Chapter 161: The fakes have been impersonating us all this time, so we're very angry.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 161: The fakes have been impersonating us all this time, so we're very angry.
'That’s the place.'
It was a house that looked incredibly flashy even at a glance.
An opulent structure that practically screamed, "A nobleman lives here."
While the other houses were made of ordinary brick, the bricks of the nobleman’s house were pure white.
Perhaps they thought they could just replace them if they got dirty, or maybe they simply had enough resources to clean off any filth.
It was a level of extravagance that surpassed even what I had seen in the royal palace.
'Even if the difference in building size makes a direct comparison difficult...'
The fact that the thought of comparing it to the palace even crossed my mind spoke volumes about its magnificence.
I decided to start by knocking on the nobleman’s door.
Knock, knock.
"Who is it?"
"The First Prince."
"The... the ar... arrow...!"
"A bit informal, aren't we?"
If you're the lead of a novel, the situation usually unfolds on its own to keep the plot moving. Even if you're just breathing, people will strike up conversations with you, or you'll suddenly stumble upon some fortuitous encounter.
However, things worked quite differently for a supporting character.
"Heek...! I... I'm sorry! I didn't know my place...!"
"Just open the door."
"Yes...! P-p-please wait in the VIP room! Right away...! I'll have everything ready right away!"
The destiny of having to build everything from scratch with your own two hands.
That was the fate of a supporting character.
'This is why concept-type gates are such a pain.'
After entering the nobleman’s house and being guided to the VIP room, I took a moment to summarize the current situation.
'The biggest problem is that I can't keep Kim Min-su in check right now.'
The situation was completely different from the [Chunhyangjeon] gate. Back then, I had forcibly taken Chun-hyang to where Kim Min-su was, but I couldn't do that now. First of all, having to go fetch my "bride" was a massive waste of time.
'Should I just ignore the story and go crush Kim Min-su first?'
The classic masterpiece [The Frog Princess] didn't seem to have a set-in-stone destiny. Unless there was something that only 'Ivan' could do, couldn't I just kidnap Min-su and do it myself?
If things got messy after proceeding that way, I could just release Min-su and put the story back on track.
"The young lady is on her way now."
"On her way? Does the servant here think a nobleman’s daughter is higher in status than a prince of the kingdom?"
"She... she's coming...!"
I decided to stick with the "spoiled prince" concept for now. Since Kim Min-su would likely play the role of the foolish but kind-hearted one anyway, it was better if our positions didn't overlap.
Click-clack, click-clack.
Just as the maid said, I heard the sound of footsteps from outside the door. They were calm, measured steps that didn't seem rushed at all.
Even the sound of the heels was strangely familiar.
'No way.'
Could it be someone I know?
As I was weighing various variables and thinking about how to deal with Kim Min-su, the person who was to be my bride walked in.
"Hello, Prince. I am Melanie, the daughter of—"
"Melanie?"
It was Melanie.
+++++++++++++++++++
'...Where am I?'
After the gate glowed and she read the message saying the role assignments were complete, Melanie first surveyed her surroundings.
The lavishly decorated room looked like it wouldn't be out of place in a luxury department store. From the beast skins spread across the floor to a bed larger than most studio apartments, it was the very definition of a "wealthy noble's room."
Even the embroidery on the blankets was made of gold thread. It was an extravagance that suggested the owner was itching to spend money.
'...Am I the child of a nobleman?'
The conclusion was reached quickly. She had been assigned the role of a nobleman’s daughter. Given that she was also the bride of the First Prince, she was likely destined to be married soon.
Since this was Melanie's first time in a concept-type dungeon like this, she needed time to adjust. A gate where you had to be faithful to a given role rather than simply defeating enemies like in [Don Quixote].
There was a world of difference between hearing about it and actually being in the situation.
"Ahem... Is anyone outside?"
"Yes, milady. Please let me know if you need anything."
"What is my name?"
Now that she had a general grasp of things, her priority was to figure out the details of this role. She couldn't play the part if she didn't even know her name or personality. Melanie made the best judgment to gather basic information.
"Pardon? Uh... ah... I'm not sure. I'm sorry."
Just because a judgment was the best didn't guarantee a good result. Melanie never imagined she wouldn't even be able to learn her own name.
She asked a few more questions after that, but the maid only repeated that she didn't know. It was as if she couldn't know.
'How limited is the basic information?'
She didn't know her name or what kind of life she had lived. A classic masterpiece and nameless roles.
Come to think of it, only two people had names in the role assignment message: the third prince, Ivan, and his wife, Vasilisa. Everyone else was listed only by their status, without names.
'They're blatantly pushing everything toward the leads.'
Melanie nodded as if her thoughts were organized and threw another question at the maid.
"When is the wedding?"
"It might happen, or it might not. The Prince only comes if an arrow hits the house..."
First, she would definitely be getting married today. The role of the First Prince's bride implied as much.
