My Will Did Not Mean This

Aslan and Vivian left and the outdoor garden fell into silence. Johannes, who was left alone, glanced down at the disheveled table. There was a trace of light pink lipstick on the half-full Darjeeling teacup where the princess had been until a moment ago.

 

“They said the princess likes dogs, so I went to great lengths to prepare, but she didn’t even have time to ingratiate herself.”

 

It was just a minor prank.

 

[I like four-legged, furry, cute dogs.]

 

Since this was written in his subordinates’ reports, he just wanted to see how the princess would react.

 

“I thought that if she reacted suspiciously, I could just kill her, and even if she didn’t, I could at least exploit her weak point.”

 

A naturally reminiscent face of a princess. Big doll-like eyes and soft, soft lips. Her slim jawline. Milky skin and slender gestures. The sound of heavy breathing, coughing up blood. And… Was it like that originally?

 

‘I’m not upset. Aslan simply tried not to abuse his power as a prince for personal reasons.’

 

‘I know that Aslan’s reputation is not good in the world. But I trust him. Aslan is a man with noble and high ideals. Of course, His Majesty the Crown Prince knows this well.’

 

How confident were the princess’s eyes when she said that. Moreover, she defended Aslan and did not forget to praise him, the crown prince.

 

“Could it be that you were hiding your true colors?”

 

Johannes slowly brought the teacup Vivian was drinking from to the front. Originally, the plan was to separate Aslan and the princess. In any case, the link between the two was thinner than a thread. Aslan kept Vivian by his side solely out of political necessity. It was natural that he couldn’t give her the love she craved.

 

“Do you know why Aslan cares for the princess so much? Because of the princess’ wealth and the political standing of the Eleonora family.”

 

Johannes’ thumb lazily traced the light pink lipstick on the teacup.

 

“What kind of face will the princess make when she finally faces the truth she has been ignoring?”

 

Johannes rubbed his lipstick-covered finger on his lips. The corners of his mouth were twisted in anticipation, and he had the face of a lustful man.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

Aslan returned to the mansion and stayed by the bedside of Vivian, who had fainted, all night. When she hardly woke up, she called all the famous doctors in the South. But the answers that came out were all the same.

 

‘Because the disease progressed rapidly, your body became very weak. At this rate, you won’t be able to withstand any medicine used.’

 

‘For now, life-sustaining treatment is the best. I’m sorry, but it is impossible to improve your condition.’

 

‘You must be very careful not to overdo it. If something like this happens again and you faint, it is difficult to guarantee what will happen next.’

 

Broken pieces of furniture were lying at the feet of Aslan, who was standing like a tree. Vivian’s bedroom was a mess, as if it had been swept away by a monster. This happened because Aslan could not control his boiling anger. Nevertheless, the area near the bed where Vivian was lying was clean and free of dust. Even in a state where he had lost his senses, he could not even put a finger near her for fear that he might harm her. No, he didn’t even dare to come near her, as if he were a dirty germ.

 

“Vivian…”

 

He called her name, but no matter how long he waited, there was no answer. It felt like he was being strangled. He already knew that Johannes had come down to the south. But when he heard that Vivian was with him, Aslan couldn’t help but be suspicious. Was this why she decided to go out alone? He himself believed in her and didn’t attach a single person to her, but perhaps he was wrong after all.

 

‘Will Vivian’s eyes be made to contain only me for the rest of her life?’

 

If it were hers, he would sweetly swallow even his poisonous resentment.

 

‘No matter how many excellent doctors there are in the empire, will they be the only ones for the imperial family? Aslan would only have to say one word, but he is indeed an indifferent fiancé. Aren’t you upset?’

 

Johannes’ voice, heard when he arrived at Adrian’s Palace, was filled with obvious ridicule. His head heated up with anger. He tried to kill them all and bring Vivian back. In return for deceiving him, he intended to never let her see the light of the sun for the rest of her life. But the voice that followed was clear and firm.

 

‘I know that Aslan’s reputation is not good in the world. But I trust him. Aslan is a man with noble and lofty ideals.’

 

She believed in him. Without being swayed by Johannes’ whispers, which anyone could hear, she said that she believed in him.

 

“How can that be? What have I done to you…”

 

How cruel things he had said to her so far.

