TMLOP 40

Chapter 40 

 “We Had No Choice”

Selenia’s face turned pale.

She had already witnessed with her own eyes the decisive moment when Venerucia chose Lucalina.

Lucalina, in order to declare war against Clifford, proposed to Venerucia in front of everyone at the banquet.

And Venerucia, using Lucalina’s courage as a stepping stone, no longer hesitated and accepted her confession.

Selenia suddenly found it hard to breathe.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly.

Even if Venerucia had proposed to her separately, would he really let Lucalina be humiliated in front of everyone?

Selenia couldn’t be sure.

Of all people, Selenia—who had been by his side the longest—knew best what Lucalina meant to Venerucia.

He could never bring himself to hurt Lucalina.

“…I have to stop it.”

Selenia muttered, clenching her eyes shut.

She had to stop Lucalina from confessing to Venerucia. To do that, she had to accept Lucalina’s invitation.

Selenia was afraid of Lucalina.

The heroine who held the fate of this story in her hands.

Lucalina was someone completely different from Selenia.

That’s why Selenia didn’t want to face her.

Life felt so overwhelming, she wished her eyes would just close forever.

But Selenia had nowhere to run.

Not even death was an escape.

* * *

Nobles usually brought a partner to any kind of party.

So naturally, to attend the Marquis Elian’s party, Selenia needed a partner as well.

But there was no man who could play that role for her.

During the eight years she spent with Venerucia, Selenia had never once mingled with any male noble.

Even her father had passed away, so where was she supposed to find a partner?

So Selenia went to find Venerucia.

The best way to stop Lucalina’s confession was for her and Venerucia to show up as a couple.

Of course, it was unfortunate that her memories of the original story had returned to her so late.

“Selie! You’re here.”

Venerucia, who had been waiting after Selenia informed him in advance that she would visit, greeted her warmly.

He seemed full of joy, as if thinking she had changed her mind.

But she hadn’t come to the Afron estate to become his partner.

“I greet Your Grace.”

Unlike Venerucia’s familiar demeanor, Selenia’s greeting was cold and formal.

“…Selie.”

And from her attitude, Venerucia instantly knew.

She still felt the same way as she did the day before.

“…Come inside, first.”

After hesitating for a moment, Venerucia guided Selenia into the house.

Since he had come all the way out to the carriage to greet her, they weren’t even at the entrance yet.

It wouldn’t do to turn her away from the door.

And for now, at least she was facing him.

Venerucia decided he had to keep her in the mansion for as long as possible.

Only then could he turn her heart back to him.

But that resolve quickly became meaningless.

As soon as Selenia entered the sitting room, she handed him the invitation from Lucalina.

“It seems there was a misunderstanding between Your Grace and me. I hope you’ll return this to her.”

“…What are you—!”

Without meaning to, Venerucia’s voice rose in shock, but he quickly lowered it.

He was a strong knight, and she a delicate noblewoman.

He didn’t want to frighten her.

So Venerucia forced himself to suppress his emotions.

But the fury inside him still boiled over.

“How could you… Even so, how could you give this to me?”

His words came out in broken fragments—barely restrained emotions choking his voice.

There were three meanings behind Selenia handing him Lucalina’s invitation.

First, of course, was that she had no intention of being his partner.

Second, it was her declaration not to get in the way of his relationship with Lucalina.

“It felt inappropriate for me to decline Sir Elian’s invitation directly.”

Selenia responded as though she’d been waiting to say it.

The Elian family was a prestigious one.

And since they’d helped secure victory in a war that had dragged on for years, someone like her—a low-ranking noble—would naturally find them intimidating.

“Besides, if there hadn’t been a misunderstanding, he wouldn’t have sent it to me in the first place.”

And lastly, it was a message that Venerucia himself should clear up that misunderstanding with Lucalina.

That is to say—he should tell Lucalina, with his own mouth, that there was nothing between him and Selenia.

If he truly understood her feelings, it was a cruel thing to ask.

“…Was it really just a misunderstanding?”

Venerucia asked, looking as if he desperately wanted her to deny it.

Selenia said nothing.

When she didn’t deny it, Venerucia reached across the table and grabbed her hand.

Unless she explicitly rejected him, he tended to interpret things in the most hopeful way possible.

“Come with me to Marquis Elian’s party.”

It was the optimism of someone who had never known rejection.

“I’ll prove it. That the one I love is you, Selie.”

His gaze was firm and resolute.

But Selenia didn’t believe those words. Because the real protagonists of this world were Venerucia and Lucalina.

And he had always—always—been unable to let go of Lucalina.

“So, please keep this with you.”

Venerucia handed the invitation back to Selenia.

She didn’t accept it right away, just stared down at it.

Then he took her hand and gently placed the invitation in it.

“I won’t let another man stand by your side. And you can’t attend the party without a partner.”

Showing up at a ball alone would only invite ridicule.

And if Venerucia openly interfered, no man would dare accompany her.

“Come to the party with me, Selie.”

Venerucia held out one hand with aristocratic elegance.

Golden hair shining beneath the chandelier. Silver eyes gazing only at her.

Just that was enough to make it feel like a formal dance proposal in the middle of a ballroom.

His endlessly affectionate tone wasn’t something he offered to just anyone.

A man everyone longed for.

And only by his side could one receive such a privilege.

A privilege that made people believe they were special.

But Selenia thought it was all rather cowardly.

“You talk like you’re asking me, but you’ve never really left me with a choice.”

Venerucia always pretended as if Selenia had a choice.

But no matter how much he respected her, if he truly wanted something, he could make it happen.

Even so, whether in love or in separation, he always made it seem like the final decision was hers.

Of course, Selenia had to attend the party with Venerucia, if only to stop Lucalina’s confession.

She had come here expecting he’d say this much.

Still, it twisted her inside.

Just like the two previous times, before she first tried to end things with him.

When a scandal broke involving Venerucia, Selenia hadn’t asked anything.

She was afraid he’d say they should part ways.

She thought if she stayed quiet like no one else did, he might not discard her.

‘…Selie, aren’t you going to ask me anything?’

When he asked her that, Selenia simply kept her mouth shut, pretending nothing had happened.

‘…Ha.’

She remembered vividly how he had sighed then.

He was someone who could make people tense with just a single breath.

‘…Do as you wish.’

After that, Venerucia left her with only that phrase.

That was the first time they had ended.

He hadn’t clearly told her to leave the Afron estate.

But he acted like he had no regrets—and she knew he truly didn’t.

Why would he?

So she struggled even harder to become someone indispensable to him.

Yet because he always gave her the illusion of choice, she had no choice but to step back.

If she ever became a burden to him, all her efforts would be for nothing.

‘I just wanted to know if you loved me.’

But when she heard those words from him, she realized something.

That no matter what she did, he had already decided on the answer he wanted.

So really, like always, she never had a choice.

She was utterly sick of it.

And yet she couldn’t escape.

“…Are Your Grace’s words a command?”

So this time, Selenia decided to do the same to him.

She acted as if, unless he commanded her, she would refuse.

Her question was clearly one without a real choice—where the answer had already been decided.