ace knows that when compared to The malleus draconia, there's really no reason for you to pick him as a partner. being your best friend, he tells himself, is just as good.
its not.
but its whatever! who cares! ace would much rather be able to hang out with you than to risk it and ruin your friendship with a lame confession. besides, he sees the way malleus looks at you and even if it twists this way and that in his chest at the sight, he still knows that a prince was the only right answer.
malleus draconia has a problem. he knows that when compared to The ace trappola, there's really no reason to pick him as a best friend. malleus is not as well versed in what humans are interested in and despite the late night walks and quiet conversations, malleus knows that the heartslabyul duo, specifically trappola, are deserving of the "best friend" title. maybe being just a friend would be enough for malleus?
it wasn't.
unbeknownst to a lot of people, malleus was selfish. it wasn't usually a trait he showed but it was more obvious when he hung out with you. in his excitement to finally have company other than those he considered family, he tended to strong arm conversations. could you blame him? he never once before had someone to discuss at length the things he was interested in and you were just so curious about everything in this world that you would let him ramble on for hours about this and that.
but alas, he still wasn't your best friend.
so malleus came up with a plan. he would set you and trappola together. a boyfriend was a whole new title and in the absence of a "best friend" malleus could swoop in and claim his rightful spot by your side. as the best friend.
THE. WAY BOTH JACK AND RUGGIE ADMIRE LEONA SO MYCH AND FEATURE HIM IN THEIR DREAMS đđđđ Jack making Leona basically nOT HAVE DEPRESSION QUFBWKANDK đđ and making him a fair player... Jack my boy... your dream is lovely but you made him do stuff hED NEVER DO đđ
AND RUGGIE. THE FACT HE AND LEONA NEVER MET IN THIS DREAM *BUT* THE AMAZING DRESM SCHOOL HE ATTENDS WAS SKGNKENAKjfkenalNIfjeksksn MADE/PROPOSED TO BE MADE (?) BY LEONA đđđ AND HE SAYS THAT PRINCE LEONA IS MORE POPULAR THAN FALENA AMONGST TYE YOUTH AJFNWKNudnekskalakdknsk tHEY WANT ME DEAD. D E A D.
and then ... ruggie says smth about him choosing the king he'll follow and LATER WHEN REFERRING TO LEONA HE SAYS SMTH TO JACK LIKE. "LET'S GO WAKE UP OUR KING" I'm fuckifnwjzbslakznaklNdkdkals akehueuqjakansksk THEY ADORE HIM SO MUCH. I CAN'T DO THIS.
So this means we'll get a full chapter ONLY for Leona's dream... I don't think we'll see him crying like Jack and Ruggie but GOD IF WE DO SEE THAT I'LL BE FOUND DEAD- i just knowwww that whichever way they go w it (the "he already knows it's a dream theory" or SMTH else), there WILL BE drama and I *WILL* die internally... my Leona plushies will pay the price (they will be hugged very tightly)
[Referencing the book 7 part 11 update!]
Me, coping: Oh, the book 7 Savanaclaw update is split into two parts? That means the first part must be dedicated to Jack and Ruggie and the second part must be Leona only. Surely this means I am free from being sniped in the Jack and Ruggie segment.
Me, from the future:
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ME EXPERIENCING THE FIVE STAGES OF GRIEF ALL AT ONCE
WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT đđđ I was kind of expecting some element of respecting their dorm leader to come up (definitely for Jack's), BUT NOT THIS EXTENT OTL
Of the two, Jack's dream was the more obvious one to feature Leona in a very positive light. His admiration for the guy was clear ever since book 2, in which Jack--someone who regularly sucks at expressing his feelings--confessed MULTIPLE TIMES that it was Leona's passionate magift play on TV that inspired Jack to follow in his footsteps. And that's why he was so disappointed to learn that the guy he admired all along was a scumbag that would play dirty to get ahead. The Leona in Jack's dream might be that version that Jack had in his head... The Leona he yearns for the attention and praise of, the Leona he thought was a virtuous leader who values hard work and good sportsmanship, the kind of person who gives speeches to inspire his team and helps people up by the hand when they fall.
Another reading could be that this is the Leona Jack believes is still possible if he works toward it, because this dream seems to be set a YEAR after their loss to Diasomnia. And this is Leona at his best and most dangerous because he's throwing literally everything he has into this training, so he'll probably do the same in combat; Yuu and co. have to develop a whole strategy in advance to isolate Jack because they KNOW they're going to get blasted by dream!Leona if they give any inkling of trying to wake the dreamer up. JACK LITERALLY DREAMED ABOUT LEONA THRIVING, BEING HIS BEST SELF... Jack, the self-proclaimed LONE WOLF, who claims he doesn't like GROUP ACTIVITIES/SPORTS, longs to be part of the pack that LEONA leads... But he won't follow just anyone, Jack has standards AND LEONA APPARENTLY MEETS ALL OF THEM (or, in Jack's eyes, Leona can meet those standards).
THEN WHEN JACK WAKES UP... Hoo, boy... The way he was smiling but then broke down into shouts and sobs... That's literally got to be my favorite kind of emotional distress (part of why I loved Idia's breakdown when he was introducing his newly built little brother to the Styx researchers). You can hear how betrayed he feels in his voice, all the raw emotion that didn't come through as strongly in book 2. ASKHLBLBIASDIVDAI SORRY TO DUNK ON BOOK 2 AGAIN BUT IT'S TRUE. Jack's feelings of betrayal... They were so blunted there, it felt like he was reacting to a minor setback (he seems to easily shrug off being called a traitor by the guy he supposedly admires) rather than genuinely being hurt. I'm glad that the emotional weight that wasn't addressed then is finally getting the spotlight it deserves now.
Then Ruggie's dream???? đ That one caught me SO off-guard. The way it opens with Yuu and co. suspecting it's Leona's dream because they arrived in Sunrise City, one of the few industrialized places in Sunset Savanna... The lore review of how it's difficult to get the people to get behind developing the land due to how it would negatively impact the nature they want to live in harmony with (plus the brand-new reveal that these disagreements can become VIOLENT)... and Idia realizing that this, THIS is why Leona actually decided to take an internship at an energy and mining lab back home--because Leona realized he cannot change the country on his own, no matter how often he butts heads with his brother. He needs even more knowledge and a team to work with him.
An NPC donut vendor lady randomly drops it on us that it's thanks the PRINCE LEONA that Ivorycliff Academy was able to be established. Not only that, but turns out Leona has graduated already and has spent his time after NRC building schools and establishing magift teams for Sunset Savanna (the latter being something Leona expressed interest in, as having a national sport and/or famous sporting teams can enhance his country's soft power). AND HE'S MORE POPULAR AMONG THE YOUTH THAN FALENA IS???????? MR. LEONA I-HATE-DEALING-WITH-KIDS KINGSCHOLAR IS POPULAR WITH... THE KIDS????? ? ?? ?? ?? ? ?? ?????? ?? ? đ The guy who claims to only help the underclassmen because they'd otherwise be an inconvenience to him... is admired by the same underclassmen... and now that has translated over to Ruggie's dream as the youth of Sunset Savanna loving him... OTL YOU'RE KIDDING ME RIGHT/????? ? ??? ? ??v????? ? ? ????
The most bewildering detail to me about Ruggie's dream is that he and Leona haven't met at all; Ruggie acts pretty clueless when asked about it and Leona graduated from a completely different school than him (NRC). There's no way they could have met, yet the dream still deemed that Leona was an important enough aspect of Ruggie's life that he was incorporated into it... and, unlike in real life, Leona now has the influence to make these systematic changes not just for bettering Ruggie's life, but the lives of everyone in Sunset Savanna...
UUUURURUGUUGHHGHHHHHHHGHGHHHHHHH H H HH H H HHHHHHH H H H HH H H AND THEN WWHEN RUGGIE FINALLY WAKES UP AND AND ANADNANDANDANASHADSNADSNADSNAN NDDDSDD SD SM ADSB,M ADSDBSM DDD HE CALLS HE WON'T FOLLOW A "FAKE KING", HE WANTS TO CHOSOE THE KING HE FOLLOWS đđđ RUGGIE TELLS JACK THEY SHOULD GO AND WAKE UP "OUR KING"... Ruggie, who constantly complains about how easy rich people have it and how hard Leona makes him work for his coin, is standing right here and HE'S CHOOSING LEONA.
This is all so crazy to think about because back in book 6 (citing the moment that broke me Yet Again, lmao) Leona implied that while he has hope in others (like Jamil), HE DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME HOPE FOR HIMSELF. But there's literally his whole dorm who trust him to lead them and their futures as professional athletes đ Jack who believes Leona is capable of being that shining, ideal senpai he dreamed of... Ruggie who believes Leona can and will change not only his life for the better, but also the lives of marginalized beastmen like hyenas, the younger generation, and heck, why not their whole country too... OTL
THIS IS LITERALLY THE WORST POSSIBLE OUTDCOME FOR ME... . . . . ....... . .. . . . .. . / / / / / . . . .. . .. ... . . . ... . . YOU JAVE JACK'S DREAM SUPPLYING THE RELIABLE BIG BRO/ONII-SAN LEONA... THEN RUGIGE'S DREAM SUPPYL inG THE SMAR TDETERMINED PRINCE LEONA ... AND THEN NEXT UPDAT.E.XBBCXL V.CV . . . . . . . . ...... .. .. . . . . OTL ASCTUAL LEOPJNA DFGFAYVAFIVAVIYAIAGIGEIYGEPEIQAGfhgpaebpyrwqeg,hpgqeugqm[gqepg./l.,pjm9hmh4 gephmhurwhbaudavmudfsgnyofegnyoifui
GOD IF EW SEE THAT BITCH CRYi NG gkj eabihlaegbiaegibyegoqetpr13569 87q3tbkhl3o tyb6fOfonfOTFsugfaiugfanyoigFGION qit' S LEOVER FOR MEAMBFFVHAJVFFVEUGFO EOFAENYFEOFHdhmFSLJGADFsmf aLALLL OF HIS PENT IUP FRUSTRATIONS JUST SPILLING OIUT;V .F,DSBFAHLFLFFNODGOVSMHFAV UEGOFEAHMAEGDGSKPFSHIM THE RAGE AT MALLEUS DFN BAFVKJAFYGLAFGIDGIDGIODGSOIDN FOR FOTRICNG THIS LIE UPON HIMFDS NFASVAEFBLADFIOBY AGIOQEGONYFWmpdphGAMGobf IT'D BE SO SEXSYFDH HOT IF HE KNEW IT WAS A DREAM ALL ALONG PELEEEEEASE đ I'M ONT MY HANDS NAD NDD KNEEESLSD DFS,SFHBAFLHAFDLI EO FQEYG VADGNOVSHUPVPUFFmhagyo 4wpeq/pll.,wjph9q80th9umpdbsaihoadnFSuov fsogyFSGUOFSu SNOGYAVUO FSA
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Ah-HEM!! đ Sorry, I don't know what overcame me... I just blacked out and when I came to I don't remember what I was doing or saying for the past several minutes đ Now if you'll excuse me, I am filled with an intense desire to enact violence on the nearest lion-shaped object I can get my hands on--
You guys/gals took the words right out of my mouth and I'm crying while reading through everything đ
Because this is why I love the Savanaclaw Dorm, especially Ruggie and Leona, because they (Jack & Ruggie) both agreed that Leona is capable and worth more than the lion thought of himself and Ruggie doesn't want a King other than Leona đ Sure Leona won't get the throne itself, but the fact his actions could be worthy of a king? Yes.
LEONA, THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE THAT MUCH BELIEF AND FAITH IN YOU PROVES THAT YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES! YOUR ENTIRE DORM IS BEHIND YOU- ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS KEEP MOVING FORWARD WITH HEAD HELD HIGH đ
I've seen a lot of theories and headcanons being thrown around about how Skully's ghost would linger in Ramshackle and stuff like that, so consider this:
What if when Yuu and Grim were evicted from Ramshackle during Book 3, Skully rounded up the other ghosts and literally made Ramshackle a haunted mansion and caused chaos for the Octavinelle trio.
(It just peeved me that for someone trying to appear "benevolent", he would kick someone out from their sole resident and whatnot - and don't get me started on Crowley dangling the threat of withholding the food budget.)
(Ps. I'm nearly done with Book 3 but I am sort of updated with spoilers, and I'm not the most critical individual so don't come after me if my current impression of a character doesn't fit your analysis because I don't have the bigger picture yet.)
When I heard the line "you know what my mother is like- she's a complete and total control freak..." Riddle's face was the first character that came to mind, and it hurts.
The longer I listen to the song, the more I keep associating it with him.
