Chapter 66
Chapter 66
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
-----------------------------------------------------------------
‘...Where am I?’
When Lena opened her eyes, what she saw were countless bookshelves lined up in long rows.
Her line of sight was endlessly low, and Lena trembled in fear with her tiny hands clasped together.
Lena had returned to her childhood.
On either side of her were familiar faces looking at her with worried expressions.
They were the maids who had taken care of her.
This was the library in the castle where she resided, a pristine and immaculate place that didn't allow even a speck of dust.
Not ostentatiously ornate, but exuding an air of classical elegance, someone approached her with furious footsteps in the library.
Peron IV.
He was her father.
But his appearance and the perspective she saw him from were vastly different.
Peron IV had reverted to his younger self, and Lena had to crane her neck back just to look up at him.
Yet she felt no joy.
Though she didn't know the situation, she could sense reproach in his expression.
Standing before her with overwhelming dignity, Peron bellowed.
"Hic... Yes, Father..."
From Lena's mouth came not her adult voice, but the soft, childish tone of a young girl.
"Th-that... Hwaaang..."
"Hic... Hic..."
The maids beside her fidgeted anxiously at Peron's indignant shout.
Peron positioned the maids to watch and began spanking Lena's bottom demonstratively.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
"Hwaaaang! I'm sorry, Father! Hic, please forgive me! Aaaak!"
Smack! Smack! Smack!
But despite Lena's desperate cries, Peron's corporal punishment didn't stop.
Peron IV aimed for strict discipline with Lena.
Until she became an adult, even the smallest misdeed would earn her the rod, no matter the place.
It might seem humiliating and harsh for a duke's daughter, but that's precisely why Lena grew up properly.
Peron didn't raise his child as a mere father like other nobles; he raised her strictly as the leader of a nation.
Whenever he was angry, he wielded the rod, and Lena accepted the punishment willingly.
Her dream began with spankings and progressed through scenes of continued corporal punishment from Peron IV.
Yet even so, Lena harbored no anger or resentment toward the punishment.
Because she believed her father's discipline was an act of love.
Lena had become a full-fledged adult, no longer wearing the ornate dresses of her youth but silver armor.
Now aged, Peron IV sat on his throne and yelled at her.
Lena, who had always taken her father's words as absolute truth, now showed a completely different side.
The two faced off without yielding an inch.
Amid the heated shouting match, Peron IV clutched his left chest and collapsed.
"Ah, Fa-! Duke Peron!"
Lena nearly said "Father" but corrected herself, rushing to support Peron IV.
The retainers around them also hurried over in shock.
"Kuk... Your Grace..."
Peron IV had ruled the duchy as a wise and gentle leader.
His political achievements were acknowledged by all, but his frail body, unfit for battle, was the problem.
A king needn't go to war.
But their commanding general had fallen in battle.
Both Bethel and Peron, leading the war, needed not just troops but a leader at the forefront.
And the most suitable person for that role now was Lena de Peron.
As Lena said, the situation in the dream was on the verge of capturing the Demon King's castle.
The siege would be grueling, but with the Hero by her side, it was as good as won.
"Duke Peron!"
Peron IV spat blood from his mouth and pleaded with Lena.
"...Your Grace."
Peron IV had never once treated Lena as his child in front of others.
It was a father's face she had never seen before.
Biting her lip bitterly at the sight of tears streaming down Peron's face, Lena forced a smile.
After that, Peron fainted and spent his days bedridden, barely clinging to life.
As Lena led the soldiers out of the castle, she vowed.
‘Duke Peron... no, Father. I will definitely return... and accept punishment as your child.’
After that, Lena never saw Peron IV again.
The Hero suddenly vanished, and the war ended in defeat.
When she awoke after the final battle, she was in the dank prison of the Demon King's castle.
She could no longer see the people of Peron Duchy... and to save her father's life, she had no choice but to serve in the Demon King's castle for eternity.
"..."
"Awake?"
Lena sat up, her face blank.
In her vision was a single man.
One arm on the desk, holding books with the other hand, reading in a slouched posture.
"I'm sorry."
"Always 'sorry'."
"..."
Lena felt slightly hurt but held it back and composed her expression.
However, something didn't match her memory.
He had clearly been reading, but the book was gone.
‘Lately, something's off...’
Lena, whose mind had been foggy like shrouded in mist, now felt refreshed after these dreams.
And thanks to that clarity, she could reflect on the oddities.
‘This man... he's definitely up to something...’
The sudden drowsiness pulling her into sleep was strange, and the dreams were too vivid, sparking suspicion.
‘Yesterday's dream too... Ha...’
Yesterday's dream was incomprehensible even to Lena.
She knew dreams didn't follow normal logic, but even she couldn't accept that scenario.
‘Insane... Me begging to be hit...’
Not just the events, but the emotions from the dream flooded in completely.
Waking at dawn with a clear mind, the memory and feelings of thrusting her bottom out to Seong Suho and begging him to spank her seeped in vividly.
