I Pretended To Be Dead And Ran Away (22 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 6
“Is there any reason I shouldn’t go to the third floor at dawn?”
Previously, Chief Steward Mariven hadn’t answered that question. But according to what I’d heard during the handover this time:
“Master isn’t in his right mind then. He’ll kill anyone he sees.”
“What? Then isn’t everywhere else dangerous too? He could come down from the third floor, couldn’t he?”
“No, he absolutely never leaves the third floor.”
I should’ve just discreetly waited on the second floor until morning.
But technically speaking, where I’d just fallen was the middle of the staircase between the second and third floors—not quite the third floor yet.
And though the third floor was so spacious one could run down the corridor, how had I gotten caught so precisely like this?
“Huh!”
I covered Felix’s eyes with my free hand.
“You smell nice.”
“Well, of course. It’s a scent Master doesn’t find unpleasant, after all.”
I’d thoroughly applied the perfume issued specifically to the servants.
The fresh, grassy fragrance was meant to avoid irritating Felix, whose sense of smell was particularly acute.
Though in truth, there was practically nothing that didn’t bother Felix.
“Reniel.”
“Yes, Master.”
I deliberately lowered my voice, as my voice would naturally rise once I returned to my female form.
Yet he didn’t seem particularly shocked that I’d gone from male to female after the ring came off.
It made some sense—I supposed we did look rather like siblings, after all.
“What does ‘not in his right mind’ mean exactly?”
“It’s a side effect of the sleeping medicine Master takes before bed.”
“Is it sleepwalking, then?”
“I’m not entirely sure myself. If even the doctors don’t know, how would I?”
As my conversation with the Chief Steward came back to me, my heartbeat grew louder in my ears.
If he truly wasn’t in his right mind right now, wouldn’t the chance he’d kill me be even higher? And even if he didn’t kill me, wouldn’t he dismiss me once he discovered I was a woman?
Of course, I’d planned to quit eventually—but this soon?
And if I were dismissed under such suspicious circumstances, would Felix really let me go without consequences?
I’d never even considered embezzlement or anything dishonorable, thanks to the generous salary and benefits I’d received all this time. But now, thinking that those who’d left with recommendation letters might be better off than me, I felt terrified.
“Reniel.”
“…M-Master, I really… didn’t come up here on purpose…”
My voice kept trembling, and everything I said sounded utterly pathetic.
“Your hands smell nice too.”
“Ah…!”
Startled by the unfamiliar sensation of his teeth on my palm, I involuntarily shivered—and he gave a soft chuckle. Then, with his other hand, he gently moved my right hand away from his eyes.
“Master.”
I looked straight at him, feigning pitiful desperation in hopes he’d spare me.
But his crimson eyes flashed warningly, sending a wave of fear through me.
“Why are you trembling? Is the floor cold?”
“Y-Yes, of course the floor is cold… Ah, wait! Just a moment!”
Felix suddenly hoisted me up and began moving.
Far away, my ring lay glinting pathetically against the wall beneath the window, visible even in the darkness.
“Master!”
His pace was so swift I felt nauseous the entire way.
Plus, my unfamiliar long hair swayed wildly, which felt thoroughly strange.
Since I’d spent so little of my life as a woman, I almost wondered if this wasn’t a dream.
Dong, dong, dong.
The grandfather clock chimed four in the morning, echoing through the third-floor corridor.
I felt as if the chimes were ringing inside my own head. Panic and fear made it harder and harder to breathe.
On top of that, his firm shoulder pressing into my abdomen hurt more than I’d expected.
I wanted to squirm, but his arm clamped tightly around my thighs beneath me was so strong that even the slightest movement was impossible.
“Master!”
When I came to my senses, he was already carrying me into his room.
The door must have opened, but by the time I noticed, it was already closed again.
I’d always known he was much taller than me, but I hadn’t realized the difference in stride would be this extreme.
His room was the Duke’s bedroom at the very center of the third floor—something I never expected to reach so quickly.
Once inside the bedroom:
“Ah…!”
I was tossed somewhere.
Instinctively, I squeezed my eyes shut—but it didn’t hurt.
Wondering why, I slowly took a deep breath and opened my eyes, realizing I’d landed on a bed.
“It shouldn’t be cold here.”
“A-Ah, no, it’s not. But, Master, why…?”
He reached out again and drew closer.
“Have you been drinking, Master?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“I can’t remember.”
Each time he spoke, the sharp scent of whiskey stung my nose.
I didn’t know how much he’d had, but even I felt intoxicated just talking to him.
I glanced around, wondering if he’d brought me here to kill me.
The room was a complete mess. Shards of broken whiskey bottles were scattered everywhere, and the stench of cigars was overwhelming—from how many he must have smoked.
“You smell nice.”
“You smell like alcohol and cigars, Master.”
He chuckled softly at that.
“I’m sorry! Please spare me!”
I apologized instinctively the moment he grabbed my collar with a smile.
But the Felix I knew hated lies above all else, so I remained terrified.
Thud, thud-thud-thud!
“Master?”
He seized my shirt and ripped open the buttons all the way down my waistcoat. The sudden chill of night air made goosebumps rise all over my body.
