The Hero is Standing in My Way - Chapter 1

It was a night where the heat of midsummer didn’t go away.

 

On the way back from secretly exiting the mansion, I bumped my shoulder with someone wearing a black hood that wasn’t suitable for the season.

 

Peok! 

 

“Ah, what the… Are your eyes for decoration?”

 

Looking at the person in front of me with a child-like slender body, he had a surprisingly sharp shoulders wrapped inside the hood.

 

His sleeves fluttered due to the hot wind. Soon, his white and big hand was revealed, a scar on it.

 

“There’s no time for this. Move.”

 

His voice was quite low, as if he had just the age where his voice change. His breath was unusually rough and short, like he was enduring some pain.

 

I narrowed my eyes, opening my arms wide to block the person so as to not let him escape.

 

Who was the one who suddenly appeared and bumped into me, you think you can just get away without an apology?

 

“Okay, follow after me. I’ve caused you much trouble. Please forgive the rudeness.”

 

“… … What?”

 

“What is it? I’m teaching you that politeness is im-”

 

“There he is! Catch him!”

 

At that time, a number of men who were screaming and shouting came running. I couldn’t finish talking and watched the situation for a while.

 

Tch. Shortly thereafter, I heard a firm sound near me.

 

“I told you to move.”

 

A hand with a startlingly high body temperature grabbed my arm. I was able to roughly grasp the situation by his strong grip.

 

“Are you being chased?”

 

“If you see this much, don’t you know? Don’t talk and get lost.”

 

“Then what are you going to do?”

 

“It’s not something you should care about.”

 

This is the front yard of my house. How can I not care?

 

As soon as I shook my head, the men approached us. The blades that each held one in their hands flashed in the moonlight.

 

“… A woman? She’s pretty?”

 

One of the men who seemed to be the leader muttered as if surprised. He strides and pulls a handful of my golden hair. Then he looked down as if he’s taken a liking on me.

 

“Remove the target and take the woman. She’s my taste.”

 

Woowook. I suddenly felt nauseous when I saw his yellow teeth. Was that so? Without knowing, I let my fist take action first.

 

Bbieok!

 

“U-ugh!”

 

It seems that the man didn’t know that a girl with a small body like me would start to punch him.

 

Surprised, his eyes were wide open while his nose was bleeding. The expression of the man was skewed badly. Eek.

 

“…This bitch! What are you doing! Catch her!”

 

“She dared, brother!”

 

The men surrounded me, threatening me as they shout. I raised my head at a low sigh.

 

A long white blade came out through the hem of his black hood.

 

Though I couldn’t see his face when he pressed his hood deeply, I could feel his gaze with resentment throughout my body.

 

“Run away. It’s better if you bring in the guard.”

 

“And if I don’t?”

 

“Do you think I’m joking right now?”

 

Of course it didn’t seem like that.

 

However, I don’t know how to run away when the men surrounded us in circle.

 

Well, I think I can handle this enough myself. I brushed off the back of my bloody hand and jumped slightly.

 

“Ack!”

 

With a dull sound, one man turned round. My kick was right on his stomach.

 

Oh. Did I hit it right?

 

I wondered what I was doing in the middle of the night after drinking, but I couldn’t continue my thoughts anymore. This was because the men ran into me soon after.

 

It didn’t take long to get rid of them. Eventually, I lifted the crumpled hem of my dress and ran.

 

“… What are you doing.”

 

What is his identity?

 

A voice full of embarrassment fell into my ear. It was after dealing with all the men without any difficulty.

 

I smiled and turned my back. The black hair that slightly protruded through his hood was soft in the wind that blew again.

 

“You don’t even know how to say thank you? I’ve known it since you didn’t apologize after bumping my shoulder.”

 

“……”

 

He didn’t answer right away. That was so disgusting that I put a headlock on him.

 

“I think my shoulder is dislocated because of you. What are you going to do? How else would you like to repay me for taking care of you? Where, with a better confidence, a child wanders dangerously alone at night… … huff.”

 

“Your shoulders look fine, what are you talking about… … Is something wrong?”

 

His hood flowed back, revealing his purple eyes through his hair as dark as the night sky, looking at me.

 

And that was the moment.

 

“……”

 

We were silent as if we had made an appointment.

 

He slowly raised his eyes, staring at me face to face. I froze, unmoving.

 

A small tear spot stuck under the elongated eyes. Unrealistically beautiful and perfect features on his very transparent, white skin.

 

Wow, he’s wonderfully pretty. Out of nowhere, my heart started beating like crazy.