Lena thought of Berius, to whom she had entrusted the key.
‘No way that child... No, he's not the type to misuse the key.’
Her trust in Berius might be at rock bottom, but entrusting him with the key was proof of minimal faith.
Lena pondered the man deeply.
‘Incubus? No, he looks completely human. Still, I should be cautious.’
Even if the dreams cleared her mind, her unease didn't vanish.
‘Anyway, he'll be gone in a few days... Yeah... Just a few days...’
The thought that the man before her would soon leave brought a wave of emptiness.
The sense of relief she felt with him was like her last hope.
Even bizarre dreams made her chuckle, and strolling the gardens or library stabilized her mind and body—this man felt like a ray of hope.
He was the stopper in the swirling storm of her heart.
Imagining him removing it and leaving made the rough waves surge again.
The man before her steadied her turbulent mind.
Suddenly, he stood up abruptly.
"Let's go. I'll read the rest at night."
"Yes, understood."
Seong Suho had two books tucked under his arm.
Lena wondered if she should carry them instead, but he quickly headed to the librarian.
"Can I borrow these two for a bit?"
"Of course! Most of those books were useless anyway and slated for disposal. Take them!"
Lena's brow twitched slightly at that.
‘They were written with effort. Useless...’
Though not her own books, the words stung her heart—records and memories of humanity deemed worthless.
The man left the library with the two books, and Lena followed behind.
By the time they headed to the guest room, the evening sunset bathed the corridor.
The carpet of sunset light made Lena's day end happily.
As they reached the room, the man spoke.
"I'm hungry. No dinner plans today, right?"
"No, none. Shall I prepare dinner?"
"Yeah, for two."
"...Yes, understood."
Dining with him was awkward yet anticipated.
As Lena turned quickly toward the kitchen,
The man stopped her.
"Wait."
"...?"
"Take this."
"This is..."
She hadn't noticed when tucked under his arm, but up close, she recognized it.
It was the book she had been reading.
"Leave it in your room on the way, read it comfortably later."
"Bu..."
"I'm heading in."
The man entered the large guest room door without waiting for her reply.
"I've got a rough idea about the lady now."
‘Well, human emotions aren't perfect. It might not even be the full truth.’
She who had obeyed the Duke her whole life wouldn't have thought her first rebellion would be her last.
With the Hero there, things looked good, but she didn't expect him to vanish suddenly.
She thought her father would punish her smilingly upon return from war, but ended up never seeing him again.
Unusual, but deep down, she seemed to harbor a desire for punishment unbeknownst to herself.
I set aside thoughts of the lady for now and recalled Viola.
"...Is she still wandering around?"
Back in the room, Viola was still out.
She'd left in the morning without eating, apparently roaming.
"Let's find her first."
I realized I'd been too careless.
Fine if she met Beatrice, but wandering alone could be dangerous.
"Argh, suddenly anxious..."
"Good, then."
The moment I stepped out of the room, two figures approached.
Viola and Beatrice.
I let out a sigh of relief immediately.
"Phew..."
As I took one step toward them, I overheard their intimate chatter.
"If it weren't for me, you'd be in big trouble, nya!"
"Ugh... Suddenly making me do all that..."
...What the hell?
Viola had wandered the castle in the morning searching for Beatrice.
The problem was she got lost and ended up in the dining hall.
The women cleaning there mistook her for a new girl and put her to work.
Viola did it without thinking, enjoyed cleaning so much she spent the whole day happily, until Beatrice found her by chance and dragged her back.
But according to Beatrice, it was fine if just cleaning, but the noble ladies called Viola an idiot, lowly, all sorts of trash talk.
"...No, damn it!"
"Ugh, sorry, Suho..."
"No, no! Not mad at you, Viola."
I hugged Viola, who covered her head thinking I was angry, to reassure her.
Beatrice puffed out her chest proudly.
Whoa, that jiggle is no joke.
"Seriously! If I hadn't seen you, you'd have cleaned all day, nya!"
"You did great!"
"Hehe. If you're thankful, give me more clothes later, nya."
"Ooh, panties as a gift too!"
"Th-that's fine, nya..."
Beatrice backed away with a disgusted look.
I'm hurt...
Honestly, I planned to let those noble bitches slide.
Handling the guys was enough.
But I'd changed my mind.
Seeing the lady's dreams and all, I didn't want to let it go.
I asked Beatrice.
"Beatrice, how'd that thing I asked yesterday go?"
"Ah! Asked the manager, and they said plenty, nya."
"Around 20 portions maybe?"
"Hmm... Not sure about that much, nya. Gotta ask, nya."
"Please do."
"Got it, nya."
"Do well, and I'll definitely give you panties."
"No, enough, nya!"
Beatrice, touched by my words, dashed out tsundere-style.
‘Cute...’
"Armonia."
‘Can that work on women too?’
‘Great, great... Heh heh heh... Just imagining it is fucking thrilling.’
I hugged Viola tight, flashing a wicked grin.