Even though I have suddenly become the miserable, terminally ill villain of a novel, I will survive until the end and will not die no matter what.
Fortunately, This World is the novel that I have been reading madly many times.
So, the person I should be most wary of is the Emperor, the hero Caesis.
'Because there is a mission I must accomplish.'
In the original story, Caesis was as observant as a monster.
If I show any vulnerability, he'll be the first to find out I'm fake.
Moreover, it is of SSS grade, it does not even exist on Earth!
Even the S-rank Awakeners were crazy, so how would he be with the woman who wasn't the heroine of the story?
Fortunately, during a terrifying week, I discovered a few things.
“First, Hilaria.”
The Duchess I played was not a recurring character in the original story, which is told from the heroine's perspective.
There were other female villains harassing the heroine who is a B-grade mentor.
Hilaria only appeared in dramatic scenes, standing against the Emperor or pushing the heroine into embarrassing situations.
'Fortunately, Hilaria is taciturn, so if I keep my mouth shut, others will assume whatever they want.'
My face in the mirror made even my heart tremble from its coldness.
Her beauty is undeniable, but her silent stare is so terrifying that she might appear in my nightmares.
But it wasn't easy.
Because Hilaria...
“Haha, damn it.”
I can't help but curse.
“Should I tear them all apart?”
Those piles of documents and endless tasks!
“I'm going to die from work.”
I sat on the office chair with a sullen face and held the writing pen.
Yes, this woman is a workaholic and a pathological perfectionist.
“If you are a duchess, why don't you distribute simple tasks to the lower departments?
Why do you handle everything yourf?”
Fearing that the distribution of tasks would arouse suspicion, I had to attend to Hilaria's usual work, which made my neck stiff with fatigue.
“I can't live like this.
Fortunately, the original story will begin soon, and there will be a change.”
The initial event, familiar from many times I have read it, is the appearance of the heroine, who calms the unruly Emperor and then suddenly disappears.
Due to the effects of insanity, the Emperor's memories of that night are intermittent, so he searches for her madly using few clues.
Finally, he finds her.
She's only a B-level guide, but she totally saves him.
By the way, here the Guides are called “Guide”, and the Awakened ones are called “Esper”.
Anyway…
“I wish I knew what the ‘job qualifications’ were first.”
The problem was in the task sentence:
[Don't let anyone find out that you're not the real Duchess Ariel until you have the qualifications of ????.]
Is escaping the role of a villain doomed to death the key?
Should I reduce my influence on the story, or...
'On the contrary, forcefully destroying the original story?'
A moment.
I realized something I had instinctively forgotten:
'Hey, this is weird.'
In the original story, Hilaria was a completely pure witch.
Meaning that she is neither awake nor guided.
So why…
'I feel the Emperor's aura every time, as if I'm a guide?'
Like in my days as an A-level guide in South Korea.
A shiver crept up my body.
At that moment, as if to mock me, a status window appeared with fireworks:
[As a rightful heiress born into a family of wizards who hate the Awakened, Hilaria has her powers as a guide sealed in her eyes until death.
But you are a new soul who can use this power freely.
Congratulations!
You have opened a hidden feature.
By meeting a perfect body and soul, the sealed qualifications are unlocked.
You have gained an S-rank mentor attribute!]
'What is this?'
“Class S?”
I was surprised.
Awakened people recognize their guides.
No matter how hard she tries to hide it, just touching the skin is enough to discover it.
And also what?
This body is an S-class guide?
Does this mean I should complete the task or avoid it?
This world is full of awake people!
“This is unbelievable!”
While the status window was taunting me, I couldn't even escape the novel.
Previously, I decided to finish the job, to break free from the novel, then retire with my wealth and live happily.
But days after this decision, you make fun of me?
While I was complaining and rapping, the window changed as if to calm me down:
[You were an A-grade mentor, but you possessed perfect control ability beyond S-grade.
Don't worry.
To hide your identity, you can completely control your abilities as a guide.
No one will know you are a mentor unless you want to.]
'Okay, thanks for calming down.'
Haha, am I happy or sad?
I sat sadly:
“How ironic… being an S-level mentor is that easy?”
When I relaxed my strength, I felt warmth in my eyes and the guidance energy spread unconsciously.
'Ah, he will be discovered!'
Although the place was safe because of the surrounding magicians, I quickly concealed my power, and its effect completely disappeared.
This was different from my days as a Class A mentor.
Amazing power, and a great bowl.
I felt like I could calm anyone awake.
If they didn't reject me.
'If I had this power in my previous life.'
For a moment, I was reminded of the evil Awakeners who sanctified the S-Class Guides.
But I ignored the idea.
What is important is what happens here and now.
Not those woke bastards who abandoned me!
So, nothing makes me happy about being an S-rank mentor.
If the wizards knew I was a guide, they might try to bury their leader.
'Ah, right… Shit.'
“Being a great witch, I cannot use even the simplest spells!
Is magic something that can be eaten?!”
My shoulders trembled.
I can't even cast the fire magic that five-year-old wizard children are proficient with.
Everyone around me is enemies.
Knock knock.
"Yes!"
At that moment, a sudden knock echoed.
Oh horror!
Fortunately, no one saw my awkward jump.
─ Madam, you have a visitor.
It was the voice of my assistant helping me with tasks.
visitor?
I stood up, confused, with wide eyes.
My face turned pale.
Hilaria has no friends, she's a workaholic!
That's why I felt relatively safe from detection...
The assistant, accustomed to the silence of his taciturn lady, seemed to think I agreed.
Before I could calm down, the door opened.
'Hey!'
But the visitor was someone I had never imagined.
Where do you come from, kid?
'It's a baby!'
From the gap in the door, my eyes caught the eyes of a small child poking his head out.
Maybe at eight?
His slender build makes me think he is smaller than his peers.
At most, ten years?
'But it's really beautiful.'
I wondered.
Was there a character this age in the original story?
Unless it was part of the story, its beauty was exceptional.
Sparkling green eyes, shiny silver hair, so cute I wanted to bite it off.
I almost smiled automatically.
Oh my god, I adore kids!
'No, you should control your expressions.'
If I smile at this child I don't know, I might fail the mission and leave the world.
In such a situation, keep your mouth shut, and others will take action.
But this time, I had no luck.
'No, that's not true.'
A cold sweat flowed inside me.
I saw the child shrink under my silent gaze.
'Yes, my eyes are scary, aren't they?'
I adjusted my awkward stance and left from behind my desk.
The child took another step closer to me after emerging from the gap in the door.
I saw him breathing cautiously.
His shrunken shoulders made me pity.
His big eyes look at me like a cat wearing shoes...
'Ah, I can't bear this.'
I slowly approached and got down on one knee to meet his eyes.
His eyes widened in surprise.
'Well, I know we're not close.'
But, how do I call him?
I remembered Duchess Ariel's cold tone in the story and spoke:
“It's okay.
I'm not angry.”
“Don't be afraid.”
I didn't forget to pat his little head, which looked like it would fall off if I touched it.
Suddenly, his cheeks turned red, and he bit his lips as if he had made a decision.
'Ah, it looks like a duck's beak!'
His puffy cheeks as he concentrated looked so cute that I almost laughed.
His little white hands took a pen and paper from his pocket.
He started writing with precise movements.
‘Ah.’
I realized.
Who is this child?