With the lyrics "you're not yourself; you're not what you want - you're someone in between..." it's like alluding to the circumstances of Riddle wanting to experience things of his own accord and try what he wants, but at the same time, as a child, he yearns for his mother's approval.
Like, he didn't want to become a tyrant, but since his mother's rules are right, surely he has to be... right?
And doesnât it just make you want to go like this?
Sebek, you know what to do.
No because what is this endless cycle of âI can love them but they canât love me?â
I know I talked about their self-hatred a bit here.
I know the apple doesnât fall far from the tree but this is ridiculous??
Always seeing it as a lens of giving to others but not recieving.
Lilia -> hatches Malleus and wakes Silver but runs away from them.
Malleus -> wants to make Lilia proud and helps raise Silver but doesnât see the happiness his birth brought and calls himself useless in front of Silver who took comfort in him enough to be vulnerable with him.
Silver -> loves Lilia and Malleus but believes he doesnât deserve that love given his heritage.
Sebek is out here just: đ§ââïž âIâm surrounded by idiotsâ
Itâs just so frustrating?? I know thereâs learned habits of love but itâs ridiculous when you have learned habits of sacrifice too.
Because if you are always thinking about love this way, arenât you diminishing the love given to you?
In return, does that not continue this cycle? That we see? Over and over? Because you are not receiving it as was intended hence the one who gives it to you freelyâŠfeels itâs not enough. Will never be enough. So they try harder and feel this self-depreciation because of it.
When that is not true!! It is enough! Always enough!! Ahhhhhh *hugs Sebek* đđđ
(There are many more moments that show this cycle between the three but I chose these moments because they are the most well known and tumblr 10 limit image on the app my beloathed.)
Was listening to a mixed playlist when it played and it just clicked.
For me, Ruggie is so hardworking and resilient as much as he is craftly and sly - because working that many odd and part-time jobs so that he can get by and provide for his family in the slums? My hat's off to him.
And surely, he has a big dream deep down; hypothetically, let's say it's being a professional Spelldrive player where the recognition is maybe implied to be a great honor - like, it would awe and inspire others when someone from the slums have strong magic and skills to be recognized and recruited as a professional player.
He works hard, moves forward, and never gave up in his dream (especially when faced with an Overblotted Leona).
Trash Novel Chronicles: Love Triangles and Royal Rumbles - Leona Kingscholar x Reader
When you get isekai'd as the male lead in the novel where your favorite character, Leona Kingscholar is the second male lead, all that's left to do is rewrite the romance!
Part 1 with Vil ; Part 2 with Riddle ; Part 3 with Lilia ; Part 4 with Malleus ; Part 5 with Azul
You're just an average person, doing normal human things like eating, sleeping, and, of course, staring at your poster of Leona Kingscholar for three hours straight. Totally healthy behavior. People have hobbies, right? Some knit, some jog, and youâŠ? You defend your fictional lion husband from slander on the internet. Youâre practically a digital knight in shining armor.
The villainess? Obviously in love with the male lead too, but her one and only goal in life is making the heroineâs existence a never-ending trainwreck of public embarrassment. And the male lead? Sweet summer child. He just wants to get his degree and avoid eye contact with all of these lunatics.
Enter: Leona Kingscholar, the second male lead. The man, the myth, the walking sarcasm machine. Heâs there purely to fuel jealousy in everyone elseâs love story, but for you? Heâs everything. The brooding, lazy, hot second male lead who rolls his eyes at every plot point like heâs just as done with this novel as you are. He has better things to do, like nap, but here he is, dragged into this mess by proximity.
If it were up to you, he and the male lead would run off together, leave the heroine and villainess to start their own hobby club about emotional devastation, and the two guys would live happily ever after in matching beach chairs somewhere.
But no. Instead, youâre stuck reading about her fawning over him while Leona is just⊠there. Existing. The only thing keeping your interest alive.
And now? Now, your loyalty to Leona Kingscholar is about to pay off. The fan event of the century is just days away. Itâs going to be glorious. A whole day dedicated to Leonaâmerch, fan contests, life-sized cardboard cutouts (which, letâs be honest, youâre ready to risk it all for). You've cleared your schedule, mentally prepared yourself for the inevitable squealing, and created a battle plan for acquiring the best merch before everyone else.
But fate? Fateâs cruel.
Youâre casually defending Leonaâs honor online as usual, battling some no-name troll who dares to claim that the male lead is "better written." (HA! You laugh in their wrong face.) But thenâwhatâs this? A an likes your tweet about Leona! And not just any author. THE ONE YOU LOVE. The serotonin shoots through you like an adrenaline shot straight to the brain.
Your heartâs racing. Youâre vibrating at a frequency only dogs can hear. You leap out of your chair like some majestic gazelleâor at least thatâs what you tell yourself as you promptly trip over the plushie army that guards your floor.
Before you know it, youâre tumbling, body flailing like a noodle, bouncing down the stairs in what feels like slow motion. The world spins. Your merch shelves mock you from the distance. You land at the bottom in a heap, your soul floating just above your body.
"Is this⊠how it ends?" you wheeze, gasping for breath, more in shock than pain. As your vision starts to fade, all you can think is: I never made it to the Leona eventâŠ.
And with that, you die. Crushed under the weight of fandom.
You wake up, and your first thought isnât the usual, âOh, Iâve been isekaiâd into a new world, how fascinating, Iâll have time to adjust in a moment of peace and reflection.â No. You wake up and it hits you like a brick: Oh no. Female lead.
But then, a beam of hope breaks through the clouds of despair and shines down on you like a heavenly spotlight: Wait. Leona Kingscholar is here.
Before you can even revel in the thought of being in the same universe as your broody lion crush, reality smacks you upside the head. Loud voices are pulling you back to the scene unfolding right in front of your very eyes.
You blink. Hold on. This is not a bedroom, and this is definitely not a private moment to gather your thoughts like in every other isekai novel. Oh no, youâve been thrown directly into the group project scene.
You know, the one where the villainess is sharpening her claws on the heroine while Leona watches from the sidelines like heâs two seconds away from a permanent nap? Yeah, youâre smack in the middle of it.
The villainess, looking as pissed off as usual, is glaring daggers at the trembling heroine, who is staring at you with those wide, teary eyes like youâre supposed to swoop in and save her from this verbal smackdown.
You take one look at the heroine. Sheâs giving you this look like youâre her knight in shining armor, expecting you to throw yourself in front of her and deliver some dramatic monologue about kindness and decency. And you? You're mentally checking out of this scene faster than the speed of light.
Nah. Youâre not about that life.
Your gaze drifts to Leona, sitting on the far side of the room, slouched over like heâs wondering why heâs being subjected to this emotional soap opera when he could be napping. His face screams "done," and honestly? Same. He meets your gaze, eyes half-lidded and bored, probably hoping youâll do the usual male lead routine and put an end to this nonsense.
But oh no, todayâs different.
You casually stroll over to where Leona is sitting, ignoring the drama unfolding behind you. With the swagger of someone who knows exactly what theyâre about to do is going to blow some minds, you hold out your hand to him. "So, uh⊠you want to ditch this disaster and go take a nap? Or maybe raid the kitchens? Iâm thinking we play hooky and pretend this never happened."
Leonaâs eyes flicker with surprise for half a second. The male lead? The goody-two-shoes-moral-compass of the entire plot? The guy who literally lived to stop drama in its tracks? Is offering to blow off this whole mess? He raises an eyebrow, smirking like the cat who caught the canary.
"Didnât think you had it in you," Leona drawls, but you can tell heâs already down for this. "Alright. Letâs go. If anyone asks, Iâm gonna say you dragged me out."
"Deal," you say, trying not to look too smug. And with that, you turn on your heel, and with Leona at your side, you head for the door, leaving behind a shell-shocked villainess and a teary-eyed heroine whoâs probably still processing the fact that her supposed knight in shining armor just dipped.
As you and Leona stroll out, you hear the villainess mutter, âWhat⊠just happened?â and you canât help but grin. You may have just turned the plot upside down, but at least youâre doing it in style.
"Hey, Leona," you say, nudging him, "think we can find some of those fancy desserts in the kitchen? Iâm starving."
Leona snorts, shoving his hands into his pockets. "If youâre buying, sure."
And just like that, the male lead and the second male lead walk off into the sunsetâor rather, the campus courtyardâhand in hand with a new mission: Avoiding all future plot nonsense at all costs.
But you guess thatâs what happens when you get isekaiâd into a second-rate villainess story. The only thing missing is a glass slipper and some woodland creatures to sing with.
And of course, surprise! The ball isnât just some casual evening of sipping punch and avoiding the villainessâs death stares. No, if you donât nail the ball, you donât graduate. Because nothing says "academic achievement" like knowing how to waltz while dressed like a background character from Bridgerton.
So here you are, in ball lessons, where everyone is nervously pairing off while youâre trying not to roll your eyes into another dimension. The heroine, with her usual doe-eyed sparkle, gets paired with you first. And letâs be real: sheâs either terrible at dancing, or sheâs using this as an excuse to get you to hold her close.
But you? Oh no. Youâve read enough of this garbage to know where thatâs going, and you have zero interest in playing out the âclose embrace, sparks flying, almost-kissâ trope. Absolutely not.
As soon as the music starts, you decide itâs time to act. You let your feet stumbleâdeliberately, of courseâand flail around like youâve never seen a ballroom floor in your life. The heroine, bless her clueless heart, giggles like she thinks youâre just being cute, but youâre not about to humor this. When the instructorâs eyes lock onto you, you seize the opportunity.
"Oh no!" you say dramatically, throwing a hand over your forehead like youâre in some kind of soap opera. "Iâm so bad at this. Could someone please teach me how to dance?"
You pause, glance around the room, and then lock eyes with Leona Kingscholar.
"Leona!" you shout, loud enough that the whole room freezes. "Youâre the second prince! You mustâve had etiquette lessons, right? Teach me how to dance!"
The room collectively loses its mind. The heroine looks like youâve just slapped her with a glove and challenged her to a duel. The villainess is staring at you like youâve lost your marbles. And Leona? Leonaâs expression is somewhere between utter confusion and why me.
Leona leans back, crossing his arms, visibly annoyed. âYouâve got to be kidding me,â he mutters, but thereâs no denying the faint twitch of a smirk at the corner of his mouth when he sees the heroine and villainess get shoved into an awkward dancing pair together.
Despite his clear irritation, Leona steps forward, because letâs face it, heâs the kind of guy whoâll humor you if it means avoiding worse drama. You slide into position with him, and honestly? Youâre in heaven. You can barely focus on your feet, too busy trying to hide your grin while you imagine all the drama this is causing behind you.
Meanwhile, the heroine and the villainess are floundering around, tripping over each other like theyâve got two left feet each. The villainess is grinding her teeth, and the heroine keeps stepping on her toes. Itâs a glorious disaster.
Leona, despite his annoyance, is surprisingly good at this. Heâs leading with the kind of effortless grace that makes you wonder how someone so lazy can still be so competent at everything. Youâre definitely not staring at his sharp features while he dances, not at all.
"You do realize this is a waste of time, right?" Leona grumbles under his breath, his eyes flicking to the chaos unfolding behind you. "Why me, herbivore? You couldâve asked anyone else."
You just shrug, trying not to sound too smug. "What can I say? I have excellent taste in dance partners."
Leonaâs brow twitches like heâs torn between smirking and rolling his eyes. "Yeah, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night." But the smirk wins out, especially when the villainess and heroine fumble yet again, nearly toppling over each other.
You glance up at him, beaming. Leona Kingscholar might be annoyed, but heâs not stopping anytime soon. And you? Youâre just here for the ride, watching the heroine and villainess self-destruct from the safety of Leonaâs arms.
Ball lessons? Piece of cake.
Youâve been doing everything humanly possible to avoid the female lead like sheâs a carrier of the medieval plague. You thought youâd be safe here, hiding behind your âIâm too busy and mysterious for romanceâ persona, but noâsomehowâthe more you avoid her, the more sheâs convinced that youâre the dark, brooding, irresistible male lead sheâs always dreamed of.
You know, the type who avoids emotional connections but secretly harbors a heart of gold. But the truth is, youâre just a guy trying to get through the day so you can swoon over Leona Kingscholar in peace.
Itâs not like youâve been subtle about it either. Youâve been dropping hints left and right, hoping the universe would give you a break and let the female lead fall in love with literally anyone else. But no. Somehow, everyone is ignoring your very obvious affection for Leona.
Itâs like youâre stuck in a tragic comedy where the female lead falls harder for you the more you try to disappear, and Leona just⊠well, heâs just living his best life, completely unaware of your internal screaming.
