“Yes. Yes, then explain your situation first.”
“Actually, I was trying to investigate the situation because the Grand Duke was acting so suspicious...”
“Did Blake seem suspicious? In what way?”
"'Blake Frozen. The monarch of the Duchy of Frozen. His trademark is his icy gaze and expression. His ruthlessness is merciless, even to his vassals.' This is the character of the Grand Duke, but it's a bit different."
"Ah..."
That was something she already knew.
"The contents have been switched. The upper world agent originally meant to be in Blake's body has instead entered Lucas's."
“Yes, yes? Lucas Clanton? Are you talking about the male lead in <Fallen Lovers>?”
"Yes."
“Wow... that can’t be.”
“I guess you didn’t know.”
“Yes. I was arrested on the first day of the investigation.”
“...How on earth does that happen?”
"I was searching the office when the Grand Duke came in. I hid under the desk, and then he called the soldiers. Ahaha..."
“...”
Elise listened to her and made a decision.
'This won't work.'
“Now you go back to the middle ground.”
"Yes?"
No matter how much she thought about it, this clumsy girl, Mary, didn't seem like she would be of any help in what she was doing.
“That can’t be! How could I leave Elise alone in this dangerous place...!”
“I’m sending you back because I feel like I’ll be in more danger if you’re there.”
“That can’t be...”
Mary, her mouth gaping with shock, shook her head violently.
“I can’t go back! There’s a scene where I appear!”
“What scene is it?”
Mary gave a very vulgar expression. Of course, she didn't look vulgar at all.
“That’s all?”
“Yes. The team leader said that if more people show up, we’ll get caught right away.”
“Then there’s no need to worry. All I need to do is find a maid named Mary.”
“That can’t be...!”
No matter how many times she pretended to be shocked, it didn't really matter to Elise.
"Please, just give me one more chance. I'm sure my special abilities will be of help to you, Elise!"
“Special abilities? Do you have anything like that?”
"Yes! A lot! First of all, I can faint while standing. I'm in a state of hypnosis. If I can faint like that for about two hours, I don't have to sleep!"
Elise asked again, patiently.
“Is there anything else?”
“I’m fast and strong! I’m really fast and really strong!”
“Yeah. I see. I was just wondering... Is there anything else?”
"Uh..."
Mary, who had been pondering for a moment, slowly averted her gaze. It seemed those two things were all there was to it.
"Yes, Mary. I admit you have special abilities. But here, as a mere handmaiden, you won't have much opportunity to show off your strength. Besides, you've already aroused Blake's suspicions once. What are you going to do if you end up in prison again?"
Mary bowed her head at Elise's absurdly accurate words. Her slumped shoulders were a source of pity.
“You must have had a hard time in prison... Don’t you want to go home and rest?”
"I... still want to be of some help to our world, even if it's just a little. If I go back without achieving anything, I won't get another chance. I don't want to be useless."
Elise stared blankly at Mary. She wasn't particularly nosy. She had no intention of leaving her behind simply because she felt sorry for her.
"If you make another mistake, not only you, but all your remaining comrades in this world will be in danger. I don't even know how many there are or where to find them."
Mary blinked quickly at Elise's almost persuasive words.
“I know?”
“...What? Really?”
“Yes! A passing servant of the palace13, the groom of the Marquis of Clanton2...”
"Wait a minute. It's hard to understand even if you say it like that. Still, it's a pretty good clue."
“Did I help you?”
“Yeah. Why didn’t you tell me something so important first?”
“Hehehe...”
Although it was almost a slap, Mary smiled shyly.
Elise pondered. The information Mary knew was a hundred times more important than her own strange special abilities.
As a maid, she may be useless, but if you try to find a use for her, you'll find it. If she's been cast in the wrong role, just reassign her to one she can excel in.
“Yes. Then I’ll tell Blake to make you my personal maid.”
“Oh my god, really?”
A bright smile spread across Mary's face as she looked at Elise with surprised eyes.
“Thank you, Elise! I’ll do my best to assist you!”
Elise couldn't bring herself to tell the girl she liked so much, "You're helping me by staying still," so she just nodded.
Blake returned to the castle around evening the next day. Elise, having heard the news from Kate, left her room to greet him.
Elise was somewhat troubled about how to bring up Mary Brooke to him. She feared it might be an overreach to simply bring her out of prison.
'I need to see how Blake feels first.'
It would be better to bring it up when he is in a good mood, if possible.
