TMLNHMB 01

Chapter 1

“Mmm…”

A warm blanket, dazzling sunlight, and a pleasant scent tickling her nose.

Even in her sleep, Seidin wished she wouldn’t wake up.

It had been so long since she had such a pleasant dream.

As someone who had endured humiliation due to her lack of magical power, this was the first time in her life—Seidin Helaith’s life—that she experienced something like this.

Then, half-asleep, she slowly opened her eyes. A ceiling she didn’t recognize came into view.

It was extravagantly decorated with gold and silver leaf—so gaudy that it was almost exhausting to look at.

Something large and warm stirred beside her. The bed was so wide, she hadn’t noticed someone else was lying next to her. Seidin blinked blankly at the bare back of this “someone,” who lay turned away.

Dazzling sunlight. A hazy mind. A strange room she’d never seen before. And a broad, muscular back of a man she didn’t know.

There was only one conclusion.

‘Did I possess someone again and cause a scandal with some guy?!’

That ridiculous thought stopped the moment the man turned toward her, as if sensing she was awake.

In an instant, Seidin—still groggy—snapped awake like cold water had been dumped on her.

Because the stranger lying next to her was him.

‘Luan?! Wait, I can’t be doing anything scandalous with him!’

Seidin’s face turned pale.

In her previous life, Lee Sua, who died in an accident, was now reincarnated as Seidin Helaith. And she knew this world’s secret. The novel she had possessed—“The Flower of Ruin”—ended in a bad ending. The male lead died when the holy power inside him went out of control and exploded, and the resulting blast destroyed the world.

‘So Luan can’t be in bed with me! He has to end up with the female lead to avoid the bad ending!’

As her mind spun in confusion, Luan looked at her gently and said,

“Princess, are you awake?”

Seidin blinked. Then, staring at the bare chest boldly in front of her, she said,

“W-Why are you not wearing any clothes?”

“Hmm? Is that important?”

“Of course it is!”

Despite her flustered state, Seidin’s mind raced. Finally, yesterday’s memory returned to her.

Luan, after resolving the empire’s civil war and becoming emperor, had attacked the kingdom. He even blew away an entire mountain range. Then he invaded the royal castle… Her half-brothers and the king were beheaded… and she had fainted.

‘Is this real?! All that happened in just one day?!’

Luan, unaware of her confusion, continued gently.

“After you fainted, I brought you to my bedroom to take care of you.”

“Y-Your bedroom…?”

Seidin shivered. Then, Luan casually sat up, his chiseled abs and sculpted chest fully visible. Seidin quickly shut her eyes.

‘No! Why does he have to be this hot? Damn tragic-romance male lead!’

“Ugh…!”

“Princess?! Are you alright?”

Seeing her clutch her chest and squeeze her eyes shut, Luan’s calm eyes widened. He threw off the blanket, revealing even more of his sculpted physique.

Seidin covered her face with her hands and shouted,

“Wh-Why are you naked?! You’re already attractive enough—why make things worse?!”

Blushing furiously, she babbled. Luan tilted his head, puzzled.

“Hmm…”

That was also when a soft warmth flickered in his sharp, snake-like violet eyes. He smiled faintly and slowly pulled the blanket even further down. Seidin, noticing that, panicked even more.

“You—you can’t just bring a woman into your bed, strip down, and look that good! People will misunderstand! How could you be so careless?! Your Majesty, I’m very disappointed in you!”

“…I’m glad.”

Luan said it so sincerely that Seidin peeked through her fingers, replying irritably,

“Glad about what?!”

Luan whispered, barely holding back his laughter because she was just too adorable.

“You still like my face. Just like when we were young.”

“…”

Seidin shut her mouth. If she said anything, it would betray her true feelings.

Because she had liked his face. Ever since the first time she saw young Luan, captured as a war prisoner in the kingdom.

“…And now you’ve got the body to match?”

“I never said that!”

She retorted quickly, her cheeks blazing. His comment hit home like a punch to the gut.

Seeing her flushed face, Luan chuckled softly—then suddenly his expression stiffened. A fragile look flashed across his masculine features.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry.”

“…Huh?”

An unexpected apology. She was the one confused, not him. Yet he, the man who had taken her from the battlefield and into his bedroom, was apologizing?

Maybe her thoughts were written on her face, because Luan smiled bitterly and said,

“While occupying the palace… I pretended to be sick so you’d come to me. Even though I wasn’t truly injured. Because you used your healing power, you fainted.”

Seidin gasped.

“You weren’t actually hurt?!”

Exactly. Luan had briefly doubled over, and she had rushed to him—just like when they were children. He had looked just like the boy who once depended on her.

Trying to heal him… she fainted.

Now understanding what had happened, Seidin’s eyes went wide. Luan, guilt-ridden, bit his lip and bowed his head.

“I did something terrible, driven by my desire to get your attention. Please forgive me.”

“…Hmm.”

She frowned slightly and tried to recall the situation before fainting. After a moment, she spoke clearly.

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Princess?”

“I saw the cut on your finger. You may have exaggerated the chest wound, sure—but the cut was real. Why do you always lie, even now?”

“….”

“Back then and now. I told you to tell me when you were hurt. I said I’d help you, heal you. But you always refused to take your shirt off.”

Seidin sighed.

Yes, being hit by a bus and reincarnated into a tragic novel was terrible, but Luan’s situation was no better.

Used for holy power experiments under the guise of research, he had been shuffled from royal room to royal room—even into Seidin’s, considered the lowest-ranking in the palace due to her weak magic.

‘Dragged even into my room, the powerless princess, like a lab rat…’

Thinking of the past Luan made her chest ache.

‘I tried to help him. But he always flinched and avoided me. It broke my heart.’

Reading about the tortured young Luan in the novel was one thing. Seeing him in person was another.

Biting her lip at the memories, Seidin unconsciously reached out and placed her hand on Luan’s bare forearm.

“So don’t lie anymore. If you’re hurt, I’ll heal you—like I used to.”

“…I see.”

Luan placed his hand over hers gently and murmured,

“Thank you, Princess. You truly are wise.”

“Of course.”

‘Well, obviously,’ she thought, nodding confidently. Considering all she’d survived, it was a fair statement.

Seeing her nod so earnestly, Luan smiled faintly and said,

“I suppose it’s only right to be honest with the woman I love.”

“…….”

“From now on, I’ll plainly tell you when I want your attention.”

“W-Wait, Your Majesty.”

“While we’re at it… may I call you by your name? It’s been my lifelong wish.”

He spoke with such heartfelt sincerity, like he wanted to show her the depth of his long-time crush.

Faced with Luan’s intense gaze, Seidin nervously clasped her knees together. This was bad. She had to stay focused.

Why were they in bed together?! Why was he shirtless?!

‘Aaaaaah!’

Things had gone very, very wrong. Seidin swallowed hard.

Surviving the fall of the kingdom was great and all—but this situation was too much.

So, eyes shut tight, she waved her hand—still held tightly in Luan’s—and exclaimed,

“Wait! I don’t know what this situation is, but please don’t call me by my name! I may be poorly educated, but I know enough about imperial customs to say that unmarried adults don’t just go around calling each other by name!”

“But you don’t seem to know the most important part.”

“…What’s that?”

“According to imperial custom, it is allowed for those who are engaged.”