The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 56

The day had finally come. Amel rose early in the morning, completing her preparations and double-checking that she hadn’t forgotten anything.
“Let’s see… I left a letter for President Pringles, gave my parents their allowance, and packed books to read during the journey.”

It seemed she had taken care of everything on her personal checklist. With Vanessa’s guidance, she headed downstairs.

Despite the hustle and bustle of Chaield’s staff preparing for the long journey, many paused to greet her warmly. Among them, Kyle, who had been conversing with Claire with a serious expression, immediately spotted his fiancée.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yes. Sorry, am I the last one?”

“Not at all. Everyone just arrived.”

“A charming lie born of favoritism. Noted.”
“I’m glad you noticed.”

Kyle’s radiant smile startled a few bystanders. While the staff at Chaield Manor had grown accustomed to his rare humor, even they seemed momentarily frozen.

Noticing Amel’s curious gaze, Kyle gestured for the newcomers to approach and gave an order.
“Starbuck, introduce yourself to the future Duchess.”

“Yes, sir! My lady, greetings! I am Starbuck, captain under Chaield’s banner. I’ll ensure a comfortable journey for you!”

Amel was more surprised by one particular detail than by his brisk tone.

“Captain… you say?”

Though the Hail Empire and Keltman shared a border on the same continent, traveling from one capital to the other required a long journey.
As was often the case, their borders were defined by natural landmarks—vast lakes, rivers, and mountain ranges.

“The problem is, these lakes and rivers are so enormous they could be mistaken for seas.”

Keltman’s hesitance to invade the Hail Empire, despite their ambitions, was largely due to these water barriers. Accustomed to land travel, they were wary of waterways.

As such, all trade routes between the two nations traversed mountains, wilderness, and deserts via land.

“I assumed we’d be traveling by land. It’s faster, but isn’t this group too large for water travel?”

“It seems you’ve never visited Chaield’s eastern harbor,” Kyle remarked.

“Chaield’s harbor?”

“Yes. Not the western ones, but the eastern ports.”

Amel had always known that the Chaield family controlled some of the Empire’s most coveted lands, but she hadn’t imagined they owned harbors—let alone multiple ones.

“This family is something else…”

Once again, she marveled at Chaield’s immense wealth. Could harbors even be privately owned?

Apparently, if you were Chaield, anything was possible.

“So, we’ll be traveling by ship?”

“Yes. We’ll sail to a port in Keltman, spend a day there, and then travel to the capital by carriage.”

Still, something felt off. If it were just Chaield’s entourage, this plan might make sense, but they were traveling with the entire delegation.

With such a large group, multiple ships would be required, increasing the likelihood of mishaps.
“Kyle, why choose waterways over land routes?”

“I thought it would be nice to show you the scenery during this beautiful season,” he replied casually.

But Kyle had other reasons he didn’t share.
“Marabas Lydel, was it?”

The land route was economical and widely used. Travel time wasn’t much longer than by water, and inns and relay stations along the way made planning easier.

But land travel came with risks of ambush and assassination. After noticing the suspicious Marabas eyeing Amel, Kyle wasn’t about to take any chances.

“…Not to mention, Everything About Honeymoons said cruises are this year’s trend for newlyweds.”

Moreover, Kyle’s late father had been a collector of grand sailing ships. Any vessel his father owned would undoubtedly be luxurious—perfect for impressing Amel.

“My lady, it’s time to depart…”

Kyle’s cheerful tone soured as his gaze fell on Claire and Amel, embracing tightly in a fond farewell.

When Amel stepped out of the carriage, she covered her mouth with both hands in astonishment.

“This is insane…”

Back in Korea, she had heard of vehicles called campers—cars equipped with beds and cooking facilities. She had once thought they might be useful for travel, though she had no particular interest in cars otherwise.

But the luxury yacht before her now was incomparable to any camper.

Bearing Chaield’s crest, the enormous sailing ship resembled a grand mansion floating on water.
“Do you like it?” Kyle asked.

“I’ve never seen anything like this. This… this is yours? Not the Imperial family’s?”

Kyle, aware that the Imperial family lacked the funds for such extravagance, hesitated. For the sake of Nadia, the Princess, he adjusted his response.

“Of course. I’m glad you like it.”

“I want to see the inside right away. May I?”
Like someone boarding a plane for the first time, Amel bounded toward the deck in excitement.

Trailing behind her, Vanessa glanced around. Members of the delegation, who had arrived at the harbor in their own carriages, were similarly awestruck.

“Pulling out a ship like this must be such a hassle… Chaield’s people are insane when it comes to my lady.”

Vanessa clicked her tongue inwardly. But it wasn’t just Chaield.

The moment news spread that Amel was joining the delegation, both Lady Gretchel and Lady Reina volunteered to accompany her.

Despite repeated warnings from officials about the journey’s hardships, the young ladies insisted on joining, claiming they owed Amel a debt from the Harmonia Necklace incident.

Vanessa had witnessed Reina and Gretchel pleading with the officials during Amel’s visits to the palace.

“Even that brat Reina couldn’t resist Lady Diane’s charm. She’s something else. It’s a good thing I’m immune…”

Amel, upon hearing the news, had sent Reina a letter advising her against joining due to her youth.

Reina, surprisingly, wasn’t offended. Instead, her reply was filled with concern:
“I understand. If Lady Diane feels that way, I’ll respect it. It’s true that Lady Gretchel, with her experience, will be more helpful on this journey. Please take care of yourself and share your adventures with me when you return.”

Vanessa, reading the letter aloud to Amel during her bath, had laughed several times.

“Reina… who knew she had it in her to care about someone else?”

