《I Became the Younger Sister of a Regretful Obsessive Male Lead》 Chapter 1 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 1 Prologue ¡°Rachel.¡± Oh, it was a sad voice. When he spoke in that kind of voice, it made me forget that the former was firm and angry. I agonized for a moment while biting my lips, but soon shook my head. No matter how much I favor him, I can¡¯t let this go. I moved away from where I had stopped. Even if I walked fast, I couldn¡¯t get away from him who had longer legs and a bigger stride than mine. ¡°Please, Rachel.¡± He grabbed me by the shoulder after catching up. His expression was on the verge of tears after holding me so eagerly. ¡°Brother.¡± I ended up calling him. I knew this would happen. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to get mad when looking at him. His hair, which looks like the absence of stars on a clear night sky, fluttered in the wind. Underneath his pitch-ck hair, I could see glowing eyes that looked like melted gold was poured into them. I could not look anywhere else when I met his eyes, which were even shinier than the surface of water. urately noticing my slightly resigned facial expression, he carefully opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. Forgive me.¡± No, what are you begging for? After a small sigh, I looked around and held his hand. I only pulled lightly, but he easily got dragged. There were no people in the hallway because they were all in the banquet held at the imperial pce, but we still acted carefully. No one knows when, who, or what they would hear. Then I whispered with my lips close to his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t throw gloves at the banquet hall from now on. Okay?¡±¡°¡­..¡± But he didn¡¯t answer. He looked at me desperately as if at any approaching second he was ready to eat me. My face was going to get pierced with how intensely he was staring. It¡¯s your favorite part of me. I got goosebumps because I stared at him in silence with his doll-like appearance staring back. He wanted to caress my arm, so he tried to pull his hand out of my grip, but I gripped it harder. ¡°Brother.¡± I called him again with a stern look on my face. Only then did Lucian who looked at my face, let go of the hand he held as if he really didn¡¯t want to let go. He suddenly opened his mouth as he let his arms hang loose at his sides with his wandering hands. The sorrowful voice he had a while ago had now changed to a cold voice. ¡°I can¡¯t promise that.¡±¡°¡­¡­Brother?¡± He had never disobeyed what I had said before, so I had no choice but to react one beat slower. I was surprised and stopped moving while his hand caressed down my arm, he then held my hand again and gently raised the corners of his mouth. It was his expression that I liked the most. He smiles softly at me with affectionate eyes. However, contrary to his soft expression, the wordsing out of his mouth were as sharp as a de. ¡°I¡¯m really offended by people who approach you recklessly. Actually, gloves aren¡¯t enough. I should have continued all the way¡­¡± Looking at him who wanted to say something more, but seemed to swallow the words, I unintentionally defended the young man who asked me for a dance. You should not throw gloves at the banquet, a life or death duel is too much, and besides, I¡¯m worried about your well being! ¡°But requesting a dance at a banquet is just a formality. They thought I came without a partner, so they just asked me for a dance. But as soon as I finished dancing, you suddenly threw gloves at them.¡±¡°You¡¯re stupid to think you¡¯re here without a partner, Ray. Your partner is me.¡±¡°¡­¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t refute this part either. Of course I had toe without an official partner. However, since I came with my family, It could be said that I did have him as my partner and dance as he said. ¡°You could dance with me.¡± Lucian added carefully. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± I breathed a long sigh. Yeah. Could I ever win over him, my favorite, in an argument? Especially if he shows me that kind of look. But that young man didn¡¯t do anything wrong! While I stared at him with his beautiful eyebrows pulled down in a pitiful look, I pulled his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, brother.¡± Now that I¡¯ve said this, I¡¯m sure you understand that I¡¯m wrapping this outing up. He didn¡¯t move when I was about to step away. So I tugged my hand slightly. He needs toe to me if he¡¯s going to behave like this. But I couldn¡¯t get him to listen this time. Rather, I was yanked back by him because he used a little strength. At the same time, the heels I was wearing were so unstable that I felt like I was going to hit my face on his chest. But before I hit my forehead on his hard chest, he naturally wrapped an arm around my waist. As smooth as a dance. Lucian put my hand around his neck and looked down at me with a calm gaze. He looked so handsome no matter how many times I looked at him. I was ashamed that I could feel my cheeks reddening, so I tried to get away from him. But I couldn¡¯t. After he put more force on his arm around my waist, I lowered my head. His soft hair tickled my neck. No wonder I was apanied by a breezy feeling around my body. ¡°¡­Rachel.¡± Sometimes his voice sounded like a cold winter. I¡¯m sure his eyes are as warm as spring. ¡°Yes, brother.¡±¡°Don¡¯t dance with another man again.¡±¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Shouldn¡¯t I get married someday? To do that, I should dance with other men. As if he didn¡¯t hear my answer, he naturally turned the subject around. ¡°Until when will you call me brother?¡±¡°What would I call you instead brother if I shouldn¡¯t call you that?¡± As if he had heard a joke when I answered he let out a small burst ofughter and then I looked up. He moved his face closer to mine. His eyes were bright like a brilliant full moon floating in the dark night sky, so I thought I would be possessed without realizing it. ¡°You and I are not blood rted .¡± Ah¡­¡­my favorite. Why are you hitting my sore spot all of a sudden? I had been adopted by the duke, but Lucian was dissatisfied with that decision. How nice was this sister to you? When I looked at him with a very sad look, he asked in a begging voice. ¡°Call my name.¡± I always call you by your first name¡­ I don¡¯t know why you keep asking me to call you by your name these days. Well, there¡¯s no one around, so should I just give in? I purposely called it out in a small voice with a bright expression. ¡°Lucian?¡±¡°One more time.¡±¡°Lucian.¡± While I was still nkly calling him by his first name, he suddenly smiled brightly. My heart thumped so hard when I saw that expression that I¡¯ve never seen before. Because I always wanted him to be happy like that. His arm, which was still wrapped around my waist, pulled me closer. Leaning heavily on his chest, I felt suffocated and tapped him on the back. Why do you like it so much when I call your name? Do you want me to say it often? I was delighted by his reaction and thought of doing that often to please him, but I didn¡¯t see what kind of expression he was making.I didn¡¯t know at this time that he would be lovingly brushing his fingers through my hair while holding me close. Where on earth did I go wrong? Chapter 1 ¨C I Possessed an Extra in a Romance Fantasy Story? There were three major turning points in my life.At the third turning point, I read web novels and webtoons like crazy. Like I was running away. Tired of living in reality, my mind has been sent elsewhere and locked myself away from society. Then one day, I opened my eyes and found myself as a little girl in a cute dress. My gloomy and dazed spirit gradually faded as I faced a new world. This is what they called Possession! Dismissing it as a dream, I enjoyed my life without thinking. On top of that, I devoured the affection that the sweet parents of my possessed body gave me. Even if it wasn¡¯t affection meant for me, I wasn¡¯t disappointed. When I desperately wanted this situation to continue forever, I got the news as suddenly as before. My parents had passed away. Because I was in a situation simr to my previous life, I returned to istion again. In such a short period of time, I never expected my uncle toe over to my family¡¯s estate. Even if my uncle was Count Narrum and his family, I could not do anything but watch. Despite my sorrow, I soon came to my senses, but the situation was already out of my control. I wanted to escape again, and I was already running away from something, but when I was thinking about how to get out of here, someone came for me. It was the Duke himself, a high aristocrat of the Empire. The Duke said, while he was looking at me with sorrowful eyes. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ your godfather.¡± I didn¡¯t know about the existence of my godfather. I didn¡¯t know a lot about the world I was now living in, but I didn¡¯t want to miss this chance. All I wanted was to escape. After following him I found out which novel I have been living in.The bright sun briefly hid behind the clouds, and I could see the face of the boy who came out to meet me. He had long eyebrows, and big eyes, and his irises peeking out below his long eyshes glowed like gold. His nose bridge is sleek and high, and his face was pale and white, but his red lips showed that he was alive. His appearance itself was very colorful and bright, but his expression and eyes were numb. This contrast made the boy¡¯s aura look mysterious. Finally, after wiping away the tears right under my eyes, I came to my senses. I knew the boy in front of me very well. ¡¶There is another doll that lives in the dollhouse¡· The BL Webtoon I read just before I was sent here. It was the only work that I wrote maliciousments on while reading web novels and webtoons for three years. Nevertheless, the reason why I had to love this novel is because of this boy, someone who would be swallowed up by regret. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 2 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 2 ¡°My Lord, you were out here after all.¡± I managed to take my eyes off the boy because of what the Duke¡¯s aide said. But the beautiful child made such a strong impression that I couldn¡¯t easily look away from him. His ck hair and golden eyes shone brilliantly as if they were being burned onto my mind. ¡°Lucian.¡± The Duke called the boy with a terrible, cold voice, unlike when he called me. I barely felt like I could even breathe in the heavy atmosphere. ¡°Yes, Father.¡± ¡°Why are you out here?¡± The boy raised his head and spoke right after he bowed his head. He stared at me, not at my new father, the Duke, and responded. ¡°I heard my sister wasing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­hmm.¡± In response to the boy¡¯s words, the duke nasally asked him if he liked this situation. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve done something you like. Yeah, I¡¯ve been waiting for you all this way, so I¡¯ll introduce you.¡± What? You weren¡¯t even going to introduce me? I had no choice but to look down at the boy because the duke was holding me in his arms. I caught my eyes on my dry wrist. ¡°This is Rachel de Elrand, who will be staying at our house in the future. She¡¯s going to be Rachel De Leon soon enough. Leon, you say? Is this really the Leon that I know? No, wait a second. I was so astonished that I looked back at the duke withte recognition in my eyes. He stared piercingly back at me. ¡°You really look alike.¡± Who the hell do I look like? I knew the duke kept ncing at me while we were riding in the carriage, and I was wondering what he was thinking about when he was doing that. I was curious about why he, a high aristocrat, became my godfather, but who does the Duke think of when he is looking at me? For your information, my body in this life resembles my father and mother evenly. My emerald green hair, which looks like jewels in bright sunlight, was inherited from my father, and my dark blue eyes that resemble the night sky shortly after sunset were from my mother. The Duke told me with his eyes moistened with memories. ¡°As a godfather, I will take responsibility for you, so don¡¯t hesitate to tell me what you want to do or have. Everything in this estate is as good as yours.¡± Wow, is my godfather that incredible? Is this situation just like in the ones in movies, where the godfather is super kind? ¡°You are Liam¡¯s child. That means you are like my own child.¡± My curiosity was quickly resolved, and that reduced my worries. The Duke gently swept my hair out of my face while he continued to stare and my face reddened from embarrassment. I ended up catching the Duke¡¯s expression when he said my father¡¯s name. His eyes, which were mixed with a strange longing and madness, turned to me. But he wasn¡¯t really looking at me. I was observing the Duke who was busy projecting my father¡¯s image onto me. I could see how much he loved my father just by the hand that kept caressing my face. Oh, this is the BL webtoon, ¡°There is another doll that lives in the dollhouse¡±. Now I remember. There were already some BL couples, starting with some of the fathers. The Duke¡¯s attitude and words made me feel morefortable since I remembered the webtoon now. Beforeing here, I feel like I lived my life walking on an ice coveredke and only taking careful steps. It was no different from when I read web novels and webtoons like crazy to escape from reality in my first life. However, now I know that I have transmigrated into a character in a BL Webtoon that I have read before, and my favorite character has appeared right in front of me. It was at this moment when I realized the significance of my new life. I alternated between looking at the kid, who was still looking at me, and the Duke who was still standing nonchntly without saying a single word.My eyes met with the boy¡¯s golden eyes that were as bright and cold as ice. Lucian de Leon. My favorite. This older sister will help you, without fail. ~+~ The ce where the Duke took me first was, what would be from now on my room. It was quite vast and colorful. I organized my thoughts while lying on the big, colorful bed that upied a corner. ¡¶In-to-In¡·, which was serialized over the years, became very popr under ¡¶Another Doll Lives in the Dollhouse.¡· It was popr even if the sections of angst and pain were long. The reason was Lucian, who I saw just now and ys the role of the ¡°Duke¡± character. Lucian was a prince with an unfortunate past. His poor past began with the abuse that was inflicted by his father. Yes, the very Duke who brought me here! Pedro de Leon. Nevertheless, he could not speak ill of Pedro. Because he was also abused by his father when he was a child. To exin the situation quickly it looks like this. Pedro was the sessor to this promising duchy. If he needed to pick up a sword, then he would as ordered. In addition, as a high-ranking aristocrat, he was full of elegance and manners even as a young man. There was only ever one scandal about him. That he was not interested in women. It wasn¡¯t that he hated women, but he hated the scent of women¡¯s perfume. Pedro thought that his condition was strange, but he thought it was only an insignificant problem. He just thought he had an extremely sensitive nose, and that it could be considered a weakness, so he thought it would be better not to let anyone know. But the day Pedro turned 15, he met my father. Liam de Elrand. He was a beautiful boy with emerald hair and navy blue eyes like mine. Pedro fell in love with Liam at first sight. It was the first time that his heart had beat so fast while looking at someone, so it made him realize what type of person he had actually been searching for. ¡®Oh, this is the man I wanted.¡¯ Pedro wasn¡¯t the only one who fell in love that day. My father also fell in love with the Duke at first sight. The two began to develop their love while disguising it as friendship. However, if there is smoke, people start looking for fire. The fact that Pedro¡¯s father was the one who noticed the strange atmosphere of the two was the start of their misfortune. At the age of 17, Pedro and Liam, who had been passionately kissing in the former¡¯s chambers, were caught when his Father walked in at the sounds of their trist. He was very shocked when his father, who always looked at him with gentle eyes, stared at him with contempt and disgust. From then on, the duke¡¯s father ruled the duchy with an iron fist. He administered beatings under the guise of discipline to mental abuse Pedro. Unable to ept the fact that his son was homosexual, the duke pushed him to the limit. In the end, Pedro married someone that was chosen by his father. He mes himself for betraying Liam, but he was forced to ignore his feelings. He left his heart and love behind and waited for his sessor to be born. He wanted to respect his wife and be a loving father to his child even though he could not give his heart to her. He resolved himself to be a better father than his own. However, the duke failed to keep his promise. As soon as he saw the child¡¯s face, his inner resentment filled him up. The features of the child that had been born resembled, not him or his wife, but his father. ¡°Ha, I feel sorry for my favorite again.¡± When I thought of the backstory to the webtoon, I sighed deeply. ¡°Haaa¡± it just naturally came out of me. However, it is also unfair to curse the Duke without understanding his situation. The duke was also abused, but that does not mean that what he did to Lucian was justifiable. ¡°It¡¯s tooplicated¡­¡± The biggest problem here is that I am the younger sister in ¡¶In-to-In¡·. In the original book, Rachel grows up to be the viiness. You can tell just by looking at the Duke¡¯s attitude towards me. Having raised her like that, Rachel openly ignores and despises Lucian, her brother. But in fact, she wanted to obtain Lucian for herself. Lucian is beautiful to look at in his normal state. However, when he smiled, he was as pure and beautiful as a seductive ck rose blooming fully. Because she wanted to get her hands on the noble ck rose dusted with golden powder, Rachel bullied Lucian and hoped she would be able to subjugate him. Even if he had never expressed his feelings, if Lucian were to speak about the subject, Rachel is the most annoying person in the whole world and the one he hates the most. Rachel, who knew nothing about his feelings, became even more obsessed with him after the Duke, who was her reliable backer, diedter on. By that time, Lucian was already interested in another main character, Sue.[E/N: Sue is a guy because it was a BL novel but the name makes it confusing] He was not aware of his feelings, but could not control his jealousy when Sue was looking at anyone else. ¡°Oh, what should I do?¡± Of course, I also feel sorry for Sue, who is the other main character, but it isn¡¯t urgent as of right now. The most urgent thing is the happiness of my favorite and my own ending. In the original story, Rachel eventually dies because of Lucian. I saw a scene in which Rachel was killed while holding a sword on her own. But I kept thinking about my skinny wrist from before. knock, knock I jumped out of bed due to the sudden knock. I wondered if the Duke was outside the door. I answered politely, while quickly fixing my clothes. ¡°Yes,e on in.¡± When a maid opened the door and came in, she greeted me politely. ¡°Lady, my name is Amber. I was assigned to work as your personal maid. If you have questions or need anything, you can call for me.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Amber.¡± ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Hearing that from her, I suddenly felt hungry. Come to think of it, my father, the Duke, didn¡¯t give me anything to eat yet. ¡°Well, a little?¡± I thought my stomach would stick to my back, but in this life, I am a noble Young Lady. I could never covet food. After a year and a half of living in this body I was taught to think this way and it made me like this. ¡°The Duke has prepared arge dinner for tonight. I¡¯ll give you some refreshments and tea to suppress your hunger.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Well, just a moment, please.¡± Amber left the room with a polite greeting. I sat on the sofa as the sound of her steps faded away. I needed to think about what to do in the future, what to do to help my favorite, and what I could do to live a good, long life. Then I suddenly recalled a small detail from my first life. This is the only webtoon or novel that I¡¯ve ever written a negativement on. Oh, no way. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me I possessed this body because of my one angryment, right?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 3 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 3 It can¡¯t be true right¡­ Why did I leave a maliciousment? ¡°But it¡¯s not a good ending! I was criticizing it because it was so sad! I¡¯m sure all the readers agree with me. Was it not enough to kill off just one person? Why would they kill both the duke and Sue? You think I¡¯ve been reading this novel for three years to receive this kind of ending?¡± I thought about it so hard and got so angry, I got a fever. Every time it was updated, I read the chapters over and over without skipping any single bit. I also wrote goodments filled with positive encouragement every time. [e/n: when the MC was talking about sweet potatoes she was basically asking for more overly sweet situations between the characters that make her mouth go dry, like eating sweet potatoes] ¡°Huh? I wrote over 100 sweetments! But I only wrote a single maliciousment, and then¡­if that¡¯s the case¡­.¡± It¡¯s not that bad I guess. It was a sudden transmigration, but I didn¡¯t feel nervous. The problem is that this webtoon has a sad ending. And I know the ending for the duke, too. The life of the free-spirited transmigrated person, whose actions weren¡¯t really important, is now over. I just want to live carefreely, so I don¡¯t want to die yet. I just want to live and be happy. In addition, I now live with my favorite character. When I calmed down my racing mind for a while, I felt like I could see a way out of this dismal situation. knock, knock I calmly collected myself and fixed my posture by the time I heard the second knock. ¡°Come on in, Amber.¡± Of course, I thought Amber woulde in, but I closed my eyes tightly when a formidable and colorful figure entered the fancy room. Oh, it¡¯s blinding. ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you for a moment¡­¡± Yes, we can as much as my favorite wants. ¡°Yes, yes, please.¡± It was Lucian who came suddenly, but I was d rather than surprised. I offered him a seat with a bright smile without realizing it. Surprised by the warm reception, Lucian squinted his eyes slightly with an expressionless face. Lucian sat across from me. That alone impressed me. I didn¡¯t expect to see my favorite in person so soon. Pretty boy Lucian! I love you, Lucian! I felt so happy it was like I was flying, I felt a tingling of excitement rising up from my toes. Then Amber came back to the room. ¡°Lady¡­¡± Amber, who was pushing in the trolley piled high with refreshments and tea, looked surprised when she saw Lucian. ¡°M-Master.¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± Why are you so surprised to see Lucian? An unpleasant feeling crept up in the back of my heart. ¡°Amber, can you get me another cup of tea?¡± ¡°But mydy¡­¡± ¡°I heard that Amber is my own personal maid, but you¡¯re already going to disobey me?¡± Amber¡¯s expression changed when my stern words reached her ears. Since it¡¯s your first day spying on me, you probably haven¡¯t figured out my personality or temperament. So you will have no choice but to listen to me. There are more aristocrats with violent personalities than I originally thought. ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± Right after she put down the colorful refreshments, a cup of tea, and a teapot, Amber hurried out of the room. ¡°Brother, eat and drink first.¡± When I offered it to him, Lucian, who turned his attention to the refreshments and teacup, shook his head slowly. ¡°I can¡¯t eat it.¡± ¡°Howe?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not time for me to eat.¡± I opened my mouth wide at Lucian¡¯s words. It¡¯s upsetting that he only eats when others deem that it is appropriate, it¡¯s not like he¡¯s in the army. He is only fifteen years old. My favorite. Even if I am 10 years old now, I was originally 25 years old you know. So in my eyes, Lucian looks much younger even when he is older than me in this life. At this moment, I felt the strings of fate tugging at me. I should change the ending of this webtoon. I must have possessed this body for the sake of saving my favorite. Do you know how muchfort I received from you in the past? Even now your very existence isforting enough for me. So now it¡¯s my turn, I willfort you this time. I dered war on the webtoon writer by saying something I couldn¡¯t say to him before. Writer. We need to change the setting. I can¡¯t see my favorite dying in vain from living a life full of ¡®regret.¡¯ I wish he could grow up to be a normal person who knows how to identify joy and sorrow instead of growing up numb and insensitive to everything. I want to live as well and escape my fate too. So, since I possessed this body, I should take care of my favorite first and foremost. Oh, I¡¯m so sad. First of all, to confirm the progress of the timeline of the story, Lucian doesn¡¯t seem to bepletely jaded yet. He mentioned his age. He¡¯s currently 15 years old. He is still immature, and he seems to want to gain his father¡¯s affection still. Even if he is being hated now, he believed that someday his father would recognize and love him. That¡¯s why me being his sister, that obviously doesn¡¯t have any blood rtion to him, I openly epted him. Because his father brought me here in person. I felt so sorry for him who did not even question his father¡¯s actions. Whether it¡¯s the original timeline or whatever, I should feed my favorite character some food first. What¡¯s with his wrist? Normally, everything should be big and thick, but only his hands are big and dry. ¡°Brother, do you have a specific time that you usually eat at?¡± First, collect information. I know everything about my favorite. However, these details did not appear in the original book. ¡°Yes, I live on a consistent schedule.¡± It¡¯s driving me crazy. I already knew how harsh that schedule is because it was mentioned in the original novel. Under the name of sessor education, he is being severely abused and reprimanded. He wakes up at dawn and trains alone in the training yard. The training doesn¡¯t end when he starts to sweat moderately either it only ends when he is absolutely soaked in sweat. Then when he finally finishes everyday he has to roll up the legs of his pants so he can receiveshes with a ruler on the backs of his legs. The Duke uses the ridiculous excuse of saying that he is raising his child with strict discipline, and Lucian epts the abuse under the guise of discipline withoutint. That¡¯s why he¡¯s so mentally scarred in the future. No one in this house has told him that this treatment is weird, so Lucian doesn¡¯t know. ¡°Then brother.¡± The n to help Lucian starts now. Does he know about the n A and n B strategy? ¡°Have you ever heard of having a back up n to make things safer for you?¡± ¡°A back up n?¡± There was very little emotion in his expression, but I could see that his eyes got a little bigger out of interest. ¡°Yes! An original n and a secondary n to switch to if the first one goes wrong!¡± Lucian blinked slowly at my words. It seems that it is the first time he has heard of that. Of course. Who would tell him this stuff? But Lucian. A person should think of making a n B as well when making their n A. That¡¯s the only way we can safely avoid the bad end. ¡°I didn¡¯t know about that.¡± I quickly added after hearing his slightly depressed voice. ¡°You can make a n like that from now on!¡± Be cheerful! Act cute! Give him positive energy! ¡°If we adjust your schedule so you cane again, just like today, would you be willing to spend tea time with me from now on?¡± ¡°¡­but I can¡¯t change it right now. I need permission from the people who decide my schedule first.¡± Yeah, I knew you¡¯d say that. But this sister wants to feed you something nice! ¡°But I don¡¯t want to have tea time alone! I¡¯ve always spent time with my parents¡­¡± Oh, while thinking about the parents I had here, I felt like I was going to cry. I don¡¯t know what happened to their real daughter, the real Rachel¡¯s soul, but with their infinite affection, I filled my thirst for the familial love that I had never experienced before that. Before I had possessed this body, I was alone, so I was constantly hanging around my new family. No, can I even call them ¡°my¡± family? ¡°You¡¯re my family now. So please spend tea time with me.¡± I will be your family for a little while. Of course, I want to drink tea with my favorite before I help you find your future love, but I hope this man will be happier even before that. I hope you realize your love is justte and don¡¯t feel drowned by regret. I wish you would grow up to be a person that listens to their feelings, and not just someone who acts like a doll. Did you feel my desperation? He is still mostly expressionless, but Lucian showed some positive signs of eptance. ¡°Thank you, brother!¡± Amber came back carrying a teacup with good timing. I smiled brightly, and said, after ordering her to pour the tea. ¡°Let¡¯s always be together, brother!¡± I spoke from the bottom of my heart. Lucian even showed a slight smile for the first time. The n for changing the tragedy tag to something better is off to a smooth start. Lucian, who came out of the overly fancy tea room, returned to his room with graceful but quick steps. He sat quietly on the window on the far side of his deste room. ¡°I was expecting for her to be an immature little girl¡­¡± He seemed to have understood his position in her ns right away. So she¡¯s demanding that we will have tea time together. ¡°Of course you thought I couldn¡¯t possibly refuse.¡± He didn¡¯t know where he fits in the hierarchy in this house. Even if he is the sessor, the owner of the house won¡¯t recognize his legitimacy and effort. Therefore, he was very curious about the personality of the new child. He was interested because his father went out of his way to retrieve her himself, and in such a great hurry at that. It was also the first time he had seen any sorrow on his father¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t fathom his father¡¯s reaction, so he was waiting for him in advance, but he thought he made the right decision to wait. He waited in the sun, but it wasn¡¯t hard. He is just a little nervous and giddy. If he hadn¡¯t done that, his father would never have shown him that child willingly. Even if she¡¯s a sister who will soon have the samest name as him. Lucian swept his mouth with his tongue. The fragrant tea and sweet desserts he shared with the child earlier had left an unpleasant taste in his mouth. Lucianughed a little. During tea time, he had cleverly thought of the excuse to me his unwillingness to eat on his schedule. Of course, it was true that if he didn¡¯t move ording to his schedule, he would be severely scolded by his father. He also didn¡¯t see the point in eating more food since he was still thin even if he ate a lot. However, Lucian couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the tea time he had with the child. He concluded that it is probably because it was the first time he had eaten something with someone. Leaning against the window, he murmured some thoughts under his breath before he got up toplete the next item on his schedule. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 4 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 4 [Advanced chapters avable on Patreon!] + I wore a new dress with the maid, Amber¡¯s help. During our interaction, I learned a new piece of information. I thought she already knew things about me and my appearance. The reason being that the color of the room given to me matches the color of my hair and eyes. However, I wasn¡¯t too surprised because I can understand the reason for a color scheme like that based on the history between the Duke and my Father. Instead, I could feel a lot of consideration from his decision to give me this room. However, the sight of my new dressing room full of my new dress was a bit shocking. All of the dresses were also perfectly tailored to my size. How the hell did they know my size? I felt a little creeped out, but I shook my head to calm down. First of all, I am indebted to the Duke, so I had to be grateful enough. No matter how the original story ends, if he hadn¡¯te for me, who knows what the creator of this world would have in store for me. Although I can remember the general details of the events from the novel, I do not have enough knowledge about the world we are currently in to survive on my own. I¡¯m especially unsure about the more precise details of my role in the story, which is just a supporting character. So I can¡¯t let my guard down. If my future in the story is to be horribly destroyed, I have to be more alert. ¡°Lady, I¡¯ll show you to the dining room.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I wore a dress that was the same color as my hair and had my hair pulled back and held together with a pink ribbon. Wearing my matching cute pink shoes, I followed Amber out into the hallway. The castle of the Duke¡¯s estate is sorge, that the Count¡¯s mansion I grew up in could notpare. I think it will be difficult to learn all of the directions without help. I could tell that she is a pretty good maid just by looking at Amber walking confidently in front of me. It is because she walked slowly to match my steps, just in case I would struggle to keep up. There are so many things to do in the future. I had to prevent my favorite character¡¯s unfortunate ending and change the novel¡¯s keywords.[T/n: keyword is named as you see in Novel Updates.] To do so, I have to change the attitude of the duke first. He is also a wounded man, so I didn¡¯t want to criticize him recklessly and push all of the me onto him. The person, who is the creator of all of these problems, has long been deceased. Oh, by the way, the Duchess will be at the dinner tonight, right? It hasn¡¯t been long since I¡¯vee here, but I haven¡¯t seen the Duchess at all yet. She is known to suffer from depression. So, it¡¯s difficult to determine whether she is just not interested in the treatment her son is receiving, or if she is in a situation where she can¡¯t do anything about it. There¡¯s no one in this house who doesn¡¯t have any signs of mental illness or trauma. Amber looked at me as I breathed out a small sigh. ¡°We¡¯ll be there in a little while, mydy.¡± Maybe she thought it was because I was having a hard time. Well, the dining hall is actually a long distance from my room. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± While we were talking for a while, the antique door of the dining room came into view. I took a deep breath just outside before taking a step in. ¡°Herees thedy.¡± Amber knocked and opened the door for me. I moved my feet quickly to make my way from the dark hallway to the bright dining hall. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± A gentle voice from the Duke was heard. I was surprised when I finally looked towards the Duke after my eyes finally adjusted to the bright light of the dining room. W-why¡­did you prepare so much food? The Duke was sitting alone at the end of the huge table. I checked the other side of the long table just in case, but no one is there. Neither the Duchess nor Lucian. ¡°Isn¡¯t anyone elseing?¡± I asked the question casually. No, look at the amount of food. Is this an amount meant for two people? There was even a roasted piglet ced at the center of the table. I kept turning my gaze between the crowded table and the duke. ¡°I want to spend time with my daughter.¡± Did you already change your rtionship to me? It¡¯s weird to be so quick to be my parent, no matter how much you say you are my godfather. Don¡¯t you think? That quick eptance was why Rachel was so proud of herself in the original. I cursed a lot while reading it. ¡°Thank you.¡± I answered simply. I appreciate his affection, but it is burdensome. I felt ufortable because I kept thinking that I was stealing affection that was originally meant to go to Lucian. I walked quite a bit to get to the Duke¡¯s immediate vicinity and sat down on the chair with Amber¡¯s help. Sitting on a solid chair with a soft cushion, I was amazed to see the ce setting prepared for me. The duke asked, perhaps because he noticed my reaction, as his eyes focused on my face. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­yes.¡± A cute pink porcin dish was ced in front of me. I¡¯m not a child, mentally I¡¯m a 25-year-old adult, but I just feel good when I see something cute. And I feel like I¡¯m filled with my thirst for affection again that I couldn¡¯t fulfill when I was a kid in my past life. I looked at the duke. Aside from the Duke bringing me here, I wanted to thank him for the other thoughtful actions too. If the Duke hadn¡¯t brought me here, I wouldn¡¯t have met my favorite. I am very grateful for that. ¡°Thank you very much, Duke. I don¡¯t know how to repay this favor. But I have a question.¡± The Duke nodded slightly at my question. ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m going to be a Leon?¡± Even if I knew the original setup, I needed to be clear about his actual intentions. It would mean a lot to change myst name. The duke held his chin in his hand and straightened up. He replied to me, with what could be, a serious or scary expression. ¡°Literally.¡± ¡°Then¡­ You mean I¡¯m going to be adopted.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t like the word adopted, but if I have to say it, it¡¯s¡­I guess it¡¯s just me.¡± It is the same as in the original story as I had expected, so I nodded my head in quick understanding. Is it adoption again? I was absorbed in my own thoughts for a while on my own, and then the Duke asked in a friendly voice that contrasted strongly with his attitude from a short while ago. ¡°Do you have any other questions?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± When I saw the grilled piglet in the middle of the table, it made me think of a rted topic. I asked something that weighed on my mind. ¡°Did my brother eat already?¡± I tilted my head as I spoke. I was acting cute to match my body¡¯s age, but Lucian wasn¡¯t shaken by my act at all earlier. I was a little hurt. I¡¯m not bragging because it¡¯s my face, but objectively speaking, my face is pretty cute. My pale and small face, with big eyes, a button nose, and thick red lips is very cute and lovely even to me. I acted cute awkwardly, but Lucian showed no change in expression. But it will probably work on the Duke. He burst into a small fit ofughter, despite me mentioning Lucian, but he didn¡¯t show any sign of displeasure. ¡°Lucian eats alone. That child. That¡¯s how it goes.¡± Once again that schedule¡­ Why are you making that schedule so hard for him? Because when he grows up, he¡¯ll just hear that he¡¯s an emotionless doll. Isn¡¯t the word doll written twice in the title? I think the first doll means Lucian and the second doll means Sue. ¡°But¡­ I want to eat with my brother. My wish is to have an older brother!¡± I was the only daughter here. So I wanted to have a brother. It shouldn¡¯t be too strange to say that. However, the Duke¡¯s expression was subtly crumpled. I was depressed when I saw the Duke¡¯s reluctant expression. ¡°¡­If you want it so badly, I can¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°Then are you going to call for my brother?¡± ¡°Well, shouldn¡¯t you call him if you want him toe?¡± The Duke, who answered kindly, called a servant over with his eyes. ¡°Bring the child.¡± And ordered coldly. He could not help but listen to my request. But I couldn¡¯t help but think Lucian would like to eat delicious food like this. I never thought, at that time, that my hasty sympathy would make him even more distressed. I was just happy to think that I could eat with my favorite. ¡°Thank you, Duke.¡± I just simply thanked him, but the cold Duke¡¯s face became as gentle as the misty morning sun. ¡°You are always thanking me every single moment. Now you¡¯re part of the Leon family. Rx.¡± I don¡¯t know who I like as characters anymore. I am quick-witted. It was like that even before I transmigrated. Therefore, I am very sensitive to the changes in a person¡¯s mood and I always tried to quickly figure out how people felt. I¡¯m d that I know that the reason for his love was my Father, and if I didn¡¯t, it wouldn¡¯t be strange to have been like the Rachel from the original novel. The servant quickly brought Lucian. Lucian, who came down with a hint of confusion, noticed me and paused for a very short time, but sat across from me in the end. The Duke did not hide his smile directed towards me throughout the meal together. In the original novel, he is always so cold, so it is strange to see this side of him. I eagerly devoured the food on my te while stealing nces at my favorite while we were eating. I guess I was more hungry than I thought. ¡°Oh, you must have been hungry.¡± I told myself I would hide it as best as I could, but the Duke called the chef over with a simple hand gesture to see if he had noticed my condition already. The chef, who was waiting nearby, skillfully cut some more meat off of the grilled piglet and put it on my te. I wasparing my te with Lucian¡¯s and turned to the Duke. ¡°Duke, this roast pig is so delicious. I think it would be good for you to eat some of it with me¡­¡± The Duke, who had been watching me for a moment without saying a word, spat out his next words at random. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you call me Daddy from now on?¡± The meat in my mouth almost blocked my throat from my surprise. I can¡¯t believe he said something like that in front of Lucian. I could feel Lucian looking at me. Please take your time, Duke. I have barely been able to handle the fact that this ce is in the BL webtoon of ¡°Another Doll Lives in the Dollhouse¡±. I felt like my alreadyplicated thoughts are bing even more twisted like a tangled thread. As much as I wanted to swallow my embarrassment, I swallowed the meat I had put into my mouth instead. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 5 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 5 Lucian, who usually did not show his internal feelings on his face at all, stood in front of his father¡¯s study room with a nervous look. Until just a while ago, he had dinner with his father, which made him feel like he was walking on air. Of course, not just the two of them, Rachel was with them, but it was still good. He was happy. He thought his father had finally recognized him as a son. However, after Rachel returned to her room first, his father¡¯s expression changed dramatically. His mouth became tightly closed and his gentle smile was erased, and his soft eyes turned into a manly and stern re. First, he left the dining hall and asked Lucian toe to his study room. The room where he is always disciplined is his father¡¯s study room. He tried to open the door as casually as he usually does. But he didn¡¯t want to go in today. He had never felt this way before. No wonder he wanted to rebel¡­ Lucian shook his head to chase away the strange thoughts he had been having for a while. Then he hastily turned the doorknob. The grand and imposing door opened without any sound. The shadows in the room, created by the dim light, snaked around the walls like monsters waiting to eat him. Lucian looked nkly inside the study room and stepped in with his emotionless face. 02_n A It¡¯s already been a month since I came here. I feel a lot morefortable within the castle because I have now be a lot more familiar with it. Holding a basket of snacks in my arms, I checked all of the ces where Lucian could be. The duke seemed to be changing little by little. When I first called for Lucian, he showed disapproval, but in the end, I called for him as much as I wanted. I am very proud to see him eat well. But I haven¡¯t met the Duchess yet. She didn¡¯t open the door even if I visited her. I ended up having to return to my room after my maid told me that I couldn¡¯t meet her due to her weak mind and body. Well, this past month must have been the time when her depression is at the worst peak. Even if she didn¡¯t see me, she would have felt upset after hearing about me. Now is probably when her hate and resentment towards the Duke, who has been cold and indifferent towards her son but caring and warm to me, is reaching new heights. Knowing the difference in our treatment, it is hard for me to seek Lucian out. I feel guilty for my desire to be friends with him. Out of the castle, I ran toward the dusty field. This field, which is used by the Knights, is farther away from the castle. The duke¡¯s personal training field is much closer. Maybe Lucian is there. If he was moving ording to his schedule, he would have a ss after lunch and is wielding a sword in physical training, but it was a little hard to get away from Amber, but whenever I saw Lucian from afar, I felt strong enthusiasm rise up inside me. Standing under the afternoon sun, he is as brilliant and beautiful as an angel. ¡°Brother!¡± I called him brightly. Turning his head in pursuit of my voice, he put down the sword he had been holding without any expression on his face. ¡°Eat some snacks.¡± I was happy when I convinced the Duke to have him eat at the table with us, but it didn¡¯t go as well as I wanted the next time I asked. First of all, I don¡¯t have a lot of power, so I can do anything. So I thought I should at least feed him well in the meantime. ¡°What? I brought you some iced tea too. Eat and drink some!¡± If I say it like this, I hope you please eat! When the sword was put away, Lucian still stared at me without answering. As I got closer, he took a step back. Huh? What¡¯s wrong? No matter how forceful I tried to connect in the past, this has never happened before. Surprised by his reaction, I froze in ce. Feeling embarrassed, I stared at him with my eyes blinking. Lucian also felt embarrassed with his own actions. Confusion shed for a moment on his expressionless doll-like face. Does he even know why he did that? Why did he avoid me? Is he rejecting me? Why? Did I do something wrong? No, you¡¯re my favorite. You have to tell me. I¡¯ll be more careful in the future. ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong, brother?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Oh, my God. He must have been really surprised. My face paled even more and I began to feel sick. ¡°Brother, would you like to sit on the bench for a moment? You look unwell.¡± ¡°¡­.yes.¡± I heard a voice that sounded like he had barely prevented himself from vomiting. I quickly remarked that he must be tired and tried to lighten the mood. I had hoped that he would rx a bit but he said nothing. As my body shrank in embarrassment, the conversation was very ufortable on my part. I tried to brush off my feelings and sat on a bench next to the training grounds first. I put the basket full of refreshments in the middle of the bench. He nced sideways at me. Lucian walked over very slowly as if he didn¡¯t want toe. ¡®Your legs are long. Why are you so slow? You don¡¯t like me? Is all of your energy spent on avoiding me? What did I do wrong?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t correctly figure out what the problem is. I tried to take care of him, now I¡¯m worrying that he might feel pressured. Even if he didn¡¯t say anything, I would memorize the food and snacks that seemed to be his favorites and take care of him. I went around exploring the castle on purpose, greeted him happily when I met him, and tried to talk a little longer each time. As shown in ¡°There is Another Doll that Lives in the Dollhouse,¡± I wanted to prevent him from growing up like a doll. A person has to live like a human. What¡¯s with being a doll? Of course, since this ce is a webtoon, I expect him to go with the flow ording to the settings a little bit. I, who is a fan of web novels and webtoons, have read the writers¡¯ blogs and even reread it all. I used to imagine myself in the world of a fantasy novel and with a simr character setting. Can¡¯t you just change the set-up of the webtoon? Please? Is everyone but me in this world just a ¡°character¡± in the novel and I¡¯m the only real and free person here? When I was tossing around all of these thoughts in my mind, Lucian came to my side and sat down. Why are youing sote? ¡°Brother, have this first.¡± I gave him the iced tea. His sweaty ck hair stuck to his forehead shone like obsidian. Lucian slicked his hair back carelessly. Oh, it¡¯s blinding! I closed my eyes slightly and opened them again. He is always a very handsome person. I wonder what makes him so handsome? Is it because he is like a rose blooming full of regret? A strange and stuffy feeling overflowed in my heart. Should I call out to him sweetly? ¡°¡­Rachel.¡± ¡°Yes, brother.¡± ¡°I have to learn and eat ording to my schedule. You can¡¯t keep bringing food like this.¡± Maybe I¡¯m really making things difficult for him, Lucian breathed out a small sigh. Oh, you know how to sigh in frustration huh? It was my first time seeing him like this. As I had seen in the webtoon, he showed no emotional expression like a doll. He has never expressed anything that looked like annoyance, irritation, or anger. I wish he¡¯d be cute, like a younger brother, but it hasn¡¯t been that long since we first met has it? ¡°Well, could you put me on your schedule?¡± But I¡¯m not someone who gives up easily, I¡¯m telling you! I¡¯m happy enough that you have shown me just a single expression! My favorite! If you¡¯re angry, be angry, if you¡¯re annoyed then show it, and if you¡¯re wanting to bezy, say you want to bezy. No matter how negative the feelings are, I would have nothing more to ask if you would just express them all. ¡°What the¡­¡± Lucian stopped mid-sentence and he shut his lips tight straight away. After a bit, he did not speak yet, but only opened and closed his lips. Oh, my! His lips are so plump. How can I be so weird? I looked at his lips as if I had been possessed. Then his lips opened again. ¡°I want you on my calendar¡­¡± That statement was so shocking I thought I misheard, but he slowly blinked and casually picked up the iced tea I had given him. Oh, good. All the hard work I¡¯ve done has finally paid off. I bit my lips and waited for him to drink the iced tea. Lucian drank the tea without realizing my inner feelings. I pped my hands on the inside. Whether he is aware of my strange behavior, he only blinked this time. And he spoke in a low voice. ¡°If I put you in my calendar, I¡¯m supposed to be with you all day¡­¡­¡­.is that what you meant?¡± I wanted to get up and dance on the spot. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let¡¯s calm down. Calm down. Hey, Ahn Hye-young, calm down. I wanted to ask him to do that, but mymon sense won out in the end. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Please clear the time Ie to visit you on your schedule. Well, I hope, brother can spare me some time.¡± Lucian opened his eyes wide when he heard me. Oh, that¡¯s interesting. You didn¡¯t blink even when I acted cutely, but now you¡¯re reacting like that. It was worth exaggerating and putting in some effort. ¡°¡­¡­I need permission from, father.¡± That was what he managed toe up with, which was incredibly embarrassing. I swallowed a sigh and nodded. It¡¯s only been a month. It¡¯s because of my greed, that I want our rtionship to progress faster since we¡¯ve been together for a month. ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t want to bring trouble to my brother.¡± He nced at me due to my answer. I saw some heat pass through in his eyes, is that an illusion? ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Histe but positive answer made me want to dance again. So I got up and moved my body a little this time. I was so happy that I can never forget how I felt at this time, but I didn¡¯t realize that Lucian was staring so strongly at me while I had a bright smile on my face as I twirled my skirt. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 6 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 6 + ¡°Lucian.¡± He looked up at his father¡¯s call. The curve of a pair of pale legs was revealed under the rolled-up pant legs. The pale calves, which seemed to have no color, were stripped with red lines. The blue lines hidden below the brightness of the new red lines, and the yellow lines hidden even deeper below them, were intertwined like a spider¡¯s web. ¡°Yes, Father.¡± While looking indifferently at his son, who was beaten to such a severe state but showed no tears, the Duke recalled his father. He imagined that his Father hade back. In his mind, he spat at, insulted, and plunged a dagger into his chest without a hint of hesitation. The twisted frown on the duke¡¯s mouth became even more contorted. ¡°What the hell did you do to that good girl? Why the hell does that kid keep looking for you?¡± Lucian couldn¡¯t answer his father¡¯s question. He was also curious. Why does his new sistere to visit him? ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± So for the first time, he gave his father an uncertain answer. At his words, the duke raised one eyebrow suddenly. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Do you think that makes sense? You must have used some kind of trick to seduce that innocent and naive child.¡± ¡°¡­¡­no.¡± ¡°Why, do you think you¡¯ve hit the nail on the head and figured everything out? Do you think using her will change anything?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± I¡¯ve never thought of that. He didn¡¯t question his father in the first ce. He just waited silently. He thought his father would see him differently if he finished all the schedules as his father wanted and became a reliable sessor. Yeah, like¡­ like the way he looked at Rachel. Yeah, he¡¯d been waiting so long for him to see him like that. But¡­ ¡°¡­I never thought of that.¡± No wonder he choked. It felt as if he had stuffed the bread he often ate into his mouth without any water. ¡°That can¡¯t be true. Otherwise, why would she behave like that?¡± Lucian thought of his sister. It is rather amazing that she approached him with a bright expression every single time. Everyone in the castle passed by him like he wasn¡¯t really there. Even the employees didn¡¯t seem to view him as a living person. It seemed as if he was passing through, almost as if he were invisible. But only that child faced him clearly. Whenever he sees his reflection is in her dark blue eyes, a strange sensation pricks at his mind. He still didn¡¯t know what it was, but one thing was clear. Contrary to his initial thoughts, he cares about the child now. That¡¯s more than he would have ever thought possible. ¡°Don¡¯t ept Rachel when shees. Then she¡¯ll eventually stop on her own.¡± The duke found Rachel¡¯s behavior very difficult. He wants to see the kid who looks just like Liam. Every time, just by watching her, he is soaked in his memories of Liam and remembers some of his past happiness. But seeing Lucian with the same face as his father hanging around Rachel made him upset. The nightmare of that day came back to life, and he couldn¡¯t even sleep properly. It¡¯s been a long time since he has been dead, but he questions himself why his father still bothers him. The Duke became even more displeased by the sudden surge of his unhappy past. The anger that had lost its ce to go quickly filled back up while he stared at Lucian, despite the Duke knowing there is no reason to hate Lucian. Every time before, Lucian has calmly epted his Father¡¯s way of expressing disapproval just like that very familiar person he couldn¡¯t seem to stop remembering. But this time Lucian stared at his father with a different look than usual. He looked like a child who wanted to rebel against his parents for the first time. It was just a moment, but it was a clearly rebellious expression. However, he did not notice the duke who was drunk on his own emotions. + ¡°What? Outing?¡± ¡°Yes, can you go shopping with dad and go to a dessert shop?¡± The Duke suddenly came to me and asked me to go out. Of course I don¡¯t hate it, but¡­ what should I do? Should I ask him? ¡°What about the young Duke?¡± As soon as I asked, the Duke¡¯s expression turned cold. Recently we ate together, so I thought it would be okay, but I guess not. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Ray want to go out with Dad alone?¡± ¡°No! I want to go out with the Duke!¡± ¡°Huhuuu, I wish you would call me dad¡­ but it seems you¡¯re still feeling awkward. Yeah, you can work up to it slowly.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like the Duke, that¡¯s not the reason I don¡¯t want to call him Dad. I¡¯m just a little scared. Because it didn¡¯t end well with all the people I called my dad. I may not be able to call the Duke my father for life. I could not help but fall for that smile that shows infinite affection even though I know his true nature. I feel like I¡¯m charging up something in my heart that¡¯s been depleted. ¡°Then, our little Ray. Let¡¯s go out and y.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± I am sad that I can¡¯t be with Lucian, but I am looking forward to going out. I felt like I had abandoned my original age and kept bing more and more like a child. I held the Duke¡¯s big warm hand with all my might. The Duke¡¯s outing was much more enjoyable than expected. First of all, there are many things to see because it is my first time going to those ces, and I liked it because there was a lot of cute stuff. I murmured while looking at the box in the middle of my room. ¡°You must really have a lot of money.¡± I went shopping with my Count parents before. They did notck money, but the Duke¡¯s stockpile of money was muchrger than theirs. I didn¡¯t see him buy just one of anything, he bought every variation. By color, by size, or by type¡­ ¡°So, Rachel from the original story grew up quite luxuriously.¡± This degree of luxury is really hard to grasp just by reading it. If I had possessed this character without remembering the original story, I would probably be as spoiled as Rachel from the original. That¡¯s how quick the Duke was to buy everything I could see. If I hadn¡¯t stopped him in the middle, the boxes might have been stacked even higher. ¡°Oh, right.¡± I yanked a box out of my pajamas. It contained a pair of letter openers. It has a simple design with a brilliant emerald embedded in the main body of the golden letter opener. But I bought it because I liked the colors. Doesn¡¯t it look like Lucian and mybined colors? I was worried that the Duke would be suspicious if I bought two of the same things, but I snuck one more while in the midst of buying many things. ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t this be okay? It doesn¡¯t even look that expensive.¡± I¡¯m sure I¡¯m a sessful fan of his. I took good care of the letter opener with a satisfied expression. Iy on the bed waiting expectantly for tomorrow to arrive. I fell asleep before I knew it while fiddling with my pajamas that had a soft and expensive texture. After breakfast with the Duke the next day, I carefully hid the letter opener in my inner pocket and visited the Duchess before I went to see Lucian. I know I¡¯m gonna be rejected, but I am not gonna enter and visit her in a discourteous way. ¡°Come on in.¡± Really? She is the duchess who hadn¡¯t even shown herself for more than a month. ¡°Madam, Young Lady Errando is entering.¡± Instead of the Duchess¡¯s maid calling her ¡°Mistress,¡± her original title was reced in the process. They introduced me by stating my original surname. Just hearing that, I knew what the Duchess would think of me. ¡°Let her in.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Under the guidance of the maid, I entered through the huge door. There was the Duchess basking in the pouring sunshine. She was sitting upright on the sofa right next to the window. ¡°Greetings to the Duchess, I am Rachel de Errando.¡± ¡°You¡¯re his child.¡± The Duchess wasn¡¯t really looking at me when her gaze fell on me, she was looking through me at someone else. While her gaze was directed outside the window, she opened it. ¡°Do you know the word mirage?¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Isn¡¯t that out of the blue? The Duchess¡¯ voice was so small that I even had to breathe out quietly and listen. ¡°There is a desert in the country next to the empire. I heard a story from a man who saw an oasis in the middle of a desert without water.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Why is her voice so quiet? I had no choice but to get closer to her so I could listen to her properly. ¡°The man who hadn¡¯t been able to drink water for a few days said he dove toward it with his face first as soon as he saw the oasis. But the only thing that came into his dry mouth was the rough sand.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°When I first heard this story, it was when I was the same age as Lucian is now¡­ ¡­I thought it was so amazing and strange when I first heard it¡­ ¡­is it the same for you?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s amazing!¡± Are you exining it because you think I don¡¯t know what a mirage is? Why are you talking about a mirage all of a sudden? I rudely stared at the back of her head without realizing it. I couldn¡¯t help it. She still didn¡¯t really look at me. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s amazing. It¡¯s amazing and fun to be a newbie to anything.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I already knew what it was from the beginning, but I nodded profusely. I wanted to be close to the Duchess. I wanted to get close and help her. She needs to heal her heart¡¯s disease so she can help my favorite. There must be a limit to helping her discreetly, who is not even my original family member. The more we are on the same side, the better. I was staring at her, who was lost in thought for a while, and as soon as I turned my gaze toward her, it was met with a pair of brittle blue eyes. Unlike her beautiful appearance, she had a dry look in her eyes and an expression just like the desert she spoke of. The Duchess whispered softly as she looked at me. ¡°Is the mirage always only in the desert? What do you think?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 7 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 7 ¡°Pardon?¡± The Duchess continued, looking coldly at me. As if she didn¡¯t want my answer from the very beginning. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t put your head in the sand, under the illusion of an oasis.¡± I spoke in a very small voice without hesitation, but I could understand what she meant. So, she¡¯s warning me huh. What I enjoy now is a mirage, and don¡¯t forget your ce because this fantasy will disappear someday. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡± I had no choice but to nod at the words that the Duchess pressured me with. I will be careful even if you don¡¯t warn me. So please focus on getting better and healing from the disease of your mind and quickly take care of your son. ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t worry, Duchess.¡± I smiled as harmless as I could. I didn¡¯t want her to doubt me. I wanted her to take care of Lucian as soon as possible. Gradually¡­in order for my favorite to live like a normal person, I am supposed to leave this house. I shouted profusely that I would change the original work, but no one knows what will happen, so it would be good for everyone, that could be a hindrance, to disappear from Lucian¡¯s sight when the right timees. + Since the day I met the Duchess, I began to write down my ns in my notebook. First of all¡­ Help the Duke and Lucian get closer. For example, eating together, having tea time, or going to a salon together. Salons would depend on the type though. There are salons where onlydies gather, salons where only young children gather, salons where only young people gather, or salons where only young people gather or male aristocrats gather. There are various kinds and sses. The Duke frequently participates in the ck Rose Salon. The name was given because the original creator who made the salon is the ancestor of Duke Leon. The salon was named the ck Rose because the Leon Family has been born with only ck hair for generations and the family¡¯s symbol is roses. The salons hosted by Duke Leon were pretty exclusive because most peoplearistocrats could note in. I wish the Duke would take Lucian to the salon. In the original, he went there only after the Duke had already died. And I had to think about the Duchess. Aside from the mental illness, I had to do well to mend our rtionship because her feelings towards my father were not good. Thinking about it, the Duke wasn¡¯t the only one whose life was ruined by that horrible night in his youth. The Duchess was also damaged. In the original work, no definite narrative was drawn between the two, butter the Duchess shouted at the Duke and cried out. This marriage had already gone wrong since the very beginning! We missed the first step! Then why are you doing this to your kid? He didn¡¯t do anything wrong! You¡¯re the weird one! If only you were normal! The reason why I remember this line is because of the fact that I memorized it due to me reading it too much, but the Duchess, who shouted this line as if she was throwing up blood, falls down. And then she would cross the river that one can¡¯t return from after crossing. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m at a loss.¡± So, resolving the tangled threads of this house will be a challenge. The most fundamental person who created this problematic situation is already deceased, and it has been a long time since the three family members stopped caring about each other. ¡°Come on, who else is there?