slouching menacingly.

A chill ran down my spine.

“Urgh, how’s that? Good catch, right?”

The man holding my wrist smirked while belching. The smell of alcohol was overwhelming.

The crowd that had been packed like sardines moments ago mysteriously parted around me and the thugs. Three men wearing identical fox masks surrounded me and started herding me toward a dark alley.

The back alley was completely empty. Compared to the bustling main street, there wasn’t a soul in sight.

“Stop this. I’ll scream!”

“Go ahead. Think anyone will come save you?”

The men sneered as they pushed me closer to the wall.

‘No. If I get cornered against the wall, it’s over. I need to find a gap and escape!’

Though scared, I gritted my teeth.

The man holding me licked his lips as he looked over my white arms with bloodshot eyes.

“Just look at that skin – never done a day’s work. And those expensive clothes? We could make a fortune.”

“I want to see what’s under that mask first. Bet she’s pretty.”

Another thug approaching from behind said. I clenched my fists and warned them fiercely.

“Don’t come closer! You’ll regret it!”

“Heheh. Look at her throwing a tantrum. Why’s she clenching her fists so cutely?”

Another man snickered from a few steps away. The red-nosed man gripped my arm tighter and said,

“Yeah… hehe.”

“Ugh.”

I hung my head and pretended to be scared and tearful.

“Why so frightened?”

The man holding my arm leaned in close with a smirk, trying to remove my mask. Taking advantage of that moment, I struck out with all my might. My extended middle finger jabbed into the man’s throat.

“Gack!”

While he was struggling to breathe from the surprise attack, I kicked him hard between the legs with my boot.

“Arghh!”

“What the–?”

“What’s going on?”

I shoved the two thugs who approached the staggering man with all my strength. With a yelp, all three men got tangled up on the ground. Taking advantage of that moment, I ran like mad.

“C-catch that girl!”