The Male Lead’s Fake Sister - Chapter 22

1STKISSNOVEL. DO NOT STEAL MY TRANSLATION!

“You don’t remember making eye contact with me before you left?”

Ravia replied sharply, but the unwelcome guest only grinned.

“That lasted for a very short time, didn’t it? As you know, there are people in the world who don’t recognize faces well.”

“What a shame. I’ll be pushed to the edge of the cliff if I don’t at least remember that much.”

The social world had been humiliating her so much that the answer came out of her mouth easily, but she still had to take a breath to calm her erratic heart.

‘Why is this man here all of sudden? Did he come with Herod? Even so, Herod just left the box seat with me earlier, didn’t he?’

What kind of situation is this?

At other times, she would have been second to none at hiding her innermost feelings, but she couldn’t even control her facial expression now due to shock.

On the other hand, Herod was admiring the scene before him.

Her widened eyes were trembling weakly just like a flower that was perched on by a butterfly, and her breath, which escaped through the gaps of her lips, revealed her desperation.

The last time he saw her, she was so calm that seeing her like this was so unexpected.

‘She’s unexpectedly tempting.’

Now he understood why it was hard to curse at that foolish man for being infatuated with his sister.

Herod clicked his tongue internally. From what he heard a moment ago, the current Tidwell was acting like a complete fool. Not to mention, it was solely because of this woman.

Who knew he’d be using those old earrings to trick his sister?

Herod couldn’t help but laugh.

‘Spring power, contract marriage.’

Tidwell even pretended to be him.

Herod recalled the time when he overheard the conversation between Tidwell and Ravia.

When she first spoke of the spring power, I thought my heart had completely stopped.

How does she know that I’ve been looking for spring users?

In addition, there was one more thing he could infer from what Tidwell said.

‘Tidwell, you had no intention to kill your sister from the start?’

When I heard their conversation and how my partner had turned into a complete fool, my heart was torn apart.

This man was bound to be successful if he stays on his track, but why does he set his eyes on the woman he has to kill?

‘This woman believes that everything you do is just an act.’

What kind of skit is this? What if things go wrong at this rate?

It would be a different story if Tidwell was also interested in spring power, but by the time Ravia left the box seat, Herod already made up his mind.

I have to watch Ravia Leontine closely.

If I could, I’d tell her everything Tidwell did to deceive her, but I must avoid behaving recklessly because anything could go wrong at this point.

‘First, I need to know how much this woman knows about me and the spring power.’

I wish I could ask her directly, but then she’d be very suspicious of me. Should I aim to do so when a new opportunity arises?

Herod’s troubled eyes glanced at Ravia, and soon, their eyes met.

At that moment, she was able to completely hide her anxiousness. Her figure was exactly the same as the first time Herod met her.

An unwavering voice asked calmly.

“Herod sent you, right?”

“…Yes, I suppose.”

I need to go with the flow for now. I’ve got to dig up any information I could find at the moment.

Herod relaxed his stiff face for a moment and let out his friendly voice again.

Since I’ve heard their entire conversation anyway, I can pretend to be his subordinate for the time being.

“My boss has asked me to take you home, milady.”

“Herod did?”

“Yes. He was worried you’d run into Duke Leontine. How about we ride the carriage that I’ve prepared beforehand?”

Ravia’s expression subtly changed. At the end of her opponent’s words, light began to shine.

“…The play is starting.”

“I think you should leave now. I don’t think it’d do you any good to stay here any longer.”

With a friendly smile, Herod looked around the stage and added.

“Are you interested in the woman at a crossroad?”

“No. I’ve watched Aida a lot.”

In fact, she had watched all the operas more than three times.

And so, Ravia followed Herod and glanced at the stage. The spotlight was on, but what she was looking for weren’t the actors on the stage.

‘Did I miss Tidwell earlier due to my surprise?’

I don’t know whether Tidwell entered the box seat or not. My heart would be at ease if I could just confirm it with my own eyes.

Ravia was conflicted for a while.

But when the curtain on the stage rose up, it really meant she needed to leave.

Whether Tidwell was here or not, at least it was true that Duke Leontine was here.

What’s more, she would know whether Duke Leontine and Tidwell were here or not by the time they returned to the mansion.

I owe Herod a big favor. If Herod didn’t lie to me, then it was right to assume that Tidwell was aware of what I’ve been doing.

I acted like a nice sister, yet he’s still suspicious of me.

‘As expected, I can’t let my guard down yet.’

Ravia closed her eyes for a moment as she felt her head throbbing.

“Take me to the carriage. I have to head back now.”

“As you wish,”

Herod reached out his hand.

When the curtain rose up and the opera of a woman at a crossroad [Aida] played, Ravia left the Velocio Theatre.

*** 

That evening, Duke Leontine returned with Tidwell.

Herod was telling the truth.

Ravia thought it was better that way. Since it would be complicated if the only person that could get her out of this place was backstabbing her.

However, the fact that Ravia was in trouble had not changed.

Tidwell knew where she was going and clearly gave her a warning.

‘If Tidwell finds out that I’ve been meeting with Herod to sign a contract, I’d be done for.’

No, perhaps I was already caught. He might be monitoring us to find out what we’re up to.

If that’s the case, then the game is not about maintaining a good relationship with Tidwell and finding a way to escape anymore.

If Tidwell is suspicious of me, I would get poisoned by the dark flower right away.

Now that the contract with Herod has been postponed, I have to find a way to stay alive until then.

But how?

Ravia once again read a note that Crow Tit had secretly put in her dinner.

[The Dark Flower is inside the main building.]

It was similar to what he sent her last time, but the meaning was completely different.

The reason was simple: He wrote ‘main building’ instead of ‘mansion’.

The main building was usually referred to as the building in the center of the mansion, but the meaning was slightly different in the organization.

‘The head of Cosmo.’

It was still unknown how far she could dig up information about him, but any information she could find out is always useful, at least for now.

Above all, Ravia’s search for the dark flower’s location was intended to give her a clear picture about how far Tidwell and Herod’s alliance was progressing.

It’s still long before the original timeline begins, so she couldn’t just depend on the novel’s storyline alone.

After reading the contents of Crow Tit’s note, Ravia chewed it.

‘I’m going to survive no matter what.’

I can do anything as long as I’m alive.

So I must not die.

I don’t want to die miserably like I did in the novel.

If I wasn’t aware of my future, I would clench my fist and fight to retrieve what has been taken from me, but I don’t want to throw my life for a gamble where my defeat was already determined.

Even if I gave up my nobility and crawled on the floor obsequiously. Even if I had to pretend to love my brother who was tormenting me….

-Sister, are you abandoning me?

Ravia was reminded of Tidwell.

A low and deep voice that gave her goosebumps. Even his deep gaze made her run out of breath immediately.

Was it because my heart was beating so much, or was it something much deeper than that?

I don’t know. And I don’t want to know.

Ravia swallowed her unsettling feelings along with the paper down her throat.

And quietly mumbled.

“I’m fine.”

Then Ravia went to bed. It was rather a tiring day, so Ravia quickly fell asleep.

Without knowing what was waiting for her the next day.