Fated to Die to the Player, I'll Live Freely with My SSS-Class Ship!

Thanks to Cassandra's firm reign and presence, she managed to calm the nobles down and bring the ceremony to a close. Though I'm sure it was cut short—because of me.

I learned later that the globe I held back then wasn't what I thought it was.

It didn't symbolize a church or faith or anything of the sort. No—it actually represented the very essence of a person.

The sphere symbolized one's soul, with the silver crested lining signifying the body that houses that soul. The cross pattée at the top stood for the "aspects" or traits that made up a human being.

In short, when I tried to hand that orb to Cassandra upon arrival, it could very well be interpreted as saying, "I offer you my body and soul—please take it." That kind of heavy, romantic implication.

Apparently, it was the third most recognized way of proposing among noble houses.

The second mistake was in my words during the ceremony. I figured none of it would cause trouble, but each part—when analyzed—was problematic in its own charming, disastrous way.

The first line: "This life, I offer to the Crown—not merely in service, but in devotion." That could be seen as not only pledging loyalty as a subject, but expressing admiration—bordering on romantic—because of the word "devotion."

Then came the second line: "I am, and shall ever remain, Her Majesty's most loyal subject." That part? Even worse. It got interpreted as me declaring that I would see no one but Cassandra, not only as my Queen, but as a woman—for life.

My reaction? Something like, how the hell did all that come from just a couple of dramatic lines?! But I suppose, considering cultural context and deep-rooted traditions... yeah, history wins.

"You're incredibly lucky that Cassandra knew you were clueless about their customs. If not for that, what you did could've gotten you executed right there and then for Lèse-majesté."

Eva, who had taken it upon herself to explain all this to me after the ceremony, groaned as she pressed an ice pack to her forehead.

"To think I'd live to see you propose to someone else so boldly... (That should've been me...!)"

"Huh? What was that?"

"I SAID NOTHING, YOU BIG DUMMY!"

I could've sworn I heard her muttering something under her breath...

Meanwhile, Cassandra was busy managing the chaos I had caused. With her sheer presence and her ability, it was all being contained rather effectively.

If push came to shove, I had no doubt she could bring everything under control in an instant. As Eva's replacement, a squad of a dozen soldiers—each under her influence—stood guard where she used to be stationed.

Strangely enough, the one needing the most protection now wasn't the Queen—it was me.

*ZIIIN!*

"Hmm?"

Right at that moment, the automatic defense system of the room activated. Red beams shot upward toward the ceiling, searing through metal. A second later, blood began dripping from the hole.

Someone had just died. Right there.

"This makes seventeen..." Eva muttered with a heavy sigh. "You... really managed to earn the nobles' hatred in record time."

"Hey, it's not like I planned any of this... Nobody even bothered to tell me how a conferring ceremony is supposed to work!"

I was pretty sure even Gerard wouldn't have known all these obscure traditions. What surprised me more was how well Eva knew them—down to the smallest detail. The reason behind that, once revealed, felt obvious.

"My home planet, Baltheves-402, is part of an aristocratic star system too."

It wasn't within the Meyers Star System, but their noble customs were largely aligned. Apparently, long ago, noble etiquette was standardized across the universe—though those times were ancient history now.

"I see..."

I gave a small nod, letting it sink in. Then, a thought popped into my head. "Right, what did you get from Cassandra? You must've received some kind of reward or peerage, yeah?"

"You really think I'm noble material?" Eva growled, narrowing her eyes. "Even if I were offered a Duchess title, I'd turn it down flat. Ruling people sounds like a massive pain. Not my style at all."

"..."

Yeah, fair point. Honestly, I also felt overwhelmed being handed an entire planet out of nowhere.

Back in the game, acquiring planets was routine. Governance was simple—just shift some sliders on the interface, and everything sorted itself out. Low effort, high reward.

But this? This wasn't a game. This was real. No more sliders, no admin panels, no auto-managing tools. Every little thing had to be done manually!

"So... you're free?" I asked, an idea suddenly taking root in my mind. "Then maybe... if you're interested, would you want to help govern that planet with me?"

The moment those words left my mouth, Eva's face went blank. She stared for a moment, then slowly blinked—and her cheeks began to flush crimson. In the next heartbeat, she erupted.

"B-Bastard...!" she yelled, stumbling for words as her face went nuclear. "You said that without realizing what it meant again, didn't you?! Fuck! You ignorant fool! Idiot! Go get sucked into a black hole and die!"

"E-Eh?! What now? What did I say this time?!"

"Gods, I knew it..."

