"Elaina?"
Even after spending the night together, Sinclair's voice was clearly filled with anxiety. Elaina silently gazed at him for a moment.
Then, after a considerable amount of time passed, she slowly removed her lips while caressing his angular cheek.
"It's not because it's difficult."
"Then......"
"I'm just worried about you, that's all."
Sinclair's actions, as if he was endlessly hiding something, and the way he held her as if he was being chased, worried her. Despite completely sharing each other's warmth and breath, he still seemed unsettled.
"I'm fine. You have nothing to worry about."
......But in my eyes, you don't look fine at all.
Why have you been pushing yourself so hard lately?
Is it because you don't trust me?
Or is there something you don't want to tell me?
[......Are you aware that there is a secret place in the elder brother's palace? The location is not that difficult. It's the innermost part of the prince's palace. A small room in the deepest place.]For some unknown reason.
[Of course, the meticulous elder brother ordered that no one but himself be allowed inside, but it wouldn't be too difficult for the beloved princess to set foot there.]Why did Hister's annoying voice suddenly echo in her ears at this moment?
[Do you know? You might discover an unexpected secret there. I wonder if you'll still be able to speak with a smile then.]"I wanted to leave after seeing you fall asleep, but it doesn't seem possible today."
Sinclair, who had no idea what Elaina was thinking, slowly removed his lips.
"It seems that Duke Heswin has succeeded in luring Duke Rockford. He said he wants to apologize for what happened last time."
Ah, he's talking about that marriage proposal from before. Elaina flinched slightly upon realizing what he meant.
Not missing her small movement, Sinclair gently stroked her slightly thin shoulders as if telling her not to worry. Then he continued.
"He said he'll come around noon tomorrow, but I don't really like the idea of letting someone who said such things back into the palace. It won't take long anyway, so just rest comfortably. Schuler will take responsibility for guarding the palace."
Sinclair murmured softly as he pressed his lips against Elaina's cheek.
"Everything is going well, Elaina."
"......"
"Naturally, Duke Heswin is on our side, and now that even Chase has become my person, Count Wilter will also share our intention."
"Is that the reason you took care of Prince Chase as well?"
Elaina stared at him silently for a moment, then asked in a low voice.
"Was that the only reason?"
"......Well."
At Sinclair's ambiguous answer, Elaina felt as if her heart was freezing over.
The man in front of her strangely seemed like a different person from the one she had fallen in love with. Rather than caring about unnecessary warmth and kindness, it was as if he had become someone who only tried to calculate and control everything.
"But one thing is for certain. I...... am willing to use any means now."
"......"
"To become the emperor."
Yes. He must become the emperor like that. As soon as possible. And a strong emperor at that.
And he would place Elaina on the empress's throne. So that no one would dare say a word against her.
......Unfortunately, Sinclair, who had become engrossed in the goal before his eyes, might have been missing the most important thing.
"And I don't want you going to that gathering anymore."
After a while, Sinclair spoke again.
"I know you're deliberately putting yourself through hardships to help me. But you don't have to do that anymore. Because I will be able to handle everything sufficiently even without your help."
"......"
"I'm not saying this because I don't trust your help or because it's bothersome. Elaina, I just want you to stay by my side. And......"
Sinclair hesitated for a moment, then remained silent for a while. As if he was contemplating how to refine what he was about to say to make it appear at least somewhat clean.
"......My heart doesn't feel like it."
Eventually, Sinclair spoke in a very low voice, burying his face in Elaina's shoulder.
"Showing you to other men."
"......"
"To be honest, I feel like getting rid of everyone who lays eyes on you."
Although his tone was gentle, the emotion felt was clear obsession.
"Is it because of Ryan Henard?"
Elaina asked Sinclair in response to that sinister atmosphere.
"Because it seems that the young lord took your side because of me?"
"......"
"Is that why you're telling me not to go to the gatherings?"
There was no answer. But sometimes, such silence could be a more definite answer than any words.
Elaina wasn't unaware of his feelings either. She had noticed. Especially after seeing Ryan's remarks at this gathering and the things he had said to her.
But even so, could acting like this be considered normal?
......So does that mean there's nothing I can do but stay by your side?
Like a prisoner locked in a jail cell?
What on earth is making you so anxious?
"I thought I had given you my everything and received your everything......"
Elaina said as she slowly reached out and placed her hand on Sinclair's chest.
"Perhaps we are still......"
......No different from the beginning.
For a moment, Sinclair's noble golden eyes trembled aimlessly.
"Elaina......?"
Sinclair asked as if wondering what that meant, but there was no answer. Elaina swallowed her true feelings that kept trying to come out and just smiled as usual to the best of her ability.
"It's nothing."
"......"
"Hurry back, Sinclair. Duke Heswin and Duke Rockford must be waiting."
There was a brief feeling of an indescribable atmosphere, but Elaina was still looking at him with a lovely face and smiling.
Sinclair, forcibly reassured, smiled faintly and kissed Elaina deeply once more.
Then he carefully covered Elaina's thin body with the blanket and gently arranged her black hair that was scattered haphazardly on the white sheets.
"I'll be back, Elaina."
Sinclair said as he slowly got up from the bed and looked back at Elaina, and Elaina quietly nodded.
Thump, thump.
Elaina, who had been lying quietly under the blanket Sinclair had covered her with, stared at Sinclair's receding back.
