The Tragic Male Lead Chose the Wrong Partner

“Just do whatever you want.”
It didn’t sound like a farewell or permission—more like the sorrowful monologue of someone who had finally collapsed under the weight of it all.
I couldn’t say anything. I just clutched his solid back with all my strength.

At this point, even the excuse of “I had no choice, my life was at stake” became meaningless.
“There are plenty of ways. Whether I remarry you as the widow of a fallen war hero, or as a woman who’s already signed a divorce.”
Watching a man beg so desperately not to be left behind made my heart pound—for a different reason. It ached. But I couldn’t bring myself to say I would stay by his side.

“I…”
Lost in thought, I looked at him with eyes full of resolve.
“I’m sorry.”

I’m sorry, but I have to save you.
Because I could never bear to watch Masera disappear as a so-called hero.
I looked up at Masera, who looked like a rain-soaked kitten.

It hurt—but I had already laid out my plan to fake my own death and vanish.
The only way to pass on the royal legacy to Masera was through my will.
Once everything was resolved, I intended to tell him the whole truth.

That man never listens to anyone, and even in the most suspicious situations, he still believes in me—so he probably wouldn’t even believe I was dead.
‘You’ll find me eventually.’
It was only because I believed in him, too, that I could do this.

‘Once my grand plan is over, you can hate me all you want.’
In healing romance stories, misunderstandings, conflict, and trials are all essential ingredients.
From now on, your wife is about to pull off something big, so don’t whine—just endure it. My poor little kitten.
* * *

The day after the earthquake.
Most places had relatively minor damage, but in Dias, a major disaster had struck.
「Avalanche in Dias triggered by earthquake」

In its wake, a flood of blind blame began to appear in the media.
「The Recanosa ducal family is believed to have worsened the avalanche damage by pushing ahead with reckless mining operations, despite warnings from Dias residents.
The Dias mining project was led by the Duchess of Recanosa, who is currently under investigation for evidence tampering…」

Helene crumpled the paper with trembling hands.
‘This… can’t be happening…’
She had trusted the experts who said there was no way a simple exploration could trigger an avalanche.
But who could have predicted an earthquake of this magnitude, as if it were some cruel twist of fate?

Suddenly, she remembered the words of Count Hert, who had insisted they needed to build avalanche countermeasures before leaving for Nox.
“...I’ll leave for Nox with the residents. I can’t allow them to be sacrificed for a duchess who doesn’t understand the value of life.”
She had mocked him, asking what he could possibly do in barren Nox, but Count Hert had been unyielding.

“We can build a village in a week.”
“It’s the duchess who will have to start over from scratch.”
She hadn’t realized that it wasn’t a greedy bluff to squeeze out more compensation—but a sincere warning.

Her lips ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) trembled at the thought of the avalanche of criticism about to come crashing down.
More than “I failed,” what filled her mind was the certainty of “It’s over.”
Even though such a massive crisis had occurred, not a single person came looking for her.

* * *
Due to the disaster in Dias, Masera was summoned back to headquarters and finished preparing to leave.
Before stepping out of the residence, he looked back at Cynthia, who came to see him off.

“Take care.”
Cynthia waved with her usual smile, holding Eugene’s hand.
Masera stared at her with an expressionless face, then turned coldly and climbed into the car.

“Did you two fight, Your Excellency?”
Diego, sitting beside him, cautiously asked after seeing Masera’s frosty demeanor, but Masera didn’t answer.
“They say Her Highness donated funds for the residents still remaining in Dias.”

Even as Diego kept talking, Masera only half-listened, eyes on the newspaper.
Then his gaze froze on something.
「Thanks to Princess Cynthia’s early prediction and relocation policy, casualties were kept to a minimum…」

“….”
Seeing the article about Cynthia, Masera’s eyes narrowed slightly before he quickly looked away.
「Disaster specialist Cynthiad expressed deep regret over the incident…」

“Ah.”
Seeing the name of the disaster specialist, Masera closed his eyes tightly.
“I’m sorry.”

What had she meant by those words?
He kept mulling them over, turning them in his mind.
It felt, somehow, like an apology for the future—for leaving him behind.

At the same time, he also thought about how he would destroy every single person targeting Cynthia.
He’d known for some time now that Count Queensguard coveted the developed land of Nox. Just as he knew the Count dreamed of his son becoming king.
Even if Cynthia shared that ambition, even if her kindness was an act to get close…

He didn’t feel hatred.
‘Still, I’m human. Of course I’ll resent it.’
That’s why he needed distance—to calm down.

Otherwise, those overheated emotions might explode in the wrong direction.
Truthfully, he wanted to keep her locked away so she could never leave his side.
But her ever-gentle smile, always lingering in his mind, scattered even that possessive darkness into the air.

“Regarding the recovery work in Dias… Brigadier? Why do you look so grim?”
Diego blinked in surprise and asked after noticing his expression.
“I had a bad thought.”

Having indulged in some very dark imaginings, Masera rubbed his lips and looked out at the all-white landscape.
* * *
Masera didn’t return to the residence until the sun was beginning to set.

The flaming red glow of the sunset kept reminding him of someone.
And as he stepped out of the car, he saw that someone.
Cynthia was struggling along, lugging a heavy box in her arms.

He approached her instinctively and took the box from her.
Inside were toys for the children—so heavy that even a grown man would struggle to carry it.
“Why were you carrying this alone?”

She could’ve asked someone else to help.
Cynthia looked up at him with a bright smile.
“I can do it by myself, you know?”

His grip loosened unconsciously, and the toys spilled out.
Cynthia’s eyes went wide as she looked up at him, unmoving.
“Are you okay? Don’t tell me HQ made you do physical labor and hurt your hands? I’ll go right now and—”

He suddenly grabbed the hand she had placed over his.
“Can you really do everything alone?”
Masera’s question startled her, and she stepped back—but he didn’t let go.

Instead, he pulled her closer, face to face.
“I asked if you’re really okay on your own.”
His expression was calm, but his tightly drawn lips suggested he was holding back a storm. Emotions long buried were beginning to rise.

“…No. In the end, you’re helping me, aren’t you?”
Cynthia shook her head.
“Why do you keep—”

Masera cut himself off.
Then, as if realizing something, he let go of her hand.
He didn’t want to pressure her just because of his own emotions.

“I trust you’ll do fine on your own.”
His voice came out somewhat deflated as he brushed past her coldly.
* * *

From that day on, Masera no longer joined Cynthia for meals, nor did he come looking for her.
He also stopped expecting their usual greetings when he left for work.
He began to wonder if all his efforts had only been a burden on her.

Because unwanted affection can become a form of harm.
Still, he insisted on sleeping in the same bedroom—and obediently followed her order to sleep on the bed, not the couch.
Sitting in his office, he pulled at his tight collar with a sigh.

‘Even if this is all I get.’
He resolved not to be greedy anymore.
Living under the same roof like this—he repeated to himself again and again—that was enough.

As he opened a drawer, something golden caught his eye.
It was the bread bag twist tie ring she had given him long ago—a charm for wealth.
Then came a knock, and Diego burst in.

“Brigadier!”
Flushed with excitement, he handed over a document, catching his breath.
“Oil has erupted from the cracked ground caused by the earthquake! In the western mountain range of Nox!”

It was the rabbit-shaped mountain range Cynthia had mentioned.
Masera looked down at the twist tie ring he’d been fiddling with, as if unable to let go.