The Male Lead Is Targeting Me, Not My Younger Sister - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Male Lead Targets Me, Not My Sister – Episode 10
“……I suppose I would have eaten?”
Lydia answered in confusion, caught off guard.
In truth, Lydia still hadn’t grown accustomed to Ludwig’s behavior.
‘Why would he ask something like that?’
As if he were actually worried.
The Ludwig that Lydia knew—whether from the original story or from her own experience—was not the sort to concern himself with others. Least of all with Lydia.
“Well, I did eat something when we left here earlier.”
“You should have dinner as well.”
“……How could I have managed that?”
Ludwig smiled faintly.
“……I’ll eat it right away.”
Lydia, who found his smiling face far more frightening than his blank expression, obediently fell into line. With such compliance, Ludwig spoke to her gently.
“If it’s difficult to swallow, just tell me. I can feed you myself, if needed.”
Never, not even if I died.
Lydia vowed then and there that she would never skip her medicine again.
“I’ve improved greatly thanks to your care. I’m truly grateful.”
Having dutifully finished her medicine under Ludwig’s watchful gaze, Lydia bowed her head in thanks.
‘Just be polite enough and end this conversation quickly.’
She still couldn’t fathom Ludwig’s true intentions, but regardless, she found him deeply unsettling.
“For one thing, my condition feels much better now than it did earlier. The Grand Duke’s Residence doctor truly must be skilled. I can definitely feel myself recovering faster here.”
Lydia ran on and on, talking to herself.
She didn’t know what else to do, but she harbored a faint hope that if she just kept babbling and lowered her head, he’d release her sooner.
“……And actually, I’ve been quite taken with the Red Oranges from Western Prelin lately. They’re not only delicious but have real commercial potential, and I’m confident that if we could transport them to the Capital without spoilage, they’d sell quite well in the market here.”
She was in the midst of spilling out absolutely meaningless drivel when it happened.
“There.”
“Pardon?”
“You have another ring.”
It was only then that Lydia realized Ludwig had been staring at her left hand throughout their entire conversation.
“Ah, this is…….”
Lydia froze mid-answer.
‘Wait—isn’t this an illegally modified weapon too?’
Strictly speaking, this ring wasn’t designed for attack, but since it came as a pair with the previous one, it could be treated the same way.
“Well, that is…… Yes. Of course.”
Lydia fumbled through a vague response.
‘I absolutely cannot be caught!’
“I picked it up again when I went home. It’s something important.”
“Ah, something important.”
Was it her imagination, or did Ludwig’s voice, repeating each word as if savoring it, sound peculiarly cold?
By instinct, Lydia sensed danger and clamped her mouth shut.
Then Ludwig smiled again.
“It suits you well. Your fingers are so delicate.”
But this time, his eyes were not smiling at all.
“Thank you……?”
She didn’t know what was happening, but she was in real trouble.
Lydia broke into a cold sweat.
Yet whether by fortune or misfortune, Ludwig asked nothing more about the ring.
His voice returned to warmth as he inquired about her physical condition before rising from his seat.
“It’s grown quite late. I’ll see you to your room.”
“Oh no, there’s no need…… Yes. Thank you. Then I shall. I’ll follow right away.”
In the end, Lydia returned to her assigned room under Ludwig’s escort.
‘What on earth! What did I even do wrong!’
Even after Ludwig had left, she spent a long time in bed, pulling at her hair in frustration.
* * *
The following day.
“You’ve improved remarkably overnight.”
The Doctor examined Lydia’s condition and tilted his head in puzzlement.
“It’s strange…… The medicine shouldn’t have such pronounced effects.”
Lydia, unable to tell the truth, could only laugh awkwardly. She hesitated before asking.
“Does that mean I might be well enough to go home soon?”
“That’s not advisable. Don’t let your guard down yet. It’s not a common symptom, so we should monitor the situation more carefully.”
The Doctor was quite firm.
‘If anyone saw this, they’d think he was forcing me to stay here out of spite.’
Lydia grumbled inwardly without reason.
At least what saved her was that Ludwig didn’t confine her outright.
He readily granted permission whenever she mentioned she’d be going out beforehand.
‘When you think about it, it’s obvious, so why am I grateful for this?’
