The unexpected response left me momentarily stunned, unable to process any sound.
To think that the man who contemplated killing me would say he wanted to save me.
It must be a lie. A lie.
There can’t be anyone who would want to save me.
“You don’t believe me.”
“……No, it’s just that I was surprised.”
“Lepherentia Nirel, from the same guardian family, was said to be incurably ill. I thought about wanting to save her.”
Larches slowly stroked the inside of my wrist with his thumb.
“Didn’t you feel the same? Didn’t you want to save Lepherentia Nirel?”
“……I’ve tried countless times.”
I’ve continuously attempted and am still trying. I’ve always strived to save myself, though the outcomes haven’t always been sweet.
“Yes, that’s why I went around asking noblewomen and young ladies about Lepherentia Nirel… If I had known it would spread like this, I would have been more careful with my words.”
I’ve spent a lot of time in the North. I can’t read Larches’ memories, but I’ve confirmed enough memories where he might be the murderer who kills me.
It wasn’t to escape or hide that I came to the North.
“……But you, Duke, were contemplating whether to kill or save Lepherentia.”
“I don’t recall saying that.”
I must make sure that Larches can’t kill me, can’t harm me if he really is the murderer.
“I heard it.”
After all, I’m not Lepherentia here; I am maid Lea.
A curious and presumptuous maid Lea.
I watched Larches’ reaction without averting my eyes.
“……What did you hear?”
His fingers, holding my hand, paused for a moment. Larches raised his eyes, still looking downwards.
“I heard you under the window of your old quarters, regretting whether you should have killed Lepherentia.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“I heard it right there. Have you forgotten when I called out to you from above?”
“You heard that from inside? Even though I remember the window being closed?”
“Do you remember I told you that my window lets in a draft? Your words were carried by the wind.”
Larches furrowed his brows, seemingly exasperated.
“Even if someone else had heard, there is no one who would tell me.”
“I didn’t disbelieve your words.”
“You were contemplating whether to kill or save Lepherentia then. If I hadn’t heard it directly, I wouldn’t know so precisely. At that time, there were only you and I.”
In truth, there was also Sir Ronan secretly assigned as a guard, but there was no need to pretend to know that.
Larches ran his fingers through his hair and let out a heavy sigh. He seemed to believe my words.
He turned his head away from me.
It was an unfamiliar angle.
It was the first time I saw his profile so closely.
The first thing that caught my eye was the sharp line of his nose, distinctly different from his frontal appearance.
His angular jawline enhanced his features.
And then I realized.
Whenever he was this close, he was always looking at me.
He had never turned his head away.
That’s why this angle was so unfamiliar and intriguing.
Realizing this, I felt a tickling sensation, as if my bare feet were buried in soft soil. I pressed my toes firmly, but the tickling didn’t subside.
“Does my dilemma and decision really matter? Lepherentia Nirel is no longer here anyway.”
The candle flickered. Shadows on Larches’ face shifted with the light.
“Yes, you’re right. Lepherentia Nirel has already disappeared.”
Pretending to be nonchalant, hiding true intentions.
The deception Larches often used, I was employing today.
“I was just curious about your choice, Duke. Whether to kill or save. If you had the option to choose one of those for Lepherentia, I wondered what you would have done.”
“Why does that interest you?”
“You saved the hound. You said useless things aren’t needed in this castle, but you made it necessary here. I was curious about what would have happened if Lepherentia Nirel’s life was in your hands to choose.”
“What if I had chosen to kill Lepherentia Nirel? What would you have done then?”
Larches pulled the hand he was holding, suddenly closing the distance between us.
“Would you flee to the North to avoid me?”
Though he talks of escape, he has no intention of releasing my wrist.
His black eyes held me tight, immobilizing me like shackles.
When was it? There was definitely a time he held me like this. As if he would break my ankle to keep me from running away.
“……If that was the case, wouldn’t I have already fled in the night instead of coming to treat your wound?”
“That’s true.”
“I was just curious about your true intentions. About Lepherentia Nirel……”
I murmured quietly, looking down.
“Lepherentia Nirel is dead, after all.”
Hearing my calm murmur, Larches reached out and gently touched the ends of my hair.
“If that’s what you say, I’ll tell you the truth too.”
“…….?”
“I haven’t made my choice yet. It feels like I too would live if Lepherentia lives… but also like I would escape this tiresome day by killing Lepherentia. So, I still don’t know what to do.”
Larches smiled weakly, a look of loneliness on his face.
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.
