I Became the Substitute for the Runaway Heroine - Chapter 55

“Emma, there’s something I absolutely have to do. Pack our things. I’ll be back soon.”

Without hesitation, determined to end the original storyline in one stroke, Odette took the secret passage leading to Katarina’s room.

Because Countess Katarina often used the passage to sneak in her lover, Gallerwin, the narrow corridor was impeccably clean, even free of dust.

Pushing against the wall and stepping out, Odette saw Eric lying on the bed.

“Looks like the Countess isn’t here.”

Eric blinked slowly, his eyes lifeless.

“Odette… Andrea?”

“…She’s finally at peace. This is Andrea’s ring—you gave it to her.”

Eric clutched the ring tightly in his hand, tears spilling from his eyes.

“Ah… Andrea… Why are you the one bringing this? Where is she? Where’s Andrea?”

“…She’s gone.”

“Hngh…!”

Eric pressed the ring to his lips, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Eric, you have no right to cry. Using dark magic to preserve Andrea’s corpse—that was cowardly and vile.”

“I thought… I could bring her back.”

“What Andrea wanted was peace. She asked me to destroy her corpse, tainted by dark magic.”

Odette explained that she had followed Andrea’s desperate plea for help, and that’s how she found the glass coffin holding Andrea’s body.

And the fact that such a thing had been possible only proved Andrea’s soul had never found rest.

In a world where divine power, granted by the gods, existed, there must be a place where the dead souls resided.

Andrea, denied that rest, must have lingered near her defiled body, trapped and weary from the influence of dark magic.

“Eric, can’t you find the courage, even now? Why haven’t you tried to expose her killer and clear her name?”

“…How can I accuse my own parents?”

Eric gripped his hair in torment.

“That’s why you’re a coward. You knew your parents would kill Andrea, yet you didn’t stop them. And to this day, you’ve never reported their crimes.”

“……”

“If I were Andrea, I would never forgive you.”

“Stop… blaming me!”

As Eric wept, clutching his chest, Odette looked at him and said,

“Expose who killed Andrea and why. Let the guilty be punished. And stop killing innocent animals to fuel your dark magic.”

With nothing more left to say, Odette turned and walked toward the emergency passage.

Behind her, Eric called out.

“Odette!”

“…What?”

“…Andrea… how was she at the end?”

Recalling Andrea’s final moment, Odette replied,

“She smiled. Radiantly.”

Eric’s sobs grew louder, raw and broken.

“I’m leaving. Let’s never see each other again.”

“You’re running away? To the North?”

“I heard the Northerners allow polygamy. I hate that idea.”

“Then where are you going?”

“I told you. Somewhere warm—just me, three dogs, and a handsome, obedient man.”

“The South… that’s where Caesar Maes’s maternal family lives. Even if they’ve severed ties long ago, if Caesar asks for help, they won’t refuse him.”

“…They won’t catch me now.”

She had money, magical eye drops, and could now draw divine power into orbs as easily as breathing.

If she wasn’t carrying divine power within her, how would anyone detect her?

Still, Eric looked worried.

“Take Caesar Maes’s cloak with you.”

“His cloak?”

“Princess Trisha is the one dark sorcerers fear most. She can reflect curses back onto the caster. I heard the cloak she gave Caesar has a similar effect.”

That dark blue cloak Caesar always wore—except when dressed formally.

It had always struck her as elegant and perfectly suited to his knightly attire.

‘So Caesar’s cloak is a powerful protective relic.’

When Caesar wrapped her in that cloak, even inside the burning annex, the heat had vanished.

“If I wear the cloak… can I hide my divine power?”

“Better than nothing.”

“Yeah.”

Odette nodded, then looked directly at Eric.

“After you reveal who killed Andrea, find somewhere safe to go. Try the North.”

“…Worry about yourself. Don’t get caught.”

“Right. Let’s never see each other again.”

At her words, Eric replied with a bitter expression.

“Yeah… farewell, Odette.”

“Odette used divine power.”

Caesar brought his black horse to a sudden halt.

“What? M-My lord, are you certain?”

“Yes. Odette has awakened.”

No one in deep sleep could wield divine power so strong.

Not only had she regained consciousness, but she was using divine power to launch an attack.

“We’re going back!”

Caesar spun the horse around and galloped like the wind toward the Count’s estate.

“This way.”

Upon passing through the estate’s front gate, Caesar veered toward the western forest.

“Huh? Isn’t she in the eastern annex?”

“No.”

Without a shred of doubt, Caesar followed the trail of Odette’s divine power straight into the western woods.

And soon enough, he found Odette and her companions.

“Odette!”

He charged toward her at full speed—but the path ahead began to warp.

The smooth forest trail vanished in an instant, replaced by thick thornbushes that blocked his way.

As Odette tore through the dark magic barrier and reassembled it, the space itself had become distorted.

“Ah! My lord, watch out!”

A massive tree was uprooted and came crashing down over Caesar’s head.

He drew his sword, slicing the tree clean in two, then leapt from his horse.

“Odette! What the hell are you doing?!”

But Odette and her group had already vanished.

Caesar slashed the air with his sword.

His blade, infused with aura, struck the barrier with a sound like shattering metal.

Through the cracked barrier, he caught a glimpse of Odette—but he couldn’t get any closer.

Odette’s divine power clashed with Eric’s dark magic.

Two opposing forces struck at Caesar, battering him with overwhelming intensity.

It was far beyond the strength Odette had shown when she’d once pushed him back in the greenhouse.

“Holy Knights from the Grand Temple will come to seize you. So come to me—I’m the only one who can hide you!”

“Do I really need to hide?”

Odette’s gesture sent a surge of power that hurled Caesar back.

“Not when I’m this strong.”

The dark magic barrier melted and warped.

Odette reassembled it, drawing further away.

Clang! Caesar tore through the barrier with his aura-infused blade.

Through the gap, he caught sight of Odette’s retreating figure.

“Don’t go.”

“…No. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this day?”

Odette turned around and smiled—radiantly, dazzlingly.

No…

She had used the magical eye drops he’d gifted her—her eyes had turned violet.

And over her shoulders was the protective cloak, the one Princess Trisha had given Caesar.

She knew wearing that cloak would conceal her divine power…

When had she begun planning this?

When had she decided to escape?

Caesar felt as though he’d been struck in the back of the head—numb, dazed, in shock.

“Was it all a lie? When you said you wanted to become my duchess? Were you acting when you smiled after I offered you the mines?”

“…Yes.”

Her bright, cheerful expression was that of someone who had long awaited this day.

Why was he feeling this pain, this searing, tearing ache in his chest? Caesar inhaled sharply, his voice trembling.

“Is there really… nothing you want from me? I told you I’d give you anything.”

He had promised to protect her, to give her wealth and power.

So why had she tried to run away? What was lacking?

“Was it the viscount’s family? Fine, I won’t kill them.”

“……”

“I won’t punish the viscountess either. But the viscount himself—I can’t let him go.”

“Keep that promise. Then I’ll keep mine.”

“I swear it, in the name of House Maes. So come here. Take my hand.”

Caesar extended his arm toward her.

So close… yet not quite able to reach her.

That unbearable tension made Caesar’s lips feel dry and tight.

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