In any case, Lydia had reached her own conclusion.
Even if she’d once been a Military Academy cadet, Lydia was a civilian now.
A civilian had coughed up blood copiously in front of him, so Ludwig had reason to be concerned. An officer in the military, who had the duty to protect the empire’s people, couldn’t simply ignore an injured person in front of everyone.
If he’d only moved a bit faster, she wouldn’t have been hurt either.
Of course, strictly speaking, the real problem was that she’d attacked the Creature first without giving anyone a chance to intervene, but Lydia had decided to conveniently forget anything that worked against her.
‘All right, time to go.’
After seeing the Doctor, Lydia finally finished her preparations and left the mansion without delay.
Today’s objective was to obtain an invitation to the imperial ball.
She would have liked to take things easy while she was injured, but there wasn’t much time left before the ball, so she had to move immediately.
Of course, there was always the option of attending as Ricardo’s partner, as he’d suggested yesterday.
‘It’s better not to use that if I can help it.’
Last time, she’d made it seem like it was because of Ricardo’s romantic entanglements, but the truth wasn’t that simple.
In the original story, Ricardo’s family, the Werner Marquis Family, later becomes embroiled in the Ainsects incident and faces a crisis of ruin.
Here’s the detailed explanation.
Why do the Ainsects, beings with intelligence equal to or surpassing humanity, send Creatures through the Rifts?
It was a process of ‘reconnaissance’ of human civilization before a full-scale invasion.
After understanding humanity through hundreds and thousands of Creature invasions, the Ainsects make their decision around this time.
They decide to make this empire their own.
The one who fell perfectly into the Ainsects’ plan was Ricardo’s worthless second brother.
After the war with the Ainsects ended, Ricardo and the Werner Marquis Family, learning this fact too late, suffered considerable hardship in the original story.
‘If I get tangled up in the wrong way, I’ll go down with them in one fell swoop.’
And it’s none other than collusion with the Ainsects.
This is treated later as High Treason equivalent to or exceeding rebellion.
It meant having one’s head chopped clean off—a capital crime.
Ricardo would manage something since he’s the male lead, but Lydia couldn’t afford to be so carefree.
Keeping distance from a family destined for High Treason is only common sense!
‘Those worth saving must be saved.’
Of course, though she was being this calculating, Lydia had no intention of letting Ricardo die.
It might have been different right after she realized she’d possessed someone, but by now, she’d accumulated considerable affection for Ricardo.
For now, she simply planned to hide any connection with the Werner Family, at least outwardly, to prepare for any contingency.
“We’ve arrived, Miss.”
At the Coachman’s words, Lydia peered out the window.
Pointed spires.
A stately, imposing building.
It was the largest Grand Temple in the Capital.
“Thank you. Go back first. I’ll make my own way home once I’m done.”
Without waiting for a reply, Lydia stepped down from the carriage and walked briskly toward the Grand Temple.
‘As expected, there are plenty of people even on a weekday.’
Even though it wasn’t a week with any special event, the temple was teeming with all sorts of people.
Every time Lydia passed priests, she made a quick formal gesture of greeting and then proceeded swiftly into the deeper reaches of the temple.
‘There’s a prayer room in a quiet section further in that’s used by people who’ve made large donations.’
Because it cost so much, most of its users were high-ranking nobility.
Of course, Lydia had sunk all her money into developing the Purification Agent, so she hadn’t received formal permission to enter.
So how did she get in?
She snuck in, naturally.
‘This spot should be good to wait from.’
Finally reaching her destination, Lydia stopped a little distance away rather than entering the prayer room itself.
A moment later.
“I really wish we could stop now. How much longer must we keep doing this foolish thing!”
People finally emerged from within the prayer room.
A middle-aged woman with heavy makeup shook her head repeatedly.
Her face bore traces of exhaustion.
“Calm yourself, it’s only been three months. Soon we’ll be able to see results.”
“That’s right. Look at all the trouble you’ve gone to, madam!”
Even Lydia, who kept herself at some distance from high society’s intricacies, recognized these faces well.
‘Countess Stillan, Baroness Backman, and in the center… Duchess Edelren.’
Every one of them a noblewoman who commanded the highest circles.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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