I, the Female Lead, Ruined the Original Chapter 39

* * *

Indeed, I should probably stop.

 

It was deep into the night, on the royal floor of the magic tower, where the tower master’s bedroom was. The room’s owner sat at a tea table by the window, enjoying a drink.

 

Martini, a cocktail made of dry gin with herb-infused wine liqueur, Fortunately, his friend knew the recipe, so he had attempted to replicate the taste of the Arnem Hotel as closely as possible.

 

Be it coffee or this cocktail.

 

Feeling proud and amused that his tastes were being filled with things introduced by the angel, Rakrensius’s lips curved into a skewed smile.

 

He wonders what she’s doing today.

 

“I’ll come back another time.”

 

After running out of the magic tower that day, Selleana hadn’t returned. Rakrensius thought this was fortunate but also felt a bittersweet longing, carrying these conflicting emotions every day.

 

Did things not go well with the successor of the Elard?

 

Whether it was borrowing a book or anything else, did her interest eventually wane?

 

Or did she find someone else to replace her illusion of him…

 

How pathetic. Though there were many ways to find out if he wanted, he didn’t feel like it.

 

Tap, tap, tap.  His anxious heart rolled across the table. At his fingertips lay the contract with Selleana.

 

Success reward of 300 million reot…

 

This joke of a contract aimed for two things: to drag out time until Selleana tired and gave up or to find a solution before that. However, the moment he faced the successor of Elard, he knew he had made a grave mistake. Their interaction becoming any longer was dangerous for Selleana.

 

I need to cut it off as soon as possible. Of course, that was something Rakrensius had promised himself hundreds, if not thousands of times since learning Selleana was an Elard, and yet, he had failed just as many times…

 

Why does it always end up like this?

 

Giving up was something he was supposed to be good at. When he had to part with his mother. When he was locked up in the West Palace. Even when he secluded himself in another cold palace called the magic tower…

 

But whenever Selleana was involved, he found himself hoping for something more and unwilling to give up. Even when they met at the tea salon and that night at the Arnem Hotel…

 

But this is just my selfishness…

 

The liquid in the triangular glass stirred following Rakrensius’s gesture, not spilling over, barely calming like his true feelings.

 

Rakrensius had pondered over a ‘solution’ these past few days. Telling the truth was absolutely not an option. Aside from the guilt of the many lies he had already told… confessing would involve revealing the secrets of the imperial family.

 

He even thought of finding some noble who looked somewhat similar to take his place… But the thought of Selleana sharing that electrifying something with another man made him instantly abandon the idea.

 

Is that the only way then?

 

As he sighed into his cocktail glass,

 

Ding-dong-ding. The emergency communication orb with Saendi rang.

 

Annoyed at being disturbed from his thoughts, Rakrensius answered with a sigh-laden voice. “Why?”

 

{Master, I think you need to come to see this!}

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

{That’s, Lady Elard has come…?}

 

“…What?”

 

At this hour?

 

He quickly checked the clock, which pointed to 10 PM.

 

* * *

When Rakrensius entered the parlor, Selleana’s face was deeply furrowed in thought as if lost in contemplation. Dressed as luxuriously as she would for any social gathering, her inherently devastating beauty was layered with shallow makeup techniques, making her face resemble a masterpiece by a renowned portrait painter of the era. Yet, to Rakrensius’s eyes, there seemed to be an undeniable tiredness emanating from her.

 

Unaware of his entrance, she kept her eyes down, making him feel as if he shouldn’t carelessly interrupt…

 

“Lady.”

 

“Ah, Master of Tower!”

 

At Rakrensius’s brief call, a radiant smile spread across Selleana’s face like ripples. As if her worries and concerns had vanished because of him. Capturing this scene, Rakrensius found himself unable to continue speaking, overwhelmed by emotion.

 

“Why are you here at this hour…?”

 

“Do you always wear that when you’re not working?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“It looks uncomfortable. I tried wearing one today too.”

 

Selleana took out the decorative monocle she had worn today from her clutch. The rim of the gold-framed monocle was delicately adorned with several layers of fairy wings crafted from thin gold metal.

 

“The dress code for the party I attended today required round glasses, but there was no rule for having two lenses.”

 

“Is that so…”

 

“If it weren’t for you, I would have followed everyone else, but thanks to you, I was able to maintain my dignity.”

