LS2RW 78

Chapter 78………………….

In an instant, I returned to my human form and dropped straight out of the air.

Thud!

“Della?”

Leonhart woke up at the heavy noise.

I lay flat on the floor, completely frozen.

My mind was blank—I couldn’t think of anything.

“Good grief, how did you untie the rope again? Della, Della, where are you?”

Step, step. The sound of footsteps treading over the carpet came closer and then stopped right in front of me.

A heavy silence. Then, a faint sigh.

“What are you doing down there?”

“……”

“Duke.”

I got up as calmly as possible and brushed the dust off my crumpled dress.

While tidying my disheveled hair, I bought myself some time.

I had to come up with a plausible excuse no matter what.

“I was just about to head home. I wanted to thank you for letting me rest comfortably.”

“You mean to say, just for that, you snuck into someone’s bedchamber at dawn without a sound?”

“Snuck in? I knocked, but Your Highness didn’t hear me.”

“Unbelievable…”

Leonhart sighed and ran his hand through his hair, fatigue written all over his face.

He probably hadn’t slept much after dealing with the assassins.

“If you came in, you could’ve woken me up. Why were you lying on the floor?”

“I tripped.”

“How?”

“A crow flew past the window… I tried to catch it.”

Leonhart’s expression changed.

“Della flew out the window? Where?”

“Through that open window. Right over there.”

Leonhart rushed to the window and looked out where I pointed.

“When did this open? Ha, this is maddening. Has it been long since it flew away?”

“No… not long.”

He stood there for a while, staring outside.

Seeing that gloomy back made me feel a little guilty, so I cautiously spoke up.

“Um, perhaps… the bird already has an owner?”

Leonhart snapped his head toward me, no longer looking dejected.

“Who?”

He looked ready to kill if the crow belonged to someone.

“No, I don’t know anyone. I just thought—it seems too used to people, but it keeps running away, so maybe that’s why…”

“I never saw any mark of an owner, but I’ll check next time. However…”

He cut himself off and pointed to my ankle.

“What’s that mark?”

“A mark? Where…!”

On my left ankle, peeking out from under my dress, was a faint reddish line—like something had been tied around it.

It was the same thread mark that had bound me when I was a crow, and it had carried over even after I returned to human form.

Flustered, I stammered without thinking.

“I-I don’t know. I have no idea how that happened.”

“Strange. It looks exactly like a rope mark…”

Leonhart eyed me with suspicion.

Did he figure it out?

Panic surged through me.

My head spun, and there was a rushing sound in my ears.

“I-I said I don’t know! A-anyway, I’ll be leaving now.”

“Duke, wait—!”

“Eek!”

I turned abruptly, only to catch my toe on the carpet.

I lost my balance, but before I could fall, Leonhart wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me upright.

“Why are you in such a hurry? Like someone trying to run away.”

“R-run away? I haven’t done anything wrong, why would I run?”

“How should I know?”

Our eyes met.

“Do you dislike me that much?”

“…?”

You’re the one who dislikes me.

“Why would you ask me that?”

“Because you always try so hard to avoid me.”

“That’s because I don’t want to die. I’d like to live a long life.”

Leonhart gave a small laugh.

“And yet, you came into my bedroom of your own accord?”

“……”

“Now that I think about it, it’s strange. I’m not even your type, so why were you so obsessed with me? You nearly gave me social anxiety.”

“I… do feel sorry for that. I was too young back then… Ahem, anyway, I’ve given up completely now, so you can relax.”

His dark eyes, fixed on mine, slowly dropped down the bridge of my nose toward my lips.

Suddenly, I became too aware of our position.

The firm arm around my waist, our bodies pressed close, the distance so short I could feel his breath.

Leonhart murmured as if to himself.

“Strange.”

“……”

“Why doesn’t this feel good?”

What does that mean? Shouldn’t he be happy, even clapping with joy, to hear I’ve given up?

But no matter how I searched his eyes, I couldn’t read his intent.

“Your Highness, that’s—”

At that moment, commotion erupted outside.

“His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!”

The Emperor?

“I heard there was an attack last night! Is it true?”

“Please calm yourself, Your Majesty. His Highness is safe.”

“I must see with my own eyes that my son is unharmed! Open the door!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Before I could react, the bedchamber door swung open.

“My son!!!”

Short in stature, with a round, dumpling-like face, curly dark-brown hair—

The Emperor looked so soft and gentle, it was almost hard to believe he was Leonhart’s father. His round eyes grew wide.

“Huh? Why, if it isn’t Duke Ibrante?”

“I greet Your Majesty. Have you been in good health?”

“I heard you were staying in the Third Prince’s palace.”

The Emperor glanced meaningfully between us.

“But not in the guest room, rather in the prince’s bedchamber?”

“No!”

“Then why are you here?”

“I came only to say I was returning. I merely stopped by.”

I answered as calmly as I could, but the Emperor wasn’t convinced.

“And yet, I find you two in each other’s arms first thing in the morning?”

“T-this is…”

“Ah, no need to explain. I’m not scolding you.”

“I’m not making excuses, I—”

“You look so good together. Such a fine young man and woman.”

“……”

Suddenly, I remembered when I’d met the Emperor before as Adella.

I’d been so frustrated because he never seemed to listen properly. Now I finally understood why.

This man doesn’t hear a word anyone else says!

Leonhart shoved me gently behind him and stepped forward.

“Father, what brings you here so early?”

“I was worried! You aren’t hurt, are you?”

“I’m fine.”

“My, how prickly. Are you sulking because your father interrupted?”

“Interrupted what? That’s not it.”

“No need to deny it so much. You’ll hurt the Duke’s feelings. I’ve courted women in my youth too, I know how it is.”

“You clearly don’t.”

But once again, the Emperor ignored Leonhart completely.

Beaming, he patted his son’s arm.

“Young couples always want to spend day and night together. But you must still maintain propriety. The Imperial Family has its dignity.”

“Dignity… Father, this isn’t what you think!”

“No matter how impatient you are, you must show restraint. Let’s at least set the date for the engagement first.”

“Engagement? W-wait, Father? Father!”

But the Emperor, having said his piece, simply left.

“……”

“……”

A chilling silence fell over the room.

Feeling awkward, I stole a glance at Leonhart.

He was staring blankly at the spot where the Emperor had stood—

With the most dumbfounded expression I’d ever seen.

“Um… are you all right?”

“All right?”

Leonhart suddenly rounded on me.

“Why didn’t you say anything? You should’ve told him you’re promised to someone else!”

“You saw it too! His Majesty never gives anyone a chance to speak! I wanted to explain!”

“Be honest. That whole ‘I gave up on you’—wasn’t that a lie? You kept silent on purpose, so you could get engaged to me!”

He hadn’t said anything either, so why was he blaming only me?

I couldn’t help but scoff.

“Weren’t you the one who stayed silent on purpose? So you could get engaged to me?”

“Are you insane?”

“I’ll give you the same answer back. Like I’ve said many times—Your Highness is not my type.”

“Then it’s fortunate we aren’t each other’s type.”

The brief moment of softness between us was completely gone.

We glared at each other like enemies ready to devour one another.

“As you know, there’s only one solution left.”

“And what’s that?”

“Engagement. Even if I break it off later, I’ll grab just about anyone and get engaged first.”

“……”

“So Your Highness has to take responsibility and keep His Majesty away until then.”

Leonhart scowled.

Why was he dissatisfied again? Was it because I hadn’t given him a definite date?

I’m doing this for your sake! I’ll grab some random person and get engaged just to shield you—what more do you want?

Without even a farewell, I swept out of his bedchamber.