A Mastermind? No, I'm just the Live-In Son-in-Law-Chapter 133: Farewell [VIP]
“I don’t think I can.”
“...What?”
When Whitney, who had been frozen in place for a long while, finally opened his mouth, Meredia blinked slowly in confusion.
“What did you just say?”
“......”
“...Say that again?”
She asked again, her voice dazed—and Whitney repeated himself.
“I don’t think it’s going to happen tonight.”
At first, Meredia thought it was another one of his jokes. But Whitney’s expression was far too serious for it to be just that.
“...Why?”
Genuinely puzzled, Meredia asked him with an honest look in her eyes. Whitney scratched his head and replied in a hushed tone,
“...It’s getting really late. And... well.”
“......”
“...I guess I’m just not prepared for it.”
The more he spoke, the more Meredia’s slightly flushed expression cooled, until her face was carved in ice.
“So I’m just a fish already caught, is that it?”
“No, that’s not—”
“Or maybe you just don’t want to go that far with me.”
Now fully chilled, Meredia pressed him coldly, and Whitney shook his head with conviction.
“...That’s absolutely not the case.”
“Then what is it?”
“I just... I’m not ready yet.”
But this time, his voice was trembling ever so slightly.
“Don’t lie to me.”
“......”
“You think I can’t tell truth from lies? Don’t forget—I can see right through both.”
She stepped forward and grabbed his arm, tightly—so tightly it was starting to cut off his blood flow.
“What are you hiding? Are you in trouble?”
“......”
“Say something. Please?”
The expression on her face, strange and unfamiliar even to herself, appeared once again.
For reference, it was “worry”—something Meredia had never shown another person in her life.
“If I can help, I will. Even if it’s something dirty or dangerous—especially if it is. That’s my specialty.”
“...Heh.”
“Don’t just laugh! Tell me already! I’m serious!”
When Whitney still wouldn’t speak, Meredia finally raised her voice, letting all the tension she’d been holding back burst out.
“I know you’re more capable than you let on! And I know you always try to fix everything by yourself!”
“......”
“But how... how the hell do you expect me to just sit back and let that happen?!”
Once, her voice would’ve been full of fury, distant and bitter.
But now, she could no longer hide behind that armor.
At least—not in front of him.
“I know you do everything for me. I know you’d go to the ends of the world if I asked.”
“......”
“And yeah, I’ll admit it—I planned to take advantage of that at first. I wanted to use you.”
Her voice trembled as she clung even tighter to Whitney’s arm.
“But now... I couldn’t even lie about that if I tried.”
“......”
“...I think I like you more than I ever expected.”
Of all the words they’d exchanged—spoken or felt—this was the most honest.
“That’s why I know what this is I’m feeling. It’s fear.”
“Fear...?”
“I want to make it certain. Real. Because I’m scared if I don’t, you’ll disappear.”
Her words were calm—but what filled them was more desperate and raw than anything she'd said before.
“Lady Meredia... I’m just... too tired tonight. And...”
“So a tired man dragged me all the way out here just to pounce on me?”
“Well, I {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} mean technically, you—”
“You're such a smooth talker.”
At least some humor was creeping back into her tone. A soft, faint smile brushed her lips.
But even so, her hand still gripped Whitney’s arm tightly. And now, tears clung to the corners of her eyes.
“You’re the one who taught me what love is. So take responsibility...”
“...I never said I wouldn’t.”
“Then why not tonight?”
“Because...”
“You always do this. I’ve let it slide, but you keep too many secrets.”
Her voice shook. Her hands were trembling now.
“...I see.”
Whitney finally gave up on hiding anything—and began to speak.
“There’s somewhere I need to go. Urgently.”
“...Where?”
“Well... I can’t tell you everything, but...”
“Again?”
Even now, he couldn’t be fully honest. Meredia bit her lip hard, trying to hold back more tears.
If the Meredia from half a year ago could see her now, she would’ve thought she’d lost her mind.
In truth, she probably had, at least a little.
This was the textbook behavior of a girl in love for the first time—plagued by uncertainty, fear, and obsession.
“One thing I can say is this—the place I’m going might help you.”
“......”
“There’s a chance I could find a lead to breaking your curse.”
Hearing that, Meredia grit her teeth, tears still threatening to spill as she stared at him.
“...So in the end, this is all about me again.”
“Yes. It is.”
“Whitney, you’re so...”
Her emotions surged—but she shook her head instead of letting them explode, forcing her voice cold again.
“Fine. I get it. You’re leaving because you think it’ll help me. But if that place has something to do with my curse, it’s bound to be dangerous, right?”
“...I won’t deny that.”
“Then wouldn’t it make more sense for me to come with you?”
