Chapter 2: Rather goood..

Looking back, it’s been several months since I came to this world, and during that time, I’ve been extremely busy.

I trained rigorously to develop the skills needed to perform as a soldier.

I diligently built connections because reputation is key to advancing.

To stand out, I sought a unique opportunity from the novel’s plot right from the start.

Undoubtedly, these past few months were busier than the thirty years I spent on Earth.

‘Why was I so desperate to push forward? Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. Life is transient in the end.’

After tearing down the tower I painstakingly built with my own hands… no, not just my hands—oh, I suppose I did use them, though—I now feel…

“This bread is delicious.”

I had partially lost my grip on reality, unable to cope with the sudden turn of events.

Right now, I didn’t want to think about anything.

My head was already spinning from a hangover.

The shocking sight that greeted me when I woke up caused my brain to go into overload.

It was to the extent that even deciding how much jam to spread on my bread felt like a chore.

Unlike my disoriented self, sitting across from me was a woman wearing only a camisole.

“Never did I imagine a man would enter my house and sit at the same table with me for breakfast. It’s definitely my house, but it feels so unfamiliar.”

She smiled brightly, eating her bread in small bites, as if amused.

“There’s jam on your cheek. Haha, you’re always so reliable, but you have a clumsy side at home. It’s nice to see this new side of you.”

With that, she reached out to wipe my cheek with a handkerchief.

Feeling the soft touch of her hand, I was slightly taken aback.

Elaine, the Northern Duke’s top escort knight and her unwavering shadow, was a strict person.

She never tolerated even a minute’s tardiness, and any mistake that burdened the unit would earn severe reprimand.

Rewards and punishments were handed out without personal bias, strictly based on merit. She valued discipline and order immensely—a stereotypical head prefect type.

Naturally, she was meticulous about self-discipline.

Her attire and posture were flawless. Even when staying up all night, I never once saw her yawn.

No matter the situation, she never seemed startled or flustered. She even had an uncanny skill to walk silently, even in armor.

‘That doesn’t mean she’s entirely emotionless, though.’

She praised subordinates who performed well and offered sincere encouragement to those struggling.

While she prioritized rules, she was also flexible, understanding circumstances. Even if she scolded someone harshly in public, she would secretly take care of them behind the scenes.

Still, during meals, she was always quiet. She believed that knights should maintain a sense of dignity and wasn’t much of a talker.

“Do you like the jam? Seeing you enjoy it makes me happy. I like jam too. The Northern region’s harsh climate makes it hard for fruits to grow, so it’s essential to keep various jams stocked. I particularly like apple jam—remember that.”

Elaine continued chatting away while eating her bread. Even when I gave minimal reactions, she would keep the conversation going.

Of course, she didn’t speak while chewing, avoiding any rudeness.

Her disheveled hair, the slightly slipped camisole strap, and her cheerful chatter during breakfast—

Everything about her seemed completely different from her usual self.

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of novelty seeing this new side of her.

‘My plan to marry Grace, become the Northern Duke’s husband, and secure my place is now ruined.’

While this world retained a culture resembling medieval polygamy, dreaming of a harem with both Grace and Elaine was absurd.

For one, pursuing multiple relationships went against my modern ethics and felt wrong.

Besides, could you imagine the Northern Duke’s consort having affairs with another woman, let alone her chief escort?

It would be a perfect recipe for becoming the most hated person alive.

In the end, I had no choice but to abandon my ambitions of winning Grace’s heart.

“…But when I think about it, this might not be so bad.”

Elaine might not hold the same political clout as Grace, but she was the closest confidante of a national figure.

In the novel, she was just a minor extra, but in reality, she was Grace’s trusted escort knight and a quasi-noble with promising prospects.

As the Northern Duke’s escort, her strength spoke for itself.

Her modest-sized house was only because she was frugal; in reality, her wealth was significant.

Owning various jams in the fruit-scarce Northern region was a testament to her affluence.

And her looks…

“Why are you staring at me like that? Do I have jam on my face too?”

