This won't do. I need to think about the monsters and the territory.
"If monsters really exist, they can't be hidden forever. Is the lord just using some foolish stopgap measure, or does he have another plan? But being flustered over such a small part of her shoulder showing… Could she really intend to cover up like that even in summer…? Whatever!"
Tristan shook his head, but thoughts of Dory refused to leave his mind.
What kind of dress might she be wearing tonight?
What could she look like beneath that thick shawl…?
He stopped several times along the road, calming himself by staring at the wall before resuming his walk, until he finally reached the palace.
Seeing the neatly organized documents on his desk seemed to help soothe him a little.
"Not that this will give me an answer to the Blue Atrium issue right away."
For now, he needed to sleep. The lack of rest was allowing pointless thoughts to invade his mind.
"Sometimes, sleeping on it clears your head and gives you an idea for a solution."
Tristan quickly wiped his face with a damp towel and lay down on the sofa. Sleeping on the bed would make him too comfortable and cause him to fall into a deep sleep, which was inconvenient.
He turned off the lamp, closed his eyes…
And four hours of sleep later.
As expected, the worries from the night before had taken vague shape in his mind.
"If I gift her a dress, wouldn't I be able to see her wearing it…?"
"No! Not this kind of solution!"
Tristan threw a pillow. As it hit the ground with a thud, there was no time to wonder at the unfamiliar sound before more thuds followed.
From outside the door.
"At this hour?"
Tristan instinctively reached for the sword handle hanging on the wall and called out, "Who is it?"
A familiar servant's voice answered, though it sounded strangely urgent.
"Your Highness, Sir Dyne, your trusted aide, has returned suddenly at this early hour."
The panting servant caught his breath before adding, "And he's gravely injured, as if attacked by a monster…"
Four months since I've been reincarnated into this world. Reviewing the story's current progress, we've only reached the beginning of the original plot.
The original female lead, Maria, harbors feelings for Arthur that go beyond friendship but stop short of romance. She has become close to me.
The original male lead, Arthur, has romantic feelings for Maria and even seeks my advice about her.
So far, so good.
"It seems I've avoided the cliché of transmigration stories where the male lead asks, 'Why are you treating me like this instead of liking the female lead?'"
The second male lead, Rick Rey, seems to have unrequited feelings for Maria and finds me bothersome.
"So far, the main characters of the original story are behaving as expected!"
However, the issue lies with the antagonists.
Take the pitiful supporting character, Tristan.
Ignoring Maria's invitation to dance, bringing me snacks when I'm sick—something feels off.
"Is it even possible for someone to suddenly grow a conscience they never had?"
In transmigration stories, the scoundrels only change their ways after some extreme shock, like being told, 'Let's break up!' But I haven't done anything at all.
He should be lingering around Maria to spark Arthur's jealousy…
At least his snide remarks are consistent. That's a relief, I suppose.
The biggest change compared to the original story is Natalie.
In the original, Natalie was motivated by a simple desire: "I must win over the handsome duke." From Arthur's first appearance, she would follow him to every banquet he was invited to, armed with her family's full support to buy the most lavish dresses and jewelry.
But the current Natalie seems more inclined to pair me with the duke. And not for her own benefit, but out of consideration for her younger sibling.
This behavior is far from anything resembling a villainess!
"As long as Maria and Arthur's relationship follows the original plot, I suppose it doesn't matter how we get there."
Though I pondered, no better answer came to mind.
Even without Natalie taking on the villainess role, the world continues to follow the original story.
The maids were gossiping about a recent rumor that had shaken the capital.
I had been hiding in the wardrobe to escape my mother's nagging, so I overheard their conversation clearly.
"About that bloodstain left on the main road the other day. My friend said it came from a knight returning injured from a patrol. The wounds looked like something a monster might have inflicted."
"Oh my! Could it really be a monster?"
"Don't be ridiculous. Monsters only exist in the north. It was probably just a bear attack while dealing with some bandits."
Yet one of the maids, unable to shake her worry, chimed in again.
"And right now, isn't the Frosthill Young Duke staying in the capital? If a monster shows up, he'll take care of it!"
"True. Come to think of it, didn't the young duke visit the count's residence recently? Has anyone seen him? How handsome is he?"
The maids' conversation quickly shifted to Arthur, but I realized this marked the beginning of a new chapter in the story. The monster issue in the Blue Atrium had finally surfaced.
The Blue Atrium—an affluent territory in the northeastern region—was originally supposed to belong to Tristan. However, early in the original story, it's revealed that monsters had begun to appear in that land.
