The Romance Fantasy Novel MC is Only Into Me

“Young master, we’ve finished preparing everything as you requested.”
Lancel followed behind Hesti, who spoke with a bright expression.
“You’re going to be surprised.”

“How much so?”
“You’ll see when you look.”
Her voice carried a hint of excitement.

“Merigold, I’m coming in.”
“Ah, just a moment!”
“It’s already too late.”

Hesti opened the closed door.
“Oh.”
Lancel’s eyes widened.

The first thing he saw was Merigold’s face hastily covered by her palm. Light makeup adorned her skin. The small scars from her harsh mercenary life had completely vanished.
Next, his gaze fell on the outfit she wore.
A transparent veil, pristine white fabric, and golden ornaments sparkling in the sunlight. It was an extravagant, luxurious costume she had never worn before.

“How do I look, young master?”
“Pretty. It suits you well.”
He meant it sincerely.

After all, the protagonist is the protagonist.
“If you stare at me like that…”
Merigold twisted awkwardly, trying to avoid Lancel’s gaze.
“Hmm, maybe I should’ve just gone all out on the charm route instead.”

“Huh?”
“Nothing.”
The emperor had summoned him.

Upon hearing that, Lancel had already decided to bring Merigold there.
Why?
Because the place they were heading to was the famous Secret Garden (祕苑).

A secret hideaway exclusively for the royal family. A place where encounters with princes were almost guaranteed. The empire’s most clandestine location—that was the Secret Garden.
Not taking Merigold there was out of the question.
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—Merigold felt uncomfortable in the ‘Royal Palace Noble Dress (rental),’ but ironically, it suited her perfectly.
※ Charm, sexiness, dignity greatly UP!!
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“Even on the warrior route, this much…”
Lancel examined Merigold’s flushed face relentlessly.
“I think I understand why more mercenaries have been trying to marry Meri recently. Don’t you, young master?”

“What? Those bastards?”
Lancel reacted sharply.
How dare mercenaries flirt with a woman destined to be an empress?

Just thinking about it stirred his anger.
“There was one just yesterday, wasn’t there?”
“Yes. Uncle Godman.”

“That crazy old man.”
Lancel was dumbfounded. Godman was a mercenary well past forty. Compared to Merigold, who wasn’t even twenty yet, the age gap was easily more than twice. That man proposed marriage?
“Godman, you’re in trouble.”

Lancel vowed to keep a close eye on his hands once he got back—to set an example so he’d never even dream of it again.
Besides, the warrior route included a damn trap ending involving ‘marriage to a mercenary.’
“So, what did you do to Godman?”

“I knocked him out!”
That was a relief.
But did she dislike him that much?

“Uncle Godman is a good man, but I don’t love him. Marriage is for people who love each other.”
Merigold smiled slyly, raising her fist for emphasis.
“You agree, Master?”

“Well, generally speaking, yes.”
“Me too.”
Merigold took his answer as a yes and smiled charmingly.

Dressed in pure white court attire, her smile was dazzling enough to leave one speechless.
“Merigold, you’re an empress now. Your life has blossomed.”
Lancel intended to secure a definite opportunity when meeting the emperor.

Yes. To firmly set the fact that the Fifth Prince and Merigold would be united.
“You must depart soon, young master. Count of the Court is waiting.”
“Let’s go.”

Outside, the count’s carriage was already waiting.
“Why so late?”
“You can’t appear before His Majesty covered in dust, Count of the Court.”

Pressed by the count, Lancel and Merigold quickly climbed into the carriage.
‘I wonder what the emperor looks like.’
Though Lancel’s memories of the Fallen Noblewoman Simulation were vivid, information about the emperor was limited.

‘There wasn’t even an illustration for him.’
His sister, who made the game, had little interest in the emperor. For her, the emperor was just the emperor, nothing more.
Thus, the emperor’s role in the game was minimal, practically an extra.

But this was reality.
Here, the emperor was the absolute ruler.
The old empire’s royal family had fallen, and the current empire’s supreme leader filled that void.

“Depart.”
“Yes!”
The carriage began moving along the island’s widest road.

 
As the massive imperial palace came into view, Lancel felt the true center of the empire.
“Now I will blindfold you. The fewer who know the path to the Secret Garden, the better.”
“Understood.”

Black cloth covered their eyes.
Perhaps to confuse their sense of direction, the carriage spun around several times before heading straight to one place.
“I feel sick.”

“Hold on.”
“I’m going to vomit.”
“Don’t dirty your clothes.”

“I’ll try. Ugh.”
Lancel sensed Merigold’s complexion worsen. It was a perfect situation to get motion sickness.
“We’ve arrived.”

