The Male Lead Is Targeting Me, Not My Younger Sister - Chapter 17

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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 Has His Eyes on Me, Not My Sister — Episode 17
The man—no, the Ainsect—slowly lifted his head.
“Hck, heeek.”
A man who had stumbled while fleeing now sat crumpled on the floor, his face twisted with terror as he scrabbled backward on his hands.
The Ainsect regarded him with contempt, as if looking at an insect, then—
suddenly lunged.
“Aaaaagh!”
The Ainsect’s grotesquely elongated arm closed around the man’s throat, lifting him clear of the ground.
“Ack, gack… gack!”
The man thrashed against the stranglehold, his entire body convulsing, but it was no use.
His face darkened to a ruddy purple, swelling as if about to split, and then his body went limp.
The crowd held its breath at the sight before them.
Some covered their mouths with their hands. Impossible. Someone’s small murmur spread through the room like a scream.
And then.
“Kyaaaaaaagh!”
“Why can’t we leave?! Damn it, what is this…!”
As panicked people hammered against the transparent barrier blocking their escape, Lydia swiftly surveyed the men around her.
First and foremost, Ricardo’s hand held an Ability Weapon, now manifested and gleaming.
‘It worked.’
Before the banquet had truly begun, Lydia had installed a Signal Jamming Device that Pepe had developed inside the Banquet Hall.
It was only a half-measure—incomplete filtering that prevented them from using their full strength—but it was all they had.
‘If I’m caught, it’s treason.’
A chill ran down her spine, but there was no helping it.
“Sister…”
“I’ll stay quiet, so you have to call me quickly…?”
She’d already made her peace with this. She would do anything to protect the only sister she had left.
Further off, the other male leads from the original story—Carl and Dietrich—recognized the situation and each drew their own Ability Weapon.
And finally…
Suddenly Lydia’s eyes met Ludwig’s.
Deep blue irises.
That inscrutable gaze held her fixed, unwavering.
As if he could see straight through everything.
‘…So he did find it suspicious.’
Lydia swallowed a bitter smile.
But this, too, was something she’d have to accept.
When she looked away, Ludwig studied her for a moment longer before turning his gaze elsewhere.
“Ha… something feels strange about this.”
At last, the Ainsect spoke.
“I never thought I’d be discovered like this.”
The Ainsect was using language with perfect fluency.
Ricardo’s brow furrowed.
“How is this possible?”
To the people of this world, Ainsects were merely unintelligent Creatures.
For one to possess reason and speak? And to have walked among them disguised as human just moments ago?
“Yeah, I know. I find it strange myself. How did things end up like this?”
The Ainsect spoke coldly.
“Now that it’s come to this, I’ll kill you all.”
Without warning, the Ainsect exploded forward, launching itself at Ricardo, the closest target.
“You bastard—!”
Clang!
The Ainsect’s razor-sharp claws collided violently with Ricardo’s blade.
“Ggh…!”
Ricardo’s expression twisted with strain.
A fierce test of strength.
Then the Ainsect retreated a few paces, withdrawing sharply.
And then.
Whoosh!
The Ainsect bit down on its own thumb, drawing blood, and flung the droplets outward.
And what happened next—
“That… that is…!”
A massive rift tore open in the empty air.
“Shrieeek!”
Dozens of Creatures poured through the fissure, shrieking in unison.
“This is insane…….”
Ricardo gritted his teeth and shouted.
“Civilian protection is the priority! What are you all doing? Move now!”
At the command of the officer-ranked Transcendent, the Awakened in the Banquet Hall nodded and stepped forward to shield the crowd.
‘Good work, Ricardo.’
Confirming that Carl and Dietrich had joined the battle, Lydia didn’t hesitate—she spun around and ran.
She still had work to do.
‘I need to find evidence.’
The Ainsect hadn’t revealed its true nature of its own accord.
Someone had deliberately forced the Ainsect that had been masquerading as human back into its original form.
The person capable of such a thing was likely…….
‘……Duke Cronbelt.’
The original work’s mastermind.
If she could gather evidence now, she might destroy him faster than in the original story.
‘The Ainsect doesn’t even know why it’s become this way now. That means there’s a method to forcibly reverse the Humanization of an Ainsect.’
