Love Feud (3)

“Answer me seriously, Ed.”

“…….”

Ethan Richard Blackwood was flustered.

First, because Lilith had brought up a topic completely different from what they’d originally planned to discuss in this situation, and second, because the sudden accusatory tone in her questioning sent an inexplicable chill down his spine.

‘This wasn’t part of the script we discussed…’

As far as he remembered, their planned argument wasn’t supposed to go like this.

She was supposed to chase away the girl who approached him, then compare herself to that girl while getting angry, and he’d counter by acting fed up with her behavior-that was how their staged fight was supposed to unfold. The idea was to make it seem like tensions had been simmering between them (though they hadn’t) and that this noble gathering was the final straw that made everything explode.

If things didn’t go well and no girl approached him, they had planned to rehash a conversation similar to the one they’d had at the academy church before. Naturally, Ethan had prepared responses for both scenarios, but Lilith’s current question was completely unexpected, leaving him at a loss for words.

“Ed. I asked you a question.”

“Li, Lili… Are you angry right now…?”

“Why didn’t you move away until that noble lady’s lips were right in front of yours? I’m genuinely asking.”

A cold sweat trickled down his back. The sensation was unnerving.

Even though this was all part of their plan, he had a strange premonition that if he didn’t answer this question properly, things between him and Lilith might become awkward from now on.

“…I was going to dodge.”

“You didn’t.”

“I would have if she got any closer. Since you stepped in, I didn’t have to.”

“…….”

Her expression was inscrutable. She seemed angry, yet also as if she didn’t fully believe him.

Ethan felt unfairly wronged. The only reason he had acted so shamelessly, letting the noble lady’s lips get so close, was to avoid disrupting the plan he and Lilith had devised.

Because he cared for and loved Lilith more than anyone, he didn’t want to ruin their carefully laid plans with his own actions.

If he had openly avoided the girl, it would have been tantamount to declaring that his relationship with Lilith was still strong-which would have derailed their entire scheme. And if that happened, the month-long operation to subdue Machart would collapse.

That’s why he couldn’t understand why Lilith was suddenly asking him this. The Lilith he knew always made the right judgments and guided him toward wise decisions.

Sure, she sometimes acted impulsively, but those actions always led to favorable outcomes.

‘…Unless.’

What if this angry interrogation was just part of her act to make their argument seem more convincing?

The thought made everything click into place. After all, Lilith wouldn’t thoughtlessly corner him with such a difficult question.

She must be trying to portray herself as an “obsessive fiancée” at this noble gathering. Even that impulsive kiss earlier was likely just part of the act.

It would be strange for Lilith to kiss him in front of so many people without any ulterior motive. At least from Ethan’s perspective, she wasn’t the type to be so possessive.

…Of course, this was purely Ethan’s perception of Lilith. The reality might be slightly different.

Either way, now that he understood the situation, his role was to play along. Though it deviated slightly from the original plan, this new development still served their purpose of making their discord seem believable.

A possessive fiancée and a man growing tired of her antics was a dynamic people saw all the time. Given their backgrounds, it wasn’t even strange for Lilith to appear clingy-making this an excellent role choice.

(Never mind that in reality, he was the one obsessed with her.)

Matching Lilith’s acting, he began his own performance.

“So. What were you planning to do if I hadn’t moved and just let her kiss me, Lili?”

“…What?”

“I’m getting tired of you nitpicking everything I do. Why get worked up over something that didn’t even happen? Whether I was going to dodge or not doesn’t even matter. It’s a non-issue.”

“Wh, what…?”

Watching Lilith’s flustered reaction-or rather, her flawless acting-Ethan couldn’t help but admire her silently.

Even back when she had pretended to fight Agnes, her acting had been astonishing. Truly, Lilith was a woman of many talents.

(In reality, Lilith was genuinely caught off guard by his response. But Ethan had no way of knowing that.)

