ETHTKE chapter 13

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Over time, I’ve built up some experience as a possessor, and I have a few principles that I’ve particularly paid attention to.

One of them is to avoid death and marriage.

To put it nicely, I’m a ‘Transmigrator,’ but honestly, I’m not much different from a beta tester in a pre-release game.

The moment you die in this beta world, everything resets.

Backups? None. Saves? None.

Once you die in this one-shot server-like world, you have to go through the ordeal of suffering through countless ages to reach the ending again.

Marriage is similar in context but also different—in a worse way.

In this world, I’m literally a ‘Transmigrator.’ In other words, I’m an entity that doesn’t exist in the original story—a foreign object.

For someone like me to marry someone from the original work? That’s an absurd plot and should never happen.

Most importantly… if I get married, I will ‘exist’ in the original story.

Meaning, I won’t be able to return to reality. Ever.

“Oof… my back hurts.”

Why does my back hurt so much?

I turned my still-drowsy, stiff neck to look out the window and saw a gloomy sky with heavy rain falling steadily.

Could it be that my back hurts because it’s raining? The weather has been great for the past few days, so why did it suddenly…?

“Cheong Dowoon, have you woken up?”

“Gah, you scared me… Who are you?”

Thanks to Baek Yigang, who had gone to his office early from 3 AM, I was alone in the bedroom.

Unlike him, who didn’t need sleep, it was still too early for me, so I had decided to sleep a bit more before heading to the office. That’s why I was still in bed.

I hadn’t expected anyone to be in the room, so I was startled when I suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice and quickly lifted my head.

Standing there was a maid with round, large glasses, black eyes, and green hair tied up in a neat bun.

She was a maid with a lot of freckles like scattered stars across her nose under her glasses, which gave her a rather charming appearance.

Plus, she was so small in stature that if she stayed quiet, you might forget she was even there.

“This is my first time greeting you! I’m Anna, the crown prince’s personal maid. I just returned from vacation early this morning. I’ve heard a lot about you, Cheong Dowoon!”

Her bright laughter, like sunshine breaking through, was incredibly refreshing.

Wow, a maid? And a personal maid at that! I’ve never seen anyone in the crown prince’s palace before, let alone a maid…!

More importantly, I’ve finally met a character who wasn’t even mentioned in the original story, a real-life supporting character.

Is this person one of the many innocent people who got caught up in Baek Yigang’s fall into darkness as a dark wizard and died?

Regardless of the future, for now, she’s the only person in this desolate palace with whom I can actually have a conversation.

I’m so touched… I’m seriously about to cry.

“Being a personal maid means you’ve been here for quite some time?”

“Well, I haven’t been a maid for long. Actually, I used to be the crown prince’s shadow bodyguard. But I got injured, so I had to quit.”

Anna explained matter-of-factly with an awkward smile, revealing a surprisingly grand backstory.

She used to be a shadow guard? I never would have guessed that from her small frame… It’s true, you really can’t judge a person by their appearance.

“Then I guess we’ll be seeing each other often. I look forward to working with you.”

“Yes! I’ve been assigned by His Highness to take care of you from today onwards, so I look forward to working with you!”

Her words made me jump again.

Wait, what? Take care of me…?

Why…? Aren’t you Baek Yigang’s personal maid?

“Why me…?”

“It’s His Highness’s orders. But please, don’t use formal speech. After all, I’m just a maid.”

Despite saying she was “just a maid,” Anna’s past as a shadow guard was too illustrious.

She wasn’t someone to be taken lightly, given that she was once a bodyguard who closely protected the crown prince.

And now she’s acting on Baek Yigang’s ‘orders’… It’s starting to trigger my trauma…

“I’m, uh, heading to the office now. What about you, Anna?”

“Then I’ll follow you. Should I also prepare breakfast for you there?”

Anna nodded simply and asked about breakfast.

Until now, some outside servants I didn’t even know existed would briefly show up at meal times to prepare the food and then disappear, but I guess I won’t be seeing them anymore.

“Yes, please. Baek Yigang probably hasn’t had breakfast yet, so prepare it for both of us.”

