I Decided to Kidnap the Male Lead

Chapter 54: The Three Team Scheme (XI)

What?

Ophelia shook her hand and moved towards Catherine.

Catherine.

Yes?

Holding Catherines hand, Ophelia continued speaking.

Thank you for providing this place today.

Oh, no Im happy if it helped.

The fact that Catherines face was red was something anyone could tell just by looking at the nape of her neck or the tips of her ears; there was no need to take off the snake mask.

Squeezing the hand a little tighter, Ophelia lowered her voice and whispered in Catherines ear.

Did you deliberately choose red as the theme color? Bol Because of Bolsheik. Thank you. I really appreciate it, Catherine.

At Ophelias sincerity, which was repeated over and over again, Catherine pursed her lips, and in the end, she did not reply and just bowed her head.

She noticed.

Catherine thought she didnt have to know. She just thought that if she helped, it was good enough for her.

Ophelia patted Catherine on the back of her hand, then shifted her gaze to Iris before saying,

And Im sorry. I think Ill have to go.

Before the two of them could say anything, Ophelia disappeared from the spot like the wind.

After leaving the evening party, Ophelia did not return to her home.

Without hesitation, she moved towards the Imperial Palace.

Because she had a story to share with Richard.

Ophelias steps toward him were accelerating.

.

The day after the party where Ophelia saw the terrible Raisa, which made her neck stiff with tension just by thinking about it

It was a nice, warm day, but Ophelia was covered in cold sweat as she curled up in the dark.

The night before when she went to Richard.

He went out?

Yes. Slightly before you came.

Yes. It happens. When When will His Highness return?

He didnt set a time.

In view of Coopers answer, Ophelia waited until the early morning light came hazy.

But in the end she never met him and had to go home around dawn.

Ophelia collapsed on the bed as she was, unable to sleep properly despite her exhaustion.

After starting the infinite regressions, she had so many days with nightmares that it would be quicker to count the days she got a good nights sleep. It could even be said now that nightmares were a close friend.

But today, she was suffering from a particularly terrible nightmare.

Even though she knew she had to die, she didnt want to die, so she ran and ran away again.

Then, she opened her eyes in shock without knowing how it ended, and proceeded to fall asleep again as if she had fainted.

Ophelia rose for the fourth time, her shoulders shaking, and a few minutes later she stuck her head under the pillow.

The door opened without a knock.

The stuffy air inside flowed out through the crack in the door, and at the same time a shadow entered Ophelias room.

The woman looking around the room frowned once and quickly approached the bedside.

She immediately clicked her tongue.

You really

The elegant canopy was randomly rolled up and tucked away in the corner of the bed, and the clothes that had been taken off were strewn all over. It was a mess.

She could have called the servants right away and told them to tidy things up.

If it was the usual, she would have tidied up this messy room by shaking Ophelia up whether she was sleeping or not.

But not now.

The woman just let out a light sigh, and with those extremely well-managed hands that had never been dipped in water, she picked up the clothes that were scattered all over the place and put them aside.

After roughly removing the clothes that would have wrapped around Ophelias neck if she rolled over while sleeping, she looked at the owner of the room, who was crouching in a corner, not in the middle of the bed.

Ugh, uhhhh

Ophelia was lying on her side, curled up like a baby and moaning.

Her entire face was crumpled and she was dripping with cold sweat, so it was obvious to anyone that she was having a nightmare.

The woman stared down at her, then she reached out and wiped Ophelias round, sweaty forehead with her hand.

Bright red hair, which clung to the forehead, was tucked behind her ear, and she soon grabbed Ophelias shoulder.

Ophelia?

The shoulder which was held began to shake violently.

Ophelia. Ophelia?

More force was exerted as she went.

Wake up!

Huh! Hwa, ah, ah, ack!

Ophelia let out a choked breath at the strong hand that shook her shoulder.

After inhaling and exhaling for a long time, Ophelia slowly opened her eyes.

Mother?

A familiar face came into her blurry vision.

Her mother, who did not hide her puzzled expression, touched the forehead of Ophelia.

You have a fever. Although its not boiling, you should have taken medicine before it became like this.

The mothers hand brushing her sick daughters feverish forehead wasnt particularly friendly, but her motions were constant.

What kind of child are you

And the nagging that followed without fail.

She said she was a daughter she was very fond of and which she cherished, yet she still didnt do anything for her.

