TRAPPED BY THE SECOND MALE LEAD
THE CHAPTER 30
Long story short, though, they were both in front of the fair at three in the afternoon which was when the market was very crowded considering people prefer to enjoy the fair at night while watching fireworks. In addition, many traders are ready. Little children are busy running around and around playing with their friends as if this is a day of freedom for them without thinking about having to go home and rest.
Lucien felt reluctant to stay in the crowd like now. All could be seen from his stiff facial expression and crimped nose base. Adjacent to other humans and clashing with each other adds to his feelings of unease.
However Lucien put aside his own feelings after seeing her girl's cheerful smile. His heart just melted away. “Wah, it turns out like this view of the fair in the afternoon.”
The atmosphere of the fair is more crowded in the afternoon while during the afternoon many traders are not ready to open their booths. Moreover, Meridia can only go to the market during the day, even then she is always in a hurry and can not enjoy it casually because the groceries are needed immediately.
“You really like this kind of atmosphere? Don't you think you want to buy something?” lucien asked while holding Meridia's hand so that the girl would not disappear from his sight, it would be difficult for him to move quickly to find if they got separated because hundreds of humans were centered there. “I don't think, I just want to look around,” replied Meridia without looking at the interlocutor, she doesn't seem to want to miss the slightest bit of what can be captured by the eye.
“Why? Though already far here, you can make it a memento.”
“Eh? because I don't want to? I don't know, for now I have no intention to buy something.”
Lucien grunted softly. “You should not hesitate to say. I'll buy you anything you want and I won't scold you, the Meridia” that has been focused on the fair has looked up at Lucien. “Do I look interested in something?” what kind of silly question did this girl ask, Lucien thought in astonishment. With eyes that sparkle enthusiastically so, anyone will immediately know there are many things that make him interested.
The black-haired young man nodded briefly. “You are very interested to see all the things gathered here. Do I need to buy this market for you?”
The girl held her breath in surprise. “Are you crazy? it's not something to buy, you know. This fair is held for the public. Besides if this can be purchased, the price is definitely very expensive.”
“Take it easy. I don't have to suffer first like you to be able to eat and buy things. A market like this is nothing to me.” hearing Lucien's backlash made Meridia glance at a bump with her wrinkled lips “That's a joke or a sneer?”
Lucien chuckled as he rattled the top of Meridia's head in agitation. “You are very interesting as always. I never get bored when I'm with you.”
“It's not funny, know.”
“Yes yes, I know,” Lucien rubbed the corner of his eye using his thumb then immediately pulled Meridia forward. “Be careful.” his dark red eyes light up. His instincts are getting sharper.
Someone is watching.
Lucien looked up at the tall building to one of the rooms where Arden was watching everyone in detail. Accidentally the eyes of the two young men who both liked Meridia met each other.
Although Meridia and herself now wear robes, she still tries to hide the existence of Meridia behind her body. "Why this kid? what is he watching?" meridia asked in her heart, she almost looked up to the man before her, but Lucien hurriedly kept Meridia away from there. “Meridia, I saw something interesting over there. Let's hurry up we get there.”
While Arden from his hotel room can only frown confused. “Who is that guy? but I like I've seen it somewhere.” muttered Arden who was still watching Lucien's back which quickly melted into the sea of humans.
One minute...
Two minutes...
“Oh, isn't he Duke Navarro?” Arden recalled Lucien's cold face and his always intimidating gaze. Arden remembers seeing Lucien at the King's birthday party last year. “I didn't expect to see him again in a place like this. Who is she going with?” Arden only saw Lucien holding someone and had not seen Meridia's face. She focused on Lucien.
Meridia saw the group of children who filled the shooting game stall to get various kinds of prizes for free. “I want to try that,” said Meridia while pulling Lucien's robe until the young man's neck was slightly choked.
“Huh? You really want to try a little kid's game like that?” asked Lucien astonished.
