Do You Trust Me?

"Fred, my dear, no matter what happens, promise me you would make this a secret."

Though he was clueless why he would need to hide his gift, he agreed with his mother's statement.

Not until one day, he learned about the death of his father from the maids. Solipique. A taboo tradition where two people could switch elements. Placing the starved victim in a magic circle while mumbling the spell was the required step. If you were the one who did the ritual, there were no side effects. But if you are the victim, it inflicted a curse on your body.

Random symbols crawled their skin. It would glow up, and a burning sensation penetrated every tissue of their human being. The intense pain was worse than dying. The artificial way of obtaining an element caused it.

If you could not bear the pain, the quick fix for it was to say goodbye in this world. By doing this, you would also prevent the person who stole your element from using it. The people involved in the ritual should be alive for it to work.

And that's what happened to the late Duke and her older brother. The culprit? It was the Marquess. That's why his hatred towards him reached the depths of hell.

Not only that. This person became the victim himself.

When he was eight, there was a girl who was about to die. It was his first time to play with this jolly girl who gave him a sense of relief.

His bloodstained, trembling hands intensified the tension. He cannot stand watching life go to waste if he has the gift to help her. He looked around the forest and checked if there was someone. The coast was clear, so he proceeded with the purification.

The moment she opened her eyes, he cannot help but smile. However, it did not last as the Marquess with his lackeys appeared in front of him.

He stood in front and made his body as a shield for the girl.

"Please, let my friend go. You need me, right?"

"Oh, my bratty grandchild. Is that how you greet your grandfather?"

The Marquess touched his face. His punch was for nothing because he dodged his attack.

"Alright. Young lady, go home."

"I will call for help," the girl whispered.

The next day, they found him outside the Revailon's estate with bruises on his body.

Listening to the Duke's story gave a deep highlight to the workings of this world. The prejudice and annoyance with him crumbled into a fine dust.

The girl who she saved? It was Bethany. It explained why he kept on chasing me like a dog.

"I thought, you dislike physical contact?"

"Yes, but knowing I could help you? I do not mind," I said, holding his hand.

"Am I pitiful?"

I put my other hand on his cheek.

"No, you were just a victim of this cruel world."

Though this thing was pointless, I let him hug me. As long as I did not break any game rules, I guess it was fine.

If I would have a chance, I wanted to ask the author why she had to make the other characters suffer. I should have been her editor, so every event in this game would make sense.

"Promise that you would keep everything a secret."

His grip on my hand tightened as he blurted out those words.

I closed my eyes.

"I do not know, Frederick. I cannot promise you."

He kept on nodding his head thrice.

"I do not know if I would be mad or be happy because you dropped the formalities. But I expected it. You were as stubborn as me."

We both laughed like crazy patients in a mental institute.

"I would never regret I gave you my blessing."

I gave him a bitter smile. This idiot should be thankful I have self-control. He should have given the blessing and put the cloak on the destined woman for him. But who was it? Did the author make a side story for him?

"You're worrying about the bitch who appeared out of nowhere, right?"

His word choice made me speechless, though I did not detect any flaws.

Just like what he said, the woman was my concern. She was like a pixel that was not part of the image.

"Silence means yes. You know, I did not pinpoint why, when I met her, I smelt the Marquess's presence."

Was this the hidden quest Miss Heart told me? If it was, a notification popped already. It was the first time we've both agreed on a statement.

"Maybe it was your imagination?"

"No, beasts have a unique type of smell. My senses did not fail me."

Let us say this Lady Mercella and the Marquess were partners in crime.

But how did they mess up with the gameplay? Oh, I figured it out. Those two were acting out based on the written programs in the system. In short, they were messing up with me.

I pulled my hair and said, "Arg! All I wanted was to carry out my plans!"

He silenced me by shoving a spoonful of pudding into my mouth.

"I was right. Girls like you are like Mingming."

Whether he was implying a good thing, I chewed this heavenly stuff.

Since he mentioned our cat, I missed her healing properties.

"Listen. We both know Mercella was a copycat bitch. I would dig all of her buried nastiness while you act as a two-faced snake friend."

Should I trust this guy?

"Do you trust me?"

Shoot. This game of trust was what I hate. In this situation, the only person I trust is myself.

I exhaled. "For now, yes,"

"Now, I had more reasons to work harder from now on!"

Though it was a blissful scene at the back of my mind, this was the start of leveled-up hardships. I expected this way before I signed the work contract. Why did accomplishing a task became this difficult as I stayed in this game world? Why did I have feelings towards a game character?

I bumped my head on the wall as I envisioned the next step led to marriage.

Swaying like bamboo was not a necessity. I should have ended everything in a flash.

"My Lady, The Crown Princess was here again."

I raised an eyebrow. Those two were not engaged. Did this woman consider herself the Crown Princess? Whatever got to face my new target.

"Good Morning Lady Mercella. Forgive me if I made you wait."

With a cheerful smile, she answered, "It was alright. I understood ladies should look good all the time."

Though I believed a lady should be smart and decisive, I told the target that it was correct.

"Have you decided about my offer?"

"Yes. It was my pleasure to serve you."

How could she say no when words about her being the Crown Princess's lady-in-waiting already spread amongst people? The second reason was this.

Be Lady Marcella's lady-in-waiting.

"Great! I'll wait for you at the castle! Thank you for accepting it!"

The moment the new target disappeared from the scene, my parents hugged and reminded me about taking care of myself.

"You could always quit, my dear." the Duchess said.

Packing up took under an hour since I only brought the essential items. My maids and parents suggested bringing more, but I declined all of them.

While loading helping my servants load things in the carriage, a woman appeared. It was Miuerella.