After Linking the Villainess and Male Lead (5 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 27
“No. It’s only just beginning.”
“Oh, really?”
“It’s something that will take time, so it won’t be easily resolved.”
“I see. You look very tired.”
“Do I?”
“Yes. If you’d let me know in advance, I would have gone to the Duke’s residence.”
“I made a promise to you, so I must keep it.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Kaern stopped walking and turned his head toward me.
“You still call me ‘Duke.’”
“Huh? Ah—it just feels a bit awkward.”
“Awkward?”
“Yes… I suppose because there’s already a title I’ve always used…”
I mumbled vaguely, offering a clumsy excuse.
“Even if I said I wanted to hear it?”
“Huh? Ah…”
I hadn’t expected him to say something like that at all.
Looking into Kaern’s eyes fixed on me, it seemed I couldn’t brush this situation off lightly.
More than anything, I didn’t want to ignore his request to hear it.
‘Perhaps this is actually a good thing.’
It was a name I’d whispered countless times when he wasn’t around.
All I had to do was replace the three syllables ‘Duke’ with ‘Kaern.’
To shake off the rising tension, I clenched my fists slightly.
Then, slowly, I parted my lips.
“Ka… ern.”
I finally said his name.
Not when I was alone—but right here with him.
And strangely enough,
As soon as I spoke his name, the anxiety and nervousness filling my heart vanished, replaced entirely by anticipation and fluttering excitement.
Could that be why?
Somehow, the flickering uncertainty in his eyes and the pain gradually appearing on his face seemed to fade away.
“Once more.”
“Huh?”
“Would you call me once again?”
“…Kaern.”
Responding to his low, subdued request, I spoke his name once more.
“Yes, Helena.”
Kaern replied, calling my name in return.
“Kaern.”
The first time had been the hardest; now there was no more hesitation.
“It sounds good. From now on, keep calling me that.”
“Yes. I will.”
Afterward, I deliberately ignored the strange current flowing between us and slowly walked deeper into the garden.
“You took care of this garden just like the Duke’s residence, didn’t you?”
“Yes. Unlike the spacious garden at the Duke’s residence, this space is small, so I arranged it accordingly… What do you think? Is it alright?”
“This garden is just like you.”
“Ah—you think it resembles me?”
“Yes. It feels warm and comforting.”
Hearing such unexpected praise and feeling acknowledged, my mood suddenly lifted immensely.
“Come this way. There’s a place I absolutely must show you.”
Slightly excited, I impulsively grabbed his wrist.
Then, I led him to the spot I cherished most.
“Sit here.”
Not far ahead, a bench appeared, and I guided Kaern to sit on it.
He obediently followed my lead and took a seat.
I immediately sat down beside him and continued speaking.
“This is my favorite place in the entire garden.”
I’d always wanted to show it to Kaern someday, though I never imagined the opportunity would come like this.
Unable to hide my joy, I chattered happily toward him, sensing his silent, steady gaze upon me.
“Duke?”
“Kaern.”
“Oh! Kaern.”
He slightly furrowed his brows, correcting my address.
“Kaern. Kaern.”
To get used to it quickly, I bowed my head and murmured his name a few more times under my breath.
Then, I noticed my hand was still holding his wrist.
“Oh—I’m sorry.”
Startled, I hastily pulled my hand away.
“I didn’t realize I was still holding your wrist, Duke. Did I grip too tightly?”
I asked while carefully examining his wrist.
But it was too dark at night to see clearly.
“…It’s fine.”
“Phew—thank goodness.”
Relieved by his reassurance, I offered a faint smile.
“You said you like this place?”
“Yes. When I sit on this bench at night and look at the garden, the flowers seem to hold the moonlight in their petals. Don’t you think so?”
I smiled brightly and sought his agreement. Kaern slowly nodded.
“I see.”
“It’s also beautiful when the crescent moon appears—the sky is filled with stars. It’s a shame I can’t show you both sights at once.”
Tonight, the full moon was so large that the stars were barely visible.
“We can see it next time, can’t we?”
“Huh? Ah—yes, of course.”
Momentarily flustered by his promise of a ‘next time,’ I barely managed to hide my reaction and quickly continued.
“You’re welcome to come anytime you’d like to see it. Ah—you could even come tomorrow.”
Oops. Not tomorrow.
I’d gotten so carried away I’d momentarily forgotten his current situation.
Just as I was about to correct myself, Kaern spoke first.
“I’d like to, but it probably won’t be possible for a while.”
“You did say your matters aren’t resolved yet, right?”
“Yes. That’s why I’d like to finish what we were discussing earlier. You said you wanted to study abroad?”
“Huh? Ah—yes.”
Kaern naturally brought up our earlier conversation from the Duke’s residence that day.
I calmed my excited nerves and carefully studied his expression.
At least, it didn’t look worse than when he’d first brought it up at the Duke’s residence.
“The Empire is offering support this time for those who wish to study abroad. I really want to seize this opportunity and go.”
