The Baddest Villainess Is Back - Chapter 170
As Roxelyn slowly lifted her head, Arma, sensing a subtle nuance in her words, looked at her with an uneasy gaze.
“But there’s still something you want to do, right?”
“…Roxelyn?”
“When I say I want you to be happy, I mean it.”
She smiled brightly.
It was a beautiful smile, but it was a smile Arma didn’t like.
Because it was the smile she only wore when she was about to hurt someone or preparing to do so.
“Rox…”
“But if you’re asking if I can forgive you for deceiving and abandoning me… the answer is no.”
“…”
Roxelyn understood Arma’s situation.
She understood, so she could somewhat accept it.
However, understanding and forgiveness were two different matters. The time she had lived with guilt seemed a bit too precious to just let go.
“Of course, I’m not saying this to the Arma standing in front of me now. But you also have things you need to do, right?”
She spoke as she lightly rubbed her fingertips over her lips, still lingering with a soft warmth.
“I also have things I need to do.”
Roxelyn spoke firmly.
“So it’s okay for you to go, Arma.”
At her words of permission, Arma froze.
He had been awkwardly smiling with a gentle expression until now, but as soon as he heard this, his expression stiffened.
“You’re too much, Roxelyn.”
After a long pause, he finally managed to smile faintly as he slowly opened his mouth.
“You allow me to kiss you, and then you say this?”
“I wanted to try it. I’ve never done it before.”
“…You’ve never done it before?”
Arma’s eyes widened in surprise.
As he asked in disbelief, Roxelyn nodded with a nonchalant expression.
“Yes.”
“…Oh, was the version of me in your world actually… inexperienced?”
“If you’re asking if there were any physiological issues, then no.”
At his serious question, Roxelyn shook her head.
As her vision began to blur, she gently rubbed the back of her neck, feeling a bit restless.
“So I’d appreciate it if you could cooperate with the annulment of our engagement. If possible.”
Rather than rumors spreading about a fiancée who had passed away, it was honestly better to just annul the engagement and say she died afterward.
“You want to be free, right? You don’t want to be tied down by obligations and responsibilities, and you want to escape.”
“…”
At Roxelyn’s indifferent words, Arma slowly shook his head.
“…If.”
His voice was faint, barely reaching her ears, so she silently looked at him.
‘I should head inside and get some sleep.’
She could feel the signals that she was pushing herself too far.
“What if… I say I won’t run away?”
At his clear voice, Roxelyn frowned slightly.
“From what?”
“From the duties and responsibilities I have to bear.”
“Why would that matter?”
“If I do that, will you not abandon me? Or… will you not tell me to leave?”
Arma stepped closer, carefully taking Roxelyn’s hand.
Roxelyn gave a small laugh.
“I…”
She shrugged with a smile.
“I’m still going to leave.”
“I’ll wait for you. If you absolutely have to go, then I’ll wait until you return, won’t I?”
At that moment, her vision swayed.
‘Or is it me that’s swaying?’
Startled, Arma instinctively pulled Roxelyn into his arms.
“Roxelyn…?”
He looked down at her, clearly flustered.
‘…It’s hot.’
Roxelyn had thought that the warmth of their hands and lips earlier was just her body heating up, but now she realized it was something more.
‘…You fool.’
As he held her tighter, she cursed herself for not noticing her condition earlier.
“…How long do you think you’ll be waiting? Just…”
Mumbling softly with her half-closed eyes, Roxelyn fainted.
‘I’d heard she was frail, but I didn’t realize it was this bad.’
Arma lifted Roxelyn into his arms.
“As long as it takes.”
He quickly started moving toward the ducal residence, speaking as he did.
“When you return to me, I’ll be the Emperor.”
He thought to himself that if he prepared the highest and most honorable position for her, it would be enough.
Arma ran swiftly into the mansion with Roxelyn in his arms.
