The Sub Male Lead is Burning with Jealousy - Chapter 1 Part 1
The side story ended with the protagonist’s marriage to the male lead. That is, there was no scene where the sub male lead, right before entering the ceremony, grabs the protagonist and swears eternal love.
Perhaps the scene was originally not there, or maybe the author omitted it.
“…Here in this place, I swear eternity to you.”
“Your Majesty, please don’t.”
The emperor was on one knee in front of the bride wearing a white dress and holding a bouquet. He is the sub male lead in this story, a character who rises to become the emperor by the end of the novel.
Originally the second prince.
The villain of the novel was the first prince and heir to the throne. He was exiled to a tower for his crime of attempting to kill his father, the emperor, and his brothers.
The male lead was Duke Theodore Calix, who was waiting for the bride inside the ceremony hall. He was a long-time friend of the second prince, the sub male lead, and also the emperor’s right hand, who beheaded the rebel.
The second prince, who has now become Emperor Rahil Mior Kal Seiven, had given up the female lead Angelica under his mother the Empress’s threats. After the death of the Empress, Rahil searched for Angelica again, but by then Angelica had become Theodore’s lover.
‘They say love is all about timing.’
Upon realizing that Angelica loves Theodore, Rahil gives her up. Therefore, this current scene should be Rahil confessing his love for the last time before Angelica’s wedding.
“I’m about to get married. My heart is……”
“I know. I’m not trying to ignore your love. I simply… even after you get married, even after you become the Duchess and age, my love will not fade.”
Oh goodness.
Anais, who had momentarily left the ceremony to visit the restroom, narrowed her eyes at the thought of him spouting such nonsense.
He was the emperor, and the royal family has an artifact that could only be used by royal blood, requiring him to bear offspring. In short, he couldn’t live as a bachelor. Because only Rahil could use that artifact among the royals.
‘Why should I care.’
Even if Rahil dumps a pile of crap in front of the woman who will someday be his future empress, it had nothing to do with Anais.
What was important to her was to break off her engagement with her current fiancée who had hidden his illegitimate child. Her father was already furious, so she expected the dissolution of the engagement to go smoothly with the addition of compensation.
What was annoying was the interference of her fiancée. He acted as if it wasn’t intentional, and since it was a political marriage after all, the existence of an illegitimate child was being treated as if it wasn’t a problem.
‘How ridiculous.’
While it’s definitely a political marriage, each party potentially having a concubine didn’t go against the legal code. However, having illegitimate children was a different matter.
In this world, magical contraceptives are common. Even if one had a concubine, they could choose to not have children easily. In such a context, having an illegitimate child is an act deserving of criticism from the nobility.
Anais wasn’t a romantic. Nor she had ever thought of placing her own child under an illegitimate one and certainly didn’t have any intentions of accepting it.
Why should I?
She was the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Ruol. Her social standing might be somewhat inferior to other families, but there were only two Marquis families in the empire, making them high-ranking nobles capable of allying with a ducal family.
Accepting such demeaning treatment would be equivalent to tainting the name of the House of Ruol.
‘The future empress might be in for some headaches to marry such an Emperor.’
The Empress was naturally considered the highest-ranking woman in the empire. But despite being the Empress, her power would inevitably be weaker than the Emperor’s. If the Emperor were smitten by a mere duchess, it could cause problems in their standing. It could even lead to embarrassment in high society.
‘I should steer clear of the social circles in the capital if I get married.’
Just thinking about a divided social circle between the Empress’s faction and the Duchess Calix’s faction launching a social war gave her a headache.
“My feelings won’t change. Angelica, so that you can be eternally happy, I will bless your marriage.”
Are you kidding me?
Despite enjoying this novel in her previous life, for some reason, she was getting annoyed. Probably because her current situation wasn’t good. After all, isn’t there a saying that when one is angry, they hate everything?
Maybe it’s because she thought the emperor was an idiot? Forgetting that she should manage her expression, Anais unwittingly wore a scornful look.
Maybe he felt her gaze, as the emperor glanced over her way. Startled, Anais quickly composed her face, but it seemed he had seen her scoffing.
‘I wish he would think he saw wrong……’
Although she had no intention of remaining as a noble in the capital, the situation for her noble family of Ruol was different. Anais lowered her head, hiding even her flustered expression, and sighed inwardly.
Damn the class system, damn the social status.
The Emperor sat up, glancing over her way. He released Angelica’s hand and gave her a gentle smile.
“I suppose it’s time to send off the bride.”
Be happy, Angelica.
The Emperor said with a bright smile. The servants opened the doors to the wedding hall wide, and the bride entered.
‘Damn it!’
Anais noticed the approaching footsteps. Because the Emperor didn’t allow her to raise her head, she could only see his shoes.
“Anais Ruol… you’re late for the ceremony, aren’t you Young Lady?”
“I arrived early, but there was an issue with my dress that needed fixing.”
“Hmph…”
He snorted with apparent disinterest and turned away, walking out of the hall. When the Emperor remained, the main characters weren’t the duke and duchess getting married; he overshadowed everything, watching and then leaving.
‘Ugh, such an annoying bastard!’