¡± The story doesn¡¯t end once we stop seeing Lucian¡¯s family appear in the story. There should have been some helpers andpetitors to help move the story along. Here, the helper and thepetitor arebined into one person. Thepetitor of the duchy and the assistant of the duke, the sub-male lead! To exin a bit more, there are many strange and astonishing individuals in this webtoon besides the sub male lead, who aren¡¯t normal humans. ¡°Except for the trash-like little brat, hmm, everyone else appearster?¡± The sub male lead appeared in the original story earlier than I thought. Maybe we¡¯ll see each other soon. ¡°Oh, my handwriting is terrible.¡± I was scribbling the words incorrectly with a pen and noticed the box waiting next to the note. ¡°I have to deliver this to you¡­¡± The letter opener I am going to deliver to Lucian is in a packed box. After I met the Duchess, I felt ufortable going to meet my favorite. The reason why the Duchess couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the window that day was because she knew right before he came out of lessons. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t just look at him like that, you should go and hug him in person. Gosh.¡± In the Duchess¡¯s room, a dusty field was clearly visible. ¡°A lot of people aren¡¯t really honest and are scared.¡± Of course, I don¡¯t mean that it¡¯s wrong to be scared. But that¡¯s why the threads are so tangled like this, and I¡¯m so frustrated! ¡°Okay! I¡¯m going to get out of this house alive and you¡¯re going to be happy, Lucian.¡± I mumbled as I covered my organized notes. I put the present in my pocket, inside of my dress, and rushed out of my room energetically. ¡°He must be in his private study room by now, right?¡± Transcribing the history books of the Leoness Empire that had a thousand years of history. That¡¯s too much. Lucian is writing each letter from a thick book on the bookshelf. He has to copy a history book of the Empire during a short period of time, not during a ss, personal training, mealtime, or training time. His father said it is an important procedure for a sessor to the Duke of Leon, the founding family. He used to be very efficient in his transcription, but he hasn¡¯t been able to concentratetely. He couldn¡¯t write a few words without making some mistakes, but his writing skills grew again. If he writes like this, his father will definitely scold him. Lucian blinked slowly and took out a new paper. He picked up the pen again and put it on the paper, but he couldn¡¯t concentrate. It is his first time struggling to do this, so he is quite confused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡­¡± He just stared nkly at the ink scribbles on the paper and murmured. ¡°Why aren¡¯t youing?¡± His sister always knew where he was and came to see him like a loyal puppy with a good nose. In particr, it is most amazing that she has always appeared right after he had been disciplined by his father. It is hard to breathe after being disciplined by my father. The reason is unknown though. It became better when I just went into a deserted ce and curled up. The ce has changed every time. If he goes into any ce where there are no people, sits down, and crouches, Racheles to him shortly after. And she has always talked to him with a bright smile. It was awkward at first, but her friendly smile made it easier for him to breathe. So he was quick to get used to the child. However, his younger sister, who visited him every day, has not shown her face since one random day. Even after training, he nced at the entrance of the mansion to see when his sister woulde, and when he passed the hallway after ss, he looked around for no reason. Even so, his younger sister didn¡¯t even show him a single strand of her hair. ¡°Is she busy¡­?¡± Of course, if she¡¯s busy, she¡¯s obviously allowed to be too, so he understood it in his head, but somehow he couldn¡¯t ept it. While he was being absorbed with unfamiliar emotions, the paper that touched the quill¡¯s tip turned ck. knock, knock Then he heard a knock. Lucian turned his head and looked toward the door just in case. Slowly the door opened and a small face came in. Rachel, who was looking around, smiled broadly at him. At that moment, Lucian¡¯s heart started pounding. His heart, which had been so calm that he was beginning to doubt whether he was alive or not, began to beat in a pleasant way. His heartbeats became faster as Rachel approached him. ¡°Brother, were you here since earlier?¡± He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Rachel, who was standing with a big basket in her arms. Lucian bit his lips because he thought he was going to cry. His eyes were burning, but he tried to answer calmly. ¡°Yes, I was here.¡± I¡¯ve always been here. You¡¯re the only one who should know about that. Oh, my Lucian. You¡¯ve been waiting for me, haven¡¯t you? I moved my feet lightly as I watched him turn his head away as if he wasn¡¯t interested. Then I ran and sat next to him. ¡°Brother, try this. It¡¯s very sweet.¡± Grapes are very sweet in this season. Yeah, it¡¯s as sweet as my adorable face. So trust me and try it! ¡°¡­¡­okay.¡± Oh? Why did you take it so easily? How many scuffles did you experience today to make you eat this so straightforwardly? ¡°Oh, go ahead. My brother.¡± Lucian¡¯s cheeks turned to a slightly red hue due to my request. That is also very interesting. Usually, he is a man who doesn¡¯t show any change in his expression no matter what I do. So I am very pleased with this kind of change. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll eat it then.¡± ¡°You have to transcribe. I¡¯ll just put it in your mouth. There was no response. Though I¡¯m used to it now. I tapped him on the lips with the tasty oval grape. Knock 5x. The grapes are here. Please open the door. After five lip knocks, Lucian finally opened his mouth. The grape went into the small gap. Yes, it¡¯s a goal. I scored a goal. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± He stared at me as he chewed slowly. Seeing his slowly blinking eyes, he seemed to like it. How can he express it so cutely? You¡¯re always doing that when it¡¯s good, why don¡¯t you say it? ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me and continue studying.¡± Tapping on the back of his hand while pondering something, suddenly he stopped moving and said. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Only then did Lucian move his eyes from me to paper. Lucian, who was making a small groan-like noise, quickly hid the paper. But I already saw it. The paper was filled with only unreadable ink marks. H-how can he study at such a pace everyday? I¡¯m sure it¡¯s the same lessons as usual. But only today did he look like an average human being. People sometimes y hooky, right? See? Perhaps he is embarrassed, he took out a new piece of paper and made a fake cough. And then he began to write each letter carefully. Oh, my favorite. I was a little resentful of the Duke for giving him such a difficult schedule that helped create Lucian¡¯s handwriting style, but honestly I really wanted to see the Imperial History Book, which was written in Lucian¡¯s neat and elegant handwriting. I kept feeding him grapes so that his mouth wouldn¡¯t rest. I only picked out red grapes, green grapes, and raspberries that were easy to eat in one bite and put them in his mouth. After finishing writing one page, he checked the time and put his pen in the case. After that, he stared at me and smacked his lips. ¡°That¡­¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 8 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 8 I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s going to ask, but I am happy to talk to him first, so I yelled in my eagerness. ¡°Okay, brother!¡± While he was transcribing, I had been watching him with my chin resting in my hands. From a distance that was closer than I had initially thought, he opened his mouth slowly to speak without taking his eyes off me. ¡°What have you been up to?¡± Oh? Why would you ask that? Sigh! ¡°Did you miss me, brother?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I missed brother, too.¡± His expression on his face has changed slightly, probably due to my words. I looked at his face that had a milder atmosphere than usual as if he had been possessed. I can¡¯t get used to his looks no matter how many times I see him. His thick fluttering eyshes, and his golden eyes glowing below them. There is also a deep tear spot that is ced under his left eye. His eyes were drowsy and seductive. He is a man who stood out in such strong splendor just due to his appearance, no matter how dry his expression. Despite that basic fact, however, I swallowed a sigh in my mind as I watched the second male lead, who had no emotions. ¡°If you smile, you¡¯ll be many times prettier¡­¡± My ¡°inner thoughts¡± popped out of my mouth without realizing it. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± I quickly covered my mouth with my hands, but it was toote. Lucian looked at me with his eyes wide open in an expression of surprise that I rarely see. How should I exin that outburst? I rolled my eyes at my own actions and looked at Lucian again. We were just staring at each other without saying a word, but the basket I had put on my knees fell down. The grapes, apples, and oranges in the basket all rolled away. ¡°Ugh!¡± Surprised, I got up in a hurry and tried to pick up some of the fruit. At that time, another child sized hand came up and covered mine. ¡°Stay still.¡± His thin hands trembled. As if this is the first time I had been in direct contact with him, I held onto him tightly and felt surprised. ¡°Are you sick?¡± I was a little surprised by his unexpected strong grip, but it didn¡¯t hurt at all. What¡¯s with this power? And what is the reason behind this unusual kindness from him? Is there a grape in my mouth or something? While ncing at me, who couldn¡¯t hide my puzzled expression, Lucian began to pick up the apples and oranges that fell onto the floor. After I had been standing there in a daze, I followed after him hastily. ¡°I¡¯ll pick them up, too!¡± I went to grab an orange in front of me and put it in the basket. I bent down and picked it up. Lucian picked up all the fruits that had rolled quite far and put them in the basket. I picked up thest apple and put it in the basket and straightened my waist. ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°¡­¡± I don¡¯t know why, but the back of my head and his chin collided. It hurt so bad I thought I could see a shooting star swirling around right in front of me, but he might have seen the Milky Way too when I hit his chin. ¡°Are you okay? Does it hurt a lot?¡± I asked with concerncing my voice. He sat with his knees bent in front of me, who had fallen on the floor. His shoulders were trembling. You¡¯re not gonna cry, are you? You are thest person I would want to cause such pain. You¡¯re not going to get eventer, are you? I asked with worried eyes. ¡°L-l-let me see if you¡¯re alright.¡± Unable to control his facial expressions as he was leaning over me, I begged him. ¡°Did you bite your tongue?¡± I felt a cold sweat form on my back because I still didn¡¯t hear a response from him even when I asked again. I suddenly thought of bringing him medicine first. ¡°I¡¯ll go get some medicine. Hold on, brother!¡± As I was getting up after nervously shouting my words, his big but childish hand grabbed me once again. Having brought me back to his level, he shook his head from side to side with his head down. At the same time, his shoulders shook. ¡°Brother.¡± He barely raised his head at my call. His white face is colored pink and was moist around the eyes. He shook his shoulders again when he looked at me. I froze when I saw him smiling brightly without a sound. I was speechless because of his dazzling smile, which I had only seen in the webtoon. It is the smile that I could only see when he was with Sue. It¡¯s a bright smile without any malice. It is a pure smile that is only filled with joy. I never thought I¡¯d see this face myself. Can I take this as a good sign? Why does he make people worry because he¡¯s smiling silently? Of course, his jaw is not safe either. I looked at his red chin for a moment rather than his heated eyes, and I lowered my head without realizing it and blew at it. It won¡¯t work much, but he should still be having a hard time. My favorite. I¡¯ll take care of you okay. Who will take care of you anyway if I don¡¯t? At that moment, his joyfully crescent eyes quickly returned to their original form. I was surprised at the quick return to his usual expression and just blinked. Then he stood up. After standing up in a hurry, he stared at me in silence and picked up the basket. ¡°Oh, brother.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring this for me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but the basket fell. I¡¯ll get you another one when I get back.¡± He shook his head slowly at my words. He took the paper he had written, organized his notes, and looked at me again. With a faint smile on his lips that she didn¡¯t even notice. ¡°Thank you, Rachel.¡± ¡°¡­¡­no problem.¡± It¡¯s something you should be able to enjoy anyway. I¡¯m just a distraction that rolled in, why are you saying thanks to me? His gratitude suddenly made me feel embarrassed. I couldn¡¯t help but put my hands in my dress¡¯ pockets. There was a small box that I caught in my hand, but I couldn¡¯t get it out easily. This present was bought by the Duke. So I couldn¡¯t just give it to him acting like I bought it. Without the unfortunate series of events in the past, he would not have to suffer such pain, and everything in the duke¡¯s house would belong to him. I know that it¡¯s a useless gift, but I am very shy at this moment. ¡°I¡¯ll get permission from father next time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Pardon?¡± Lucian, who is about to leave the study room, looked directly at me and finished talking. ¡°so that I can put my time with you in my schedule.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± He remembered my request that I had told him about before. Recently I have been trying to get permission. Even though the Duke would not allow it. I wanted to support Lucian¡¯s efforts. I wanted to show him that there is someone waiting and cheering for him. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to get permission from the Duke.¡± If he tries, I will try too. I mean, he¡¯s my favorite. So please be happy. After hearing my answer, he gently closed his eyes. That response alone seemed to have brightened up his expression on his face. I couldn¡¯t move from my spot until he left the study room. My heart beat was about to explode. Lucian, who came out of the study, hurriedly walked with his basket clenched in his hands. I was out of my mind. After I was around the child for a bit, my head just seemed to nk out. There were many events that happened, but the most surprising thing was the taste. After rushing back to his room, Lucian put down the basket. He picked up a green grape that was rolling in the basket and put it in his mouth. He tried to discern the vor of the grapes by rolling them around in his mouth, but they were not tasty as the ones from before. So he couldn¡¯t find any trace of the taste he expected. He had a secret. It¡¯s a secret that neither his father nor his mother knows. ¡°Why does everything taste so good when I¡¯m with Rachel?¡± To be exact, it is Rachel¡¯s food, but. When the food touches the child¡¯s hand then goes into his mouth, it tastes delicious. As he was swallowing the grapes that were not the same as the refreshing grape vor that he ate earlier, he tried to ignore the ringing voice in his head. He then recalled when Rachel had touched some of the oranges that she had picked up herself. She had touched them with her hands. Rachel is very different from his first impression. She didn¡¯t ignore him or try to destroy his spirit, but instead, she liked him. At first, he felt ashamed of himself for misunderstanding her based on her appearance. It is his first time to be liked like this, so he wasn¡¯t able to easily notice her true intentions. But now he has changed his mind from his initial idea of her. ¡°I wish I could see you more often¡­¡± He was sorry that he could only see her for a short time because of his busy schedule. Lucian wanted to ask his father for permission as soon as possible. Although the process would not be smooth, he could not give up on it. ¡°Maybe today? Tomorrow? No, I think I should go today.¡± I murmured as I checked the timeline of the original novel that I wrote down in my notebook.[E/N: The novel has switched back over to Rachel in case you¡¯re confused] The time is approaching for the sub-male to appear. It is safe to say that the original novel has already begun. ¡¶Into-Into-In¡· was a free and popr webtoon, and the story development began with the sad and unfortunate past of the duke. From the point of view of Lucian, the official male lead, I remember him meeting the sub-male lead. Didn¡¯t he say that he thought white clouds had fallen from the sky to the ground? ¡°My favorite is also poetic. So that¡¯s why he noticed him?¡± I inhaled and exhaled deeply through my nose. I stood in front of the window with my arms tightly folded in front of my chest. I had to confirm that the duke ising. No wonder it is today. The Duke will return with something important. I stared out the window without saying a word, but eventually, I went outside myself. I ordered Amber to set up a tea table. I had her put it in the garden of the red rose with a good view of the Duke¡¯s estate entrance. Standing next to Amber, who was setting up quickly, I murmured quietly. ¡°A red rose. I think it¡¯s very fitting.¡± Let¡¯s all go crazy together, okay? Just like a bull rushing at a matador with red cloth, I am going to run him in circles when hees. Cheeky, mean sub-male lead! I¡¯m ready. Come on! ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 9 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 9 Surrounded by the fragrant rose bushes, I sipped on a cup of rose tea. While I drank the red petal tea, my heart pounded loudly. It felt as if I had consumed arge amount of caffeine. Watching the slowly passing clouds nkly, I thought about the original story again and clenched my fists. It was because the passing fluffy clouds looked just like him. Sub-male lead, Oscar! I sat in a rxed position on the chair andzily stared at the clouds gliding by. The clouds looked like the sub-male lead. That cloud looked like him, and this cloud looked like him too. My Lucian was so nice to him, but how dare he snatch Sue out of here from under his nose and drive him crazy! Come on, let¡¯s go crazy together then. Let¡¯s see who reaches the most amazing level of crazy! It was then, when I was eating my dessert little by little, cursing at the original sub-male lead.Swoosh! The sound of the horses trotting grew closer. I quickly got up and looked towards the carriage. The intricate ck rose pattern drawn between the two swords was very grandly embossed on the side, making it clear which estate the carriage belonged to. ¡°Amber, I think the Duke is here. Let¡¯s go meet him.¡± We made our way towards the front doors of the mansion. Directing her attention to the carriage on the way, Amber took the lead first. I walked as fast as I could while holding the hem of the dress tightly with my hands. I wanted to go wait in front of the wagon. I arrived at the same moment that the carriage came to a stop. The servant opened the door of the carriage first before I could open it in anticipation. In the carriage, the Duke weed me without hiding his joy. ¡°Have you been waiting for father, my daughter?¡± I couldn¡¯t answer because I was already caught in the arms of the Duke who rushed over to me. The Duke continued as if he were rather pleased with my response. ¡°You must be curious.¡± The Duke, who had reached before me before I knew it, gently patted my head while I looked up at him with a gaze of expectancy. ¡°Come on, say hello. This is your new pet that will be apanying you from now on.¡± When I first saw him, I found out how urate the line my favorite used to describe him is. A bunch of clouds, which I had been staring nkly a little while ago, seemed to have really fallen onto the ground. He seemed to be terrified, I felt bad after seeing him trembling. The creature handed over by the Duke was warm and very soft. The plush fur felt like it was melting through my fingers and it looked like it would disappear like mist. If I didn¡¯t know what this guy would do in the future, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do because he is cute. It seems I am much weaker to cuteness than I thought. But I won¡¯t let go of the beings who will make my favorite sadter. Even if you are cute, you are already on my bad side. ¡°What a cute white fox!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, a white fox. They say that it¡¯s acting strange, unlike a normal fox.¡± ¡°Thank you so much.¡± He murmured happily under his breath with his arms folded in front of his chest with pride. ¡°I want a falcon, Duke.¡± The Duke was pleased with my request. ¡°I¡¯ll find you a good and docile pet hawk, and buy it for you.¡± ¡°No, I like hunting hawks. A flying hawk with itsrge wings ready to stretch wide open, Duke!¡± ¡°Whoa, my daughter has good taste. I will find one just like you want.¡± The Duke must really intend to raise me as his devoted underling. Every time he acted like this, I had to make up my mind and decide how I should feel about him as a person. Even if I have already grown up on the inside, if I keep being treated like this, I might lose that progress I¡¯ve already made. I keep feeling like my values might change while I¡¯m growing up here. Thinking about how to never be misled by the Duke, I turned my attention to the one in my arms. My arms were quite warm and I could feel curious twitchinging from the creature. Come on, I¡¯ll train you very well. So don¡¯t you dare betray your master. Sub Male Lead, Oscar. He was Rachel¡¯s pet and escort in the original novel. He is a rare species of fox spirit and has silky fur in the color of white snow. However, he devoted himself to Sue rather than his master Rachel, and stabbed the back of my favorite Lucian who loved him and thought of him as a friend. Sue was in custody, but when the misunderstandings were finally resolved and the love of the main characters had almoste to a mutual beginning, he escaped with Sue in tow. He¡¯s the one who made the keyword ¡°escape¡± appear in the novel¡¯s description. And now that the cider ising out, I¡¯m going to let him pay for it because I¡¯m going to crush the expectations of the readers![e/n: cider in korean can mean you feel happy, basically she¡¯s feeling quite happy with her progress with Lucian and she¡¯s not gonna let him ruin it lol] He wasn¡¯t my cup of tea in many ways. I red at the blinking white bundle in my arms. The name ¡°Oscar,¡± which he was called in the original, is nothing less than a luxury for him. I eximed to the Duke with a bright smile. ¡°I¡¯ve picked out a name for this kid!¡± ¡°So, what is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to call it ¡°Doggy¡±!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good match.¡± The Duke smiled at my bright expression, seeing just how happy I was. The only ones surprised to see the precious fox Su-in given such a ridiculous name was Amber and the Duke¡¯s aide. No, there was one more. I smiled wickedly at the little fox Su-in, who was looking up at my words with astonishing eyes. Its red jewel-like eyes, which shined brighter than rubies, shook like an earthquake, but I lightly scratched under his chin with my fingers. I peered into his shocked gaze with my ring eyes for an instant. This sister is going to change the keywords. I¡¯m going to get rid of the keywords that will be created because of you. So, just cooperate. Doggy! ~+~ On the first day, Doggy, who had not evene out from hiding in the seat cushions out of fear, slowly began to approach me. He sometimes showed his teeth to me, but the Duke himself came and punished the fox using a ne he had put on him. It was a harness made by a wizard with the appearance of a ne used to tame Su-in. If he shows hostility toward his owner, it will tighten around his neck. In the original, it was Lucian who removed the ne. Although he knew that it was Rachel¡¯s pet, he still felt sorry for him and broke the harness with his own power. He¡¯d been so nice to him, and then Oscar says, ¡°Sue¡¯s eyes are turning towards me, so I am willing to turn on my master and my friend.¡± Trying to change things from the original, I didn¡¯t really like the wizard¡¯s ne anyways. So I told the Duke, but he refused my request to take it off, saying we had not tamed the fox yet. I couldn¡¯t help it because the Duke, who usually did everything I asked, refused adamantly. Of course, I¡¯m looking for a way to undo the ne using a different route, but there isn¡¯t much I can do because I¡¯m still young. And I did very well apart from being displeased with it. Like other aristocrats, Su-in had no intention of bing someone¡¯s entertainment or letting anyone subject them to acts of cruelty. I was just going to take the path of disciplining him properly. So that he can¡¯t bite his owner even if he sees Sueter, or even if he falls for him. If I can make it to where he wouldn¡¯t betray us, I am willing to put in a lot of effort. You have to use the proper equipment that will make sure you get the correct results. I¡¯m the owner, and you¡¯re my escort! Do you understand, Doggy? ¡°Doggy!¡± Currently the young fox cannot transform into a human appearance. Arge number of staff entered and exited my room while following my orders and delivering items. ¡°Sit down!¡± Doggy walked up next to my leg and stuck only his butt to the floor. I picked up a piece of fresh raw chicken meat that I asked Amber to bring with chopsticks. Oh, chopsticks are sofortable. Forks and knives are harder for me to use. I can¡¯t use them during a meal with the Duke, but I thought it would be good to use them in my room when I am alone. I asked Amber to take the small cut of raw meat with the wooden chopsticks and carry it over towards the fox¡¯s mouth. Jump. The fox ate the raw meat right away without waiting. Knowing my distaste for him due to the original work, I smiled with remorse. After licking all the flesh off of the chopsticks, Doggy looked up at me satisfactorily. ¡°Let¡¯s have dessert, too.¡± I picked up a blueberry and put it in the fox¡¯s mouth. The fox ate up as fast as he could as he avoided meeting my eyes with his. All right, we¡¯re all done. Even if I hate him, I have to feed him and deal with him again and again. I stood up with a bright smile, keeping the minimum level of morals strongly instilled in me. ¡°Amber!¡± ¡°Yes, miss.¡± ¡°Change me into something morefortable.¡± ¡°Are you going out?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you to Neva. Come this way.¡± Amber quickly and carefully dressed me in a riding suit. I came out of the dressing room only after making sure to wear a hat to cover the sunlight. ¡°Doggy!¡± I called the fox with a strict tone. A servant brought out a big hawk. The hawk looked at me from inside hisrge cage that was being transported from inside a cart. Like you¡¯re saying, ¡°Get me out of here.¡± Isn¡¯t he just supposed to be a normal hawk? But why are you making eye contact just like that Su-in? Am I mistaken? The name ¡®Damien¡¯ means to tame and conquer foxes. Hawks are the natural enemy that foxes hate the most. I was going to train the fox properly using a hawk. When I called out the name Damien, the fox stared at me. It¡¯s like his eyes were saying. Why is he the only one that I gave a nice name? ¡°It¡¯s my choice.¡± After replying quietly under my breath, I gestured toward Damien. I already had thick gloves on that cover my hands and arms. Damien, who flew over at once with his big wings, perched on my arm. He was a little, no, very heavy, but I could bear it for a while. Because I really wanted to try it. ¡°Go, Damien. Doggy!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 10 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 10 I stretched out my arms as if I were copying one of the cartoon characters that I had often watched before my transmigration here. Damien flew beautifully at mymand. The sight was very satisfying. I thought it would be a hobby. But the fox didn¡¯t start doing anything and stared at me. For some reason, his eyes seemed to be saying that I was pathetic, is that my imagination? Ivished praise on the child who went hunting first. On the contrary, I did not give any snacks to the child who leftte that day. After learning how to rule a Su-in in this world, I decided never to punish him. More than I had originally thought, the method of dealing with Su-in in this world is very simple. So the only way I figured that I could train him was not to give him snacks when he disobeyed. I don¡¯t know if this will work or not. I don¡¯t know. I had doubts, but I had no choice but to go ahead as nned. I asked looking at the still fox. ¡°Are you going to lose again today?¡± The fox looked up at me for a while and began to tease me. It¡¯s not that fox Su-in is precious and rare for no reason. His nimble body movements, which werepletely different from those of usual foxes, were magnificent every time I watched him. ~+~ Lucian was secretly watching his younger sister train with the hawk and the fox. It wasn¡¯t like when she first came here and he didn¡¯t go out of his way to see her at all, but the time when he could go see her decreased significantly because she had started training the hawk and the fox. Recently, he thought his condition was strange. At first, he wanted to look good for his father, so he wanted to be nice to his younger sister. However, the more he got to know Rachel, the more he focused his attention on her rather than focusing on the affection he wanted to get from his father. Especially when she put fruits or desserts in his mouth, he felt something indescribable. What kind of existence is she to make him be this confused? After the training, he¡¯ll be starting the next ss without any free time in between. If he wanted to visit her then he had no choice but to stop by his younger sister¡¯s training ground before entering his own. It was because he was worried about whether she liked the hawk and fox more than him. Lucian murmured quietly when he looked at his sister, who was currently teaching the hawk how to fly. ¡°What was he even thinking, giving her that big hawk as a gift?¡± As the hawk leaped from Rachel¡¯s arm, Rachel¡¯s soft and small body reeled powerfully. He quickly stood up, worried that the delicate Rachel had been hurt. Lucian watched the hawk and the fox enter the forest, which is located on the Duke¡¯s private property, and his expression turned cold as he red down at the animals. I wish they were gone. The momentary and fleeting thought of it made Lucian feel ashamed. He shook his head with the intention of regaining his level headedness. Then he heard his sister screaming. ¡°Brother!¡± Lucian raised his head. The white fox that had gone off hunting had somehow attracted something and returned with a look of tion. Rachel became flustered and fell backwards. When Lucian saw it, he instinctively moved his body. The sight of the maid defending his sister and the movements of the angry boar following the fox all seemed to slow down. Lucian bolted out like a shot. He quickly pointed the sword, he had taken out from the sheath at his side, at the boar. ¡°Brother!¡± He heard a new kind of voice he had never heard from her before. He could feel the anxiety seeping out of her voice. Has he ever heard a person with that kind of voice? The short-lived anxiety quickly disappeared, and Lucian, who was staring at the boar with alert eyes suddenly jumped upwards. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off the wild boar and plunged a sword into its forehead without hesitation. ¡°Kyahhhhh!¡± ¡°Brother!¡± Hot blood sshed on his face. Nevertheless, Lucian pushed the sword in deeper without batting an eysh and then calmly pulled it out. The heavy body slumped over. ¡°Keuk,keuk,keuk.¡±[e/n: he¡¯s breathing heavily here, as one would expect from a child defeating a boar] Maybe because the boar was so big, and because of its great momentum, it slid on its front legs that had copsed underneath it, several feet until it stopped. Even after its eyes had already zed over from its death. Lucian¡¯s eyes seemed to be twinkling due to the scent of the blood. It has already been 10 years since he had begun training by wielding a sword. He received a sword as soon as he began to walk. He wielded it every day from the age when he didn¡¯t even know what a sword was, but this was his very first direct killing. He couldn¡¯t stop his trembling hands, but he didn¡¯t drop the sword he was holding. Then he heard someone running. It was the quick sound of someone stepping on the grass as if they were trying to take off flying. ¡°Brother!¡± Worry, anxiety and worry again. Her voice was full of concern, and just by hearing it, you could tell that she had be a bundle of distress. ¡°Are you all right?¡± A trembling little hand touched his wrist. She had always thought he was skinny and soft, but he was a lot stronger and athletic than she had originally thought. ¡°Oh, my God! Blood, blood¡­¡± A flustered face stained with shock came into his field of view and became engraved in his mind. Tears sparkled brightly in the sun as they filled the edges of her eyes and her beautiful emerald hair shook in her distress. Unexpectedly¡­ no, he liked it very much. Among the things he noticed, he liked the fact he was the only one fully reflected in her dark night sky-colored eyes the most. He was so happy to see his sister¡¯s eyes full of him. Amber rushed into the mansion. Lucian, who was displeased that Rachel had turned to look at her, tapped her cheek with his fingertips. Just look at me. Rachel turned her head as if she had heard what he was thinking. ¡°You¡¯re not hurt, right? Blood¡­ This blood¡­¡± When she couldn¡¯t speak properly, Lucian shook his head slowly to calm her. Then the hawk appeared. The sound of it cutting through the air was fierce and loud. Lucian red at the bird, which was descending close to them vertically. Lucian grabbed the neck of the hawk, which was trying to settle into Rachel¡¯s arms as if it were only natural that it returned there. And threw the creature at the fox. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°Kwang!¡± ¡°Kak! At the same time, three voices rang out, but only Rachel¡¯s voice resounded in Lucian¡¯s ears. With an expressionless face, he slipped her hand off his wrist. ¡°Brother¡­¡± Rachel didn¡¯t even realize she was still holding his wrist. She was restless, unable to follow Lucian, who had turned around already and approached the hawk and the fox. He bent down onto one knee and gazed at the fox and the hawk. The hawk, who didn¡¯t understand any humannguage, pped its wings to get up, and the fox, who had been crushed underneath it, growled. Lucian tilted his head towards them slowly, and whispered quietly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, you¡¯d better not mess with me anymore. This is my only warning.¡± He whispered without hesitation, but his words were full of intensity. The hawk and the fox, who were keenly aware of his energy, were unable to move and their bodies stiffened and their eyes trembled. Lucian stood up, leaving the two animals that were pretending to faint as if they were dead. Slowly, he turned around and looked at his sister. His cute little sister, who was looking at him quietly, ran to him quickly. Without knowing why, Lucian smiled timidly because he liked her mannerisms so much. [e/n: we¡¯re switching over to Rachel¡¯s perspective now] I thought I was going to faint. When I saw Lucian running at the boar, I wanted to hit myself recklessly. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re bringing this kind of danger to your favorite. I don¡¯t deserve to be a die-hard fan! However, Lucian easily managed to get rid of the wild boar just like one would expect from the main character. It is fortunate that he wasn¡¯t hurt, but when I saw him covered in wild boar blood, my blood went cold in fear that he was. His appearance reminded me of thest scene in the original plot, but I managed toe to my senses while we were dawdling. ¡°Brother!¡± No matter how many times I called, he didn¡¯t answer. His cold golden eyes were looking at me, but at the same time, they didn¡¯t really look at me. My mouth went dry. Even if he looked so dangerous, he is still an innocent and good man. I¡¯ve tried to slowly prevent him from bing swallowed by regret, but an uneasy feeling that tells me I should hurry up is slowly rising up from my toes. Lucian didn¡¯t reply to my words, but only after sending Amber away, he touched my cheek as a reply. He smiled lightly when I looked at him. It was a real but small smile, but I saw it clearly. He turned his back and approached Damian and Doggy. The two, who had been moring for a long time, soon became calm and were a little surprised. Those two animals are much more vicious than I thought. And he just pressured them like arge predator. Those two even pretend to be dead. What the hell did Lucian say? I had that question enter my mind for a moment, but when he looked straight at me, the sudden thought I had evaporated immediately. He beckoned to me. I ran to him. As I was beckoned toe closer, I ran fast as I could, almost as if I was possessed or something due to his appearance. As usual, I didn¡¯t notice his deepening smile and his feverish eyes directed at me. I didn¡¯t know he was extremely relieved that I was breathing and alive. I had wanted to change the ending to be different from the original plot. I wanted Lucian, who had simr childhood experiences as me, to be happy even before I had transmigrated. ¡°Brother Lucian.¡± I stood right in front of him and looked up at him. Standing still and looking down at me, he looked at me with his eyes as narrow as possible. I just looked at him as if nothing would make me happier than calling his name over and over again, while smiling brightly as though I had never seen someone so amazing before. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 11 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 11 When I returned to my room, I was examined here and there for injuries because Amber brought a doctor. And it was rmended that I take a bath in hot water and change into my pajamas to rest. I heard a knock as soon as I hadid down on the soft bed. ¡°Lady, I¡¯ll go attend to the visitor.¡± As I nodded my head shortly, Amber approached the door quickly. ¡°Who¡­¡± ¡°Get out of the way.¡± A dreary statement resounded through the room. Surprised by the change in atmosphere, I opened my eyes wide and raised my upper body. ¡°Duke?¡± At my call, the duke came into the room. Looking at his cold, hardened face, he seemed to have heard of what happened during the day. ¡°My daughter, are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. My brother saved me.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve already heard the story.¡± He looked displeased, but the Duke¡¯s response was rtively positive. I quickly realized that this was a golden opportunity. ¡°Brother Lucian is really cool. He flew like this and defeated that big boar instantly!¡± I exaggerated by adding enthusiastic hand gestures. No, it¡¯s not even that much of an exaggeration. My baby, it was awesome! The Duke still had a cold face, but he didn¡¯t stop me. I carefully continued to talk while looking around. ¡°I want to repay him for that.¡± In the end, the only person I could rely on was the Duke. It would be nice if the Duke took care of Lucian himself, but I decided not to rush him. The Duke also has a mental illness. Slowing down is fine, so I hope he can ept his son as he is. The Duke, who had listened to my story without saying a word, nodded his head quietly. He raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Of course I have to pay for saving my daughter.¡± No, Lucian is your son, too! ¡°But my daughter.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t intend to keep the fox and the hawk, do you?¡± Uh, I haven¡¯t thought about that yet. ¡°I think Dad¡¯s gonna take care of it. Think about something else will you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Duke.¡± ¡°Yes, Rachel.¡± ¡°Can I take care of it?¡± ¡°Daughter?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The fox who brought the boar on purpose was hateful, but I didn¡¯t think I could stand to see the fox and the hawk punished. There¡¯s probably only one way the Duke would handle it. They are just animals that the Duke bought for a price. But with the thought that they attacked me. Of course he¡¯ll kill them. The Su-ins are treated badly in this kind of world. Sometimes they are treated lower than ordinary livestock. Maybe that¡¯s why the sub-male lead felt love with Sue. Sue¡¯s so sweet. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Rather than stubbornly insisting that I should repay Lucian, I was convinced that if I really wanted to fix the bad rtionship between them I shouldplete this mission slowly. So instead I said. ¡°Duke, I won¡¯t raise them anymore. In exchange, let me take responsibility until the end.¡± I meant what I was saying. He¡¯s a very detestable Doggy, but as long as I am the owner, I have to take care of Doggy and Damian until the end. But¡­ He happily ate the food I gave him, and still acted like that, did he hit the back of his head? I thought I¡¯d be relieved if I hit him at least once. The Duke burst into a smallugh when he looked at my face. Now he patted my head like it¡¯s a habit, and replied. ¡°Okay. Since my daughter is talking so confidently, I¡¯ll have to trust you.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± I looked at the duke with a big smile. When I smile like this, Duke always smiles with sad eyes. I had no choice but to smile and pretend I hadn¡¯t noticed because I didn¡¯t know why he looked like that. The next morning, after eating, I changed into a set of riding clothes and followed Amber outside to meet the fox and the hawk. I heard these two were being kept on the Duke¡¯s hunting ground. Yesterday, I fed and took care of the fox myself, so I feltplicated. Of course, I didn¡¯t get attached to him. But what should I say? Oh, I don¡¯t know. Yeah, I guess I got a little attached. So they must have been so desperate to persuade him yesterday that they didn¡¯t mean it. Since we have to walk for quite a long time, on the way, Amber asked, ¡°Should I call you a carriage?¡± but I refused so I could have some time to organize my thoughts. By the time I reached the hunting ground, sweat had already formed on my forehead. ¡°Keung! Keung!¡± Pudduck. Pudduck. The sorry bird and the clump of fluff reacted to the sounds of my arrival. The two were trapped in arge cage located at the entrance to the hunting ground. I headed straight for them. ¡°Sigh.¡± After wiping my sweat with my hand, I looked at Damien and Doggy. ¡°You two.¡± The two creatures I was addressing stuck to the wall of the cage and whined and pped. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. At least you¡¯ll be free.¡± Doggy raised its head in shock because of what I said. Its red jewel-like eyes shone brilliantly in the sun. In this way, Doggy really looks like a beautiful white fox. The human-turned-trash, or more widely known as the original Oscar, was called the midday sun by readers. On the contrary, Lucian earned the nickname of the dark moon of the night. The readers used to say that Sue was blessed with two opposite charms. ¡°So why did you bring a wild boar, and no matter how unhappy you were, you shouldn¡¯t have done that to your master. You brought it here because you can¡¯t do a direct attack, right? But you are not as clever as you think you are.¡± I sat in front of the cage, clicking my tongue. At that moment, Doggy barked at the bars under his feet. ¡°Keung keung keung!¡± He moved around in front of me as if he had something to say, but there was no other way. If I don¡¯t give them up, these two will die at the hands of the Duke. I¡¯ve grown a little attached to them. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything about the ne. It¡¯s a harness, so it can¡¯t be cut with a knife. But it will stretch ording to your neck, so it doesn¡¯t matter. If you ever meet some wizard when you grow up, ask him.¡± ¡°Keung keung! Pudduck. Pudduck. ¡°Amber, give me the key.¡± ¡°Yes, miss.¡± Amber took the key out of her pocket. And I opened the cage on my behalf. The door opened with a squeak. Through the gap, Doggy ran to me like an arrow. He begged for me to hug him. He whined as it is. Oh, did he get attached to me, too? Hey, isn¡¯t that too much considering what you did yesterday? Come to think of it, it¡¯s amazing. You somehow managed to bring a boar, and now you¡¯re here? Oh, no, no. Let¡¯s not forget the original Oscar. He¡¯s not going to help my favorite. This oue is better than that. It¡¯s best for him not to be in the house, but why did the original Rachel try to raise him anyway? I had alreadye to a conclusion. Since I have already decided to change the ending and keywords of the original, I can not foolishly keep the sub-male lead in the house. I looked down at Doggy who pathetically licked at my fingertips, and then with my fingers, he rubbed himself under his chin. His red eyes looking up at me were beautiful. ¡°Doggy, I guess we¡¯re all finally getting along here. But isn¡¯t it good for you to run in nature, too? Maybe next time be careful, and don¡¯t let people catch you.¡± Instead of hugging Doggy, I raised myself up. And I looked at Damien. ¡°Damien, fly far away. Oh, it¡¯s better if you drop this fox off somewhere on the way, do you understand me?¡± ¡°Keung Keung!¡± Doggy was distractingly hovering under my feet. Damien climbed up on the cage and looked down at me. Its yellow eyes seemed to face me intelligently. Well, do you understand me? He was definitely a smart guy. Damien looked at me for a while and opened his wings wide. Damien, who is muchrger than the average hawk, pped once and swooped down gently. Then he snatched Doggy and flew up into the air. ¡°Keuuuuung!¡± Listening to the clump of fluff shouting, I looked up at the two disappearing far away. The sky is so blue today. Lucian trained as usual and returned to his room and washed. He had long started washing himself without the help of his servants. No, he can¡¯t even remember. He thinks someone washed him when he was young, but his memory is blurry. He feltfortable because he is alone now. It would have been inconvenient if the servants tried to help now. ¡°It¡¯s even more amazing if that kid cane.¡± In that sense, Rachel was very special to him. The employees were also influenced because his father ignored him. That¡¯s why I used to do things that I shouldn¡¯t do, but it was only a very extreme minority. Most of them just didn¡¯t approach him because he was unsociable or distant. He knows it very well, and as soon as he came out of the bathing room, a knock resounded, as if the person on the other side did not wish to be there. ¡°Come on in.¡± It was rare for anyone toe at this time. Lucian hurried to the door just in case. The door opened first before he opened it. The young butler, who the butler is raising as his sessor, was surprised to see him standing right in front of him. ¡°Lord, all future schedules have been canceled.¡± It was just a short sentence, but I could understand who was saying it and why they canceled it. ¡°Okay.¡± The young butler couldn¡¯t even enter the room and hesitated before greeting him and disappearing. Was he afraid of his disappointed expression because it wasn¡¯t what he expected? He hid his disappointment, dried his hair, and dressedfortably. The fact that there is no schedule is very unusual. When he sat down in his room without knowing what to do, he heard a knock again. There was a smile on his face because the knock was clearly very different from when the butler knocked on the door. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 12 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 12 I headed to Lucian without dy. Yesterday, I heard from Amber that he had no injuries, but I was not easily relieved. Even if it was not human blood, it did not disappear from my mind because he was covered with blood yesterday. At the end of ¡°Another Doll Lives In The Doll¡¯s House¡±. Eventually, he finds Sue who chose tomit suicide, which caused Lucian to go crazy. The resentment and anger buried inside him were released onto the people around him. There was a small wave of blood on the floor whenever he moved after cutting up all the people of the mansion. Lucian, who had blood all over his body due to the bloodbath, died holding the body of Sue. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so scared. It¡¯s terrible.¡± There will be no future like that for my favorite. I¡¯ll make sure of that. Arriving in front of Lucian¡¯s room, I took a deep breath. I didn¡¯t want to show him my awkward expression for no reason. I always want to smile in front of him. I want him to smile freely like me. Knock, knock, knock, knock. ¡°Are you in there, Brother?¡± I know that the Duke gave him a special holiday today. I felt like I was given a reward because I was saved by him. The door opened as soon as I finished talking. Standing in a somewhat disorganized fashion, he looked at me. No, it wasn¡¯t just his clothes that were different from usual. He was smiling. He had a bright smile that matched his face, not an indifferent look like usual. ¡°Rachel.¡± I answered immediately as if I were possessed by his call. ¡°Yes, brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting.¡± His words saying that he had been waiting for me made me smile. I entered his room without hesitation with his remark. An expression that didn¡¯t go well with his face didn¡¯t immediately register in my eyes. Just his smile was the only thing that was registered by my eyes and got imprinted into them. ~Third arc~ Timeskip 17 years old Lucian, 12 years old Rachel Two years have passed since I was adopted by Duke Leon. And it¡¯s been almost 2 years since I first saw Lucian smiling naturally in front of me. ¡°Rachel, what do you think?¡± I admired my brother¡¯s appearance over and over again. He was wearing colorful and intricate clothes, which were very different from his normal and shabbier outfits, they were not gaudy either, but rather blinding, so I had to cover my eyes with my hands. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± But of course I would be surprised if you suddenly hold my hands! Let me cover my eyes, Lucian. He grabbed me and looked into my face in close proximity. It made me blush. ¡°Brother will be the coolest! I can assure you!¡± Today is a very important day. It¡¯s Lucian¡¯s first day in a salon. And it is a very important day for me. Today, Lucian will meet Sue for the first time. ¡°You have to make a lot of friends!¡± Over the course of two years, I seemed to have seeded in persuading and appeasing the duke. The evidence is now filling up Lucian¡¯s room. Originally his room was so simple that I didn¡¯t think it was the room of the duke¡¯s sessor. It was iparable to my fancy room, so I tried to persuade the Duke to take better care of Lucian little by little. Originally, these were the things he deserved to enjoy. ¡°My brother is the best!¡± Every time I praised him, his eyes naturally softened as he smiled. Oh, my favorite. I have no more regrets! How can you smile so beautifully? I had thought he would look good with a smile, but he really did. His smile looked better on his face than his expressionless face. I did it! I did it! Not the cold expression of the trademark of an obsessive man, but a beautiful smile that has rich affection like a tiramisu! Isn¡¯t the keyword ¡®Obsessive¡¯ a little bit out of it? I¡¯m not sure because I haven¡¯t met Sue yet, but it is worth looking forward to. What I mean by him being obsessive is that he is crazy about Sue and has eyes like that towards him. Also, basically, being obsessive is cool and cold. Everything had to be big. From kidneys to muscles, hands, feet and everything. You don¡¯t have to tell me where he should be big, do you? Of course, his face is small and symmetrical but he should not have an unbnced figure that you don¡¯t want to look at, but rather a sleek body with muscles that flow down smoothly. All readers who have seen BL webtoons or novels will understand me. I nodded my head in agreement. Certainly, Lucian seems to be a budding sprout. He grew very tall in two years. When I first met him, he was not short necessarily, but now I had to tilt my head backpletely to make eye contact with him. What about the muscles? His body is as sturdy as a rock due to his constant training. ¡°Rachel,e here.¡± He called me. I approached without hesitation. Even though I am much taller than two years ago, he could hold me lightly with just one hand. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t crumple your clothes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re going to see me off anyway.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Oh, do you like me seeing you off so much? I put my arm around his neck, giggling. At the age of 17, Lucian entered society in earnest. This was also a little different from the original. In the original book, he started socializing only after bing an adult. But I don¡¯t know what kind of change in attitude the Duke had, but he took us both to the banquet hall hosted by the imperial familyst year. So from then on, the invitations came to Lucian like a flood. Everyone has an eye for him. Lucian took me to the entrance of the mansion. He dropped me off in front of the waiting carriage. I looked around once again. Amber and the owner of the house came out to see him off. Well, good. He passed! The attitude of the employees toward Lucian has also changed due to the Duke¡¯s change of mindset and my efforts. I liked it very much. It¡¯s a society of social standing and ss, how dare an employee ignore my favorite? I won¡¯t ept that! I was angry for no reason because I saw them do that several times. No, even in a capitalist society, people who pay you your money are not people to ignore. Lucian stared at me, wondering why my expression suddenly turned into a pout and that bothered him. He is so tall that he is almost 190 centimeters tall, but his facial expressions and eyes were still soft and innocent.[e/n: he¡¯s almost 6¡¯2¡±] I¡¯m familiar with what he wants. ¡°Then, brother. Have a safe trip.¡± I gently lifted my dress into a curtsey and greeted him. But my favorite didn¡¯t even react. Also, seeing the slow movement of his eyelids, there seemed to be something he wanted more. It¡¯s still the same silly request as usual. Still, it was not a bad feeling to have at least one thing about him that hadn¡¯t changed. How should I say it. How do I say it? I am proud to see my child grow up, but I hope that he will always remain my child. As I got closer to him, he bent down. I gave him a light kiss on the cheek, which was soft and firm. No, it¡¯s not. I didn¡¯t drool. I looked up at him, stealing a nce at his lips. From some point on, he wanted a beso-beso from me. It¡¯s a very normal way of greeting each other in Europe.[e/n: It¡¯s where people kiss next to each other¡¯s face as a greeting, but it¡¯s not on the face like she just did. So she¡¯s exining away this interaction even tho we know he doesn¡¯t think of it as a normal greeting lol. It¡¯s also called bise in France.] Originally, I only needed to kiss one side of their face, but eventually, the Duke and Lucian wanted a kiss on both cheeks. Lucian said with a satisfied look only after I gave him a beso beso. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± I waved to him as he got on the carriage. The ck horses of the Duke¡¯s estate began to run fiercely away from the mansion. Watching the back of the carriage disappear quickly, I soon entered the building. ¡°Amber.¡± ¡°Yes, miss. I¡¯ve got it all ready.¡± Amber is a reallypetent maid. I could see why the Duke sent her as my own personal maid. She moved on her own without needing my instructions constantly. I headed to the duke¡¯s kitchen with her help. I was thinking of going to do what I¡¯ve been avoiding doing for two years. I met the Duchess that day and haven¡¯t met her again so far. Neither I, nor the Duchess ever went looking for each other. Instead, I made cookies and sent them to her every day. I hope her depressive thoughts go away for a bit after eating something sweet. Lucian¡¯s gonnae back after I make cookies and read a book in his room, right? I should make a cookie that Lucian likes for today. I giggled shortly as I recalled him, who slowly blinked when he ate some cookies full of nuts. It was the beginning of a pleasant day. Time flew into the evening. I came out to the entrance of the mansion when it was time for Lucian to return. By the time I circled around the entrance of the mansion several times, I could finally see Lucian¡¯s carriageing in. ¡°Was it fun? It¡¯s prettyte.¡± I put my clothes in order and waited for him. Lucian got out of the carriage that reached the entrance of the mansion in an instant. I greeted him with a look of exhaustion all over me. ¡°Are you finally here, brother?¡± Lucian turned his head at my words. Soon as he started to approach me with a bright smile, a figure hidden by his big body was revealed. Huh? Huh? At the end of the year, magic lights began to light up everywhere around the entrance, and in the garden in the duchy. In the midst of our surroundings brightening up, a blond man who was brighter than those glistening lights stepped forward. His squinting sky blue eyes looked at me. Uh¡­ I don¡¯t think it can be. The blond man slowly approached me when he finally noticed me. And he said hello. ¡°Hi, you must be Lucian¡¯s sister.¡± ¡®Sue greeted me.¡¯ He is as dazzling as when I first saw Lucian, so I closed my eyes and opened them in shock without realizing it. Wow, Brother Sue. He¡¯s as dazzling as my brother. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 13 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 13 I opened my eyes and looked up at Sue. Unlike Lucian, who is a strong figure, Sue has a graceful impression. He had a keyword that matched him just like Lucian. I thought of a keyword about Sue. Beauty, sweet, pure, bright, and beautiful were keywords for Lucian¡¯s own love affair, andter when the content of the plot became deeper and deeper, the number of wounds, narrow dodges, escapes, and scenarios leading to unconsciousness were created by him. I mean, he¡¯s kind and cheerful now. Lucian had hoped that he wouldn¡¯t be a cause for regret, but it seemed like Sue didn¡¯t want the ending to change. But why are you looking at me like this? Are you shy? ¡°Uh¡­ who are you?¡± But you¡¯re going to be talking informally since the first time you met? It¡¯s good to be close, but you¡¯re the child of a baron and Lucian is the child of a duke, didn¡¯t you skip too much progress? There is no way he would know what I was thinking about, so I answered with a clear smile. Oh, my God, he¡¯sughing. ¡°I¡¯m Noah de Casti. I¡¯m supposed to be friends with Lucian from today onwards, so I said itfortably and informally¡­ does that put you in a bad mood?¡±[e/n: Noah is the rumored Sue we have heard about, in case anyone is confused. Not sure why he has the two different names.] You¡¯ve been friends with Lucian since day one! As expected, the main character and the main character meet differently. It took me a really long time to get close to him! Noah, who was looking at me while I was thinking for a moment, murmured as he lowered his eyes toward Lucian. ¡°It seems that your sister doesn¡¯t like me.¡± No! Why would I hate you? To put it into perspective, Lucian is the best, but I liked him a lot, too. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it?¡± Noah looked at me again due to my reply. His smile looked so innocent. ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief.¡± Lucian didn¡¯t say anything while we were talking. He was just looking at the two of us. Then he slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Baron Casti.¡± After we finished our greetings, he called Noah in a lower voice than before. ¡°Come on, I told you to speakfortably. That¡¯s what they have us do in our salons.¡± Oh, that¡¯s what the salon does. Okay, I got it. I got it. ¡°Did the salon make that kind of rule?¡± Noah nodded at my question. Oh no. His hair ruffles smoothly whenever he moves. It looks so soft. How¡¯s his skin though? ¡°The purpose of our salon is to state our rank and status and meetfortably. I don¡¯t think I can make a real friend within my ss.¡± Oh, that¡¯s a good idea. ¡°So Lucian must have had a hard time today. I could tell at a nce that he was embarrassed.¡± Oh, that¡¯s why you took care of Lucian. Good job, good job. ¡°But he said he had a sister. So I came here to see you even though I knew it was rude.¡± You wanted to see me? Oh, my. You thought the same thing as me, didn¡¯t you? I wanted to see you so much, too. ¡°You thought I have no manners, didn¡¯t you?¡± He looked perfect with his eyebrows furrowed as if he was in trouble. That¡¯s a perfect expression. It¡¯s just lovely! I just want to bite you! Kyahh! ¡°Not at all!¡± I turned my head around. That¡¯s never going to happen. I can¡¯t refuse such a wonderful visit by Sue. No matter how much I think about it, he really is a good-looking guy. I thought it would never happen, but I was especially weak to his beautiful appearance. ¡°Really? Then I¡¯m relieved.¡± Oh, I feel like my eyes are being purified. Oh my gosh. ¡°Can I call you Brother Noah?¡± While I¡¯m at it, let¡¯s be friends! Noah¡¯s eyes widened and he bent down at my eye level after hearing my lively remarks. It was a refreshing smile that made me feel refreshed. Then Lucian stood in front of me. ¡°Young Man, I¡¯ll see you next time. I¡¯d like you to leave me alone for today¡­¡± What are you doing, Lucian? I want to y with Noah more! I tapped him on the back, but Lucian didn¡¯t look at me. My view waspletely blocked, so I didn¡¯t even see what the two looked like side by side. I want to see you two together! It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that I possessed this body just for this! Get out of my way! I want to see him! I stomped my feet and tried to go around his side. But Lucian was one step faster. Holding me up in his arms, he turned his back without listening to Noah¡¯s answer. ¡°Ooh!¡± Hugging him, I looked back. Noah just smiled and waved. ¡°Brother.¡± Without answering my call, he went straight up to his room. What¡¯s wrong? If I was him and met Sue, I would have felt something funny or tingly¡­ What is this kind of reaction? Didn¡¯t you get close and talk to him? No, Noah¡¯s the only one who talks, right? What the hell happened? Holding me in his arms, we sat on the sofa and I looked up at him. When he was with him, his face showed few traces of a smile that had disappeared and was not very different from how he was before when we first met. I never thought he¡¯d be this shy¡­ but I must have sheltered him too much. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be so cold to the other male lead. You shouldn¡¯t do this. I want to see a happy ending for the two of you! ¡°Brother.¡± I called out to him. He nced at me when I talked. Oh, I can¡¯t. I wanted to get mad, but I can¡¯t. How can he look at people like that? What are you doing? pouting?! Why are you pouting at me?! He was so big that he looked very cute. The tails of his eyes that I had taught to pull up into a smile quickly found their original ce. ¡°Did you enjoy the salon today?¡± He sat next to me only then to answer my question. Yeah, good job. I almost had a dry throat from anticipation. ¡°It was just so so.¡± My eyes crept back to his face at the voice full of disapproval. ¡°But it¡¯s still your first salon. Go out a few more times.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡± epting it as if he couldn¡¯t help it, he faced me straight on. This is so interesting. In the past, he used to be all about looking sideways at me or only turning his head slightly, but these days, he does eye contact now. Yeah, good. Very good! Heughed along as Iughed. I felt good to see his hardened face blooming brightly. ¡°As expected, you look good with a smile.¡± His face bloomed more brightly at my cheerful words. ¡°I like your smiling face, too.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± When did you start expressing yourself so well? It is verymendable. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go to dinner. I waited to eat with my brother.¡± There was no answer from him when I said that, but he made an easy to understand expression instead¡­ The answer was delivered. I thought my heart stopped when I saw him smiling shyly. Don¡¯t rush in like that and drop such a destructive weapon, my favorite. My heart is about to stop. Oh, what are you going to do about my eyes? It¡¯s so bright that I feel like I¡¯m going to go blind. I covered my face with my hands and stammered my feet. In the meantime, Lucian, who returned to his room after dinner, had a cold expression on his face and changed into some simple clothes. Later, a servant came to assist him, but he didn¡¯t want anyone else to touch him, so he just let him go. He had a moment of quiet, so he rested his hips on his favorite resting ce. The moonlight fell on his face, which was resting calmly against the window pane. He frowned at the memories of the salon he went to today. Heughs only in front of Rachel, but he, who had originally had no expressions, will now show his displeasure with his expressions. ¡°Noah de Casti.¡± He came to him without hesitation from the beginning. As if he knew him, he spoke without hesitation. Lucian didn¡¯t like him very much. He regretted not stopping him from following him. If he knew he would show up in front of Rachel just because he was curious, he would have refused him from the beginning. