Chapter 47: Unexpected Rides and Unsettling Revelations

Diches threw two bicycle helmets at Lara and Karlahee simultaneously. The pair casually let go and hopped onto the three-seater bicycle. In the middle, Lara pedaled hard while lost in thought.

She wondered how a three-seater bicycle could end up on a deserted island. In fact, it wasn’t the first time—over time, they’d managed to scrounge up all sorts of bizarre items, from surfboards and wetsuits to acoustic guitars.

‘Ah, no way.’

“Remember now? This is the Cliché Compensation System. The items were rewards for Diches pulling off cliché-like antics.”

‘Ah… that was the case, huh.’

For a moment, Lara almost thought Diches had a magic pouch strapped to his belly, but she quickly dismissed the idea with an embarrassed frown.

“Thud, thud.”

Since all three had to pedal in unison to move forward, the group hunched over as they rhythmically moved their legs in sync with the chant.

The three-seater bicycle rattled along an uneven path. Though Lara worried the wheels might give out, thankfully it was a sturdy mountain bike.

“How about we take a break here?”

“Are you aware we’re off to rescue the Female Lead right now?”

Stung by the gruff remark, Diches suddenly quickened his pace, resuming his pedal strokes as they passed a hill and entered a steep, chiseled downhill.

“Everyone, hold on tight!”

At the front, Diches, at the helm, shouted and pumped the pedals hard. With each surge, the three-seater raced downward, its speed increasing to the point it seemed it might fling someone off.

Nervous that he was leaving the steering to Diches entirely, Lara stealthily peeked over his left arm. At the bottom of the slope, a massive, protruding root came into view.

“Hit the brakes! And turn the handlebars!!”

“Trust me on this!”

Diches gripped the handlebars as if to assure them, and the moment the front wheel struck the root with a sickening crunch, his body lifted off the ground.

“Aaah!!”

Horrified, Lara looked up at his back as it passed over her head. His body, having smashed past Karlahee’s head, lay ominously embedded in the ground.

The bicycle continued rolling toward a clump of bushes, and beyond them, the sound of a massive waterfall began to swell.

“Damn, hurry up!”

In a frantic shout, Lara noticed her own determined arms clenching her waist. For a moment, she felt herself lifted into the air—uncertain of what was happening, she soon realized she had fallen off the bike and was rolling on the ground.

After about three seconds, a heavy thud echoed as the bicycle tumbled over the waterfall’s base. Dazed, Lara slowly raised her upper body without even thinking to fix her skewed helmet.

Thanks to his protective act, she wasn’t injured. The real problem was Pea, who had apparently broken his arm trying to shield her.

“Are you okay?! Wh-what are we going to do?”

Clutching his arm and gasping in pain, Pea looked up at Lara as she trembled, nearly too shocked to reach out.

Of all things, it was his right arm. The thought that he might never be able to hold a sword again hit her hard, and guilt mixed with sorrow nearly overwhelmed her.

Lara’s lips trembled with unshed tears. Soon, her falling tears cascaded onto the back of his hand that held his right elbow.

“I’m so sorry. I—I’m really sorry… Pea, what should we do?”

“Don’t cry. You’re fine.”

“But because of me… Pea’s right arm…”

Karlahee’s lips curled into a wry smile. Despite the pain that soon twisted his features, his smile retained a bittersweet beauty.

He gently lifted his left hand to caress the damp skin around his teary eyes, where transparent droplets clung.

Meanwhile, not far away, Diches lay face down on the ground. The sight was almost comical—a bit like planting the top of a half-eaten pineapple in a flower bed and watching it miraculously grow.

Late to the scene, Lara supported Pea and approached Diches. As he brushed off the dust from his head, he seemed to have a neck injury, but that was of little concern to Lara.

“Ah, you don’t seem too bad.”

“That kind of biased reaction isn’t good.”

“Whose fault is this mess anyway?”

Avoiding Lara’s piercing glare, Diches hurriedly urged them onward.

“More importantly, the Viscount.”

“What’s the matter, Your Highness?”

“I’m asking because we’re looking for someone. Wasn’t she called Lady Elina II?”

“Lady Elina II will soon be mine, but the one we’re after now is Lady Elina I. After leaving to change her clothes, she vanished with a scream.”

“What do you mean…?”

Karlahee furrowed her brow and corrected Diches’ words.

“I came here because of a tip about Lady Elina I.”

“…!”

“…!”

