□□□□□□(xxxx ): Doesn't the Duke's villa in the remote town have any permanent residents? How does it make sense that the injured Duke dies of excessive bleeding? It seems like the Duke is the real male lead, not the Crown Prince. If the Duke dies, the novel is ruined.
The username was blurry, but this comment was unique among the many criticizing the Crown Prince.
The commenter speculated that the real male lead was the Duke, not the Crown Prince.
'In this novel, the Duke is…'
There was only one: Duke Thorpeo.
Adelin decided to trust this comment.
If the Duke was potentially the male lead of the novel, saving him might change her life as well.
Her predestined death in the novel was on her 24th birthday.
Adelin had people watch over Duke Thorpeo, as she did not know when he would be in danger at his villa.
She believed it would be enough just to ensure the Duke's safety.
However, life did not go as Adelin planned.
A week after her belated debut at 23,
Perhaps due to her undeniable beauty,
The Crown Prince's second fiancée died in a mysterious accident, and a month later, the fateful letter arrived.
The Duke had been indifferent to Adelin since her birth.
He never cared about how much she spent or what she did.
The only time they interacted was during dinner, where they merely shared the same space without any real conversation.
This was still the case even now that Adelin had grown up.
In the dining room, filled with the clinking sounds of cutlery,
Duke Credion and Adelin sat across a long table, their relationship more like strangers than father and daughter.
Today was no different. Adelin was quietly continuing her meal when the Duke broke the silence.
"Adelin."
"Yes, Father."
Their eyes, which had never met since she entered the dining room, finally locked.
Swallowing hard at the Duke's impassive gaze, Adelin awaited his words.
"A proposal letter has come from the palace."
Adelin dropped her cutlery in shock upon hearing about the proposal she thought she wouldn't receive until she was 24.
Muttering to herself like a broken machine, she said, "That can't be."
A proposal from the Crown Prince? Why now, when it should have come a year later?
Adelin's eyes flickered restlessly.
However, the Duke, seemingly indifferent to her reaction, simply extended the proposal letter.
"The Crown Prince wishes to engage with the Credion family. The engagement is set for the end of this month. Prepare yourself accordingly."
With these words, the Duke neatly wiped his mouth and left his seat.
'Why has the proposal come now?'
There was still a whole year left until the anticipated time.
Adelin sighed.
Seeing the Duke's reaction, it seemed her opinion on this engagement didn't matter.
It must have been discussed beforehand between the royal family and the Duke.
She couldn't just die like this.
Not in this new life she had somehow obtained.
The proposal letter crumpled mercilessly in Adelin's hand.
Before she could even attempt to save the Duke, it seemed she herself was on the verge of crossing the Jordan.
Adelin made up her mind.
'Right, let's escape for now.'
If she waited, the Duke might get injured and arrive at his villa.
So, escaping now and hiding in that villa might eventually lead her to encounter Duke Thorpeo.
That seemed to be the best course of action at the moment.
Feeling the imminent approach of death, Adelin hastily packed her belongings and fled in the dead of night.