The Male Lead Is Targeting Me, Not My Younger Sister - Chapter 20

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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 20
“Everything has been handled as planned.”
In the dead of night.
A suspicious shadow slipped into Cronbelt’s Bedchamber.
“There were some changes along the way, but ultimately our connection remains hidden. The incident should conclude without incident.”
Cronbelt, a cigar between his lips, turned his gaze toward the window.
A blue-dark sky.
A pale moon floating solitary above it.
“What happened to the Neung-seok Stone?”
The shadow bowed its head.
“It was handed over to the Knights Order. However, through a spy we’ve planted internally, we should be able to separate it out independently.”
Cronbelt fell silent in thought.
“Never mind. Leave it.”
“Sir?”
“It’s only a trifle anyway. That much is acceptable.”
Forcing the matter to be buried might only arouse unnecessary suspicion.
Eric Lentz—or rather, that “Ainjong”—had been marked as a disposable piece from the start. Though he never knew it himself.
“The boy only recently gained ‘power.’ There won’t be much information to extract from his Neung-seok Stone.”
Not that it mattered if some genuine information did slip through.
Greater chaos.
Greater fear.
That was what he had always desired. If anything, a small amount of information would give humanity something to vigilantly guard against.
Though not that it would accomplish much.
“Is there anything else to report?”
The shadow hesitated briefly.
“There is one thing that troubles me.”
“What is it?”
“I had intended to wind things down when appropriate, as the situation was not to be expanded beyond control. However… the casualties among Transcendents came in lower than anticipated.”
Cronbelt drew on his cigar smoke.
“……That is curious indeed.”
Something.
A very subtle fracture in the arrangement troubled him.
Suddenly, a certain scene flashed through the duke’s mind.
That day—a woman who had thrown herself into the chaos before the “operation” ended, swept up in the crowd.
At first, he had assumed she was acting under orders from Transcendents. If she were a Transcendent, she might have grasped the importance of the Neung-seok Stone during the battle.
But somehow…….
An unexplainable, strange intuition gnawed at him.
“There’s something I need you to look into.”
“Please, tell me.”
“I need you to find someone.”
Once the duke finished his explanation, the shadow bowed.
“I will report back within a week.”
Yes.
Even if it was only groundless worry, it was better to check.
After the shadow departed, Cronbelt turned his gaze back to the window.
Regarding the vast moon that seemed to oversee the world, he murmured quietly.
“All of this, for the sake of humanity.”
* * *
‘Damn it. Wasting away, aren’t they?’
Lydia gazed at the sight before her with dead, soulless eyes.
“Oh, really? How delightful!”
Silvia, who had recovered considerably by now, sat at the garden table and laughed with genuine delight.
And the person seated across from Silvia was…….
“I’m glad you’ve found it so enjoyable.”
Surprisingly, it was Ludwig.
‘He’s definitely not the type to act like this.’
“I’ve never heard such a story before! How wonderful.”
“I’d be happy to share another with you next time.”
Hahahaha.
Giggle, giggle.
The sight of those two laughing together so carefree made her skin crawl.
‘What’s he plotting?’
Lydia’s eyes narrowed as she fixed her gaze on Ludwig.
When Ludwig showed no interest in Silvia, she’d felt slighted; yet now, watching them get along so well, she found herself bristling in a different way altogether.
‘Is this what they call a sister’s heart?’
To think she’d have to hand over her carefully raised sibling to that thief…….
Adopting the stern judgment of a protective older sister, Lydia scrutinized Ludwig closely.
‘Damn it. There’s nothing to fault him on, and that irritates me even more.’
Unaware that the watching sister was dying of frustration, Silvia spoke with cheerful innocence.
“I’m so glad we could come here after all. If I’d known Your Grace was such a wonderful person, I would have visited much sooner!”
Ludwig smiled faintly.
“I’m relieved that I’ve made a good impression on you, Miss Silvia.”
“Of course. Don’t you worry now. I’ve figured it all out! I’ll make sure to support you going forward.”
Then the two exchanged a peculiar look between them.
