I Wasn't Trying to Seduce with the Male Lead - Episode 79

Remaining idly in the room was slowly reaching its limit. Eleanor checked the clock on the wall and abruptly stood up.

“Where are you going?”

“Please, just stay put. You’ll get to see something more interesting than just sitting here.”

Beatrice snorted but seemed too bored to interfere.

Eleanor went outside and walked down the long corridor toward the main building. In the distance, she could see the Imperial Guard beyond the fence. They were soldiers who had followed the Duchess of Floyd after she requested that her house arrest be moved to the Count of Calabria’s estate.

‘The numbers are growing.’

Things must be getting serious. Even so, the Duchess was stubbornly refusing to meet with her, and Eleanor was frustrated to death, not knowing why everyone was shunning her.

“What are you going to do? Search for him, room by room?” Beatrice asked, as if to provoke her.

Since Eleanor kept looking for him, Lian was now moving from room to room every day to avoid her. Searching the entire vast mansion would take all day, and if she wandered around like that, the servants would hear about it and pass it on to Lian, and she’d never get to see him. Eleanor decided to use a more convenient method.

‘The viscount should be returning soon.’

Blaine had been participating in the Behind Knights’ training and returned at precisely this time. She hid near the entrance and waited. As expected, Blaine soon came in and, instead of going to his room, headed directly somewhere else.

Eleanor followed him. He entered the garden between the third annex and the castle wall. In the open clearing, several targets for sword training were set up.

Seeing the man standing there, Eleanor’s eyes lit up.

‘Count!’

Broad shoulders and a small head. And a platinum-blonde hair that was unlike anyone else’s in the world. Even without seeing his face, it was clearly Lian.

Eleanor’s heart, which had been so moved, soon felt heavy. Even if he had escaped the death order, he must have suffered an irreparable wound. Fearing that she might startle Lian, Eleanor first stayed back and observed him from a distance.

Blaine approached Lian and spoke to him. “Hey, Lian.”

Eleanor flinched. She didn’t hear it clearly, but she thought she heard something like a reply from Lyann. While she was doubting her ears, Blaine, who had completely reached Lyann, spoke to him again.

Eleanor’s eyes widened as she watched the two of them begin to talk.

‘He can speak?’

She couldn’t hear the contents well, but they were definitely talking with their voices, not by writing or sign language.

Didn’t the Count cut off his tongue?

He slowly turned his head. His well-defined forehead, sharp nose, and deep-set eyes were definitely Lian’s, but he was wearing a mask up to his nose. Given that his mouth was covered, maybe he was injured?

Rather than drawing her own conclusions, Eleanor wanted to hear it from Lyann himself.

“I was so worried. How have you been…?”

Eleanor quickly ran and spoke to Lyann. He seemed visibly flustered, and after hesitating, he took a step back as she approached.

“Count?”

The visible half of his face was full of a look of distress. Even the eyes that always shone when he saw her now held a light of rejection. It was the first time she had ever seen such an expression on Lyann. He furrowed his brow, shook his head, and then turned away.

“Where are you going? Please, just talk to me for a moment.”

When he ignored her to her face, Eleanor grabbed his sleeve. But Lyann pushed her hand away.

” Lian. No matter what…”

That sight seemed to be too much even for Blaine, who had been so cold lately. While Eleanor stood frozen in shock, Lian hesitated and then ran away into the building.

“Why is he running away…?”

A dazed voice escaped Eleanor’s beautiful lips. She wasn’t trying to torment him; she was just curious and happy to see him. He had been avoiding her, but she never imagined he would react this way when they finally met in person.

As Eleanor stood there, speechless from his cold reaction, Blaine spoke in a low voice. “He’s not in a state to talk right now, so it would be better for you to go back to your room.”

Leaving those words behind, Blaine followed Lian inside.

Left alone, Eleanor wearily returned to her room.

“Hahaha. You’re right, that was an interesting sight.”

Beatrice laughed boisterously right by Eleanor’s ear, who was now sunk in silence in the room. No matter how much she mocked her, Eleanor ignored her and showed no reaction.

Then, as if she got bored, she left Eleanor a little hint as evening approached. “In return for the entertainment, I’ll teach you something. From the annex tower you’re in now, you’ll be able to see the room he’s staying in tonight.”

Eleanor knew it was a trick, but she had to take the bait.

When night fell, Eleanor headed for the annex tower Beatrice had mentioned. The curtains happened to be pulled back, allowing her to glimpse the scene inside the room.

Lyann, still wearing his mask, was talking with the Duchess of Floyd. ‘He can speak after all.’ Lian seemed somewhat angry, then turned away. He appeared to shout something and then gestured for the Duchess to leave the room.

Instead of retreating, the Duchess lowered her head and pressed a hand to her mouth. The sight of the Duchess’s shoulders trembling startled Eleanor.

She had come out to find answers, but instead of anything being resolved, her curiosity only amplified. Eleanor gazed at the Duchess with a heavy heart.

After a while, the Duchess finally managed to straighten her body, as her tears seemed to subside, and then left the room.

“What do you think?” Beatrice asked, still chuckling.

