Strategic Marriage with the Mad Villain - Chapter 110

Even just thinking about it, I strangely felt my cheeks heating up. At the same time, I recalled the embarrassing words Roshan and Emily had casually added, thinking it was just part of the novel’s content.

“Reus likes me? Is that even possible…?”

The thought that the strange atmosphere I sensed wasn’t just my imagination fought fiercely with the thought that Reus might actually like me.

‘But he has been treating me exceptionally well so far. However… can that really be considered as liking someone? He could just be treating me well because I’m his benefactor, as he says… No, but he’s been too nice.’

I kept repeating the same thoughts in my head. Because of this, I didn’t hear the sound of the door opening. Thanks to that, I only managed to come to my senses when I realized Reus was looking down at me.

“Roel. What were you thinking about that you didn’t answer when I called?”

“Ah, I wasn’t thinking about anything? I was just thinking about my friends because they left so quickly, I felt a bit regretful. I wasn’t thinking about anything else at all…”

“Seeing how long your explanation is, it doesn’t seem that way.”

“No, really! I truly wasn’t thinking about anything special…”

“I see.”

Reus chuckled softly and naturally took off my shoes. I flinched at the touch of his hand brushing against my foot.

As I stiffened up, Reus stood up again and leaned his upper body down slightly with slightly worried eyes.

“Roel, your face is red…”

And soon, Reus’s hand touched my cheek. As soon as it did, I let out a small scream and swatted his hand away.

“…Roel.”

Not content with just swatting his hand away, I even ran far away. Reus’s face became the most shocked I had ever seen.

I’m truly sorry, but today, running away was more important than clearing up Reus’s misunderstanding.

“I, I think I should sleep separately today. I’m sorry, Reus.”

I put on the slippers in the room and ran out, leaving behind a dumbfounded Reus. As soon as I reached another room, I locked the door.

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‘This is bad.’

Every time I saw Reus, the things Roshan and Emily had said kept automatically coming to mind.

When I first heard it, I was dumbfounded, and for quite a long time, I had believed that this man would never have feelings for me, so it was difficult to immediately accept Reus’s actions.

But when I applied the reason of ‘liking’ to all the actions that hadn’t made sense until now, everything fell into place.

His excessive worry about me, even beyond what a benefactor would do. The obvious signs of displeasure every time I got close to Theron. And even canceling the ship to Beliata when I tried to leave.

Looking back now, it was foolish not to have noticed.

‘So that’s why Theron asked if I had ever thought that I might be the only one who didn’t know.’

Anyway, the point is that now that I know everything, I can’t treat Reus casually like before.

In the end, today too, I ran out of the dining room after the meal as if escaping, and ran away from Reus wherever my feet took me.

Eventually, I ended up in the maze garden that I had never visited before. I crouched down in a spot that couldn’t be seen even from below the building.

“What should I do, really.”

The biggest problem wasn’t anything else, but controlling my own feelings after learning the reason why Reus had kept me here.

Before leaving the Grand Duke’s castle, I had given up because Reus didn’t show himself. After that, I had been briefly distant because he didn’t tell me the reason for keeping me here and I was angry… but my feelings of liking him were still there.

‘At this rate, I might end up revealing that I like him first.’

After lamenting meaninglessly in the corner of the garden for a while, my legs went numb and I stood up. Just as I was getting up, thinking I should sit on a chair even if I look pathetic…

“How long are you going to keep avoiding me like this…”

Something suddenly popped out from somewhere and grabbed my waist.

“Got you.”

There was only one person in the Grand Duke’s castle who would grab me like this. Soon, Reus’s voice came from behind me.

“So, how long are you going to keep avoiding me like this, Roel? You’re making the person being ignored feel hurt.”

“…That’s not it.”

“Ah. So you weren’t avoiding me?”

“No, I wasn’t… I was just taking a walk.”

“At this rate, you’ll say hiding around is your hobby too.”

“…L-let go of me now.”

I struggled hard, but Reus ignored it and lifted me up. Afraid of him seeing my reddened face, I immediately hugged Reus’s neck tightly and buried my face.

But I didn’t hear any response from Reus, nor did I feel any movement.

Reus had frozen in place while holding me.

“…What are you doing?”

“…”

“Why are you just standing still, Reus.”

As I said that, I subtly raised my head. But what I saw in front of me was Reus’s completely reddened neck. Seeing that, I also froze for a moment.

He usually does skinship so well, I don’t know why he’s acting like this today of all days.

