I Became The Male Leads’ Target - Chapter 39
39
“What?”
“Dark circles under your eyes, and your face is pale. While performing our tasks, our employees sometimes end up in a state similar to yours….”
Perhaps these tasks involve guarding a smuggling warehouse for several nights, engaging in internal conflicts among organization members, or something like that.
Simultaneously, Liam added sarcastically, “Usually, such employees don’t survive for long.”
Lucian’s eyes narrowed momentarily.
Whether he noticed or not, Liam stepped back, clapping his hands.
“Oh, excuse me. Of course, we will do our best to ensure that Duke Kalleid doesn’t exert himself physically. After all, you are the most important special student.”
It sounded as if he were saying, ‘You are the most valuable item we possess.’
Well, to them, it probably didn’t carry any special meaning.
“I’ve heard that you’ve been having trouble sleeping recently.”
… How did they find out about that?
Lucian’s blue eyes gleamed with wariness, and he emitted a chilling aura.
Liam tilted his head.
“Don’t be too upset. Screaming every night; we can’t help but notice, can we?”
Lucian remained silent.
It struck a nerve.
Lucian bit his lip tightly.
Liam, who had been scrutinizing him, threw another question.
“Your complexion doesn’t look good. Shall I prescribe some sleeping pills for you? A stronger prescription might help reduce nightmares.”
“…”
Instead of answering directly, Lucian, with gritted teeth, stared at Liam with a cold gleam in his eyes.
Liam sighed briefly.
“I can see that you can’t trust us. I understand that sentiment, but you’ll be receiving a prescription from a doctor, so there’s no need to doubt to that extent.”
“Fine.”
“Well… alright then. If it were me, I’d take some sleeping pills to get some rest, but your opinion matters the most.”
Liam shrugged and took a step back.
“If it still gets tough, feel free to let us know. We genuinely want to take good care of Duke Kalleid.”
With those words, Liam, who had shown a courteous gesture, exited.
The door clicked shut.
Lucian, who had been glaring at the door with a stern gaze, slowly crumbled in that spot.
“…Good grief.”
Lucian covered his face with both hands and gritted his teeth.
His shoulders trembled slightly.
Was it because of the betrayal of his trusted cousin or Elze’s disappearance, the only person he was relying on?
An old nightmare returned to Lucian.
On a gloomy winter day with drizzling rain, the door slammed open, and a servant of the duke’s house rushed in.
[Something terrible has happened!]
[What happened?]
Instead of Lucian, the nanny who had taken care of him for a long time raised her voice.
The servant’s eyes shook violently.
[The Duke and the Duchess…!]
Before the servant could finish, he bit his lips until they bled.
At that moment.
Even though Lucian was still young, he could understand.
Something terrible had happened that should never have occurred.
Afterward, the nightmare relentlessly pursued Lucian.
Despite thinking he had escaped from it since the time when the Marquis Craig acted as his parents, he was wrong.
When Elze stopped searching for Lucian.
Whenever he closed his eyes, the nightmare wriggled in his mind.
[Aaahh!]
Covered in cold sweat, Lucian struggled to get up several times as if he were being ejected. When he opened his eyes, panting heavily, the surroundings seemed eerie. No one was beside him. The fact itself was overwhelmingly lonely.
“Why am I so incompetent?”
His suppressed voice flowed out, and Lucian spent a long time burying his face in his hands, as if hoping to escape the profound self-loathing and guilt that gnawed at him.
* * *
Time passed quickly, and finally, the day of the debutante ball arrived. The townhouse of the Marquis of Offenheir was opened. Due to the carriages of the nobles invited to Elze’s debutante ball, the street connecting to the townhouse was crowded.
“Did the Marquis of Offenheir open the townhouse for Lady Lepherian?”
“As far as I know, this is the first time the townhouse has been opened.”
“Yes, until now, whenever there was a party, the Duke used the hotel ballroom he owns.”
“Well, it seems like the Marquis is more sincere about Lady Lepherian than I thought.”
The nobles were all abuzz. In fact, it couldn’t be helped. Despite lingering ominous rumors, the Marquis of Offenheir was a man standing at the pinnacle of noble society.
On the other hand, Lady Lepherian, who was being paraded around as the Marquis lover…
“But why is the Marquis putting so much effort into Lady Lepherian?”
“I mean, Lady Lepherian is beautiful, but… that’s about it, right?”
“Among the ladies who have been the Marquis ‘s lovers so far, there have been many beautiful women. Moreover, some were even of higher status than Lady Lepherian.”
People glanced at each other with sinister looks.
“But the Marquis is going so far as to host a debutante ball.”
“Well, at least it seems like we need to keep an eye on her for a while.”
Lady Lepherian, or Elze, who made the gossipmongers happy, was currently gazing into the mirror with a mysterious feeling.
* * *
I stared into the mirror contemplatively.
Then, in the mirror, a unfamiliar Lady with long eyelashes looked at me cheerfully.
Her hair was tightly braided into one and adorned with flowers, extending down over her shoulders. She wore a light cream-colored dress that enveloped her entire body.
No matter where you looked, it was a young and lovely Lady, debuting in an extravagant manner.
‘Something… feels strange.’
Unconsciously, I touched the mirror with my hand adorned with lace gloves.
I used to meticulously adorn myself with the obsessive need to not yield to anyone, to appear flamboyant every time.
‘…This appearance also looks quite natural.’
But then, the door opened with a soft click.
And the only person who could enter my powder room like this without knocking was one.
“You’re here, Marquis?”
I instinctively lowered my eyelids.
It was Dante.
From the perfectly tailored high-end suit to the gold cufflinks and the neatly arranged black hair, Dante looked like he had just stepped out of a high-end fashion catalog.
Approaching me, Dante raised the corner of his lips arrogantly.
“There’s a legend about a wretch who fell into the lake, enchanted by their own beauty and drowned.”
Dante, who approached me, extended the long fingers wrapped in gloves towards my cheek and jaw.
He simply lifted my chin.
“Are we also dreaming of such a wretch?”
His tone was as sharp as usual.
After observing me up and down as if tearing me apart, Dante gracefully curled his eyelashes.
“But it makes sense. You’re naturally pretty, but today, exceptionally beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
“Come to think of it, it seems like the first time you’ve worn a light-colored dress when going to a party.”
For a moment, I was a bit surprised.
I didn’t expect Dante to remember my usual attire, let alone show interest in me.
“Ladies who debut usually wear dresses in light colors. Also…”
I glanced briefly at the jewel box on the vanity.
Then, I smiled subtly.
“You chose a necklace for me for the first time in a while, remember?”
“Why?”
“So I asked Madam Tilda to match the dress to this necklace as much as possible.”
Was it a misunderstanding?
Dante in front of me seemed strangely satisfied…
“…I see.”
Dante nodded slightly, his eyes narrowing.
“But why weren’t you wearing the necklace?”
“Well, I was waiting for Marquis to arrive.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Since it was a gift from you, I wanted you to be the one to put it on for me.”
Perhaps it was an illusion, but Dante seemed to wear a subtly pleased expression…
“…I see.”
Dante, tilting his head slightly, opened the lid of the jewel box.
Click.
A drop-shaped citrine, intricately carved, sparkled brilliantly, reflecting the light.
Ding…
A platinum chain slid through Dante’s fingers.
Dante, who had been examining the necklace closely, skillfully put it around my neck.
The cool chain and the sensation of the pendant distinctly touched my skin.
As my shoulders tensed slightly, Dante pressed his lips to my ear and whispered in a low voice, “Doesn’t it feel nice when I say that?”
