The Male Lead Is Targeting Me, Not My Younger Sister - Chapter 50

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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 50
“……A method I haven’t tried yet?”
There wouldn’t be any such thing.
Lydia’s instincts screamed danger, and she tried to inch her body backward—but the interlaced fingers holding hers left her no real room to move.
‘Surely not…….’
Yet Ludwig made no further advance.
“Let’s try once more.”
He merely maintained their clasped hands while expanding the Contact Area between himself and Lydia by the smallest margin possible.
‘……He’s not wrong, technically.’
There were essentially two ways to improve Purification efficiency.
Increase the Contact Area.
Engage in deeper Skinship.
But then…….
‘Will this really make a difference?’
Lydia lifted her head, doubt written across her face.
Ludwig simply smiled languidly and waited, as though offering her the choice entirely of her own will.
“……Understood. I’ll give it another try.”
In the end, Lydia sighed and nodded her assent.
‘It’s not as though there’s nothing to gain from the attempt.’
A heroine like Sylvia from the original story might develop the ability to perform Purification without even touching, but unfortunately Lydia was neither the heroine of this tale nor possessed such talent.
So there was nothing to do but comply.
‘But what else can I possibly do here?’
After a moment’s deep consideration, Lydia hesitantly opened her mouth.
“Then……should we get closer?”
……No matter how she thought about it, this didn’t feel right. Not by a long shot.
Ludwig let out a soft laugh at the sight of her reluctance.
“Well. How should we?”
Was it her imagination, or did it feel like he was toying with her……?
In any case, they reached an impasse—neither able to move forward nor back.
‘This is hopelessly awkward.’
Any further increase in Contact Area would begin to look somewhat……improper, yet merely clasping hands showed no dramatic spike in Purification efficiency either.
Mmm.
Having grown accustomed to the situation, Lydia gripped Ludwig’s hand and strained with determined effort.
Of course, it produced no real effect.
Left with no choice, Lydia’s expression turned pitiful as she spoke.
“Perhaps……I could practice on my own and we could try again next time?”
And that remark struck directly against Ludwig’s displeasure.
“Practice?”
Ludwig raised one eyebrow.
What now?
“That won’t do, Lydia.”
“Pardon?”
“The moment I’m not watching, you’re off and running.”
That was a touch unfair, in her view.
‘That’s not running away—I’m simply trying to return to my proper position.’
But before she could protest, fingers that had drawn inexplicably near gave her cheek a light pinch.
“I’m right here, and you’re going on about other people.”
“Ow! That hurts!”
“I can’t help it.”
Ludwig acknowledged the point readily enough.
“It’s my own inadequacy that’s to blame.”
Of course, his tone held not the slightest hint of genuine remorse.
After thoroughly kneading Lydia’s cheek to his satisfaction, Ludwig finally released her.
“Let’s change our approach.”
“Yes?”
The moment she saw the peculiar smile playing at Ludwig’s lips, Lydia felt her skin prickle with foreboding.
Whatever it was, she’d made a grave mistake.
“Purification is, in essence, a matter of synchronizing Wavelengths.”
“Y, yes……?”
“Then the problem is simple.”
Ludwig slowly raised their clasped hands.
Lydia’s hand followed naturally upward with his.
“You’re still too wary of me, Lydia.”
……
“There’s no way our Wavelength can align like this.”
Lydia found herself at a loss for words.
Not because she disagreed with him, but because Ludwig had spoken with such certainty that she had no opening to object.
“So.”
He smiled, his eyes crinkling.
“Let me help you this time.”
Lydia, seized by instinctive alarm, spoke urgently.
“No, no. That’s all right. I’d rather not.”
Ludwig simply ignored her.
“I’ll teach you, so learn. And from now on, you’ll practice with me.”
“…Teach me? Who? What?”
Lydia rubbed at her tingling cheeks with her free hand as she asked.
But in that very instant.
A strange sensation flowed in through their joined hands.
‘What is this?’
Though she had never performed a Purification before, she had entered others’ interiors through Wavelength while observing Joachim’s condition, so she recognized it easily.
For a moment, the hair on her entire body stood on end.
“Mm……”
At the small sound that escaped her, Ludwig spoke softly.
