The Blackened Second Male Lead’s Wife - Chapter 10

Putting on the jacket Paul gave him, Lucian thought of Pernia.

[I made up my mind for the engagement ceremony and got a new dress. I shouldn’t say this about myself, but it really suits me. Money is good.]

That got Lucian to smile.

She’s always so honest. Sometimes, Lucian is taken back by her honesty and doesn’t know how to react.

I can’t wait to see what it looks like.

Lucian looked at himself in the mirror.

Adorned in the emperor’s personal suit, he looked elegant and beautiful, like how he would appear in a painting.

No one would think he was a child who grew up without parents wearing dirty and stained clothing.

And not long ago on the battlefield, his body was covered with red blood.

Lucian left the mansion with Paul.

Arriving at the Lilac’s, Lucian followed the Marquis to the second floor.

Now, he’s in front of Pernia’s bedroom door.

Waiting for her at the door made his throat dry.

Lucian’s tongue and lips were dry.

I’ve been meeting her for two weeks now. Why is it happening again?

Lucian shook his head and pushed away his unidentifiable emotions.

But as soon as he saw Pernia, he couldn’t say anything.

He knew she was beautiful. Sometimes, her smile is like a flower.

But she in a red dress, with her dark blue purple hair, was so captivating that it made him think,

Other people will also see her in that?

He pulled himself out of the childish thought. Pernia said with a playful smile.

“You look great today. I tried my best in dressing up, but it was hard to beat you.”

Lucian was confounded.

Even if she’s modest, she should compliment herself more.

Lucian wanted to make sure his opinion was clear this time and said.

“Don’t say that. Lady Pernia is really…”

Beautiful?

That word is not enough.

Attractive?

That’s not enough either.

Lucian has never been so resentful of himself for not being eloquent.

In the end, Lucian could only think of one eloquent word to use on Pernia.

“Awesome!”

Pernia looked at him as if he was crazy, but Lucian had no intention of correcting it.

Because she was really pretty today and made his heart flutter.

* * *

“Do you not know who I am? I’m Pernia Lilac, famous for her evilness in this empire! You can let this one evil lady through!”

Lucian thought as he looked at Pernia shouting at the faraway carriage.

Why do I feel this way towards her?

I pay attention to you, I smile at you, I worry about you, I feel jealousy, you make my heart ache, and I want to hold you in my arms.

Because she’s my fiancé? Because she’s the only one who noticed my love and cheered me on?

No. That may not be the only reason.

Lucian took a step towards Pernia.

He bent his knees and made eye contact with her.

Tears in cat-like green eyes, seeing that made his heart clench.

How can she be so cute?

Wiping away the tears around her eyes, Lucian’s eyes softened.

“Lady Pernia, I want to know more about you. Will you give me that opportunity?”

Lucian already knows the answer.

This feeling is a man’s keen interest in a woman he likes.

Lucian wanted to know everything about her. From the small/trivial things to her secrets, everything.

side story fin.

* * *

Chirp chirp. It’s the morning with sparrows singing.

“Lady, Anne’s back. How have you been?”

That was Anne’s voice, who has been on a three-day vacation.

Anne, whose face is visibly tan, opened the door and screamed.

“W-What happened when I wasn’t here?’

I deserved it.

I look so messed up that a beggar came to me and asked, “are you good?”

Hair that was not brushed properly was knotted like a sponge, and the dark circles reached under my chin.

“Oh my, what do I do?”

Anne, who looked after me for 365 days, was in tears with a shocked face.

“I’m sorry, Anne. I look like this because I didn’t take care of it for a few days. Even if I roll in shit all week, I’m a badass supporting villain who can do a full-make-up job.”

“Huh?”

I smiled at Anne, who opened her eyes wide.

“Just ignore what I said because I’m still half awake.”

Anne looked at me with a strange look and soon sat on the chair.

“I asked them to take good care of you, but what the hell did the other maids do?”

Anne grumbled and began to work her hands to make me a pretty lady again.

