The Male Lead’s Sickly Aide is My Type - Chapter 98.1
Chapter 98.1
“This is the most boring play I’ve ever seen. Would you care to step outside with me?”
“….”
The man’s hair was black. Though shorter than Archen, he was tall and well-built. And his voice—that smooth baritone—belonged to someone Carinne knew well.
“Alright.”
She followed Duke Lucas out of the hall. The corridor was dark, devoid of light. A sliver of a moon hung in the inky black sky.
“Don’t worry about it. You’ll forget all about it soon enough.”
“I’m not worried.”
It was true. She was angry and frustrated, but that was all. She wasn’t scared or worried about what would happen next.
‘What are they going to do, even if they laugh at me?’
She didn’t care if they gossiped behind her back because she couldn’t hear them, and if they insulted her to her face, she’d simply return the favor. No matter what people said, the fact remained that she was the princess of the Second Duchy.
And the Second Duchy was the wealthiest in all of Esmeril, so she could easily ignore those who mocked her.
‘Are you just jealous?’
That one sentence could shut everyone up. The only thing that saddened her wasn’t knowing when this situation would end. She wasn’t the real Carinne, and she certainly hadn’t committed any of the misdeeds they attributed to her.
How long would she have to be treated like a villain? How long would she be the subject of whispers, the public enemy, ostracized by everyone?
She wondered if she would ever escape the label of ‘troublemaker,’ even if she spent her entire life trying. Perhaps this was her karma. Because she occupied someone else’s body, she was destined to atone for sins she never committed for the rest of her life.
‘Oh, life…’
Carinne tilted her head back, fighting back tears. She felt like she was sinking into the earth.
“Whoever organized this must be an idiot. There’s no other explanation for allowing such a play.”
Duke Lucas spat the words out, clearly furious. And understandably so, considering he was also portrayed in the play. He played the role of being deceived by Carinne, which, while not malicious towards him, was still ridiculous.
“Thank you for the comfort.”
‘Maybe he’s not such a bad guy after all.’
She sniffed, and then Duke Lucas took her arm.
“I can find out who organized this.”
The duke seemed agitated. Carinne shook her head and pulled her arm free.
“No, it’s alright.”
“Someone publicly humiliated you. I need to find out who it is and make sure this never happens again.”
“There’s no need. I’m fine, really.”
Even if he found out who was responsible and punished them, it wouldn’t change her reputation. It would only give people more to gossip about.
“Are you sure you’re alright? I mean…”
Duke Lucas trailed off, sighing before removing his mask. His face was etched with anger and sympathy.
In the moonlight, his eyes shone like rubies.
Carinne thought, for the first time, that his eyes were beautiful.
“…If you’re fine, then why do you look like that?”
Before she could retort with ‘How can you tell what my face looks like when I’m wearing a mask?’, Duke Lucas removed hers. Her tear-streaked face was revealed. Her eyes were red and swollen, her nose a blotchy red—a pathetic sight.
Perhaps because she no longer needed to hide, her chest tightened.
Tears threatened to spill, and Carinne bit her lip to hold them back. Duke Lucas gazed at her with a pained expression, then reached out a hand towards her face.
His trembling fingers hovered near her cheek as if about to cup it.
“If you’re alright, then why…”
“Carinne? Why are you out here?”
“Archen!”
Carinne pulled away from Duke Lucas and ran to Archen, throwing her arms around him. The tears she’d been holding back finally came, a torrent of emotion.
Archen, unsure what to do, held his arms awkwardly.
“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left…”
“It’s… not… because of… that. I’ll… explain… when we get… home. I’m…fine.”
The sobs made it difficult to speak.
While Carinne buried her face in his chest, Archen looked at her silently for a moment before placing a hand on her back. He stroked her hair, from the nape of her neck to the top of her head. His touch was gentle and warm, like soothing a child.
“Is that so?”
“No, actually, I’m not fine.”
“I see.”
“I’m not fine at all…”
“I understand.”
It was strange how comforting his simple acknowledgment was, without questions or probing. Held in Archen’s embrace, she cried freely.
After a while, he whispered in her ear.
“We should go back.”
When Carinne nodded, he gently wiped away her tears. He then took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders, lifting the collar to hide her tear-stained face. She leaned against him, and Archen wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
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