Take the latest tea party, for example. You were just trying to enjoy some pastries, maybe steal a glance at Leona from across the table, when the heroine decides to make her move. She picks up a delicate slice of cake and holds it out to you, eyes sparkling with that innocent-yet-hopeful look that says, âThis is our moment.â
You? Youâre not having any of that. Nope. No way. Youâre not about to be part of this rom-com narrative. So, without missing a beat, you casually take the cake from her and, in one smooth motion, turn and offer it to Leona, whoâs lounging lazily next to you, looking like heâd rather be anywhere else.
Leona raises an eyebrow at you, clearly baffled by why youâre holding out cake like heâs some sort of royal who expects to be hand-fed. âWhat are you doing?â he mutters, looking suspiciously between you and the cake.
âJust thought youâd like some,â you say with a straight face, ignoring the heroineâs stunned expression. Sheâs sitting there, fork still poised in the air, blinking rapidly like youâve just committed the greatest betrayal of the century.
Leona huffs, looking mildly irritated but mostly confused. After a pause, he shrugs and leans forward, taking a bite of the cake without even bothering to lift his own hand. âWhatever,â he mutters between chews. âTastes fine.â
You nod, satisfied. Meanwhile, the heroine looks like sheâs on the verge of tears, and the villainess is smirking in the background like sheâs about to take out popcorn and enjoy the drama.
Later that day, you find a nice, quiet spot under a tree to relax. Youâve managed to avoid any major incidents so far, and for once, youâre not being dragged into some dramatic showdown. You lie back, close your eyes, and just let yourself chill. But, of course, the universe doesnât want you to have peace.
Enter Leona.
Without a word, he flops down next to you, takes one look at your position, and decidesâout of all the places he could sitâthat your lap is the best pillow option available. You feel his head plop down on your lap like this is the most normal thing in the world. You stare down at him, completely dumbfounded, while he just closes his eyes and lets out a long, satisfied sigh.
âLeona?â you start, voice half bewildered, half amused. âYou good?â
âShut up,â he mutters without opening his eyes. âYouâre more comfortable than the grass.â
You blink at him, not sure whether to laugh or cry. Meanwhile, the villainess strolls by, spots the two of you under the tree, and comes to an immediate halt. Her face contorts into a mix of disbelief and confusion, like sheâs just witnessed something unholy. You can almost hear her mental scream of, what the hell is going on here?!
She doesnât say anything, though. Just stands there, hands clenched, before turning on her heel and storming off. You donât even care. Youâre too busy reveling in the fact that Leona chose your lap as his personal resting place. If that isnât a win, you donât know what is.
And then, of course, thereâs the infamous hallway incident. The heroineâwho, by this point, youâre pretty sure has developed some kind of radar for finding youâcomes running toward you. She trips over something (the air? her own foot? you donât know) and launches herself straight into your arms in what is clearly an attempt to trigger some rom-com, slow-motion embrace.
But you? Youâre not here for this.
With the reflexes of a seasoned avoider, you sidestep her dramatic fall, and she goes face-first into the floor. Thereâs a stunned silence as she lies there, unmoving, probably processing how she ended up eating dirt.
You glance over at Leona, whoâs watching the whole thing with a lazy smirk, clearly enjoying the trainwreck. You give him a slight nod of approval, and he just rolls his eyes, a small grin still tugging at his lips.
The villainess, standing a few feet away, is laughing her head off. Sheâs doubled over, clutching her stomach, while the heroineâs dignity is scattered all over the floor. But you? Youâre just staring at Leona, completely ignoring the chaos around you.
Somehow, despite all the madness, you canât help but think: this is fine.
The day of the big spelldrive match arrives, and the heroine has never looked more confident in her life. Sheâs decked out in her teamâs colors, standing tall at the edge of the field, waiting for you to join her in your usual spot. You know, like a loyal dog. A loyal, obedient dog who always does what she expects.
But not today.
Today, you roll up to the game decked out head to toe in full Savanaclaw merch. We're talking a custom jersey with Leonaâs name on the back, a headband, face paint, andâjust to really emphasize the pointâa Savanaclaw banner tied around your neck like youâve decided to cosplay as Captain Lion Fang.
You take your seat in the Savanaclaw section and immediately start hyping up the crowd like youâre getting paid for it. The heroine spots you from across the field and stares like sheâs watching a crime scene unfold in real-time. Meanwhile, Leonaâs already spotted you, and the smug smirk on his face tells you heâs LOVING the attention.
The game kicks off, and with each goal Leona scores, youâre going feral.
Youâre screaming your lungs out, waving your banner around like youâre auditioning for some weird mascot gig. People are looking at you like youâve lost your mind, but you donât care. This is YOUR moment.
Leona, on the field, is living for it. Every time he glances your way, he adds a little extra flair to his plays, just to make you scream louder. He scores, and youâre on your feet, jumping up and down like youâve won the lottery.
At this point, the heroine is practically catatonic. Her world is crumbling before her eyes. You can practically see her brain struggling to process what sheâs witnessing: you, her loyal supporter, decked out in Savanaclaw gear and cheering for her rival.
âI... I donât understandâŠâ she whispers, her voice trembling like sheâs been betrayed by the universe itself. âWhy arenât you cheering for us?â
You turn to her with all the nonchalance of someone whoâs just ordered fries at a drive-thru. âUh⊠Leonaâs hot?â
Itâs like you slapped her across the face with a wet fish. She stands there, frozen, her eyes wide, like sheâs witnessing the fall of an empire. "B-But... you're supposed to support me!"
Before you can reply with another devastating truth bomb, Leona casually strolls over after winning the game, looking like he just walked out of a perfume ad. His hairâs tousled, a thin sheen of sweat making him look even more annoyingly handsome. He stops in front of you, smirking like heâs been planning this moment his entire life.
"Didnât know you were my biggest fan," he drawls, voice low and lazy. âGotta say, Iâm impressed with your enthusiasm. Screaminâ my name like that⊠kinda hard to ignore.â
You open your mouth, ready to fire back with something witty, but what comes out is more of a high-pitched squeak, followed by, âHahaha, Y-Yeah⊠youâre welcome?â
And then, the words that break you: âHow âbout we celebrate with a nap?â
Your brain freezes. A nap? You? With Leona? Your heart is doing cartwheels while the rest of your organs are busy melting into a puddle. Your mouth is moving, but all that comes out is an unintelligible âUhhuhmm.â
Leona chuckles, clearly enjoying how flustered you are. He reaches out, grabbing your wrist, and starts dragging you off with himâright in front of everyone. He doesnât even care that the entire field is watching. Heâs already made up his mind.
The heroine, meanwhile, is standing there in stunned silence, her brain fully blue-screening as she watches you and Leona disappear. Sheâs still processing the Leonaâs comment when the villainess, who has been observing this whole disaster unfold, finally chimes in from the sidelines with a shrug.
âWell, as long as itâs not the heroine,â she says, flicking her hair back with an air of satisfaction. âThis is fine.â
And off you go, being dragged to a nap date youâre definitely not mentally prepared for, your face burning hotter than the sun. Leona glances back at you, that smug smirk still plastered on his face. "Youâre lookinâ a little red there. You sure youâre up for this?"
You sputter, tripping over your own words. "I-Iâm fine! Totally fine! Nap? Cool! Casual napping! No big deal!â
Leona just chuckles again, clearly entertained by how much you're floundering. âIf you say so. Just donât pass out before we get there.â
Yeah. Donât pass out. Easier said than done when the man of your dreams is casually dragging you off to nap like it's no big deal while your brain screams at you in ten different languages.
This is fine. Totally fine. Youâre fine.
Maybe.
You were sitting with Jack and Ruggie at the cafeteria, chatting about nothing in particularâwell, Jack was chatting. Ruggie was there purely because you promised to pay for his lunch. Still, youâd like to think that maybe, just maybe, he stuck around because he actually enjoyed your company. Maybe.
âSo, any tips on how to deal with midterms?â Jack asked, ears twitching as he looked at you with that wide-eyed eagerness that only first-years ever had. He was honestly like a giant puppy, trying so hard to be good.
You leaned back in your chair, doing your best impression of a wise and worldly senior, which mostly involved pretending you werenât sweating about your own midterms. âMy advice? Caffeine. And if you have the chance to sleep, take it. Oh, and donât forget to eat. I learned that one the hard way.â
Jack nodded seriously, committing it all to memory like you were passing down sacred knowledge. Meanwhile, Ruggie was on his third helping of food, barely acknowledging the conversation.
"Hey, if you're handing out wisdom, how âbout you tell me how to get free food more often?â Ruggie said between bites, shooting you a cheeky grin.
âIsnât that already your specialty?â you shot back, eyeing the mountain of food in front of him.
He just laughed. âCanât argue with that, but having backup plans never hurt.â
Before you could respond, you felt a shadow fall over the table. You looked up, half expecting it to be the heroine or some random classmate, but nope. It was Leona. Leona, who you were 99% sure had skipped class because he always skips class. And he looked⊠annoyed?
Oh no.
He ignored Jack and Ruggie completely, his sharp gaze zeroing in on you like youâd committed some grave crime. âOi, herbivore,â he drawled, hands in his pockets like this wasnât weird at all. âLetâs go.â
âGo where?â you asked, blinking up at him. Leona never approached people unless he wanted something.
âTo the tree,â he said flatly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
âThe tree?â Jack echoed, ears perking up in confusion.
Ruggie, on the other hand, was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. âOho~ Someoneâs in demand.â
Leona shot Ruggie a look that couldâve curdled milk. âShut it, Ruggie.â
Your brain was still trying to process the situation. You were sitting here, minding your own business, giving sage advice about caffeine and survival, and now Leona was dragging you off to his tree like it was completely normal?
He didnât wait for an answer. He just grabbed your wrist, yanking you up from your seat as if this was some kind of kidnap situation, and started walking toward the courtyard.
âUhâLeona? Whatâs going on?â you asked, doing your best to keep up without tripping over your own feet.
Leona didnât even look back. âYouâre talkinâ too much. Need some peace and quiet.â
You blinked, thoroughly confused but not necessarily mad about being dragged off. Itâs just⊠âWhy am I involved in your nap plans?â
ââCause I said so.â
Wow, cryptic. You were about to ask again when you reached the tree. The infamous Leona nap spot. He plopped down against the trunk and, before you could protest, pulled you down next to him. Without another word, he stretched out andâbecause apparently boundaries didnât existârested his head on your lap.
This was⊠This was happening.
You glanced around, half expecting to see a camera crew pop out and tell you this was some elaborate prank, but nope. Leona was lounging on you like it was the most natural thing in the world, eyes already closed, arms crossed behind his head.
âUh, Leona?â
âShut up. Mâ tryinâ to sleep.â
You stared down at him, your brain short-circuiting. This was the third time this week heâd done this. Just⊠kidnapped you for a nap. What was his deal? Was your lap particularly comfortable? Did you radiate some kind of sleepy aura? What was going on here?
Meanwhile, from the distance, you spotted her. The villainess. Watching. For the third time in as many days. And you could see it. You could see the moment she put the pieces together. Her eyes widened in slow realization, her lips twitching into a smirk. She knew. She finally knew.
When Leona finally woke upâafter what felt like hours of you sitting there, too dazed to moveâyou were free. For now. He stretched lazily and gave you a casual âThanks,â as if this wasnât the most bizarre situation youâd ever been in, and you quickly scrambled away, making your way back to the dorms with your head spinning.
And thatâs when the villainess cornered you.
Oh no.
There she was, leaning against the doorframe with a knowing look, her sharp gaze trained on you like a predator sizing up its prey. You swallowed nervously. She was about to confront you about the heroine, wasnât she? This was it. This was the moment. Was she going to declare some rivalry? Challenge you to a duel? Confess to you? Make this whole thing painfully awkward?
She smiled, and it was not the evil grin you were expecting. âIâm on your side.â
You blinked. ââŠWhat?â
She pushed off the wall, stepping closer, her eyes gleaming with a new kind of intensity. âLeona. I know youâre after him.â
Your heart stopped. This was it. She was going to call you out andâwait, what did she just say?
âIâll help you confess to Leona,â she said, matter-of-factly. âOn one condition.â
You were staring at her like sheâd just sprouted wings and started speaking in tongues. âYou⊠will?â
She nodded. âYes. If you help me become more influential than that heroine, Iâll help you get Leona to notice you more.â
You blinked again, processing her words. She wanted your help to outshine the heroine, and in exchange, sheâd be your wingwoman? Wingwoman?!
You grinned, holding out your hand for a dramatic shake. âHell yeah.â
She clasped your hand, her smile mirroring yours. "Consider it a deal."
And just like that, you walked away from the most unexpected alliance of your life, fully equipped with a villainess-turned-wingwoman and a new plan to win over Leona.
