CH 37

31. The Original Continues

The man who had the best looks and abilities in the world, the man who she’d once loved, was now begging Senelia.

All the time he spent traveling to their estate was for her.

And all throughout today, he proved his love for me.

Having seen the changes in him happen before her eyes, how could Senelia remain cold and unfeeling?

[T/N: Even though she knows the plot of the story and everything else that has happened to her, she feels touched over his current actions and feels he’s changing for the better.]

Senelia wanted to grab her heart and keep it far away from Benelucia. 

I hate that the heart that finally stopped skipping a beat for Benelucia, is now starting to open up for him once more. 

As much as this man loved her, she hoped that she would not love Benelucia just as much.

That way, even if this man is shaken by Lucalina again in the future, as the original story had decided, it won’t matter.

Senelia wanted to cry, she suddenly realized why she had been so angry at the Grand Duke’s actions.

In part, it was because she always wanted Benelucia to hold her in this way.

I’d rather not know what I’m missing out on, than to feel it and lose it.

Senelia swallowed the regret she had suppressed for all these years. 

Bha! Me?! …Seems I still have lingering feelings for this man.

She had to admit that fact now.

Foolishly, when she learned of the love that Benelucia had for her, she had hopes for that love again.

Unfortunately, it was a predestined reaction that was influenced by the impact of Benelucia’s actions that had taken place over the years.

“…Great.”

In the end, a word of affirmative slipped out of Senelia’s lips.

She laughed bitterly inwardly.

Foolishly, I was caught in a trap I, myself, had set.

The male lead blinked blankly at the unexpected affirmation. Oddly enough, he looked very naive.

“…Thank you, Sally!”

After a moment of silence, the male lead lifted Senelia up in joy as his mind registered her positive response. His face lit up with a bright smile.

“Your Majesty!”

Senelia’s voice raised an octave in bewilderment. The Grand Duke’s considerable height of 193 cm intimidated her. 

“Don’t worry, I will never hurt you.”

At Senelia’s frightened cry, Benelucia pulled her into his arms and smiled, lowering his head, he kissed her lightly on the forehead.

“Thank you, really.”

A man who smiles as if he has the whole world with just one word, saying he will go with you forever, is right in front of you… Haaa…

Senelia unknowingly hugged the man.

Finally I have this man. 

Only today, Senelia was convinced.

It had been 8 years. She groaned and cupped his cheeks with both hands.

Senelia’s head bowed as their lips met. The male lead’s eyes widened for an instant, and then they closed as the feeling on his lips distracted him from all other thoughts.

The kiss was infinitely sweet and deep and for once, Senelia thought the drama was all over.

***

As the Grand Duke said, the Viscountess reluctantly allowed her daughter to spend time with Benelucia. 

So Senelia was now sitting in the carriage alongside Benelucia.

“Sally”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

After the impulsive kiss, Senelia belatedly recalled her promise not to give him any more of her love.

So I tried to keep my distance belatedly, but it was really too late. 

Benelucia did not leave her alone.

He constantly called Senelia by her nickname, touched her hands, and leaned his head on her shoulder.

It was all acts of love.

At least, let’s hold off and tell Ben we love him at a later date. 

In the end, Senelia’s heart, which had decided not to ever love Benelucia again, became soft.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”

From a distance, the voice of a knight urgently cried out from outside the carriage, causing goosebumps to run down Senelia’s spine.

“What is going on?”

But before she could react, Benelucia had already opened the carriage window and was looking out.

“Lady Elihan was attacked!”

The knight became contemplative and shouted.

“…”

It seemed that the world would not give Senelia a chance to relax.

“Don’t go, Your Majesty.”

Senelia couldn’t bear it any longer.

Before the knight could explain why Lucalina was attacked, she grabbed Benelucia’s sleeve, instinctively.

It was a hunch.

After listening to the knight’s explanation, Benelucia will go to Lucalina’s aid. She was sure of it.

“…Sally.”

The Grand Duke looked at Senelia with conflicted eyes.

Even if he was trying to break his relationship with Lucalina, he didn’t want to completely break friendly relations with her. 

[T/N: He didn’t want Lucalina and her family to hate him, he wants them to maintain friendly relations, and have each other’s backs.]

“Your Majesty! Please save the lady!”

But when Lucalina’s maid jumped out and begged the Grand Duke, his eyes fluttered sharply.

“…Ah.”

You’re going… again, you’re going, aren’t you?

Senelia had a hunch. 

The strength in her hand that held Benelucia to her, released.

“At this rate, the lady will die! You know that the only person in the capital who will help the lady is His Majesty the Grand Duke!”

The moment the maid said that, Senelia let go of Benelucia. She lost hope.

