“Before I leave, I thought I should at least thank you.”
“I’m not pleased to see you, but I can’t turn away someone who’s come all this way… Come in.”
Even though Seren glared at her with all her might, Ines greeted her with a smiling face.
“After causing trouble, I realized that you were genuinely worried about me.”
“Wait a minute. You said that before summoning the water ghost. Don’t tell me…”
As I looked at her suspiciously, Ines gave a bitter smile.
“This time, I mean it. What could I possibly do now? I’ve come to realize that I’m not fit to be by the Crown Prince’s side. And that there are many important things in life. Why didn’t I realize this until recently?”
“You never know until you experience it yourself.”
When I answered indifferently, Ines widened her eyes and then laughed.
“You sound very mature, Lou. Like someone in their second life.”
Actually, it was my third. Though I had no memories of the second.
Ines took a sip of her cold tea.
“It seems like we’ve hardly ever had tea this peacefully, right?”
“Today will be the first and last time.”
“I have a question. I tried to kill you, but why did you save me? If it were me, I would never have forgiven you…”
“Because someone forgave me.”
Although I was diligently cleaning up after the escapees, the fact that Lina didn’t seek revenge after turning back time was clearly an act of mercy. I would never have known if not for this opportunity.
“I hope that someday I can repay this kindness to someone else.”
Ines finished her tea and stood up.
“Take care, Lou.”
“Now we’re even for me pulling your hair, spilling tea on you, and dousing your food with spicy spices.”
She nodded with a smile.
A moment later, I saw the carriage carrying Ines moving away through the window.
I probably won’t see her again.
She had become a commoner, and the position of the Poel family would never be the same, but compared to the fate I met in the original story, it was a relatively lenient ending.
I watched the receding carriage with a sense of relief.
***
The Emperor praised my lenient treatment of Ines.
But the Crown Prince did not seem to feel the same way. We clashed continuously over the issue of Ines’s punishment.
Perhaps it irked him, because when I unexpectedly encountered the Crown Prince at the palace, he was unusually agitated.
“Greetings, Your Highness the Crown—”
Before I could finish my greeting, he grabbed my hand and led me to a secluded spot.
“Let go of me, it hurts.”
At those words, he immediately released his interlocked hand.
I brushed off the spot where he had touched me.
The Crown Prince took a deep breath, as though he was trying to suppress his emotions and asked,
“Why did you oppose the execution of Ines Poel?”
He sounded as if he couldn’t understand at all.
“Why would I execute her after I went through so much trouble to save her? In the end, I wasn’t harmed at all.”
“You weren’t harmed? If you had been unlucky, you wouldn’t be standing here.”
“But I wasn’t, so it’s fine.”
“You sound like a saint. Not only are you a foreign upstart in Roengreen, but now you’re even defending the woman who tried to kill you?”
“You know the circumstances, and there’s no need to shed unnecessary blood. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now.”
I tried to leave, but he blocked my path.
“Show me that same leniency. Call it charity if you want. I’m ready to lap it up like a dog anytime.”
Despite his sarcastic tone, his eyes were blazing as if he wanted to devour me.
In contrast, my mind and heart grew colder.
I looked at him with indifferent eyes and said,
“Ines visited you at night, didn’t she?”
Though it was a foolish act, Ines had risked everything.
I could at least understand her completely. She didn’t genuinely want to spend the night with him, she just wanted to hear a kind word, even if it meant sacrificing her honor.
If he had gently turned her away, she wouldn’t have gone to such extremes.
“Did she tell you that? Don’t look at me like that. Nothing happened.”
“She likes you, Your Highness.”
“I don’t care. You know I don’t let such things bother me.”
“Weren’t you planning to marry her?”
The Crown Prince smirked.
“Anyone would think I’m desperate to get married.”
“But everyone believes that. Not just Ines, but everyone except you. Even Her Majesty the Empress said so.”
“What the marriage parties want doesn’t matter?”
