Chapter 85: Tangled Destinies

And the trail continued, branching off faintly as it led on. At the end of the path traced by the mud on the marble, a lighted room emerged—a bathroom adjacent to the Emperor’s bedchamber, filled with the soothing sound of flowing water.

“…Enough… please let go. Isn’t this enough…?”

Splash after splash, the incessant sound of water striking the surface echoed through a crack in a closed door, accompanied by a deep, youthful tone. Elina II stopped in her tracks, peering intently through the gap as if in shock.

“…You’re a complete mess.”

“Ah! Your Highness, please, spare that spot!”

“Your Highness, I refuse!”

“Hold on—settle down… Though your struggling is rather cute… phew, you’re tiring me out. Stay still.”

Extracting mud from one’s ears was no simple feat. Karlahee forcefully dragged the most loyal subordinate, who kept trying to escape the bathroom, back into the water. The rough slap of water was unmistakable, but Elina II’s misunderstanding only grew.

‘What on earth are they doing in the bathroom?’

It had already been noticed during the swordsmanship contest that the Male Lead—a prominent figure from a noble family serving under the tyrant Emperor—was secretly involved with someone. And now, in the bathroom, he was busy filming a BL romance scene with laughter echoing.

Could this world really let the BL genre run rampant? Elina II gritted her teeth in the darkness. Having possessed the body of the noble lady, she refused to remain a mere supporting character, tormented by gay men. The injustice was overwhelming.

Trapped within a BL novel as a minor noble lady, she couldn’t stand how the gay Male Leads clung to her. All she wanted was an ordinary life as a supporting character! This plot had to unfold exactly as planned.

‘I must soon reveal the quirky, vibrant side of the dimension-hopping heroine. It may be gay now… but just wait. They won’t be able to resist my charm—so much so as to even alter their sexual identities! That’s true romance fantasy, and I will triumph!’

For now, this part must never be recorded in the book. It is a taboo that only the destined heroine can uphold—seeing nothing, knowing nothing, fabricating nothing.

Only then can she be recognized as the pure, sincere, and spirited force leading the gay Male Leads into the realm of romance fantasy. To achieve that, everything up to this point must be wiped clean.

Elina II erased all traces of her presence as she stepped back outside. Her movements were as fluid as water, yet the fierce determination coursing through her seemed more at home in a martial arts epic than a romance. Nevertheless, she left.

But Elina II was unaware that the novel’s cliché had placed her in a state of ‘death.’

* * *

At 3:45 AM, barely freed from the burdens of work, Pereus teleported into the bedchamber of the Demon King Castle.

Both his body and mind were utterly spent. With the tyrant Emperor, his boss, and his peer Creon all absent without notice, he was forced to handle everything himself.

Pereus collapsed onto the bed. The notion that tomorrow wasn’t a weekend, and that he had to be at work by 9 AM, had him grumbling about a company that feigned familial warmth yet weighed him down—before he drifted into sleep.

“It seems you’ve finally been liberated…”

At that exact moment, another facet of Pereus’s personality awoke. Like a star from a music video, he gazed loftily at the high ceiling before slowly rising.

His red eyes narrowed ever so slightly—he had sensed a presence outside the door. In less than three minutes, a firm knock echoed.

“Come in.”

With an arrogant tilt of his head, Pereus acknowledged the sound. Soon, the door opened and a stunning beauty with silver hair stepped in, her figure slicing through the darkness.

“O King of the Demon Realm, I am Lady Elina V.”

Elina V bowed slightly at the head and knees. Despite her graceful, demure movements and the gentle curve of her lips, her bold eyes locked directly onto Pereus’s red gaze.

“From today, I am the earthly offering, now your bride.”

“The earthly noble lady…”

The previously motionless figure rose. Though her movements were slow, her long legs carried her straight to him.

“You’ll be quite tame, I suppose.”

With a swift touch, Demon King Pereus grasped Elina V’s chin and lifted it. His red eyes probed her silver ones, only to lose interest with the same fleeting touch.

“But not you.”

