The Blackened Second Male Lead’s Wife - Chapter 30

Carlix looked at me with suspicious eyes, but he didn’t pester me any more.

“If it’s as you said, then it can’t be helped.”

With that, Carlix left the mansion.

I muttered as I looked at the vanishing carriage.

“My second male lead didn’t come, only the unanticipated male lead came and went.”

Carlix was a man with a presence stronger than anyone in the world, but that didn’t affect me one bit.

The only thing that filled my head was Lucian.

But he will not come to see me today nor tomorrow.

I muttered, my eyes glistening like a cat.

“If you won’t  come, I’ll go to you. Hmph.”

─────〔✿〕─────

On a cloudless day, the sun hangs in the middle of the sky burning intensely. I frowned at the fiery sun above my head.

On a day when ordinary aristocratic ladies would never dare to come out of the house, for their white jade-like skin would be burnt, I sat under the scorching sun.

Wearing a wide-brimmed hat, I held a lace parasol on one hand, and waved a fan gently on the other.

‘Hoo. It’s really hot today.’

Nevertheless, I have no intention of going home.

I stood by to watch the knights’ training.

Inside the circular arena, hundreds of knights were lined up according to their rank.

And in front of the knights was Lucian in silver armor.

Even though the distance between the seats and the stadium was quite far, I was able to spot him at a glance.

‘He looks very different from when he was wearing a suit.’

Now, he really looked like a knight.

I was worried all morning if he would feel uncomfortable knowing that his fiancee came all the way here to see him.

But I didn’t need to worry about that.

There were many other women occupying the seats surrounding the stadium to watch the knights’ training, not just me.

I took a seat among those women.

The women responded to every move of the knights with a flushed face.

‘They’re like fangirls who came to see their idols.’

The ladies cried and screamed the name of their favorite knight everytime they stepped forward.

And among them, Lucian was by far the most popular.

“Sir Kardien just wiped the sweat off his forehead!”

“Kyaa!”

“Sir Kardien just swept his hair!”

“Kyaaaaa!”

It was always an explosive reaction.

They noticed each and every one of Lucian’s small actions thanks to the telescopes they had in their hands.

‘That’s a good idea. I should bring one tomorrow.’

My nostrils flared as I was thinking of peeping at Lucian through the opera glasses. Then the girls’ voices soared again.

“How can a man’s face be so perfect? The shape and position of his features, even the length of his philtrum are all perfect!”

“I’m more curious about Lord Kardien’s skin. How can someone, who spent a lot of time on the battlefield, have skin fairer than my sister, who just got married yesterday?”

“What about his hair? His silver hair is so pretty, it sparkles under the sun!”

I couldn’t help but smile at the endless praise.

It’s always pleasant to see others adore my favorite as well.

Then, a girl lowered her eyebrows and said, sadly.

“But he always has a blank face. It would be nice to see him smile a little.”

“You doofus! It’s much more attractive when such a beautiful person has a cold look on their face!”

“That’s right. But it’s a little frightening when he has that blank look.”

It’s as she said.

Lucian was friendly, but he had drawn a clear line with others. So he was thought to be cold-hearted.

I was also very nervous the first time I met Lucian.

But he wasn’t like what he appeared to be.

Lucian, whom I met, was actually a cute man with a milk-like gentle smile, and a face that blushed a peach color.

‘He hasn’t shown that to Estelle, so I might be the only one who knows of it.’

At that moment, my face flushed furiously.

The girls continued as I waved the fan in my hands to cool off my hot face.

“But Lord Kardien has a fiancee.”

“Right. She’s the lady of the Marquis Lilac family. Her name is Pe… Peeee…….”

The girl frowned and began to think.

Lucian was  famous, but I was  only a young lady from a Marquisate. Even if I was a socialite, I was not so famous among the commoner girls.

‘Would a commoner girl know my name?’

I waited for her answer, excited about this unexpected test of fame.

As if she remembered, she slapped her knee and shouted.

“Pepperoni!”

“……”

Nope.

The girl, who made an ordinary aristocratic lady into a pizza topping, proudly continued.

“Rumor has it that her family is only a Marquis’ family in name and that they are poor.”

That’s right.

