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Chapter 6
The Villainess Imprinted with the Male Lead
“What? Were you really that worried?”
“Hmm, to be precise, it was Father who was worried?”
“Haha……”
Even though staying out overnight after a ball was a common and natural occurrence, embarrassment was an entirely separate matter.
Especially when she thought about how she should face her father, who doted on her just as much as her older brother did. She already felt like the situation before her eyes was hopeless.
“I-I should hurry and go greet him.”
“By now, your parents have probably already received word that you arrived. Let’s go up together.”
“Okay, I understand.”
Luciana naturally linked arms with Lorraine, who offered her arm, and headed toward the study.
“Lucy!”
“F-Father……”
Just as Luciana had expected, the moment she entered the study, someone’s voice rang out.
The middle-aged man with neatly tied long silver hair had yellow eyes just like hers, and anyone could immediately tell he was her parent because he resembled Luciana in many ways.
“You’re only coming now?”
Tershion, who had been pacing around the study anxiously, rushed over and hugged his daughter. He carefully checked her from head to toe to see if she had been hurt anywhere.
‘Anyone seeing this would think I had just returned alive from a battlefield…….’
Luciana felt slightly embarrassed that she was still being treated like a child even after reaching adulthood, but since it was her father’s way of expressing affection, she quietly let herself be held.
“Good. You look unharmed.”
No, isn’t that expression a little too much?
Luciana could only give an awkward smile at Tershion’s words, as if he had just narrowly escaped losing ten years of his life.
Her father’s eyes, just like Lorraine’s earlier, were filled with anger toward the man who had spent the night with her.
“Terry, that’s enough. Sit down. Lucy isn’t a child anymore, is she? Lorraine, you too. Stop looking so grim. It’s embarrassing even for me to watch.”
“Dear……”
“Ahem. Yes, Mother.”
The one who calmed down the two men burning as fiercely as logs in a fireplace was the Marchioness Leslie, who sat in the seat of honor.
Unlike Luciana, Crevian had a sharp and cold appearance, and she skillfully took control of the situation.
“Hm.”
While savoring the scent of tea that had cooled to just the right temperature, the Marchioness looked at Luciana, who had returned home, and spoke.
“Lucy, you look tired. Will you be able to attend the New Year’s ball tonight?”
“Yes. I already have a partner I promised to attend with……”
Attending consecutive night balls that continued until late was truly exhausting, but the New Year’s ball, which celebrated the end of the year and the beginning of a new one, was one of the empire’s biggest social events. Most nobles attended unless they had a very good reason not to.
‘Because that arrogant Duke is someone I’m supposed to meet there.’
Luciana remembered the promise she had momentarily forgotten and sighed inwardly.
Imprinting.
There were countless things she needed to discuss with Licht regarding that unbelievable incident she could not even speak about openly, but because of his schedule, she had been forced to leave the ducal estate in a hurry.
“I’ll tell you the rest at the New Year’s ball. When the timing is right, it would be better for us to meet separately on the balcony.”
That was the last thing Licht had said.
“……Is that so?”
Crevian raised an eyebrow slightly as she looked at Luciana, who seemed unusually lacking in energy today, but assumed it was simply because she was tired and changed the subject.
“You’ll become busy soon preparing for the ball. You must want to rest, so go up to your room for now.”
“Yes, Mother. I will.”
“Oh, right, Luciana. Are you coming home late again today?”
“Cough!”
Lucy, really…?
Although it was only for a brief moment, Luciana clearly felt all of her father’s and brother’s attention focus entirely on her answer.
“No……!”
“Phew.”
“Good. I’m glad you made the right decision.”
When Luciana hurriedly denied it, two relieved sighs followed.
‘Ugh, this is so embarrassing…….’
If she stayed out overnight twice, she might actually lose all the skin on her face from embarrassment.
Her face burning bright red, Luciana fled the study.
“Lucy.”
“Hm?”
While walking down the hallway with Lorraine after leaving together, he suddenly looked at her seriously. He had seemed lost in thought the entire time.
“You can be honest with me.”
“About what……?”
When she tilted her head as if she truly did not understand, his expression darkened further.
It was a convincing act of pretending not to know, but Lorraine had already noticed the subtle changes in Luciana whenever the topic of her overnight absence came up.
“Every time that matter is mentioned, I know you become tense.”
“Ah……”
Oh no. She thought she had been careful.
Was it really impossible to fool her older brother’s eyes?
“If it’s difficult, you don’t have to force yourself to tell me. But that bastard—whoever he is—didn’t make some ridiculous demand of you or act disrespectfully toward you, did he? Hm?”
“Brother……”
Although his voice tried to sound calm, his clear sky-blue eyes were filled with layers of concern for Luciana.
“It’s not like that. I was just… a little embarrassed.”
The fact that he had worried about her so much because of her.
Luciana felt her heart ache at the kindness she had never experienced from her family in her previous life, and sincerely shook her head.
‘From the beginning, I’m the one who caused the trouble.’
That night was not entirely her fault, but perhaps because she had twisted the original story, her heart kept becoming more complicated.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Really.”
“Then that’s a relief, but……”
Lorraine looked at Luciana, who had grown so much before he realized it, with mixed emotions in his eyes.
“If there’s even the slightest thing worrying you, I hope you’ll tell me. I don’t know who that bastard is, but I’ll make sure he can never appear before you again.”
“What?”
“Do you really think I can’t do it? I’m not joking.”
“Brother, seriously.”
That was right. In the original story, Lorraine had always cared deeply for Luciana.
‘But brother, what should I do? The person I ended up sleeping with without knowing anything was Duke Cassio…….’
No matter how much of a young marquis he was, he could not compare to Licht in terms of status or influence.
‘If I openly tell them everything that happened, won’t they be shocked by the sudden appearance of the male lead?’
Not just her brother, but her parents would react the same way.
At the entrance of her room, Luciana parted ways with Lorraine, swallowing the truth she could never reveal.
“This is a disaster. I have to deceive my family too……”
Lying on her bed, Luciana sank into troubled thoughts.
“I never knew imprinting could happen just from sleeping with someone without feelings.”
She recalled the conversation she had shared with Licht.
“Could it be an error or something? Maybe something went wrong?”
The imprinting Luciana knew of usually occurred when one felt a strong attraction toward the other person or when a special emotional trigger was activated.
Since Luciana and he were not lovers, she could not believe that merely spending one night together had caused them to become partners. Even with visible proof before her eyes, she was still confused.
“Didn’t I tell you? Intent does not matter.”
To her, Licht had added a short explanation, which was as follows.
First, werewolves only ever choose one partner in their lifetime.
The Cassio ducal family, being descendants of werewolves, also become blindly devoted once they feel emotional attraction toward another person.
However, this only means their emotions have been shaken. A complete imprinting has not yet occurred.
For two people to unite as eternal partners, they must have a physical relationship.
Second, as mentioned before, imprinting is governed by sexual relations.
Therefore, regardless of feelings, if someone becomes intimate with another person, imprinting will inevitably occur.
Afterward, as they gradually begin to recognize their partner instinctively, emotional agitation occurs according to their instincts.
However, this only applies to those with werewolf blood flowing through them. It has nothing to do with ordinary people.
In Luciana’s case, it was the latter.
She had simply become entangled in the worst possible situation and ended up imprinted.