“I’m growing weary of your obsession. How long do you plan to keep doubting and cornering your fiancé like this?”

“Wh, when have I ever doubted or cornered you…?”

“You’re doing it right now. You grabbed me by the collar and forced a kiss on me not even a moment ago, and now you’re already questioning my feelings again.”

“F, forced…? Did you just say forced?”

“What else would you call yanking my face toward yours to kiss me? Acting like I’m your property, throwing tantrums-you’re crossing a line, Lili.”

“…….”

Every word felt like driving a dagger into his own heart. Even though this was all an act to sell their discord, having to say things that might hurt Lilith made him resent the situation.

To protect Lilith, he had to humiliate her. After tonight, rumors would spread of her as a low-ranking noble girl obsessively clinging to her ducal heir fiancé.

She had told him not to worry about her reputation, claiming she didn’t care if she married someone else. But as someone who loved her, it pained him to put her in this position.

“…Do you really think the same way as that noble lady earlier?”

“About what?”

“Do you also prefer breasts of a modest size over these disgustingly large ones?”

“……Huh?”

“Just like that girl said, do you think these uselessly oversized breasts are inefficient? That they get in the way when swinging a sword, that they’re just lumps of fat with no real sensation, that you can’t even properly feel them when they sink into my flesh-have you always thought that way when touching my chest?!”

Ethan was stunned by Lilith’s sudden shift to discussing her chest.

He could have played along with the “obsessive fiancée” act, but how was he supposed to respond to such a sensitive topic about her body?

Logically, he should agree to further their argument, but the words wouldn’t come. Yet denying it would only comfort her, which wasn’t an option either.

More than anything, he didn’t want to evaluate her body in front of others-especially not with men watching.

Every inch of Lilith’s body should belong to him alone. As someone who dreamed of claiming both her body and heart someday, he had no desire to appraise what was his in public.

‘If only she’d brought up something else…’

Deciding that criticizing any other aspect of Lilith’s appearance would be better, Ethan steered the conversation elsewhere.

…Unaware of how his words would affect her.

“So you do agree with her?! Is that why you didn’t even try to avoid her?! Instead of listening to me, you’re taking the side of some girl whose name you don’t even know-“

“…A mere baronet’s daughter like you has some nerve. Especially one from a branch family of the Blackwoods, no less.”

“……What?”

“Did you think becoming engaged to a ducal heir elevated you somehow? Without me, you’re just another low-ranking noble girl with no backing.”

“…….”

Ethan hadn’t wanted to go this far, but it was still better than disparaging Lilith’s body in front of others.

Arguments over noble status rarely ended well. Bringing this up would convincingly show that their relationship was beyond repair.

Besides, Lilith was originally a commoner-she wouldn’t take “low-ranking noble girl” as an insult, so Ethan thought this topic was safe…

“…Hic.”

‘…Tears?’

For the first time during their argument, Lilith’s eyes welled up upon hearing “low-ranking noble girl,” leaving Ethan stunned.

And her subsequent, uncharacteristic response only deepened his shock.

“So that’s what you really think.”

“…Wait, Lili-“

“I apologize for overstepping as a low-ranking noble girl who didn’t know her place. Goodbye.”

Wiping away her tears, Lilith fled the royal annex in haste. Watching her go, Ethan could only pray one thing in his heart:

Please let this just be part of Lilith’s convincing act.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

The garden behind the imperial palace annex.

Having fled through the back door after her lover’s quarrel with Ethan, the black-haired baronet’s daughter walked alone under the night sky.

“…Ah.”

A single sigh, laden with unspoken emotions, escaped her lips as she gazed up at the starless night.

The chilly night breeze cooled her flushed cheeks, and as her overheated emotions gradually settled, so too did her mind regain its composure.

As the brandy’s fiery warmth faded and her earlier exhilaration waned, Lilith covered her face with both hands and exhaled a deep sigh from the depths of her chest.

“Haaa, how embarrassing…”