The blindfolds were removed, and the carriage was parked in the middle of a garden adorned with flower bushes.
“This place…”
“All I see are flowers, Master.”

Merigold, who had been groaning moments ago, sighed softly. The colorful blooms filled her view, making her feel as if she’d stepped into a fairy tale.
Royalty indeed.
They really splurged money here.

“I didn’t expect the Secret Garden — supposedly for secretive and sinister acts — to be this lavish.”
“Sinister acts?”
Merigold tilted her head at the careless muttering.

“Stop spacing out and follow me quickly.”
“Yes, yes.”
They walked along a path lined with blooming flowers. Soon, the view opened wide.

A lake.
A tranquil garden.
Someone stood there.

‘The emperor?’
A large veil surrounded the emperor, leaving only his blurry shadow visible.
Lancel thought, No illustration here either. He knelt on one knee.

Merigold followed him discreetly.
“Your Majesty, as instructed, I have brought Lancel Dante of the Dante Marquis family.”
He felt the shadow beyond the veil look at him. Sticky magical energy brushed over him briefly. The empire’s royal family was suspicious by nature.

“Are you Lancel Dante?”
The voice was frail, as if it could break at any moment. Yet Lancel felt twisted magic around the emperor’s lips.
‘He’s disguising his voice with magic.’

How desperate to hide himself.
“One of my sons took a liking to you. That is why you are here, Lancel Dante.”
He knew who.

‘No one but the Third Prince.’
That man was a blabbermouth.
“I don’t recall meeting you, but if you think well of me, I am honored, Your Majesty.”

Lancel bowed deeply, answering mechanically.
“That will suffice. I called you today to bestow a gift accordingly.”
A gift?

Suddenly?
Money?
Confused, Lancel was nudged by the Count.

“What are you doing? Didn’t His Majesty say he would give a gift?”
“I didn’t think I came to receive a gift.”
“Since he’s giving, just accept it.”

“Since it’s free, why not?”
“Planning to refuse?”
“You two, I can hear you.”

A quick whispered conversation passed among Lancel, the Count, and Merigold. Lancel finally bowed lower.
“I am deeply grateful for ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) your boundless grace, Your Majesty.”
The emperor paused briefly, then spoke.

“I appoint you as a court knight, Lancel Dante. This is the gift I have prepared.”
A bigger gift than expected.
For a knightly family, having their son enter the court knights was definitely an honor.

It was good news for Lancel too — practically a license to enter the palace.
“To a good knight, I bestow an honor to serve by my side. Take pride in it.”
But.

Hmm.
“Your Majesty.”
Lancel still had one more request.

“Could you write a little more?”
The eyes of the Count, Merigold, attendants, and knights all opened wide in shock.
 
“...What?”

Lancel said again without hesitation.
“Could you write a little more, Your Majesty?”
“I heard that right.”

They seemed to think they misheard. Everyone, including the emperor.
One knight beside the emperor began trembling.
“How dare you speak so rudely to His Majesty...”

That was it. Over 200 years of dying, injury, and even being dragged to the execution platform and burned alive had changed one thing for Lancel.
He had lost all fear.
“You, now.”

The emperor beyond the veil was stiff and looked shocked.
Lancel didn’t stop talking.
“You said you would bestow a gift, but honestly, I don’t understand, Your Majesty.”

“...What don’t you understand?”
The Count kept poking Lancel’s shoulder, mumbling urgent warnings laced with curses.
Merigold tugged his collar, lost in thought, murmuring unintelligibly.

Lancel ignored them all.
“I have no memory of doing anything deserving of a gift, Your Majesty.”
“Until now, I have given gifts without reason, but you are the first to question me, Lancel Dante.”

The emperor looked stunned.
“Maybe those who accepted gifts blindly were the strange ones, Your Majesty.”
“Well, your words are flawed. You say you haven’t done anything deserving a gift, yet you demand more?”

The Count and Merigold, who tried to stop Lancel, momentarily agreed with the emperor.
It was contradictory.
“I understand this gift means you will want much from me in the future.”

“Is that a complaint? That a knight becomes the emperor’s man? That I would ask something of you?”
“If you want to make me Your Majesty’s man, then I will demand more.”
A chain of shock.

“You dare make a deal with me, Lancel Dante?”
“All things in this world are weighed on scales, Your Majesty.”
“Even if I were to behead you here and now?”

The emperor’s voice trembled with quiet rage. They thought he’d back down.
“If you wish, do so.”
The emperor’s mouth hung open, then stiffened.

There was no fear.
Because.
‘After all, this guy isn’t even the real emperor.’

Lancel already knew his true identity.
What was once a guess became certainty after seeing his reaction earlier.