Chapter 13.1

Pitapat.

The rain poured relentlessly, showing no indication of ceasing in the near future.

“Seems like quite a downpour. Is it the rainy season?”

Absorbed in her thoughts, Ariel mumbled to herself while taking a bite of an apple. Her gaze drifted towards the window, where she observed the garden outside.

The grassy expanse was drenched with rain, and the somber sky mirrored the darkness of night. Despite waking up early, the gloomy weather made her feel as though she had overslept. The sight of the overcast sky somehow weighed her down, inducing an unusual sense of weariness.

As she absentmindedly stared into the distance and rubbed her eyes, the drowsiness that had settled upon her gradually dissipated.

“By the way, what should I do today? Should I just wait like this?”

Ariel placed the cloche onto the now-empty plate as she had finished her breakfast before turning on her phone.

The portraits of the two brothers stood still in different locations in the same building. Skyla, who was said to be busy, would be difficult to meet, and ailing Devoncia would pose an even greater challenge.

‘Anyway, it’s still an error…’

A full day had passed, yet the favorability level of Devoncia remained shrouded in mystery. Ariel grew increasingly concerned, wondering if the system was functioning correctly at all as it was an issue she couldn’t address or inquire about.

At the very least, she hoped that the same error wouldn’t occur again.

Knock, knock, knock.

‘It seems like a maid has arrived.’

At the sound of the knocking on the door, she set aside her phone and rose from her chair. Assuming it was the maid coming to clear the dishes, she opened the door.

“Hello, Princess of County Huckley.”

The lady-in-waiting standing before her bowed with an air of solemnity. It wasn’t the same maid who had brought the meal tray earlier. However, Ariel couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease as she looked into the emotionless eyes beneath her auburn hair.

Unsurprisingly, the lady-in-waiting then took out an item hidden within her collar, which seemed destined to cause a disturbance.

“His Highness the Crown Prince has sent an invitation to the Princess.”

The maid held a white envelope in both hands and extended it directly toward Ariel. The imperial emblem adorned the wax seal on the envelope.

But it wasn’t from the Prince, but the Crown Prince.

…It meant that it wasn’t sent by Skyla but by Devoncia.

With a heightened sense of vigilance and growing anxiety, Ariel reluctantly reached out to take the letter. In the meanwhile, the lady-in-waiting, having fulfilled her task, bowed her head just as she had done when they first met. After a brief exchange of greetings, the maid retreated down the hallway, eventually disappearing from sight.

Ariel swiftly closed the door, as if fearing someone might be watching, and entered her room.

Bzzzzz—

Her cell phone, left on the bed, vibrated.

The unease that had enveloped her upon receiving the letter took flight. Ariel hastily turned on her phone’s screen and gasped, her mouth hanging open in astonishment.

The main point of the story notification consisted of just two lines, much shorter than Ariel had anticipated. The branching choice notification arrived earlier than she had expected.

‘…Should I accept the penalty to minimize the impact on the ending, or should I take the rewards and risk changing the ending?’

The problem was, she had no idea whether the consequences of this choice would be good or unfavorable.

Holding the letter between her fingers, Ariel pressed her forehead against her palm, letting out a groan as she contemplated her options.

To be honest, she preferred to avoid introducing any variables until she had gathered all the profiles of the targets. However, considering the sender of the letter was the Crown Prince, refusing became exceedingly difficult due to her status. The presence of undisclosed penalties only added to her unease.

“Is there… no other way?”

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