When The Cruel Villain Seduces Me - Chapter 123

Releasing his hug, the duke stared at Nelia.

 

“Then, would you marry me?”

 

His silver eyes looked serious as they were seen through his eyelids which blinked slowly.

 

Nelia spoke with a smile.

 

“Do you want me to be married to someone else?”

 

Once again, the duke embraced Nelia.

 

“I’ll do my best, Nelia.”

 

His hushed voice was as sweet and affectionate as ever.

 

It was difficult for her to think her role in the original plot was a villain.

 

“And Your Grace, I have one more confession to make……”

 

Nelia released her hug and stared back at the duke. The atmosphere was nice, so it was the appropriate moment to confess her mistakes.

 

“Actually, my ankle didn’t hurt. I pretended to be injured.”

 

The duke looked at Nelia motionlessly before lifting the corners of his mouth. Then, he cleared his throat and said.

 

“I knew it. You were acting, Nelia.”

 

Nelia opened her eyes wide.

 

“What?”

 

“Sorry, but I met the Marquis at the front door of the mansion that day. He told me that he had made a slip of the tongue about my lies.”

 

“So……”

 

“Yes, I also caught a glimpse of the reason why you pretended to hurt your ankle.”

 

Nelia stared at him, her eyes were wide open.

 

“And you didn’t even say it……”

 

“I thought it would make you embarrassed if I pretended not to know about it, wouldn’t you? I also wanted to feel what you’ve felt so that you’d feel better, Nelia.”

 

The duke kissed the back of Nelia’s hand lightly.

 

“It would also be a good thing if Nelia asked me to do anything.”

 

Nelia’s heart melted again at the duke’s endless affections.

 

“But, what should I do…… I really hurt my ankle today.”

 

Nelia muttered, ‘I guess I’ve been punished with this……’ in which the duke made a pitiful expression.

 

“Who dares to punish you, Nelia?”

 

“Otherwise, there’s no way my ankle would be sprained……”

 

The duke held Nelia in his arms.

 

“Don’t think that way. I’ll serve Nelia wholeheartedly until your ankle gets better.”

 

“……”

 

“If there’s a punishment, I will take it on your behalf.”

 

The duke’s gaze was warm as he held Nelia in his arms, as if she had become the most precious thing in the world.

 

“So, you don’t have to worry about it.”

 

***

 

 

The duke took great care of her wholeheartedly after that day. When she got used to it, she felt less embarrassed and ashamed.

 

She occasionally felt sorry for him, but she often saw him smile with no reason as if he was out of his mind.

 

Nelia was the first one to know about it. That a man made that kind of expression when he was in love. Perhaps, it was similar to a smiling puppy.

 

As someone who catches people’s attention when spreading smiles, everyone seemed to be distracted from staring at him.

 

Fortunately, the duke has been busy lately, so he has been spending a lot of time in the imperial office. Therefore, the duke wasn’t often seen by others while he was that way.

 

Nelia pulled the hem of the duke’s attire when he was about to go to work.

 

“Your Grace, are you going to work at the Imperial Palace until the end of this week?”

 

“Yes, but I’m going to take the day off during weekends.”

 

Nelia nodded.

 

“You must be at the mansion on weekends. We’re supposed to accept guests.”

 

Although there were only two guests, they were important to Nelia and the duke.

 

They were the Duchess and the Marquis of Clint. Those who would be the most excited and congratulate the duke for becoming a complete human.

 

Nelia invited them to the duke’s mansion this weekend. The duke was planning to announce that he would no longer turn into a snake.

 

And one more thing.

 

‘……And the news of our marriage.’

 

The duke wished for the wedding to be held as soon as possible, in which Nelia agreed. There was no reason to put it off because they were already living together anyway.

 

“The people in the Imperial Palace have been asking me why we don’t go to work together anymore lately.”

 

Nelia finished thinking and looked at the duke after the duke said so.

 

“Really’

 

It was a surprise to her. It turned out there were some people who had been wondering about them in the imperial palace……

 

“There must have been more people who put their attention on you than I thought. That must be the reason the knight dared to look at you.”

 

The one the duke was talking about must be Sir Vanerger.

 

After that day, he didn’t mention Sir Vanerger anymore, so she thought he wasn’t very jealous this time, but then she found the data about Sir Vanerger in his room.

 

When she asked what it was, the duke answered nonchalantly.

 

‘You obviously must know what kind of person he is. He was secretly staring at Nelia.’

 

The duke uttered in a calm voice to Nelia as she mentally shook her head.

 

‘His background is not messy. I wish it was.’

 

The duke spoke with a smile on his face.

 

Nelia wanted to ask what he meant by messy, but she gave up because somehow she figured out the answer.

 

The duke wouldn’t change for the rest of her life.

 

“Nelia. Please take a proper rest today.”

 

The duke kissed Nelia’s forehead, who was shaking her head inwardly.

 

Nelia stopped wondering and looked at the duke.

 

“If you’re busy with work, can I come with you to the palace?”

 

She was bored because she’d had enough rest by now. Actually, she felt lonely after…… being away from the duke for a while.

 

‘Me, too……’

 

She didn’t know if it would be this silly.

 

“I would like to do so as well, but is your ankle still uncomfortable, Nelia?”

 

Right……

 

“And I don’t want to take you with me after I knew there was someone who stared at you that way in the imperial palace, Nelia.”

 

She felt sorry for Sir Vanerger, whose face she didn’t know for getting mentioned this much. All he did was show a pure interest in her.

