I Abandoned the Male Lead Who Cheated with the Villainess - Chapter 136

‘To do that, I don’t need to choose between Herix and Senior Isaac. Well, maybe one day that choice will come, but for now, I don’t have to rush into it.’

She could unravel who was lying over time. Though neither of them was entirely innocent, Ivonne decided to focus on the situation with patience.

After all, wasn’t it because she didn’t question ‘Rix’ and failed to understand him properly that all this trouble arose? Misunderstandings and mistakes are fine as long as they happen once.

‘This time, I’ll take my time, thoroughly investigate everything.’

When the time came to make a decision, it would be easier to choose.

‘My heart will be more at ease.’

Lying on her bed, Ivonne closed her eyes, as though silently assuring herself that her decision and conclusion weren’t wrong. Then, she immediately moved on to the next thought.

‘There’s a way to calm Herix down without having to choose between him and Senior Isaac.’

The solution was simple: Ivonne just had to quietly be where Herix could see her. The main reason Herix had discarded the ‘Rix’ persona was because of Ivonne’s disappearance.

‘I promised I’d stay, that I wouldn’t leave because Tens mansion was our home, so he promised to come back.’

And yet, despite that promise, Ivonne had left him. But that didn’t erase the sense of betrayal and disappointment Herix must have felt back then. Sadly, it was Ivonne who felt the regret now. She loved Herix, and so, without conflict, she wanted to remove the shackles between them.

‘So I just need to behave quietly. Quietly…’

The territory that Rix had established was the Tens mansion. From what Herix had said, it seemed like he might have designated a spacious room in the imperial palace for her. He was lucky that he referred to Tens mansion as ‘their home.’

Ivonne kicked her legs lightly, making the chains clink. The sound was melancholic, but she forced herself to think positively.

‘Right, let’s not think of this as imprisonment. Let’s think of it as returning to the life of a rich, idle person.’

Herix had mentioned that mining at the Azolt transparent magic crystal mine had resumed. He firmly believed that Ivonne would return to the Sortenic Empire. Despite his sadness and pain from her departure, he had prepared for her return by keeping up with daily routines.

What was Herix’s state of mind back then, she wondered.

He was likely feeling extremely miserable and dejected. When thinking about Herix like this, it didn’t seem like it would be too difficult to consider herself ‘imprisoned.’

‘No, maybe I should hypnotize myself. The outside world is noisy, so I’ll just tell myself it’s a voluntary retreat.’

Not forced confinement, but a voluntary retreat. That would be the mental strength she needed to isolate herself from the world and focus entirely on Herix. After all, hadn’t she given up her freedom by her own hands?

‘I can do this. As long as I endure, just a little bit longer, everything will return to the way it was before. The peaceful days before the war. Then, I’ll be able to ask Herix the reasons for his obsession with me, won’t I?’

Her sharp green eyes glimmered with determination.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Ivonne returned to the Empire, but this was entirely Herix’s will, not her own choice. As proof, Ivonne’s ankle was bound by the magical restraint that the Crown Prince had ordered to be made.

This news spread quickly, almost like it was carried by the wind, and eventually reached the ears of Emperor Arnold.

The servant who brought the news knelt before Arnold and lowered his head. His crime was simply bringing unwelcome news to the Emperor’s ears, but it was the Emperor. The servant’s life was worth no more than that of a fly in the eyes of the imperial family.

“…..”

The only sound in the room was the servant swallowing nervously. But those who knew the Emperor’s ways understood: sometimes, this heavy silence was more terrifying than the loudest thunder. No, this silence was the true form of ‘wrath.’

‘Please, just end it quickly.’

The servant, no longer concerned with saving his life, simply prayed for a quick death without pain. But after a long, suffocating silence, Emperor Arnold finally spoke, surprising the servant beyond measure.

“Leave.”

He had spared the servant’s life! The servant, unable to contain his surprise, looked up at Arnold with wide eyes. Then, realizing his mistake, he quickly bowed his head.

Arnold showed mercy again.

“Now.”

“Yes, yes! I’m grateful, Your Majesty!”

The servant, still tense, hurried out of the room. As soon as he exited and his fellow servants tapped him on the shoulder, a deafening crash echoed throughout the palace, as if Arnold’s fury had split the palace in two.