What was this? It seemed as though some understanding had formed between them that Lydia alone was ignorant of.
Feeling suddenly excluded, Lydia interjected softly.
“Support him in what?”
“You don’t need to know, sister!”
What……!
Lydia felt as though struck by lightning.
‘This can’t be. Silvia’s keeping secrets from me? And over a man, no less?’
And that indignation was redirected entirely toward Ludwig.
‘This wretched thief. I won’t forgive him.’
It was then that Ludwig, ignoring Lydia’s burning glare, spoke.
“Your complexion doesn’t look well, Miss Lydia.”
He reached out and placed his hand against her forehead.
“You seem to have a slight fever.”
As his large hand covered her brow, the cool touch jolted her senses awake.
“I’m… fine. I’ve already taken medicine.”
Ludwig regarded Lydia intently for a moment.
Every so often, in moments like these, she felt something strange about him.
‘Does he normally lack boundaries like this?’
Ludwig seemed to erect walls before everyone, yet then would suddenly close the distance with surprising ease.
Though now that she thought about it, she didn’t recall him doing this to anyone else…….
‘……Still, at least he doesn’t seem to harbor any ill intent, so it should be fine.’
Years spent at the Military Academy rubbing shoulders with high nobility, surviving as one of the lower ranks in their hierarchy, had honed Lydia’s instincts when it came to detecting malice.
At the very least, she could distinguish clearly whether someone held a grudge against her or not.
‘From that perspective, he doesn’t seem like a bad person.’
Suspicious as he was, at least he didn’t seem intent on harming her.
Though it was possible that Ludwig was simply too cunning for Lydia to see his true motives…….
“Since you haven’t fully recovered, it would be best not to overexert yourself.”
“I’m not overexerting. I’m someone who values my own health above all else.”
Lydia gently brushed Ludwig’s hand away from her forehead.
“Oh my……!”
……She couldn’t fathom what Silvia was doing just now.
Watching her sister’s eyes sparkle and her mouth clamp shut in barely suppressed excitement, Lydia thought with a dull sense of unease.
“In any case, wasn’t this meeting supposed to be about our business? I’m sorry to keep someone so busy detained for so long.”
Ludwig regarded Lydia in silence for a moment as she smoothly redirected the conversation.
“Yes. We should attend to business.”
Returning to his usual austere manner, Ludwig had a servant bring something.
“I think it would be better if you saw it directly.”
Lydia picked up the documents placed before her.
“This is…….”
As she read through the contents, Lydia’s eyes grew wider and wider.
And when she finally reached a certain passage, she couldn’t help but speak aloud.
“We’re to meet with His Imperial Majesty this very week?”
A House Reinstatement Petition, in essence, is an act by which a fallen noble family petitions the Emperor to be recognized as noble once more.
House Prestin, Lydia’s family, had effectively been struck from the Nobility Registry a decade ago due to some incident, making this process absolutely necessary.
‘Even so, this sudden?’
Normally, such a process would require at least half a year to complete.
When she looked at him with eyes that demanded explanation, Ludwig answered with perfect composure.
“Originally, we were meant to proceed according to protocol. But His Majesty has taken an interest in you, Lydia. Since you’re his only sibling bringing him a request for the first time, he insists on looking into it right away.”
No… wait. Is this really right, no matter how you look at it?
Lydia swallowed the curse that nearly escaped her lips.
‘He could have at least given me time to prepare!’
“There’s no need to worry too much. Since this was arranged on short notice, His Majesty will understand.”
Lydia gave the matter serious thought.
‘So this K-Roman Emperor really doesn’t do any work at all?’
What kind of emperor just clears his schedule on a whim like this?
Was the Empire truly all right in this state?
Ludwig spoke to Lydia, who had fallen into contemplation with a grave expression.
“Take it easy. You should have steeled yourself the moment you got tangled up with me. Still, since I’m introducing you, His Majesty will pay even closer attention.”
“That’s precisely what worries me.”
“That’s for you to handle.”
Lydia took back the thought she’d had a moment ago.
This was deliberate cruelty, after all.

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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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