The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 38

Kylean Chaield leaned his head against the carriage window, attempting to calm his pounding heart.

“She called for me.”

Two reasons stood out for his racing pulse, both equally significant.

The first was hearing that Count Gargoyle had threatened Amel during her questioning about the Necklace of Harmonia. Gargoyle, practically an extension of the emperor’s will, wouldn’t have come without a purpose. If he had personally gone to intimidate Amel, his words were surely more than warnings—they were threats.

“Unacceptable. I’ll deal with him soon.”

The second reason, one that made his chest feel light, was Amel herself. She had reached out to him first, asking him to come because she wanted to see him.

Kyle hid his elation by pressing a hand to his lips, though his loyal butler, Hild, had no such restraint.

“Your Grace, this is extraordinary! Lady Amel herself requested to see you! Personally! How could she—”

“Hild,” Kyle interjected, keeping his voice steady. “No need for such excitement. After all, we’re… engaged.”

Hearing the infatuation in his master’s tone, the coachman urged the horses faster. The white steeds of Chaield, swift as they were, galloped as though they might sprout wings and take flight.

“Still,” Hild muttered, “how much must she have missed you…”

“Hild,” Kyle said again, this time with a firm tone. The butler paused, wondering if he’d gone too far, only for Kyle to ask something entirely unexpected.

“Hild, which is closer to the imperial palace: Count Diane’s estate or Chaield Manor?”

“Well…”

The answer was clear. The Diane estate, once home to the former Commander of the Imperial Gun Corps, was located conveniently close to the palace. Meanwhile, Chaield Manor, being the administrative seat of a duchy, was much farther. Even the swiftest horse from Chaield couldn’t close the gap quickly.

“Count Diane’s estate is roughly three times closer to the palace than Chaield Manor.”

“As I thought,” Kyle murmured, gazing at the palace growing larger in the distance. He bit his lip, trying to suppress a smile.

“She could have called her father, who lives so much closer. But she chose me instead.”

And why?

“She finally sees me as her true fiancé.”

It was an encouraging sign, a step toward what Kyle believed was inevitable. To him, transitioning from fiancé to husband would be swift and natural. After all, love grew strongest in moments of reliance.

Just as it had when he first saw her.

Kyle resolved to uncover the truth about the Necklace of Harmonia quickly so that he could focus on something far more important: their wedding.

Thanks to the white steeds, he arrived at the palace much earlier than expected, only to be greeted by something that sent his heart racing anew.

“Kyle!”

Had she truly missed him so much? Amel stood at the entrance, waving energetically. Kyle descended from the carriage with haste, striding toward her.

“You seem thinner. Has the investigation been difficult?”
“Hmm… maybe I just skipped lunch. Let’s eat together later. You haven’t eaten yet, right? The ever-punctual Duke always eats at one o’clock.”

Kyle’s smile softened, and he nodded. Today, Amel seemed a hundred times more endearing than usual. He even wanted to ask how she remembered his meal schedule but held back, worried it might sound childish.

“Is there anything you’d like to eat, Sister?”

“If I’m with you, anything’s fine. We could eat privately at your manor, or stop somewhere on the way.”

Kylean Chaield’s heart threatened to burst. Hearing her casually suggest spending time together, he even wondered if today might be his birthday. In his current state, he’d probably hand over his liver if she asked.

Amel, noticing how hard he was trying to contain himself, reached out to gently touch his cheek. Laying the groundwork for a request, she leaned closer.

“Kyle, your face is red. Are you okay?”

“…If I say no, will you make it better?”

Amel stifled a laugh, hearing the unspoken thoughts beneath his words. It was clear her future husband’s desires were growing stronger, and oddly, she found she didn’t mind.

She gave him a quick kiss, intending to calm him, but unknowingly only made it worse.

“Kyle,” she began, “I need to talk to you about something serious… just the two of us.”

“…!”

