My Sister Picked up the Male Lead

With eyes filled with fear, I lifted my head. I mean, I tried to. All I could do was look up.

“I-I am… the owner of this house…”

Even in the dark, I could make out the features of the man in front of me and felt his dominating presence.

“…The owner?”

“Yes… I’m the owner of this place…”

His hands that were grabbing my wrists loosened for a moment.

Knox, who was still trapping me, grabbed my head and turned it side to side. After observing my face, I noticed the discomfort in his face had returned. He frowned, and then applied strength to his once loosened grip. Seeing his face that had been lit by the moonlight, brought back my initial fear of him.

“Where… on earth… is this place?”2

At that moment, we locked eyes.

‘No way, was this the first time he had ever woken up at night?’

I was not sure whether it was because he slept a lot or other reasons but now, Knox, who apparently only just became aware of his situation, seemed confused.

Come to think of it, he was too quiet during the night. If he had woken up at least once during the night, wouldn’t he have made some noise?

Then there’s the other thing. These past few days, Knox had been falling asleep in the evening. Once the door to his room was shut, he had never woken up until we fell asleep as well.

Even though I was supposed to make him go to sleep early on purpose, my sister was never suspicious because Knox was already unusually tired. Plus, in the morning, Knox would be the one running to wake us up. So, that means we had never seen him waking up before.

“Why don’t I remember anything…?”

The moment I heard that deep voice, I realised something.

‘Wait, so he doesn’t have any memories of being in his child form?’

Forgetting my fear, I opened my mouth.

“Y-you’ve been sleeping soundly this whole time. So I just came to check whether you were still sleeping well.”

The half-naked man in front of me was dazed. Being pinned down by him was quite embarrassing but, at that moment, I couldn’t care less about it.

The fear I had in the beginning hadn’t faded in the slightest but I believed thinking about what I should do in this situation came first.

His hand was still grabbing onto one of my arms and I didn’t think he believed me when I said I was the owner of this place.

“How about you let me go for now?…”

In the novel, Knox got caught in his adult form by the woman who saved him. Other than a few house staff and the knights, my sister had been the first stranger to find out about his curse.

Considering all the times he, who had not been loved before and didn’t understand love, first received love and learned to be considerate and understanding, I can only imagine how precious my sister must have been to Knox.

“You’re a person I don’t know. How can I believe you and let you go?”

It was no wonder that he, who hasn’t learned anything about love, would growl like a beast and act tough in front of others. Rather, since I already know all of the cruel things he had done before from the novel, the fact that this reaction was milder made me grateful.

“Where is this?”

“My house…”

“I’m talking about the exact location.”

My sister was supposed to be captured like this, but since I was the one being captured like this, it must mean the flag has transferred over to me.

With my trembling hands still held in his, I told myself to stay alert even if I was at the mouth of a tiger’s den. So, stay alert I did. I would have to carefully conduct myself from now on.

I looked up.

“This is the Night forest. The ‘Safety place’ in the eastern part of the Night forest.”

“What’s the Night forest?”

“…Do you not remember anything?”

“…No.”

The time had come. Carefully, I raised my head to look at Knox and grabbed his finger.

“I-I could tell. First, how about you release me? Knox, my arms hurt.”

Knox seemed to be grabbing me without much thought, but my arms were going numb because of his strength.

“…Knox?”

“It’s your name?”

He froze.

The boy I imagined to be in my head this whole time was like a thin birch tree, I did not know Know would turn into this large a man.

Most importantly, I felt like I was dying with my heartrate rapidly rising snd falling. At that moment, Knox released my hand.

The relief I got after he released me quickly disappeared as he grabbed my neck.

“Lies. I may not be able to remember anything… but I know that name is not mine.”

“I gave it to you.”

“…You gave it to me?”

While still grabbing my neck, his low rumbling voice came out. I gave Knox a nervous nod as an answer then finally, he loosened his grip on the hand that was gripping my neck.

