I Wasn't Trying to Seduce with the Male Lead - Episode 24

Leaving the room, Sky headed for the bathroom.

As he walked down the hallway, a man appeared before him like a mirage. It was Zenith, Sky’s trusted subordinate.

“You should postpone your return to the duchy.”

Sky had already been planning to do so. Before he could even ask why, Zenith spoke first.

“His Majesty the Emperor is looking for His Highness, the Duke.”

“The Emperor is looking for me? What for?”

“To be precise, he’s looking for everyone from the ducal family. A command has been issued for all dukes to attend a meeting this weekend.”

“Looks like he’s planning something.”

There was only one thing the Emperor would hastily plan by gathering all the dukes: the announcement of Lian Calabria’s engagement to the princess.

“Fine. I’ll postpone my return. Send someone to the duchy and let them know of the delay.”

As they spoke, the two men arrived at the bathroom. Sky nonchalantly stripped off his clothes, not paying any mind to Zenith. Sky’s dazzling, nude body was revealed.

Zenith, who had been absently looking at Sky’s sculpted physique, noticed something different about him. He asked a question in a tone as casual as discussing the weather.

“Are you… interested in that woman, in a sexual way?”

It was not a question one would ask so formally, but Sky took it in stride.

“Is there a problem with that?”

“I just thought you brought her along to keep Lian Calabria in check and gain an advantage.”

“That was the original plan, but now I’ve developed other interests.”

With a satisfied smile, Sky took a step into the spacious bathtub. Ripples spread from where his body touched the clear water.

As he immersed himself in the perfectly warm water, Sky continued, “She’s smart, unpredictable, and calculating.”

“Are those… advantages?”

“They are, if she’s the same way in the bedroom.”

Zenith frowned. “Then you plan to keep that woman in the detached palace?”

“I suppose so.”

Though I’ll have to persuade her not to leave.

“Let her move around freely.”

“Is that wise?”

“Yes. I’m curious to see what she’ll do if left alone.”

Sky wanted to keep Eleanor by his side. Having just narrowly escaped death last night and waking up in an unfamiliar place, her composure alone showed she was no ordinary woman. He figured that having her around would lead to many interesting events.

“The person who tried to kill her might try again.”

“Well, she’ll be more careful now, and Lyan is already protecting her, right? You should focus on guarding me instead,” Sky added jokingly. “You never know when Lian Calabria might turn his sword on me. If you fail to protect me, tomorrow you might be picking out designs for my tombstone.”

“Do you really believe Count Calabria cherishes that woman enough to harm you?”

“It’s certainly possible.”

Sky’s relaxed answer was met with skepticism from Zenith.

“What will you do if Count Calabria really does come for her?”

“I’ll welcome him inside with due respect,” Sky replied with a straight face, even chuckling to himself. “Then I’ll finally see an expression other than his usual stoic one. I’m looking forward to it.”

“…I will take care of the tasks you have assigned.”

Feeling it was useless to argue further, Zenith sighed softly and disappeared just as he had appeared.

Meanwhile, Bianca’s room was devoid of sunlight. She had shut the curtains tightly and was holed up inside. Beside her bed, a meal sat untouched. She was so hungry her stomach churned, but Bianca constantly wished that nothing would happen.

However, her desperate wish was not granted.

“Her Highness the Princess is here.”

A shiver ran through Bianca. She wanted to scream at them not to let the princess in, but her command would be useless. The only reason Bianca, a pariah in her own family, was treated with any respect was her closeness to the princess.

As expected, the door opened before she could even reply. A dark silhouette fell over Bianca’s face, causing her to flinch.

“Oh, my lady, were you still asleep?”

As the maid fussed and reached for the lights, the princess stopped her.

“It’s alright. I’ll handle it. You may rest.”

The princess went to the window, opened the curtains, and approached the bed. She lightly frowned when she saw Bianca, whose face was swollen from crying.

“Your face is a mess, Bianca.”

