Chapter 37

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The sudden change in the council room was indescribable.

Just a few minutes ago, even those who had suspected Alicia of being a spy from another country until the moment the royal couple appeared were now sending emotional applause to the royal couple and the princess. The maids, who had been pouring tea with stiff, almost creaking movements, perhaps sensing the pressure from the dignitaries, were now wiping their eyes, rejoicing at the reunion of the family. Of course, there were still some who, reflecting on their previous actions, were shifting their gaze, but it was almost a cliché for such people to loudly exclaim, "Oh, how wonderful!" or "What a beautiful story!" in a hypocritical manner.

Faced with such a touching scene, Mary stood there in a daze for a while. Of course, it was because her mind couldn't keep up. She hadn't suspected Alicia like some others, so she couldn't just change her stance, and she was even beginning to doubt her memories from her previous life, making it impossible for her to immerse herself in the celebratory mood. Finally, the words that came out of her mouth were:

"...Adi, my stomach hurts."

"Young lady, it seems you've finally reached your limit... How pitiful... We'll have some delicious croquettes for dinner tonight," Adi said.

"I don't understand, I just want to go home... My stomach hurts..."

"Just a little longer, and it will be over. We'll buy something delicious on the way back."

Adi, who was sighing with exhaustion, received a weak nod from Mary, who was still in a daze. She was holding her stomach, or rather, her stomach area. This exchange, which was unimaginable from their usual behavior, went unnoticed by everyone in the room. The atmosphere was overwhelmingly one of a happy ending, with even Patrick moved to say, "How wonderful, Alicia."

Perhaps because she had the knowledge from the game and the memory of her previous life, Mary couldn't help but think and couldn't blend in with the atmosphere of the room. Or perhaps everyone was just going along with the mood to maintain the scene, despite their own thoughts.

No, even so, this standing ovation was strange... As she thought this, Mary wondered if it was the game's influence. Yes, it must be. Otherwise, she couldn't accept this overwhelmingly happy mood. It was ridiculous that just a few minutes ago, the room had been tense and pale. She almost preferred it to be the game's influence.

The more she thought about it, the colder she felt about the atmosphere in the room. She had been eager to leave due to the tension just a moment ago, but now she wanted to leave for a different reason.

It was a complete farce. As she watched the scene before her, the area beyond the door began to buzz. It seemed that the onlookers had noticed the sudden change in the atmosphere after the family reunion, or perhaps they had gathered due to the sound of the applause. The royal couple, sensing this, embraced Alicia's shoulders and nodded with a happy smile, as if to say, "Let's introduce her to everyone."

Alicia, though confused, returned a happy smile. From the outside, they looked like a beautiful family... if you weren't involved.

"Let's run," Mary said to Adi just as the royal couple headed for the door. There were surely many people waiting to see the outcome of the events, and if Alicia was officially announced as the princess, the chaos would only increase. For Mary, who was already feeling unwell from the atmosphere, this was the perfect time to escape.

Adi nodded in agreement. Even as the daughter of the Albert family, she was tense and pale in this situation. As a commoner and a servant, Adi couldn't possibly endure it. She was only able to remain calm because Mary was there, and because Mary's spirit was about to break.

"Remember, when the royal couple opens the door and introduces Alicia, there will be chaos. We'll use that as our chance to escape."

"Understood."

In the midst of the happy ending, they whispered their plan and nodded to each other. As the royal couple opened the door, the buzz increased even more.

Of course, the onlookers had been waiting for the end of the council, and when the royal couple appeared with the girl, it was clear what was happening, leading to the chaos. Some were still confused and trying to understand the situation, some were running off to spread the news, and some were leaving the scene, clearly disappointed. Of course, there were also those who were genuinely moved, tears streaming down their faces, rejoicing at the reunion.

Seizing the opportunity, Mary and Adi quietly stood up. This was their chance to escape. They moved stealthily, almost reaching the point of escape...

"Mary, Adi! We're going to have dinner with the royal couple, why don't you join us!"

Patrick grabbed their shoulders with a particularly bright and cheerful smile.

His smile was so radiant that any other young lady would have been instantly charmed and fainted. However, the grip on their shoulders was strong, and Mary's face twitched, sensing that he wasn't going to let them go. Adi, on the other hand, had no energy left to even twitch.

"Patrick, you saw us trying to escape and invited us, didn't you..."

"Well, it's fine, isn't it? Alicia will be happy if you come."

"Finally, the farce is over, and now we have to have dinner with the royal couple? No way!"

"I... I'm going home! I'll eat dinner and go to bed! I can't do it anymore!"

"Look, you thought I had a little more composure, but now Adi is the one who's breaking down!"

"What kind of system do you two have?"

Patrick sighed, exasperated, but the strength in his grip didn't lessen. Mary, being a woman, couldn't shake him off and escape, and Adi, despite being physically stronger, couldn't do so due to the difference in status. In other words, it was all over. The escape route, which was already non-existent, was now completely cut off by Patrick. To make matters worse, Alicia, standing between the royal couple, called out to them happily, even waving her hand.

Mary, finally giving up, sighed deeply and slumped her shoulders. She no longer had the energy to glare at Patrick.

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"Even as the daughter of the Albert family, a sudden dinner with the royal couple is quite a challenge... I have the memory of it being delicious, but I can't recall what I actually ate."

"At least you have some experience. I've only had a handful of formal dinners in my life. And to be at the same table as the royal couple... Just thinking about it makes me nervous again."

As they muttered these words, they rode in the Dice family's carriage, heading for the Albert family's residence. The carriage they had taken to the council was now occupied by Cail, who had returned home. Despite forcibly bringing them along, he had left quickly, which might have been for the best given Adi's current state. The mental fatigue from the council, the extreme tension from the dinner with the royal couple, and the motion sickness from the carriage ride, combined with the mental strain of sitting in a lower position next to the Albert family's lady, could easily lead to fainting. In the Dice family's carriage, with only Patrick as a companion, Adi seemed to have a bit more mental space. He was leaning against the window, occasionally speaking up.

Sitting next to him, Mary sometimes patted his back and sometimes made light remarks, while Patrick, looking at her, called out her name.

"Mary, you're a good woman."

Mary's eyes widened, and she turned to look at Patrick, wondering what had come over him. He still looked handsome, his hair gently swaying in the breeze from the window, and he was smiling brightly.

"What's this all about? Are you regretting breaking up with me?"

"Ah, I was thinking of courting you and making you my concubine."

"So, you're tired of the country girl and want me, the daughter of the Dice family's eldest son? That's quite a low taste."

They laughed and chatted, and Adi, leaning against the window, muttered to himself, "You two are so insincere." He didn't say it out loud, of course, because he might be thrown out of the carriage, and more importantly, he didn't think they would become sincere even if he said it.