Autumn has arrived. Time has passed for the once green forest to embrace its colorful hues.
“Miss!” Mary rushed into the room in a hurry. As soon as Mary heard about the events at the temple from Fay, she made her way to Russell's mansion with Daisy. Since that day, Summer had not gone to the mansion. “Miss, look at this.” Mary held up a newspaper in her hand. Summer sat on the window sill, slowly moving her gaze from outside the window. “What’s going on?” “They won!” It seemed to be news of victory. It had nothing to do with Summer. “That’s great.” “……Miss.” Summer turned her gaze back outside. “Summer is completely over.” Greenery was hard to find anywhere. The weather had turned quite chilly, and Mary always draped a shawl over her shoulders. “The fallen leaves have turned beautifully, haven’t they? Would you like to go outside?” “No. It’s dreadful.” “…….” “It feels like they’re mocking me.” Summer scoffed. No wonder the day was so clear; Ian had to return. The world had its reasons. Moreover, this place existed solely for the love stories created by the protagonists. “Don’t you think I’ve gone mad?” Summer’s eyes turned to Mary. Every time Mary looked into Summer’s eyes, she felt breathless. The dry, hollow eyes were endlessly empty. “But how can I not go mad? The death of others is painful, but I’ve seen my own death.” “Didn’t that witch say there was no way back?” “Right. There isn’t. It’s all over.” “……It will get better.” “Mary, you said that yesterday too. But look at today. Do I seem better to you?” Summer spat out her words harshly and nervously tossed her hair back. “……Still, someday, you will be okay.” “That’s your wish. And I’m no longer obligated to listen to your wishes.” “…….” Summer tore at the frustrating necklace. Pearls fell to the floor, bouncing and falling again. Then, eventually, it completely stopped moving. As Summer stared at the broken necklace, there was a commotion outside the window. A glance revealed Julian arguing with the butler in the distance. “You kind one, you’ve come again today.” It had already been three months since Summer had secluded herself in Russell's mansion. Julian came every day, pleading to see Summer just once. But Summer had refused each time. Summer knew her own condition. Therefore, she didn’t want to hurt Julian. No, she had to be honest now. She no longer wanted to be involved with the protagonists. Summer regretted the time when she had unknowingly gone to parties with Julian. She wished she hadn’t gotten close. When Fay told her the way, she should have stabbed herself without hesitation, such regrets. Summer recalled that night after leaving the temple. “Master!” “Prepare warm water. And get the guest room ready.” Russell had rushed in, carrying the fainting Summer into the mansion, giving urgent instructions. After bathing in warm water, she changed into a simple indoor dress. “Rest.” “…….” Fortunately, Russell only said to rest without saying much and left her alone. That day, like now, she sat on the window sill, looking at the sky. A place she could never reach. The night sky was still beautiful. Only Summer had changed, everything else remained the same. There was no way. She never imagined that those words could render a person so powerless. With empty eyes, Summer gazed at the sky, having given up on everything. “Why are you doing this to me?” “…….” “Just because I die doesn’t mean the world will turn upside down.” “…….” “Please, please! Just leave me alone. Let me die or do whatever! Just leave me be!” Summer screamed with a voice torn apart, hitting her own head. Why, why! Can’t I even die? Why does the world cruelly push me to live? The moonlight grew brighter. Today was supposed to be the last day she could return to the original world. But where? Where do I return to? “Ugh, please, please kill me!” No matter how much she shouted, the world did not respond to her voice. In her heart, she wanted to grab the author of this book and shake them. Time continued to flow. The night deepened, and eventually, the clock chimed, signaling the end of the day. “Ugh! Ah…….” Summer crumbled with a groan of pain. It felt as if someone was grinding her body down. The pain was akin to being burned by electricity. It hurt. Unknowingly, her eyes rolled back, and her whole body convulsed. Tears welled up in Summer’s white eyes, spilling down her temples. How much longer, how much longer must I endure this excruciating pain before it disappears? Dragging this wretched soul, how much longer? Please, if you can’t save me, then just kill me. The words reached the back of her throat, but only strange choking sounds came out. The pale moon illuminated Summer more than ever. Summer writhed in pain. And as the pain gradually lessened, she felt something strange. “……?” My name. My name! Summer frantically clutched her head. I have to remember. I have to remember. “Ah, no……. No! Please