I Have No Intention Of Training The Male Leads - Chapter 19 Part 3

“How did you find me?”

“…You didn’t contact me even once.”

“That’s my prerogative.”

“It was incredibly difficult to find you. How on earth did you even get here?”

“I just took a train, like a normal person.”

William’s face contorted strangely as he approached the campfire. 

Sensing that he hadn’t understood her words, Eve settled back down and explained, “I took a detour, using deserted stations.”

“Deserted stations? Are there even deserted stations here?”

“See? This is why I can’t stand nobles.”

“I was certain you’d have taken a ship. I heard they searched every single port, turning the place upside down, combing through all the departure records, looking for you.”

“Well, Alberic did get me a ship ticket.”

William casually took a seat beside Eve. She averted her gaze and picked up the stick she had tossed on the ground, poking the embers.

“But I have some business to take care of.”

“Business?”

“Well, now that I’m here, I figured I might as well see it through to the end.”

“…And what are you going to do after you’re done?”

“I don’t know.”

Eve fell silent. William pulled his knees to his chest, resting his chin on his hand, which was propped up on his elbow.

“Maybe I’ll wait for the surveillance at the ports to die down and sneak onto a ship.”

“Why not just stay here with me?”

“I’m a wanted criminal, you know? If I’m caught, you’ll be charged as an accomplice for harboring a fugitive.”

“You’re not going to try and clear your name? You didn’t do it.”

“It’s too much of a hassle. Maybe if it were before things blew up, but with the way they’ve set this trap… They’ve probably fabricated all the evidence by now. It’s always harder to prove your innocence. Besides, I’m not even related to that family. There’s no reason for me to cling to this country and go through all that.”

“…..”

“Edward would be most pissed if I simply vanished. Haha, good riddance. I doubt they have any extradition treaties in place yet, so what can they do if I escape to another country?”

Eve shrugged nonchalantly and picked up a remaining potato with her stick, removing it from the fire. Then, a thought suddenly crossed her mind.

“Oh, the newspapers are all over the imperial trial. That Valqueres heir is practically the Second Prince’s executioner. Thanks to him, my story barely made the news.”

“Ah, yeah. It’s pretty much over for the Second Prince. His younger sister stabbed him in the back at the last minute.”

“What?”

“Amelia betrayed her own brother and mother, siding with the Crown Prince. She was the one who leaked their plans.”

“Wow, that’s bold.”

“And I was the one who connected her with the Crown Prince.”

Eve paused mid-action, her hand frozen in the air as she was turning the potato to cool it down, stunned by William’s casual revelation. Noticing her gaping at him, William chuckled.

“And Amelia is going to kill the Crown Prince and become the Empress within three years.”

The potato she was holding slipped from her grasp and landed on the dirt with a thud.

“The princess is quite ambitious. She asked me why her two brothers were the only ones fighting over the crown and scepter when she was her father’s favorite child. So, I gave her a little push.”

“I think I just heard something incredibly shocking.”

“I initially planned for it to happen in three years, but if you want it done sooner, I’ll take care of it. It’s all because of that bastard, Edward. We just need to get rid of him, right?”

“No… uh, no. That’s not the point… You’re saying… you can just make things happen like that… just because you want to?”

Eve stared at him incredulously. William simply smiled and picked up the potato she had dropped.

“Didn’t you bring any salt? It’ll be hard to swallow without it.”

“So, you’ve had this all planned out from the start. This wasn’t a recent scheme. Remember how you pretended not to know anything before?”

“Sorry. I wasn’t sure where you’d run off to back then.”

William blew on the potato to cool it down and continued, “They’re not even my real family. What does it matter if I kill a couple of them?”

“You….”

“You’re the only one who matters to me. Maybe this is why I was brought to this world. To clear the path for you.”

His words were incredibly ominous, especially considering he was calmly peeling the charred skin of a potato. Eve tried to recall the personality of the man from her memories, the man named ?Yoo Sunho?. 

‘Was he always this unhinged…? Or did possessing William’s body drive him crazy? Why is he suddenly going off the rails?’

“I’ll take care of everything. You won’t have to worry about a thing.”

William placed the peeled potato in Eve’s hand and smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. The flickering flames illuminated his face, casting a shadow over half of it. Eve stared intently at the side of his face obscured by the shadow cast by his high nose bridge.