A territory plagued by monsters cannot be governed by just anyone; the lord must raise and lead a specialized anti-monster force.
Upon hearing about the monster issue, the king, who happened to be in the capital, decided to entrust the territory to the young duke. Tristan pretended not to care, acting as if he didn't need a land overrun by monsters. But not long after, a magic stone mine was discovered there, leaving him as the proverbial fox who called the grapes sour.
Arthur and Maria, enriched by the Blue Atrium, lived happily there and eventually inherited Frosthill as well—end of the original story.
As for what land Tristan ended up with, the original story never mentioned it. Who cares about the assets of a supporting villain? The fact that the author gave him a single line about repenting for his sins and marrying his fiancée is something to be thankful for.
"Not like it's my job to worry about royals anyway."
It was akin to commoners worrying about a conglomerate's wallet.
Speaking of which, have the maids left? It's awfully quiet outside.
As I pondered, I decided it was time to sneak out of the wardrobe and grab a snack. But the moment I stepped out—
"I'll prepare the vanity! You find Lady Dory. Oh, oh my!"
I came face-to-face with a maid who burst into the room, looking as if she'd seen a ghost.
"Milady? Y-you've been here the whole time? But earlier…"
I couldn't exactly admit I'd been reliving my childhood by hiding in the wardrobe, so I improvised.
"I just came in. By the way, what's going on? Why the sudden fuss over the vanity?"
"Oh, right! It's urgent. His Highness, Prince Tristan, is here! He's asked to go out and have tea with you!"
What?
It's already startling enough that he came unannounced for tea, but he wants to go out too?
"This is so sudden! What if I had other plans?"
"We mentioned that possibility, but… His Highness insisted, saying, 'Dory wouldn't have any plans to go out.'"
"…"
He's right, but it's still annoying.
"This is no time to dwell on it, Milady. Let's get you ready. Which dress will you wear? Shall I bring out the one Miss Natalie gifted you?"
"…No. Skip the makeup and hair accessories too."
"Pardon?"
"Just prepare my regular outdoor clothes. That'll do."
"Understood!"
Why did Tristan come out of the blue? I hoped he was here just to spew his usual garbage talk.
Lately, he's been acting slightly more like a decent person, and that's unsettling. Can't he just focus on admiring Maria instead of me?
As the maid helped me change, she hesitated before saying, "Milady, with all due respect, I think we need to fix your hair."
Two mirrors were held up for me, revealing the mess my hair had become from rolling around in the wardrobe.
If I went out like this, it might as well be a declaration to break off the engagement.
"…Please fix my hair."
"With pleasure!"
The maid, relieved, fetched a brush and hairpins.
Once I was presentable, I headed to the reception room. The moment I saw Tristan's face, I slightly regretted skipping the makeup.
"Why does he look so polished?"
Tristan looked as though he were dressed for a formal meeting, with his hair perfectly styled. I avoided staring at his annoyingly handsome face as I greeted him.
"Your Highness, you're here."
"…Indeed."
Tristan glanced at me from head to toe before abruptly turning his head away.
"Let's go. I've reserved a small spot for tea."
"Your Highness, may I ask what this is about?"
"Must there be a specific reason for me to spend time with my fiancée?"
…Did he do something wrong to me? I was too nervous to ask further.
We boarded the luxurious four-horse carriage waiting in front of the count's residence. It was far too extravagant for just two people.
Our destination was…
"Wow…"
Was this what Monet saw when he painted?
A small teahouse stood by a tranquil lake where lotus flowers swayed in the summer breeze.
Even if I were to drink poison here, it might taste sweet in this setting.
The food served in the private room was…
"Ricotta cheese pancakes."
The dish was adorned with caramelized pecans, cranberry jam, and fresh cream. The fluffy pancakes, made with ricotta cheese, melted in my mouth, leaving a rich flavor that lingered.
It was delicious.
No matter what kind of trash talk Tristan threw my way today, I could forgive him just for this.
"Your Highness, this is… really delicious…"
"I'm glad."
Tristan, who had been staring absentmindedly out the window with his chin propped on his hand, gave a half-hearted reply. Yet his lips seemed to curl up slightly.
"You've dressed well enough today to deserve some praise."
"…Excuse me?"
"Why are you so surprised? I merely acknowledged your effort."
Ignoring the fact that his praise was infuriatingly insincere, I wondered what effort he was even referring to. What a lazy compliment.
After finishing my plate of pancakes, Tristan finally turned to face me, his earlier aloof posture replaced with a more focused demeanor.
"Dory Redfield. There's something important I need to tell you."