 

Before he could say a word, she cheerfully babbled on, and Rakrensius helplessly sat opposite her.

 

“If you went to a party, why didn’t you go straight home? Coming here in the middle of the night, if someone sees…”

 

“Ah, that darn public eye. Even when Collin and I disappeared during the masquerade ball, not a single rumor spread.”

 

She would have thought being in love worked well, but Rakrensius swallowed the unspeakable truth along with his frustration.

 

Then, as she realizes something…

 

“Master of Tower, why are you so afraid when you’re a prince?”

 

“Isn’t it because of that you proposed a deal to me?”

 

“Hehe, right.”

 

“Thank you for understanding.”

 

Responding with a resigned tone, Rakrensius waved his hand through the air, and a glass filled with sparkling water and ice appeared in his hand.

 

“So, did you come to borrow the book you couldn’t last time?”

 

“Ah, right.”

 

She had been so angry that day that she immediately stormed into the duchy, and from there, she received an invitation to today’s garden party… The chain of events naturally dampened her mood.

 

Shaking off the gloom, Selleana forcefully brightened her voice. “Master of Tower gave me that scroll as a runaway gift, remember? I came to tell you about the user review. You said it was a prototype, right?”

 

“User review…? You used it?”

 

“Yes, it just happened.”

 

“Are you okay? You weren’t hurt?”

 

“Yes?”

 

Surprised by his unexpected response, Selleana suddenly scrutinized the man seated across from her. As if trying to get a closer look, he leaned forward, supporting himself on the table. His face was etched with deep concern. Narrowed eyebrows, pinched forehead, twisted eyes.

 

Ah… Her heart fluttered slightly at the sight.

 

Was she startled because Rakrensius suddenly got so close?

 

He usually tries so hard not to show his face.

 

Selleana lightly replied. “You know, Master of Tower. I always have three bodyguards with me. And who would dare harm the daughter of Elard? Especially at a social gathering.”

 

“Ah…”

 

His concern had gotten the better of him, prompting him to excitedly jump ahead without thinking. Rakrensius awkwardly brushed his hair back, though the worry did not leave his brow as it crossed Selleana’s vision.

 

“My father only scolded me, but you’re the only one who seems to worry about me.”

 

“That, your joke…”

 

“That’s because they think I won’t become the crown princess, so they see me as easy prey, and many behave rudely.”

 

“Yes?”

 

Rakrensius’s eyebrows twitched as if he heard something unbelievable.

 

“Today, there were a few people asking me to set up my friends with them… Seeing that, they gossiped that I was trying to seduce them because I wouldn’t become the crown princess.”

 

“Huh.”

 

“The worst was some old bachelor. Viscount Miniel, from a family involved in mining, said I looked lonely because I came alone without an escort, and he would take responsibility for me from now on.”

 

“Take responsibility… you say.”

 

His voice grew ominously dark, and Selleana glanced at Rakrensius. His brows were furrowed, and the veins on the hand resting on the table were bulging…

 

Is he angry?

 

The master of tower?

 

Why?

 

Confused by her own interpretation, Selleana awkwardly continued to divert his attention. “He meant he would assist me on my father’s behalf.”

 

“The duke is the duke, and the lady is the lady. How does that logic even work?” His reply was calm, but a quiet anger still emanated from Rakrensius.

 

“Logic… Yes, the Master of Tower is a logical person.”

 

He would naturally dislike hearing about something logically wrong. Selleana concluded it that simply.

 

“Anyway, that’s why I used it on him.”

 

“The scroll?”

 

“Yes. He couldn’t move for about 10 minutes, probably because of the light. I was fine, and although everyone at the party witnessed the light, it seems no one suffered any harm to their sight.”

 

As if recounting someone else’s story, Selleana reported methodically, leaving Rakrensius momentarily stunned. Only then did he realize he had been unwittingly angry.

 

Ah, why did I get so worked up… He leaned back, calming his emotions.

 

So, it was a difficult situation that required the use of a defensive scroll, and the careless gift he gave as a ‘runaway present’ turned out to be helpful…

 

“Are you okay…?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Lady. It was an unpleasant experience, wasn’t it?”

 

“Ah…”

 

For a moment, Selleana was at a loss for words. Rakrensius was the first person to ask her if she was okay without considering anything else that day.