TMLOP 70

Chapter  70

The Male Lead Is Obsessed with Proposing

64. The Main Character and a Minor Role

The gratitude she had felt for breaking the awkward atmosphere evaporated in an instant.

Senelia froze, and Venerucia looked at her.

“Did you come for me, or did you come for Selly?”

When Senelia couldn’t reply, he asked the butler again.

The butler nodded, looking troubled.

Ever since Venerucia went to the battlefield at fifteen, everyone in the capital knew how hard Lukalina had tried to bring him back. Similarly, after Venerucia returned to the capital at twenty-one, most nobles quietly guessed that he had actually been waiting for Lukalina.

That was one of the reasons why Senelia had been whispered about as a nominal lover.

So even the staff of the duke’s mansion knew full well about the awkward relationship between Venerucia, Senelia, and Lukalina.

Therefore, when Lukalina came to see Senelia, everyone was equally taken aback.

“…Selly, stay here. I’ll go.”

Venerucia stood first.

He thought he had to handle this situation himself.

In truth, he had never been in such an awkward situation before either, so though he didn’t show it outwardly, he was internally very flustered.

“…Lord Elian is looking for me, isn’t he?”

But no matter what Venerucia was thinking, Senelia naturally could not let him meet Lukalina alone.

“Selly, there’s no need for you to meet Luna. I’ll handle it.”

Venerucia tried to dissuade her.

There was no way Lukalina could be someone pleasant for Senelia.

Thus, he didn’t want to needlessly upset her.

“…What about Your Grace?”

Senelia paused, looking at Venerucia with a calm expression.

“Do as Your Grace wishes…”

Soon, the familiar reply came, as always, from Senelia. However, for some reason, she trailed off at the end of her sentence.

Would Venerucia relay whatever he discussed alone with Lukalina faithfully to her?

A seed of doubt sprouted inside Senelia.

According to Clifed, Venerucia might have intended for Lukalina to take on the role of the duchess, yet he hadn’t told Senelia about the hunting festival.

There was every possibility he could withhold the details of their conversation.

Of course, he could also tell the truth, but…

The crucial point was that Senelia could not fully trust Venerucia.

Ah, she thought suddenly.

If Venerucia truly intended for Lukalina to handle the hunting festival, then it was already over anyway.

If it’s over, then what could stop me?

So Senelia did something she would never normally do.

“No, I’ll go.”

“…Selly?”

When Senelia straightened her back and spoke firmly, it was Venerucia who was taken aback.

He had assumed she wouldn’t want to meet Lukalina at all.

“Your Grace, please don’t come in until I’ve finished talking with Lord Elian.”

Senelia continued to insist.

Venerucia hesitated again.

She spoke once more, almost pressing him.

“You will, won’t you?”

For the first time in a long while, Senelia’s red eyes met Venerucia’s gaze directly.

After a brief silence, he finally nodded.

It was very rare for her to speak so strongly, and though Senelia didn’t know it, Venerucia could not refuse her.

“Just to be clear…”

Before leaving the dining hall, Senelia added:

“I don’t want Your Grace to hear what we talk about.”

Naturally, many in the duke’s mansion could relay messages to Venerucia. Moreover, he could easily overhear a conversation in the reception room with his Swordmaster skills even without anyone delivering a message.

Senelia blocked all these possibilities in advance.

“…I promise.”

Because Senelia had insisted so firmly, Venerucia could not go back on his word.

She looked at him with a strange gaze as he obediently answered her.

Senelia felt as if she were missing something, though she pushed the peculiar feeling aside for now—Lukalina was waiting.

“Apologies for visiting so suddenly, Lady Daphnen.”

Upon entering the reception room, Lukalina politely apologized to Senelia.

Lukalina, who could speak casually to Venerucia and held both a minor title as the heir of a marquis and a countship, did not need to speak politely to Senelia, who was not yet the official duchess. Yet she insisted on doing so.

Senelia hesitated at her overly courteous behavior.

Even though it was rude for Lukalina to suddenly visit without prior notice, she didn’t appear rude at all.

Whether it was due to her polite apology or her confident, unshaken posture, Senelia couldn’t tell. Perhaps that was what made Lukalina seem so impressive.

What was certain was that it was something Senelia could never possess.

“…What brings you to see me?”

Senelia didn’t say it was fine. She had always been the type to say everything was fine. But at this moment, she didn’t want to be that person.

“Clifed told me to take charge of preparing the hunting festival.”

Perhaps sensing Senelia’s thoughts, Lukalina immediately got to the point upon sitting down.

Senelia was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Lukalina to relay that message to her.

“…Why are you telling me this?”

Senelia asked, puzzled.

Lukalina had no obligation to tell her such things. If she, as duchess, handled matters, it wouldn’t benefit her desire for Venerucia. So why come and share the truth?

Frankly, it was hard for Senelia to comprehend or believe.

“I don’t want to be manipulated by Clifed anymore.”

Lukalina gave a straightforward answer.

Perhaps because she had been childhood friends with both Clifed and Venerucia, Lukalina spoke Clifed’s name easily.

Unlike Senelia, who constantly bowed her head before the emperor, Lukalina was different in many ways.

And that became Senelia’s misery.

No one could understand it.

Lukalina hadn’t done anything to her. Yet Senelia felt miserable alone.

Everyone would say: “Why do you feel inferior to someone as brilliant as Lukalina?”

Senelia knew. Lukalina hadn’t done anything wrong, and she didn’t hate her. No, Senelia was the one who interfered with Lukalina’s destiny, so what right did she have to feel such things?

Lukalina was the main character; Senelia was just a minor role.

And Lukalina didn’t know this truth, but Senelia did.

What could Lukalina do, unaware?

So Senelia also knew. The problem had always been hers alone.

Suddenly, it became hard to breathe. And only now did she seem to understand why.

She hated herself.

Senelia hated breathing for it. But the more she felt that, the straighter she held her back.

She didn’t want to collapse pathetically in front of Lukalina. Even if it was a trivial pride of a minor role.

Still, what could she do? She was just this kind of person.

“Lord Elian must have his reasons for telling me this.”

So Senelia forced herself to calm down and asked Lukalina.

Lukalina looked at her with resolute blue eyes and said:

“I believe not only myself but also Ben should be free from Clifed’s control.”

Ben.

For Senelia, that was a nickname she had barely used over eight years. But it came naturally from Lukalina’s lips.

“And I realized that if Lady Daphnen is present, Ben won’t be able to act as he should.”

Lukalina’s eyes shone brightly.

It was the glow of someone who clearly knew the path she had to follow and the work she had to do.

“I heard you approached Ben under Clifed’s orders.”

At her words, Senelia felt her heartbeat in her ears, and breathing became even more difficult.

She gripped the edge of her skirt with her pale hand.

How had Lukalina learned this?

Did she find out herself? Did Clifed tell her? Or perhaps… had Venerucia told her?

All sorts of possibilities swirled through Senelia’s mind.

Yet regardless of her confusion, Lukalina continued:

“To be direct, I don’t want Ben to be bound by Clifed again because of Lady Daphnen.”