I Abandoned the Male Lead Who Cheated with the Villainess - Chapter 191

Watching this, Ivonne felt pity for Herix, not because the curse had been broken, but because he seemed so lost and uncertain. He was like an animal, domesticated by humans, who was now wandering around, confused, constantly looking back as if it couldn’t decide what to do next.

‘He should just run freely through the fields.’

Unfortunately, the freedom Herix had just tasted was so overwhelming that it seemed to crush him instead.

Ivonne noticed his hand subconsciously hovering near his neck. His eyes were filled with fear, and his hand fumbled in uncertainty.

Perhaps without the collar, he couldn’t be sure of his own existence.

‘Could the collar… have been like a home, a sanctuary for him?’

Ivonne’s thoughts were not far from the truth.

Herix had unconsciously found a sense of belonging in the collar. Having lived so long as a beast, or in the dark, underground confines of his prison, the ‘connection to normal people’ was a lifeline for him.

Even if it was a collar, it was still something that kept him tethered. The collar, which had bound him for so long, paradoxically connected him to others.

‘I remember hearing that wild animals tamed by humans lose their wild nature and can’t survive if released back into the wild.’

It wasn’t really releasing or returning to the wild; it was abandonment. While this thought about Herix seemed to contradict calling him a human, there was nothing wrong with it. Just like wild animals, people who were used to being bound and controlled would find freedom frightening.

‘Gradually expanding his territory might be good for the Crown Prince, too.’

Though she didn’t know much about Herix, it was well known to everyone that his strained relationship with his father, the Emperor, was due to his purple eyes, known as ‘the Emperor’s mark.’

Ivonne felt even more sympathy for him because of this.

Regardless of his exceptional abilities, how many people could truly be on his side in the imperial palace? Perhaps only Johann, his loyal confidant?

‘He’s… like me.’

Ivonne was the same. Though she lived in the Count’s estate thanks to the kindness Blitzen showed her when she was young, she was still a commoner.

She held a position no different from that of a maid, and no matter how much Blitzen adored her, he remained a half-successor without magical talent. Even though she was stronger than an ancient wizard, her position within the Count’s estate was practically non-existent.

‘The only one I could rely on was Blitzen.’

Wasn’t Herix the same? After being hated by the Emperor and even personally abused, the only person he could rely on was Johann. Perhaps that was why he behaved so meekly toward Ivonne, someone who had shown him a small kindness.

Just as Ivonne, who had been saved by the mere existence of someone who needed her help, wanted to help him in return. She understood the loneliness, the same kind of isolation he felt, and she wanted to be a source of strength for him, to be the hill he could lean on.

— Then, how about this?

Her words were half emotional, half impulsive. If she thought about it rationally, objectively, it seemed like nonsense, an absurd thought that should be dismissed.

— I’ll give you an incredibly long leash.

— …

— But this leash won’t hurt, and it won’t be visible. It will disappear when you no longer fear this world, when the freedom you’ve regained is no longer unsettling.

The man, whose body was so large that it was hard to believe he had once been a small fox, quietly looked up at Ivonne.

— How about… it?

As the silence stretched on, Ivonne became anxious. If possible, she wanted to take her words back. She thought maybe he would shout at her, calling it nonsense, questioning why she would insult royalty with such talk.

The thought that the innocent purple eyes looking up at her could be filled with anger and disgust made her insides churn.

For what felt like a long time, Herix remained silent. What could he possibly be contemplating so deeply? Ivonne’s heart beat faster with anxiety.

— Is it okay?

Herix asked back. His response came so late that it took Ivonne a moment to connect his words with hers. At that time, Herix spoke again.

— Will you really… put that leash on me?

Ivonne unconsciously parted her lips in surprise. He was relieved. Despite his sharp and cold eyes, the faint tears welling in the corners of his eyes told her everything.

— There’s no need for a useless beast. But I… would you still put a leash on me? Does that mean I’m still useful?

It was then that her heart sank. She realized just how alike she and Herix were. She closed her eyes, feeling the sting of regret, wishing they had met earlier.

— Yes. I need the Crown Prince.

Herix’s eyes widened slightly. Even though his gaze was still innocent and pure, there was a light that began to shine through his usually dull eyes, as if the cold wind had come from somewhere and begun to melt the frost.

Like any lonely person, Herix had nurtured a great monster within himself. The more he delved into his inner abyss and reflected on himself, the larger the monster grew.

Now, this monster stood at the heart of the blizzard, called winter.