PLML 25

CHAPTER 25

“Don’t hide your face, Jaina.”

The slow voice tickled Jaina’s heart.

“W-What?! I can’t even hide my own face if I want to?”

“No. But I’d like you to show me everything, without hiding anything. I want to capture every moment of yours with my eyes, Jaina.”

Theoris’s face drew closer. As her heartbeat pounded in her ears, Jaina shut her eyes tight and shouted,

“L-Let’s do this at home! At home!”

Theoris didn’t respond.

Instead, he let go of their intertwined hands and gently touched Jaina’s cheek. Her heart thudded violently in response to his large hand, which could easily cover one whole side of her face.

He tucked her hair behind her ear. When his hand brushed her earlobe and she flinched, Theoris leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her cheek before pulling away.

Jaina opened her eyes, sensing the warmth of his breath had retreated.

Theoris smiled playfully and said,

“Your hair was a bit messy, so I was fixing it.”

Jaina gasped, her breath catching in her throat. Embarrassment surged as she recalled what she had just said. Theoris didn’t miss the moment and asked teasingly,

“Why are you so flustered?”

Jaina jumped to her feet and took a step back.

‘I’m insane. Actually insane!’

“Jaina, wait a moment—!”

Backing away without even looking behind, Jaina suddenly lost her balance. Just before she could fall into the lake, Theoris caught her back with his arm. Thanks to him, she didn’t fall in—but her loose hair and the hem of her dress soaked up the lake water.

Both Theoris and Jaina let out sighs of relief.

Jaina wrung out her wet hair, her dress and hair both now damp.

“You can’t just walk around so carelessly without looking where you’re going.”

“This is all your fault, Theoris!”

“What did I do?”

“Your face is too dangerous!”

“…What?”

“A person should only be so handsome! Don’t go around smiling at people like that! It’s practically a crime!”

At her words, Theoris gave her a beautiful smile.

“Only in front of you, Jaina.”

“You better keep it that way!”

How did it come to this?

It felt like just yesterday that Theoris would blush and get flustered every time Jaina spoke. Now the roles had completely reversed.

‘No. I can’t let him take the lead like this.’

Jaina vowed not to get swept up in Theoris’s pace any longer.

They went back inside to change out of their wet clothes. While Theoris searched for something for Jaina to wear, she waited in the drawing room.

She laid her hair out on a sunny windowsill. Since it was only the ends that were wet, she figured sunlight would do the trick.

‘My hair’s fine, but these damp clothes are so uncomfortable.’

Worse than the dress was her soaked underwear, clinging uncomfortably.

‘When Theoris comes back, I should ask him to bring fresh underwear too. It’s not like we haven’t seen everything already…’

As if summoned by her thoughts, the drawing room door opened. Without even glancing that way, Jaina casually spoke,

“Bring me some underwear too, please.”

“…….”

The person who entered gave a small, awkward cough in place of a reply. Realizing it wasn’t Theoris’s voice, Jaina’s head snapped up.

It wasn’t Theoris.

A man with bright blond hair—like that of a newly hatched chick—was standing there, wearing a somewhat awkward smile. Jaina’s mind went completely blank.

‘I… I just asked a complete stranger to bring me underwear? I’m doomed.’

From his clothes and hair, it was obvious—he was royalty.

In a panic to break the silence, Jaina blurted,

“O-oh, h-hello?!”

The man chuckled softly at her sudden greeting.

“Greetings, my lady.”

He greeted her with formal courtesy.

Slightly downturned eyes. A smiling mouth. Blond hair tied to one side swaying in the breeze from the window. He had a gentle, serene appearance.

Somehow… he looked familiar.

‘No way…’

Before she could confirm her suspicion, the man continued,

“I am Ferus Ri Akrana.”

‘I knew it. Ferus. Oh no. Crap. I’m so screwed.’

Ferus Ri Akrana. Crown prince of the Empire. Theoris’s half-brother. A sub male lead from the original game.

Jaina screamed internally.

‘So I just asked the Crown Prince to bring me underwear?!’

As Jaina stammered, Ferus smiled and asked,

“And what is your name, my lady?”

“Ah, I’m Jaina Blake of House Blake, Your Highness.”

Jaina quickly stood and bowed.

‘Is there any point in being polite at this stage?’

Ferus looked surprised.

“You’re my brother’s wife? I’ve been wanting to meet you.”

Fortunately, he didn’t seem offended by the underwear comment. Jaina let out a mental sigh of relief.

