The Male Lead Is the Villain, and I'm the Only One Who Knows - Chapter 38

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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 is the shadow mastermind, but only I know it — Episode 38
“Ibanm, did you come back early because of me?”
“Don’t worry about it. No problem.”
He answered lightly at my tentative question, as though it were nothing.
Huh… now that I think about it, where’s Banell? Usually he was always around, whether I noticed or not.
‘Is Banell handling Ibanm’s work in his place?’
I think I understand. How Ibanm managed to come back early……
“Thank you for today. Thanks to you, I was able to finish the tea party without incident.”
The ending was somewhat disappointing due to the unexpected injury, but since I’d done all that needed doing, it was truly a flawless party.
At my words, Ibanm’s gaze narrowed like a serpent’s. He rose from where he’d been sitting across from me and approached me slowly.
“If you’re grateful, grant me one favor.”
“What is it?”
“Will you hear me out?”
Wait, hold on. If you press your face this close while speaking…!
‘Well, let me hear what it is first.’
“If it’s something I can do……”
Somehow I ended up answering in a bashful tone, my voice small.
No, this isn’t……
‘I have the strangest feeling that this situation isn’t the first time this has happened.’
Though the dialogue box (?) had been rendered incorrectly, I was genuinely prepared to grant his request. Since he’d helped me, it was only fair to repay him somewhat.
Satisfied with my unexpectedly quick agreement, he leaned forward slowly.
Our eyes met at the same level, and just as our breaths began to mingle softly, he spoke.
“I want to inscribe my Mana into your body.”
“……What?”
“If you carry my power, even ordinary Demonic Beasts won’t be able to approach you.”
Wait… hold on. You’re going to carve something into my body?
His voice was calm, but its content stole my breath away. His leisurely hand, brushing back my hair, felt dangerous in a way I couldn’t quite name.
“Think of it as a dog bite.”
Ibanm turned his head slightly as if it were nothing. His fathomless green gaze settled squarely on my collarbone.
No, even dogs come in varieties! Inscribing a Demon’s Mana into my body—no matter how I look at it, that’s not normal!
“Is this because I’m Filth?”
If this were solely for the sake of Filth’s wellbeing, I might somehow manage to accept it.
‘If it’s not, I feel like I’d misunderstand……’
At my somewhat desperate question, the corner of Ibanm’s mouth curved into an arc.
“No.”
Ha… good grief, this really is one crazy Demon. What am I supposed to do if he says no here?!
I hastily pressed my hand against his lips as they moved closer, my own mouth suddenly dry, and asked carefully.
“W-what’s your real purpose?”
“To protect you.”
Without pushing me away, Ibanm murmured his answer. Because of that, the soft movement of his lips against my palm was transmitted to me entirely unfiltered.
“That sounds like you’d do this even if I weren’t Filth, doesn’t it?”
“Yes.”
So why…!
‘Why is this man, who until now viewed me only as a means to an end, suddenly doing this?!’
He’d wanted to make me Emperor to protect Filth. Moreover, he’d even forcibly awakened my abilities by holding the Saintess’s life as collateral.
‘And that’s not all—the reason he originally confined me to the Imperial Palace wasn’t so much that he feared I’d expose his identity, but rather because he was afraid of losing Filth.’
I, a person with virtually no presence, if I’d gone around announcing “The Crown Prince is a Demon!”—who would have believed me? Everyone would think I’m a lunatic. There’s no way Ibanm doesn’t realize this.
‘……Perhaps Karahan might have believed me.’
In any case, from the beginning until now, Ibanm has maintained a stance based not on me, but on my abilities.
So why is he suddenly saying he wants to protect me? This is far too suspicious!
“You’re overthinking, I see.”
Before I could answer, he covered my eyes with his hand. As if telling me to abandon useless speculation, my vision went dark in an instant and I could see nothing.
“W-what are you doing…!”
With my sight cut off, fear came flooding in. Come to think of it, he’d only said he’d inscribe his Mana into my body, but he never said how he’d do it……
“If you move, you’ll get hurt, Lyne.”
“…!”
At his sweet voice grazing my earlobe, I found my breath catching without meaning to. I was clearly reincarnated into an all-ages novel, so why is dialogue like that appearing……?
‘Demonic Beasts usually distinguish rank by emitting Mana, so if I carry Ibanm’s power, I’ll certainly be safe.’
In a way, there was nothing to refuse about this. If he’s sharing his strength, I ought to be grateful instead.
The only problem, though, is the method of inscribing the Mana……
‘Is this… even allowed?’
No matter how I looked at it, this wasn’t right. How could something like this appear in an all-ages novel?
Lost in these tangled thoughts, I suddenly noticed that Ibanm had gone quiet. When I cautiously lowered the hand shielding my eyes, he gazed down at me with an impassive expression.
“May I continue?”
He posed the lazy question and closed the distance between us again. His hair, dark as ebony, brushed against my face, tickling my cheek.
“Wait, hold on—!”
Without thinking, I reached up and grabbed a fistful of his hair. Caught off guard, Ibanm fixed me with a chilling glare.
‘He’s… cursing me with his eyes.’
I dodged that menacing gaze and swallowed hard, my voice tight with tension.
“How exactly do you plan to mark me? This is rather important to me.”
“….”
Ibanm fell silent for a moment, then slowly dropped to one knee, lowering himself. As he did, he took hold of my hand—still tangled in his hair—and drew it downward with deliberate care.
Then.
“─!”
An unmistakable kiss landed on the center of my palm, skin against skin. Something warm and soft traced slowly across the sensitive flesh, licking upward with leisurely precision.
Startled by the unfamiliar sensation, I instinctively tried to pull my hand away, but he held firm, keeping me in place. All the while, his gaze remained fixed on me.
With my fingers resting between his parted lips, he grazed them with sharp teeth, then deliberately chose one knuckle and bit down, gentle but unmistakable.
“Mm….”
A sharp sensation made me wince, though the pain was bearable.
Soon, those verdant eyes—overflowing with amusement—swept over me as if consuming every detail.
“Like this.”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full like that… It makes me feel like I’ve done something terrible.”
What is this sense of guilt? I’m the one being done to, so why do I feel this way?
Maybe I should have kept my eyes covered. Now that I’d seen it directly, an inexplicable chill crept down my spine.
“Let go.”
I pulled my hand away with a bit more force, and Ibanm released me with a low chuckle, quite willing to oblige.
“I have ‘absolutely’ no idea what you’re thinking, but rest assured—I have no taste for intoxicated humans.”
……But that look in his eyes said he knew exactly what I’d been thinking.
“Well, that’s a relief, then….”
The process had been a bit rougher than expected, but ultimately it was just a gentle bite, wasn’t it? Thinking it was nothing serious, I exhaled the breath I’d been holding—only to be seized by an odd discomfort.
‘Wait… was I actually disappointed?’
No, that’s absurd. That can’t be right. My humanity couldn’t possibly be on the same level as that depraved demon!
Keeping my eyes squeezed shut, I sat in grim silence—when Ibanm gently took hold of my chin.
“Lyne, this isn’t permanent.”
“What do you mean?”
“It means this is something that needs to be done periodically.”
“What? Why are you only telling me this now—”
It was at that moment. A pain entirely different from before cut through me like a honed blade.

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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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