"What happens after the Prince arrives? Do I go straight to the palace?"
"Yes, that's right. You don't have to worry about your luggage. All preparations were completed yesterday."
Second, this gate operated on the concept of couples becoming partners. There were three marriages, which meant there would be three teams in total.
'It's certain that each team will face some kind of trial...'
Then, who would she be teamed up with? This was the most important issue for Melanie.
Now that it was almost a given that a man and a woman would form a partnership, she tried to break down the abilities of the men who had entered the gate with her.
'Actually... there's no need.'
It had to be Baek Tae-yang. Without even needing a comparison, Baek Tae-yang was the best partner.
'Baelson would have good synergy since he's a Paladin... but... we haven't really worked together before.'
In Baelson's case, she didn't know exactly what skills he had, and more importantly, she was worried about what would happen when he used his main skill.
Kim Min-su? He was the worst possible partner, just as Baek Tae-yang was the best. From combat power to all physical stats, he was the lowest. While his occasional potential was noteworthy, the present was more important than the future right now.
"Milady, the First Prince has arrived."
"Already?"
The story was progressing before even half a day had passed since she regained consciousness. To call it fast was an understatement.
"Tell him I'll be there shortly. Be as polite as possible—smile and be gentle. You understand?"
"Yes, milady."
The First Prince was definitely a member of their team. She said those words because she was certain, yet at the same time, she felt that being certain was a form of carelessness. It would be troublesome if things got complicated because she gave someone a reason to find fault with her.
However...
Click.
The moment the door opened and she saw the First Prince's face, she realized all her previous worries had been meaningless.
"Tae-yang?"
"Melanie?"
Because the person she had been waiting for the most had appeared before her eyes.
+++++++++++++++++++
Meanwhile.
Baelson, who had hit the merchant's house with his arrow.
He had intended to go to the merchant's house as the story guided him, but...
"Ugh... argh..."
He was lying in the sewers, his entire body covered in blood.
"Hmm... way too weak. I guess you're not the 'protagonist' after all?"
"Wh-who... are you...!"
Baelson had been ambushed while on his way. However, he had responded calmly. An ambush inside an S-Class Gate wasn't something he hadn't expected.
The problem was the level of the attacker. No matter what attack he used, it didn't work, and he couldn't escape the grasp of the hand the man had extended.
As soon as his neck was grabbed, he was dragged into the sewers without being able to resist and was subjected to violence so harsh it completely suppressed him.
'Was there someone of this level?'
No, only the five of them should have entered the gate in the first place. How?
Am I really going to die here?
His eyes denied the current situation, and his jaw trembled uncontrollably. The man who had attacked Baelson clapped his hands at the sight.
Clap, clap.
"Don't worry, I don't plan on killing you. But... it's quite sad. To think you don't know who we are..."
"They might not know, so what? They'll find out eventually anyway."
The one who answered the man was a woman who appeared from behind Baelson.
"Well... yeah... but I really want to tell them. It's a very monumental first appearance, after all. We haven't been able to show up even though we wanted to."
"It's just that the time has come. Don't make such a fuss, it's embarrassing."
The relationship between the woman and the man seemed very close. In particular, as soon as the woman appeared, she snuggled right into the man's arms, looking just like a married couple.
"But are you sure we really have to act like this? If you're tricking me, I'll seriously kill you."
"I'm telling you the truth. This is how you have to do it in the classic masterpiece [The Frog Princess] so you don't get suspected."
"Wh... at..."
Baelson struggled to open his mouth, trying to find a way to inform his comrades of the situation. The ambush, the number of attackers, and their level of power. Even just that information would be a huge help.
'Why am I so helpless?'
Regardless of Baelson's despair, the man chuckled a few times at the sight. After a moment, he poured a potion over Baelson's head.
"I mixed it with a sleeping effect... so... if you have a good sleep and wake up, the gate will be cleared."
"You're being quite kind, aren't you?"
"It's Noblesse Oblige."
"...?"
Baelson was horrified the moment he heard those words. He could vaguely guess what their identity was.
"Look at his eyes. It looks like he figured something out."
"Yeah, well... the detective game is over anyway... Goodnight."
"You...!"
"Yes, yes, that's right. The fakes have been impersonating us all this time, so we're very angry. Correct, correct. Congratulations, Paladin."
Thud.
The sleeping medicine was so powerful that Baelson couldn't even finish his sentence before his head dropped.
Clap, clap.
When the man clapped his hands again, a blanket appeared out of thin air and covered Baelson's body. It was his own way of being considerate, providing camouflage and making sure Baelson didn't catch a cold while sleeping on the ground.
"This guy's role is the Second Prince..."
"Then I guess I'm the Second Prince's bride?"
"It's a role that fits us perfectly."
With those words, the man and the woman vanished from the sewers. Their goal was only one.
"Let's go kill the protagonist."
To return the story to the way it was supposed to be.
Only that.