I, the Female Lead, Ruined the Original

“Yo-Your Majesty…!” Although she had anticipated the entrance, Selleana pretended to be extremely startled.

Arshilla entered with a group of paladins, her sharp eyes scanning every corner of the room. Ignoring Selleana’s presence, she walked forward without hesitation.

“That, I just came because… His Majesty ordered me to…”

Selleana, feigning fear, covered her mouth with her hand and retreated to a corner of the room. Though her hidden lips formed a faint smile.

[Indeed. There seemed to be no need for her to move personally…]

[She’s using divine power… Seems like she’s searching for someone else.]

[He wants you to know not to be too scared.]

Selleana, appearing terrified and biting her nails, communicated calmly in her mind, eliciting a sigh from Di.

Meanwhile, Arshilla, having thoroughly searched the room, nodded to the paladins. The paladins immediately bound Selleana.

“I don’t know what trick you used… but now that your location is exposed, I can’t leave you here.” Arshilla finished speaking and waved her arm broadly. Following her hand, a small rift appeared in the air, and the surroundings began to melt away.

[As I suspected from the way she opened the rift, the saintess can manipulate space as well.]

Beyond the rift was a dark room filled with mist, giving it a strange atmosphere.

[If I use my power here, it will close the rift and arouse suspicion… Go ahead for now. Don’t worry.]

With Di’s last words, Selleana was pushed through the rift by the paladins, stumbling into the dark space. After one last look around the room, Arshilla also crossed the rift and dispelled the spell. There was nothing left in the room where Selleana had been confined.

* * *

It was in Tashur III’s inner chamber. Feigning illness to leave his office early, he was lost in thought despite the commotion outside.

The emperor’s eyes, reflecting on what had happened in his office, didn’t leave the crystal glass in his hand. He lightly shook the glass, causing the amber liquid inside to swirl.

Indeed… The Empress’s actions had gone too far for merely soothing his regret. She had performed her role excellently as the empress over the past decade. She had been a loving stepmother to the motherless princes. As the nation’s mother, she had worked tirelessly on welfare and relief, stabilizing internal affairs. However, the empress’s faction had grown excessively powerful, and using the excuse of Orot’s voice, which he couldn’t verify, her interference had increased…

Tashur III took a sip from his glass, slowly swallowing the liquid.

Suddenly, he choked on his whiskey, and his every action ceased.

“Your Majesty…! Are you alright?”

The chamberlain, who had been quietly standing by, rushed over in alarm. Thankfully, it wasn’t an assassination attempt, so he merely wiped the emperor’s mouth and collar with a handkerchief.

“Chamberlain.”

“Yes.”

“The captain of the imperial guard is confronting the rebels at the outer wall, and the captain of the imperial knights must be within the palace.”

“…That’s correct.”

“Tell them to use any means necessary to arrest the armed intruders.”

The chamberlain was startled by the sudden order.

No reports had come in, nor had Tashur III inquired about the situation himself. Yet he knew what was happening outside and issued an order accordingly.

The chamberlain had no choice but to comply. “Yes, I will notify the imperial knights.”

* * *

In the perfectly darkened room, numerous mirrors floated amid the rising incense smoke. Though they had no frames and didn’t reflect the opposite side, calling them mirrors was somewhat misleading.

Among them, two mirrors in front of Selleana showed the chamberlain and Tashur III. The view of the chamberlain is from Tashur III’s perspective, and the view of Tashur III is from the chamberlain’s perspective. The emperor and the chamberlain were behaving in ways that contradicted the emperor’s promises, with the chamberlain following without a hint of suspicion. These were actions they would not take of their own volition.

Before Selleana, who had stumbled into this space, could even get up, Arshilla had shown her something interesting.

Seeing Selleana’s face freeze, Arshilla’s lips curled up in satisfaction.

“Now… how about this?”

With another wave of her hand, the mirrors danced in the air, showing four new images in front of Selleana.

“…”

What appeared were Urihi Hargen, Margrave Gotenfrid, Prince Erenst and Arthur Marderung, and Duke Glen with his son… This was the perspective of Doloret, Agnesia, Michi, and Rosalli.

