QHIM chapter 29- Fake Justice

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For a moment, my mind went blank. Why did I smile?

It was to get Jerome on my side.

Not knowing the intention behind his question, I gave a naturally curt answer.

“Why would I smile at you?”

I looked at him incredulously, waiting for an answer. Carlisle avoided my gaze.

“Well, that’s…”

Carlisle awkwardly rubbed his neck.

Narrowing my eyes, I muttered as if I were asking a wild guess.

“Just to be sure, you don’t think all the women in the world are interested in you, do you?”

“I’m… handsome.”

“……”

“I can gulp down hot soup quickly, too.”

“Ha…”

“So, naturally, everyone wants to be the only stain on my life.”

I felt unsettled.

What was this?

Since he’s a prince, it can’t just be called ‘Prince Syndrome.’

It was astonishing how he could say such embarrassing things without batting an eye.

‘Well, in the original, Carlisle was famous as the official beauty of the Empire. Jeanne was also attracted to him because of that enchanting appearance.’

But let’s be clear once more.

I’m not gay.

I didn’t care if Carlisle’s outstanding looks ruled the Empire.

Also, since he’s my character, honestly, he felt more like a son to me.

The affection I had for Carlisle or Jerome, if I had to categorize it, was more paternal.

Even if I found them frightening and repulsive, as the author of the original novel, I had a faint desire for these guys to stay on the right path.

“Look, let me show you.”

I grabbed Carlisle’s face and locked eyes with him.

He awkwardly bent down, looking bewildered. I scrutinized his face closely and shrugged.

“Hmm, isn’t Jerome better looking? I can’t tell.”

I let go of Carlisle’s face and smirked.

This was my attempt to mimic a villainess.

I wanted to get back at him for all the times I’d been teased by Carlisle’s nasty jokes.

But something felt off. I thought he’d react the same way I had—annoyed and provoked.

Instead, Carlisle smirked slyly and wrapped his arm around my waist.

Feeling his firm abs against my stomach, my body tensed up.

Leaning in closer, Carlisle spoke in a suggestive tone.

“Take a closer look. Don’t just glance.”

“……”

“If looking isn’t enough, you’re welcome to touch.”

I stared blankly at Carlisle as he took my hand and placed it on his cheek.

Sighing deeply, I pulled away from his grasp.

These guys were always trying to sexually harass me whenever they got the chance.

Pulling my cape hood over my head, I spoke in a mocking tone.

“Does the Royal Academy teach a special course on harassing women?”

“I was the top student. Absolutely nailed it.”

What a boast. I glared at Carlisle as he shamelessly retorted.

‘I feel like I keep getting swayed when I’m around Carlisle. This isn’t good.’

Jeanne had to appear as a wicked woman with a rotten personality to Carlisle.

If Jeanne failed to become a saint, Luke would certainly push for an engagement between Jeanne and Carlisle to become a marriage, following the original plot.

As soon as that unsettling thought crossed my mind, my heart started pounding fast.

‘Carlisle must treat Jeanne coldly, just like in the original. If Carlisle becomes interested in Jeanne and their engagement turns into a marriage, it will truly be the end. The royal family would do anything to produce an heir.’

So, I’d really appreciate it if he’d stop being interested in me.

I couldn’t understand why I kept getting tangled up with this guy in bizarre ways.

Just when I was contemplating whether to hit him out of sheer madness, Carlisle spoke up.

“A piece of advice: you’d better not get too close to Jerome.”

His tone was unusually serious. I looked at him quietly before chuckling.

“So that’s why you betrayed Jerome.”

“Don’t provoke me. I protected him in my own way.”

“Protected, huh?”

From Jerome’s perspective, those words could be quite displeasing.

Because of Carlisle’s so-called ‘protection,’ Jerome had been locked in that cold underground prison for years, treated like an animal.

Was merely keeping him alive really the best way to help Jerome? That thought crossed my mind.

When I nodded slightly, as if prompting him to continue, Carlisle let out a sigh.

“Jerome possesses a stronger magical power than the current tower master, Duke Michael. He has Mephisto’s power to open the gate to the otherworld.”

“…What happens if the gate to the otherworld is opened?”

“Thousands of demonic creatures would swarm into the human realm.”

If Jerome had died as in the original story, Mephisto would have perished as well. But I didn’t let that happen.

So, the gate to the otherworld could be considered a penalty for choosing a different path from the original story.

‘Is the only way to completely annihilate Mephisto, sealed within Jerome, truly through death?’

If that’s the case, why hadn’t Carlisle killed Jerome earlier and instead confined him to a psychiatric ward?

