Chapter 12: CH 11

[ Ethan Liam is one of the bombs that you must avoid at all costs—perhaps the most dangerous one out there: an atomic bomb. ]

There’s this common saying among adults.

“When saying you have to eat to live, it’s not like you can just eat up someone’s visuals. You need to get to know the person. The person, I say.”

“No.”

From now on, the right way of living would just be to eat up the visuals.

That’s how she’s been living thus far, so how could she possibly live another way now?

“Reina Chantra?”

‘Ah, this phenomenal appearance… I seriously don’t know what to do.’

Though if she were to heed her first instinct, she’d kidnap him right then and there.

‘For some reason, that tantalizing Lehman couldn’t catch Ethan’s eye.’

That’s to say, Ethan was the only one in the original work that Lehman failed to capture.

‘So it’s a bit daunting, but… After seeing a face like that, I can’t just give up.’

Reina vowed to make him her fiancé no matter what. She was operating purely on lookism, but whatever. When Ethan was right in front of her, nothing else mattered anymore.

Despite the wave of emotions that came over her, Reina calmly gave a wide smile.

“Were you calling me just now?”

“Yes, Honey.”

Indifferent eyes stared down at the woman who was shouting out such absurd claims.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding.”

“That’s impossible. I’m sure of it. You look like you’re going to be my Honey.”

She uttered the lines she learned from Arene without an ounce of hesitance, and at this, Ethan’s expression cracked ever so slightly.

“…I didn’t know that spouting nonsense is one of your hobbies.”

“It’s not nonsense. The stars in the sky whispered this into my ear.”

“Then I believe there’s something wrong with the food. I’ll have to order someone to check.”

“Oh, that’s not it.”

“Then you must be drunk.”

“Us people of Chantra never get poisoned, so we don’t get drunk though?”

For a moment, a deep, unreadable gaze stared down on Reina’s face.

“Please be careful with your drug intake, if any.”

“But I’m telling you, I’m resistant to poison. Gosh, Honey.”

‘Um. Arene told me to wink right here.’

Recalling her mentor’s advice just in time, Reina audaciously closed and then opened one eye.

“Do you not like the nickname, Honey? What about Darling then?”

“…I didn’t know you had this kind of personality.”

“You’re right, I didn’t know about this about myself either. Until I met you, my destiny.”

She answered back faster than the speed of light, and he eventually let out something that was obviously ‘laughter’. In other words, Reina half-succeeded.

“But if I try to seduce him like this and he mocks or jeers at me, what do I do?”

“Milady, I am the maiden, Arene. Would I ever tell you to do something that you shouldn’t?”

“O-Of course not.”

“If he laughs, then that’s a better sign.”

“…Why?”

“Think about it. Wouldn’t it be better to elicit one reaction rather than no reaction at all?”

It’s called the ‘so ugly that you can’t help but grow attached to it’ technique.

Reina’s lips tugged up into a sensuous smile this time. Well, by her standards, it should be ‘sensuous’.

“Then, how about you accept my love?”

“So it’s true that the cause of all kinds of illnesses is liquor.”

“What do you mean illness? The only illness I have is a fever— a fever brought upon by my love for you.”

With his teeth grinding to a halt, Ethan shut his mouth as though he was speechless. So, Reina continued.

“My love is the best, don’t you think?”

She asked him excitedly in the dark, but he just stared back at her without a word.

How long had it been since Reina was the only one who was talking? Eventually, Ethan took a step.

Her eyes quickly curved into crescent moons as she uttered another line she had prepared.

“You must be tired. Go ahead inside first, my love.”

He must be thinking that despite the very gentle appearance, it was too much of a deranged remark.

You’re drunk. You’ll wake up tomorrow morning and kick your blankets out of shame—something like that.

But he had no idea.

He really had no clue about how this encounter was merely a prelude to the absolute madness that Reina Chantra had in store.

* * *

“Even looking back again, he’s just seriously so handsome.”

After Ethan left, Reina stayed at the terrace and continued to praise his beauty.

“Utterly perfect. He’s my type no matter how I look at it.”

So, saying that he’ll become her husband was right. No, he must become Reina Chantra’s husband.

“By the way, this life is totally satisfying. I’ve got a diamond spoon in my mouth, and even my eyes can eat those visuals well.”

As long as she wouldn’t become Lehman’s fiancée, thereby triggering a death flag, then this was the icing on the cake.

While she alternately evaluated her current situation and Ethan’s beauty, it was at that moment.

“Reina.”

A languid yet playful voice reached her ears.

“Paul?”

The one who interrupted her musings was none other than House Bohr’s next head of the family, Paul.

“How did you know I was here?”

When she asked, he took a step closer to her. There was a playful smile on his lips.

“I can sense you when you’re near.”

“What the. You’re creeping me out.”

Paul shrugged, then he hopped up a bit so he could sit on the railing.

“But what were you doing here, Reina?”

“Ahh… I was just getting some fresh air.”

Reina likewise shrugged as he did, then deftly sat on the white railing as well. He naturally reached out his hand to help her up.

“I was feeling stuffy because there’s too many people inside.”

Reina sat down steadily with his help, swinging her legs as she answered.

“It’s my first time seeing so many people here, you know.”

“Do you hate being around a lot of people?”

“A bit?”

Hearing her answer, Paul furrowed his brows, looking serious right then.

“Hmm. Then it’s impossible.”

“What is?”

“The academy students from the nine families decided to meet up separately, so I was about to ask if you want to come with me.”

Reina had answered with a small murmur, and Paul voiced his question affectionately, looking straight into her eyes.

“Since everyone’s going, there’ll be a lot of people. You don’t want to go, right?”

“……”

It’s not that she didn’t want to go.

It’s just that she’s not yet ready to face the male lead, Jeremy, and the other sub male leads who were part of the nine families.

“Mm… I do want to get to know the others, but I haven’t been very close with people from other households so far.”

“Exactly. You don’t have any friends except me.”

“…Hey.”

“What, did I lie?”