Chapter 82
The Male Lead Is Obsessed with Proposing
76. What She Has Done to Him
The weather was fairly chilly.
Perhaps because Senelia was an ordinary person, the night wind felt unbearably cold to her.
But when she thought that Venerucia had been standing here for at least two hours… Senelia couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.
Her mind knew it.
As a Swordmaster, standing for two hours, or enduring the cold, would be no problem for him at all.
Still, Senelia hated it.
How could an ordinary person be okay with leaving someone standing outside like that?
“Anyway, all the employees at the townhouse would obey Your Grace’s words,” she reminded herself.
And so, she resented Venerucia’s actions, which made her feel this way.
She was frustrated with herself for being unable to completely ignore him.
The night they had spent together, his back turned to her as he left…
If only he had been just a little more heartless, Senelia wouldn’t feel so wronged.
“…Then, Seli, you would dislike it, right?”
But Senelia couldn’t bring herself to be that way.
Judging by how easily her heart wavered at Venerucia’s words, she was unfortunately incapable of doing so.
“…Do you know what I truly dislike, Your Grace?”
Senelia spoke without even expressing anger.
Just like he had given what was due to those who coveted his wealth and power, and played at being lovers with them to shield Lucalina from Cliffd’s eyes, treating her initially like any of those women…
She could never become that cold-blooded.
Even now, she was still bothered by the fact that he had been standing there all this time, and the sharpness in her tone hadn’t completely disappeared.
It was frustrating.
She felt wronged, but no longer wanted to leave Venerucia outside, so she suddenly turned her back.
“…For now, come inside.”
In that instant, Venerucia took her hand.
It was a careful, gentle touch, as if ready for her to pull away at any moment.
“If you dislike it, I won’t come in.”
This was the same kind of consideration Venerucia had shown from his perspective earlier.
With a thud, Senelia shook his hand off and turned to face him.
“Your Grace, you truly know nothing about me.”
Consideration is meaningless unless it is based on the perspective of the person receiving it.
Right now, that was exactly the kind of consideration Venerucia was showing her.
“If I leave Your Grace here and go inside, would I feel at ease?”
Senelia tried to calm herself as much as possible.
She knew she had lost her temper with Venerucia earlier today.
Even so… she couldn’t stop worrying about their relationship going awry.
“…That’s…”
Venerucia faltered.
He hadn’t considered that possibility.
It was the limit of someone who had always been on the receiving end of care.
Well, it was difficult for Venerucia to truly understand Senelia.
Though he cherished those close to him, he hesitated without a thought when it came to discarding someone.
“Unless you need to return to the Apron Mansion immediately, come inside.”
This time, Senelia didn’t give Venerucia a chance to respond and headed into the townhouse.
At that moment, a fairly heavy coat was draped over her shoulders.
It was Venerucia’s uniform jacket.
It seemed the cold of the night had concerned him.
She stopped in her tracks and glanced at him.
Venerucia looked slightly tense, worried that even this small gesture might be rejected just like his hand had been.
‘Why is this man… always so perfectly timed?’
Senelia felt wronged again.
He had been outside for over two hours, yet he worried about her briefly stepping outside.
Venerucia often did things that made her incapable of truly resenting him.
Senelia turned and continued walking, but her hands held tightly onto the jacket to make sure it didn’t slip.
Following her without trying to get ahead, Venerucia let out a sigh of relief.
By the time Senelia entered the townhouse, the night felt warmer than before.
Warm tea had been prepared in front of Venerucia by Armando.
Senelia had personally blended it, focusing on chamomile, caffeine-free herbs, and other calming ingredients.
Although the concept of caffeine didn’t exist in this world, it was still something only she could do.
“…It’s fine,” Venerucia said in a low voice.
Senelia knew he wasn’t cold.
She just couldn’t help worrying.
“So, if you weren’t coming inside, why were you standing out there?”
Senelia handed him the teacup herself and asked.
Unable to refuse the tea she gave him, he took a few sips before answering.
“…Because I said I would stay with you so that my brother wouldn’t come looking for you.”
Senelia was left speechless at Venerucia’s next words.
It wasn’t that Cliffd had been whimsically sparing her from pressure today.
It was because Venerucia had stayed by her side that he couldn’t come.
Senelia’s lips moved subtly in surprise.
Ah, your kindness sometimes pierces me without mercy.
How could human emotions be so fickle?
She sipped the tea she had set before him.
Senelia felt her emotions swing up and down at will.
Just a few hours ago, she had argued with him.
Yet Venerucia had immediately followed to protect her afterward.
Had he acted pridefully as before, such a result would have been impossible.
Venerucia had changed.
Because of her.
For eight years, he had shown unwavering love only for Lucalina.
Surely, this change was a positive signal for Senelia.
Yet, she couldn’t feel entirely happy.
Without realizing it, she gripped the teacup handle tightly.
Expectation and disappointment stood back to back, hiding the latter while showing the prettier façade of expectation, tormenting her like a jester.
No matter how pretty the mask, the jester’s face beneath never changes—but Senelia was always fooled.
That’s why she was afraid.
If she let herself hope in Venerucia, what if he left her again for Lucalina?
Then Senelia realized—this was exactly what Cliffd had intended.
Venerucia could not ignore Lucalina.
The emperor had informed Senelia of this fact so that she would feel uneasy.
Only then, even if she were to marry Venerucia, would she comply with Cliffd without protest.
“…Seli?”
Hearing this, Venerucia looked at the silent Senelia with complicated eyes.
Day by day, he was realizing just how little he truly knew about her.
So adding even a single word was difficult.
Of course, the slight resentment from their earlier argument had not vanished from him immediately.
Yet, he didn’t want to fight with her again now.
So he had no choice but to tread carefully.
“…Honestly, I don’t know what to say.”
Senelia finally spoke after a moment of silence following Venerucia’s call, unexpectedly candid.
At this moment, it was her truest feeling.
“I’m glad I don’t have to face His Majesty the Emperor. But…”
Senelia trailed off.
At least, the time she could bathe without worry was thanks to Venerucia.
Cliffd never treated Senelia as human; honestly, she wouldn’t have been surprised if the emperor had rudely opened her bathroom door.
Though it would have been humiliating, those few hours Venerucia gave her were precious.
Even if she couldn’t read, she could at least attempt to enjoy a book for the first time in ages.
So Senelia wanted to put aside the emotions she felt earlier at the gate, or during their argument, and make a truce with him.
“…I don’t know how to describe my feelings right now. I just don’t want to fight with Your Grace anymore.”
Senelia hesitated as if to say more, but ultimately concluded with this.
She couldn’t express anxieties like, “What if you go to Lucalina again?” or, “Why did you avoid me and make me uneasy?”
Only those experienced in being honest and confrontational could express such feelings.
Senelia had lived too long without that, unsure if her ways were even right.
She feared that what she said might twist things further.
So if the situation wasn’t too bad, she simply wanted to maintain it as it was.
“Thank you for caring, Your Grace.”
For Senelia, this situation was quite fine.
With rational judgment restored, her swirling emotions calmed forcibly.
She believed that what she needed more than emotion was reason.
Calm once again, she held her words back.
Ah, Venerucia realized at that moment.
His face contorted as if about to cry.
Senelia didn’t want to fight, and it was sincere.
And the way she avoided conflict was by suppressing herself entirely.
Not a single thought would escape her lips.
She had always lived that way.
Only when she set aside her pride, arrogance, and unilateral thoughts could Venerucia truly see her.
Even a glimpse of her was… painfully striking.
“…Seli, I have something to tell you about Luna.”
So Venerucia made up his mind.
