How to Escape the Mastermind’s Brainwashing Magic 39

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I wished time would stop just like this, our lips pressed together. The sensation of the soft bed sheets touching my back and Cesare’s thigh wrapped around my waist was strangely stimulating and thrilling.

‘Who cares about taking the lead. I feel like I’m dying from how good it feels.’

I also tightly embraced Cesare’s neck while sharing ragged breaths. But when I twisted my head as my breathing ran out from Cesare’s relentless kisses, a thin line of saliva stretched long as our lips separated.

“Haah…. Damn it.”

Cesare couldn’t even think to wipe it away and stared intently at me while spitting out rough breaths and curses. Between his sharp eyes, pupils holding a strange heat were directed toward me.

I desperately held onto my madly pounding heart and timidly opened my mouth.

“Hwaaa. So, how was it… does it seem okay?”

“It’s terrible, Lionel! You call that a question? It’s a guy with a guy!”

“Ugh.”

“…You? Did you like it?”

I liked it so much!

I really liked it, but he openly said he hated it, so it was a bit awkward to answer. While I hemmed and hawed, Cesare started silently arranging my disheveled bangs from kissing, as if they bothered him. But when I flinched and backed away at that touch, he pressed with a hoarse voice.

“Lionel. Don’t run away. What crime did we commit?”

It wasn’t a crime, but in this era it was a bit much.

“…Because you said it was terrible.”

“I can’t help it. I have to keep you by my side, and you like kissing me. So this is the most rational method.”

At the terribly ‘rational’ words, I cast my eyes downward. His touch began arranging my hair again. At the same time, an attractive low voice rang in my ear.

“Eat lunch deliciously. You’ll come to afternoon class, right?”

I only moved my pupils to look up at him blankly. I could see his mouth with only one corner raised in a smirk as usual. My face and heart feel like they’re about to burst, but why is he so calm?

‘Really… Cesare has no feelings for me at all.’

They say the opposite of love isn’t hatred but indifference. Realizing that the kiss that was sweet to me was truly just a ‘means’ to keep me by his side made me gloomy. In the end, I just nodded my head vigorously with only my face flushed.

“Then you won’t run away from me anymore, right?”

Nod nod.

“You’ll sit next to me?”

Nod nod.

“Don’t act awkward for no reason either. Got it?”

Nod nod.

“Oh, bring herbal tea later too. Make it cold.”

Nod nod. Sniff. Why is sweat coming from my eyes?

As I kept nodding with a tearful face, he snickered and wiped my lips with his finger.

“Our Rye really liked the kiss, huh. You got so wet.”

“……”

I really feel like sari will come out of my body every time he says stuff like that, Mitche.

Your Honor. Cesare Yanox is guilty today too.

Sniff.

* * *

A moment later.

As soon as Cesare closed Lionel’s dorm room door and came down to the common room, he placed his hand on the wall and let out a deep breath.

“Haah. Damn it!”

Then his face immediately started heating up intensely. Disliking the feeling of heat rising to his face, he shook his head wildly.

– Bang!

As if that wasn’t enough, Cesare bit his lip while striking the wall beside him hard. When students in the common room were startled and looked at him, Cesare glared at them with murderous eyes.

“Got a show? Turn your heads.”

The students, overwhelmed by his presence, quickly lowered their eyes and slowly evacuated. But Cesare didn’t care about them at all.

According to his plan, Lionel was supposed to bury his love and hide behind his shadow for several years. How strange a sexual proclivity it is for a man to love a man!

This aggressive Lionel who suddenly kissed him wasn’t in his plan. But the milk was already spilled.

It would be nice to just give the command ‘offer all your wealth to me,’ but that was impossible. Since the key to Brainwashing Magic was breaking the subject’s unconscious, not only a high mana amount but also the caster’s charisma and persuasiveness had to back it up. So the clever plan he thought of was the reward of kisses.

Cesare’s clever plan was to implant the consciousness that if he stayed by his side, a reward to satisfy his desire would be given, and it was successful.

‘Since I’ve even cast Addiction, I have to thoroughly use him without regard to means or methods. I can’t be swayed anymore. Kisses? If it’s for my goal, I can give him that crap any number of times!’

“Damn… but why am I so…!”

Whether it was self-loathing, anger, or some other emotion. Heat suddenly rose from the kiss just now, and Cesare took deep breaths while sweeping up his bangs. Just then, Cain came into the common room and greeted him.

“Oh, Cesare! Are you coming back from making up with Rye? Cut him some slack. The kid’s been crawling around all dejected lately, I can’t watch it. What’s up. Why is your face so red?”

“Cain. This isn’t your dorm.”

“Yeah. I was going to sleep in Rye’s room for a bit before leaving.”

“Why are you sleeping here when you have your own room?”

Even at the unintentionally growling voice, Cain scratched his belly and approached.

“I don’t know either? Maybe it’s because Rye’s bed is better, I sleep well. All the stuff he uses is good. But lately he’s being a bit stingy. He gets so angry when I get on the bed with shoes on? He wasn’t like that before.”

“Don’t go in. Lionel’s sleeping now.”

He comes to sleep often? Is he showing off being close in front of me like an idiot? Even so, Lionel is totally into me right now. Strangely twisted up, Cesare immediately lied.

“Huh? He’s sleeping without even eating lunch?”

“Cain. Let’s talk for a moment.”

Cesare grabbed Cain and dragged him out of the common room.

“Ah, why.”

“I want to know the current troop situation.”

At those words, Cain’s eyes, which had been drowsy while scratching his belly, instantly lit up and changed.

“Got it. Let’s go out.”

“What about that woman? Your stepmother.”

“It’s hopeless. There’s no opening so I can’t extract information. If I could just catch evidence that woman is connected to the Dark Guild, I could kick her out right away. Then the military authority of Astol would come completely under me too.”

