5 – ​5

Silence ​fell ​over ​the ​drawing ​room ​after Euro left. ​Melione, ​sitting ​almost ​reclined ​on a long sofa ​with ​both legs propped ​up, rested his ​head ​in ​one ​hand, ​deep ​in thought.

Raymond, having ​guided ​Euro ​to a guest ​room on the second ​floor and ​finished preparing ​his bed, ​quietly entered ​the ​drawing ​room. Melione stared ​into the ​air with a frown ​before suddenly asking Raymond.

“What ​do you think?”

“That is ​for Your ​Excellency ​to decide.”

Raymond answered calmly as he ​lifted the teapot and ​poured ​tea ​into ​the ​empty cup sitting ​before Melione. ​Melione ​gazed blankly at ​the ​steaming cup and let out ​a short, ​hollow ​laugh.

“Gulping down this ​hot ​stuff, ​and ​the ​best he ​can ​say is…”

“…”

“He’s ​a complete lunatic.”

His tone was vulgar, entirely ​different from when ​he had greeted ​Euro, as if he ​had become ​a different person.

“He ​loves ​her so much ​he doesn’t care ​if he ​dies? ​Does he ​expect ​me to ​believe ​that?”

“He must ​have ​been ​desperate in his ​own ​way.”

“Because he’s ​afraid ​my ​sister ​will die?”

“…”

“He can stop bullshitting now. That story doesn’t hold a shred of water.”

Setting the teacup down, Melione threw himself Read on Read BL Novelsback onto the sofa in a fit of irritation. He Read on Read BL Novels[unauthorized copy]didn’t even need to ask why Euro had come.

He already knew that Euro Leches harbored unusual feelings for Clope. Wasn’t that the reason why Euro had been so prickly and rude when they first met?

The man had barked like a dog guarding its master whenever he saw a man approaching his sister. Finding it both amusing and annoying, Melione had ignored him whenever they crossed paths after that first meeting.

Whenever Euro Leches happened to spot him from afar, he would glare as if he had been waiting for the moment. To think the reason for that was because he liked him—such an excuse couldn’t possibly work.

“Still, it is curious. Was Euro Leches always such a self-sacrificing person? What does he even gain from stopping this marriage?”

Raymond agreed with Melione’s sentiment.

“Indeed. His Majesty will ensure Princess Clope marries someone other than the Crown Prince, regardless.”

“I have no idea what he’s thinking.”

“…”

“Wouldn’t it be more fitting for him to try and kill me, or perhaps kidnap Clope Leches? If he did that, sending him to me as a bride wouldn’t be so bad. He’d be dead soon anyway.”

The Euro Leches that Melione knew was the kind of man who would rather break something than let someone else have it.

“Thinking of it that way, it was a decent excuse coming from the head of an idiot. If he had spouted some nonsense about loving Clope Leches and coming in her stead, I would have just killed him and sent the corpse back.”

Since he had piqued Melione’s interest, he had bought himself some time. It was a choice born of a momentary whim. It was tedious, but the proposal was useful to a certain extent.

“Bring the medicine. Spending time on that stupid brat has given me a splitting headache.”

A headache surged as he had spent time listening to incomprehensible talk of love and mercy. Melione was in a state where even holding a long conversation with another person while sober was taxing.

It was because the curse was eating away at both his mind and body, leaving his physical strength severely depleted. Consequently, starting this year, he had ceased all remaining public activities and gone into seclusion.

“Shall I call the doctor?”

“Forget it.”

“…”

“This will all be over if I can just endure another year or two. The one who lived the longest didn’t even pass thirty-two, so I’ll likely die before then.”

Melione closed his eyes tightly and waved his hand. At the clear signal to leave, Raymond bowed his head and quietly exited the drawing room.

“Crazy bastard.”

While others were desperate to live, that man had casually blurted out that it didn’t matter since he was doomed to die anyway, which was why he had crawled his way here.

But that was only because he had never felt the curse in his own body. Once he suffered from baseless headaches and his body began to waste away, he would be terrified and beg to be let out.

Even if he did leave, the curse would follow him to the end and eventually claim his life.

Just like his mother, who had died within a year even after fleeing in haste the moment she gave birth to him.

ꕥ ꕥ ꕥ

Soaking in a bathtub filled with warm water, Euro let out a sigh of relief.

