The Shifting Narrative and a Ruthless Gambit

Ophelia suspected she was reading a counterfeit book.

In the book, Vina had initially been a mere mascot, a tsundere at best, but this Vina was incredibly powerful.

Not only was she formidable, but she was now clinging to Ophelia.

“Kiss me, hug me, lift me high!”

“Or, perhaps, could you just pat my head?”

‘Who could possibly resist this?’

‘No, no, no! You kissed me just this morning! I won’t fall for your tricks again!’

“Ophelia, I was simply too angry just now, and for a moment, I didn’t know how to vent my frustration, which is why I acted that way toward you.”

Vina’s eyes grew plaintive, and her expression mirrored that profound sense of grievance; in short, she looked utterly adorable from every angle.

“I’m sorry. I just care about you too much. I was afraid you’d get hurt. Please, forgive me, won’t you?”

‘I can’t take it anymore, I truly can’t. This is the kind of cuteness that even the male protagonist would find irresistible.’

Ophelia felt her HP bar rapidly depleting.

“Alright… fine… I forgive you…”

Unable to contend with the sudden childlike brilliance in Vina’s eyes, Ophelia could only avert her gaze, her face flushed crimson, and nod.

A flicker of something enigmatic passed through Vina’s eyes before she joyfully pressed herself against Ophelia once more.

“Hehe, a hug!”

She threw herself into Ophelia’s embrace.

Ophelia held her, and for the first time, a feeling both tender and maternal stirred within her heart.

It was as if she were a mother.

‘A mother?’

‘Wait! My soul is still male! No male mother, no male mother!’

“Miss Vina, as a monarch, don’t you have a great many things to learn? There’s no need to constantly cling to Her Majesty, the Queen, is there?”

A voice, steeped in resentment, drifted toward them.

Emily’s gaze was exceedingly gloomy, and she watched Vina clinging to Ophelia with palpable displeasure, a look so intense it sent a shiver of unease down Ophelia’s spine.

Vina lifted her face and turned her head.

Then, that mocking expression resurfaced on her face.

She raised her head, and her adorable expression instantly transformed, becoming mature and indifferent.

With a sigh, she nodded.

“Indeed, that is true.”

“At this juncture, the balance of power between the reformist and conservative factions remains unstable, and there are many matters still requiring our attention.”

A faint smile played at the corners of her lips.

“Indeed, this is not the time to indulge in Ophelia’s tenderness.

Come, Marta, Emily.

The Queen still requires rest, so let us withdraw to prepare the materials for tomorrow’s censure of Eli and his allies.”

Emily and Marta exchanged a glance, first at Ophelia, then at Vina, their expressions a complex mixture of emotions.

Ultimately, they nodded and exited the room.

Ophelia couldn’t shake the feeling that Vina was behaving very strangely.

Nevertheless, she lay down as instructed.

Along the way, Marta remained lost in self-reproach, while Emily observed Vina humming a tune.

There were many questions she wished to ask Vina, yet she found herself at a loss for how to begin.

“Oh, by the way, Marta, are you currently also handling the duties of the Queen’s maid?”

“Yes, I am. Why do you ask?” Marta replied.

“You’d best prepare another room.

Most likely, another girl will be arriving tomorrow,” Vina stated.

Both Emily and Marta looked surprised.

Vina’s lips curved upward slightly, her tone laced with resignation.

“After all, it is Ophelia…”

Ophelia lay on the bed, gazing at the ceiling.

She could feel a surge of energy emanating from her heart, a rhythm of life gradually filling her body.

‘This must be the scabbard described in the book, now residing within me.’

‘Vina, why has she matured so suddenly at this point? The male protagonist is still at odds with the female protagonist.

What in the world has happened to this story?’

“System.”

She called out to the system in her mind.

[Present.]

The system’s voice sounded utterly devoid of energy.

“Why has the story undergone such drastic changes? And why can’t Vina’s growth value be calculated? Are you absolutely certain you don’t have a bug?”