Frankly, Elaine was exceptionally beautiful.

Even standing beside Grace, the heroine and an official beauty of Brave Road, she didn’t pale in comparison.

When the two stood side by side, it was like a magazine photo shoot.

Her perfect face and exceptionally well-proportioned figure were further enhanced by her rigorous self-discipline.

Come to think of it, it still felt surreal that someone like me had spent the night with such a woman.

‘Honestly, my goal was always to live a safe fantasy life, not to seduce Grace.’

In a fantasy world teetering on the edge of romance and savagery, where magic and sword energy were rampant, survival required guaranteed security.

To that end, marrying the Northern Duke had been my ideal plan.

But Grace herself had never been my true objective.

She had been a popular heroine in Brave Road and undeniably charming, so of course, there was some fondness toward her.

However, I never got so emotionally invested as to feel sad about Grace not being the true heroine, nor did I go so far as to write lengthy comments defending her.

“Life is full of unexpected turns,” they say.

Perhaps it was the nutrients finally reaching my brain.

Or maybe the alcohol and fatigue were starting to wear off.

My mind, which had been stuck in neutral, began to turn again.

Maybe being the Duke of the North wasn’t as idyllic as it seemed.

Pressure and interference from nobles.

Being forced to attend official events and social gatherings.

The endless gossip about his commoner origins.

And, of course, the scrutiny of society’s gaze.

Every breath, every meal, every moment of sleep—even bathroom visits—would require him to act with the dignity of a grand duke. The mental strain of such a life must have been enormous.

Would a life that’s physically comfortable but mentally exhausting really be considered a happy one?

In comparison, the life of the captain of the escort knights seemed…

“Surprisingly uncomplicated.”

Compared to the burdens of being the Duke of the North, there weren’t nearly as many challenges to worry about.

At worst, there might be the risk of workplace romance.

“But if they marry and live happily ever after, even that’s not an issue, right?”

As my thoughts reached that point, it struck me.

The plan I thought was ruined was actually opening up a new path.

It was like unlocking a hidden route for a heroine who hadn’t been a target in the original story.

“Then…”

Luckily, I hadn’t even properly started Grace’s route yet.

Sure, I’d caught her attention, but her feelings toward me were just mild curiosity about an unusual newcomer.

There hadn’t been any personal bonding events, and we’d only had one conversation during the escort appointment ceremony.

“Alright, I’ve made my decision.”

This was a crossroads.

The turning point where I would have to choose between the two heroines.

And with one of them, I’d already unlocked an event CG.

Given the circumstances, the best course of action was clear.

“Switch routes.”

Instead of clinging to the misaligned Duke of the North route, I would dive headfirst into the sparkling pink route of the escort captain!

No problem there.

While progressing Grace’s route, I’d learned plenty about Elaine.

“There’s something here.”

I reached out and brushed Elaine’s cheek with my hand.

“Hm? There’s nothing on my face.”

“I was just joking. I wanted an excuse to touch the captain’s cheek.”

“Oh? R-really? Fufu… Fufufu. Are you saying my cheek is so irresistible you had to make up a lie to touch it? You’re quite the mischievous one.”

Elaine laughed, her face showing she’d been caught off guard by my playful move, but she didn’t seem to dislike it.

Her frequent shoulder pats and back slaps had already hinted at it, but…

She really did enjoy physical affection.

“If you want to touch me, go ahead. Consider it an honor—it’s a privilege I grant only to you.”

“Is that so? Then I won’t hold back.”

I gently stroked her cheek again, this time with the tenderness one might use when cherishing something precious.

Elaine leaned into my touch for a moment before pulling away, her face flushed.

“That… that’s enough! I may have given you permission, but you’re overdoing it! Besides, aren’t we in the middle of a meal?”

Flustered, she quickly stuffed a large piece of bread into her mouth.

Overdoing it?

It had barely been five seconds.

Her hurried attempts to keep me from touching her further—by shoving bread into her mouth—were so adorable that I couldn’t help but smile.

