A Mastermind? No, I'm just the Live-In Son-in-Law-Chapter 85: I Like You

“...Do whatever you want.”

But Meredia, quietly biting her lower lip, ultimately didn’t shake him off. Instead, she simply let her arm hang limply, as if giving up.

“Thank you for your cooperation. But I won’t be letting go.”

“......”

“It’s such a letdown when someone runs away after that. Haha.”

As Whitney stepped in front of her with a gentle voice, Meredia’s gaze dropped lower.

“I’m not going anywhere, so let go.”

“Really? I hate chasing people who run away.”

“Ha.”

“So please, if you would, stay somewhere I can see you.”

To anyone just listening to the conversation, the moment might have seemed romantic. But to the maids of Lumen Ordo carrying dismantled wreaths nearby, it looked entirely different.

‘Scary...’

‘...Is he one of those obsessive types?’

‘I’ve seen this in those tragic romance novels...’

The maids, unfamiliar with Meredia’s infamous reputation due to living in such a secluded environment, only saw Whitney’s expression as terrifying.

And the fact that Meredia, caught by him, looked unusually frail and sickly only added to their misunderstanding.

“Whenever I chase someone, strange rumors always start flying.”

“......”

“One time when I was little, I got arrested by the city guard just for playing hide-and-seek with my sister.”

“...Yeah, I can definitely see that happening.”

If anyone had actually listened to their exchange, the entire genre would have flipped immediately.

Whitney’s sincerity still didn’t reach the world properly. The world simply wasn’t ready to accept it.

“Well. I suppose since you came all the way inside Lumen Ordo’s castle, there’s nowhere to run anyway.”

“...Ha.”

“Actually, if you were going to leave by carriage, you should’ve gone the other way—ow!”

In any case, Whitney—carelessly running his mouth—was soon punished as Meredia stepped on his foot.

“Haha. So you still have enough energy to get mad, I see.”

“If you understand that, then let go of my arm.”

“That’s going to be difficult...”

“I mean, there are people watching... Ugh. Forget it.”

Even though she told him to stop, Whitney didn’t let go. Surrounded by curious stares—like onlookers watching a tragic heroine—Meredia scowled in exasperation and lowered her head again.

“Oh no, what do we do...”

“Such a bad man...”

“He ditched the one who set all this up with wreaths just for him... and now this?”

And so the misunderstanding of Lumen Ordo’s maids only deepened.

But in the end, Whitney once again met Meredia’s gaze.

***

“So? What is it you want to say?”

“...Hmm.”

It was great that I’d managed to stop Her Grace—but honestly, I wasn’t sure what to do next.

“To be honest, I’m not sure myself.”

“What?”

“I just followed you on instinct. I haven’t really sorted out my thoughts yet.”

It had all been too sudden. Even though I knew there might be a solution, I hadn’t yet organized anything clearly in my head.

“Then I’ll organize it for you.”

Seeing me dazed like that, Meredia sighed and spoke with a weary tone.

“As you’ve heard, I have about one year of life left.”

“......”

“When the curse activates, my life will be completely extinguished. Then it’s over. Everything.”

Her concise summary helped cut through the chaos in my head instantly.

No matter what happens, if I stay by your side—there is no end.

That was the conclusion I came to.

But with how frayed Her Grace’s mental state was right now, I couldn’t say it out loud just yet.

“Whether it’s our contract, or your stupid little plan—it’s all over.”

“The Meredia I know isn’t the kind of person who’d just sit and wait for the end.”

So instead, I slowly began talking with her. But as expected of Her Grace, who was particularly prickly when it came to this, the conversation wasn’t easy.

“What do you know about me?”

“At the very least, I know more than your damnable family ever did.”

Thankfully, I had grown somewhat accustomed to handling our Meredia by now.

“Whether you meant it or not, I like that answer.”

As expected, she faintly curled her lips at my response. After a deep breath, she raised her hand slightly.

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With that, the soundproofing magic usually cast on her carriage instantly surrounded us.

“I’ve known about my curse for a very long time.”

“......”

“And I’ve been planning for just as long to get rid of this damned curse.”

As she slowly began to tell her story, I quietly listened.

Even someone as clueless as me knew that in times like this, the best thing I could do was simply listen.

“As you’ve probably guessed, the power in my gemstone eyes is actually the power of the Demon King.”

“......”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“Our oh-so-great Duke of Embergreen figured that out early on and started trying to use me for his own gain while I was still a child.”

Even so, when the story turned to the Duke of Embergreen, I couldn’t keep my face neutral.

Then and now, hearing about garbage families never failed to make my stomach turn.

“But I held on. I got some scars for it, sure. But in the end, I succeeded in suppressing the Demon King’s power.”

“...I see.”

“And that must’ve pissed off the Duke, because after that, he joined forces with the Shadow Union and placed the terminal curse on me.”

Grinding my teeth, I listened silently—but that part made my expression twist without me meaning to.