“So the other party just has to wait indefinitely until you change your mind? Without any promise?”
His treatment of Ines was no different from how he treated me as his fiancée.
In the end, his essence doesn’t change, and he kindly made that clear through Ines.
“You treated me the same way. You abandoned me for ten years, knowing what people whispered about me.”
“And now I’m begging and clinging, throwing away my pride because of that.”
The Crown Prince smiled sweetly with narrowed eyes.
But the smile didn’t last long.
“So someday, you’ll eventually cling to Ines too.”
“No matter how much I’ve humbled myself in front of you, do I look like someone who clings to just any woman?”
“You treated me like just any woman once.”
“…”
While he was at a loss for words, I continued to speak, looking him straight in the eye.
“It’s been almost four months since we broke off our engagement.”
“So?”
“My parents are looking for a husband for me. I’ve decided to follow their wishes.”
I had felt a petty sense of victory over his changed attitude after our breakup.
But now it was truly time to end it. The longer I dragged on with him, the more supporting villains would emerge.
“What?”
“You know my family is short on heirs. For the sake of the family, I too must find a spouse as soon as possible.”
“You don’t think I’ll just stand by and watch that happen, do you?”
“What will you do if you don’t stand by?”
Pinion grabbed the back of my neck with his large hand.
Startled by the unexpected touch, I pushed his chest with all my strength, but he didn’t budge.
“What are you doing?”
Despite my sharp retort, he didn’t care. Instead, he leaned in closer.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t a single ant passing by in the hallway.
“Why do you hate me so much? Are you so resentful that I was indifferent?”
“Do I need a reason to like or dislike someone? I just don’t like you.”
His eyes sparked with anger.
“If I’m going to be hated anyway, I’d rather act as I please and be hated for it.”
“Wh-what does that…”
By the time I realized he had crossed the line, it was too late.
Proving that his previous gentleness was all an act, he pressed my cheeks, forcing my lips open.
His thumb traced my parted lips.
Sensing the danger, I urgently searched for my necklace, but today of all days, my neck was bare.
‘Damn it.’
I maintained such a clean lifestyle that I momentarily forgot the original genre was a 19+ dark romance.
When I squeezed my eyes shut, he noticed my fear and chuckled.
“Scared?”
Of course. No matter how much he pretended to be elegant, his true nature was that of a madman.
“With your eyes closed like that, it’s like you’re waiting for my kiss.”
Hearing those words, I forced my eyes open.
The Crown Prince, who had approached so close, saw me trembling in fear and shrinking back.
‘I really hate this.’
Seeing myself trembling just to protect my first kiss made me feel extremely humiliated. Acting this way would only entertain the Crown Prince.
‘Fine. Go ahead, do it. It’s not like a kiss will wear me out.’
I took a deep breath and relaxed my body.
After all, everyone knew I had been engaged to him for ten years. Even if I claimed I had never kissed anyone and was pure, no one would believe me.
As I meekly surrendered, his aggressive demeanor softened. The force he exerted on on my chin also disappeared.
“What is it? Aren’t you going to do it?”
He looked hurt.
“If you’re going to do it, do it quickly. If not, let me go.”
After a moment, he completely let go of me and slowly stepped back.
“You…”
“I don’t care what kind of women Your Highness meets or how. Just do the same for me. If you have any remorse for me at all.”
Knowing the Crown Prince’s strong love for himself, I believed he would understand this much.
As expected, he didn’t grab me again. Instead, I felt his piercing gaze on my back persistently. I tried hard to ignore it.
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PhoeDaHoe
Number 1 Pinion hater.
Like yeah its understandable that he didn’t like an engagement he had no say in or whatever. Yes, Lou (before past life memories) was kinda crazy, so some ahtred towards her was normal.
However, he makes his utter hatred for Lou seem like mere indifference. He wasnt just indifferent to her as a partner, but as a human. Now he’s acting like a dog in heat downplaying his actions while assaulting Lou.