Honestly? Life was getting weirder by the day.
âOkay, so just to confirm,â Ruggieâs eyes glinted with mischief as he leaned back in his chair, arms folded behind his head. âYou want us to sit through this poetry reading,â he said, drawing out the word like it was some cursed phrase, âand cheer for the villainess. And in return, I get all the food left over?â
âYup,â you nodded, trying to keep a straight face.
âAnd Jackâs here becauseâŠ?â
âI asked him nicely.â
Jack shrugged, tail flicking behind him. âIâm just here to help.â
Ruggie snorted, glancing at you with a grin. âThis better be some damn good poetry then. And the food better be worth it.â
âOh, trust me,â you said, patting Ruggie on the back. âIt will be.â
Little did you know, this was going to be a disaster of epic proportions.
The poetry reading started as expectedâwith the heroine striding up to the front of the room, practically glowing under the dim spotlight. She cleared her throat, clasped her hands dramatically, and began.
âIt was a night⊠much like tonightâŠâ
Your first instinct was to cringe, but you held it in, glancing sideways at Jack and Ruggie. Jack was doing his best to stay stoic, but you could see his ears twitching in discomfort. Ruggie had his hand over his mouth, clearly biting back laughter.
The poem continued, painfully dragging on about stars and roses and something about âdestinyâs kiss.â By the time she reached the end, there was a collective sigh of relief from the audience. You werenât even sure what you had just listened to, but you knew it wasnât good.
Jack⊠Jack was crying. You stared at him, horrified. âAre you okay?â
âItâs⊠itâs so bad,â he sniffed, wiping his eyes. âI didnât know poetry could be this bad.â
Ruggie had his face buried in his hands, shoulders shaking with silent laughter. âThis is better than I thought,â he wheezed.
You shot him a look, but even you had to admit, this was pure comedy gold. Poor Jack had no idea what hit him.
The villainess, bless her heart, was watching all of this unfold with a look of shock and confusion, but when it was finally her turn to read, she stepped up like a queen. Her voice was smooth, the words flowing like silk, and you couldnât help but be genuinely impressed. She absolutely killed it.
The plan was working perfectly. You and your crew started clapping, cheering like you were at a rock concert. Jack, who was still recovering from the emotional trauma of the heroineâs poem, clapped too, albeit more quietly.
But just as you were about to get even louder, you felt a hand on your shoulder. âOi, sit down,â Leona grumbled, pulling you back into your seat.
âWhatâ?â
He didnât offer any explanation, just kept you firmly seated next to him, his face set in a bored expression. You blinked in confusion but decided not to argue. It wasnât like you didnât enjoy sitting next to Leona⊠it was just weird.
And by the grin the villainess was sporting, it seems like everything went exactly according to plan. Both for her and you.
After the poetry reading wrapped up, you gathered the leftovers like you promised. Ruggie was already hovering around, practically drooling over the spread.
âHere, take it all,â you said, handing the basket over. âDealâs a deal.â
Ruggie beamed, clutching the food to his chest like a treasure hoard. âPleasure doing business with ya!â
Jack was much more polite, bowing his head slightly. âThanks for the notes. Theyâll be a big help.â
âAnytime,â you replied with a smile, watching the two of them head off. Ruggie was already halfway through a sandwich, talking a mile a minute, while Jack followed along, still looking like he might need therapy after the heroineâs performance.
That left you alone⊠with Leona, who had been standing off to the side, arms crossed, watching you with an unreadable expression.
âWhat?â you asked, half-expecting him to complain about something. He always had something to complain about.
âYou mind explaining what the hell that was?â
âUh⊠what do you mean?â
Leonaâs tail flicked in irritation, his eyes narrowing. âIâm talking about you, whispering and giggling with that villainess all the time. What, you after her now that you ditched the heroine?â
You blinked at him, utterly baffled. âWhat? No, of course not. Why would I be after her?â
Leonaâs jaw clenched. âYou tell me. All Iâve seen is you hanginâ around with her, whispering, plottinâ... Iâve seen how you look at her.â
It took a moment for your brain to catch up, but then it hit you like a ton of bricks.
Oh my god. He was jealous.
A slow grin spread across your face as the realization sunk in. Leona, Leona Kingscholar, was jealous. And over you.
Before you could stop yourself, you leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. âYouâre jealous~.â
Leona froze, his eyes widening for a split second before narrowing dangerously. âWhat?â
âYouâre jealous,â you repeated, giddiness bubbling up inside you. You could barely contain your excitement. âYouâre jealous of me hanging out with the villainess!â
Leonaâs lips pulled into a thin line. âYouâre imagining things.â
âOh no, no, no,â you grinned even wider, poking him in the chest. âYouâre totally jealous!â
Leona growled, looking thoroughly annoyed now, but before he could snap back, you quickly explained. âLook, I made a deal with her. I help her become more influential than the heroine, and she helps me⊠confess to you.â
Leona blinked, taken aback, his tail flicking behind him as if processing the information. Then, in true Leona fashion, his expression shifted from irritation to smugness in record time.
âOh?â
You sighed, shaking your head. âYeah, so you donât have to worry about me chasing after anyone else.â
Leona stepped closer, his voice dropping low, that usual lazy drawl making your heart do a little flip. âGood. But just so you know, cheek kisses arenât real kisses.â
Before you could ask what he meant, Leona leaned in and kissed youâproperly kissed you. Your eyes went wide for a second before you melted into it, feeling the heat of his lips against yours. He pulled back after what felt like forever, a smirk on his face as he watched you try to catch your breath.
âThere. Thatâs a real kiss,â he murmured, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction.
You stared at him, dazed, and then a sudden realization hit you.
You left your entire life behind, all for this moment.
And you were so, so glad that stupid plushie was on the floor, because this? This was totally worth it.
The heroineâs voice was as sweet as it was grating, like sugar poured directly into your ears. She fluttered her eyelashes at you, her smile stretched painfully wide. âSo, I was thinking,â she began, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. âYou would make the perfect knight for my family! Donât you think so?â
You blinked, trying to figure out a way to escape. âUh⊠Iâm kind of busy with, you know, my own life?â
âOh, but imagine!â she gushed, not hearing a word you said. âWeâd be so close all the timeâlike, so close. You could protect me, and maybe⊠we could have a picnic under the stars? Very romantic, right?â
Your soul was trying to leave your body. You were pretty sure Jackâs ears twitched somewhere nearby, sensing your pain telepathically. And then, like a gift from the heavens, the villainessâyour beloved accomplice in all things anti-heroineâmade her appearance.
âSorry to interrupt,â she said, stepping between you and the heroine with the grace of someone who had seen this movie before and knew exactly how to cut to the good parts. âBut I need them for an urgent matter. A very important, not-at-all-romantic-but-very-necessary mission.â
You shot her a look of pure gratitude, but before she could fully rescue you from the heroineâs death trap of unwanted flirting, a shadow loomed over the scene. A very familiar shadow.
Leona.
Without saying a word, he strode up behind you and casually wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you back against his chest with an ease that had your heart skipping a beat. He rested his chin on your shoulder, his sharp green eyes fixed on the heroine.
âOh no, carry on,â he said lazily, but his tone was anything but. âIâm just here to see what my mate is up to.â
The heroine blinked in shock, her hands hovering mid-air as if she had no idea what to do with this development. âY-Your mate?â
âYeah,â Leona said, tightening his grip around you, his smirk downright feral. âSo whatever little fantasy youâre cooking up about romantic picnics or whateverâcut it out. This oneâs mine.â
You felt Leonaâs lips brush against your temple before he leaned in and, in full view of the now-utterly-horrified heroine, kissed the side of your neck. Slowly. Possessively.
You could almost hear the villainess muffling a laugh behind her hand.
The heroineâs face turned several shades of red as she stammered. âB-But Iââ
âYou,â Leona said, his tone dripping with amusement, âcan fuck right off.â
The heroine gasped, her hand flying to her chest like sheâd been physically struck. âYou canât just say that to me!â
Leona raised a brow, looking thoroughly unimpressed. âIâm literally the second prince. I can say whatever the hell I want.â
The heroine opened her mouth to argue, but then realized that, no, actually, she couldnât argue with the literal second prince staking his claim. She sputtered for a moment before storming off, no doubt to sob dramatically about her dashed romantic hopes.
Once she was out of sight, the villainess finally let out a snort of laughter. âThat was beautiful.â
Leona ignored her, his grip still firm around you as he leaned down to whisper, âNext time, you wonât need her to help you out. Just say my name, and Iâll be there to deal with the pests.â
You stared at him, a little dazed from the whole whirlwind of possessiveness, public displays of affection, and telling someone to âfuck right off.â âYou really went for it, huh?â
Leona smirked, leaning in for another kiss. âDamn right I did. And donât you forget it.â
Somewhere behind you, the villainess was still giggling. You were pretty sure this was going to be gossip for weeks.
But honestly? Totally worth it.
Graduation dayâthe moment where everyoneâs future plans would be declared, and all the chess pieces would fall into place. Or, in your case, the moment where youâd cause absolute chaos.
The grand hall was filled with eager anticipation. Everyone was dressed in their formal graduation robes, students buzzing with excitement over their new titles and responsibilities.
Leona, as expected, lounged at the back like a lion who had better things to do, half-asleep. Villainess stood tall and composed, already plotting her return to her family's estate. Heroine was in full glowing mode, ready to take her place as the beloved of the Grand Duchy.
And you? You stood at the podium, trying not to laugh. You knew what you were about to say would flip this graduation upside down.
One by one, people made their announcements.
When it was finally your turn, all eyes turned to you. The entire hall seemed to hold its breath, knowing the original male leadâyouâwas supposed to be the retainer of the heroine. It was all set, all according to plan, right?
Wrong.
You cleared your throat, glanced briefly at Leona who smirked lazily, and then made the declaration that would throw this script straight out the window. âIâve decided to serve as Prince Leonaâs right-hand man, personal secretary, and...well, whatever he needs.â
The silence that followed was glorious. Pure, dumbfounded silence.
King Falena, sitting in the front row, visibly blinked. Once. Twice. He tilted his head slightly, confusion written all over his usually composed face. âWhat?â he muttered, looking like someone just told him a desert hyena had enrolled in ballet school.
Leona, however, didnât even open his eyes. He just smirked, crossing his arms smugly. âTold ya heâd choose me,â he murmured, almost too casually for someone whoâd just stolen the original male leadâs entire plotline.
Falenaâs gaze flicked between you and Leona, still processing. Then, slowly, realization dawned. He saw that look on Leonaâs faceâthe one that said âmine, and I dare anyone to challenge it.â King Falenaâs confusion morphed into surprise and then, with the subtlety of a royal diplomat, resignation. âOhâŠâ he whispered, finally understanding. âHeâs down bad.â
Leona cracked an eye open just to catch his brotherâs expression and grinned wider, like a cat who knew exactly what kind of bird it had in its claws.
Your parents, bless them, were in the crowd with expressions of supportive confusion. Your mother was squinting as if trying to work out if this was some sort of royal prank. Your father leaned in toward her, whispering loudly enough for the entire row to hear, âItâs a royal job, right? Thatâs prestigious?â
âYeah, but⊠Leona?â your mom whispered back.
At this point, the heroine stood up, ready to throw a wrench into the works. âWait! Youâre supposed to be myâ"
Before she could finish, the villainess, in all her dramatic glory, made her move. With the grace of a queen and the audacity of a mastermind, she stepped right up to the heroine, flipped her luxurious hair, and said, âActually, I was going to ask you out.â
You blinked. Wait, what?
The entire room gasped. You could almost hear heads snapping toward the villainess like a collective whip crack.
Heroineâs mouth opened and closed like she was a fish drowning in air. âIâwhat?â
âDinner. Candlelight. Maybe a picnic. You and me, a date. Sound good?â The villainess winked with such charm that even the professors in the back were wide-eyed.
Heroine blinked rapidly, as if trying to reboot her brain. âUh⊠sure?â she squeaked, still reeling from the fact that her entire romantic arc had just gotten hijacked.
You stared at the villainess in pure confusion. âWhat just happened?â you whispered, looking at her for an explanation.
The villainess simply turned to you with a mischievous grin, giving you a sly thumbs-up like this had been part of her master plan all along.
You were still processing the fact that you were witnessing the greatest plot twist of all time. You returned a half-hearted, bewildered thumbs-up, unsure if this was a win or not.
Meanwhile, the professors up front were clearly on their last thread of patience. The head of the academy rubbed his temples, sighing deeply as if this whole day had aged him a decade. âThatâs it,â he said, voice strained with exhaustion. âEveryoneâs graduated. Just...leave. Please.â
And with that, the ceremony abruptly ended. You couldnât help but laugh at the professorâs exasperation as the crowd started to disperse, still buzzing with gossip.