“Apologies for the late introduction, Your Highness.”

“Not at all. Lady Jaina, no need for such formality—we’re family. Please, just call me Ferus.”

“Thank you, Ferus.”

Jaina offered an awkward smile.

‘Hurry up and come back, Theoris…’

She couldn’t just leave while Theoris was out fetching clothes. But continuing to make conversation with Ferus was unbearably awkward.

Sensing this, Ferus joked,

“Still, I must say—I didn’t expect someone to ask me for underwear the moment we met.”

“Ferus, that was…!”

“Unfortunately, I don’t know your size. But if you’d like, I can call for a maid. Just give me a moment.”

“No! That’s okay!”

Jaina nearly screamed. Ferus chuckled, clearly enjoying her flustered reaction. The tension in the room eased slightly.

“By the way, Jaina… perhaps…”

Just as Ferus began to speak, Theoris returned.

“Ferus?”

“Brother!”

Ferus smiled brightly and waved lightly.

Ferus was one of the few people who treated Theoris decently when he lived in the Imperial Palace. Still, due to his position as Crown Prince, he couldn’t associate openly with him.

But he would secretly bring Theoris food when he missed meals—small but meaningful gestures.

‘So they’re not on bad terms… or so I thought…’

“Ferus, why are you here?”

Unlike Ferus, Theoris didn’t seem pleased. In fact, he looked annoyed.

“I just happened to run into Jaina and we were chatting.”

“…….”

Theoris’s brow twitched ever so slightly.

‘What exactly did Ferus say to make him react like this?’

“By the way, Brother, Jaina just asked me to—”

Realizing what he was about to say, Jaina lunged forward and clamped a hand over his mouth.

She didn’t care about insulting royalty—anything was better than being humiliated in front of Theoris. She whispered in Ferus’s ear,

“If you say one more word, I will be very, very angry.”

Ferus blinked and nodded with a mischievous smile.

‘Phew…’

Jaina let out a breath.

She thought the danger had passed.

“…What is going on here?”

Until she heard Theoris’s voice, cold and quiet.

She’d seen that expression before.

When was it?

She recalled the look Theoris gave once when she rode Poppy past him. That same chilling gaze. The sharp expression that didn’t seem to belong to the man who always smiled at her.

She had momentarily forgotten: Theoris was dangerously obsessive.

She had seen several Dead Endings by failing to manage his affection or jealousy properly—and she’d foolishly forgotten that fact.

Jaina quickly removed her hand from Ferus’s mouth.

Ferus, oblivious to the shift in atmosphere, continued to smile casually.

Suddenly, a memory of one of the Dead Endings flashed in Jaina’s mind:

[Jaina: Theoris, wait! It’s not what you think—

Theoris said nothing as he raised his sword.

Jaina: Theoris!

She reached out but couldn’t stop him.

The sword gleamed red. She watched the head of the man who had just smiled at her roll to the ground—and fainted.

…

When she awoke, everything was dark.

A blindfold covered her eyes. Her wrists and ankles were bound so tightly they had lost feeling.

Her injured ankle screamed with pain as she groaned.

Creeeak—

Footsteps approached with the sound of the door opening.

Theoris: Jaina.

His soft voice made her shudder. He stroked her cheek.

Theoris: Why did you do it?
You said you loved me.

Madness gleamed in his pale eyes.

This man wasn’t human. Now she understood why others called him a monster.

She should never have trusted him.

Then maybe Ferus would still be alive.

Jaina looked up at him through teary eyes—once the man she loved, now nothing but a monster.

Jaina: I don’t love you.

Theoris gripped her throat.

She didn’t see the tears that welled up in his crazed eyes.

Theoris: Say you love me.
Tell me it was a mistake!

Jaina: …It was a mistake.

Her face turned pale.

He loosened his grip slightly.

Theoris: You love me, right?

Jaina: Loving you was the mistake.
I regret ever loving you—even for a moment.

That was her last word.

Theoris had lost everything. His love. His brother.

―Dead Ending―

‘No. No. No. Absolutely not! That’s not the ending I want!’

‘I don’t want a Dead Ending—I’ll take a Bad Ending instead!’

Jaina shook her head in panic.

She had to calm Theoris down first…

He was glaring like a beast about to pounce. Jaina was thankful they had to surrender weapons upon entering the palace—if Theoris had his sword, Ferus’s head might already be rolling.

Just as she opened her mouth to explain, Theoris spoke first.

“Ferus.”

Huh? He’s talking to Ferus—not me?