A Whimsical Request and an Unexpected Wager

“Your Majesty, you truly didn’t have to come along.”

Marta said with a hint of helplessness.

“What’s wrong? Is it forbidden? I simply wished to witness Marta’s impressive display, is that not allowed? I even took a day off specifically to accompany you, you know!”

Ophelia leaned closer to Marta’s face, her tone laced with dissatisfaction.

“No… no… no… you may…”

Marta averted her gaze, her pretty face flushing crimson as she replied.

Deep down, however, Ophelia believed Marta wouldn’t succeed; after all, the story had explicitly stated as much.

She had merely come along because, without the male lead, she feared Marta would have no one to support her.

“Oh, by the way, Marta, I’ve prepared a truly wonderful birthday present for you! You absolutely must do your best, but please, don’t feel any pressure!”

Ophelia encouraged Marta.

Marta was somewhat surprised; she had assumed no one would prepare a birthday gift for her, yet Ophelia had already done so?

‘This, she thought, was truly befitting a Queen.’

‘If that’s the case, then my idea of smearing cake on the Queen and then eating it wouldn’t be realized, would it? Though it was just a fleeting thought to begin with.’

“Um… Your Majesty…”

Marta found it difficult to articulate her thoughts.

“What is it, what is it? Are you nervous? Do you need a hug?”

Ophelia responded.

“It’s just, um, if I succeed in my awakening, could I request a small reward from Your Majesty?”

Marta feared nothing under heaven or earth.

Yet, she found these words incredibly difficult to utter.

“Of course you may! What kind of reward do you desire?”

Ophelia, not overthinking it, increasingly felt like a mother.

‘They’re all just a bunch of children starved for affection.’

“Hmm… hmm…”

‘I want the Queen to smear cake on herself, then let me eat it ♡♡’

‘Those words, however, proved impossible to utter.’

“Could I perhaps make a rather whimsical request of Your Majesty…?”

Marta couldn’t voice her true desire, but she could manage a more ambiguous phrasing.

‘A whimsical request?’

Ophelia had a sinking feeling.

‘Marta had previously mentioned having “not-so-good” thoughts about me, surely not…’

‘Ahem, it shouldn’t be, right? So much time has passed, what could two girls possibly…’

‘Wait! Why has my self-perception shifted to that of a girl?!’

“Your Majesty?”

Marta’s cautious inquiry pulled Ophelia’s thoughts back.

“No problem, of course, no problem at all! But what exactly is Marta’s whimsical request?”

Ophelia hastily replied.

‘Never mind, what’s the point of thinking about it? Marta won’t pass this time anyway, so it’s not as if there’s any chance of granting the request.’

“Well, I haven’t quite decided yet, but I hope Your Majesty will agree to any request I make later…”

Marta’s voice trailed off into a whisper.

‘Hmph hmph hmph, that’s if you can awaken, Marta. I’m a woman who holds the script, you know?’

“No problem at all! I’ll agree to anything you ask! You’ll have me at your mercy!”

Ophelia replied with exhilaration.

“Good!”

Marta straightened her back.

‘Another reason to awaken has been added!’

****

Chatting idly, they arrived at the Grand Hall of the Holy Knights.

Ophelia wasn’t particularly shocked this time; while the Holy Knights’ Grand Hall was indeed magnificent, it still couldn’t compare to the late king’s palace.

Nevertheless, this hall bore a striking resemblance to a structure from Ophelia’s previous life, known as a pyramid.

Four grand pillars stood in the center of the hall, each adorned with carvings of soaring suns and raging flames.

Among them were more than a dozen white-robed old men with long, flowing white beards, each appearing benevolent and kind-hearted.

Being prone to social anxiety, Ophelia couldn’t help but adopt a solemn demeanor, influenced by her surroundings.

Over a dozen priests bowed to Ophelia, and she returned each greeting.

Turning her head, she then gasped in surprise.

A proud young man with short white hair strode in, his entrance immediately sparking cheers from a group of girls who cried out, “Moxi! Moxi!”

It was evident that this male, Moxi, enjoyed considerable popularity among the young women.

Ophelia had a vague recollection of this Moxi.

He seemed to be the one who had mercilessly mocked Marta after her failed awakening—an inherently arrogant and conceited antagonist who, after being humiliated once by the male lead, never appeared again.

Ophelia only retained a hazy impression of him.

‘But why is Luca, the male protagonist, trailing behind him?’

Luca offered Ophelia a nod as a greeting, then lowered his head and followed Moxi.

‘Why does Luca always appear behind the villain? Could it be… Luca has become a boy toy (TL Note: “男童” (nán tóng) literally means ‘boy child’ but in this context, it implies a young male kept for pleasure or a ‘boy toy’.)?’

‘No way, right?’

“Your Majesty, good day.”

While Ophelia’s thoughts were still racing, Moxi approached her.

However, having heeded Vina’s advice, Ophelia had worn a black veil when she left.

Despite this, Moxi was intently staring at Ophelia’s veiled face.

“Moxi, staring at Her Majesty’s face is disrespectful!”

Marta interjected, stepping in front of Ophelia.

“Hmph, Marta, you’re as meddlesome as ever.”

“Once I awaken today, something you’ll fail to do, I’ll be the future Grand Knight! What’s wrong with a future Grand Knight taking a look at Her Majesty’s beautiful face? Hahahahahaha!”

‘What a contemptible, brazen villain,’ Ophelia silently cursed.

Yet, in the novel, he had apparently succeeded in awakening, though Marta ultimately became the Grand Knight.

Marta was about to retort when a priest approached, instructing them to proceed to separate rooms for their awakenings.

Before leaving, Moxi seemed to take something from Luca’s hand.

‘Wait! Isn’t that Luca’s item, the “Sword of Reversal (TL Note: The item is called ‘逆转结果之剑’ which literally means ‘Sword that Reverses Results’ or ‘Sword of Outcome Reversal’.)”? If Moxi couldn’t awaken successfully, this sword could enable him to do so.

But if Moxi *could* awaken successfully on his own, this sword wouldn’t be able to make him awaken successfully!’

‘Moxi was supposed to awaken successfully in the plot!’

‘Ah, well… never mind, it’s no longer my concern.

You’d still mock Marta even if you awakened successfully.

At this point, it doesn’t matter if everyone fails together.’

“Your Majesty, who do you think will succeed in awakening?”

Luca leaned closer.

“I don’t think either of them will, do you? After all, there’s only a few percent chance…”

Ophelia replied weakly.

“No, I believe Moxi can,”

Luca stated with certainty.

‘I once thought he could too, until you gave him that thing…’

“Let’s make a wager, Your Majesty.

If Moxi succeeds in awakening, you will grant me an opportunity to travel abroad.

If he fails, I will cease assisting Eli.

How does that sound?”

Luca’s eyes were unreadable, a smile playing on his lips.

“A wager it is.”

Ophelia pursed her lips.

‘There are things even you, the male lead, haven’t accounted for! Moxi, you see, was originally destined to awaken.’

****

Marta entered the room.

In the center of the room stood a sword—a replica of the Sun Holy Sword (TL Note: ‘太阳圣剑’ (Tàiyáng Shèng Jiàn) literally means ‘Sun Holy Sword’ or ‘Sun Sacred Sword’.).

It was said that the Sun Holy Sword was the sister blade to the Sword of Kings, though apparently only Grand Knights were deemed worthy of even beholding it.

Following the ritual steps, Marta grasped the sword in the center.