I Abandoned the Male Lead Who Cheated with the Villainess - Chapter 105
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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“Can’t I care about Rix? I’m fine with Rix caring about me too…”
The neighboring kingdom has declared war, and the Empire has yet to make an official stance. Ivonne knows that now isn’t the time for romantic distractions. Yet, she can’t control her emotions. She had been suppressing her feelings ever since she realized her love was doomed.
‘How foolish of me.’
Ivonne desperately hoped that her words wouldn’t come across as a confession, and that Rix wouldn’t use them as an excuse to distance himself. To prevent that, it was best to quickly move on from the topic.
She pretended not to notice Rix, who was stunned by her tears as she tried to shift the conversation.
“What do you think His Majesty the Emperor will decide? It hasn’t been long since the war with the Osbloom Kingdom ended. The Crown Prince himself brought it to a close, didn’t he?”
She wiped her tears with her fingers, noticing they were damp from the amount of tears shed.
“Will the Crown Prince set out again this time? I hope it doesn’t escalate any further. Well, it’s already a big deal now that the war has started… But why declare war again? Can a declaration even be made after a defeat?”
Ivonne continued to speak, afraid that any pause might sever her connection with Rix. She feared that he might thank her and leave. Thus, her questions were not just inquiries but a desperate plea to maintain their bond.
In response, Rix spoke.
“Ivonne, it’s all right.”
Rix fumbled for a handkerchief in his pocket but then realized he was only in pajamas and stopped. Still, it seemed inadequate, so he gently cupped Ivonne’s face, wiping her tears away with his thumb.
“R-Rix…”
Startled by the unexpected warmth, Ivonne shivered and looked at Rix with wide eyes. He responded with a soft, blurry smile.
“I’ll take care of it. So… calm down.”
Luckily, Rix seemed to be pretending not to notice Ivonne’s feelings. He was, after all, a perceptive man. Ivonne felt a mix of relief and bitterness.
‘Rix must know about my feelings… He must be aware that I love him. It’s clear he knows.’
Yet, why did Rix’s smile seem so distant? Why did his smile hurt so much?
‘I’m the one who has been rejected, so why does it feel like Rix is the one being hurt? Why that expression…?’
In reality, neither of them had confessed, so no one had been rejected.
The two of them were facing each other in silence, with only the faint sound of their breathing filling the space. All they could see were each other’s eyes. They simply stared into each other’s eyes for what felt like an eternity, studying the color of the iris and the movement of the pupils as if this alone was enough.
Or perhaps it was a reflection of their painful reality that this was all they could have.
“……”
“……”
A silence fell between them, similar to the night sea they had shared on Yucorallini Island. However, contrary to Ivonne’s fervent hope, no miracle happened to repeat that moment.
This, perhaps, was Rix’s answer. Ivonne, unable to accompany Rix to the palace to gather news about the war on a holiday, watched him leave alone.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
When Rix had just come down the hill where the Tens mansion was located.
“I was waiting for you, Your Highness!”
Johann suddenly appeared from behind a tree, nervously wringing his hands. Despite Johann’s disheveled appearance and the surprising shout, Rix seemed unfazed, as if he had expected it.
“Head straight to the palace.”
“I’ve prepared a carriage over there, in case the Miss needs to come down the hill.”
“Mm.”
Rix nodded at Johan’s words. A little farther off, four horses were stamping and tossing their heads, their well-maintained tails swishing as they waited for their master.
“Osbloom has declared war, have you managed to bring up the Emperor’s response?”
“Of course. The Emperor is still asleep, after all.”
Johann spoke with a hint of sarcasm.
Despite having already conquered the country once, the fact that it had declared war and the Emperor was still unaware suggested that no one had yet informed him of the news.
It was well-known that Arnold’s temper had reached its peak after the events following Herix’s birthday party, so it wasn’t surprising that the servants were unable to deliver even the news of the war without stumbling over their words.
“It’s actually a good thing for us.”
Rix said with a hint of cynicism as he took off his glasses. As he brushed back his slightly longer bangs, he seemed to have taken on the persona of Herix.
“Indeed. It’s perfect that the factions within the pro-Emperor nobles are being divided. Regardless of the war situation itself.”
Johann said as he opened the carriage door. Herix did not bother to respond, simply boarding the carriage. After all, this war would end in Herix’s victory.