If Pepe’s hypothesis was correct, that method would likely be…….
At last, Lydia reached the spot where the Ainsect had been standing.
‘……There it is.’
Something glinted on the floor.
An Ability Crystal.
‘Let me grab it first. I’ll figure out the details once I get outside.’
Lydia reached for the Ability Crystal without hesitation.
That was the moment.
“That won’t do, I’m afraid.”
Bang!
A massive table suddenly flew toward Lydia.
It was the Ainsect’s Ability—Telekinesis.
“Ugh!”
Lydia barely managed to block it with the power of her Ring.
The Ainsect’s gaze—locked in combat with the Transcendents—fixed on her.
“Wretched insect!”
Damn it!
Just one more second and I’d have had it!
Even amid countless exchanges, the Ainsect found openings and attacked Lydia again.
Guarding against someone discovering the Ability Crystal.
‘I’m certain—I have to get my hands on it.’
But if she tried to pick up the Ability Crystal now, the Ainsect would kill her without hesitation.
The crystal was a kind of data processing organ—it contained individual information about the Ainsects!
Yet she couldn’t simply wait for the Transcendents to destroy the Ainsect.
The Ability Crystal was a formation created by the Ainsect’s Ability, so it would vanish the moment it died. It required “special handling” while the creature was still alive.
‘……Perhaps this is the only clue I can obtain.’
Lydia clenched her fists with resolve.
Yet the moment she moved again, a Creature rushed at her savagely with no chance to defend.
“Shrieeek!”
Bracing for terrible pain, Lydia reflexively assumed a defensive stance.
‘There’s no escape. I’ll just take the hit.’
Then.
Slash!
“You’re always so reckless with your own body, Miss Lydia.”
……What?
Contrary to expectation, the Creature’s claws never reached her.
Lydia slowly lifted her head.
The corpse of the Creature lay in a pool of blood.
And…….
The broad back of a massive man standing guard over her.
The man slowly turned his head.
Eyes of blue gleamed strangely.
“Be careful. I can’t always be there to protect you.”
The words were soft, yet they sent a chill racing down her spine.
Ludwig turned and vanished back into the fray with Ainsect.
Lydia watched his retreating figure for a moment.
Four Transcendents, Ainsect, and dozens of Creatures thrashing about in a frenzy of blood and hunger.
A hellscape unfolded before her eyes.
‘Get yourself together.’
Lydia struck her own cheek and surged forward.
This was the opening Ludwig had carved for her.
And as he’d said, there would be no second chance.
At last, she reached her destination.
‘Almost there. Just grab it and—’
Lydia stretched her hand toward the Ability Crystal lying on the floor.
“I can’t let you have that.”
“Ah!”
Bang!
Ainsect’s Telekinesis slammed her into the ground.
‘Damn it. This monster’s stronger than I thought.’
Caught just inches from the goal!
Every bone in her body screamed.
It was right there.
A few more crawls and the crystal would be in her grasp—but the agonizing pain kept her pinned, unable to move even that small distance.
Her ears rang.
Ainsect wasn’t pressing the attack because it knew she was helpless.
The moment she tried to crawl toward the crystal, another blow would come.
She’d made peace with death, hadn’t she?
‘It hurts. Gods, it hurts.’
Lydia’s face contorted despite herself.
And yet—
She gripped her abdomen and clawed forward, inch by agonizing inch.
But the moment she moved, another warning strike lashed out.
‘Please, there has to be another way.’
Through blurred vision, Lydia stared at the crystal and bit her lip bloody.
That was when it happened.
“Sister!”
She couldn’t process what she was seeing.
Silver hair, radiant and bright.
The beautiful cascade shimmered before her eyes.
The world slowed to a crawl.
Someone seized the crystal.
Then that same figure knelt before her.
“Are you all right, sister?”
A face streaked with tears.
“Sylvia?”
Her sister was saying something, trying to help her up.
Wait.
I’m fine. We need to run, now—
Lydia opened her mouth to respond.
But in the very next instant—
Bang!
The sister standing before her vanished.
“What—?”
No. She’d been driven downward.
The moment Lydia saw Sylvia crumpled on the ground like a corpse, all the warmth drained from her body.

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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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