don’t do this! Please!” Summer thrashed about, flailing her arms. The servants who rushed in grabbed Summer. From afar, she could hear voices calling for the master and the sound of hurried footsteps. “Summer!” Russell, who had rushed in, embraced Summer. Still, Summer was swinging her arms, staring into the void. “No! Please, don’t take me! Please! I’m begging you!” “Summer, Summer…….” Summer’s movements abruptly stopped. Summer? Ah. Is Summer my name? How strange. I’m sure there was another name. With a blank expression, Summer gazed out the window, or rather, at the moon reflecting outside. There was surely a place to return to. Where was it? “It’s gone.” “…….” “I promised I would remember. It was something I couldn’t forget.” A cruel and bizarre world. The world won. Summer failed. As soon as the deadline passed, the world invaded Summer’s mind, rummaging through it as it pleased. I can’t remember. The faces of my parents. The color of my pet cat’s eyes. And the name I struggled to remember. “Where, where did I come from…….” Summer mumbled with a dazed expression. She hadn’t asked expecting an answer. Russell, who embraced the completely deranged Summer, buried his face in her shoulder. Summer felt her shoulder getting wet. “I know, I know, Summer…….” “…….” “You told me you came from a place called South Korea.” “…….” “You said you came from another world. That you had a real name. That you left many things in that world and had to return.” “……Russell.” “You told me that.” The pain vanished as if it were a lie. A gentle breeze brushed by, even though the window hadn’t been opened. Thus, Summer was completely trapped in the book. “I’m trapped.” Summer muttered in despair. Her original body was dead, and now she had to live like this. Then what about the real Summer? “By the way, Fay hasn’t come.” Since that day, Fay had not shown herself before Summer. She had only delivered a mineral necklace through Mary, the timing of which was unknown. Instead of wearing the necklace around her neck, Summer kept it close to her heart. She thought she would come to find it someday, but it had already been three months. A cold wind blew, and leaves fell in a shower. The gardener swept the leaves into a corner and stuffed them into a bag. He must be going to throw them away. Summer’s eyes darkened. She hated autumn. The falling leaves were just like her. “Why can’t I just die?” Yet, Russell didn’t seem like he would kill her. The only ones who could kill Summer were now the protagonists. On the night the deadline passed, Summer instinctively knew she was no longer a minor character. Becoming a protagonist didn’t mean happiness. Being trapped in a prison, even if she became a protagonist among them. But Selene must have wanted this. When it became impossible to become a protagonist no matter how much she struggled, she must have gone mad. In a way, she was the complete opposite of Summer. “How am I supposed to love this place?” This world was cruel and bizarre. Summer knew that the day she could fully love this place would never come. So, she would probably live every moment unable to die. Once again, the wind blew, and leaves fell. The maids stepped on the red maple leaves. The once beautiful leaves had turned into crushed red powder. “…….” Watching that scene quietly, Summer suddenly yanked the curtain shut. It was hard. Even breathing suddenly felt too difficult. The world spun before her eyes, and Summer’s body crumbled. Mary, who had come to ask if she would participate in the return march, discovered this and screamed. “Miss!” Once again, the mansion was turned upside down. Soon, a terrible rumor spread throughout the empire. Duke Bertrand had completely locked away the mad Countess Lindsay’s daughter in the mansion. “How absurd.” Russell slammed the documents down. Eventually, the rumor reached the royal family, and an order came down from the emperor to clarify the matter. What is there to clarify? They wouldn’t understand it anyway. “Summer must have felt this way.” He could now somewhat guess the emotions she must have felt when explaining, persuading, and shouting to people who wouldn’t understand. “Master. Since it’s a direct order from His Majesty, it cannot be refused.” “It can be refused, but I just choose not to.” “Master, why would you say such terrifying things?” The butler, flustered, tried to lighten the mood. But with Russell’s next words, the butler turned pale. “Just tell them I’m the one who’s gone mad. That I’m mad about the daughter of the Lindsay family.” “……What?” “Not the young lady, but that I’ve gone mad, and it seems the rumor got mixed up. Just convey that.” Russell pushed aside the documents he had been looking at and stood up. The butler hesitated, taken aback by the sight of the master he had never seen before. The master, who had devoted himself to the empire, had changed somehow.