About Your Pride and My Prejudice

Chapter 15: Principality of Lunoa

It was an impulse to re-read the classic novel.  It is so long and the atmosphere is so heavy that I couldn’t even think of re-reading it.

If I had to give a reason why I am reading it, I would answer that I am having a boring secluded life, and there were no books left to read except for this.

Is it because I feel that the story of the female protagonist running away from a man is similar to the situation I am in now? The second time I read it was not as difficult to be immersed in as I’d thought.

……The difference is that the female protagonist falls in love with a man.

However, no matter how many aspects love has, the love in is difficult to understand. Isn’t this the same as falling in love with a crazy stalker?

“Literature is…”

Anyway, the first time I read it, I read it in small portions, but it took me about a year. So no matter how much I concentrate on reading it again, it will take me a few weeks to complete it. This book is perfect for completely engrossing myself while forgetting time and circumstances.

If there’s one problem, it’s that I’ve only read dozens of pages and I’m already in tears.

“Lady.”

At that moment I heard Julia’s voice outside the door. I quickly wiped away my tears and turned my head towards the door.

“A letter has arrived.”

“…It’s Tobias, right? Can you give it to me?”

It was exactly three days after I sent Toby’s reply.

I read his letter with tears in my eyes, he was as sweet as ever. Rather than reprimanding the sudden notice, it’s a rough handwriting that worries me in a friendly way. My heart became suffocated.

But, strangely enough, this letter contained the content that encouraged my dream.  He was clearly suggesting that I should try to write.

It was somewhat indirect, but in summary, the Royal Academy, the kingdom’s top educational institution, began recruiting novel manuscripts from citizens.

I paused for a moment.

Why is he suddenly talking about this? Did I tell him that my dream is to be a writer?

“…..Oh, I did.”

I was a little embarrassed when I barely remembered what I had said as if passing by that I like to read and sometimes write.  It was a moment when I realized that I had become sensitive again after the stalker stalked me.

Toby may have just told me to soothe my boredom, but the story of recruiting the manuscript was so attractive that it made my heart race. To be precise, the part where the royal family supported the final selection to study in Lunoa

The Principality of Lunoa, which produced many great writers, such as treasures of human history, was a literary-based artistic powerhouse, and the Sourne Kingdom had an excellent industrial base while lacking artistic literacy. However, it seemed that our kingdom would finally start cultivating writers on a large scale.

It was news that I couldn’t help but welcome.

* * *

“Of course I don’t think I’ll be selected, Viola.”

I blushed in embarrassment for some reason. On a rainy afternoon, I was drinking tea in my room with Viola, who came to my house after a while.

“I was just trying to write as usual…….”

“Mel, as I say all the time, you need to have some confidence.”

Viola, with her frizzy blonde hair tied up high, was doing her best today to encourage me.

“I still can’t forget the shock of the first day when I saw your writing.”

“……Are you talking about the one I used when I was thirteen? Please forget about that.”

“That you’re so talented?”

Viola raised her voice at me, who had a painful face.  She was almost voicing in her characteristic husky voice.

“If your writing is selected, you will make your debut as a writer at once.  You are a talent recognized by the royal family.  Being a woman wouldn’t be a problem!”

“…….”

I guess so. The problem is that there is a vicious premise of ‘if my writing is selected.’

As I drank tea instead of answering, Viola confronted me.

“So what are you going to write, Miss Author? Are you going to start writing from today?”

“You’re calling me Miss Author.”

I blushed and looked into the air. Then, with a sudden thought, I looked down at the teacup, then looked into the air again. After repeating that three times, Viola let out a meaningful laugh.

“What’s going on? You’re thinking about something insidious now, aren’t you?”

“……Huh?”

Is it an insidious thought? I didn’t mean to, but somehow I couldn’t deny it, so I just licked my lips.

Then Viola chuckled and whispered,

“Are you doing this to write a story about dating Sir Toby?”

“No.”

I’m not pretending not to but I couldn’t think of Toby at all.

What I thought of was unfortunately Alan Leopold. The source of all my inspiration. My only muse.

“I’m thinking about writing a story about someone’s crush.….”

“Do you really have to go that far?  After all, even though it’s a novel, but just strongly—”

When I hit Viola’s forehead,  she pursed her lips with an awkward face.

“……no?”

“Novels are not written in a hurry, Viola.  If you want to write a fixed amount in a short time, you have no choice but to borrow materials from everyday life.”

“You don’t mean to write about Mr. Miller.”

Viola made a subtle face.

“Sir Alan?”

“…….”

I thought. It’s not easy to fool my best friend’s eyes.

“Think about it. I can’t use my daily life trapped inside the house because of the stalker as a subject. There’s no way.….”

“After Mr. Miller appeared, I thought you were no longer thinking about Sir Alan.”

Viola continued with a face that seemed to have been shocked.

“You even suffered humiliation because of him, Mel! Did you forget about the ball?”

“……It’s not going as I wanted.”

Whenever I read a book or a poem, I think of him. Whenever I open my eyes or fall asleep, I draw his face helplessly.

