I'm The Wrong Guy In The Wrong World : It's An Otome Game?

When I returned to my room, a soft knock echoed from behind the door.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, then walked over and opened it.

Bernicia stood at the doorway—still in her simple sleepwear. Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating her pale face, her breathing slightly uneven.

"Young Master... may I... speak with you for a moment?" Her voice was soft, almost drowned out by the night breeze.

"Come in."

Without saying much, Bernicia stepped inside. She sat on the edge of the bed, her body tense. The moonlight spilled over her soft, pale skin. Her thin pajamas subtly outlined her curves—enough to make my mind drift... especially after Gaia's nonsense earlier.

Damn it... Gaia's crap is messing with my focus.

I turned my gaze away, trying to keep my composure.

"So, what is it you want to talk about... at this hour?" I asked, sitting on the sofa, keeping some distance between us.

"It's just..." Bernicia kept her head down. Her fingers tightly gripped the edge of her pajama fabric.

"I'm sorry... Young Master... I didn't understand things sooner..."

Tears began to fall from her eyes. Her shoulders trembled.

"Hic... I wasn't by your side... when you were truly falling apart..."

I stayed silent.

A memory resurfaced—fragmented pieces of Rey's past. His previous attention to Bernicia... and how he changed after failing to become a knight due to his weak body. He lost his way... and became a bastard.

That memory played clearly in my mind, as if Rey himself wanted me to see it.

Look, Rey... Even after you became a jerk, there was still someone who tried to care about you.

I stood up and slowly approached her.

"It's not your fault," I said softly.

I raised my hand and gently wiped away her tears. She flinched slightly, but didn't pull away—as if she was beginning to get used to my touch.

"It was all my fault. Just because I failed... doesn't mean you have to blame yourself. Stop carrying guilt over someone else's fall."

"B-but..." Her sobs grew louder. "You were always looking out for me. You were the only one who cared... But when you fell... I didn't do anything..."

Her cries echoed through the room.

Watching her like this... I began to understand just how genuine Bernicia truly was.

Slowly, I caressed her head and pulled her into an embrace—letting her lean against me. Her soft, fragrant hair tickled my nose, making the moment feel calm... yet painful.

"It's okay," I whispered. "Everything will be alright... starting now."

I continued to stroke her head gently, letting her cry as much as she needed.

She cried in my arms until she eventually fell asleep. Now she was resting peacefully in my bed, her breathing calm, her face serene—as if all the burdens she'd been carrying had melted away with her tears.

I stood by the bed, watching her silently.

Apolo's voice suddenly cut through the quiet night.

I sighed. "Shut up. What kind of scumbag do you think I am?"

Shaking my head slightly, I gently pulled the blanket up to cover Bernicia.

Apolo commented again, this time with a slightly softer tone.

"Yeah, the issue with Bernicia... seems resolved. But now there's another problem—I don't have a bed."

Apolo tossed out another ridiculous suggestion. For some reason, he was starting to sound more and more like Gaia.

"I'm still sane, thanks."

I turned and quietly left the room. The mansion's hallways felt cold and empty. It was well past midnight.

As I passed the main area on the second floor, I spotted Subardian—the head butler of House Lucien—talking to some other maids. He was still in his formal suit, even this late at night.

Seeing me approach, he gave a small bow.

"Young Master, what are you doing at this hour? Are you unable to sleep?" he asked politely, though with a hint of curiosity.

"No, Bernicia's sleeping in my room," I replied without thinking.

Instantly, Subardian and the other maids froze. One of the maids even covered her mouth, her expression a mix of shock and barely contained gossip.

"It's not what you think," I added quickly, already feeling the headache forming.

"Ahem..." Subardian cleared his throat, covering his mouth with one hand as if holding back a comment. "It's quite alright, Young Master... We understand. After all, you're of age now."

His tone was far too deep and full of understanding.

A bad feeling crept into my chest.

"Enough... Whatever. Is there a spare room for tonight? I need somewhere to sleep."

Rubbing my now-throbbing temple, I could already imagine the kind of rumors that would spread in House Lucien by morning.

"Hoho, of course. You may use the guest room at the end of the hall, Young Master," Subardian replied, pointing the way.

"Thanks..." I muttered and quickly walked off before more eyes started watching.

I reached the guest room, locked the door behind me, and flopped onto the bed without even changing.

Tomorrow was going to be a mess.

But for now... I just wanted to sleep.

