Chapter 72
It was so ridiculous that I was speechless for a moment.
…Oh my God, is he asking me to act as your fiancée right now?
No, why? Why so suddenly…? No—What the hell? All the guys here come in like this without even news! What kind of characteristics do only the Leonis Empires have?
My stomach fluctuated here and there, but after eleven years of possession, I felt like I had become a semi-nobleman. I glanced at Noah quietly with only a formal smile on. He had a confident expression on his face.
What does he believe?
What could it be… the corner he believed in, and what are his abilities? If he believed in his abilities, then I should never be alone with the two of us.
As I leaned back on the sofa, thinking it was a good idea to bring Oscar and Damian in, I was a little worried. Should I keep watching Noah, who seemed to be a possessor, by my side?
Besides, what happened to the real Noah? Is my thinking the same as his interest…?
I was a little curious as to why he kept expressing himself strangely. Then, I remembered a saying I heard a long time ago. A friend in high school told me a scary story…
Did they say that ghosts act the opposite of living people?
Oh, I got goosebumps.
Just thinking about it, hairs all over my body stood up. I answered Noah by rubbing my arm gently.
“Um, that would be a bit of a problem, wouldn’t it?”
Anyway, if I showed up with Noah at the funeral, rumors would naturally spread about his spouse. I was not familiar with social circles, though rumors were fatal to nobles.
This was especially true for the unmarried nobles.
I didn’t know what the guy in Noah’s mask was thinking, even though he knew that. He would have never thought I would accept it. On the other hand, if he really thought I would accept, was his head a field of flowers?
“Master.”
Suddenly, Damian opened his mouth. If I didn’t call first, there’s no way he would ever call first, so what was the matter?
“Yes?”
“Shall I kick him out?”
“What are you doing? Do I have to say something first?”
Even Oscar helped with a word, and the face of the man in Noah’s mask turned red. Oh, to ruin that beautiful face like that…
He clicked his tongue a little in annoyance. Then the man in Noah’s mask whispered sullenly.
“Your management is a bit sloppy, Lady. If they’re cocky like that, hit it with a whip and they’ll be quiet. Kuku.”
Uhh…
My eyes,
My eyes.
…Don’t laugh so meanly with the innocent Noah’s face. It was not even his body, could he please stop using it recklessly?
In addition, it was also quite offensive to say anything about Oscar and Damian. I didn’t feel the need to manage my facial expressions or treat them anymore.
“Lord?”
“Fufu, if you leave it to me, I will try to change the habit right away.”
Uhh…
Don’t laugh like that.
I crossed my legs and crossed my arms. Wouldn’t it be fair to be impolite to a rude person?
“Why did you pay attention to my subordinate and make such a rude request to me?”
Noah’s eyes tightened at my chilling voice. With a look as if trying to judge me, I also narrowed my eyes.
“Hmm… Were you hiding your true nature?”
He mumbled a little, but I heard it all. Did he mean it for me to listen…?
It was ridiculous and I laughed out loud. Noah tilted his head before leaning his back on the sofa and taking a relaxed posture.
“Then, it will only make Lady more difficult.”
“On what basis?”
“Hoho, the appearance I usually see was all decorated. Then that’s right. No matter how… I can’t be mistaken.”
Oh, I really didn’t hear this one. But, would my reliable servants have listened?
Punishment for looking down on the shapeshifters. You bastard in Noah’s mask.
“What do you think of death, Lady?”
Noah asked out of nowhere.
Without answering, I stared at him. Then, he started smiling and continued talking.
“If you could know and prevent your death in advance…”
I listened to what he had to say. Instinctively, I sensed that it was his ability though I couldn’t hear him until the end.
Kuang—!
It was because the drawing room door suddenly opened.
Me and the man in Noah’s mask, along with Oscar and Damian, all turned their heads towards the door at once. How hard he had opened it, the wide-open door hit the wall. And, as soon as Lucian entered, it closed again, making a loud noise.
Tak—!
