Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 180

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 180

Quick-witted Terry swiftly vacated his seat.

After sending even Lord Cheri away, I sat facing the Crown Prince alone.

A brief silence passed as we seemed to gauge each other’s true intentions.

Since my last meeting with the Crown Prince hadn’t been particularly pleasant, I couldn’t easily open my mouth.

Fortunately, it was Mikhail who spoke first.

“Today I didn’t come as the Crown Prince, but as your friend, so I’ll speak comfortably.”

I responded with a light nod instead of words.

Mikhail took out a palm-sized wooden box from his chest and placed it on the table.

“You asked me to bring evidence, Belinda. This is exactly the proof you demanded.”

Though Mikhail’s words were somewhat vague, they weren’t incomprehensible.

Inside that wooden box was the evidence I had requested – proof that the First King’s prophecy was true.

Just as I was about to open the lid of the wooden box, the Crown Prince placed his hand on top of it, stopping my action.

He opened his mouth with a face tinged with slight guilt.

“Once you know the truth, there will be no turning back. Perhaps it would be better for you to remain ignorant. So…”

“I’m fine, so you don’t need to say more.”

I shook my head and cut off his words.

And without hesitation, I opened the wooden box.

“This is… a jewel?”

Inside, a hexagonal crystal was placed on velvet, sparkling brilliantly.

It looked like a simple imitation gem, so I couldn’t understand how this could serve as evidence.

However, at Mikhail’s following words, I froze in place.

“It’s called a ‘Memory Fragment.'”

“…What?”

“It’s probably very unfamiliar to you. It’s human memory processed and preserved in a magic stone, an original work created directly by the First King, who was a talented mage.”

Mikhail’s explanation echoed like a cave’s reverberations.

I reached out with trembling hands and touched the crystal. Then I stared blankly up at the system window that appeared before my eyes.

[Item] ‘Lucas’s Memory Fragment

“The First King’s… original work, you say.”

“That’s right. Since the manufacturing method wasn’t passed down, there’s no possibility of counterfeits existing.”

Toward me, who gave no response, Mikhail carefully explained the usage method.

“Hold the jewel and think ‘acquire’ to yourself. Then you’ll be able to experience the First King’s memories contained in the jewel as if they were your own.”

I know. How could I not know?

“By inheriting the First King’s memories, you’ll know that his prophecy is true… Belinda, are you alright?”

“…Yes, continue.”

Mikhail looked at me with a worried expression and continued his explanation.

“One thing you must be careful of is that before acquiring the First King’s memories, you should keep something precious nearby. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an object or a person.”

Mikhail’s face, speaking in low whispers, was stained with deep concern about what I would experience.

However, I couldn’t even offer him empty words that everything would be fine.

A memory fragment that was the First King’s original work.

The system that had transmitted Belinda’s memory fragment to me.

If the system was also a type of magic… then all of this must have been created by the First King’s hands.

* * *

I don’t remember what state of mind I was in when I saw Mikhail off.

When I came to my senses, I was heading toward the annex, holding the wooden box the Crown Prince had left behind.

“Your expression doesn’t look good. Did the Crown Prince bring bad news?”

At Lord Cheri’s words as he gently patted my shoulder, I shook my head and spoke in a slightly exaggerated voice.

“Well, I can’t yet judge whether it will be bad news or good news. By the way, thank you for entertaining His Highness in my place.”

I expressed my gratitude plainly and looked back at him.

Unlike the Blanche family, the Royal Court wasn’t particularly favorable toward House Baluashten.

This was because most of the Kingdom’s military power was concentrated in the North to guard the Barrier Forest.

If the North harbored rebellious intentions and marched toward the Royal Capital, the Royal Court would have no way to respond, so they were wary of and ostracized the North.

So for Lord Cheri, facing the Crown Prince wouldn’t have been particularly pleasant.

I thought that was probably why his expression had been cooler than usual.

But Lord Cheri’s following response was different from my expectations.

“For me, it was a very beneficial time.”

Beneficial?

“What did you talk about with His Highness?”

“We talked about the Marquess’s Daughter’s childhood.”

“…!”

My stride came to a halt as if nailed to the spot. It felt like childhood album photos had been exposed.

