I Ran Away With Obsessive Male Lead's Child

Chapter 49

I heard that you had a conversation with Lady Orbo.”

“How did you know that?”

“Are you asking such questions even though you know everyone is watching you?”

“…I guess I was curious after receiving the invitation. Do I need to report on women’s conversations too?”

Arden stopped and sighed briefly. His previously light steps became somewhat slow. She wondered if her own heaviness was causing him trouble, and she considered telling him to get off.

“I was just curious.”

Her response made him immediately close his mouth. When did she become so full of curiosity? If they had communicated more openly, they would have been able to see through each other.

There were many times when she wanted to start the day with a smile and trivial conversations with him. If they had shared everything without hiding anything, even current conversations would have been enjoyable. It was difficult to expect such a simple and ordinary routine for the two of them.

At least that was the case now. Leticia found Arden’s curiosity uncomfortable and burdensome. She feared that the space he occupied in her heart might keep expanding.

“There’s nothing to be curious about.”

“Do I only need to know important matters?”

“We’re not at a point where we exchange personal stories.”

“That’s the kind of relationship we have.”

His voice spoke with a tone of sadness.

“We’re married.”

…Married.

How could that word sound so sad? It seemed her heart had become weaker than she thought. She was no longer the fool who would be delighted by Arden’s changed attitude.

The human heart could change as easily as flipping one’s hand.

“Even if we’re married, we don’t know everything. There are things you haven’t told me either, Your Majesty.”

“…That’s true.”

Why he was tormented by nightmares, what dreams he had, and what frightened him—he had never shared any of that with her.

“You never asked either. If you were curious, you should have asked.”

“That’s true.”

Leticia closed her eyes as if she didn’t want to continue the conversation. Arden resumed his steps, but before long, the conversation came to a halt again.

“It seems you’re not feeling well.”

Her eyes, which had been closed by the sharp voice, opened. Leticia tightened her grip on Arden’s collar. The unnervingly red eyes stared intently at the two of them. The color was more vivid than blood, and it was unsettling.

She found it chillingly disturbing that Arden and herself were filling those eyes. Instinctively, Leticia reached out and wrapped her arms around Arden’s neck. Seeing her guarded demeanor, Cardiouus smiled wearily.

To avoid showing any vulnerability to Cardiouus, Leticia quickly began to act. She clung to Arden more tightly, trying to appear as though she was holding onto him firmly, like a happy woman who didn’t want to let go.

‘I need to deceive his eyes. I need to show him that there are no gaps in my relationship with Arden, or he will give up.’

A quick glance at Cardiouus showed that his expression was distorted.

“You two seem quite close. You look even more special than before… It’s different from the rumors, so it pleases me.”

In his softer, lower voice, irritation was mixed. Arden seemed to like Cardiouus’s face and lifted his chin, not forgetting to pull Leticia closer to him. Their close embrace appeared intimate and sticky to others.

Their mutual love overflowed, making them seem like a couple that didn’t want to part.

He joined in Leticia’s act to seize the opportunity given to him.

“Is that so? Bad rumors tend to spread faster and are exaggerated compared to good ones. It seems the lady is very keen to confirm your love.”

Because of the tension between the two, Leticia raised her head to look at Arden. There was nothing to gain from clashing. More than anything, she didn’t know how long their act would continue to be effective.

She hoped that Cardiouus wouldn’t notice even the smallest crack.

“Your Majesty, you’re shivering. We should go to the room quickly.”

At her urging, Arden’s previously harsh gaze softened. He tightened his embrace around her and nodded to Cardiouus in farewell.

His attitude was firm, as if he would never let her go.

“Then, I hope you have a good return tomorrow.”

“I’ll see you again. Until then, I hope you stay safe. I still vividly remember the queen’s bright smile.”

Bright smile.

Arden reacted exactly to those words. His blue eyes turned as cold as ice. He radiated an aura as if he was about to kill the Emperor.

“It seems you shouldn’t expect to see me again. As of tomorrow, our relationship with the Empire will be severed.”

“I’m disappointed. I didn’t expect you to align with the Holy See… Well, anyway, I look forward to the future. I will anticipate the day we meet again.”

Ignoring Arden’s words, Cardiouus spoke to Leticia. She averted her gaze and buried her face in Arden’s embrace. She didn’t want to respond. She wanted to avoid the reality that his words seemed all too likely to come true.

“It seems the queen doesn’t want to continue the conversation, so I will take my leave.”

Arden strode past the Emperor and walked down the corridor. Suddenly, he turned his head and spoke to Cardiouus.

“By the way, it’s quite strange. This is a place where guests are not allowed. Why is the Emperor here?”

“It was merely a mistake. Please don’t misunderstand.”

“…Your Majesty! We searched for you for a long time. I warned you to be careful not to get lost in this unfamiliar place, but since I was away, such an unfortunate incident occurred.”

An official from the Empire, who had come to fetch Cardiouus, bowed and apologized. Cardiouus scratched his chin, shrugged his shoulders, and then grabbed the official’s shoulders and stood him up.

“Now that the banquet is over, let’s return to the Empire.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Cardiouus never lost his smile. Although the meaning of his smile was not necessarily positive, he kept his lips curled up. However, he clearly did not realize how frightening his red eyes could be.

What good is a smile if the eyes do not smile at all?

Fortunately, the Emperor returned to his room with his aides without any further friction. After confirming his receding figure, Leticia relaxed her grip on Arden’s neck.

“Eek!”

Startled, she almost fell forward and heard her heart racing as she clung tightly to Arden’s neck.

“Oh dear. Be careful. If you don’t hold on tightly, you might fall.”

Hadn’t he deliberately bent his body? Leticia looked up at him with wide eyes. It was as if she was asking for an explanation, but Arden only smiled.

She felt a strange emotion seeing him smile so pleasantly. It was an awkward feeling that was neither entirely good nor easily explained. While she wished his smile would continue, she also hoped he would stop smiling. Every time Arden smiled, her chest tingled.

She kept wanting to indulge in the warmth that their bodies shared. Whenever this happened, Leticia tried to suppress the desire that rose within her. Her golden eyes, which were wary of her own emotions, began to stir again.

Why was she the only one who had to put in so much effort? She resented him for knowing nothing.

“Please put me down.”

At the sudden change in her voice, the smile on Arden’s face faded. But he did not set her down. Instead, he walked forward even faster than before.

“Your Majesty, didn’t you hear me? I asked you to put me down.”

“No.”

“…There’s no one here who would criticize me even if I walked barefoot, is there? You don’t have to worry about tarnishing your reputation.”

“That’s not the reason.”

His blue eyes were entirely focused on her. Leticia found his gaze suffocating, making it hard for her to breathe. It felt like being trapped deep under the sea. The more she struggled to escape, the deeper she sank.

Whenever she looked at him, she felt as if she was drowning in a deep sea, helpless and floundering. The fierce, swirling waves engulfed her, making her forget how to breathe.

Her body, which had forgotten how to swim away, stiffened as usual. Whenever sorrow seeped into his blue eyes, her resolve would vanish like a mirage. The waves crashing in would engulf her body, creating foamy swirls that blurred the boundaries.

She hated how easily she was swayed by his words.

A sudden urge to give up everything, born from exhaustion, surfaced. As he whispered seductive words to her, Leticia, nestled in his arms, murmured.

“…I want to stop. I want to let it all go. I want to die.”