The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 104

‘So this is how you’re going to play it.’

Amel silently observed Marabas, who, instead of protesting or making excuses, readily admitted his involvement. Not a trace of guilt or remorse could be seen in his demeanor.

That meant she could already predict his next move. And more importantly, she knew exactly how to block Marabas’ real plan entirely.

“Kyle, can you do me a favor?”

She spoke in a voice so soft that only Kyle Chaeild, who was standing close beside her, could hear. Fortunately, he understood her command without issue.

Meanwhile, Itar was left in a daze, as if confronted with a language he couldn’t comprehend. The idea that his closest aides could have been responsible for Iana’s death had never once crossed his mind—it was too foreign to even consider.

“…Marabas. That’s a terrible joke.”

“If you truly thought it was a joke, Your Highness, you wouldn’t have gone so pale.”

“……”

Itar had no rebuttal. His body had already responded to the truth, just as Marabas pointed out.

The weight of reality pressed down on him, as though the atrocities he had committed against the Emperor and Crown Prince’s supporters had happened in another lifetime. Even breathing felt uncertain.

“That can’t be. Why would you… Why would you do this to Iana?”

“I already told you, Your Highness. I wasn’t the only one involved in the princess’ death.”

Itar’s gaze swept across his subordinates who had been captured by Chaeild’s forces. A cold chill ran down his spine.

The way they looked at him—it was the same expression one wore when a chess piece had been blocked, unable to make a move.

“No… this can’t be…”

He searched their faces, desperate for denial, but each one avoided his eyes. His stomach churned with nausea.

“Why… Why would you do this? What did you gain from it?”

“……”

“And after committing such a crime, why stay by my side?”

No one answered him. The silence was only broken when Venom rushed in, having come to report on reinforcements.

“Prince Itar.”

Venom halted in his tracks, his gaze locking onto his fallen lord, who was now sitting in a state of collapse between Chaeild’s intruders and Marabas. Even without having witnessed the events firsthand, he could tell why Itar had shattered like this.

“Venom. You knew about this too, didn’t you?”

“……”

“If you don’t answer me, I’ll have your head.”

Despite being bound, Itar spoke with a chilling voice as if he had forgotten his current helpless state. Venom, who had always been unwaveringly loyal, was unable to say a word this time.

“…Count Diane.”

In Venom’s silence, Itar saw confirmation. His final refuge—the last person he could turn to—was Amel. The woman who had read through everyone’s hidden truths.

Amel, meanwhile, touched her forehead. The lingering heat reminded her that the confession drug was still in effect—if she tried to lie, she would suffer internal injuries.

‘The truth is so cruel that there isn’t even a need for lies.’

Near her engagement ring, she could still sense Cordelia’s residual power. Amel knew that Cordelia had used all her remaining strength to help her.

‘Thank you, Cordelia.’

She focused her mind. The memories Venom had just recalled played out like a projected film before her.

A dimly lit corridor, reminiscent of a scene from a noir film.

In the memory, Venom clutched a handful of photographs—images of lilies—alongside a royal alchemist’s official report. Crumpling them in frustration, he stormed down the hallway.

At the end of the corridor stood Marabas Rydell. Venom shoved the document in his face, his voice brimming with fury.

“Marabas. Do you know what this is? One of our men intercepted it on its way to the Crown Prince. The royal alchemists have concluded that Princess Iana was killed by a magical plague embedded in the lilies she received.”

“And?” Marabas replied coolly.

“And? Are you seriously going to pretend you don’t know why I’m here?”

Venom lunged forward, gripping Marabas’ collar with violent force. The movement sent objects tumbling off the nearby table, momentarily filling the room with chaos.

“I don’t know why you did this, but you need to confess everything to Prince Itar and disappear.”

But instead of showing remorse, Marabas remained eerily composed. In fact, it was Venom who flinched.

Perhaps it was the way those deep navy-blue eyes brimmed with unrestrained desire. The strength in Venom’s grip wavered.

“You’re the only one in this room who thinks revealing the truth is the best way to serve Prince Itar, Venom.”

Marabas dusted off his clothes before glancing toward the back of the room.

At his signal, figures began emerging from the shadows—one by one, Itar’s closest aides stepped into the dim light.

Among them was not only Itar’s most trusted men, but also Iana’s lover—the very one who had delivered the bouquet of lilies.

Venom froze, unable to speak.

Marabas stepped closer, placing a hand lightly on Venom’s shoulder. His voice was as smooth as silk.

“Despite the Emperor’s clear intentions to name the First Prince as heir, Prince Itar foolishly clung to Princess Iana instead. ‘Because my sister wants it, I will be Emperor’—such a feeble excuse.”

“What are you saying…”

“If you truly want power, you need something more. A thirst for vengeance, a drive to destroy your enemy—that’s what makes a ruler.”

Venom could not respond. He shook his head, as if denying the reality before him. But the more he did, the more the figures in the room solidified in his vision—each one confirming the truth.

“I… I have to tell the prince. He’s already devastated over the princess’ death—he deserves to know the truth…”

Venom’s voice trembled as he spoke, sounding like a man who had just lost everything.

Marabas, now towering over him like a predator over prey, let out a slow, amused chuckle.

“Go ahead. Tell him.”

His lips curled into a cruel smirk as he leaned in.

“Tell him that the princess’ lover never truly loved her—that he delivered a cursed bouquet not out of devotion, but out of a hunger for power.”

“……”

“Go ahead. Tell him the truth. Tell him that everyone around him was never loyal to him, but only to the power he might inherit. If you don’t care what happens once he realizes that.”