“Ya, you see that.” Meridia pointed at the pair of lovers who had just come to the stall. The foreigner asked his lover to wait while he shot to get the desired reward but the first shot failed. “It's not that easy until you can call it a child's game,” said Meridia as she pulled Lucien's arm closer.
“Cih, of course it's because he's so lousy. Shooting alone can not mean its power is equivalent to a small child.”
“Lucien, stop nagging. Let's try first,” Lucien again can only resign. He could not fight Meridia if the girl was already very eager let alone her sincere smile from the heart made Lucien even harder to resist.
“Halo, you two lovers too huh? how many shots do you want to try?” Meridia glanced at the pair of lovers who left without bringing gifts but they still laughed happily. “Umm, two only.”
“Alright, please put the money here.”
Lucien put five gold coins into a small tray. “A-what? It's too much sir,” said the owner of the stall surprised “I think my lousy wife will not be able to drop a single can let alone with just two bullets.” reply Lucien with a wry smile.
“A-what? I-i-wife?” the man was shocked to learn they were not lovers but a couple. Meridia who heard it immediately elbowed Lucien's stomach quite strongly. “YOU SUCKS.” Meridia glared angrily at Lucien who was just smiling sinlessly as he raised two peaceful finger marks to her.
And Lucien's guess is right, Meridia's first bullet missed. “Pfft! you are wrong to pull the trigger not half-and-half,” Lucien noticed the lineup of cans that are still neatly arranged there. “Ugh, your comment was very annoying but thank you.” said Meridia full of emphasis. Unfortunately, the second attempt failed.
Lucien grinned ignorantly. “See how I did it,” with Lucien's lightning move immediately shot down two cans at a time which made the people around there surprised, as well as Meridia and the owner of the game. “A-what?!” the owner boughtak surprised “K-then please take the gift you want.”
The head of the family from the Navarro clan glanced at the girl who put on a look of dislike. “Quick select the prize,” Lucien frowned not understand Meridia's face bent. The young man snorted softly, “Alright, I know. Here, try again.”
Meridia smiled faintly, received a wooden gun from Lucien's hand and tried to imitate Lucien's style of shooting. “Hahaha he is very funny,” Lucien's inner anxiety when he saw the girl who had always been gloomy in his house was now acting like an innocent child and had a soul of high curiosity.
It's been a long time since Lucien has felt this big. It feels like Meridia is bringing back a normal new life for her. In Lucien's heart a little tucked away hope had Meridia remembered the past of the two of them, given who Lucien was, and remembered their true identity.
From behind Meridia, Lucien silently pointed his finger at the bullet in the gun from inside his cloak, preparing to do something. When pulled by Meridia, the girl managed to drop the empty can until it stuck inside.
“Wah I succeeded!” exclaim Meridia happy.
“Um yes, congratulations.” reply Lucien relaxed.
“What?! How can?” the owner of the stand blinked a few times quickly “Eh? How can anything be?” meridia was confused.
Lucien smiled “Uncle, I know you put glue on some cans there so that he does not easily fall off the board,” Meridia and the man turned his head in shock.
“I'm not a kid anymore, so I know your cheating— hm?” Lucien's forehead is wrinkled.
The man fused both palms in front of the face while bowing pleading in front of Lucien and Meridia “I beg you please keep this a secret from others, I beg you!” please be afraid.
“Not good looking for profit by deceiving others.”
“T-but I really need money for my wife who is soon to give birth.” lamented sad. To be honest it didn't touch Lucien's feelings even a fingertip. “Alright,” Lucien takes the gun in Meridia's hand and puts it back on the table. He continued his words that had paused. “But we won't comply with it for free.”
The man raised his face “Eh? what does it mean?”
Lucien and Meridia ended up walking away from the stall carrying five large stuffed animals, leaving the owner crying because he had just felt Lucien had bitten him.
