The Unlikely Imprint of the Villainess and the Male Lead - Chapter 37

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Chapter 37

Translator: Yonnee

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“Oh… no. There’s no space left on my desk.”

Haa. When will I ever clean all this up?

As much as Luciana wanted to give up and sweep everything away, she knew she couldn’t, as it was all for survival.

After letting out a sigh, she placed the glass of water down on a suitable spot and cleared just enough space on her desk to work. Most of the items were still useful, so that was the best she could do for now.

“…It’s already past the halfway point of January.”

Sitting at her desk, she bit her lip anxiously, watching the time slip by.

Today was the day she needed to write her regular letter to Richt. More than two weeks had passed since the whole incident with the imprint began, but all Luciana had sent to the duke so far was a request for new materials.

“This isn’t good. I need to do something soon…”

It wasn’t that she had been slacking off. Luciana had been devoting herself to her research, giving it everything she had.

But since she was handling almost everything by herself, and with the sheer number of combinations she had to test, progress had been slow.

“Still no word from the male lead either.”

While Luciana was immersed in her research, snow had softly blanketed the capital, and the winds that blew through the streets had grown sharper and colder.

The mating season.

Richt had said that it would definitely come before the end of winter. With each passing quiet day, Luciana’s anxiety grew steadily worse.

“…And I’ve been having nightmares.”

She remembered them vividly, as they had occurred more than once. Every time she dreamt of the approaching mating season, Luciana felt like a frog pinned down for dissection, lying paralyzed on her bed.

Although she wasn’t physically bound, no matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t move from her rigid position, like she was being held down by an invisible force.

In her dream, a wild-eyed Richt, clearly not in his right mind, would approach her. He would let out an animalistic growl, his glowing eyes sharp like a starving wolf’s, and even though his face was handsome, the sight was nothing short of terrifying.

‘Ugh… I don’t want to think about this anymore.’

Luciana squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.

Would he truly lose his senses when his rut arrived, just like in her dreams? What if he came at her like a wild animal?

She had no way of knowing for sure until it actually happened, which made the imminent situation all the more terrifying.

Swish.

Luciana picked up the magical artifact from a corner of her desk. It was supposed to light up when the mating season hit, but just like the day before, the bracelet remained quiet.

“His rut is supposed to happen at night.”

Richt had warned her to keep the artifact close as the sun began to set. So, she had no choice but to stay locked in her lab, waiting for the bracelet to start glowing.

How long would she have to live with this anxiety? Today, too, the magical device seemed to remain quiet.

“…I should just finish writing the letter.”

Letting out a complicated breath, Luciana was about to put the bracelet down and pick up her pen when—

Flash!

“……!”

The previously dormant mana stone suddenly came to life, shining brightly. She could feel the artifact vibrating, reacting to a signal from Richt.

The magical device emitted a blinding light, and Luciana couldn’t tear her eyes away from it. It seemed as if the bracelet was urging her to infuse it with mana and go to the duke’s side.

Richt’s words echoed endlessly in her mind.

“When the bracelet glows, come to my bedroom.”

‘I… I have to go.’

She knew this in her head.

“I can hold out for a day or two, but after that… I might lose my mind and barge into your bedroom.”

Richt had said it himself. No matter how much he tried to endure it, the mating season wouldn’t simply disappear. Ignoring it because she didn’t want to face it would only make things worse in the end.