“That’s not a person’s name? That can’t be…”
Freyer stared down in sheer confusion at the black ribbon bearing the inscription ‘R. Mary’ resting in his palm. If it wasn’t her name, what on earth did it signify?
Just then, Bilion cleared his throat.
“Ahem. However, I believe I can shed some light on what that inscription means.”
Freyer turned his full attention to the information broker.
“The name ‘R. Mary’ is actually a well-known brand of luxury lingerie favored by young noble ladies.”
Hearing that, Freyer blinked slowly, his mind completely blanking.
“A lingerie store?”
The black ribbon that had been tied around her slender waist and pale legs. How foolish of him to assume she would casually stamp her own name on such a private item.
I completely miscalculated.
Freyer let out a long, heavy sigh. In stark contrast to his deflated mood, the silver lettering on the ribbon gleamed mockingly. Suspecting something, Freyer looked back up at Bilion.
“This is clearly a magical item. Why would anyone pay a small fortune to have a brand name engraved on it like this?”
“A significant portion of luxury goods targeting young noblewomen have their maker’s mark fused using ground-up mana stones. It seems Your Highness was unaware—it’s been quite the trend among the aristocracy for a few years now.”
Given that the only women he had ever interacted with were his wet nurse and female attendants, it made sense that Freyer was completely clueless about high-society fashion trends.
“Good grief…”
Stressed and bewildered, Freyer dragged a hand through his silver hair. How on earth was he supposed to track down the woman he believed had cured his chronic nightmares now?
Noticing his distress, Bilion offered a knowing smile.
“The ‘R. Mary’ boutique is located right near the central commercial district. Why don’t you pay them a visit? When noble ladies purchase these specialty items, the boutiques usually keep a detailed ledger under their names. If you describe her appearance, you might just find your answer.”
It was the only lead he had left. Suppressing the urge to sprint out the door right this second, Freyer asked:
“Where is the shop?”
“If you’ll give me a moment, I’ll draw you a map.”
“Thank you.”
Bilion sat down at his desk, quickly sketched a rough map, and handed it over. Freyer took it and pulled a gold coin from his pocket, placing it squarely on the table.
“Consider that your information fee.”
Bilion promptly slid the coin back across the desk.
“Information like this is on the house. Consider it a goodwill gesture from me. I look forward to your next visit—hopefully with better news.”
Freyer ignored the remark, turned on his heel, and headed for the door.
“I sincerely hope I never have reason to return here, but I won’t forget your offer.”
“Phew… this should finally pass inspection, right?”
I wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand and surveyed the Guild Master’s office. It was so pristine you could eat off the floor—a stark contrast to the dust-caked disaster zone it had been earlier. I leaned back in the desk chair, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment. Even if this was just a temporary office for my role as acting Guild Master, the initial state of the room had been completely unacceptable!
“Yawn… I’m exhausted.”
Wiped out from hours of aggressive deep-cleaning, I stretched my arms out wide. Winnie, who was busy organizing a towering stack of bookshelves nearby, glanced over at my yawn and chuckled.
“Miss, you must be utterly worn out. You really didn’t have to clean the whole place yourself, you know.”
“No, it’s fine! I actually wanted to.”
I beamed brightly and turned to her.
“Hey, Winnie? Do you mind if I step outside for a bit while you finish up with the books?”
“Outside?”
“Yeah! There look to be all sorts of fascinating things going on out there.”
I pointed eagerly toward the street vendor stalls visible through the window. I could no longer ignore the heavenly aromas of street food wafting into the room.
How is it legally possible for fantasy street food to smell this incredible?
Maybe it was just the brutal physical labor of cleaning, but I was starving to the point of near-hallucination. Seeing that Winnie was still tied up with her chores, this was my golden opportunity.
“I’ll just grab a quick snack and be right back! We barely even ate lunch, remember?”
“Well, but—”
“I’ll stay right in front of the building, I promise!”
Winnie tapped her chin in hesitation before finally giving a small, relenting nod.
“Make sure you come straight back!”
“Will do!”
I practically flew out the front door, feeling like I had wings on my feet. This was the first time I’d felt genuine excitement since transmigrating into the novel. Bizarre, wonderful food stalls lined the streets as far as the eye could see.
What should I test out first? Those chicken skewers look amazing!
Wiping away drool, I immediately made a beeline for the nearest skewer cart.
Which sauce should I get?
While I was agonizing over this vital life choice, a sharp, trembling voice echoed from the alley right beside me.
“Wh-What do you think you’re doing to those children?!”
Startled out of my food-induced trance, I whipped my head around. At the mouth of the alley, a honey-haired girl was shielding two small kids behind her. Facing her were two intimidating figures—a massive, brawny ruffian and a scrawny accomplice, both glaring daggers.
“Are you kids alright?” the girl asked gently.
The two children buried their faces in her skirts and nodded mutinously. The big man stepped forward, his voice dripping with menace.
“This is private business, little noble lady, so I suggest you mind your own damn business. Now hand over the brats.”
“Mind my own business…?! Look how terrified they are!”
Despite the man’s terrifying size, the girl held her ground, pulling the children closer as her voice shook.
“If you don’t back off right now, I’m calling the city guards!”
