Secret Love Affair between a Former Saint and a Dark Hero - Chapter 73
Soon all eyes were on her. She curtsied in greeting and a clear expression of surprise briefly crossed the knight’s face. Failing to maintain his composure like a stern knight, Iora was inwardly displeased.
She saw the carriage window go up, and through the gap, she noticed a white hand. Angular, large, but white and upright fingers.
Iora’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if she had seen something dazzling. It was that hand—the one that had embraced her tightly. It was also that hand—the one that had coldly rejected her plea not to break off the engagement. Through her cold eyes, she the carriage door open with a smooth movement.
“Come in.”
Hearing the knight’s voice, Iora began to move.
The shock of seeing Ovid for the first time came back to her like a faded memory: the trepidation, nervousness, heartache, and embarrassment of the moment as she experienced it herself. At the same time, she began to recall the original scene, which she had only skimmed in 『The Saint’s Flower』.
‘I’m here too.’
If she had a choice, Iora von Ribandt would not have chosen that heartless, beautiful man. She wouldn’t have pleaded so desperately for love. She would not have been hurt by the sight of a man and woman so well suited to each other.
But Iora was a saint. She was a candidate for sainthood. She wasn’t any different from Arcanda. It was a small desire. An opportunity she couldn’t let go. That’s why she had a justifiable chance to be the partner of that beautiful person. She couldn’t let go of that faint possibility.
‘I might become her. I might be the Saint. I have the divine right too!’
She couldn’t give up, even if it meant that he would despise her for her attempts.
She could only hope for the moment when he would call her name softly, her own name, not Arcanda’s. Just that moment, only then.
Her tiny heart pounded in her chest. If she became a Saint… if she could have that gaze. The admiration of the beloved Crown Prince, Ovid. She could have him.」
Iora clearly loved Ovid. In the original story 『The Saint’s Flower』 , she wasn’t the Crown Prince’s betrothed, but in this world, she was. How sweet must her unrequited love have been? Upon reflection, Ovid was truly an indifferent scoundrel. Playing it safe by keeping one as a fiancée and ensuring the other was definitely a saint, wasn’t he cunningly manipulative?
‘He’s good at calculations, isn’t he? Despicable.’
Iora’s lips twisted slightly. She looked up at the man, so poised, so clean-shaven, so stunningly handsome. Nevertheless, her heart didn’t beat with joy as it did before. She had worried that, despite everything, her heart might still flutter while looking at him. But it was calm. Truly, it was a relief.
‘Still, I can’t stand men without principles. Even if he’s kind and gentle, he’s still complicit!’
Iora put down the documents and met the indifferent gaze directed at her. No sympathy, no wavering, no anything, those eyes were so cold. Exactly, wasn’t that the expression he should have when looking at all women other than the female lead? True to his role as the male lead in 『The Saint’s Flower』, Ovid was loyal only to Arcanda.
“I apologize for my unannounced visit, Your Highness. It was rude of me.”
“I’m glad you realize that, my lady. You shouldn’t have to point it out.”
“But it was unavoidable, Your Highness. Please grant me clemency and spare me your anger.”
“What do you mean?”
What I mean, you bastard, is that you’re so cold and indifferent that you wouldn’t even look at your fiancée’s face!
Swallowing hard at the words that were about to come out of her mouth, Iora brushed her lips with her fingers.
For a moment, the other person’s gaze followed the finger, but she did not notice it. She was too preoccupied trying to figure out what to say first. Finally, she gathered her thoughts and spoke, maintaining the smile on her face.
“It’s probably better to get straight to the point, isn’t it? Since Your Highness is such a busy man.”
‘So busy that you’ve never come to visit your betrothed even once.’
She was subtly taunting him. Understanding it well, Ovid’s gray eyebrows twitched like a wolf’s tail. Iora was smiling on the inside, but she outwardly fluttered her eyelashes, trying to act pitiful.
“Although I am your fiancée, I have never met you in private, so even if there was something I desperately wanted to say, I had no way to say it. Therefore, upon hearing the news of Your Highness’s diligent meetings with Arcanda, I mistakenly committed a breach of etiquette.”
“….”
Suddenly, the crown prince’s expression became very strange. His gaze seemed to say, ‘Do you know everything already and are you mocking me right now?’ However, Iora, who had no reason to admit that, ‘Yes, I know everything and I’m mocking you!’ only smiled subtly and blinked her eyes.
The Crown Prince let out a small cough. He seemed to be aware of the awkward situation. The way he handled it was better than her worthless brother, Janus, ever could. Though she might as well have been comparing a raindrop to an ant’s tears.
“What’s the matter, my lady?”
Her heart was pounding with anticipation. This was the moment of revenge.
Iora dug her nails into her palms with a nervousness that bordered on pleasure.
Now, experience the same humiliation, Your Highness. Understand how Iora felt when she heard such words from a stranger out of the blue!
“Let’s break off the engagement, Your Highness!”