The system remained silent for a long moment.

[I don’t know.]

[I truly don’t know. I have submitted this result to the central hub multiple times, but it has not responded to me yet.]

[I don’t know, I truly don’t know, Ophelia.]

The system’s voice seemed to contort with pain.

[I genuinely want to help you, but I am merely an ordinary system.

I can only rely on existing calculation methods for human emotions, and I don’t understand why I cannot calculate this.]

Ophelia paused, taken aback.

Anyone could discern the pain in that voice, and for the first time, the system referred to itself not as [this unit] or [this system]—but as “I.”

‘Indeed, having read so many novels, I’ve always assumed systems were omnipotent, but how could a system truly be omnipotent? It is, after all, merely a program.’

‘It has already done so much, handling numerous tasks I’m not adept at.’

“It’s alright, System. Just take your time.”

The system responded.

However, the response seemed to be merely a choked, ordinary sound.

Ophelia couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.

“Just take your time.

You’ve already helped me so much! So what if the story has changed? We can strive to get back on track!”

“The road ahead is simply one we’ll navigate together.

It’s nothing to worry about.”

A prolonged silence ensued.

Finally, the system responded:

[You are right, Ophelia.]

[Thank you…]

Ophelia smiled faintly.

She lay down, recuperating from her injuries, and quietly awaited the arrival of tomorrow.

****

“So you assassinated Vina? And then the Queen took a sword to her?”

Eli cried out in disbelief.

“Yes, but it appears the Queen is not dead,” Luca affirmed with a nod.

“Then we’re finished, aren’t we? If Vina’s matter is discovered, I’ll lose my right to be king!” Eli stammered, dumbfounded.

“No, we are not finished.

The sword I used to stab the Queen was this one.” Luca produced a slender, elongated sword.

Eli scrutinized it.

“Isn’t this…?”

“This is Hizeta’s sword,” Luca confirmed with a nod.

“You can also pin the entire matter of Vina’s mistreatment on Hizeta.

You will state that, as the future King, you are daily mending the affairs of the realm and had no knowledge that your own sister was being mistreated by another sister.”

“Of course, they will not let the matter rest easily.

Therefore, you must first inform them that you are deeply distraught by this incident, then voluntarily impose restrictions upon yourself, granting the Queen regency powers to govern in your stead.”

“Following that, you will present me, declaring me a talent you discovered, and allow me to handle state affairs and documents alongside the Queen.

In this manner, the balance of power between our factions will remain stable, and indeed, we will even grow stronger.”

“For you will not have lost your right to kingship; on the contrary, after the Queen’s regency, your claim will only be solidified.

You will remain the future King.”

“Won’t Hizeta defend herself?”

Luca shook his head.

“She will not, for she is not the type to clear her name when condemned by a thousand voices.”

Eli’s expression flickered.

“Hizeta is my sister.

We grew up together…”

“What of it?” Luca interjected, a frown creasing his brow.

“If you do not cast her aside as a pawn, your claim to the throne will become precarious.”

“But to treat another princess in such a way… if the blame falls solely on her, it’s a capital offense.

The councilors and ministers have the authority to sentence her to death…”

“Your sister’s life or your claim to the throne—choose one,” Luca pressed, his tone unyielding.

Eli’s expression contorted violently, and finally, he glared fiercely at Luca.

“I warn you! You are but a minor figure! Without me, you are nothing! Do not entertain any superfluous ambitions!”

Luca’s lips curled into a faint smile.

‘Eli and Hizeta are like lips and teeth (TL Note: A Chinese idiom, ‘chún wáng chǐ hán,’ meaning two interdependent things; if one is lost, the other is in danger).

If one is gone, what then of the other?’

However, the shadow cast by his top hat obscured his face.

“Of course, why would I harbor any superfluous ambitions? I am ever loyal to you, Prince.”

He bowed low as he replied.