How a Villainous Sub-Bottom Survives 8

“What do you mean?”

“I will break off the engagement.”

“What?”

“Even if I break off the engagement, I will not go to His Highness the Third Prince. I can stake my heart on it. As you know, I am merely an adopted son from slave origins. Duke Chendewden will support Your Highness the Crown Prince regardless of me.”

He stared at me silently. He doesn’t believe my words.

“Please believe me. Even after breaking off the engagement, I will pray for Your Highness’s happiness. Your Highness will become a great sage ruler.”

I repeatedly declared my intention not to follow the Third Prince and bowed my head respectfully. Now he just needs to agree. Then I can escape from the imperial palace full of all kinds of death flags! Eldon kept his mouth shut for a long while before speaking heavily.

“You resent me.”

No, why is the conversation jumping in that direction?

Listen here, Crown Prince sir, even if such rumors spread, the Third Prince stays put. He doesn’t come to rescue me. I’m telling you, you can’t use me as bait. Even if you catch me, I’ll be useless. And you hate me! You hate seeing me! Duke Chendewden will continue supporting you regardless of me! What’s the problem! Just break off the engagement!

As I was wondering how to persuade him, an artificial voice rang out from in front of the door.

“Did you hear? The rumors about that omega.”

“It’s not a rumor, it’s the truth.”

“I heard he worked in the orchard without even eating a piece of bread.”

“Is that all? I heard he got kicked out after going to the library reeking of horse manure.”

“They say he can’t even get bath water prepared so he washes in the lake?”

“If His Highness the Crown Prince gave such obvious hints, he should leave on his own. I don’t know what kind of nerve he has.”

I was listening indifferently to the consorts’ repeated chirping today when a thought occurred to me. And I firmly grasped Eldon’s hand as he suddenly turned red and blue in the face and stood up abruptly.

“I do not resent Your Highness. I’m simply trying to leave tactfully.”

I smiled brightly. But Eldon shook off my hand and went outside. The consorts’ chattering soon quieted down.

***

Eldon didn’t say he would break off the engagement, but he also didn’t say he wouldn’t. Can’t I consider this as half acceptance? Thinking as positively as possible while pondering a persuasive comment to drive in the final wedge, a problem arose.

“Do I really have to do that?”

“You have to. I can’t trust you. So don’t think about leaving.”

Eldon, who had shaken off my hand and gone outside, came back in with the chastity belt again. Then he took off my pants and fastened that hideous thing without hesitation.

“It’s still loose.”

With a dissatisfied face, he pulled on the chastity belt, then put my pants back on properly. I left my body to him with a feeling of desperation.

“Eat.”

Eldon handed me the pudding he had brought along with the chastity belt, and I sighed and accepted it.

“…The weather gets very chilly at night, so from now on, could I work only until sunset?”

Since breaking off the engagement failed, I at least need to prevent death from overwork. I suggested adjusting working hours, but seeing Eldon’s cold eyes, I immediately backed down.

“Only until 7 PM…”

His eyes hardened even more coldly.

“That’s wishful thinking, isn’t it. Haha. What should I do today? Should I pick apples? Or should I give Fushi his food first?”

“Follow me.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

What kind of work is he going to make me do this time by dragging me himself… Is he really trying to kill me from overwork?

I was trembling in fear, but contrary to my expectations, he climbed the stairs inside the Crown Prince’s palace and headed toward his bedroom.

Did he create such a scary atmosphere just to go to the bedroom? As relief and complaints crossed my mind, Eldon passed his bedroom and headed to the room next to it.

“Go inside.”

“Your Highness, this place is…”

That was the room only the Crown Princess could use, and in the original work, it was Rosenthal’s bedroom.

“It’s the Crown Princess’s bedroom. Use this room from today.”

“Didn’t I tell you? I will tactfully disappear. I don’t have the right to set foot in this room.”

I don’t want to enter the room where Rosenthal’s neck gets chopped off. I stepped back in fear, but Eldon opened the door and grabbed my arm.

“I also told you. Give up the thought of leaving.”

Ah, this bastard is somehow entangling me into death flags.

Just as described in the novel, it was a room decorated even more splendidly than the Crown Prince’s bedroom. For me, who had gotten used to the servant’s room, it was dazzling to the point of hurting my eyes.

“Your Highness, we haven’t even held the wedding ceremony yet, so this is too excessive. No, we won’t get married anyway! I will return. You’ll definitely be able to meet your destined match within two weeks.”

I must not occupy this room. I tried to run away, but he grabbed my arm, dragged me along, and sat me on the bed.

“You said you fell for me, was that a lie?”

His eyes flashed coldly. The moment I say it was a lie, I had a premonition that Rosenthal’s end would be greatly hastened.

