The Unlikely Imprint of the Villainess and the Male Lead - Chapter 10

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Chapter 10

Translator: Yonnee

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She had diligently avoided Richt since being reborn as Luciana. She felt even more disheartened by the current situation.

If she had known things would turn out like this from one mistake, she would have never taken a sip of alcohol.

“Haa… What should I do?”

Luciana was equally despairing. The male lead, now forced to love her while leaving the female lead behind, was not someone she wanted.

How did it come to this?

Although it was a mistake borne out of drunkenness, the bewilderment she felt remained the same.

If things had gone according to the original story, Deborah and Richt would have naturally ended up together. But this sudden accident disrupted the situation, and she was now entangled in the unexpected trap of imprinting, twisting the original story.

“Wasn’t Richt supposed to be with Deborah all day?”

There was no scene in the original story where the male lead got drunk. Was it something not mentioned in the novel but happened in reality?

Various thoughts kept racing through her mind.

A ‘lifelong’ mate.

This wasn’t meant for Luciana.

“Is there a way to reverse the imprint?”

Why did the author keep such a tremendous secret until the end? Pointless resentment kept surfacing.

While Luciana’s expression seemed ready to collapse, the carriage wheels smoothly came to a stop, oblivious to her turmoil.

“We’ve arrived at the estate, Milady.”

Just as Luciana was gathering her thoughts, the polite voice of the coachman announcing their arrival reached her ears.

Whoosh—

“Lucy!”

As Luciana stepped down with assistance, she saw a familiar figure approaching from afar.

“Brother…?”

With the Leslie family’s signature pink hair and their mother’s sky-blue eyes, this man was the marquisate’s heir, born seven years before Luciana.

Unlike Luciana, who took after their father, Lorrain inherited more from their mother, the household head of the marquisate. Despite being siblings, they shared little resemblance beyond their hair color and long limbs.

“Isn’t it cold out? Were you on a walk?”

Luciana had already confirmed with Richt that the mark on her wrist was invisible to others, but she still awkwardly smiled and pulled her sleeve down as far as it would go when Lorrain approached.

“Umm… Something like that.”

Lorrain, who had run over as soon as he saw the unfamiliar carriage, finally smiled with relief once he confirmed Luciana was safe.

“You’re only coming back now?”

“Yes, well… it just happened…”

Lorrain’s comment about her absence last night made her face flush with embarrassment. Not returning from the ball meant she had spent the night seeking a fleeting romance, like a butterfly fluttering about.

Despite the grand way of putting it, it simply meant she had spent a pleasant night with a lover. This was a common aspect of the empire’s culture, so Lorrain didn’t make a fuss about Luciana returning when the sun was already high in the sky.

‘Tsk. The carriage is slightly below Lucy’s standards, but it’s still top-notch.’

Although his demeanor was calm, Lorrain’s eyes, which couldn’t hide his true feelings, were busy scrutinizing the carriage that had brought his sister home. The luxurious four-wheeled carriage, crafted with the finest wood and abundant gold, was of such high quality that even Lorrain, with his discerning taste, had to acknowledge it.

However, there was no family crest to be found on the carriage, suggesting that the relationship was intended to remain a one-night affair without progressing further.

‘How dare they…’

While criticizing the taste of whoever didn’t recognize Luciana’s charm, Lorrain also felt relieved that no unsavory character had latched onto his beloved sister.

‘Just who is the bastard that…’

Suddenly curious about the identity of the mysterious man, Lorrain had to suppress his urge to ask further, knowing it would be overstepping boundaries, even if it came from a place of care for Luciana.

“Um, Brother. Do you know where Mother and Father are?”

Glancing hesitantly at the unusually silent Lorrain, Luciana subtly inquired about their parents.

“You don’t need to ask. They’ve been waiting for your return.”