I Mistook the Hidden Identity of the Sub Male Lead

♛ 

I was staggering while walking without looking ahead because I was tired, but I was rather embarrassed by the unexpected appearance of Ellex on the left stairs.

 

If I hadn’t spoken, I would have passed by without even knowing the existence of Ellex, I talked to him first and fought.

 

In a short moment, many thoughts passed through my head.

 

‘Should I ignore him? I think he’d be angry if I make a lame excuse.’

 

Ellex, who always kept a cold expression, became angry because of me.

 

When I saw his face, I felt that I wanted to get out of this place immediately. However, the Duke, who has a higher status than me, spoke first, but ignoring him was also an act of disrespect, so I had to greet him.

 

I tried to greet him and then leave without making any excuses.

 

“I greet the Duke of Kolnuta. Please excuse me, I’m on my way back…”

 

“Yes, it must be a coincidence again. Always using the same excuse. Aren’t you tired of it?”

 

No, when did I say it was a coincidence? At the time when I was about to say that I was going home, the Duke interrupted me and interpreted it as an excuse to see him.

 

‘Aren’t you crazy?’

 

It was a feeble life, but it was never enough for a noble young lady, who grew up like a flower in a greenhouse to endure.

 

If I was a weak person, I would’ve already fainted or peed right after seeing him angry.

 

No matter how much I remembered the memories from my previous life, I was overwhelmed by his presence and couldn’t breathe.

 

“Du-Duke, I’ve been looking for you.”

 

Then a soft voice came from behind. The tension in the hall was cut off by the sudden voice.

 

The owner of the poor tone was the person I met on the terrace earlier.

 

“I greet the Prince, the descendant of the Guardian.”

 

When the Duke regained his momentum and said hello to the prince, only then I could barely breathe.

 

However, the lingering fear did not disappear easily. I tried to calm my trembling body with a little breath.

 

“After Eustoma, the Marquis said he had something to say…”

 

The Marquis of Eustoma was the center of the aristocracy and was not on good terms with the Emperor.

 

Since the Imperial strength was already weak, the Marquis hated the Duke of Kolnuta, who was called the Emperor’s sword, rather than the Emperor himself.

 

So he quarreled with the Duke about everything, and Ellex was bothered by the Marquis often.

 

“Please tell the Marquis that I have returned.”

 

“Well, sure.”

 

What? I couldn’t believe Duke Ellex wanted the Prince to do something directly for him rather than have a separate attendant.

 

He’s not doing what the Duke asked right? The Duke of Kolnuta, an Emperor’s subject also showed an implicit disregard for ignoring the Prince.

 

Grandiel nodded with a smile without showing an annoying expression. It looked like a real pushover.

 

‘But the appearance that I saw earlier was it also an illusion?’

 

I was lost in my thoughts, recalling the eyes of the prince I had seen on the terrace, but suddenly raised my head to the prickly gaze.

 

Ellex was staring at me fiercely. In the novel, it was said that Ellex was more beautiful than Ruby, but I find him scary because he looks like a grim reaper aiming for my neck.

 

As I stepped back a little, the Prince behind me gently put his hand on my shoulder.

 

‘There was also the Prince, so Ellex won’t kill him.’

 

The warmth I felt in my shoulders calmed my fear The Duke, who had been staring for a while, soon greeted the crown prince and turned around.

 

“Then, excuse me.”

 

The Duke flapped his red cape and went out to the entrance of the Imperial Palace.

 

Only then did the tension completely ease. With a sigh of relief, I tried to thank the Prince for his help.

 

However, my stomach, which was growling from tension, was one step faster.

 Rumble— 

It rang as loudly as thunder in a quiet corridor.

 “…” “…” 

The Prince stared at me without saying anything. The longer the silence, the greater the shame I felt.

 

If he would rather laugh like it’s a joke than leave. I was confused about how to react, he was just staring at me.

 

“Thank you for your help, but I’m fine now…”

 

I forcibly lifted the tail of my mouth to smile and barely kept my expression, and because of the embarrassment I felt, I just want to hide in a mouse hole.

 

The gold eye seen through the silver hair was burdensome. The prince, who hid his eyes between his bangs again, whispered in a drowsy voice.

 

“You’re very funny Lady Mayerie.”

 

A sweet medium-low tone voice penetrated my ears.

 

Wow, he has such a sweet voice. I like it so much that I get goosebumps! His voice distracted me and it took time for his words to reach my brain.

 

What do you mean I’m funny?  I couldn’t understand what he meant. Was it fun to hear a rumbling stomach from a noble for the first time?

 

I was thinking about how to respond to ambiguous words of the Prince, whether it was a compliment or not.

 

“Thank you for your help.”

 

“Oh, you’ve forgiven me for my mistake earlier. I’m just returning the favor.”

 

With a faint smile, the Prince held something in his hand and went back as cool as on the terrace.

 

Looking at his distant back, I concluded that he was different from the timid and pathetic Prince described in the novel.

 

‘Still stuttering, but a timid and frail person wouldn’t have been able to talk to the Duke through his murderous aura.’

