The Male Lead’s Sickly Aide is My Type - Chapter 95.1
Chapter 95.1
They say a face that could launch a thousand ships could also topple a nation. History books are filled with cautionary tales of kings so enamored by beauty that they neglected their duties, leading their kingdoms to ruin. Carinne used to think those stories were exaggerated.
‘How could a pretty face make someone lose sight of their responsibilities? And what’s so special about love that it can’t coexist with matters of state?’
She scoffed.
But she was wrong. Utterly, completely wrong. This man, right here, was living proof. He’d received countless confessions in his school days and even won a beauty contest. But even those accolades couldn’t capture the elegant, refined beauty of his face.
With a face like this, he could bring down an empire.
No, scratch that. He could bring down ten. She could spend all day by his side and never tire of him, all day gazing at his face, and it would bring a smile to her lips. Wouldn’t any ruler want to abandon their duties to spend time with such beauty?
Her apologies to all those kings she judged. Now that she had met this breathtaking man, she understood completely.
Carinne stared, entranced, at the source of it all: Archen’s face.
His shimmering golden hair and clear, ocean-blue eyes were the epitome of classic beauty. Add to that his sharp eyes, chiseled jaw, porcelain skin, and elegant earrings, and you had a perfect blend of striking and refined features. Even his spectacles, a symbol of intellect, suited him perfectly.
He looked like he’d smell of ink if she got close enough, a scholar through and through. She could easily imagine him turning pages of a book, quill in hand, scratching across parchment.
With only slight exaggeration, he was the Western equivalent of Zhuge Liang, the brilliant strategist.
True to his scholarly air, he had a slender physique.
As far as she was concerned, a man should be lean and subtly muscled, and Archen’s slender waist, long limbs, and tall frame perfectly matched her ideal.
“What are you thinking so intently about?”
Oh, almost forgot one crucial detail: his melodious voice. It was a low, sweet tone that was always a pleasure to hear. With all these qualities, he should bypass any examinations and be appointed Chief Minister immediately.
“I’m thinking about how handsome you are, Archen.”
“Are you still on about that…?”
He slowly shook his head, the tips of his ears turning pink. Carinne had complimented his looks countless times over the past few days. He should be used to it by now, yet he still blushed. Such a pure soul.
“Let’s drop the teasing, shall we?”
“I’m serious. It’s a shame to hide this face behind a mask.”
Archen sat on the sofa, Carinne standing before him. She held a mask, its purpose forgotten. She’d initially intended to help him put it on, but she’d become so captivated by his face that she’d lost track of her goal.
“Everyone should see this face.”
Her voice was tinged with disappointment as she fastened the mask behind his ears. Today was the day of their first masquerade ball together. She’d initially seen it as an opportunity to reveal their relationship to the world. But…
“It can’t be helped. We have to wear masks to attend.”
…That was impossible. Of all the balls they could have attended, it had to be a masquerade. The whole point was anonymity, mingling incognito with other masked guests.
Announcing their relationship would have to wait.
“Let’s just go and enjoy the atmosphere.”
They rode in a carriage to the mansion where the party was being held. The hall was bustling with masked figures.
“It’s kind of novel not knowing who anyone is.”
Duke Lucas must be somewhere in this crowd. So were the other nobles she’d constantly seen at parties, and probably Giles, too. Normally, they’d snarl at each other upon meeting, but with the masks, it was impossible to tell who was who.
There were some advantages to anonymity.
Carinne strolled through the hall and spotted a long table laden with what looked like delicious fruit juice. An orange liquid-filled round, fishbowl-like glass container. Slices of fruit floated on top, making her mouth water just looking at it.
She ladled some juice into a cup for Archen, then filled one for herself.
A passing waiter cautioned.
“It’s quite strong, be careful.”
“It’s alcoholic?”
…Alcoholic?
That was close. Carinne quickly poured her juice back into the container.
“It certainly is.”
But Archen, thinking it was juice, had already drained his cup.
She gasped.
“Spit it out! No, throw up!”
“Excuse me?”
He looked bewildered. How could she explain this?
‘Archen, you have a much lower alcohol tolerance than you think! Remember what happened last time?’
She started to explain, then stopped. Even if she explained until she was blue in the face, he wouldn’t remember. Besides, he was firmly convinced he could hold his liquor.
“I’m fine. I don’t get drunk.”
See?
Carinne gave a wry smile and took the cup from his hand.
‘It was only one cup, what could go wrong?’
Even if it was strong, surely it wouldn’t affect him that much? She led him towards the center of the hall, hoping to mingle. They blended into the crowd, and without the burden of her title, conversation flowed easily. It was refreshing to shed the label of the former ‘troublemaker.’
“I saw it up close. It had four crimson eyes. Black fur, and black smoke billowed from its body…”
“Oh my, you saw a monster up close?”
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