TRAPPED BY THE SECOND MALE LEAD
CHAPTRE 22

“Thank you, sir.”

Zoya holds Ziel's shoulder. The look on her face was already uneasy when she received the information sheet from the information bureau to look for Meridia's whereabouts, of course he pinned a picture painting where Meridia's face was not that clear so that no one would notice her resemblance to Marigold.

“Huh...no one found it.” As Ziel had expected, no one else knew of Meridia's whereabouts. The Marigold Twins hardly ever come out unless they get a shopping turn.

Zoya stroking her husband's shoulder gives a little peace, “Why are you so eager to look for him? he went of his own accord. Isn't that how we can live quietly all three here? we won't think about that burden anymore."

Ziel glances at Zoya sharp “You don't remember her leaving something here? The curse. What happiness? Days I missed with worries.” he said a little angry.

Marigold today has a schedule to go to the temple and serve the community again. Hearing the conversation of his parents at the exit, his heart went overcrowded. These days Ziel rarely rests and spends more time working without paying attention to eating hours. “Meridia has always troubled everyone around her. I really won't be able to like it.” furious Marigold.

Marigold walked up to his parents while hugging them in greeting. He clasped Ziel's hand “Dad need not worry, I've purified this whole house. Curse of Meridia is unlikely to happen.”

Marigold unleashed his power and channeled his purification energy at Ziel. Intentionally he did so to convince the Marquess that Meridia would not haunt their family with misfortune.

Marigold did not know how to deal with the curse that Meridia had given him, at least for now he could lie for the good of his own family.

Ziel then realized he had made his wife and daughter anxious about him. The man's hand moved stroking the top of Marigold's head while carving out a gentle smile “Thank you, Mary. Sorry to have you two worried.”

“Dad, please don't worry about that anymore. Watch your father's meal. Look, dad's been as skinny as a chili stem.”

“Hahahaha yes, alright. I understand, son.” Zoya's smile rises to see how extraordinary Marigold persuades Ziel.

“I'll go to the temple now. Take good care of yourself, yeah. See you later, dad, mom.”

Marigold did not understand why Ziel cared so much for Meridia that he neglected his own health. The man had already told her that the reason for wanting to find Meridia and bring her back was because of her curse that had not been revoked. But as anxious as Ziel was, Marigold could see from his eyes that he was still worried about Meridia as a parent.

But that is not the cause of Marigold's dizziness in recent days. The day Meridia ran away, something made her head feel empty. Her memory was like she had an empty piece that somehow made her keep wondering what was going on with her. He couldn't remember anything he did all day.

“This is weird. The red mark on my neck was like a giggling but no matter what happened it was not theft, no items were missing. Meridia also brought nothing but her romp clothes.”

Arriving at the temple, a handsome tan-skinned young man greeted Marigold as if they were friends “Good morning, Saintess.” Meeting a lot of people made Marigold a little difficult to remember their faces one by one.

Politely Marigold asked “Sorry, I forgot your name. May I know what your name is?”

“You don't remember? I'm Navarro, Saintess.”

“Navarro?” Marigold frowned trying to remember the name and where they had met before. Then all about it began to remember “Ah, Navarro~ this time you came here again?”

“Yes. Good luck today, Saintess.”

Marigold remembered the handsome face behind the mask.he was impressed with the young man who diligently visited the temple. The two of them chatted familiarly like they had been friends for a long time. Unfortunately their activities had to be interrupted because the time for prayer had begun.

Marigold still managed to become an idol in the Norfolk community even though he had previously been exposed to the confusing news about the twin sister he hid. Serving them while chatting made Marigold forget for a moment with the burden of his mind.

After the hours were up, Marigold intended to go home early. But, unexpectedly, the young man who claimed to be named Navarro was still waiting for himself and invited to talk for a while before returning home.

“What's the problem, Navarro?” the charming girl asked curiously.

