I Don't Want To Be Loved

Chapter 153: Rihannan Initiates the Kiss

Rihannan gazed into his purple eyes, prodding for any hints. His unexpected response surprised her. It was the first she heard Igor viewing Dimitri in a positive light.

“…Do you really think so?”

Igor did not reply and made a somewhat vexed face. He traced his hand around her neck and lightly pulled her face toward his chest.

He had no plans—or what seemed like one—to work anytime soon, and so Rihannan said with slight hesitancy, “Basil left the documents with me before leaving. If you don’t finish your work, the blame will fall on me.”

“…Why did you take it from him?” Igor clicked his tongue.

A fit of slight meager anger crossed Rihannan’s face sensing that Igor was blaming her for taking the responsibility.

“You’re the one exploiting and overloading Basil with piles of work! Why do you continue to overwork him like that?” Rihannan criticized.

“Actually…” Igor quickly pulled out an excuse card, “Rihannan, part of that… well… Basil brought it upon himself.”

“What do you mean?”

“…In the past, when I appointed Basil as Grand Chamberlain, there came a massive amount of protests from the nobility. They say his status was too low to place him in that position of power. Therefore, I intentionally left the Grand Chamberlain’s position empty while handing the work of a Grand Chamberlain to Basil. As the seat of the Grand Chamberlain’s position remained cold and empty, Basil became the prime candidate, and now we’re here.”

Rihannan wasn’t satisfied.

“But your reasoning shows that Basil didn’t bring it upon himself, but you who forced that position on him.”

Igor gave a helpless sigh before explaining to escape Rihannan’s murderous mouth.

“I had originally planned to give Basil a title of nobility. If he became a noble, the nobility would have no choice but to accept him. However, Basil vehemently declined the offer, only willing to bear the work of a Grand Chamberlain without a noble title.”

“…I don’t understand. Why did he decline the offer?” Rihannan asked.

“For a commoner to receive the title of nobility, they’ll need to undergo a successful trial worthy enough to receive accolades. I ordered Basil to venture to a conflicting region and act as a commander. Should he succeed in his efforts for one month battling the region, he’ll automatically receive a noble title, but Basil declined with fervent passion. He claims that if a single life was lost due to his leadership, he’d have no face to deal with his wife.”

Rihannan burst out laughing. “Goodness, that’s just like him.”

In the end, Basil would rather be with the person he loved than to gain power… unlike a certain someone.

Rihannan closed her eyes, remembering the words her father said to her.

“Your mother was testing me.”

Had she not suggested a contract of providing him land, estate, and power, he’d have lived a happier life with his lover. But he never came to the realization that the problem was not the contract but him. Before his passing, he had probably cursed her to death.

“Oh yes, Igor, you know that I received an invitation to visit Countess Saphia’s place next month, right?”

Igor’s face quickly hardened. “You plan to go?”

Rihannan nodded. “I’ve already promised.”

“It’s dangerous out there right now. I think it’d be best for you to cancel it.”

Rihannan puffed her cheeks. “Igor, Count Saphia and his wife are beneficial to the royal family. I don’t wish to let go of this opportunity. Don’t worry. I’ll bring an adequate amount of bodyguard knights and Mrs. Cessley will be with me.”

“But… still…”

At that moment, Rihannan kissed his lips. It was as if fire ignited his bones, like his soul returned to the gentle water, like every part of him came back to life again.

She had left him breathless.

Since the last incident, she’d initiate a kiss like this. Not that he was complaining. He was overjoyed on the inside, happily dancing while receiving her clumsy signs of affection—the clumsy kisses of poems she left in his mouth.

However, her kiss that tasted of love troubled him. She’d use it to seal his mouth.