The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 5

After touring the grand estate and enjoying a delicious dinner, the sky had already turned dark. I even took a leisurely walk with Kylian, citing the scenery as an excuse, until my legs ached.

I had managed to avoid entering Kylian’s room all day, coming up with various reasons. Now, sticking to my plan, I slumped into a chair and complained of a headache and feeling overheated.
Just as expected, Kylian looked at me with concern.

“Are you all right?”

“I think the walk made me feel a bit warm… would it be all right if I took a bath?”

Feigning innocence, I asked. Kylian swallowed hard before calling for a maid, instructing her to prepare a bath for me and assist as needed.

Everything was going according to plan. Running my hand through my hair, I smiled and said, “Will you wait for me patiently in your room?”

“…Of course.”

Kylian backed off without resistance. Although I felt a bit guilty for deceiving him, I knew it was time to make my escape from the manor.

Once I stepped into the bathroom, I saw the steaming bath, rose petals floating on the surface, and some rather provocative slips hanging on the walls.

I recalled the novel’s description. The servants must have been preparing these things for the future Duchess, in case she ever arrived.

It seems like the staff really care about Kylian.

Then again, who could approach a master who always spoke so coldly? Pretending to fiddle with my dress, I asked the maid for a favor.

“Do you have any fragrant oils?”

“Of course, miss. The Chailled manor is fully prepared to serve our master.”

“Could you bring me plenty of oil in the Duke’s favorite scent? I’ll need quite a bit, from head to toe.”

“As you wish, ma’am.”

“Ma’am”? Did she think my name was Ma’am because Kylian called me “sis”? The thought amused me. It was funny to imagine someone like Kylian using such a nickname.

Once the maid left, I quickly checked to make sure the coast was clear. I slipped out of the bathroom, threw on my clothes, laced up my shoes, and headed for the window.

Thankfully, the guest bathroom was on the first floor, and with Amelia’s athletic body—thanks to being the daughter of a former knight commander—escaping through the window was easy.

Before leaving, I paused, noticing a pen and notepad on the table.

I guess it’s only polite to leave a note after being treated so well.

I quickly scribbled a thank-you message and climbed out the window.

That was it—my final goodbye to the soon-to-be-ruined male lead.

＊＊＊

Kylian Chailled sat at his desk, his expression hard as he replayed the servant’s report from a week ago.

“I’m terribly sorry, Your Grace. While I stepped away to fetch the oil, the lady… please, just kill me.”

Kylian tapped his fingers against the desk, trying to make sense of it all.

Why… why did she run?

It had been a week since Amelia’s sudden departure, leaving behind only a short, bewildering note.

“Your Grace, I’m sorry to leave this way. We come from different worlds, and I don’t think we’re a good match. I apologize for approaching you with impure intentions. I wish you the best in finding true love.”

Kylian had read her messy handwriting over and over again. True love? Was she seriously talking about that after vanishing so coldly?

“…”

With a cynical smile, Kylian let his thoughts wander.

When he closed his eyes, he could still picture Amelia’s warm brown hair, and those captivating greenish-brown eyes… just thinking about her made his heart race, his mind go blank.
And now she was gone.

Who was the one who dragged me to the hotel, anyway?

He still remembered that night clearly. Amelia, wobbling on her feet, had practically dragged him to the hotel. Slurring her words from the alcohol, she had mumbled all sorts of things.
“You’re so handsome, it’s unfair. I want to hear you call me ‘sis.’ Just once? If you do, I’ll never forget it.”

Her voice had been slurred but playful, full of seduction. Kylian had only smiled at her.

“Lady Dian, you should get some sleep. Judging by how drunk you are, you won’t remember any of this tomorrow. Besides, you’re only a month older than me.”

Even as he explained, Amelia, still intoxicated, pressed him further, not letting the matter drop.

“How do you know that when we’ve just met?”

“…And do you usually bring strangers to a hotel right after meeting them?”

Kylian shot back, and Amelia responded with a playful smile, dimples appearing. It was a mischievous and captivating grin.

“Alright, come here and lie down. You trust me, don’t you?”

Her casual question, as she unbuttoned her clothes, was beyond audacious. Yet, Kylian found himself unable to refuse her.

As he let her guide him, he questioned himself—why had he followed her here?