Eva groaned, the ice pack on her forehead hissing as it evaporated on contact. Her temperature was so high the ice turned to vapor in seconds.

"Then let me explain." She shot me a look, her cheeks still glowing pink. "What you just said? That's another proposal. A casual one—like asking me to be your Duchess!"

"Oh, was it?"

Now that I think about it, my words could be taken that way. But still… how many damn ways do nobles have to propose that my casual remarks end up being interpreted as full-blown proposals?

I'm already exhausted just thinking about it, man…

"Alright, I get it. Then, what do you say about becoming the Duchess?" I asked, intent on offloading all the annoying responsibilities onto her.

"...I just explained that what you said counts as a proposal, and you're still going to ask that? Are you right in the head? Or… wait, are you seriously asking?"

Eva's mood swung like a pendulum. Angry one moment, concerned the next, and now, totally unreadable. Her face was blank, but I could sense the undercurrent of anxiety in her voice.

It felt like a waste to toss away the Duke title just because it was "troublesome." If I could transfer it to Eva instead, it'd be the perfect solution.

And besides, the medical tech available in the Meyers Star System far surpassed anything on her home world. Her mother could receive top-tier treatment here—something that might not even exist back on Baltheves-402.

"I'm dead serious." I sighed, sprawling across the edge of the massive bed. "But hey, your opinion matters most here, so I'm not going to force you."

Sure, there were benefits to her becoming a Duchess. But there were also dangers—like the swarm of would-be assassins crawling through my ceiling as we spoke. Nobility came with perks... and very sharp drawbacks.

Eva narrowed her eyes, clearly suspicious.

"If this turns out to be another one of your misunderstandings, I swear—I'm going to kill you. For real." She muttered coldly, her voice stripped of any hint of humor.

A chill ran down my spine. She didn't sound like she was joking—and knowing Eva, she probably wasn't. But there was nothing for her to misunderstand this time. My words were straight, unambiguous... I think. She should get what I meant loud and clear.

"Alright, I swear on my life. I'm serious about making you a Duchess." I gave her a lazy thumbs-up while still sprawled out on the bed.

Eva didn't answer immediately.

For several long minutes, there was only silence, broken occasionally by the room's automated laser defense system, flaring to life and quietly eliminating yet another intruder.

"I… need time to think." She finally spoke, her voice unsure. "I'll give you my answer after dinner." With that, she stood and left the room, wandering out in a daze like someone deep in thought.

"…Ah."

She left just like that. But hold on—what about me?

Who's going to protect me now?

---

*BAM!*

Eva arrived at her room and slammed the door shut.

It locked automatically, so she didn't even bother checking it before heading straight to the bed. Just like Arthur's, the bed here was massive. Easily enough to fit a dozen people with room to spare.

She peeled off her armor with practiced hands, leaving only her innerwear behind—a form-fitting, blue, rubber-like suit that clung to her body with stubborn precision. Designed as a basic space suit, it was surprisingly tough even on its own.

"Arthur..."

Eva let out a deep sigh and crawled into the center of the bed, collapsing onto her back. She stared at the ceiling as memories of recent events flickered across her mind like a projection.

The kiss Arthur gave Cassandra during the Grand Prix.

Her own kiss to him, right after.

And just earlier, in the audience chamber—how Arthur had so boldly, and cluelessly, proposed not once but twice to Cassandra.

Her chest tightened. A strange, new emotion began to blossom deep inside her.

Jealousy. Restlessness. And… Admiration.

"If things keep spiraling with all these stupid misunderstandings, sooner or later…" she murmured, draping an arm over her eyes.

But deep down, she understood.

That last thing Arthur said—about making her a Duchess—probably wasn't meant in the way she wanted to believe. It wasn't about her becoming "his" Duchess… but just "a Duchess." Status. Title. Duty.

The thought made her frustrated. Irritated, even.

How did she even end up falling for such a clueless idiot like Arthur?

But like they say—even a grain of dust can form a mountain over time. One small thing after another had stacked up, and before she realized it, there was no going back.

More than confusion over her own emotions, however, it was Cassandra's involvement that troubled her the most right now.

She had claimed to let go—to give up on Arthur. But from what Eva had seen these past few days, she was certain of one thing:

Cassandra hadn't given up. Not even close.

That was the real problem. The Queen, despite her serene and gentle demeanor, was surprisingly assertive when it came to Arthur. And that's what unsettled Eva more than anything.

"If I don't step in soon, those two are going to..."

She scowled, imagining a future she didn't want to see.

"Before that... I..."

And in that moment, a decision was made.

A decision she couldn't take back.