Leona slid up next to you, his hand casually resting on your waist as you walked out of the hall together. âSo, my right-hand man, huh?â
You shrugged. âFigured I might as well make it official.â
Leona smirked, leaning down to murmur in your ear, âJust donât expect me to go easy on you.â
You rolled your eyes, but your smile betrayed you. âWouldnât dream of it.â
And then he kissed you. In front of everyone.
King Falena, witnessing this public display of territorial claims, just shook his head with a resigned sigh. âWell, as long as itâs officialâŠâ he muttered, casting an approving glance toward you. âCongratulations, I guess.â
Your parents were still in shock, but when they saw that it was a royal seal of approval, they immediately switched gears. âA royal job!â your mom whispered excitedly. âThatâs so prestigious!â
With that, Leona tugged you away from the chaos, his arm never leaving your waist as you walked toward the exit. You glanced back one last time to see the heroine still staring blankly at the villainess, who had now looped her arm around her like it was the most normal thing in the world.
The head of the academy, now red in the face, shouted after you as you reached the door, âI SAID EVERYONE GO, FOR THE LOVE OF THE GREAT SEVEN!â
You walked out into the sunlight, trying not to laugh, while Leona leaned in, his lips brushing your ear as he murmured smugly, âLooks like youâre stuck with me.â
And honestly? You wouldnât have it any other way.
It was a day like any other, except you were meeting the villainess in her newly acquired estate. She had officially taken over as the head of her family, and the new title suited her all too well. The whole place screamed, I am in charge, with a side of donât even think about challenging me unless you want to cry in public. You admired the aesthetic.
The villainess greeted you with her usual regal flair, sweeping into the room like sheâd been born to dominate itâwhich, to be fair, she had. She offered you tea, which you politely declined, sensing that this wasnât just a casual catch-up.
"So, what's new with you, Lady Villainess?â you asked, leaning back, fully expecting some grand declaration about her political conquests or business victories.
She smiledâa dangerous, knowing smile that made you immediately suspicious. "Well, I wanted to tell you something rather... unexpected."
You raised an eyebrow. Unexpected? Coming from her? That had to be good.
"I'm dating the heroine," she said casually, sipping her tea as if she hadn't just dropped the biggest plot twist since the whole 'villainess takes over' arc.
You nearly choked on absolutely nothing, mouth hanging open in sheer disbelief. "Wait. What?"
She smiled serenely, her expression the perfect picture of innocenceâwhich made it all the more ridiculous. âYes, darling. The heroine and I are officially a couple.â
You blinked. âThe same heroine who couldnât tell a poisoned apple from a regular one if her life depended on it?â
âThe very same.â
âThe one who gets lost in her own estate if she turns too many corners?â
âYes, that one.â
You couldn't help it. The sheer absurdity of the situation hit you, and you burst out laughing. "Oh, that is rich. How in the world did that happen?â
You were still laughing, shaking your head in disbelief. âI mean, donât get me wrong, Iâm happy for you two, but this is the best thing Iâve heard in weeks.â
The villainess gave you a mock glare. âDonât act so surprised. Iâve always had impeccable taste.â
âOh, impeccable taste, huh?â you teased. âI just didnât expect it to lead you straight to a walking ball of sunshine.â
âWell, someone needs to keep her from wandering into traffic.â
Still snickering, you stood up. âAlright, alright, I get it. Youâre a saint for dealing with her.â
âI know,â she sighed dramatically, âbut love makes us do ridiculous things.â
"Tell me about it," you muttered, still amused. You waved goodbye and promised to catch up later, your mind reeling from this new, absolutely hilarious development.
When you got back to the palace, you found Leona lounging in his usual spot, sprawled out on a couch like a lion that had just taken over the whole savannah. He barely glanced up as you walked in, already sensing the amused energy radiating off you.
âYouâre grinning like an idiot,â he muttered, rolling his eyes. âWhat happened?â
You plopped down next to him, barely containing your laughter. âYou wonât believe this. The villainess is dating the heroine now.â
Leonaâs eyes flicked open, and for a split second, he looked like he didnât believe you. Then, slowly, a smirk spread across his face as he processed the information. âYouâre messing with me.â
âNope. Dead serious. Theyâre a couple now. In love.â You leaned in, grinning. âThe villainessâice queen herselfâis head over heels for Miss Pure Sunshine.â
Leona actually chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. âWell, Iâll be damned. Never saw that one coming.â
âI know, right? Itâs the most chaotic thing ever, and I am living for it.â
Leonaâs smirk turned into a full-on grin, which was rare enough to be considered a national treasure. He shifted, sitting up slightly. âYou think weâll get an invite to the wedding?â
You snorted. âOh, you bet. Iâm going to be front row just to see how she manages to keep the heroine from accidentally setting her own dress on fire.â
Leonaâs laugh rumbled low in his chest, and he reached out, grabbing your wrist. âCome here,â he ordered, tugging you toward him.
âWhat? No, Iâve got work to do,â you protested weakly, but your protests didnât mean much when he effortlessly pulled you into his lap.
âWork can wait. This is more important,â he grumbled, wrapping his arms around you in a possessive hug that made it very clear you werenât going anywhere.
You sighed, leaning into him. âYou just want to cuddle, donât you?â
âI want you to stop running around and actually relax for once,â he retorted, resting his chin on top of your head. âBesides, itâs not like the kingdomâs gonna fall apart if we take a break.â
You rolled your eyes, but a smile tugged at your lips. âI should get a promotion. Iâm basically doing all the work around here.â
Leona chuckled again, his grip tightening just slightly. âYeah, well, donât let Falena hear that. He might actually make you his advisor, and then Iâll never get any alone time with you.â
You snorted. âOh please, youâd just kidnap me from work if that happened.â
âDamn right,â he muttered, his voice low and satisfied. âYouâre mine, remember?â
You felt your heart do that annoying flutter thing as Leonaâs possessive tone settled over you. Even when he was being a lazy lion, he made you feel like the most important thing in his life. It was comfortingâand kind of hilarious, considering how little he cared about everything else.
The room fell into a comfortable silence, and for once, you actually allowed yourself to relax, leaning into Leonaâs warmth. His arms tightened around you again, and you could feel the soft rise and fall of his chest as he started to drift off into a nap, his grip never loosening.
As you closed your eyes, you couldnât help but think that, despite all the absurdities in your lifeâfrom slipping on a plushie to your best friend falling in love with her former rivalâyou wouldnât trade any of it. Not for the world.
And as Leonaâs breath slowed into the steady rhythm of sleep, you allowed yourself a small, contented smile.
Life was chaotic. But it was also perfect.
Masterlist
In this series:
Part 1 - Vil ; Part 2 - Riddle ; Part 3 - Lilia ; Part 4 - Malleus ; Part 5 - Azul
bring back zooterkins, the best 17th-century swear word
I don't normally do Just Characters Swearing, but. ...this kind of wrote itself and then wouldn't leave my head. it comes from both a piece of character-writing advice that has always stuck with me, and also my conviction that Leona is 1000% funnier as a character if his dialogue has to stay G-rated. let Kalim say fuck, but don't let Leona say bastard.
Trash Novel Chronicles: Accidentally Falling For a Fae Prince - Malleus Draconia x reader
When you get dragged into a novel which ends with the heroine in a polycule with the most annoying men in literature, you decide that you're gonna skip town. ...Only to trip over the fae prince, Malleus Draconia.
Part 1 : Vil ; Part 2 : Riddle ; Part 3 : Lilia
Workâs been a disaster from the moment you stepped in. Your boss, who makes dollar bills while youâre lucky to scrape together a few dimes, is in one of those moods. So, instead of pretending to be productive, you do what any rational person would do: you pull up a random webnovel website and let the ridiculousness wash over you.
And oh boy, is it ridiculous.
You start reading "The Villainess's Revenge: My Heart is Colder Than Lukewarm Tea!" and, within the first chapter, you realize itâs like watching cement dryâbut with less plot development. The villainess is cartoonishly evil, stomping around in ballgowns with a sneer so exaggerated itâs a wonder her face hasnât permanently locked in place. Her tragic backstory? She once got served lukewarm tea. And, oh no, she stepped in mud at a ball. The horror. Riveting stuff, truly.
Meanwhile, the heroine? Sheâs clearly phoning it in. Every scene sheâs in, her eyes are dead inside like sheâs as exhausted as you are by the sheer nonsense of the plot. If this girl could quit her own story, she wouldâve done it yesterday. You can't help but mentally send her your condolences.
Then, thereâs the male leads. If you can even call them that.
First, the Crown Prince, whose idea of a crisis is a fashion faux pas. This guy once canceled a whole wedding because his socks didnât match. His spirals into existential crises every time a thread is out of place would be entertaining if it werenât so tragic. The way heâs written, you swear he could kill a man with a critical stare over improper cufflinks.
Next up, the Duke. Brooding, romantic, and absolutely incapable of writing good poetry. Every time he spots the heroine, he launches into the worst rhymes youâve ever heard. Itâs so bad that youâre embarrassed for both of them. He follows her everywhere, reading his masterpieces at the most inappropriate timesâlike during a funeral. Who does that?
And finally, the Hero Knight. Ah, the knight. The epitome of overzealous stupidity. He turned grocery shopping into a three-day quest for the âGolden Lettuce of Destiny,â and vowed to defend the heroineâs honor fromâŠnobody. Youâd swear heâs larping 24/7. Itâs exhausting just reading about him.
As if that werenât bad enough, the heroine ends up in a polycule with all of them because the author was so sick of comments asking, âWho will she date?â that they just threw their hands up and went, âFine, she dates everyone!â The heroine looks exhausted, and you feel for her. You feel for yourself, too, because reading this is actively lowering your IQ.
You sit there, flabbergasted, staring at the screen. This is what youâve chosen to waste your time on? Whatâs worse, your boss will probably come around the corner any minute to scold youâoh wait, nope, the corner of the ceiling just gave out and bonkâthere goes a chunk of plaster, right on your head.
You cannot believe this is how you get taken out.
You wake up and, somehow, itâs worse. Youâre in a four-poster bed, covered in satin sheets, and your first thought is goddammitâyouâve been isekaiâd. And not just into any world. That world. The webnovel.
You drag yourself out of bed, feeling a sudden wave of dread. You were the heroine in this mess. The heroine. Goddammit, why does everything bad only happen to you? For a moment, you're relieved youâre not the villainess. But then you remember: youâre stuck in a polycule with three absolute clowns.
Nope. Not happening. You will not end up with any of these pushy idiots. Goal one? Avoid the polycule at all costs.
Suddenly, the door flies open with a bang, and in burst all three male leads, dramatically weeping and crying out how youâve been in a coma for so long. Their over-the-top emotions would be heartwarming if they werenât so ridiculous.
âYouâve returned to us, my dearest flower of the kingdom!â the Crown Prince sobs, still perfectly dressed despite the tears streaming down his face. He sniffs and dabs his eyes with a handkerchief embroidered with his own face. Of course.
The Duke starts reciting the worst love poem you've ever heard, right there, in the middle of your room, as if you didnât just wake up from a coma.
âI wandered, lost, like a daisy in a field of⊠uh⊠misery, because you, my sun, were hidden in the sky of my heartâŠâ The rest is a blur because your brain has officially short-circuited.
And the Hero Knight? Heâs already on his knees, swearing to protect you from whatever invisible threat heâs made up this time. âFear not, fair lady! I shall defend thee against all who oppose your grace!â
You manage to kick all of them out of your room with a lot of effort and a lot of heavy glares. The moment youâre alone, you find a suicide note on the dresser, written by the actual heroine. Apparently, she drank poison just to get away from these weirdos.
What an icon.
But not you. Youâre not dying again for these guys. No way.
Youâre moving through the bustling market in full disguise, keeping an eye out for any knights or familiar faces. Your plan is simple: escape the polycule before any of those nutjobs track you down. With every step, you remind yourself that freedom is just one boat ride awayâpreferably to a distant land that has no idea who the Hero Knight, the Duke, or the crown prince are.
But as you round a corner, your thoughts scatter when you bumpâquite literallyâinto something solid. You stagger back, blinking up at a tall figure dressed in all black. At first, panic flashes through youâplease donât be one of themâbut when your eyes meet his, itâs not the Crown Prince, the Duke, or the Hero Knight.
Itâs someone new. And he seems⊠perfectly pleasant. His strikingly elegant features, crowned by horns, should make him imposing, but his eyes soften as he looks at you. Thereâs an almost serene curiosity in them.
"Ah, forgive me," he says smoothly, his deep voice lilting with a formality that surprises you. "I didnât see you there."
