There Is No Place For Fakes

After the shocking revelation that Ellencia’s middle name is different than in <Princess Ellencia>, Philomel, confused, escaped to the break room to organize her thoughts. The ball had just started, so no one was already using the designated break room to rest. She couldn’t even get used to it… Elencia should be doing her first dance by now, and everyone would be anxious to look good for the new princess. Philomel went back and forth anxiously in the empty break room.

‘Why did your middle name change? Is this also because I moved the timing forward by a year?”

Let alone Nassar not falling for Ellencia because she yielded a hundred times, or Eustis maintaining a subtle distance from his daughter. The same goes for Ellencia’s personality, which has changed to be like someone else’s. It was not possible to know where people’s hearts would end up, but were the works of gods the same as people’s? Was it okay to change her name just because the story succeeded a year early? In the temple, the middle name of the royal family reflects their soul. One’s middle name only changes when one commits countless sins under that given name. You could say their name changed, so their soul…

Philomel shuddered at her fleeting thought at that moment.

“Is that possible?”

No, wouldn’t it be more plausible to assume that <Princess Ellencia> was not a completely prophetic book? However, the question, once raised, was not easily quenched.

‘What if, this is really, what if…’

Maybe the Ellencia over there right now was a different soul from the Ellencia in the book. Also there was Catherine’s words, insisting that Elencia had changed, like a completely different person.

‘Is she possibly possessed by an evil spirit?’

It reminded her of cases of people who became violent overnight because of the evil spirit dwelling in their bodies. Although Elencia did not become violent, it was clear that her personality had changed for the worse.

“I’m sorry.” Then the door to the break room opened.

Philomel was startled, but when she saw the figure that soon appeared, she relaxed. It was Nassar.

“You’re here. I was surprised by your sudden disappearance.”

Nassar arrived today, dressed in a stylish fashion.

“Aren’t you going to dance?”

“No. I don’t want to dance today.”

“…It’s a pity.”

Rather than asking, ‘Why do you say that, Nassar?’, there was a quicker thought.

“But why is Nassar here? Aren’t you dancing?”

“I have no thoughts of dancing today either.”

“Shouldn’t you have your first dance with Her Highness Princess Ellencia?

“With the princess? She asked me, but I declined.”

Did this guy just come out of the boat? It seemed that the Emperor’s wrath was not scary. When asked why Nassar turned down the first dance with Elencia, he replied:

“…That’s because my fiancé is not Her Highness Princess Ellencia, but Miss Philomel.”

It was only then that Philomel realized that the two were still engaged.

“Why? It’s a marriage conversation between the imperial family and the duchy. Isn’t it automatically destroyed at the point when it is revealed that I am not the princess?”

In the book, things went that way, and Nassar and Ellencia danced without a hitch. In real life, even though Nassar had no crush on Ellencia, Nassar was the only one she could dance with. Up until now, Nassar was the only young lord of Ellencia’s age.

‘Wait, then who is Ellencia doing her first dance with?

Philomel opened the break room door out of curiosity and stepped out into the hallway. In the hall, the princess was performing her first dance to the sound of music. The person who hugs Ellencia’s body in line with her melody was…

‘Hero Killian!”

A tall man with blue hair was holding Ellensia’s hand. Killian, a veteran who defeated Cerberus, the highest level monster. He was the son of Count Escal, a prestigious aristocratic family, but he was usually referred to as a hero. In the current era, the first person who comes to mind when the name ‘Reply’ comes to mind. And Ellensia’s third man.

In <Princess Elencia>, there were a total of three men involved in a romantic relationship with Ellencia. Little Duke Nassar, Mage Jeremiah, and Hero Killian. According to the book, it’s a bit later that Killian becomes interested in Ellencia, but what happened? Originally, he did not attend the Debutante Ball. He said he was sick of the world of aristocrats, which was only a facade.

More and more accounts are unfolding that are not in line with <Princess Ellencia>. 

Nassar, who came out alone following Philomel, stared at Ellencia and Killian.

“They’re a good pair.”

It was an extremely peaceful expression, as if it were someone else’s business. Nassar really didn’t seem to have any feelings for Ellencia. Finally, after the Princess‘s first dance, the music stopped. Next was the stage of young aristocrats making their debut this year. Young ladies and lords performed their first dance with a designated partner, then switched partners and danced again. 

Philomel anxiously searched for someone in the ranks. But Roseanne’s red hair did not go unnoticed. Where was she? Could it be that she didn’t come because she was afraid?

“Philomel…”

Looking to the side, Nassar couldn’t take his eyes off Philomel’s face.

“What is it?”

“At first, I thought it was because of my mood.”

Nassar stammered.

“It may be rude to say this, but today, ah, you look very beautiful.”

“Pardon?”

“The moment I entered this place, I only saw you.”

Why was he doing this? Did he eat something wrong? But it wasn’t just him watching Philomel in awe. Even the nobles around her, or even their young children, gazed at her for a long time, then looked away quickly when her eyes met theirs. She had never received such an enthusiastic response even when she was a Princess.

“Nassar, is there something on my face?”

“It’s not like that, but the light… It’s like you’re shining.”

Was it the lightning in the banquet hall?

“Nassar, wait here!”

Leaving Nassar behind, she went back to the break room and grabbed the hand mirror that was provided. After that, she went out into the hallway and headed to an obscure place. When she reached the dimly lit area, she realized… Her face didn’t seem to just glow, but it was actually shining.

“Why are you doing this!”

Philomel, holding the hand mirror, shouted.

A soft light emanated not only from Philomel’s face, but from her whole body. She didn’t notice it when she was in the brightly lit banquet hall, but when she was in this dimly lit area, she could tell. Strangely, that wasn’t the only thing. When she passed the hallway with the window open, birds came in through the window. Little birds chirped and circled around Philomel. She wanted to get the birds out, so when she went out through the terrace to the garden, something even weirder happened. Wherever Philomel’s feet touched, flowers instantly bloomed. Even in a land where there was no grass, let alone buds!

“I’ll be thrilled…”

Someone called out to Philomel, she stopped in her track and looked up from the ground. 

“This is it!”

“Here you are.”

It was Cardin and Lexion wearing court Mages uniforms. Lexion, who closely observed Philomel’s condition, concluded:

“It’s Le Guin’s work. It’s a multi-complex magic.”

“Why did he do this…”

“Isn’t that what he did for Phil?”

Come to think of it, looking at her outfit, she remembered Le Guin, who thought it was too plain.

“Can Lexion solve it?”

“It’s impossible. If I could do that, I would have kicked Le Guin-nim out and become the Mage Tower’s Master.”

Lexion shook his hand and drove away the noisy birds.

“For now, all I can do is cast my magic over it to scare away the birds. The rest is up to you to finish your errands and go back and ask him to release it.”

“Okay. I’m going to go and tell him one or two things.”

Lexion, who saw Philomel struggling, shook his head. He chased after her, because the light was hard to see in bright places, and the flowers only bloomed on the dirt floor.

“Go first. We’ll finish the rest and go.”

After waving goodbye to the two of them, Philomel returned to the banquet hall. There were many things that came to his mind, but at times like these, the goal in front of her had to be clear. Of course, her goal was to slap Roseanne. Fortunately, Philomel soon found Roseanne, whom she hadn’t seen since that incident. Perhaps with God’s help, Roseanne just so happened to be at the end of a deserted hallway.