The Male Lead’s Sickly Aide is My Type - Chapter 90.2
Chapter 90.2
“Your Majesty, that’s already been discussed.”
“Wasn’t it just an opinion that wasn’t even confirmed?”
Before she could answer, the nobles stepped forward to stop the King. An elderly man, his age etched on his face, cleared his throat, his eyes fixed on the King.
“The magic to open a rift to another world is a feat only achievable by the most skilled dark mage. If Saraha sent such a person to Esmeril, what could their intention be…?”
The old man met each gaze that fell upon him without flinching.
“…I believe it’s to assess Esmeril’s situation before preparing for war.”
An uncomfortable silence descended as the old man finished speaking.
Even the King was speechless, swallowing hard in contemplation. If Saraha, a powerful nation ruling the continent, went to war with Esmeril, the outcome was clear. Esmeril would fall to Saraha and become part of its territory. It was a truth everyone was reluctant to acknowledge.
“What would Saraha gain by waging war on a small country like ours?”
“That’s right. A strong nation should associate with other strong nations. Saraha wouldn’t have the capacity to pay attention to Esmeril while preoccupied with other countries.”
“There’s no possibility that Saraha would wage war on our country, so the opening of the rift must be a coincidence.”
The King seemed troubled, though he also seemed unwilling to consider the option of going to war with Saraha.
“Then, let’s move on to the next agenda.”
The hesitant moderator presented the next topic, and thus, the question of why the rift had suddenly opened was settled as a ‘coincidence.’
The meeting was over, but Carinne’s troubled mind wouldn’t settle. She sat blankly at the table before finally leaving the conference room as the last one. The King and the nobles had decided that the reason for the rift’s opening was a coincidence, but that decision was wrong.
The one who opened the rift was Ian and no one else. She could be 100% sure of it.
However, Carinne was more curious about something else.
‘Why did Ian suddenly open the rift?’
Ian’s arrival in Esmeril was to find Saraha’s relic, not to open the rift out of the blue.
Was he planning to start a war with Esmeril, as the old man had said at the meeting? Was that why he wanted to check Esmeril’s military strength before starting a war? But she had read about Saraha’s war with Radian but never about them preparing for war with Esmeril.
There was no particular reason for Saraha, with its vast territory, to conquer Esmeril, which was no bigger than a speck of dust.
That meant…
“It’s because of me, isn’t it…?”
“What are you talking about?”
Carinne nearly screamed in surprise. Anyone would be startled if the person they were thinking about suddenly appeared before them.
“I surprised you, Carinne.”
Ian said with a shy smile. He had a bandage on one arm.
“What kind of change are you talking about?”
“Oh, I must have been talking to myself without realizing it. Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t anything important.”
“Is that so…?”
Fortunately, Ian didn’t pay much attention to her veiled words. He looked Carinne up and down before a charming smile spread across his lips.
“I’m glad you’re alright, Carinne.”
“Are you hurt, Ian?”
Was he trying to avoid suspicion? How meticulous. Carinne could bet her breakfast that the bandage hid no injury. But what could she do? If the other side wore a mask, she had to wear an iron plate.
“It’s a shame that this happened when you were visiting.”
“No, it’s okay. It’s just a scratch. And please, speak comfortably. We’re friends, aren’t we?”
There was no way in hell she would ever be friends with Ian. Carinne tried hard not to show her annoyance.
“Ahahaha, yes…”
“I heard you went to close the rift when I arrived late at the barricade.”
Ian must have gone to the barricade as well. Of course, since he was the one who opened the rift, he must have been curious about the situation after it opened. Judging by his late arrival, Ian must have reached the barricade after she left.
Wait a minute. Did that mean Ian was the one who gathered the monsters near the rift?
He might have known that Carinne and her party were going to close the rift and gather the monsters around it.
As she logically deduced and pieced together the sequence of events, Ian expressed his gratitude.
“Thanks to you, I might be alive. Thank you, Carinne.”
Despicable man. Carinne clicked her tongue inwardly and waved her hand dismissively.
“It wasn’t me. It was Archen.”
“Are you talking about your boyfriend?”
“Yes.”
“You have a wonderful boyfriend, Carinne.”
That was the nicest thing Ian had said to her all day. Her boyfriend was indeed extraordinary, although a bit grumpy.
Mentioning her boyfriend made her miss him.
Archen had fallen asleep after closing the rift yesterday and hadn’t woken up yet. Would he be awake by now?
A smile automatically formed on her lips as she imagined him sleeping soundly, hugging his ribbon-tied bear plushie. Why would a grown man sleep with a bear plushie? Well, that was a long story.
Just as Carinne was lost in thought, Ian said as if in passing.
“I hope I’m not holding you back, Carinne.”
“It’s not like that… Come to think of it, I have an appointment, so I’ll excuse myself. See you later.”
There was no such thing as an appointment, but she wasn’t going to miss this opportunity. Carinne said goodbye to Ian and quickly left the palace.
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