It is clear that he will not even remember the face of the person with whom he danced at the ball, but he still dominates my daily life. I’ll just endure my daily life trapped with it. helplessly, like desperate people trembling in front of tyranny

Even if I try to think of Tobias, I can’t help but think of Alan Leopold at the end point of my consciousness.

“I know that liking someone doesn’t work out the way you want it to……but weren’t you trying?”

“…….”

“If you are just getting more into Sir Alan while trying to get into writing, I want you to stop. I mean for writing.”

I clenched my clothes as if I was a child being scolded. Hard enough to make my fingertips turn white.

“Melissa, you are an adult. What are you going to do if Mr. Miller leaves too?”

“Toby…”

“I know, you are a good person.  But is he a good person only in front of your eyes?  How long do you think he will be waiting for you?”

Yes. Just because he shows me a favor now doesn’t mean it’ll last forever. I know well how easily a man’s heart fades. Am I sure that Toby will be different?

Even though we’ve known each other for a while. He proposed a trip to strengthen the relationship a little bit, and I agreed to it for the same reason.

I vaguely knew that if Toby leaves me, someone who would like me might not appear for the rest of my life.

“Haa…”

I put my knees up and buried my face in mixed feelings.

“It’s all because of that stalker…….”

I can’t believe I have a stalker. This is really ridiculous.

Without the stalker, I might have gone on a trip with Toby to New Ditch and fell in love with him, either nothing or something would have happened, or might have even gotten into a relationship with him. Tobias is a man of great character and is a reliable person with whom I can lean on at any time, so wouldn’t I come to like him later on even if it will take some time?

Then my mother’s nagging will disappear. Isn’t that just all it takes? Only then could I have become a proud daughter.

“Melissa, I’m sorry for pushing you so hard. But you’re the most suffocating and scariest person…….”

(T/N: the “scariest person” here means different meaning, Mel makes other person scared for her, since she in a situation which will make people who love her scared)

Viola still won’t understand my mind. I can tell just by looking at her face. She wants me to find stability as soon as possible.

Nevertheless, we warmly rubbed each other’s backs.

“No, thank you for coming.”

Even if we are thinking differently, the fact that we are each other’s only best friends remains unchanged. Viola sincerely hopes for my happiness and I sincerely hope for the happiness of Viola.

* * *

Who will be in charge of the screening, if a novel is sent to the Royal Academy? It’s impossible to notice but I know that the judge cannot not know Alan Leopold.

By the way, is it okay to have a character who is obviously Alan Leopold as the male protagonist?

I named the male protagonist Troy in the novel. He is named after the main character in the classic novel

But all I got is the name. Unlike Troy, who has blonde hair and black eyes, the Troy in my story has pitch black hair and eyes as cold as a blizzard.

……That’s what I’ve considered until this far. The problem was that I accidentally got the name wrong while writing.

“Oh.”

Again.  I shook my head and drew two lines over Alan’s name. And when I wrote Troy in small letters, I thought I couldn’t do it.

“I’m going to stop here for today…….”

I stretched out lazily and went down to the first floor to play the piano—a very small and old thing, of course—or to help with household chores. But just in time, the front door was noisy.

Out of curiosity, I ran and saw that Mr. Greg had just arrived.

Mr. Greg runs a butchery in the city and I’m always grateful for him delivering quality meat to my house and also for being the first one to witness that stalker.

“Hello, Mr. Greg.”

“Oh, Melissa. How have you been?”

Greg smiled kindly as he handed Mrs. Kerney the box of meat.

“I think this is fresh, when was this part slaughtered?”

Listening to Mrs. Kerney’s stern voice and staring blankly at Mr. Greg’s pale eyebrows, I shifted my gaze to the shredded crimson meat.

Then I doubted my eyes.

“The belly part was slaughtered yesterday. It’s perfect for bacon.”

“Hmm, the color is darker than the meat I received last time.”

While Mrs. Kearney was checking the meat with stern eyes, I quickly pulled a note stuck between the chunks of meat.

“Melissa, don’t touch it.”

“Oh… I’m sorry.”

I quickly hid my hand holding the note behind my back. Fortunately, I seemed to be the only one who noticed this.

My heart was beating wildly.  A piece of paper that was folded twice straight and rimmed with gold leaf, was exactly the same shape as the one which the old woman on the previous day crumpled in front of me.

***

Comments from Korean Readers:

Melissa is a little clumsy, but she’s realistic, so I sympathize with her while reading it ㅜㅜ cares about the person sdje like, but even if someone who doesn’t like likes her, not impressed.

I have a bad feeling about Toby.

Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World. Site Only

It feels like watching Sherlock.

Important note: The sentences in box which are in ITALICS and WHITE in colour are the letters exchanged between the characters.

The sentences which are RED IN COLOUR are the notes from stalker and excerpts from the novel she is writing or any book she is reading.

There will be many notes from the stalker coming, excerpts from the novel and ofc the letters too so readers if y’all want me to use any other colour or change anything pls tell me in the comments section