SMD 28

 The owner of the voice was Ian Langerster.

At that moment, Summer thought of a good way. Since she had intervened in the original story, she had to make sure of this part for Julian's sake. “Your Grace, please promise me that you will punish the guilty.” “Summer, what do you mean...?” “Please.” Summer's blue eyes stared intently at Ian. Those eyes, bluer than the lake, were clearer and more distinct than ever since she had come to this world. “Promise me. Even if I have to use my right to execute on the spot. So please, tell me.” Instead of answering, Summer raised the hand that had broken the glass. The wound had healed, but it was still red. Summer lightly bit her hand and then let go. The red wine that soaked her hand swirled bitterly in her mouth. And then, “Ugh, ugh!” Her dazzling blonde hair scattered in the air, and Summer's body fell helplessly onto the carpet. The atmosphere of the party had turned as cold as ice. No one dared to even breathe. “It's poisoning!” At someone's piercing scream, everyone panicked and rushed out of the party hall. It wasn't as if poison was attacking and killing people. “Cough!” But it hurt too much. Summer let out a silly laugh as her consciousness faded. It hurt like hell. She was glad she hadn’t breathed in Blenkis’s breath that day. With the last sensation of someone lifting her body, Summer closed her eyes. * * * Is this a dream? When Summer opened her eyes, she saw a distant darkness. “......” Did I succeed? Just as she thought that, a familiar voice filled with anguish reached her ears. “What is that sound?” Who is crying so sadly? Is it Julian? But it sounded like the voice of an older woman, not Julian. Who could it be? As Summer tried to follow the voice, she felt warmth around her neck and stopped. As she touched her neck, a necklace brushed against her fingertips. “Ah.” Pay. What is Pay doing? The necklace grew hotter and hotter. She wanted to rip it off. In reality, Summer pulled at the necklace with all her might. But instead, her hands just hurt. “Ah! Ouch, it hurts, it hurts!” As Summer jumped around, clutching her hot neck, a bright white light seeped through her closed eyes. “Wake up!” “......Who,” Someone kept shouting right in her ear, and as Summer woke up, she made a face of utter confusion. Who is it? She wanted to ask, but her voice came out hoarse and cracked. Her throat still felt like it was burning. “Wake up, you idiot!” As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Pay's bright red face yelling right into her ear. “......Pay.” “Are you awake? Who are you? What’s your name?” “I still don’t remember my name...” “Phew, thank goodness. You have black hair.” What’s so thankful about that? Summer felt like snapping back. “Summer! I didn’t even know you meant it that way! I was so scared you would die...” Summer shifted her gaze to Julian, who was holding her hand and bursting into tears. In this room, Julian and Russell, and Ian acted as if they couldn’t see Pay at all. While Julian kept holding Summer's hand and shedding tears, Russell quickly opened the door and instructed the maids to bring lukewarm water and wet towels. Ian looked a bit dazed. “Summer...” “Julian. I’m awake now. So,” Please stop pouring your divine power into my body. Summer recognized that there were people around her and swallowed her words. As far as Summer knew, overusing divine power could take a toll on even a saint's body. But right now, Julian was holding Summer's hand and continuously pouring divine power into her. It was obvious how much divine power he had used on the fallen Summer. “Thank you for staying alive. Thank you so much for staying alive...” Julian kept dropping tears onto the sheets while pressing his cheek against Summer's hand. Summer felt as if time had stopped, taking in Julian's figure. The words “thank you for staying alive” felt so strange. It felt odd. Should she be happy that Julian liked her this much, or should she be angry at a character in a novel who was babbling about being thankful for staying alive when she couldn’t return to the original world? The two conflicting emotions clashed strongly within Summer. What was that sound she had heard before waking up, the one that had made her scream? “Summer. Just a moment.” Russell, who had approached in the meantime, brought a wet towel to Summer's mouth. His soft, white fingers brushed against Summer's pale lips. Only when the towel touched her lips did Summer realize how thirsty she was. After sucking on the towel a few times, Russell replaced it with a new one. After repeating this a few times, as Summer struggled to sit up, Russell offered her a cup filled with lukewarm water. “Russell. Was there someone sick in your family?” “Is that what you’re most curious about after dying and coming back to life?” Russell looked genuinely baffled. “Of course, it could be, cough, right? If you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to.” “Both my parents passed away early. So I became a duke before I even had my coming-of-age ceremony.” “Ah... really.” Summer touched her head. Every word felt like stepping on a landmine. It seemed like a tragic backstory was a necessary element in this world. Ian Langerster, who must have felt like he was walking on a knife's