She didnt say much, did everything she wanted, and didnt even tell her daughter that she loved her in her sleep.

She was not a dream mother from dramas, movies, or novels.

Rather, she was a very realistic mother who, whenever she met her daughters eyes, she would say something disapproving about her and nag not just in the first verse, but also in the second and third verses.

Thanks to that, even if Ophelia possessed a novel out of nowhere, she was able to adapt quickly.

What? Youre really

Ophelia was in a state where she was covered in cold sweat and even tears from the nagging that followed, but somehow a bashful laugh flowed out.

It was because the worry and affection underlying all the nagging and sharp words were so new.

It didnt matter if she was her real mother or not.

It was too late for such a question, but it was the mother right in front of Ophelia who stood beside her, wiping her damp brow and watching with anxious eyes.

Was that why?

The feverish and agitated Ophelia brought up a story out of the blue.

She herself didnt even know why she was saying this now.

Mother.

Yes.

Do I not meet your expectations?

What?

Every time we make eye contact, you scold me.

It wasnt something she would throw lightly, but she somehow ended up saying it infinitely lightly.

And after she spat it out, she realized what a stupid question she had asked.

No, um nothing

About to dismiss it with her hand, Ophelia raised her body that was as heavy as water-soaked cotton, but an index finger pressed against her forehead and she was pushed back down onto the pillow.

Her mother, who made Ophelia lie down, responded.

What do you mean by not meeting expectations?

The answer that came out with a sigh was something Ophelia hadnt expected.

Youre an eagle hiding sharp claws. Or a lion hiding fierce teeth.

It wasnt a soothing voice or tone.

It just felt calm and composed, as if listing the facts.

But what is it that scares you, no, what is it that makes you so anxious and stressed that youre lying flat on your stomach?

With a light sigh, the older woman poked the tip of Ophelias nose and widened her similar rabbit-like eyes.

Its not that youre falling short of expectations, but youre exceeding them, yet youre just hiding it and its frustrating. Did you think that this mother didnt know you were doing that?

That

The mother smiled faintly at her daughter, who was unable to answer and only blankly moved her lips.

Its the same with engagements.

No did you know what I was going to do?

Yes. Isnt it obvious? A son-in-law like that is something that even this mother would not want.

(TL/N: remember that unknown dude who ophelia is supposedly going to be engaged to? but she ended up stuck in infinite regression and became an aide to the crown prince.)

Those were good words, but her mother had a terrifying expression that convinced Ophelia that if she had really taken him in, she would have driven him out with a crushing blow.

How can I put a bastard like that next to you?

The one who was quickly demoted from son-in-law to bastard soon expanded its scope.

To stand by your side, at least

Ophelia had to struggle to swallow the laughter that was about to burst out at her mothers standard of son-in-law.

If that was the standard, one would have to catch a unicorn whose horn crossed the Milky Way and shone rainbow colors.

Ophelia paused as she listened to the conditions of her partner, whose image was gradually taking shape.

No Wait, he actually existed.

A man who satisfied all of those absurd standards.

Mother thats the crown prince.

Ophelias words, which came out as small as the sound of an ant crawling, had an unexpected response this time.

No.

Ophelia blinked her eyes quickly at her mother, who shook her head so resolutely.

Yes? No?

No matter how she thought about it, Richard must be the only human who met the standard that didnt even seem humanly possible

It cant be His Highness the Crown Prince because hes similar to you.

What?

At her mothers sudden insight, Ophelias shoulder bounced like a harpooned tuna.

Why are you suddenly so surprised?

No, that that! You said Im similar to His Highness the Crown Prince.

Ophelia bet her mother didnt know the absurd secret they shared, but even so, she swallowed dry saliva.

Uh in what ways are we similar?

At Ophelia, who couldnt even finish her words properly, her mother subtly scrunched her face.

Everything to the unmotivated eyes and indifferent attitude.

It was rude enough to judge the crown prince, but Ophelia simply shut her mouth and stared.

Her mother was so right, that she couldnt find the words to answer.

Ame: W-Whats going on? I literally just recovered from sickness and this is making my head hurt. Is the mother going to be an important character? Is what she said going to help Ophelia figure out Raisa is also a regressor? Is Richard ever going to have a chance to be with Ophelia? Find out in the next episode when the author decides to reveal it!

Dea: The mother showed up out of nowhere, confused everyone, sunk the OpheliaxRichard ship and hit us with her wisdom, shes honestly an icon