Chapter 13: The Corrective Force of the Protagonist!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 13: The Corrective Force of the Protagonist!
"No way..."
Muen’s face suddenly went pale.
Without time to think about anything else, he immediately whipped out the black book and meticulously reviewed everything he had experienced from yesterday until now.
"As I thought! The only variable that could have influenced the current situation is that maid, Noel!"
"In the original book, there was no way she would have been given a chance to rest, because the original Muen Campbell wasn't such a tolerant or kind person!"
"She probably would have been harshly disciplined by Muen Campbell, which would have worsened her condition, leading to her making such a scene at the banquet!"
"In other words, because of my kindness... the story’s trajectory has changed?"
Clutching the black book tightly, Muen suddenly slumped onto the sofa in dejection.
"Then what was the point of everything I did?"
Celicia remained in a peaceful slumber, looking exactly like a princess from a fairy tale waiting for her prince to arrive and bestow true love's kiss.
But looking at her, Muen only felt a deep sense of irony.
A princess who never meets her prince is nothing more than a Sleeping Beauty hidden away in a high tower; this story would never reach a happy ending.
If Muen failed to perfectly achieve his own Destruction Ending, the fate awaiting him would likely be even more miserable.
Just like the prophetic dream in the black book.
The words "Do not change" still echoed in his mind, followed by the bone-chilling imagery of being subjected to a death by a thousand cuts.
But Muen truly hadn't expected that his meticulously crafted plan would be completely ruined by one tiny act of kindness.
She’s a Soaring Phoenix protagonist, for heaven's sake! Is she really that easy to NTR?
"No, wait, it’s too early to call it!"
"This is the protagonist we’re talking about! This is the protagonist who can get lost among the hundreds of rooms in the Duke’s estate and still somehow stumble into the correct one!"
"She is the true Child of Destiny. Even if the world line has deviated slightly, she’ll definitely be able to use her sheer luck to force it back on track!"
"It’s not time to give up yet!"
A sharp glint suddenly flashed in Muen’s eyes, and the fire of hope began to burn fiercely in his chest once more.
Although things looked extremely grim, it wasn't the moment of despair yet.
He had to believe in the protagonist. Believe in the protagonist’s mandate.
Because in any normal Soaring Phoenix Yuri story, as long as the author isn't brain-dead, they would never write a disgusting plot point where the female lead gets NTR’d by a blonde villain!
The protagonist might just be cutting it close—just like in Battle Through the Heavens or The Great Ruler, where arriving at the absolute last second is the only way to give the readers enough of a thrill!
Therefore, until Celicia actually wakes up, it’s not over!
That’s right, before she wakes up!
"Mm..."
A soft moan suddenly sounded in the room.
"..."
No, you’ve got to be kidding me.
This fast?
A hallucination! It has to be a hallucination!
"So hot..."
"..." It wasn't a hallucination.
It was over.
The light faded. The fire died.
Muen felt a chill wash over his entire body.
He stiffly turned his head to look at Celicia.
Sure enough, Celicia’s slender willow-leaf brows were furrowed, and her body was shifting restlessly.
She seemed to be in discomfort, but regardless, she looked like she was on the verge of waking up at any moment.
"I'm actually dead."
"The first thing Celicia does when she wakes up will definitely be to kill me."
"I won't even need a Destruction Ending; my life ends right here."
"Waaaah..."
Driven to despair, Muen faced the still-closed door, two hot tears of supplication rolling down his cheeks.
"Lord Ariel, Protagonist-sama, Savior-sama! What the hell are you doing?! Get over here and save me already!"
*
"How could that klutz Liya be so careless as to get cake on my dress?"
At this very moment, Ariel—the protagonist Muen was pining for—was holding up one side of her skirt, wandering through the Duke’s estate’s complex corridors like a headless chicken.
A clear stain was visible on a corner of her dress, caused by the clumsy Liya accidentally dropping cake on her earlier.
So, Ariel was currently searching for a restroom. She just hadn't expected the Duke’s estate to be so labyrinthine, and she happened to be a "super-lost" person with zero sense of direction.
Thus, unsurprisingly, she was lost.
But perhaps guided by some unseen entity, or perhaps due to the protagonist’s "Strong Luck Aura," Ariel was currently only one corner away from the room where Muen was located.
One could imagine that if she just kept wandering like this, she would inevitably—within minutes or even seconds—coincidentally push open the "correct" door.
However, this time, fate took a different turn due to a series of accidents.
"Who’s there?! Come out!"
Ariel suddenly looked toward the shadows at the corner, a cold, sharp glint flashing in her eyes.
Tap.
The crisp sound of footsteps echoed from the darkness.
A figure in a black-and-white skirt slowly emerged.
It was a maid.
"My apologies, honored guest. This area is a forbidden zone of the Duke’s estate."
The maid bowed to Ariel and said respectfully, "Please turn back."
"Forbidden zone?"
While breathing a sigh of relief, Ariel couldn't help but frown in confusion. "What kind of forbidden zone?"
"It is a secret of the Duke’s estate. I am afraid I cannot disclose that."
"Tch, stingy."
Ariel clicked her tongue, acting as if she didn't care, but her dark eyes darted around, clearly plotting something.
"Honored guest, it seems your dress is soiled."
Just then, the maid suddenly knelt on one knee before Ariel.
She lifted the hem of Ariel’s skirt, and a faint glow lit up her fingertips.
"[Clean]."
The glow flashed, and the hem of Ariel’s dress became as good as new.
"Wow, amazing."
Ariel blinked in surprise. "Even the maids in the Duke’s estate can use magic?"
"I only know a little; it is nothing worth mentioning."
The maid stood up and smiled. "In a short while, the banquet will be serving a limited supply of Pachich Cake. If you like it, guest, please be sure not to miss out."
"Pachich Cake!"
Ariel’s eyes instantly lit up.
That was her favorite cake!
Unfortunately, it was expensive, and there were only a few pastry chefs in all of Belland who knew how to make it, so she rarely got to eat it.
"Thank you for your help!"
Ariel gave the maid a deep, ninety-degree bow of gratitude, then turned and bolted.
Even the long ceremonial dress couldn't hinder her speed.
After all, if even a place like the Duke’s estate only served Pachich Cake in limited quantities for a limited time, it would definitely be gone if she was late!
*
After running for a distance, Ariel suddenly started talking.
However, there was no one else around her; she seemed to be talking to herself.
"I know that maid was suspicious."
"That 'forbidden zone' thing was definitely a lie."
"She smelled of blood, and that other person hiding in the shadows was also suspicious."
"But—none of that has a damn thing to do with me!"
"If she’s going to cause trouble, she’s doing it in the Duke’s estate. It won't fall on my head."
"Look for Princess Celicia? Oh please, Her Highness is a grown woman; it’s not like she’ll get lost."
"Nothing is more important than my Pachich Cake. Nothing!"
"My dear Pachich, here I come!"