Chapter 32: The Library (2)

Experiencing death over and over again leads to unsettling thoughts at times.

What if this is my final regression? What if this death turns out to be my true death?

Such thoughts, though groundless, filled me with unease every time I turned back time.

My ability to infinitely regress doesn’t come with any apparent cost. I can turn back time as much as I want and return to any moment before my death.

Still, I couldn’t help but think that this ability might vanish someday, like a candle that anyone cruel enough could snuff out at any moment.

Perhaps I was simply afraid of death itself. Each time I died, it felt as though something within me was being chipped away.

“Haaah…”

Gasping for air, I bolted upright. My breath came in ragged gasps as I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to breathe deeply, trying to calm my racing heart.

When I finally looked up, I saw the princess staring at me.

Her white dress was half-soaked in crimson, and her cheek bore a splatter of blood. She smiled faintly as she wiped her bloodied hands.

There was something almost eerie about her appearance.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes…”

The princess extended her hand. Covered in blood, her hand was unsettling, yet I took it and stood up slowly. My legs trembled, but I managed to take a step forward with her support.

“Here.”

The princess handed me a roughly crafted sword. Its blade, jagged like thorns or teeth, bore magical engravings on the hilt. It was the weapon the assassin—my killer—had wielded.

“Why are you giving me this?”

“Hm? Lady Adele earned it herself, didn’t she?”

The princess spoke as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Her demeanor made me shudder, and I instinctively turned my head away. Yet, she firmly held onto my hand, placing the sword in my grip.

Her cold touch startled me, and the contrast of her serene smile as she handed me the weapon was deeply unsettling.

“How does it feel to take one step closer to the truth?”

“…Is this the truth?”

“Yes, though it’s only a fragment.”

The Emperor’s Hand.

According to the princess, these assassins were puppets of the imperial family—servants and mass-produced killing machines used to eliminate rebels.

The idea was hard to grasp. These beings existed in this world, serving the imperial family’s will.

But I couldn’t deny it, having seen them with my own eyes.

My expression must have given away my confusion because the princess spoke again.

“I understand. I’ve felt the same way before.”

“How did you come to know about this?”

“Hm…”

She fell silent, her gaze distant in thought. Her eyes flickered toward my trembling hands, and she sighed softly before speaking again.

“I have a special ability.”

The ability to read people’s minds.

Her golden eyes glimmered faintly—not metaphorically, but literally. A golden light radiated from her irises.

“My mind, too?”

“Ahaha. Unfortunately, I can’t read Lady Adele’s mind.”

Her sincerity sent a chill down my spine. Could such an ability truly exist?

Thinking back, a friend once commented that the princess was underutilized in the original story. Perhaps her mind-reading ability explained that oversight.

Yet, if she couldn’t read my mind, as she claimed, she showed no reaction to my thoughts.

“Oh, were you testing me just now?”

Her words made my skin crawl. Was she lying about being unable to read my mind? But the princess shook her head.

“I told you, I can’t read Lady Adele’s mind.”

“Then how did you know?”

“Your face is incredibly honest right now.”

At that, I lowered my gaze slightly. My trembling hands still gave away my unease. I bit my lip, trying to steady myself.

The dizziness clouding my head began to clear.

“You’re looking better now.”

“…What exactly is ‘The Emperor’s Hand’?”

Rather than answering, the princess stood from her chair and approached the corpse slumped against a bloodied bookshelf.

Gripping the dead man’s neck with one hand, she lifted him effortlessly. Her overwhelming strength startled me, though I didn’t let it show.

“These are the weakest of the puppets.”

Weak?

These beings broke through shields with ease and killed indiscriminately.

The princess strangled the corpse effortlessly, and with a sickening crunch, it fell limp to the floor. As it landed, the body began dissolving into golden particles, vanishing from head to toe.

“They’re like pawns in chess—perhaps even less than that.”

“The imperial family… what on earth…”

“Curious?”

She brushed off the blood on her hands as she asked.

I shook my head in denial. Even if I were to nod, it didn’t seem like she’d willingly share more.

‘The princess isn’t on my side.’

With my senses returning, I could assess the situation more clearly. The princess had no intention of cooperating with me. If she had, she would have helped before I nearly died to the Emperor’s Hand.

Only after I had completely neutralized the assassin did she lend her aid.

This was likely some kind of test—to see if I was truly capable of defying the imperial family.

I had no intention of asking for help from someone who treated me like a test subject.

“How strange. Most would have nodded by now.”

“…May I leave?”

“Of course. You’ve done well today.”

The princess nodded readily. I tried to stand, using a desk for support, but my legs gave out, and I sank back to the ground. My body, drained of tension, was utterly exhausted.

“Irina.”

“Yes.”

From behind a bookshelf emerged Irina, the maid I’d seen before. This time, her skirt was adorned with an arsenal of weapons, and her demeanor was far colder.

“Escort Lady Adele.”

“As you command.”

Her red eyes bore a resemblance to those of the Emperor’s Hand. Was she also one of the imperial puppets?

‘I don’t know.’

My head swam with questions. For now, I focused on following her lead.

As Irina supported me, the princess’s quiet voice echoed behind us.

“I look forward to your next performance.”

It was the last thing I wanted to hear.

****

I collapsed onto the bed, my entire body aching with fatigue.

The memory of dying—particularly the sensation of a blade piercing my head—refused to leave me.

Knock, knock.

“Come in, Lily.”

At my words, Lily opened the door cautiously. Her worried expression deepened as she approached me.

“Lady Adele… you’ve been pushing yourself too hard lately.”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.”

Her firm tone left me speechless. Usually clumsy and naïve, Lily only showed this resolute side during moments like this.

“Lady Adele, you’ve been overdoing it.”

She wasn’t wrong. I had spent countless nights scouring books in the duke’s library and even ventured into the imperial library, where I died three times.

In hindsight, Lily was absolutely right.

“…You’re right.”

Consumed by the idea of opposing the empire and uncovering the truth, I had let fear drive me to recklessness.

“Lady Adele.”

Lily sat beside me, her cool hand brushing against my fevered forehead.

“Walking quickly doesn’t mean you’ll reach your destination faster.”

For some reason, her cold touch brought me a strange sense of peace.

“I came to trust you, Lady Adele, because you approached me slowly.”

She was right. At the beginning of my time in this body, I’d desperately tried to gain allies through rushed actions, to no avail. It was only by taking my time that Lily became my ally.

“Don’t be in such a hurry.”

Lily’s gentle smile reassured me, and I nodded slightly. She was right—rushing wouldn’t unveil the secrets of the imperial family any faster.

“…Thank you, Lily.”

“Hehe, it’s nothing.”

When I patted her head, she beamed brightly, and I couldn’t help but smile back.

“By the way, the duke left you a gift.”

“A gift?”

Lily pointed to something on the vanity—a glass diffuser and a note.

It read: I prepared a diffuser to help you sleep since you seem exhausted lately. Take care of yourself before worrying about others.

Though hastily scribbled, the concern behind the message was evident. I chuckled softly. The diffuser seemed to have some magical enhancements, making it a rare and thoughtful gift.

‘I’ll have to thank him later.’

Despite his aloof demeanor, it appeared he had a surprisingly considerate side.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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