The Count Astol family, which independently had quite a few private soldiers within the empire. They were rough since many were mercenary origin, but there were also many hidden experts for that reason. To use those soldiers, there was just one barrier.

Count Astol’s second wife, Sylvia.

If she, who currently had the Count’s heart firmly captured, were to give birth to a son, the command authority Cain had would become ambiguous. That’s why Cesare had enticed Cain to join the plan with the bait that he would deal with Sylvia.

“We’ve kept a tail on that side, so we’ll catch it eventually. Let’s focus on the cards we have for now.”

“But when are you going to talk to Lionel? If we can’t secure funding now, this side will get a bit difficult too.”

“…When the time comes. But not now. I’ll arrange the funding right away, so don’t worry.”

Before leaving the common room, Cesare glanced at the room where Lionel was, then moved his steps.

* * *

“Sigh.”

I let out a big sigh.

This was the library’s private area. A small study room that could accommodate five or six people, a place students could rent for group study or comfortable studying. Here, Cesare and I were studying for exams, and Cain was sprawled out sleeping on stacked sofas.

I spew curses today too while looking at the billing statements placed on the desk.

‘Get a paper cut while reading a book. Get called on for a presentation. Choke on spicy soup.’

Whether the amount was large or small, money wasn’t a problem for me. The problem was that this was Cesare’s bill. And I voluntarily brought it.

Cesare’s tuition and dormitory fees were covered by the imperial family under basic education, but the costs for other elective classes and extracurricular activities had to be paid separately. I usually paid this remainder, but I didn’t know I’d be paying this semester too.

After he came to my room and kissed me, I became a pushover again and stuck by his side. The difference from before is that now just looking at his lips makes my legs go weak and I can’t think straight?

If only I didn’t know, but after kissing twice, my body is in a constant state of thirst. The Addiction is definitely controlling me.

‘Get a grip, Lionel. At this rate, I’ll really lose my fortune and even my life.’

I stopped signing the bill and looked at the desk across from me for a moment. My heart pounds despite my resolution at the elegant sight of Cesare sitting and studying without a single dishevelment.

‘Such a national treasure-level face is attending the academy. Of course I can pay some tuition!’

I clenched my fist and passionately declared to Mitche. Why do we earn money? Don’t we earn it to use for things like this? Right, Mitche? As long as I don’t fund the rebellion, right? Right?

Mitche nodded his head vigorously as if agreeing. He used to simply cry or make tearful faces, but somehow his actions had become more varied. Does that mean my imagination has increased?

Perhaps feeling my passionate gaze, Cesare slightly raised his head toward me. Ha. I don’t know if this is a library or an art museum. His artistic lips move and speak to me.

“Why? Is there something you don’t understand?”

“Oh, I was just organizing some taxes to cool my head a bit.”

I answered while gathering the bills and investment documents that came to me. Although I’m a student, I already have some businesses and properties under my name, so Grandfather had entrusted the management directly to me.

“Hmm. May I take a look?”

Cesare lightly stretched and stood up, then slyly approached behind me and rummaged through the documents. While his arm brushed my shoulder and he flipped through documents, the scent of expensive ink mixed with his body scent wafted subtly.

‘Does he really not use perfume? It smells good though.’

As I sniffed discreetly without showing it, he suddenly spoke.

“From mining rights to local merchant guild collections. You’re already a wealthy person, Lionel.”

“Hmm? No. Compared to a ducal family, it’s just a drop in the bucket.”

“Times like this, I envy that you’re a commoner. Even as a ducal family, I can’t spend money freely. Because that’s the blood and sweat of the territory’s people.”

Cesare, who said that, began sighing deeply. But it seemed too contrived. As if asking me to ask what’s wrong.

“I-is that so? Is something wrong? Your face looks dark.”

“Actually, a great-aunt relative has been widowed for a long time, and this time she became seriously ill. It pains my heart that she has no source of income. Since she’s from outside, if I keep providing income it could cause backlash from the territory’s people.”

Gasp. Look at those melancholy eyes. To think there was such a story, how hard must it have been, Cesare. Then maybe give her a mine so she can spend freely… no, Lionel! Get a grip! Where does that bastard have a great-aunt relative! Put some strength in your brain!

“That’s serious. Um. Ah, I have 7-carat diamond cufflinks I received on my birthday… if I send those to her, wouldn’t it be helpful…?”

When I defended with difficulty, Cesare looked at me intently with a slightly gloomy face.

“That would help ‘temporarily.’ Temporarily.”

Cesare’s face with a gloomy tint looked exactly like an injured wolf. Gasp, is it real? What if he really has a great-aunt relative and she’s sick?

The image of some grandmother muttering “Granny is fine even if cold. Granny doesn’t have much life left so it’s okay not to eat” came to mind and my heart ached.

‘Since she needs a continuous source of income, this much should…’

I quickly skimmed through the documents on the desk to find documents related to a moderately small-sized mine. Of course, I’m not stupid enough to give everything. Just transferring one quarter’s income would be enough.

“Cesare, this is a small-scale mine in Cort. I have the mining rights. One quarter….”

I was holding out the document when I ended up facing his face. The moment Cesare’s refreshing and manly lips suddenly caught my eye.

My mouth, bewitched by ancient magic, blurted out on its own.

“I’ll transfer the mining rights… for one kiss….”

? ? ? ? ? ?

Wait. What did I just say.

Numerous question marks floated on this side at the unfiltered words.

“Haah. Lionel.”

Cesare called me in a deliberately heavy voice while holding my shoulders.

“N-no! Sorry! I misspoke!”

Just as I was startled and about to quickly correct my words, Cesare opened his mouth.

“Will once be enough?”