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you toe to me¡­¡± It was quitete when he returned, so he thought she would have eaten first. But when his younger sister said she waited for him, he felt like she was supporting him. As if immersed in warm water, afortable fuzzy feeling rose up from his feet. He closed his eyes for a moment and thought of Rachel. Her face, which he can recall clearly with his eyes closed, is always smiling. Eyes resembling the night sky that are always filled with affection. Her eyes were clearly different from those of his father or mother. And from his own eyes. Looking at her eyes that are always twinkling and have such vivid warmth, he came to realize that something about his world is wrong. Lucian recalled his parents. His father¡¯s cold blue eyes that hold deep contempt and his mother¡¯s dry blue eyes that look as if they have given up on life. Obviously, considering the colors, the eyes of his two parents should normally be brighter, but Rachel¡¯s dark sky colored pupils always seemed clearer and brighter. ¡°I feel weird.¡± When he recalled his sister, who was talking to Noah affectionately, his stomach felt twisted. Lucian nced at his stomach. He tried pressing it with his hands, but it didn¡¯t hurt. However, it was definitely a sensation that I¡¯ve felt before. That happened when my father adopted Rachel. On that day, my father and sister were together all day long. Breakfast, lunch, tea time, dinner¡­ Seeing those two people, Lucian felt envious for the first time. At that time, I could only express it as ¡°I envy you,¡± but now I think I know exactly what that feeling was. My stomach feels twisted. It was obvious jealousy. Jealousy towards Rachel back then but now for Rachel. ¡°Rachel likes me the most.¡± Lucian muttered in a hesitant tone. Or he¡¯s going to make it so that she does. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Aki: Greetings! We are currently looking for editors! If you¡¯re interested, please apply in our discord server! Thank you! ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 14 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 14 One day the duke asked in passing words. ¡°My daughter, don¡¯t you need a friend?¡± I thought he was just saying it, or asking it with the intention of trying to distance me and Lucian because I was with him often. The Duke still disapproved of Lucian. Of course he is more rxed than before, but I must have misunderstood what he said. That¡¯s what I thought while I was looking at the group of young people my age in a garden that was filled with white roses. ¡°Should I start socializing?¡± White roses are special and meaningful roses in the Leoniss Empire. Therefore, it is a flower that no ordinary person could raise or get. However, if someone has so many white roses, that they are enough to fill an entire garden, it is especially worth bragging about. Oh, but even the duke has his limits. Out of our five gardens, only one is filled with rare flowers. The tea tables in the garden filled with white roses were elegant and cute. There was ace tablecloth carefully ced overtop and a white cushion on the chairs where young children would sit. The tableware is all pink. The ceramic figurines hidden as gifts in their respective cups are rabbits, flowers, or butterflies, all cute things that young children would like. In addition, the table is upied by numerous sweet desserts, such as colorful macarons, shortcakes with lots of strawberries, and chocte cake with delicate chocte garnishes. Still, I smiled as I saw the cute girls staring at me like I am an elegant and high-ss nobleman. Guys, you guys have some drool around your mouth. I¡¯m not kidding, both sides of their mouths were shiny. ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing you. I am Rachel De Leon.¡± After the Duke said that I would be registered in the family roster his words of promise were quickly implemented. That¡¯s why I am a De Leon now. ¡°Nice to meet you, princess. I¡¯m Bellisa of Marquis Bourne¡¯s house.¡± As if a red rose slipped into the wrong ce through a gap in the white roses, the red-haired Young Lady greeted me. After that, each of the four young children around us introduced themselves. Some are from baron houses, some are from a Count¡¯s house, and some other young people from various other aristocracies. I don¡¯t remember any of the other young people very much. Of the people sitting in a circle in front of the round table, I only had to remember Belissa sitting on my right side. She also raised her chin in pride as if it was the right thing to do so. Oh, she¡¯s a little cute. It seems that I like the fancy type of beauty rather than elegant beauty or somber beauty. Though not as impressive as Lucian¡¯s colorful appearance, Belissa is also a person that will be quite popr when she grows up. ¡°May I call you Belissa?¡± ¡°Oh, please speakfortably, princess.¡± As the small children spoke with aristocratic speech, I had the image of children that are ying house from my original life pop into my head. But I¡¯m used to this world now, so that¡¯s good. Making friends is rather expected now that I¡¯ve adjusted. ¡°By the way, Belissa, would you mind speakingfortably too?¡± ¡°¡­ Rachel, you are warmer than you look huh?¡±[T/n: this idiom had something to do with being kind and hospitable.] In aristocratic societies, it is rare to call someone by their first name during the first meeting. But I saw how Noah did that to Lucian yesterday. His impression didn¡¯t look too bad. And I also liked the social purpose of the salon. There are bound to be restrictions because the world here is a ss society, but I wanted to have a friend who I can meetfortably like in modern society. But while living here, I had to admit to myself that I had picked up many mannerisms and ideals of this world. Because among the young children, I only interacted actively with Belissa, the Marquis¡¯s young miss. I wanted to be fair to everyone, but that would make me aughing stock. I shouldn¡¯t make a fool of myself as a child. These are aristocrats. They are young predators who would eat me alive if I showed any weakness. I lifted up the tea cup with an overbearing flourish. This is because I could leisurely listen to the young children who came as guests. ¡°Come and see me often, youngdies.¡± I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen if I get sent out of the duchyter, so I don¡¯t mind building a house at the hill in advance. The tea was fragrant and delicious. ¡°How was your tea time today, Rachel.¡± Cutting the calf steak, the duke asked me a question. I put the small cut of meat in my mouth and tasted it before I answered him. ¡°I liked the young marquess of Bourne, Duke.¡± ¡°Whoa, I see.¡± The duke smiled graciously and looked at me as if liked my answer. I smiled at him as if I were responding, and I saw Lucian sitting across from me, cutting his steak. Oh, he¡¯s eating so well. It¡¯s been a while since the three of us started having dinner together. Maybe it was after Lucian saved me. It would be great if the Duchess could join us. But she is still struggling with her mental illness. ¡°When will my daughter call me Dad?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I rolled my eyes when I heard the sudden request. Well, that sounds a little difficult, Duke. Strangely, I couldn¡¯t call the duke dad. I tried to open my mouth because I wanted to call him father, but I didn¡¯t seed again this time. Two pairs of eyes were staring at me with only my lips twitching. Oh, it¡¯s really burdensome. What should I do? ¡°Daddy is fine with waiting. I can wait forever.¡± The duke said with a grim look. Ugh, I¡¯m not good at this. Unlike Lucian that has a colorful impression, the duke is a man with a grim look. Even though they are rted, their faces are very different. The duke was just like thete Duchess (his mother), while Lucian was just like the Late Duke (his grandfather). During dinner, Lucian didn¡¯t say a word. I wanted to talk to him, but the moment I opened my lips the Duke noticed and made an expression that looked like it said ¡®you shouldn¡¯t talk to him`. After eating dessert deliciously, I went up to my room. I tried to read a book before going to bed after washing up. Then there was a knock. Knock, knock, knock. I got up smiling and ran towards the door. It¡¯s because I already knew who it was with just the sound. I opened the door and said. ¡°Brother, are you here?¡± What brings you here at this hour? Usually, ramen doesn¡¯te at this time.[t/n: It is said that Ramen or Ramyeon, is like an implication for spending more time with someone. Korean women would say, ¡°Do you want to eat ramyeon?¡± it implies that ¡°I want to spend more time with you so I am asking you this.¡± as eating ramyeon takes time due to its temperature.] As I swallowed my words and smiled broadly, Lucian began to loosen his stiff face little by little. ¡°Come on in.¡± When I opened the door and let him in, Lucian came into the room. Every time hees to my room, he hesitates to look as if he is familiar with my room and these interactions, and immediately gives me a look. His golden eyes that have a magical light shining in their depths are very beautiful. Everytime, or at least most of the time, I end up being entranced by those eyes. By the way, when did he grow taller? My neck is sore now. I had to lean back on my heels to look up at Lucian, who had grown up all alone. As if he was going to ask something extremely important, he quickly opened up his lips. ¡°Do you want some fruit?¡± ¡°Fruit?¡± Apparently, he had a basket in his hand. It may be just my imagination, but when I held it, it was a big basket that I had to hold in my arms, but he held it nonchntly in his hand. I smiled broadly when I saw a basket full of fruits that I usually enjoy eating. It was a gesture as gentle as a sweet fruit, so I could never refuse it. I had already be ustomed to holding his hand by this point. So I casually took him to the couch in front of the window. I put the basket down on the table in front of the sofa and picked up one of the grapes and brought it to his lips. ¡°Knock, knock, knock, knock, grapes are here.¡± After the knock, which is just like a signal between the two of us, thest of the stiffness in his expression melted away. Unlike the usual knock, the rhythm-driven knock quickly became a joke between the two. Lucian looked down at me at an angle and opened his mouth slightly. How long has it been since I first started feeding them to you, are you still shy? When he is shy, I thought I was going crazy because he is so cute when he looks at me sideways. Oh, you¡¯re so cute. No, he¡¯s so cute. I¡¯m going crazy. Pant pant, somehow the sound of breathing was going to get rough.[t/n: the pant should be moan actually since it was expressed sexually. Also, advanced chapters are avable on our patreon (Sara Aki)!] ¡°Oh? It might rain a lot tonight, brother.¡± Then I heard the sound of rain hitting the window. Lucian looked at the window for a moment when he heard me. It was dark and I couldn¡¯t see the outside properly, but I liked the sound of rain hitting the window. Listening to the pitter patter of the rain on the ss, I turned around. I looked straight at him and whispered. ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± He looked down at me, munching on the grapes. I covered my mouth with my hands and whispered softly as if whispering. ¡°Do you want me to tell you something scary?¡± With him still silent, I squinted and continued. ¡°On a rainy day like this, there¡¯s a path open for ghosts. Did you know about that brother?¡± It¡¯s ame story, but he listened to me seriously. Although he didn¡¯t say much, he answered back to the degree of shaking his head or nodding. ¡°When the ghosts are standing in their way¡­¡± I blurted out my words after long pauses to make it more dramatic. I used to hear that I was good at scary stories in my early years. The most important thing was facial expressions. It was more effective when I opened my eyes widely and spoke with a nuance of ¡°Only listen to me.¡± ¡°He thinks the ghost is his friend, so he goes with him holding his hand.¡± I tried to finish the story by lowering my murmuring voice and putting my face even closer. ¡°And he says, ¡°This is what it says¡­.Keek keek¡­¡± Boom! Screeechhh! My n to finish by imitating a ghost failed miserably. It was because the sh of lightning and the loud crack of thunder came at once. ¡°Ahhh! Aaahhh!¡± Lightning shed and thunder rang and it felt as if the window was going to break, so I jumped up and sat on hisp out of surprise and fear. Actually, I hate thunder. I didn¡¯t expect the rain to be apanied by thunder now. I buried my face in his shoulder and trembled, then his big handnded on top of my head. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 15 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 15 Lucian caressed the top of my head, petting it with one hand, and then ran his hand down. He spread his fingers and felt the texture of my hair, which felt as if he thought it was luxurious silk, and swept it off my shoulders and slowly brushed through my hair. This is reallymon for us now, but my heart was moved because I felt like affection was buried in his touch. He wrapped his other hand around my body and patted me on the back at regr andforting intervals. When I first looked at him, I couldn¡¯t help but be filled with a lot ofpliments. I can¡¯t believe he is so beautiful like a doll. So beautiful that he couldfort others without trying. His face was buried in his shoulders with emotion evident in his posture. Yeah, just like this. He just needs to live like a human being. I was wondering what kind of expression he had on his face, so I forgot that I was scared. I wanted to enjoy this atmosphere. My favorite. Your sister is so happy. I put my face on his shoulder and waited until the thunder stopped, and in the end, I fell asleep without realizing it. *** Lucian held his sleeping sister tightly in his arms. The child¡¯s body is warmer than he would have thought. Being so close together, he had the illusion that the warmth she was emitting was seeping into him. Without saying anything all this time, he slowly uttered something only after Rachel had fallen asleep. ¡°I¡¯d like to include you in my schedule¡­¡± He really wanted to listen to what his sister had asked of him before, but it didn¡¯t go as he had wanted. He first noticed that his father¡¯s gaze at him had changed. In the past, if it was mere contempt, he would automatically stare at him with wary eyes. Still, Lucian asked for it. He wanted to include Rachel in his schedule so that he could meet her freely. [Absolutely not. That child is too good for you] It was the duke¡¯s reply when he refused his request. Originally, he would have epted the Duke¡¯s refusal without questioning him. However, he wanted to keep his promise with his younger sister. So he asked his father every day, but the answer that came back was the same every time and the number of hits he received increased more than usual. ¡°I wish I could be with you all day¡­¡± At first, I wondered what she meant. That she wanted to be included in his schedule. However, from the moment Rachel became absorbed in her daily life, he realized that he wanted to be with his younger sister. He missed Rachel who kept following him. He really didn¡¯t know that the desire for something could make him feel so desperate that he could hardly bear it, even before when he was all alone. ¡°Um¡­¡± Despite the thunder being weaker than before, Rachel flinched and frowned. Lucian covered the child¡¯s ears with his big hands. He came to his sister¡¯s room to ask her not to be close to Noah, and he thought he did a good job. He held his sister in his arms and just sat still until the thunder hadpletely stopped. While feeling her small heartbeat and her warm temperature¡­ ~*+*~ ¡°Argh!¡± As soon as I woke up in the morning, I kicked the nket. Becausest night¡¯s events came to mind. ¡°Oh, thunder!¡± If it weren¡¯t for the thunder, I would have ended the story, and I might have seen my favorite¡¯s surprised expression! My face was burning to think that thunder had made things go so wrong, and that I had fallen asleep while groaning and shrieking in his arms like a surprised cat. ¡°No! You¡¯re supposed to be not that kind of sister.¡± I mean, I normally have a stone heart that¡¯s hard to scare. It¡¯s not normally like that. I really didn¡¯t know it was going to start thundering all of a sudden. I just wanted to see his surprised face¡­ Ugh, as expected, the path of virtue is far and bumpy. I don¡¯t have the basic skills yet! As I was rolling around on the covers in embarrassment, Amber came in with a basin. ¡°Lady, are you up?¡± Amber looked amazed because I, who had woken up first, usually overslept. I was embarrassed and just nodded lightly. Looking out the window, it was still raining. Somehow, I had an ominous feeling that I would have an unusual day today. After a long sigh, Amber sensed something as she was looking at me carefully. I¡¯m sure the Duke¡¯s ear will soon be filled with stories about my condition. Amber is my personal maid, but the one who hired her is the Duke. But the Duchess doesn¡¯t do any internal work for the estate, so who manages the internal affairs of the Duchess? I suddenly had a question, but I quickly forgot about it. Well, Noah will handle itter. Well putting the issues with the duchess aside, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get rid of the keyword ¡°regretful lead.¡± I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll live happily with Noah because I want to see that. It¡¯s a reward for me too, who reincarnated! As the efforts of the past came to mind, a dose of reality hit me for a while. I came here a year and a half after I had reincarnated, and I¡¯ve been here for more than two years now, so I¡¯m twenty-nine years old now! I had to act cute like a child for the Duke all the time, and I had to make all kinds of jokes because of Lucian, who doesn¡¯t eat much. Knock, the grapes are here. Oh, my God! Macaroons are here! Herees a nutty cookie. What the hell! From impersonating a delivery man to acting like a lively pony to the most shameful disys as a frightened cat, the ugliness I¡¯ve been showing came to mind. Oh, wait a minute. I want to be alone. As Amber was waiting for me, I made various facial expressions every single moment due to my racing thoughts. Amber, who made me sit in front of the dressing table and had me wear a beige dress, began to braid my hair and struggled with styling decisions. My emerald hair fell down to my waist like a waterfall. Amber casually thought of which hair essory she would put in it, until she saw the ruby-patterned hairpin that she ended up put on my head. I was lost in thought, wondering about the wellbeing of some interesting creatures I recently parted with. Damian and the gang must havended safely somewhere far away, right? Doggie, you¡¯re free to go anywhere, and you¡¯re living your own free life, right? ¡°Lady, I¡¯m done dressing you up.¡± ¡°Thank you, Amber.¡± It took quite a while to dress me up today. While there are days like this, some days aren¡¯t as intense. I went down to the dining area for breakfast. There was some damp air looming in the castle because of the rain. It was quite chilly, so when I rubbed my forearms, Amber noticed quickly. ¡°Lady, are you cold?¡± It is the time whente summer bes autumn. Perhaps the rain that is falling now is an instance of autumn rain. ¡°I think it¡¯s a little cold.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll bring a shawl. Please wait here for a moment.¡± Amber finished talking and went back. I decided to lean on the railing and wait for her. I was leaning on the railing and looking down when I heard someone¡¯s feet approaching from behind me. I absentmindedly turned my head towards the sound of the rushing steps. ¡°Are you an orator?¡±(e/n: yeah, I¡¯m not sure what she means by orator, it basically means a public speaker. So I think she¡¯s basically calling him a celebrity.) For some reason this morning, Lucian is running towards me with a contemtive expression. It is very rare to meet him in the morning, and it is really amazing that this coincidence ured. No, it¡¯s raining, but why did you make yourself so bright? My eyes were dazzled when I saw his bright face shining like a morning sun. Oh, my eyes. My eyes have been blessed the very first thing in the morning. I usually don¡¯t get enough vitamin D. My favorite. Are you taking care of me just in case I might get osteoporosis? Any health issues are disappearing by the second, Lucian. He grabbed me by the shoulder. Surprised, I moved away my hand that I had used to shield my eyes and looked up at him. ¡°Are you an orator?¡± Lucian looked embarrassed at my question. I looked into the golden eyes that were moving busily around, avoiding matching my gaze, and called out again. ¡°Are you an orator?¡± ¡°¡­it¡¯s dangerous to do that on the railing.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± I listened to Lucian and nced under the railing. The duchy¡¯s patios and ledges are very wide and high. That¡¯s why there have been numerous falls. I would often stand on the second and third floors of the church, but this ce is probably about four stories high because of its unusually tall floor height. That¡¯s why he came as fast as he did and was so surprised. He can¡¯t run inside, he can¡¯t run in general, he can¡¯t even walk fast, or else he¡¯ll diminish his elegant charm. What have I done to my favorite¡­ The male lead who has to walk gracefully let out an rmed voice! What¡¯s wrong with you ever since yesterday? Come on, man, wake up! You are not only obligated to be a fan of your favorite child, but you are also obliged to protect his elegance!! The reality and shame of the morning made me speechless. As I bowed my head low, Lucian held me by my hand and lifted me up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­Brother.¡± ¡°Yes, Rachel.¡± Our Lucian. You answer pretty well. ¡°I just don¡¯t have the strength.¡± I couldn¡¯t say it was because of reality and shame, so I roughly covered it up with an excuse. But it seemed like my body began floating. Lucian hugged me as soon as I was lifted up away from the railing. ¡°Are you an orator? for you to do that so smoothly¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get you diagnosed by a doctor.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lucian tried to visit the doctor as if he couldn¡¯t hear me. ¡°Wait! Brother!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He tapped me on the shoulder, and then he stopped and looked at me sideways. No, when did youe all the way down here? I thought I had only been carried for a short while, but we were already down on the first floor. ¡°Lady!¡± In the meantime, Amber, who brought me a shawl, found me from the top of the stairs and called out to me. ¡°Brother, wait a minute. I¡¯m not sick. We have to wait for Amber.¡± ¡°Why should an employee keep the owner waiting?¡± Lucian asked back in a low voice. Surprised by his harsh tone I had heard for the first time, I quickly blinked my eyes. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 16 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 16 I must have misheard him, right? His face was no different from usual, as he looked at my face while turning towards me slowly. He had a nk expression with no strong emotion showing. Yes, I must have heard it wrong after all. I thought it was only the aftermath of me daydreaming a lot this morning. I was nodding all by myself, for the meantime. ¡°Lady.¡± After covering my shoulder with a shawl, Amber greeted Lucian politely. ¡°Greetings, sir.¡± I looked down at Amber, hugging her. Her shoulders were trembling, so I asked. ¡°Are you cold, too? Should we change your uniform into a winter outfit?¡± I thought the weather had suddenly gotten cold because of the sudden rain, so I asked with a worried look on my face. Amber seemed to be in trouble, but soon smiled and replied. ¡°No, mydy, but thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Then the duke appeared. Since this morning, the Duke¡¯s expression has been slowly hardening, but it quickly turned to stone upon seeing me resting in Lucian¡¯s arms. He then stared at Lucian and said, ¡°What I allowed is not the current time.¡± Huh? Permission? Time? My ears perked up at the mention of something I didn¡¯t know. Maybe he saw it, Lucian covered my ear. Oh my. ¡°Father, I think we should show Rachel to the doctor.¡± ¡°What?¡± The duke, who approached, opened his arms towards me. It is embarrassing, but in this case, I wish it was for Lucian to hold the duke¡¯s hand. I moved from Lucian¡¯s arms to the Duke¡¯s. It is not new for my body to move in the air from one embrace to the next. ¡°Rachel, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± When the duke said words filled with anxiety, I rolled my eyes while looking at him. No, I am not hurt. I should be honest, right? But if I say I¡¯m not sick, will Lucian end up in trouble for lying? I mumbled under my breath for a moment and then replied while looking at the Duke. ¡°I just feel a little chilly.¡± The moment I was forced to lie, I had to pay attention and try hard to feign illness. Lucian looked at me with a look on his face, and the duke called the butler with a thoughtful air around him. In an instant, I was taken up to my room. I was told to put back on my pajamas andy down on the bed. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t look down on a cold. It¡¯s dangerous to catch a cold with such a small body.¡± Looking at the duke being worried with a serious look on his face, I swallowed my sigh. All I could do was nod and hold on to the nket. You¡¯re not going to get back at me for falling asleep first, are you, Lucian? ~*+*~ Unintentionally, I was unable to get out of my room due to a fake illness, I was only able to escape from my room at the end of the autumn rains. I came to the garden to soothe my frustration. It is my favorite garden, the one that is full of yellow roses. ¡°It¡¯s fascinating every time I see it.¡± The garden is under a preservation spell during all seasons. It is a pity that I didn¡¯t get to see the phenomenon of the flowers blooming, but I didn¡¯t forget that I am a guest here so asking to see them bloom is something I shouldn¡¯t do. I tapped my finger on the rose petals that had morning dew. Water dripped down from the petals. I drifted through the garden in a daze from the much needed fresh air. ¡°Greetings, Lady, I am Dante, the head butler of the house.¡± While I was taking a walk with Amber, I was stopped by the butler¡¯s greeting. Oh my. W-when did you get in here? I answered calmly even though I was very surprised inside. He seemed to have be quite aristocratic-like. Seeing that he doesn¡¯t even express anything he¡¯s thinking on the outside. ¡°Yes, long time no see.¡± I haven¡¯t had much business that I needed to see the butler about. It is because Amber takes care of everything, and she is able to deliver the words directly to the Duke. This is clearly due to the favoritism towards me. Originally, it should have been his sessor or spouse who the Duke should want to talk to. ¡°The Duke is looking for you.¡± ¡°The Duke?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± I went to the duke¡¯s office with the butler and Amber. Whenever I arrived, I looked at the magnificent door and entered between the massive doors opened by the butler. ¡°Duke.¡± He raised his head at my call. It was sad to see him stuck behind the desk, that had a high pile of papers. I really understood at that moment. Yes, the title of a duke is not an easy job. Still, when I remember all my interactions with him who has always cared about me, I could feel how high his affection for me is. Maybe that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t directly criticize my favorite in front of me even though it seems like he wanted to. Is he really the kind of person who is affectionate? While I was thinking about a lot of stuff all alone, the duke walked up right in front of me. ¡°My daughter. You haven¡¯t had a date with dad in a long time.¡± ¡°Date?¡± ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t been able to spend time with youtely.¡± Listening to what he said, I looked at the mountains of paper behind him. As if he had noticed what I saw, the duke smiled softly. ¡°My daughter has nothing to worry about. I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡± The weight of the head of the family. I wanted to pat him on the shoulder with a sympathetic touch, but I didn¡¯t think it was a good idea! This won¡¯t do! ¡°I can do anything to spend time with the Duke. We don¡¯t have to go on an outing. It¡¯s okay if we just drink tea together too.¡± That was said out of sincerity. The duke has listened well to whatever I¡¯ve said, and he often tells me what he thinks because he trusts me a lot. If I showed any interest, I would tell him what I think in detail, and I spoke very coherently and clearly. So I told him, ¡°Did you feel my sincerity, to the point where I should wait for the time to drink tea with you, Duke, without realizing it? He responded after a moment saying ¡°Daddy wants to have a date with my daughter after a long time. Will you go out with your dad?¡± Oh, even if I am middle-aged, I was nervous because he is handsome. ¡°Of course!¡± As soon as he heard my answer, the duke lifted me up. Naturally, I put my arm around his neck, and the duke whispered. ¡°Well, shall we go?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± I answered like it¡¯s be a habit. Strangely enough, I keep bing a child on the inside too in front of the Duke. I walked with the duke in the town where I hade out to explore a few times. The wind was cool and the sun was warm and it was a perfect day to go out. I went into the market holding the duke¡¯s hand. The market was very lively because we came just after the fall harvest. Unlike usual, the reason why I entered the general grocery market, not just the luxury market for the aristocracy, is because I wanted to look for something specific. The chef of the duke is excellent. From appetizers to desserts. He is a chef who knows the harmony of aristocratic taste too well. But is he really a chef who is good enough for me? As a Korean by nature, I couldn¡¯t forget the spicy taste of my previous life¡¯s food. How much I missed it, I have never opened my eyes blissfully while eating tteokbokki, chicken feet, and spicy chicken in my dream. Waking up after those dreams makes me miss spicy food even more. That¡¯s why I came here, because I thought I¡¯d look for spicy sauce. ¡°Duke, there¡¯s a sauce shop over there.¡± I said with excitement, pulling the duke¡¯s hand towards it. The duke walked together with me, wearing a gracious smile. The store was small, but I had to open my eyes wide. It seems that they sell all kinds of sauces. The sauces in the small bottles filled up the disys on the walls and covered the shelves. ¡°Hoho.¡± I looked around the interior of the store with a bewildered look because I¡¯ve never seen a shop like this before. The owner approached us with a nervous face, probably because, even at a nce, when we entered our attire screamed ¡°They¡¯re nobles!¡±. ¡°Lord, are you looking for anything?¡± ¡°Do you happen to have any spicy sauces, sir?¡± He is an old master. I could not abandon the Confucian ideas of Korea and asked for the item while using honorifics. Then the duke¡¯s eyes quicklytched onto me. Oh, I made a mistake. Don¡¯t look at me like that. I had no choice but to ask again after a long and awkward pause. ¡°I came to look for spicy sauces.¡± It must have been funny watching a 12-year-old kid speak in an adult¡¯s tone. The owner¡¯s mustache quivered, holding back augh. I¡¯m sure he was thinking something like that. But the duke seemed to like it. I came to that conclusion because he started patting my head. ¡°Of course I do. Each country has a variety of secret spices, starting from famous sauces, to secret sauces made with family secret recipes. How much do you want to buy if it¡¯s spicy?¡± Oh, a full-fledged question. I like this kind of question very much. ¡°I want to buy everything that tastes spicy.¡± Come to think of it, I had a habit that I didn¡¯t realize until now. It was following the duke around. When buying things, they told me that the duke bought by type, by size, by color. The duke, standing beside me, had a look of great pride and spoke to the owner. ¡°By type, by size, bring all the spicy sauce.¡± At the request from the two of us, the corners of the owner¡¯s lips soared to the ceiling. ¡°If you wait a moment, I¡¯ll get your items ready shortly.¡± The owner, who could not hide his joy when he met a deep-pocketed customer, disappeared into the back of the store and reappeared again with a wooden box. He picked up only the red or ck sauces between all the rest of the sauces on the shelves. The color is ck. Maybe it is capable of burning my tongue with just one drop. Out of curiosity, I lifted one of the ck sauce bottles that the owner had picked up. Wait, is this a skull mark? Does that mean I¡¯m going to die? It¡¯s supposed to be a sauce, isn¡¯t it? I am not good with poisons. I don¡¯t want to die. ¡°Why is there a skull mark on this?¡± The owner answered my question with an animated warning. ¡°You should never eat it because it¡¯s dangerous for a little girl. It¡¯s not suitable for children to eat, as adults wouldn¡¯t know if there wasn¡¯t a warning.¡± ¡°Is it that spicy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even want to mention it. I took a sip of it, and I thought I was going to die from a stomach ache for a week.¡± The owner, who shook his head as he remembered that time, continued. ¡°There is a small kingdom very far from the empire, and its specialty is the ck pepper. It¡¯s smaller than your little finger, but it¡¯s much spicier than a regr pepper.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 17 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 17 The duke listened quietly to the owner. Leoness Empire has no spicy food after all. However, it is naturally something that has ended up distributed in the empire because it is not part of the neighboring countries. And at the center of the empire, the duchy is located at the center of it. It is a ce where various kinds of food are gathered, and the spices are also diverse. I listened to the owner and grabbed a bottle of ck pepper separately. The reason behind it was because I wanted to go home and show it to Lucian. ¡°I¡¯ll take one separately, so charge the receipt properly.¡± ¡°Yes, mdy.¡± The owner, who diligently packed the spices, gave me a bag of spices, saying it was free service. I then put my hand in the container to grab a pinch and smelled it. Oh, this is the pepper they have here. ¡°It¡¯s a good quality pepper. But I can¡¯t help but be nervous as the most powerful Duke, in this country that produces these peppers, is here.¡± But the owner of this spice shop actually appealed to me. The money is being spent by the duke, but he seems to have quickly noticed that I am the person he should actually try to sell to. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± The owner had a charming smile and gave me a tip.¡°There is a small but fairly spicy restaurant just a short distance from here. Would you like me to introduce them to you?¡± What, there is a spicy restaurant here? I didn¡¯t think that there would be a ce that sells spicy dishes in the Empire because I only went to the streets especially for aristocrats each time. In that area, there were only teahouses, dessert shops, or professional restaurants with course menus on the streets for the aristocrats. I looked at the Duke right after hearing the owner. The duke smiled when he saw my sparkling eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t know my daughter liked spicy food¡­¡± I suppose so. I wouldn¡¯t have liked it if I was originally from here. But I¡¯m Korean. If I can¡¯t eat spicy food for a day, I¡¯ll probably get sick! Shooting a begging look towards him, I pleaded with the Duke with my hands sped together. ¡°I was so curious when I read about it in a book.¡± The Duke¡¯s eyes closed for a moment as if my cute pleading was too much for him to withstand. The duke then held my hand. The servant behind us handed the gold coin to the owner and packed the sauce. ¡°Thanks to my daughter, it¡¯s my first time eating spicy food.¡± He said and then we exited out of the store happily. The ce the owner told us about was not far away, but it was inside an alley, so we had a little trouble finding it. But the familiar scent that was stabbing at my nose had already made my mouth water. I was rushing towards the shop, but someone pretended like he knew us. ¡°Long time no see, Duke.¡± Oh? That¡¯s a familiar voice. Who is it? I could not remember immediately, but I turned my head to look for the source of the familiar voice. Then I found apletely forgotten figure who was opening their mouth. When I looked at my uncle, who still couldn¡¯t control his cunning expression, I frowned slightly. It is not a busy street, and thus it is very suspicious to run into someone familiar in such a small alley. How long has it been? A little over 2 years? I don¡¯t think it has been a long time since I saw him, but my uncle¡¯s face looked strange. Did he lose weight? He does look thinner than before. I really thought my father¡¯s brother was more simr looking to him than this. The only thing that actually looked alike was their purple eyes, now that I looked at him closer. The duke also felt suspicious, and he pulled my hand to move me behind his back. With his hand swiftly moving me, I quickly stepped back. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Ha ha, I happened to have something to do, but by chance I¡¯ve met you on the way.¡± It makes this situation even more suspicious if he says it like that! I was also being vignt and stared at him from behind the Duke, then our eyes met for a split second. I immediately felt goosebumps all over my body after that. My uncle quickly ran over me with apletely different look than when he looked at the Duke. It felt like he was evaluating a piece of meat that is on disy at a butcher¡¯s shop. Regardless of the quality of the meat, how much would it cost if it¡¯s this big? To put it simply, it made me feel dirty. Then the duke replied in a dreary voice. ¡°If it¡¯s a coincidence, just pass by. Don¡¯t get in our way.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.but you took my niece, how can I just pass by.¡± ¡°Now she¡¯s my daughter. Not your niece.¡± ¡°Biologically, I¡¯m her uncle. Why are you trying to cut off our blood rtion!¡± No, why are you suddenly raising your voice? Are you going against my Duke? As he got closer and closer to us, the more my uncle began toin. ¡°Even if I want to see my niece, what can i do if you don¡¯t even let me pass on a letter? I can¡¯t even imagine how upset myte brother would be to know about this. I¡¯m Rachel¡¯s uncle. I have every right to see her!¡± What does this mean? Did he send me a letter? I didn¡¯t notice what was happening behind me, as my thoughts were muddled by the words of my uncle, who was talking about things I didn¡¯t know. As soon as the Duke turned his head away from my uncle, someone covered my mouth. ¡°Uhmf!¡± ¡°Rachel!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± My uncle pushed the Duke. The Duke was trying not to let go of my hand, but it was impossible. The servant who was following behind us had already fallen onto the road, holding his stomach. His blood was flowing down his body. ¡°Ugh!¡± The duke is a man who is not that knowledgeable about swords. However, even if the duke notices this w thiste, the ability of the person who is trying to run off with me is not normal. In addition, the duke did not bring a single sword. It was because I always made him leave his sword when we were having an outing. I was dragged away and didn¡¯t turn my eyes away from the Duke. My uncle was kicking the fallen Duke as if he had lost his mind. Are you crazy? How dare you attack the Duke of the Empire like that? ¡°Argh! I feel better.¡± My uncle looked at me. He looked so mean. Then he stared somewhere in the alley and began to grovel. ¡°I kept my promise. So please keep yours.¡± I took my eyes off my servile uncle and looked at the Duke. He was clearly in pain, but his eyes were clearly stuck on me. The Duke silently mouthed some words to me. ¡®Don¡¯t worry.¡¯ Under the current circumstances, the Duke will not be able to use his hands. I am more worried about him than I am about myself. It is much earlier than the original, but I already knew about my kidnapping. And the Duke gets seriously hurt when he kidnaps me. I tried to shake my hand free, but before I knew it, my wrist was restrained. I felt goosebumps when a cold iron thing touched my skin. Taking advantage of the absence of the hand that was covering my mouth, I shouted as much as I could. ¡°Run away, Duke!¡± The Duke¡¯s eyes opened widely due to my words. At the same time, the man who lifted me cruelly covered my mouth with a damp handkerchief. A bad scent filled my nose and my mind rapidly became blurry. I wouldn¡¯t turn on the Duke until he no longer lived. I hope you don¡¯t get hurt¡­ I resented myself for not being able to properly prepare for this incident because I was too concerned about my best friend.[T/n: she regarded spicy food as her best friend] As I watched the duke as my consciousness faded, he grabbed my uncle¡¯s leg and knocked him down, Then everything went dark. Lucian was quietly transcribing in the study. There are only a few books left on the history of the Leoness Empire, which boasts a long history of a thousand years. It¡¯s been a long-standing well regarded book. He diligently copied it with the thought that it would be possible to be finished by the end of today. And he often thought of Rachel. What is that child doing by now? He knew she went out with his father. At first, he couldn¡¯t stand the child because he was jealous of her. He wanted to go out with his father too, but he couldn¡¯t bear to speak to his cold hearted father. Instead, now it was the other way around. Lucian envied his father. He also wanted to go out with Rachel. It would be really nice to eat delicious food and go see good things with his younger sister. That¡¯s what Noah, who he met recently at a salon, said. Younger sisters are weak to cute things. I¡¯m telling you. Then shouldn¡¯t I give something cute to Rachel as a gift? He wanted to give her a gift because he only got stuff from his younger sister each time. ¡°Hmm.¡± With only a few lines left in thest chapter, Lucian briefly took his pen off the paper. It was because he couldn¡¯t quite think of something that Rachel might like. His younger sister caught on to what he really liked quite easily. Even if he didn¡¯t say anything, she guessed everything from his favorite food to his preferred tea. Among them, his favorite was the nut cookie that his sister made herself. He thought for a moment and grabbed the pen once again. He wanted to finish copying it neatly until the end. When he was concentrating on writing thest line, the outside of the mansion became noisy. A series of unusual shouts from the knights and horse galloping began to be heard. Something¡¯s off. It was the first disturbance like this in his whole life. No, it was simr to the scene when his father went out to kill monsters one day when he was younger. He didn¡¯t think they¡¯re going to kill some monsters, but still why are the knights moving in groups? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 18 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 18 Focusing on the noise outside the mansion, he did not notice that a big dot was forming at the end of thest line. Ink kept leaking from the tip of the immobile pen. The piece of paper that had a long, thick ink stain on it soon fell under the desk when themotion outside made Lucian leap to his feet. His heart began beating violently with anxiety. He hurried out of the study and quickly went down to the first floor. He was sure Rachel would be standing there with a puzzled look after seeing how he rushed to go downstairs. Then he thought he should take her to her room quietly. Because the Duke¡¯s knighthood hade, it meant that the situation was dire. Rachel had to be in the mansion. Lucian arrived on the first floor and looked around to find Rachel. But the person he was trying to find wasn¡¯t there, and even the employees were gathered at the entrance of the mansion. He went outside right away. As he stood at the entrance of the mansion, a group of knights could be seen from a distance, marching. The man in front of their formation was the Duke¡¯s Knight Commander. There was only one reason that made that man make a move. It was when the Duke was in danger. But his father didn¡¯t go out alone. Rachel was with his father. Lucian¡¯s dull eyes glimmered. Rachel! He hurried to the stable and quickly went to his private horse, Hooter, who sniffed and became restless. ¡°Young Master?¡± A stableman recognized him and called out, and only then did Lucian give an urgent order. ¡°Give me a saddle!¡± The stableman, who knew that Lucian was usually a quiet, seemingly absent-minded type of man, got startled and flustered by his suddenmand. Lucian, who didn¡¯t want to deal with the dumbfounded look on the man¡¯s face, got the saddle himself. ¡°Young Master, please let me do it.¡± Perhaps he recovered his senseste, but the stableman helped put the saddle on. Lucian climbed on the horse swiftly. The stableman looked nkly at his retreating figure as he steered the horse into a gallop without dy. The butler jumped in front of Lucian as he tried to ride his horse out of the castle. Lucian stopped his horse in front of the butler by a hair¡¯s breadth, then gave the older man a cold look. ¡°If you want to die, then die somewhere else.¡± His words made the butler¡¯s eyes grow wide. But soon he regained his calm demeanor and spoke in a low voice. ¡°Young Master, please step down from the horse.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The butler devoted himself to the Duchy for a long time. He had been working here even before Lucian was born, and everyone knew what kind of environment Lucian grew up in and how he was treated. He thought the child had grown up with a weak heart. ¡°The Duke will return safely. If you go out like this, you would just get in the Duke¡¯s way.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, please stay in the mansion.¡± This was not something a mere servant was supposed to say. However, the butler had a duty to protect the Duke¡¯s sessor, and, as he said, it was unlikely that Lucian would be able to help. Normally Lucian wouldn¡¯t have disputed what he said. Yes, normally. After a moment of silence as he stared at the butler, Lucian spoke grimly in a low voice that seemed to have been drawn from the bottom of his soul. ¡°To me.¡± With his slow words, the butler looked up. On the ck horse, Lucian lowered his golden eyes that felt as if they were made from cold metal. The butler was reminded of the previouste Duke. Reason came before emotion. He had a n for everything, and he was thorough and firm at work. Lucian firmly ordered the butler, who looked up nkly. ¡°The only person who can give an order to me is my father.¡± The manager of the house trembled at Lucian¡¯s icy tone. Lucian didn¡¯t have time to deal with him. He was anxious, but he didn¡¯t show it. Instead, he just quietly ordered. ¡°Move.¡± While staring coldly at the butler who submissively shuffled to the side, Lucian grabbed the reins. His ck horse began to run fast. He didn¡¯t realize this was the first time he had broken his schedule. Only his sister, Rachel, upied his mind. Rachel, please stay safe. ? ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I woke up with a splitting headache. After blinking a few times, my blurry sight sharpened. Where am I? Thinking that I¡¯d been trapped somewhere, I looked around apprehensively. Not far away, I could hear people talking. I looked around in the dark and raised my head. I opened my eyes amidst a thick forest where I couldn¡¯t even see the night sky, and I immediately recognized where I was. It¡¯s a ce mentioned in the original novel. It was the forest where the second male lead hid to get out of Lucian¡¯s way as he escaped from his master. The ce where the mana wavelength was so erratic that it was designated by the Empire as a forbidden area. It¡¯s not easy to get out of this ce, even if there were talented wizards and knights with you. The ce I was in now was a maze forest proudly located in the center of the Empire. It¡¯s known as the ¡®Round and Round Forest¡¯ or ¡®Spinning Forest¡¯. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Why was I brought here? I just couldn¡¯t understand it. As I said earlier, it¡¯s hard to get out of here even if talented wizards and knights were at your side. No matter how good you are at navigating, it will be hard to get out of the forest. What the hell were they thinking by bringing me here? They looked so drunk over there that they didn¡¯t even notice that I woke up. They were so rxed about this situation. I could tell because they bound my hands with metal restraints, but they left my feet free. You didn¡¯t think I could run away from here, did you? Then, I had to destroy their overconfidence. I wasn¡¯t discouraged at all even though I was in a ce I didn¡¯t know well. I was confident that I¡¯de back alive and safely fangirl again. Thinking about it, now that he¡¯s gained some weight, I¡¯ve managed to help restore his beauty, but it still wasn¡¯t enough. It was sad that I got transmigrated and I couldn¡¯t return to my old life, but to die without being a proper fan was worse than death to someone like me, who had dedicated 10 years of my life as a fan. That can¡¯t be. This situation was something I didn¡¯t expect, but I will definitely survive and go back to my fave! I decided to move away from those people for now, so I slowly crept away. But who the hell did that stupid uncle trust to do such a crazy thing? Are you begging someone who could control to an extent the Duke of Leon, who was a powerhouse in this country? Who the hell was audacious enough? As far as I know, even the Imperial Family couldn¡¯t afford to make such a move against Duke Leon. Why would the Imperial Family antagonize their ever so loyal underling? Well, who the hell is it then? Let¡¯s see. Who was so reckless among the characters in the novel? Thinking about everyone besides Oscar would be susceptible, but there was one character that matches that description in my memory. Ah, would he be able to do it? The description of my kidnapping in the novel was very brief. The perspective that the readers follow in the book was that of the male lead, and the male lead didn¡¯t give Rachel any attention. This was the case even more after he met Sue. Therefore, my kidnapping was written down in just a few lines with no further exnation. But I¡¯m sure it was not supposed to happen right now. I think Lucian had alreadye of age when it happened. As I was dragging my feet thinking to myself, I held my breath at the sudden sound of approaching footsteps. ¡°Huh? Are you finally awake?¡± As soon as I heard the beguiling voice, I realized that I guessed it right. It was such a beautiful voice that I wondered if Seiren would have such a voice if he was born as a human man. But his head wasn¡¯t as beautiful as his voice. Because this character appeared as the head of the underworld, he was the most unrivaled madman among the fishes* that had fallen in love with Sue. What a beautiful madman. A man worthy of matching the entricity of the sub-male lead, Oscar. He wasn¡¯t a lunatic for Sue, he would just be any ole crazy madman. ¡°What are you thinking so cutely about? You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d know you¡¯re already awake if you hold your breath like that? Why are you hiding your face behind a tree.¡± Oh, I want to go crazy, too. I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d be the one responsible for my kidnapping. ¡°Why do you keep ignoring me?¡± Why are you upset that I didn¡¯t answer? Then why don¡¯t you get kidnapped all of a sudden. Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll feel like. When I kept refusing to answer, the lunatic went right in front of me. As he crouched down, I looked away because I didn¡¯t want to make eye contact. Then his legs moved right in front of me. Just looking at his legs, he had a huge presence like, ¡°I¡¯m one of the fishes!¡± No, why did you put this one heck of a strange fish, writer? In the original story, he¡¯s portrayed as having a beautiful voice, but the good-natured Sue avoided him just because he was the head of the underworld. Therefore, it was less likely for him to end up as one of the main characters in the first ce, so he only stopped at the point of being a fish, and was left alone. Elliot Aiden. Born in the lowest of the brothels, he used his specialty to take control of the underworld. His specialty was controlling spirits. He signed a contract with a demon-like spirit who fed on human malice or mean and negative emotions. It was not at all like a cute spirit of nature that was shiny and innocent. The ce he lived in was like a shadow of the Empire, so his spirit grew in size and power in an instant. The more evil he did, the greater his power became. People screamed and suffered even if he didn¡¯t bother to harm them with his own hands. Unless he stoppedmitting vicious crimes, his power would continue to prosper. ¡°If you keep ignoring me, I¡¯ll just open the door for the others toe here.¡± Hey, you son of a¡­! What an evil minded jerk! ¡ª¡ªqc/n:* the sub male leads are described as ¡°fishes¡± who are in love with Sue. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 19 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 19 Swallowing down a stream of insults, I replied in a very polite way. ¡°When did I ignore you?¡± I felt the sincerity of his threat, so I had no choice but to grovel right away. Ugh, Lucian, your sister is being treated like this. Interested in what I said, he chuckled and crouched down to match my gaze. He didn¡¯t bend down on one knee gracefully. Instead, he literally sat down in front of me. ¡°I thought you were just dozing off and refusing to talk. I guess I underestimated you, princess.¡± ¡°I guess I judged you wrongly as well. Shouldn¡¯t you be scared of the Duke?¡± Ugh, I don¡¯t know the oue of what happened earlier either. But I do feel a bit emotional. ¡°How formidable. Why aren¡¯t you looking into my eyes? You¡¯re talking to someone, but you¡¯re just looking at their feet.¡± Actually, I was purposely keeping my head down. I had no idea what his face looked like, partly because his character was emphasized mostly by his voice in the novel, and he only appeared at the level of a lowly fish, so I couldn¡¯t remember. I was scared to see him if he had a devilish face, and it might haunt me even after death. ¡°Why don¡¯t you look into people¡¯s eyes? If you¡¯re an aristocrat, you have to be polite.¡± He was someone who had a bad impression of aristocrats, so it was clear that he said this sarcastically. Yeah, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know how you feel. Me too, do you think I got transmigrated here because I wanted to? But of course, meeting my fave has been the best gift. Maybe he felt frustrated because I didn¡¯t lift my head, so he grabbed my chin. In that instant, I couldn¡¯t avoid his purple eyes. ¡°Oh, so this is what you look like.¡± He had roughly cut silver hair that overshadowed his face, but I saw his face clearly. I looked at his narrow, but elegant eyes, and he also had a sharp nose like a knife, and a wide mouth with slightly raised corners. In short, he had a cool and elegant face. It is sopatible with his voice. ¡°You look like a potato.¡± Well, cancel everything nice I thought about him. You¡¯re the type to try and let your sharp words slide just because of your nice face, huh? ¡°You look like a snake. More specifically, you look like a white snake.¡± He does look like a very expensive snake that had medicinal purposes. That was the bestpliment I¡¯ll admit to. Is there a reason for me to praise my kidnapper in the first ce? A sense of indignation filled me rapidly. ¡°What? Pfft. Hahahaha!¡± I don¡¯t know what he found funny with my words, but suddenly he startedughing his head off. Seeing him smiling with his head bent back to show his adam¡¯s apple, it was obvious that he really is crazy. ¡°Haha, what a funny little girl you are.¡± I guess heughed so hard because it was really funny to him. I gave him a look of bewilderment. ¡°You know what?¡± I then focused on him and one corner of my mouth went down into a frown. I was on edge looking at his glimmering eyes. Did I underestimate him too much? It¡¯d be really easy for him to kill me right here and now. ¡°Will your fathere to your rescue? Thinking about it¡ªyou¡¯re not even his real daughter. Well, I saw earlier. How pitiful.¡± His words made me think of the duke. He didn¡¯t want me to get hurt. ¡°You didn¡¯t hit the Duke, did you? Even the country¡¯s beloved Crown Prince. No matter how capable he is, do you think the Crown Prince of this Empire would be okay if he pulled out a sword on the Duke?¡± Why was I speaking formally with this guy so far by the way? This annoying booger! ¡°You seem to be on better terms than I thought you are? I heard that the Duke used to follow you around one-sidedly.¡± Well, I¡¯ve suspected there aren¡¯t more than three people in the house here, but I didn¡¯t expect him to know that much insider information. ¡°Will your father think that much of you? I¡¯ve put in a hell of a deal for you.¡± Well yeah, I know what it¡¯s like even if you don¡¯t tell me. Was your deal something with the Duke¡¯s neck on the line? Would that even be considered a deal? I was genuinely speechless. Was this stupid deal about the Duke giving up his neck just for his daughter? So that¡¯s why my uncle kicked the Duke with such confidence? Because he thought he¡¯d die anyway? Unfortunately, this n also failed in the original. You think our Duke is someone to be made light of? And at least I¡¯m an adopted daughter. What kind of man would risk his life for someone who wasn¡¯t his blood rtive? Then I said something without hiding my true nature. ¡°Then shall I tell you something?¡± ¡°Sure, try me.¡± His dark purple eyes like blooming violets smiled as if he was delighted. I clenched my hands, which contained something I had prepared earlier. ¡°Would you like toe closer? It¡¯s a secret story. Don¡¯t let anyone hear it.¡± ¡°Really? I wonder what it¡¯s about.¡± He leaned closer to me with an unknowing look on his face. I then put my lips close to his ear. This secret was briefly mentioned in the original plot. It¡¯s what he wanted to know the most. Though I usually wonder why he was born as a human. ¡°You¡¯re not a nobleman, so you haven¡¯t seen the Emperor, have you?¡± ¡°As you can see, yes.¡± He smirked and answered calmly. His voice is crazy nice. From now on, Imand myself to stop being a honey-vocals fanatic. Hey, Ahn Hye-young. Get a hold of yourself! In order not to be possessed by this siren, I whispered, carefully opening my hands. I leaned in close to his ears. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor has a very good voice. And he has brilliant silver hair. And¡­¡± My words stopped him from breathing. He was looking for his father. I had no idea how the lowest woman and the Emperor got involved with each other, but I knew this one thing for sure. This guy was the Emperor¡¯s illegitimate child. Instead of finishing my sentence, I sprayed the ck sauce into his eyes. The sauce would supposedly burn his tongue even if he tasted a single drop. ? Lucian ran blindly with the knights. No matter how well the knights moved, it was not a problem to follow because there is a limit to how freely they can move in a city. Seeing the knights stopped in front of an alley, Lucian jumped off his horse. ¡°Young Master?¡± Someone called out to him, but right now he couldn¡¯t hear anything. Lucian couldn¡¯t think of anything but to make sure Rachel was okay. He needed to take her back home himself so he could ensure that she was really safe. As he went deep into the alley, his father¡¯s roaring voice rang out. ¡°You lost them? What the hell are you using your eyes for!¡± If they weren¡¯t in the streets, where would they hide? He ordered them to search the area, but even the remaining traces were useless. Lucian is no longer afraid of his father¡¯s familiar scolding, but right then he was afraid that he would get mad. Why was my father so angry? Who are you saying you lost? ¡°¡­I apologise, sire.¡± ¡°What terrible discipline you have. You¡¯ve just been eating, sleeping, and trainingfortably, so your senses have dulledpletely, haven¡¯t they?¡± He was the father who had never abandoned his aristocratic dignity. But this was not the case now. ¡°Your Grace, before that, please let us tend to your wounds. We¡¯ll find them.¡± Who do you mean you¡¯re looking for? Lucian asked internally, but he couldn¡¯t just go up to him confidently. Without noticing his existence, the Duke was furious. ¡°Let me find my daughter! Should I stay here healing my wounds when she could be in pain right now?!¡± ¡°Your Grace¡­¡± The Knight cried out in a somber voice, but the Duke tly refused to listen. Lucian couldn¡¯t even breathe at all because of what he had heard. The Knights Commander was surprised to find him standing stiffly among the knights and called for reinforcement. ¡°Young Master?¡± ¡°What?¡± The Duke, who was holding onto his side with a cloth, looked at his son with his eyes wide open. The Duke gulped as he looked at the frozen, pale face. From some point on, his son had started to follow Rachel around. Of course, it was Rachel who followed Lucian more often, but the Duke could easily see his son¡¯s change in attitude. Rachel was clearly someone set apart from other people, and he acted differently in front of her. From his point of view, it felt like he was seeing Liam and his own father, and he felt a bit upset at this, but he couldn¡¯t express this to his daughter. Of course, he couldn¡¯t say this to his son as well. But the reason he couldn¡¯t say this to the two of them was entirely different. The reason he couldn¡¯t express this to Rachel is because she was oblivious. And the reason he couldn¡¯t say this to Lucian was because¡­ ¡°Lucian.¡± Lucian did not answer the Duke¡¯s call. The way he stared into space was different from how his son usually acted. Usually, he had a mostly expressionless face. Literally no facial expression. There was no emotion seen on his face. Except in front of Rachel. But now all kinds of emotions were running through Lucian¡¯s face. Anger, despondency, loss, denial. This was why he couldn¡¯t tell Lucian. He was afraid to involve himself, even when he was aware. About the way Lucian looked at Rachel. ¡°Lucian!¡± Only then did Lucian meet his eyes when the Duke called loudly. ¡°Go back to the Duchy! Why are you acting like it¡¯s okay toe out whenever you want! Are you breaking your promise with me?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Duke needed Lucian to return at once. In times of emergency, the sessor needed to be protected at the estate. Apart from his disapproval of his son, he had to do his part to maintain the way he treated him as the sessor. Lucian did not answer the Duke¡¯s shouts. He had never disobeyed any word his father had said, but now it was different. It waspletely different. The situation was just too different. Lucian shook his head slowly. His movement was slow, but his eyes were full of determination. ¡°Lucian.¡± Lucian spoke with a calm tone. ¡°I won¡¯t listen to you this time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lucian rebelled against his father¡¯s words for the first time in his life. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 20 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 20 This time the Duke was speechless. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off his son¡¯s face. The gaze that Lucian had at that moment, as though he suffered tremendously at the thought of losing a loved one¡­ was the same as the face the Duke saw in the mirror every single day. ¡°Luci¡ª¡± The Duke tried to call him again, but Lucian was one step faster. He ran back and jumped back on his horse. ¡°Young Master!