LRAB Chapter 39
Chapter 39
Marriage...
Thinking about it in concrete terms makes me uneasy.
Could I truly live well with Tristan?@@@@
‘With someone who doesn’t love me, and whom I don’t love?’
Sure, people in the Joseon dynasty married like that all the time, but I’m from the 21st century.
If we ever argued, would I even be able to voice my opinion to a royal?
I briefly imagined sitting across the dinner table from Tristan, bickering with him—and then my thoughts came to a screeching halt as I pictured his face while he drew back the bow earlier.
What am I supposed to do?
‘I think I’d forgive him just by looking at his face.’
Why does he have to be so unnecessarily handsome?!
Calm down. Life isn’t all about appearances. As soon as I talk to that arrogant man, any illusions I have will surely disappear.
Determined to face that reality, I turned toward the banquet hall... but paused mid-step.
‘What about Maria? Will she be okay?’
This is the exact point in the original story where a minor antagonist targets Maria.
A noble named Alex sneaks a wounded rabbit into the Meyer family tent. Maria, who’s alone, is startled. Alex uses her scream as an excuse to approach, claiming to offer help—until Rick shows up, grabs him by the collar, and throws him to the ground.
So far, the major events have played out just as they did in the original.
‘Except for a few meddling villains being more aggressive than I expected.’
Rick isn’t a villain, and he’s unquestionably devoted to Maria. He’ll definitely come to her rescue.
...Even so, I couldn’t shake my unease and found myself heading toward Maria’s tent.
Even if there’s a 99% chance the story follows its original path, what about the remaining 1%?
An isolated tent. A closed-off space. A strong, arrogant nobleman and a lower-ranking lady, alone.
In the worst-case scenario, the outcome is obvious—and Maria would bear the brunt of the damage.
I’ll just confirm that Rick saves her and then head to the banquet.
Though it was summer, the evening light was still bright, casting long shadows across the ground. I concealed myself beneath the shade of tall trees near Maria’s tent.
A young maid emerged first, speaking to Maria.
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to leave first?”
“It’s fine. Go help with the meal distribution and make sure you eat. If you don’t eat now, all that’ll be left after the banquet is the tasteless leftovers everyone avoids. Big parties are always like that.”
“Understood. Thank you!”
The maid bowed before scampering off.
I couldn’t help but admire Maria’s character again.
People who make sure others get something good to eat are truly kindhearted.
‘Be happy, Maria...’
Murmuring this silent wish, I nibbled on the snacks I’d brought.
They really were delicious. The tea party’s food, apparently ordered directly by the royal family, lived up to its reputation.
As the shadows deepened, the faint sound of footsteps crunching through grass reached my ears.
I tensed immediately.
‘He’s here.’
It wasn’t hard to identify him—the white rabbit squirming in his arms gave him away.
The slope loomed just ahead.
Below, a stream ran through the valley—a classic fictional danger zone where anyone who falls in is guaranteed to survive.
He won’t die.
He’ll just suffer a little.
Leaning into the slope, I shifted my weight and let my shoulders relax. Alex slid down the rain-slicked incline with a satisfying shhhrrrk...
“Ugh!”
But just before he tumbled all the way down, Alex regained enough awareness to grab my arm in a desperate clutch.
He’s coming to his senses.
But there’s no way I’m stopping now!
Without hesitation, I leaned down and bit his fingers as hard as I could.
The taste of dirt flooded my mouth.
“...!”
Alex yelped and let go, his hand flailing back. As he lost his grip, he slid further down the muddy incline.
His fingers clawed uselessly at the slippery ground, leaving long furrows in the muck. But the rain-soaked earth offered no hold, and his body continued its descent.
He tried to lift his head, perhaps to catch a glimpse of the person who had attacked him.
But I didn’t give him the chance.
I stomped my heel hard against the slope’s edge.
“Augh!”
Mud splashed onto his face, and that was the final blow. Alex fell, tumbling into the valley below.
Seconds later, a distant quack-like squawk reached my ears.
Don’t worry—he won’t die.
Almost immediately, the door to Maria’s tent opened. Flattening myself against the ground near the slope, I strained to listen.
“Is someone there?”
If Maria looked out, she might notice traces of my scuffle with Alex. But just as in the original story, the rabbit leaped from the tent and bolted toward the bushes.
“Oh, bunny!”
“Squeak!”
“That’s dangerous! Stay with me until the tournament ends!”
Maria chased after the rabbit into the underbrush. Seizing the opportunity, I quickly smeared mud over any suspicious footprints and backed away from the scene.
Ha... my clothes are a mess.
The maids had gone to such trouble preparing me for the banquet, and now my outfit was ruined. My skirt was soaked in mud up to the ankles.
I briefly considered returning to my tent to wash up.
‘But there’s no water left.’
Thanks to the Redfield family patriarch’s unfortunate tumble earlier in the day, all the bathwater had been used up. They’d said it would take time to fetch more.
With no spare formalwear, attending the banquet was officially out of the question.
‘At least I have an excuse now.’
Still, there was something I needed to do.
Where the hell is Rick?
And I also need to find Tristan...