I Wasn't Trying to Seduce with the Male Lead - Episode 11

Elenor’s jaw dropped at Lian’s words.

“What… what did you say?”

“If you need money, I’ll get it. I’m sure there’s enough wealth at the mansion to buy a dress.”

Lian said with a serious face. Elenor was so flustered she couldn’t even speak.

‘He’s the darling of the empire, so why is he such a pushover!’

Come to think of it, didn’t he get tricked into proposing? He was a man with too much devotion and a strong sense of responsibility.

“What are you even saying, seriously!” Elenor’s anger flared, and the words just tumbled out. “What if I take all your money and run away?”

Lian’s lips curled into a smile, watching Elenor, who had just been asking for money, now get angry.

“If we run out of money, I’ll rob someone to feed you, so don’t worry.”

What was a man who would one day become a Grand Duke saying? In a flash, Elenor’s mind automatically replayed a history class 100 years in the future.

Henry, can you tell me what happened in the 549th year of the Henry Empire?

Yes, teacher.] Henry answered confidently. It was the year the empire’s greatest knight became a bandit leader due to his lover’s extravagance.

No. This was absolutely not it. While she was proud of Henry for studying so thoroughly, she couldn’t let a child be taught such a history. She had no desire to make her mark on history in that way.

As Elenor shook her head gloomily, Lian took another step closer.

“I can buy you things like that anytime. I want to see you in a beautiful dress, too.”

“Are you serious?”

“Hmm, to be honest…” Lian put on a playful expression. “I’m more interested in seeing you take it off in front of me, though.”

His words were so suggestive, but also so sweet. Her heart was pounding so hard she felt like she would go crazy.

“I don’t need gifts with such… heinous intentions.” She bowed her head to hide her turmoil, mumbling her words. Her lips kept twitching upwards, making it hard to speak properly.

“Elenor.”

At the sound of his low voice, she flinched. Lian had gently taken the hand she had been holding out for money.

“I know you’re not that kind of woman.”

His hand was very large. She could feel his warm body heat where their hands touched. Everyone was watching them. She should pull her hand away, but for some reason, her body wouldn’t move.

“Even if you try to torment me to push me away, I will endure it all.”

His low voice was like a hypnotic spell.

“Because I know how lovely you are when you finally open your heart and return to your true self.”

Lian gently lifted Elenor’s chin with his hand. Her head lifted without resistance, and she found herself looking into Lian’s eyes.

“So just say whatever you want. I’m ready.”

His handsome face was serious and looked at her with such intensity. Looking into his eyes, the heart she had to keep closed kept trying to open. What should she do? That was all that was on her mind.

It was then. Suddenly, the silence inside the mansion was broken by a commotion.

“Huh? What’s that?”

People started milling about in confusion. She could hear shouting from inside. What was happening? As Elenor looked around in surprise, a clear voice reached her ears.

“It’s the private army of the Duke of Calabria!”

The Duke’s private army? They must have come for Lian. What should she do? Her mind, already on overload, felt like it was about to explode. Too much was happening.

As she stood there, flustered, Lian grabbed her arm and pulled her close. “Come this way.”

She hadn’t made up her mind, but she had no choice but to follow him to avoid falling. The two walked quickly, cutting through the winding, maze-like garden hedges.

“Where are we going?”

“I’m trying to get away from here for now.”

Elenor was extremely flustered. “What are you going to do by getting away? Let’s go back right now!”

“I won’t go.” Lian cut her off with a voice that left no room for compromise.

“People were watching us! They’ll tell them which way we went!”

“Then it would be better to walk a little faster to avoid getting caught and inconvenienced.”

Why was this man’s conclusion so illogical? As Elenor grumbled to herself, Lian suddenly pulled her into his arms.

“Ah!”

“Excuse me.”

He lifted Elenor up with surprising ease and increased his speed. He looked like he was just walking, but he was moving faster than if he were running using a teleportation technique. She suddenly remembered that Lian was a member of the Imperial Knights, said to be able to fight a thousand ordinary people. He was even the youngest knight commander in the history of the empire.

He traversed the garden at an incredible speed, as if he knew the way, and finally jumped lightly over a wall that was almost shoulder-high. For some reason, a carriage was already waiting outside.

“Did you prepare this beforehand?”

“Yes.”

“You want me to get in this? What kind of nonsense is that?”

“It is nonsense. I apologize.” Lian’s honest admission and bow of apology actually flustered Elenor. “But I really want to be with you today.”