¡± The nearby knights followed him, but Lucian was faster. In his head, Lucian organized the information he had heard. He then suddenly disappeared from the streets. Those who attacked were more likely better than his father. And that it hadn¡¯t been long since they had disappeared. Nevertheless, the Duke¡¯s Knights couldn¡¯t find them. While sorting through the clues left behind, Lucian paused for a moment. And he called out for someone in his head. ¡ªEnzo. ¡ªWhat? What¡¯s wrong with you? Calling me so casually. ¡ªFind someone. ¡ªWho? Your beloved sister? This sly mage just never listened. That¡¯s why Lucian didn¡¯t usually let him speak. At some point, Enzo¡¯s voice began to resound in his head. Lucian couldn¡¯t remember when exactly that had started. Perhaps he had heard his voice ever since his mncholic days started. ¡ªYou¡¯re not answering again. Even though you¡¯re young, you¡¯re being rude. How many times have I told you that if you have a favor to ask, you need to be polite, huh? Even if you¡¯re the heir to the Leon family, you should listen to me properly. Lucian¡¯s expression remained unchanged despite this inner voice¡¯s nagging. He just asked again. Unlike his expression that remained unfazed, his voice seemed to tremble. ¡ªFind her. Please. ¡ª¡­ ¡ªRachel¡­ Please find her¡­ Enzo thought about swallowing this poor bastard up in one bite. He wanted to dig into the darkness in this guy¡¯s heart and take over. But it wasn¡¯t the right time just yet, and he was curious about this sister of his. So Enzo, a great archmage, showed uncharacteristically helpful goodwill. ¡ªThe child you¡¯re looking for is trapped in the maze forest. Enzo could easily tell where Rachel was. The knights had already given the right answer. It hadn¡¯t been long since the kidnappers disappeared from the streets, but the knights still couldn¡¯t find them. In addition, Rachel could easily be detected by magic because she had apletely different wavelength from ordinary people. He thought it was strange when he first saw her. As soon as he finished speaking, Lucian pressed on even faster. Located at the end of the Imperial Capital, the maze forest sits on the edge of the capital city wall. He headed to a ce not far away, while rushing the horse. Enzo grumbled at him. ¡ªSo you aren¡¯t going to say thank you again? He was being so uncharacteristically kind to this descendant, but he wasn¡¯t even given any appreciation. It was for the best that he hasn¡¯t identally revealed his true intentions to Lucian. People of the Empire, especially the nobles, had special abilities. This might have been what allowed the Empire to prosper for a thousand years without being invaded. Sometimes a deceased ancestor could connect with one of their descendants using their special abilities. You can think of it as possession or something like a lingering spirit. There were quite a few descendants chosen by the other ancestors in the family, but Lucian was the only descendant chosen by Enzo. A thousand years ago, he was a public servant who helped build the Leonis Empire. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that he hit the pinnacle of magic, being a magical genius who achieved the Ninth Circle for the first time in all of history. But he became a dark mage for a reason. He was a man whose life ended by being sealed without being killed due to being someone who almost endangered not only the Empire, but the entire continent with his ck magic. Enzo de Leon. He was a historical hero and sinner who upied ten pages of the Leonis Empire¡¯s history books. ¡ªShe¡¯s not a normal kid. Aren¡¯t you worried too much? Enzo was spouting sarcastic words towards his descendant whose stomach was twisted up in knots from worry. But it wasn¡¯t a bunch of empty words. Rachel, in his view, was by no means just a bubbly child. ¡¤?¡¤ 04_Let¡¯s see each other again I ran recklessly. The dark spirits that he somehow thought were useless before followed the mana trail, now having the capacity to move freely and fast. The reason why this ce became a maze forest was simple. It was because mana of different properties collided with each other in this ce. The theory for understanding the phenomenon was simple, but it wasn¡¯t easy to escape it. But if I get caught by that madman, the Duke¡¯s neck would either be sliced or be left intact. I found out the reason why I was captured. The Empire right now was peaceful, but that guy didn¡¯t like this. He wanted to create an event that would shake this empire, and the Duke just happened to catch his eye? I don¡¯t know exactly, but I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no real reason. What¡¯s the point of a viin¡¯s existence? I don¡¯t know. Not to mention, there was also no exnation in the original plot. ¡°Ahh!¡± He was caught in a tree root and rolled, but he used a recoil to pick himself up again. ¡°Safe!¡± I thought I was good at exercising. The reason I started exercising was for my bias. In a scene often found in the original plot, Noah would run away from Lucian when he fought with him. He could just disappear if he wanted to, but Noah would run away clumsily, his pace slow. It¡¯s like he¡¯s asking to be caught anyway. And yet Lucian had never caught Noah for some reason. The rtionship between the two would have definitely changed if Lucian had caught Noah even once. Thus, I practiced running to catch Noah instead. I even practiced running in the poofiest dress, with the intention of running fast at any given time to catch Noah in Lucian¡¯s stead. Noah! My brother has something to say to you. Please don¡¯t go! Yeah, I¡¯d even thought of a line that would soothe Noah if he ran hard and I caught up to him. It¡¯s all for my bias. Lucian, you have to recognize your sister¡¯s hard work. But at times like this, I only thought that I was only good at it while practicing. ¡°Ugh, this wench! If I catch you, you¡¯re really dead!¡± ¡°Hiiek!¡± Why was he so quick to recover? Didn¡¯t I throw something at your eyes? I guess it wasn¡¯t as spicy as I thought it would be? I was deliberately trying to think of more important thoughts, but my heart was beating like crazy. This dark forest was really different from the sunny forest she knew. I felt like I could see something in the dark, but I couldn¡¯t see the way out. ¡°Haa, haa.¡± Running frantically, the madman¡¯s voice was clearly heard. ¡°Darn it, you really look like a potato, don¡¯t you?¡± He seemed to have lost his sense of direction. What? I think I ran a lot and widened the distance between us, but why did he sound so close? My teeth were gritted in fear. I poured the spicy sauce into his eyes to escape, and if I get caught now, I really felt like he¡¯d lop off my head. I don¡¯t want to die. While running frantically away from the voice, I identally crashed into a tree. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°There you are!¡± ¡°Hiiek!¡± Under the dim light, I¡¯m sure I was still casting a shadow in the lingering darkness. Perhaps he was using the power of darkness that I saw in the original book. ¡°You haven¡¯t gone far.¡± With what he said, I got up and ran in a hurry. I thought I heard something from behind me, but I couldn¡¯t think anymore and I couldn¡¯t hear anything. ¡°Princess.¡± Then his voice reached right in my ear. ¡°Argh!¡± I screamed frantically at the whisper I heard in a clear voice. ¡°Get away from me, you lunatic!¡± ¡°Can a ducal princess have such a rough manner of speech?¡± ¡°Get away! Leave me be! Leave my sight¡­¡± Shouting out to him in the darkness to get lost, thrashingly, I ran off somewhere else first. I seemed to have hit an invisible wall. At the same time, the man shouted like crazy. ¡°Where did you go!¡± Only then did I feel relieved that I had lived. As I was about to fall to the ground, somebody grabbed me and held me in their arms. As I trembled with surprise, someone whispered. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Master.¡± I tried to look at that individual that spoke in the dark. Even if I squinted, or I looked hard and opened my eyes round, the maze forest continued to be obscured by darkness. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°What, have you forgotten me already?¡± I¡¯ve never heard that voice before¡­ but why was he speaking informally? ¡°Did you just talk informally to me?¡± I didn¡¯t know what happened, but I was relieved that I had escaped from the crazy man. The person holding me is definitely taller than me. Judging by his voice, he¡¯s a man. I wanted to check the person¡¯s identity with my eyes wide open, but it was impossible because his silhouette was blurry. The other person sighed frustratingly. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. We¡¯re not far from him yet, so it¡¯s dangerous.¡± The man seemed to be moving. I could notice that he was moving quite fast even with the wind hitting his face. Because it didn¡¯t make any noise. When we were moving, I heard him step on the fallen leaves, but he didn¡¯t make a single noise. It was strange because I felt like I was flying. Even though he moved faster and farther than expected, his breathing didn¡¯t get rough at all. It was strange. Who the hell was it? Why was he helping me? No, more than that. ¡°Are you living nearby? Can anyone even live in the maze forest?¡± The man chuckled at my question. ¡°I guess you never thought I might not be human.¡± ¡°Oh, shi¡­¡± A curse came out of me. If you¡¯re not a person, then what are you? Are you a ghost? Oh, I want to faint. I just thought I wanted to faint, but I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d really lose my consciousness. Actually, it should¡¯ve been at least a little harder for me to let myself pass out. Before I lost my awareness, I heard the man say. ¡°Good night, my master.¡± Who¡¯s your master? I never raised anything like you. ¡ª¡ª qc/n:hello again~ sorry for all the notestely. I¡¯d just like to clear up a few terms so that it won¡¯t be confusing from here on out Su-in/prisoner ¡ú Shapeshifter¨C Su-in or prisoner is how Rachel called Doggy and Damian before, but the actual trantion is ¡®shapeshifter¡¯ Sue ¡ú Uke (bottom)¨C This is what Rachel called Noah before his name was revealed, but ? or Su/Soo is actually Korean for bottom/uke in BL. (? or Gong for the seme/top if you¡¯re curious lol) Foreign matter/waste ¡ú Fish/Booger/Trash¨C This is what Rachel called the men who are surrounding the uke/Noah in the original novel. Rachel calls them boogers, but fish is kind of close too, if you¡¯re familiar with what a fishing pond is in Korean novels. (note: she calls her kidnapper the booger king lmao) i¡¯ll be qcing the past chapters gradually to reflect these amendments, but for now, please keep these in mind because these terms will be resurfacing in more chapters in the future~[qc date: 2021-08-16] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 21 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 21 ? Lucian tied up his horse and jumped into the maze forest. It was hard to see in thisbyrinth of darkness, but it wasn¡¯t hard for him to navigate. ¡ªNot that way. Go left. It was because there was an existence guiding him. Of course, he wasn¡¯t naive enough to let him know he needed him that much. ¡ªWhat do you do when you train? Your training can¡¯t be used in practice¡­ tsk tsk. ¡ª¡­ ¡ªYou¡¯re not answering again. Anyway, a guy who can¡¯t do anything without me is being stubborn. I don¡¯t know why you are my descendant, but you are being obvious. Shortly after Enzo¡¯s words ended, mes were created around Lucian. His magic me was ck, not red like a normal me. Due to the wizard¡¯s influence, he could also use a variety of stronger magics, but they all contained ck magic, and so it emitted an ominous feeling. The side effect was that Lucian could not taste his food properly for a long time, and the average person could not easilye near him. The only exception was Rachel. Anyway, with Enzo¡¯s help, Lucian was able to safely enter the maze forest. ¡°Rachel¡­¡± Lucian let Enzo do as he pleased this time. Normally, Enzo couldn¡¯t interfere without Lucian¡¯s permission. He doesn¡¯t know what others simr to him would be like, but Lucian was able to prevent his ancestors¡¯ interference by his own volition. However, sometimes a strong feeling was conveyed to him, so he also became well aware of Rachel¡¯s existence. Enzo was a little excited by the fresh air he hadn¡¯t breathed in for a while. This frustrating descendant has usually refused to allow any interference from him because of his obsessive tendencies. Sometimes he could wiggle his way into his mind and say a word or two, but it didn¡¯t everst long. He also had a strange feeling. Enzo was the first ck wizard in the Empire and he could basically do whatever he wanted, and yet he couldn¡¯t control one little kid. Even if he had the power of the dead. Lucian moved as Enzo instructed. He found Rachel¡¯s energy by easily tapping into the intricately woven wavelengths of mana. ¡ªFrom here, go to the right. Lucian seemed weighed down by the maze forest¡¯s energy, for the first time since he came in. He can¡¯t believe his sister was in a ce like this. His mouth dried up because he felt like he had to find her as soon as possible. His stomach was bursting in frustration, but he suppressed it silently. Sensibly aware of his feelings, Enzo grinned and recited. ¡ªYou¡¯re so nervous. You really seem like you like that kid huh? ¡ª¡­Shut up. ¡ªYou shouldn¡¯t talk to me like that now¡­ should I just stop here? Lucian¡¯s face crumpled by his threatening words. Normally, he would have pushed him out, but now he¡¯s the one who¡¯s making him frustrated. ¡ªPlease¡­ find her quickly. Enzo replied cheerfully as if he was ted to speak with him who had an unusually morose voice. ¡ªThat¡¯s right. Lucian, depending on him, took a step forward, worrying about Rachel who was beyond this dark expanse. ? ¡°Gasp!¡± I couldn¡¯t even run away from him while I slept. The madman followed me into my dreams and harassed me. ¡°Argh! This is so annoying, really!¡± I felt annoyed for no reason. I didn¡¯t worry about dying because I firmly believed that I would definitely survive because I knew how the original narrative went. Instead, I was worried about how to deal with that lunatic in the future. There was a reason why the original novel said that human trash was equivalent to the submale lead. Among those trash, he was definitely the booger king. He had a lot of power. He was no match for the Duke of Leon¡¯s power, but he reigned over the underworld withparable power. And the world behind him waswless. It was a ce that did a lot of things against thews of the Empire, so it is ambiguous how they would approach and harass people. There were also various ways he used to approach Noah in the original plot. He had used various methods to suit his title of madman, including threats, pleas, coaxing and resentment tactics. ¡°But I guess the reason it wasn¡¯t that big of a storyponent is because he¡¯s the trashiest of all the trash submale leads.¡± I spoke to myself and nodded. Then, I heard a sighing sound that seemed to sympathize with me. ¡°Hmm¡­ Yep, it¡¯s really you.¡± Huh? Wait, who are you? Having just woken up, I hadpletely forgotten about the man who was holding me until just before I copsed. ¡°Master, you really have forgotten me.¡± ¡°Why have you been calling me master since¡­¡± I was so stressed out that I tried to argue by turning my head around. When I saw the person reflected in my eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but open my mouth wide. Did I just open my mouth agape? I covered my eyes with my hands. Because it was so blinding. This was like my bias. It¡¯s like the feeling I get with my favorite, and he was so¡­ Wait, howe he looked so familiar? ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°Now you recognize me?¡± The man lying who squatted by my bedside had a familiar color and appearance. He had white hair, as if it was born from the snow reflecting sunlight, and it almost looked translucent. Not to mention, he had a white face and clear red eyes, and an elegant ck beauty mark was stamped under his thick lips. There was a mole right under his lips. He must be a blessing to watch while he ate.(e/n: basically that she thinks watching him eat would be attractive because he has a mole by his lips) It was such an unrealistic beautiful appearance that I was lost in thought. ¡°What else are you thinking about? There are a lot of times when you look kind of dazed.¡± But I quickly came to my senses, shouting out with a booming voice because I was surprised. ¡°Doggy!¡± ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t call me by that name!¡± Yes, he was a sub-male lead, a man with a beautiful appearance that ispletely different from most of the boogers! It was a rare weirdo, that white fox shapeshifter. ¡°Ah, really! Please change my name!¡± While looking at him irritatingly, I found a familiar choker around his neck. As expected, it must not have been solved yet. No, more than that¡­ ¡°Are you staying here alone?¡± I let you live freely, but you¡¯re hanging out in such a dangerous ce. Wasn¡¯t it hard? But, well, since he was a fox, was there any other ce for him other than this? Since no one ising here to search for him. Well, there are some people who can¡¯te anyway, but¡­ ¡°It would have been hard for me to adapt all by myself.¡± ¡°What, have you already made a family?¡± ¡°What are you talking about!¡± Why are you so angry? A fox shapeshifter can live with another pretty fox. Or probably not, so I asked him with a nonchnt look. ¡°Then who are you with¡­ Damien?¡± ¡°Why is he the only one with a nice name? I¡¯d like to change my name, mung, mung!¡± Squatting down, he jumped up and down. As expected of a shapeshifter, this fox. He jumped up so high. ¡°Master, please change my name!¡± But why does he still call me his master? ¡°I¡¯m not your master anymore.¡± I said calmly and hopped up. Why do you think a fox might run around like a rabbit? I thought he became an adult at night, but now he¡¯s not. He still looked like anky and super thin teenager. Well, it¡¯s been a little over two years since we split up, right? ¡°I feel so wronged.¡± Then he began to munch on something and ramble about his thoughts. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to take the boar with me. I was being chased, too! How am I supposed to stop a huge mad beast running at me? You also saw his size then too! Was I big enough to stop him? So what am I supposed to do? Of course, I had to trust my master and run back to you. But you misunderstood and thought that I brought it over on purpose? Isn¡¯t that too much, huh? Once a master, they must be a master forever! You¡¯re making me look like an idiot, huh? Easy, huh?¡± Hey, was he supposed to be this talkative? He¡¯s way too talkative. ¡°¡­Why is it that it¡¯s easy for you to throw things away?¡± Huh. Huh? No, don¡¯t cry! I¡¯m really weak at crying handsome people. I can¡¯t look at you! As Doggy was talking, he began to tear up as he remembered the events of that time. Soon, he was in tears. ¡°How can a master¡¯s l-love change so fast, to t-turn me away like that¡­¡± He must have been really sad. Doggy¡¯s shaking legs that were gathered altogether as he crouched looked more pitiful, he looked more sad and felt even more insignificant than I had ever imagined. Oh, he is so silly. He¡¯s so cute. Isn¡¯t that crazy? And every time he spoke, his fangs I saw reminded me that he really is a fox. Tak, tak. Every time the upset fox shedrge tears that rolled down, a strange sound was heard. I looked at the floor for some reason, and some beads were falling off of him. I picked up a bead. It looked like a pearl, but it was the first time I saw a jewel that was more transparent and milky white. I went around with the Duke and saw some jewels from time to time but I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before. What kind of jewel was this? I looked away from the beads, and Doggy lifted his eyes up and stared at me. ¡°Take responsibility, master!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Take responsibility for me till the end!¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not up to me.¡± ¡°You have to take responsibility for this cor and help me get it off! How am I supposed to solve this?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s true, but once the Duke allows¡­¡± That ne wasn¡¯t the point. If youe back to the Duchy, you might die. The Duke was a man who would do that in a heartbeat. Holding a bead, Doggy said triumphantly to me while blinking innocently. ¡°That¡¯s a very rare gem. You can get more if you keep me. What do you think?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to sell because it¡¯s not something that can be seen by the normal public, and it¡¯s rare for a fox shapeshifter to produce such a transparent, and milky color.¡± The way he raised his chin with a triumphant expression was just like when he brought a wild boar to me. ¡°Are you sure you were chased by that wild boar? You looked so proud of yourself.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 22 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 22 ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I hate people who lie the most.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Are you not going to tell me properly?¡± I folded my arms and opened my eyes, and then he mumbled and told the truth. ¡°At first, I thought you¡¯d like it. But then I was scared because he was just rushing in¡­¡± ¡°Look! You did something wrong. That¡¯s why you got kicked out, why are you angry?¡± ¡°¡­But how could you just throw me away without giving me any chances?¡± I couldn¡¯t scold him more because he wasn¡¯t wrong. And because of the depressed look on his face. Do you really think I abandoned you guys? No, I was trying to save your lives! But then you guys almost died anyway. He probably wouldn¡¯t try to understand even if I told him the truth. I sighed a little and then said. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sorry, take responsibility!¡± I sat in a straight posture, watching him. I¡¯m sorry, I really am sorry, but I can¡¯t let you be rude. I gave a strict order. ¡°Sit!¡± Even though I ordered it for the first time in two years, Doggy sat down with only his butt on the ground as soon as my order was over.[T/N: It¡¯s a bitte, but Doggy¡¯s original name is Mongchi. To match the English context, he¡¯s been named Doggy.] The only sad thing is, he¡¯s in his human form. A handsome man crouching with his hands on the floor, staring at me politely, and with his butt on the ground. Now¡­ I think I¡¯m about to open my eyes to something new. No, stop thinking weird stuff. I was shaking my head not to be swayed, and then the wind blew hard. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± The ce where Doggy and I were hiding looks like a cave, and Doggy shouted out loud toward the entrance of the cave. Hey, what if that crazy guy hears him? ¡°Be quiet, Doggy!¡± Doggy looked at me because of what I said and shut himself up. I heard footstepsing from outside the cave. Who is it? I squinted and looked at him, who smiled softly when he saw me. Oh, who was this other handsome guy? ¡°Long time no see, Master.¡± A handsome man with dark brown hair and light wood colored eyes greeted me in a low and smooth tone. Huh? Master again? No, there¡¯s no one else who¡¯d call me that. But I took a look at the bunch of strangely familiar colors and looked at the handsome man who approached me again. Come on, don¡¯t tell me¡­ ¡°No way¡­ Damian?¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you remembered me, my Master.¡± ¡°You were a shapeshifter, too?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Somehow I thought he was an ordinary animal. No, the Duke said that he was being sold in the same market as Doggy, so he really was a shapeshifter! I really didn¡¯t know back then! In a rush of shame, I buried my head between my knees. I felt like I had be a master who didn¡¯t even know my pet well, and when I met them again, I felt as if I had be an unscrupulous master who abandoned them. It wasn¡¯t meant to be like this, I just tried to release them. So I didn¡¯t imagine theming back one day to ask me about it. In human terms, too, it would have been deeply embarrassing to imagine. ¡°Master.¡± Damian knelt in front of me and said this. ¡°I think you should probably go back.¡± ¡°I should¡­ but I don¡¯t know where I am¡­¡± ¡°We will take care of you properly and help.¡± ¡°Yes! Just trust us!¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve been here the whole time?¡± Damian and Doggy looked at me at the same time instead of answering my question. ¡°I trained so I could visit my Master again one day.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I asked him a question. Of course, it is nice to see them again, but they could have left to go somewhere else though. Damian replied as if it should be obvious to me. ¡°Didn¡¯t you give me a name?¡± Of course I gave you a name. But what about that? ¡°When shapeshifters¡¯ masters give us a name, we can¡¯t be far away, especially because we resonate with our master.¡± So you settled in a maze forest in the capital? It was a wise judgment. ¡°He¡¯s not the only one that was bought! Of course I¡¯m a fox shapeshifter, so I don¡¯t resonate with Master in the same way. But the one who gave me a name is very special to me. So then! Why am I the only one who¡¯s called Doggy! You¡¯re the only one who can change my name! Doggy bit his lips and burst into tears. ¡°I¡¯ve been telling you this since earlier. It¡¯s too harsh of you to give me a name like that and throw me away.¡± Was he the type who cried more than I thought? I¡¯ve recalled the original sub-male lead Oscar, but I¡¯ve never seen a single tear fall from him in the original plot. Even though I¡¯ve seen him being spiteful and evil often enough. Somehow, I felt very confused. I touched my forehead with my small hand. I felt like I was losing more energy. Okay, I understand what you mean. Well, if he told me all this before I gave him a name¡­ No, it¡¯s just my fault, isn¡¯t it? In this embarrassing situation, I covered my stomach with my hands trying to suppress the roar of my stomach. Gguu¡ª Grumble grumble grumble. ¡°Master, are you hungry?¡± ¡°Master, I¡¯ll serve you something to eat right away.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get it for you first!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± As if he was familiar with the provocations from Doggy, Damian quickly transformed into a hawk and flew up. As if not wanting to lose to him, Doggy turned into a fox and ran quickly. ¡°Hahaha.¡± I just had tough in vain. Everything that has happened since yesterday just felt like a fever dream. Oh, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m hungry. I just want to rest. Flopping down, I leaned against the cave wall and closed my eyes. I can¡¯t wait for the Duke toe and find me. ? Lucian closed his eyes for a while, then sprang up and went on the move again. The maze forest was much more vast than he had realized. Or maybe he¡¯s wandering around because it¡¯s literally a maze of trees. ¡ªYou¡¯re really making a fool of yourself. How dare you doubt me? Enzo, who realized that Lucian¡¯s thoughts had been straying for a while, burst into anger. ¡°But why haven¡¯t we found her yet?¡± He tried to persevere, but he was at his limit. Lucian stared at the trees with bloodshot eyes. ¡ªYou¡¯re doing great, so hang in there. Usually, a mage couldn¡¯t evene into this forest. Even if they came in, they would have died while wandering around. As I said, this is the ce where opposing mana collide¡­ Enzo said something in Lucian¡¯s head, but he couldn¡¯t concentrate on his words. Lucian strode and looked around. Surely he could understand what he was saying. Anyone who was adept in swordsmanship was sensitive to subtle changes in their surroundings, but he couldn¡¯t even extend his senses in this ce. It felt as if there was an invisible ss wall surrounding him. When he spreads out his senses, it felt like it would hit nothing and would just be reflected. ¡ªHa, I finally found her. Then Enzo¡¯s voice prated into his head. ¡ªShe¡¯s not far from here. At his words, Lucian put some mana into his legs. Enzo murmured to him, while he was running so fast he looked like he was flying. ¡ªLet¡¯s move forward like this. 1, 3, 5, 2, 4¡­ Lucian, who was familiar with counting to measure location, looked around. He can feel his younger sister¡¯s energy in the cave right in front of him. Lucian sprinted faster after what Enzo had said. He¡¯s going to meet Rachel soon. As nervous as he was, he wanted to see his younger sister very much. There was a small cave right of him. As if he would not listen to Enzo now, he jumped straight into the cave. ¡°Rachel!¡± Had he ever said anything so desperately like that in his entire life? He looked inside the cave, listening to his voice trembling. Hearing his voice, Rachel, who was sitting at the deepest part of the cave, sprang up. The fruit she had in her hand rolled over and stopped at Lucian¡¯s feet. Lucian stepped on the little fruit as he ran forward. ¡°Brother?¡± ¡°Rachel¡­¡± Lucian could finally breathe properly for the first time in a long time. He approached quickly, gasping for breath as though his lungs were broken. ¡°Brother!¡± Rachel also ran to him. Lucian lifted her up and hugged her tightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Brother woulde¡­¡± With her shallow trembling voice, he could tell how scared she must have been. Lucian then whispered as he swept her hair through his fingers. Gentler than usual, and longer than usual. ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re alright. You did well. You did well, Rachel.¡± Rachel shed tears as she held back her whimper. A sense of relief flooded in and her vision became blurry. Lucian hugged her lightly with one arm and patted her back with the other. It was an awkward embrace, but that was enough. Lucian could only look at Rachel. He didn¡¯t know two pairs of eyes were looking at them while he was soothing her. Then Enzo murmured in an intrigued voice. ¡ªIt¡¯s them again. Do not be too wary, you cute little things, kehehe. Lucian¡¯s golden eyes glowed sharply due to what he had said. At the same time, Rachel said while raising her head up to look at him. ¡°Brother, Doggy, and Damian saved my life. You remember them right? Well, they¡¯ve been living here.¡± Listening to her hushed voice clearly, Lucian found two men sitting on the floor. Lucian twisted his lips as he stared at the shining white haired man who squatted and stared at him quietly and the brown-haired man who looked up at him. They had tremendous expressions on their faces while looking at him. He also remembered them very well. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t like Rachel and them reuniting in this way. Unaware of his thoughts, Rachel whispered in a guilty voice. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to take responsibility for them until the end.¡± Her words ignited his blood, and anger rushed straight into his head. He didn¡¯t really like those annoying things. Who were they to me it all on Rachel and make her be responsible for them? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 23 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 23 ? I was so moved by the fact that my bias came to rescue me. Of course, I knew the Duke would find me since that¡¯s what happened in the original story anyway. But Lucian found me first. Yes, it¡¯s worthwhile! Ohhh, that¡¯s my favorite. Did youe looking for this Noona* by yourself? I¡¯m so proud of you. I was just getting busy forgetting my current situation and just admiring my favorite. The contrast is crazy! I¡¯ve been thinking about how my favorite treated me at first! But now he¡¯s grown up to be a person who cares about his sister first. How can I not be moved! Plus, he grew up so reliably. Well, the keywords ¡®regretful¡¯ and ¡®cold-blooded¡¯ seem to be null and void now, right? Lucian talked, as I was in the middle of my fan theories. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Rachel. Father is looking for you, too.¡± Ah, right! ¡°Brother, is the Duke all right?¡± Then I said ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± while memorizing his facial features for a moment. Lucian held me in his arms and turned his head sideways. ¡°He¡¯s okay.¡± When he replied like that, I breathed out a long sigh of relief. I can¡¯t help stomping in frustration because I couldn¡¯t prepare myself for this incident, but as long as he didn¡¯t get hurt then everything¡¯s okay. I¡¯m also d I didn¡¯t get hurt either way. Oh, but where are the restraints on your wrists? Can we figure something out with that? As I looked around in a hurry, Damian approached and pushed the ball out of its hiding ce. ¡°Master, are you looking for this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Damian.¡± ¡°Owner, I found it! If you¡¯re going to praise someone, direct it at me!¡± Doggy pushed out Damian from the spot they were at and raised his chin as if he was proud of it. Is it his habit of lifting his chin when he wants praise? I looked at the two men, while hugging Lucian, and whispered in his ear. ¡°Brother, can I take them with me?¡± Lucian hesitated briefly at my question. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t know why. My opinion and his didn¡¯t really matter. It¡¯s because the Duke decides whether we can bring them back or not. I¡¯ll figure something out. If you are indebted to someone, you have to repay them! I¡¯ll have to convince the Duke somehow. I raised my chin with a triumphant look on my face as if following a solid hunch. I spoke to Damian and Doggy. ¡°Just trust this Noona and follow me.¡± Lucian winced at what I muttered, but he still didn¡¯t care. Mm, you¡¯re surprised at my power, too, aren¡¯t you? There there, my bias. Even with those two around, you¡¯ll always be my ultimate number one. I patted him on the shoulder and hugged him tightly. It¡¯s time to go back home. ? As I rode Lucian¡¯s ck horse together with him, I held Doggy in my arms. No matter how much of a strong shapeshifter he was, I¡¯m still afraid he¡¯d get hurt if he fell off a horse like this. Damian, who turned into a hawk, followed us. On second thought, it really was a good thing that I could get back safely because of those two. Just yesterday, I faced that crazy guy in such close proximity. I was relieved just to be able to get out of there. Goodbye, trash booger king. It wasn¡¯t at all nice meeting you, so don¡¯t show even your hair to me the next time around. I couldn¡¯t care less if he was an illegitimate child of the Emperor. All I had to do was worry about my bias¡¯ future. Until the end of the original work, the Empire would be in an era of peace. What¡¯s the big deal with creating a prince character like him? It won¡¯t be a problem for that royal weirdo. He¡¯s already controlling the underworld and has a dark spirit already. Besides, the only characters that die in the book were the main characters! You know what? Even the sub-male lead didn¡¯t die. Did that even make sense? Why were only the main characters the ones who died? I got grumpy for no reason and almost snapped out at Doggy who was in my arms breathing steadily. His thin eyes turned round and revealed his brilliant ruby jewel pupils. Oh, his eyes are still so pretty. In the original novel, there was a lot of praise for the appearance of the sub male lead, but I thought I knew the reason why. I was really surprised to see his human form. I thought only my favorite had crazy good looks, but the sub male leads had those too. I¡¯m telling you, if you meet Noahter and betray us, you¡¯ll never have soup! I decided not to let go of the tension while preparing for the flow of the original novel. You saved my life, and I will take you back so as a reciprocate for your kindness, but I will not turn a blind eye to your betrayal! When Lucian and I reached the Ducal estate¡¯s front gates, the knight guarding the gate opened it in a hurry. Passing through the first entrance of the castle, the Duke was running towards us from afar. No, Duke. Keep your dignity! Contrary to my innermost thoughts, I looked carefully to see if he was hurt. Fortunately, I was relieved that there seemed to be no inconvenience in terms of his mobility. It¡¯s our real home. I finally felt a moment of relief after everything. The Duke¡¯s safe, Lucian¡¯s safe, I¡¯m safe. With a peal ofughtering from me, Lucian stopped talking. It was inevitable because the Duke was just around the corner. The Duke stretched his arms out to me. When I saw his blood shot eyes, my heart fluttered for no reason. I don¡¯t know how much he cared about me. I know his strong feelings are because of my father, but his affections have forced me to be weak to him. I realized how happy it is to receive endless affection. ¡°Ahh, Rachel.¡± With me in his arms, the Duke trembled. ¡°My daughter, your father is sorry for not being able to protect you.¡± It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay. That was supposed to happen anyway. Think of it as stepping on the poop sooner rather thanter. ¡°I won¡¯t be satisfied even if I tear off all of their limbs until they die.¡± His voice quivered with anger this time because he felt sorry for what I had to go through. ¡°Once I catch them all, I¡¯ll let them know that there are some things scarier than death.¡± Aigoo, Duke. Stop, stop. You¡¯re really scary. Again, the Duke is a man who would definitely do stuff like that. ¡°My daughter, you¡¯re in this state now.¡± I pouted my lips for a moment and then I sneakily put one of my arms around his neck, smiling as I whispered to the Duke. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re alright, too, Duke.¡± At my words, he turned his head to look at me, and his angry expression melted away. Instead, a serious but kind expression took its ce. ¡°Thank you foring back safely. Thank you so much.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯m d, too.¡± I didn¡¯t even want to think of that booger king. As expected, home is the best. I didn¡¯t doubt I¡¯de back safely, but I am also d I came back safely. When I answered with a slight smile, the Duke rxed and let out a smile. But when he turned to Lucian, his good mood had all evaporated. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lucian did not answer the Duke. He only did a light bow and listened to his words. The Duke turned around hugging me. The butler and themander of the knight¡¯s order, who were waiting behind us, bowed to me. After a while, themander spoke to the Duke. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the knights who captured the bandits tounch an investigation into this situation, Milord.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I pulled out Doggy in my arms when the Duke finished speaking to the Knight. The Duke didn¡¯t seem to know this child existed because he was only looking at me. This has worked out rather well. I better get his permission before we go in. ¡°Duke, do you remember this kid?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± As I thought, the Duke had forgotten Doggy¡¯s existence. I dropped the tips of my eyebrows and lips into a pouting expression, then I showed Doggy to the Duke. Make sure you do it when you beg! Be more pitiful! ¡°It¡¯s Doggy that I released two years ago. But this time, Doggy helped me. With Damian.¡± The Duke grew his eyes wide because of what I had said. I beckoned Damian while he was wandering in the sky. Damian swooped down quickly when he saw my hand gesture. And turned into a person in the air andnded gracefully in front of us. Wow! So cool! I almost pped without realizing it. The Duke must have felt the same from his expression. He was looking at Damian carefully, and also gave Doggy a nce. As if he had waited, he jumped out of my arms and rolled once, and turned into a human. Oh, this is cool, too. The Duke, themander, the butler, and the other employees nearby looked at the two children with their eyes shining. I was proud of myself for no reason. I raised my chin like a trophy winner, and spoke triumphantly to the Duke. ¡°They¡¯re still following me around saying I¡¯m their master. So on that note¡­¡± The Duke, who immediately knew what I was going to say, said in a bargaining tone. ¡°If you call me Dad, I¡¯ll let you.¡± Now, a man who knows how to make a deal like this is king material. This is how deals work. It¡¯s not even worthparing, but I have to do it. I have no choice but to ept it. I nodded with my eyes cast down. Seeing him grinning brightly at my answer, I felt as if it had made my chest tighten. I¡¯ve been prepared since I epted the adoption, but he has still insisted for me to call him Dad. I bit my lips as I recalled what I had experienced before. This is not the first time for me to be adopted. Even before my transmigration, I was also an adopted child. Although the happy times were short, I felt like I had the whole world in my hands at that time. Receiving affection meant for me alone carries a feeling that seems simr to the creation of my own private world. Though the wonderful and happy lifestyle of the world I had created for myself at that time was changed overnight. It¡¯s different this time, Hyeyoung. Confronting myself, I put some strength to my arm that was clumsily wrapped around the Duke¡¯s neck. The Duke will be different. It¡¯s okay, I won¡¯t be abandoned this time. I hugged the duke hard, hiding my anxious thoughts in the deepest part of my mind. Duke, Lucian, and the Duchess. I thought it was a perfect step into this bizarrelyplicated house. ¡ª qc/n: Rachel sometimes refers to herself as Noona (older sister) because she considers herself as an avid fan of Lucian most of the time and not really as his ¡®younger sister¡¯. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 24 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 24 ? Pedro nced at Lucian. How the hell did he find Rachel? After his son took off like that yesterday, he sent out the knights everywhere. He even thought about sending a request for support to the Imperial Family. Before that, he decided to look for her one more day. He only slept through the night after the attack due to his injuries, but the traces of his daughter¡¯s captors were already erased and disappeared by the next day. And Count Elrand. He also disappeared into thin air. He still hasn¡¯t figured out whether magic was used or not, but he was now also the subject of the knights¡¯ pursuits too. He had been stabbed in the appendix area, but he couldn¡¯t feel the pain. He thought that if he lost Rachel like this, he¡¯d rather be dead. He didn¡¯t have the courage to see Liam even after he died. He stayed up all night, but he didn¡¯t feel tired. It was not until his daughter returned safely that he could only rx. Only then did he feel tired, but he had to talk to his son first. He thought that he had to stop his son¡¯s love even now. The Duke closed his eyes tightly and opened his eyes that were enveloped in tiredness. Rachel and Lucian. He just couldn¡¯t wait and watch the two of them fall in love. His anxiety about that had been growing for a while but he became much more concerned after the most recent incident. Pedro stared at Lucian, who just stood calmly in front of him. ¡°You have failed to fulfill my duty as a sessor, and I must pay for it.¡± Lucian failed to uphold his responsibilities as the heir. When danger would befall the Duchy, the heir had an obligation to protect the family while being protected in the house. Lucian blinked slowly, as if he had expected a reprimanding. This is also different from before. He didn¡¯t express much when he spoke before, but he still slightly expressed his fear. But now he hasn¡¯t budged at all. Like now no matter what he would say, it won¡¯t hurt him. This punk had lost his mind. How dare he be around Rachel with that kind of face. What did I do to deserve this? Why do I have to live in pain? Pedro¡¯s mind still reyed the events of his past at the back of his eyes, his head hurting even as he held his temple, a throbbing sound thundering in his ears. His father tormented him even after he died. Handing over the same face to his grandson, and pressuring him. [ You are not normal. It is frustrating and annoying that I have no choice but to offer the Dukedom to you, who is not normal. Now that my grandson is born, you are nothing but a bridge between that brought the true heir, Lucian! ] Shortly after Lucian was born, this was what his father told him. Pedro looked at his son without hiding his tiredness. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s toote. He¡¯s sad, too, but this is the only way I can think of. It wouldn¡¯t be too bad to think of it as protecting Rachel. He spoke very slowly at first, as if he were saying something he didn¡¯t want to say. He dove right into the heart of the discussion while looking at Lucian. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of sending Rachel to a vacation home in the South. She must have been very shaken by this event.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lucian frowned subtly as he listened to his father. How long will she be there? Pedro didn¡¯t want to be away from her for a long time. Pedro added to Lucian, who had been struggling for half a year. ¡°She¡¯ll be protected in the South until shees of age.¡± With what he said, Lucian¡¯s eyes widened as if he was being torn apart into pieces. Usually, an aristocratic youngdy¡¯s debutante was at neen years old. Therefore the next seven years will be spent apart from Rachel. ¡°Father.¡± Lucian called his father with a fierce look. Pedro smiled in vain at the sight. That¡¯s the kind of look his son gave him. Was there an enemy here? Wasn¡¯t it the same expression Pedro had when he turned on his father to protect Liam? There was a strange sense of familiarity for a moment, but Pedro was adamant. ¡°You¡¯re grounded as a punishment for the time being. Don¡¯te out of your room.¡± ¡°Father, please.¡± Lucian knew that his father was not a man who talked in vain. He really intended to keep Rachel away from him now. Why? He couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Why wouldn¡¯t his father just let him be with Rachel? She asked him to put her time in his schedule first. Lucian thought she would be fine, so he wanted to be with her during his schedule. He hoped that they¡¯d be together all day, from the moment she opened her eyes. I wanted to see her face first thing in the morning and fall asleep after seeing her face before I go to sleep at night. It¡¯s only that much. Pedro pressed hard against Lucian who had a distorted face filled with anger when he said no to his father. ¡°Understand your ce as the sessor. When I treat you as the heir, fulfill your duties properly!¡± Lucian felt a lump in his throat. He wanted to fight back, but in all this time, he had never stood up to his father. Except the day before. Pedro congratted Lucian, who only stared at him with his mouth shut. Then Enzo whispered. ¡ªAre you that greedy for that girl? He ignored Enzo¡¯s words and turned away from Pedro. ¡ªWell, then, you should be the Duke. Then the authority over the child will be transferred to you. While forcing himself to take another step, Lucian stopped because of what Enzo said. It was a solution he didn¡¯t think of. He only asked his father for permission, but he couldn¡¯t think of making a move all by himself. Lucian liked Enzo for the first time. While grabbing the doorknob, he turned his head for a moment. He then slowly opened his mouth and looked at his father. ¡°I will do my best as heir to the Dukedom, Father. So, make sure you hand over the Duchy to me.¡± The Duke snorted at his words, but at the same time, he liked what his son had said. Yeah, don¡¯t be greedy for that pretty girl, be greedy for power. ¡®You really are my father¡¯s grandson.¡¯ Instead of answering, Lucian stepped outside, leaving Pedro waving his hands in dismissal behind. Instead of going back to his room, he headed straight to Rachel¡¯s room. He assumed it would be thest greeting before she left. As he hurried his steps, Enzo whispered in an insidious manner. ¡ªYou want to have that child. Lucian¡¯s steps slowed because of it and naturally just stopped. ¡°I want her?¡± ¡ªYeah, he never wanted to be Duke. You just wanted to be recognized. Lucian narrowed his eyes sharply like a knife. Noticing his tumultuous agitation, Enzo, the dark mage, smiled and added. ¡ªEveryone has a desire to be recognized. It¡¯s just that the target seems to have changed. ¡°¡­Rachel acknowledged me.¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s why you want her. She¡¯s the only one who recognized and understood you. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He was right. Lucian nodded slowly and stepped back, feeling more positive. Enzo, who had taken over his head, murmured, sheddingughter. ¡ªWhat can¡¯t you have, being the descendant and heir of the Leon family? Lucian was very fond of hisst words, even though he knew Enzo was encouraging him for his own shady reasons. I want to have her¡­ He clearly put it into his mind. That¡¯s right. He wants to monopolize Rachel. She¡¯s the only one. His slow pace soon changed into a more confident and quick one. A strong sense of possessiveness followed him with every step he took. ? I washed and changed into pajamas with help from Amber. It wasn¡¯t the time to sleep yet, but I didn¡¯t mind at all because I was really sleepy. Amber was flushed the whole time she washed me up. Maybe she had not calmed down enough, but she made mistakes one after another. Amber¡¯s appearance seemed to warm me up. It¡¯s very reassuring to have someone worried about me. But what happened to Lucian? He came all the way to the maze forest alone, but how did he get there? It reminded me of the fact about that ce that I had forgotten in my joy and surprise. It was described in the original book that the maze forest is not an ordinary forest, and not everyone can walk around ande in and out of the forest casually. After a series of other rted thoughts, I even remembered the booger king. Ugh, don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s going to being around again. Did I go too far yesterday? I didn¡¯t raise any death gs regardless of the original novel, right? I¡¯m back home safe and cozy, but I¡¯ve got a lot of things to worry about. Everything is starting to develop like the original storyline. Even if it¡¯s a little different from the original, wouldn¡¯t it be okay for the time being since the kidnapping seems to have happened as it happened in the original? There was only one kidnapping. Since then, the Duke has been paying keen attention to my safety. That¡¯s a relief. Kidnapping¡ªI¡¯d rather not do it twice. While waiting for Amber to bring my food, I rolled around enjoying the softness of the bed. Did Lucian wash up and eat already? He doesn¡¯t really eat much. But how did he get so tall? As expected, the main character is really the main character. Amber came in with food that is easy to digest while I was spacing out, thinking about all sorts of things. I finished the food as fast as a crab would hide its body in the sand. My eyelids had be heavy because of the warmth and started to close. ¡°Lady, hang in there. Get the doctor¡¯s treatment first and then go to bed.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± There were many scratches around my body, so I had to get a prescription. After being treated by a maid, I was unable to control my sleepiness andid back in bed. Amber covered me with a nket. Then I forced my eyelids up and asked Amber. ¡°Ah, I almost forgot, Amber.¡± ¡°Yes, Mdy.¡± ¡°Where are Doggy and Damian?¡± ¡°The servants will be taking care of them separately. Should I bring them back?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Tell them to take good care of those two.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. Please go to bed early today.¡± ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± I closed my eyes and heard Amber go out. I felt like I was about to fall asleep because of my exhaustion. Then I heard a familiar knock on my door. Knock knock, knock, knock knock. It was the secret knock pattern between Lucian and I. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 25 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 25 I would have ignored it if it was any other knock, but this one should never be ignored. It¡¯s a knock meant that ¡®my bias is here!¡¯ so I can¡¯t just ignore it. I jumped out of bed and quickly approached the door. When I opened the door, Lucian, who hadn¡¯t even changed into sleep attire at thiste hour, was standing there. His expression looked dark. Oh, Duke, how much did you scold him? Why is he so downcast?! Every time he¡¯s like this, I feel so stuffy inside. I didn¡¯t know what to do with this man. Lucian looked at me and sighed a little. ¡°Are you tired?¡± I jumped when I saw him taking a step back from where he was standing. No way! No matter how tired I am, even if I felt like I was going to die from exhaustion, I wouldn¡¯t turn you away! ¡°No, Brother!¡± He stopped at my answer. Then, he stepped back towards me so quickly in that brief moment. As expected, my favorite, your movements are very agile! ¡°Come on in.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Lucian came into my room without saying a word. I asked carefully when I saw his outfit. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you changed yet? You should take a nice hot bathter and have some warm soup.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Lucian smiled very slightly as he looked down at me obediently. He was just so bright. Howe his smile always made me go temporarily blind? I liked the way he smiled. Whenever heughed, I could see his eyebrows furrow slightly, and his aura changed because the shadows disappeared from around his eyes. I really liked it because it looked like a genuine smile. ¡°Have a seat on the couch, Brother. I will tell them to bring me a warm soup and go back to your room to wash up so you can eat, but I am afraid I can¡¯t do much, so I¡¯ll pull the strings in the meantime instead.¡± I grinned as he, who would normally have stopped my actions, waited calmly instead. Our Lucian. He came here because he wanted to eat with his sister, but I¡¯m sorry because this Noona has already eaten first. But I can eat with you again! After asking Amber for two bowls of soup, I sat next to Lucian. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m really thankful to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I spoke from the bottom of my heart to him who was sitting upright and looking at me attentively. ¡°I was so, so happy that Brother came to my rescue.¡± Lucian¡¯s eyes widened, then they curved into crescent moons. It felt like the world slowed down at that moment. I thought I was filming a slow motion video with my eyes. My bias, you¡¯re absolutely cute. While eating the soup that Amber brought us, I chattered along. The tiredness in me due to the events earlier disappeared like it was a lie. Even if I scooped up the soup, Lucian didn¡¯t say anything and ate it well. I wasn¡¯t usually shy about giving him more to eat, so I just went ahead. He¡¯s in trouble now. My hand moved on its own. Casually. Once he got close to Noah, I can¡¯t do this anymore, can I? Noah and Lucian were going to be getting very close after they¡¯d be adults. Until then, I just have to stay beside my bias and fangirl faithfully. After that, even when you leave the nest one day, I can be a fan of both of you again. I smiled broadly as I imagined the future ahead. Then Lucian licked his dry lips in hesitation and called out to me. ¡°Ray.¡± Oh, is he calling me by a pet name now? Omg, what should I do! ¡°Yes, Brother!¡± How amazing, ahhh. How is it that you can smile so brightly? Just keep smiling, Lucian. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± But just what are you taking so long to say? It was so unreal to see the soft expression he had whenever he licked his dry lips. It¡¯s really my bias. Your appearance is totally my favorite. I couldn¡¯t keep up. I was watching, kicking my feet around at the bottom of the sofa, and suddenly he turned away. I got goosebumps when he turned back toward me, clearly looking at me with his head tilted at an angle. I guess it¡¯s also possible to get goosebumps when people felt good? There was something unusual in his golden eyes. There was a glistening metal-like hint of color in his pupils that looked like hot melted gold. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off of him because of my euphoria. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t forget me.¡± Floundering in his dreamy eyes, I tilted my head to the side without noticing what he was trying to say. ¡°How could I possibly do that, Brother?¡± That doesn¡¯t make sense, Lucian. Your appearance is never something that could be easily forgotten. Even before I met you in person, I was already your fan. You think it¡¯s easy to be a fan? No way. Interest and affection were two basic criteria for a fan, alongside having to maintain a plentiful bank ount. My words filled Lucian¡¯s eyes with a bizarre heat, as though he was satisfied. ¡°That¡¯s right, like that¡­¡± Lucian bowed his head in response to my words. He kissed me on the cheek when I got pulled close in an instant. The feeling of his lips on my skin and then falling off just as fast felt stark. Somehow, while he blushed in embarrassment, he continued talking. ¡°Keep remembering me.¡± He seemed to be a mixture of happy and forlorn as he said this. Enchanted by his unpredictable attitude, I mechanically waved and bid goodbye to him when he said he was going already. Click. It wasn¡¯t until the door closed that I could breathe out again. ¡°That¡¯s exactly the finesse of a yandere seme.¡± I realized today that even just by breathing, he could already attract people. I couldn¡¯t even reach the bed and justy on the sofa. I wanted to close my eyes quickly and fall asleep, but the emotions I felt continued in my dreams. Luckily, Lucian appeared in my dream that night just as I wanted. But the shy smile I saw before I went to sleep was nowhere to be found. I thought as I looked at him with his dark, crooked smile. I¡¯d seen this look on him a lot in the original. But the odd thing was, it wasn¡¯t Noah he was looking at from an angle. And it was my wrist, not anyone else¡¯s, that he held on to. Ahn Hyeyoung¡¯s wrist, not my current one as a child. I thought it was strange, but I was vaguely delighted. Originally, I was smiling, while being caught by him. Then Lucian smiled along, too. His smile was so beautiful that I gave him a big hug. I was so happy even if it was a dream. ? ¡°Pardon?¡± I dropped the spoon I was holding after hearing what the Duke said as I ate breakfast. What did he just say? ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it, but my daughter, you should pack up and go to a vi in the South today. So, eat your breakfast and hurry up.¡± Noooo¡ª! You shouldn¡¯t say that on the actual day of departure! And I don¡¯t want to go! I want to watch every move that my bias makes, but just where are you sending me? No! I can¡¯t go! ¡°I don¡¯t want to go¡­¡± I said with a piteous look on my face. The Duke, who usually blinks at least once at her puppy eyes, looked at me without budging. Ah, that look. You¡¯re too determined. As I bowed my head in frustration, I noticed the sweet pumpkin soup that I had been enjoying a while ago. Oh, sweet pumpkin! ¡°I know you are upset, but I can¡¯t ept your feelings this time. I can¡¯t borate, but I haven¡¯t caught the kidnapper yet. So, why don¡¯t you go to the vi for your dad?¡± No¡ª-, if you say that, I can¡¯t say anything back. Haaa, I can¡¯t help it. I guess I¡¯ll just have to go ande back, right? ¡°Okay, then. It can¡¯t be helped.¡± Yeah, let¡¯s just think this is a good chance. I am worried about whether the booger king would try to approach me again, so this might be good. Yeah, we should avoid him for the time being. The Duke¡¯s expression brightened when I answered. He must have been worried, too. ¡°I¡¯m sure your maid is already packing your stuff now¡­ So take a walk in the garden with your dad after eating.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Huu.¡± I finished the pumpkin soup with the new spoon the maid brought me. I was upset when I thought I couldn¡¯t see my bias for a while. When Rachel left food because she had lost her appetite, the Duke¡¯s expression became somber. Still, he didn¡¯t go back on his decision. He hoped that this would be enough to keep them at bay. A hunger strike wouldn¡¯t work on him, would it? I took a short walk with the Duke and made cookies as usual. I made a bunch of nut cookies for my favorite because I won¡¯t see him for a while. It¡¯s my bias¡¯ favorite cookie after all. And then I went to the Duchess with cookies that I would normally deliver through the maid. With her still suffering from her mental distress, I¡¯ve been told recently that she¡¯s been taking some rather long walkstely. I¡¯ve been hoping she would get well soon and be with her son before it¡¯s toote, and before he grows up. I knocked on the door in front of the Duchess¡¯ room. ¡°Come in.¡± With permission to enter, I opened the door carefully. I dropped my gaze down and talked to her first. ¡°Your Grace, it¡¯s me, Rachel. May Ie in?¡± She certainly doesn¡¯t like me. That¡¯s why I asked first. Sitting on the sofa by the window, she turned her gaze towards me. She still had a grim expression, though she didn¡¯t show a sign of displeasure towards me. ¡°Come closer.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I approached her with a te of cookies. I nced out of the window to see what she was looking at, but I couldn¡¯t see Lucian in that direction. He would have already been at the training grounds, so I was looking out of the window with a curious expression, and the Duchess spoke first. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 26 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 26 The Duchess looked at the te I was holding, her expression wordlessly asking me why I was here. I sympathized with her, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling ufortable at the same time. It¡¯s true that she doesn¡¯t like me and there are a lot of reasons for that. But apart from that, I wanted to be respectful. ¡°I¡¯m going to the southern vi for a while. So I wanted to deliver the cookies myself today.¡± The Duchess looked a little surprised at what I said. ¡°Did the Duke say that?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± I don¡¯t want to go. I really don¡¯t want to leave my bias. As though my emotions were written inly on my face, the Duchess asked me. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Huh? Come to think of it, you sound much warmer, don¡¯t you? Did you like the cookies? I snuck a nce, and I made eye contact with her. Unlike before, the way she looked at me seemed a little milder. Or maybe I¡¯m mistaken? Somehow I felt like there was something twisting inside me. But it was not a bad feeling. ¡°But the Duke must have a reason to send you there.¡± The Duchess muttered and picked up a cookie. At times like this, I didn¡¯t know whether I should hate the Duke or not. I had to drop by to meet Lucian as well, so I got right to the point. ¡°Your Grace, can I send you letters?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The Duchess did not immediately answer my question. In the middle of the ufortable silence, I wriggled my feet. Lucian really looks like his mother. She also didn¡¯t answer right away. She had to think about it first it seems. It was not until a littleter that the Duchess gave an answer. ¡°¡­Go ahead.¡± I opened my eyes wide with her unexpected affirmation. Then, her lips curled up slightly into a small smile. Somehow I had a good hunch about our letters. ¡°Thank you so much By the way¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­ ¡± As I continued, the Duchess gazed at me. ¡°I¡¯m worried that Brother won¡¯t eat well.¡± Lucian didn¡¯t eat a lot. I wonder what food it was that made him grow taller. That¡¯s why I wanted to ask the Duchess this favor before I left. I also hoped that the rtionship between the two would get better over time. Because I want my bias to be happy. The Duchess¡¯ eyes trembled at my words. I know. She must be scared. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s realized that she¡¯s been neglecting her own son. That¡¯s probably why the pain in her heart got gradually worse. I knew better than anyone else how shame and self-usation could eat away at you. In the past, I was like that too. It may be difficult, but please be brave. No one else can be your salvation. The only person that can really save you is yourself. The Duchess did not answer. No, it was right not to say anything. I greeted her quietly before leaving, contemting. When I return to the Duchy after a few months, it would be nice to see the two of them smiling together. I rushed out of the Duchess¡¯ room and ran straight to Lucian¡¯s room. There¡¯s no time. Even if Amber takes a long time to pack my stuff, I don¡¯t have enough time. I need to see my favorite for just a little longer! Every minute I¡¯m not with him will go to waste! I hurried to his room, but I couldn¡¯t see him. I don¡¯t know why, but there was a knight blocking my way. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Yes, Mdy.¡± The knight answered in a polite manner. ¡°I want to see my brother¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this was an order given by the Duke.¡± ¡°What did the Duke say?¡± ¡°He said the Young Master shall be grounded for a week.¡± ¡°¡­Do you know why?¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± The knight answered only what was needed of him. This wasn¡¯t something I didn¡¯t expect, but because of the stress I felt, my stomach twisted into knots. Ahhh, Duke! Lucian is unrted to this! Argh! Lucian was a person whopulsively couldn¡¯t stray from his schedule. But you¡¯re locking him up in his room! I begged and got angry at the knight because I wanted to see Lucian, but it was to no avail. Perhaps the Duke predicted that I woulde, that¡¯s why the knight was here to reject me firmly. I trudged back to my room in frustration. The cookies I packed for him were still in my hand. ¡°You¡¯re back, Mdy?¡± Amber, who had to pack everything so suddenly, looked very busy. ¡°Mdy, what¡¯s this? Do you want me to pack these away, too?¡± Amber brought out a small box and asked for instructions. I was surprised to see an item that Ipletely forgot about. It was the letter opener I was going to give Lucian. ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± I had been sitting on the sofa discouraged just now, but I jumped up instead. ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± With the cookies in one hand and the box in the other, I headed back to Lucian¡¯s room. The knight was agitated because I came back. But I didn¡¯t mean to pressure him. ¡°Just give this to him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t ordered not to deliver goods to him right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Give it to him now.