“No. I fell for you! But I think that trying to possess someone just because you want them is not true love. You need to consider your loved one’s feelings and know how to give up for their happiness.”

“You mean you love me?”

Huh? Why is the conversation going that way? Did I say something wrong? I did…. Damn it!

“I hope Your Highness will be happy.”

“So you love me.”

“I’m certain you will find true love. And I know that person is not me.”

“You really do resent me.”

The same words were being repeated. Judging from the series of events, it’s certain that he dislikes me. But it seems he has no intention of removing me from the Crown Princess position. He must still be suspicious of my relationship with the Third Prince. He’ll need Duke Chendewden’s power too.

“How could I dare resent Your Highness the Crown Prince, the hope of the empire? I’m merely sorry for dreaming an excessive dream. If it’s difficult for you to believe my words, how about postponing the wedding a little? Even just for a week.”

“…What will change if we postpone it?”

“You might meet your destined match.”

He stared at me blankly, then spat out coldly.

“I can’t believe your words.”

Damn it, how can I gain his trust? Should I ask him to write a blood oath pledging loyalty to Duke Chendewden? He wouldn’t grant it though…. Should I write it with my blood? No. If I get caught doing that, my neck will be chopped off.

“If you love me, why are you trying to send me to someone else?”

“Pardon?”

“Your words are lies. I can’t believe any of them.”

It wasn’t that he was suspicious of the Duke’s loyalty or my relationship with the Third Prince—he couldn’t believe those words?

There are definitely kids like that. Personalities that can only be satisfied when everyone in the world likes them. Even if it’s someone they themselves dislike.

I thought he was a pure-hearted man who only wanted Seha’s love, but was he suffering from prince syndrome? No, it’s not prince syndrome—he is a prince. Anyway, he was a much more troublesome type than I thought.

“H-how can I make you believe my sincerity?”

His eyes wavered slightly, then headed toward my lips. Y-you don’t want that, do you?

“…Your Highness, may I kiss you one last time before breaking off the engagement?”

I asked cautiously while observing his expression. The moment I see even a hint of dislike, I’ll quickly step back—just as I thought that, Eldon’s beautiful brow furrowed mercilessly.

As expected, no. Right, there’s no way. I stood up abruptly and bowed my head.

“I apologize. It seems this lowly one is still not in his right mind. I misspoke. How can I atone for this rudeness? To repay the sin of committing such disrespectful words to Your Highness the Crown Prince, I will give up the marriage…!”

I was about to declare giving up the marriage and run away when suddenly our lips overlapped. His breath and hot tongue pushed inside, and I blankly accepted his contact before belatedly grasping the situation and stepping back. No, I tried to step back, but my nape and waist were caught. His tongue persistently chased me, and I ran away as if I’d die if caught. But he eventually found my tongue hiding inside and ensnared it.

Beyond Eldon’s breath came some sweet fragrance. I forgot even the fear of death and accepted his scent. Though our lips merely touched, my body grew hot.

“Mmm….”

A strange sound popped out through the slightly parted gap. My mind snapped alert in an instant. When I urgently pushed him away, this time he obediently stepped back.

“Unlike the rumors, you’re not good at it.”

He evaluated his kiss with me in a dry voice. I was the only one excited. Stupid idiot. To think I’d collapse from one kiss after gritting my teeth to run away.

“Rumors tend to be exaggerated after all.”

I hid my embarrassment and responded with as coquettish an attitude as possible.

“No. It’s not just exaggerated—you simply can’t do it.”

How honest. While you made a fuss saying even clumsy things were cute with Seha, you coldly criticize me harshly.

I can do what Rosenthal can do. Language, etiquette, horseback riding—my body remembered them all. But judging from several experiences, I didn’t receive those skills at all.

Lee Minchan, not Rosenthal, has almost no experience with kissing, let alone sex, so there’s no way I could be good at it.

“…I apologize. In truth, the rumors were greatly exaggerated. If you were expecting that, you will surely be disappointed.”

Anyway, Eldon doesn’t touch a single hair on Rosenthal’s head. Rosenthal only managed to spend one night by using an aphrodisiac.

Of course, unlike the original, I have no intention of using drugs on Eldon, so there’s no chance we’ll have relations.

So even if I pretend to be skilled and bluff, I won’t get caught, but I confessed honestly. Just in case he’s holding on expecting that.

“How bad is it?”

“…No matter who you bring from anywhere in this world, they’d be better than me.”

I answered very honestly. Then Eldon suddenly burst out laughing. Not just laughing, but holding his stomach and lying on the bed, laughing as if he’d run out of breath before finally spitting out words.

“I’m very curious.”

He suddenly pulled my arm. When I lost my balance and toppled over, my eyes met Eldon’s lying on the bed.