Episode 40

 CHAPTER 3. The Young Villains’ Spring

“Yuric.”

“. . . . .”

“Yuric!”

“What! What is it this time?”

I looked at Yuric with glistening eyes which made him feel uncomfortable. He started frowning even though he hadn’t realized yet that I only act cute whenever I had a favour to ask.

“Can we go and play outshide?”

“Huh?”

He titled his head at my question as I hung on his arms.

“You mean the garden, right?”

“No. Let’s go outshide the palashe and play.”

I could count with my hand how many kids had gotten out and left Dahlia palace ever since I was born. Dietrich often left Dahlia as well as Lagrange Castle, but once I asked him to take me along, he disappeared without even listening to what I had to say let alone give me an answer.

‘Because Dietrich doesn’t want to take me outside.’

It’s probably because he lost me once before.

I pouted when I remembered Dietrich’s firm and cold refusal. I understood to a certain extent because most of all, he hated troublesome and annoying things. He didn’t want to look after me even outside.

‘Yuric might take me if I ask him.’

No matter how promising of a young villain Dietrich was, he wasn’t the same as Yuric.

‘If you don’t listen to my request, I’ll compliment your eyes.’

Yuric would die of embarrassment whenever his eyes got praise so he would acquiesce to my requests to shut me up.

 “Huh?”

“Hmm, well it’s not difficult.”

In principle, the candidates for succession and the children of Lagrange who couldn’t rank up cannot escape the fate of their family name.

That was because district jurisdictions didn’t exist. However, the children of Leatrice were free to roam outside.

‘Such blatant discrimination.’

I couldn’t blame Yuric, because Derek Lagrange loves Leatrice so much. The boy took his time thinking then nodded lightly.

“Yes, well, there’s something I’d like to buy.”

“You hab lots of money?”

My eyes sparkled at Yuric’s words and held my hands together. Yuric responds with a wry look to my question.

“Well, no? Not much.”

“Hm . . . . Yuri is usheless.”

“. . . . . Didn’t you want to go out?”

“No, Yuri is not usheless. You’re very useful. Yuri is the best!”

Yuric chuckled at how quickly I changed my attitude. Soon, he took out a small pouch from his pocket and shook it. I widened my eyes at the pretty jingling sound that was more enchanting than the rattle Baal gave me and hugged Yuric’s neck.

 “Are you going to gibb it to Anissa?”

“Huh?”

Yuric hurriedly hid the pocket money at my question.

‘If you won’t, then why show it to me.’

I drooled as I remembered Yuric’s money pouch which had become a pie in the sky.

“Why do you need money? What’s a child like you going to do with money?”

‘Just because I’m a child doesn’t mean I don’t need money!’

No, thinking about it, Yuric was still a child. I glared at him and was about to grumble but I managed to stop myself because who knows he might change his mind and share his money.

 “Is there something you wanted to buy?”

“Yea.”

I nodded excitedly at Yuric’s question. The reason I wanted to go out was because of the fairy tale that Marilyn gave me.

Well, it was found while she was cleaning so she didn’t technically give it to me.

There wasn’t much you could buy with one fairy tale, but the price of a lottery ticket issued by the imperial family was 1 copper or the price of one fairy tale.

‘As the saying goes, strike the iron while it’s still hot.’

As the concept of lotteries will soon be erased by Hermann, the country’s old-fashion but just hero, there were only a few days left where one could dream of living in a fortune.

 “Then, shall we go and look around?”

 “Yeah!”

“You have to keep this from Dietrich.”

“Ish okay, ish okay.”

I patted Yuric’s shoulder lightly, already aware of Dietrich’s temperament. As someone here might not become the right-hand man in the future, we need to be careful so Dietrich wouldn’t notice.

“Detrie ish weally busy these days. He’s a candidate after all.”

“I-I’m busy, too. Do you think I’m just playing around?”

At the mention of Dietrich being busy because he was a candidate, Yuric hastily rambled as if he was pricked for no reason.

However, the fact that he had no potential of becoming the grand duke was known to everyone in Lagrange, to me, and even to Yuric himself.

“Un! Even though you are bwusy, you still play with Anissa. Thenk you.”

I didn’t want to hurt his feelings by reminding him of his situation, so I shrugged my shoulders and changed my words.