Whitney replied without hesitation.
“No. You can’t come, Lady Meredia.”
“Why not?”
“Haha... You probably already know why.”
And just as he said—she did.
If it had to do with her curse, there was only one kind of person Whitney would have to meet.
Those who lived with their backs to the light.
Those who controlled the dark—black mages.
The very kind of people Meredia loathed and despised with every fiber of her being.
She wanted to deny it. Of course she did.
But the dark energy she’d begun sensing around Whitney in the last few minutes made that impossible. ƒrēenovelkiss.com
“...Just what are you trying to do?”
Meredia’s grip tightened—tightened so much that blood might have stopped flowing to his arm.
“If you were doing this for yourself, I wouldn’t care. Maybe I’d even feel better about it.”
“......”
“But to take on danger for me—you have no idea how cursed that feels when you’re the one who loves you.”
Tears were flowing down her cheeks now. For the first time in years, they weren’t born of rage or hatred, but pain and fear.
“Please... just let me help.”
“......”
“Let me do something... anything...”
Her voice was smaller than it had ever been—soft, pleading, and full of love.
Whitney’s eyes trembled.
“...I’m sorry, Lady Meredia.”
“......”
“But I can’t let you come with me this time.”
His words were firm. Uncharacteristically so.
“You know I care deeply for you. That’s exactly why I can’t take you.”
“......”
“As you said—no one wants to watch someone they love walk into danger. I’m no different.”
Meredia stared at him in stunned silence. Then finally... she let out a long, quiet sigh.
“Looks like trying to convince you was pointless.”
She released his arm—slowly, reluctantly.
“Do what you want. I won’t stop you anymore.”
She stepped back with a faint whisper.
“L-Lady Meredia...”
“Don’t worry. I’m not the kind of woman who takes back her words just because she got emotional.”
Her tone was light again—but not empty.
“I believe in you. But if I keep pressing, I’ll break that trust.”
“...Thank you.”
“And besides, I’m your hostage now, aren’t I? A hostage taken by love.”
Whitney bowed his head deeply at those words, visibly moved.
“Well... if you don’t come back, I’ll just live out my days and die, I guess.”
“......”
“Maybe I’ll burn down the Empire before I go.”
Whitney glanced at her, nervous.
“...That was a joke, right?”
“Why don’t you take a guess?”
“...You wouldn’t say that now. Not the woman you are today. Maybe the old Meredia.”
Meredia smirked, raising her gaze to meet his.
“Mm. You’re right. It was a lie.”
“Well, that’s a relief—”
“I’ll just lock myself in my room and stare at your photo until I starve. Or maybe I’ll die before that.”
“...Lady Meredia.”
“This time I’m not lying. You can feel it, can’t you?”
Even if Whitney lacked her abilities or insight, he could still tell:
The tears falling from her eyes—shimmering and silent—were far too real to be faked.
“I’ll come back. I promise.”
“......”
“I’ll never do anything you’d hate—”
“Mm?”
Whitney suddenly twitched, his sentence cut off.
Because before he could react—Meredia stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips against his.
“...Pfft.”
Who knows how long they stayed like that?
When she finally pulled away with a shaky breath, Whitney stared at her, wide-eyed.
“Haha... Hey. You should make that face more often.”
“......”
“If you wore a cute expression like that once in a while, people wouldn’t always say you’re scary.”
Still wiping away her tears with her sleeve, Meredia turned away.
“Now go. I’ll head in alone.”
“...I’m sorry, Lady Meredia.”
“No need to be. I’ll be waiting.”
That was the final farewell between Whitney and Meredia that night.
***
How much time had passed?
“...He’s gone.”
Once she could no longer feel Whitney’s presence behind her, Meredia muttered in a hollow voice.
“Will he really be okay...?”
She knew why he hadn’t asked for her help. She knew Whitney wasn’t the type to be caught easily.
But still—worry was a separate matter entirely.
“...God, that underhanded bastard.”
Grumbling to herself, she stared off toward the place he’d vanished from.
“Huh?”
Then her eyes caught something lying on the ground where Whitney had been standing.
‘Did he drop something?’
Curious, she stepped forward and picked it up—only to flinch, nearly dropping it again.
“What...!?”
The letter radiated with black magic—so strongly it seared her fingers.
“...What is this?”
Even most high-ranking members of the Shadow Alliance couldn’t produce this kind of lingering energy in mere paper.
As she examined the envelope with a heightened sense of caution—
“Huh?”
Her face went pale in an instant.
This time, she truly did drop the letter.
“I actually know... that you’re the one who killed Whitney Ringaarden’s mother.”
Written not in ink—but in pure black magic.
A single line, but with devastating weight.
