The Sub Male Lead is Burning with Jealousy - Chapter 4 Part 6
Rahil wasn’t the type to come running over such news. He would have dealt with his own matters first before addressing Emilio’s situation, confident that no one in his circle would unnecessarily humiliate or harm Emilio. Rahil had even deliberately delayed his response before, thinking it would serve Emilio right to wait.
‘Look at him now?’
Emilio’s gaze shifted from Rahil to Anais. Despite his unresolved feelings, it seemed unlikely that Rahil, who had harbored unrequited love for Angelica since childhood, had changed his affections so swiftly.
Yet, the fervor in Rahil’s eyes seemed to tell a different story.
“Your Majesty.”
Rahil’s stern look softened at Anais’s voice. Emilio watched the interaction moving his eyes from one person to other, noticing Rahil’s struggle to maintain his composure under his gaze.
“You didn’t have to rush over…”
Anais hadn’t even taken her seat yet. As she took a towel from a servant to dry Rahil’s hair, his cheeks flushed.
‘Damn, I’m jealous.’
Watching Rahil, Emilio felt envious. Despite their differences in status, he didn’t see himself as lacking. Weren’t Rahil and he comrades in unrequited love?
Struggling to hide his blissful smirk, Emilio felt a different kind of jealousy towards Rahil than he did towards Theodore.
What’s going on here?
Still bound by the restraints, Emilio asked through gestures and expressions. Rahil responded with a look that said,
Keep quiet. Zip it.
Emilio’s expression turned sour at the look that promised to shut him up if he opened his mouth. However, when Anais suddenly popped her head out from behind Rahil, the two of them softened as if nothing had happened.
‘What’s happening here?’
The knight captain, observing the emperor and the head of the Mage Tower’s squabble, wondered. Anais seemed puzzled that Rahil hadn’t ordered Emilio’s restraints to be removed.
“I was about to ask for Master Emilio’s restraints to be released…”
“Oh, that.”
Rahil, who had softened his expression for Anais, glared at Emilio. Catching Rahil’s gaze, Emilio looked away as if claiming ignorance. Rahil turned back to Anais, trying to contain his anger.
“…I’ll handle it, so please return to your room and rest.”
At Rahil’s words, Anais glanced at Emilio before leaving the room. There seemed no need to bid farewell to Emilio given Rahil’s displeased mood.
‘Will this be alright?’
After Anais left, a servant quietly closed the door. Rahil approached Emilio with a furrowed brow. Emilio, forcing a smile, pressed his finger against his cheek.
“Dehehe♡”
“Die.”
Rahil’s no-nonsense smack resonated loudly. Emilio, toppled forward by the blow and unable to rub the sore spot due to the restraints, cursed.
“You broke through the barrier again!! I’m really going to die! Are you trying to drill a hole in my skull, you swordmaster jerk?!”
“It’s our honeymoon!!”
“So what! It’s a political marriage! Wouldn’t it be better if I interfered?”
Rahil’s voice rose in frustration, but his expression remained grim. Emilio, puzzled, scrutinized Rahil’s reaction. Separate from the pain, Rahil’s response was intriguing.
“Isn’t it good if I interfere? Why did you… get married to tha-her?”
Emilio almost referred to Anais as ‘that woman’ but corrected himself. He had opened the wedding invitation but couldn’t recall the name he had seen. He hadn’t learned her name during their past encounter and still didn’t know the empress’s name.
As Emilio cast a healing spell on his own head, he pondered.
“Is this marriage meant to settle down?”
“That’s not it.”
“Then what? Have you already… moved on?”
Rahil couldn’t respond, just staring at Emilio. Emilio might be a good friend and skilled in magic, but…
‘I can’t even be sure of my own feelings, let alone explain them to Emilio…. And if it’s him, he’ll definitely talk.’
Even if kicking Emilio out of the honeymoon destination was possible, sooner or later, he’d tell all their friends. The possibility of him liking Anais wasn’t politically significant or a secret that needed guarding.
He’d likely say, ‘Oops, this was supposed to be a secret… Don’t tell anyone else!’ That’s just how Emilio was, inadvertently spilling others’ secrets while pretending to keep them.
Rahil knew at least eight mages whose love lives had been ruined by Emilio. He was that kind of man: great as a friend but disastrous for romance.
“The marriage was for my sake. I’ll take good care of her. There are many things I owe her… So don’t interfere with our honeymoon and leave.”
‘What kind of answer is that? Vaguely evasive for Rahil.’
After finishing the treatment, Emilio with his arms crossed, studied Rahil’s serious demeanor. Rahil seemed to be hiding something. Emilio snapped his fingers.
“So it is a political marriage after all. Let me help. I’m good at pleasing women.”
Oh, come on.
“Just get lost!!!”
Rahil’s patience finally broke.
* * *
“So you do like her, don’t you?”
Having finally sent Emilio away, Rahil doubted that was the end of it. Sure enough, upon sending someone to check, Emilio hadn’t left the city but had booked a room in a nearby inn.
‘This bastard!’
It was clear he intended to join their honeymoon. Rahil knew that confessing his feelings for Anais might make Emilio back off, but until then, he wouldn’t disappear.
Emilio’s persistence was troubling. Rahil regretted not simply admitting his affection, but he feared Anais discovering his feelings.
‘If she likes it, great, but if she feels burdened or wants a divorce…’
Their marriage was based on her dislike of him. From Anais’s perspective, it was a political marriage, and she had agreed to it because she was allowed to have up to five concubines.
If Rahil confessed his secret love for Anais, she might demand a divorce.
‘Not yet! I’m not even sure of it yet!’
Rahil tried to make excuses saying he wasn’t sure if he like her or not, but he knew his feelings were crumbling with every moment spent near her.
He was happy and excited whenever he was close to her. Rahil wasn’t so clueless as to not understand what that meant.
