Chapter 10

Massera stepped in front of Cynthia and loaded his pistol.

“Follow Dahlia out.”

Dahlia was already leaving the banquet hall, holding Eugene in her arms.

But Cynthia couldn’t follow them.

Beep—

As the echo of gunfire and chaotic noise that had filled the hall faded, a ringing sound began to fill Cynthia’s head.

“Ah…”

Her sense of reality blurred, and her consciousness was slipping away.

It was a resurgence of her wartime trauma from her past life.

She, too, had been a victim of war.

“Cynthia!”

Edford tried to catch Cynthia as she stumbled and was about to fall, but was immediately shoved aside by someone and fell on his rear.

“Move.”

It was a chilling voice that seemed to freeze even the air.

Massera’s eyes gleamed with deadly intent.

Intimidated, Edford backed away with a frightened look on his face.

As Massera supported Cynthia, he felt her clutching his clothes and looked down.

She looked up at Massera with a dazed expression. Lost in panic, Cynthia was seeing her brother from her past life in him.

“Oppa, don’t go.”

Did she mean Carlos when she said “Oppa”? Massera’s brow furrowed deeply.

Whether or not she had an inappropriate relationship with her older brother, it was none of his concern. It wasn’t as if they were going to be together for life anyway.

“I did as well. I fell for him at first sight.”

He knew it was not true.

But he couldn’t stand the unpleasant feeling, like a shard of glass lodged deep inside, constantly pricking at him.

Then her next words puzzled him.

“The air raid siren hasn’t been lifted yet.”

Why was she bringing up the air raid siren when the war already ended?

Her glassy eyes looked as though they were seeing another world.

“Don’t leave me all alone, please.”

With a voice full of despair, she desperately wrapped her arms around Massera’s neck like someone lost in a nightmare.

He didn’t push her away.

“Who are you talking to?”

No answer came back.

As he watched Cynthia fall unconscious in his arms, he felt a strange emotion he couldn’t put into words.

It was then—

“Cindy!”

Carlos rushed over and grabbed onto Cynthia’s limp body. He then locked eyes with Massera, who was still holding Cynthia.

Carlos, unsettled by the strange hue of Massera’s eyes, furrowed his brow.

“General, leave Cindy to me and take control of the situation quickly.”

The two men’s gazes locked onto each other, sharp with tension.

Carlos tried to pull Cynthia toward him, but her body didn’t budge.

“Sir Carlos, it seems you care deeply for your siblings. Just like the eldest son should.”

His voice was calm, yet edged with steel.

Lifting Cynthia in his arms, he arrogantly raised his chin.

“As her husband, I’ll take care of her. You’d do better to look after your other siblings.”

He gestured with his chin toward Edford, who was sitting on the ground pathetically.

Carlos turned away, gritting his teeth.

‘He dares to act like a husband when it was just a transactional deal.’

Of course, Carlos had also used Cynthia as a tool.

But for some reason, a burning jealousy kept gnawing at him.

The moment the shot was fired at Cynthia, it felt like his heart had dropped.

‘It’s probably like worrying about something you lent being damaged.’

Trying to justify it to himself, Carlos kicked Edford’s backside.

“Quit being an embarrassment and get up!”

Meanwhile, Helene watched the scene with a blank expression.

Her fiancé, Duke Lucanossa, belatedly approached her.

“Are you all right?”

Helene slowly turned her head to look at him.

Although the banquet hall had erupted into chaos, they were still standing before high society. Even if their relationship was just a political arrangement, couldn’t he at least show as much care as General Vicente did?

And she didn’t like how he had been watching Cynthia so intently either.

“I’m fine. Are you all right, Your Grace?”

She returned his empty courtesy while looking over at the captured members of the Liberty Council.

‘Ignorant lowborns.’

Escorted by the duke, Helene pursed her lips as she stared at the soldiers.

‘At least this will serve as a lesson to them. That way, no filthy commoner will dare storm my wedding and cause a scene.’