As Elise descended the stairs, she saw Blake just entering the castle. He wasn't alone. A man with red hair and a striking appearance was grinning beside him.
'Who is it?'
Blake, noticing her approaching presence, quickly stepped forward.
"Ma'am."
“Did you have a good trip?”
He looked somewhat anxious.
“There was no need to come out to greet me...”
“How could you do that? It was because of my request.”
“Oh, was that so?”
Blake's brow furrowed as the red-haired man suddenly stepped forward.
“Rex.”
‘...Rex? Was there a character with that name?’
"You should introduce me to your wife, Blake. Or should I do it myself?"
Judging by the way they called each other by their first names, they seemed to be quite close. Blake sighed and introduced him to Elise.
“Rex Russell. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”
"Yes?"
Elise froze in surprise.
The man in front of her, smiling happily, did not match the Crown Prince's name or appearance in <Fallen Lover> at all.
Even villains have their weight. As the screen time suggests, the Grand Duke wasn't a particularly significant villain. The real villain was someone else, creating an environment worthy of the title "Fallen Lover."
This is Crown Prince Baylot Russell. He is described as having dark blue hair and blue eyes, much like his cousin, the Grand Duke of Frozen.
But Rex Russell, who was now sitting on the living room sofa and grinning, had red hair and golden eyes with an orange tint, a rare sight in reality.
“The tea smells really good.”
Putting down his teacup, he picked up a cookie and put it in his mouth.
“This is delicious too.”
He looked at Elise, his tongue sticking out and tracing the crumbs from her lower lip.
“It looks delicious just by looking at it.”
She doesn't know if it was meant to be humiliating or a sexual appeal. Elise was busy thinking about it, regardless of whether he did or not.
The Grand Duchess's name in "Fallen Lovers" wasn't originally Elise. There's a clear reason for the name change for an original character.
'There's a high possibility that the author is also possessed.'
“It seems there is no proper cook in the palace.”
He laughed lightly at Blake's sarcasm.
"No matter how good your cooking skills are, if you eat it every day, you'll get sick of it. Don't you crave something new sometimes?"
It's impolite to look at a newlywed bride with such a blatant gaze. However, he is a Crown Prince. Even if they're friendly and call each other by name and converse somewhat comfortably, it's not right to criticize them without clear evidence.
Blake's mood was getting worse.
'Oh, that won't work...'
This was highly undesirable if they were to talk about Mary later.
“But Your Royal Highness, how did you come to visit so suddenly?”
It was a somewhat irreverent question, implying why he had visited someone else's home without any prior arrangements. But Rex answered her question casually.
"This guy sent in an application for permission to use a teleportation magic circle, which would lead to the capital. Normally, a palace magician would be dispatched to verify the authenticity, but I was so intrigued that I came to see for myself. I wondered if the applicant was really 'that' Grand Duke of Frozen."
“I am just going to see Your Highness.”
“Coincidentally, it was right before my birthday. But I overheard earlier... It was your wife who asked you to go to the capital?”
Blake's brow furrowed.
"Do it properly. Before I kick you out of my castle. Remember, you're visiting as a palace magician, not as the Crown Prince."
At his cold words, Rex clicked his tongue and nodded as if he was not amused.
"Well, good. Anyway, since we're here, we should get this done properly. Bring the seal, Blake."
“Let’s go to the office together.”
“I’d like to talk to your wife here a little more.”
'Hmm...?'
Elise glanced at Blake.
Of course, the Grand Duke's seal couldn't be tampered with by anyone. He had no choice but to accompany Rex to the office or have Blake retrieve it himself.
“What are you doing? Why don’t you hurry and bring it?”
Despite Rex's suspicious words, Blake had no choice but to get up.
“I’ll be back soon, ma’am.”
Elise smiled softly, looking at his hardened face.
“I will take good care of His Highness the Crown Prince, so don’t worry and go.”
Elise was thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea to stay alone with the Crown Prince. If he were also possessed, wouldn't it be easier to gather information without Blake?
“...If anything happens, shout.”
"Blake, you're really thinking the worst of me. How could I possibly lay a finger on the bride?"
“Actually, I was trying to investigate the situation because the Grand Duke was acting so suspicious...”
“Did Blake seem suspicious? In what way?”
"'Blake Frozen. The monarch of the Duchy of Frozen. His trademark is his icy gaze and expression. His ruthlessness is merciless, even to his vassals.' This is the character of the Grand Duke, but it's a bit different."