"No, no, itâs my fault," you reply, awkwardly waving your hands, trying to figure out why heâs so different from everyone else in this place. Heâs polite. Polite. Already, you feel better about this encounter than you have about every conversation with the three other disasters that have been stalking you.
He steps aside, but instead of walking away, he looks around the marketplace with a faint, thoughtful frown. âI seem to have⊠lost my way,â he admits, glancing back at you. âThis place is unfamiliar to me.â
Something in his tone, in the way his eyes briefly widen as he takes in the simplest market stallsâlike heâs genuinely fascinatedâmakes you soften toward him. Ugh, bleeding heart strikes again. Before you know it, you find yourself asking, âDo you need help? I can⊠show you around.â
He turns his gaze back to you, and his lips quirk into the smallest, softest smile. âThat would be most appreciated.â
As you walk together, he marvels at the simplest thingsâthe fresh bread from a stall, the colorful fabrics, the scent of flowers sold at a cart. Heâs curious about everything, eyes lingering on each sight like itâs the first time heâs ever seen such mundane wonders. His fascination is oddly endearing. Itâs clear heâs not used to mingling in places like this, and his awe at the most normal things is⊠well, cute.
"Have you ever seen so many people in one place?" you ask, trying to fill the silence, though youâre surprised to find that youâre not uncomfortable around him.
He chuckles lightly. âNot in such a casual setting, no. Itâs quite⊠charming. Everything feels so alive.â
You almost snort at the idea that this guy finds a basic market so thrilling, but you keep it in check. At least heâs not another drama king like the Crown Prince or a bad poet like the Duke.
Itâs been a surprisingly pleasant afternoon until your luck inevitably runs out. You spot the familiar, impeccably dressed figure of the Crown Prince moving through the crowd with his knights. Heâs scanning the area, and panic rises in your throat.
âCrap,â you mutter under your breath. Instinctively, you grab the manâs sleeve, tugging him down the nearest alley. âWe need to go. Now.â
He blinks, looking puzzled but not resisting. âIs something wrong?â
Yes! you think, your mind flashing to the emotional wreck that is the prince. "No time to explain. Just trust me."
But youâre too late. The Crown Prince, in all his resplendent, overly perfect glory, catches sight of you just as youâre about to disappear into the shadows.
âWell, well,â the prince calls out with an overly bright smile. âIf it isnât my darlingâoh!â His eyes widen as he finally notices the tall figure standing next to you. âPrince Malleus Draconia of Briar Valley!â
You blue screen.
Your grip loosens on Malleusâs sleeve as your brain sputters. Prince. Fae Prince. Youâd just been casually chatting with the Prince of Briar Valley like he was some random lost guy? Did you seriously just⊠You internally spiral as the realization sinks in. Of course, he's a prince! The horns! The aura!
Malleus, for his part, remains calm and collected, inclining his head toward the Crown Prince. âAh, it seems Iâve been found,â he says smoothly, completely unaware of the crisis currently happening inside your head.
The Crown Prince gives Malleus a florid bow, then immediately turns his attention back to you. âMy dear, you shouldnât be wandering the streets alone. Allow me to escort you to the palace.â His hand reaches out toward you, his smile practiced and princely, but your gut clenches with discomfort. No, nope, no thanks.
You step back instinctively, your unease written all over your face. Before you can even figure out how to politely decline without causing a scene, Malleus moves.
Malleus, who up until now was watching the exchange with mild curiosity, steps forward. His eyes narrow slightly as he looks the Crown Prince up and down. The prince stumbles over his words and backs away under the weight of Malleusâ stare.
The Crown Princeâs smile falters. He hesitates, glancing between you and Malleus, clearly unsure how to proceed. âIâumâof course, Prince Malleus, I didnât mean to overstep,â he stammers, eyes darting nervously between the two of you.
You stand there, stunned, watching as Malleusâ mere presence makes the most annoyingly confident man in the kingdom back off. Is this real life?
The prince clears his throat awkwardly, then shoots you one last uneasy smile before making a swift retreat with his knights, leaving you standing there with Malleus.
You let out a long, relieved breath and glance up at him, feeling a little less like youâre about to lose your mind. âThanks⊠for that.â
Malleusâ lips quirk into a tiny, knowing smile. âIt was my pleasure.â He tilts his head, eyes still twinkling with that same curiosity from earlier. âAlthough, I must admit, Iâm rather curious why you were so eager to avoid him.â
You laugh nervously, running a hand through your hair. âLetâs just say⊠heâs more trouble than heâs worth.â
You don't know how youâve ended up in this mess. One minute, youâre lost in the market, trying to figure out how to escape this ridiculous polycule situation, and the next, youâve been dragged into a carriage on your way to the palaceâwith the Crown Prince, your overly dramatic Knight, and the Fae Prince himself.
Malleus, the Fae Prince, had politely asked if you would accompany him to the palace, and in a panic, you said yes. Because, really, how could you admit to both him and the Crown Prince that youâd actually been planning to skip town? So now, here you are, sitting through the most awkward carriage ride of your life.
Your knight, perched beside you, clears his throat dramatically. âFear not, my lady,â he says in a voice filled with too much gravitas for the situation. âI shall protect you from all perils! Should the wind itself dare to brush against your delicate frame, I shall strike it down with my blade! No harm shall come to you so long as I draw breath!â
You facepalm internally. Please. Stop talking.
The Crown Prince, sitting across from you, adjusts his cufflinks for the tenth time. âI must say,â he purrs, fishing for compliments, âthis outfit is particularly resplendent today, donât you think? The shade of royal blue brings out the depth in my eyes. It was hand-tailored, of course. What do you think, my dear?â
You blink at him, trying to process whether heâs serious. He is. Heâs absolutely serious.
Malleus watches the exchange in silent confusion, his eyes flicking between the three of you as if trying to figure out if this is normal human behavior. After all, youâve got one guy swearing to kill the breeze, another obsessed with his reflection, and you, trying to melt into the upholstery.
âIs this⊠how humans typically behave?â Malleus asks, his voice soft and genuinely curious.
You shake your head vigorously. âNo. This is how clowns behave.â Malleus raises an eyebrow but seems satisfied with your answer, settling back into his seat.
When the carriage finallyâfinallyâarrives at the palace, youâre barely holding onto your sanity. But things are about to get worse.
As youâre ushered into the meeting hall, a trio approaches you. Itâs Lilia, Silver, and⊠Sebek.
Sebek, who looks one step away from a full-blown aneurysm.
"Lord Malleus!" Sebek practically screeches, running toward Malleus like the world was ending. âHow could you wander off on your own?! Do you know how much chaos you caused?! I almost fainted from sheer terror!â
Malleus doesnât even flinch. âI had a guide.â He gestures toward you.
Sebekâs eyes land on you, and you quickly glance around for an escape route. âYOU?! YOU DARED TOUCHââ
Before Sebek can finish, you spot the Dukeâone of your many suitors and part of the delegationâstriding toward you with his usual brooding expression. You instinctively grab onto Malleusâ sleeve for some comfort (or maybe protection from whatâs about to come next).
The Dukeâs eyes light up as he sees you, and then⊠he begins to recite. âOh, my dearest, like the moon that doth gleam upon a cheese plateâno, waitâupon a field of⊠toes? Your hair, like the petals of wilted roses in the rain... um⊠and your eyes⊠they are like two potatoes, cooked to perfectionâŠâ
Even Sebek is speechless. You think you see a vein pop on his forehead, but for once, heâs too stunned to yell.
Lilia, standing beside Sebek, chuckles, amused. âWell, I have to say, thatâs⊠quite something.â
Malleus tilts his head, blinking at the Dukeâs strange poetry. âAre potatoes considered a form of flattery in human culture?â
âNo,â you mutter. âNo, theyâre not.â
Just when you think things canât possibly get more absurd, the meeting begins. Because youâre technically the daughter of a Duke, youâre forced to sit through the whole ordeal. They start discussing the logistics of showing the fae delegation around the city.
âWe need someone trustworthy to act as a guide,â one of the officials says, glancing toward the Crown Prince.
Malleus, who had been quietly observing the room, suddenly speaks up. âI believe Iâve already found the perfect guide.â
You freeze. No. No, no, no.
âThe young lady who helped me in the market,â Malleus continues, looking directly at you.
The room falls silent. You, of all people, are the last person who wants to be anywhere near the fae delegation or, worse, your insane suitors. But before you can even open your mouth to refuse, the Crown Prince starts.
âMy dear,â he says, leaning forward with a princely grin, âwhile I understand youâve already formed an acquaintance with Prince Malleus, perhaps it would be better for someone more⊠experienced to take on this role.â He flashes his most charming smile, which, after everything today, only makes you cringe.
But Malleus just stares at him, completely unbothered. âNo. I want her as my guide.â
Silver shifts slightly, glancing at you with an expression you canât quite place, while Liliaâs eyes twinkle with amusement. âHow interesting,â Lilia murmurs, clearly entertained by the situation.
Sebek, however, explodes. âIF LORD MALLEUS WANTS HER AS HIS GUIDE, THEN SO BE IT!â He turns toward the Crown Prince, practically vibrating with anger. âYOU WILL NOT QUESTION HIS DECISION!â
The Crown Prince, for once, looks genuinely taken aback. âIâI meant no offense! Of course, whatever Lord Malleus desiresâŠâ
You sink into your chair, feeling like your last chance at a peaceful life just flew out the window. Malleus turns to you with an expectant, polite smile. âI look forward to our time together.â
You groan inwardly. How is this my life?
You had to admit, Malleus was really nice. When you compared him to the absolute circus of clowns you had to deal with, he was practically a gift sent from above. So, you made a decisionâif you were going to be his guide, you were going to be the best guide ever. And once they wrapped up this whole diplomatic visit, you'd beg him to take you with him to Briar Valley, where hopefully, your ridiculous suitors would be very far away.
Apparently, being a guide also meant dragging him along to everything you did, including navigating high society. This was where things got tricky. The original heroine had endured these events like a pro, but you? You were just a lowly office worker who'd read bad webnovels to avoid work. Now you were living in one.
First stop: a tea party.
As you sit down with Malleus beside youâwhoâs awkwardly perched in a chair much too small for himâyou scan the room. Of course, all three of your ridiculous suitors are here. The Crown Prince, obsessing over the intricate lace of his cravat. The Hero Knight, sharpening his sword for no reason in the middle of a garden party. And the Duke, scribbling poetry on a napkin with all the grace of a sleep-deprived teenager finishing their homework five minutes before class.
But this wasnât just about them. This was also your first time meeting the so-called villainess.
The villainess arrived like a whirlwind of petticoats and extravagant headpieces, smiling in that "I'm about to ruin your whole existence" kind of way. You smiled back, trying not to look dead inside when she launched into a diatribe about ruffles.
"And you see," she said, flickering her wrist with an air of superiority, "it was positively scandalous! The seamstress game be a gown with only forty ruffles. Can you imagine? What am I, a commoner?"
You tried to smile politely. Truly. But Malleus, seated beside you, was staring at her with this fascinated look, as if watching a rare bird display its feathers. You could tell he was having a hard time grasping what the point of her story was. So were you.
But then, of course, the conversation turned personal.
âAnd the Duke,â Cecilia said with a sly smirk, âsuch a poetic soul. He deserves better than to pine over someone who clearly has no appreciation for his art. Donât you think?â
You blinked. Was this woman for real? You glanced at the Duke, who had suddenly gone from scribbling to gazing at you with that awful puppy-dog look. The one that meant another horrible poem was probably brewing.
You couldnât help it. The words came out of your mouth before you could stop yourself. âPlease take him.â
The villainess's eyes widened. âWhat?â
Malleus looked at you in amusement, while the Duke gasped dramatically, as if youâd just run him through with a sword.
You clasped your hands together and leaned forward earnestly. âPlease, please take him. I donât want him. At all. Heâs all yours. You can have himâalong with his potato-themed poems.â
The Duke visibly wilted. âButâ! My lady! Youâyou wound me!â
âNo, Duke, you wound meâwith your terrible metaphors,â you deadpan. âAnd Iâm begging you. Take him. Please. For the love of everything holy, Iâm begging you.â
The villainess, probably for the first time in her life, looked completely flustered. âAre you⊠serious?â
âAbsolutely,â you said, nodding. âI will sign papers. Iâll throw a party. Iâllâwhatever it takes. Just⊠heâs yours.â
Malleus and Lilia were practically shaking with barely-contained laughter at this point, while the Duke had dropped to one knee, a napkin-clutched in his hand like some sad bouquet. âMy poems⊠they were written with you in mind. Each line! Each stanza! Crafted from the depths of my heart!â
âExactly,â you said, unblinking. âThatâs why I need you to take him. Before he writes more.â
The villainess stared at you, completely dumbfounded. Then, after a pause, she broke into a smile. âWell, Iâve never had a man gifted to me before. I suppose I can make an exception.â
You felt like you could cry with relief. âThank you.â
And just like that, your beef with the villainess was squashed. You traded your tragic suitor for peace of mind, and the villainess, now on the receiving end of the Dukeâs âaffections,â seemed pleased with her new prize.
