Chapter 1
“It’s you again, Your Highness.”
‘I wonder if he was waiting for me.’
I looked at the man before me, masking joy behind his low-pitched voice.
Pale skin, dark brown eyes peering at me through spectacles, neatly combed, pitch black hair and a low hair tie.
As usual, dressed in a black tailcoat that covered his frame to his jawline.
Why does his neat appearance look so cheeky today?
So, the fact that he’s finally here…
Purposely, I made my tone offensive.
“Yeah, it is me again. Must’ve been a shame.”
“…..”
He pulled and loosened his cravat as if he were thirsty.
His stoic expression as he loosened his tie gradually softened.
Gulp, I swallowed my dry saliva.
“Your Highness probably doesn’t understand the meaning of being here.”
His distinctive deep voice trailed off, and the moonlight illuminated his silhouette as he turned his back to the window.
I mean, I couldn’t bear this.
A voice conveying no enthusiasm for anything coupled with his dark brown eyes that showed no emotion.
However the passion he repressed within himself had led him to this situation…
‘As expected, it’s because of his love for her…’
The gladness I felt in seeing him was soon replaced with misery.
Conscious of him seeing my expression, I took a step back. Hiding my face under the moonlight.
“I don’t know why? The plan to kidnap the wonderful Lady of the Rosebury has been prevented.”
“…..”
“I’m sorry.”
I smiled, lifting one corner of my mouth. I unknowingly tightened my grip on the hood of my robe.
I held a small device in my hand. A magic tool to summon the black knights that were stationed outside to come at once.
But I knew how useless this was.
As this man in front of me was a sorcerer.
Despite possessing massive magic power, he was a sorcerer who was unable to study at the Magic Tower and thus self-developed his skills.
Even just one of his unique and light tactics would be difficult for the knights to counterattack.
‘Because he is the most powerful sorcerer of this generation.’
But then, I knew he wouldn’t harm me. No, actually, I thought he would. ‘But now that it comes to this… Indeed, it was all just my misunderstanding.’
Unknowing the reason for my sinking heart, I formed a vicious smile. With a heart toward throwing stones into the calm waters,
“Is it disappointing?”
There was no agitation on his face. Why I found it unpleasant, I still couldn’t fathom.
In fact, I didn’t want to think about my innermost feelings, which got complicated every time I faced him.
Because from the start, his heart was already set.
The Lady of Rosebury, Amelie. The heroine of this world.
This man, Lucifeus, is the ill-fated and obsessed second male lead who kidnapped her.
And I reincarnated with the goal to assure the relationship of the main characters goes smoothly.
It was natural for me to interfere with his plan over and over.
In my attempt to prevent the trials thrown at the main characters’ loving relationship, I fell snarling into his schemes instead of the female lead he had planned to kidnap.
However, today was somewhat… different from before.
Is it disappointment or annoyance?
Perhaps anger.
With my curious expression giving away, I forced myself to glare at him.
“Whatever it was, don’t blame me! The plan must have been a little sloppy because Sir was crazy about the alliance. Yet again, the effort was in vain.”
“Certainly it’s a pity.”
“…I guess so.”
Every time he expressed his affection for Amelie, my heart sank helplessly. I unconsciously bit my lower lip.
“By the way”
Lucifeus’ eyes deepened as he looked at me.
“Because Her Highness always blocked me, my disposition is not very good.”
Lucifeus stated. His words still contained no emotions.
Yeah, it’s a shame…
“Why don’t you engage in a healthier relationship? Not someone who has a partner!”
“The one with a partner, you mean?”
Lucifeus’ eyes shone brightly through his glasses.
Oh, he fell in love with Amelie before her relationship with the male lead.
“That’s the biggest problem! Of course, the problem is that her partner is Sir Leopold, who is also your friend.”
“…Your Highness always knew everything.”
Thump, the sound of footsteps was as soft as his voice. The shadows on my face grew darker.
I tilted my head down as I avoided his gaze.
“What is going on in the royal palace, what items are coming out in this secret auction, and why does the aristocracy covet them.”
“That’s…”
“Even the fight for the succession of Marquis Gables, or the fact that the aristocrats are paying attention to Hilberg.”
There was nothing to answer, so I just bit my lower lip.