“Stay still.”
“Ahh…”
My vision blurred from fear. If I’d known I’d die like this, I should’ve spent all my savings before coming.
In the bank lay ten years’ worth of diligently saved money, quietly accruing interest.
Given how he was tearing off my clothes just to confirm I was a woman, I really must be about to die.
My shirt hung loosely over my chest—but fear far outweighed any embarrassment.
“Master?”
To my surprise, the next moment his warm ear pressed against my chest, and I instinctively tensed.
“Be quiet.”
He stayed silent, as if trying to hear something from within my chest.
His weight pressed down heavily, and before I knew it, both my arms were pinned above me.
“Don’t move.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t answer.”
I obeyed, saying nothing and making no reply. Slowly, he released my arms and quietly pressed his ear against me again.
Perhaps because of the weight of his head, my heartbeat felt heavier than usual.
I don’t know how long I stayed completely still.
All I knew was that each breath made his hair tickle my chest, which was incredibly distracting—yet the faint, sweet scent of his soft hair gradually eased my tension.
“Reniel.”
“Yes, Ma-Master.”
His voice was much deeper than usual, and I flinched, fearing he might be angry.
“Your hair.”
“Yes?”
“Stroke it.”
“Yes.”
Though I wondered why he’d ask this, I began running my fingers through my sky-blue hair. At that, he lifted his head, looked at me, and gave a soft laugh.
“Not yours.”
“Oh, right.”
As his breath touched my skin again, my body grew warm—and strangely sensitive.
Very slowly, I touched his hair. The soft strands slipped effortlessly through my fingers.
“Your heartbeat…”
His voice grew even lower and slower, as if drowsiness were overtaking him.
“I like listening to it.”
His body gradually lost tension, leaning heavier against me.
His head felt unusually heavy on my chest—so much so I worried his chin pressing against my ribs might leave a bruise.
Yet his surprisingly calm behavior made me…
…gently stroke his hair, trying not to disturb him.
After a long while, sensing his breathing had steadied, I slowly tried to slip away.
“Dare you…?”
“I didn’t move!”
Though I’d barely shifted, his irritated tone made me quickly protest.
“Stay still.”
“…Yes, of course.”
My heart pounded so loudly again I feared he could hear it in his ear.
I held my breath deliberately, waiting for my heartbeat to slow.
But even breathing as slowly as possible, my heart kept racing for a long time without calming.
After all, the man pinning me down was a madman who valued human lives less than flies.
Perhaps if he twisted my neck and killed me right here, no one would ever know—I’d simply be buried quietly in the backyard.
“…”
In silent plea that this wouldn’t happen, I stroked his hair again. A contented sigh escaped him.
Once more, I stayed perfectly still—except for my hand—completely trapped.
Much later, a sound came from far away.
Dong, dong, dong.
As the grandfather clock chimed six, marking the hour,
I slowly pulled away.
Thankfully, Felix, fast asleep, slid off me more easily than expected.
Without looking back, I immediately left the room.
Then, hurrying to find the ring I’d dropped in the corridor,
I spotted it in the distance—glimmering pathetically even in the darkness. Just as I reached to pick it up and put it back on—
“Blue hair…? Reniel?”
Someone called out to me. But I was still in my female form…!
When yandere male lead believes she loves him — but she never did
“How dare you!”
“How dare you make me love you, only to cast me aside as nothing more than a friend?!?
“I will never accept that.”
“I will never let you return to him.”
“Even if I have to burn myself to ashes.”
“Even if I must shatter my purity, my dignity, my very soul.”
“I will never let you escape me!”
This was the first novel that introduced me to the matriarchal genre. I’ve read it three times already!
At first, the male lead despised the female lead. Later, he misunderstood that she liked him, so he condescendingly and reluctantly reciprocated her feelings.
Then, he suddenly discovered that she was kind to everyone in the same way, and there was already someone she cherished in her heart, and that person was not him.
The male lead couldn’t believe it, he became angry and crazy. He was determined to capture her body and heart by any means necessary.
Synopsis:
Want to see how a green tea bitch male lead falls in love with the female lead?
Want to see how he flirtatiously pursues the female lead?
Want to see how he gets slapped in the face repeatedly?
The male lead is a green tea bitch, a poisonous lotus, jealous, ruthless, unscrupulous, with a venomous heart, and he’s also a delusional maniac.
The female lead is righteous, positive energy-filled, kind, a holy mother.
Let’s see how two people with extreme personalities come together~
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Wait, what? For real? How come the Nuremberg Princess is hiding her gender and work at the mansion of the Duke who technically her archenemy? And Renal is Tanasis’ fiancee? Wow, never expected it to be revealed this early.
Very good story and i do prefer it if any person will give it a try worthy of your time
So apparently Renal is regarded as a threat for imperial family for her purifying ability and decided to make her Tanasias’ fiancee for close monitoring and helped him control his artificial ability. But Renal must’ve sensed or found out something that can put her life in danger. Thus she went into the hiding in the enemy’s nest and disguised as a man with the ring’s help. I wonder what kind of finding Reniel got to the point it threatened her life.