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± The knight knocked on the door with my gifts after confirming that there weren¡¯t any instructions for him not to pass along any gifts. There was no answer, but the knight went into the room anyway. After a while, the knight came out. I moved my head to see inside the closing door. Lucian was seen through the small gap. Standing in front of the door looking at the gift and cookies, he slowly raised his head. His eyes were shaking violently as his gaze met mine in just the blink of an eye. It was like a hungry wave, as though that feeling was going to rush over me. Ka-chak. Unfortunately, the door closed quickly. But I couldn¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t leave his room. After standing there for a while as if I was under a spell, Amber came rushing down the hall in search of me. The Duke was already waiting outside the mansion. ¡°My daughter.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go there often to keep youpany.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± I really don¡¯t want to go! I don¡¯t want to go! I can¡¯t believe I won¡¯t be able to see my bias for months! At the bottom of my heart, I wanted to lie down here and go on a tantrum. Regardless of whether I was an aristocrat or an adult inside, I just wanted to kick up a fuss and protest. ¡°The Knight Commander will protect you until you arrive at the vi. I¡¯d love to take you there myself, but¡­¡± Yeah, I know. You¡¯re trying to catch the kidnapper. And you can¡¯t leave the capital recklessly. I¡¯m not sure whether the Duke really doesn¡¯t want to send me, but he really doesn¡¯t look that good right now. No, why would you let me go if this wasn¡¯t the case? Home is the best! Isn¡¯t home supposed to be the safest ce? I puffed up my cheeks in indignation, but I still gently climbed into the carriage. Then Amber brought out Doggy. Doggy was in my arms and purred as though to cheer me up. You¡¯re a fox, not a cat. I poked Doggy cheek for no reason, then looked out of the wagon window at the Duchy. ¡°Do let me know if anything bothers you, Rachel.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± ¡°Okay then.¡± With my voice full of hesitation, I uttered words full of mncholy. ¡°Father, take care of Brother. Please.¡± When I said that, it backfired again and again. But I didn¡¯t want Lucian to be alone while I was away. I didn¡¯t want to leave him alone, now that he can finallyugh. I couldn¡¯t easily forget the look in his eyes earlier either. The Duke did not answer my request. Instead, he just smiled bitterly. After boarding with Amber, the carriage slowly began to move. After I checked that Damian was hovering around over the carriage, I leaned back against my seat. As I looked at the Duchy as we parted ways for the time being, I was deep in thought. Once the booger king gets caught, I will pour the spiciest sauce in his eyes the next time I see him. Oh, please make the time fly quickly. I don¡¯t want to miss any move my bias makes! ? Lucian came out to the balcony and watched Rachel climb onto the carriage. His hands were still on the warm cookies and gift she had given. ¡°You promised not to forget me. You must keep it.¡± Lucian murmured solemnly as he looked at the departing carriage. He stood motionlessly on the balcony until the carriage became a small speck and disappeared off the horizon. The sun started to tilt and dyed his face red. His face, which was as pale as a doll¡¯s rather than a human being¡¯s, conveyed a sense of longing even if he had no expression on his face at all. Returning into his room, Lucian put the present in his hand on the table. He smiled when he saw the dainty packaging that resembled Rachel. He then slowly unwrapped it, and saw the monotonous design of the letter opener and it made his eyes grow wide. It was a simple design with brilliant emeralds embedded in the dark colored body, but he immediately noticed it. It¡¯s abination of his dark hair and Rachel¡¯s beautiful hair color. Lucian took the letter opener out of the box and held it in his hand. The sensation of cold metal and warm wood mixed, making it like it was made from conflicting materials. Like a cold man and his always warm sister. Just like two people who usually wouldn¡¯t get along that happened to meet and stayed together. He blinked slowly, looking at the letter opener and nut cookies. ¡°I¡¯ll strive to work harder for you, too.¡± He thought that he should be recognized by his father as soon as possible, and then he¡¯ll be a Duke. Then he doesn¡¯t have to be checked over or disturbed by his father. He could easily make time for Rachel that way. When he opens his eyes in the morning, he imagines himself as if he will be able to see his younger sister¡¯s face right away, have breakfast with her, enjoy tea time, and sleep together in the same space at night. He wants to get to know her every move while including Rachel in all his scheduled activities. From head to toe. From Rachel¡¯s favorite food up to her height. Every single part. He wants to know every single part about Rachel. Quickly, his increasing thirst for anything concerning Rachel filled him up like a cup underneath a faucet. ¡ªYou want to be the only one in your younger sister¡¯s family? Enzo whispered in Lucian¡¯s mind because he was tired of that train of thought, his words were filled with nuances, while Lucian was sitting quietly and riling himself up like a burning fire. ¡ªThat¡¯s a terrible idea. Why do I keep hearing these thoughts? Lucian thought he shouldn¡¯t let the ringing voice in his head interfere with his mind anymore. Thus, Lucian thought only of Rachel. ¡°¡­I miss you already, Ray.¡± 7 years. For a few short moments, or even for a long time, he was ready to wait. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 27 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 27 05 ¨C Rachel at 19, Lucian at 24 This is just too much! I won¡¯t ever want to sneak out of the estate again. Dad, how could you do this to me? While stretching myself out in the carriage, I murmured inwardly. After arriving at the southern vi, I waited constantly for the Duke¡¯s call. I expected the words, ¡°Now that we¡¯ve caught the kidnapper,e back,¡± and ¡°I missed you¡±, but the Duke didn¡¯t say those two phrases. Do you like that ce? There must be something you wanted for your birthday that I could bring back for you. You didn¡¯t have anything you wanted? It was a letter full of concern and affection for me but the response I wanted never came. As I huffed all by myself, I was with Doggy who sat across from me and just chatted about whatever came to his mind. ¡°Master! It¡¯s been a long time since we were in the capital. But the south is fine, too!¡± Yeah, it¡¯s good, the south. The vi was quite spectacr, with white walls matching the beach and emerald roofsbined with other sea colors. The sea was near the estate, so I could eat delicious and fresh seafood to my heart¡¯s content. At first, I was blinded by mysterious buildings, emerald seas, and new customs, but it has been a week already. I assumed I¡¯d be back in a few months, I could deal with it if it was only that long. I thought I¡¯d be able to see my bias soon. So how could you leave me here for seven years?! You still haven¡¯t caught the kidnapper? That booger king! He¡¯s going to bother me till the end. ¡°Master, are you feeling ufortable?¡± Damian, who was next to Doggy, asked me. I shook my head roughly. ¡°What the¡ªdid something happen that made you feel bad? You really wanted to go back to the capital, though. Shouldn¡¯t that make you feel better?¡± I just stared at Doggy as he babbled on, my mind scattered. Doggy is aplete adult now. His boyish facial features used to be so strong, but now they have disappeared without a trace. Even his neck thickened and his adult aura has be much stronger. His luscious voice went through a period of metamorphosis and became a soft baritone voice that made the hairs at the back of my neck rise. ¡°Master! Look over there, over there! Do humans like that kind of thing?¡± Still, his cheery tone has remained the same. That¡¯s why he¡¯s still Doggy! ¡°There are people who like it.¡± ¡°So is it something you like, too, Master?¡± What Doggy is pointing at is cotton candy. The fluffy shape was just like Doggy. Even if I pick any aspect of it, it¡¯s just like him even down to its color. Then Amber spoke. ¡°Miss, you know you¡¯re going to debut this year, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I¡¯m quite aware of that fact. That¡¯s right. I was only able toe back from the vi because of my uing debutante. Aristocrats had a custom of making young nobles debut at the age of 19. On top of that, debuting at a banquet hosted by the Imperial Family would be even better if it was possible. If you¡¯re so poor to the point you couldn¡¯t afford to go to the Imperial Pce, you should cut the festivities short so as to save on expenses. But nobles found that disgraceful. On my way to the Ducal estate which was at the heart of the capital city, I tried to calm my pounding heart. I¡¯ll be able to see my bias again in a little while now. This Noona had been writing letters to him consistently since I left, but how could he not reply to a single one? How did I raise you?! But he¡¯s also so cool that I have nothing to say. As expected, a male lead was a male lead. He¡¯s chic, so it was still rather loveable. I had no choice but to love him, even if my bias didn¡¯t reply to me. After seven years of not seeing each other, he was still the apple of my eye. How could this be? I was a little shocked at myself for thinking that way about myself. Then the sound of a tongue clicking rang out in my head. ¡ªGoodness, what a perv! ¡ªDon¡¯t look into other people¡¯s minds. ¡ªI just happened toe here. Do you think I want to be here? I didn¡¯t want you to hear you either! I guess it¡¯s been two years already At that time, I started hearing a voice in my head. I thought I had gone crazy because I hadn¡¯t seen my bias for too long. But it wasn¡¯t that. ¡ªIn fact, you are not even my descendant. ¡ªAh, how many times have I told you to just leave? ¡ªI can¡¯t do that when I think of Liam. ¡ª¡­Because I can¡¯t argue with you when you mention my father¡¯s name, that¡¯s why you keep mentioning his name? ¡ªIf you have a conscience, you have to listen carefully. How can you enter my descendant¡¯s body?! ¡ªI told you I don¡¯t know! How many times do I have to say this for you to believe and understand me! ¡ªAh, Rachel. You¡¯ve been possessed by a strange ghost. ¡ªUuugh, I¡¯m not a ghost! Who here between us is the ghost?! This ghost, my body¡¯s ancestor, suddenly popped into my head one fine day. Cassandra de Elrand. She¡¯s someone who died hundreds of years ago, and doesn¡¯t have any ill will towards me from what I can tell. She¡¯s still in my head without telling me where she hase from. No, did the original story have this kind of setting though? While my racing thoughts were searching for a variety of reasons why it was left out, the carriage passed through the first gate of the Duke¡¯s estate. Also, the sound of horseshoes hitting the floor sounded rather cheerful. I looked out of the window as I got closer to the mansion. I thought that was a more honest action, rather than burying myself deeply in the chair and acting indifferently. Did my biase to pick me up? Seven years is a long time, he must have forgotten about me. My hands sweated in tension. Aside from everything else, I hope my bias hasn¡¯t really forgotten me. I mean, we got along pretty well. Pleasee and meet me. Please¡­ ¡°Mdy, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± Amber said that and went down first, followed by Doggy and Damien. Blinding sunlight filled the carriage. I hesitated at first, but I finally pulled my butt out of my seat. Then a hand suddenly came into the carriage. The big pale hand seemed to shine brilliantly in the sun. I realized who it was just by looking at his porcin skin and big hands. I reached out at his hand that stuck out proudly. Almost out of sight, he waited for me outside the carriage. Just as I felt when I first came to the Duchy, his pale face, which seemed to be absorbing the sunlight, looked down at me. Even if he didn¡¯t tilt his head backpletely like before I left, his eyes are now visible and could be seen properly even when he lifted his chin slightly. He seemed a little taller as I am a little taller, but I could easily make eye contact with him, more so than seven years ago. Lucian smiled brightly at me while I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off of his face epassed by shining sunlight. He was much more mature than seven years ago, he opened his lips slowly. ¡°Rachel.¡± His low tone made me shiver all throughout my whole body starting from my toes as his voice reached my ears. The wind made my hair flutter once again. At that moment, it was like I saw an illusion as if I was back in that cold cave when he rescued me. Looking at him as if possessed, Lucian looked at me, and raised my hand up towards his face. His golden irises looked as if they were liquid drops of light from the sun, shining brightly. His lips touched the back of my hand. His warm and soft lips pressed down on my skin. While he did it he didn¡¯t even take his eyes off me. He looked at me persistently with a slightly raised gaze. I barely gulped and uttered. ¡°Brother Lucian.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting, Rachel.¡± My fingertips flinched as he uttered those words. Because his lips still remained at the back of my hand. I felt my head start to get a little hazy. But I could see one thing for sure. My bias has be a kind male lead! Hallelujah! ¡°It really has been a long time.¡± I was busy simping over my bias that I haven¡¯t seen in a long time. Fortunately, his face wasn¡¯t gaunt. Do you know how worried this Noona was about you not being able to eat while I was away? But how could you not send me a single reply? Leaving out my greetings, I had a pout on my lips. To be honest, I was upset. I didn¡¯t know he wouldn¡¯t contact me for seven years. That¡¯s too much! I stuck out my pouting lips and turned my head away. I wanted to show that I was being sulky. But why am I not seeing the Duke? And¡­ huh? Blinking repeatedly, I doubted my eyes. I btedly looked at the figures around me as I appreciated my bias, and there I saw the Duchess standing in front of all of them. The Duchess went out of her room now? Seven years wasn¡¯t a short amount of time after all. It was such a long time that my height, which had been around Lucian¡¯s waist, grew to be around the height of his chest. So I promised myself I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if something had changed in the Ducal family¡­ But with the Duchessing outside now, wasn¡¯t this the definition of cheating itself? Oh, what a pleasant surprise! The Duchess, whose eyes met mine, smiled generously. Her grim look has disappeared and she gave me a gentle smile. Oh, I knew the Duchess was beautiful, but now that I see her again¡­ She¡¯s so beautiful! At that time, the Duchess, who was just looking at us, spoke up. ¡°Lucian, it¡¯s hot out. It¡¯s better to let Rachel inside first, then you can talk more.¡± Oh, my! She said ¡®Lucian¡¯! You called my bias¡¯ name, right, Duchess? I was so surprised that my mouth went agape. Normally Amber would have pointed that out, but she was also surprised and looked no different from me. It seemed like only me and Amber were surprised. The butler¡¯s expression that was standing with her remained unchanged. Not only that, but also the looks of other employees didn¡¯t shift at the interaction. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t think about that.¡± Lucian answered back. His voice felt much lower than when west saw each other. But my bias is 22my bias! Just as my love hasn¡¯t changed in seven years, so has my reaction to him. ¡°Brother! It¡¯s okay. People should take in some sunlight, too.¡± ¡°Then, would you like to take a walk in the garden with me?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 28 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 28 Oh, you¡¯re feeling so shy that your cheeks are flushed, right? Oh, my. What am I going to do with that soft smile? Oh, I¡¯m going crazy. How can he still be so cute? Yandere seme? Where¡¯s the yandere seme here? Now everyone should call him the kind and sweet seme, Lucian! Shouting out loud inside, I tried hard to maintain my unfazed expression. It¡¯s not easy to pretend to look upset. What am I gonna do with this puppy-like person? When his master calls him, he just shakes his tail joyfully! That¡¯s fine, but¡­ ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯d like to take a walk with my brother, after a looooong time!¡± I emphasized the words ¡°long time¡± without him knowing whether I still have any leftover resentment about him not replying to my letters. Whether he understood me or not, Lucian was just smiling. ¡°Master, I¡¯ming with you!¡± Then Doggy of all people stepped in without me noticing. I red at him, my brows knitting at the idea. Mind your own business, Doggy! But if you think about it, it¡¯s not really Doggy¡¯s fault. Doggy just smiled and turned into a fox andnded in my arms. { Master! Let¡¯s go! } The wild little fox became able to speak even after turning into his fox form. Although, it is less useful than it sounds, since I¡¯m the only one who can understand him while in that form. Actually, it¡¯s so annoying that only I can understand! I tapped the bridge of his nose because I felt annoyed for no reason. It is one of the things he didn¡¯t like, so he avoided my action by turning his head around. Look at him, he¡¯s grown up to be a very naughty boy. Did I teach you to be like that? Hmm? Even when the fox turned his head, he persistently kept himself seated in my arms so I kept tapping on the bridge of his nose. Knock, knock,e out. Where are we? Why are you sticking your butt towards me? Are my arms your home? Get out of there. Forgetting that I was originally talking to my brother, I was focused on Doggy. He was still busy avoiding my fingers. Then a familiar hand approached me again. Suddenly, the hand in front of my eyes grabbed the fox¡¯s neck. ¡°Kyuung!¡± ¡°Brother?¡± I looked up in surprise. His golden gaze I encountered at the moment was very cold, and then it changed in an instant. It looked like a cool breeze in a Siberian snow field. But Lucian¡¯s expression became bright almost instantly while I was busy blinking at the odd scenario. ¡°I want to take a walk with you alone.¡± I nodded at once at his sinct words. Yes, if my bias wants to. Of course. Why would he say that though? Okay, let¡¯s go! I held Lucian¡¯s hand. We used to hold hands like this a lot when we were younger. I smiled at the memories. Lucian, who hesitated for a while, held my hand tightly. Well, as expected, he¡¯s the main character. He¡¯s very strong. But it kinda hurts. When I wriggled my ufortable fingers because he held them too tight his grip became a little more loose. ¡°Mother.¡± ¡°Yes, you two can talk first. I¡¯ll see youter when the Dukees back.¡± When did they get so close? What happened to the two of them while I was away? I felt crazy because I was so filled with curiosity, but I held it in. I am going to see the Duchess separatelyter anyways. As Lucian and the Duchess became acquainted, I also became quite acquainted with the Duchess in my own way when I was living in the southern vi. Life in the South was so monotonous. I just rxed, took sses from the teacher sent by the Duke, and exercised. If I wasn¡¯t a young nobledy and I was back in my original world I would y sports to relieve my boredom. That is impossible now, but I guess I should say that I still like to move my body and exercise. But there were also no tea parties or banquets I could attend so I could talk to people. So I couldn¡¯t socialize to entertain myself either. There were people who knew I was from Duke Leon¡¯s house and sent out invitations at first, but most of them were cursory invitations I wasn¡¯t really supposed to ept. Either that, or they invited me just to belittle me, so I refused them. I am not his actual daughter after all, just his stepdaughter. Thanks to my father, I¡¯m currently living a luxurious life, but I¡¯ve always been conscious of the fact that I¡¯m just a guest. But if I should go to another aristocrat¡¯s banquet and get myself in trouble¡­ Ugh, I don¡¯t even want to think about it. So whenever I was lonely, I sent letters to Lucian, the Duke, and the Duchess. And surprisingly, it was the Duchess who responded most sincerely to my letters. We talked more through letters than when we were together. At that time, I realized that sometimes there are more stories that can be told better in writing than through spoken words themselves. As soon as the Duchess gave us permission, Lucian led me to the garden. ¡°Kyuung kyung!¡± Doggy, who was tossed to the side by Lucian, protested loudly, but soon he became silent due to Amber¡¯s interference. I nced at Lucian in the yellow rose garden after my long absence. Wow, why are his eyshes so long? How did the tail of his eyes get to be built to be so long? It¡¯s like it was drawn in eyeliner. Lucian¡¯s eyes looked exceptionally deep because of his ck eyshes. I think it¡¯s because his eye shade stands out. Lucian¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red, perhaps feeling my gaze. There you go, my Lucian. Are you feeling shy? I couldn¡¯t stop smiling. It is good that he was out of the route of regret, and it is good to be able to appreciate his face for the first time in a while. Well, how far did Noah and him go? I think they should be close by this time¡­ but can I really trust the flow of the original story? I¡¯ve already messed with a few things. I was thinking about this and that and I wanted to ask him myself. But Lucian opened his mouth first. ¡°I missed you.¡± Each word he uttered looked as if it was filled withplete sincerity. My heart fluttered for no reason. Stopping suddenly after walking for a bit, Lucian looked down at me. Unlike before, when I looked at him rather calmly, I feel strangely awkward looking at him right in front of me now. Seven years has been a long time. I avoided his gaze because I felt burdened. Then his big hand approached me again. Holding my chin gently, he lifted my face. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off me and said it again. ¡°Really¡­ I missed you so much¡­ that it felt like I was dying, Ray.¡± I didn¡¯t answer him. Because his words also reminded me of thest seven years. I fell into silence. I couldn¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t give me any reply. ¡°¡­But howe you didn¡¯t reply once? Do you know how many letters I sent?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lucian¡¯s expression dimmed due to my words. No, it¡¯s not a sad expression, but it looks like he¡¯s starting to seeth. Soon he threw out one angry word. ¡°Letters?¡± I couldn¡¯t understand why he was acting so oblivious, so I just opened my eyes wide. Hisrge hand grazed slowly over my white as sheet face. Biting his lips, he opened his eyes violently. ¡°Did you send me a letter?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Somehow the reaction was so strange that I was puzzled. What¡¯s with that reaction? Maybe he didn¡¯t know about the letters I sent him? Howe? Overloaded from my racing thoughts, I suddenly came up with the answer. That, that Duke! Don¡¯t tell me he stole my letters! Really? No, he can¡¯t have actually done that right? This is really not working. I can¡¯t forgive him this time! As he trembled as though feverous, Lucian had a sharp look on his face. Goodness me, my bias. You thought you were surprised? No, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s angry. I put up with the Duke all this time. He tricked me into spending seven years in the south, and he even stole my letters? I¡¯m not gonna let him do this! I huffed heavily. Lucian smiled faintly, as if my expression was so funny. Yeah, it¡¯s been a while since we met, so let¡¯s just smile. There¡¯s a saying thatughing brings good luck. I want to believe that. ¡°I missed you a lot, too.¡± At my bted answer, he smiled as if he had received the world. Hisrge and warm hand slowly rose up and wrapped around my cheek. Caressing from the bottom of my chin up to my earlobe, he stroked my cheek gently. When did he grow up like this? He really looks like my older brother now. He used to just be taller than me, but now he actually looks like my older brother. Looking down at me lovingly, I asked him what came to his mind as he kept stroking my cheek. Actually, I almost felt like I would die out of curiosity. ¡°By the way, how close are you to Noah?¡± I was just curious if the two of them were in a rtionship already. I have a hobby of being a fanatic. I¡¯m mainly a fan of Lucian, but I actually like both of them. So, tell me. You two are dating, right? My eyes glistened as I waited for his answer. Does he think my expression is too much? Lucian¡¯s expression is subtly distorted. Why? Are you worried I¡¯ve noticed? Come on, I¡¯m not that kind of person! I won¡¯t judge! ¡°Noah, is cute right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± My second innocent question was directed at my bias but he remained silent for the first time in a long time. Pleased to see his unchanging habits, I burst into a refreshedugh. Of course, the edges of his smile quickly disintegrated into a displeased expression, but I thought it was because he felt embarrassed. Noah will still be cheerful and bright, right? Now that Lucian¡¯s a kind seme, he¡¯ll be a sweetheart and a cheerful guy right? Now that the keywords have changed, the ending will change, too, right? With strong hope for the future, I smiled broadly at Lucian, who still had an unreadable expression on his face. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 29 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 29 ? When Rachel said that to him, Lucian experienced speechlessness for the first time in his life. Why was she suddenly asking him about Casti house¡¯s young lord? He couldn¡¯t figure it out, but he felt horrible just hearing it. Looking at her sparkling blue eyes that resemble the night sky, he felt all the more anxious. What the hell does she want to hear from him? ¡°Eyy, don¡¯t be so shy. I¡¯m very understanding!¡± Yes, but what the hell was she talking about? But Rachel¡¯s response would not be different if he said anything here. In that case, he had often seen her jump to conclusions like this since they were young. ¡®I know everything. So it¡¯s okay to tell me.¡¯ That seemed to be what she was saying with her expression, like anything he said would be okay. Lucian wasforted by her expression that she¡¯d reserved for him since they were young. ¡®You sympathize with me. You understand me. There was a time when I thought like that.¡¯ But now that he considered her actions again, the difference was subtle, but there. The scenario about the letter too, what he just heard was rather absurd and ridiculous. He wanted to reply by asking what was the meaning of what she said¡ªthat he never replied back. How dare he doubt her. Even with the only letters he had heard about that came from her being addressed to his Mother, he certainly couldn¡¯t resist hearing about Rachel¡¯s life. After being warned by his father, he made a n. As he said that one day, there are two things that should be nned closely. From the day she gave him presents and cookies. He thought about her constantly. He actually liked his mother¡¯s attention. But he was not really interested in making her confess her sins and then make her ask for his forgiveness though. It had nothing to do with him, even if his father and mother talked about things that they had never been able to open up about and had actually lived like a rtively married couple. There was already someone who had made him feel the warmth of sweet affection, and now his parents¡¯ affection had not been very impressive to him. Nevertheless, the reason he stayed close to his mother must have been because she brought up stories about Rachel from time to time. It was then that he found out that my mother and Rachel were exchanging letters. He was resentful of Rachel a little bit, who didn¡¯t send him any replies despite sending many to his mother, but it was just for a short while. ¡®Just don¡¯t forget about me. I just really want you to remember me.¡¯ It was only a short time he spent with her in this huge castle, but now it¡¯s full of memories with her. When he was studying alone in the study room, he often looked at the door unconsciously. When he was training at the practice grounds, he could sometimes hear a faint voice calling him ¡°Brother¡± from somewhere. After she went down to the south, when the three family members ate together at his mother¡¯s request, he could still see Rachel sitting across from him and cutting her steak. With such confidence, Enzo said. ¡ªThat¡¯s a disease. But I understand you. You can go crazy at least once, right? Was that the case? Was this a disease? Whatever she did, she¡¯s the only one he saw, so he¡¯s sure it¡¯s an illness. Then what should he do to cure it? Enzo answered his question like this. ¡ªSomething like madness. Sadly, it¡¯s incurable. I tried hard to cure it myself once, but it didn¡¯t work. Hehehe¡­ His experiences didn¡¯t matter at all. An incurable disease¡­ He was rather reassured by the idea that it could never be cured. He didn¡¯t care if it was a disease. Because he could continue thinking of her. Lucian smiled, watching fondly as Rachel babbled in front of him. He smiled more broadly as if he liked it when she smiled in return. Because he was mad for her, he only smiled in front of her. He had been nervous since this morning because she wasing. Thinking about what if she had forgotten him? She hasn¡¯t been in touch for seven years, so maybe she didn¡¯t like something about him. Was she angry that he didn¡¯t meet her before we were separated? Was it something to do with her or was it a problem sprouted from the fact that he asked for her to remember me so shamelessly? But he didn¡¯t want her to forget him. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t bother to visit her room. Remember. Don¡¯t forget. ¡°Let¡¯s have tea in the garden, brother.¡± He immediately waved the moment she said her request. The attendant, who was waiting around for that moment, quickly set up the table, tea, and dessert he had prepared in advance. ¡°Wow, did Brother prepare this in advance for me? I¡¯m so touched!¡± She was easily moved by these simple things. Well, whatever he did, she was easily moved. He was also moved even when she just ate well, and he liked it when she was just answering him. Unconditional affection. Perhaps even if he was in a fit of rage, she would have epted him in light of her admiration. That¡¯s right. Admiration. She was younger than him, but she had always looked at him like he was her younger brother. And that was something¡­ he didn¡¯t like. It was the only thing he didn¡¯t like about her. ¡°Brother, this grape is too sweet. Please try it.¡± One day, she came to his study and prepared some grapes that she forced him to eat. But he didn¡¯t refuse because she liked it. It¡¯s all about creating happy memories together. The table today was filled with things he prepared to remind her in case she had forgotten him. Then Rachel put a grape in front of his lips. ¡°Knock knock, knock, knock knock knock. The grape is here. Please open the door.¡± Lucian casually burst intoughter at the sight of her that didn¡¯t change at all ever since they were children. He was so d to see her, and he was truly relieved. Unlike before, he opened his lips right away. Chewing on the grapes that came into his mouth, he enjoyed the taste. As she said, it had a sweet taste. Lucian¡¯s face subtly stiffened at the taste of food that he hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time. The most interesting part about her was this strange ability. No matter what food he ate, he couldn¡¯t taste it all properly. But whatever she gave were things he could actually taste. ¡°Brother, how¡¯s your salon goingtely? Howe you¡¯re not saying anything about Noah? You two got along quite well, right?¡± Lucian stared at Rachel in silence due to the name she had mentioned again. Why did she keep asking him about that guy? Did she get in touch with him? His fingertips twitched at the questions that came to his mind. He thought that if he was wearing a sword, he¡¯d probably pull it out right away. There was a feeling of displeasure in his mouth even if he had just bit into the sweetest grape in the world. He didn¡¯t reply and stared at her. It was because he was not confident about what he would say if he opened his mouth. But she always puts him at ease. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not answering again. But I like that too because that means there are things that haven¡¯t changed about you from before. Besides, I already know everything without you telling me anyway.¡± ¡®Do you really know everything even if I don¡¯t tell you?¡¯ Lucian asked inwardly while gazing at Rachel, who had burst intoughter with her chin in her hands. I¡¯m suffering from some kind of disease, do you want me to make you understand that? Then Enzo appeared, muttering the same words as before. ¡ªOh, right. I remembered! We called this being a madman! She said something like that about me, too. Madness you said¡­ That¡¯s just about right. ¡ªAs expected¡­ I¡¯m d I picked you. Hehe. Enzo smiled and disappeared, as if he liked something he had seen quite a lot. Whether he disappeared or not, Lucian wouldn¡¯t take his eyes off the grown-up Rachel even for a moment. He intended to get his fill for all seven years they had been separated. For longer than they had been apart, they could be together. ¡°Did you still like nut cookies, brother? This is good, too.¡± Lucian closed his eyes for a moment and opened his eyes as he looked at Rachel, who offered cookies to him with a bright look on her face. Looking at her, who was still staring at him, his expression looked as if she was likely to disappear suddenly from that very spot. He raised the corners of his mouth with a face full of satisfaction. ¡°Ray.¡± ¡°Yes, Brother.¡± As she answered him brightly, he spoke with a sincere heart. ¡°Let¡¯s always be together.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡± As he recalled what she once said to him, his eyes curved up as he smiled. She was beside him once more. Forever. ? It¡¯s been a long time since I returned to my room. Looking at the newly decorated room, it was rather unfamiliar, but I felt d to see the sunlight and feel the warm air. Amber nagged at me as I plopped down on the sofa. Amber seemed to be nagging me day by day. ¡°Mdy, you shouldn¡¯t sit like that.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± I thought she was only nagging me in the south, but it seems that she will be nagging me all throughout. How did I even put up with it? I pouted my lips andy on the sofa mncholically. The spring breeze came in through the window. Unlike the south, there was no salt in the wind. The small difference made me realize I was finally home. ¡°Oh, what about Doggy and Damian?¡± ¡°They have a separate room on the first floor. I think they wanted to walk around like human beings.¡± ¡°Damian, too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hmm, that¡¯s a big deal. I heard shapeshifters preferred to be in their animal forms rather than their human form. And in the south, they had been in their animal forms almost constantly. Especially when they would run around at the little mountain behind the vi. They hunted as much as they could. I never thought I¡¯d eat rabbit meat in my life. The chef cooked me up a bunny that had been caught by Doggy once. I didn¡¯t even know that and enjoyed it wholeheartedly. What am I going to do with this sneaky meat eater? I put meat in my mouth first, and I only learned the truth about my meal from Doggy¡¯s pride filled words after I finished eating. Ever since that day, I banned Doggy from hunting. But I think he¡¯spletely out as a candidate for a sub male lead, right? No matter how many times I look at it, there¡¯s no connection at all with Noah this time. In the original Oscar had to deal with Rachel¡¯s relentless tantrums and faced a myriad of different types of discrimination as a prisoner. So for Oscar, who distrusted humans, Noah¡¯s tenderness would have been very effective in taming him. ¡°Hmm.¡± Is it okay to change his name now? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 30 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 30 To be honest, I sometimes felt guilty whenever I saw Doggy in his human form. I thought maybe the name Doggy was a little too much, but I¡¯m a little reluctant to name him Oscar. Was it okay to name him something else? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to give him a name that has nothing to do with the original plot? As I was worried all alone in one way or another, I heard a knock. ¡°Master!¡± I murmured quietly as I watched him rudely open the door first. ¡°It¡¯s Doggy again today.¡± Oh, I don¡¯t think I can change his name for now. What if it sticks? ¡¤ Back in the mansion, the Duke ran straight to see me. I curtsied towards the Duke appropriately as I learned in ss. ¡°Long time no see, Duke.¡± ¡°¡­Howe you won¡¯t call me Dad?¡± As I grew older, the Duke also aged the same way. However, he looks like he aged well like a fine wine with his increased grandeur. But I had a lot to say about what I had realized earlier. This situation is not the most important right now. The reason why I didn¡¯t call him anything besides his title is because of the Duke¡¯s attitude towards Lucian and because I knew about his pain better than anyone else. I know all of his pain from reading the original work, but none of the other characters knew of his painful past. This was because the previous Duke kept his romantic history a strictly guarded secret. The only one who knew that was a retired butler, and the other was the Duchess, but she didn¡¯t know the depths of it. And even if he was my godfather, myte father wasn¡¯t exactly regarded as family. I tried to be careful because I wasn¡¯t their real family. But this time it went too far. I looked at him with conviction. ¡°Your Grace the Duke, I heard that the letters I sent to Brother didn¡¯t arrive. Perhaps Your Grace intercepted them, or that they didn¡¯t reach the Duchy at all? I don¡¯t think you would do something like that. I would like to believe so.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Oh, I thought Lucian looked only like his mom, but he actually looked like his dad. Howe people in this family kept their mouths shut whenever they¡¯re at a disadvantage? ¡°I was so upset that I thought Brother had forgotten me. And you said I only needed to go to the south for a few months. Don¡¯t tell me you still haven¡¯t caught the kidnapper yet? It¡¯s been seven years.¡± With drenched clothes and even with cotton fists, a K.O. was still possible. Even if my attacks weren¡¯t all that powerful, if I kept hitting the same spot, I could even break rocks with eggs. That¡¯s just how much quiet facts really hurt. It just so happened that the Duke and I were the only ones in the room. Because the Duke wanted to be alone with me. I held the standing Duke¡¯s hand and led him over to the sofa. And talked in a calm voice. ¡°Duke.¡± ¡°Yes, my daughter.¡± I brought up what I wanted to say to the Duke, who still looked at me with sad eyes. I couldn¡¯t talk about the past because I was too young when I left. Although I grew up long ago and had a different mental age, I was still a child on the outside. ¡°You know better than anyone that you can¡¯t go back if you¡¯re toote.¡± That¡¯s how you lost your Liam. So you can¡¯t make the same mistake this time. ¡°And Brother is Brother. He is not anyone else.¡± So, you make it up to him before it¡¯s toote. Otherwise, there may be no turning back forever. The Duke became silent due to what I said. But his eyes shook violently. I said it in a roundabout way, but I¡¯m sure he understood what I was saying. Seeing Lucian being so close to the Duchess, I felt hopeful. So if the Duke could open up a little, wouldn¡¯t the three of them be able to stay together as a family now? I sincerely hoped so. The Duke was staring at me in silence for a long time. Maybe because he was looking for my father in my features. After a while, he quietly stood up from the sofa. I didn¡¯t think it would be easy to right all the wrong things at once. Little by little, it¡¯s just a little change I¡¯m looking for. I nced at the Duke leaving the room with a look of anticipation. Obviously, if he understood what I was saying, he would have been slightly different. Then he grabbed the door knob and suddenly turned his head. ¡°My daughter.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± What should I say? I am so nervous. The Duke looked genuinely sorry. Oh, did I say it toote? If I had told him sooner, would he have changed his attitude toward Lucian? Would the Duke have been able to escape the past as soon as possible? I suddenly felt guilty even though it wasn¡¯t my fault. ¡®I should have said it a little faster,¡¯ I said to myself, but I felt like I was stabbed in the back by the subsequent words of the Duke. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, my daughter. We weren¡¯t able to catch the kidnapper.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Of course I thought he¡¯d talk to me about Lucian. But what do you mean by mentioning the kidnapper? ¡°And I¡¯m sorry for intercepting the letters. My daughter, would you be willing to call me Dad again if there were some circumstances for my decision?¡± No matter what the circumstances were, you didn¡¯t tell me the truth in the span of 7 years? The suffocating emotions of pity and sympathy were gone. I couldn¡¯t seem to follow the direction of the story he is talking about anymore. At my puzzled expression, the Duke showed only a little smile and then went out of the room. ¡°¡­What does he mean by that?¡± I muttered to myself in bewilderment, but there was no one who answered me. ? Pedro walked down the hall with a stiff face after he left Rachel¡¯s room. He understood exactly what she was saying. ¡°How did she know.¡± It¡¯s safe to say that few people knew how he felt. The only one who knew that was the dedicated butler of the previous Duke, who had already died. ¡°But there is nothing I could do about the letters.¡± I¡¯m sorry Rachel, but I couldn¡¯t help it. As the days went by, my son¡¯s eyes became strange. Sometimes, he would stare nkly into the air with a gaze full of madness, and this sight ovepped with the Duke¡¯s old self. When he was crazy about Liam. So he needed to perform a test. It was to separate them for seven years. A long time was long, and a short time was short. Would Lucian wait for Rachel if he didn¡¯t hear from her? Did he really love Rachel? And what if that wasn¡¯t the case? Then, just as the Duke hurt Liam, his son would also just hurt Rachel, too. There would be two generations of people who would leave scars on people from the same family¡­ and they were father and daughter. It was unbearable. That¡¯s when he¡¯d take his own life. But now, there were only two reasons for having been alive so far. For his family and for Rachel. Pedro owed Liam a lot. One way I wanted to make it up to him is that I wanted to raise Rachel beautifully so that she could have a happy wedding with the man she truly loved. He wanted to let her live without worrying about money for the rest of her life. But Lucian. His son. Now rather than Lucian resembling the previous Duke, he was afraid Lucian was going to hurt Rachel in the same way that he hurt Liam. His father destroyed not only Pedro, but also Liam. The previous Duke shared this matter with the previous Count Elrand, and the Count, who heard it all, simrly abused Liam. So Pedro let go of Liam¡¯s hand first. He betrayed Liam first. But he couldn¡¯t even live properly. While causing pain to the people around him, Pedro took care of himself first. He was the shameless one who prioritized his forced engagement before his true love. But when his son, who he thought looked like my father, looked at Rachel with the same eyes as him, he was after all¡­ ¡°For the first time, I thought he really is my son. At that time, I had no choice but to admit that we have the same blood in our veins.¡± Pedro stopped while reciting the answers he couldn¡¯t tell Rachel. He could see outside through the window of the hallway. Servants gathered in the garden with yellow roses looking troubled. Pedro shifted his gaze to see what they were looking at. Standing in front of the small tea party that seemed to have ended a long time ago, Lucian was touching something preciously. Brushing the rim of an empty teacup with his fingers, he quickly took the teacup and disappeared. Until he left his seat, the servants couldn¡¯t begin to clear the table. Pedro took a step again. He had no choice but to admit it again. That Lucian was his son. A madman¡¯s love was still love. But Pedro knew it himself. How dangerous and empty it was. And the other person would get hurt. He thought that he needed to try and stop it by all means. Entering the office, Pedro went to his desk and opened a secret drawer hidden deep inside. He carefully opened the precious silver locket that he had hidden in there. He looked longingly at the face that appeared between the locket¡¯s doors that opened from side to side. It was a locket that Liam and he had ordered so they could think about each other even when they didn¡¯t see each other often. And this was the only trace of Liam that hadn¡¯t been taken away by the previous Duke. Pedro caressed the image with an expression full of longing. Liam was smiling, his facepletely unchanged. ¡°I can¡¯t let your daughter go through the same path as you.¡± How sick and tired he was of it all¡ªof the name ¡®Leon¡¯. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much. I¡¯ll take care of her.¡± Unable to take his eyes off the painting, Pedro murmured. Look at this, son. This could never be love. This was not love. It¡¯s a disease filled with obsession and possessiveness towards the other person. It¡¯s an incurable disease that could never be cured. Not even until death. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 31 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 31 ? I sat alone in the room and thought over what the Duke had said. ¡°I thought you understood what I was saying¡­ Why did you react like that? Do you really hate your son that much?¡± I let out a sigh. There is a huge difference in attitude between the Duchess and the Duke. The Duchess basically felt sorry for Lucian. So I cheered her up and listened to her worries through our letter correspondences. Then I also grew attached to the Duchess. She was actually a lonely, soft-hearted person. She was stuck in her room as a type of self-defense, not because she was acting in a twisted way like the Duke. ¡°He really is twisted. He really is.¡± Judging from the reaction earlier, his rtionship with Lucian is unlikely to change that easily. ¡°Was I too hasty?¡± I should have looked at the situation more before I said anything. I pushed the topic because I was so furious when I heard that he had intercepted my letters, but I regretted it at the same time. I let out another small sigh and stood up. I was so worried about our rtionship turning for the worst again because of me being away for seven years, but I was so relieved to see Lucian smiling brightly. I really was d that he seemed like a regr male lead, not the regretful male lead that I have always wanted to prevent. Even so, I felt frustrated because his rtionship with the Duke was still broken. ¡°What the hell did Lucian do wrong? No matter how simr they are, they have to get rid of the bad rtionship now.¡± Of course, I didn¡¯t think the pain he suffered would easily go away, but what did Lucian even do wrong. It was too harsh for a child who hadn¡¯t sinned once since he had been born. ¡°What a fool.¡± It would have been tooteter when he realized what he had done. It wasn¡¯t early, of course, but it wouldn¡¯t be toote for them to mend fences now. Please, you have to.[T/n: mending fences is fixing their rtionship.] I looked out of the window nkly as I thought about it, and I noticed Doggy and Damien walking together. Looking at Doggy, who looked happy even from afar, I smiled quietly. Oscar, the sub male lead I saw in the original novel, wasn¡¯t that cheerful. He was a feisty and rebellious character. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s try step by step. The sub male lead has changed, so the Duke could also change. Even the main character, Lucian, has changed?¡± I told myself a bunch of hopeful words and left the room. There is nothing that cheers me up quite like teasing Doggy and petting his fluffy stomach. ? ¡°Hey, we need to get our act together.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Did you see his eyes?¡± ¡°But he is our master¡¯s brother, so you¡¯d better not speak recklessly.¡± ¡°What do I have to do? My teeth still chatter at the thought of getting kicked out by him!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it toote to grind your teeth?¡± ¡°Argh! You need to be alert!¡± Doggy and Damien were talking in the corner of the red rose garden. Doggy just looked at him with a calm look on his face that said didn¡¯t like Damien. This guy¡¯s a little slow. Damien, who was very calmpared to him, was actually quite insensitive. Without knowing that, their master always scolded Doggy. How sad this makes him! The eyes of Doggy are wet and full of moisture. ¡°You¡¯re thinking of Master again.¡± He¡¯s quick-witted only at times like this. Doggy nced at the mean Damien and looked around. ¡°Nothing has changed here.¡± ¡°How long have you lived here then?¡± ¡°Hey, I remember everything in my life.¡± ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t know.¡± Ignoring Damien¡¯s answer, Doggy quickly headed to the corner of the red garden. ¡°I hid those here at the time¡­¡± Doggy transformed from human to fox and then started to dig the soil with his paws. He dug quite deeply as he kicked up soil for a long time, then he raised his head and turned into his human form once again. ¡°I found it.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Watching what he was doing, Damien looked at the beads in Doggy¡¯s hands with curiosity. ¡°Is that the specialty that only foxes have?¡± Each shapeshifter species had its own specialties. It is like the specialty creations of native tribes. ¡°Yeah! The first bead we make is invaluable to us foxes, so I had no choice but to hide it¡­ I never thought I¡¯d be kicked out.¡± ¡°¡­If you hadn¡¯t brought a boar, I wouldn¡¯t have been kicked out too.¡± Damien¡¯s always calm tone was filled with resentment, Doggy turned his head and stared at him. ¡°That¡¯s¨C! I said I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I felt sorry for Damien who was with him. Especially since if it wasn¡¯t for him, he might have wandered around without thinking of settling in the maze forest, and been taken by another ve merchant. Then he wouldn¡¯t have been able to see his master again. It was the most horrible oue he could think of. ¡°Never mind. I didn¡¯t watch you properly either because I was focused on winning the game.¡± Damien recalled the first time he met his master aftering here. His master had told him this. [ Your name is Damien, it¡¯s your job to keep an eye on the fox shapeshifter. Of course, don¡¯t just keep an eye on him, take care of him. ] With his beak and ws, Damien took Doggy into the maze¡¯s forest. He thought this ce was where demi-humans could grow up safely without being caught. He was able to think of settling in the maze forest because of his species¡¯ specialty. Hawk shapeshifters could see what humans couldn¡¯t see. For example, the flow of mana. They could also see the color of mana that is unique to each individual. Damien thought to himself as he looked at Doggy, who was smiling while he looked at the bright red beads in his hand. ¡®You don¡¯t know, do you? Our master¡¯s mana color is so vibrant.¡¯ Especially since the people in this Duchy had very murky mana. Theirs had a dark and deep color, and they had a strong murky energy. When mixed among the people with ominous murky mana, their master¡¯s mana shone even more. Mana changes sensitively depending on the person¡¯s feelings and condition. That¡¯s why Damien could understand Rachel¡¯s feelings without talking to her about them. A bad day feels dangerous, almost as if her mana is fading away. ¡®I think that Master¡¯s mana is weaker than others. It¡¯s as if it would disappear in a blink of an eye¡­¡¯ Maybe that¡¯s why he had no choice but to do her a favor when he saw her for the first time apart from being his owner. It¡¯s no wonder he chose her, he was a man of magic who felt sorry just by looking at her. Of course that isn¡¯t the only reason. Doggy who was twitching his nose tapped Damien on the shoulder and said. ¡°Hey, I think Master¡¯s out there.¡± Damien¡¯s dark pupils surrounded by wooden-colored irises searched so much that the round pupils became narrowed like dots. Emerald, jewel-like hair fluttered in the sun and he quickly turned into a hawk. ¡°Hey, take me too!¡± He was about to fly away when Doggy turned into a fox. But Damien opened his beak, sighed, and snatched up the white fox. It took only a few ps and then they quickly reached Rachel. ¡°Master!¡± Jumping out of the air, Doggy called Rachel gleefully. Since then, Damien had alsonded lightly and turned into his human form. ¡°W-where have you been? I thought you both were in your room, so I went to see you.¡± Rachel greeted them in satisfaction. ¡°Did youe looking for me?¡± Doggy felt delighted due to her words. Damien gazed at the two and recalled her instructions. [ Is it weird to say you should watch him like he¡¯s your younger brother? No, that doesn¡¯t sound right¡­ Surveince is surveince after all. Then let¡¯s do this. Damien, your job is to keep an eye on the white fox¡­ ] Damien stared at the white neck of Doggy. Two years ago, Rachelmissioned a wizard to release Doggy from his harness. The reason why Doggy had been wearing Anti Magic restraints for such a long time was because it was difficult to find a wizard. The ne-type restraint harness that the Duke had been looking hard for was made by a highly regarded wizard. Unless there was a wizard that could exceed the creator¡¯s ability then it could not be destroyed easily. Damien thought, looking at the neck of Doggy that is now bare and clean. ¡®The moment you revealed your teeth to my master, I will dig out your eyes.¡¯ Unlike ordinary servants orpanions, one of the characteristics of buying a shapeshifter is that once they recognize someone as their master, that person is their eternal master. But fox shapeshifters are not like that. So Damien wouldn¡¯t take his eyes off Doggy even if Rachel asked him to stop watching Doggy. ¡®If he tries to escape with someone without listening to me, you have to stop them. All right? Block them by all means. Grab him with your beak, okay?¡¯ Those are the words he remembers very clearly that were said by his master and they had been imprinted in his head. Damien just looked at Rachel, who was grinning intensively at Doggy. Then she looked at Damien as if she had noticed his gaze. Suddenly, he looked at her eyes that were like the sky of his favorite time of the day. Her deep blue eyes pointed down, as dark a color as the dawn sky while the sun has begun to rise. ¡°Damien, shall we take a walk together?¡± Damien answered Rachel¡¯s question in a low voice. ¡°Of course that would be great.¡± There is no shapeshifter who could ever refuse his owner¡¯s order when she named him. It would have still been the same, even if he were of a rare species with only a few of them left. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 32 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 ? Lucian stood in front of the mirror with his excitement overflowing. He turned away after touching the neatly fastened cravat for no reason. There was an attendant beside him, but he could not even get close to Lucian. The butler sent him to assist the young master every day, but the young master he serves is not an easy man to approach. If you ask him if it is because he looks scary, he¡¯ll say it¡¯s not that reason. The young man looks very good in his opinion. The reason why he is afraid of the young master is because of his facial expressions and atmosphere. His gorgeous appearance, that has no emotion, holds a strange sense of intimidation. Besides, his aura is really strange. He felt like he is going to be in trouble if he approaches him recklessly. That may be the reason why he didn¡¯t want to get close to him instinctively, but he didn¡¯t want to give up his position to others so easily either. Even though he¡¯s been standing next to him all this time, the young master never looked at him. The attendant acted as if he were invisible. At this rate, the attendant was afraid that the butler would fire him for being ipetent. But he thought he¡¯d talk to him differently today because he seemed to be in a good mood. The attendant carefully spoke to Lucian, who kept touching his cravat. ¡°Master, how about this gold silk cravat that matches your eye color rather than that calm ck color?¡± The attendant showed Lucian a fine-colored cravat. ¡°The silk was made by a craftsman who also supplies it to the Imperial Pce.¡± Lucian, who was just looking at the cravat without answering, began to untie the cravat around his neck. ¡°Young master, if you will allow me, I can help you.¡± The attendant acted confident. He even thought that he had studied cravat¡¯s knot method for this day. Lucian frowned slightly at his remarks, but he didn¡¯t turn to look at the attendant. ¡°I¡¯ll allow it.¡± Only after a long pause did Lucian reply. The attendant, delighted by his answer, hurriedly untied the ck cravat and beautifully wrapped the gold cravat around his cor. Lucian watched everything the attendant did through the mirror. The attendant made his clothes neat and tidy, thinking this is a good opportunity to leave an impression on the young master. Lucian, who was watching the scene with emotionless eyes, quietly raised his hand. ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°Yes, young master.¡± Having returned to his normal and nd expression only after the attendant was done, he hurried out of the room after checking his condition in the mirror for thest time. He quickly went down to the first floor with unusually cheerful steps. Then he saw that a bright light was leaking out of the dining hall. He stepped in with a pounding heart. A maid who saw Lucian opened the door of the dining hall. While moving his feet urgently, he stopped in front of the door for a moment and took a deep breath before entering. ¡°Brother, are you there?¡± Rachel, who came first and was talking to the Duke and his wife, weed Lucian. ¡°Yeah.¡± Lucian smiled softly at Rachel. The attendant, who had been following him, was frightened by the change in his expression. He was someone who entered the estate after Rachel had already left for the South. That¡¯s why Rachel, of course, saw Lucian smiling at her like normal, but it was the first time for many of the employees. Therefore, the expression on his face surprised even some of the other employees that had worked there for years. Even the maids and the chefs who carried food around them were surprised to see Lucian¡¯s demeanor as they came out and stood by the table. Lucian headed to his designated seat as if he didn¡¯t feel the confused gazes that were thrown at him. Then he suddenly felt that something was off. Rachel, who should have been sitting opposite him before, is sitting diagonally from his seat. As he stood for a while without sitting down, Pedro said with a look of disapproval. ¡°You¡¯rete, so just sit down.¡± ¡°¡­Lucian, is there anything you don¡¯t like?¡± Duchess Cami asked. Lucian blinked slowly and looked at his designated seat and found a maid. ¡°Move this for me.¡± Pointing his finger at the te, knife, and fork ordering for them to be relocated, he sat opposite Rachel. Before Pedro, who had been watching the scene in silence, could say anything, Rachel spoke up. ¡°Sitting across from you reminds me of the old days, Brother.¡± Rachel was very pleased. Seven years ago, she remembered him as a boy. She turned her head and looked at Pedro while smiling. ¡°Duke, if you allow us, why don¡¯t we face each other and eat today?¡± The Duke, sitting at the center seat of the table at the end, made a reluctant expression with furrowed brows as if he didn¡¯t want to agree with her request. ¡°Well then, can you call me Dad?¡± ¡°Duke, let¡¯s eat together today as Rachel said.¡± Cami interrupted the conversation before Rachel could look at him with cold eyes, he really didn¡¯t want to miss a chance. ¡°¡­If you really want that, Wife, then we should.¡± Pedro¡¯s words were made into reality by the butler waiting nearby. Lucian nced at Pedro, who now sat next to him, and then he quickly turned his head. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Rachel. Lucian was busy reminiscing about Rachel in her childhood days, it felt just like yesterday. Since she left for the South, he¡¯s only been thinking of Rachel as a twelve-year-old. He couldn¡¯t imagine what she would look like after growing up. In the greenhouse, in the study, in the garden, sometimes in the hallways¡ªhe thought of her constantly, but always with her childhood appearance. And each time, Enzo wouldugh his head off. ¡ªKekeke. You¡¯ve really gone crazy. And the reason for going crazy isn¡¯t even something interesting. It starts off with something trivial, then you just go ahead and be crazy. Just like me. Enzo was well aware of Lucian¡¯s condition because it was something he had also experienced. But even after hearing what Enzo said, Lucian didn¡¯t feel that what he said was serious. If it was something he could control in the first ce, he wouldn¡¯t have let his feelings go this far. Among the locations that made Lucian think of Rachel, the dining hall was where he always saw Rachel most often as a child. Rachel was always sitting across from him while they were eating. Sometimes their gazes would meet and they would smile at each other. Lucian looked at Rachel as he cut the steak. He didn¡¯t realize what he was putting in his mouth because he was busy keeping her in his sight. He looked at Rachel, now neen years old, who had lost weight in her cheeks. She was no longer just a twelve-year-old who was cute and had full cheeks. Her gently lowered sapphire-colored irises dazzled. Each time she blinked, her eyes that are reminiscent of the night sky disappeared and were revealed again numerous times. Her eyes were bent into crescent moons as if she was having fun talking to Cami. Her fine hands and slender wrists that showed up every time she tucked strands of her baby hair behind her ears. Her mouth that smiled happily, her red lips she uses when she bites into the cuts of the steak. Lucian couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her now older self for a moment, even though she is still quite young objectively speaking. Among all the beautiful things about her, his most favorite part of her face is her eyes when she looks straight at him. She looked at him with the same expression as when she was young, but her reflection in his eyes waspletely different. She looks a little more slender, more mature, more beautiful. ¡°Brother Lucian.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± His name flowed through her peach-like lips. Rachel asked him, who was a littlete to give her an answer because he was so busy being mesmerized by her eyes. ¡°You must have eaten well while I was gone. How did you grow so tall? I thought I grew up pretty well, but it looks like I¡¯m still more than a hand¡¯s span shorter than you, brother.¡± No. He didn¡¯t like eating anything because she wasn¡¯t there. ¡®I wasn¡¯t able to eat well.¡¯ Instead of voicing his thoughts verbally, Lucian just nodded. ¡°I think this is really good, right?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± Lucian finally nced at the food on the te for the first time. Not knowing what he had been eating the whole time, he stared at the veal steak that he had already cut more than half off of. ¡°Ray, this is the one you like the most right?¡± ¡°You remembered it? But this is something that brother likes too. I remember that, too.¡± Rachel smiled when she said she remembered it as well, that Lucian had loved veal steak too since she was young. The smile she had on her face was his favorite. There was only one reason why he liked veal steak. Because she likes it. It¡¯s just because of that. In the first ce, he was not interested in what went into his mouth because he couldn¡¯t taste the food at all. That¡¯s why when he was young, he ate well without anyints even if it wasn¡¯t something edible for him. Lucian looked at the eyes made out of the twilight sky as if possessed. Finding himself lost in them, he made an effort to hold his knife and fork firmly. I felt a sense of joy. It took no time at all for the joy rising up from the tips of my toes to take over my whole body. It is hard to tell exactly where the joy originated. When he was young, he just wanted to continue to be with his younger sister. From morning to night, he only wanted to meet with her. He still felt the same way, but there was still a subtle difference somehow. But what was that difference anyway? He couldn¡¯t manage toe up with an answer by the time he finished his steak, but he was still satisfied. Rachel was sitting in front of him. Her lips were curved up slightly. Lucian smiled softly at Rachel, and she returned this as well. She had a smile that suited her. Cami and Pedro watched the faces of those two silently. Rachel and Lucian didn¡¯t see the conflicted eyes of the ducal couple. Thus the quiet reunion, as if they were in the eye of a typhoon, ended just like that as they were saddled with newly realized but vastly different thoughts. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 33 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 ? ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so tired.¡± Lying on the bed, I turned off all the lights, leaving only a small magicmp on. I opened up my childhood notes and looked at each one I had written. ¡°It¡¯s definitely the time when he should get along with Noah, so¡­ why did he react like that?