Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: The Disguised Princess
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49.
Tap, tap, tap.
Clank, clank.
Tap, tap, tap.
Clank, clank.
Halt—
【…Prince.】
“Yes?”
The Purple Knight, who had been guiding me to the princess, stopped in his tracks.
A sharp gaze pierced through me from behind the helmet.
【Prince, I hope this is just my misunderstanding…but please put away your weapon if you can. Weapons like that don’t work on us anyway.】
Click.
The weapon the Purple Knight mentioned seemed to refer to the revolver that had somehow ended up in Park Yeon-jeong’s hand.
But I’m no fool.
I already knew weapons don’t work on knights.
“No need to worry. I’d never dream of shooting at you, Knight.”
【…Not at the princess either.】
“Of course not!”
Tick.
…Just now, the second hand on the Lie-Detecting Watch seemed to twitch backward.
But don’t mind it.
It’s probably just a glitch.
Park Yeon-jeong once again made his intentions clear to the Purple Knight.
“Do you think I’d shoot the princess?! Haha!”
Tick.
【…I’ll trust you.】
The Purple Knight didn’t seem entirely convinced.
Clank.
His heavy footsteps resumed.
‘Why is his intuition so sharp?’
Seizing the moment, Park Yeon-jeong aimed the revolver’s barrel at his own head.
And prayed fervently in his mind.
Please be a colored bullet, please be a colored bullet, please be a colored bullet!!
Please, a colored bullet!
Please, not white from the Final Trigger this time—please, anything but white!
A white bullet here would complicate things massively.
So, definitely a colored bullet!
Purple if possible!
I believe in you!
Purple Knight before me! Grant me the power of purple!!
The blessing of purple!!
Flash!
And perhaps Park Yeon-jeong’s prayer truly reached its mark.
Swish.
?
Suddenly, black ash appeared before Park Yeon-jeong’s eyes, slowly morphing into letters.
『Lucky Day.』
The black text flashed before his eyes.
Click.
A weak puff of air escaped the revolver’s trigger.
!!
He’d unconsciously pulled the trigger.
The flag that emerged from the barrel was.
Purple.
Startled!
It came out.
Purple really came out.
He’d prayed desperately, but he never imagined it would actually happen.
Dazed, Park Yeon-jeong stared blankly at the purple flag on the revolver.
Then, his gaze shifted to the black skull mark etched on his wrist.
Black skull mark…
Wasn’t the skull mark originally white?
If his memory was right, the skull mark had started black, not white.
And with that text appearing, followed by the purple bullet…
That Arbiter woman.
She’d definitely planted something strange in his body.
Nothing was confirmed yet.
But what the Arbiter had etched into him was likely a tattoo that temporarily boosts luck.
If it’s just a temporary luck boost, perfect.
Yeah, if it really only boosts luck.
-‘Lucky Day’.
That single line nagged at him.
If it’s what he knows…
After this stroke of good fortune, misfortune is sure to follow.
In ‘Lucky Day,’ the book he recalled, the protagonist’s every endeavor succeeds spectacularly…
Only for the novel’s end to reveal his wife’s death—a tragic conclusion.
It started sweet, but ended in utter misery.
Gulp.
‘Nah, no way I’m that Lucky Day Park Cheom-ji…?’
Even though he’d gotten the desired purple bullet, Park Yeon-jeong swallowed dryly.
But for now, there were no immediate countermeasures.
He just had to silently do what needed doing.
【We’re almost there.】
The Purple Knight had just announced they were nearly at the princess’s location when.
Puff, puff.
Thin smoke rose from a small chimney.
And there, a quaint little cabin came into view—smaller than expected.
Smoke rising so blatantly, yet he hadn’t noticed until now.
It must not have been smoking moments ago.
Did she know I was coming?
A few more steps, and the Purple Knight halted.
Clank.
【The princess awaits inside.】
“…Yes.”
At the Purple Knight’s words, I stepped down from the bear doll’s embrace and slowly approached the small cabin.
Creak—
Inside, past the door, was a space brimming with cozy warmth.
A snug, heart-soothing haven he’d never felt while fleeing those body enthusiasts.
Step.
Park Yeon-jeong advanced into the room, gripping the revolver tightly in one hand.
‘Timing is key…timing, Park Yeon-jeong.’
As he entered the cabin.
The first thing to catch his eye was none other than.
A woman sleeping soundly on the bed.
Jet-black hair like ebony, skin white as snow—striking first.
Blood-red lips so beautiful they stirred countless thoughts in those beholding her peaceful slumber.
Step.
My steps drew slowly toward the woman asleep on the bed, deathly still.
Toward her, who made no sound of breath. I gazed with wistful eyes.
After staring blankly at the soundly sleeping woman for a while, Park Yeon-jeong murmured softly.
“Purple Knight.”
【You called?】
Even my faint mutter drew an instant response from the Purple Knight.
Gazing at his purple helmet, which answered without hesitation, I spoke.
“That’s enough.”