 

“I will be the only one who takes Nelia’s heart. I know I’m busy at the moment, but it won’t take long.”

 

Nelia tilted her head.

 

“Really?”

 

She was glad to hear that he would be less busy after this, but at the same time she wondered. He was originally someone busy and important enough to be called the cog of the empire.

 

He had been taking days off lately due to a lot of things, but when he returned to his daily life again, he was supposed to do a lot of work again.

 

“Yes, I’ve been thinking of resigning.”

 

Nellia narrowed her eyes.

 

It took her a moment to completely understand his remark.

 

‘Does it mean…… He’s going to give up the prime minister position?’

 

“I-Is that so? I mean, why didn’t you tell me such an important thing?!”

 

“I was going to tell you when I’ve sorted things out. I didn’t want you to worry about it earlier.”

 

Huft. Alright, for now……

 

“Why do you want to resign?”

 

“I became a prime minister to avenge the emperor in the beginning. Therefore, I don’t have to work so hard in order to keep that position anymore right now.”

 

The duke pulled Nelia into his arms.

 

“It’s better to stay with you like this rather than working busily in the Imperial Palace.”

 

. Nelia dropped her gaze slightly because that was what she exactly wanted.

 

“And…… I think His Highness Carlos is going to inherit the throne within five years, and I actually don’t want to serve him.”

 

Nelia raised her gaze.

 

“Within 5 years?”

 

“His right arm has gotten better and considering his ability, I don’t mind if Carlos inherits the throne now. Also, His Majesty is getting old.”

 

The duke gave a fairly objective assessment of Carlos.

 

Nelia looked at the duke in curiosity, and said as if she knew what he was thinking.

 

“You don’t seem to hate him as much as you used to now.”

 

“Is it because you know you both were siblings in your past lives?”
The duke smiled lightly.

 

“It’s impossible. Even if I knew we were siblings in my past life, we were just siblings. Actually, it’s not really touching.”

 

The duke reacted cynically to his past life. Actually, he didn’t feel sad even after Sigrid disappeared.

 

Sigrid seemed to be fond of the duke and Carlos at first glance, as they were the reincarnations of Shilin and Carl.

 

“I think it’s because I’ve cleared up the anger that Sigrid had talked about. You can see that I don’t feel as uncomfortable as I used to be. But of course, I can’t forgive what he had done to you, Nelia.”

 

Nelia nodded.

 

‘Right…… After Sigrid’s test, their old bad relationship is over now.’

 

Nelia thought she should ask the duke about her concern lately as she thought about Carlos.

 

“Speaking about him, I’m going to pay His Highness Carlos a visit, Your Grace. What do you think?”

 

The duke raised one of his eyebrows.

 

“For what?”

 

“I want to thank him. He helped you to save me.”

 

“……”

 

“If you decide to resign from your job, there won’t be much time to meet him anymore, so this will be the last meeting where I express my gratitude towards him.”

 

The duke remained silent for a moment as if contemplating her request. A sigh slipped out of his lips.

 

“Although my raw anger against him in the past has disappeared, there’s still the fact that I don’t like him. For what he had done to Nelia.”

 

The duke looked up and stared straight at Nelia.

 

“My heart doesn’t allow it, but then you would be concerned about Carlos for quite some time.”

 

Right…… Perhaps, she would feel ashamed for not thanking him for the rest of her life.

 

“You’d feel terrible.”

 

When the duke had granted her permission, Nelia smiled and quickly hugged him.

 

In return, the duke gave the condition that they should go there together, but she asked him to put it off because it could possibly ruin their last greeting, in which she wished it would end well.

 

However, she was certain that Carlos wouldn’t pull any craps to her now.

 

The duke probably knew it. That Carlos had no more feelings left for her after Sigrid’s test.

 

Sigrid once said that he felt as if Carlos was struggling in the dark upon looking into his eyes.

 

Later on, Nelia could understand Sigrid’s words.

 

Carlos had a tranquil look on his face after he finished the test. Which was the stark contrast to the expressions he used to have on his face.

 

Nelia argued these points with the duke which eventually led to her permission to go meet Carlos alone.

 

***

 

Nelia, who came to the imperial palace for the first time in a while, immediately headed to Carlos’ office.

 

The guards stopped Nelia when she arrived in front of the office.

 

“May I know what you are here for?”

 

“I came to pass the Duke of Hart’s words.”

 

The duke was like a cheat key in the imperial palace. When she used the excuse to run errands for him, no one could stop her.

 

The guards told Nelia to wait for a few minutes before one of them entered Carlos’ office.

 

She wondered if Carlos wouldn’t want to meet her, but she had a strange belief.

 

That he wouldn’t refuse this meeting.

 

The guard came out of the office shortly after.

 

“His Highness wants you to come in.”

 

Nelia nodded before walking in. Nevertheless, his office still felt empty.

 

“Good evening, Your Highness.”

 

Nelia greeted Carlos politely. Carlos’ desk was filled with stacked papers.

 

He seemed busy in preparation for inheriting the throne.

 

‘Well…… As His Grace said, Carlos is outstanding.’

 

As he was the hero of this world.

 

Carlos stood up and walked to Nelia, who was distracted by something else for a moment.

 

Standing tall in front of her, he was showing a casual smile, not the one he used to have.

 

“I thought you’d come a bit earlier.”

 

Nelia also didn’t feel uncomfortable or awkward with Carlos as she used to.

 

She thought it wasn’t just because of his smile, but also his gaze that she saw at that moment felt slightly warm.

***