¡± Tilting my head, I recalled Lucian¡¯s reaction. I thought he seemed a little upset¡­ maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen him? ¡°Did I ask way too out of the blue? But I know everything. What should I do? I am really curious.¡± It is just my wish to see two people that have different charms be together. Maybe I¡¯ll faint. I would be so happy. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually seeing the two of them meet¡­ I¡¯d be a sessful fan.¡± Of course, Lucian was much better than Noah, but what I liked the most while reading the webtoon were the scenes where the two of them were together. I liked that very short period of time when everything was rather sweet before it became regrettable. ¡°Oh, right.¡± I wrote down what the Duke had said in my notebook. ¡°But I didn¡¯t think he would be unable to catch the trash booger king for over seven years. I know he isn¡¯t just a normal guy, but I did kind of expect the Duke not to catch him¡­ ¡± I tilted my head, flicking the magic pen I got from the Duke for my birthday between my fingers. ¡°So, the Duke didn¡¯t catch my uncle either?¡± My uncle, no matter how hard I think about it, was really suspicious. What the hell did he do to the trash booger king, how did he manage to join forces with him? Didn¡¯t he realize what would happen if someone with a powerful title and money is involved? Their n was bound to fail. ¡°Wait¡­ what happened to the Elrand County?¡± My previous house was a ce where I lived for only a year and a half after transmigrating, but I couldn¡¯t ignore my parents who were nice to me. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask the Duke tomorrow. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll answer honestly though.¡± I shouldn¡¯t rely on the Duke too much. I closed my notebook and turned around in frustration. I was lost in thought while looking at the top of the long canopy attached to the ceiling. The Duke was very polite to the Duchess today, wasn¡¯t he? Did their rtionship improve? I mean, if their rtionship has improved, he should be nice to his son now, right? He¡¯s about to hand over the Duchy to Lucian after all¡­ I insisted on them spending a lot of time together. I told him it will be toote when you regret it, Duke. I breathed out a long sigh due to theplicated thoughts in my head. If Lucian bes the Duke, he¡¯ll have to prepare to stand alone, right? Now the Duke says he¡¯s happy with me living here, but wouldn¡¯t Lucian think otherwise? Besides, I want him to live with Noah again. Although it has already changed a lot from the original, the flow of the main characters should not have changed much. Just because Lucian has turned into a kind male lead, their love shouldn¡¯t change. Then shouldn¡¯t Noah¡¯s family problems be solved soon? Noah, a Baron¡¯s son, suffered from debts left behind by his father. Perhaps Noah¡¯s father will die soon. Instead of his father, due to him having been ill for a long time, Noah was the one taking care of the family, but it was a family with a lot of debt and various other circumstances due to being nobles. ¡°Oh, was that debt owed to the booger king?¡± Ah, I shouldn¡¯t have ignored that trash booger king as much as I did. What¡¯s the point of reading only the parts I liked so carefully? Everything I remembered correctly was just the parts where Lucian appeared. ¡°What should I do¡­ How can I figure out more about this? I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a way to get information here, right?¡± There¡¯s always a prize for giving information in the fantasy world¡­ Should I look into that method? Can I ask Damian to do it? When I took a short walk with Doggy today, I remembered Doggy, who was smiling brightly and holding out the red bead. ¡°What kind of bead is this? And why did he give it to me with such a triumphant expression?¡± I took a small box out of the side drawer by the bed. The jewelry box, which originally had a ring in it, contained a small bead about the size of a thumbnail. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I focused the light of the magicmp on the red bead. I thought it would be transparent inside, but I observed it carefully because it seemed like there was something inside. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± At that moment, something that looked redder than the rest of the red bead was swirling around in it. ¡°Ack! What is this!¡± Surprised, I dropped the bead. The rolling bead bounced on the floor. ¡°Wow, that surprised me. Why did he give this to me? He¡¯s supposed to exin it at least.¡± Anyway, Doggy. I should have realized something was up with him when he put on a high-spirited look. Weird things always happened when Doggy looked so happy. I soothed my surprised heart and picked up the bead again. I put it back in the jewelry box without looking into it anymore. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sleepy. I should go to bed now.¡± It took a week to get here from the South. The fatigue that had umted seemed to be pouring out. I fell into a pleasant and quick sleep. ? Lucian crept out of the darkness. ¡ªYou¡¯re all grown up, Lucian. Ignoring Enzo¡¯s words, meant to induce guilt, that were ringing in his head, he still quietly stepped into the room from the corner. Lucian looked down at Rachel, who was asleep, breathing evenly. ¡ªShe¡¯s a fascinating kid no matter how much I look at her. Lucian casually replied to Enzo¡¯s little murmur. ¡ªDon¡¯t pay attention to her. ¡ªHeh. When Lucian blocked him to the back of his mind, Enzo couldn¡¯t make any more noise. Lucian liked that better. As his head became quiet, the world felt calm. Being with Rachel in a quiet space gave him a sense of security. He had waited for Rachel to fall asleep. Having held the sword for a long time, he was able to feel the energy in the air and erase the traces of his existence so he could hide himself. He could hear her muttering. Even if he could hear it, it wasn¡¯t like he could understand it. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lucian wanted to make sure she was asleep. Though there was no apparent reason at all. He just wanted to make sure she was in her room. Just in case what he had seen today was a fantasy¡­ When that thought shed across his mind, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from sneaking into her room. Just staring at her fast asleep, he stretched out his finger and poked her soft cheek. ¡°Mmm.¡± Lucian instantly retracted his hand and frowned. His heart started racing strangely from the moment he saw Rachel as an adult. In the past, Lucian¡¯s heart would beat faster than usual when he would see Rachel, but it didn¡¯t seem to be as strong as it was today. The sensation of his heart beating so hard that felt like it¡¯ll pop out had taken over his entire body. Looking at her sleeping face, he stood there like a statue for a while. Just confirming that she¡¯s not an illusion and that she¡¯s finally back where she was. He came out of the room after he was convinced Rachel wouldn¡¯t disappear and walked quietly down the hall. Pedro was waiting in the middle of the hall for him, who didn¡¯t even make a sound with his footsteps. Pedro stared at Lucian in the middle of the corridor illuminated by yellow light. ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Pedro talked again when Lucian tried to ignore the question and pass by. ¡°What you are doing is not love.¡± Lucian stopped due to his father¡¯s words. Suddenly, he asked a question. ¡°Then what am I doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a delusion. You just mistook obsession and possession for love.¡± Lucian stared down at Pedro, who answered without hesitation. He was a father who had looked sorge and intimidating when he was young, but Lucian didn¡¯t think he looked big today, or ever will again. He is not a boy anymore who is struggling to be recognized by his father. Lucian looked at Pedro with cold eyes. ¡°If it¡¯s a disease, can you cure it?¡± Pedro was quite shocked to look into Lucian¡¯s eyes. It was because his sun kissed eyes, which were visible at all moments ago, felt unfamiliar. Lucian wasn¡¯t originally a child who showed a lot of emotion, but Pedro didn¡¯t remember him as being that unfeeling. He had the illusion that his heart was thumping painfully. He¡¯s the one that pushed his son away in the first ce. Did he just pull away from me? It looks like he hates and despises me. But why am I feeling this strange feeling now? Pedro answered, pushing back the uncertainty in his own gaze. ¡°¡­It can¡¯t be fixed.¡± His forced voice trembled relentlessly. He recalled what he had said to the previous Duke. Pedro asked his father, who looked at him with the same eyes as he looked at Lucian, the same questions he was asking now. At that time, Pedro¡¯s father gave the same answer as he did just now. They had the same desire to not give up on the other person, so it was only natural. But unlike Pedro at that time, Lucian smiled. His smile was somehow sinister and yet strangely brighter than ever, it felt as fresh as a newly bloomed rose. Pedro¡¯s blue eyes trembled relentlessly, unable to pull his gaze off of Lucian¡¯s smirk. Lucian, who had already turned to him, looked nkly into space and replied with satisfaction. ¡°If it can¡¯t be fixed¡­ Then that¡¯s good.¡± Lucian already had this conversation with Enzo. He felt better after hearing what his father said. Unlike the dead Enzo, who took no shape, he was d to hear that the exact same conclusion seemed to have been reached even when he heard it from his living father. Pedro looked at him with a nk look on his face, while Lucian was smiling brightly as if he was truly overjoyed. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 34 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 Lucian stared nkly into the air and soon turned back to his father. Pedro, who had been trying to persuade him, looked at his son and hardened his facial expression. A momentter, his smiling face disappeared out of nowhere and Lucian, who had a doll-like expression, spoke to him. ¡°But, Father.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Pedro could not answer his son because he felt like something was blocking his throat, and he could not bring forth his voice. Lucian spoke again in a quiet and calm voice, just staring at him emotionlessly with his eyes wide open. ¡°Hand over the Duchy to me now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Lucian had to carry out a rigorous schedule for years for the sake of soon taking over the Duke¡¯s authority. It was Pedro who knew it better than anyone that he couldn¡¯t hold him down anymore. Lucian, who was still staring at him after saying his piece, suddenly turned his back as if he didn¡¯t care even about Pedro¡¯s answer. And as Pedro looked at Lucian¡¯s retreating figure for a long time, Pedro finally breathed out a stifled breath after his son finally disappeared into the darkness. Pedro wiped the sweat off his forehead with his trembling fingertips. Feeling dizzy, he put his hand on a window frame in the hallway. He recalled the conversation he had with his father before. No, he basically just reenacted it. [ Are you telling me I¡¯m sick¡­? Are you really saying that I¡¯m sick? Father! ] [ What you are doing is not love. It¡¯s a delusion. How can you say that you love another man? ] [ But Father¡­ I know it is true in my heart. My heart beats only when he¡¯s around. ] [ It¡¯s a disease. It¡¯s a very disgusting mental illness. Otherwise¡­ ] Pedro murmured, still recalling the voice of his father who was belittling him. ¡°Father¡­ it seems like this illness is hereditary.¡± While thinking of Lucian, who was staring at him with the same crazy eyes as he did, Pedro put a little strength to his hand while holding the window frame. ¡°I¡¯ve denied it so far¡­ but I think my son is right, Father.¡± There was no one around him while heughed as if he had lost his mind. Only the locket around his neck sparkled as if it were responding. ? I then checked the notes given to Damian and found Amber. ¡°Amber.¡± ¡°Yes, Mdy.¡± ¡°I want to go out for a while¡­¡± ¡°Very well, Mdy.¡± Amber was still aspetent as ever. Even if I didn¡¯t have to say much in the end, she started to prepare everything herself. ¡°Ah, if possible, I don¡¯t want to ride a carriage that has the Duchy¡¯s emblem on it.¡± However, as if I were being interrogated, she narrowed her eyes and asked. ¡°Mdy, what else are you going to do?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Maybe it¡¯s because I would often have us do strange things while we were in the south, Amber immediately suspected something. But I pretended to be innocent and tilted my head to the side. ¡°Mdy once thought to jump into the sea while wearing a horseback riding suit because you wanted to swim all of a sudden while we were in the south. What else? You once told me to catch a live fish for the chef so you could eat raw fish? And also¡­¡± When Amber tried to bring up everything she¡¯d been through in the south for seven years, I answered as casually as I could as if I was trying to reassure her. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s not like that this time. I just wanted to meet an information broker.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± I looked at Amber, who was startled and jumped back with a strange look. I know that the meetings are held at secret ce for the sake of secure and urate information. But was it such a surprise that I knew about it? As I tilted my head in confusion, Amber approached me quickly and whispered into my ear. ¡°Did you get permission from the Duke? Please say yes, Mdy.¡± ¡°Why do I need to get permission?¡± ¡°¡­Mdy!¡± ¡°Ah! Amber, my ears will fall off!¡± I¡¯m not kidding, she shouted right next to my ear. Frowning due to the ringing sensation, Amber immediately grabbed her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mdy, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going to meet them for just a little information. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so worried.¡± ¡°Do you think intelligence is the only main source of ie for the information broker? They¡¯re all connected to the back alley. Aren¡¯t you worried because you¡¯re going to a ce like that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking Doggy and Damien with me. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Ha¡­ I¡¯m really going to get fired when the Duke finds out about this.¡± ¡°I mean, shouldn¡¯t it be fine as long as you don¡¯t get caught?¡± ¡°Mdy!¡± ¡°Why would I go there if I didn¡¯t have to? I¡¯m going to find out some things that I can¡¯t ask the Duke. That¡¯s all that it is.¡± Because of what I said, Amber sighed in resignation after a long time. I know she¡¯s worried, but I couldn¡¯t make a concession. I had to know what happened to Count Elrand, and I wanted to know more about Noah. It¡¯s hard to guess the rtionship between the two because of Lucian, who never talks about him. Did their blooming romance go awry? Eyy, but they¡¯re the main characters. I¡¯m sure it wouldn¡¯t go wrong. I thought I should know more about the state of the County. This decision is mostly due to myte parents, but also because Cassandra, who heard my thoughts about that crazy uncle a few days ago, began to nag at me constantly. It basically went like this¡­ [ You stole my descendant¡¯s body, but you¡¯re not taking care of the Elrand family?! Do you even have any conscience? ] She wouldn¡¯t believe me no matter how many times I told her I didn¡¯t really steal it. I felt like I was going to get a migraine because of her yelling all the time without giving me any help. Was this some kind of backstory in the original story? No matter how interested I was in the main characters and the people around me, I wasn¡¯t aware that there was an important setting like this. It¡¯s frustrating, but I am curious anyway, and I had to figure out how to find more information because I thought the Duke wouldn¡¯t tell me the truth. Oh, Duke, I guess that¡¯s all the trust I have for you right now. Then I shook my head while Amber picked out some clothes and brought them in. They all had a very appropriate design that was neither too fancy nor too simple. Great job, Amber. You¡¯re verypetent, as expected. After changing clothes in a hurry, I got into a carriage that had the Duchy¡¯s emblem on it. Amber, who followed after me, said. ¡°I¡¯m going to transfer you to another carriage once we get halfway there.¡± I smiled broadly at her words. Ah, she really is apetent person. ¡°Thank you, Amber.¡± ¡°Huu, I¡¯m telling you. Since you¡¯re back in the capital residence, you shouldn¡¯t act the way you did in the south. Anyway, I¡¯m only helping you with your mischief until you have your debutante. You should pay more attention to your manners and attitude once you have your debutante.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± I nodded at what she said. Because I knew very well what she was worried about. A debutante is an event that marks your formal entry into high society. Until now, I was able to move around freely because my face was not well known, but it will be difficult to act that way in the future. The carriage quickly entered the town. In the middle of the trip, I transferred to amercial carriage at the carriage storage location and went to the ce Damian told me about. In the past, most of the novels had the information guild¡¯s headquarters hidden in a bar, but the information guild here is rather unique. I followed the winding alley. It was not until a small store, that looked like it had been a restaurant at one point, that was invisible to Damian appeared in front of me. In that hard to find location was a rather nondescript bookstore. [en: I think they¡¯re implying that the reason Damian can¡¯t see it is because it is shielded from him and it is therefore suspicious because he can see everything lol] It was a small bookstore that could be in any alley, but it is just very suspicious for it to be in such a deserted ce. Entering a bookstore full of white dust, I looked around inside the store. As Damian had told me to, I started looking for a book while I pulled my hood, that was covering the color of my hair, lower over my face. Then Doggy¡¯s head popped out of my bag. { You didn¡¯t forget about me, did you master? } I smiled, my eyes curving into crescent moons as I looked at Doggy, who I brought for self-defense. In any case, this desirable little fox really knows how to act cute. He tilted his head and asked quietly. ¡°Don¡¯te out and stay inside. Don¡¯t stand out.¡± { All right, master! Trust me! } Doggy, who knew the purpose I had when I brought him here in this kind of ce with me, buried his head inside the bag again. ¡°Here it is.¡± I pulled out the book Damian said to look for. After checking the title of the book again, I was fascinated and read it. ¡°101 spicy sauces in the world.¡± The author of this book seems to have a simr taste in food to me. Even if it wasn¡¯t because of information, it was an interesting book, so I purposely picked up one more copy of the book. She discreetly put on arge pair of sses and gave the two books to an old man who was spending his time in a rocking chair at the back end of the store. ¡°Wee.¡± Then the old man with white hair stopped rocking in his chair and said his greeting towards me btedly. I¡¯m sure he saw me when I wasing in earlier. Anyway, I told him the secret code. ¡°I¡¯ll buy this one. And I want you to transcribe this one book.¡± A code that means that the customer requires information. Take the book they have designated and ask for the transcription. Even if it doesn¡¯t seem like much, it¡¯s not that suspicious and most won¡¯t stumble upon this by ident. Who else besides me has such a penchant for spicy sauce besides me anyway? ¡°The price of a book is one gold coin. Now, please follow me.¡± I took a gold coin out of the pouch Amber had prepared for me in advance and paid for it. I thought it was a bit expensive for a book, but I didn¡¯t care. While I was looking at the information desk, I didn¡¯t bother to ask for the book I liked. The old man took me to the back of arge bookcase. The inside of the shelves was also full of books, so it looked no different from any of the others. The old man stood in front of the bookcase and began to pull out books one after another. When the right books were removed, the bookcase opened without a sound. Oh, isn¡¯t this kinda cool? Behind the bookshelf, a colorful hallway with red carpets and red wallpaper shone right in front of me. Ah, the red hue makes me want to eat something spicy like jpenos. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 35 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 A single question came across my mind, ¡®Does the owner like red and associate the color with information?¡¯ but I didn¡¯t ask carelessly. It doesn¡¯t matter what color the owner likes. ¡°If you go straight through here, you¡¯ll see an emerald door. You can go in there.¡± I nodded lightly at the old man¡¯s words. I entered the hallway in a strange mood. While the entrance started sliding back into ce and the bookshelf closed without a sound. I started walking down the long hallway. The air was a little stuffy because of theck of windows, but it wasn¡¯t dark because of the lights fuelled by magic. As the old man said, an emerald door appeared on the left at the end of the hall. Now I was a little nervous, but I knocked bravely. Knock, knock. Instead of returning the answer, the door opened. The man who opened the door was a young man who looked respectful and amenable. I was a little surprised because I didn¡¯t think the owner of the information guild would be this young, but I didn¡¯t show it. Ah, just because he¡¯s here doesn¡¯t necessarily mean he¡¯s the owner. I felt flustered and blushed at the thought of it btedly. ¡°Pleasee, you may sit here.¡± Come to think of it, the old man and this man were very respectful towards me. No matter how in-looking a dress I am wearing, I guess they can tell I¡¯m a noblewoman, right? I sat on the prepared sofa, keeping a calm face. There was a pot of steaming tea on the round table, as if it was prepared in advance. The hood, which was covering my head, I pulled even more forward while I delivered my request first and foremost. ¡°I¡¯d like to know the circumstances of Count Elrand and Baron Casti in detail.¡± Wow¡­ It was that line that I really wanted to say while reading allnovelfulls or webtoons. A noble youngdy, who was arrogant and had a thirst for information! ¡°How much do you want to know?¡± ¡°What if I want to know even the number of forks they have?¡± Just like I saw in the webtoons I read in the past, I spoke arrogantly. I think he already knows I¡¯m a noble, so it doesn¡¯t really matter, honestly. ¡°¡­Then the price will rise.¡± Yeah, don¡¯t worry. I thought so, so I brought some money. If I don¡¯t use it at times like this, when would I use it anyway? I put a pouch of gold on the table that I had prepared in advance. The intelligence broker immediately confirmed it. He raised his eyes dubiously as if it was more than what he had expected. ¡°You have a way with money.¡± ¡°Well, as long as you get things right it¡¯s a reasonable expense.¡± ¡°Of course, we¡­ are the best intelligence guild in the Empire.¡± What¡¯s that name? E.B.S.S., or ¡®Abyss¡¯? 1 It seems that it¡¯s short for ¡®eye-burning spicy sauce¡¯. ¡°Then when can I expect results?¡± ¡°A week is enough.¡± ¡°Okay, then I¡¯lle back next week.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± I stood up before the tea finished cooling. I was a bit nervous and thirsty, but I didn¡¯t even entertain the idea of putting the tea in my mouth. You never know, so I should be careful. I hurried out to the bookstore by walking back down the red hallway. Inside the secret hallway, the bookshelf looks and works just like a normal door, so it wasn¡¯t hard toe out all alone. I nodded slightly to the old man who greeted me politely and walked out of the bookstore. As I went back to the alleyway I entered from, Doggy stuck his head out. { I¡¯m d nothing happened, Master. } I looked towards Doggy, who was looking at me with brightly sparkling eyes while he was still in the form of a cute fox. I couldn¡¯t hold back myughter and chuckled. Doggy was really getting cuter day by day. He was so cute when you could see him sticking his nose out of the bag. Then a person suddenly popped out of the next alley. I was busy looking at Doggy, so I couldn¡¯t see him in time and I bumped into him. ¡°Ack!¡± { Master! } The surprised Doggy popped out of the bag. He barked fiercely at the man who collided with my body, he was aggressively showing his teeth. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Are you okay?¡± It was a familiar sweet and low voice. My butt hurt a lot, but I checked the face of the man who bumped into me right away. The man was Noah. He smiled at me refreshingly, which was not that different from when he was younger. ¡°Can you get up?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Noah reached out to me as I was too surprised to answer back. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to have put a beautiful woman through something unpleasant. My name is Noah de Casti. I¡¯m not a suspicious person, so don¡¯t worry and hold my hand, Young Lady.¡± Wait a minute. Noah. Why are you smiling so brightly at me? You can¡¯t have that kind of look on your refreshing face towards someone random. I wanted you to be a man who is refreshing as always, but not like this. You should only be like this around your counterpart for the sake of Lucian¡¯s happiness route! It feels like some dirt was thrown into my eyes! What the hell are you doing with that cute face?! I desperately realized the silly expressions that I was making because I was speechless. Then I became too embarrassed. If the warm, damp tip of the fox¡¯s nose hadn¡¯t pressed against the back of my hand, I would have still been sitting on the ground the whole time. ¡°Thank you.¡± Even Noah, who looked like he had really changed a lot, appeared in front of me. I was rather curious about him, but he shouldn¡¯t be ignored anymore. Holding my hand, Noah lifted me up and once again apologized politely. ¡°I¡¯d like to say my greetings to you once again. My name is Noah, a self-reliant heir of Baron Casti. May I ask the name of the Young Lady?¡± It was a polite introduction with good manners, but I was reluctant to say my name. For now, I met the informant secretly at a time when I put in a lot of effort and avoided the Duke¡¯s eyes, so somehow I was reluctant to speak. ¡°I didn¡¯t see properly either. But please let me help collect the apples.¡± ¡°Hm, if the Young Lady is ufortable, I¡¯ll let you off the hook.¡± As soon as I went on, I said, ¡°Just think of it as bumping into and asking for a name from a flying bird. Noah.¡± ¡°Instead, I¡¯d like to offer you tea as an apology, what do you say?¡± ¡°Kyung, kyung! (What are you saying, you brainless punk!)¡± Doggy who is in my arms iled violently. It was fortunate that I could only understand what Doggy said. I also thought Noah¡¯s proposal was burdensome, but I needed to figure something out first. After quietly covering the fox¡¯s snout, I made sure to readjust my robe¡¯s hood to confirm I was still hidden. ¡°I would love to but it seems there is nowhere avable to get some¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s a ce I know very well. It¡¯s a good restaurant, but it¡¯s not well known.¡± Noah grinned and reached out his hand. When I saw his smile, it reminded me of the first time I met him. At the time, I thought he was a very refreshing man. Seven years is a long time. I think that¡¯s why. Struggling to push the suspiciousness aside, I put my hand in Noah¡¯s hand. There was a small cafe not far from the information store. I sat in the corner with Noah and ordered tea. I think I¡¯ve seen a lot of familiar stuff when we are ordering. ¡°If you drink the tea you get from here, you¡¯ll probably struggle to find something else as good. The owner has an amazing skill for making tea. He is so good. Even if I want to have my servant learn from him, he¡¯s such an upright man that I have toe here to taste it.¡± Ohh, so that¡¯s why he¡¯s in such a secluded ce. I almost misunderstood you, Noah. I thought you were here to meet the informant. That¡¯s why he was at the corner of an alley dealing with information trading. There is nothing really around the bookstore, and the temperature dropped considerably after just a short conversation in the info guild so I was d for the warmth in the restaurant. My cold fingertips rxed due to the room¡¯s moderate temperature, which was not too hot or lukewarm. When I sipped on the tea, it was really delicious. This Darjeeling tea I ordered here is much better than the one made by Amber. In a strange mood, I looked into the tea cup filled with clear amber liquid. Even though I only took a sip, I could smell the distinct scent of the leaves. As I was savoring the taste, Noah sitting in front of me burst into a deep exnation of the vor. He also ordered Darjeeling First Flush like me. ¡°Its smoky scent is deep today as well. It¡¯s very good.¡± He definitely drank the same thing as me but he evaluated the taste strangely. I wondered for a moment, but I felt that the taste of ck tea is not something to analyze so deeply. ¡°Young Lord, it looks like you are well versed in ck tea.¡± I opened my mouth abruptly. I wanted to check if he really is Noah or not. ¡°I usually drink a lot of tea. Normally, I drink ten cups a day, haha!¡± ¡°¡­Is that so.¡± Ten cups a day, isn¡¯t that too much Noah? ¡°I especially like the first flush of the Darjeeling tea at this caf¨¦. It feels very savory. Darjeeling tea is also a tea that has a savory taste to it.¡± I can¡¯t say I¡¯m well versed in tea because it¡¯s only been ten and a half years since I¡¯ve possessed this body, but I can¡¯t believe I now describe Darjeeling as old-fashioned. Darjeeling is a ck tea with a strong fruity scent that is nicknamed the ¡°champagne of ck tea.¡± But I can¡¯t believe that it¡¯s this good. If he¡¯s really good at tasting the nuances of tea, can he really detect the other hidden vors? Thinking to himself, Noah winked at me while he was across the table. Yes, to be exact, rather than winking, the expression ¡°flutter¡± is more appropriate. In addition, he raised his ss and whispered, while sticking it out in front of me. The clear tone of voice was still good to hear, but the words that came out using that tone were a little foreign to my ears. ¡°Cheers to the beautiful eyes of the Young Lady.¡± No matter how much I think about it, he had a very simr manner to an old man¡¯s gesture and tone. At that time, Doggy that was sitting on myp sighed with a small snout and said, ¡°Ha-ang (Master, are you going to keep talking to him?)¡± No, Doggy. He¡¯s not supposed to be like this. What should I say¡­ Why was he acting like a middle-aged uncle? ¡ª¡ª qc/n:*it¡¯s not actually ¡®abyss¡¯ in the Korean text, it was ????, a literal abbreviation of the words for eye-burning spicy sauce, and e.b.s.s. just happened to sound like ¡®abyss¡¯.it¡¯s just a happy coincidence to call the ck sauce that burned the trash booger king¡¯s eyes as ¡®abyss¡¯ lmao doesn¡¯t it sound nice? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 36 Trantor and Editor: Skye and Einna ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 ? After a short conversation, the sun was already setting down outside. So I walked quickly while holding Doggy in my arms. ¡°Damien!¡± Damien, who was waiting near me, appeared as a hawk. I had ordered him to sit on the wall at the church earlier. ¡°You do remember the man¡¯s face from before, don¡¯t you? Noah de Casti.¡± ¡°Kirrk (Yes, Master).¡± ¡°Go after him. I need you to figure out the rest of his movements for today.¡± Damien flew high instead of answering. I was looking up at the hawk that disappeared in an instant, and then I took Doggy out of the narrow alley. As soon as Amber, who was waiting in the carriage, saw me she rushed over to me. ¡°Why are you sote, Mdy? I really thought my heart was about to burst.¡± Of course, I expected Amber to be worried. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I met up with someone¡­ But Amber, you¡¯re exaggerating a bit. I don¡¯t think this is enough to set your heart off¡­¡± I smiled brighter at Amber deliberately, while she had a serious look on her face. When I go back to the mansion, I was definitely going to get nagged from verse 1 to verse 4 anyways. ¡°I¡¯m not exaggerating. Mdy thinks toofortably about the Duke¡¯s overprotectiveness. You shouldn¡¯t ignore the power of the Duke.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m just an adopted daughter of the Duke. You¡¯re blowing it out of proportion.¡± Amber¡¯s expression crumpled as she was deeply displeased with my nonchnt answer. Still, she didn¡¯t continue nagging me anymore, so I guess she really was in a hurry. As we rode the carriage back to the mansion, the surroundings outside could be seen gradually turning dark. I tried to sneak out, but as expected, I failed. This was my only thought as the carriage went up the small hill towards the Ducal estate. Even from a distance, the brighter than usual lights in the manor proved this. As I looked towards Amber, who was sitting across from me, I felt my heart pounding louder. Amber couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the carriage window, her expressionplicated. I swallowed back a sigh as we passed by the knights standing in a neat row with the street brightly lit. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have drank tea with Noah? I didn¡¯t know the situation would get out of hand like this. I already expected that I would hear something from the Duke after getting back, but I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d kick up a fuss like this. As soon as the carriage stopped, the door burst open. Apparently, I thought the Duke woulde rushing in first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was just curious about the outside, so I went out for a while¡­¡± But what I said didn¡¯tst. It was because outstretched arms came in and hugged my waist and pulled me out in an instant. ¡°Ack.¡± I stretched my arms out in surprise. I hugged his broad shoulders and blinked quickly. A thick musk scent came into my nose. Unlike the Duke, who has a masculine scent that is refreshing. ¡°Ray!¡± ¡°¡­Brother?¡± With this kind of fuss, I thought that the Duke would be the only one who would do this. But when I saw Lucian, who has now grown up and is already an adult, it seems I still looked at him as a child. His position was just normal before I left for the South, but now he looks like he is showing that he isn¡¯t like that anymore. When I opened my eyes, I saw knights over his shoulders. The sensation of being held in hisrge and hot physique was very strange. He wasn¡¯t anything like the skinny body I remember, he was so sturdy now. His thumping heartbeat was obvious due to our contact at that point. Through that alone, I could tell how worried he was about me. Somehow in a sullen mood, I hugged his firm shoulders tightly with my arms and whispered. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Brother.¡± ¡°¡­Where the hell did you go?¡± ¡°I just¡­ just wanted to go around alone¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t say I¡¯d been to the information broker. There was no reason for me to hide it from Lucian, but there are so many eyes looking at us at the moment. ¡°Rachel! My daughter!¡± Then the Duke appeared from the back of the mansion. He was dressed in his uniform as if he were about to go on a field exercise. And even the Duchess was rushing out of the mansion. The woman who appears to be a perfect noble woman was running out while holding onto her skirt. At that moment, I felt something warm rising up inside me. In my head, sirens of all kinds were mixed together and started to go off and resounded. This is not the first time I¡¯ve experienced this. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve felt this affection before. But my head refused to remember it. Barricades were stacked inyers and tightly blocked, some of which were pierced easily but not all of them broke. So I was rather relieved. Therefore, it is easy to ept their affection. This is not actually familial affection. They¡¯re already a twisted family¡­ Because of my inner turmoil, I didn¡¯t even notice I was breathing hard. If Lucian hadn¡¯t patted me on the back awkwardly with his hand, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed my symptoms. ¡°Call the physician right away!¡± I closed my eyes as I listened to Lucian¡¯s harsh voice in my ear. Bang! Another barricade was built in front of a barricade that was tightly blocked. In the distance, the voices of Lucian, the Duke and the Duchess were heard. The voices of three resonated as I expelled big huffs. ¡ªHyeyoung, Ahn Hyeyoung. My daughter. ? Rachel had so easily disappeared from the Duchy earlier. When he noticed she was gone, Lucian looked like he was losing his mind. Howe no one knew where his sister disappeared to? Lucian never thought Rachel would have gone out on her own. It was mostly because he was her brother and she always reported her movements to him. Seven years of separation existed between the two, but he still saw Rachel as a child. Looking at his grown-up sister, he still smiled cutely and wanted to follow Rachel. ¡ªHmm, I don¡¯t really feel any negative emotions, but¡­ Due to Lucian¡¯s request, Enzo sought to check for anyone who had ominous feelings in the mansion. As a ck wizard, he likes the murky, dark sides of a person so he can sense them well. ¡ªI think she¡¯ll juste back on her own. Do you all really have to make such a fuss? ¡°If you¡¯re just going to say that, then leave.¡± He could borrow the power of his ancestors and control them. Though there are no records left, Lucian has started topile his own data about Enzo¡¯s attitude. But this time, Enzo was not giving in that easily either. ¡ªI don¡¯t waaant to! Enzo, who would have temporarily disappeared if he was blocked, has been having a tough day today. Lucian was in a sensitive state because he was desperate to find Rachel who disappeared. Enzo is in an interesting position due to his nonsensical descendant. ¡ªSome people might think you guys lost a small child. ¡°Ray is young.¡± Due to Lucian¡¯s prompt reply, Enzo snorted. ¡ªIs there any kid that looks like that? No, it seems that you are looking at her as a child¡­ Lucian couldn¡¯t say anything in response. It was definitely like that. Well, she¡¯s a weird kid. Other humans don¡¯t like you. Since I have some influence on you, it¡¯s normal for people to react like that. But from the very start, that kid doesn¡¯t act like that. ¡°¡­Because she¡¯s special. It¡¯s because she¡¯s a special person, that¡¯s why.¡± A desperate voice came from his throat that didn¡¯t match his beautiful appearance. Enzoughed as if he is a devil that is borrowing a human body and talking like that. ¡ªSpecial, Ra¡­ Lucian ignored his words and headed to the office. The gift in his hand was crumpled horribly, but he couldn¡¯t throw it away anywhere. It was a gift for Rachel. Although crumpled, the contents were for her. Enzo muttered as if referring to the crumpled box in his hand. ¡ªBut she¡¯s a 19-year-old woman¡­ Do you think she would like that? The gift he prepared was a bright yellow bo. It had a cute petal-shaped corsage that was brightly hung on the side. Enzo, who recalled that the bo had a rather childish design for a 19-year-old woman to use, murmured with a curious look. ¡ªJust what the hell do you want to do with her? At that moment, Lucian stopped his rushing stride and froze in ce. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡ªSee what I¡¯m saying? Just looking at you like this, I think you¡¯re going crazy because you want to arrest a lover who can¡¯t live or can¡¯t even die. But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case. Lucian stood tall near his office and listened to Enzo. ¡ªI thought I was going crazy. She sacrificed herself to save the country, but I wanted to crush it. It took me a long time to admit that I would never see her again. How can I ept her death when I still have her breathing alive right in front of me? Enzo kept muttering to himself. Sometimes he talked to himself as if he couldn¡¯t control himself. ¡ªI don¡¯t even remember her beautiful hair, eyes, voice¡­ Yeah, it must have been around this time of the chilly autumn. Lucian turned his head and looked out the window, picking at his words. It was still chilly, but it was definitely spring now. There were times when his ancestor would always say things in reverse or jumbled like this just like now. Then a question from Enzo pierced through his ears. ¡ªSo, what do you want to do with that child? At the simple question, Lucian could only look deep into his heart. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 37 Trantor: Yonnee ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 After Rachel copsed, the entire estate was thrown into chaos. Lucian, Pedro and Cami had already been frantic by the fact that she had disappeared, but now that she suddenly copsed on top of that, they became even more panicked. The doctor arrived, practically dragged there, to check on Rachel¡¯s condition while the three members of the Ducal family trembled in anxiety. ¡°She just fainted due tock of energy. The Young Lady will get better soon once she¡¯s taken some medicine and food that would be good for recovering stamina.¡± The three sighed in relief when it was confirmed that Rachel didn¡¯t have any particr chronic disease. But they weren¡¯t entirely relieved just yet. ¡°Amber. I need to talk to you,¡± Cami said, beating her husband to the punch when he also wanted to interrogate Amber. She still felt bitter that her husband was taking care of Liam¡¯s daughter better than the son he had with her, but underneath it all, she felt indebted to both the Duke and Liam. And she was quite fond of Rachel. Her persistent visits and letters were enough to open the door to her heart, even if only slightly. ¡°Wife, I¡¯d like to talk to her first,¡± Pedro said as he red at Amber, but Cami politely refused. ¡°It¡¯s up to me to deal with the Duchy¡¯s internal affairs. I deeply regret that I have not been attending my duties responsibly as ofte, but please entrust this matter to me, Duke.¡± Astonished, Pedro was rendered speechless. When his wife, who had always been detached, came forward voluntarily like this, it felt like the tip of his tongue had gone numb. Cami nced at her son as he hovered by Rachel¡¯s bed, then spoke to Pedro again. ¡°If you would like, then why don¡¯t youe with us, Duke? If you have something to ask.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Pedro didn¡¯t want to leave his son alone with Rachel in her room, but he couldn¡¯t refuse his wife¡¯s suggestion. He felt remorse for the woman who should have lived happily and loved by her husband. If only the previous Duke had not drawn her in. Pedro looked back at Lucian before he followed Cami out the door. ¡°It would be best to rest as well, Duke,¡± Cami said, at which Pedro was forced to turn forward again. Even after the two left, Lucian stood motionless and simply stared at Rachel. He looked at her pale face with cold sweat and held her hand. His own fingertips were sweating, and he recalled Enzo¡¯s words. ¡±What do you want to do¡­? He didn¡¯t know. He just wanted to be by her side. Whenever he saw Rachel, all he wanted was for her to look at him as well. He wished she would follow him around everywhere like before, just as naturally as the wind blew, and just as the sun rose when morning came. It was no exaggeration that his memories began at the age of fifteen. It had been a long time since he had forgotten the memories he had before he met Rachel, and even now, he didn¡¯t want anything to do with his parents. He didn¡¯t want anything or anyone else. Only Rachel. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t quite understand what Enzo was asking him. As he was in deep thought, he kept moving his hands. He brushed his fingertips over her forehead that was damp with sweat, touching his palm over it to feel her temperature. Then, his gentle hand swept down to her temples, then down her cheeks in a caress. As he did this, with one knee on the bed, he gradually leaned down. They were the only two people in the room, so no one could stop him. His other hand, with veins protruding slightly, was on the bed next to her face. While he approached closer, the bed creaked under his weight. The tips of their noses touched slightly but soon came apart. Lucian¡¯s golden eyes had only her face in his sight. Then, Rachel exhaled a prolonged breath. In her deep sleep, her hot breath blew over his face and dispersed. Blink. His rich ck eyshes moved slowly, then he tilted his head to the side. When he was younger, he had tilted his head to the side and blinked slowly just like this when Rachel had fed him grapes. ¡°Uugh¡­¡± He leaned back and watched her toss and turn, then sigh. As he sat on the bed next to her, Rachel was still the only one in his eyes. His hand, which was on her cheek, went down and touched the scorching base of her neck¡ªthen he could feel a prickly sensation. It was an unfamiliar sensation that he also felt when she first fed him food. For the first time in his life, he wondered what something would taste like as he stared at her nape. As his calloused hand moved away from the soft skin of her nape, even as it was mmy, her neck looked like the flesh of a ripened peach. His lips opened slightly, and out came his tongue that licked his red lips and disappeared. Gulp. His throat felt indescribably dry. Even as he didn¡¯t want his touch to be separated from her, he slowly moved his hand away and stared at his open palm. It was glistening with beads of Rachel¡¯s sweat, and on impulse, he brought a fingertip to his lips and licked it. The salty taste bloomed inside his mouth. He licked the rest of his fingers slowly, from the base of his hand to the very end of his fingertips. ¡ªSooo! After feeling a surge of emotions, Enzo returned to the forefront of Lucian¡¯s mind. ¡ªSo, what do you want to do? It was the same question that he already asked, and Lucian¡¯s gaze grew heavy. There was only one thought that shed like gold. ¡°¡­I want her.¡± ¡ªYeah, well, you don¡¯t have to tell me what you want. How do you want her? Kehehe. His gaze meandered back to Rachel, then he murmured¡ª ¡°I want to devour her.*¡± It wasn¡¯t enough just to have her. He wanted to eat every single part of her. He wanted to lick everything and stop her tears from going to any other ce. But, more¡­ he needed more than that¡­ deeper¡­ more¡­ His red lips glistened, both his saliva and her bodily fluids fusing together. ¡°Not a sister. I want her to be my lover.¡± Lucian now had a definite answer. He realized what rtionship he wanted with her. ¡ªFrom head to toe, make all of her yours. Otherwise, you¡¯ll lose everything. Ensure that only you are the one who could see her. But Lucian couldn¡¯t hear any of Enzo¡¯s unusual mutterings, but he instead murmured to himself, engraving the words in his mind. ¡°My Ray¡­¡± His shining gold eyes were dyed pitch ck for one second, like a drop of ck paint, but it dissolved in an instant. Only then did the ck magic¡¯s energy, which was fluttering underneath the bed, disappear. ? It felt like I was in a deep sleep. I definitely thought of something before I fell asleep, but I couldn¡¯t remember it. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± I stretched out while I was still lying down, then burrowed underneath the quilts more while enjoying in lethargy. ¡°Mdy!¡± But then I heard Amber¡¯s trembling voice, so I had no choice but to open my eyes because of the uneaseced in the maid¡¯s tone. And at the same moment, I remembered what happened to me before I went to sleep. I tried to sit up immediately. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t, Mdy.¡± Amber rushed to my side and quickly stopped me from sitting up. Strangely, I felt limp as though I didn¡¯t have any strength left in my body. ¡°Mdy woke up after three days.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to sneak out anymore. Not ever. I will never help you from now on, Mdy.¡± I was startled by Amber¡¯s firm tone, but I soon relented. ¡°If this happens again, I won¡¯t just end up getting fired. Not only me, but my entire family would be held in contempt.¡± Ah, you must have been berated a lot. Amber was still trembling, and I held her hand in reassurance. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Amber¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m just d Mdy is alright. Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll call the doctor and¡ª¡± m! But before Amber could finish her sentence, the door burst open. ¡°My daughter!¡± The Duke was practically running as he approached my bedside. His voice roared throughout the whole room. ¡°Your Grace¡­¡± The Duke sat on the bed and held my hand tightly. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re safe.¡± As he held my hand and patted it repeatedly, my nose felt stuffy all of a sudden as I watched him. Come to think of it, his face seemed to have aged. When I first met the Duke, he didn¡¯t look like he had a son of Lucian¡¯s age, but now there were traces of time on his face. ¡°If there¡¯s somewhere you want to go, just tell this Dad of yours. Ask me anything if you¡¯re curious. I won¡¯t lie to you anymore.¡± Seeing him speak with a serious look on his face, I contemted. As expected, he really was hiding something. What was it that he was hiding from me? I could only think of one thing¡ªthe Count of Elrand. I was wondering if he was really going to tell me, but the door opened with a violent force once more. ¡°Rachel.¡± The calm voice contrasted the sound of the roughly opened door. I watched as the Duchess entered in a graceful manner. ¡°You should have sent for me if you found out that Rachel¡¯s awake. How could you just cling to a child who¡¯s just woken up?¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t think of it,¡± the Duke replied. I stared nkly between the two as they spoke to each other. I knew that they were acting more like a couple than before, but it was such a different experience seeing it with my own eyes. While I was in a daze, the door was opened forcefully once again. Of course, I knew who hadest. I faced the doorway with a bright smile on my face. ¡ª¡ª tl/n:* I tranted this as ¡°I want to devour her,¡± but the literal trantion is actually ¡°I want her inside my stomach,¡± and I was just aslkjdfljlsj im blushing and this is kinda disturbing but also kinda hot?? ok Lucian, i see you but oh my gosh¡ª And on that note¡­ lmao hello~ I¡¯m Yonnee, I¡¯ll be filling in as the new trantor for this novel. This was a crazy first chapter to trante, but I¡¯m looking forward to more of this (?) I¡¯m d I¡¯m on this wild ride together with you guys lol ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 38 Trantor: Yonnee ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 38 But when the door opened, the person who entered wasn¡¯t who I was expecting. Amber, who brought the doctor with her, entered while she was still panting. Everyone stayed here until it was confirmed that I was truly in good shape, and after that, I was finally left alone. Now that I was alone, I should have feltfortable, but I felt strangely restless. While I was rolling around on my bed, Amber came in with a meal. ¡°You have to eat clear soup for now, Mdy. Even if it doesn¡¯t suit your tastes, please eat it all.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± As I sat back against the headboard, I scooped up the thin soup with a spoon. It¡¯s been three days since Ist ate, but I was sure this wouldn¡¯t taste good. Yet I cleared up every single drop of the soup, and after I drank water to rinse my mouth, I realized why I felt this way. ¡°Amber.¡± ¡°Yes, Mdy.¡± Amber handed me the medicine as she replied, at which I poured it all into my mouth and drank water to gulp it down withoutining. ¡°Fuwa¡­ Amber?¡± I called out to Amber again after wiping away the moisture on my lips with a handkerchief. ¡°Is my brother out of the mansion?¡± If Lucian was at home, he would havee here to see me already. ¡°Yes, Mdy. He left for the salon meeting this morning.¡± I knew it! My bias wouldn¡¯t forget this Noona just like that. Only then did my twisted up stomach unravel its tension. ¡°Ah, right. What about Doggy and Damian?¡± ¡°By now, they should¡ª¡± As the door burst open, Amber was cut off mid-sentence once again when I asked her about Doggy and Damian. ¡°Master¡ª!¡± Even when I¡¯d already trained them, we¡¯re back to square one. I looked at Doggy with pity in my eyes. Regardless of rank, he failed everything there was in the etiquette books. ¡°Doggy!¡± I raised my voice to scold him, but he was faster. He suddenly rushed to me and hugged my waist while rubbing his head against me. No, wait, where exactly are you rubbing your head on? Not knowing what to do, I looked up helplessly at Damian But with a despondent look, Damian spoke remorsefully. ¡°I couldn¡¯t protect you, Master.¡± Well, it wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s fault that I copsed. It¡¯s just¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Every time I tried to think of the incident, my head throbbed, and as soon as I touched my forehead, the people around me were stirred into a frenzy. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Mdy!¡± These three people called me one after another. ¡°I¡¯m fine, ahh, I just need to lie down.¡± As soon as I said that, I lied back down and asked Amber to run an errand. ¡°I want a cool ss of lemonade.¡± ¡°¡­Mdy isn¡¯t supposed to eat or drink anything else yet.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you ask the doctor? I really want something cold.¡± At my pleading, Amber relented and left the room. After she went out, I looked at Damian, who spoke right away. ¡°It was far, Master.¡± He understood right away without me having to ask. ¡°Did you follow Noah well?¡± ¡°Yes, I followed Master¡¯s orders,¡± Damian answered politely. ¡°After your meeting finished, he went into the bookstore we visited.¡± ¡°If he went in there, did he ask for any information?¡± ¡°It seems like it. He came out about half an hourter then met a man after that.¡± ¡°A man? What does he look like?¡± ¡°That man seemed to be skilled, so I had to watch from a distance. I couldn¡¯t see his face very well and I don¡¯t know how he looks exactly, only that he¡¯s tall¡­ I apologize, Master.¡± But as he bowed deeply while apologizing, I spoke quickly. ¡°You did great. I want you to keep an eye on him from now on.¡± ¡°Yes, I remember his scent. You don¡¯t have to worry, Master.¡± As I was talking to Damian, Doggy was fidgeting beside me. ¡°Thank you, Damian.¡± No sooner had I finished talking to him, Doggy butted in. ¡°Master, what about me? What am I supposed to do?¡± Doggy stuck out his chest, as if saying he was also very reliable. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± His eyes were sparkling with expectations. It reminded me of how he was as Oscar and how he acted around Noah in the original novel. The seventeen-year-old Noah should be as refreshing as I read about in the novel, but the Noah who I met a few days ago was like apletely different person. Could a person¡¯s overall atmosphere change after growing up from a child to an adult? I was feeling a bit doubtful. When I met Lucian and decided to change his keywords to change the ending, I already expected that the narrative would change. Still, the romance between the two should have still been the same. Even if the regretful yandere seme turned into a kind and affectionate seme, there¡¯s no way that the romance would disappear. Don¡¯t tell me another man swooped in first?! Was someone other than the booger king Elliot Aiden flirting with Noah? What about our Lucian? What¡¯s going to happen to our Lucian? Confused and lost in thought, I forgot to answer Doggy. ¡°¡­Master, you¡¯re thinking of someone else, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± My nk reaction instantly distorted Doggy¡¯s expression, and soon he began to cry. ck, ck. Instead of tears flowing down, beads were shed from his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m the only one Master hates.¡± He seemed to be very sad. His white fur that had ruffled up in anticipation was still standing up, and so I patted him and smoothed it down. I often did this because I liked the feeling of his soft fur. ¡°Oh no, you crybaby.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of you, Master!¡± ¡°Doggy.¡± Damian berated him faster than I did when Doggy spoke informally. * ¡°Is it difficult to be respectful to Master? Why do you keep speaking informally every time?¡± But in front of me, Doggy¡¯s tearful eyes were looking up with the saddest expression as if he was the most pitiful child. ¡°What do you know?!¡± My thoughts kept straying even though these two were growling and bickering. My mind was filled with Lucian as I watched Doggy collect his beads that trickled down to the bed and put them all in my pocket. Even when Damian snatched up Doggy by the scruff of his neck, I was still thinking of Lucian. Finally, I was alone and it was quiet. So I could concentrate on my thoughts. If Noah met another man and their rtionship went well¡­ What¡¯s going to happen to our Lucian? I was still very much against the original tragic ending, but at the thought that Lucian and Noah¡¯s romance might fail¡­ I was spiraling in confusion. And I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for Lucian. With a brief sigh, I covered myself with a nket. Then after tossing and turning in guilt, I fell asleep. I slept for a long time, but I somehow felt a gaze on me. People were usually sensitive to the gazes on them, so it seemed to be my instinct. I wasn¡¯t even a skillful knight, but I opened my eyes, and sure enough, someone was gazing upon me. While I was sleeping, the room had turned dark as the sun went down. And yet, through the darkness, I could easily see a pair of golden irises. ¡°¡­Brother.¡± ¡°Ray¡­¡± Lucian¡¯s low voice quivered as though he hadn¡¯t spoken in a long while. I instantly felt better once I saw my bias. The delight I felt after meeting him washed away the urgency that I felt before going to sleep. ¡°How was the salon meeting?¡± ¡°Why are you worrying about that?¡± I just asked out of curiosity¡­ Why was he being snappy. I suddenly got grumpy. Actually, I¡¯d been in an unusual mood since earlier. I couldn¡¯t express it before, but I was disappointed that Lucian came to see mest. I pouted for no reason. Of course, he didn¡¯t actually do anything wrong. It¡¯s a me problem. I was being silly. ¡°Do your lips hurt?¡± Lucian misunderstood my actions. His calloused fingertip caressed my lower lip gently. ¡°I don¡¯t think it was split¡­¡± He seemed genuinely worried on the surface. No, just because I pouted didn¡¯t mean that it hurt. I couldn¡¯t even be upset because it threw everyone into hysterics. But because I liked how my bias was feeling concerned for me, I soon smiled brightly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt. And I¡¯m all better now, don¡¯t worry.¡± Lucian didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he stroked my face gently. However, instead of going from top to bottom, he raised his hand and went higher. His fingertips touched my eyebrows, then he used his hand to cover my eyes. ¡°If you do that, I won¡¯t be able to see.¡± I could still see him through a slight gap, but because the mood became strange, I grabbed his wrist. I tried to pull his hand off my face, but he wouldn¡¯t budge. His arm was firmly in ce, steadfast even when it didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s putting strength into it. In the dark room, I could only see his clear golden irises. His eyes looked like two full moons, and just like his hand, they weren¡¯t shaking. As I stared at the golden gaze in the dark, I realized that something was different than usual. Lucian had never looked at me in this straightforward manner ever since we were younger. I was always beside him, so he would look down, sideways, or from a distance. After meeting him again in seven years, he was maintaining eye contact with me, yet he wasn¡¯t the type to stare people in the eye. But now it was different. He looked like a well-crafted doll because he didn¡¯t blink even as he stared at me for a long time. Anxiety was suddenly bubbling up inside me. What if Noah and Lucian¡¯s love couldn¡¯t even begin? Who was Lucian going to end up with? ¡ª¡ª tl/n:* Doggy used ? here to say ¡°you¡± which is rather rude, that¡¯s why Damian scolded him. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 39 Trantor: Yonnee ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 39 Act 6: n B I did n to change the story, but I guess it got too lopsided. I never thought that the romance between Lucian and Noah would change. Who wouldfort his heart and love him? I stared at Lucian and let go of his wrist. Alright, go ahead. Touch all you want. Touching wouldn¡¯t wear out my cheeks, but I was feeling sensitive for some reason. I kept smiling, but all he did was stare at me. That golden gaze curved up, and that alone made me feelforted. There, right there. That¡¯s my bias. He knew how to touch other people now. And he knew how to maintain eye contact. He grew up a lot, I¡¯m telling you. There was a tremendous improvementpared to the beginning. As he stroked my cheek, I spoke to him with a gentle tone. ¡°I¡¯ll find your love for you, Brother.¡± So what if it wasn¡¯t Noah? The vast Empire was filled with people who would definitely love him. Wasn¡¯t my bias just so handsome? And he had good skills and a good family. He¡¯s the full package. As he listened to me, his eyes were still curved upwards. ¡°Alright.¡± I also smiled broadly as I listened to his voice, which seemed to be very pleased by what I had just said. ? Lucian stayed with Rachel until she fell asleep again, then returned to his room. After bathing and changing his clothes without asking for assistance from any servant, he found a box on his desk. It was a rtivelyrge box with several envelopes inside, and beside it was a separate envelope. ¡°Rachel de Leon,¡± he murmured as he rubbed his thumb over the carefully written letters. He opened the envelope next to the box with the name ¡®Cami de Leon¡¯ on it and read the contents. ¡¸ It is only right to return these to the owner, even if it¡¯ste. ¡¹ His mother¡¯s letter was brief, however, given how shaky the handwriting was, it was clear that the words were written with great care. Starting from a certain point in time, his mother began to be more like a mother to him. There were many times when he felt unpleasant rather than happy. It felt dreadful. His father abused him, and his mother neglected him. When he was younger, he visited his mother a few times. Vaguely, he might have wanted to be loved by his mother. But throughout it all, his mother was consistently cold. Why was she doing this all of a sudden? Lucian suspended his mother¡¯s letter in the air. With some power from Enzo, simple spells like this were doable for him now. The letter that was hovering in the air quickly lit up in mes and disappeared. Then, Lucian took out Rachel¡¯s letters one by one and read them. He rushed through them, eager to read each one. The sun rose in the sky as he read, but rather than his face bing tired, it only shone brightly. He got up from his seat with a satisfied look and ced the letters back into the box. Then, he headed to his walk-in closet. At the end of the closet, there was a subspace that Enzo made. He went in there, inside that room within a room. The subspace that Enzo created had an ominous feel to it due to the influence of ck magic. Usually, even a mage would fear stepping inside it. In fact, any ordinary person would be reluctant to even get close to it. Lucian opened the cab inside the subspace, his face expressionless, then ced the letter box inside gently before closing the cab door. The door was made with ss, so he could still see the contents. The letter opener gave him, some mixed nut cookies preserved with magic, and the pink utensils she once used¡ªthe cab was filled with things rted to Rachel. Admiring his growing collection, Lucian gently caressed the cab door as though he was touching Rachel herself. When he heard someone knocking from outside, he exited the walk-in closet. He didn¡¯t sleep a wink, but he had to fulfill today¡¯s schedule nheless. That way, he could take over the Duchy as soon as possible. But Lucian had now changed his mind. He remembered what Rachel said when they were younger. ¡°You were right about making two ns, Ray.¡± She told him to prepare two ns just to be safe, and this was wise. Lucian changed his clothes once more without letting any servant inside. He heard someone pacing outside his door, but he didn¡¯t even pay attention to that. His thoughts were all upied with Rachel. After he dressed the usual way, the attendant hurried to him when he came out of the room. ¡°Is my father at his office?¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master. I saw the Duke enter his office earlier.¡± ¡°I see. Then, prepare some tea ande to the office separately.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± After having to wait a long time, the attendant was finally given a job, and responded vigorously and disappeared. Lucian stood in front of the office and knocked on the door. He thought of Rachel while doing so. Knock knock, knock, knock knock knock. The mere thought of his and her secret code-like knocking made him smile softly. ¡°Come on in.¡± When he heard the permission granted from inside, Lucian opened the door. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Pedro greeted Lucian with a look of disapproval as usual, but Lucian was no longer heartbroken at the sight of such an expression. Rather, he wasn¡¯t interested at all. ¡°I¡¯ve asked for tea from my attendant already.