edge every moment, caught up in the power struggles of the duke's family. Julian Dudley, who had to endure hunger and cold as a child, and later faced ridicule in the noble social circles as an adopted child... only to have his life twisted by a man’s issue before finally reaching a happy ending. Since they were the protagonists, Summer knew their circumstances. But when she thought about it, she realized she had almost no information about Duke Russell Bertrand. At most, he was just Julian's aide. A rational and cold figure, deeply rooted in the popularity of the Empire, coming from a background as a bureaucrat. That was about it. Russell had never revealed his past in the story. He was always living in the present. “......” “Summer. Your gaze is too intense.” That part seemed a bit cool. As Summer stared at Russell, he narrowed his eyes slightly, as if feeling uncomfortable. “My ideal type is someone who takes good care of me.” Summer threw out a half-serious, half-joking remark. Her ideal type was, to be precise, someone who wouldn’t make her anxious. Someone who was devoted to family, stable, and had low anxiety—something so cliché. “Oh dear. I’m not in the mood for romance yet. I’m sorry, my lady.” “Didn’t you just tell me to call you by your name?” No. How could the title change from Summer to my lady just because of a joke? This was so unfair. Summer looked at Russell with wide eyes, filled with disbelief. Russell checked Summer's eyes and pulse, then lightly placed his thumb on her lips. “Rejection should be polite.” “I’m not saying a word.” “I have no reason to give in.” As Russell pressed his thumb down slightly, Summer's mouth opened a bit. Summer frowned, feeling that Russell's touch was a bit too intimate. She knew he was doing this just to check on her condition. After thoroughly checking inside her mouth, Russell let out a sigh of relief and, with an indifferent expression, grabbed Summer by both shoulders and laid her back down on the bed. “Especially for someone who recklessly drank poison.” “......” “Didn’t I say I would listen to your story?” “It's unfair. You saw why I drank poison this time, Your Grace.” “Are you not going to call me Russell?” “It's revenge for earlier, Your Grace.” As Summer shot back, Russell chuckled and removed his hand from her shoulder. As the distance between them widened, Summer felt a bit empty. Beneath that indifferent and cold demeanor, it was clear how much he had worried about her. “Summer, you’re okay now. I’ll protect you. I will definitely...” “Julian. I’m really okay. I should be the one protecting you.” If the protagonist dies, it would be a big deal. What if the world collapses before she could return to the original world? Of course, the protagonist wouldn’t die easily since they were the center of the world. But since Summer's very presence in this world was a variable, anything could happen. “Um, I think I need to rest a bit.” “Oh, I held on too tightly. I’m sorry. Please rest.” At Summer's words, Julian hurriedly got up. In the process, a handkerchief that had been resting on Julian's lap fell to the floor. “Julian. Something fell.” “Oh, this... it’s a mess, but I made it hoping you would wake up.” Julian shyly handed the handkerchief to Summer. On the handkerchief were drawn yellow circles and green leaves. “This can’t be the symbol of Lindsay.” “I made it thinking of you. You are summer, after all. More than anything, meeting you was as intense as suddenly facing the scorching sun in midsummer.” “......” That must be a compliment. Summer recalled her past when she had crazily sought out the Dudley family and felt her ears turn slightly red. The landscape of midsummer sun and lush greenery. That was how Julian saw Summer. “Well then, I’ll be going. Rest well.” “...... Thank you. I will definitely cherish it.” Summer gently touched the embroidery on the handkerchief. After Julian left, Ian and Russell also stepped aside. Ian seemed like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he left with the same dazed expression he had when they first met. “Black-hair!” “Pay. I was worried!” “Why would I be! To us, you guys are like cockroaches!” Pay jumped up and denied it. They say strong denial is a form of affirmation. “Actually, Pay, you liked me, didn’t you?” At Summer's words, Pay, who was about to get excited again, suddenly froze. Summer's figure filled Pay's dazed eyes. Summer, smiling brightly and playfully. Like a human girl said, the black-haired girl was just as intense as summer itself. “......” “Pay?” “Why would I? Why would I like you?” At Pay's question, Summer slowly rose and stepped closer to her. Thanks to Julian's divine power, her body felt light. Summer pulled Pay into a tight embrace. “Eek!” Pay let out a small sound and stiffened, raising her shoulders. Summer opened her mouth with a clear laugh. “We're both outsiders, aren’t we? Like a cat among dogs.” Pay's eyes widened and shook with confusion. “Are you saying you like me... because I’m an outsider?” “I didn’t have anyone in this world who recognized me, just like you, Pay. Because I existed, you felt a little less lonely, right?” “......” Summer gently patted Pay's back. Pay stared blankly into the air, not moving at all. As if struck by lightning.