 

I don’t know why he’s acting like a fool, but I shouldn’t think he’ll be like the Prince in the novel.

 

‘I don’t know what kind of dream it was, but I’m sure the Prince helped me, so I don’t need to be too wary of him.’

 

If the Crown Prince hadn’t appeared at a good time, I would have fainted in the palace corridor because of the Duke.

 

I thought it was fortunate that I was able to return safely home and I opened my hand to confirm what he had handed me.

 

It was caramel in white wrapping paper. I put the caramel in my mouth without hesitation to soothe my grumbling stomach.

 

Thanks to the sweetness that spreads in my mouth, the fatigue accumulated at the party was relieved a little.

 

As I rode the carriage to my house, five thoughts came to my mind and then disappeared. I just wanted to rest now, whether the original story develop or not.

 ♛ 

“Lady! You have to get up!”

 

Last night, I was so tired but fell asleep late because of the memory of my past life that suddenly came to mind.

 

I buried my face in the pillow and said in a tired voice. “Oh… just five more minutes…”

 

“Mr. Nouner was waiting for you! Hurry and get up!”

 Nouner? Who? 

In a half-asleep mind, a dark blonde man passed by.

 

Oh yes I know him, he was my fiance. I barely raised my heavy body and scratched my head. What the hell happened to that man from early morning.

 

I changed into a simple indoor dress and stretched out.

 

“Oh, miss, are you going out like that?”

 

“Yes, it’s annoying, so just do my hair.”

 

“You should… take you…”

 

At Ronnie’s little whisper, I quickly raised my eyes and headed to the parlor 

 

Normally, I would diligently wash and decorate myself in order not to offend him, but not now. I laughed at her, who was more restless than me, but I was okay going out looking plain.

 

But as soon as Nouner saw my face, he shouted angrily. “Did you look in the mirror? Don’t you know how you look right now?”

 

“Who was this gentleman that came here without contacting the Viscount first?”

 

No matter how much Nouner was my fiancé, it was impolite of him to come suddenly without contacting me beforehand. 

 

Nouner, who had been mumbling about whether there was anything to refute in my words when I pointed out his mistake sarcastically, Nouner hurriedly turned the topic around.

 

“No, why didn’t you tell me yesterday? Do you know how humiliated I was because of you?”

 

“What? Humiliating?”

 

What does it have to do with you if I went back first, why did he have to personally visit the Viscount residence early in the morning?

 

Was there anything special to do yesterday? I pondered, but nothing came to my mind. Then he looked upset and said in an even louder voice.

 

“You went back before the first dance. Because of that, I couldn’t dance and I had to stand in a corner.”

 

“It’s just that you’re not popular.”

 

For a moment, I was so speechless that I couldn’t even think about it. Nouner shook and shouted even louder, perhaps because he was stabbed with the right words.

 

“What?! Do I look ugly? Do I have a bad personality? Do you have a family crest? No, I’m too good! Don’t you think I’m too much for you?”

 

“If you’re so great, you should dance with other young noble ladies. Don’t come here in the morning and vent your anger.”

 

“I’m angry? Do you think this was only anger? I personally visited you to fix your mistakes! You should be grateful. Do you want to break up with me?”

 

Did you think that if you raised your voice like that it would sound sweet in my ears? I didn’t understand what kind of confidence he had in himself to talk like that. I looked at him with dull eyes.

 

“Do you think there would be another man who would want to be engaged to someone like you?” Nouner shouted in an angry sarcastic tone as if he felt he had been ignored.

 

‘Aren’t you tired of it?’

 

You’re always saying that you’re going to break up without changing your mind, and you’re the only one who can marry me.

 

Last time he said that I should be good to him and obey him all the time.

 

In the past, as he said that, I believed that there was no one else to get engaged to unless it was him, so I held back every time even if I was angry.

 

At that time, I thought breaking up was a disgrace that would shame me for the rest of my life.

 

‘Well, what’s the big deal about getting rumored that your engagement was broken because of a problem and you’re stuck as unmarried?’

 

There are many things that I thought were everything in my life, and when I look back over time, it’s not that big of a deal.

 

In particular, the younger you are, the narrower your vision was, so you cannot see far.

 

In the past, I thought that the SAT was everything in my life, and I thought my life would end if I didn’t get into a good college.

 

However, life did not end even if I failed the SAT, and hardships did not disappear even if I entered a good university.

 

“Let’s break up.”

 

“What?”

 

I used to love the male protagonist, Ellex and stalked him hard.

 

Now it’s in the past. I knew myself well in the past. The fact that I couldn’t get along with the Duke.

 

So I got engaged to a man who fits me. The Empire treated women who were not engaged before they became adults as defective.

 

Anyway, the engagement with Nouner was established only because we were suitable partners, and there was no love between us.

 

“Are you kidding me?”

 

“No, I really mean it.”

 

“Are you finally crazy? You’ll be twenty soon. I could get engaged to another young woman, but you know it’s impossible for you, right? You’re going to be an old maid for the rest of your life?”