I Wasn't Trying to Seduce with the Male Lead - Episode 35

“Don’t be ridiculous, it’s not a threat.”

Eleanor knew how to distinguish between people who could be swayed by such things and those who couldn’t.

“I’m merely stating the possibilities I’ve considered based on my situation.”

The duchess’s eyes took on a strange look at Eleanor’s clear response.

“Then let me tell you my possibilities.”

The duchess’s voice was overbearing.

“I could kill you right here and use your corpse to make Lian give up.”

Wasn’t it so?

Although it was reckless, spending the night with him was ultimately her own choice.

The duchess stared intently at Eleanor, who didn’t deny it, and asked sharply, “You’re not without feelings, are you? What’s your reason for wanting to leave?”

“I know what it’s like to belong somewhere you’re not welcome.”

Since she was 15, she had endured horrific persecution, humiliation, and insults from her in-laws, and had barely managed to establish a foundation to live on her own.

Give up all that for a brief encounter and an uncertain relationship?

Besides, it was absurd for someone who was currently threatening her life to ask such a question.

“I don’t wish for anything beyond my station. There’s no need to insist on a relationship that would only cause harm.”

“Unexpectedly, you lack ambition.”

It seemed the duchess wasn’t pleased with how cleanly Eleanor was backing down, even though she had just been threatening her.

“For a commoner, nothing is more important than surviving to see tomorrow.”

The duchess clicked her tongue in a low voice.

“Honestly, you’re in a situation where it wouldn’t be strange for you to die instantly. You’ve angered someone you shouldn’t have.”

“Yes. I’ve made too many enemies.”

“Most enemies don’t matter. The person you truly need to be wary of is perhaps just one.”

Was she referring to herself?

“It’s fortunate for you that I am also wary of that person.”

The duchess mumbled something incomprehensible and then moved back.

“For now, I’ll let you live.”

Finally, those words came from the duchess’s mouth.

“Does that mean you’ll protect me?”

“It wouldn’t be difficult, but I see no value in doing so. For now, I’ll just watch.”

It wasn’t the answer she wanted, but the tension that had gripped Eleanor’s body dissipated. She thought she was composed, but only after she felt a sense of relief did she realize how stressed she had been.

“You will stay here.”

“Pardon?”

“You must remain in my sight until I reach a conclusion.”

Since she had ended up there with no proper place to hide, staying wasn’t a bad idea, but she was bewildered, not understanding the intention behind holding her back.

To Eleanor, who was blinking blankly, the duchess said gruffly, “Why do you look like that?”

“I thought you’d tell me to disappear from the Duke’s side immediately.”

“If you were to leave this place, you’d probably be a corpse.”

Eleanor was more surprised by the duchess’s muttered words that followed her cold remark.

“I could have done exactly that… but it wasn’t bad that you didn’t try to win my favor with clumsy pleas or vulgar sweet talk.”

This was…

Did she see it as a good thing?

The content of her words seemed to suggest so, but it was hard to tell because the duchess’s expression was a deep frown.

“Don’t get complacent just because I said that, and it would be best not to displease me. Even though I’ve decided to let you live, my patience is not deep.”

After adding the chilling words, the duchess stepped back as if to leave the room.

‘Whew. Is it over now?’

As she watched the duchess turn to leave, she let out a sigh of relief at the situation where her head would remain attached to her neck for another day.

“Who is that?”

The duchess’s gaze was fixed on the slightly raised bed.

She had just been warned not to displease her.

A cold sweat ran down Eleanor’s back at the crisis that had immediately followed.

“Was the Duke of Phaedra not enough, so you brought another man?”

“No. That person isn’t a man…”

Eleanor stopped in the middle of her answer. The person wasn’t a man, but it was by no means a fortunate situation.

Could she get out of this crisis?

“Not a man?”

“…Just a kidnapped young lady.”

She thought a longer explanation would sound more pathetic, so she just told the truth.

“Kidnapped?”

“Yes.”

As Eleanor’s answer remained unchanged even after a second confirmation, the duchess’s brows furrowed even more.

“I knew I kept smelling blood in this room.”

“That blood is mine.”

Eleanor’s quietly added words went unnoticed as the duchess approached Bianca and confirmed her face.

“Which family’s young lady is this girl?”

“She is Bianca Vais, the daughter of the Marquis.”

“She’s a young lady with a bad reputation, but was there a reason to kidnap her?”

“Well… she tried to poison me yesterday.”

The duchess’s eyebrows shot up at Eleanor’s answer.

“Is that true?”

Eleanor gave a slight nod.

Perhaps because it gave the impression that she wasn’t lying, the duchess’s expression turned to one of understanding.

“An attempted poisoning and a kidnapping…”

The duchess’s lips, which had been in a constant frown, softened.

“Still, it seems there’s something you know how to do properly.”

Huh?

“We Northerners have a saying from long ago: ‘If you have time to complain, don’t waste it, and plan your revenge immediately.'”

She patted Eleanor’s shoulder and advised her.

“When something like this happens, you should handle it properly so there are no repercussions.”

After saying her piece, the duchess left the room.

It seemed she had scored points in a strange way.

Eleanor was dumbfounded before she eventually sighed and sank to the floor.

In Eogainos,

The emperor, seated on a high chair in his office, frowned, glaring at the handsome young man standing before him.