Venom couldn’t find the words to counter Marabas. The only sound in the heavy silence was the nervous coughing of nobles trying to compose themselves.

After a long pause, Marabas spoke again, his voice slow and coaxing.

“Venom. You can’t let him die like this. One sacrifice is enough.”

“…What are you saying…?”

“If you truly care about Prince Itar, then ensure his focus remains solely on power. Design everything around that.”

“……”

“He will survive. That is… as long as you keep your mouth shut.”

Venom stared at Marabas for a long time, his mind warring against itself. Then, as if making his final decision, he slowly nodded.

Having glimpsed Venom’s memories, Amel was unsurprised by what she saw. She cast a glance at him, noting his hesitation—torn between revealing the truth and keeping it hidden.

As Venom had planned, Itar had not given up on life after Iana’s death, clinging instead to his resolve to uncover the truth.

But now that he had realized both he and his beloved sister were nothing more than chess pieces in a game of succession, he had completely collapsed.

Venom had made the right choice… and yet, at the same time, he had been entirely wrong.

Lowering her gaze, Amel looked at Itar, who had fallen to his knees before her, pleading desperately for the truth.

Gone was the arrogant prince who once kissed her hand with confidence. Gone was the man who had smeared the confession drug onto his fingers and pressed them against her forehead.

She checked once more that Chaeild’s soldiers had a firm grip on him before lowering herself with a serene smile.

“Prince Itar, I will answer your question.”

Her voice was gentle, like that of a saint—soft and warm, as if she intended to ease the blow of reality.

But Amel had no intention of softening anything.

‘You bastard. You had no problem kidnapping me, but now you have the nerve to beg for my help?’

Itar was the one who had ordered her abduction. He had tried to use her as a tool, planning to discard her once she was no longer useful. And now, after all that, he dared to seek her mercy?

“Prince Itar. Princess Iana died because of a bouquet of lilies given to her by her lover. As you just heard, it was Marabas Rydell who infused those flowers with a magical plague.”

“Ah…”

“However, Marabas did not act alone. Nearly all of your closest aides were involved. In short, Princess Iana’s death was orchestrated by your own subordinates.”

“Why… Why would they…?”

Itar’s gaze snapped to his aides, but one by one, they avoided his eyes, their expressions betraying their discomfort.

Amel smiled sweetly before driving the final dagger into his heart.

“Because they had no use for a prince who loved his sister. What they wanted was the Third Prince—someone who would secure power and ensure their interests.”

“……”

“To them, both you and Princess Iana were nothing more than chess pieces. She was simply a pawn they were willing to sacrifice to control you.”

Her words struck him like an axe. His entire body trembled violently, as though he had been consumed by fever.

Tears welled up in his once-lifeless eyes. Amel reached out and gently brushed her fingers across his damp lashes, whispering her final blow.

“If your sister hadn’t wasted her love on an older brother who couldn’t even protect her, she would have lived much longer.”

“Ah… Ah…”

Itar let out a sound that was neither a cry nor a scream. Tears streamed down his face, his sanity shattering.

Right on cue, the ground began to tremble, as if something massive was approaching.

Amel didn’t miss the way Marabas’ lips curled upward in anticipation.

She subtly signaled to Kyle.

Boom—!

A tremendous force clashed with an unseen barrier, sending a shockwave through the underground chamber. Everyone instinctively shut their eyes against the wind before reopening them.

Kyle and Marabas stood facing each other, their powers colliding.

No—calling it a battle was inaccurate.

The fight was already over.

Kyle’s defensive Areté was overwhelmingly stronger.

Marabas’ face twisted in frustration as he spat out a curse.

“Damn it…!”

Still kneeling, he looked up at Itar. But before he could say anything, Amel stepped forward, pressing the heel of her shoe firmly onto his knee, forcing him down even further.

Her smile was dazzling.

“My fiancé isn’t foolish enough to fall for the same mind control twice. I simply asked him to extend his defensive power to everyone here.”

“Amelia Diane…!”

Marabas gritted his teeth. Amel only pressed harder, grinding her heel into his leg.

“You’re a master manipulator. If you admitted your crimes so easily, then you must have had another goal. Right now, you’re trying to push Prince Itar into complete mental collapse so you can take control of his mind.”

“And what, you’re proud that you figured that out? Just because you can read thoughts?”

“This time, I didn’t need to read your thoughts—I just read the situation. Reading your mind is too disgusting for me.”

Marabas, his plan in ruins, suddenly threw his head back and laughed.

Amel let him.

“Hahaha…! I like you. If you were by my side, conquering an empire would be effortless. Will you come with me?”

The ground trembled even more violently. Whatever was coming was getting closer.

But Amel only smiled, unfazed.

She had already seen it in Cordelia’s memories—Marabas had been raiding the morgue.

Which meant the horde approaching now was…

‘His army of corpses.’

He had managed to sabotage an engagement ceremony from across an entire continent. Now, with his undead so much closer, the scale of his magic was beyond imagination.

But Amel was ready.

She called out calmly, as if speaking to thin air.

“Vanessa. I know you’re listening. Wipe them all out.”

For a brief moment, there was silence.

Then, all at once, the deafening tremors ceased.

Only Amel smiled. The Chaeild peacekeeping forces stared in shock.

“W-What just happened…?”

“What is this light?”

A radiant beam of light pierced through the underground chamber, illuminating everything—even though there were no windows.

One by one, Itar’s subordinates collapsed, unconscious.

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