In a monotonous tone devoid of passion, Pereus made it clear that he had no intention of accepting her as his bride. If only that haunting memory that once ruled him hadn’t resurfaced.

Their first encounter had been as stunning as a blinding flash—a hazy recollection tinted with visions of green blood and the image of a particular human woman that relentlessly tormented him.

A mere human woman had once attacked him. And she did. It was the first time any woman had dared strike the King of the Demon Realm.

‘I will find her.’

Pereus ran his fingers through his silky black hair. As they brushed his nape, he felt the unmistakable dip of a concave scar.

That was the sole clue, yet he was certain that before long he would see that human woman again.

Late at lunch, a carriage arrived at Duke Liniat’s Mansion. It halted before the grand entrance, and when the coachman opened the door, a woman who had been seated inside stepped out with graceful determination.

Her flaming red hair, arched eyes, and a dress that daringly revealed her ample cleavage showcased every sensual curve of her body. It was the notorious Rozally.

Guided by a servant of Duke Liniat’s household, Rozally entered the reception room. Elina II, who had been waiting, lifted her head gently to greet her.

“Come in.”

“Sister! What on earth happened? I was worried sick, not hearing from you at all! Making me trek all the way here!”

Rozally strode purposefully toward Elina II and raised her hand to slap her cheek. Elina II did not try to catch the hand; she simply offered her right cheek and, with a quiet smile, prepared to yield her left as well.

“…Sister? You… you’re not Elina II, are you?”

Had she truly been her sister, she would have gripped her wrist without hesitation. Who was this imposter, this faux goddess? Rozally cried out in disbelief.

“Answer me now! Who are you? I demand to know!”

“…I’m sorry. I never intended to deceive you.”

“I knew it—you’re not my sister! How dare you impersonate her and fool me!”

With a hysterical cry, Rozally raised her hand. Before her descending slap could land on the face of the one posing as Elina II, the fake Elina II burst out laughing.

“If you want to hit, hit until you’ve had your fill.”

“…What?”

Rozally’s hand froze mid-air. Who was this woman who radiated kindness, forgiveness, purity, and sincerity—a stark contrast to the spiteful, envious villainess she embodied?

“Who exactly… are you?”

“I am Elina I.”

“Elina I? The very same Elina I who was engaged to that tyrant in this country—the one I heard spent her time in the Imperial City! Why are you here instead, and where is Sister Elina II?”

“That is…”

Tears began to well in Elina I’s normally serene eyes as emotion surged. Her trembling shoulders and fragile frame recalled a drenched bird. Covering her face with both hands, she struggled to speak.

“…It’s all because of her. Elina II went to the Imperial City in my stead to become the tyrant’s bride… and I, as Elina II, was left behind…”

“What are you even saying?! Can’t you speak properly?!”

Rozally’s harsh words lashed at Elina I. She lowered her hand onto her knee, crumpling the hem of her dress in her small grasp.

“I have been posing as Elina II… I have been impersonating her.”

Tears dripped onto her pale hand as sniffles filled the silence.

“And the Elina II you seek… is no longer truly her. Another soul now resides within her body.”

“You expect me to believe that?! Can’t you speak straight?!”

“Of course you wouldn’t know… Our family has kept this secret under wraps so tightly that only a chosen few are aware.”

Elina I gasped, confronting a furious and agitated Rozally, unsure where to begin. After fidgeting with the soft hem of her dress, she finally spoke.

“…Elina II was in a carriage accident. She fell and injured her head badly… and for a time, she wouldn’t wake. When she finally did, another soul had taken hold of her body. That soul’s name was… Kim Bing-ui.”

“…Kim Bing-ui? Are you absolutely sure?”

“Yes, every word is true.”

“I can’t forgive you… Not only did you seize my sister’s body, but you acted entirely on your own accord!”

Rozally flung her hand toward the empty space, unleashing a barrage of fiery slaps—practiced and fierce—targeting the unseen soul within. The sharp sound resonated throughout the reception room until, exhausted, her arms drooped and she managed a defiant smirk.

“How dare you, spirit! To even try and take my sister’s place?! How dare you!!”