 

I forgot to breathe and looked at the boy, who seemed to be in his mid-to-late teens, as if admiring a masterpiece.

 

“Let it go.”

 

He raised his upper body and struck my arm. His elongated eyes creased slightly.

 

“You, do you know where the Elifritz mansion is?”

 

“… It’s, it’s my house, yo.”

 

“Suddenly, using honorifics.”

 

(T/N: The ‘yo’ on the first sentence was the last syllable on the word. Earlier when they were running away, she’s talking with the boy casually. Adding -yo would make it formal. Example: Uri jib-inde [우리 집이데] casual. Uri jib-indeyo [우리 집인데요] formal.)

 

I couldn’t help but talk with respect. Because I already knew who he was.

 

My gaze stayed on his face. The sharp, moonlit nose bridge and slightly angled jawline was like taken from a statue.

 

“Staring at someone else’s face. You said it’s your house?”

 

“Yes, yes.”

 

“Then guide me. And thank you just now.”

 

I couldn’t even ask why he didn’t apologize for hitting my shoulders with a proud attitude. I took the lead with a clumsy nod.

 

The boy followed me from a distance.

 

It was in front of the mansion. I tapped the dozing gatekeeper. Startled, the gatekeeper opened his eyes.

 

“Heok, Lady Ariel! Did you go out late again? I’ll be in trouble if you keep doing this! I have nothing to say to the Count.”

 

“Yeah, it’s okay, so open the door.”

 

“By the way, who was behind you… … .”

 

The gatekeeper groaned, pulling out the key, and opening the door. It was clear that he had checked the boy’s face.

 

Well, if you can see that unrivaled flower beauty and have a normal flow of thought, that would be even more weird.

 

I decided to wait for a while until the gatekeeper was able to wake up. I had that kind of generosity.

 

But the boy didn’t seem to be. I heard his long breath, as he swept his cheek.

 

“My, my apologies.”

 

The gatekeeper quickly excused himself and stepped aside. I and the boy walked across the large garden in front of the mansion.

 

I thought about it before, but it didn’t seem like he was in good shape.

 

I didn’t walk very fast, but the speed he followed me was gradually slowing down. He seemed to hold back his groans.

 

“We’re here. You just have to go a little more.”

 

I looked back at the boy as if I were cheering for him. He nodded hardly.

 

We were almost at the front door. It popped open, and my brother, Count Abyssion, walked out. His eyes were slightly raised, as if he’s angry.

 

“Ariel, it’s too late… … His Highness Siegfried?”

 

Abbysion’s peach-colored eyes opened up. Like me, Abbysion immediately recognized the boy’s identity.

 

In fact, we couldn’t know him.

 

Siegfried Laxien Anfellicita. An imperial prince famous for his beauty and poor childhood.

 

And the male protagonist in the novel I reincarnated into.

 

“Come in. I got a call that you were coming by carriage… .”

 

Abbysion opened the front door wide, bringing Siegfried and me inside. As I walked down the dark night road, I was dazzled by the bright light.

 

“I was attacked. Can I explain the situation later?”

 

Siegfried swept his head with his elongated fingers.

 

A straight forehead with sweat-soaked hair stuck to it and dark, fine eyebrows were revealed.

 

Wow. What the heck is that face? I feel that I wouldn’t get tired looking at it for a whole day.

 

I looked at him with admiration. Then, once again, Siegfried and my eyes met. His pupils widened and then shrunk, making a fierce impression.

 

Why are you glaring at me all of a sudden. I looked away.

 

“Count Elifritz, I want to rest now.”

 

Siegfried’s stinging gaze seemed to stick on me. He still stared at me and called Abbysion with sweet lips.

 

“Of course. We will guide you to the prepared room. Ariel, you go up too.”

 

Soon Siegfried glanced away from me and passed by me. Left on the porch, I sat down like a slithering glide.

 

The fact that the world I live in was a novel crept on my skin.

 

I’m going to meet the male protagonist in our house.

 

Siegfried Laxien and so on.

 

With a long name, he was a figure who killed the present Crown Prince and ascended the emperor in the distant future.

 

In my head, wearing a suit stained with blood, I drew the image of an unretired man sitting at an angle on the throne.

 

It was possible to do so clearly as if I had seen it for myself. He looks a little bigger and stronger than he is now.

 

“Lady, the floor is cold.”

 

The maid who was locking the door came up and reached out to me.

 

After waking up from my thoughts, I looked at the stairs where Siegfried had climbed.

 

A great sense of anxiety came upon me. Because I was going to be the fiancée of the Crown Prince who died at the hands of Siegfried.