Malleus leaned in, his voice low but filled with amusement. âI must say, you handled that quite well.â
You sighed, finally able to relax. âI handled that with desperation.â
And just like that, youâd rid yourself of two your problems. Now⊠to figure out how to survive the other two without losing your sanity.
You barely had time to process your victory over one villainess before a second one spawned out of nowhere like this was some kind of twisted video game. The Isekai Overlords clearly werenât done with you yet. And this one? Oh, she was worse. The Crown Princeâs younger sisterâspoiled princess extraordinaireâwho genuinely believed her father was the reason the sun rose in the morning.
But, to your surprise, she didnât even care about you. Like, at all. She acted like you didnât even exist. Honestly? You were grateful. At least you could blend into the background this time andâoh no. Oh no.
She was making a beeline straight for Malleus.
You watched, horrified, as the princess latched onto him, throwing herself at him like he was a rare limited-edition collectible and not, you know, the Prince of Briar Valley and one of the most powerful beings in the world. Malleus shifted uncomfortably, clearly unsure how to handle the situation, while Sebek was being barely restrained by Lilia and Silver. Lilia, of course, had that mischievous glint in his eye, like he was enjoying the whole ordeal.
You, on the other hand, were not enjoying it. You could practically see your retirement plans shriveling up in front of youâthis had diplomatic nightmare written all over it. If Malleus so much as sneezed, you were pretty sure this princess would declare war on Briar Valley.
So, you did the only thing you could think of: you stepped in.
âUm, excuse me, Your Highness,â you said, stepping between the princess and Malleus. âCould you maybe⊠not cling to him like heâs a handbag?â
She turned to you with a look of utter disdain, like you were a fly she was too annoyed to swat away. âAnd who are you, exactly?â
Before you could answer, she pointed an accusatory finger at you. âI challenge you to a duel! For his hand!â
You blinked. âBro, what?â
The princess huffed. âFor the hand of Prince Malleus, of course! You think I didnât see you fawning over him?â
âFawning? Iâm literally just his guide!â You gestured to Malleus, who, for some reason, looked almost giddy. âIâm not dating him, weâre not engaged, and if you push it, weâre maybe friends.â
Malleus practically beamed at the word âfriends.â Was he⊠happy about this? About being defended like some damsel in distress? You were defending the most powerful fae in existence, and here he was, looking like you just made his entire year.
Sebek and Silver immediately stepped forward, but before they could say anything, Malleus raised a hand. âNo. I would like to see how my guideâand friendâdefends my honor.â
Your brain short-circuited. What?!
The princess smirked, clearly thinking she had you cornered. âPrepare yourself for the duel then! My personal knight will face you.â
You glanced at the knight, a towering figure who looked like heâd been training for war since birth, and then back at the sword that had been thrust into your hands. This was not how you imagined your day going. You hadnât even touched a sword before. Meanwhile, your opponent was stretching like this was a warm-up exercise.
Still, you had no choice. With a deep breath and the knowledge that you were about to make a complete fool of yourself, you stepped forward, sword held awkwardly in front of you.
The duel began.
The knight lunged at you with a practiced, fluid motion. You, on the other hand, tripped over a rock, accidentally ducking his strike, and in your flailing attempt to stay upright, the hilt of your sword smacked him right in the face.
There was a collective gasp from the audience.
âOh no,â you muttered under your breath.
The knight staggered, his face scrunched in confusion. He tried again, this time swinging from the side. You managed to parryâpurely out of luckâand in the process, tripped forward, sending your sword clattering out of your hands and somehow knocking the knightâs legs out from under him. He fell to the ground with a thud.
Dead silence followed.
You stood there, frozen, your sword lying a few feet away. The knight was on his back, staring up at the sky, clearly bewildered by what had just happened. You hadn't even swung properly!
Lilia burst out laughing. âMy, my! That was quite the duel! Youâll have to take responsibility now.â
âResponsibility?â you echoed, flustered beyond belief. âFor what? I justâhe tripped! I tripped! That wasnât evenââ
âExactly,â Lilia teased. âYou won the duel. Now you must take responsibility for defending Prince Malleusâ honor so valiantly.â
Malleus, looking thoroughly impressed, gave you a small, pleased smile. âIndeed. You have my gratitude.â
The princess, meanwhile, was gaping at you like she couldnât believe what just happened. âThis⊠this is an outrage!â
You sighed, feeling utterly exhausted. âLook, I didnât even want to duel in the first place. Canât we justâcall it a day? Iâve had enough of knights and duels andââ You gestured vaguely to Malleus. âIâm not even dating him.â
Malleusâ smile widened. âBut we are friends.â
Lilia chuckled. âAh, young love is so complicated.â
You shot him a glare. This was not what you signed up for. But hey, at least you won the duelâsomehow.
You were lounging in your mansionâs parlor, the day blissfully uneventful for once. The warm sunlight filtered through the windows, casting a cozy glow over the room. Malleus was mid-conversationâno, scratch thatâmid-rant about gargoyles. To your surprise, you were actually kind of into it.
âAnd thatâs the primary difference between gargoyles and grotesques,â Malleus continued passionately. âYou see, gargoyles are not merely decorative but also functional, designed to channel water away from the structure, whereas grotesques, while similar in appearance, serve no such purpose. Fascinating, isnât it?â
You nodded, intrigued, and cut in with a genuine question. âWait, so is the functionality the only difference? Like, are they made from the same material?â
Malleus blinked, slightly taken aback that you were not only listening but actively participating. âYes, precisely. They are often carved from the same stone, but itâs their purpose that sets them apart. For example, in the southernââ He paused, seeming to catch himself, suddenly looking sheepish. âAh, forgive me. I fear Iâve been talking too much.â
Sebek nearly jumped out of his seat, eyes wide with horror. âLord Malleus! Everything you say is perfect! Donât apologize for sharing your magnificent knowledge!â
You couldnât help but laugh a little. âNo, really, I enjoy it,â you said, waving off Malleusâ concerns. âI mean, how often do you get to talk about something so niche with someone who knows this much about it? I actually have a questionâdo any of the gargoyles in the Briar Valley have, like, historical significance? Like ones that are still functioning after all this time?â
Malleus lit up, and he launched right back into it, going on about ancient gargoyles in the Briar Valley that had withstood the test of time. He even started comparing the craftsmanship of various eras, and to your own surprise, you threw in a few comments about architecture and water systems, things you barely remembered from some random articles youâd read ages ago.
Halfway through a comparison of Gothic versus Renaissance gargoyle styles, a soft knock interrupted. Your maid entered, bowing slightly. âMy lady, pardon the interruption, but we need your guidance with something in the kitchens.â
You sighed but smiled, pushing yourself off the couch. âIâll be right back. Donât let them bully you into leaving the gargoyle talk,â you teased as you walked out, completely unaware of the effect your comment had left behind.
As soon as the door closed, Malleus stood there, momentarily speechless. His pale cheeks took on the faintest hint of color, and his eyes were wide, as if someone had just smacked him with a metaphorical brick of emotions. The prince of Briar Valley, the most powerful creature in existence, was blushing like a schoolgirl with her first crush.
Lilia, ever the mischievous one, was already grinning from ear to ear, eyes twinkling with mischief. âWell, well, well⊠isnât this interesting?â he purred, barely suppressing a chuckle.
Silver raised an amused brow, casting a side glance at Malleus. âItâs not every day we see him blush.â
Sebek, on the other hand, was utterly baffled but still overjoyed at seeing his lord smiling so widely. âOf course Lord Malleus is happy!â Sebek exclaimed proudly, though there was a trace of confusion in his voice. âHeâs been honored with your presence and your rapt attention, as is only right! I justââ Sebek glanced around, as if trying to understand the subtle undercurrent in the room, ââI donât understand why heâs so⊠red?â
Lilia patted Sebek on the back, barely holding in his laughter. âOh, Sebek, my boy. This is what happens when someone gets the attention theyâve long desired.â
Malleus cleared his throat, tryingâand failingâto compose himself. âIâm merely⊠pleased,â he said, though his blush betrayed him. âItâs rare to find someone who listens so attentively.â
Lilia chuckled softly. âYes, and who knows the difference between gargoyles and grotesques, I imagine. Quite the match for you, wouldnât you say?â
Malleus, flustered beyond belief, gave Lilia a sidelong look but said nothing, clearly more preoccupied with the strange warmth blooming in his chest.
By the time you returned, unaware of the scene youâd left behind, Malleus was still trying to gather himself. Lilia shot you a knowing smile, and Silver just gave you a look like you have no idea whatâs happening, do you? Sebek, as always, continued to beam with unshakable loyalty to his blushing lord.
But hey, at least Malleus was happyâreally happy.
It all started innocently enoughâyou were having dinner with Malleus, Sebek, Lilia, and Silver. Sebek was, as usual, going on one of his rants about how absolutely divine Malleus was, Lilia was being cryptic and vaguely mischievous, and Silver was dozing off between courses.
You, being the delightful disaster that you were, cracked a joke between bites. âHonestly, if Sebek praises Malleus any more, we might as well commission a statue of himâcomplete with an audio loop of Sebekâs praises.â
Malleus laughed. Actually laughed. It was such a rare sound, deep and rich, and when you heard it, your heart stuttered in your chest like someone had just jabbed you with a lightning bolt.
Oh no.
You knew, from that very moment, you were in deep, deep shit.
From that point on, everything Malleus did made it impossible for you to act normal around him. His laugh, the way his eyes crinkled when he found something amusing, the warmth in his voice when he spoke to youâhow had you not noticed before? And now, every time Lilia even looked at you, it was with this knowing, mischievous grin, like the universe had finally granted him the entertainment heâd been waiting for all these centuries.
âThis,â Lilia said one day, leaning in conspiratorially with a grin that could light up a room, âthis is what Iâve lived so long for.â
And to make matters worse, it wasnât just your mind tormenting you. Oh no. It was like the entire world was in on the joke. You could practically see sparkles in the air every time Malleus so much as glanced your way. Sparkles, for crying out loud. Your heart was in critical danger.
Your solution? Avoid him.
But it wasnât that simple. You tried hiding behind furniture, ducking into bushes, and even feigning an incredibly inconvenient bout of food poisoning just to avoid being near him. One time, you spotted Malleus coming down the hall and, in a blind panic, dove behind a potted plant. The plant was tiny. You were not. Somehow, you thought it would work.
It didnât. Malleus casually walked over, spotted you crouching awkwardly behind the plant, and said, âIs there something wrong with that shrubbery? Should I summon someone to tend to it?â
Another time, you attempted to âsneakâ out of the palace by pretending you were a passing merchant. You wore a very large hat and wrapped yourself in an oversized cloak. Malleus found you immediately.
âArenât you feeling a bit warm in that?â he asked, blinking at your ridiculous ensemble.
He had fae hearing. He could always find you.
Even guiding him around town became a disaster. How were you supposed to be a competent host when all you could think about was how unfairly hot he was? Every word he said carried this charming, ancient elegance, and here you were, a flustered mess with zero composure.
Lilia? Still having the time of his life. He was practically choking on his laughter at this point. Silver, somehow, slept through most of your crises, and Sebek was just thrilled Malleus was spending so much time with him (though he was clearly confused about why you were acting so weird).
Finally, you had enough. One night, under the cover of the moon, you snuck into the garden with the determination of someone completely done with their own suffering. You found a flowerâgranted, you didnât know what it was, but it looked niceâand you marched up to Malleus, who was out enjoying the evening air, blissfully unaware of the emotional train wreck headed his way.
âI need to say something!â you blurted, shoving the flower toward him.
Malleus took the flower carefully, glancing down at it. His expression shifted from curious to⊠mildly concerned? âThis flower,â he said slowly, âis traditionally used in Briar Valley to signify deep betrayalâŠâ
You blinked. Oh god.
âNo, wait! I didnât meanâ!â you stammered, but before you could backtrack, your brain decided it had had enough. You blurted out the truth, no holds barred: âI like you, okay?! Iâve been a mess for weeks because of how ridiculously perfect you are, and Iâm tired of avoiding you and hiding behind plants! So there!â
There was a moment of stunned silence. Malleus stared at you, his eyes wide with shock, and then, much to your surprise (and relief), he broke into the widest smile youâd ever seen on him. It was like the moon had just gotten brighter.