¡± ¡°Tea?¡± Pedro furrowed his brows when Lucian said this, thinking that he should already be working in the morning. ¡°I have a lot of work to do, but you want to have a cup of tea with me?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be a rxing talk, so shouldn¡¯t we at least have some refreshments?¡± Now, Pedro was startled by Lucian¡¯s retort. ¡°What the hell are you trying to say?¡± Lucian was anxious to start his new n. Today was the day he¡¯d finally triumph. The jewel-like golden eyes looked directly at Pedro. Seeing those unfeeling eyes, Pedro was sent back to the past once more. He couldn¡¯t predict what his son was about to say, with those eyes looking exactly like his deceased father¡¯s. Lucian spoke in an extremely cold voice. ¡°Just as you promised, I will be taking over the Duchy. As soon as possible.¡± ¡¤?¡¤ 06_n B Even after I got better, I wasn¡¯t allowed to take even a step out of the mansion, and I heard about being punished for sneaking out only after I had fully recovered. Not from the Duke, but from the Duchess. The Duchess¡¯ sermon was especially harsh because she pointed out clear facts in such a calm tone. But after that, it wasn¡¯t to say that I was set free. ¡°Mdy, have you looked at the dress designs?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t need to look at them. Don¡¯t I just need to get a fitting and be done with it?¡± ¡°When I exined to Mdy, you weren¡¯t listening, were you? Anyway, I¡¯ll say it again¡ªHer Grace said that Mdy¡¯s dresses shall be tailored to fit and to be matched with the asion. We¡¯ll have to pick for Mdy¡¯s debutante, and we¡¯ll also need to pick casual clothes because you¡¯ll start socializing after the debut.¡± ¡°I just want to stay home¡­ Do I really have to socialize?¡± ¡°Really¡­ I think I¡¯ve coddled you too much, Mdy. Please reflect on your words and actions.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± I was already looking at the third sketch for the dress. My back was hurting, so I justid back on the sofa for a while. Amber was being mean. ¡°My back hurts so much. I already chose a dress for my debut, so can¡¯t I just take my time picking out the other dresses?¡± ¡°Did Mdy forget that the boutique designers will visit today? There¡¯s no time to dawdle.¡± It¡¯s cold. Ah, that¡¯s so cold. But I wasn¡¯t giving up. ¡°Well, at least let me have some tea. It¡¯s been a long time since I saw Doggy and Damien. I¡¯m not being a good master to them, so I should pay more attention to them.¡± I rose from the sofa using Doggy and Damien as excuses. I quickly opened the door and, before Amber started nagging again, I shouted, ¡°Amber, set the table in the garden of red roses!¡± Then, I rushed out before Amber caught me. I heard her sigh as I went out, but I just couldn¡¯t stay in that room any longer. It was so frustrating. I couldn¡¯t leave the mansion. Sure, I couldn¡¯t say anything about it because I brought it upon myself, but that didn¡¯t stop me from feeling frustrated. I walked out the main door with a spring to my step, then I brought my lips together and whistled, at which Doggy and Damian immediately rushed to my side. I leisurely strolled towards the garden of red roses. This ce, which was full of the color red, was Doggy¡¯s favorite garden. Sure enough, Doggy and Damian appeared right away in their fox and hawk form. ¡°Doggy, Damian, let¡¯s have tea together.¡± It was a familiar habit because we were always together in the South. Doggy clung to me as soon as he shifted to his human form. ¡°Master! I missed you!¡± He was a very charming fox. He looked a bit different from the original, and it was quite awkward, but he was still cute. And while he was cute, he was definitely set apart from other people. Doggy was giddy beside me, and he plucked a red rose to ce on his ear. Then, he turned around and approached me. ¡°What do you think, Master? Do I look good?¡± He was so cute that he looked perfect. Yep, he was very, very cute. But I shouldn¡¯t tell him. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 40 Trantor: Yonnee ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 40 At that thought, I burst outughing as I looked at this cute Doggy and the reliable Damian. I was so d these two were by my side. The tea table was set just as I asked Amber, so I satnguidly under the warm sun¡¯s rays. Hm, as expected, people should live under the sun. Doggy¡¯s mumbling voice was nice to listen to, and the same was true with Damian¡¯s voice, even as he rebutted and scolded Doggy. While enjoying this leisure, I saw a carriage pulling into the driveway. It had the Duchy¡¯s insignia emzoned on it. ¡°Brother must be back.¡± It was the carriage that Lucian usually used. I sprang up to wee him. Lucian must have been very busy. I hadn¡¯t seen Lucian at all since that night, and even during mealtimes, I couldn¡¯t see him because I was busy as well. My bias. I need to recharge by seeing my beloved bias! I hurried my steps. I could feel Doggy and Damian following me, but all my attention was solely directed at Lucian¡¯s carriage as I headed for it. As I walked faster, I happily called out to Lucian when he got off the carriage. ¡°Brother!¡± Those golden irises, which seem to be brighter than the sun, met my gaze. His cold eyes soon curved up when he saw me. ¡°Ray.¡± It¡¯s been too long since Ist saw Lucian. Our obsessive male lead grew up to be so reliable. A tall physique, broad shoulders, long legs, and a perfect face. He became such a fine young man without even a hint of his old image of an unfeeling doll. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± The corners of Lucian¡¯s lips crept up slowly at my words. I stood in front of him, staring directly at those lips that had a nice smile. ¡°I¡¯m back, Ray.¡± My heart fluttered at his low voice. Wow, he even has a very nice voice. My bias, you¡¯re really no joke. How is it possible that you grew up so well? Of course, the leaves had been green ever since he was young, but he transformed well from an obsessive yandere seme to a kind, sweet seme. Really. He¡¯s absolutely perfect. But¡­ What if it didn¡¯t work out with Noah? I was wracked with worries again the moment I saw him. I wanted Noah to live a happy life with Lucian, but I think Noah¡¯s seeing another man right now¡­ So who the hell should I introduce to Lucian? I don¡¯t think it can be a woman. In the first ce, Noah was the only one Lucian ever liked, so the cheat key of knowing the original narrative was useless. ¡°What are you thinking so hard about?¡± Realizing that I was holding his hand, my eyes widened as I looked up at him. And on top of that, we had already entered the mansion. I got lost in thought for only a moment, but how did we get here? Surprised by my own self, I replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing big. I was just wondering who you¡¯ll spend the rest of his life with, Brother.¡± Hm¡­ I¡¯m sure he has a type, right? He used to like Noah. ¡­But he wouldn¡¯t be able to get married. The Empire had yet to ept rtionships with the same gender, so marriage equality would be even harder to achieve. I must have looked at him with a pitiful look on my face because Lucian¡¯s expression changed subtly, but then returned to his original expression. ¡°I sometimes wonder what goes on in your head, Ray.¡± I was appalled by the mere mention. Why do you want to know what I¡¯m thinking about? You¡¯ll get hurt if you can hear my thoughts. You don¡¯t know how much I¡¯m hiding from you. But in any case, it¡¯s a shame. I still think Noah¡¯s the best for Lucian. ¡°Brother, did you get tailored for a new suit, too? I just picked out my dress for the debutante.¡± Lucian was also going to attend the debutante. Of course, the Imperial Family was going to hold it, so he was required to participate. But more than that, I was excited because I¡¯d never attended a banquet ever since I was young. Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s been a while, but I was feeling pretty excited. ¡°Brother, a while ago, Doggy put a red rose in his ear and asked me if he was cute.¡± As we walked all the way to my room, I talked nonstop, but Lucian listened to my chattering without cutting me off. I liked how he looked at me with those affectionate eyes, so I giggled when I saw him, but again¡­ he lifted a hand to caress my cheek, slowly, gently, as though he was touching something very precious. ¡°Brother, you must eat together with me today. Don¡¯t you know how lonely I am?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Even the way he answered was so kind now. Only then did it hit me. Oh, I¡¯m back. I liked the South. I got to rx a lot there, but it was so much better to be beside my bias. He stroked my cheek with his thumb. Not from bottom to top likest time, but from top to bottom. I puffed up my cheeks as much as I could and stuck out my lips, but he pressed my lips back down with his thumb, as if to put them back in. It was so funny that Iughed so hard, I had to close my eyes. Our bias~! You¡¯re no longer a man to be consumed with regret, now you¡¯re a man of passion! A very talented and kind seme! That¡¯s right, I shouldn¡¯t care if he would never get involved with Noah. There must be another man who¡¯d make Lucian happy! I¡¯ll be sure to be on the lookout at the uing banquet. I shouted inwardly to myself as I made a new resolution. n A? Scratch that! We¡¯re going for n B! Still rubbing my lips slowly, without knowing that he was still looking at me intently, I just smiled broadly in delight. ? The chill in the air gradually disappeared as spring came in full bloom, and so from the greenery, white magnolias and pink buds had blossomed. Unlike the rose gardens that had preservation magic on them, the trees I saw on the path showed off the charms of the present season. I ate breakfast separately in my room today, and I could only pout at the small amount of food that couldn¡¯t even be called breakfast. People lived to eat. Who would think that this was enough even to inhale through their nose? I looked at Amber helplessly, trying to beg for more, but she was so busy that she didn¡¯t even see. Because today was mying of age. Having only eaten a bowl of soup and a simple te of sd, I was immediately taken hostage by Amber as she dolled me up from head to toe. I was thinlythered with oils that had subtle hints to them, and even my nails and my split ends did not survive Amber¡¯s attention. I usually worefortable dresses, but I couldn¡¯t do that this time. I opted for dresses that didn¡¯t need a corset for them, but the closer I got to adulthood, the more frequent it became that Amber tried to force me to wear them. But I was so good at avoiding it! And yet¡­ I had no choice but to wear it today. I clutched the bed post with both hands nervously as I gotced up with the first corset I¡¯d ever put on. I did this because I remember seeing it in a movie once. ¡°Mdy, why are you holding onto the bed post?¡± Amber asked in a curious voice. Huh? Wasn¡¯t this how you did it? Amber put the corset around me. The feeling of having something tight over my waist was awkward, but it wasn¡¯t enough to feel like dying from asphyxiation. No, to be honest, I think my back feels morefortable because it wasn¡¯t as tight as I expected it to be? I thought she¡¯d need another maid to assist her, but Amber got me into the dress all by herself. Feeling strange, I asked, ¡°The corset is really light. Shouldn¡¯t it be more ufortable?¡± ¡°Who wears a corset like that these days? This one¡¯s the developed version, so it shouldn¡¯t be ufortable.¡± ¡°Then why did you give me so little food? Didn¡¯t I have to tighten my waist?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s not like that, people usually eat less when there¡¯s a banquet, even to the point of just having one cup of tea.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be nice to wear a dress with a bulging belly.¡± Maybe my belly would still stick out even if I wore a corset, but I soon agreed with her. Let¡¯s go to the banquet and eat a lot! The dress I was wearing matched my eyes. With dark blue as its main color, there were gold leaves and vines embroidered as the design. First, I put on a whitece dress with silver embroidery, then a dark blue robe over it, and it¡¯s closed with a ribbon of the same color as the main design with a leaf in front. After styling my hair in a half-up hairstyle to suit the debutante, a pin was used to keep it in ce. Then, a flower corsage and some jewelry were ced on me as well. The emerald ne and earrings set were given by the Duke as a gift. After my make-up was done, I stood in front of the mirror and saw a different version of me. For the first time since I reincarnated, I was dressed up to nines. Until now, I had stayed in myfort zone because I didn¡¯t socialize with others that much, and this was possible because both the Duchess and the Duke were considerate of me. But now, as I looked at myself in the mirror, I looked pretty, too. Perhaps because I could still feel a slight disconnect with this body, I didn¡¯t think that this face suited me, but I was still excited to see myself be beautiful like this. ¡°Mdy, there is also a doll for you.¡± Amber handed me the fashion doll that the designer made for me. The doll had the same dress I wore, and it looked very luxurious and cute. ¡°Will I get a doll every time a dress is tailored for me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s usually the case, but this is more special. His Grace especially ordered this doll to look just like you.¡± The Duke still took good care of me even though he was busy with work. The endless affection made me feel giddy inside. Knock knock, knock, knock knock knock. I heard a familiar knock, and so I urged Amber to hurry and open the door. And when I saw Luciane in, I wanted to faint right there on the spot. Kyaaa! My bias! So handsome! Look at that face! Absolutely perfect~! ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 41 Trantor: Yonnee ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 41 With his hair swept back at the front, and loose at the back, it was the perfect hairstyle for Lucian. And on top of that, his coat jacket, vest and pants were all ck, while his shirt was dark blue and his cravat was emerald green. My heart fluttered seeing that the suit he wore matched my dress. ¡°¡­Brother, you¡¯re so handsome.¡± I was sincere, to the bottom of my heart. And to convey my sincerity, I sped my hands together tightly. Lucian simply stared at me as I did this. His golden irises, which were the only ones that held a warm tone from all the cool tones he was wearing, moved up and down to look at me as well. ¡°Ray, you¡¯re beautiful.¡± His eyes, which seemed to be full of sunshine, curved up. I spun around to show off the dress to him. ¡°Pretty, right?¡± Compliments could make a whale dance, didn¡¯t they? I couldn¡¯t help but dance myself even though my bias is more beautiful. I wanted to move my body more, but I refrained from doing so. ¡°But what is that?¡± Lucian motioned to the doll in my arms. I exined and showed it to him. ¡°The boutique will make one with every dress that¡¯s tailored for me. The doll looks like me, right? Even the dress is the same.¡± ¡°It really does look like you.¡± ¡°Right?¡± He smiled as I hooked my arm with his. Even while I was wearing heels, the height difference between us was still there, so I had to tilt my head back when talking to him. ¡°Brother, would you like to have it? I¡¯ll put it on Brother¡¯s desk. That way, it¡¯ll be like I¡¯m staring at you. Do you think you¡¯ll get distracted while you work?¡± I suggested it as a joke. He was already an adult, so he must also think that dolls were immature. But even as I giggled, Lucian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Thank you.¡± He looked a little bashful, as though he was truly grateful. He took the doll from my hands and cradled it in his own arms. Then, in an instant, the doll that was about the size of two hand spans disappeared from his arms. ¡°Oh? Brother also knows how to do magic?¡± ¡°Just a little bit, but I used a subspace magic tool.¡± Ohh, I see. So it was a magic tool. It was a bit jarring, though. In the novel, Lucian only trained his swordsmanship. Wasn¡¯t he set to be a sword masterter on? I¡¯m sure that¡¯s how it¡¯s supposed to go¡­ I think I¡¯ll have to go over my diary again, where I wrote about the narrative. There were too many facts that kept mixing up in my head, and I didn¡¯t know if it was because I interfered or if I just remembered incorrectly. The prime example was Cassandra. She often intruded in my thoughts, but it was usually possible only with my permission. For now, I¡¯ve blocked her. I wasn¡¯t sure how to describe her presence, but I felt some relief. After all, she¡¯s just a ghost, so she couldn¡¯t cause direct harm to people. That kind of relief. ¡°Then, shall we go?¡± Lucian smiled softly and extended his arm. At the picturesque posture of an escort, giggles bubbled at my lips. ¡°Hehe, ehehe.¡± I¡¯m a sessful fan! I¡¯m being escorted by my bias! If there¡¯s anyone more sessful than me, thene out! Tell them toe out! I couldn¡¯t help but bask in delight. I meant to ce my hand over his arm lightly, but I hooked my arm with his without realizing it. ¡°Mdy!¡± Amber was immediately up in arms to nag me at the sight, but Lucian gestured to stop the maid. Then, he gently swept his hand over my arm to weave our arms even closer than before. ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± As expected! My bias knows what¡¯s best! After Lucian said that being arm in arm was better, I squinted at Amber. Don¡¯t worry. Of course, I did notice that Amber¡¯s face looked very stiff, but shouldn¡¯t we just be careful when we¡¯re already inside the banquet hall? When we reached the entrance of the mansion, the Duke and Duchess were there to greet us. The Duke was wearing a ck and white ensemble, while the Duchess was wearing a pale, sky blue dress and a translucent shawl. It was the perfect match for the Duchess¡¯ milky hair. But when the Duke saw my arm over Lucian¡¯s, he immediately frowned. Of course, I should have expected this, but I didn¡¯t know that even the Duchess would frown. ¡°An escort isn¡¯t allowed to do that.¡± At the Duchess¡¯ mild rebuke, I slipped my arm out of Lucian¡¯s and lightly ced my hand over Lucian¡¯s wrist. After staring at the Duchess, Lucian looked down at me, disappointment behind his eyes. ¡°Can we do it again next time?¡± Ohh, there, there, my bias. Do you like linking arms? Thinking that I knew his intentions, I nodded vigorously and answered. ¡°Alright, Brother!¡± The four of us rode together at the Duchy¡¯s official wagon that¡¯s exclusively used for banquets. It was twice as spacious as a normal carriage. Climbingfortably into the carriage with Lucian¡¯s help, I turned to the Duke and Duchess who were sitting opposite me and Lucian. ¡°Thank you for chaperoning me during my debutante. And thank you very much for taking care of me until now.¡± I felt grateful to them for taking so much care of me even though I was just an adopted daughter. The Duke loved me beyond doting, and the Duchess cared for me as well. I knew that the Duke was affectionate only because of the memory of my biological father, but I was still very grateful. And I was d that this family seemed to be more harmonious than before. ¡°You¡¯re saying all sorts of things.¡± The Duke coughed shyly while the Duchess just smiled softly. It was a huge improvementpared to the past. But of course, I knew there was still a long way to go. Lucian didn¡¯t even look at the Ducal couple sitting in front of him. He was entirely focused on me, even with his body tilted in my direction as though I was the only one he could see. It bothered me a bit, but I knew there was still time to improve. The four of us had a pleasant conversation while riding the carriage. I thought the atmosphere would go cold if I didn¡¯t keep the conversation going, but it all turned out fine. I burst out in admiration once more when the pce, which I only saw once before, came into view. The golden pce was seriously no joke, even from a distance. There was a long line of carriages at the gate. But the Duchy of Leon¡¯s carriage went up to the front without pausing. The knight who was guarding the entrance bowed towards the direction of our carriage, then easily let us in. Now at the entrance to the pce, the carriage slowed to a halt, then we got off the carriage one by one. The pce was bursting with the scent of flowers. I was busy looking around for where the fragrance wasing from, and so I didn¡¯t know where I was being ushered to. But now, as we walked along the long hallway, we came face to face with a gigantic door. It was a beautifully carved door with a tinum lion symbolizing the Leonis Empire. Standing in front of that door, the attendant saw us and immediately shouted while the door opened. ¡°Their Graces, Pedro de Leon, Cami de Leon, Lucian de Leon and Rachel de Leon are entering!¡± It was strange hearing my name mentioned after theirs. Even though they¡¯d be my family, I realized that I may have unconsciously drawn a line between us. But when I was called with them under the samest name, there was a tingling feeling in me. As we entered the banquet hall, the aristocrats around us all turned their attention to us in unison. Many of them covered their lips as they murmured. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re talking about me. I was someone who didn¡¯t socialize, so I wasn¡¯t known. I was a child adopted by the Duke, and this was possible only with the Emperor¡¯s permission. But there were still rumors about this that had spread. Even when my biological uncle was still alive, it wasn¡¯t entirely umon for a godfather to adopt the child instead. But there might be a problem with Count Elrand. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all trying to absorb as much gossip fodder as they could, but here I was just waiting for the banquet to end already. Upon entering the banquet hall, the Duke and Duchess went to their respective circles. As expected, they had many acquaintances and colleagues to greet, seeing as they¡¯d been socializing for a long time already. But of course, more people approached to greet the Duke and Duchess rather than the other way around. ¡°Ray, do you want a drink?¡± ¡°Hmm, Brother.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an adult now, so can I drink champagne?¡± Fortunately, Lucian stayed by my side as my escort. There were many people from a distance who wanted to approach Lucian, but I pretended not to notice. I didn¡¯t want to be left alone for now. I still felt quite awkwarding here as someone who never attended banquets or social gatherings before. ¡°Champagne?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m at a banquet right now, but I¡¯m not drinking. That¡¯s too much.¡± At my request, Lucian had a serious expression. Meanwhile, my eyes widened at the sight of the buffet table, with its small, colorful desserts that seemed like they¡¯d melt inside my mouth, and there were other finger foods as well. Oh? Did that one just look spicy or was it truly spicy? Since when did spicy food be popr in the Empire? Was it only popr in the capital and not in the entire Empire? Maybe that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t know. Feeling strange, I retracted my hand from Lucian¡¯s and stood in front of the food table. ¡°Brother, look. It seems really spicy.¡± Come to think of it, it¡¯s been far too long since Ist ate spicy food. The spicy sauce I boughtst time was still my number one must-buy item. In the South, I had a grand time eating sashimi. As I was admiring the food table that was adorned with finger food of various red shades, I spotted one that looked especially spicy. Eyeing the dark red egg tarts, I burst into admiration. It¡¯ll surely burn in my mouth even if I take just one bite. Oh, I¡¯ve seen that color before. When I saw the familiar dark red hue on the egg tarts, I thought of the booger king. I threw all the ck sauce I had at his eye back then. I hope he didn¡¯t go blind¡­? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 42 Trantor: Yonnee ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 42 No, I think it¡¯s better that he¡¯d go blind, that dangerous man. He should at least have a handicap or something. Ah, but no, it might be too much. The spirit of darkness was said to feed on people¡¯s dark emotions and fears, and because of that, the food that it eats was evesting. Anyway. I was starving and the very delicious-looking spicy finger food was very tempting. Can I have one? But Lucian grabbed my wrist the moment I tried to reach for the egg tart with the darkest red hue out of the bunch. ¡°Why, Brother?¡± Lucian red at the dark red egg tarts instead of me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this color?¡± Indeed, if you aren¡¯t used to spicy food, you¡¯d be suspicious of it. But really, was someone in the Imperial family a fan of spicy food? Otherwise, there¡¯d be no way these would be served in an Imperial banquet. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should eat this.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The color is questionable.¡± ¡°Keuh.¡± I hurriedly covered my lips with my hands. The way my bias said that so seriously was so funny. Well actually, it¡¯s true that the color is suspicious. But I want to know how spicy it¡¯ll be¡­ A mischievous thought urred to me at that moment. My bias has never eaten spicy food. Should I give you a taste? I looked up at Lucian with puppy dog eyes. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you try a little first?¡± I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m going to see Lucian eat spicy food for the first time right in front of me! I¡¯m such a sessful fan! And without hesitation, Lucian ate one entire dark red egg tart in his mouth. ¡°No, just a little¡­¡± The egg tart had already disappeared before I could finish my sentence. Lucian chewed with a nk face, then gulped it all down still with an unreadable face. No¡­ I think his eyes are a little red¡­ and a bit watery¡­ ¡°Huu¡­¡± Lucian exhaled deeply and looked at me seriously, yet with moist eyes. ¡°I think the person who decided to serve this food should be punished.¡± Every time he breathed out as he spoke, the distinct scent of peppers came out. It certainly wasn¡¯t a normal spicy level. What made anyone serve such dangerous food at an Imperial banquet? Well of course¡ªI totally like it. I ate the egg tarts despite Lucian¡¯s dissuasion. Tears welled up in my eyes the very moment I took a bite, and a throbbing sensation hit my tongue immediately, but then it quickly subsided. I was very satisfied by the tingling sensation on my tongue. ¡°Ray!¡± Surprised, Lucian grabbed my shoulder and stared at my lips. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can take it better than Brother. I like spicy food.¡± I¡¯d been away for seven long years, so it was enough time to train my taste buds. I was twelve when I got separated from Lucian, but back then, I couldn¡¯t eat spicy food even if I desperately wanted to. But the South was my kind of ce. The seafood was abundant, so I ate fresh oysters with spicy sauce, lemon juice and finely chopped pineapples every day. That, or I had spicy seafood pasta. My longing for spicy food was appeased by this spicy sauce. Lucian quickly brought my face closer to his, his worries clear. But I simply smiled at him as he looked at me¡ªhis face was redder than mine. It wasn¡¯t until he made sure that I was truly alright that Lucian leaned back. And only then did I realize that everyone around us was staring at us openly. Feeling burdened by the crowd¡¯s pointed gazes, even as they couldn¡¯t approach us, a wee voice cut through the air. ¡°Rachel!¡± Seeing my only friend who was my age, I smiled. Belissa, the youngdy of the Bourne Marquisate, was someone I continued exchanging letters with even after I went to the South. And very asionally, she came to the South to spend her vacations with me, so we were quite close. ¡°Belissa!¡± With her intense red hair and bright green hair, she was wearing a red dress to match her colors. Standing side by side with me as I was in a dark blue dress, I feel like we contrasted each other well. Belissa curtsied politely to Lucian who was next to me. ¡°I am Belissa of the Bourne Marquisate. I am debuting alongside Rachel today.¡± I stole a peek at Lucian¡¯s expression at that moment¡ªjust in case he¡¯s also interested in women. Since the original narrative got distorted, I decided to keep an open mind and consider all possibilities. Whoever it is, I just want my bias to be happy. I shall observe his surroundings strictly with the eyes of a sister-inw. Yup, that¡¯s right. Our Lucian isn¡¯t just a run-of-the mill guy. Don¡¯t worry, this Noona will be on the lookout for your sake. But contrary to my expectations, Lucian reciprocated Belissa¡¯s greetings with an aloof face. Very light, very brief. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± With Belissa¡¯s entrance, those who were lying in the wait for an opening crept up on us. No, to be exact, on Lucian. Of course, it¡¯s natural since he¡¯s the heir to the Duchy. ¡°You look so good in that dress, Rachel.¡± ¡°You look amazing, too, Belissa.¡± We gave each otherpliments and grinned. To be honest, Belissa had a pretty fiery temper. Or rather, she was ready to take initiative anytime, to the point that she ran to my side to the South after just one letter telling her that I was feeling bored. I was sofortable around her. Even if she¡¯s a noblewoman, Belissa would rather be in thepany of people who would curse out at her to her face rather than be angelic in front of her, then backstab herter. ¡°Young Duke Leon, I¡¯m Eric from the Rosen region. At this time, our guild¡­¡± During my brief conversation with Belissa, so many people had already swarmed around Lucian. Swept by their vigor, I had to step back a little bit with Belissa. ¡°Huh? I¡¯ve never seen finger food like this before.¡± Belissa picked up one of the spicy finger foods. She also ate some spicy stuff when she came to the South, so I was about to say something about it, but someone from the crowd eximed. ¡°Lucian!¡± A refreshing, cheerful voice made me turn my head. Noah approached Lucian with a bright smile. Oooh, what¡¯s this? I thought you were dating another guy. Lucian¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much when he saw Noah, but he wasn¡¯t as cold as he was with everyone else. I stared nkly at the two people standing together. Oh my gosh! Oh. My. Gosh! They looked so much better together than they looked in the webtoon. Noah, with his bubbly personality, and Lucian, who was always detachedly cool, stood out enough to draw considerable attention at the banquet hall. People around them faltered at the sight of them together. Lucian, who was tall and sturdy, and Noah, who was soft and small, really fit well together so much that they deserved the Best Couple Award. ¡°Ah, Lucian. The people from our salon are over there. Let¡¯s go and say hello.¡± Noah was speaking to Lucian informally, but he didn¡¯t seem to care. My gaze was persistent on Noah. No matter how much she looked at him, any traces of him seeming to have the air of a middle-aged man* were all gone. Back then, his eyes felt so sleazy and his hands felt so icky, but now the tinklingughter from him was so refreshing. Wow, it¡¯s like I could taste the refreshing citrus of oranges. When I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off him, Belissa was quick to notice, and she whispered in my ear. ¡°That young man is Noah de Casti. He¡¯s famous nowadays. Although he hails from a Baron family, his social and business activities don¡¯t seem bad overall.¡± ¡°Business?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but I think he¡¯s in the restaurant line of business.¡± Did Noah ever pursue any businesses in the original? With all this new information, my mind was upied with processing it. I didn¡¯t know anymore which one personality was right. Maybe Noah¡¯s personality changed just as much as Lucian¡¯s? Yet, however much he had changed and no matter how close they were, it wasn¡¯t considered nice to talk informally at a banquet hall. A Baron heir¡¯sck of self-awareness around a Duke¡¯s heir seemed to have drawn great interest, so the number of people flocking around them increased. While everyone was trying to overhear much of their conversation, people around Noah even started clicking their tongues at him. But then, the loud voice of the attendant by the door echoed throughout the room. ¡°Herees the Great Lion of the Leonis Empire, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor! Her Majesty the Emperor Dowager! And the Little Lion of the Empire, His Highness the Crown Prince and his consort Her Highness the Crown Princess!¡± It was a banquet that the Imperial family was hosting, so it was no surprise that the hosts would also appear. The nobles in attendance bowed down. I also curtsied ording to the Imperial etiquette taught to me. As the Emperor reached his throne, he turned to the nobles and spoke. ¡°Everyone, raise your heads.¡± Ah, really. Our Emperor, you still have such a great voice. I only saw him once when I was young, but that charming voice of his was the same one I remembered. Slowly raising my head, I turned to the Emperor, but I averted my gaze slightly because it would be considered uncouth to stare directly. However, as I saw the Emperor¡¯s familiar appearance, my eyes widened without me realizing it. Near the silver-haired, emerald-eyed Emperor and Crown Prince, there was a gaze that was distinctly different from the Imperial family. Those purple eyes were looking at me directly. No, why¡­ Why are you here?! With an absurd expression on my face, my gaze met with those purple eyes. Elliot Aiden. Standing at a ce where only the Imperial family was allowed to be in, the crazy booger king was smiling as though he had found something interesting. ¡ª¡ª tl/n:* Rachel describes Noah¡¯s previous atmosphere as ?? (ajae), which is short for ??? (ahjusshi), meaning a middle-aged or married man, or a guy who¡¯s somewhat like an uncle. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 43 Trantor: Yonnee ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 43 ¡°Howe?¡± Why¡¯s he here? In the original, he stayed in the underworld until the end, but why was the trash booger king here at the Imperial Pce? I can¡¯t believe it. He¡¯s evenughing while talking to the Emperor. At this absurd scene, I was left speechless. I couldn¡¯t make any sound and my lips were agape. At that time, the Emperor turned to address the nobles. ¡°The Imperial Family is pleased to celebrate theing-of-age of those who had just be adults. Apart from that, during this auspicious day, I would like to take this opportunity to make an announcement.¡± All of the nobles turned to the seat of honor and listened to the Emperor¡¯s words. Everyone must have noticed the booger king, who did not belong in the Imperial Family, now. The physical traits of the Imperial Family of the Leonis Empire were rare. Iparably brilliant silver hair, which only the Imperial Family had, was proof enough that one was part of the bloodline. However, Elliot, who wasn¡¯t a nobleman, didn¡¯t know of this fact. And I¡¯m sure he wasn¡¯t very interested. I destroyed this part of the original work. I, and no one else, revealed the secret to the booger king¡¯s birth. I screamed inwardly. I didn¡¯t mean to cause this much trouble. I just wanted to run away¡ªI never told him to go ahead and be a prince! My throat was tight. In the midst of my crisis, the Emperor continued to speak. ¡°I do not know how you all will receive this news, but I would like to introduce my son. We were separated when he was still very young due to some unfortunate circumstances.¡± The nobles listened to the Emperor. ¡°My son will be joining as a debutant today as well. I hope everyone wees him.¡± Everyone apuded after the Emperor finished speaking. None of the nobles dared refute his words. The booger king¡ªno, Elliot sol Leonis¡ªstepped forward. With a tone that was more profound that what I heard before, and a nice voice that definitely fit with the Imperial bloodline, Elliot spoke. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you all. I was able to return to my rightful ce through the gracious generosity of Father and Brother. I¡¯ve passed the age to participate as a debutant, but today will be a meaningful day for me nheless.¡± As he spoke, he looked straight at me. I could feel goosebumps all over my skin the moment he said ¡®meaningful¡¯ while looking into my eyes. This crazy punk. Just what are you scheming again? That¡¯s why the Duke couldn¡¯t find him. Does this even make sense? When? Was it recent? Or right after I was kidnapped? Then why was his existence shown only now? It¡¯s as if I had entered the eye of a storm. I could feel it. Something¡¯s about to happen. I felt even more anxious because it was still peaceful. So engrossed in my worries, I realized I¡¯d been biting my lower lip only when a big hand pressed over it. ¡°Ray, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Lucian, who came closer to me without me noticing him, looked at me with concerned eyes. He was being so cold to others earlier, but he was showing a sweet face only to me. It¡¯s worrying that I might feel spoiled like this. I have a pretty amiable rtionship with him now, so I avoided the doom ending like in the original, but I still shouldn¡¯t let my guard down. Wasn¡¯t the booger king¡¯s presence here a testament to my carelessness? Anyway, did the Duke have no idea about this? Did he not know that the kidnapper he¡¯d been looking for all this time had entered the Imperial Pce? Even after all this, I still needed to participate in the debutante celebration, yet I was still flustered. I can¡¯t forget what I learned. While I was frozen with anxiety, not knowing what to do, Lucian stroked my cheek gently. It¡¯s like I was something fragile. Maybe it¡¯s only because I was wearing makeup now, but he was caressing my cheek with an especially gentle touch. ¡°Brother. I¡¯m just a bit nervous.¡± During the debutante ball, people were required to greet the Emperor ording to Imperial etiquette while listening to his words of blessing. It didn¡¯t sound like a big deal, but because we¡¯re in front of the Emperor and so many nobles, it¡¯s no surprise that the debutants would feel burdened to do well. Lucian, of course, would think that this was the reason why I was thrown off. Sure enough, he smiled affectionately as he continued to stroke my cheek. ¡°It¡¯s fine even if you make a mistake. Just be yourself because you¡¯re already shining on your own.¡± Lu~ci~an~! You¡¯re being such a kind male lead! Are you doing this to win over this Noona¡¯s heart? As expected of my bias. I feel like the giant bean pod for Lucian got upgraded to metal. Nothing will be able to break my bean pod! { t/n: ¡®bean pod¡¯ is the literal trantion of it, but it¡¯s idiomatic to ¡®being blinded by love¡¯. } ¡°Hehe, thanks to Brother, I¡¯m not nervous anymore.¡± This was true. With Lucian by my side, it felt like that trash booger king would just turn into dust. You fool. Now that he was part of the Imperial Family, he must think that he¡¯s someone amazing now. But the higher a person was up on the socialdder, the more restrictions there were on their words and actions. You made a huge mistake. I raised my chin slightly, now feeling more self-assured, and smiled at the booger king. Just try crossing my way, you stupid punk. I silently pressured him, hoping that my eyes would convey my words. At that time, the booger king was staring at me when he suddenly burst intoughter, his shoulders shaking as he covered his face. What¡¯s this, you¡¯reughing at me? Hey, am I funny to you?! Do you want me to dip your eyeballs into some spicy sauce again? Ah, what a shame. It would have been better if he went blindst time. At that time, the chambein came forward and spoke. ¡°From this point on, I shall be calling people one by one. If your name has been called, please step forward and give your greetings to His Imperial Majesty the Emperor.¡± Next to me, Belissa whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be right next to you.¡± She also fixed my hair slightly. ¡°Thanks.¡± During the greetings, the booger king stepped away from the Emperor¡¯s side and knelt down in front of him. ¡°Prince Elliot sol Leonis, you may rise.¡± Elliot stood in front of the Emperor. His lean body and tall frame were enough to steal the hearts of the noble youngdies. Even the wives began chattering amongst themselves, covering their lips with their hands or fans. This was why I didn¡¯t want to start socializing. It¡¯s hard to get used to this kind of environment. First of all, after having lived in modern society before this, it¡¯s ufortable to follow all these customs and etiquette. No matter how long I stayed here, I still wasn¡¯t used to it. ¡°Elliot, my precious son.¡± The Emperor¡¯s solemn and pleasant voice filled the banquet hall magnanimously. ¡°I want the future to be filled with many days that I could spend with you so that the time we lost while we were separated would disappear. Since you¡¯ve officially be a prince, I should hurry and find you apanion as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I am grateful, Father.¡± ¡°From this day on, you shall also be called a Little Lion of the Empire, just as it is dictated by the tradition of the Leonis Empire. As an Imperial Prince, you must exude an exemry visage to our people.¡± ¡°I, Elliot sol Leonis, shall heed Your Majesty¡¯smand.¡± The Emperor nodded with a proud expression. When Elliot¡¯s turn was over, he went back to his seat. ¡°Ducal Princess Rachel of the Leon family. Pleasee forward.¡± As soon as I was called, I walked gracefully towards the Emperor just as I was taught. ¡°So you¡¯re Rachel, the flower of Leon.¡± No, wait, I haven¡¯t heard that before. ¡°The Duke boasted about you so much, but I now know why.¡± Duke¡­ you didn¡¯t just do that at home? Feeling nauseous, I could feel cold sweating out. Having only stayed at the mansion or at the southern vi, I wasn¡¯t aware of the rumors about me. Amber didn¡¯t tell me anything either. ¡°Congrattions on youring-of-age. May you bloom as beautifully and gracefully even more in the future.¡± ¡°Thank you very much, Your Majesty. I shall heed your meaningful words.¡± ¡°Hoho, what a clear voice.¡± Afterpleting the final curtsy mandated by Imperial etiquette, I returned and sighed quietly. When I came back, Lucian slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me next to him. I think he did this because it¡¯s crowded around here. I just smiled as I looked up. His sweet golden irises shone down on me. One by one, the youngdies and young lords who were debuting today were called. Naturally, as time passed, the space in the middle of the banquet hall was emptied. As it was customary, the debutants will need to waltz. I was the one with the highest status so I was supposed toe out first, but since the booger king was proimed as a prince, I would be second this time. The Duke and the Duchess, without me realizing it, were by my side now and congratted me for reaching adulthood. As the four of us gathered with the Ducal couple, me and Lucian, everyone¡¯s eyes were on us again. This family¡¯s so popr. Right, just look at how prominent this family was. With all the wealth and power that the Leon family had, how could it not be prominent? That¡¯s why they¡¯re all curious. ¡°Ray.¡± Lucian called me suddenly. Somehow, his tone was filled with expectation, so I looked up at him in surprise. He never had this tone of voice before. Although we¡¯ve been talking more now, he never asked for anything from me. Oh, but there¡¯s one time that he asked me not to forget him right before I went to the south. But why did he call my name with that almost nervous voice here at the banquet hall? What is it, Lucian? Go ahead. This Noona will listen to everything. Simrly, I waited for his next words with anticipation. It felt like it happened in slow motion, the way he slowly opened his lips while his eyes stayed focused on me. Just what are you trying to say? As tension and anticipation mixed together, a low but pleasant voice spoke out. ¡°Would you like to dance¡ª¡± ¡°Princess Rachel.¡± But right at that moment, another baritone voice intervened. Elliot approached us before we knew it, then called my name with a detestable smile. What the hell, trash booger king. Our Lucian was saying something! No one¡¯s allowed to cut off my beloved bias mid-sentence! I turned to him with a sharpened gaze. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 44 Trantor: Yonnee ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 44 Whether he cared about my sharp re or not, the booger king looked at me with a soft smile on his lips. ¡°May I have this dance?¡± Seven years had passed, but I could still remember how flippantly he could threaten people. I¡¯m sure he knows who I am. Why is he approaching me? I wanted to find out, so I epted his request. I had to know why he kidnapped me and how he hid himself so thoroughly that even the Duke couldn¡¯t find him. Then after all that, why did he appear in front of me again? Because of everything I was thinking, I never knew how severely Lucian was ring at him. When I offered my hand without answering him directly, he took my hand willfully. We walked to the middle of the hall, all eyes on us. As we went, I muttered under my breath. ¡°Hey, kidnapper. Why¡¯re you here?¡± As we reached the center, we faced each other and I ced one hand on his shoulder as he held my waist, then he took my other hand. Before the orchestra yed the music, he leaned forward and whispered into my ear. ¡°I¡¯m very grateful to you. I never even guessed that my father was someone living in the pce.¡± Damn it. I really didn¡¯t know that it¡¯s going to be this way. Why did the Emperor ept him as his son? I¡¯m sure that the Crown Prince didn¡¯t stay still either. As I contemted, the orchestra finally began, and we gradually started dancing to the waltz. I¡¯m a bit confident with my dancing, and so I moved gracefully along with the booger king¡¯s lead. And I didn¡¯t forget to whisper in return. ¡°I can¡¯t believe even a kidnapper can turn into a prince. I¡¯m so worried about the future of the Empire that I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to sleep well at night.¡± I spoke with as much sarcasm as I could muster, but he held my hand tightly and twirled me around as though he wasn¡¯t even affected. While spinning, I stopped the moment he held me by the waist. Then, a subtle scent mixed with his voice as he spoke close to my ear. ¡°If it¡¯s like that, then aren¡¯t you a perpetrator who tried to kill an Imperial Family member?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The sauce you poured into my eyes. It¡¯s difficult to eat it as it is, why did you have to throw it in my eyes?¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that better than pointing a de at another person?¡± I made a rebuttal without backing down. Elliot smiled brightly, grabbed my waist and tilted me downwards as he spoke. ¡°I won¡¯t do that anymore.¡± ¡°How can I trust you?¡± I retorted as he pulled me back up. He stayed rxed as he spun around in a big circle with me. When did he learn how to dance? I didn¡¯t want to admit it, but he¡¯s surprisingly good at this. It hasn¡¯t been long since I myself learned, but I don¡¯t know when this guy found the time to learn. ¡°Isn¡¯t that something a ducal princess wouldn¡¯t say? Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m d to hear you say that. This ce is so boring.¡± He came so close that the tips of our noses almost touched, then he turned his head to the side¡ªas if he would kiss me¡ªthen continued. ¡°What if I tell you that I became a prince because I wanted to meet you again? Will you believe me?¡± ¡°This crazy punk.¡± ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Our dance came to an end with me swearing. The pounding heartbeats I heard were very unpleasant because we were still so close to each other. I didn¡¯t want to admit that my heart ever pounded for this guy. After curtsying, I quickly returned to Lucian. ? Lucian stood nkly as he watched the prince dancing with his sister. As he watched her return after finishing the song, everyone around him grew excited and started chattering. The Imperial Prince and the Ducal Princess danced together during the debutante ball, so this was the natural response. A youngdy and a young lord, both unmarried and each with questionable pasts¡­ They kept saying that it was hard to deny that they matched well. Lucian, who never really minded what people said around him, quietly clenched his hands into fists as he heard this. He wanted to dance with her during her debut. He had been looking forward to it with so much anticipation. But some bastard stole her first dance and took her away. It felt like his eyes had gotten blurred with rage. Everyone was busy looking at Rachel with venom in their eyes. If he could, he wanted to kill everyone. Enzo reacted to his overflowing emotions. ¡ªDo you want me to kill them for you? I detest the Imperial Family. Lucian was swayed by the tempting words. It would be easy for him to fulfill his murderous urges with Enzo¡¯s abilities. Before a ck tint almost overtook his brilliant golden irisespletely, Rachel came back. Hugging his arm with both of hers, she spoke. ¡°Brother,e dance with me.¡± In fact, Rachel also wanted to have her first dance with her brother. She loathed the fact that she had to dance with the trash booger king when she could perfectly just go ahead and dance with her bias affectionately. But then she wanted to know what that guy¡¯s intentions were when he entered the pce. However, Lucian was ufortable right now. She¡¯s always lovely in his eyes, but he hated watching her with him. ¡°Honestly, I wanted my first dance to be with you, Brother.¡± Rachel also wanted to reject the booger king¡¯s invitation to dance. Looking up at Lucian, who was quietly staring at her, she whispered quietly. ¡°Do you remember when we were young? We went to a banquet and danced together in the garden.¡± ¡°¡­I remember.¡± Lucian remembered those memories from more than seven years ago. At that time, he still thought of Rachel as someone troublesome. So even if they went to a banquet hall together, he headed out to the garden and left her alone. But then Rachel followed him out. The full moon was bright, so he could remember Rachel¡¯s face clearly. Her flushed cheeks, her lovely smile that reached her eyes, and her shy hesitance as she held his hand tightly while they danced. Everything was clear, as though engraved in his mind. ¡°I remember.¡± Lucian looked down at Rachel and saw the loving gaze that never changed from when she was younger. He gulped. He had to restrain his throat that wished to let out a growl. He covets her. He wants her. He wishes to be the only person who can see her. All kinds of emotions swirled within him, but his expression did not change. ¡°Please dance with me, Brother.¡± As she pleaded again, Lucian grabbed her waist. There was a young lord who was about to step up and ask to dance with her, but he immediately backed down andmented. Because they were family, these men did not consider Lucian aspetition anyway. Lucian led her to the dance floor. As they stepped towards the center, he began to move ording to the orchestra¡¯s melody. Originally, they had to hold each other¡¯s hand, and the shoulder or waist with a proper distance between them¡ªbut they moved closely together. Rachel¡¯s cheeks glowed pink, but he continued to draw her closer to himself. He wanted them all to know. They weren¡¯t family. Yet. ¡°Ray.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Perhaps he wasn¡¯tpletely used to her yet. The moment she leaned on his shoulder and looked up at him, Lucian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°My first dance is with you, too, Rachel.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yes. If it weren¡¯t for her, he wouldn¡¯t even be interested in attending a banquet. Without her, he wouldn¡¯t even be in the same position. When the Duke had separated him from Rachel, from some point on, he began his sessorship lessons. Starting from the day the Duke told Lucian to stay away from Rachel, Lucian¡¯s attention was solely turned to attaining more power. But it¡¯s funny. Doesn¡¯t Lucian just need more power so that he could hold onto Rachel tightly? No matter how much he thought about it, his father was too lenient. Even though his father hated him so much, Lucian was given all the lessons that an heir must learn. And yet, there were many times when the gaze that his father had for him would be filled with contempt or reluctance. Lucian was aware that the Duke was projecting the previous Duke¡¯s image onto Lucian. That¡¯s why he went ahead and tried to imitate his grandfather who he couldn¡¯t even remember clearly. He wanted to engrave this loathsome silhouette in his father¡¯s mind so that his father would be more fearful of him. The desire for eptance became a desire for dominance. The more he became greedy for Rachel, the more he saw his father as a bothersome bug who dares interfere. To match the increasingly intense apanying music, Lucian turned with Rachel in his arms sharply just in time to the beat. When her fluttering blue dress settled back in ce, he took her hand. As if he had nned it, he embraced her tightly and kissed her on the cheek. From the lips that touched her skin, a thrilling sensation emerged. He could feel bliss stirring within him. ¡°Congrattions on bing an adult.¡± With his heart moved by many different emotions, he congratted her. He was truly happy that Rachel had be an adult. From afar, Lucian and Rachel were watched. Elliot stoodnguidly against a wall. The youngdies around him kept trying to catch his gaze, but the only one in his sight was Rachel. She had been a scrawny kid thest time he saw her, but now, she grew up as a finedy. He unconsciously lifted a hand to touch under his right eye. ¡°I experience hell because of you.¡± He had witnessed others falling into hell. He evenughed at them because he had nothing to do with them. ¡°But I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d have to experience it, too.¡± Maybe that¡¯s why. The reason he couldn¡¯t forget that girl. Wasn¡¯t this only natural? His eyes still felt like they were on fire. Otherwise, there¡¯s no other reason why he wanted her so badly. Elliot covered his lips with one hand. He stood with his posture upright to continue showing the demeanor of a prince¡ªbut underneath his palm, he couldn¡¯t hide this wretched desire. ¡°Hmm, how suspicious.¡± His purple eyes swept sharply towards Lucian, his hand gravitating to the ce under his right eye again. Just like Elliot, that person¡¯s golden irises that were full of greed would not look away from Rachel. Having to behave like the Emperor¡¯s son was annoying, but he had to bear it all for power. There was no better position for him to be able to deal with those nobles. The reason why he came to his father, who never even thought of meeting him again, was just so he could get what he wanted. And he always got what he wanted. Of course, this time, it will be the same. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 45 Trantor: Yonnee ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 45 ? After the debutante ball ended, invitations started to pour in. While watching Amber sift through the envelopes, I jumped up in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m still grounded? I can¡¯t believe it!¡± I was banned from going out after I was caught sneaking outst time, but I didn¡¯t know it would still be this way. Frustrated at no one in particr, I was annoyed with Amber for no reason. ¡°It¡¯s so so so frustrating!¡± ¡°Mdy, I can¡¯t listen to your request to stay cooped in anymore. You have to focus on your social activities now.¡± At Amber¡¯s determined tone, I sank down onto the sofa. I was actually nning something, that¡¯s why I was annoyed with Amber. When I saw Noah at the debutante ball, it felt kind of strange. Obviously, he looked different from when we met in front of the bookstore information guild. And he looked quite close to Lucian. ¡°Was I mistaken?¡± Was Noah ying a joke by acting like an old man? It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t recognize me. Maybe he pretended not to know me on purpose. Otherwise, how could a person look so different? And¡­ What if Lucian and Noah were meeting outside while I¡¯m not even allowed to go out? What if they¡¯re already doing everything outside confirming their love for each other?! Would I be the only one deprived of this sight? This can¡¯t be. This can¡¯t happen to a sessful fan. I want to fangirl while watching you two together! As I was thinking of a way to sneak out, someone entered my room. It¡¯s been a while since I saw the Duke, who spoke to me with a withered face. ¡°Let¡¯s go out on a date, my daughter.¡± This was the first time we met alone after I caught him hiding my letters from Lucian. There was still a little awkwardness between us, but this was good news. ¡°Really? But I¡¯m not allowed to go out.¡± I put on a pitiful expression on purpose. Please let me out now. I need to go to the information guild and ask a lot of things. The Duke sat across from me and, with a pout on my lips, I added. ¡°I¡¯m still banned from going out, but I really promise I won¡¯t go out alone anymore. I can¡¯t meet the other youngdies¡­ What can I do when I have all these invitations? I can¡¯t even go out¡­¡± As I talked, the pout I had became pursed lips as I got increasingly grumpy. The Duke watched me, maybe thinking that I was being cute, then spoke. ¡°Call me Dad and I¡¯ll let you go out.¡± Did he realize that I wasn¡¯t calling him that because he hid my letters? We didn¡¯t have much to talk about between us, so I thought he didn¡¯t notice. Do you think that Dad wouldn¡¯t know if you¡¯re not talking to me on purpose? You¡¯re upset.¡± Oh, so you know already. As expected of the Duke. ¡°¡­Dad, let¡¯s stop it now.¡± ¡°Huu, if that¡¯s what my daughter says.¡± It felt so awkward to use the word ¡®Dad¡¯ that I used in the past. However, the bitterness I felt disappeared when I saw him smile. ¡°Then, will you go out on a date with Dad?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± This was something good. Now that I¡¯m not grounded anymore, I should bring Damien and Doggy with me when I stop by the information guildter. After shopping with the Duke, we stopped by a dessert store. We sat at a table on a sunny terrace, then the Duke stared at me. ¡°What is it?¡± No matter how much he¡¯d aged, his handsome features didn¡¯t seem to disappear. Still with such a striking appearance, his eyebrows gently creased. ¡°My daughter, I¡¯m worried because you¡¯re not spending that much.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a woman who chooses such little jewelry in this world. I¡¯m with you while you¡¯re shopping, but I can¡¯t believe you only picked ten¡­¡± The Duke was being serious. I thought I saw it wrong. ¡°How many are usually bought?¡± The Duke answered me inly. ¡°You should have asked me to buy everything except for the ten pieces that you didn¡¯t like the most in the store. I can buy that much for my daughter.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± I was left speechless by his answer. The jewelry store we visited just now was the most prominent one in the capital, and it was the one most visited by the nobles who lived around here. You want me to buy everything except for ten? Isn¡¯t the Duke¡¯s sense of money out of whack? If I get used to this, how would I possibly be able to live once I left? Wouldn¡¯t the man I¡¯ll marry find out that I spend a lot? If I enjoy too many luxuries, my future husband will only hate me. Why is this Duke trying to raise me so extremely? Various questions popped into my head. But as though he could read my thoughts, the Duke spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. If it¡¯s the wealth of my daughter¡¯s future spouse, I¡¯ll be sure to verify everything first before I introduce you to him.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± I would only repeat the same word yet again. Why was he thinking of rushing me into that without even giving me any warnings? Couldn¡¯t he warn me beforehand first? As I gaped at the Duke, an employee came up with a dessert trolley. ¡°Pardon me. Here are the refreshments and the ck tea that you¡¯ve ordered.¡± I asked for the Darjeeling tea I had with Noah before¡ªfirst flush, with a beautiful yellow tinge. It smelled like fresh, sweet grapes. The tea house where I met with Noah served really good tea. That¡¯s why I was curious about the taste of first flush Darjeeling tea here at the most famous dessert shop in the capital. And I was curious about one more thing. I lifted the teacup with elegant manners just as I was taught. As soon as I took a sip, the sweet, fragrant taste spread inside. The Duke likewise sipped his tea. ¡°It¡¯s sweet and fragrant, right?¡± It fell short by a small marginpared to the tea I drank at that small tea house with Noah, but I still liked the tea here. The Duke nodded, agreeing with me. ¡°It¡¯s colorful and elegant enough to be called the ¡®champagne of ck tea¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­Right?¡± Yeah, this was the taste of Darjeeling that I knew. The brewing felt simr. But why did Noah say that? Something was bothering me, so I kept trying to recall what happened at that time. While sipping tea, I looked out the terrace. Then suddenly, I saw Lucianing out of the building across from the dessert shop. Hmm? That¡¯s Lucian, right? Oh, maybe that¡¯s the salon he usually went to. I wanted to call out to him in excitement, but Noah went out the door after him. Oh! So you¡¯re together? Noah smiled while talking to Lucian, and Lucian answered him without ignoring him like he usually did to other people. This alone made me think of another possibility. Maybe the Noah I saw that day was just acting strangely. As I turned my gaze towards Lucian, I recalled the happy days they both had in the webtoon. Simr to those images, Noah smiled warmly as he grabbed Lucian¡¯s arm as though wrapping himself around him. I couldn¡¯t see his expression from where I was, but Lucian also leaned down closer to Noah as he said something. I waspletely distracted by the two that I forgot the Duke¡¯s presence in front of me. The Duke was already looking at those two as well. It¡¯s unusual to see him so focused on them as he set down his teacup. With aplicated expression on his face, he frowned then turned his gaze back to me. As soon as he made eye contact with me, his pupils grew hazy. It¡¯s like he¡¯s seeing the ghost of my father, Liam, ovepping with my figure. This is serious. It¡¯s amazing that he still felt strongly for his beloved who had passed away. ¡°¡­My daughter. Do you want to get married?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± I really couldn¡¯t understand what the Duke was thinking. Why couldn¡¯t we stay on one page for once? My good mood from having a date with him was gone in an instant. Ah, seriously! I hate it! ? After returning to the estate, Pedro ordered the butler to summon Lucian back home. He recalled the scene he saw earlier. He was confused. Obviously, his son¡¯s attention was solely focused on Rachel¡ªbut who was that guy who suddenly appeared? Howe Lucian just let him touch his arm? Did he really have that guy in mind? Was Rachel just a smoke screen? With increasingly scattered thoughts, Pedro sat down on the sofa inside his office and leaned back. He remembered how he was while loving Lucian. His love was so passionate that it felt like it could burn everything down. Was that something passed on through this bloodline? Then what should he do? Pedro felt miserable just thinking about it. Even Rachel saw that scene. As he continued ruminating over his dizzying thoughts, Lucian entered his office. As soon as his son came in, Pedro threw his teacup at him, but it flew past his head. ¡°You¡ªyou punk!¡± Pedro was enraged. He was livid that his son was using Rachel as a smoke screen to hide that guy, but above all, he was angry that he saw himself in Lucian. Pedro couldn¡¯t understand what he was feeling. Should he be happy that Lucian was looking more like his father than his grandfather now? While the Duke took his anger out on him, Lucian spoke without batting an eyelid. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this, but do I still have to stand here and be disciplined by you, Father?¡± As he watched his son look back at him without even a hint of agitation, or any other emotion at all, Pedro¡¯s heart was shattered. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 46 Trantor: Yonnee ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 46 Rather, it was Pedro who was agitated. If he were himself, he would have thought before he spoke. ¡°How dare you meet a man?! So Rachel was just a smoke screen? To protect your lover?!¡± Lucian didn¡¯t blink despite his father¡¯s loud roar. This only made Pedro¡¯s forehead wrinkle, and as though he was thinking hard, he suddenly blurted out venom. ¡°I know that Father likes men, but don¡¯t think that I¡¯m like you. It¡¯s unpleasant.¡± Pedro froze at the calm tone. ¡°You hated me because I resembled my grandfather, but now¡­ Are you scared that I¡¯ll resemble you this time?¡± ¡°You, how did you¡­?¡± Despite Pedro being startled, Lucian didn¡¯t care. Lucian knew more than Pedro thought. First of all, because Enzo rambled on in his head, he also heard what the employees had been whispering. Sometimes he heard his mother¡¯s muttering. That¡¯s why, of course, he also heard his father¡¯s whispers. He often talked to himself as if he was imploring someone else with a desperate voice. Well, this wasn¡¯t what Lucian meant to tell him. Lucian was curious about something else. ¡°Can¡¯t you hand over the Dukedom now? How long will you take me for a fool? You used me well as your heir while dangling Ray in front of me as leverage, but now that she¡¯s back, you don¡¯t want to hand it over?