Eleanor didn’t answer and instead turned her gaze in another direction from the tower. She didn’t want to go back to the room where she had been confined all day.

As she looked around the garden she had personally created and still perfectly maintained, Eleanor saw Bianca Star for the first time in the south.

‘So you’ve been here all along.’

She hadn’t run into her until now, and she thought she might finally understand why.

Adrian was with Bianca Star. Even from this far away, the sweet, pinkish aura of a couple just starting their romance seemed visible. The two were subtly touching each other and chattering, sharing their excitement.

‘It looks like it worked out. That’s a relief.’

Bianca Star, who was nearly ending her short life slandered and tormented by the Princess.

And Adrian, who got caught up in it and lost a hand.

Eleanor was so happy because she truly wished for these two good people to find happiness again. However, a bitter feeling spread alongside her smile.

After watching them for a long time, Eleanor trudged back to her room.

“What is this…?”

At the door, Eleanor found an unexpected package. It hadn’t been there when she left, so someone must have left it while she was gone.

She carefully approached and opened it. Inside were a simple bouquet of roses and a card. Eleanor’s lips parted as she unfolded the card.

“I am truly sorry for making you worry. I don’t want you to see me like this right now. Please wait a little longer until I can explain.”

It was clearly left by Lyann. Seeing it didn’t reassure her; it only weighed down her heart.

‘Why does he not want to show himself to me?’

Does he think she’ll run away because he’s injured? Does he see her as that kind of person?

Beatrice, as always, rubbed salt in Eleanor’s already heavy heart.

“Don’t think he’s trying to hold onto you. A man who’s new to romance can’t cut things off cleanly and drags it on because he feels bad.”

Eleanor wanted to coldly retort that it wasn’t true, but it strangely made sense. Just as she was about to go into her room, her feelings more complex than ever, a voice called out to her.

“Baroness Eleanor.”

The person who stopped her was a mid-40s woman with an unyielding expression. After a moment of thought, Eleanor recalled that she was the Duchess’s chief steward, Crania.

As Eleanor turned the package behind her back to hide the flowers, Crania approached and spoke bluntly.

“It’s a problem for you to wander through the mansion like that.”

“Pardon?”

“Your persistent attempts to approach the Count and the Duchess are becoming noticeable. I’ve come to speak on their behalf.”

Crania pushed up her glasses, and the lenses flashed with a reflection from the wall lamp. The look suited her headmistress-like demeanor perfectly.

“When someone is trying to avoid you, isn’t it the proper virtue for a woman to assume there’s a reason and restrain herself?”

What a tired, old-fashioned way of thinking. And the air she had, as if working for a high-ranking person made her one herself.

“It’s already difficult to manage this mansion beautifully and perfectly with a small staff, and you’re making things harder. You might have been able to act as you pleased when you were a guest, but not anymore. If you’ve fallen out of favor, please remember your place.”

This mansion was designed and decorated entirely by Eleanor. It seemed Crania was still bothered by how she lost the Duchess’s favor to Eleanor during the party. But what a crude way to show her resentment.

“If you continue to act so selfishly, I will recommend to the Duchess that you be sent out of the mansion.”

“In that case, why don’t you just recommend it now?”

Normally, Eleanor would have brushed off such words, but now she bristled. She was on the verge of exploding and just wanted to leave right away.

“You’ll have nowhere to go if you leave here. Is your personality so proud that you’re willing to throw away your life?”

“I’ve never begged for my life. If you’re going to treat me like a good-for-nothing, then just send me away!”

At Eleanor’s words, Crania’s mouth twisted into a sneer as she muttered, “You’re so immature.”

“What did you say?”

“Don’t you know that attitude is a burden to everyone? Especially to the Count, who was severely injured while saving you.”

Eleanor, who was about to retort, stopped. Crania’s sharp words struck a nerve.

“Please, I beg you, just be quiet.”

Crania showed a look of contempt and walked away.

Eleanor returned to her room and slumped by the window, feeling deflated. She couldn’t believe she had lost a petty power struggle like this. The stress must have gotten to her.

‘What do I do now?’

Lian’s cold shoulder and the roses. And the cold people and the Duchess’s tears. Everything was a messy jumble, and nothing seemed to connect. Eleanor felt helpless and began to think about what to do next. It felt like she was more lost than when she was surrounded by beasts and witches, locked in an underground dungeon.

She wanted to organize her thoughts alone, but today, no one would leave her be.

“Madame, you have a visitor at the Count’s estate.”

A maid appeared to call for her.

A visitor? There was no one who would visit her, and even if there were, the Imperial Guard would never let them pass.

Eleanor stood up, feeling bewildered, and headed for the main building. Even before she entered the hall, she could hear a heated argument.

“I am a blood relative of the person inside! The Imperial Guard let me through, so how dare you stop me from going inside?”

“You cannot enter due to security.”

A shrill-voiced woman was arguing with Elai. The moment Eleanor heard it, her breath caught in her throat.

They say misfortunes never come alone. Even so, today was too much.

Eleanor looked at the woman causing all the trouble with a feeling of dread.

“Eleanor!”

Donatella Mariche.

Her disastrous mother-in-law spotted her and shouted.

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