Chapter 4

"I heard that a lot of your wishes were simply asking him to smile a little more." Keith chuckled as he teased Sheila, but his eyes gradually turned red.

Sheila quickly let go of my hand and gently took Keith's instead. Her voice became soft and full of affection.

"If it weren't because his smile reminded me of yours, I never would have made those wishes. You know that, Keith. From the beginning... you've always been the only one in my heart."

Keith immediately blushed.

I simply stood there in silence. I had known all along. Whenever Sheila looked at me, she was really looking at someone else. The affection that had once seemed to belong to me had disappeared overnight, handed entirely to someone else.

Even so... a dull ache still spread through my chest.

Without another word, I leaped into the freezing river. Fighting against the icy current, I retrieved the floating lantern. That left... only two wishes.

After climbing back onto the riverbank, I accepted the ten gold coins from Keith.

"Your 98th wish... I've fulfilled it."

Without looking at either of them again, I turned and headed for the town clinic. After taking the medicine the doctor prescribed, I spent an entire day drifting in and out of sleep at a nearby inn.

I had planned to find Sheila and finish the last two wishes once I felt a little better. However, someone from Johnson Manor found me first.

"Lady Sheila asked me to deliver a message. Her 99th wish… is for you to perform a dance at the Royal Music Hall."

Keith wanted to spend every moment with Sheila, and she took him to the Royal Music Hall, the most famous entertainment venue in the capital. Unfortunately, while they were there, Keith accidentally offended the notorious leader of a powerful criminal syndicate.

To settle the matter peacefully, the man made a demand. The guest of honor for the evening had to change into an extravagant stage costume and perform a dance in front of everyone.

Sheila could not bear to let Keith suffer that kind of humiliation, nor could she risk exposing the fact that he was still alive.

Hence, she chose me.

"So, she wants me to take his place?"

Making a man wear a flashy performance costume and dance before a crowd was nothing but public humiliation.

My heart slowly sank. Even the footman delivering the message looked embarrassed. He clearly thought she had gone too far.

In the end... I still agreed.

After fulfilling this wish, there would be only one left. After that, I could finally go home.

When I arrived at the Royal Music Hall, I changed into the elaborate stage costume they had prepared. Ignoring the laughter and mocking whispers all around me, I quietly completed the entire performance.

After the show ended, Sheila finally showed the slightest trace of guilt.

"I won't drive you away anymore. Since you're so in love with me, I'll have someone arrange a place for you to live. Stay by my side from now on. You can be my personal guard.

"I've already promised Keith. The only man I'll ever marry is him."

She spoke as though she were doing me a great favor. However, I simply stepped back and gently moved her hand away.

"I don't need that."

It was the first time I had ever refused her.

Sheila's expression immediately darkened. "You'd better think this through. If you refuse, I won't give you another chance."

She believed I would regret it. However, I just continued to walk away. The only thing I had ever truly wanted... was to go home.

...

Sheila's 97th wish had been for me to leave her forever. However, in order to fulfill the wishes that remained, I had no choice but to keep returning to her. The two contradictory wishes continued tearing my body apart.

Curled up in my room at the inn, I took bitter medicine every day.

At the same time, day after day, I sent letters to Johnson Manor. Every single one carried the same reminder—she still owed me one final wish.

However, Sheila never replied. All of her attention was focused on creating a new identity for Keith and preparing for their wedding.

Several days passed. At last, I decided to see her in person.

However, she refused to meet me every time. I knew exactly what she was doing. She was trying to force me to give in, trying to make me accept her offer and stay by her side as her guard.

Hence, we remained at a stalemate.

Half a month later, a diplomatic delegation from a neighboring kingdom arrived in the royal capital. Only then did Sheila finally come to see me.

"The truth about Keith faking his death and returning home has been exposed. The king is furious."

She fell silent for a moment before she said, "So… my final wish… is for you to impersonate Prince Keith. Take his punishment in his place and leave the kingdom with the diplomatic delegation."