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Chapter 7: The protagonist’s script

Chapter 7: The protagonist’s script

Aldric sat in his study, the intercepted real letter lying on the desk before him.

He had read the contents twice.

Leviana had truly woken earlier than expected.

According to what Aldric knew, she should have remained in a coma for nearly another year before waking in a state of disoriented memory. At that point, he would appear as the devoted betrothed who had faithfully waited for her all those years, help her recover, and gradually earn the trust of the family behind her.

Everything should have been very simple.

But now, the storyline had changed.

Leviana had not only woken early but had also taken the initiative to keep Lathel by her side.

Aldric set the letter down, his expression turning sour. ’Perhaps because Lathel cared for her too long, she’s temporarily dependent on him now that she’s just woken. It’s just a normal psychological response.’

He didn’t believe Lathel could truly change anything.

In the story Aldric knew, Lathel was nothing more than a background character with no abilities, no storyline of his own, who even died before the main plot began. His existence only served to explain how Leviana could escape the betrothal during her coma.

An Extra like that could never steal the female lead who rightfully belonged to him.

The man in black standing before the desk asked in a low voice: "Young Master, what do we do with the letter?"

Aldric took out a blank sheet of paper and spoke while writing: "Use the seal we’ve prepared and create a different letter. Write that Leviana woke but her condition suddenly deteriorated, and she wants to see her parents one last time. Demand they depart in secret along the northern route and not bring too many people."

The subordinate hesitated slightly. "Lady Leviana’s family head is very cautious. A single letter may not be enough to convince him."

"He’ll believe it." Aldric smiled, tapping his finger lightly on the desk. "His daughter has been in a coma for five years, just woke up, and is now suddenly in danger. Any father would lose his composure. Besides, the letter will bear our family’s seal and the herbalist’s mark."

"After he sets out, then what?"

"Have men ambush the convoy at Grail Pass. Don’t kill him; just make sure enough of the escort is wounded. I’ll happen to be hunting nearby and show up at just the right moment to drive off the attackers."

The subordinate understood at once. "Then Leviana’s family will be indebted to you."

"Not just indebted." Aldric leaned back in his chair, his face brimming with confidence. "Her family is an important resource in my storyline. Once her father agrees to let my people help defend the territory, their army, merchant guild, and transport network will gradually fall into my hands."

The subordinate didn’t understand what "storyline" meant, but he had long grown used to Aldric’s strange way of speaking. He bowed his head and asked: "What about Lathel?"

Aldric laughed coldly. "Don’t bother with him. He’s just a background character. Once Leviana is settled, everything will return to its proper course. A man with no talent who can’t even speak, what could he possibly use to compete with me?"

Right at that moment, another person entered the room and dropped to one knee.

"Young Master, the bug placed in the western stables has transmitted new information. Lathel went to see Gareth."

Aldric’s eyes shifted slightly. "What did they say?"

"Lathel came to collect mare’s milk for preparing Leviana’s medicinal fluid. Gareth said nothing else. Afterward, Lathel left with two bottles of milk."

Aldric thought for a few seconds, then lost interest and waved his hand dismissively. "Just caretaker business. I thought Leviana had given him some important task."

The subordinate promptly bowed his head.

Aldric looked at the letter on the desk, the corner of his mouth curling upward. "Prepare the men. In three days, I’ll head to Grail Pass."

In his eyes, everything was still under control.

The storyline had only deviated by a very small margin.

All he needed to do was correct it.

...

When Lathel returned, Leviana was still awake.

She was propped against two pillows, her complexion paler than when he had left. Her eyelids had grown heavy, but she was still fighting to stay conscious, her gaze constantly drifting toward the door.

Only when Lathel appeared did the tension on her face ease.

He placed the two bottles of milk on the table, closed the door, then walked to the bedside.

Leviana looked at the dust clinging to his sleeve. "Did you deliver the letter?"

Lathel nodded.

She looked at his hands.

Lathel used sign language to recount the meeting with Gareth, handing over the letter, discovering the bug, and using the mare’s milk as a cover. He tried to go slowly so Leviana could see clearly, but when he reached the part about Gareth returning the eagle badge, she had already noticed the spot on his chest.

"Show me."

Lathel took the badge out.

Leviana looked at the small object resting in his palm, and the corner of her lips curved slightly. Gareth had understood her intent. From now on, those loyal to the family would no longer see Lathel as an unimportant stand-in.

He continued signing.

Leviana watched for a while, then said with a straight face: "You’re saying Gareth swore to obey your commands completely?"

Lathel froze at once.

His hands moved faster.

"No."

"I didn’t say that."

Leviana raised an eyebrow slightly. "Then you’re saying he acknowledged you as an ally?"

Lathel nodded.

"That’s what I said."

He looked at her with open suspicion.

Leviana couldn’t hold back a laugh. "I was only teasing you that time."

Lathel was quiet for a moment, then turned to pick up the board and chalk sitting beside the bed.

The smile on Leviana’s lips grew clearer. "You’re starting to doubt my ability to read your signs?"

Lathel wrote on the board:

I think you understand perfectly well and are just saying it wrong on purpose.

"Do you have proof?"

He looked at her.

Leviana rested her chin on her hand and said calmly: "You can’t speak. Who’s going to back you up?"

Lathel: "..."

Seeing the helplessness on his face, Leviana stopped teasing. She quickly asked: "How did Gareth handle the bug?"

Lathel used the board to write out the entire process in detail.

After reading it, Leviana’s eyes turned cold at once. In the previous life, Gareth’s identity had also been exposed, but back then she had still thought he was just a steward who had betrayed Aldric’s family. She had even agreed to let Aldric’s people arrest him.

