The next day. Ruans came to see Lorencia again. His mood seemed strangely good. It seems he was happy that the ability he had been waiting for had manifested.
“I had another dream last night.”
“What kind of dream did you have, Lorencia?”
At the mention of having a dream, Ruans narrowed his eyes and smiled.
“In the dream, Crown Prince Adrian did not die.”
“What are you saying, Lorencia? Didn’t you say he died after being hit by an arrow shot by Marquis Spencer from the Polroid Empire?”
“Yes. He collapsed after being hit by an arrow shot by Marquis Spencer. But in the dream I had yesterday, Marquis Spencer didn’t come to the hunting competition.”
Lorencia told the lie without blinking an eye.
“What? Why on earth? Did you check what was different in the dream? Lorencia.”
“Well…”
Seeing Lorencia hesitate, Ruans narrowed his eyes. He looked as if he was trying to contain his rising irritation.
“Can dreams change like that? You don’t know at all why you had such a dream? Can’t you figure it out?”
Ruans’ lips quivered as he spoke. When his lips quiver, it’s a bodily signal that he’s about to raise his voice.
“Why did it change? Just yesterday, you clearly said you dreamed of my brother dying!”
Lorencia had to pretend to look discouraged at his malicious voice.
“I told you. In yesterday’s dream, Marquis Spencer didn’t participate in the hunting competition.”
“Explain it to me so I can understand.”
“In the first dream, Marquis Spencer looked for me at the hunting competition.”
“Why did he look for you, Lorencia?”
“I’m not sure. But Marquis Spencer and I knew each other.”
It’s not a lie since it’s correct that she would become acquainted with Teishar Spencer when they meet anyway.
“What? Are you saying you, Lorencia, who hasn’t even had her debutante, participated in the hunting competition?”
“Yes.”
Lorencia, who knew nothing back then, couldn’t attend the hunting competition. It was natural. She was an illegitimate child and hadn’t had her debutante yet. The debutante was forcibly held quietly at the count’s residence after Ruans ascended to the throne.
While high nobles and royalty have their debutante at the imperial banquet hall, it’s common for others to hold it at home. Basically, a chaperone or a noblewoman should accompany. Lorencia’s chaperone in the past was Lady Anne.
Even when having a debutante at home, the chaperone provides various teachings. But of course, Lorencia didn’t receive the basic teachings she should have received from a chaperone. She just wore the black dress Anne prepared for her on the set debutante day, and it ended with her dancing once with a male teacher who taught her a simple dance.
Later, she learned that black dresses at debutantes were mainly used to humiliate illegitimate children.
“In the dream where the Crown Prince died, I was wandering around at the hunting competition, so I witnessed the scene. But in the dream where the Crown Prince didn’t die, I didn’t witness the scene.”
“What does that mean?”
“In the dream where the Crown Prince died, I was present at the scene, but in the dream where the Crown Prince didn’t die, I wasn’t there.”
Ruans fell into thought. It was good that Lorencia’s power as a monster had awakened. And she told him exactly the future he wanted to see in her dream. And the next day, the dream was reversed. Something felt oddly off. It felt like walking in a fog.
“The reason I didn’t exist in the dream where the Crown Prince didn’t die is because I died from falling down the stairs.”
Lorencia said, bowing her head to Ruans.
“Falling down the stairs? Are you saying someone pushed you down the stairs?”
“Am I being too sensitive about a dream?”
“Lorencia.”
“Yes.”
“We agreed you’d tell me all about your dreams without hiding anything. Did you see who pushed you down the stairs?”
“Yes.”
Lorencia had seen over 10 years of time. She remembers everything from the depths of her memory to every speck of dust on the floor. She won’t be fooled anymore by Ruans’ worried face and voice.
Now, she will deceive Ruans.
“Tell me. Who pushed you and caused your death?”
“They probably didn’t push me on purpose. It must have been an accident.”
“Lorencia. Why are you avoiding answering my questions?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Hah… Do you know how tiresome that ‘sorry’ of yours is?”
After Ruans left the room yesterday, Illina came to the room irritably not long after. Lorencia knew she would come. And as expected, she started shouting as much as she could.
