I Give Up on the BL Novel's Male Leads - Chapter 26
However, the loud beating of her heart was so intense that she feared he might hear it too, making her nearly frantic.
Illein’s palms were sweaty from nervousness, as she continued trying to look at him.
But today brought about events that did not happen in the original story, happening twice in one day.
Melias Wignum proposing to her was not part of the original story.
And meeting Edwin today too.
She was already overwhelmed, and thinking too hard was exhausting. Was this change in treatment because she acted slightly differently around him? Or were these events considered too trivial to be mentioned in the original?
She felt a tightening in her chest.
“You were measured when you entered Bellaine Academy, and you couldn’t possibly be a woman.”
“You must be mistaking me for someone else. Could you please move aside?”
As Illein tried to enter the general store, Edwin blocked her path with his large frame.
“Illein Thierry.”
“…”
“That’s right. You have a distinct magical aura; you think I wouldn’t recognize it?”
As Illein’s eyes met his again, she felt a knot in her stomach. It seemed difficult to pretend she was someone he didn’t know.
“He’s my older brother.”
“….You expect me to believe that lie?”
“It’s true. I am Illenas Thierry.”
Although Illein spoke calmly, seeing his cold red eyes made her heart pound uncontrollably.
“ID.”
As he stretched out his hand for her identification, she fumbled through her belongings.
“Are you a friend of my brother?”
“I’m not.”
“Oh, I see.”
Her face flushed after the lying.
Edwin took the ID, examined it closely along with her, then his expression softened.
“Twins are usually fraternal. But to have the same voice too?”
That’s impossible. Fraternal twins aren’t that similar.
“I don’t know. But I often hear that.”
Yet Illein said this with a forced smile, trying to appear harmless. It was critical not to arouse further suspicion.
“Can I have it back now? May I go?”
As she reached out with both hands, Edwin seemed about to place the ID back in her palm.
“Illenas Thierry, right?”
“Yes.”
Just as she was about to take it, he pulled it back.
“I don’t believe it.”
“You seem very suspicious. Please return my ID.”
“My instincts are never wrong.”
“What instinct?”
“That you’re Illein Thierry.”
Illein gasped, unprepared for Edwin’s almost supernatural intuition.
“Your instincts seem quite off.”
She retorted, trying to avoid his gaze. He then raised the ID high while looking down at her. Illein tried to snatch it during his brief distraction.
“Huh.”
He lifted his arm higher, out of her reach. Despite tiptoeing, her low-heeled shoes made little difference to her height. On the other hand, he was exceptionally tall. And robust.
She felt a sense of injustice at why he was so big and so tall.
“Please, give it back!”
“Don’t get too close. Ugh!”
As he tried to back away,
-Crunch!
“What?”
As she pressed against his chest, she felt something crush under her hand.
Their eyes met in shock.
“What have you done now!”
“I’m sorry! But you took my ID first… Ah!”
Illein was startled by a burst of strange magic from Edwin, as his body shook.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“Get away from me.”
He pushed Illein away and started to flee. Illein followed him when she saw him stumbling out. She felt she had caused a big problem.
“Don’t follow me.”
“Are you okay? Did I break something? Should I fix it?”
As Illein thought to draw her magic wand, he gasped for breath, attempting to draw his own.
At that moment, she grabbed his arm.
“Uh?”
Thanks to that, they both teleported together.
“Ugh!”
Illein watched in alarm as Edwin collapsed to the ground.
“Hey?”
She hesitated to use his name, despite knowing Edwin’s name. Because she was pretending not to know him right now.
“Snap out of it!”
She looked around their surroundings.
They seemed to be inside a wooden house. However, they seemed to have been enchanted with magic to prevent burning.
“Didn’t I tell you to get lost?”
Edwin tried to fend off her attempts while looking visibly shaking.
“Did I break something important? Is that why you’re like this?”
Illein was genuinely concerned. She wondered what was going on with his shaking.
The area was silent, without the usual noise of the city. They might have teleported far away.
Yet, her unease grew as she noticed Edwin’s magic becoming increasingly unstable.
“Was it a magic control device?”
Illein suddenly felt a surge of panic as she looked at the debris she had accidentally broken.