Three days later, Gareth died in the dungeon.

By the time Leviana learned he had been the last guard her father had secretly left behind, his body had already been cremated.

’Yet another thing I got wrong.’

She tightened her grip slightly.

In Leviana’s memory, the people who had truly wanted to help her had all been pushed away by her own hand, while the one who kept speaking sweet words had been given her absolute trust.

Aldric hadn’t needed to personally kill everyone.

More often than not, her own foolishness had done the job for him.

Seeing her expression darken, Lathel immediately signed to ask whether he should call for the herbalist.

Leviana shook her head. "I’m fine. The bug being discovered is a good thing. It proves Aldric has been monitoring Gareth for some time."

He wrote:

Should we report this to the head of the family here?

"No."

Why?

Leviana looked toward the door. "The head of the family is Aldric’s father. We don’t know how much he’s involved in his son’s plans. Reporting to him might only alert Aldric that we’re already on guard."

Lathel thought it over, then continued writing:

If the letter really has been swapped, your father will be in danger.

"Gareth’s letter will arrive first."

What if it doesn’t make it in time?

Leviana was silent for a few seconds.

She understood that Lathel was genuinely worried, not merely following orders. That softened her voice a little.

"My father isn’t someone who’s easily fooled. As long as he receives the warning, he won’t walk into the trap the way Aldric hopes. Besides, when someone believes they already know how things will end, the easiest thing to exploit is their confidence."

Lathel looked at her.

He didn’t know what Leviana had been through, but the woman before him was nothing like a young lady who had just woken from a five-year coma. She was too weak to even step out of bed on her own, yet the way she thought was calmer and sharper than most people he had ever met.

Seeing him stare, Leviana asked: "Do you find me frightening?"

Lathel shook his head.

"Then what are you thinking?"

He wrote:

You’re very smart.

Leviana looked at that line for a while, then smiled faintly. "If I were truly smart, I wouldn’t have lost everything in the last life."

Lathel didn’t understand.

She didn’t explain either, only changing the subject: "Help me take my medicine. I won’t be able to stay awake much longer."

Lathel immediately prepared the medicinal fluid. Following the herbalist’s instructions, he mixed a small amount of mare’s milk into the medicine bottle, then checked the temperature before bringing it to her.

Leviana tried to lift her hand, but her wrist only trembled before giving out.

Lathel was about to call for a maid.

She spoke at once: "No need. You help me."

He hesitated briefly, then pulled the chair closer, one hand supporting her back while the other held the cup. Leviana leaned against his shoulder, slowly drinking the medicine sip by sip.

The distance between them became very close.

Lathel was focused only on the pace of her swallowing, pausing now and then to let her breathe. Leviana, on the other hand, could clearly feel the warmth from his arm, and she noticed the care in every small movement.

In the previous life, she had once despised Lathel’s presence.

Every time he tried to approach, she assumed he wanted to exploit the betrothed title for personal gain. When he used sign language to warn her about Aldric, she didn’t understand, and didn’t want to understand. Once, Lathel had blocked her path outside the hidden chamber, trying to keep her from stepping into the array, but Leviana had coldly summoned her guards to drag him away.

That very day, she lost her magic veins.

’He was trying to save me.’

’But I thought he was being a nuisance.’

Leviana’s heart ached sharply.

The arm holding the cup trembled, nearly spilling the medicinal fluid. Lathel stopped immediately, wiped the corner of her lips with a cloth, and asked if she was in pain.

Leviana looked at him for a long time before saying: "It doesn’t hurt."

She paused for a moment.

"I was just remembering some things I regret."

Lathel didn’t ask further.

He continued helping her finish the medicine. The moment the last drop slid down her throat, lines of pale golden text appeared before Leviana’s eyes.

[Fortune Star Halo is protecting you.]

[A threat targeting an ally has been detected and eliminated.]

[Medicinal potency is being fully absorbed.]

[Damaged magic veins are beginning to restructure.]

Leviana closed her eyes gently.

A current of warm mana spread from her mana core, flowing through magic veins that had nearly run dry. After five years of coma, her power had severely declined, and even the foundation that had once reached the Sage tier was riddled with countless cracks.

But now, everywhere the mana current passed was being repaired.

Not restored to its former state.

But made stronger than before.

The magic veins that had already been wider than an ordinary person’s continued to expand, the vessel walls grew thicker and more stable, and the mana was refined to a purity that astonished even Leviana herself.

She had once been a genius among geniuses.

Before she was sabotaged, Leviana had stepped into the Sage tier at a remarkably young age, leading countless people to believe she could reach an even higher realm in the future.

But only now did she realize that the foundation she’d built back then still had far too many flaws.

Lathel’s blessing was helping her rebuild everything from scratch.

A wisp of cold air escaped from Leviana’s fingertip, slowly condensing into a tiny ice blossom.

Lathel saw it and immediately set the cup down, reaching for the bell cord.

She quickly caught his wrist.

"No need to call anyone. This is a good thing."

He signed to ask if she was sure.

Leviana looked at those hands, remembering all the countless times she had refused to believe him, then nodded.

"I’m sure."

She closed her fingers, causing the ice blossom to dissolve into faint blue light.

"This time, I will trust the person standing beside me."

Lathel didn’t fully understand what that sentence meant. He simply assumed Leviana was talking about her recovery, so he gave a small nod and pulled the blanket up for her.

Drowsiness had arrived.

Leviana still struggled to keep her eyes open and asked: "Has Gareth sent the letter out yet?"

Lathel nodded.

"Good."

She took hold of his hand, her eyelids slowly falling shut.

"Aldric thinks everything is still going according to his script."

The corner of Leviana’s lips curved.

"Let him keep performing."