 

‘The position of Grand Duchess will never be yours even after death. The marriage break-up will arrive soon, so just wait patiently.’

 

At the banquet, he said this to her as she was in pain and bleeding. What did Vivian think when she returned to the mansion and was diagnosed with lung disease?

 

“Even so, I can never let you go.”

 

Aslan, who had been loitering near the bed as if an invisible line had been drawn, eventually moved towards her. The sight of Vivian sleeping was dazzlingly beautiful. It was disgusting and repulsive to even think about this with his fallen fiancée right in front of him, but what could he do? He was a dirty beast to begin with.

 

“I think it’s a reward for messing with someone like me.”

 

Overshadowed by all the malice and hatred in the world, it was clear that even Vivian would run away if she found out his true identity… He was such a monster.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

It was early morning with bluebirds chirping.

 

When Vivian woke up, she was firstly surprised that she was still alive, and secondly that all of her bedroom furniture had been replaced. She thought about the current situation very carefully and rationally.

 

‘Isn’t it really the afterlife this time? I think the reason I died was because it was so pitiful that God looked after me?’

 

She died because she was trapped in her fiancé’s muscles and could not breathe. Wasn’t this almost like a sunfish? To be honest, if someone asked, she was so embarrassed that she couldn’t even say how it happened. However, Vivian’s happy illusion did not last long. The Grand Duke’s maid carefully opened the door and came in.

 

The maid saw Vivian awake and screamed at her.

 

“Ma’am!”

 

“It’s not ma’am.”

 

“Oh my god, ma’am has woken up!”

 

“No ma’am!”

 

Was there anyone in the world who treats his fiancee like a wife? But the impact of her cry overwhelmed Vivian as the maid. The surroundings became noisy, and soon Aslan appeared. The bright eyes that were bright like those of a wild beast completely melted the moment he entered Vivian’s bedroom.

 

“Vivian, you’re not feeling well, why are you out of bed?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

Vivian, who was trying to answer casually, shut her mouth. His extremely developed chest muscles were clearly visible beneath his loose shirt. It was the same muscle she had almost died in yesterday.

 

‘Well, you’re definitely not scared.’

 

Vivian calmly climbed into bed. Aslan sat down by the bed with a satisfied look on her face.

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

“I don’t think it’s bad. Maybe it’s because I got a good night’s rest, but my condition is good.”

 

“Right. I’m glad it’s like that.”

 

Aslan gently bent his mouth and added.

 

“It was a week, not a day.”

 

“A week?”

 

“I was blaming myself because you weren’t waking up for so long. I felt bad because I sent you away alone, and your condition seemed to have worsened.”

 

‘You have to say it right away. The culprit that made me like this is your biceps!’

 

Vivian ignored the screaming in her head and just blinked prettily, because…

 

“It would be best to stay at the mansion until your body recovers.”

 

“Yes? I’m fine…”

 

“It would be better to stay.”

 

This was because Aslan’s eyes were flashing dangerously. Moreover, the servants standing behind him also rubbed Vivian’s hands together as if pleading with her. A strong feeling crossed her frontal lobe that if she ignored the suggestion, nothing good would come of it.

 

“Sure. I’m sick, so where would I go if I wanted to be by your side?”

 

Only then did Aslan’s expression lighten with satisfaction. But this time Vivian became anxious.

 

‘What, what is it? Could it be that the misunderstanding was not resolved at Adrian’s Palace? I don’t gossip about you? Didn’t you hear me defending you?!’

 

Vivian had never thought deeply about the events of the original story. She was a terminally ill woman who would soon be on her way out. If an incident was going to happen, she would focus on the female lead, but who would have thought that something would happen to the supporting character as well. But Vivian had to admit it. She had no choice but to admit it.

 

‘My tentacles have rotted away.’

 

Two messengers came down from the capital at the same time. One came to Aslan from the imperial palace, and the other came to Vivian from Duchess Eleonora’s residence.

 

Vivian opened the first.

 

[Your half-sister has returned, so you must come up to the capital immediately.]

 

Aslan’s expression wasn’t good either.

 

[The marriage of Aslan Rezef Astaroth and Vivian Eleonora is not permitted.]

 

It was a premonition of trouble.

 

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Translator Note: