I Wasn't Trying to Seduce with the Male Lead - Episode 72

“That’s preposterous!”

Eleanor’s sharp voice echoed in the room.

She had just heard Lian’s ‘plan.’

“I think it’s a pretty sound plan, actually.”

Lian calmly countered.

As he said, it wasn’t a completely ridiculous plan. Lian would enter, and Sky would let his guard down and put the Princess to sleep for 24 hours. During that time, he would remove the engraving and be freed from the vow of servitude. The pieces of the puzzle seemed to fit, but there were huge holes in the middle. And each one of those holes could lead to a fatal outcome if something went wrong.

“We can’t even contact anyone above, so how can you be sure and proceed? If Duke Phaidra fails, you’ll immediately lose your life.”

“I believe he will succeed.”

Lian said, seemingly reluctant to admit Sky’s competence. Of course, Eleanor also knew that Sky was capable, but she was still anxious.

Moreover, even if the plan succeeded, there was an even bigger problem.

“Even if Duke Sky buys time so that the death command can’t be given, you still have to remove the engraving to break the vow!”

Lian’s engraving was on his tongue. Removing it meant he would have to cut out his tongue.

“The method I came up with is much safer. There’s no risk of death, and you don’t need to cut off a part of your body,” Eleanor said, shedding her hesitant tone and trying to persuade Lian earnestly. “You might find it hard to believe me, but I’m certain that Millatrix is there. You could take Beatrice to the south without being noticed by the Princess and let her regain her power.”

“No. I can’t do that.”

No matter how she looked at it, Eleanor’s suggestion was the easier path. But Lian was unusually firm.

“Why on earth not?”

To Eleanor’s question, Lian gave an unexpected answer.

“I will not kill an innocent woman to give Beatrice her power back.”

So that was the problem. Eleanor was in a difficult position. She wasn’t a psychopath who enjoyed slaughter. However, Millatrix was a person from 300 years ago. Although she was alive as a host, her body should have long been a corpse. All of her life force had been extinguished, and she was only continuing to live without a will of her own. There was no way to return to her original state, and in the novel, when Millatrix died, she said she was finally happy to be free.

Even knowing all that, Eleanor couldn’t bring herself to say, “It would be better for her to die.”

As Eleanor agonized, Lian spoke again.

“I’ve read an old imperial history book that mentioned a cruel witch who committed mass slaughter in the past. I think that Beatrice might be that witch. Am I right?”

It was an undeniable fact. When Eleanor remained silent, Lian continued.

“Giving power back to a witch like Beatrice is no different from giving a knife back to a murderer. I will not take that risk.”

As soon as Lian’s words ended, Beatrice’s ringing cry rang out.

[What insolence! How dare you judge my future and speak your mind? You’re just a young brat!]

Lian didn’t seem to care at all about the sharp reprimand.

“I cannot entrust the safety of the Empire to the conscience of someone who reveled in slaughter, intoxicated by their own power. My tongue versus the peace of the Empire—the latter is the obvious choice.”

How could he say such a thing without a moment’s hesitation? Eleanor felt a mix of embarrassment and complex emotions, sensing that Lian was a person of a different caliber.

“I made Beatrice swear to help us. The fact that I survived here, that I’ve been able to live a somewhat human life, and that Adrian is still alive—it’s all thanks to Beatrice,” Eleanor said softly.

Lian seemed to ponder her words for a moment before replying.

“Since you owe her a debt, I will take her with us. I will also provide her with some freedom under my supervision, but she will absolutely not regain her power.”

It seemed Rian’s stance would not change. Eleanor lowered her head.

“It makes me feel foolish for worrying when the Count speaks as if he has no attachment to his own well-being.”

When she looked so crestfallen, the ever-firm Lian seemed flustered. He stammered, trying to comfort Eleanor.

“I sincerely think it’s amazing that you, in a desperate situation, not only hoped for a rescue but also tried to protect me.”

Hearing those words didn’t make her feel better; it only made her more upset.

“I…”

Eleanor struggled to hold back her tears, barely managing to finish her sentence.

“I want to protect the Count, too.”

“You’re probably the only woman in the entire Empire who would say that to me.”

He was such a noble, strong man. Was it too much for her to try and protect him? Eleanor felt a sense of powerlessness, but Lian’s face was filled with emotion.

“Do you know how much joy every single word you say brings me?”

“If you’re happy, then say you’ll do it,” Eleanor pleaded desperately.

Lian gave a bitter smile and called her name.

“Eleanor.”

Eleanor deliberately didn’t answer and avoided his gaze.

He understood.

“Then there’s no problem.”

