Their romance storyline only begins on the second playthrough

Page 39

"What, isn't this the ending you wanted? The knight saved you and even broke your [Bloodlust] condition, isn't that perfect enough?"

“But I caused him to get hurt,” Ivina said, her voice choked with emotion. “He didn’t need to save me at all.”

Cecilia jumped out of the window, then stood on the other side of the bed, bent her slender waist, and gently stroked Rhodes' face with her fingertips;

"He needs it. Because if he saves you, it means I've lost one of my trump cards, doesn't it?"

Don't think too highly of your darling; he's just after his own interests.

"You're talking nonsense... He could just kill me."

"Then he just really wants your body."

"……snort."

"So, does this mean you feel much less guilty now?"

"Do you need to tell me that?" Ivina retorted, her voice a little louder than usual.

"Shh—" Cecilia gestured for silence. "He's exhausted. Don't disturb him."

After saying that, she continued, "But in short, now you have a friend you can get close to and spend time with, right? That's good."

"No, not a friend! He just saved my life, how could he possibly be my friend..."

"Shut up, or I'll smash your head in." Cecilia said disdainfully, then climbed onto Rhodes' bed under Ivina's gaze.

"Huh?" Ivina was slightly stunned.

She stared in disbelief as Cecilia climbed into bed.

Before she could react, she saw Cecilia straddle Rhodes' body with her legs covered by black stockings, then sit on his waist.

Instantly, Ivina's face flushed a deep red, and she stammered nervously, "..."

"Hey! What are you doing...!"

"Shh—" Cecilia gestured for silence again, annoyed. "I'm going to treat him, you idiot. That doctor was useless. At this rate, it'll take him three days to get better."

"Damn it... could you at least tell me first? I thought you were up to something bad!" Ivina said through gritted teeth, her face flushed.

"Hmm? I didn't tell you I wasn't going to do anything bad, did I?" Cecilia smiled teasingly, her eyes narrowing like crescent moons.

"Uh-huh?!"

Cecilia ignored Ivina's reaction; she just found teasing Ivina a little amusing, but that was all.

She gently bent down, facing the boy she had longed for day and night, her eyes filled with tenderness;

Holding his face in her hands, she felt the world become more real.

Yes.

"You even managed to save my past."

"Although I don't know exactly how you did it, all I can say is that you are amazing, my dear."

"You can always thwart my schemes, and you can always do things better than me."

"But... forever... is still more cruel than me."

The moment she uttered those last words, a ripple of emotion surged within her, a feeling of unease as if her heart were being squeezed.

"Perhaps in your eyes, everything is based on self-interest, but... at least, I hope you can treat my past properly."

Having said that, she bent down and brought her beautiful face close to Rod's face;

Yes……

Ivina sat to the side, her eyes wide, then quickly covered her mouth—

Because at this moment, Cecilia's lips, as soft as cotton, adorned Rhodes's lips.

Everything was her most tender and gentle wish.

A unique green glow entered Rod's mouth, nourishing his internal organs like sweet spring water.

And it only lasted for a mere ten seconds.

Cecilia was still reluctant to leave, but she also understood that some things could only be resolved quickly.

At the very least, I need to explain the truly important things to Ivina before Rhodes wakes up.

Therefore, she still raised her face, and then lowered herself;

Cecilia lightly patted her elegant black Lolita dress, then turned to look at Ivina, her eyes defiant:

"How did it feel to kiss you?"

Ivina covered her mouth, feeling a little suffocated.

To know.

Although she and Cecilia shared two lives.

However, all their senses are interconnected.

Especially when the other person deliberately transmits bodily sensations to you, it feels just like it's happening to you.

In other words... essentially, she experienced what it felt like to kiss Rhodes...

"You...!" she stammered, but because of her clumsiness, she didn't know what to say to Cecilia for being shameless.

“Alright, it’s just kissing, right? You’ll be able to do it in the future.” Cecilia patted her black gauze gloves. “Or you can go up and experience it for yourself now.”

"I don't want to!" Ivina shouted quickly, closing her eyes.

"Hehe... Okay, that's enough teasing. Or rather, don't push your luck too far."

The slightest trace of gentleness vanished from Cecilia's face in an instant, replaced by coldness. Her eyes fixed on Ivina, and she said:

"Do you really think you can live a good life like this?"

Cecilia's sudden change frightened Ivina.

"W-why are you doing this all of a sudden? What does it matter to you whether I have friends or not? Give it to me now..."

Cecilia interrupted her, saying coldly:

"You might not even qualify as a friend. Or do you really think you can gain a friend this way?"

"Don't forget, you are me, and I am you."

"You don't know, do you... After all, you died early, so of course you don't know the rest of the story."

"I have to tell you a very unfortunate fact: because I became a major villain in the future, he eventually killed me as an enemy."

"So here's the question: As the [true form] of the main villain, do you think that if my dear knew this truth, knew that your senses are connected to mine, knew—"

Her eyes met Ivina's bound, injured eyes.

"If I could use that blindfold of yours to spy on his actions, would he... still be willing to be your friend? And would he... kill you first?"

At that moment, Cecilia placed her fingers on her forehead, transferring the memories belonging to her first timeline to Ivina—

"You should know that he was also reborn, so... you are not the one who makes the choice, but the one who is chosen."

Nine times out of ten, once he learns the truth, he will definitely, absolutely will…

Like a demon's whisper, Cecilia uttered her final words—

"Abandon you."

thump—

As soon as the words were spoken, a chill ran through Ivina's mind.

Chapter 41 The False Princess

"You can't hide it. Or rather, when he saw your bloodshot eyes, he probably already had a vague idea."

Cecilia continued, "Not to mention, if your relationship gets even better in the future, and you go and do something bad, your damn bandage will fall off sooner or later and give you away."

"Therefore, even if you hide for weeks, months, or even years, in the end, once he finds out you are the enemy's true identity, he will definitely not spare you, right?"

"Me!" Ivina's slightly childish voice trembled, "Why...why did you..."

"Go and pursue some dreams you want to fulfill. I'm sorry." Cecilia looked up at the sky.

"So...you can now enjoy a few days or months of friendship with peace of mind, and there's even a chance that you might become lovers."

But ultimately, you must understand that the moment your identity is revealed, everything will be destroyed.

"Now, tell me again, do you want Rhodes to be your friend?"

"..."

Ivina felt as if she had fallen from heaven to hell; her whole body was ice-cold at that moment.

She thought that as long as things continued this way, Rhodes could get close to her without being hurt, and she could gradually get used to Rhodes' presence, making him her next umbrella—an umbrella that could take her away from the Duke's mansion.

But now everything has changed.

Because she is a hidden enemy, an enemy of Rhodes...

If the truth is revealed, no matter how she tries to explain or deny her relationship with Cecilia to Rhodes, it will be in vain.

Because their two eyes correspond to each other.

Cecilia's golden eye was with her, and her red eye was with Cecilia.

Beneath her bandages lay Cecilia's eyes, those radiant golden eyes...

In an instant, the pressure made her breathless.

Why is this happening?

She hadn't even had a chance to experience what it felt like to have friends, or even to confirm that she and he had become friends.

So, is this how it all ends?

This is like a person who has never experienced light from the beginning; she might be willing to sink into darkness and quietly disappear.

But if she touches upon hope, then tells her that hope is about to disappear—