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Pedro¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at his son. It was the first time he saw Lucian talk so much and look at him so coldly. ¡°Father¡ªno. Your Grace the Duke.¡± Pedro clenched his hands into fists as he heard this. Lucian took a step forward, staring into the blue eyes that had be more muddled with age. He looked down at his father from the opposite side of the coffee table. He quite enjoyed this moment. After getting rid of everything else in his heart and leaving only Rachel, it became oh so easier. When he gave up craving his parents¡¯ affection, he felt weightless. He didn¡¯t know how to exin it, but he was no longer frightened, no longer hurt. He exuded a certain energy. Pedro, who was a swordsman, was able to sense Lucian¡¯s unusual energy, and at this, hisplexion grew paler in the face of an explosive energy that was stronger than his. Lucianughed for the first time in front of his father. ¡°Before I force you out of this ce, why don¡¯t you kneel before me as I apud you?¡± ¡°¡­What¡ªwhat did you say?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be dragged down and turned into a dog, I suggest that you hand over the Dukedom immediately. Understand, Your Grace?¡± Lucian looked at him with distaste and turned around. It was all nonsense for Pedro, he couldn¡¯t understand. Pedro didn¡¯t even know what Rachel meant to him. Why must the Duke keep bothering him? Lucian had an overwhelming urge to grab him by the cor, but he endured. It wasn¡¯t because he was his father, but because he wanted to show Rachel only a confident, dignified appearance. As Pedro stared at Lucian¡¯s retreating figure as he exited the office, he could only bow forward as he felt his stomach being tied up in knots. By thinking of only the person who had hurt him all those years ago in the past, it felt like all the karma he had umted returned to him tens of times over. Pedro¡¯s eyes were nk. He could do nothing else but look around vacantly, not knowing what to do. Just like he did in the past. ? After returning to the mansion, I called for only Damian. ¡°Master, you called me?¡± ¡°Damian. Will you be able to fly while carrying me?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s possible. But instead, I¡¯ll have to fly in my half-human form, notpletely as a hawk.¡± ¡°What do you look like in that form?¡± It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve known Damian and Doggy, but I¡¯ve never heard of a shapeshifter taking a half form. ¡°Like this.¡± And Damian immediately transformed. It wasn¡¯t hisplete transformation as a hawk, but instead, his human form stayed while wings protruded from his back¡ªlike an angel. The feathers of his wide wings had a blend of light to dark brown. I approached Damian¡¯s mysterious form and circled around him. ¡°Wow, this is so cool¡ªyou can take out only your wings. Can Doggy also do this?¡± Damian smiled thinly. Or wait, was that a smirk? ¡°That guy can¡¯t do this yet.¡± His tone seemed to carry a subtle jab at Doggy. ¡®Hey, you seaweed punk!¡¯ ¡­Something like that? Well, I talked about seaweed once before, and when Doggy heard it, he immediately called Damian with the nickname ¡®seaweed punk¡¯.* Doggy, who could only give out weak nicknames, was beaten just now by Damian. Even after seeing this, I just sat still. Yeah, well, they¡¯ll settle this on their own. It won¡¯t be good for me to get between them when they¡¯re like this. ¡°But why did you ask, Master?¡± Damian had a worried expression because he knew I was still grounded. Of course, I don¡¯t really want to go out secretly, but it can¡¯t be helped. If the Duke never brought up marriage in front of me, I wouldn¡¯t have done this. I knew that I¡¯d have to marry someday, but I never imagined it¡¯d be this early. I thought I could finally be happy with my bias again, but I¡¯m being torn away from his side regardless of my wishes once more! Even if I wasn¡¯t being pushed out like this, I was already thinking that I should leave once Lucian met someone he loved! Right. This confirmed even more that the original had gone out the window. I should just get married or go live independently far away. And perhaps, maybe? Could I go back to Korea? I had all these thoughts as I stared at Damian, but I never spoke them aloud. No matter how reliable he was as a shapeshifter, I didn¡¯t want anyone to know about my condition and identity. Damian reached out his hand instead of urging me to answer. ¡°Does Amber know about this?¡± I called him in the middle of the night, so of course she didn¡¯t know. She wasn¡¯t in my room right now. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll just go out for a little while.¡± ¡°Hold my hand, Master.¡± I reached out and held his solid hand. With his other arm, he lifted me up. ¡°¡­Um, should I be this close to you?¡± ¡°When flying, it¡¯s better to have less air resistance. You might fall, so please, embrace me tightly.¡± At his serious tone, I urgently wrapped my arms around his neck. I can¡¯t fall. It¡¯s dizzying just thinking about it. As we went out through the balcony attached to my room, Damian looked at me once before soaring up. I stared into his eyes, the color of trees, that were twinkling right in front of me. I never noticed because I hadn¡¯t seen his eyes up close, but as he flew, his pupils shrank downpletely, making it look as though his pupils had disappeared. So for the first time, I saw him as a shapeshifter. It¡¯s amazing how he transformed into a hawk, but because I came from a world that didn¡¯t have any magic, it seemed like my mind hadn¡¯t fully grasped what a shapeshifter was. Damian soared higher into the dark night sky to avoid getting seen by the knights guarding the mansion. When I looked down for a moment, the house was already as small as my fingernail. ¡°Hieek¡ªd-do we have to go up this high?¡± Damian smiled brightly at my question, so refreshing to see because it¡¯s my first time seeing his smile so purely. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. We¡¯ll get caught if we fly low.¡± It¡¯s really difficult to look down. But fortunately, I saw that the bookstore¡¯s lights were still on. ¡°What the, so the bookstore¡¯s open 24 hours.¡± Huh, well, that¡¯s good for me. As we entered the bookstore, I saw the young man I met inside thest time instead of the old man I saw at the counter before. He bowed his head lightly. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting.¡± ¡°You have the information I asked for?¡± ¡°Yes. Please let me take you somewhere private first.¡± I followed him with Damian in tow. Then, the young man nced at Damian. ¡°Is it alright for him to follow us?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± The man seemed to be contemting something deeply, but he soon epted. ¡°Only clients cane in usually. However, since it¡¯ste at night, it¡¯s only right that the youngdy brings her escort.¡± I blinked once, startled at the unexpected consideration. Amber said that information guilds were usually connected to the underworld, but it seemed like this man was kind enough. We entered the room and I sat down. Damian stood next to me as though he was guarding me. The man asked if I¡¯d like any tea, but I couldn¡¯t wait to hear what he had found out. He stared at my expression, then proceeded to speak without any more dys. ¡°First of all, the County of Elrand does not have a lord anymore. For seven years, it¡¯s the butler who¡¯s been managing the territory instead of the lord.¡± The period of seven years ovepped with the time I was kidnapped by the booger king. So it¡¯s true that my uncle just went ahead and attacked the Duke. Was he crazy? If he was a Count, then shouldn¡¯t he protect his territory? Why did he even be a Count when he couldn¡¯t care less about the County? However, the next news was something more outrageous. ¡°Derrick de Elrand is wanted atrge right now.¡± ¡°Wanted?¡± Oh, how stupid of you, uncle. I swallowed down the rest of the curses I wanted to spew out. ¡°And Baron Casti is in critical condition.¡± ¡ª¡ª t/n:*to be exact, he didn¡¯t say ¡®seaweed punk¡¯ but ??? (Capsosiphon fulvescens, Maesaengi), which is thick green algae that is consumed as food in Korea to treat stomach disorders and hangovers. But at the same time, it¡¯s algae that festers around a seagull¡¯s neck, in between its feathers, that¡¯s why Doggy used it as an insult to Damian. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 47 Trantor: Yonnee ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 47 ¡°Isn¡¯t Noah de Casti running a business?¡± Belissa mentioned that he¡¯s a robust young man who was running a business. ¡°Yes, but his family is under such a huge debt that it¡¯s hard to pay back the amount with only the meagre profits of his small business.¡± Of course. Noah¡¯s backstory wasn¡¯t good in the original either. ¡°Then what¡¯s the financial status of the Elrand County now? The lord hasn¡¯t been managing it for seven years, so does it make sense that it¡¯s still being maintained now? Or have the extended family taken over?¡± Numerous questions were shot out one after another. Why did my uncle do that? What happened to the County? Was the family involved with him being out atrge? And why the hell was I¡­ After agonizing over it, I had a hunch that the Duke had a hand in this situation. I didn¡¯t know why my uncle acted so recklessly, but I was sure that the Duke knew what was going on in the Elrand territory right now. Sure enough, the man sitting across from me confirmed my suspicions. ¡°Right now, the finances of the Elrand County is being managed by the Leon Duchy. In addition, the Imperial Family seems to have gotten involved.¡± But this was unexpected. Why was the Imperial Family involved? If the territory¡¯s lord was wanted, it didn¡¯t matter who amongst the extended family was going to be picked to be the next Count. Unless the familymitted treason. And apart from that, I¡¯m still alive. As Rachel de Elrand, I¡¯m the only living descendant of the departed Count and Countess. Because she was deep in thought, Cassandra, who wouldn¡¯t have been able to intrude into my thoughts normally, shouted loudly. ¡ªBecause of this weird ghost, our family¡¯s about to fall to ruin! Ugh. Seriously. Why does this woman keep calling me a ghost? Who¡¯s the ghost between us, huh? ¡ªGoodness, oh goodness me. The Elrand County, a founding family of the country, is about to fall to ruin. Ah, it¡¯s loud. The crying voice in my head that kept ming other people was so annoying. I¡¯m going to get a migraine again. When I pressed my temple with my fingertips, trying to soothe the throbbing, Damian drew closer to me. ¡°It would be good to wrap this up soon.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± I looked at the man in front of me. ¡°Did you use a fork to get this information? Why is it full of holes?¡± It was too vague. I brought it up because there¡¯s a lot of things that didn¡¯t match up. Isn¡¯t this a ce where information was supposedly of quality? Or was there a more reputable ce? I didn¡¯t even utter these words, but the man became serious. ¡°Even so, it¡¯s difficult to get intel on the Baron of Casti. It¡¯s a bit hard to buy out any of their estate¡¯s employees because they don¡¯t have new servants, and all the servants that stay there now have been with the Baron for a long time.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough to pay them? What I want isn¡¯t this wishy-washy information.¡± ¡°I apologize about this, but please give me more time.¡± ¡°¡­Sure. Then I¡¯ll be back again, exactly a weekter. Will that be enough time?¡± The man replied with a serious gaze. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll believe in you. If you give me information like this, I¡¯ll spread rumors that this guild gives out inadequate information.¡± The man chuckled under his breath. ¡°I understand.¡± Was what I said funny? But anyway, there was something else I wanted to ask. ¡°E-b-s-s, or abyss. Eye burning spicy sauce, right? It¡¯s the abbreviation*.¡± As I got up from my seat, I asked lightly without any thought. However, the man¡¯s reaction was striking. ¡°H-How did you know?¡± No, I mean, is this something to be surprised about? ¡°Well, it was obvious.¡± ¡°Do you know what it is? Have you ever had it in your eyes?¡± ¡°You talk too much.¡± At that time, Damian blocked the space between me and the man, speaking grimly. The man raised both his hands up in surrender. Then, I asked back without thinking about it much. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me. But I poured it once¡­¡± Before I could finish talking, I realized just how many times I poured the spicy sauce into someone¡¯s eyes. It was exactly one time. When I ran away from the booger king. No way¡­ No way. He¡¯s a prince right now. But was he still involved with the underworld? The Emperor won¡¯t sit still. Somehow, I looked back at the man, who was now fidgeting in difort. He looked like a kind enough person considering he¡¯s the face of an information guild. However, it¡¯s not right to judge a book by its cover. First of all, the booger king himself looked like an immacte person just going by his face. I shook my head and left the room. Damian followed behind me. After exiting, I looked around, then reached up so Damian could hold me. With me in his arms, Damian flew as high as he did before, soared and arrived safely back at the balcony of my room, avoiding the knight¡¯s awareness. ¡°Thank you, Damien.¡± ¡°If you need me, then please feel free to call me anytime.¡± Damien¡¯s expression betrayed nothing even as I had called in the middle of the night just to use him as a taxi. While staring at his face, which was neutral as per usual, I asked him a question. ¡°What¡¯s mana resonance?¡± I remembered what Damian mentioned before. At that time, I didn¡¯t pay attention because I thought that I had nothing to do with mana. I didn¡¯t really feel strongly about it, nor did I think I was connected in any way, but I still wanted to ask. ¡°It¡¯s a magical power that is a connection between Master¡¯s mana and my own mana. If I move away from Master¡¯s mana range, I will still have my own mana, but I won¡¯t be able to use my abilities.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that disadvantageous only to you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only one aspect of this rtionship. I feelfortable with it.¡± I didn¡¯t quite get it. If he¡¯s a shapeshifter, wouldn¡¯t he want to live freely? I think I heard that magical creatures had better instincts than humans, but their poption declined as they suffered a lot after being taken as ves and imprisoned. But why did Damien say he¡¯sfortable? I looked up to stare at his face. Damian, who was shorter than Lucian but taller than Doggy, was a man who had a firm physique and attractive copper skin. His light tree-colored eyes looked down at me. My worries abated as I saw how calm he was. If I look at him, he was a little unusual, too. He didn¡¯t talk a lot. Was it like that because he¡¯s a shapeshifter? It¡¯s like he knows something that humans would never know. I bid Damian good night and entered my room. Damian likewise said good night, then flew away from the balcony. As I entered the room, I carefully closed the balcony door. I took off my robe, but then light powered by magic suddenly illuminated the room. ¡°Ack¡ª!¡± I was really surprised. I was so surprised that it felt like my heart was about to pop out of my throat. But arge hand reached over my lips. I opened my tightly shut eyes. It was Lucian. When I saw him holding his index finger over his lips, I quickly nodded. As his calloused hand moved away from my lips, I grabbed my heart. I was really, really, really surprised. ¡°B-Brother?¡± Why was he in my room in the middle of the night? Did he notice that I left? When I looked up at Lucian with an innocent look, I saw him bite his lower lip as though he was in trouble. Oh, what a sight. I had no choice but to blush even without realizing it. As expected of the male lead! Goooosh! How could he make a person excited just by doing something so small? What a natural charmer! I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s a kind, gentle male lead now. ¡°Ray, where did you go sote at night?¡± Perhaps it¡¯s because he hadn¡¯t talked for a long while, but his voice was deep and husky. When he asked so suddenly, I stammered in response without even the time to think. ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­ Um¡­ It¡¯s because¡­¡± Lucian stopped me before I could continue. ¡°Just what are you so immersed in that you keep leaving on your own? Can¡¯t you tell me?¡± Lucian furrowed his brows so pitifully that I felt sorry right then. I didn¡¯t know how to deal with him when he¡¯s acting like this. Of course, I surrendered. ¡°Actually¡­¡± I confessed everything to Lucian without leaving out a single detail. It¡¯s unlikely that Lucian would talk to the Duke about this, so I just continued voicing my thoughts as well. ¡°It¡¯s really weird. I just don¡¯t understand what my uncle¡¯s doing. And what is the Duke thinking by being responsible for the Count¡­?¡± We were sitting side by side on my bed. I ced the robe that I wore earlier over the bed, then sighed deeply. ¡°Brother, think about it carefully. The Duke didn¡¯t tell me anything even though my biological family¡¯s estate is in a mess. Isn¡¯t this why I have no choice but to snoop around to find out the truth?¡± Lucian continued to listen to me, then he gently reached out to stroke my cheek. I didn¡¯t feel anything strange since he¡¯s been doing that a lot these days. His fingertips felt warmer, but I just thought that he was just naturally fond of touching cheeks like this. As he reached up with his other hand and held my cheeks with both his hands, he leaned closer with only a hairsbreadth between our noses, then spoke. ¡°Do you want to go back to the Elrand family?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 48 Trantor: Yonnee ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 48 His face looked so serious, so I could onlyugh. ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m just thinking of the family. What if it falls to ruin? Then I won¡¯t be able to face my parents in the afterlife.¡± I meant this. Our time was short, but they gave me an abundance of love, even if they didn¡¯t know that another person¡¯s soul took over their daughter¡¯s body. So I felt a sense of indebtedness to them. ¡°Why didn¡¯t the Duke tell me?¡± When I asked this, Lucian reached up from my cheeks to touch my eyelids. I could feel his breath as he hovered over me with my eyes momentarily closed. ¡°Maybe he wanted to hide it from you¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Why would he need to hide it from me? Didn¡¯t that only mean there¡¯s a secret I didn¡¯t know? One that wasn¡¯t even mentioned in the original? As I contemted it seriously, Lucian silently hugged me. He used one arm to embrace my waist, then his other hand stroked my hair. ¡°Seriously, Brother, why aren¡¯t you answering? Do you know what the Duke is trying to hide?¡± As he breathed out anguid breath, he replied slowly. ¡°If you want to know, I can find the answer for you. So¡­¡± Lucian rested his chin over my head. ¡°Ah, that hurts!¡± Just how sharp was his chin? His jawline was immacte, but it¡¯s not supposed to be a weapon. I heard a low chuckle from above. At this, my lips curled up into a smile, but I pushed his chest in front of me with both hands. Firmly. ¡­Was it because his chest was hard? Rather, it was me who was pushed back. The intent was different, but anyway, I was separated from Lucian. But soon, Lucian drew me into an embrace once more. He¡¯s been really touchy these days. Of course, this Noona doesn¡¯t hate it, but he needs to grow up. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re heavy!¡± As Iined, I heard Lucian sigh, then he lifted his weight from me. Only then did I wonder why he was in my room. ¡°But Brother, why did youe here at this hour? Did you find out that I left?¡± How did he notice? That¡¯s amazing. Looking at his reaction, it looked like only he knew and not the Duke. Lucian didn¡¯t answer for a moment. He, who had a subtle look on his face, soon nodded to confirm this. ¡°Whoa. How did you know I went out?¡± ¡°¡­I came to see you because it didn¡¯t feel like you were sleeping well.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how you found out!¡± I nodded vigorously for no reason, just epting the reason why he came to my room despite it being sote. Right. My bias had extraordinary abilities. He¡¯ll probably be able to sense people¡¯s footsteps soon. I looked into Lucian¡¯s eyes, which were shining brightly in a strange mood. His eyes seemed to have deepened as he matched my gaze, but my curiosity bubbled. ¡°How far away can you sense? Can you feel my movements all the way from your room?¡± Lucian had a subtle look as he listened to my question, but he soon answered me. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t feel your presence from my room, but I can if I¡¯m nearby.¡± ¡°Wow! You can feel people¡¯s presence now after practicing your swordsmanship so much!¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Oh, how cool. It¡¯s really amazing. As expected, this was something possible in a fantasy setting. ¡°Then if I learn now, will I feel other people¡¯s presence like Brother, too?¡± As though he heard something he didn¡¯t expect, Lucian frowned. My bias, ahh, are you feeling flustered? While seeing Lucian act this way, I suddenly became the one who¡¯s flustered this time. His hand shot out and held my shoulder gently. ¡°Can¡¯t I be your eyes and ears instead?¡± Oh my goodness. My heart kind of fluttered¡­! No, no. My heart fluttered a lot. Of course, that¡¯s the only natural response! I smiled helplessly, but I nodded anyway. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m reassured that Brother is beside me!¡± Lucian¡¯s expression rxed, relieved to hear what I said. He¡¯s really different now. In the past, he wouldn¡¯t even care to look at me, but right now, it¡¯s like he¡¯s looking only at me. Even though that shouldn¡¯t be the case. But I was happy anyway. He was thinking about me at least. My bias¡¯ interest in me was a bit different from his interest in others. Then, I suddenly recalled something. ¡°Ah, by the way, I saw Noah with you earlier.¡± ¡°¡­When we left the salon?¡± ¡°Yes! Are you close with him?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think we¡¯re that close.¡± ¡°Really? You looked close back then, though.¡± Ey, but you looked really close. Even objectively, it looked like that to me. Are you embarrassed to talk about him to your sister? ¡°I get it, I get it. You guys aren¡¯t close! I got it, hm?¡± Okay! This Noona will pretend not to know. Oh, I knew it. I won¡¯t need n B. I was going to introduce Lucian to other people¡­ But if he¡¯s getting along well with Noah, then I wouldn¡¯t need to anymore, right? I felt a sudden wave of drowsiness. My excited thoughts soon calmed down, and Lucian, who was afortable presence, made me feel even sleepier. Yaaawn. I can¡¯t even sit up anymore. ¡°Huaaam, Brother, I¡¯m sleepy¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll stay with you until you sleep.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have t¡­¡± But it seemed like flying so high up in the air took a toll on my body. After being strained like that, I was now in afortable ce and next to a person who rxed me, so I quickly sumbed to the pull of my dreamscape. As I blinked, I saw Lucian. I raised my hand to gesture for him to go to his room now, but he held my hand tightly. Then, he lightly hugged me and tucked me into bed. I was just sitting on the bed, he didn¡¯t really need to hug me like that to tuck me in. You¡¯ve be so caring even though you¡¯re already kind. I¡¯m so proud out you. After drawing the nket under my chin, Lucian sat next to me on the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ sleep now¡­¡± I was asking him to leave, but he just watched me. I was really sleepy, so I couldn¡¯t wait for him anymore. Ah, I dunno. He¡¯ll leave on his own. I closed my eyes and let go of my hold over my consciousness. Feeling his hand caressing my cheeks, I unconsciously reached up and touched his hand. As I did, he flinched as though he was surprised, but I was already asleep then. I¡¯m not sure, but I think I heard a low sigh. Good night, Lucian. ? Lucian stared at Rachel, who fell asleep next to him. If Rachel were still awake, she¡¯d see just how much depth his eyes had as he stared at her. ¡°Haa¡­ I can¡¯t believe you went out again¡­¡± The moment he saw the empty room, it¡¯s like the world was swept under him. He could only stand in the middle of the room, frozen stiff. He was d that Rachel came back shortly after. Otherwise, he couldn¡¯t even imagine what he would have done. He stopped by Rachel¡¯s room every day at dawn. It started out with the pure intention of wanting to check if she was still there after she had returned from the south. Because now, he just wanted to keep seeing her for just a little longer. Because now, he just wanted to take in her scent for just a bit more. He only wished to spend a little more time with her. Although Rachel was asleep, he felt happy just by staring at her endlessly, stroking her cheek as he would. Of course, as the days passed by, his greed only grew. He wanted to know everything about her. He wanted to memorize the shape of her lips, listen to all the words she murmured in her sleep, trace the shape of her slender neck that was covered by her hair, feel her wrist in his hold. ¡°How should I express my feelings¡ªto you, who thinks of me as nothing but a brother¡­ How must I convey my heart?¡± When he met her again, he didn¡¯t feel this way yet. He just thought she was something precious to him. However, he didn¡¯t know the extent of just how precious she was. He reaffirmed this when he saw other men looking at her. It was unpleasant. The way other men looked at her. His father was even thinking of sending her away to another man. ¡°My Ray¡­¡± ¡®Do you even know how deeply I feel?¡¯ If she knew what went on in his dark and dismal mind, she would never appear before him with her guards down. Lucian caressed her porcin cheeks with possessive hands. The only ce she¡¯s allowed to be in¡­ Would she grow tired of him? He felt like dying if he wouldn¡¯t be able to reach her¡­ ¡°Can you wait for me a little?¡± He held her face with both his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll propose to you the moment I take over the Dukedom.¡± He carefully recited his ns¡ªto Rachel, who was breathing quietly. ¡°You said this before. It¡¯s better to have a backup n, so now, I always make two ns.¡± Lucian continued and gently rubbed her eyelids with his two thumbs. ¡°If Father peacefully hands over the Dukedom, I¡¯ll have to let you go for a while, then you¡¯ll be my wife.¡± He lowered his hand, gently sweeping over her round lips. ¡°If Father tries to steal you away without listening to me¡­ I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do.¡± ¡®What should I do, Rachel? Hm?¡¯ Lucian smiled, not knowing whether he was delighted by being able to touch her lips¡­ or whether it was because he was looking forward to what will happen in the future. Only a dimly lit magicmp illuminated his face. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive thetest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 49 Trantor: Yonnee Chapter 49 07_We meet again After having a rxing time, I headed over to the garden with Doggy and Damian. It was a good time for tea, so I asked Amber to set the table. Today, instead of going to the rose garden, I went to the modestlyndscaped orangery. Since there was no conservation magic casted here, numerous colorful wildflowers and green sprouting trees could be seen near the orangery. As I took in a breath, smelling the wild flowers¡¯ scent in the air, I waited for Amber to return. Beside me, Doggy chirped up. ¡°Listen, listen, Master. This time I made a pink bead. Master, do you like the color pink? All girls like pink.¡± I leaned back on the sofa and roughly answered Doggy¡¯s question. ¡°Don¡¯t you think men suit the color pink better?¡± After hearing what I said, he hesitated for a while, then ced the bead in his hand next to him. ¡°Like this? You mean it¡¯ll look good on me?¡± I stared nkly at the ceiling, then looked back at Doggy. Yeah, it does look good on you¡­ ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. The red bead you gave me before.¡± Since we¡¯re talking about beads now, I should ask about that one. What kind of bead was it? Something¡¯s strange about it, kind of like something inside was moving. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong with it, Master? You don¡¯t like it? It¡¯s the first bead I made! Then, should I rece it with a pink bead? Ah, no, just take it, Master. You can have all of it.¡± Doggy pushed all the pink beads to me without listening to me properly. ¡°No, I¡¯m not asking for more¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like pink either? How about white beads?¡± ¡°Hey, Doggy! Listen to me!¡± I pinched Doggy¡¯s cheek, which was sticking close to me. Then, Damian appeared behind Doggy and cut in. ¡°Doggy, how many times do I have to tell you that you should speak formally to Master?¡± Even as Damian looked at him seriously, Damian smiled broadly as he replied. ¡°Master likes it when I speak informally. Right?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s probably because you aren¡¯t quick-witted about these things, but can¡¯t you see that Master is usually very weak to cute things?¡± Huh? How did you notice that? Doggy¡¯s pretty sharp. I continued listening to their bickering. ¡°Master is weak against cute things. I know that very well. But that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re cute.¡± Damian wasn¡¯t backing down either. Rather, he snorted slightly after he looked at Doggy from head to toe. Oh, I¡¯ve never seen Damian act this way. In the meantime, I sipped some cold tea that Amber brought, watching the two fight. ¡°What? Are you making fun of me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just stating a fact. You aren¡¯t cute.¡± ¡°Just now, you said ¡®heh¡¯.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with this?¡± ¡°Hey, when people hear something like ¡®heh¡¯, it¡¯s clear that the other person¡¯sughing at them.¡± ¡°You said ¡®heh¡¯, not ¡®here¡¯ or some other word. It was definitely youughing at me.¡± ¡°No, wait¡­¡± By the sound of their arguments, it seemed like this was going to take long, so I raised my hand to mediate between them. But Doggy and Damian stopped talking even before I fully raised my hand. Then, they looked over to the other side of the orangery. ¡°What the, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Because they couldn¡¯t seem to hear the words directed at them, I looked towards the ce where the two shapeshifters were staring at. Right then, I met the purple eyes of a man who was showing off his brilliant silver hair underneath the sunlight. I blinked, not believing my own eyes. Why is the trash booger king in my house? Why is that kidnapper here? I btedly came to my senses and tried to get Amber to kick out the guy. However, when I saw the Duke behind the booger king, I closed my lips. This is weird. Why was he here with the Duke? Did the Duke really not know the true identity of that guy? While I was flustered, the booger king and the Duke had already approached me. I was forced to get up from my seat and curtsy. Sure, I had no choice because there¡¯s a difference in status between us now, but I was still annoyed. At that time, Doggy stood in front of me and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve seen him before. Master, what should we do?¡± Damian stuck close to me and asked quietly. I shifted my gaze and looked at him. His tone was calm, but his pale wood-colored eyes were cold. ¡°My daughter tamed the shapeshifters well¡­ is what I thought, but perhaps not. Should I have gotten rid of them?¡± At the low voice of the Duke, my shoulders shook. He didn¡¯t think I would hear him. ¡°Oh my, Ray. I didn¡¯t mean to surprise you.¡± The Duke approached me and naturally embraced me around my shoulders. The wind blew by Doggy and Damian¡¯s side. The two looked at me, but I could clearly see the contempt underneath their gazes. It was contempt for the Duke, not me. Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve ever faced each other properly like this before. I might have unknowingly hidden them from the Duke. Oh, and by the way. What the hell are you doing, Duke? I averted my eyes from the two and looked at the trash booger king with a dismissive gaze. That smiling face was detestable. ¡°I came here rudely because I wanted to see you, Princess. I should have sent a letter first¡­ But I couldn¡¯t wait.¡± On the surface level, these words were gentle, but to me, they were nerve-wracking. I raised my chin and crossed my arms. ¡°How rude. Even though Your Highness is an Imperial Prince, this seems like you¡¯re disregarding the Duchy. Your Highness should have sent a letter first.¡± At my harsh response, the booger kingughed, while the Duke looked at me in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Daughter? Did something bad happen to you today?¡± It¡¯s the Duke who¡¯s bothering me today. Why the hell can¡¯t you recognize that this guy is the kidnapper? And why the hell are you keeping matters of the Elrand family a secret from me? I wanted to ask all of that, but I couldn¡¯t open my lips. I knew that the author wrote him as my kidnapper, but I wanted to find out how he became a prince. Ha. Then why did the author involve me with someone who¡¯s actually a prince? My body became younger so I was a child back then during that crisis, I should clearly reveal it. I should say that he¡¯s the kidnapper, right? How can I bring this up? I felt like I was being punished for neglecting to pay attention to the Elrand family, Cassandra and my uncle. ¡°Duke, I would like to talk to the Princess alone.¡± ¡°You will? Then, I¡¯ll step away for a moment. Now, you two, follow me.¡± The Duke gave way easily and even lugged along Doggy and Damien with him. At that, Damien and Doggy naturally showed their teeth. I didn¡¯t miss the moment when the Duke¡¯s eyes on them became vicious. ¡°Father, they¡¯re my servants. You¡¯re my father, but you can¡¯t force your orders on them.¡± Hearing my cold words, the Duke¡¯s eyes widened, and then curved into crescent moons. ¡°I see. Hoho, my daughter grew up too fast.¡± Then, he patted my head with a pleasant smile. ¡°Even so, we shouldn¡¯t cause any inconveniences for His Highness, right?¡± No! I¡¯ll really be ufortable! I gulped down my heart¡¯s answer, then smiled instead. ¡°Of course not.¡± First of all, I¡¯m going to have to find out what this trash bogger king¡¯s doing all the way here. And I¡¯ll have to tell the Duke¡­ As he got up from his seat, it¡¯s clear that he wasn¡¯t all that contended to leave my side either since he looked back at me several times when he walked away. You seem to be busy these days. ¡°Amber, will you bring some more tea?¡± ¡°Yes, Mdy.¡± Amber must have also been thrown off by the unexpected guest. She hurriedly disappeared across the garden. ¡°Master.¡± ¡°Master.¡± Doggy and Damian were worried that I would send them away, and they called me at the same time. They¡¯ve never called me in unison like this in a long time. I waved my hand as a gesture for them not to worry. I smiled as I spoke to them. ¡°Of course you both have to be here. What would happen to me if a kidnapper like this fellow here would be left alone with me? Should I let myself fall victim to him twice?¡± Doggy and Damian stood on both sides of me with confidence. But right then, Elliot burst intoughter. ¡°Haha, I knew it, you¡¯re quite bold.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s bold. Once I tell my father, hold on tightly to your neck. You think my father won¡¯t touch a prince? I warned you kindly back then. Do you still remember?¡± At that, Elliot nodded as though he epted my words. ¡°Of course. Thanks to your kind parting words, I became a prince. Of course, I remember. Isn¡¯t it because I listened to all of your words well?¡± No, this punk! Seriously¡ª! Ah, so annoying. You think I won¡¯t tell the Duke?! I¡¯ve just been avoiding you because I was afraid you¡¯d ask me how I knew! How could I say that I read about you from the original work? Who should I me?! Of course I only have myself to me! My face grew hotter as though I had a fever. My restlessness was clear from my appearance. ¡°Master, what¡¯s wrong? Are you angry? Do you want me to kill him?¡± ¡°Master, please give your orders.¡± The two already looked ready to dispose of Elliot. Oh, I¡¯m so proud of you both. I was relieved that these two people knew even if no one else did. Elliot looked at Doggy and Damian alternately, clearly amused as he had a broad smile. Then¡­ ¡°Princess¡ªno, Rachel. Will you marry me?¡± ¡­Sh*t came out of his mouth. This scum of the earth, seriously. Dirty bastard¡­ Advanced Chapters! Chapter 50 Trantor: Yonnee Chapter 50 What did he just say? Whether my thoughts were clear on my face or not, Elliot shrugged as though he knew. ¡°My apologies for proposing to you so suddenly. And I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t even bring a ring for this proposal.¡± What¡¯s he getting at? He¡¯s really¡­ It was so absurd¡ªso ridiculous that I couldn¡¯t speak. Elliot sat cross-legged across me with an elbow on the table as he stared at me. With his chin propped up on his bent hand, he felt too close to me, so I flinched back. It was a natural reaction. My guards are up! But what was his reaction? ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be wary of. I don¡¯t want to do anything to you just because I¡¯m a prince¡­¡± ¡°Then just now, what kind of sh¡ªwhat kind of nonsense are you saying?¡± I corrected myself as I saw Amber rushing back with the trolley. Elliot burst intoughter once again. ¡°You have a personality that¡¯s easier to understand than I thought.¡± ¡°That is just an assumption on Your Highness¡¯ part.¡± I responded coldly. What bullsh*t are you spouting here? ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like me even though we¡¯ve be closer in social positions?¡± Ellipt, who had been talking with a light tone since earlier, suddenly spoke with a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s not your status that¡¯s the problem.¡± ¡°Then? What is?¡± As I saw him tilt his head to the side, I recalled some old memories. He asked questions innocently like this back then, too. He¡¯s originally crazy, but this was a more normal reaction than I expected. After checking where Amber was, who¡¯s ambling closer to us now, I smiled out of courtesy. Then, I replied to him. ¡°Anyway, I have no ns to get married in the near future. Rather than status, my own thoughts on the matter are more important in this decision.¡± Perhaps hearing my words, Amber slipped for a moment, and I heard her gasp a little. Well, you¡¯re going to hurt your ankle that way. No, shouldn¡¯t I worry about myself first? This was definitely troubling. Trying to predict what he¡¯d say, I crossed my arms and maintained a haughty appearance in front of Elliot. Then, on my lips was a very bright smile as I looked at him sitting opposite me. ¡°Ah, most importantly, Your Highness isn¡¯t my type.¡± Gasp, sigh, Master, thump. All these sounds happened at once. Elliot shook his head from side to side, his lips curved up to the fullest, then he straightened his back. As the distance between us grew father, he continued to stare at me. No, it was closer to him scowling at me. After ring at me for a long time, in a quiet voice that seemed to be a bit strained rather than his usual beautiful tone, he asked quietly. ¡°Then¡­ What¡¯s your type, Princess?¡± ¡°My type?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could tell me.¡± My type¡­ Well, I guess I can tell you, buddy. I smiled at Elliot with the same smile I had earlier. cing both elbows on the table and intertwining my fingers so my chin could rest atop them, I began to recite my long list one at a time. ¡°First of all, I like them tall. And a man who has a muscr body. A beautiful, enticing face. On top of that, it¡¯s better to have a less shy hair color paired with nice, shining eyes. No, not just that. Someone with a very good, friendly personality. Lastly, a man withrge hands who could hold my whole head in just one hand as he pats me?¡± I said all this in one breath, shot all those words like bullets going bang bang bang bang. After hearing all that, Elliot only blinked in return. He was clearly flustered, and he made me shout inwardly in delight. Oh, I feel so relieved. This terrible booger. I expected him to be tougher, but I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d be this formidable. I didn¡¯t even think he¡¯d actually be a prince. However, since it¡¯se to this, the truth should be pulled out from its depths. I should tell the Duke. If I were to be questioned, how did you know he¡¯s the Emperor¡¯s illegitimate child? Let¡¯s just say I guessed it after seeing his silver hair. Wasn¡¯t the silver hair color seen only from the members of the Imperial family? Ah, it¡¯s so easy. If you think about it for a bit, it¡¯s not soplicated anymore. With a relieved expression, I straightened my back and leaned against the sofa. I felt very refreshed because it felt like a seven-year-old weight was lifted off my shoulders. Elliot¡¯s flustered face was still staring back at me. At that time, I saw Lucian approaching from afar. I was a little surprised seeing how angry he was. He wasn¡¯t the type to get angry over something. Lucian just tended to ignore things he didn¡¯t like or hated. Especially if you put food that he didn¡¯t want to eat in front of him. He¡¯ll just pretend it¡¯s not there. But he doesn¡¯t know how cute he is when he¡¯s like this, huh? But then behind Lucian, there was something bright. To be exact, was that Noah¡¯s hair hidden behind Lucian¡¯s physique? Why were theying here together? I watched as the two approached, hope inadvertently seeping into my gaze. Nearby at the orangery, Amber stood still, at a loss when she saw Lucian. ¡°Amber, what are you doing? Bring more teacups.¡± ¡°What? Oh, yes¡ªuh, no, Mdy, um¡­¡± The usuallypetent Amber stuttered like a broken doll. I took in her appearance and memorized her reaction, smiling at the thought of teasing her about itter. Then, I repeated my words. ¡°It seems that Brother hase with his friend for tea. We¡¯re done talking now.¡± Elliot¡¯s eyebrows rose high at my words, but I pretended not to notice. It¡¯s not my problem. ¡°Ray.¡± With a voice that was distinctly lower than Elliot¡¯s, a smile reflexively tugged at my lips. ¡°Brother!¡± Lucian came to my side as I eximed excitedly. I was so happy to see him that I leaned my cheek against his waist. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± The angry look he had on his face disappeared before I knew it, and the expression he showed me as he looked down was affectionate. As he looked down, he sighed as though he couldn¡¯t help it, and patted my head with one hand, stroking my hair. When he did that, he would slightly pause at each interval. I¡¯m not sure if it was something he was conscious of, but I liked this habit of his. Everything about this male lead was big. His hands were so big that he could hold my head so securely with just one hand. Think about it. When Lucian and I first met! At that time, Lucian¡¯s wrist was so skinny that it got me very worried. Although we were apart for seven years, the two years I spent with him before that was full of hard work trying to feed him well. Lucian grew the most at that time. As if he couldn¡¯t grow up because he couldn¡¯t eat much, he grew up more when fed him a lot of this and that. So, shouldn¡¯t you be proud of me? Thisrge hand, that tall height, those wide shoulders like the sea. I¡¯m partly responsible for that, you know. After letting Lucian pat me for a while, I jumped up and headed towards Noah. ¡°Brother Noah! I was sad that I couldn¡¯t greet you properly during the banquetst time.¡± As though surprised by what I said, Noah¡¯s eyes widened like saucers, but he soon smiled bashfully. Well, as expected. I saw it wrong that day. His gaze on me right now was different from what I saw back then. No, maybe he was looking at something else and not me? Who were you looking at? I set aside the question for the moment, then arranged more seats for Lucian and Noah. Of course, even though Elliot was there first, his opinion wasn¡¯t needed. In any case, Noah politely greeted him. Meanwhile, Lucian greeted him roughly. Oh my, our Lucian. You recognized that he¡¯s a trash booger king even if this Noona didn¡¯t tell you, right? Oh, I¡¯m so proud of you. I turned to Lucian with a glowing look, but then his expression got slightly distorted. ¡°Why, Brother? You don¡¯t like the tea?¡± He always does that if he doesn¡¯t like the taste of what he¡¯s eating or drinking. I picked a green grape from a te and put it in front of his lips. And I did that out of habit without realizing it. ¡°Knock knock, knock, knock knock knock. There¡¯s a grape here for you.¡± It wasn¡¯t until I finished speaking that I was surprised even by myself. Even so, Lucian ate the grape as though he wasn¡¯t bothered by it. But then, instead of just taking the grape into his red lips, his tongue came out first, licked my finger, and then he bit the grape. ¡°Um¡­¡± It surprised me, so as I was blinking in a daze, Damian approached me. Going on one knee beside me, he took a handkerchief out of his vest and wiped my fingertips. Only after wiping very carefully did he let go of my hand. ¡°Uh¡­ Thank you, Damian¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Master.¡± Then, Damian returned to his position. It all happened so fast, I decided to just brush it off and pretend it didn¡¯t happen. This was because several pairs of eyes were on me, and it was a bit hard to exin. At times like these, aristocrats just smile casually to let the matter pass, right? ¡°Hoho, the tea tastes good, right?¡± While savoring the tea, I gulped it down. I was suddenly very thirsty because of the persistent eyes on me. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Elliot, who was still sitting in front of me, snorted aloud and looked between me and Lucian alternately. Then he muttered. ¡°So, a man withrge hands, huh¡­¡± Hey, trash booger king. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but it¡¯s not what you think. I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s really not that, okay? Advanced Chapters! Chapter 51 Trantor: Yonnee Chapter 51 Elliot leaned back on his seat in anguid manner, lifting his teacup. Just the sight of him doing that made me appreciate him, kinda. He looked like a prince as he did that so naturally. It was the perfect appearance of a prince, but I knew his true self. I also remembered how he threatened to cut up a person¡¯s neck using only a bottle cap. The four of us were met here again, strangely. Then, there¡¯s the two shapeshifters at my sides, and Amber some distance away, still dazed. It was a truly amazing meeting, so I decided to enjoy the moment. I saw how Noah¡¯s gaze, as he sat face to face with Lucian, constantly followed his movements. Very asionally, he would also look at Elliot. Fufu, I have nothing to worry about. Noah was probably acting strangely because he was only tired for a while. Isn¡¯t this something like ¡®a feast for the eyes¡¯? Look at that. The pure, elegant main uke. That was Noah. When the trash booger king suddenly appeared, but now I felt very refreshed that I wondered how it was possible for my mood to be so good. ¡°Ray.¡± ¡°Yes, Brother.¡± ¡°Why has His Highnesse to the estate? Did you hear the reason?¡± Well, this was a difficult question. As expected, Lucian knew nothing about it. That Duke is really¡­ Ah, he hit me on the back of the head. I remembered how that same Duke suddenly shipped me off to the southern vi before. I couldn¡¯t get used to the way he would just hit and run like that. Shouldn¡¯t he at least give a good exnation first so that it¡¯s easier for me to digest and understand? I was worried about revealing it here, ncing at Noah while hesitating to answer. But then, Elliot swooped in. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m here to discuss something very important with her, Young Master.¡± Even as Lucian¡¯s gaze was solely fixed on me, his eyebrow twitched, finding Elliot¡¯s voice unpleasant. His change in expression was only for a split second, so I was probably the only one who saw it. ¡°What important matter?¡± Lucian asked politely in a low, subdued tone. In return, Elliot smiled brightly. My stomach dropped right then as I felt the ominous sign, but the trash booger king ran his mouth yet again. ¡°I proposed to the Princess just now.¡± ¡°¡­Proposed¡­ So you mean¡ª¡± ¡°Proposal?¡± Of course they were shocked. Perhaps because of this, Noah¡¯s voice rose slightly. ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± As though it was something to be expected, his tone suggested a subtle nuance. Then, in a hard voice, Lucian replied. ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Elliot asked without backing down. ¡°Father couldn¡¯t have allowed Ray to get married.¡± It seemed like he was truly shocked. His face was white as his expression was nk. Elliot chuckled. Then, he denied it. ¡°I couldn¡¯t havee here without the Duke¡¯s permission. Isn¡¯t that so? It¡¯s a proposal between an Imperial Prince and a Ducal Princess. His Majesty has also given his blessing, so how could the Duke not allow it?¡± Lucian¡¯s hands clenched into fists, the veins on his wrists swelling. As I saw this, I cut into their conversation. ¡°Your Highness. I definitely turned you down just a while ago.¡± ¡°¡­His Majesty has allowed it. You¡¯re still going to reject me?¡± Yes. The Emperor¡¯s opinion on this doesn¡¯t matter. I will never marry you. Are you nuts? Unless I had Stockholm Syndrome, why the hell would I marry you? The more I thought about it, the more ridiculous it all was. His lips twitched unconsciously. Whenever this happens, I recall that this ce was the webtoon ¡´ There is Another Doll Living in the Dollhouse ¡µ The original was full of people who¡¯ve gone mad. I stared at Elliot, the craziest of them all, as he raised only one corner of his lips. What was different from the original was that this lunatic was aiming for me now instead of Noah. Apart from that, Lucian wasn¡¯t someone filled with regrets anymore. I nced at Noah. He seemed to be mulling over something, but oh, he still looked so beautiful. The ceiling of the orangery was made of ss, so the sun¡¯s rays gracefully fell over him. The power of blond hair beneath the gentle sunlight was incredible. It looked like there was a halo over his head. ¡°Brother Noah.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡± Oh, I see. Noah, you think this whole situation is boring, right? I¡¯m bored, too. I¡¯ve been repeating the same things over and over for a while already. At that time, Lucian stared at Noah grimly. ¡°Don¡¯t talk informally to Ray. Isn¡¯t that rule only applicable to salon members?¡± ¡°Ah, I apologize, Princess.¡± No, Lucian¡­ Aren¡¯t you scolding your lover? Of course, this Noona raised you well, so I get why you¡¯re strict. But I like Noah, too. ¡°No, Brother. It¡¯s fine¡­¡± Lucian¡¯s face was unreadable then. ¡°You are Rachel de Leon. Should you be disrespected like this?¡± Alright, I¡¯ll admit. This was kind of touching. You really think of me as family now, huh? Thank you, Lucian. It didn¡¯t seem like a big deal, but this was something touching for me. Even if I¡¯m using the same surname, I was still nothing more than an outsider. I always tried to be aware of that while keeping my distance. But look how happy I was from just hearing that I was considered as their family, and from Lucian no less? I held Lucian¡¯s hand tightly and beamed. As I smiled brightly, Lucian¡¯s expression softened. I didn¡¯t care about how Elliot and Noah were looking at us then. At this moment, I could only see Lucian. This was amazing. I already knew it, but this really cemented the fact that I was a huge, genuine fan of his. I liked everything he said or did. But when I heard these words from him, the happiness I felt was beyond anything else. ? ¡°Tsk, what should I do?¡± Flustered by the whole situation, Noah finally managed to escape the estate. ¡°Kylus!¡± When Noah shouted this name aloud, another voice resonated within his mind as though it came from a fog. ¡ªWhy are you being so loud? This kid is so arrogant with his ancestors. ¡°You definitely said that. You said that Lucian likes me.¡± ¡ªYeah, that was the future I saw with my foresight. I saw that Leon¡¯s young master couldn¡¯t get enough of you. ¡°Then isn¡¯t there something wrong? In the first ce, I thought it didn¡¯t make sense that another man liked me.¡± ¡ªWho do you think is helping out the Barony now? If I hadn¡¯t told you in advance, would you have been able to run that business of yours. Haa. You¡¯re my descendant. Just be obedient. Being reprimanded like this again today, Noah¡¯s breath was caught in his throat. This voice would pressure him from time to time. ¡ªIf you can¡¯t seduce the young master of Leon, how about the princess? ¡°Rachel?¡± ¡ªWhy, don¡¯t you like her too? I like her. The sparkling eyes of hers that are like the night sky reminds me of the past saintess. ¡°Saintess?¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right. With the noble sacrifice of your ancestors, the Leonis Empire was able to thrive, and yet you¡¯re so ignorant of yournd¡¯s history. This was all possible only because of your ancestors! It¡¯s not the Imperial family that¡¯s amazing! If anyone else heard it, it was clearly a remark that could easily be misunderstood as contempt against the Imperial family. Noah looked around even though he knew that this voice could only be heard by him. ¡ªI can¡¯t trust you. Let¡¯s switch for a while. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡ªOho! When your ancestor asks for something, don¡¯t disregard it. You descendants are always so¡ª! Even though it wasn¡¯t much of a scolding, his head felt numb. The clear wall between them quickly became blurred. ¡°Huu, this is making me so frustrated. I just need to borrow your body, why do you have to make it so difficult. It would have been nice to have one more descendant! That good for nothing father of yours who couldn¡¯t even sire more children and just ruined the Barony.¡± Kylus, who had dominated Noah¡¯s body, roughly knocked on the carriage roof. After that, the coachman stopped suddenly and opened the smallpartment window. ¡°Young master, why did you ask me to stop?¡± ¡°I forgot something. Go back to the Leon estate.¡± ¡°¡­Of course.¡± Feeling something off with Noah, the coachman stared at him for a moment before answering. The carriage turned back the way it came. Humming, Kylus recalled Rachel, who he had seen before. ¡°Our saintess. Our beautiful saintess¡­ What do you look like?¡± ? Lucian came into Rachel¡¯s room with her. He was frustrated because he couldn¡¯t believe it all. He couldn¡¯t understand what his father was thinking. Why bother pretending as if Rachel would live with you for the rest of your life when you were actually thinking of handing over Rachel to such a dastardly looking prince? ¡°Brother, what are you thinking about?¡± Rachel sat on the sofa and called out to him. He had been standing nkly, but at the sound of her voice, his gaze shifted. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t anything particr.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been absent-minded a lot.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Rachel often said things that he couldn¡¯t understand. And she sometimes looked at me as if she were proud of her younger brother. It was definitely like that before. He couldn¡¯t understand it, but she definitely looked at him like that before. What the hell was she so proud about. Rather, did it even make sense that she looked at him with such pride? Lucian was frustrated. It felt like something was twisting inside him. Just the thought of losing her made him feel breathless. Standing at a distance, he moved his long legs and went over to Rachel, sitting beside her. Then, he put his head on herp. ¡°Um, Brother?¡± Advanced Chapters! Chapter 52 Trantor: Yonnee Chapter 52 Luciannguidly raised his gaze at the sound of Rachel¡¯s call. When he looked at her, her emerald irises shook. He felt better knowing that Rachel reacted to him in this way. He¡¯d been feeling horrible since he met those eyesores¡ªthe prince, Noah and the two shapeshifters. But he felt better now. As he folded his long legs onto the sofa, he turned around and saw her stomach rising and falling steadily as she breathed. He put his arms around her slender waist just as she did to him earlier. Hugging her tightly, he rubbed his face on her lower abdomen. ¡°B-Brother?¡± There was a tug on the corners of his lips when he heard the jolt in her voice. It was so good to see her be flustered by him. It was lovely. So lovely that he wanted to eat her up. At some point, he became more curious about the taste of her fingers rather than the taste of the grapes that she would feed him. If he put her fingers in her mouth to taste her, they would likely be much sweeter than the grapes. She might avoid him in embarrassment or shock, but just her fingers weren¡¯t enough for him. Her pale fingers, her thin wrists, her forearms. He had always wanted to trace every part of her skin, leaving red patches as he sucked on her white flesh, until he would reach her soft, supple nape. He wanted to bite it and leave his mark on her. She was like warm water. When a bathtub is filled with warm water, it was only warm for a certain period, then it would cool down after a while. But he hoped that she would think of him likeva that was boiling, its temperature far higher than the degree needed to be scorching. Rather than that proud expression she reserved for him, he wished he could change this to a look of abashment. Don¡¯t make eye contact naturally. Be more embarrassed because you don¡¯t know what to do when you make eye contact. If her cheeks would bloom red due to tension, if she were to be left hot and panting. That would be ideal¡­ ¡°Brother, do you feel sick?¡± Rachel became worried about Lucian¡¯s unusual behavior. His heart fluttered as though he were a child, but what he was worried about was more than that. ¡°No.¡± The short answer was firm, and Rachel looked down at Lucian with a curious stare, her hand carefully stroking his soft ck hair. His face was so close to her stomach that he couldn¡¯t breathe, but he was happy that she was stroking his hair like this. As his hair grew more ruffled as shebed her fingers through, it felt like the clouds in his night sky were slowly being cleared up. Concentrating on the feel of her touch, Lucian drew a drowsy breath. Just her touch eased all the tension he felt. He took her other hand. As he stared at her pale wrist, he soon closed his eyes and gently brought it to his lips. Her pulse could be felt as his lips touched her skin. He brushed his lips over her wrist left and right, feeling the pulse that revealed her heart beats. ¡°Heup¡ªBro, ther¡­?¡± Her flustered voice that was far from the usual calm, gentle tone gave him satisfaction. He gently pressed her palm with his fingertips, his lips still lightly clinging to her wrist. But as he moved away for just a moment, Lucian stared at the wrist, not liking how pale it was. Soon, he gathered his lips together and suckled her skin, making it red. ¡°Ah, it tickles!¡± As she eximed in surprise, red petals became engraved on her wrist. Lucian smiled satisfactorily as he looked at it. Then, pretending not to know, he hugged her waist again and closed his eyes. ¡°Brother, are you going to sleep? What¡¯s wrong with you today? Are you tired?¡± He didn¡¯t answer her questions. There¡¯s no way he could fall asleep here. How could he fall asleep when in his arms was her soft body, her sweet scent permeating his senses fully? That would be a waste¡­ Right then, in the middle of these dangerous thoughts, Enzo piped up. ¡ªGoodness, like a fox¡­ Keke, well, I don¡¯t hate it¡­ Hearing Enzo¡¯s words, Lucian opened his previously closed eyes. Come to think of it, among Rachel¡¯s servants, the fox shapeshifter had red fiercely at the prince. He had always been arrogant, but even more so today, he was behaving unusually. On top of that, Rachel wasn¡¯t someone who would stay still. Lucian often witnessed her scolding the fox. But throughout teatime earlier, she allowed the fox to show such a rude attitude. There must be a reason. Lucian buried his face into her waist, which he embraced tighter as he thought to secretly visit Rachel¡¯s shapeshifters. Right then, he heard a sharp breath of surprise. Lucian felt that this was because she was nervous, finally taking notice of him. He was happy. ¡°Oh my. If you fall asleep like this¡­ How will I breathe¡­ Huu¡­¡± He was happy just hearing her soft murmurs falling over his ears. ? Ah¡­ Someone once said that the wait was bitter, but the fruits of yourbor will be sweet. ¡°Huu, but what do I do if all I can do is wait?¡± I muttered as I looked down at Lucian, who fell asleep on myp. I didn¡¯t know why he was suddenly acting like a kid. What¡¯s wrong with him today? I was worried that he would wake up because of me, so I stroked his hair slowly. Now that I¡¯m looking down at him like this, it reminded me of when we were young. He was bigger and taller now, but back then, I was sad that he was so skinny. At his child-like appearance, my heart was touched. ¡°How can I get married like this?¡± Even if it wasn¡¯t the trash booger king, I had no intention of getting married yet. I was going to live happily with my bias for just a little while longer. Then, when my bias brings in his lover, I¡¯d congratte them both, then move out and live somewhere else. In the first ce, could I even get married? I wasn¡¯t someone who knew what a family was, so I don¡¯t even know how I could meet a lover and start loving him. Just as I studied theories by reading textbooks, I only learned about love through books or movies. Lucian was the only person I was devoted to. This ce where he was in was the best world for me, so I would like it if I could stay at the Duchy. Wherever he was is like heaven to me. Forgetting the burdensome situation earlier, I hummed a luby and continued to stroke his hair. I repeated only short verses. ¡°Good night, our Lucian. In the front yard, in the rear garden, the birds and sheep have slept. Good night, my dear Lucian.¡± It was awkward to my ears because I had never heard a luby sung to me, nor have I ever tried singing one, but this phrase was all I could think of, and so I sang, hoping that he¡¯d get a good night¡¯s sleep. I could feel my back aching already, but I kept singing the luby like that. ¡¤ Before I knew it, I also fell asleep. When I opened my eyes, it was already morning, and I was lying on my bed. ¡°Mdy, are you up?¡± ¡°Huh? When did I fall asleep?¡± ¡°You fell asleep without even having dinner. Were you very tired¡­?¡± I thought she would nag at me because of yesterday¡¯s incident, but Amber was busy just looking at myplexion. ¡°Really?¡± But as I listened to Amber, I felt that it was still the same. I got up and stretched. ¡°I want meat for breakfast today. And I¡¯ll take Doggy and Damian to the mountain out backter.¡± ¡°I did wonder why you weren¡¯t doing what you used to do everyday in the south¡­¡± Amber scolded me, but even so, she prepared some rose water for me to washfortably. This is why I like Amber. I¡¯m sure she knew that I acted very differentlypared to other aristocrats, but it¡¯s still good not to show my emotions. I washed quickly and changed my clothes. Then, I got up from my seat after only eating four sausages. After changing into horseback riding clothes, I went to the ce where Doggy and Damian resided. ¡°Doggy, Damian, are you guys still sleeping?¡± These two were usually up before I did. Perhaps because they¡¯re shapeshifters, but their physical conditions were amazing. After I knocked on the door, I opened it to see that Doggy and Damian were already up. Um, what should I say? They¡¯re up, but it seems like they¡¯re kind of exhausted. Sitting on the bed, it seemed as if they had trained their swordsmanship at the training grounds or something. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Only then did the two raise their heads. ¡°Master, you¡¯re here?¡± Damian rose from his seat and greeted me. And as soon as Doggy saw me, he teared up. ¡°Master! I hate your brother so much!¡± ¡°Doggy!¡± Damian tried to stop him, but I already heard everything. Doggy got into trouble yet again. ¡°Hm, you can say that you don¡¯t like him, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that he¡¯s my brother.¡± ¡°¡­Master really hates me.¡± ¡°When did I feel that way? If someone really hates you, don¡¯t you know they would do?¡± At what I said, Doggy lifted his head, which he had previously bowed timidly. ¡°If humans hate me, what will they do?¡± ¡°Humans bully others when they hate someone. But if the level of hatred goes beyond the surface level, there would be no reaction. They won¡¯t pay attention to you.¡± He tilted his head to the side as though he couldn¡¯t understand what I was saying. His white hair cascaded down gently. After carefully sweeping up Doggy¡¯s hair as he was still seated, I continued exining. ¡°It takes a lot of energy to hate someone. That¡¯s why if it goes beyond hatred, they wouldn¡¯t pay attention anymore. They would ignore it as if it never even existed.¡± As he nuzzled his cheek into my hand, Doggy muttered. ¡°Humans are moreplex than I thought. Master, is itplicated for you, too?¡± Advanced Chapters! The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!