“Stay with me. Do whatever you want, just stay by my side. That’s all I want. That’s all I need.”

“Why?”

“I regret it so much. I wish I could tell you one last time that I love you. Even though I know you’ll reject me… I just can’t give up.” 

“Ha… Wait, hold on a second.”

“I came all this way for you. Even borrowing someone else’s body, like this…”

His voice was tinged with a hint of sadness. 

Eve, forcing her thoughts to remain rational, asked, “So, you’re saying it’s my responsibility?”

“No, no, that’s not what I meant. It’s just…”

William immediately denied it. What he desired wasn’t much. Or so he believed.

“That’s right. It’s all for my own satisfaction. I’m doing this because I want to. It’s alright. I’m not doing this to beg for your love. I…”

“…..”

“Just let me stay by your side.”

“You… really…”

“I won’t ask for anything else. Please, don’t push me away. Please.”

Finally, tears welled up in his light, winter-sky blue eyes, trickling down his cheeks, leaving a glistening trail. Eve silently observed him, his lips trembling as he bit back a sob, then let out a long sigh and ran a hand through her hair.

‘Well, what did he do wrong? He was dragged into this, completely clueless. He probably had to do whatever it took to survive in this strange, unfamiliar world. People like us always prioritize survival.’

“Alright, fine. I’ll think about it.” 

“Ah…”

“Don’t cry.”

“I love you…”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“I really…”

“You’re a grown man. Don’t be so pathetic. Stop crying. There, there.”

With an awkward expression, Eve wiped away his tears, gently patting his cheeks with her sleeve. He, who had been silently sobbing, nuzzled his face into her shoulder and embraced her.

Though slightly flustered, Eve patted his back without a word.

The corners of the man’s lips, buried in her shoulder, curved upwards into a faint smile.

It was true that he had manipulated the situation, hoping that clearing away any obstacles bothering Eve would make her allow him to stay by her side. However, he didn’t feel any guilt or regret. The only thing on his mind was that he’d have to be more careful in the future, hiding his actions more meticulously to avoid getting caught and scolded.

For him, squeezing out a few tears to exploit Eve’s soft spot was a worthwhile tactic. Had he not resorted to crying, she might have dismissed him, claiming his words were unreliable. William desperately feigned a pitiful act.

Feeling her gentle pats on his back, William knew she wouldn’t pry any further into his actions.

He closed his eyes, a satisfied smile on his face, hoping she would pity him just a little bit more.

Composing himself, William, putting on a more genuine expression, asked why Eve had come all the way to the countryside in the North. Eve simply replied that she was looking for an old building. Ignoring his attempts to coax more details out of her, she instead filled him in on the events that had transpired during their separation.

Time passed, and the dark sky gradually brightened, turning a shade of turquoise blue, as faint rays of light began to peek through the leaves. Only when it was bright enough to see clearly did Eve finally get up.

After covering the embers with dirt and stomping on them to extinguish the flames, she sheathed her machete and secured it to her belt.

“Wait.”

William stopped her and took out a thin whistle, about the length of his finger, from his pocket. He blew on it, producing a single, high-pitched sound, barely audible. Within ten minutes, a group of people emerged from the forest.

“…What?”

“I wouldn’t come to a place like this alone, not when I’m a duke.”

“You had them on standby nearby? Why didn’t they come yesterday?”

“Why would I involve other people when we’re finally alone?”

Eve questioned him, confused by the approaching footsteps, and William replied nonchalantly.

Just as she was about to ask why he was suddenly acting so shady, the group came close enough for her to make out their faces, and Eve immediately shut her mouth.

The people who answered William’s call consisted of four men armed with longswords, presumably knights, and a familiar magician. Recognizing the familiar face, Eve bowed her head slightly.

Cecil, the magician, returned her greeting with a nod before turning to William for instructions. She began preparing a wide-range detection spell, but before casting it, she turned to Eve and asked, “You don’t know the exact location, do you?”

“Well, besides the fact that there’s a large lake nearby… Oh, could you focus your search around areas near the lake with Moon Shroom colonies?”

“It’s not impossible, but it will take some time. We’ll have to scan below the surface as well.”

“Ah, I see.”