Lara and Diches exchanged glances simultaneously as an inexplicable chill rose from the ground, making their hair stand on end.

“By now, Lady Elina I’s family must be on edge at the Viscount’s estate, probably suspecting they’ve ingested some hallucinogenic mushrooms.”

Indeed, Lady Elina I had not drifted here with them from the start.

The reason Karlahee was able to come looking for them was that, against all odds, she had rescued Lady Elina I from being stranded between the sea and a river. In other words, while Lara and Diches were on the island, Lady Elina I had been with Karlahee.

“Th-that’s just…”

Lara struggled to accept the situation. Though it might be a mushroom-induced hallucination as suggested, swallowing her words, she shivered in apprehension.

‘But they were together for a full eleven days…’

“And now, who is this mysterious character that’s been with us all along?”

It felt like the end of a horror cliché.

That late at night, the ship safely docked at the Imperial Harbor.

Exhausted, Lara dragged herself to her family’s estate. First on her mind was showing her worried parents her face, so she headed straight for the Viscount couple’s bedroom. But the room was empty.

‘Where has everyone gone at this hour…?’

While walking down a familiar corridor, Lara caught strange sounds—a clear clashing of metal intertwined with piercing, almost shrill musical notes.

Following the noise, she realized it was coming from the second floor. Climbing the stairs, she noticed a faint glow seeping from her room.

As she entered, the atmosphere was completely transformed. In fact, the room’s vibe had shifted dramatically.

Vibrant, multicolored fabrics hung from the ceiling, and a golden statue gleamed in the corner. In the dark room, lit by a single candle, fabrics in red, green, yellow, and blue enveloped the space in a dazzling display.

In the center, the familiar silhouettes of two figures seated side by side caught her eye.

“Mother, Father? What on earth is going on?”

“For goodness’ sake!”

The Viscountess gasped in shock as she turned around. The Viscount, who had been kneeling, suddenly trembled as if stricken by cramps and tumbled backward.

At that moment, a lavish table set against the wall came into view. On it sat two straw dolls dressed as if for a wedding, alongside her portrait and that of an unknown man. Barely noticeable beneath them were hastily scrawled red words.

Soul Arranged Marriage. That’s what it clearly said.

“What is all this about?!”

“Is it that the groom didn’t impress her in the afterlife? Then perhaps a more handsome soul will do…”

“Arranging a soul marriage for someone who’s clearly alive is preposterous!”

Lara overturned the table in a burst of anger, declaring her right to exist. Only then did the Viscount couple, astonished, envelop their living daughter in their arms.

“Oh… We always believed you’d return to us alive.”

“Don’t lie! You even went through with a soul arranged marriage!”

“Don’t be so heartbroken… Two is better than one.”

“Enough!! Don’t ever come looking for me again!”

Shaking off their embrace, Lara bolted out the door. In the hallway, she bumped into her older brother, who froze in a daze at the sight of her.

“Whoa! You nearly scared me to death.”

With a clatter that echoed down the corridor, the sound of a pot hitting the floor followed as he devoured his spaghetti. Without even considering picking it up, he stared at her like a ghost. His wide eyes slowly returned to normal, revealing a wistful look, as though he had finally found the person he’d been searching for in a dream.

“You… Lara.”

“…Brother.”

Lawrence grabbed Lara’s wrist with an intensity she’d never seen before.

“What’s your lucky lotto number? Seriously.”

“Damn it.”

Waving her hand to slap his cheek, Lara stormed down the stairs. Moments later, a roar echoing like that of a wild beast resounded from behind.

“Hey, Lara Schmord! Give us the lotto number before you go!”

“Get lost!”

Chapter 6: The Epitome of the Villainess

Lara boarded a carriage slicing through the dark city streets. She wasn’t courageous enough to leave the capital, and besides, she had nowhere else to go—so she circled around the city. Still, with her strength waning, she knew she needed to find a place to rest.

‘Should I try and find the Ellinas…?’

While searching for one person might be manageable, tracking down an entire family this late at night risked being a nuisance. She couldn’t possibly wake everyone at the Viscount’s estate.

‘Phew…’

Scrolling through a list of acquaintances, Lara suddenly recalled someone familiar.

“Coachman! Over here, take us into the street!”

The carriage veered into an upscale neighborhood lined with luxurious homes. As Lara got off, she quickly headed toward Rahi’s house. Unsure if it would be too much of a bother, she hesitated only briefly before summoning the courage to knock on the door.

“Rahi? Is anyone in there? It’s me, Lara.”