Episode 77: I Took the Female Lead’s First Time in a Romance Fantasy

Episode 77: Dethronement #3

Yohan and Rudella joined the knights who had arrived under Vera’s guidance.

The forces dispatched to capture the crown prince consisted of elite inspectors and royal knights, and their presence exuded an unusual intensity.

The official reason for their mobilization and armament was to arrest Fedelian Rozino, who was suspected of plotting treason.

“Milady… are you all right?”

Vera asked in a trembling voice, her eyes brimming with tears as she gazed at Rudella.

“I am fine. You, however, have suffered greatly.”

“No… it’s my fault for not being more vigilant…”

Vera’s voice quivered as tears of guilt streamed down her cheeks.

“It is not your fault.”

Rudella gently took Vera’s hand, offering a soft smile.

“The ones who are truly at fault are others. Do not carry this burden any longer.”

She returned the very words Yohan had once told her, passing them on to Vera.

“Milady…”

Vera sobbed as she leaned into Rudella’s embrace.

Clench.

Rudella patted Vera’s back, soothing her.

“For now, you should rest. Once you’ve rested and recovered, we can talk.”

“Yes…”

Vera’s condition was visibly poor. Her pale face was haggard, and dark shadows lingered under her eyes. She had been swaying on her feet, likely suffering from anemia.

Having clashed with the shadows and then been used as an outlet for the crown prince’s fury, she had endured both capture and violence. Rest and recovery were now her priority.

“Then, I shall take my leave…”

With the help of a knight, Vera began to walk away. Although they were still in the middle of the forest, the inspectors had brought carriages, providing a place to rest.

“I used to think Lady Bismarck was a lonely person, but perhaps that’s not entirely true.”

Yohan smiled warmly as he watched Vera’s retreating figure.

“She is more than I deserve.”

Rudella nodded slowly.

The bond between her and Vera couldn’t be summarized in a few words.

Too much had happened, too many emotions had been exchanged.

“…”

As Yohan looked at Rudella’s profile, a sudden thought struck him.

‘But… was there ever a character named Vera?’

It had been a long time since he read the original work, and he couldn’t recall every detail. But he was confident he would remember the characters and their backstories to some extent.

In fact, he had made a point to review and memorize key details, but still…

‘To my knowledge, there was no Vera.’

The character “Vera” hadn’t appeared in the original work. She was supposed to be the aide of one of the most prominent villains, Rudella, yet she hadn’t been mentioned.

This didn’t make sense. Of course, some works follow such a narrative flow, but it’s rare for the main villain’s aide to go completely unnoticed.

‘Maybe I just forgot…’

If it was simply forgotten, the name “Vera” should have at least sparked some familiarity. Yet, there was none.

‘No, I can say for sure. Vera was not a character in the original work.’

There could be many reasons for this, but the most likely one was her death. Perhaps that event was what led Rudella to fully embrace the path of corruption.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

Rudella tilted her head, her sky-blue eyes gazing intently at Yohan.

“Nothing much. Lady Bismarck, you must be tired. You should rest.”

“Hehe, why would I be tired? You’re the one who must be exhausted.”

She wasn’t entirely free from fatigue, but she was better off than Yohan. While Rudella had a mild headache from a mental attack, Yohan had sustained damage to his mana circuits.

“For now, get some rest.”

“Yes, Lady Bismarck, you too…”

As Yohan exchanged a brief nod with Rudella, a cold gaze pierced through from behind. A chilling sensation crawled up his neck.

Startled, Yohan turned around. Crimson eyes, devoid of any discernible emotion, were staring straight at him.

“…Francia?”

“Yohan.”

She slowly approached him, her steps light and deliberate.

“…You two seem quite close.”

“That’s…”

“I was trembling with anxiety, worried about you.”

“…”

“And yet, Yohan…”

Francia’s voice was low and cold. Her unwavering gaze bore into Yohan, but hidden within her icy demeanor was a jealousy that spread like frost.

Thinking about it, the level of anxiety she must have felt was unimaginable to Yohan.

After all, who wouldn’t tremble with fear when their lover was walking straight into mortal danger?

“I’m sorr…”

“Kiss me.”

“Here? Now?”

“Yes. Why not?”

Francia gazed at Yohan with a cold and solemn expression.

“Prove to me that you love me.”

“Uh…”

Yohan glanced over at Rudella. She wore no discernible expression, making it impossible to read her thoughts.

‘This should be fine…’

Though he wanted to consider Rudella’s feelings, he couldn’t back out now.

“Alright then…”

Yohan leaned forward, meeting Francia’s gaze, and carefully brought his lips to hers.

“…!”

At that moment, Francia’s arms coiled around Yohan’s neck like a snake. Her tongue boldly invaded his mouth.

Francia’s tongue explored his mouth with intensity, entwining with his in a fervent dance. It wasn’t a simple kiss — it was desperate and full of longing.

A trickle of saliva slid down her chin, a testament to her unrestrained passion.

Gasp.

Her hot breath sent shivers down his spine, and her scent filled his mind, making him feel light-headed.

“…”

Meanwhile…

Rudella silently watched the two, making no sound. Yet, inside, her emotions were in turmoil.

A chilling loneliness gripped her heart. Deep within, a small, fiery spark of jealousy ignited, spreading rapidly. A sharp, indescribable pain cut through her soul.

Even though they had agreed on this polyamory relationship, such feelings were inevitable. They were human emotions, after all.

