Chapter 20

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“THIS CAKE is good,” I muttered, my words muffled as I chewed quickly, eager to savor every bite. My enthusiasm nearly got the better of me when crumbs lodged in my throat, and I coughed, desperately trying to avoid a full-blown choking episode. Thankfully, I managed to regain control just in time.

As I wandered through the grand hall, I clutched a plate piled high with an assortment of dishes. My eyes darted around, and I noticed several nobles casting judgmental glances in my direction, their noses slightly upturned as if my behavior was beneath them. But I couldn’t care less. I was here for the food, not their approval. After all, this was the Imperial Palace, and everything served here was absolutely divine. How could I resist tasting everything?

“Lady Loughsin.” A voice suddenly called out, startling me so badly that I nearly dropped the entire plate. I spun around to see the Crown Prince, my mouth still crammed with the food I hadn’t finished chewing.

“Yush, youshr Heghnehs (Yes, Your Highness),” I mumbled through the mouthful, my voice barely intelligible. I could see the Crown Prince trying to suppress his laughter as he watched me struggle. Panic set in, and I chewed as fast as I could, swallowing awkwardly just to get the words out.

Once I finally managed to clear my mouth, I quickly set the plate down on a nearby table and wiped my mouth with a cloth, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity. “I apologize for what you just witnessed, Your Highness,” I said, bowing deeply.

“It was quite the sight, I must say,” he replied, his voice strained as he tried to control his amusement. Internally, I rolled my eyes.

“I’m well aware, Your Highness,” I replied, my tone flat. “Now, what’s the matter? Why did you call me?” I asked, my brows knitting together in confusion.

Suddenly, he straightened up, adjusting his attire as if preparing for something grand. Oh no, don’t tell me…

“Shall we dan—”

“No!” I blurted out, thrusting my index finger against his lips before he could finish. The suddenness of my action left him frozen in place, eyes wide in shock. Realizing what I’d just done, I quickly pulled my hand back, mortified. “I respectfully decline your request, Your Highness,” I continued hastily, bowing again to hide my embarrassment.

His eyebrows rose as he looked at me, a curious glint in his eyes. “Why, my lady?” he asked. Why? What does he mean, why? Lady Cecelia would be devastated if she saw us dancing together. He has a fiancée! Who in their right mind offers to dance with another girl?

“Because I don’t want to,” I replied firmly. “I haven’t taken any dance lessons yet, and I’m afraid I might cause an accident during our dance, Your Highness.” It wasn’t entirely a lie. Besides, I wasn’t exactly a great dancer in my world, either.

“But—” he started, but I quickly cut him off.

“No buts! I just don’t want to dance, alright? Hmm, the little sun of the Empire, Your Highness, the Crown Prince?” I added, completing the proper formalities with a touch of sarcasm. He shook his head, seemingly amused by my antics. I took a moment to glance at him from head to toe and shook my head as well.

Who knew this guy was such a red flag?

“Then, can you just come with me?” Before I could respond, he suddenly grabbed my hand and began pulling me out of the banquet hall. No! My food! My precious food left behind!

I dug my heels into the ground, forcing us to stop abruptly. What the heck is wrong with this guy?!

“What are you doing, Your Highness?” I demanded, my brows furrowed in frustration.

“I just wanted to show you the garden—” he began, but I cut him off again.

“I’ve already seen it, Your Highness. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to finish my food,” I said, bowing deeply to emphasize my point.

“Huh,” he scoffed, clearly not taking me seriously.

“Go back to Lady Cecelia, Your Highness,” I snapped, glaring at him.

“Why?” he replied, his tone laced with curiosity.

“Because she is yours,” I answered, turning my back to him.

I sensed his body tense at my words, like he hadn’t expected them. “But you said that you liked me, right?”

“That was when I was out of my mind,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. I turned back to face him, jabbing my index finger in his direction. “And it was incredibly rude of you, Your Highness, to abduct a lady who was simply trying to enjoy her food!” I exclaimed, my frustration boiling over as I ran my fingers through my hair in exasperation. I spun around again and stomped my feet on the ground, making my displeasure clear.

I heard him chuckle softly. “Okay, it was quite rude of me, my lady,” he admitted. But before I could react, I suddenly felt his fingers wrap firmly around my waist, pulling me close.

The hell? When did he get here?!

The spotlight suddenly focused on us, illuminating the space as the Crown Prince firmly turned me to face him, his hand still gripping my waist. The intensity of his gaze made my heart race, and I couldn’t hide the shock on my face.

He smirked, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “You’re such an unpredictable lady,” he teased, his voice dripping with amusement. “My lady, do you want me to carry you by force?” he added, his tone both playful and challenging.

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Reply to His Highness!

Yes, Your Highness.

What are you talking about, Your Highness?

Why would you do that, Your Highness?

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Ugh! These annoying choices again! Why do they only appear when I absolutely don’t want to play along with the script?

“What are you talking about, Your Highness?” I blurted out, pressing the second option with irritation. As soon as the words left my mouth, I clapped a hand over it, trying to stifle the outburst.

“Wrong answer, my lady,” he whispered close to my ear, his breath warm against my skin. Before I could react, he effortlessly lifted me off the ground, cradling me in his arms. I wanted to struggle, to protest, but my body refused to cooperate, leaving me helpless and fuming.

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You don’t have to answer him. Just go with him and enjoy your time!