"Ah..."
That was something she already knew.
"The contents have been switched. The upper world agent originally meant to be in Blake's body has instead entered Lucas's."
“Yes, yes? Lucas Clanton? Are you talking about the male lead in <Fallen Lovers>?”
"Yes."
“Wow... that can’t be.”
“I guess you didn’t know.”
“Yes. I was arrested on the first day of the investigation.”
“...How on earth does that happen?”
"I was searching the office when the Grand Duke came in. I hid under the desk, and then he called the soldiers. Ahaha..."
“...”
Elise listened to her and made a decision.
'This won't work.'
“Now you go back to the middle ground.”
"Yes?"
No matter how much she thought about it, this clumsy girl, Mary, didn't seem like she would be of any help in what she was doing.
“That can’t be! How could I leave Elise alone in this dangerous place...!”
“I’m sending you back because I feel like I’ll be in more danger if you’re there.”
“That can’t be...”
Mary, her mouth gaping with shock, shook her head violently.
“I can’t go back! There’s a scene where I appear!”
“What scene is it?”
A scene where the Duchess laughs wickedly alongside her. 'Woo-hoo-hoo.'
“That’s all?”
“Yes. The team leader said that if more people show up, we’ll get caught right away.”
“Then there’s no need to worry. All I need to do is find a maid named Mary.”
“That can’t be...!”
No matter how many times she pretended to be shocked, it didn't really matter to Elise.
"Please, just give me one more chance. I'm sure my special abilities will be of help to you, Elise!"
“Special abilities? Do you have anything like that?”
"Yes! A lot! First of all, I can faint while standing. I'm in a state of hypnosis. If I can faint like that for about two hours, I don't have to sleep!"
Elise asked again, patiently.
“Is there anything else?”
“I’m fast and strong! I’m really fast and really strong!”
“Yeah. I see. I was just wondering... Is there anything else?”
"Uh..."
Mary, who had been pondering for a moment, slowly averted her gaze. It seemed those two things were all there was to it.
"Yes, Mary. I admit you have special abilities. But here, as a mere handmaiden, you won't have much opportunity to show off your strength. Besides, you've already aroused Blake's suspicions once. What are you going to do if you end up in prison again?"
Mary bowed her head at Elise's absurdly accurate words. Her slumped shoulders were a source of pity.
“You must have had a hard time in prison... Don’t you want to go home and rest?”
"I... still want to be of some help to our world, even if it's just a little. If I go back without achieving anything, I won't get another chance. I don't want to be useless."
Elise stared blankly at Mary. She wasn't particularly nosy. She had no intention of leaving her behind simply because she felt sorry for her.
"If you make another mistake, not only you, but all your remaining comrades in this world will be in danger. I don't even know how many there are or where to find them."
Mary blinked quickly at Elise's almost persuasive words.
“I know?”
“...What? Really?”
“Yes! A passing servant of the palace13, the groom of the Marquis of Clanton2...”
"Wait a minute. It's hard to understand even if you say it like that. Still, it's a pretty good clue."
“Did I help you?”
“Yeah. Why didn’t you tell me something so important first?”
“Hehehe...”
Although it was almost a slap, Mary smiled shyly.
Elise pondered. The information Mary knew was a hundred times more important than her own strange special abilities.
As a maid, she may be useless, but if you try to find a use for her, you'll find it. If she's been cast in the wrong role, just reassign her to one she can excel in.
“Yes. Then I’ll tell Blake to make you my personal maid.”
“Oh my god, really?”
A bright smile spread across Mary's face as she looked at Elise with surprised eyes.
“Thank you, Elise! I’ll do my best to assist you!”
Elise couldn't bring herself to tell the girl she liked so much, "You're helping me by staying still," so she just nodded.
***
Blake returned to the castle around evening the next day. Elise, having heard the news from Kate, left her room to greet him.
Elise was somewhat troubled about how to bring up Mary Brooke to him. She feared it might be an overreach to simply bring her out of prison.
'I need to see how Blake feels first.'
It would be better to bring it up when he is in a good mood, if possible.
As Elise descended the stairs, she saw Blake just entering the castle. He wasn't alone. A man with red hair and a striking appearance was grinning beside him.
'Who is it?'
Blake, noticing her approaching presence, quickly stepped forward.
"Ma'am."
“Did you have a good trip?”
He looked somewhat anxious.