“Guards? That’s rich.”
The small girl stared him down without an ounce of cowardice. Seeing the brute raise a massive fist, panic flared in my chest.
Oh crap, is he actually going to hit her? No way!
I darted my eyes around, looking for anyone who could help. Predictably, the surrounding merchants and passersby were violently averting their eyes, pretending not to see a thing. Taking matters into my own hands, I cupped my hands around my mouth and bellowed at the top of my lungs:
“Guards! Over here! Assault in the alley!”
At the sudden cry, the scrawny thug turned pale as a ghost and frantically scanned the street. The big man cursed under his breath, and his partner hissed in a low voice:
“Paul, there’s too many eyes on us.”
“Dammit. Nothing is going right today.”
“If the guards catch us again, we’re heading straight to the dungeons. Let’s just bail for now.”
Veins bulged visibly on the forehead of the man named Paul. He pointed a threatening finger at the children.
“You little rats. Tell your old man there won’t be a next time. You hear me?”
With a whimper, the children hid deeper in the girl’s embrace. Paul then glared at the blonde-haired heroine.
“And you—if I ever see you sticking your nose in where it doesn’t belong, you’ll regret it.”
The two thugs sneered at the gathering crowd, warning onlookers to keep their mouths shut before bolting down the street. Once they were safely out of sight, a collective wave of relief washed over the nearby merchants.
“Are you two alright?” the girl asked softly, turning back to the kids.
“Yes…” they murmured, bowing politely.
With a gentle smile, the young woman reached into her sleeve pouch, pulled out a gleaming silver coin, and pressed it into their tiny hands.
“Here, go buy yourselves something sweet.”
“Thank you so much, big sister!”
The children beamed, bowed again, and sprinted off. Thinking the honey-haired girl was about to leave as well, I turned back to my food stall.
“Excuse me.”
I froze as a soft voice addressed me. I turned around to find the girl smiling shyly at me.
“You’re the one who shouted about the guards, right? Thank you so much.”
“Oh—ah, it was nothing! Are you hurt anywhere?”
At my flustered response, the girl offered a sweet, graceful bow.
“It was a tremendous help. Truly.”
“You really don’t have to bow—”
Seeing my awkward hand-waving, she covered her mouth with a delicate laugh.
“What is your name? I’d love to know who to thank properly. I’m Nazlee Idarand.”
The moment those words left her lips, my brain completely short-circuited.
N-Nazlee?!
I wanted to grab my hair and scream.
Nazlee Idarand—the original female protagonist of the very novel I had transmigrated into, The Duke’s Daughter Has Returned. And the exact scene I had just witnessed was the opening chapter of the original plot.
It was Nazlee’s very first public outing after being brought back to the Idarand Ducal House, having spent her early years stuck in a harsh orphanage.
Freyer’s identity was so striking that I recognized him instantly, so why on earth didn’t I put two and two together with Nazlee?!
I stood there dumbfounded, kicking myself for not connecting the dots sooner as a longtime reader.
Wavy, luminous honey-blonde hair. Eyes that flashed like bright aquamarine gems. Delicate, doll-like features paired with an angelic, shy smile.
I blinked blankly, temporarily blinded by her sheer protagonist aura. The original novel described her as possessing the pure, breathtaking beauty of a wild lily of the valley.
Okay, I finally get what the author meant.
Her radiant, wholesome energy was practically glowing. She was the textbook definition of a beloved heroine who gave and received endless affection.
No wonder the Crown Prince, the main male leads, and Freyer all fall head over heels for her on sight.
Seeing her in person made the plot armor entirely understandable. Noticing my dazed expression, Nazlee tilted her head in gentle concern.
“Um… did I say something wrong?”
Snapping back to reality, I violently shook my hands and stammered:
“N-No, not at all! I’m Lilithia Baimery.”
“Oh my, what a lovely name.”
Nazlee repeated my name softly, then clapped her hands together with a delighted smile.
“I’ll definitely remember that, Miss Lilithia!”
Seeing that radiant, innocent smile sent a sudden, aching pang straight to my heart.
Freyer spent his entire life watching that bright smile from afar, completely unrequited.
The tragic fate of the second male lead was set in stone. Even though the main conflicts of the story hadn’t fully kicked off yet, Freyer’s agonizing, one-sided devotion was bound to begin soon.
Whenever I read the book, I always desperately wanted Freyer to be happy.
Because his lonely, isolated existence mirrored my own real-life struggles, I had rooted for him until the very last page, believing that finding love with Nazlee was his only path to true happiness.
I had been granted a second chance at life through transmigration, finding a peaceful new start. But what about Freyer? If I just sat back and did nothing, he would be cast aside into his miserable canon ending.
I originally swore I’d never go anywhere near Freyer again.
Sure, my drunken accident had completely derailed my quiet plans, but knowing how much he suffered, how could I just stand by and watch?
Maybe my sudden arrival in this world wasn’t an accident at all. Maybe it was a divine intervention to rewrite Freyer’s heartbreaking destiny!
With a fierce, burning resolve igniting in my chest, I stared intently at Nazlee.
Just wait, Freyer! I’ve got your back. I won’t let the original story destroy you this time!