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Enjoy my time? Yeah, right. There’s not even a reward for this nonsense!

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You can unlock and see the favorability of the male leads if you succeed in this scenario!

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I arched an eyebrow at the system’s sudden shift in strategy. Now I have to increase their favorability? Seriously?

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Do you want this new system update?

Yes No

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I didn’t hesitate—I pressed ‘No’ immediately. I could handle the life-threatening predicaments, but I was done with these favor clichés. Enough was enough.

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Deleting process data…

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Now, you must face a consequence for deleting the new update.

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What the heck?! Did I even have a choice? What is wrong with this system?! Argh!

The Crown Prince continued carrying me without a word, his smirk still plastered on his face like some victorious idiot.

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Punishment will be administered in any seconds now.

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I rolled my eyes at the system’s ominous announcement. The spotlight slowly dimmed, and just as the tension began to ease, I heard a loud growl from my stomach. I froze, mortified. And then, to make matters worse, a small puff of carbon dioxide escaped...from my butt.

“My lady? What is that smell?” The Crown Prince’s voice jolted me, and I immediately jumped out of his grasp, clutching my butt tightly. Oh no, this is the punishment. The system is humiliating me in front of Lumine and giving me a full-blown case of diarrhea!

“I-I need—” I stammered, but before I could finish, my butt betrayed me with another loud puff. I watched in horror as the Crown Prince stepped back, his hand quickly covering his nose. Oh, freaking hell!

“A c-comfort room, Y-Your Highness... Please, take me there!” I pleaded desperately, my voice strained as I struggled to keep everything in.

“Follow me, my lady,” he said, clearly trying to stifle his laughter as he led the way.

The moment we reached the comfort room, I didn’t wait for any formalities—I bolted from his side and dashed inside, barely managing to close the door behind me. I nearly lost it as I hurriedly fumbled with the endless layers of my dress before things got worse. This punishment is a real nightmare!

“Ugh!” I groaned in relief as I finally released my burden into the toilet. Oh my god. That’s freakin’ satisfying.

“I-I’ll just go and pick some condiments, my lady,” the Crown Prince called out from behind the door. Condiments? What on earth does he mean by that?

“H-Hey! Don’t leave me here, Your Highness!” I shouted back, but he was already gone. Wow. Just great. Well, okay na rin. At least I can finish this in peace.

I squeezed my eyes shut as the last, uh, puff escaped me. Huh. That was oddly satisfying.

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Punishment’s done. You can come out of this chamber now.

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Chamber? Seriously, system? I wanted to punch the hologram floating in front of me, but I knew my hand would just pass through it, so I resisted the urge.

“Where’s Lumine now?” I muttered, glancing around cautiously. This part of the Imperial Palace was dimly lit, and there were no servants or knights in sight. The cold breeze brushed against my skin, making me shiver. I hugged myself tightly to ward off the chill.

Did he really just leave me here? Ugh. I have a problem. I can barely remember the path we took earlier, and this place is like a maze—so many paths and none of them look familiar!

“Haa...” I sighed, rubbing my temple as I peered down the hallway in front of me. Well, I think we walked this way. I started moving forward, but the further I went, the darker it got. What the hell?

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Caution! Caution! Private area. A primordial level player cannot step on the boundary!

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I froze in place as the system’s urgent warning flashed before my eyes. My brows furrowed in confusion. What was it trying to keep me from? Then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a faint light glowing on the ground a short distance away. It was the only light in the dimly lit area, illuminating what seemed like a circular pattern on the ground.

Curiosity gnawed at me. I squinted, narrowing my eyes into slits as I tried to make out what was causing the light. Was it a door? A trap? Or something else entirely?

“Should I go in there?” I whispered to myself, feeling a strange pull toward the glowing circle. My curiosity overpowered the system’s warning. The system had never really kept me out of danger before, so why was it suddenly trying to stop me now? It didn’t make any sense.

Ignoring the red hologram that kept blinking at my side, I took a cautious step toward the circle. As I inched closer, I began to hear faint, muffled voices coming from below. My heart raced as I slowly approached the glowing circle, intrigued by the mysterious sounds.

When I was close enough, I knelt down, trying to get a better look. Beneath the circular opening, I saw the twisted, ancient roots of an enormous tree. It was a sight both eerie and mesmerizing. The tree was massive, with thick, gnarled branches that seemed to stretch out like arms in every direction, blocking much of the view. The leaves were dense, creating an almost impenetrable barrier, and only faint silhouettes of two figures could be seen talking beneath the heavy branches.

“What the heck?” I muttered under my breath, my brow arching in disbelief. How could a tree so colossal be growing underground? It was as if the earth had hidden this ancient giant away, keeping its secrets locked beneath the surface.

Driven by the need to know more, I carefully leaned forward, trying to get my ear closer to the opening. The voices were still faint, but I could just make out a few words.

“I am certain of it,” a man said. His voice was low, almost too quiet to hear, and I couldn’t recognize who it was.

Frustrated, I edged even closer to the circular hole, determined to catch more of their conversation. But in my eagerness, I made a wrong move—my hand slipped on the smooth ground, and I nearly toppled into the hole.

Before I could react, a strong hand clamped over my mouth, muffling my gasp of surprise. Another hand gripped my waist tightly as we were pulled back from the brink.

“What do you think you’re doing, my lady?”

fin.