“You talked about my childhood with the Crown Prince…?”

“Yes, since the Crown Prince knows about the Marquess’s Daughter’s childhood, I thought sharing even a little of those memories might calm my jealousy, but it didn’t work as I thought.”

What is this man saying with such an expressionless face?

“Rather, it only made me feel unpleasant.”

I had an ominous feeling that if I left Lord Cheri like this, he might suddenly ram into the Crown Prince one day like an overheated 8-ton truck.

I calmly opened my mouth to calm him down.

“Why are you so jealous of the Crown Prince? If it’s simply because you shared childhood memories, our butler also knows what I looked like as a child. But you’re not jealous of the butler.”

At my words, Lord Cheri answered briefly.

“But… His Highness is ‘Misha,’ isn’t he?”

“That’s… right?”

At those words that sounded almost sulky, I tilted my head.

What does Mikhail’s nickname being ‘Misha’ have to do with his jealousy?

“Previously, the Marquess’s Daughter told me I resembled Misha. That you felt familiarity because of that. I think I’m jealous of that point.”

I said that?

At a glance, the Crown Prince and Lord Cheri didn’t resemble each other at all. So I couldn’t have said such a thing…

As I was about to deny it, I saw the dog house placed in one corner of the annex.

Inside the palace-like enormous dog house, the Cerberus were piled up in layers, sleeping soundly.

‘Come to think of it, there was another Misha I knew.’

I didn’t remember clearly, but if I had told Lord Cheri he resembled Misha, it probably wasn’t referring to Mikhail.

I pointed to the dog house as if it was perfect timing and said.

“That’s Misha’s house.”

“…Are you saying the Crown Prince lived in such a dog house?”

“What kind of impudent words are those? What I mean is, Misha was the name of a Doberman I used to raise.”

“Misha was… a dog?”

“That’s right. So when I said you resembled him, it wasn’t the Crown Prince but my dog… but…”

I stopped mid-sentence and gradually trailed off.

Saying someone resembled a dog. Even I thought it was too rude a comment.

Wondering if his feelings were hurt, I stole a glance at his profile.

I almost dropped the wooden box I was holding.

And for good reason…

“Are you smiling right now?”

Lord Cheri was lifting the corners of his mouth with the brightest face I’d ever seen.

“Did I smile?”

“Uh, yes…”

“If the Marquess’s Daughter says so, then it must be so. By the way, my lady, how much did you love Misha?”

“V-very much. He was a fellow who was loyal only to me.”

“I see. Then what parts of Misha and I are similar?”

“Hmm, Misha had black fur and blue eyes, and that looked just like you. And he was loyal only to me and loved me very much…”

Loving me.

The way he would bare his fangs and bark at other people, but wag his tail so hard it might fall off when he saw me.

The way he would naturally guard me from behind, as if it were obvious.

When I looked into those blue eyes, I couldn’t help but know that I was an incredibly important existence to him, and it made me resolve to cherish and love myself more for his sake…

‘What is this.’

I had only meant to talk about the similarities between Misha and Cheri, but it felt tingly as if I were confessing to him.

“…Now that I look again, you don’t seem that similar.”

I quickly moved my feet that had stopped at some point and headed toward the annex as if fleeing.

Leo hadn’t returned from the Academy yet, and Vivian was busy in the workshop.

Terry hadn’t returned from the main building yet, as he was silencing the employees who had seen Mikhail.

I settled into the armchair and caressed the surface of the wooden box as if shaking off the heat that tickled my fingertips.

Keep what you cherish close by.

Even without Mikhail’s advice, I knew well the dangers that memory fragments possessed.

The sense of reality that made me feel as if I had become the person in the memories contained in the fragments.

The sensation of inheriting another’s memories was terrible, to the point where my sense of self would disappear for a moment.

However, I opened the lid of the wooden box without fear. And I spoke to Cheri, who was always guarding by my side as usual.

“Cheri, please just stay by my side like this for a moment.”

“Yes.”

Satisfied with the answer that came back without a moment’s hesitation, I gripped the crystal in my hand and whispered in my heart.

‘Acquire.’

Soon, a very familiar sensation dominated my body.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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