The long-legged man replied to her with a small shake while smiling “No, Saintess. I just want to say goodbye to you because it's my last day in Norfolk.”

Marigold widened “Why? You quit your job?”

“Yes, that's it. I'll go back to my hometown and work there. Before I go, I want to give something as a memento to you.”

Marigold enthusiastically awaits what surprises Navarro gives, he said, “Really? Thank you for thinking of me as one of the people who deserves a gift from you.”

“Why are you talking like that? Here, accept. I hope this can remind you of our friendship.”

Lucien, disguised as an ordinary young man named Navarro, gives a necklace of gold with pearls. Quietly Marigold had long craved the necklace for a long time, suddenly he got it from a border guard now?

“But why did you buy such an expensive keepsake? I don't feel good about it.”

“I saved up long enough and I think this is the only gift that suits someone as amazing as you. Not only beautiful, but you're really very good. I'm so in awe of you.”

The meeting really made Marigold forget his whole problem. The chatter felt more lively, the gift obtained from his friend raised the mood of Marigold.

Marigold did not know, a sneaky grin that was imprinted behind the trick of the hospitality of a Lucien disguised as a commoner. You may also already know that the necklace is not given solely for gifts but there is another purpose tucked behind it.

While Lucien is playing his revenge game on the Emerald family, the more comfortable Meridia lives in Lucien's study. Of course he did so clandestinely after Ximena made sure she had eaten and left.

Not much different from Ziel's workspace, all completed files are stacked and tied separately based on the month. There is also a bookcase containing other files. “I think he completely put aside his affairs as a noble.”

No one was not searched by him. But a clue was not found. Everyone was avoiding Meridia as if afraid that she was asking something they should have hidden well about themselves.

“Here there is nothing. Should I go to the library?” Meridia wants to find out about this house.

Meridia was still curious about the reason the maid had asked her for help yesterday afternoon. Instead of explaining when asked, the waiter asked back not to remember what he asked like a person who suddenly forgot his memory.

He has not met her again today. Last night Meridia also awaits the warning given. There was no hot air that night, there was only a hint of a rancid smell as Meridia stood by the door of the room. Doubtful, Meridia did not open the door of the room and only briefly heard the sound of barefoot steps.

Meridia jumped in shock when Lucien was already standing at the door and staring at her intensely “What are you doing here?” asked the young man in wonder.

“Ah I just went around. I haven't seen this room yet.” Reply casually, hiding his true intentions.

“You just got home, don't want to rest first?” Lucien looked at Meridia meaningfully while developing a seductive grin, “I will immediately recharge my energy now.”

Meridia was suspicious of Lucien's gelagat approaching step by step accompanied by his increasingly obvious ignorant smile. True to his expectations, the tall young man immediately clutched Meridia's thin body while occasionally rubbing his face into the blue head of his girl's squashy “I came home.” murmured.

Although in a position that makes the two can not see each other, but Meridia knew from her tone that the young man was happy there was someone who could wait for his return.

“Nah is done. Now let's go.”

Lucien did not change his clothes and immediately asked a male servant to bring a basket. “What do you want with that basket?” Meridia couldn't go anywhere because Lucien was holding her hand.

“We will harvest today.”

Meridia was amazed to see a plot in the back garden overgrown with red grapes. All of his skin looked shiny without any flaws.

Lucien wears gloves and picks up two scissors, he gives one to Meridia “You like the harvesting part the most, ‘ right? Can you help me?” the girl doesn't need time to think because this part of the job is so much fun.

While Meridia was busy with her activities, Lucien glanced behind the palace buildings. He coded his three subordinates and looked back at the girl he loved the most “Meridia, after dinner I want to talk to you.”

“Hm? Alright.”

In short, Lucien only asked about their marriage after dinner. Meridia was not given the option to refuse, Lucien only gave the choice of how long he wanted to prepare for which the choice was two months or three months ahead. Of course Meridia chose the longest time.