I thought as I looked at myself in the mirror looking for the graceful figure of the lady.

Don’t be too hard on the other maids, Anne. It’s all because of Lucian that I’ve become this ugly.

I recalled what he said at the engagement ceremony.

[I want to know more about you.]

The moment I remembered his words, goosebumps appeared on my arm.

I thought about it a lot.

Why would a man want to know more about a woman? Because he likes me? 

I immediately rejected that answer.

Of course, Pernia was a beauty. She’s a noble.

Her only flaw was her nasty personality, but that improved when I possessed her.

I was sure that wasn’t it.

Because he’s the second male lead, Lucian Kardien, a man of great unrequited love.

I know him well.

His love for Estelle is not something that would easily fade away.

I’d have turned yandere for that innocent guy.

“Then why the hell?”

After spending days in the room thinking about it, I thought of something.

I looked at Anne combing my tangled hair with a brush in the mirror and said,

“Anne, I have a question.”

“Yes, ask away.”

“It’s not about me, it’s about my friend.”

Anne’s eyes narrowed. Because Pernia was a wicked woman who never made friends.

So I hurriedly changed my words.

“No. I mean, the story of a friend of a lady I know.”

Only then did Anne’s suspicious eyes unravel.

I said, pretending it was never my story.

“There’s a man who has a crush on a woman. But no one knows he likes her. Because he’s completely hiding his own feelings. That’s where a woman who knew his feelings appeared. Then, he said something to the woman. What do you think the man said to the woman who recognized his feelings?”

Anne nodded and began to braid my hair.

“What did he say?”

“That he wants to know her more! What do you think this means?”

“Don’t you think he’s just a playboy?”

The short answer made me jump.

“Not that!”

I don’t know about anybody else, but Lucian can’t do that!

I denied it like a mother advocating that her child would never do something like that, even if everyone else in the world thinks he sinned.

Anne was startled at the sight and carefully opened her mouth.

“It’s not that, don’t you have another idea?”

“What?”

I looked at Anne with sparkling eyes.

Finished with braiding my hair, Anne said.

“Nobody knows who the man has a crush on.”

“Right.”

“Then, the only woman who knew appeared.”

“Right.”

Anne said with a shady face.

“He’s blackmailing a woman who knows his secrets. He’s keeping an eye on her, so she keeps her mouth shut. He’ll kill her.”

I blinked in shock at her words.

Anne, you……

“How can you be so smart?”

“You’re flattering me.”

Anne humbly smiled at my praise.

At first, it sounded absurd, but I was convinced that that answer would be the right answer.

This is because I remembered the contents of the original novel that I had momentarily forgotten.

There was a nobleman who found out Lucian’s weak points and then found out about Lucian’s feelings.

‘If you tell the saint, then you’re out.’

That wasn’t the yandere Lucian, but Lucian’s usual self.

That’s how much Lucian didn’t want anyone to notice his feelings.

I didn’t know that.

[If I were Lord Kardien, I think I would have loved Miss Estelle.]

[I mean, no one will be offended by Lord Kardien’s confession, anyway. So don’t be scared and run away!]

When I remembered what I said to Lucian, my whole body shook.

What does he think when he sees me?

When will I get rid of this woman who seems to have no ill will but drives me crazy?

He might think that.

“Ahhhhhh!”

Only now did I realize my stupidity, and I grabbed my head and screamed.

Anne looked at me in surprise, but I had no choice but to cry.

It’s ruined. It’s all ruined!

* * *

I shut myself in my room again when I found out that I’m getting another horrible ending with another route.

I didn’t want to see him.

But reality was too cruel.

“Pernia! Lord Kardien has come.”

My father’s words from outside the door made me more irritated.

“Oh, come on! I told you I’m sick!”

I said I didn’t want to see anyone for a while because my body and mind was sick, but my father knew my words were bull crap.

I blame the doctor who visited yesterday.

[It’s a fake illness.]

If he hadn’t made such a diagnosis, even the most clueless father wouldn’t have brought Lucian to my room.