“As you were aware of everything…”
Lucifeus’ last speech seemed garbled to me; I was unable to follow his meaning.
The silence continued to drag on, then he suddenly raised his hand.
His hands were always covered with black gloves.
He hesitated for a moment as he tried to move toward me, but then, he bit the finger of his glove and slowly pulled to remove it.
He was resolute in covering up his whole body, but sometimes he would show only his bare hand to me. And for that I….
For a moment my heart trembled at the memories that suddenly passed through my mind.
“…Her Highness has no reason to come here.”
His bare fingertips lingered from the tip of my chin to the apple of my cheek, and he then pressed his thumb on my lips. Unconsciously, I stopped biting my lip.
His touch had always given me a hot tingling sensation… I can’t let my composure fall apart like this, no, I took another step back.
As if I was hiding from his shadows.
The pale hands touching my face stopped midway between us.
The look in his eyes seemed a little melancholy.
‘No, everything is just an illusion.
‘Maybe it’s just a courteous sympathy.’
I lifted the corners of my mouth, trying to cast aside my self-ridiculing feelings.
“Well, do you want to personally inform me that my plan has failed? I didn’t expect to meet you here.”
“…if you did, it was something meaningless.”
His expression stiffened subtly in the shadows.
Yeah, you thought you would successfully kidnap Amelie but you failed, you must bear ill feelings towards me.
I spoke a little more loudly.
“It’s meaningless, Sir. Because you won’t achieve what you had hoped for.”
Lucifeus said nothing in response.
No matter what I said, I felt angry whenever I saw him coldly sinking. Why did I come to this delusion?
Why, in the end, I couldn’t stop the feelings I held for the heroine.
“Do you think that Lady Rosebury will give you a piece of her heart?”
“…..”
“That’s not love. Just twisted emotions, Sir! Wake up!”
Heat emitted from one of his eyes, and still, he was silent.
Did I succeed in tweaking his nerves? Maybe I was the one who was offended by my own words.
“Even if it was love, the way you express it, respectfully is wrong.”
Yeah, I felt offended.
His prolonged silence cloaking his true feelings was very unpleasant.
Why? What do I want to hear?
And why do I want to let him know that his passion for her is not love?
He slowly clenched his hand that was still caressing my lips.
I didn’t like whatever I was feeling from his actions. See, this was the issue.
I kept reading other intentions into his gestures.
I struck his chest.
There, yes, there was resentment.
“Why didn’t you avoid it?”
His calm composure upset me. “Don’t cling to others..!”
“Why don’t you know?”
The moment I tried to strike him again, he snatched my wrist.
I tried breaking free from him but I knew in the first place, it was impossible. There was no way to disengage from his tight hold.
“Let me go!”
I raised my other arm and aimed a blow at him, but the result was the same.
Warmth emanated from both of his hands.
“Let go!”
No matter how much I screamed like a madman, he still looked calm.
I tried to twist the grip away with all of my might but his hold remained the same, not moving an inch.
“It’s you who doesn’t know.”
Suddenly, he pulled my arms by the wrists he held. I lost my balance, heading face first into his chest.
“…Isn’t it Your Highness?”
“I know what? I know everything better than you Sir! I know the futility of your attempts.”
“That kind of thing!”
I was startled by the sudden voice above my head. Not because his voice was loud, but by how pained he sounded.
It was evident that he held his breath as much as he could so that I wouldn’t be surprised as he cut me off.
…I think the issue lies in the trust that was built up, “Do you think I don’t know that? How I…”
The dark brown eyes that I had always thought apathetic… Clearly, an emotion was clouding his gaze.
“Do people know you can make that face?”
“Your Highness… Wasn’t it dangerous?”
What?
At that moment, I lost my composed expression without realizing it.
“I wondered if I could see you like this, but I didn’t expect you’d come…”
I couldn’t believe I heard it correctly, and so I looked up at the man who was looking back at me. A subtle heat radiated from his face. Faintly covered with feelings of pain, regret, relief, worry, did I anticipate this?
It felt like something in my heart began to melt. I couldn’t take my attention away from him.
Suddenly then, his forehead bumped into mine… I slowly closed my eyes.
As if it was natural; as if it had been decided for a long time, I came to this place, knowing, as he came.
Yes perhaps, if I really have someone to save from being born in this world…