âYouâre confessing⊠to me?â he asked softly, his voice filled with genuine joy.
âYes,â you groaned, face burning with embarrassment. âNow please reject me so I can go lie in a ditch somewhere.â
But instead of rejection, you got happy dragon noises. Malleus gently pulled you into his arms and, with a voice full of affection, declared, âYou are mine, then. From this day forward, you are my beloved.â
Cue your soul leaving your body.
When you broke the news to your father the next day, the poor Duke nearly fainted at the sight of the Prince of Briar Valley standing there, flanked by Silver, Sebek, and Lilia, the former general grinning like the Cheshire cat.
The Duke was intimidatedâterrified, reallyâand quickly agreed to let the courtship proceed. But there was a catch.
âYouâll have to tell the Crown Prince and the Hero Knight yourself,â your father said, his face pale. âIâm not getting involved in that.â
Your retirement plans had officially died.
Despite all the chaos that had entered your life since becoming Malleus's beloved, you had to admitâthere were perks. One of those was what youâd come to call "fae luck." It became especially apparent during a particularly tense diplomatic meeting involving the fae, the beastmen, and your kingdom.
The room was filled with strained conversations, the kind of diplomacy that could either result in peace or war, depending on how fragile the egos in the room were. You were sitting between Malleus and the second prince, doing your best to avoid looking at the first prince, who had already been giving you way too much attention for comfort.
Then it happened.
The first prince, ever the picture of grace, rose to speak. As he took his first step forward⊠THUD. He tripped spectacularly, arms flailing, and landed directly in the lap of the Beastmen Queen. There was a collective gasp, and for a heartbeat, you thought maybe this could be savedâuntil he opened his mouth.
âWell, I guess Iâve⊠fallen for you!â
Silence.
The Beastmen Queen's expression froze. The fae delegation collectively facepalmed, and you could practically feel the tension suffocating the room.
And then the Beastmen were on their feet, growling and demanding the immediate removal of the first prince from the line of succession. One of their diplomats, fur bristling with indignation, roared, âThis is an insult to our Queen! Remove this fool from the throne!â
Instead of apologizing, as a normal, sane person might have, the first prince, face red with embarrassment, dug himself even deeper. âIt was a joke! Canât you beastmen take a joke? Honestly, I donât see why everyoneâs so sensitive.â
The Beastmen's amger intensified, and you saw the Emperor and Empressâwho had been trying desperately to maintain orderâsink deeper into their seats, their expressions a mix of horror and resignation. The entire room was teetering on the brink of an international incident.
And then⊠you spotted it.
A little green wisp, barely visible, flitting through the air right around where the prince had been standing before his magnificent face-plant.
You glanced toward Malleus, who was sitting beside you, looking perfectly composed, save for the faintest glimmer of amusement in his eyes. Beside him, Lilia gave you a knowing wink, his mischievous grin unmistakable.
They caused this.
Within moments, the decision was made: the first prince was officially removed as heir to the throne. His younger brother, the second princeâwho had always been calm, composed, and infinitely more capableâwas declared the new Crown Prince.
It was glorious.
But before you could celebrate, the first prince turned toward you, his expression sour and filled with desperation. "Youâ" he began, as if about to drag you into his misery.
Not today, prince.
Finally given the chance to reject him properly, you rose from your seat, letting out a long, exaggerated sigh as you faced him.
âIâve been waiting so long to say this,â you began, crossing your arms and locking eyes with him. âI reject you. Completely. Wholly. Utterly. There is not a single fiber in my being that has ever been remotely interested in you. In fact, the only thing thatâs ever kept me in proximity to you was the sheer necessity of survival.â
The first princeâs mouth opened, but you werenât done.
âRemember all those times you made those comments about my âstationâ and how âluckyâ I was to be considered by you?â you said, raising an eyebrow. âI didnât say anything back then because I was too polite, but now? No thanks. Absolutely not. I would rather spend a century in the swamps than a minute more listening to you.â
Sebek, of all people, burst into laughter. âSheâs got a point!â he managed between snickers. Lilia was grinning from ear to ear, his eyes twinkling in amusement, and Silver, barely awake, gave a lazy thumbs-up in support.
Malleus, meanwhile, looked positively enchanted. His eyes sparkled as he watched you lay into the former prince, pride and affection written all over his face. When you were done, he leaned toward you, murmuring with a soft smile, âI do love seeing you stand up for yourself.â
The first prince, his face red with humiliation, stammered, âYou canât speak to me like that!â
âOh, but I just did,â you replied with a sweet smile. âAnd you know what? It felt amazing.â
With that, the first prince slunk away, his tail metaphorically between his legs, while the room buzzed with whispered laughter. Even the Beastmen, who had been ready to rip the prince to shreds, seemed satisfied.
You had never felt more victorious. Malleus looked at you with such adoration, and Lilia⊠well, Lilia looked like he was already planning his next round of mischief.
It was a good day.
The festival was going about as smoothly as a cat in a bathtub. You were trying to act like you werenât hopelessly entangled with the most dangerously attractive fae prince in existence, while also managing to survive the company of your absurd entourage.
Sebek was marching around, loudly reminding anyone within earshot of his unwavering devotion to Lord Malleus. His eyes would dart to you occasionally, like he was calculating whether you were worthy of being in the same airspace as his revered master. Silver, half-asleep, was keeping one lazy yet disturbingly sharp eye on you, while Lilia was in his elementâpractically vibrating with amusement, like he was waiting for you to trip and fall into a cauldron of chaos.
And then there was the Hero Knight. This guy had shown up uninvited, all shiny armor and noble delusions, insisting he protect you from⊠something? Yourself? Malleus? Winning too many festival games?
âAre you sure youâre safe?â the Hero Knight asked, sidling up far too close, his voice a conspiratorial whisper. âIâve heard stories about these fae festivals. One wrong step, and youâll be cursed to dance for a hundred years, or worseâturned into a tree.â
You squinted at him. âRight. Iâll make sure to avoid the face-painting booth. Wouldnât want to end up as a shrub for eternity.â
Malleus, ever patient, simply raised an eyebrow, as if contemplating whether this so-called Hero Knight was worth the oxygen he was breathing. Lilia, meanwhile, was biting his lip to stop from laughing.
But then, amid your rising frustration, you spotted it: the holy grail of festival prizes. The gargoyle plushie.
It wasnât just any gargoyle plushie. It was perfect. Chunky, with tiny wings and a slightly disgruntled expression, it radiated the exact energy you associated with Malleusâregal, intimidating, yet somehow huggable.
You pointed at it like youâd just discovered a hidden treasure. âI need that.â
Malleus, ever-attentive, followed your gaze and smiled softly. âDo you desire the gargoyle?â
âObviously! Itâs basically you in plushie form,â you said, already walking toward the game stall. âBut, you know, itâs rigged. All festival games are.â
Malleus watched you with his trademark elegant amusement. âPerhaps I canââ
âNo, no,â you interrupted, raising a hand. âIâm winning this fair and square. No fae magic, no dragon lord intervention. Just pure skill.â
You grabbed the darts, took a deep breath, and began your assault on the rigged game. It wasnât easy. The darts bounced, the targets mocked you, and you could feel the Hero Knight hovering over your shoulder like a bad itch.
âAre you sure this is wise?â the Hero Knight asked again, his voice dripping with concern. âThis feels like a trap. What if theyâve enchanted the darts? What ifââ
You whirled on him, fed up. âListen, Sir Gallant-with-too-much-hair-gel, itâs a dart game. Not an assassination plot. If I can survive dealing with you, I think I can handle a few rigged targets.â
Lilia absolutely lost it. He doubled over, wheezing in laughter, while Silver let out an amused snort. Even Sebek looked like he was struggling not to smirk, though he quickly composed himself.
Malleus, ever regal, simply smiled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. âI have faith in your abilities, my dear.â
Fueled by that commentâand the knowledge that the Hero Knight was slowly losing what remained of his dignityâyou managed to hit the final target. The plushie was yours.
Triumphantly, you grabbed the gargoyle and turned to Malleus. âFor you.â
Malleus, to your utter delight, looked genuinely touched. His eyes softened, and that rare, warm smile appeared. âYou won this for me?â
âObviously,â you said, trying not to melt under his gaze. âA prince should have his own gargoyle.â
Silver, who had been observing the entire scene with increasing clarity despite his usual drowsiness, raised an eyebrow. âInteresting.â
Sebek, who was still processing the fact that youâd just casually given his lord a gargoyle plushie, grunted. âYou⊠you truly care for Lord Malleus.â
Before you could say anything, the Hero Knight, still floundering, piped up. âWell, I couldâve won that gargoyle too, you know. If you wanted toââ
âOh, please,â you cut him off, turning to the Knight. âYou probably wouldâve asked the stall vendor to throw in a manual on âHow to Not Be a Total Wet Blanket at Festivals.ââ
Lilia nearly collapsed. âOh, please stopâI canâtââ he gasped, clearly having the time of his life.
You waved him off and turned back to Malleus, who was still holding the plushie with the same reverence one might reserve for an ancient relic. âShall we continue?â
Next up was a coupleâs game. You had no intention of participatingâuntil you noticed the Hero Knight gearing up to suggest that he join in to protect you. Oh no. Not today. You grabbed Malleusâ arm and dragged him into the game, completely ignoring the Knightâs sputtering objections.
âItâs⊠itâs traditionally for couplesâŠâ Silver noted, giving you a look that clearly said, I see whatâs happening here.
You ignored him too.
The game was simple enough: throw rings onto bottles, but for some reason, the tension was palpable. Probably because you were standing next to one of the most powerful beings in existence, and youâd dragged him into a ridiculous couplesâ game in front of his overly protective retinue.
But you won. And to rub salt in the Hero Knightâs ego, you fed Malleus one of the sweets youâd won.
âY-You!â Sebek spluttered, looking as though youâd just committed the highest treason against decorum. âFeeding Lord Malleus⊠this⊠this is too much!â
The Hero Knight, on the other hand, looked utterly baffled. âAre you⊠are you sure thatâs safe? What if the sweets areââ
âI swear, if you donât stop, Iâm going to feed you to the fairies,â you hissed, snapping the sweet in half and popping it into Malleusâ mouth. He smiled as he ate it, clearly enjoying himself.
By the time the fireworks started, you had somehow survived the night without murdering the Hero Knight. The sky exploded in a kaleidoscope of colors, and for a brief moment, it was peaceful.
And then, without thinking, you kissed Malleus.
There was a split second of stunned silence. And then all hell broke loose.
Sebek let out a screech that could rival a banshee. âMy Lord! My Lord!â His voice cracked in disbelief, but thenâsurprisinglyâhe softened. âIf⊠If Lord Malleus must fall for a human, I am glad it is someone⊠as devoted as you. My lady.â
You looked at him, touched. âThank you, Sebek.â
Silver gave a rare smile, looking both amused and resigned. âCongratulations. Youâve managed to pull this off somehow.â
Lilia, predictably, was still dying of laughter, barely able to breathe between fits of wheezing.
And the Hero Knight? He looked like someone had just told him vampires were real and lived next door. âThis⊠I⊠WhatâŠ?â
You turned to him with a smile that could cut steel. âOh, donât look so surprised. Iâve been trying to tell you for months that I wasnât interested. Iâd rather kiss a gargoyle than youâactually, no. The gargoyleâs got more charm. Better conversation skills too.â
Lilia was full-on cackling now, leaning against a festival stall for support as the Hero Knightâs dignity shriveled up into nothingness.
Malleus, looking absolutely radiant, wrapped an arm around your waist. âShall we depart? I believe we have a kingdom to return to.â
The next day, you stood with Malleus and his merry band of chaos, bidding farewell to your parents and butler. The Duke was still recovering from the heart attack Malleus had given him when he asked for your hand in courtship.
As you waved to your family, Malleus gently took your hand, leading you toward the carriage that would take you to Briar Valley.
âWell,â you muttered as you glanced back one last time, âthis story of mine took a weird turn.â
Lilia, still grinning like a fiend, chimed in. âOh, just wait until the sequel.â
The last thing you heard as the carriage rolled away was the Hero Knight muttering in the distance, âI couldâve won that gargoyleâŠâ
You smiled. Maybe the webnovel wasnât such a disaster after all.
Ahh I hope y'all like this one, malleus is one of my favs and I had so much fun writing him.
The Kalim one is being edited because it's a little too somber for me and I wanna make it a little more fun and Azul one is almost fully edited too!
So, here's a poll for the one after these. (They'll all get a turn)
Next?
Idia
Leona
Voting ended onOct 4, 2024
Part 1 with Vil ; Part 2 with Riddle ; Part 3 with Lilia