Amelia Dian, an heiress burdened with massive debts, looked far too captivating to believe. Her mysterious green-brown eyes and dimples that appeared when she smiled drew attention effortlessly.

But casual, meaningless encounters weren’t Kylian’s style. He had enough on his plate, enduring the reputation of the “Monster Duke.” He didn’t want rumors of womanizing on top of that.

Yet, despite being perfectly capable of walking away, he had followed her to the hotel for one reason.

Has it really been over 10 years?

Kylian recalled his childhood, visiting the Chailled family’s bank as part of his heir training. There, he had seen the Dian family—Count and Countess Dian with their daughter, Amelia.

At the time, the Dian family had lost everything due to a failed business deal that the Count had guaranteed. Their estate and imperial-granted lands were mortgaged.

But instead of despair, the family had embraced each other warmly inside the bank.

“I’m sorry, my dear. I made a terrible mistake with that loan…”

“It’s just money, after all. As long as our Amelia is healthy, we can get through this together.”

Young Kylian had watched them, puzzled by their affection for one another.

He had been trained to suppress emotions like envy or jealousy, so back then, he had dismissed the strange knot in his chest as mere disdain.

Years later, Kylian had unexpectedly encountered Amelia again at Chailled Bank. He was there on royal business, and she had visited to check the remaining debt her family owed.

Faced with the enormous sum, Amelia didn’t crumble. She hugged her parents and reassured them, just like she had as a child.

“It’s a lot of money, but we can pay it off bit by bit. At least we’re all healthy. We haven’t lost everything.”

Seeing the grown-up Amelia act with the same resilience as her younger self, Kylian realized what that feeling had been all those years ago—intense envy, jealousy, and sadness.

The Dian family shared a warmth and closeness that Kylian had never known, something that shielded them from the harshest storms.

Without realizing it, Kylian had longed to be part of that warmth.

His own family, the Chailled duchy, was a cold place where only one heir survived the power struggles. Tenderness didn’t exist there.

When he met Amelia again in that dingy bar, he couldn’t resist her outstretched hand. Maybe, in some foolish way, he had hoped she would pull him into her world.

A desperate, childish wish to belong to her warmth.

…Though I didn’t expect her to drag me straight to a hotel.
It was fast, but not unwelcome. In fact, it was good—more than good.

As Kylian finished reflecting, he glanced out of the window. Despite thinking of Amelia for so long, the night was still dark. It was too late to visit the Dian estate.

…I miss her.

The feeling hit him suddenly, his heart pounding in his chest.
When he first heard she had fled the Chailled manor, he thought it best to let the “game” end. But it wasn’t a game he could stop anymore.

Her playful smile whenever he called her “sis” had become addictive. The mischievous looks she gave him at night, or the flustered expressions during the day—each memory of her flashed vividly in his mind.

Why did he feel this way? He wasn’t sure yet, but he knew one thing—he needed to figure it out while keeping her close.
The line in her note, “We’re not a good match,” bothered him. But even in her rejection, she had referred to them as “we,” and for some reason, that pleased him.

Not a good match? That could be worked out, little by little.
With his fingers laced together, Kylian called out.

“Haild, are you there?”

His efficient butler entered immediately, ready for instructions. Behind him, the Chailled family crest—two lions rearing on their hind legs—was visible, a symbol of dominance and power.

If you were planning to escape, sis, you should have known better than to run from a predator.

A sly smile crept across Kylian’s face as he calmly closed his eyes.

“I wonder what Amelia’s doing right now.”

“She… seems to be unwell, Your Grace.”

“What?”

Kylian’s expression darkened, his tone demanding an explanation.

“About a week ago, didn’t you run from the Chailled manor to the Dian estate?”

“…”

Unwell? Was that why she hadn’t contacted him for an entire week? Or was there more to it?

Either way, there was only one thing he should do.

“I’ll visit the Dian estate tomorrow.”

“What should I prepare, Your Grace?”

“Bring everything good for her health, and everything she likes.”

“What does she like, exactly?”

Haild looked uncertain, unsure of Amelia’s preferences. Kylian, however, carefully considered her tastes.

She did mention liking money, he thought. Bringing gold bars and jewels seemed appropriate. But what she probably liked most…

“Prepare something that makes it easy for her to undress me.”