5. Meeting The Female Lead-Part 4
Seiran is walking beside Danial. She gets her long-forgotten wish to walk alone with him without any interruption of her nosy brothers, but, she is too nervous to comfortably talk with him. After the incident that happened in the past, she tried to find Danial and she even requests her father to visit Danial in the palace. But, her request is denied.
She vividly remembers the conversation she had that day with her family, about the shocking secret of Duke Knight Mansion and her identity.
"You cannot meet him, not until you are strong enough to protect him, Ran." Her mother, Lady Liliane, a woman with black, and long wavy hair, with a pair of beautiful ocean-like orbs, is gently caressing her tears-stricken cheeks. "You are his protector, his support, and his soulmate. If you showed your true self in front of other people, your enemy might know the first prince's real identity. We need to protect him in silence, not endanger him."
"But, everyone is treating him so badly, mother!" Seiran cried in the grievance. "I saw his battered and tattered body, full of bruises and injuries. He also thin."
"His stomach is still bloating though." Sean grudgingly interjected.
Seiran glared at her second brother.
"That's not his fault! That is his curse!" She yelled at him with such fiery looks in her eyes. "When the curse is lifted, I showed you guys, how handsome and mighty he can be! Don't insult my husband!"
Sean flinched when her supposed gentle younger sister is a glaring dagger at him. He timidly hid behind his other sibling.
Duke Arklight who is sipping his tea silently on the table, choked on the drink he just drank. He coughed and coughed while staring at his beloved daughter with such a disbelief expression.
"Who said that brat can marry my beautiful daughter, Seiran?! Don't call him your husband! You are not legally married yet, Ran! You're only twelve!"
"I can call him whatever I want, daddy. He is my soulmate. I will not let anyone have him. He is mine!" Seiran argued back. At a time like this, Seiran's stubbornness is visibly showing and this is one of the bad traits she inherited from her gentle-looking mother.
Lady Liliane is a noble lady from Prime Minister Household, and she is the youngest daughter of that witty and sly old fox [Duke Arklight always called his father-in-law like this]. She is usually showed a graceful and elegant bearing, however, despite her gentle personality, her stubbornness is on a different level. Not even her parent could change her mind once she made her decision.
"You're too young!" Duke Arklight slammed his ceramic cup on the table.
"Yeah, Ran!" Julian and Arthur are totally in tune with their father. "Besides, he rejected you. You shouldn't forgive him that easily!"
Once Seiran heard the word rejection, she burst into tears again.
"I hate you, brothers! I also hate you, daddy! You guys are mean! Stupid old man! Stinky! Disgusting!" Seiran said furiously. In a fit of anger, she kicked Julian's shin as hard as she can before stormed out of the living room into her own room in the upper part of the mansion.
Julian let out a miserable scream while rolling on the expensive carpet, rubbing his bruised shin.
"Oww, Ran! That's hurt!"
"Serve you right!" Seiran yelled back from upstairs. She sticks her tongue at her helpless and agonized brother on the floor.
The living room's temperature is suddenly dropped. Duke Arklight and his three sons were startled at the sudden change in their household's ambiance and unconsciously rubbed their arms to produce some heat.
"Darling?" Duke Arklight who is feeling goosebumps all over his body, timidly called his beloved wife.
Lady Liliane is sitting gracefully on the comfy chair, still with a smile plastered on her beautiful face. Although, the smile is not actually delivered a warm and gentle feeling, but, rather, an ominous one.
"Dear, didn't I had clearly reminding you to shut your mouth during my heartfelt conversation with our daughter?"
Duke Arklight gulped down his saliva. Ah, his wife did mention such a thing before this. He forgot her warning as he is feeling frustrated toward the stupid brat who dares to toy with his beloved daughter's heart. And, Seiran is also unfair as she treated her bias better than her own family.
"You...you did?"
"Tonight, you will sleep on the floor, right?" Lady Liliane said, in a more chilling voice. "Or, do you prefer to sleep in the horse barn?"
"The floor is enough, my dear." Duke Arklight immediately replied.
"Good boy." She praised him. The beautiful woman is slowly standing up and went into the kitchen. "And, my sons will help me prepared for our dinner, right?"
The three siblings answered in unison voices as the chorus of "Yes, madam!" is resounding in the living room. They exchanged miserable glances with one another before trudging slowly into the kitchen.
Mother and wife is surely a formidable and scary creature ever existed out there.
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"Seiran? Why are staring at my face like that?" Jae Woon waved his chubby hand in front of her.
Seiran snapped back from her reverie.
"I...I did? I'm sorry! I'm thinking about something else." She ashamedly averted her eyes as Jae Woon curiously glances at her.
"Hey, Seiran. Can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Aren't you find me disgusting? Even I fainted when I accidentally looked at my own reflection this morning."
Seiran's mood turned gloomy. She dislikes this type of question, but, the person who asked this question is Danial himself, and she cannot lash out at him. She didn't want Danial to hate her.
"Appearance is a subjective matter, Danny." She replied in a sullen voice. "Even if you turn into a frog or a real pig, I wouldn't mind, as long as it is you."
"What? Are you serious? But, why?" Jae Woon heard an impossible thing comes out from Seiran's lips. Huh? Did the Female Lead seriously fell head over the heels with the Male Lead, despite his ugly and hideous appearance? Did the world had turned crazy?
Seiran stopped walking and turned her body to face Jae Woon. She crossed her arms while eyeing him in distaste.
"Why? I'm not looking at your appearance, silly. But, your soul. You should probably ignore those insolent people who judge others based on their outer appearance only. "
"I'm a prince without talent. I don't have any magical aptitude and I was born with this hideous face. My father hates me to the point he despises my very existence. And yet, you said you didn't care?"
"I can help you. Just let me help you! Your condition is not normal. Your body is cursed with ancient dark magic. A mishap happened during your childbirth. If not because of the late Queen Carina, you will also die that night!"
[Ting! Hidden Mission: Find out what happened during the night of Queen Carina's death. The host will be rewarded 1000 points.] Mochi's voice is ringing in his mind as the system announced the mission's notification.
"You know something, right?" Jae Woon asked.
"I will tell you everything, as long as you let me help you. Please let me help you, Danny." Seiran pleaded as she grabbed both of Jae Woon's hands and put them under her smooth forehead. Her touch is so gentle and a warm feeling is surging into Jae Woon's heart.
All of sudden, Seiran's lips landed on the knuckles of his hands, kissing them tenderly. Jae Woon felt those moist lips on his callous hands. Without him realized, his heartbeat is spiked up and his face is blushing, as red as a tomato. But, he cannot retract his hands back, as he is afraid he might accidentally hurting Seiran if he is too harsh with his action.
Then, a faint golden light glowing around them as Seiran warned him with a low voice.
"Don't move."
Jae Woon stayed rooted on the ground, as confusion and embarrassment mixing up together and almost busting out his pounding heart.
(Host, swallow this pill also.) Mochi put something inside his mouth. (This will help you. On speeding up the healing process.)
{What is this pill?} Jae Woon asked with suspicion is evident in his eyes.
(Beauty pill.) Mochi simply replied.
{What?!}
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High in pursuit
Behind the veil: Vengeful Spirit-