The Male Lead’s Fake Sister - Chapter 71

Since then, Rette had a secret goal.

It was saving Ravia Leontine’s life.

It was imperative to put her life on a safe track first because meeting her in person could be done afterward.

It would have been easier to reach that goal if Rette had a more suitable physique, but Rette didn’t have much time.

She kept regressing younger, and to make matters worse, Herod steadily needed Rette’s ability to find the spring user.

-The good news is Ravia Leontine is a great tactician.

She knew in advance that Tidwell was an underground mafia, and she used Crow to keep Tidwell in check.

But that wasn’t enough.

Ravia Leontine was clever, but she was a long way from Herod and Tidwell when it came to practicalities.

So Rette cleverly wrote a prophecy.

As a way to help Herod find the spring user, but also help save Ravia, she let Tidwell and Herod switch their hair colors at the masquerade.

-I told you last time. Those who awaken their seasonal abilities are difficult to be caught in foresight. That advice was the best I could do.

-Advice?

-I’m talking about switching the wig with Dark Flower at the party.

-Was that a prediction about the spring user?

-Yes. To minimize the penalty, I hid the prophecy and only said those words, but 3 years of my life were reduced. I couldn’t see anything beyond that, and that was the best I could do.

To be exact, she hid the true prophecy to cheat her way through Summer’s vigilance and minimize her penalty. Because a great amount of power will be expended the more specific the prophecy conveyed to the target.

But it’d be difficult to determine the result if she only made a prophecy that only benefitted Ravia. It was better not to let Herod know that she was helping others behind the scenes.

Unexpectedly, the result was soon revealed.

One day, Herod opened Rette’s door, looking somewhat elated, and said this.

-Rette! I think I can find the spring user.

-….What? How?

-Ravia Leontine! That woman has the answer!

Rette had a hunch. This was the road that summer had paved.

As Herod didn’t explain further, Rette didn’t know how Ravia Leontine was the answer to finding the spring user.

But it was certain that, at this point, Herod would be a help to save Ravia.

“It’s Tidwell the Dark Flower who threatens Ravia Leontine’s life. And the only one who can keep Tidwell in check is Herod. So I concluded that summer was trying to push Ravia Leontine into Herod’s hand.”

That’s why Rette generously gave prophecies as Herod wanted. She gave him a prophecy that would bring Ravia Leontine into his hands and made it possible for Herod to obtain an invitation to the banquet which Ravia attended.

If Herod were to be Ravia’s shield, it wouldn’t be too dangerous to approach Ravia as Herod’s subordinate.

Everything seemed to go smoothly. Except for one thing.

“Did you know that summer predictions are very biased? Everyone, except the recipient of the prophecy, was nothing but mere tools to reach that prophecy.”

A summer prophecy is a prophecy that must produce the best result for one person. But it doesn’t bring the best result for others involved in it.

“Misfortune waited for one of them the moment Ravia Leontine got involved in Herod’s prophecy. And I thought that misfortune would fall on Ravia Leontine.”

Wasn’t that obvious? Just look at how everyone wanted her to satisfy their personal interest.

She was alone, while a group of people was coming to snatch her. How could she not be torn apart that way?

In addition, Herod looked warm-hearted on the surface, but he was never a generous man. He would throw her away the moment he had no use for her.

So Rette’s goal was to negotiate with Ravia before Herod threw her away.

In other words, just by sacrificing Ravia alone, Rette could get what everyone wanted. So Rette tried to turn a blind eye to Ravia even if it bothered her for a while.

Because Rette had her own goal as well. She had no time to care about others whom she didn’t even know their faces.

But the road paved by summer was quite ironic.

Rette met Ravia when she made up her mind to sacrifice Ravia. If it hadn’t been for their meeting at Bluewell Street, Rette wouldn’t feel this heavy.

No, if only Ravia couldn’t answer her question.

-Do you know what Cheshire Cat means?

-Cheshire Cat has a universal meaning. It’s something that is everywhere but not anywhere.

-You’re right, but…

-But that is not the answer you want, is it?

If Ravia couldn’t answer correctly this time, Rette was going to stick to her original plan to sacrifice Ravia.

-I’m sorry, but I’m not going to answer. My answer is more precious than ‘time.’

Based on Ravia’s answer, Rette couldn’t help but accept the outcome. Rette admitted that she couldn’t possibly go ahead with a plan that could sacrifice Ravia Leontine.

So she secretly delivered a note to Ravia.

“Anyway, it was a long story, but there was only one conclusion. She helped me, so I wanted to help her.”

“…Is that why you called her over?”

“Yeah. She should know what happened in ‘this world’ as well.”

Of course, it wasn’t Rette’s responsibility if Ravia couldn’t decipher such a simple code, but Rette added with a slight look of regret.

“Now, I don’t want to create a future where she becomes a victim.”

“…I’m not sure how my lady will accept the whole story.”

Crow had been glancing out the window and smirked as he stood up from the sofa.

“You were right anyway.”

“About what?”

“There’s no way my lady can’t decipher the code.”

Crow added playfully, strode to the door, and opened it slowly. Beyond the open door was a familiar face.

Ravia Leontine.

“Welcome, My Lady.”

When Crow greeted her brazenly and bowed, Ravia’s sharp gaze slowly turned from him to the jade-haired girl who sat indifferently on the sofa.

Ha.

Ravia scoffed and threw something in her hand.

“…I knew this would happen.”

A note fell from Ravia’s hand and landed on the rug. On the crumpled paper, there was a clock indicating 10:10. The shape of the clock’s hands resembled the picture on the rug.

A Cheshire cat whose smile resembled a crescent moon.

“There’s no way it’s a coincidence that you both asked the same question, and there is no need to draw something so cumbersome just to indicate the appointment date.”

Ravia stepped inside. Each step closed the distance between her and Rette. Finally, she stopped and sat on the sofa opposite Rette, where Crow had sat a little while ago.

Her arrogant and authoritative gaze weighed on Rette. With a stern expression, she said to Rette in a commanding tone.

“Now that I’ve come as you want, tell me why you called me. Why does Herod’s servant insist on seeing me?”

“….You’re harsher than I thought, Unnie. I didn’t mean to meet you as Herod’s servant.”

“How can you expect me to believe you when you keep doing questionable things? When did you put the note in my sleeve?”

“I have my own way. But I understand why you were suspicious of me.”

Rette could guess why Ravia was so wary. It was quite misleading to say that Rette was the only problem here.

‘Because I lost to Herod yesterday.’

To be exact, Herod was the biggest problem. No matter with what purpose Rette approached Ravia, she never knew if it was part of Herod’s scheme.

Perhaps when she saw the note, she couldn’t understand why Rette went behind Herod’s back to approach her.

Or maybe at the same time, she just felt that the reason Rette wanted to meet her was not simple at all.

Because Rette took a great risk just to meet Ravia.