Lorencia began to see the pros and cons of people she hadn’t seen before. Illina was impulsive and impatient. When she got angry, she had to vent immediately and had to get angry. Pathetic, foolish, and beautiful Illina.
Lorencia licked her lips with her tongue, smiled, and then burst into laughter. To Illina, her laughter seemed to be mocking her, and she felt increasingly worse. The dog-like, pig-like Lorencia who used to crawl submissively had changed since coming to this room. That was very unpleasant.
Illina’s eyebrows twitched strangely, and then she couldn’t contain her anger and screamed. The maids outside quickly knocked and entered Lorencia’s room. They took Illina, who was raising her voice, throwing things in the room, and stomping her feet on the floor in anger, out of the room.
“Lorencia, stop stalling and tell me. Who on earth caused your fall down the stairs?”
“It was Illina.”
“What? Illina?”
Ruans recalled how he had gone to warn Illina about giving the cat as a gift after leaving Lorencia’s room yesterday. He had been annoyed, asking why she gave a gift when Lorencia absolutely shouldn’t have anything precious.
Lorencia should only think of him as precious and only rely on him.
At first, he was irritated with Illina for gifting the cat, but his mind changed. Thinking about it, he thought it might be good for her to have one precious thing. Pretending to protect and care for something precious might make Lorencia rely on him more. And if that precious thing dies or breaks, it wouldn’t be bad to pretend to comfort the saddened Lorencia.
So for now, this cat must disappear.
And he should tell her. That having something precious is painful. That if Lorencia had refused the gift, the kitten wouldn’t have died. Then give a new toy to the saddened Lorencia.
It’s an important time that requires more attention because Lorencia has awakened her power. Illina, who should be helping at times like this, has caused trouble.
A little jealousy is understandable. However, he must prevent Lorencia from being harmed by being pushed down the stairs just because of a little neglect. He can’t let the future plans be ruined because of a woman’s petty jealousy.
Ruans had a headache. He can’t cast Illina aside because he needs the current funds of the Pol Heredian Count’s family.
But he can’t leave Lorencia alone either. She’s a monster he’s carefully raised, and she’s just started seeing the future.
“Then… Lorencia.”
“Yes.”
“You’re saying that if you’re present, my brother Adrian will die.”
“At least that’s what I saw in the dream, Prince Ruans.”
In the future where the Crown Prince dies, Lorencia existed. But in the future where Lorencia dies from falling, the Crown Prince lived.
The answer was decided. He just needs to keep Lorencia alive. And although he really doesn’t want to, there’s one thing he must do to make Lorencia participate in the hunting competition.
“Now that you’ve officially become the lady of Count Pol Heredian, I’ll personally prepare your social debut. Lorencia.”
“My debutante? Really? I can’t believe it.”
Lorencia smiled brightly.
“I’ll personally recommend a chaperone for you. And I’ll personally escort you to the banquet held at the end of the month.”
Anyway, no man would be interested in an ugly, short, and unsightly monster. Rather, they would see him as a kind-hearted prince with compassion for escorting such a monster. Thinking of this, Ruans felt that Lorencia’s debut might not be all bad.
After all, isn’t it true that jewels shine more the deeper they are in the dirt?
“But I’m an illegitimate child, so if you escort me, Prince Ruans, you might be pointed at.”
“I don’t mind being pointed at because of you, Lorencia. It’s okay.”
A blush slowly spread across both of Lorencia’s cheeks. Ruans looked down at that sight with satisfaction.
“You know, Lorencia. I can take any amount of pointing for your sake.”
“Why would you go that far for me…”
“Because I like you, Lorencia.”
“You like me?”
“Yes. This kind of feeling is often called love.”
Ruans spoke in a sweet voice that would melt anyone who heard it. Lorencia’s eyes widened momentarily as she asked if it was true. She recalled one by one the words he had whispered lowly in her ear just before she died.
“Remember this, Lorencia. That I’m always looking out for you. And my heart too.”
There’s no way she could forget.
“Thank you for your confession. I’ll always remember deep in my heart that Prince Ruans can take any pointing from people for my sake.”
Lorencia muttered to herself, inaudibly to Ruans, “I hope you won’t regret those words,” and smiled contentedly. Ruans didn’t notice the faint madness mixed in that smile.
__________
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
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