Chapter 12

I hung my head thinking that if I didn’t want to go to the party I would have to talk to Duke or Derrick.

‘I’d rather it be with Leonard, then at least I’d be able to go to the bet.’

I sighed, recalling Leonard’s favorability that had just gone from negative to positive.

I’d been so busy getting off my ass just to keep my favorability at 0%.

Walking with Derrick or something, I really couldn’t even think about it.

“Little, miss …… are you alright? Your face is pale.”

Emily asked cautiously as she glanced at my serious expression.

“Get out, I have things I need to think about.”

I waved my hand at her with impatience on my face.

The moment she had just left the room, I sighed again.

“Ha……”

If I don’t go, I’ll die. But if I go, I’ll die too. How crazy was this game going to be?

I was starting to miss the time when I had been in heaven.

“If I do my best to avoid him, I should be okay, right?”

I tried to remember the plot of the game, but couldn’t recall too many details.

Basically, I just kept meeting the Crown Prince in the labyrinth of the palace gardens, and then getting killed before I could start the official dialog. Over and over and over again.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that I had to hit the reset button almost every five seconds.

“It’s true that it’s still true that holding a disease and not going would be the best party ……”

Argh.

I had a sudden flash of insight

“…… Then why don’t we just die once and see?”

Come to think of it, that’s not a bad idea. If I die there, maybe I can return to the world I was in.

What happens to the game system if the player ‘Game Over’?

Instead of dreaming of reaching an ending with one of those Raider characters, it might be a better option to give up right away.

Besides, this game has a reset button.

The name is like an angel. Reset button.

Of course, unlike the in-game screen, I don’t see a ‘back’, or similar button in my field of vision.

So far, the only thing I can see are white boxes with options.

The option to close the dialog is there, the reset button should be there too, right?

“Why didn’t I think of that before?”

As long as there’s a reset button, I’ll be able to face everything at my best.

“Awesome. ”

After meeting the crown prince, then die once!

After waking up earlier than usual, I underwent a series of beauty treatments.

I finished my bath in a tub mixed with milk and flavorings, followed by a massage and a mask. This boring routine was repeated many times.

By the time I finally got out of the shower and sat down at the makeup table, I was exhausted.

However that wasn’t the end of it.

“Miss, how about this gown? I bought it earlier and haven’t worn it once since, it’s brand new!”

“How about you take a look at these earrings? It feels like it will match your gown.”

“I think it would be better if your hair was half loose rather than up. What do you think?”

“What should I do with my makeup ……”

They kept asking, leaving me speechless.

They were more excited than me, the direct partygoer.

I looked up at the mirror to confirm how I looked now.

It seemed like the morning beauty treatment had worked because my face looked even more dazzling than usual.

”That’s right, seeing a face like that does make you want to dress up. .

Understanding their reactions, I nodded and said, ”Bring all the dark-colored, high-necked dresses. Keep the accessories to a minimum, and just feel free to mess with the rest.”

“?!”

The maids were stunned by my words and responded in a panic, “But miss, that’s a banquet held at the palace ……”

There was a subtext embedded within that one should dress up more beautifully than anyone else, wasn’t it.

The slightly reddish gown accentuates my beautiful neckline, and it does go well with Penelope’s bright red hair.

And the jewelry, which was a perfect match for the dress, showed off Penelope’s gorgeous beauty.

But I’m not going to the palace today for a beauty pageant.

I couldn’t tell them I was going there to seek death either, so I could only pretend to be as unreasonable as Penelope was in demanding them.

“You guys don’t have to try too hard, just do as I say.”

Hearing my cold tone, the maids finally realized that it was impossible to convince me, and could only bitterly walk towards the closet.

The gowns they brought afterward were all different from before, all looking a bit more demure.

“This one.”

I chose a dark green evening gown.

Not only did it hide my collarbone, the quiet dark green color wouldn’t make me stand out in a crowd.

After I put on the gown, I ordered the maids to put on as little makeup as possible.

A small emerald earring similar to the color of Penelope’s eyes, and that was all I needed to dress up.

After the makeover, I saw an elegant girl in the mirror, as solemn as if I were going to church for a service.

‘This should be enough to make me inconspicuous.’

Unlike my face of contentment, the maids of honor were filled with frustration.

“Emily stays, the rest of you can go out.”

After ordering them to leave, I made another request to my personal maid.

“Emily, can you find me a pair of long gloves that fit this gown?”

“More gloves, miss?”

Emily wheedled trying to stop me from doing so.