“Wait…”

I just smiled without realizing it.

Even though I’d been thrown into this world through a reincarnation scenario, I’d always regarded the people here as “characters in a novel.”

It was no different than how someone might immerse themselves in a game without seeing the characters as real people.

That mindset had influenced my interactions—I never fully opened up or treated them as equals.

Everything I did came from the perspective of “conquering characters.”

But now…

Despite being drunk, it was undeniable.

We weren’t just acting in isolation—both of us had wanted each other.

Like a pair of lovers sharing genuine affection.

If I’d been sticking strictly to a calculated plan, trying to execute everything perfectly, then—

Getting drunk and losing control of my body wasn’t something that would fit well with the concept of a romance route, so I had made a mental note to avoid such situations.

To be with the Queen of the North, I couldn’t afford even a hint of a womanizer’s reputation. No matter how favorable the scenario, I wouldn’t have gone drinking alone with Elaine.

But I did.

‘Why did I do that?’

I quietly watched Elaine, who was still blushing as she chewed on her bread.

“!?”

Wait. I’ve been staring at Elaine nonstop since earlier.

Even while I was lost in thought, my gaze was fixed on her as she ate.

‘No way…’

They say alcohol has the effect of drawing out a person’s true feelings.

Why else would alcohol always accompany heartfelt conversations?

If that’s the case…

The reason I ended up in trouble with Elaine, even while drunk.

The reason I could act so comfortably in front of her, forgetting all thoughts of strategy or charm…

‘Could it be?’

I tried to deny it out of sheer confusion, but…

Even now, my eyes were still on Elaine, and a small part of my mind thought her puffed-up cheeks as she chewed looked cute.

‘Now that I think about it, my ideal type is someone who expresses their emotions freely, isn’t it?

Someone who’s easy to talk to, creates a fun atmosphere, is teasing in a good way…

A tall, older woman…’

“…Wait.”

“?”

Elaine, as if suddenly remembering something, swallowed her food and spoke.

Crumbs from the bread clung to her lips.

“Now that we’re… in a special relationship, don’t you think we should change how we address each other?”

“Change how we address each other?”

“Earlier, you called me ‘Captain.’”

“Well, you are my captain, after all.”

“Hmm.”

She frowned slightly, looking dissatisfied.

Even when frowning, she’s beautiful.

“Calling me ‘Captain’ sounds too formal, don’t you think?”

“Ah.”

“When we’re alone… you can call me by my name. In fact, I’d prefer it if you did.”

Elaine looked straight at me with clear, unwavering eyes as she said this.

Her gaze was warm and transparent.

“Right now.”

Feeling the intensity of her gaze, I blinked awkwardly and shrugged.

That’s not too difficult.

What’s so hard about calling someone by their name?

After all, she’s someone I’ll need to address by name in the future.

“……”

Wait.

“……”

Why wasn’t my tongue or lips moving?

This is harder than I thought.

It’s just three syllables—E-laine.

Was the jam so sweet that it froze my tongue?

But the more difficult it felt, the more determined I became.

I wanted to call her by her name, no matter what.

I wanted to let her, who waited expectantly, hear my voice.

Gathering strength in my throat, mouth, and lungs, I gave it my all to produce sound.

“Elaine.”

Finally, I succeeded in calling her name.

Whoosh.

Elaine smiled brightly at the sound of her name.

In that moment, a line from a poem I once read came to mind.

—When I called his name, he came to me and became a flower.

Elaine’s smile was, quite literally, like a flower.

While I was captivated by her and my mind turned as white as the snowy fields of the North—

“Yes, Luke.”

Elaine called my name in response.

That name—Luke—was so ordinary that I never really liked it before.

Why did it sound so beautiful when she said it?

The moment I called her name and she answered by calling mine,

I was certain of one thing.

Though I had initially thought this situation was a disaster…

It wasn’t.

In fact, it might even be good.

Perhaps my true heroine wasn’t Grace after all…

It might just be Elaine.