The Unlikely Imprint of the Villainess and the Male Lead - Chapter 19

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Chapter 19

Translator: Yonnee

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‘How am I supposed to signal him like this? I don’t run a business or anything, so if I approach recklessly, I’ll stand out right away.’

Especially if any of the ladies who were infatuated with Richt caught sight of her, the next day there would undoubtedly be rumors like, ‘Lady Leslie is showing interest in Duke Cassio.’

‘I need to leave a sign that I’ll be there first…’

Why was he usually so meticulous, yet all he left this time was a simple message to meet at the balcony?

While Luciana was hiding in a corner, contemplating her situation, Richt, who had been scanning the room for her pink hair since his entrance, suddenly turned his gaze towards her direction.

“……!”

Ah, their eyes met.

His cold, emotionless eyes clashed with her startled amber ones in midair.

‘Now’s the time.’

There was only one chance.

Luciana gave a subtle gesture with her fan toward the balcony—something only those paying close attention would notice—before turning her back.

‘Was that too quick? Surely, he understood, right?’

Her signal had been brief to avoid drawing attention, but given the understanding they had beforehand, he should have recognized it—unless he didn’t have eyes.

As Luciana approached the balcony, she glanced back and saw Richt excusing himself from those engaging him in conversation. His gaze kept flicking toward the sparsely populated area where she stood.

‘What’s he doing, just standing there? Shouldn’t he be going already?’

The faint movement of his chin, as if urging her to go ahead, seemed to say exactly that.

‘Ah, thank goodness. Looks like he got the signal.’

Relieved, Luciana hurriedly slipped away.

‘Why does he keep looking over there?’

A few perceptive nobles followed Richt’s gaze to the back of the ballroom, but by then, the fluttering figure had already disappeared.

* * *

Richt finally managed to shake off the nobles clinging to him like flies and set out to find Luciana.

There was a reason why, uncharacteristically, he had arranged a meeting with only a vague instruction to meet at a balcony.

In the vast imperial palace, it was difficult to find someone without a proper means of communication, especially when no one would notice if a person went missing for a while.

However, like all of Cassio’s bloodline, Richt possessed the ability to sense his mate within a specific radius, making it easy to locate Luciana.

Of course, given his displeasure with the imprint, it wasn’t a pleasant experience to be… instinctively drawn to her.

But what choice did he have? There was no other way.

Clenching his jaw, Richt could only obediently follow his instincts.

“……”

Soon, his steps halted, and through the closed door, he could sense Luciana’s presence—something only he could recognize.

Knock, knock.

“…Who is it?”

A cautious voice, tinged with wariness, answered his knock.

“…My lady.”

After a brief pause, the duke spoke, and only then did the door blocking them open, revealing the familiar figure in his line of sight.

“……!”

Thump.

Richt clenched his fists to suppress the wild beating of his heart, which raced against his will.

A soft floral scent wafted from her gentle movements.

Unlike the disheveled appearance from that morning, Luciana was now immaculately dressed, her beautiful form tightening around him like a trap closing around its prey.

The moment Richt unconsciously stared at her vibrant, red-tinted lips, he felt a thirst rise in his throat.

He gnashed his teeth together.

‘…What a fool I am.’

It had only been half a day since they last met. Even so, it was… torturous, forcing himself to suppress the wild instincts that surged near his mate.

‘I need to finish this quickly and leave.’

Each time he stood in front of her, he was overcome with a feeling that he wasn’t himself, and he wanted to avoid that at all costs. There was nothing more horrifying.

“I have something to tell you.”

“I have something to say to you, Duke.”

Both spoke at the same time, and an awkward silence fell between them.