“To suppress the terminal curse, I can’t just restrict ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) the Demon King’s power like I’ve been doing—I have to fully unleash it.”

“......”

“If I want to live, I have to awaken the Demon King’s power. That’s probably what they intended. Or maybe... they just wanted to watch me rot.”

She spoke calmly, but Princess Meredia’s complexion had turned extremely pale.

“Of course, I despised that idea more than anything. That’s why I’ve spent all this time suppressing the power and looking for another way.”

“......”

“But no matter how hard I searched, I couldn’t find an answer.”

Anger and hatred—

And behind them, a faint but undeniable fear.

Maybe... Princess Meredia had always been hiding that fear behind her cold expression all this time.

“So in the end, after struggling in vain, I became a monster no different from them.”

Hearing her self-deprecating words, I found myself pinching my own thigh just to stop myself from blurting something out.

I wanted to ask—how could she even compare herself to those people? It was too unjust. But this wasn’t the time to interrupt.

She had finally begun opening up about her past.

“And even then, with no hope left... Honestly, I’d half given up months ago.”

“......”

“I was planning to burn the Emperor and the Duke—those bastards playing with black mages—to ash, and then swallow poison.”

Her words brushed past my ear, heavy enough to flip the Empire upside down if they ever got out... but I told myself it had to be my imagination.

“That is... until the day I met you.”

The moment she looked me in the eye and said that—her voice softer than ever—I found myself forgetting all the dark things she’d just said.

“But...”

She started to say more, but her words trailed off into silence.

“...So what exactly is the problem, then?”

I’d been patiently waiting, but seeing her close up again, I quickly tried to reignite the conversation.

“You confirmed it yourself, didn’t you? That I could weaken your curse.”

But her lips, once again firmly shut, showed no sign of opening.

“Maybe even completely dispelling it isn’t out of the question—”

“...That’s exactly the problem.”

Much sooner than I expected, she cut me off—with a cryptic, heavy answer.

“The problem is that you are the only possible solution.”

I blinked dumbly, unable to grasp what she meant, until Her Grace sighed and continued in a cold voice.

“As hard as it is to believe, I’ll admit it now. You like me.”

“Well, of course I do.”

“And I’ll also admit... you’d go to any lengths for me.”

I nodded at that, then took the chance to say something I meant deeply.

“If necessary, I’m willing to give up my life for you.”

“That’s exactly why it’s a problem.”

Her voice turned sharp again as she answered.

“I remember clearly what they said—about the power of dominion dwelling inside you.”

“......”

“If that power is what can break my curse... then I don’t think I can accept your help.”

I quietly turned my gaze to Her Grace, who was staring downward, clutching her right hand tightly.

“...Because I might fall to that power?”

“...Yes.”

“But even knowing that, I still don’t understand.”

There was a nagging feeling in my chest, like I was missing something obvious—but I couldn’t figure out what.

“Didn’t we form our contract with the intent of using each other?”

So I brought up the one connection that still bound us—and as I did, her expression darkened even further.

“I wanted to be by the side of someone I like, and you... you wanted to use someone like me for your own gain. That was our deal, wasn’t it?”

“......”

“Then why not just stick to the contract and use me?”

Still, I couldn’t understand her reaction.

“I don’t know why the Demon King’s power chose me. But if it can help you, I’m ready to use it—without hesitation.”

“Stop...”

“If that means you’ll live longer—and maybe even escape the Demon King’s fate—then that’s all I could ever ask for...”

I tried to speak with complete sincerity, forcing any trace of a smile off my face. But then—

“I said stop!!!”

Her voice exploded loud enough to rattle my eardrums.

“That’s exactly why I can’t accept your help!”

“...Can you tell me why?”

I flinched in surprise, but my curiosity was stronger. I carefully asked the still-breathing-hard princess.

“A reason... Fine. I’ll say it clearly. So listen well.”

“......”

“There’s only one reason why I refuse your help.”

And then she grabbed me by the collar and yanked me toward her.

Her next words stunned me more than anything I’d ever heard.

“I don’t want to see you... become the Demon King.”

“...Huh?”

“Just the thought of you being corrupted by that wretched power because of me—it’s unbearable. Got it?”

Coming from Meredia Embergreen—the final boss in most routes, the cruelest villainess in the game, and a proud daughter of a ducal house—

I never imagined I’d hear words like that from her lips.

“Uh... I don’t really get it...”

“...You idiot.”

As I stammered, face blank, Her Grace glared at me with a chilling look.

“Can’t even understand this? You’re hopeless as a man.”

“...I’m sorry?”

She let out a long sigh, then closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, her gaze was filled with firm resolve.

“Never thought I’d say something like this in my entire life...”

And then—what she said next would stay etched in my memory for the rest of my life.

“...I like you, Whitney.”

The words felt so unreal, time itself seemed to stop.

“I said I like you, you dumbass.”