“Then go.”
“Huh?”
“Go and come back. Even if the Empire doesn’t provide funding, don’t worry about the expenses.”
Once again, he readily told me to go study abroad.
He even offered to cover any financial concerns.
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
“But breaking our engagement is absolutely out of the question.”
While I hesitated, he firmly rejected the idea of annulment.
“But Kaern…”
“Absolutely not.”
His face hardened completely as he shook his head.
“I don’t know how long the study period will last. It might even take several years.”
“Several years?”
“Yes. Since it’s abroad in a very distant country, I don’t plan to return until my studies are finished.”
I steeled myself and clearly conveyed everything I wanted to say.
“Are you truly planning to be away for several years?”
“Yes. Beyond the cost, if I miss this opportunity, I’m afraid I’ll never fulfill my dream.”
“Haa…”
At my unwavering reply, Kaern let out a quiet sigh.
“Even so… However many years it takes, go and come back. But breaking our engagement is absolutely out of the question.”
His answer remained unchanged.
Kaern was showing a resolve even firmer than my own stubbornness.
At this rate, we’d just keep repeating the same words indefinitely.
“Your Grace…”
“Kaern.”
Again, I used his title instead of his name, and Kaern corrected me.
“Are you really alright with that? I might not return until ten years from now.”
“Years—even decades—don’t matter. As long as you come back to me and marry me.”
“Why are you so fixated on marriage? Kaern, do you even…”
Without realizing it, I nearly blurted out: *If you have no feelings for me, why raise my hopes like this?*
Fortunately, I clamped my mouth shut just in time.
‘Get a hold of yourself.’
I barely regained my composure.
What should I do?
How could I make him understand?
Despite racking my brain, I couldn’t think of any good solution.
I didn’t want to keep opposing Kaern like this.
After all, up until now, as my fiancé, he’d shouldered far too much responsibility and made far too many sacrifices for me.
This won’t work.
I steeled my resolve and considered another approach.
‘Even if it means deceiving him…’
Soon, war would break out, and Kaern would leave the capital.
Since no one could predict how long this war would last, he likely wanted me to study abroad precisely so I’d be safe.
To someone unaware of the nation’s circumstances, studying abroad during wartime might seem even more dangerous.
But unless it was an all-out war determining the Empire’s survival, most conflicts weren’t about enslaving the enemy—they were more like territorial disputes.
Therefore, battles rarely advanced deep into either side’s territory and typically occurred near the borders.
Thus, unless one lived near the border, most citizens carried on with their daily lives, simply hoping their loved ones at the front would return safely.
The Empire itself had occasionally yielded territory it had seized years ago due to temporary setbacks.
But ever since Kaern was appointed supreme commander, not a single report of his defeat had ever reached our ears.
Male lead is reincarnated to save his wife
I’ve also read this one twice already. The female lead is kinda soft and gets embarrassed easily—not really my type, but the plot is definitely worth reading. Hurry up and read it, y’all!
Intro
When Shen Yuan encountered Su Jin again in his previous life, she had already become the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. As for him, the former top young master of the capital, he had long since fallen into the abyss, becoming a singer on a pleasure boat.
After a song ended, he was redeemed and sent to the Su Residence.
Su Jin respected and cherished him, gave him a roof over his head, and bestowed him with warmth. Shen Yuan fell deeper and deeper, but before he could express his feelings, Su Jin passed away.
Shen Yuan died to follow her in death, but instead, he returned to when he was fifteen years old.
At that time, he was not yet engaged, and Su Jin was just a poor scholar.
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, casting aside all his pride, and thought of ways to coax and entice her every day.
The colder and more indifferent Su Jin was towards him, the more proactive Shen Yuan became.
He was not afraid of being mocked by the world, only wanting to marry his Wife-master early, to hold her hand and never let go for a lifetime.
[Note: This story will not specifically point out the male lead’s reincarnation time point; it’s all in the details. Whenever you feel that the male lead is acting strangely, he has most likely been reincarnated.]
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If there is a person checking these comments. Can you please add a word/letter count to the bottom. Also sometimes the comments don’t stay within the chapter you read but throughout the whole book, please fix that glitch. Another, per book- hour limited to how many comments can earn cookies – it’s better you write that somewhere or give a notification to the commenter about that. The notification about the 3/3 free reads glitch too, sometimes it says 3/1,1/3,1/1 or not work. The cookies glitch sometimes too, id have 10 but when I try to unlock chapter it keeps saying I have none. Love yalls work!
If there is a person checking these comments. Can you please add a word/letter count to the bottom. Also sometimes the comments don’t stay within the chapter you read but throughout the whole book, please fix that glitch. Another, per book- hour limited to how many comments can earn cookies – it’s better you write that somewhere or give a notification to the commenter about that. The notification about the 3/3 free reads glitch too, sometimes it says 3/1,1/3,1/1 or not work. The cookies glitch sometimes too, id have 10 but when I try to unlock chapter it keeps saying I have none. Love yalls work!
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