I received the book and stood around in a daze, but somehow managed to ask the butler in the end. “When was it that her majesty gave you this book, again?”
“It was 40 years ago when she gave me the first manuscript. And for the next ten years, she consistently gave me more manuscripts. All I did was to bind them into a single book, your highness.”
“Have you read its contents?”
“I swear on my life, I've not read a single line, your highness. Let me emphasize it again that I only merely organised them and bound them, sir.”
I quickly opened the book and was greeted by the clean, well-organised table of contents.
Episode 13. Counterattacking Princes
Episode 14. One Prince and I
Episode 15. Three Methods
I frantically leafed through the pages. Although the collected book itself was rather thick, I didn't have too much trouble reading it, thanks to the special effect of my attribute.
Someone here was still unhappy about my reading speed, however.
“You're reading it way too quickly.”
“It's you who's slow, 'older brother'.”
“What does it say?”
I didn't reply right away.
As I flipped through the pages, this vague listlessness washed over me. Each page was thick with the fatigue of the passing time and the sense of desperation, an urgency. I couldn't be sure whether that was Han Su-Yeong's intention or not.
But, I was sure that she had foreseen the moment of me reading her book arriving in the future.
I stopped reading the page I was on and went straight to the very last portion of the book. That was where the
⸢Seriously now. There are always those folks who go straight to the author's afterwords when first reading a book.⸥
The words greeted me as if they were waiting for my arrival. Even though I knew that couldn't be the case, I almost broke out into an unconscious chuckle, nonetheless.
⸢By the time you're reading this book, I….⸥
I steeled my heart and read the next line of the text.
⸢…I'd still be living a pretty good life, I guess. Hahah, were you scared?⸥
This idiot…
⸢In any case. If my prediction is correct, then the person reading these words is Kim Dok-Ja. Prince Kim Dok-Ja, no less. What an unfortunate thing that is, not being able to spectate on that sight.⸥
Han Su-Yeong's trademark dry sarcasm could be sensed so vividly among each and every word she wrote.
⸢You wanna know how I can tell? Well…. Actually, even I can't be sure. There's a limit to how much I can guess what would happen, you know. It's just that, I looked at all the potential circumstances on how you might arrive here, as well as countless cliched conditions attached to it, and predicted the one with the highest odds, that's all. Ah, of course, my prediction could be wrong, though.⸥
These words were written in a playful manner. However, the contents being conveyed were definitely not a joke.
⸢In all honesty, I wish I was wrong, though. Me, waiting for someone for decades and decades…. You think such a thing is even possible? You crazy fool.⸥
Han Su-Yeong's
Her records continued on.
⸢I'm sure you have figured it out, but well, I was born into that woman's body. At first, I really thought that I had reincarnated, you know…. I almost went crazy out of boredom and frustration during the first year. If I hadn't activated [Avatar] in my head and organised my memories, then I might have really lost my mind back then. Things got better a little bit when I hit four years old and began writing stuff. What a screwed up thing that is, me being a wordsmith and needing to write things even in moments like this. Maybe I want to be saved by writing.⸥
I didn't know whether to laugh or shed a tear. All I could do right now was to silently turn the page.
⸢At first, I thought you'd show up in three years at the latest. I mean, you did show up three years later before. But then, after three years went by, then four, and five…. (Don't be mistaken that time flew by just because I'm writing like this, okay?) My thoughts changed. And from a certain point on, I accepted it.⸥
It was getting harder and harder to flip the pages.
⸢I see. Kim Dok-Ja isn't going to show up for a while.⸥
Han Su-Yeong's handwriting seemed to be trembling just a little.
Chapter end
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