The reason members of the Liberty Council were even able to get in was all thanks to Count Queensguard.

Since they’d be a threat once they began to move in the capital’s social circles, his plan was to eliminate them with Massera’s help.

‘And perhaps… General Vicente had the same idea.’

Though no one had expected the Liberty Council to slip past a body search and sneak in firearms.

***

“Gasp.”

Maybe it was because of the terrifying events I’d just gone through, but I woke up drenched in a cold sweat after dreaming about my past life.

“Were you very frightened?”

When I lifted my head at the low voice, I saw Massera holding me in his arms.

“The war… is over, right?”

The horrors I’d faced in my past life resurfaced like an afterimage, and although I knew the answer, I still asked.

Hearing my trembling voice, he nodded.

“Yes, it’s been a year since the war ended. Were you dreaming of the war?”

This world too had only recently come out of a great war. Hearing that, I brushed off the lingering heaviness of the nightmare.

“Um, how long was I unconscious? What about the engagement ceremony…”

“Ten minutes.”

I thought days had passed, but it’s only been ten minutes?

I looked around at my surroundings. We were in a guest room near the banquet hall.

He carried me princess-style and brought me here? Could he secretly be a tsundere?

Feeling slightly moved, I asked—

“Were you worried about me?”

Just as I asked, I was suddenly flung onto the bed with a thud.

Massera had thrown me down.

“Yes.”

He replied with a languid look in his eyes as he loosened his tie.

Just choose whether you’re going to be nice or mean!

“For about three seconds, I was.”

Then he continued in a quiet voice as he pulled something out of his inner pocket.

“Until I realized you were quite the skilled liar.”

In his hand was the small hand mirror I had used for my trick.

No way, did he see through me? Does he think even the fainting was an act?

His deepening, cold gaze made my shoulders stiffen with tension.

“Whatever past you may have, or whoever else may be in your life—it doesn’t matter to me.”

Past? Don’t tell me he found out who I really am, right? Did I babble nonsense while I was passed out?

“Why are you suddenly saying all this…”

“Even if you use me like you did today, I don’t care. I’m doing the same thing, after all.”

Does he think today’s incident was a staged act by the Queensguard family? A plot to wipe out the Liberty Council who pose a threat?

Considering this happened in such a tightly secured estate… It's likely the count really did orchestrate it.

The servants who followed me probably cooperated.

I let out a sigh of relief, thinking at least my true identity hadn’t been exposed—when suddenly, the bed jolted.

He was now looming over me, gazing down at me.

“But if you keep deceiving me with lies that will eventually be exposed…”

Massera’s eyes, now so close, deepened like the colors of a sunset.

Instead of saying what he’d do, he pressed the cold muzzle of his gun to my forehead and smiled sweetly.

“So don’t ever let me catch you.”

I looked up at him, my face gone pale.

Even if I fooled the entire world, it would be meaningless if I couldn’t deceive this man.

But why did his expression seem more hurt than angry, as if he’d been betrayed?

As long as I don’t get caught being a fake though, I could live.

But that also meant I could someday be killed when the truth comes out.

‘This scam is going to end at some point.’

The only thing that could stand against the cruel truth was the sincerity between people.

‘Then I’ll become that man’s truth.’

I reached out to touch his cheek with my gloved hand.

Forcing a smile, I thought of how he had shielded me with his whole body when I nearly got shot.

He may still hate me, but maybe—just maybe—he’s started to like me, even if it’s only by 10%.

“Then will you save me again in the future? Like you did just earlier?”

Judging from the fact that we held an engagement ceremony when it didn’t need to happen, it seemed like it was his plan to eliminate anyone who might become a threat to me in advance.

So you’ll fall for me eventually.

Just wait and see, you future doormat.

“I won’t forget what you did to—”

Perhaps it was because of the gun pointed at me that I was a little disoriented, but what should have been words of gratitude ended up sounding like a vow of revenge.

And with that, I fainted once again.