My Ruin to You - Chapter 162

It meant he wouldn’t bring it up further. As his restless white fingers stilled for a moment, Valen, who had been watching them intently, let out a soft laugh.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

I didn’t know what whim had struck him, but now all that remained was to leave. Roseline waited for the expected dismissal, discreetly controlling the corner of her mouth that threatened to twitch unbecomingly.

“Then, shall I ask another question?”

But it seemed he had no intention of letting her go just yet. The corner of her mouth, which had been lifting, now drooped as if weighted down. Roseline forced a smile and replied, “Yes, Your Highness.”

“You said you had a lover promised to you in the future, didn’t you?”

It was a taunt—asking where this lover was while she was heading to the Grand Duchy. She had been caught by the clause that exempted those who were married or formally betrothed.

It wasn’t so much fear of the lie being exposed as it was… bittersweet. Here I am, carrying a truth-detecting mouse to discern others’ lies, while His Excellency resolves everything with just a few words. It reminded me once again how vastly different our positions were.

“Your Highness proposed so suddenly that I panicked and lied. Please forgive me, Your Highness.”

“You panicked.”

“…….”

“It wasn’t because you disliked it?”

Yes.

“No. How could I dislike it? As a citizen of Lohen, I deeply respect Your Highness.”

Roseline finally raised her head to look at him. She didn’t forget to offer a pitiful smile, like any other young lady facing someone of high status, hoping to appear ordinary. On the other hand, she felt relieved that Valen didn’t carry a truth-detecting mouse. If that mouse started squealing at this moment, she had no idea how to handle it.

But whether her conduct was appropriate or not seemed to be Roseline’s misconception, as Valen let out an incredulous laugh. Merrick’s reaction, standing silently behind him, wasn’t much different. Valen, wiping the smile from his lips, spoke leisurely.

“So, you have no lover?”

“No. But there is someone I’ve had feelings for for a long time.”

“Who?”

“Must I really say it here?”

“I really want to hear it here.”

Roseline’s composure gradually crumbled. If asked whether Valen was the type of man to be this interested in others’ love lives, she would unequivocally say no. He wasn’t just disinterested in romance—he generally didn’t care about others’ affairs at all.

That led to the inevitable question: Why? Why is he asking me?

Roseline studied Valen with an uneasy gaze. Beyond his indifferent expression and slight curiosity, there were no other signs. Before being a Grand Duke or a royal, he was still a man. Perhaps her rejection had stirred a pointless competitive streak in him, or maybe he intended to use this as a pretext to bind her to the Grand Duchy under the guise of Tara or something. Whatever the case, it was clear she couldn’t escape this situation until she gave him the answer he wanted.

If, by any chance, he actually remembers but is pretending not to and putting on an act, then even more so.

In that sense, the answer had to be chosen carefully. I would give him the answer he wanted, but I would not let myself be dragged along. Absolutely not.

“If I tell you, will Your Highness help ensure my feelings reach that person?”

When Roseline asked calmly, Valen’s neatly shaped eyebrows twitched. He pushed the inside of his cheek with his tongue and stared at Roseline. The look in his eyes, whether out of interest or something else, was clear: Well, well.

“Go on.”

He gestured with his chin as if to say, Just answer. Roseline pretended to be shy, slightly lowering her head and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. With her gaze tilted slightly downward, she cautiously pointed somewhere with a delicate gesture.

“It’s Sir Merrick.”

Valen’s eyes, which had been following Roseline’s fingertip, stopped dead in mid-air. Then, slowly, they returned to Roseline. It was then that Roseline gently lifted her head. Seeing him—rarely—making a surprised expression, Roseline curved her lips into a smile.

“I like Sir Merrick.”