The word ‘protection,’ which Carlisle had mentioned, resurfaced in my mind.

At the same time, I recalled something Cedric once said to Jeanne.

“I’ve already witnessed your suicide attempts three times. It’s tiresome to keep saving someone who wants to die. A life that was lost in vain… you are trying to give it up with your own hands.”

Even if he was resented, there was a desire to protect.

I began to think that perhaps Carlisle’s feelings toward Jerome might be similar to Cedrick’s.

I muttered in a voice filled with surprise.

“But you… you’re different.”

“……”

“You still think of Jerome as a friend.”

Thinking that way, my curiosity about ‘why did Carlisle in the original story treat Jeanne so coldly?’ was also resolved.

Carlisle, not knowing the full details, could never love a woman who had killed his long-time friend.

It felt like I was filling in the blanks of the novel I hadn’t fully written.

‘Wait, but I didn’t kill Jerome. Doesn’t that mean I’ve reduced one of the reasons for Carlisle to dislike Jeanne?’

Should I be happy about this realization, or should I be crying?

While I was conflicted, Carlisle muttered in a meaningful voice.

“Who knows? We’ll see if they become a rival or remain a friend.”

“What rival? I couldn’t hear you over the wind…”

Carlisle’s gaze shifted toward my waist.

Following his gaze, I looked down and made eye contact with a foolish-looking face.

Ber, with leaves stuck all over his hair, was sniffling.

“M-Master!”

I reflexively hugged Ber, who burst into tears and jumped into my arms.

Holding Ber by the shoulders, I pushed him away and spoke in a firm voice.

“Ber, I told you to stay away because it’s particularly dangerous for you. Did you come looking for me because you were worried?”

“Of course! How could I run away alone, abandoning my master? I am forever your loyal servant and dedicated butler!”

I hugged Ber with a touched expression.

I misunderstood you all this time. I unjustly condemned you, trapped by the prejudice that you were an evil dragon.

I won’t hit you anymore. I’ll even let you eat a few humans.

While we were having our emotional reunion, a temple knight, who had been walking toward us, looked at me and Ber as if we were an odd sight and said,

“Oh, I found him lost in the forest and being chased by stray dogs. I thought I’d bring him along… Do you know him?”

“……”

Of course, it had to be like that.

As I stared at him with a blank expression, Ber pretended not to notice and hummed a tune.

“Na-na-na…”

Carlisle, who had been watching us, suddenly burst into laughter.

To an outsider, it must have looked quite comical.

After finally stopping his laughter, Carlisle patted my shoulder as he passed by.

“Anyway, be cautious of strangers for a while.”

“What do you mean?”

“I told you before, the story of the bluebird of the priest. The news of you stopping Jerome’s heresy will probably spread across the empire by tomorrow. Then what do you think will happen?”

Mounted on his horse, Carlisle gave a faint smile.

“There will be those who target the saint of Maya, either for good or ill.”

“……”

“Unless you’re prepared to be broken, don’t step forward any further.”

As always, his tone was arrogant. But I roughly understood what he meant by saying such things.

They say heroes emerge in times of chaos.

But in reality, heroes aren’t suddenly appearing; they’re made—by the overwhelming majority who want to be saved.

It seemed Carlisle was worried about that part.

His friend, who had once been a hero, had eventually been broken.

“Thanks for the advice. But what you’re worried about won’t happen.”

I recalled the sins of my previous life. Ji Eunsoo, who locked himself in his room and resented God after sudden misfortune struck.

But deep down, I always knew.

The way to overcome misfortune was not within God, but within myself.

“This time, I won’t just take it lying down.”

I smiled confidently at Carlisle.

Carlisle hesitated for a moment, then muttered something I couldn’t understand.

“Being friends is definitely difficult.”

Before I could ask what he meant, Carlisle spurred his horse and quickly moved away.

Bermut, who was beside me, suddenly grabbed my arm.

“Master! Look at the sky. That’s definitely Maya’s star.”

“……”

“It’s a star that’s usually hard to see. Wow, our master sure is lucky.”

The sun, the moon, and the blue star that shone brightly both day and night.

I looked up at the sky blankly and then turned around.

Ber, who had been excitedly looking up at the sky, hurriedly followed behind me.

‘Carlisle is right. Whatever the reason, now that I’ve drawn attention… there will be those who view Jeanne unfavorably.’

I recalled the contemptuous gaze of Luke, who had glared at me.

Clenching my fist, I straightened my back.

I bit my lower lip and made a resolution.

‘I won’t be afraid. I will survive, no matter what.’

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