Though he had come under the pretext of marriage, he was an unwelcome guest. He found it strange that such a person was given such a wonderful room and treatment, but he no longer had the energy to overthink it.

‘I will prepare a bed and some light refreshments. For now, please get some deep rest, and we shall speak again.’

Melione had deflected instead of giving a clear answer regarding the marriage, but for now, Euro was satisfied. It was a relief that he hadn’t been kicked out immediately. He was just glad to have a place to stay for the night.

“He’s being much softer than I expected.”

Perhaps it was because he hadn’t been completely [Read on Read BL Novels]consumed Read on Read BL Novelsby the madness yet, but Melione was completely different from the depiction in the original story.

His tone and behavior were kind and gentle; although a sense of annoyance leaked through occasionally, he was quite polite considering Euro’s own behavior.

The Melione in the novel was a character who intensely disliked contact with others. Since he had no interest in people, he hated pointless conversations and didn’t have the temperament to quietly listen to such nonsense.

Euro had spoken expecting to be cursed out and thrown out at best, yet he received a rational response suggesting he rest and talk later.

“Does this mean he’s a normal human being as long as the madness isn’t acting up?”

Euro muttered this to himself while repeatedly massaging his stiff legs and the soles of his feet.

“No, that’s a hasty judgment. He probably has some ulterior motive for acting this way.”

Euro clearly remembered Melione’s portrayal in the original novel. He was a man who had been cold even to Clope, who had come to Silon due to an unwanted political marriage.

While there were no particularly cruel or violent actions, he never offered so much as [visit our site]a [unauthorized copy]word of comfort, even as a formality.

Clope, who spent her days in tears in a distant land where she knew no one, was eventually assassinated by the Emperor. Melione did not shed a single tear during her funeral.

It was a marriage no one wanted. However, Melione had obediently followed the Emperor’s order to marry Clope. It was as if he had already given up on everything.

It wasn’t that Euro didn’t understand that feeling. Melione must have been in enough pain just trying to hold onto his precarious sanity amidst constant agony.

He wasn’t in a state where he could dare to pity or sympathize with anyone. The reality he was given was far too cruel. But because of that, Euro felt he could at least sympathize with Melione.

Clope hadn’t lived in agony suffering from madness since birth, but wasn’t her reality just as miserable as Melione’s?

Even if there was no love, they could have at least become a relationship that relied on one another. No matter how depleted he was, the fact that there was no effort to find the culprit after Clope Leches’ death was something that couldn’t be explained simply as being indifferent.

“I wonder what that man is thinking.”

Saying so, Euro stepped out of the tub. [stolen content]As visit our sitethe warm water unauthorized copyrelaxed his body, sleep began to wash over him.

Well, that was something he could figure out after waking up. Since things had gone better than feared, he felt he could just keep watching the situation while playing the part of the innocent man talking about love.

If Melione was leaving him alone because of some ulterior motive, that was fine too. Forming a silent alliance with their respective goals wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Melione likely believed the reason Euro came here was because of Clope. To be honest, that wasn’t entirely wrong.

It wasn’t that he was sacrificing himself to save Clope, but only if she lived could he live as well.

However, it was fine to let him believe it was self-sacrifice for a loved one. It was because the remaining humanity in Melione, who had not yet been fully consumed by the madness, might respond to that.

“I need to get ready before the madness worsens.”

Euro muttered as he dried himself with a towel. Since it was late, he had dismissed all the servants who offered to assist.

As he left the bathroom in a bathrobe, a set of thin pajamas unauthorized copyhad been unauthorized copyprepared. Knowing that Clope was the one expected, he wondered if they were for a woman and [visit our site]unfolded them, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

“Did they have guest pajamas ready, or where did they get these at this hour? Duke Spioren wouldn’t be receiving guests right now.”

Euro muttered as he changed. Where they came from wasn’t particularly important. This was a place where money was overflowing, so there must have been a way to get them.

“Now, let’s organize the method to remove the Duke’s curse.”

Euro opened his bag and took out a notebook and pen. The first thing Euro did after the possession was transcribe all the information in his head into a notebook.

Then, he opened the page containing the plan he had established before coming to Silon.

“Let’s get this over with quickly and get a divorce.”

Euro hadn’t even married yet, but he smiled, imagining the free life that would unfold after his divorce from Melione.