“There was no need to come out to greet me...”
“How could you do that? It was because of my request.”
“Oh, was that so?”
Blake's brow furrowed as the red-haired man suddenly stepped forward.
“Rex.”
‘...Rex? Was there a character with that name?’
"You should introduce me to your wife, Blake. Or should I do it myself?"
Judging by the way they called each other by their first names, they seemed to be quite close. Blake sighed and introduced him to Elise.
“Rex Russell. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”
"Yes?"
Elise froze in surprise.
The man in front of her, smiling happily, did not match the Crown Prince's name or appearance in <Fallen Lover> at all.
Even villains have their weight. As the screen time suggests, the Grand Duke wasn't a particularly significant villain. The real villain was someone else, creating an environment worthy of the title "Fallen Lover."
This is Crown Prince Baylot Russell. He is described as having dark blue hair and blue eyes, much like his cousin, the Grand Duke of Frozen.
But Rex Russell, who was now sitting on the living room sofa and grinning, had red hair and golden eyes with an orange tint, a rare sight in reality.
“The tea smells really good.”
Putting down his teacup, he picked up a cookie and put it in his mouth.
“This is delicious too.”
He looked at Elise, his tongue sticking out and tracing the crumbs from her lower lip.
“It looks delicious just by looking at it.”
She doesn't know if it was meant to be humiliating or a sexual appeal. Elise was busy thinking about it, regardless of whether he did or not.
The Grand Duchess's name in "Fallen Lovers" wasn't originally Elise. There's a clear reason for the name change for an original character.
'There's a high possibility that the author is also possessed.'
“It seems there is no proper cook in the palace.”
He laughed lightly at Blake's sarcasm.
"No matter how good your cooking skills are, if you eat it every day, you'll get sick of it. Don't you crave something new sometimes?"
It's impolite to look at a newlywed bride with such a blatant gaze. However, he is a Crown Prince. Even if they're friendly and call each other by name and converse somewhat comfortably, it's not right to criticize them without clear evidence.
Blake's mood was getting worse.
'Oh, that won't work...'
This was highly undesirable if they were to talk about Mary later.
“But Your Royal Highness, how did you come to visit so suddenly?”
It was a somewhat irreverent question, implying why he had visited someone else's home without any prior arrangements. But Rex answered her question casually.
"This guy sent in an application for permission to use a teleportation magic circle, which would lead to the capital. Normally, a palace magician would be dispatched to verify the authenticity, but I was so intrigued that I came to see for myself. I wondered if the applicant was really 'that' Grand Duke of Frozen."
“I am just going to see Your Highness.”
“Coincidentally, it was right before my birthday. But I overheard earlier... It was your wife who asked you to go to the capital?”
Blake's brow furrowed.
"Do it properly. Before I kick you out of my castle. Remember, you're visiting as a palace magician, not as the Crown Prince."
At his cold words, Rex clicked his tongue and nodded as if he was not amused.
"Well, good. Anyway, since we're here, we should get this done properly. Bring the seal, Blake."
“Let’s go to the office together.”
“I’d like to talk to your wife here a little more.”
'Hmm...?'
Elise glanced at Blake.
Of course, the Grand Duke's seal couldn't be tampered with by anyone. He had no choice but to accompany Rex to the office or have Blake retrieve it himself.
“What are you doing? Why don’t you hurry and bring it?”
Despite Rex's suspicious words, Blake had no choice but to get up.
“I’ll be back soon, ma’am.”
Elise smiled softly, looking at his hardened face.
“I will take good care of His Highness the Crown Prince, so don’t worry and go.”
Elise was thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea to stay alone with the Crown Prince. If he were also possessed, wouldn't it be easier to gather information without Blake?
“...If anything happens, shout.”
"Blake, you're really thinking the worst of me. How could I possibly lay a finger on the bride?"
Blake glared at him with distrust and left the reception room at a somewhat quick pace.
“We finally got rid of the troublemaker.”
As soon as he left, Rex quickly moved to sit next to Elise. Elise looked at him, dumbfounded.
'The ability to change positions quickly is also top-notch.'
As she nervously distanced myself from him, he closed the distance without hesitation.
“Don’t do that.”
His golden eyes narrowed. He whispered, pulling her waist into his arms.
“How have you been, Elise?”
Elise's eyebrows twitched.
"Oh. Are you not recognizing me because my appearance has changed? It's me, Cain. Cain Liberto."
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