Now that I understand the meaning behind all of Reus’s reactions, I couldn’t just brush it off. In the end, I chose to tightly close my eyes and bury my head again.

“I said put me down.”

“You say to put you down, but… but you keep hugging me tightly. What should I do?”

“T-that’s…”

It was a dilemma. I didn’t want to show that I had the same feelings as Reus, but I also didn’t want to wander around the Grand Duke’s castle being carried like this.

Of course, the servants have seen this so often that they don’t even pay attention anymore… but I didn’t like it.

“Then take me to my room.”

“…Alright.”

“Not by walking…! Like you did with Theron last time.”

“Can you stop mentioning Theron, Roel?”

It was ridiculous how he would immediately get upset at just the mention of Theron’s name, but I answered anyway.

“I won’t do it anymore after today, so please let it slide just for today.”

“You’ve promised.”

“Yes, I promise… I get it.”

After saying that, not even a few seconds had passed when I felt the air surrounding Reus and me change. When I looked through my hair, we had already arrived in the bedroom.

I waited, thinking he would put me down now, but Reus made no movement.

“Roel.”

“Yes…?”

“When did you contact my aunt?”

“Ah.”

When was that again? After desperately pretending not to know, I remembered today’s date and flinched.

“It seems you forgot about the trouble you caused while running away.”

“…”

“You said you had no intention of running away, hm?”

I pretended not to hear Reus’s words and changed the subject.

“Has she already arrived?”

“Now you’re not even answering.”

“Then I need to change clothes…”

“You’re blatantly ignoring me now.”

“Quickly… take me to the dressing room.”

Reus teased me, saying I had become quite natural at ordering people around.

[This is the timeline separator]

There were some difficulties, but thanks to steeling my resolve in the dressing room, I was able to act quite naturally even when I saw Reus waiting in front.

And so, we welcomed Shanette, who arrived at the Grand Duke’s castle a day earlier than planned.

“Roel… Your face looks very haggard. Are you sure you’ve been eating well?”

“Of course.”

But despite my answer, Shanette couldn’t shake off her worried expression and soon said,

“It seems you still have a long way to go for a full recovery.”

“…”

“I think we’ll have to postpone the volunteer work.”

As expected of Reus’s aunt. I thought they were only similar in their obsession with feeding me, but it turns out they also look at me as if I’m too weak in the same way.

“You’ve lost too much weight too… Reus, are you sure you’ve been taking good care of Roel? For now, Roel, go up to your room and rest. Don’t catch a cold unnecessarily. Come on, hurry.”

“What? But, I’m fine…”

“I’m not fine. I didn’t expect you to have become this thin… I can’t just stand by and watch. Go up to your bedroom and I’ll send up some medicine right away.”

Medicine…?

“Really, I’m really fine?”

I tried to dissuade them somehow, but my words were just empty echoes to the two of them. Reus and Shanette were so absorbed in talking about medicines that they couldn’t hear my voice at all.

[This is the timeline separator]

“So, make sure to take this medicine in the morning and evening, and take this one lightly before bed. And this isn’t medicine, but…”

Shanette, who had finally succeeded in making me sit on the bed, explained about each medicine one by one.

But since I couldn’t distinguish them well, she added that it was fine if I only knew roughly, as she had given Reus strict instructions anyway.

“By the way, I’m really worried. You’re already so weak, and… When I first heard the news that you had collapsed, I was so shocked. Especially when I heard that Lady Flona had done such a thing, it was even harder to believe the news about you.”

It wasn’t strange for Shanette to react like this, as Verodika had always taken very good care of her public image.

Unless someone was in a very close relationship with her, everyone would have a similar reaction.

“Anyway, Roel keeps saying she’s fine, but I think it would be better to participate in volunteer activities next time. I don’t think now is the right time at all.”

“Then please make sure to take me next time.”

“Of course. Now, shall we take the medicine?”

“…Yes.”

As I forcibly swallowed the medicine that gave off a pungent smell, I thought about how I could appear as a healthy person to Reus and Shanette.

‘Would it work if I gained weight?’

Would that at least stop them from trying to feed me constantly?

While making these futile assumptions, Shanette spoke as she took away the medicine bowl.

“Volunteer work might be too much, but how about attending the salon that will be held soon instead?”

“A salon?”

“The princess was feeling a bit lonely because there was no one her age. I think it would be good for Roel to attend too, to get some fresh air. I’ll try to arrange for this salon to be held within the Grand Duchy.”

It was natural for the characters around Iris to change since the original story had completely derailed anyway. But it was a bit unexpected that she was maintaining a close relationship with Shanette.