CH 10

love or deception (9)

Translated by Wook

Edited by Wook

“Greetings, Lady.”

The blonde prince put one hand on his chest and greeted me politely.

Even just looking at the overall atmosphere, attire, and behavior, the force of ‘noble person’ covered all over his body one after another.

‘…How handsome!’

Above all, he was a very handsome man.

Golden hair swaying in the sunlight, and dazzling green eyes. It was so dazzling as if ten suns had risen at the same time.

It would have been a shame if I just left without seeing that face.

“I was wondering what was going on, but my subordinates must have caused inconvenience to the precious.”

“Ah, no. It’s okay.”

With a bright smile on my face, I waved my hand involuntarily.

The cold voice emanating from inside the carriage was totally different with the incredibly fresh smile.

“I was worried about causing trouble in His Majesty’s garden…”

The man looked out at the shore of the lake for a moment and then turned his gaze back to me.

“It feels like I’ve only shown you silly things, the face of Duke Vernon must look ridiculous now.”

The man looked embarrassed.

“I’m glad if my shallow knowledge was helpful.”

I paused after giving an appropriate response.

Wait a minute. Did he just say Vernon?

The duke of Vernon’s family. Why does it sound so familiar…

“I’d like to compensate you. Will the lady give me the honor of knowing your name?”

“N-no!”

I waved my hand as I calmed my leaping heart.

“It’s okay. I didn’t do it to be compensated.”

If you do nothing, nothing happens.

My goal was to stay quiet with that belief, but somehow I felt like I was failing one after another since morning.

Suddenly, the man’s strange gaze touched my finger.

“Aah…”

He raised the corners of his lips and smiled.

“I heard that there is only one daughter in the family of Count Prezis…”

“What?”

Suddenly, my whole body stiffened.

The man pointed me out exactly as the family of Count Prezis.

How the hell did he know that?

“My lady is a famous person.”

The man’s gentle gaze alternated between my face and my fingers.

To be precise, on the ring on the index finger of my left hand.

‘It’s because of this.’

I wondered what these brilliant jewels meant, and it seemed to be a sign of the family.

For some reason, Lindy repeatedly urged never to take this ring off or lose it.

“I just came up to the capital, so I didn’t recognize the noble person. Please forgive my rudeness.”

The expression of the man who spoke to me was somehow brighter.

But that face did not catch my eye anymore. I didn’t know my identity would be revealed at once like this.

“The person I met as soon as I stepped into the capital was Young Lady Prezis.”

The man’s eyes looked like he was really excited, rather than being polite.

To the point where it feels strange.

“It is a very good first start in the capital.”

“Haha, yeees…”

I just laughed it off.

Although he had a smile on his face, it was clear that he was sarcastic.

If you think about Leah in the original story, it was strange if anyone genuinely liked her.

‘Do you want to be stepped on in high heels?’

It was a scene that appeared several times in the original story, where Leah stepped on the shin of the young masters who secretly flirted with her.

If he knew Leah, he must have heard that already. So why…

“You must be busy on the way, so please come in. I’m going to get going.”

I hurriedly hid my hands behind my back.

I didn’t have a good feeling, so I tried to turn around.

“Aren’t you going to ask my name?”

But the man called me one more time. I looked up at the man who looked disappointed unlike before.

‘Is he the type of handsome lecher?’

“Mm, do I have to ask you? We’ll never see each other again anyway.”

I was about to take a step back, but the fleeting expression of the man was strange.

“Haha, I’ll feel bad if you say that.”

The man’s smile was so natural that I thought it was an illusion just now.

“I am Cadel Vernon.”

“Cadel Ver…”

It’s Cadel. His name’s Cadel. Is it a common name in novels? Why do I keep hearing it from… Wait. Is he that… Cadel?

Is he the original male protagonist? That Cadel Vernon?

I stumbled for a moment.

Somehow, I felt that the aura he gave off was unusual, but to be this foul…

What kind of fate do I have to meet him like this before I even prepare myself?

‘How was the relationship between Cadel and Leah?’

I hurriedly recalled the original.

The original characters’ settings are the male lead and the second male lead’s fiancee… So their relationship should be the acquaintance of acquaintance’s acquaintance’s acquaintance, which was so far away.

‘I don’t need to be vigilant yet.’

Above all, being harsh to a handsome person was not my character.

“Yes. Nice to meet you.”