While Rudella had accepted the relationship intellectually, her inner emotions were not so easily pacified.

“…”

At that moment, Francia, still locked in her passionate kiss with Yohan, glanced at Rudella.

Her gaze was far from friendly.

It wasn’t the look of a companion or a comrade.

That was the final blow.

Her eyes seemed to say: This man is mine. I’m only lending him to you for a while.

Rudella’s sky-blue eyes darkened. She had tried to respect their arrangement and maintain humility…

‘If that’s how it is… I have no choice.’

In truth, Rudella had her own methods. She could ensure Yohan loved her even more deeply- strategies that Francia couldn’t counter.

Although she had refrained from using them to maintain harmony, Francia’s attitude made it clear that restraint was unnecessary.

Rudella’s sky-blue eyes filled with icy determination. Quietly and firmly, she made up her mind.

“Haa…”

After what felt like an eternity, the passionate and intense kiss finally ended. A thin trail of saliva lingered between Yohan and Francia’s lips.

“…Are you satisfied?”

“Yes.”

Blushing, Francia smiled and lightly kissed Yohan again.

“I’m happy. I can feel how much you love me.”

“That’s a relief…”

Yohan, catching his breath, ran his hand through Francia’s hair. The soft texture of her hair was soothing to his fingertips.

“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you something.”

“What is it?”

“The First-Class Inspector wants to see you for a moment.”

“Ah.”

Even without further explanation, Yohan immediately understood why the inspector wanted to see him. As the person handling the case, they would need more information.

“I’ll head over right away.”

***

Yohan arrived at the scene where the investigators were conducting their inquiries.

As he approached, a knight standing guard recognized him and called for the investigator.

“It’s an honor to meet you, sir… Huh?”

Eris’s breath hitched as she saw him. A beauty as striking as frost settling in the dawn. For a moment, her heart wavered.

“Ahem, ahem. It’s an honor to meet you, Count Lahart. I am Eris Highlander, the special-class investigator leading this case.”

After briefly losing her composure, Eris quickly steadied herself and offered a polite greeting.

Her pale platinum-blonde hair shone under the moonlight. Her pale skin and icy gray eyes exuded a mysterious aura. Her refined demeanor and delicate lips added to her cold beauty.

Not only was she exceptionally beautiful, but her abilities as a special-class investigator were indisputable. The sword at her waist indicated she was also a knight.

“Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you as well.”

When Yohan extended his hand, she smiled faintly and shook it.

“I heard you summoned me. What is it you need?”

“I need to understand what happened here.”

“Ah, that…”

Yohan began recounting the events—how Vera and Rudella had been kidnapped, what the Crown Prince had done, and how he had responded.

Eris’s eyes widened in shock as she listened.

“You’re saying that… this entire area ended up like this because of you, Count Lahart?”

“Yes. I had no choice but to act decisively to survive.”

“Goodness…”

Eris glanced around again, her expression one of disbelief. The scene was akin to a wasteland. Anyone would believe a meteor had fallen from the sky.

“How could such power…”

“My magic focuses more on offensive capabilities than most others.”

It was true. Every high-tier spell he could wield was combat-oriented.

“I understand. I will now convey the imperial decree issued directly by His Majesty.”

Eris retrieved a letter sealed with a golden ribbon and unfolded it.

“It orders the secret apprehension of Fadelian Rozino, suspected of treason. He is to be confined in the Tower of Confinement, after which his case will be judged through a trial to determine his punishment.”

She closed the letter with a crisp snap.

“As I mentioned earlier, this is a direct order from His Majesty. We are acting under imperial decree and will do everything in our power to apprehend the traitorous Crown Prince Fadelian Rozino.”

The fact that the emperor issued an immediate arrest order and dispatched a special-class investigator suggested that he wasn’t entirely inclined to shield his son.

‘But since he ordered it to be done in secret, it seems he’s not entirely convinced yet.’

Yohan asked, “Have you found any traces of the traitor?”

Eris shook her head.

“Unfortunately, no. There are no clues left behind. But we will locate him soon—that’s why we’ve been deployed.”

Perhaps it was because of her status as a special-class investigator, but she exuded an air of reliability. Yohan nodded in approval.

“I’ll trust you to handle this.”

“Thank you for your cooperation.”

“Well then…”

Yohan headed toward the carriage brought by the investigators and knights to rest, a confident smile on his lips.

‘This should confirm his downfall.’

The emperor had decisively cut ties, refusing to shield his son purely because of their familial bond. Even the emperor must have deemed it impossible for Fadelian to escape this situation.

‘Defending him would only put the emperor himself at risk.’

The revelation that Fadelian had been gathering an external army in preparation for usurping the throne likely played a significant role. It was clear he had been ready to stab his father in the back at any moment.

‘Things may have progressed faster than expected, but the plan to eliminate the Crown Prince has succeeded.’

With minimal collateral damage, the outcome was a success.

***

Contrary to expectations, the Tower of Confinement was not far from the capital.

It was a place where even royalty could be imprisoned, primarily used to detain high-ranking nobles who had committed crimes.

With the help of shadows, Fadelian managed to reach the tower.

He slipped inside unnoticed and descended directly to the underground cells, stopping in front of the iron bars where Cassis Lenokhonen was imprisoned.

“Cassis Lenokhonen.”

The man, who had been as still as a corpse, slowly raised his head. His murky violet eyes gleamed with nothing but murderous intent.

“There’s something I need you to do. The reward is your freedom—and Yohan Lahart’s death.”

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