“I’m sorry, Sally. I’ll come back and explain, just wait a bit.”

Benelucia’s body jumped out of the carriage, at the same time, he snatched a horse from one of the knights following the carriage and climbed onto it.

Neigh.

[T/N: Sound of horse.]

She could hear the neighing of horses, and the urgent clatter of horses’ hooves as it raced away.

Benelucia took off so fast, not once looking back.

The original novel… It’s not over.

Her hopeful heart was shattered once again.

A tear fell from Senelia’s eye.

It was just one teardrop, but that was enough.

Seeing the water droplet on the back of her hand, she wiped her cheek with her hand.

The broken expectations seem familiar.

When she found a photo of Lucalina that Benelucia didn’t even think to put away in his room, when she saw Lucalina’s unsent birthday presents neatly arranged in a box in the corner, when she saw how Benelucia longed for Lucalina… The day she got drunk, depressing over— When Benelucia hugged Senelia and called her name.

All those days slowly chipped and broke down Senelia’s mental defenses.

Today… was another such day. 

***

Without fail, Senelia returned to the capital. 

On the way, she was launched by Benelucia, thus she couldn’t go back to his mansion without the master of the mansion present. 

“Ben ended up going to his Luna.”

And as soon as Senelia entered the townhouse room, she faced Cliff de Helios. 

She wasn’t surprised in the least.

“I greet the Sun of the Empire, His Highness the Emperor.”

According to what the knight heard, Lucalina returned to the retreating army. 

This was because when the army entered the capital, it should not be seen that the commander was away.

[T/N: The commander can’t leave the army nor can the army enter the capital without the commander to lead them.]

However, as soon as she returned, the army, on its way to the capital, was suddenly attacked.

The raiders were said to have been from the surrounding area Lucalina was passing through, but Senelia doesn’t know if that’s really the case.

And truly, Senelia thought it was most likely Cliff’s doing.

Everything, even the fact that Lucalina’s maid followed the knight out of nowhere must have been under his command.

“You look like you knew I was coming, Sally.”

Cliff spoke, giving off the impression of pretending to be kind.

But even in that tone of his, he was still the emperor.

Even if she had recklessly guessed the emperor’s will, she had to lie and say she didn’t know.

So, Senelia just chose to keep her mouth shut.

“My wise dog.”

Cliff complimented as if praising Senelia’s behavior and caution.

But she knew, better than anyone, that he didn’t praise her at this time.

“But why can’t you win my brother’s heart every time you’ve been given the chance?”

Pierce. 

Cliff’s words pierced through her weak points as easily as daggers.

After mistakenly assuming that she captured his heart… It proved how easily her strong heart weakened and opened up to Benelucia’s sweet words. 

“You’re not that useless, are you?”

Cliff’s hand lifted Senelia’s bowed face.

Her shoulders trembled.

“What? If you can’t do it, it’s not like there’s no other way to achieve my goal.”

At Cliff’s words, Senelia unconsciously looked up at him.

Cliff, who always pressured her, was talking about another possibility.

Rather than hope, a certain fear overtook her mind.

Senelia’s body trembled.

Because Cliff’s desires brought about the true nature of fear within her.

“Become the empress, Senelia.”

Perhaps quite understandably, Cliff didn’t even give Senelia time to guess what fear was coming her way. Nor did he give her time to prepare herself. 

The moment the vague fear became tangible, Senelia’s gave way to a single thought. 

Oh, I feel like I am going to suffocate and die all too soon.

“All the thorns of Chloracean in the past have had extraordinary abilities.”

There was a stark contrast between Senelia, who was completely white in the face and unable to breathe, and Cliff, who looked down at her with a smile.

“Their children also often inherited that talent.”

Cliff reached out and caressed Senelia’s cheek.

His hand was quite gentle.

But Senelia felt claws slowly encasing her heart. 

In front of that fearful emperor, she couldn’t breathe nor have the good sense to hide.

“I don’t think you have anything worthwhile to offer, but most of the time, I just pretend not to know.”

Clifford moved closer to Senelia.

When the distance between the two of them was close enough to feel each other’s breath, he narrowed his eyes and smiled.

“But even if you do have abilities, you should know that they aren’t great enough to escape me.”

Senelia closed her eyes tightly.

However, Cliff tapped her eyes with his fingers as if he would not allow even that measly form of escape.

Reflexively, Senelia’s eyes opened again, and as their gazes met, Cliff whispered to her. 

“But still, I’m curious.”

Senelia felt as if a snake were wrapped around her neck.

“Well, we’ll know when a child is born through your womb, won’t we?”

That fear she’d felt, it was more terrible than she could have ever imagined.