I Became the Substitute for the Runaway Heroine - Chapter 62

“This one’s heavier than usual. I assume I need to send them to different locations again?”

Jacques, accepting the luggage bags, glanced at Odette as he spoke.

“Yes. As far away as possible.”

“Understood.”

After Jacques left with the bags, Emma approached.

“You’ll be staying in this village tonight, right?”

“Yes. The sun’s about to set, after all.”

“Then… may I look around a little? I saw an embroidery shop on the way to the inn—I was thinking of picking up some thread.”

Even during carriage rides, Emma worked on embroidery and made ribbons. She couldn’t relax without doing something; idleness made her uneasy.

“Shall I come with you?”

“You should rest. You’ve been riding in a carriage all day—it must’ve been exhausting. I’ll bring back something tasty.”

“Alright. Be careful.”

After wandering through mountain paths for two straight days, they’d finally reached a village and had continued traveling, switching carriages.

Just a few more days, and they would arrive at Demuna—their destination.

‘Once I get my hands on the Saint’s Staff, no one will be able to chase me anymore.’

Odette bathed in warm water and sat in front of the vanity, brushing her hair. Tilting her head, she frowned.

“Why are my eyes sparkling like that?”

Her eyes shone far brighter than usual.

And somehow… it felt eerie.

Seeing her own reflection made her skin crawl—a strange sensation, like she was being watched. As if she herself was observing and surveilling her own movements.

“With this weird feeling, there’s no way I’m going to sleep.”

Odette changed clothes and stepped outside the inn.

As the sun began to set, the sky turned brilliant hues. A gentle breeze ran through her hair.

“This peace… it’s nice.”

The village, nestled between two large lakes, had formed naturally. Half the residents were farmers, the other half fishermen.

“Miss, buy some pearls! Freshwater pearls from the lake clams!”

“Buy some flowers!”

“Roasted treats for sale—almost gone! Come quick, I’ll give you a good deal!”

Vendors shouted to attract last-minute buyers, waving eagerly to passersby.

“Why don’t you buy something?”

A low voice whispered near her ear, and Odette jumped, startled, and looked up.

“C-Caesar?”

Dressed in black riding trousers and a white linen shirt, Caesar stood just half a step away from her.

Caught.

She had been caught.

Shock froze her in place—Odette couldn’t even breathe.

“Shall we get that one? The pearls.”

Caesar took her hand and walked toward the pearl vendor.

Odette, pale and breathless, stared at him.

“H-How did you find me?”

“Pick one. You said you didn’t need my heart, right? So why not enjoy something else, like shopping?”

“…This is a dream, isn’t it?”

Instead of replying, Caesar gently brushed her hair aside and tucked it behind her ear.

“Don’t like the pearls? Then how about flowers? This time, I’ll be the one to pin a rose on you.”

There’s no way Caesar could be this gentle.

This had to be a dream. Definitely a dream.

“God, why am I dreaming about you? Why couldn’t it be my mother?”

“Love me too.”

“…What?”

“I want to be loved.”

Why did the sight of Caesar’s drooping eyes look… adorable?

She must be losing it.

Odette wanted to slap herself.

“Go away. Back to your own star. I’m going to mine.”

“Where is that? The place you’re headed?”

“…Does it matter? We’re going to live separate lives from now on.”

As she turned to walk away, Caesar’s hand grabbed her shoulder.

“Don’t go.”

“…Hey. What’s with you?”

“I miss you.”

He pulled her into his arms and whispered.

‘What is this?’

This wasn’t something she wanted.

This couldn’t be her own subconscious desire.

So… how was Caesar speaking in her mind?

Something felt off—and yet, everything felt real.

His breath near her ear, the firm grip around her waist, the solid warmth of his body pressed against her back—it was all too real.

Even the magnetic pull of his presence was exactly like reality.

Was this a prophetic dream, too? If so, did it mean that one day she would be caught by Caesar?

No.

Odette rolled her eyes and scanned the surroundings—there were no shadows, neither from people nor from objects.

A dream.

Relieved, Odette recalled the way Caesar had gazed at her so desperately from beyond the barrier. On impulse, she asked a question.

“Caesar, what do you even like about me?”

Her face burned at the absurd question, but—it’s a dream, so what’s the harm?

“I like your lying mouth. Your eyes that sparkled when you smiled at me with that magic eye drop trick—they were adorable. And your hands—so graceful as you pieced together that barrier to evade me—they’re so lovely, I want to bind them up tight.”

“B-Bind me?”

Caesar’s hand clamped around her wrist like a cuff, spinning her around.

In an instant, the lakeside vanished, and they were suddenly in a bedroom.

He pushed her down onto the bed.

“I want to gag that pretty mouth so you can’t ever lie again. Blindfold those eyes with black ribbon, so no one else can see them.”

“Let go—stop it!”

“Shh… My Odette. This is only the beginning.”

He pressed his lips to her neck and whispered,

“From now on, your dreams belong to me.”

‘Was I… frustrated or something?’

Odette jolted awake, wiping the cold sweat from her brow.

Caesar, appearing in her dream like an incubus?

Shuddering, she stepped out onto the terrace.

It felt like she had slept for hours, but the sun was just beginning to set.

“Buy pearls! Freshwater pearls from the lake clams!”

“Buy flowers!”

“Roasted treats for sale—almost gone! Come quick, special deals!”

The voices of the vendors were exactly like those in her dream, and her brow furrowed.

It felt as if Caesar was standing somewhere nearby.

Impossible.

“I need to hurry to Demuna.”

Odette ran her fingers through her hair, murmuring to herself—unaware that Caesar was seeing and hearing everything she did.

Two days later, Odette and Emma arrived in another village and headed to a general store to buy clothes and essentials.

They had nothing to change into, and traveling by carriage required certain items.

Ding! The bell above the shop door jingled loudly.

But the clerk, too busy chatting with customers, paid them no attention.

Emma shot the clerk a glare.

“Should we go somewhere else? They’ve got plenty of goods, but not much courtesy.”

“I actually prefer this. It’s better than strangers bombarding you with questions just because you’re new.”

“That’s true.”

As they walked deeper into the shop, passing by gossiping customers, they heard something that made them freeze.

“The Count committed suicide? It’s so shocking—it gives me chills.”

Odette and Emma both stopped in their tracks.

Could they be talking about Count Anderson?

Odette strained to listen.

“His Majesty even gave permission for a funeral. That’s the end of it.”

“But why would someone wealthy and favored by the Emperor kill himself?”

“Well, Lady Amelia ran off after having an affair. I heard he was devastated—and then his adopted daughter disappeared too.”

There was no doubt—the Count they spoke of was Anderson.

‘Count Anderson would never commit suicide.’

But Caesar wouldn’t have killed him either—he only wanted to restore his father’s honor.

Now that she thought about it, there had been no mention of Caesar’s father.

Maybe something was missed—Odette listened even more carefully.

“Lord Caesar sure has no luck. His first wife ran off, and now his fiancée’s missing.”

“Right? I’d marry him in a heartbeat if I could.”

“Ha! Are you mad? You’ve got three kids!”

The conversation shifted from the Count’s suicide to Caesar’s status as a bachelor, with an air of excitement.

“He should marry Princess Trisha, I think.”

“She came to the funeral to comfort him—they say the two of them looked amazing together.”

From what Odette gathered, Caesar’s revenge was only half a success.

It was revealed that the Count had killed Andrea, but no investigation had even begun into his father’s assassination.

Support I Became the Substitute for the Runaway Heroine