And she waited for his footsteps to gradually fade away.
"......"
After a considerable amount of time passed, Elaina, who was left alone in the bedroom, closed and opened her eyes while catching her breath.
All she felt was a silence as still as a tomb. Now, only Judith, Anna, and Schuler would be guarding near the bedroom.
Elaina slowly got up from the bed.
She put a black robe over her thin slip and began to approach the tightly closed door with a limping gait.
......If Sinclair doesn't speak up until the end. If he can't speak up.
She just had to find out for herself.
And......
[I wonder if you'll still be able to speak with a smile then.]She had no intention of being swayed by Hister's unknown trickery any longer.
Yes, I need to find out.
What your anxiety is.
And what this fear is that keeps stirring my heart.
With that, Elaina opened the bedroom door. With a careful but unwavering, resolute touch.
The one most surprised by Elaina's sudden action of leaving the bedroom was none other than Schuler.
"You want to look around the prince's palace?"
At Elaina's words that were difficult to understand, Schuler showed a very puzzled expression.
Of course, Elaina could be curious about places she hadn't been to. That much was fine, but something was strange.
The one who knew the prince's palace best would be its owner, Sinclair, so why would she say such a thing when Sinclair was away?
He had a bad feeling.
"If there's something you need, you can tell Judith and Anna...... no, you can tell me directly."
"That's right! If you want to take a night stroll, of course we should go with you. It would be our pleasure to attend to you, Lady Elaina!"
"I appreciate everyone's kindness, but it's alright."
However, Elaina shook her head and replied briefly to Schuler and Judith's words.
"It's not something that can be done with the help of others."
"I'm sorry......?"
"Besides, isn't the prince's palace already filled with Eric Connor's soldiers outside?"
"That's true, but......"
"If the prince's palace was even slightly dangerous, Sinclair wouldn't have thought of leaving his seat at night like this. Schuler, you should know that best."
Why is she being so adamant?
What on earth is the reason?
Schuler looked at Elaina with eyes full of confusion.
"I just want to look around the prince's palace a little. Is that a problem? I am the princess."
Honestly, there was nothing wrong with what Elaina said. So Schuler, looking a bit troubled, pondered for a moment and then asked in a very cautious voice.
"Then I will accompany you alone."
"......"
"Even though the prince's palace is said to be safe, you never know what might happen. Especially in the current imperial palace. You know this well too, Lady Elaina."
Right. There was no way to get rid of Schuler anyway.
Rather, it was fortunate that he didn't adamantly stop her.
Elaina, having found a compromise to some extent, nodded as if she understood, and Schuler finally let out a sigh of relief and asked.
"So, where would you like to go?"
"The prince's palace......"
[Are you aware that there is a secret place in the elder brother's palace?]"The inner part."
[The location is not that difficult. It's the innermost part of the prince's palace. A small room in the deepest place.]"I want to look around there first."
For a moment, Schuler's eyebrows twitched slightly.
The innermost part of the prince's palace?
Even I don't know for sure what's there.
Moreover, one of the rooms located near there is a place Sinclair ordered no one to enter......
"If you're not going to guide me, Schuler, I'll go alone."
"......"
"What will it be?"
"......No. I will escort you."
In the end, Schuler had no choice but to follow Elaina's words. She didn't want to suppress him like this, but it couldn't be helped.
And so, Elaina slowly began to walk down the corridor, matching her steps with Schuler.
......Without even dreaming of what she would discover at the end of it.
Top Celebrity Younger Brother Bears Her Child (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: Forced to live stream romance with a top celebrity in a female-dominant world.
Yan Jin transmigrated into a brothel, with a fellow transmigrated junior beside her.
Hearing the obscene words coming from outside, the unfortunate junior covered his ears tightly, his cheeks flushed red, and whispered to comfort her, “Don’t worry, I will definitely help you escape.”
“Don’t worry, I will definitely defend your chastity.” Yan Jin looked at the flawless and delicate features of the unfortunate junior and gently comforted, “Because we have transmigrated into a female-dominant world.”
※※※
Top celebrity Yu Shu suddenly fell into a coma during a concert.
Research scientist Yan Jin fainted in the lab after working overtime.
Two people with no connection were rushed to the same hospital.
Three days later, neither of them had woken up.
Suddenly, the entire nation discovered that a live streaming app had been forcibly installed on their phones.
Upon opening it, they heard the two discussing how to escape from the brothel.
The entire internet was in an uproar.
After the two successfully escaped from the brothel, Yu Shu’s fan group rushed to make a banner and sent it to the hospital overnight.
“Big sister bravely took action to defend the chastity of our idol!”
※※※
When Yu Shu was diagnosed with pregnancy, Yan Jin stared at his belly for a long time.
Covering his stomach, he muttered gloomily, “If you don’t like it, I’ll go get an abortion.”
“It’s not that I don’t like it.” Yan Jin hugged Yu Shu and said softly, “I just feel like I’m not human.”
Yu Shu comforted Yan Jin, “I was already an adult when we got together.”
Yan Jin hesitated, “But you won’t be of legal marriageable age even after giving birth to the child.”
At the same time, a flood of bullet comments appeared in the live streaming room that the two couldn’t see.
[Although it’s inappropriate, I also want a young and handsome boyfriend to have my child.]
①Male pregnancy (highlighted)
The female lead is five years older than the male lead, and the male lead is already an adult when he appears.