“Focus.”
When she did this with Joachim, she was the one invading, so she hadn’t noticed—but having someone enter her felt far stranger than she’d imagined.
Lydia reflexively bit down on her lower lip.
‘This is really weird……’
But she needed to collect herself.
Having been born with the power of Purification, this was something she’d have to experience eventually anyway.
And in a twisted world like this, who knew when she might need to use it.
‘All right. Focus. Learn it well.’
Lydia quietly closed her eyes and gathered her senses into her own Wavelength.
Soon, an unfamiliar presence seeped into her.
Deep. Weighty.
Ludwig’s Wavelength.
As her Wavelength touched his carefully, that vast current wrapped around it naturally.
So easily, so inevitably.
Lydia caught her breath.
Ludwig’s Wavelength completely enveloped hers as though swallowing it, but then it dispersed gently, passing over her Wavelength in a soft caress.
“Do you feel it?”
Though the voice came from beside her, it seemed to touch her mind rather than her ear.
Lydia nodded and focused again on her Wavelength.
Though it seemed fierce and violent at first glance, Ludwig’s Wavelength never harmed her. Instead, it tickled softly like a soothing touch, then gradually drew her toward himself.
‘Ah.’
And at last, Lydia’s Wavelength entered into Ludwig’s.
“Slowly.”
Following his guidance, Lydia carefully explored his interior.
An endless abyss.
Ludwig’s inside, having never once received proper Purification since birth, was devastatingly barren and vast.
And yet.
‘It doesn’t feel frightening.’
Was it because he was here with her? Or……
Then Lydia discovered something within Ludwig’s interior.
‘What is that……?’
A dissonance.
No, something closer to déjà vu.
To understand what she was sensing, Lydia concentrated even harder.
And the moment she grasped its nature.
“……Gasp!”
Lydia’s eyes flew open wide.
Lydia’s breath caught suddenly, and she broke into a fit of coughing.
“Are you all right?”
A worried voice reached her.
She felt a hand patting her back, but Lydia remained dazed for a long moment.
“Have some water.”
Lydia accepted the cup offered from beside her and moistened her throat.
Once Lydia had finally composed herself, Ludwig apologized from next to her.
“I’m sorry. I fear I may have pushed too far.”
“Ah…….”
Lydia stared blankly at his face.
“No, that’s not it at all.”
She answered in a murmur, then opened and closed her hands several times.
They were the same hands she had held with Ludwig just before.
“There’s no need to strain yourself. Perhaps you should rest first…….”
“No.”
Lydia’s tone had shifted into something quietly resolute.
“I’m fine. I understand now.”
Noticing the subtle change in her demeanor, Ludwig’s brow furrowed slightly in puzzlement.
But instead of explaining, Lydia grasped Ludwig’s hand firmly once more, then looked up at him as if asking permission.
“……Very well. Go ahead.”
With that, Lydia closed her eyes and attempted Purification again.
This time, unlike before, she was able to enter his interior smoothly on her own, without Ludwig’s assistance.
“Was that……all right?”
When Lydia asked tentatively, Ludwig regarded her in silence for a moment.
“It was satisfactory.”
At the praise, Lydia’s face brightened at last. Ludwig added briefly:
“However, we’ll need safeguards from next time onward.”
“No. That was just a moment of carelessness because it was my first attempt. I’ll do better next time.”
I did it!
Unaware of the dimming in Ludwig’s eyes, Lydia lost herself in the joy of focusing on Purification.
After attempting several more times, success became unmistakable. Lydia released Ludwig’s hand and smiled brightly with her eyes closed.
“Next time I’ll do it properly. Though I’m not sure if there will be another occasion.”
After that, Ludwig and Lydia spoke further about Joachim before taking their leave.
Lydia thanked Ludwig earnestly once more and promised to repay him properly. Ludwig told her to do as she wished, then returned to his sprawling mansion.
And then.
“……Ah.”
Left alone, Lydia sank to the floor.
‘Think. What was that I saw?’
She steadied her racing heart and recalled what she had witnessed.
Ludwig’s Wavelength.
Part of it aligned perfectly with Joachim’s.
As if to say the two were bound by blood.

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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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