The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 16

An Aretê Crystal, the most valuable gemstone in existence, damaged because of me—if that happened, maybe Kyle would be so disheartened he’d even consider calling off the engagement.
Even if he didn’t go that far, I could use the incident as an excuse to keep some distance, claiming guilt and embarrassment kept me from facing him.

Encouraging the jeweler with a cheery “Good luck!” as he gathered the sample rings, I finally sank back into my seat with a sigh of relief. Across from me, Claire was watching, her expression full of affection, as though I were an adorable younger sibling.

“No matter how I look at you, you’re just so charming. I can see why His Grace is in such a hurry to get your engagement ring ready.”

“Could you maybe let me in on that reason…?” I mumbled, then quickly corrected myself. “I mean, I’m curious! I’d love to know what the Duke’s thinking about all this.”

“He’s likely planning to hold the engagement ceremony as soon as the Harvest Banquet wraps up.”

The Harvest Banquet.

In the empire, citizens celebrate the harvest season with a week-long festival. During this time, the emperor hosts a grand banquet for the nobility, ensuring the attendance of high-ranking nobles who wouldn’t dare to offend him by not attending.
Of course, Kyle, true to his lone-wolf nature, wasn’t a fan of such events. But when it came to imperial summons, he had no choice.

Now that I thought about it, this banquet was also why Claire returned each year. As a member of the Chaeld family, she was expected to represent her family at major gatherings.

Chaeld was an illustrious noble family, known for producing multiple queens and having a significant role in the empire’s governance. Naturally, their family members were required to attend the emperor’s events.

“Lady Claire, how long until the Harvest Banquet?”

“About a month. The emperor is quite particular about his banquet being the main event, so no noble would dare overshadow it beforehand.”

The emperor of Hail was notorious for his need for attention.
If anyone tried to steal the spotlight before his banquet, he’d find any reason to punish them.

So, even if Kyle wanted to speed up the engagement, he’d still have to wait until after the banquet—at least a month from now.
For now, my only hope was to count on the jeweler.

＊＊＊

About a week later, one evening when Kyle still hadn’t returned, I received news I’d been waiting anxiously for. The Chaeld guards approached, looking uncomfortable.

“Madam, the jeweler in charge of your engagement ring has appeared unexpectedly and is requesting an audience with you. What should we do?”

They’d initially said the ring would take at least a month to craft. Yet here he was, just a week later.

…It worked! I can’t believe it worked!

Hiding my relief, I told them to bring him in.

Shortly after, the knights escorted the jeweler in as though he were a criminal, and the poor man looked pale as a sheet.

Well, given the value of that gemstone, I’d look pale too if I’d ruined it.

I greeted him with a pleasant smile and waited for him to explain.

After several minutes of nervous small talk, he finally reached into his coat and produced a small box.

“…Prepare yourself, madam,” he said, his voice somber.

“Whatever it may be, I’m prepared,” I replied, feeling as if we were facing off in a dramatic showdown.

The jeweler wiped his brow with a handkerchief, then steeled himself and loudly proclaimed, “I couldn’t keep this a secret any longer!”

“Yes, I assumed as much… wait, what?”

I had braced myself for the sight of the Aretê Crystal shattered into fragments.

But inside the box was the engagement ring, absolutely flawless.
Not a single scratch marred its surface; the craftsmanship was so exquisite it sparkled brilliantly.

“Behold this beauty! It’s the finest work of my entire career!” the jeweler exclaimed, lifting the ring toward the chandelier, where the gemstone’s light scattered in dazzling rays.

“With the Chaeld family’s full support, I worked day and night, forgetting food and sleep to achieve this perfection.”

How much money did Kyle pour into this ring?

I could only hope for a miracle—maybe someone would steal it or it would somehow go missing.

I let out a halfhearted “Wow…” and softly closed the jewelry box, which made the jeweler’s face fall.

“Madam! You must try it on! This is…!”

“No need,” I said. “Since it has an Aretê Crystal, I wouldn’t be able to take it off without His Grace’s permission. I’ll save it for the engagement ceremony.”

Making it clear I wasn’t in a hurry, I nudged him toward the door. Just as the jeweler sighed in disappointment, ready to leave.

“Is the ring finished?” Kyle’s voice rang out cheerfully, making me wonder how he managed to appear with such impeccable timing.
Kyle came over, inspected the ring, and, clearly pleased, had the jeweler open the box again. Though Kyle usually cared little for jewelry, even he couldn’t help but appreciate the exceptional craftsmanship.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he picked up the ring—Aretê Crystal and all—and slipped it onto my finger. Time seemed to slow as he slid the ring onto my fourth finger.

“…!”

The instant the ring touched my skin, a powerful current shot through me, as though I’d been struck by lightning.

I knew immediately: I’d gained an Aretê power. My deepest wish was to escape a tragic ending, so I thought I might get something like teleportation or super speed.

But then, I heard something strange.

“Good, it suits her. Although any gem would look lovely on that hand.”

“I wonder if she likes it?”

I blinked in surprise. I could hear Kyle’s murmured thoughts, almost as if he’d said them out loud.

Awkwardly, I nodded, saying that I liked it, though Kyle looked a bit surprised, as though he thought I’d read his mind.
“I’m glad you like it,” he said with a warm smile that nearly stopped my heart as he leaned down to kiss my left hand. Just then, another thought surfaced in my mind.

“…I’d rather kiss her lips.”

“Kyle, don’t say things like that with everyone watching!”

Kyle gave me a puzzled look. “I didn’t say anything.”

