My Ruin to You - Chapter 169

Roseline flinched. It was a blow to her pride. She was sure she had decided to ignore whatever he said to stop her, but her body reacted first, like a trained animal obeying its master’s command.

It was because the man’s voice, lowered and intense, was so chilling. She comforted herself, thinking anyone else in her place would have had to react the same way, and that it was fortunate she hadn’t completely frozen. Pretending nothing was wrong, Roseline moved to take a step.

“Isn’t it time you realized? Running away isn’t the right choice.”

But her resolve crumbled before she could even take a single step. It wouldn’t be so unfair if she could at least try to run away properly. She didn’t understand how he could talk about ‘running’ when he had fundamentally cut off all her escape routes.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Roseline whirled around.

“Weren’t you the one who told me to go?”

Valen, who had been looking down as if measuring the distance between them, lifted his foot. And then he took exactly one step toward Roseline. Merely one step closer, and his long, dense shadow fell over her toes. Like a shackle.

“Do you think if you go, I won’t come looking for you?”

“…….”

“You hide, and I seek. If you want to play that game of hide and seek, you can go.”

“Then what am I supposed to do? Say, ‘Ah, it seems Your Highness has also regressed. How nice to see you. Please take care of me―’ and offer a greeting? And keep seeing you in the future?”

“What if you don’t see me.”

“…….”

“Do you have an alternative?”

She didn’t. That was the problem.

She was pushing his buttons, ready to storm out, but it was just words spat out in anger, not a good plan. She had spent all her time holed up in the dormitory researching shape-shifting magic, so she could probably turn into a mouse or a mole and somehow escape herself. But she worried about the people she’d leave behind. Lina and Lady Schnitzel.

She could probably take Lina. Though the loyal maid would be quite shocked if her body suddenly turned into a mouse, she would gladly follow. But there was no way for Lady Schnitzel. She couldn’t ask her to abandon her bright future and her family just for her.

Come to think of it, taking Lina was also problematic. Who knows what might happen to Lina’s family. That’s why she hated this. Why did she have to wrestle with these thoughts? How long did she have to live trapped in this man’s palm? It was frustrating and hopeless.

As her emotions grew more sensitive, her magic reacted. Maybe it was for the best. If her nose started bleeding now, maybe even this outrageous man would be flustered. An egg can’t break a rock, but it can leave a stain.

“…….”

But something was strange. Even when she deliberately recalled hated, terrifying, and painful memories, her magic couldn’t surpass its critical point. It felt like something was absorbing her magic. Thinking about it, the fact that she was standing here perfectly fine was surprising in itself.

The shock of realizing Valen remembered his entire past life should have been enough to make her lose consciousness, so why was she still functioning?

“Sort out your magic.”

Separate from Roseline’s confusion, her tactic to unsettle him seemed to be working. His pupils shook every time her magic surged. Clicking his tongue shortly, he turned away with a stiff expression. Then he went and sat on the edge of the table a short distance away.

Roseline’s gaze lingered on his hand, carelessly resting on his thigh. The cloth was completely soaked with bright red blood. As Roseline frowned, he turned his hand over.

“One month, Roseline.”

The low, deep voice referred to the time she had to spend in the Grand Duchy—the practical training period. When she stared at him as if asking what he meant by that, Valen spoke.

“You do what you need to do. That’s enough.”

It meant she ultimately had to go to the Grand Duchy. Roseline made a disgusted face. Valen, who had been staring only at Roseline without looking away once, didn’t even flinch, as if he had anticipated that reaction. He was utterly composed, like someone who had already imagined and endured countless refusals, rebellions, and resentments.

“You said you had no one but me.”

“…….”

“Then think about it. How desperately I must want you right now.”

But you have no one but me, don’t you?