【…Pardon?】
To the Purple Knight, who didn’t grasp my words, I cut straight to it.
“To the princess borrowing the Purple Knight’s form…my belated greetings.”
【!!】
The Purple Knight fell silent.
But whether he…no, she remained quiet, I had no intention of backing down.
Far from it.
Thud.
Kneeling on one knee before the Purple Knight, I spoke in an even lower voice.
“I came from very far away to meet you.”
Yes, truly from a distant place.
The Purple Knight slowly opened her mouth.
【…How. How did you know it was me?】
The very fact she asked that.
Meant she no longer felt the need to hide her identity.
“Would a prince called by that name fail to recognize his princess?”
A faint laugh colored my voice. Her response was this.
【Prove it. Prove you’re truly the prince I’ve sought.】
“…….”
What a demanding woman.
If I’d said ‘Princess, I’ve come’ to the fake dummy lying there, she’d have carved out my heart in an instant.
She could’ve been grateful I spotted her right away.
Without prior info, this ghost story’s hidden gimmick would’ve been impossible to crack in one try.
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Truth: The Purple Knight is the ‘princess’ herself. So don’t mistake her for another woman (if you value your heart), and try some romantic words for her. (Unless you want to see your beating heart with your own eyes.)
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Just like a princess.
What excessive demands.
Park Yeon-jeong cleared his throat, channeling every cheesy line he’d ever seen, imagining himself as the romantic lead.
“There’s no way to prove right now that I’m the prince you seek.”
【…….】
!
Seeing her disappointment, I hurriedly added a bold gamble.
“But! The moment I met you, princess, my heart was yours. Even if fate drags us through heaven and hell, I’ll gladly bear it with you.”
【…….】
“…….”
Princess?
I glanced up to check her face.
…Oh right.
I’d forgotten.
What I saw wasn’t her face, but the purple helmet.
No reaction—does that mean my line was weak?
The description should’ve had her swooning by now…
She really demands so much.
No choice.
Time for a barrage.
“Princess, my life exists solely for you!”
【…….】
“Without you, I’d forget to breathe! So take responsibility for my breaths!”
【…….】
Still?
“I dream of a wife like you and children like rabbits, living happily ever after!”
Squeeze.
I’d reached my limit.
My limbs crawled with cringe; I’d rather have my heart ripped out.
Clank.
!
But then, the armor that had shown no reaction stirred.
As my gaze snapped to her.
【S-Stop!】
She suddenly shouted back at me.
So my cheesy lines didn’t land after all.
Just as I thought I’d get the ending where she rips out my heart before my eyes.
Clank, clank.
The armor’s hands suddenly moved toward the helmet, cupping its front.
Like a girl shyly receiving a confession.
【N-No! W-We’ve barely met…and you’re already saying such things…】
The princess stammered on.
【F-First, I want a son. A brave one like you, Prince. And the second must be a daughter!…And…】
Ah.
She hadn’t been speechless from my gambit.
This princess had already planned our entire future.
In those few minutes, envisioning decades ahead.
Even amicably deciding our gravesite right now.
…Chilling.
A sudden chill swept over him, and Park Yeon-jeong hastily cut her off.
Any more, and it felt like her words would make it all come true.
“Princess.”
【Yes, darling?】
“…….”
Her pet name for me had already changed.
“…I want to continue this face-to-face.”
【!!】
But at my words, she hesitated slightly. When she spoke again.
【Don’t…expect too much.】
Her deflated tone drew a bright smile from me.
“As if I would…my love.”
Grind.
He clenched his molars.
But my final cheesy line seemed to satisfy her.
【I’m glad you’re my prince.】
Swish.
The princess removing her purple helmet was truly.
“…You worry too much.”
Like the first snow of winter, her pure eyes, skin like moonlight, and ebony-black long hair cascaded out from under the helmet.
Her appearance evoked the fairy tale ‘Snow White.’
【Disappointed?】
“How could I be.”
Swish.
Rising from my kneel, I gently placed my hand over hers, still clad in armor.
【!!】
“I’m truly glad to meet you like this.”
【M-Me too. Hero.】
The atmosphere was straight out of a fairy tale’s final scene, ripe for a prince-and-princess kiss.
Swish.
Her glass-bead eyes slowly vanished beneath lids, her rose-red lips trembling softly, breath laden with longing, awaiting one man alone.
Yes…I’d waited for this moment too.
Click.
【…Prince?】
But the warmth that should’ve graced her lips.
Only cold touched her forehead.
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-Bullet loaded: 1.
-Today’s personal color: ‘Purple.’
-A day full of shyness. Somehow, it feels like today’s the day you’ll connect with that longed-for someone.
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A man’s lips curved into a genuinely kind smile, his left hand quietly pressing the revolver’s barrel to the princess’s forehead.
Click.
“Princess, find a man better than me.”
【…Pardon?】
Bang!
Gunfire echoed loudly through the cabin.
A wicked smile spread across the man’s face.