In Kylean Chaield’s mind, fireworks erupted, and flower petals filled the air. A serious conversation between an engaged couple could only mean one thing: marriage. With a subtle gesture, he dismissed his attendants and helped Amel into the carriage, joining her inside.

Amel’s face was unusually serious, making Kyle notice for the first time how such an expression suited her in this close space. Too well, he realized, shaking off thoughts that didn’t belong.

“A dowry? The wedding? Children, perhaps? Or… the honeymoon?”
No matter the topic, Kyle was certain it would lead to happiness.

While the duke indulged in his internal celebration, Amel was steeling herself. She wasn’t sure how Kyle would react to her request to hire Vanessa as her bodyguard.

“He hasn’t met Vanessa yet. Maybe he won’t object… though their future clash would complicate things.”

“Kyle,” she began carefully, “I need you to listen calmly. You might think I’m overreacting, but I want to hire a bodyguard.”

“Of course. I’ve been uneasy ever since I heard Count Gargoyle threatened you. As the future duchess, it’s only natural you’d attract unwanted attention. I’ll have Hild select a capable woman for the job.”

Kyle struggled to contain his joy. For Amelia Diane to acknowledge her position as the future duchess was a major step forward.

“I’ll hire twelve—one for each hour of the clock.”

But his thoughts were interrupted when Amel spoke again.

“Kyle, I already have someone in mind. I’d like her to be my bodyguard.”

“Is it someone I know?”

Instead of answering, Amel pulled back the carriage curtain, pointing toward the detention room. Behind the iron bars, Vanessa Maeve waved cheerfully.

Kyle’s expression darkened instantly.

“Vanessa Maeve? You mean the shameless woman who cut your hair? You want her as your bodyguard?”

“Vanessa may be a bit unorthodox, but she’s incredibly skilled. We work well together.”

“…”

Kyle’s face fell. The idea of hiring someone like Vanessa—a crude troublemaker who had once cut Amel’s hair with a smuggled knife—was incomprehensible.

“May I ask why?”

Amel hesitated, then recounted Gargoyle’s threats. As she spoke, Kyle’s expression grew darker, his elegant features hardening.
By the time she reached the part where Gargoyle suggested she use Chaield to clear her name, Kyle’s face was like stone.
“The emperor and Gargoyle want me to solve the Necklace of Harmonia case. They likely avoided direct involvement because failure would bring too much risk to the imperial family.”

Kyle couldn’t argue; her assessment was accurate. But why did it have to be her?

“Why must you handle this? I have capable people in Chaield who can assist.”

Amel drew a deep breath. This was the moment to reveal everything.

“Kyle, I didn’t mean to hide this, but when you gave me the engagement ring with Aretite, it granted me a special ability.”

“…”

His surprise was evident. Kyle knew how rare Aretite powers were. They manifested only in those with deep, desperate desires, just as his defensive ability had appeared when his life was in jeopardy.

“What is your ability?”

“I can read the thoughts of anyone I touch. At first, it required direct contact, but now even a brush of fabric lets me hear their inner thoughts.”

It was undoubtedly a powerful tool for solving the case. Kyle pondered what had sparked such a yearning in her to grant her this ability.

“Did you… want to know if I truly loved you?”

Kyle’s face brightened, his earlier tension dissolving. Of course, this had to be the reason! Back then, whose thoughts could she have wanted to hear more than his?

“How many times must I say it? I’ve always been sincere. I’m not the type of man who’d—wait.”

Kyle’s radiant expression dimmed as a new thought hit him.
If she could hear his thoughts, then… had she heard all of them?
He froze, remembering the countless nights he had told her he only wanted to hold her hand, while his thoughts had been far less innocent. Those moments when he’d unconsciously licked his lips like a wolf, hoping for her permission—had she heard those too?

Amel’s voice broke his spiraling thoughts.

“Sorry, Kyle. It was… kind of cute.”

“…!”

Kyle crossed his arms over his chest, suddenly looking like a shoujo manga heroine shielding herself from an imagined threat.