A lump rose in her throat at the Duke’s solemn demeanor.
“I wanted to keep saying this…”
Nelia unconsciously gripped the handle of her teacup tightly.
She sensed that he was about to confess his past actions of trailing Charlotte.
Perhaps even his feelings for Charlotte…
Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to be so serious.
If the Duke confessed the truth, how should she react?
She felt like crying at the moment, but that was too disgraceful even by her own standards.
What were she and the Duke to each other?
Yet she couldn’t trust herself to react calmly.
What if he tenderly said, “I actually have feelings for Charlotte…”
“Nelia, from now on, don’t get involved in breaking my curse.”
Startled by the Duke’s unexpected words, Nelia quickly lifted her head.
She had thought he would confess his feelings for Charlotte, but suddenly he’s saying not to get involved in lifting his curse.
“What are you talking about?”
The Duke offered a weak smile.
“I’ve been thinking recently. Whether I’ve been burdening you with my curse, which is my problem…”
“But I’ve told you clearly that it’s fine.”
“No. Because of that, you can’t properly rest even on your days off.”
True, she hadn’t rested on her days off, but that wasn’t unpleasant.
Searching for information in libraries and dusty bookshops with the Duke had its own fun.
“From now on, I’ll find a way on my own. You’ve worked hard until now, Nelia.”
Nelia interrupted him hastily.
“You can’t even go outside without me…! What are you going to do if you turn into a snake without me…”
The Duke shook his head.
“If I take more than three pills, I’m still alright.”
“But that would be too hard on your body!”
“If necessary, I’ll have to.”
Nelia frowned at the Duke’s determined words.
“Why would you go so far…”
The Duke gave a bitter smile.
“I’ve enjoyed my time with Nelia too much, so much that I failed to notice your condition.”
Nelia still couldn’t comprehend what he was saying.
“Lifting the curse is not the most important thing…”
But the Duke seemed to think that Nelia was worn out from trying to lift his curse.
The Duke looked deeply into Nelia’s eyes.
“Nelia, to be honest, even if I live my whole life cursed, it doesn’t matter. The only thing I want is just one thing.”
The voice that flowed out was incredibly earnest.
“Nelia not leaving my side.”
Nelia just blinked vacantly.
The Duke continued to speak with an anxious look on his face.
“So, Nelia……”
“Just a moment!”
Nelia sorted out the situation.
It seemed the Duke had been worrying needlessly all this time.
Worrying that she, having been involved with the curse, might gradually grow weary and even come to resent the Duke. Why such a ridiculous misunderstanding?
While curious about the reason, the first thing to do was to clear up this misunderstanding.
Finally regaining her composure, Nelia opened her mouth.
“Duke, I want to make it clear that I have no intention of abandoning the task of breaking your curse. I don’t find it unpleasant.”
The Duke’s eyes widened slightly.
“Then why……”
Why, indeed? That was the question she wanted to ask herself.
Nelia’s brows furrowed.
“Why did you suddenly think that way, Duke?”
“Recently, there were times when you looked downcast, Nelia. Your expression looked tired, even strained……”
Nelia took a moment to reflect on herself.
‘Did I do that……?’
Thinking back, it seemed that way.
But it wasn’t because of Duke Hart, it was due to other things.
For example, how to approach Renewite again, what the Sacred Dew might be, and so on.
Of course, among many worries, the influence of Charlotte was the most significant.
She was feeling down, wondering if the Duke had fallen for Charlotte.
The problem was that she couldn’t share any of these worries with the Duke now.
The existence of Renewite, the Sacred Dew, the complicated feelings about Charlotte, all of it.
After much thought, Nelia finally spoke.
“…That’s not it.”
“Nelia, being a kind person, would never tell me if something was bothering her.”
A bitter smile crossed the Duke’s lips.
Seeing this, Nelia felt frustrated.
‘No, that’s not it!’
But Nelia, gathering her patience again, calmly opened her mouth.
“Actually, I have days when my body feels tired or sick for no reason. Yesterday was such a case.”
She couldn’t say she was upset because of Charlotte, so she sidestepped with a lie.
In reality, she wasn’t sick… she had just been shut up in her room, distraught.
However, this excuse didn’t seem to convince the Duke; his dark expression remained unchanged.
“Nelia, I’m really okay…”
“That’s not it…!”
Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, Nelia interrupted the Duke.
The Duke’s gaze turned to Nelia.
“The reason I’ve been acting strange is…”
Nelia closed her eyes tightly as she continued.
“It’s because of Charlotte.”
“What…?”
Resigned, Nelia laid her feelings bare.
“I thought… you might have fallen for Charlotte, Duke.”
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