After the door was closed, it felt as if the temperature in the drawing room had dropped. Perhaps, it was because Lucian was staring at him like he was going to peel Noah.
His face, which was not usually excessive, but always had a gentle smile, was like an active volcano blown by the north wind. Although his eyes were burning brightly, his expression was cold, creating a strange feeling.
Even though I had seen him get angry a few times, it was all anger towards the Duke.
Lucian staring at someone else like that was just awkward.
“Brother…?”
So, I called without knowing.
Like checking if he was the Lucian I know.
At my call, Noah’s gaze glided toward me. At the same time, the expression on his face naturally loosened, and he let out a small breath.
“Ray, you go up to your room.”
Although Lucian tried to speak softly, his voice seemed to have subsided and suppressed his emotions. At that, I got up from my seat without delay at his words. Actually, it was unpleasant and I didn’t want to make him in trouble.
When I got up, Oscar and Damian followed. The two of them stood with great vigilance.
Before leaving the drawing room, I turned around and looked at Lucian and Noah.
As in the scene often seen in the original story, the two were facing each other. However, it wasn’t a happy appearance like in the beginning, nor were they tired of each other giving up or looking at each other with a thirsty expression like in the second half.
Lucian was glaring at Noah, apparently looking at his competitor.
What do those eyes mean…?
And, why was Noah so relaxed? What the hell were his abilities?
I wanted to go back to my room and ask Oscar and Damian what the man mumbled earlier. I had a feeling that the word I had never heard of might be a very important word.
***
Lucian seemed to be blinded by anger.
It was partly because of the words he had heard in the salon, but he felt worse because he had witnessed it with his own eyes.
When he arrived at the salon, Noah was obviously there. Nonetheless, he did not approach him as sly as usual, but rather, laughed at him as soon as he saw him. Lucian was skeptical for a moment at the different attitude from usual, but that was all.
He had no interest in humans except for Rachel.
Still, he wasn’t the one who cared about Noah. He was interested in what bothered him.
Not long after the salon started, Noah disappeared. However, Lucian did not know and he was approached by the Count’s son.
[ Excuse me, Lord. With all due respect, but has the Lady’s marriage been decided? ]
Lucian speculated that the rumors circulated because of the ring he had ordered.
But, it wasn’t.
[ He said that Lady Leon will come to his father’s funeral earlier… Haha, come on. I really didn’t know that he was a person who talked about the funeral of someone who hasn’t died like that. ]
As soon as the man finished speaking, Lucian did not delay and left the building.
It was Amber, not the lovely Rachel, who had been waiting for him to rush back to the coachman. She delivered the words quickly, and after he listened, Lucian headed straight to the parlor. When he rushed in, his eyes seemed to roll over with jealousy at the sight he saw as soon as he entered.
She was not alone.
As he normally would with the shapeshifters, he wanted to kill Noah who was trying to lure Rachel out of the house.
Lucian glared at Noah without saying a word. He had a plan in his head as to what to do with him. Meticulous in the way Rachel taught him…
Meanwhile, Noah clicked his tongue. He murmured in a relaxed posture.
“Haa, neither him nor that…”
Kylus, who was taking Noah’s body and was suddenly attacked by Lucian, had a headache.
It was not time for the salon to end yet, so why was he back already?
Even if he was deceived, there was no way he would have done such a troublesome thing himself. Not all of his foresight was right, but lately, it seemed like they had been out of sync and he had been feeling uncomfortable.
Because of that, Kylus decided to leave all the troublesome work to Noah and disappeared.
After regaining his body, Noah jumped up in surprise to see the unfamiliar environment and Lucian in front of him.
As he turned his head back and forth to grasp the situation, Lucian reached in front of him in an instant.
“Gasp—!”
His large hands gripped his easily thin neck.
“Lu, Lucian…”
“What are you?”
It wasn’t his usual low-pitched voice, but a harsh, emotional tone that was directed at him. Noah struggled to get out of his wrist.
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