Chapter 4 – Should We Make a Promise of a Lifetime?

TL: gaeulriri

Editor: Daed

The anticipated ending had developed in an unexpected direction, simply because Claudia held no interest in the heroes.

 ‘It doesn’t make sense at all, how could a heroine not be interested in the hero?’

No matter what obstacles they faced, the main characters of a story would end up together. This was what we called ‘fate’.

What’s more, I even accepted my fate as the supporting character in my entire life. How much more would Claudia twist the original work against fate?

 ‘You must end up with one of the heroes so I could survive!’

No matter how much I like you, Claudia, I never thought to compete with the three heroes.

 ‘I really can’t handle it. Look at my back, doesn’t it look hunched over already?’

A shrimp would die in a fight with a whale, one hundred percent. I tried desperately to convince her somehow. But, uh…

When I asked her why she didn’t like any of them, Claudia answered,

“What are they talking about in the first place? Love? Love that has no respect to others? That’s just possessiveness. They only want to compete with each other to win a ‘trophy’. I don’t care whether they’re fighting each other or what, all I want is for them to please just leave me alone!”

She must be so sad, crying in anger. Her silver eyelashes shook sorrowfully.

“People like them would never be able to truly love you till they die.”

“…………….”

Well, that was true for the heroes in this novel.

Why do you reject the love I give to you? I don’t care how you feel even if you hate me. Why? Because I love you. No matter what you think about me, I’ll accept it for now.

…..That kind of attitude.

Claudia’s words were so accurate that I felt like I got hit from behind.

 ‘No matter how real she is, she’s just a character of a novel influenced by someone’s creation.’ I thought.

And no matter how messed up the heroes of this novel were, ‘Claudia is the heroine, so she will fall for one of them for sure’. But the situation right now was that she ignored them all.

Lucas, Benjamin, and Constantine.

In my opinion, they’re the best heroes in the novel, but the worst love interests in real life.

A fiction is beautiful because it was just fiction.

“….. You hate them that much?”

“Yes. So much.”

That was understandable.

Should I be honest?

“Actually, I would never want to end up with such men too.”

I mumbled and frowned without realizing it.

What was the point of having good looks, a high status, and commendable skills?

I just want to meet someone who respects me and cares for me as a person who has nothing.

I mused about this and then realized, ‘Oh, so that’s why the heroine chose me instead.’

Suddenly, my heart ached tremendously.

I’ve been trying to protect Claudia from misfortune in my own way over the past year. And Claudia had never rebelled and just accepted everything silently. It had led her to realize what she really wanted and vocalize her real thoughts.

That way, the ‘original’ ending could be avoided. Even so, I stupidly assumed that a heroine should end up with a hero. I forgot the fact that Claudia was my only friend before her status as a heroine.

 ‘I almost ruined my friend’s life to save my own.’

I felt guilty towards her and had no words to say except an apology.

“Claudia….. I’m really sorry. You must be so pissed off, I kept forcing you to choose something weird…..”

I wanted to make excuses for what I did to survive, but it didn’t change the fact that I did something bad to Claudia.

“It’s okay. You must have your reason. I know, Irene isn’t a person who does something without any reason.”

Claudia speaks in a whisper with a faint smile. Why do you have to look like that?

Then she carefully lifts my face and puts her hands on my shoulders.

“Irene, can you give me a hug?”

I hesitated for a second, then nodded.

Without hesitation, she hugged me tightly and buried her face in my shoulder. Her silver hair splayed out like the tip of a fairy robe.

 ‘Sigh, I can’t force you anymore…..’

Instead of enjoying a hug from the most beautiful girl in the Empire, I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that I was about to give up my life.

Whose hands will I die in? The Crown Prince? The Duke? The Knight?

Even if the darkness has arrived in front of my eyes, my mood isn’t that bad right now, so let’s just think about the fun things.

If you die in the arms of this beautiful girl, wouldn’t that be such a beautiful death?

Once again, in this situation with limited options, I took a deep breath and intended to give up my will to live.

But then Claudia recoiled from the hug in horror and fretted,

“Oh God, I just did something bad. I can’t believe I haven’t asked for Irene’s permission.”

Did you just realize? Honestly, I hadn’t wanted to point that out since I was still feeling guilty.

Well, I almost cried at the thought of what the three heartless men might be plotting.

 ‘But, it’s too late…’

The rumor will be spread about how Claudia kicked the best men in the Empire like kicking a ball, and chose to spend her life with someone from an ordinary family. 

 ‘Then, am I being trapped in a marriage?’

Am I gonna be single in this life too for the rest of my life?

Honestly, if it weren’t for this role, I would’ve tried to date someone..

I was only popular among my friends from the same gender. I couldn’t even say a word to a man, it’s really hard for me to fix it.

 ‘I must have been born from a constellation with no partner named Solo Star.’

Is this how my fate has been since the start? Is it that bad to be protected by a God of Solo?

Just when I was musing about these things, Claudia took off her diamond necklace and put it on my neck, asking,

“Irene, will you be my friend for the rest of your life?”

“………. Gladly.”

The answer just slipped from my lips. I feel like I lost my consciousness for a moment.

“I’m so glad!”

Claudia, who releases me for a moment, hugs me even tighter like a teddy bear while smiling brightly.

Then, she shared all her plans to me, ‘I want to do this with Irene, then I want to do that’ and so on.

In short, let us live and play together every single day.

And Claudia’s plans, of course, were not limited by money.

Really, there was no need to worry, not even as small as an ant’s leg. 

“One gown is not enough. There’s one or two more gowns I want Irene to wear.”

Claudia grumbled and seriously pondered.

“Should I just buy the whole store?”

Wh..what? My heart dropped to the floor.

Without men, my life was already enough with just money and a friend. Single life for the win!

“Claudia, should we make a promise of lifetime?”

Okay, so what if you’re almost dead? We all have a time limit, don’t we? Why should we pretend to be scared? Since the start, we’re only given one chance to live. If you’re fated to die, then just die.

Just kill me! Kill me!

 ‘Exciting, to always get new items. A rich friend is truly the best.’

Instead of merely acquiring money and a lifetime friend, I’m also fated to live a life full of ups-and-downs.

**********

The eldest son of Chamberlain, Felix Chamberlain.

The only brother of Claudia and the youngest Vice Minister of Magic.

He was born with tremendous gifts and magical talent. He is a genius among the geniuses who used and learned magic just by using his natural instinct.

Even if he’s a genius, he’s a sincere person who’s never proud of himself, and always appreciates every effort. His personality is really good, he has splendid leadership, he’s meticulous and friendly, and of course he’s very popular.

Just like most brothers of heroines, he has a severe sister complex.

It would be nice to think of him as a unicorn, an imaginary animal that couldn’t exist in reality.

 ‘But why is there a unicorn in front of my yard……’

At first, I doubted my eyes.

Did I arrive in heaven because I died before I knew it? I pinched my cheek because I thought it was a classical dream.

At the same time, my eyes met the unicorn’s (eyes). I mean, Felix.

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