“Honestly, Lady Diane has a way of charming everyone around her. Good thing I’m immune… Wait, what the—?”

Amel was nowhere in sight. Vanessa hastily set down the luggage she was carrying and sprinted across the deck, searching for her. She found Amel standing at the ship’s prow, arms spread wide as she let the wind blow through her.

“Oh, come on, my lady! What are you doing? What if you catch a cold?”

“Oh my, are you worried about me just now?”

“Ugh… Who said I was worried about you?”

Vanessa turned her head away in feigned annoyance. As the damp breeze cooled her cheeks, the ship began to move.

The capital of Keltman, home to the grand palace at its center.

The ancestors of Keltman had named the palace Baekju (lit. “Bright Day”) to symbolize the glory of a light as brilliant as the midday sun. They also referred to the ruler of the palace as Baekju.

But the palace of Baekju today overflowed not with glory, but with tension and ambition, emanating from its very heart.

“The Hail Empire’s envoy has set out. At most, they’ll arrive here in ten days,” the current ruler of Keltman, Zedima, bellowed for all to hear—or rather, for one specific listener. His gaze rested on the screen divider behind him.

The Baekju office was silent, as Zedima had dismissed his attendants. Still, he waited, as if expecting a response.

When none came, he burst into a hearty, boisterous laugh that matched his imposing stature.

“Come now, Count Gargoyle. Don’t stay so quiet, as if you were dead. If you really were to drop dead, no one would notice.”

He addressed the man presumably standing behind the screen.

Though crude jokes were a hallmark of northern tribes, Count Gargoyle found Zedima’s words chilling.

The emperor he had once served in Hail was no saint, but Zedima, driven by his endless greed, was something else entirely.

This was a man who discarded anyone who failed to serve his purposes, showing neither hesitation nor mercy. Recently, his erratic behavior had escalated due to mounting domestic and foreign pressures, earning him the reputation of a tyrant among tyrants.

The sound of Gidima’s murderous voice brought back memories of the day Count Gargoyle first set foot in Baekju Palace two months prior.

On the dawn of his scheduled execution, Count Gargoyle had managed to escape the imperial dungeons with the help of a knight he had once bribed during his time at the Hail court.

The knight, driven by desperation to secure a lifetime supply of medicine for his terminally ill mother, had sacrificed his own life for the Count’s escape. Gargoyle, however, had long forgotten the man’s name.

“I abandoned my own family to die in those cells. I didn’t have room to care about someone else’s.”
Like a rat, he stowed away in a cart heading to the dawn market. Marked as a traitor by the brand on his forehead, he could only move under the cover of darkness.

By the time he reached the banks of the river marking the border between Hail and Keltman, he was on the verge of collapse. Exhausted and penniless, he had no way to pay for passage across the massive river.

While trudging along the riverbank, pondering his options, a metal hand pieced together with bolts and screws reached toward him.

“Take this. Use the scroll, and it will take you directly to Keltman’s capital.”

The man with dark navy hair spoke in a monotone voice.

Gargoyle hesitated, studying the stranger’s face, but he found no hint of familiarity. Still, he snatched the offered scroll with trembling hands.
“A teleportation scroll like this must cost a fortune. Why are you giving it to me? And… may I know your name?”

Fumbling to unroll the parchment, Gargoyle’s voice was filled with equal parts gratitude and confusion. The man’s reply came with a cryptic smile.

“Marabas Lydel.”

Thanks to Marabas’s aid, Gargoyle made it to Keltman’s capital alive. Gaining entry to Baekju Palace from there was surprisingly easy.

The Keltman officials and Zedima immediately recognized the once-esteemed courtier who had shadowed the Hail emperor. The traitor’s brand on his forehead was merely an intriguing
conversation starter to them.

“Your Highness, Baekju. I beg your pardon for my disheveled state, but might I trouble you for a cup of tea?”

And so began the unholy alliance between Count Gargoyle, who knew all of Hail’s secrets, and Zedima, desperate to conquer the Empire.

“Count Gargoyle, I’ve devised an excellent plan. Hear me out.”

Gidima’s voice dragged Gargoyle out of his reverie. The ruler’s face was bright with cunning excitement.

“Our main obstacle to seizing Hail is Chaield. The envoy I wanted to take hostage is untouchable now that Kyle Chaield has joined them.”

“…That’s correct,” Gargoyle conceded.

“Then, why not recruit that monster duke to our side?”

“Pardon?” Gargoyle’s eyes widened.

Ever since learning that Kyle Chaield would accompany the envoy, Zedima had been brainstorming ways to win him over. After rifling through Baekju Palace’s records, he had stumbled upon a convenient realization: his youngest daughter, whose existence he had almost forgotten, was now of marriageable age.

“My youngest daughter is seventeen—perfect for marriage.”

Count Gargoyle watched Zedima with a blank expression, envisioning how the ruler must already be salivating at the thought of the wealth and power he would gain as Chaield’s father-in-law.

It wasn’t an entirely ridiculous strategy—if not for one glaring problem.

“Amelia Diane.”

Having once crossed paths with Chaield’s fiancée and suffered a humiliating defeat, Gargoyle felt a chill run down his spine.

“This won’t work, Your Highness. Kyle Chaield already has a fiancée…”

“An engagement can be broken,” Gidima interrupted dismissively. “I hear she’s a woman of little consequence. A monster like Kyle Chaield, who moves based on profit, would prioritize marrying my daughter.”

Watching Gidima’s arrogant certainty, Gargoyle inwardly scoffed.

“He clearly has no idea just how deeply Kyle Chaield is infatuated with that woman.”