“Say that again.”

He hoped he had heard wrong, but Liane repeated the same words in a calm tone.

“I said I would go and subjugate Hakmersia.”

The emperor’s hand, resting on the delicately crafted table, clenched into a fist.

“Did you hear what I said before that?”

“You said that if I propose to the princess and announce it at the next banquet, I wouldn’t have to participate in the Hakmersia subjugation.”

Lian’s voice was very clear.

However, the emperor, considering the slight possibility that he had misinterpreted his intentions, asked more bluntly, “The subjugation of Hakmersia won’t be an easy task, even for you.”

Lian nodded slightly as if he knew.

“The subjugation of the magical beasts is necessary for the empire, but the engagement with the princess was an arrangement made long ago. Shouldn’t it be a priority to resolve that quickly and put the people of the empire at ease?”

“I don’t know if it was arranged a long time ago…”

Lian’s red lips stated without hesitation, “It has nothing to do with the subjugation of Hakmersia. I will not get engaged to the princess.”

The emperor’s composure, which he had been barely suppressing, began to crack.

“What is… the reason?”

Liane answered calmly to the emperor’s gritted-teeth question.

“I have a woman I love.”

Even Zeppelin, who rarely lost his composure, felt a chill run down his spine at that answer.

“Don’t tell me that person is…?”

“The person you are expecting is probably correct, Your Majesty.”

Wrinkles appeared on the emperor’s forehead, which was taut for his age, and his mouth was distorted with anger.

“Are you… prepared to take responsibility for what you’ve just said?”

“My heart will not change no matter what happens.”

Anger was so rampant on the emperor’s face that Zeppelin, who was standing by, flinched.

However, Lian’s expression remained unchanged despite receiving the emperor’s solitary wrath.

“I didn’t want to force you to obey an order… but if it’s necessary for the empire and the imperial family, I have no choice.”

The emperor showed his teeth as if threatening him.

It was, in effect, an ultimatum.

The office, which was suddenly as quiet as if a bucket of water had been poured over it, was filled only with the sound of Zeppelin swallowing.

The silence did not last long.

“I intended to live as Your Majesty’s sword for my entire life.”

Lian’s purple eyes held a calm yet deep power.

“Please hold me so that I cannot betray you.”

His low voice left no room for negotiation.

Zeppelin closed his eyes in a sigh.

The silence that seemed as if it would last forever ended with a single word from the emperor.

“…Leave.”

The emperor said in a heavy voice, as if suppressing his boiling emotions.

Perhaps it was the first time in his life that someone born with such high status had to be so patient with a single person.

Lian gave a proper bow and slowly turned to leave. His back as he left was so calm that the recent conversation seemed unbelievable.

Even though the emperor’s gaze was burning holes into his back, there was no sign of wariness on Lian’s broad shoulders.

Even after Liane was gone, Zeppelin didn’t dare to speak.

After a long while, the emperor spoke in a tone as if he was spitting out the words.

“Order Lian to subjugate Hakmersia.”

Despite the situation where he shouldn’t displease the emperor, Zeppelin offered honest advice.

“Your Majesty. The Hakmersia subjugation is not an urgent matter. Now that the objective has been thwarted, there’s no need to push forward…”

“Send Count Calabria out of the capital with the Knights, and take care of that woman.”

The emperor cut off Zeppelin’s words and quickly gave the order.

“Don’t worry about public opinion. If necessary, you can even say it’s an order from the emperor.”

So, it’s come to this.

He was going to resolve the issue coercively, setting aside the honor of the imperial family and appearances.

If this happened, a conflict was unavoidable. It was obvious that Lian would be extremely angry and would resist, given what had been said.

“Your Majesty. If that is your will, there is a safer and simpler method.”

Zeppelin spoke in a somber voice.

“You can use the oath to command Count Calabria’s forced obedience.”

If he was going to resist anyway, there was no need to take on the risk of Lian’s danger during the beast subjugation or the risk of him becoming uncontrollable upon his return.

However, the emperor shook his head.

“I would have done so if I could.”

“But you clearly said before…”

He had clearly acknowledged the existence of the oath before, so why was he holding back now?

As Zeppelin was puzzled, the emperor slowly rose and turned towards the window.

“However, the owner of the oath is Eileen.”

Zeppelin was flustered by the unexpected words.

As he was speechless, the emperor continued, looking at the princess’s palace, “Rosagrande,” which rose beyond the window.

“I did that so that even if I die and disappear, Liane would not be able to betray her. I was going to tell them when the two of them were deeply in love.”

“Your Majesty…”

“I can bear all the burdens. Eileen doesn’t need to know.”

Was he choosing the path that could make his daughter’s life a little happier, even if it meant risking danger?

If it was such an emotional matter, there was no need to advise on what was more efficient.

Zeppelin bowed his head deeply.

“I will follow your command.”

Zeppelin, who had left Eogainos, walked across the central courtyard of the imperial palace.

Amidst the countless thoughts he had to organize, one question dominated his mind.

‘What would happen if the princess were to find out about the oath?’

If the princess used the oath, Liane would be forced to obey her for the rest of his life and would not be able to disobey her.

‘An angelic princess would never abuse it.’

However, an endless sense of foreboding came over him.

As if to escape from it, Zeppelin wrapped the collar of his formal robe around his neck and walked with heavy steps.

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