I was reincarnated into a novel titled ‘The Duke Wants to Live Today’ as its villain—the insane crown prince destined to be killed by Ethan after becoming emperor.
Ever since I arrived here, a voice echoed from deep within my heart: ‘Go back to reality.
This place is hell. You must die completely to return.’
It was a sharp, mournful voice that I could never resist, so I simply ran toward that single goal.
But no matter what I did, my body was immortal and refused to die.
My last hope, totally crushed, was to have my breath taken away by the protagonist, Ethan, just as the novel described.
So when I met Ethan earlier than in the novel, I viewed him as my savior.
“Live. Somehow survive until you reach adulthood.”
Because my fate in this novel was to be killed by him on the day he reached adulthood.
“I should ask the commander of the knights to teach you swordsmanship.”
Because having my head cut off in one stroke would hurt less.
“Right. I spend every night drinking like this.”
Because I wanted Ethan to realize that I wasn’t fit to be emperor.
And finally, on the day Ethan reached adulthood, he came to my bedchamber.
Sword in hand.
When the long-awaited death drew near, Ethan’s two eyes stared at me.
“Your Highness, you want me to kill you. You always called me your savior, after all.”
It wasn’t in the novel, but I nodded roughly.
“Yes, I did.”
“…I want to have you, Your Highness.”
“My life is already yours.”
“You truly are a master at playing with people. You knew how I felt for a long time.”
I just wished he would stop talking nonsense and hurry up and kill me.
“Since Your Highness won’t give me a chance… I have no choice.”
An anxious feeling swelled up. Soon, Ethan’s crazy eyes swallowed me whole.
“If I don’t kill you, Your Highness, you will stay by my side for the rest of your life.”
“…What?”
—
“…Right, as long as that affection isn’t romantic love, it’s fine.”
Ethan said nothing for a moment, then asked Fel.
A flat voice passed through Fel’s ears.
It was a question that was a bit surprising, and made his heart drop.
“What if it is romantic love?”
Suddenly, his chest ached.
Fel thought: ‘When did it start, feeling this strange pain? Was it from the day Ethan first entered the imperial palace, when he saw the wound caused by Kaleb and blew up at me?’
What was at first just a slight sting had now grown into something that could be called real pain.
When Fel couldn’t say anything, Ethan replied casually.
“It was just a joke, Your Highness.”
However, thinking back on it…
“What romantic love could there be between men?”
Ethan wasn’t smiling.