Meridia glanced at Lucien, “You are not to take advantage of the situation of others at will,”
“No. I dropped two cans and you one, that means the other two gifts are just a bonus.” Lucien said guiltlessly “Bonus you said?” resetting cynical Meridia.
“Dylan, Christ.”
“Ya, Your Highness.”
Meridia was aghast in shock when she heard the answers from two Lucien men coming from behind them. Meridia was confused, since when were they there? Did they follow from the back? the question popped into the blue dongker girl's head. “Take this back,” Lucien then hand over the entire won doll to the two of them “Do not until something falls.”
“Good, Your Highness.”
Not only that, Lucien bought so many things for Meridia. It was not the girl who asked, just whatever she looked at out of curiosity for a moment, Lucien bought it no matter what the price. The word bargaining seems to be absent in the dictionary of a nobleman.
The notoriously cold duke showed absolutely no attitude as the people in front of Meridia knew. In fact, he was too understanding that Meridia had to keep her eyes so that Lucien did not carelessly buy useless items.
“Do not buy food here, it is not hygienic. I'll have Fernando make it for you later,” that's what Lucien said when he found out that Meridia wanted to try the food sold there.
why does he know everything anyway? does he have a sixth sense?
Not long after they had reached the end of the fairground, then the two decided to rest for a while there. While sitting enjoying the atmosphere, Meridia suddenly remembered the Emerald mansion “Usually I was resting at this hour, her inner”.
“Hey, Meridia,” call Lucien resuscitated Meridia from her reverie.
“Ya?” Lucien landed a look on Meridia's lips and then climbed up to stare straight at the girl's two bright dark blue irises. Over time the gaze sharpened as if it was marking the prey. “I have complied with your wish, can I get rewarded?”
Seeing her expression alone was already very thrilling, Meridia knew what Lucien would ask later would definitely incriminate her. “What's the take?” the girl turned her eyes away not daring to keep eye contact with Lucien.
Lucien smiles meaningfully “For details, I will tell you later.”
Since then Meridia has continued to pray relentlessly to God so that she can survive Lucien's reason for it.
Arriving at Navarro's palace, Lucien remained silent and was as kind as ever. No— more precisely there have been no suspicious signs that the young man showed after asking Meridia in return at the fair an hour ago.
“You rest only. It's enough night.”
“Yes, thanks for today.”
Meridia rushes to her room and calls Ximena to help her take a shower immediately before Lucien says his wish “I have to avoid the man.”.
Finished bathing and wearing her usual nightgown, Meridia combed her hair while running to the door to lock it but was late because Lucien suddenly opened— errat. That action was more appropriately called breaking down Meridia's room door and opening it wide just like her current smile.
“Meridia~ it's time I got my reward,” he exclaimed happily and he was a little surprised to see Meridia standing in front of him. “Tamat my history,” shriek Meridia.
“Oh? You even want to welcome me? can't wait for me so you're standing at the door like this?” asked Lucien enthusiastically.
“What do you want?” asked Meridia to the point was different from Lucien who seemed to have been waiting for this moment. “Hei, Meridia. Come spend the night with me.”
“Do you have no other wishes?”
Lucien immediately shook his head steadily. “This is not a difficult request ‘kan? Besides soon we will be forever one room,” said the young man as he lifted one finger into the air. “Please let us get used to it.”.
Meridia grunts as hell. “You don't even look like you're getting used to.”
“Oh really? Maybe I'm good at hiding my nervousness.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
Lucien closed the door to Meridia's room and locked it from the inside. His long legs stepped forward towards Meridia. The more Meridia retreated, the longer Lucien was able to approach faster. “It looks like tonight will be a nice night, yes ‘kan?” that grin makes Meridia's hair bristle.
Lucien's large hand slipped into Meridia's slender waist and held the girl's body on her shoulder, inviting the girl to bed immediately. “Let's enjoy tonight together."
“LUCIEN!”