Lian’s voice held a power that was hard to refuse. However, Elenor couldn’t readily accept his offer.

“Why today of all days? There are so many other days.”

Today is a very important day for you.

“Because today is a very important day for me.”

Elenor was startled by Lian’s words, which sounded as if he had read her mind. From the garden, the shouts of the Calabria soldiers still echoed as they searched for Lian.

But Lian tried to persuade her instead of forcing her into the carriage.

“Elenor.”

Lian called her name with a serious face. Being so close to him, it was embarrassing to look directly at his handsome features.

“Do you really have no feelings for me at all?”

His violet eyes were very serious.

“Did you feel nothing even after we spent the night together?”

She should say yes. But she couldn’t make herself say the words.

When Elenor remained silent, Lian’s lips curved upwards. “Then that’s enough.”

Lian lifted Elenor up and sat her in the carriage. He then grabbed the reins.

“Hold on tight.”

“Ah, but!”

I didn’t say anything!

Before Elenor could finish her sentence, the carriage began to gallop at a high speed. It shook so wildly that Elenor had no choice but to close her mouth to avoid biting her tongue. The carriage maintained its speed until they left the city. Just as Elenor, unable to bear the vibrations, began to consider jumping out, they entered a deserted forest path. The carriage’s speed slowed slightly, and she felt a little relieved.

Elenor was about to ask where they were going, but Lian held up his hand.

“Deneb is out.”

“Deneb?”

“It’s a star that’s visible for only one day a year in the Empire.”

Hearing that, she remembered that the Crown Princess was born on the Day of Deneb and was called the ‘Star Maiden.’ Lian began to point out its location with his finger.

“When I was six, my parents brought a famous fortuneteller to the house to tell my future. He told me a lot of things, but only one fortune remains in my memory.”

It was surprising to hear Lian, who didn’t seem like the type to believe in such things, say this. But Eleanor was interested in astrology, so she showed her curiosity.

“What was the fortune?”

“He said that on the night Deneb appears in the year I turn 20, the person I spend the night with would be my lifelong partner.”

Eleanor almost gasped in admiration. ‘That fortuneteller must be incredibly good.’ It was perfect, as he was supposed to be united with the Crown Princess today.

Lian’s story continued. “It was just something a fortuneteller said, but I somehow felt it would be true. Whether by coincidence or fate, on that day, a woman would come into my life and shake my heart.”

“So I’m not going to the Imperial Palace tonight. If I weren’t with you, I would have just stayed at home.” Lian’s tone was firm. No matter what she said, he would not return to the palace.

“What if…” Eleanor looked up at Deneb and asked in a small voice, “What if that night three days ago hadn’t happened? Would you have gone to the palace?”

“Perhaps, if I had never met you at all.” Lian smiled, his gaze fixed on Eleanor. “But you came to me.”

Her heart fluttered and ached.

“Eleanor.” The way he said her name had a strange resonance, like a different language. “I have many things I want to tell you, but as you said, we can take our time with that.”

“I just want to ask you one thing.”

Lian extended one of the hands holding the reins and gently took the hand resting on Eleanor’s lap. His large hand was just the right temperature, but she felt as if she would be burned by its heat.

“Stay with me tonight.”

His tone was plain, but it felt like a devil’s temptation. When Eleanor remained silent, Lian gently tightened his grip on her hand as if to urge her. If she refused now, would he send her back? His eyes seemed to ask, but they showed no sign of backing down.

Eleanor, her face flushed, lowered her head and replied primly, “I have no choice but to go with you, do I?”

Even with her reluctant-sounding reply, Lian looked very happy.

“Where are we going?”

“Do you know La Floide?”

Eleanor’s lips parted.

La Floide.

A symbol of wealth. The most beautiful castle in the Empire. It was the castle of the Floide Dukedom, the only one of the five dukes to have purchased their title solely with wealth, not with a founding military. In the original story, there was a lot of content about how the male lead benefited from the Calabria Dukedom, the strongest military family in the empire, after marrying the Crown Princess, but there was almost no mention of the Floide Dukedom on his mother’s side. There was only a mention of its reputation as the richest family in the empire. Since the Imperial Family’s wealth was also immense, there was no reason to mention it.

“Entry is strictly forbidden unless you are of Floide blood or have an invitation. So you don’t have to worry about getting hassled by the private army.”

“But there…”

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