“If I wish… I can also influence their behavior.”

Selleana’s eyes hardened.

The mirrors demonstrated that Arshilla could share and control the perspectives of those she had influenced.

“All of these… you asked if it was related to the deal between the first owner of the sword and the priestesses of Orot, right?”

“…”

“The first leaker audaciously broke the balance, but as the day of death approached, cowardice grew. Perhaps the thought of returning to the embrace of the gods wasn’t honorable…”

As if recalling her own experience, Arshilla’s black eyes wandered through the air.

“He prayed to Orot. To ensure that his descendants would never be threatened by anything… especially by the emergence of another leaker like himself.”

Arshilla bent down to meet Selleana’s eyes.

“So… he asked to seal Orot’s reverse scale.”

Selleana frowned, realizing Di had been sealed in the treasury for this reason.

“If a leaker who awakens the reverse scale appears.” Arshilla lifted Selleana’s chin with her finger. “They must be eliminated.” Her black eyes gleamed.

The two conditions pointed directly at Rakrensius.

“None of his descendants could communicate with the scale.”

Selleana quickly recalled Di’s hypothesis. If Asmion’s fate did not include ‘dying without children,’ then the existence of his children wouldn’t violate the balance, making them unrelated to the leakage.

“And so, I have corrected the leakage in the world as promised….”

This statement sounded as if the priestess who made the first contract with Asmion and the current priestess who manifested in the world were all herself.

“Coincidentally, the one who awakened the scales inherited his blood, so instead of eliminating him, I ordered him to live without affecting the world.”

Selleana’s eyes hardened. That ‘order’ was the lifelong threat that had bound Rakrensius.

“But he ignored it, so you, Lady, must bear the responsibility.”

“No matter what you say, I have no intention of becoming the crown princess. Your Majesty must have noticed that your power doesn’t work on me.”

“Let’s see.”

Arshilla smiled slyly and stood up. A new mirror appeared, showing the Duke of Elard.

He was armored and on horseback, looking at the palace from its outskirts, holding a notebook that could send messages to Selleana. The image shook as someone approached the duke.

<Your Grace, this seems too much. The young lady’s conflict with the imperial family was a clear affront, and they were justified in their actions.>

Another mirror showed the duke from a different angle.

<That’s right… This situation makes us look like rebels…>

<Your Grace…>

Those who had come to support Elard and protest the imperial family’s unfair treatment were now persuading the duke to withdraw.

<Look at the bigger picture. If Your Grace’s daughter becomes the crown princess, wouldn’t it be an honor for Elard as well?>

<Just because of one daughter, Elard’s reputation is in shambles right now.>

It was unclear who the voices belonged to. But it was certain that Duke Elard’s face was gradually turning pale.

Arshilla’s intent in showing this was clear.

Selleana chuckled coldly and slowly stood up.

“I apologize, Your Majesty.”

Arshilla’s black eyes shone emotionlessly as they met Selleana’s.

“Even if I have to abandon the name of Elard… I cannot choose a life that is bound to make me unhappy.”

“Is that so?”

Another mirror appeared at Arshilla’s gesture. It showed a very familiar scene. The ideal Lady Elard, who didn’t remember her past life, walked the path of the crown princess. Loved by all, spreading kindness equally, and living comfortably in both high society and the palace.

…

This was the exact dream Selleana had when she fell unconscious and feverish after the hunting tournament.

“This Lady’s life seems perfectly happy without any hardship… isn’t it?”

Was it the saintess’s will that made her have that dream….? Selleana smiled wryly.

“If Lady follows the natural order, all traces of leaks will naturally heal.”

“…”

“Forget the memories of another world and enjoy the happiness of being the favored one in this world.”

“No.”

But Selleana had already decided her answer.

“Is happiness where you don’t know your true self really happiness? I’d rather know everything and be unhappy.”

Her eyes glowed red as she spoke each word deliberately.

“W-What is…!”

Suddenly, the mirror shattered.

“Of course… I will never be unhappy.”

A new figure appeared, standing protectively in front of Selleana. A figure that had never appeared in the broken mirror just now. It was Rakrensius holding Di in his hand.