“Understood. His Highness also left a message saying, ‘Come to the office as soon as you wake up,’ so you should head there directly.”

“…Okay.”

Baek Yigang… Even during those busy early hours, he left such a message… Always so thorough…

Anna quickly left the room to prepare the meal. Since Baek Yigang’s office was nearby, there was no need for an escort.

And besides, Asel is working hard behind the scenes, so there’s nothing to worry about.

I was sluggishly heading from the bedroom to Baek Yigang’s office when I noticed someone familiar pacing nervously by the window at the end of the corridor.

I was going to just ignore them and walk past… but wait. That back of the head looks really familiar…

A man with brown hair, neatly dressed in a knight’s uniform.

“…Ken?”

Upon hearing my voice, which slipped out in disbelief, the back of that brown-haired head quickly turned around.

“You…!! Why are you only showing up now? Do you know how long I’ve been waiting?”

“What are you talking about?! And if you have something to say, why don’t you come in? Why stand out here?”

“This is the royal palace, so unauthorized people can’t just walk in! I’ve been waiting here for days…!”

“Waiting… for me?”

“Uh, yes.”

Sure enough, it was Ken. But waiting for me? When did this change? Not long ago, he was trying to kill me… What happened in the meantime?

He looked completely different from before—his usual energetic expression replaced by one of deep sorrow. Something was clearly wrong.

Last time, I saved his family and spared him from being executed as a traitor by the second prince. I thought things had gone well, but maybe not?

Honestly, I thought Ken would be secretly killed by the second prince, despite me saving him. His family moved to another country, so they were safe, but Ken stayed here.

It was surprising that he was still alive, given the second prince’s twisted nature. I thought he would never let a traitor like Ken live…

Could there be something I’m missing?

“Cheong Dowoon, I have something to say to you.”

“Does it have to be now? I’m kind of busy.”

“Yes, it’s important.”

Before I could blink, Ken was standing right in front of me, his desperate eyes staring into mine as he poured out words like a waterfall.

“So… what exactly do you want me to do?”

Ken, who had grabbed me out of nowhere, began to explain his situation in detail.

But the problem was, he talked so much in such a short time that I couldn’t remember a single thing.

I vaguely recall him asking me to arrange a meeting with Baek Yigang… But Baek Yigang had already summoned me, so why was Ken causing a fuss now?

“I want to apologize to His Highness. Can you arrange a meeting?”

“Hey, you can do that yourself. What do you think I am, your errand boy?”

I couldn’t help but let out a scoff and wave my hand dismissively. But Ken shook his head, clearly frustrated, and let out a long, troubled sigh.

“I’m no longer His Highness’s guard. I can’t approach him freely…”

Ken, who seemed to have lost his former confidence, bowed his head and pleaded earnestly with me.

For someone as proud as Ken to be acting like this… It felt strange.

Honestly, Baek Yigang disliked Ken so much that I had no choice but to keep my distance from him. But now that Ken was approaching me, I was actually a bit relieved.

As I told Baek Yigang before, Ken was too valuable to just kill off or cast aside as a one-time villain.

“His Highness sparing your life is already a form of forgiveness. Why do you need to apologize?”

“It might be hard to believe, but I once served him with genuine loyalty. To think that I could ever be forgiven for betraying him… But there’s something I must say to him. Please, help me.”

Ken pleaded earnestly.

Regardless of the past, he was still a skilled knight who once led the elite guard of the Pendium Empire’s royal family.

He wasn’t someone I could afford to let go just yet.

Anyway, the second prince wouldn’t be able to use Ken anymore, so maybe it was time to bring him completely over to our side?

The problem was convincing Baek Yigang… I’d have to persuade him somehow.

“Well, I’m heading to see His Highness now, so you can come along.”

“…Thank you. Do you have a plan?”

“A plan for what?”

Ken’s face suddenly took on a stern look, reminiscent of his old self.

“Don’t you realize that His Highness doesn’t even want to see me? If we go without a plan, he won’t meet with me!”

“Well… maybe he’ll meet with you if I ask him.”

Ken’s brown eyes gleamed yellow as he caught onto the meaning behind my words.