His expression was genuine, innocent, as though he really didn’t understand my reaction. He held my hand, smiling with the utmost sincerity.

Wait. Could it be that… I was hearing Kyle’s inner thoughts?

“I want everyone to leave so I can kiss her.”

“…Maybe more than kissing.”

“I need to get her alone in my room.”

I… I’m hearing Kyle’s thoughts!

Stunned, I looked from Kyle to the engagement ring on my finger, as if searching for an answer.

Kyle, meanwhile, was looking at me with a soft, harmless smile, as if he were the sweetest person in the world. But his inner voice…

“…Honestly, I just want to take her to bed.”

With thoughts like that running through his head, he was standing there smiling as innocently as a newborn puppy. I quickly pulled my hand from his grasp, pretending I needed to cool my flushed cheeks. His inner voice fell silent.

…Huh?

Curious, I reached for his hand again, and once more, I was flooded with the passionate thoughts of a young man in love.

“I can’t wait any longer. I’m just going to kiss her.”

Before I could fully process it, Kyle gently cupped my face, prompting the nearby servants to turn away discreetly.

But instead of pulling me close, he merely brushed my hair back, tracing his fingers along my face with the utmost care.

“…If I kiss her without asking, she might be upset. I don’t want her to hate me.”

The more he hesitated, the more certain I became about my Aretê power.

It seemed I now had the ability to hear the thoughts of anyone I touched.

To test it, I edged over to a nearby maid and rested my hand on her shoulder.

“Oh my gosh, the atmosphere here is intense! No wonder the Duke is so taken with her—she’s beautiful and graceful. Hurry up and kiss her, Your Grace!”

Embarrassing, but that confirmed it: I could read the thoughts of anyone I made physical contact with.

If this power had been granted based on my deepest desires, I would have preferred something to help me escape this male lead, who was destined to start a war in two years. Why, then, had I received mind-reading instead of teleportation or super speed?
Lost in thought, I must’ve been staring off for quite a while because Kyle chuckled softly, letting go of my hand.

“Judging by the way she’s avoiding my gaze, she must not be interested.”

Out loud, he spoke in a quiet, gentle voice. “I missed you every day I was working.”

“…”

After Kyle confessed his true feelings, leaving my heart pounding, he followed it up by saying he missed me, leaving me unsure how to respond.

I subtly shifted away, hoping to block out his inner thoughts. Kyle’s face fell almost immediately.

“Do you like the engagement ring?” he asked, trying to sound casual. “You mentioned you liked the design, so I asked them to make it a bit quicker than usual.”

A bit quicker? It felt like he’d done much more than that.
But I couldn’t show it. This was a gesture of kindness from Kyle, after all. Smiling, I nodded and admired the ring on my finger.

“Thank you, Kyle.”

“…”

“…Every time she smiles like that, I go insane.”

Kyle tilted his head closer, brushing his lips against mine, soft and lingering. The warmth of his touch sent a spark through me, filling my whole body with a pleasant tingle.

He tilted his head further, deepening the kiss as he teased my lower lip, mingling quick, gentle kisses with his more intense ones.

Oh, my… he’s good. He’s really good.

In a fit of impulse, I wrapped my arms around his neck, telling myself one kiss wouldn’t change his feelings of fated love.
Kyle, eyes dark with intent, slipped his hand to the back of my neck, pulling me closer as his lips claimed mine with even more persistence. As he tasted and savored, my breathing grew rapid, and his quick, teasing pecks only left me wanting more.
Struggling to keep my knees from buckling, I held onto him a little tighter, not ready for him to let go yet. But just then, he murmured something against my lips, his voice husky.

“…Amelia Diane.”

The way he spoke my name made my heart skip, but it was his inner thought that truly made my chest tighten.

“I want you.”

It was an unguarded, raw confession, and for a moment, it felt like my heart had dropped. I knew he meant it—not as a line, but as the purest truth.

He really wants me?

I’d always thought Kyle’s feelings were just a temporary fascination, a fleeting thrill. But Kyle… he was completely sincere.

He might be a character from a book, but now that I was here, he was as real as anyone.

He had thoughts and feelings that shifted constantly, just like mine.

What am I supposed to do now?

Slowly, I loosened my arms around his neck and gently brushed my swollen lips with the back of my hand.

It happened to be my left hand, so Kyle’s gaze followed, lingering on the engagement ring with satisfaction even as he glanced at my lips, longing still in his eyes.

“How long will you keep wearing that?” he asked.

“Well… I should probably take it off soon.”

His expression turned dark, and I immediately regretted my words, giving him an appeasing smile.

“If I keep wearing it, it won’t feel as special when the actual engagement ceremony comes around.”

I misspoke. Please let this slide, you impending-tragedy male lead.

With my pleading gaze, Kyle softened his expression and, in a charming tone, said, “…Were you looking forward to the ceremony?”

“Uh… of course.”

Sure, I’m looking forward to what might very well be the beginning of my end.

Kyle seemed thrilled regardless, admiring the ring as though he were already picturing our future.

“I’m a bit tired. Tomorrow’s schedule is packed, so I’d like to head to bed soon.”

Already knowing the depths of his darker thoughts, I could only give a laugh as serene as Santa Claus himself.

“Obviously, you’re coming with me.”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

I avoided his gaze, but he took my hand, his smile so sweet and angelic it could’ve melted anyone’s heart.

“We’ll just hold hands and sleep. Okay?”

Don’t be cute!

“As if I’m only going to hold hands.”

And don’t mock your own words!

[The End]