I Quit Being The Male Lead’s Rival

Chapter 77. Closer to Body and Mind (1)

(Annabelle's pov)

This was a really unexpected situation.

I was just excited and came to tell Ian two facts.

First, the origin of the third black magic is unknown to Crown Prince Carlon.

Second, it seemed that the origin of the black magic had been discovered by the temple's collaborator who dedicated his divine power to the devil.

I think I came because I was so proud, but I suddenly got stuck in bed.

I was very uncomfortable lying down on the bed, so I poked him once, and what kind of disaster is this?

"What?"

Ian's red eyes were eerily sinking.

It was a voice that sounded much more hazy than usual.

I couldn't reach it, but the pressure from his closely overlapped body was enormous, so I swallowed my dry saliva.

He looked down at me with a displeased look.

"Are you trying to surprise me even when I'm about to sleep?"

It was a tone of coldness dripping.

Come to think of it, it was also a tone that I hadn't heard for a long time.

But for me, it was really unfair.

No, what was wrong with the reaction that he suddenly touched me after sleeping well in one room last night?

"I'm so tired of it, Annabelle Nadit." (tl/n: oh shi man)

"…What?"

I was dumbfounded, so I stared blankly at Ian, who was holding my wrist and pressing it down.

'What do you mean Annabelle Nadit?'

Come to think of it, I didn't notice at first because of the smell of soap that seemed to have just washed it away, but the smell of alcohol was strong on him.

He must have become completely drunk while drinking with my uncle.

"I'm really not in a good condition today. So…"

Ian slowly stood up and said coldly.

"…Go away to your brother Reid, who is just like you."

I couldn't believe you mentioned "Reid".

Ian, who I knew, was never a human being to screw people in such an informal way. When I heard "brother," I immediately grasped the situation, and I laughed because I was speechless.

Now… Wasn't he drunk and visioning the past alone?

'What kind of drink did you have?'

In the past, the two of us hated each other very much. Of course I didn't hate him now, but…

"After all, even if you try for a hundred years, you can't beat me."

Ian's words hardened my pride.

Even if it was a fact that was fully acknowledged, it was a bad feeling to hear such words directly from the person concerned.

If I had to cut down on my skills, I was also willing to go back to the past.

"I know, I know!"

I shouted at him.

"If it's a tree that you still can't climb, you don't even have to try!"

"You have the wrong mindset."

Ian said as he continued.

"You have to work hard with the mindset of walking a thousand steps at a time to develop your skills and then think about jumping in."

"Shut up, you young brat! In what time period do you walk a thousand steps? Just buy a horse!"

I got nervous and replied back to him who was arguing with the obvious.

"To you, I would be like an earthworm. But even an earthworm will wiggle if you step on it!"

"…"

While shouting, I suddenly realized.

In the original story, what was the expected result if you tried to wriggle while mobilizing all kinds of illegal routes?

Although I had already avoided it, what was originally planned for me was the prison ending.

When I came to my senses, I finally came up with a seemingly missing finish.

"…I'll wiggle and die…"

"Then you know."

He said with a pitiful look in the distance.

"I'm watching you a lot, so be careful on your own."

In fact, it was true that Ian had looked after me for 8 years.

No matter how annoying it was, he didn't seriously injure me.

Come to think of it, it was okay to break a leg or something so that I wouldn't come the next day.

I felt strange about the kindness.

So I jumped up and grabbed him by the collar and put his face close.

"Do you hate me that much?"

"Won't that be normal?"

Of course, Ian didn't back down at all and responded coldly.

It was determination without any hesitation.

"I'm not an informal human being to the point where I like people who rush in and shake their evil like you."

Even though I knew the truth, I was heartbroken.

I couldn't even answer and bit my lower lip.

During the silence between the two of us, things had been rushing in.

Honestly, I thought it was natural, but I forgot about it because I became a little shameless these days.

Even if I suddenly remembered my previous life and my conscience was mixed up, I was a person who really tried to hurt him.

However, as we trained together, escorted to the imperial palace, and rode a carriage with a subtle atmosphere, something strange like a good feeling occurred.

Even stronger when I came to Caronda.

Although it was one night and two days, we became strangely friendly by pretending to be fake lovers.

The way he took care of me gently, the way I took cooperation with him for granted, became fine.

That was why I thought of him too closely.

And so…

Knowing that, I was disappointed even though I knew that the Ian right now was the same Ian from the past.

'I really… I feel really bad. I can't believe I'm upset even though I've been bothering him. I'm just shameless.'

He then spoke as I stared at his red eyes without saying a word.

"I'm sick and tired of you now."

There was no more reason to argue with Ian more. Not to mention the new information in this atmosphere.

The more he talked, the more hurtful and strange it was for me.

Not long ago, we were hoping for each other's bad luck, but why was it so heartbreaking…?

Now that I decided to just go back to my room, Ian added low as I let go of his collar helplessly.

"No matter how much I fell for you at first sight."

I stared blankly at Ian.

Time seemed to have stopped.

'Wh-what's going on…?'

I never thought Ian had a crush on me at first sight.

So, what he told my uncle at the time that I was beautiful when he first saw me was all true.

But I immediately gave up my mind and became indifferent because I was in such a mess.

This was because Ian was not a person who judged people only by their appearance and first impression.

'It wouldn't be very common-sense for him…'

Looking at Ian in front of me, I murmured foolishly.

"Oh, well. Good job. You have to judge people by their inner self and treat reason with a great attitude in the future. Do you get it?"

First of all, now was not the time to discuss things like the background of black magic with Ian.

This was because Ian, as well as I, were no longer in the right state of mind.

"Then I'll take my leave. Good night."

"Hang on. You're going to stay calm like this? What are you up to?"

Ian tried to grab my arm in a hurry, but I avoided it.

Now I wasn't confident in making eye contact with him.

"Stop thinking about me and go to sleep. I hope you wake up right before kissing the girl you like in your dream, you punk!"

So, I first cursed as I used to.

Then, I was about to go back to my room in a hurry, but suddenly thought of something, so I threw some words and slammed the door.

"Oh, don't screw it up! Since we're on the same team!"

Fortunately, he didn't follow.

I hurriedly washed up and laid in bed, but I had a lot of thoughts in my head.

I couldn't think of it no matter how hard I tried to recall the first meeting he seemed to remember vividly.

Just the determination to win somehow, the inferiority of aristocratic attire, and the frustration of losing were vivid.

Just before I faced Ian, I happened to run into Richard and Elburn, and I was very angry.

"Fourteen…"

It was eight years ago anyway, so I didn't know why my body felt weird.

I stayed up all night for the first time in my life that night.

And even the conversations he had with his close aides came to mind sporadically when I was falling down while being defeated.

"Isn't it annoying? She's so rude, but let's just seriously injure her so that she can't pick up the sword again."

"Never mind. Just let it go."

At that time, Ian was such a gentleman and an arrogant knight that I thought he didn't even treat me as a villain.

Now that I think about it, his indifference could have made me bother him more.

"Ian, let's just accuse her of being a stalker so she can be banned."

"Just ignore it. Let's go."

But if he had a history of love at first sight… Maybe that was the reason why he didn't like to look at me like that, but also didn't punish me severely.

'No…but why can't I sleep?'

I tossed and turned, trying to suppress my shaky mind.

Of course, that wasn't something that could be suppressed.