While Lucien spends the night with his loved ones, he asks his three knights to go out and finish his work in various places. “Do you often do regulation on the servants here?”

Lucien who accompanied Meridia stood on the balcony of her room glanced in shock even though it lasted only a second. He replied, “Not really, I just gave them time off. Think of it like alternating working hours with another.”

“Oh so? I deserve to have a hard time remembering them.”

You think I'd just believe it? There is something strange in this house.

“Listen, Meridia. It's good to keep your cool by not looking for something you don't need to know. Sometimes silence is the truest way than you act and later regret.”

Lucien gave her a scarf to cover her shoulder. "Tomorrow I'll go to Bommenhaum's palace to tell the King about our wedding plans."

"For what?"

"Borrowing hall. I'll show you off to the whole world. Oh, and I'll also register him in the temple."

Lucien didn't answer any questions asked by the slim girl. He was busy giving sweet treatment to Meridia so that he did not hear the girl's words. After checking that Meridia was now healthier and fuller, she cupped Meridia's cheeks together and kissed her forehead gently, "Come in. It's time to go to bed."

Why am I just silent?

Meridia felt strange hearing her own heart rate. The girl tried to deny her own thoughts. "I can't possibly like someone this easily." I don't take it.

Meridia did not resist being brought in by Lucien and she was not angry even though the question was ignored. The young man turned off Meridia's room light and went outside. The bluish-black girl could hear clearly that Lucien was locking the door of his room from outside.

"Why him?" Meridia did not rest herself.

Marigold's twin sister then thought about the problem. It was true, if not for Lucien he could not have been that free to leave, but to become his life partner all of a sudden was not something that could be considered true. Honestly Meridia thought Lucien just wanted to meet the requirements for something.

Starting from there, Meridia experienced some oddities and sometimes she realized what was strange, but she also sometimes did not remember anything.

Tonight, as the maid had warned, was indeed happening and she felt it herself. The air suddenly turned into heat drastically and made her feel uncomfortable to sleep, lifting her dress was not able to neutralize body temperature.

Meridia removed the blanket from her body and opened the room window. A warm wind blew, but there was nothing else he felt except an uncomfortable heat that was getting more and more pronounced.

His nose which was quite sharp at that time caught a smell of fresh blood carried by the wind. "This smell is no stranger." As a result Meridia moved to the balcony and found out what was down there.

Under his balcony there was no object whatsoever, no one passed by, and the lights were off as well. "Is it just my feeling?"

The calm-faced girl tried to open the door of her room but to no avail and instead made her palms turn red. "He's right to lock it up."

The warning of the unknown servant kept ringing in the brain. Instead of being fearful, the warning provoked Meridia's deeper curiosity, "What is really going on outside?"

The heat lasted for about two hours. Meridia instantly fell asleep as soon as she felt the cold air gently cradle her skin. Unfortunately he prefers to sleep on the sofa near the balcony to feel the same cold as he felt while still sleeping in the former warehouse. He is accustomed to the cold so that changes in room temperature greatly affect the comfort he feels.

When Meridia had fallen asleep, the key to the door was opened by the owner of the palace. The half-damp-haired man opened the door of the girl's room slowly so as not to surprise Meridia.

Lucien was quite surprised when he found out that Meridia was sleeping on a long sofa, her thin dress was lifted up to the knee, she did not even wear her shawl. "What the fuck?" murmured Lucien astonished.

"You can catch a cold, baby." whispered to the girl whose life was tidal in the body. Seeing that scene managed to make Lucien gulp, "He's so reckless."

The beautiful-looking man held Meridia in his arms and moved her to the bed, "I want to accompany you. But you're gonna be scared of me."

Lucien's sharp glances landed onto the door. Hugo was standing with a tray of letters that he received today. "Your Majesty, you got a new letter."

"From who?"

"Written here the sender is Miss Goddin."

"Goddin?"