“Yuri hab beautiful eyesh, and a beautiful heart.”

“Don’t say that anywhere else. This isn’t the South.”

Yuric grunted, but he couldn’t conceal his smile. His lips were pouting but at the same time its corners would rise up, making an ambiguous shape which I found a little cute so I stroked his hair like that of a little animal.

 “What?”

“Our Yuri is so shimple.”

“I’m really not going to take you.”

“Uhuhm. You’re already taking me.”

Yuric was already walking towards the gates eagerly, so his threats didn’t work. 

As we neared the gate, I felt a little nervous, but the guards immediately stepped aside when Yuric presented the crest of Liatris.

“They didn’t even ask who I am.”

Yuric answered as if it was nothing, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

“There are a lot of kids your age in Lagrange.”

I was one of the supporting characters in Lagrange Castle, my presence was barely noticeable than Yuric. Derek didn’t even know I existed. That’s why the gatekeepers didn’t even bother knowing who I was.

‘With this, I can sneak around as much as I can.’

After leaving Lagrange Castle, which was easier than I thought, we soon arrived at the central square. For the first time in my life—as Anissa—I was finally outside, my eyes wandered aimlessly as it took in the scenery while being held in Yuric’s arms.

The square looked ordinary for a place that was ruled by the terrifying, demonic Grand Duke. The shopping street encircling the plaza wasn’t very active but there were a few people bustling around.

“Wooooow.”

I exclaimed, as I pointed to the fountain in the square, set up for people to gather.

In fact, I wasn’t surprised seeing the fountain, but the people who were going in and out. 

The crowd was huge in contrast to when we watched the fireworks at the drawbridge.

‘There are so many living people aside from the characters of the book!’

Yuric, Veronica, Alphonse, and Derek were the ones whose names have at least appeared in “The Rose Wars of Men.” However, I have no recollection of reading about merchants pitting against each other, trying to get a better position in the square, as well as heavily drunk men in broad daylight.

‘That’s right, this is my reality now.’

It’s already been five years since I was born as Anissa. 

It was a short life but I’ve already experienced countless bizarre situations. However, if I didn’t adapt, I would’ve forced myself to or else I’ll go crazy at any moment.

‘This world is really real . . .. . ‘

I came into terms with that fact and quickly accepted that I was reincarnated in a world inside a book. There were moments, however, that I felt like everything was a dream and that scared me.

Dietrich and the others were all moving according to the script set in the book and as though the world unfolding outside of Lagrange was a blank paper.

Overcome by anxiety, I couldn’t sleep well at night.

However, the people moving in front of my eyes were not characters in the book, as though insisting that the world where I was born as Anissa was real.

“What are you admiring so much?  The fountain in the garden is several times more splendid."

“It’s jush, being outshide feels ameyzing.”

“I should’ve brought you here earlier. I didn’t know you were going to like it this much.”

I nodded slowly at what Yuric said.

‘That’s right, if it was before I wouldn’t have asked him.;

In ‘The Rose Wars of Men,’ the original Anissa and Yuric didn’t have a close relationship. Far from playing with him just like right now, when they met outside Lagrange, he didn’t even remember her.

A plain dagger, bereft of ornaments, was what he was looking forward to buying. I clicked my tongue at this 10-year-old boy who wanted a real dagger instead of a toy dagger.

‘The ruin of Lagrange may really help this world.’

Considering Dietrich and Yuric, Hermann Euclid’s future as the victor of the Rose War was rather unfortunate. However, not only the country, but also the world may be ruined if such a family led the Empire of Bernoulli.

“Look, this one is pretty.”

Yuric smiled as he showed off his dagger to me. I nodded at him enthusiastically.

“Yes, pwetty . . . . .”

“Black magic has been embedded on it so its colour turned black. Even blood stains won’t show.”

“Woah, must be naysh.”

“Yes. It also wipes off the blood when it hardens.”

“. . . . . Ahh, I shee.”

Not knowing how it sounded to me, I was unable to give a proper reply when I looked at Yuric who had a big smile on his face because he bought the dagger.

“Great. The next time I have a chance, I’ll teach you how to cut throats so it doesn’t bleed.”

“Waa . . . . .”