Rian’s pale cheeks turned red, and he looked pleased. Eleanor frantically tried to retract her words.

“Actually, on second thought, I don’t like it. I hate men like that.”

She wasn’t bad at lying, but the words came out ridiculously clumsy. Lian looked at her as if she were cute and chuckled.

“I already heard your true feelings, so I won’t believe that.”

While Lian was laughing genuinely, Eleanor’s heart became anxious about what was about to happen.

“If the Count is going to sacrifice so much…”

She bit her lip once, then voiced the thought she had tried so hard to keep inside.

“I’ll start to think it would have been better if we had never met.”

The smile vanished from Lian’s face.

“If you hadn’t met me, you would have become the Empress and lived happily.”

“Why do you keep thinking that?”

“Because that was your destiny.”

Lian gazed at the woman who stated this with such certainty before opening his mouth.

“I want to say that’s not true, but I always feel like you can see more than I can.”

He paused for a moment. Eleanor quietly waited for him to continue.

“If that was truly my destiny…”

Lian’s eyes, which had been lowered in thought, lifted.

“I’m so glad I was able to change my destiny.”

Eleanor couldn’t find the words to respond.

“It’s almost midnight.”

Lian checked his watch again and mumbled softly.

“He said to proceed at midnight, so I should get ready.”

How could he speak without a moment’s hesitation? If someone asked Eleanor if she could cut out her tongue for another person, she wouldn’t be able to answer immediately. But Lian’s tone was as if he was just going out for a walk.

“Please don’t.”

Eleanor decided to try to stop him one last time and pleaded with him earnestly.

“You need to love and cherish yourself more. And just let me handle myself.”

“I will, once we get out of here.”

The sweet words he had whispered. They were still so vivid in her mind. She couldn’t bear to let Rian do this.

“You can’t do that. Just leave me and go. I don’t want this.”

When her pleas failed, Eleanor became angry.

“I won’t leave. I won’t stay by your side either. If you won’t listen to me, just pretend I never existed, go be with the Princess, and become the Emperor.”

If he was going to be stubborn, then she would be stubborn, too.

“Even if you don’t choose me, I will do everything I can to save you.”

No matter what she said, Lian was unwavering.

“There’s not much time left, so please let me say what I want to say.”

Just as midnight was approaching, Lian stopped Eleanor’s words.

“I think I’ll be okay… but just in case…”

A hint of shyness tinged Lian’s usually unhesitating voice. He looked around, seemingly self-conscious of Beatrice eavesdropping on them, then lowered his head and brought his face closer. A low whisper touched Eleanor’s ear.

“I love you. Even in death, probably.”

The calm voice, the simple tone. Eleanor was speechless at the deep emotion hidden within it. Lian touched her pink, trembling lips with his finger.

“…Because I might not be able to do this again.”

Lian gave a playful wink, like a child, then leaned in even more.

Soon, she felt something hot on her lips. Before they touched, he was filled with shyness, but once they connected, it melted away like a snowflake. Lian tightly embraced Eleanor’s waist, letting out a hot breath and pressing into her. As he became one with her between their deeply entwined lips, her mind went blank with sweetness. He held her for a long time, not letting go, and kissed her again and again.

He only stopped after midnight had passed.

“Count. I…”

I can’t lose this sweetness. It was just as Eleanor opened her mouth to somehow stop him.

“Ah.”

Eleanor couldn’t finish her sentence and collapsed into his arms.

“I’m sorry. It’s better if you don’t watch.”

Lian whispered an apology that Eleanor couldn’t hear. After gently laying her unconscious body on the bed, he took out a knife. He took a deep breath and examined the sharpened blade in the dim light of the dungeon lantern.

“……?”

Suddenly, something shiny reflected on the blade. Lian looked up.

“That’s…”

His gaze landed on nothing but the dark, stone-covered ceiling. But Lian tilted his head and muttered.

“Deneb has risen again.”

This was a deep cave where the night sky should never be visible, no matter how sparse the rock structure was. And yet, an unusually bright starlight was reflected in his eyes.

[When something that shouldn’t be seen is seen,]

Lian flinched at the sudden voice.

[Something that shouldn’t happen happens.]

It was Beatrice’s voice. He tensed, waiting for the next words, but no sound came.

‘What does that mean?’

He tried to figure out the meaning, but for some reason, only Eleanor’s words echoed in his mind.

“Love and cherish yourself…”

He had never not loved himself. It was just that now, something far more important had come into his life.

Lian raised the knife again. It headed toward his tongue without a moment’s hesitation.

A splash of bright red blood stained the dark underground floor.

Support