-- Morning --

I slowly woke up in the guest room, rubbed my face, and recalled last night's events.

Bernicia came... cried herself to sleep in my bed.

I let out a long sigh. "This... could be a problem."

After a quick fix to my hair, I left the guest room and made my way down the mansion hall back to my room. But at the far end—

"...Huh?"

Several maids were gathered near my door, whispering quietly while occasionally glancing at it. One of them had her hand over her mouth, holding back laughter, while another was red-faced like she'd just read a romance novel.

"What are you all doing here? Move."

My tone was flat, but enough to startle them. They quickly bowed and scattered.

I sighed. "Damn rumors..."

When I tried to open my door— Click. Locked from the inside.

My brow rose. "...Still inside?"

I pulled out the spare key, opened the door slowly.

Inside, Bernicia was still curled up under the blanket. Only her eyes peeked out.

"Young Master..."

"What are you doing? Why haven't you gone back to your duties?" I asked, sitting at the edge of the bed.

"There are too many maids outside... I'm... embarrassed..." Her eyes began to tear up again, cheeks turning as red as a tomato.

I rubbed my face with both hands. "Ugh..."

After that little incident, I helped Bernicia sneak out without drawing too much attention. Still... the rumor had already spread.

I could already imagine Subardian and the others gossiping over their afternoon tea.

-- Near Noon --

I returned to my original plan: searching for materials for alchemy experiments. This time, I brought Alex and Bernicia along as we explored the highland forests of Lucien territory.

Since last night, Bernicia had become noticeably clingier—like a personal secretary afraid of being left behind.

It felt like being a young CEO... who couldn't use any of his "secret" systems because his secretary was always watching.

And since others were around, Apolo acted formal, speaking like a normal magical artifact.

Now I was just a Level 1 Mage. No casually opening inventory, talking to AI, or floating at will.

We searched for herbs, wild mushrooms, and most importantly: sweet tubers, a natural sweetener used in local cuisine.

Apolo's voice was flat and mechanical, staying in character as a "magical guidance artifact."

We followed a small path up the hill, and sure enough—behind the rocks and thick bushes was a moist patch of land filled with thriving tuber plants.

But we weren't alone.

A few small monsters, hedgehog-like and about the size of medium dogs, were roaming the area. Their sharp quills twitched actively as they sniffed the air.

[Bilwiz – LV 5~8] Root and tuber-eating monster. Fairly common, but their quills can cause skin irritation.

"Young Master... those are the plants?" Bernicia asked softly.

"Yes. But we need to deal with those spiky guards first."

Alex stepped forward confidently. He set his herb pouch down and drew his sword.

"Leave it to me, Young Master. These little monsters are nothing."

He stood tall, chest puffed out, like a protagonist ready to save the world.

<...And so begins another episode of the fake hero's stage play.> Apolo's voice was soft, almost sigh-like.

"Huh?" Bernicia turned, confused.

"Just watch the spectacle, Bernicia," I replied flatly, arms crossed, waiting for Alex to start showing off.

Alex advanced slowly, drawing his long, black steel sword—longer than a regular blade, gleaming darkly in the light.

"There he goes again with the theatrics," I muttered.

"What do you mean?" Bernicia asked, still puzzled.

"Tactical analysis," I replied quickly, though really we were just being snarky.

The Bilwiz monsters attacked. Alex moved swiftly, and with one slash—SWOOSH! The first monster fell, cleanly sliced.

Bernicia gasped.

Alex continued his sword dance. Three more monsters tried to surround him, but he spun sharply, quills and green blood flying everywhere.

"At least he cleaned up well," I replied.

Once all the monsters were down, Alex stood tall, chest puffed again.

"All clear, Young Master."

I nodded. "Good. But they're just Bilwiz."

Bernicia stared at Alex in awe. "He's... amazing."

I gave a slight smile. "Yeah, when it comes to style, he's number one."

I approached one of the sweet tuber plants and carefully pulled it out. Shape, texture, even the scent... exactly as described in the book. Just as I thought.

This was the ingredient I'd been searching for.

My lips curled into a small smile—then shifted into a quiet chuckle. "Heheh..."

"Y-Young Master..." Bernicia looked like she wanted to say something, but hesitated. Her face was puzzled, unsure how to react.

Apolo's comment was stiff but accurate.

"Ignore that. Let's gather everything and fill your bags."

I looked at the small field ahead. To others, these might seem like ordinary plants.

But to me?

This was the beginning of a food revolution on this continent.