The Obsessive Male Lead Is Jealous Of My Doll - Chapter 69

Chapter 35.1

She had only shut her eyes tightly for a brief moment and opened them again, but to her surprise, she was no longer where she had been standing. Instead of the cool, dry air of the North, the fresh scent of the forest filled the air, tickling her nose.

“Lady.”

Karentina quickly looked up at the menacing voice coming from above. Ignis was glaring at her, his face twisted in a fierce scowl.

“Would you mind letting go?”

“Huh?”

It took only a second for her to realize what was happening.

She wasn’t just leaning against him; she was clinging to his waist, wrapped around him like a cicada stuck to an old tree.

“Kyaaah!”

She was so startled that she pushed herself away and almost fell. Her face immediately turned bright red. Meanwhile, a mischievous smile tugged at the corner of Ignis’s lips.

“I thought my waist was going to break.”

“….!”

Karentina opened her mouth but couldn’t form a single word. Her already flushed face grew even redder.

‘This is mortifying.’

There had never been a more embarrassing moment in her life.

Ignis let out a faint chuckle before walking ahead with long strides. Karentina, fanning her flushed cheeks with her hand, quickly followed him.

Not far from the teleportation circle, there was a carriage rental shop. After boarding a carriage arranged in advance through the Begonia Merchant Guild, they left the teleportation circle area. The lively streets of the western region unfolded before them.

“Wow! This must be the main street.”

The large markets were frequented by the western territory’s residents, and the uniquely designed buildings that reflected the local culture immediately caught her attention. The streets were bustling with merchants and carriages, creating a lively atmosphere.

‘It’s so different from the North. I hope this goes well so we can make our territory as prosperous as this.’

As they passed through the busy district and continued down the road, the loud sound of the carriage wheels hitting the bumpy stones echoed around them. The rough terrain made Karentina shift uncomfortably, her bottom sore from the hard jolts.

“Are you alright?”

Perhaps noticing her uncomfortable posture, Ignis suddenly asked.

“Oh, it’s my first time on an unpaved road, but I’m fine. I can manage.”

“….”

Without saying another word, he took off his robe and laid it down beside her seat.

“It should be more comfortable than that hard wooden bench. Go ahead and sit.”

Karentina’s eyes widened in surprise at his unexpected thoughtfulness. He was always so cold and distant, but every now and then, his true feelings showed through with small acts of kindness.

A soft smile curved her lips.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Ignis turned his gaze toward the window and muttered indifferently.

“If you hang on a little longer, you’ll get to see a beautiful view.”

“A beautiful view?”

She gave him a puzzled look before following his gaze. After traveling for another ten minutes or so, an endless expanse of deep blue sea came into view.

“Wow! The sea!”

As she gazed at the sea, glistening with small waves in the sunlight, she couldn’t hold back a gasp of admiration, completely captivated. Despite the bumps from the carriage wheels hitting the stones still making her backside sore, it was much more bearable with the robe Ignis had lent her.

The breathtaking scenery was enough to make her forget the discomfort.

“The West has mountains, rivers, and even the sea. Unlike the South, its coastline is quite jagged, with many small islands scattered across it.”

“That’s really amazing.”

“Because the water is so shallow, we couldn’t develop a major port, which is why the South always looked down on us.”

“I see.”

“At least things have improved since the teleportation magic circle was created, but the belief that the South still controls the seas is still deeply ingrained.”

Karentina mulled over his words, thinking back to the stories she’d read in novels.

Despite being part of the same empire, the West and South had been fierce rivals for years, constantly baring their swords and spears at each other. In the West, most people were involved in agriculture, and they were often treated as inferior and looked down upon.

‘There were few nobles, and most of them were serfs.’

Moreover, unlike the North or South, there were no powerful nobles governing territories, so there was no one to offer support during natural disasters or tough situations. The imperial consort and Duke Horton had gone to great lengths to isolate and dismiss them completely, aiming to seize control of the West.

‘Such greedy people.’

But in the end, it was Ignis who held the power in the West.

Through years of hard work, the people of the western territories had tirelessly advanced agriculture, and their efforts had paid off. Every year, they achieved bountiful harvests, a true testament to their dedication.

However, there was one problem.