When I opened my lips with a smile.

— Cadel Vernon, Ollina Fabian… I won’t forgive you even in death. Even in death.

The scene where Leah was screaming before her death suddenly flashed past.

Even if she said she hated Ollina because she was jealous, what about Cadel?

She even put Cadel Vernon before Ollina Fabian.

‘What happened between the two…?’

I got chills down my spine.

However, there was nothing specifically mentioned in the original story, and I, who fell here without seeing the ending, had no way of knowing the behind-the-scenes.

“Please remember my name.”

It was Cadel’s voice that awakened me from my thoughts.

“Will we meet again or not?”

Cadel took one more step in front of me and opened his mouth.

“We’ll have to wait and see.”

I looked up at the man blankly.

My field of view was cool with the shadow created by Cadel.

“Miss Leah Prezis.”

“…!”

Cadel smiled softly. The first thing that comes to mind is a smile that is perfect like a mask…

But again, how did this guy know my name?

***

Cadel’s image did not leave my mind for a long time.

The eyes that looked down on me as if observing me, even the smile that was like a mask.

He was such a beautiful and compelling man.

At that moment, I even forgot what kind of person Cadel was in the original work and let go of the boundaries.

‘I’m anxious. I’ll try not to get entangled as much as possible.’

I knew the original work.

Cadel was a born politician. To put it bluntly, I’d say he’s a copycat.

Cadel, who looks perfect on the outside but has scars, Ollina, who looks weak but is full of ambition on the inside, and the empress dowager, their strong helper…

‘Davan and the emperor are confronting them.’

Mmph, my mouth was wrinkled.

‘Well, in the original story, the emperor appeared as a villain.’

The benevolent and kind emperor appeared as a villain who persecuted Ollina and faced Cadel in the original work.

Then Davan…

I grabbed the glass in front of me and took a sip of grape juice.

I thought it would taste like syrup, but the rich flavor of grapes lingered on the tip of my nose.

“Smells very nice.”

I mumbled blankly without realizing it.

“Yes, my lady. The taste will be very silky using only grapes from the conduit house, which are said to be the best in the central region where the sunlight is high.”

Heins poured the juice into my glass and refilled it, said excitedly.

‘What? Silky grapes? How does that work?’

“It’s lonely to enjoy it alone because His Excellency isn’t coming, isn’t it?”

When our eyes met, Heins filled the glass and said.

“Obviously he was the one who suggested to eat dinner together earlier… in the end he lied to my lady again.”

Lindy muttered as if intentionally letting Heins hear it.

“Because he’s so busy with work, he rarely has dinner on time. My lady, please understand.”

Heins said with an amicable face, perhaps because he heard Lindy.

Then I looked at the empty seat opposite me.

‘It seems that he doesn’t intend to come to the end.’

The sun had already set. But Davan never showed up for dinner.

After such a terrifying threat, in the end it was me who was given the cold shoulder.

Well, I should be grateful it ended like this.

“No. It’s fine. He must be busy.”

“Ah… yes.”

At my answer, Heins’ expression turned strange for an instant. He seemed to be surprised by the calm response.

Well, Leah in the original story couldn’t be this calm.

She would’ve already bothered the servants, called him out, or already stormed into where he was.

‘Davan looked at Leah with an unpleasant face.’

Every time Leah did such an act, this was the sentence that appeared every time.

“The sweet grape juice is delicious. It’s not bitter at all.”

I changed the topic by sipping a glass of grape juice.

I don’t normally like sweet things, but the scent was so good that I took a sip and it turns out it tasted fine.

“My lady, you’re going to gain weight.”

Lindy hihi-ed. Have I drunk that much while talking and sipping?

“Thanks to you, I ate well. I’ll just go upstairs now.”

“My lady, are you going up already?”

Heins caught me standing up from my seat.

“His Excellency will be back soon. Why don’t you have after-dinner tea together?”

Seeing him glancing at the clock, it seemed that it was time for Davan to come back.

“No. It’s okay. Please just greet him in my stead.”

I hurriedly stood up and waved my hand.

I still couldn’t digest what I ate in the morning, and now what? Have desserts together? Laughing awkwardly, I left the dining room with a quick step.

No reason for me to let the things I ate come out from my nose.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Thank you for today.”

“…”

Somehow, my back hurt.

It seemed that Heins had been watching me from behind for a long time.