“Then I’ll just have to show this to everyone won’t I?”

I said grimly as I lifted the back of my hand that had been deeply pierced by the needle earlier.

The needle hole had become so shallow that it was now almost invisible.

However, among the many people attending the banquet, there would inevitably be nobles with sharp eyes who would notice it.

Seeing the pinhole on the back of my hand, Emily became pale.

“Hurry up and get the gloves.”

“Okay, okay!”

I tsked as I looked at her flustered back.

For a while now, I’ve been slightly nicer to her, and she thinks she’s gained trust.

It seems I need to remind her of that periodically.

A little later I put on the long gloves Emily brought over and my preparations for the trip to the palace were complete.

Derrick scanned me from head to toe with a surprised look on his face.

“You’ve become slightly more human during your grounding.”

But I didn’t even feel like bubbling over at that, because the note above his head was shining brightly.

[Favorability 5%]

‘What the heck, when did his favorability go up?’

Before I knew it, Derrick’s favorability towards me had risen by 6%!

I was dumbfounded, how much he hates seeing Penelope if his favorability went up this much without meeting him!

”If I had known that, I would have just pretended to be sick and not gone!”

I began to regret the decision I made.

But it was already too late, a luxurious carriage engraved with the Eckhardt family’s logo had already arrived in front of the gate.

I bowed slightly and greeted him, extending my hand to the guards standing on the side.

Because this carriage was taller than I expected.

I, who was arranging my dress for the convenience of getting on, didn’t notice what Derrick had done.

After standing on the carriage, I turned to look at Derrick.

His hands were stretched forward and he was looking at me with a stiff face.

‘What’s wrong with him?’

I didn’t know why so I cocked my head at him. We need to hurry up if we’re going to make it to the party on time.

There’s no way he’s going in the same carriage as Penelope so I wait for the carriage door to be closed.

But then, Derrick, who was originally frozen in place, boarded the carriage.

”What, what’s going on! Why did he come up!’

But nothing came to mind. It’s because we just met again today and said hello.

In the meantime, Derrick sat down directly across from me.

Because I was so flustered I blurted it out without much thought.

“Are, are we going over there together in the carriage?”

He frowned at my inquiry.

“You have a grievance?”

“No, no, it’s not that ……”

‘What’s going on? You guys never do that!’

I swallowed what I wanted to say and shook my head. But Derrick’s expression had crumpled.

“If you find it annoying, by all means go take a ride in one of the other carriages.”

He said coldly.

I looked out the window of the wagon, pondering the feasibility of his words.

But he’d closed the carriage door when he came in, and I’d look ridiculous if I opened it again to leave.

“…… It’s not annoying.”

I looked back at Derrick and forced myself to speak against my will

“It was …… fun.”

At the same time I carefully glanced at Derrick’s eye color.

Hearing what I said, he glared at me immediately turning his head to the other side with an unpleasant expression.

”Really, if you hate it, why do something like this that embarrasses both parties?”

Is this a new method of disgusting Penelope?

He was emitting a chilling aura that made my mouth speechless.

But I changed my mind by looking at the logo on top of his head again.

[Favorability 6%]

Favorability increased by 1%.

As my eyes widened, the carriage began to move.

”That’s right, it’s just riding in the same carriage, what else can happen?”

I’ve gotten a full 6% of goodwill.

In such a short period of time, there’s always the possibility that there’s a situation that would make 6% drop immediately.

Thinking of the saying ‘If you can’t resist, then enjoy it’, I decided to take this as a good thing.

However not long after setting off, I began to regret riding in the same carriage as Derrick.

The time before we reached the palace was so long it seemed like an eternity.

Only now, in this moment, could I appreciate the cold, handsome man sitting before me with his arms wrapped around his think legs.

Only the sound of breathing could be heard inside the silent carriage.

After enduring it, I thought of at least opening the window to get some air, but as soon as I moved, Derrick, who seemed to be waiting, looked at me, daring me to move more.

After this as well, whenever I felt uncomfortable moving slightly, he would suddenly open his eyes like a ghost and stare at me.

”Ah, why are you looking at me like that! .

I’m in a cold sweat peeking at the [Favorability 6%] on Derrick’s head.

Unable to do anything but sit motionless, I cheered loudly in my heart when the carriage finally stopped in front of the palace gates.

Finally I can escape from this death carriage.

”I want to open the door and get off quickly so I can get some fresh air. ,”

Is it trying to open the door faster than me and get off.

Then ……

“Hold on.”