My Ruin to You - Chapter 175

Roseline couldn’t get out.

Until the carriage stopped, she had intended to rush out immediately, but the uniform he handed her from the trunk shook her resolve.

It wasn’t that Lina’s dress was embarrassing, but going in like this would draw attention.

The reason she hadn’t packed clothes, even though she knew better, was that she hadn’t had the leisure to do so. It was more accurate to say she only remembered after hastily leaving the estate.

If she hadn’t met Valen at all, it might be different, but since she’d already started an unlucky day, wouldn’t this much compromise be okay? Rather than going through trouble twice, it’s better to end it once.

“Change into this.”

As if seeing right through Roseline’s thoughts, he left a faint smile and got out of the carriage. His scent remained. Roseline absently rubbed the tip of her nose and opened the curtain of the window.

After changing, Roseline neatly folded Lina’s dress and placed it in the trunk. She took extra care with the ribbon to avoid giving any pretext for contact. Finally, after adjusting her appearance, she opened the carriage door, trunk in hand, intending to walk back since she had received what she needed. She felt no pangs of conscience.

Valen, standing stiffly with his back to the carriage, turned upon sensing movement. His eyes swept slowly from the neatly tied ribbon to the trunk in Roseline’s hand, and he let out an incredulous laugh.

“Young Lady.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Get in the carriage. Don’t be stubborn.”

“……”

“Must I give an order for you to obey?”

“I suppose so. How could I dare defy Your Highness’s command?”

She spoke with utmost sarcasm, but seeing his relaxed expression, he didn’t seem offended—rather, he appeared pleased. Only Roseline’s mood worsened. So after getting back into the carriage, she kept her mouth shut.

“Why did you go to the chapel?”

“……”

“Is silence the answer? I could call a priest, you know.”

Roseline, who had been stubbornly ignoring him and staring out the window, turned her head sharply. A fierce light flashed in her slightly upturned eyes.

“You said you hate being manipulated by me.”

“……”

“That’s why I’m telling you. What I’m thinking and what I’ll do.”

In other words, he meant he wouldn’t betray her from behind like in her past life. How grateful—I could die. Roseline scoffed and turned her gaze away. The carriage jolted over the rough gravel road, causing her magical energy to ripple like a calmly rising campfire.

It was strange how her magical energy could remain so subdued when this situation was incredibly uncomfortable, painful, and even infuriating. It felt similar to what she experienced at last night’s dinner. Roseline cast a protective shield on herself. A semi-transparent light shimmered and enveloped her in a circle. The magic casting was fine. That meant something was drawing in her magical energy, and her suspicious gaze naturally turned toward Valen.

“What did you do?”

“I have to do something, don’t I?”

Contrary to her expectation that he would smirk or look indifferent, his expression was cold and hardened. Suddenly, the priest’s voice came to mind, asking whether a regressor’s memory was a blessing or a curse. For this man, memory seemed like a curse.

Strangely, his despair was comforting. I don’t know when I became such a twisted piece of trash who enjoys others’ suffering, but his regression, though terrible, isn’t entirely bad.

“But, Your Highness. What I need to be wary of isn’t magical energy—it’s you.”

“That’s true.”

His voice, responding nonchalantly, was cool, but his tightly clenched hand was so tense that even his nails had turned white. Blood from reopened wounds soaked into the bandage again, but neither Valen nor Roseline noticed.

“But, Young Lady. I didn’t quite hear your answer properly.”

“……”

“Why did you go to the chapel, you said?”

◇◇◇

He was an exasperating man.

She didn’t want to give him the answer he wanted, but fearing he might stir up trouble if she didn’t respond, she opened her mouth with a resigned attitude. Thanks to you, I was so shocked last night that I needed divine mercy.

Yet, Valen’s suspicion did not easily fade. He seemed to misunderstand, as if Roseline had devised some grand escape plan—like hiding in the chapel, blending in with the congregation to slip out, and then leaving the city gates.

When she emptied her pockets to show she had no money to flee with, Valen pretended to believe her. The fact that their current stop was the last before entering the Grand Duchy seemed to heighten his anxiety. That was his burden to bear. Having said her piece, Roseline fell silent again.

The carriage stopped near the estate. It was an unexpected consideration. When he said he would have the trunk moved for her, Roseline gave a perfunctory nod and stepped out of the carriage. Soon, the carriage passed her by.

“He seems even crazier. Or is it just my mood?”