Her voice was full of concern. But Bianca was overcome with dread. The princess using formal language with her meant she was extremely angry.

“Just how much more are you going to disappoint me?”

Words that completely contradicted the smile on her lips flowed from the princess.

“I always try to be gentle, but every time I realize how useless you are, it’s just so disheartening. Even a half-wit could have done that much.”

The more she listened, the more she felt like the most wretched person in the world, but there was a strange comfort in the stinging words.

In a voice barely audible, Bianca asked, “Is the Baroness… is she, dead?”

“Wouldn’t that be a relief?” The princess’s blue eyes gleamed coldly. “According to the maid at the detached palace, she spent the night with Duke Phaedra and even called for a handmaiden.”

So the Baroness was safe. Bianca was so relieved she hadn’t become a murderer that she couldn’t help but feel a sense of ease.

Seeing this, the princess curled one side of her mouth into a smirk. “Bianca looks happy.”

“If, if the Baroness is with Duke Phaedra, then it means she’s no longer with Count Calabria… so, it’s what you wanted, Your Highness…”

Bianca couldn’t finish her sentence. The look in the princess’s eyes as she watched her was one of utter contempt, as if she were looking at a bug.

“I’ve felt this ever since you were a pariah, but you really have no sense of social cues, Bianca.”

Had she said something wrong again? The princess paced around Bianca’s room, seemingly unable to calm herself. The rustling of her dress rustled as she passed, and a scent filled the air.

“How could that common woman be with a man from a ducal family? Even if it is Phaedra. Now, those foolish people will elevate that filthy widow again, and you have no thoughts on that?”

It was terrifying when the princess, who never let her mask slip, was so blunt, even though they were alone. Yet, Bianca thought that perhaps being isolated somewhere else to avoid the princess might be better.

“If it were me, I’d rather die than be captured.”

Even though you’re the one who ordered it.

Bianca hated the princess, who spoke as if it were someone else’s problem. But she couldn’t even glare at her, let alone voice her feelings.

“What do you want me to do?”

“If you kill that woman, I might reconsider.”

That was no longer an option for Bianca. The moment she saw Eleanor drink the wine, she decided it would be better to die than to survive by killing someone.

“If I die, everything will be over, right?”

“So you’ve come to the worst conclusion.”

An aura so cold it was chilling radiated from the princess. She slowly approached Bianca, who was huddled with her knees to her chest, trembling.

“No. This failure is far too big to be forgiven by something so trivial.”

“B-but…”

“Listen carefully. You alone can’t end this.”

Bianca’s face turned pale. The princess, as if enjoying her terror, continued speaking slowly and deliberately. “Don’t worry. As a friend, I won’t make you watch the painful parts.”

The princess whispered in a gentle voice and stroked Bianca’s frizzy hair. “It’s a good thing, because if you go first, your friend will follow you soon enough.”

This meant that if Bianca died, the princess would kill Adrian right after.

“Well, I have to go see Father, so I’ll be leaving now.”

As the princess turned to leave, Bianca, who had been frozen, tumbled off the bed. She grabbed the hem of the princess’s dress and pleaded.

“Please, don’t hurt anyone else. It’s my fault, so I’ll die alone. I’ll make sure you don’t suffer any consequences.”

However, the princess pulled her dress hem away. Bianca would have done anything to save Adrian. But there was no way. What power did she have to save him from the princess’s grasp? Tears welled up in her helplessness and despair. Bianca tried to open her mouth to speak. She wanted to scream all the princess’s secrets out loud. But only a grotesque sound came out.

Frustrated, Bianca grabbed the teacup and teapot on the tray and threw them wildly. The expensive porcelain shattered, and the brown liquid splattered everywhere. She tried to dip her finger in the liquid to form letters, but only meaningless patterns appeared.

A maid who looked into the room at the commotion she had caused frowned and closed the door.

No one understood. A terrifying, desperate voice echoed in Bianca’s room all night.

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