“But she is a noblewoman so she’s got to be beautiful right?”

“I guess she is beautiful.”

That’s right.

“But she’s got a terrible personality. She’ll slap commoners like us if we get close to her. She’ll yell at us to leave because we smell.”

Beep- wrong answer!

Pernia was like that before, but not now.

The girls’ faces turned dark since they didn’t know of that fact.

“Why is a man like Lord Kardien engaged to such a woman?”

“His Majesty the Emperor arranged their engagement.”

“Poor Sir Kardien.”

I listened to the girls and fought back my tears.

‘Don’t say that!’

I wanted to refute but couldn’t. Because I thought the same thing as those girls when I read the novel.

What a pity that he’s forced to be engaged to such a wicked aristocratic lady who had nothing to offer.

‘It would be useless to cut in and try to justify myself right now.’

I’m Pernia. Everything bad that happened was in the old days. Now, I have become a very good citizen. So please be at ease.

It would not comfort the young girls at all if I said that. Rather, they would fear that the vicious noblewoman would tear their mouths out.

So I shifted my gaze to another place. Then my eyes widened.

“Why are you just listening to all that crap?”

There, Carlix stood arrogantly with his arms crossed, looking down at me.

I blinked at Carlix’s sudden appearance. And it was the same with the women who chirped like sparrows.

The women stared at Carlix in a trance and then left their seats as if they were fleeing the scene.

The reason was because of the unruly and menacing aura radiating from the escort knight standing beside him.

When I came to my senses, it wasn’t just the women who disappeared. All those who were sitting nearby were also gone.

I was the only one sitting idly in the empty rows of seats.

‘Should I run away now?’

Just as I thought about it, Carlix said.

“You told me to not say those kinds of rude words during the correction lesson, but you let those commoners say those things as they please. I don’t understand.”

“That’s my line. Why is His Highness the Crown Prince in a place like this?”

This was not a place for an imperial baboon like you to come to!

This was a place where pure souls gather to watch the knights and cheer them on.

“I’m here to watch over the training in place of my father. Then I saw a familiar face. Lady Pernia, who has a very important and busy schedule.”

He spoke in an unmistakably sarcastic tone.

As if I was playing around, mingling with children, shamelessly peeping at the knights.

I furrowed my brows and said, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, I think you forgot what I taught you a few hours ago. I said it wasn’t good to look down on people like that. Do you want to live with a personality like this for the rest of your life?”

Carlix raised one eyebrow at my words. I thought that was too harsh so I added on.

“It would be a waste especially since you’re born with that face.”

This was my disease-and-medicine strategy.
(Note: a more colloquial expression may be ‘water over fire’.)

Carlix didn’t get mad, maybe my compliment worked. I took advantage of this opportunity and got up from my seat.

“I’ve finished my business here, so I’ll be on my way now.”

“You were so excited to see Kardien earlier, and now you’re just going to leave? Or are you avoiding me?”

Wow. So this guy can tell that much.

I nodded.

“You’re right. I don’t know what rumors may rise again if I am seen chatting with His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Being a single and handsome Crown Prince, Carlix was prone to scandals. He and the beautiful villainess, Pernia, were the perfect match to spread provocative rumors about.

“I don’t want to be misunderstood by anyone.”

By Estelle, and by Lucian.

Carlix nodded and muttered, as if he knew what I was worried about.

“That’s why he’s looking at me and you like that. I wonder what relationship he thinks we’re in?”

When I realized who “he” was, I turned my head with a surprised expression.

Lucian, standing in the distance, was looking this way.

“……!”

My heart thumped as my eyes met with his red ones.

‘He must be really surprised to see me here. Or he might’ve felt awkward because it’s been a long time. Or maybe….’

Was he jealous of Carlix, as he was of Estelle?

If so, then all my worries were needless.

Lucian turned his head away.

As if he didn’t see me. Or as if the scene where I and another man standing face to face did not interest him.

At that moment, my pounding heart stopped.

I stared blankly at Lucian. But he only talked to another knight with a nonchalant face.

His gaze did not turn to me again.

Carlix’s voice came to my ears.

“You have nothing to worry about, seeing that reaction. He doesn’t seem to care a bit if you talk to another man.”