Knox’s fingers brushed down my neck and past my collarbones.

It was a touch filled with wariness, like a wild animal observing its prey. As if he was trying to be careful not to push me.

I recalled the way child Knox treated my sister. I realised that this man was treating me like how child Knox treated my sister in the novel. It was amazing how these two completely different personalities belong to the same person.

“What did you mean when you said I slept soundly?”

“Huh? Ah… You don’t have to believe me but… please believe me?”

“Believe?”

“Yes. You’re actually…, a child during the day. Like about this big? You looked to be about 7 or 8 years old.”

He really didn’t remember anything, right?

Nervously looking at Knox, I explained to him why he couldn’t remember anything despite already being here for a few days.

Not being able to understand what I said, he frowned. I mean, it would have been strange if he had easily believed that he turned into a child during the day.

“…So you mean I have been staying here as a child? For the last few days?”

“Yes. Yes. You heard it right…”

“Bullshit.”

He gave me a cold but fierce look.

Hic. Suddenly, I started hiccuping.

“I… I’m… speaking the truth… W-when you were a child, you would stick to me like glue and eat tomatoes using kiddie fork…”1

“…”

“Sir.”

Intimidated by his expression, I nodded quickly, even using honorifics to talk to him.

(She was already speaking formally like you would to a stranger but here she’s talking about how she was now talking formally as if she was talking to a person of higher authority if I’m making any sense lol.)

Rather than his frown, I was more afraid because of his characteristics. It was because I knew that despite looking so gentle, this beautiful man was in fact a ‘Mad Grand Duke’ who easily killed people.

No, I mean… it’s even weirder that I was not even nervous with such a big man on top of me. Yeah…

Save me, God.3

I couldn’t believe that I was currently lying with a guy on the same bed when in my previous life, I had never even held a guy’s hand. Scared and dazed, I missed the spot next to my sister who was probably deep asleep by then.

As I was wriggling my fingers anxiously, Knox stared at me before raising his eyebrows.

“First things first, get up.”

“Huh? I mean, yes!”

As Knox moved to make space for me, I immediately sat up straight and tried to leave. Looking at me running away, he frowned.

“Where are you going?”

“…Huh? M-my room.”

“Whatever you say sounds like bullshit. You know that, don’t you?”

“Y-you might think so… But whatever I’m saying is the truth though.”

“So let me confirm it.”

“…Huh?”

How? No, I mean, what did he want to confirm?

I stared at him with my eyes wide open. Knox catching my gaze tilted his head to the side before grabbing me. I was gently led by Knox who pulled my hand, holding it instead of gripping it like before, before sitting back on the bed.

Only then, could I clearly see Knox who was looking at me. I held my breath. Lit by the moonlight, the purple eyes stared at me.

I heard that purple was a colour that could captivate people and now I know that it was true.

He might have been beautiful asleep, but he was breathtaking when he opened his eyes. In contrast with his dark hair, his eyes were bright and seemed to glow. It was only when he sat opposite me that I started to come back to my senses.

“So… what did you want to confirm?”

“Your words.”

Seeing him slowly approach me, I was surprised. He was like a beast who had already eaten his fill but spotted new prey in front of him.

My sister was the one who brought you here. I resisted the urge to say that. In the meantime, Knox began speaking first.

“I’m going to wait and see whether or not whatever you said was the truth.”

…What? I desperately tried to figure out what he meant as his words echoed in my head. No. I mean, wait. My eyes widened and flicked up to meet his.

So you mean to say I would have to spend the night together? With him?

“Wait and see… sir?”

Still holding my hand, Knox looked at me without any expression. Easily, from the purple eyes that were looking at me, I could tell he noticed my worries.

“In my current situation, I need a basis to judge whether or not you are someone who had been sent to harass me.”

“I’m innocent…”

“Okay. If you are innocent, you need to prove it.”

It was almost as if he wanted to say ‘I am watching you because I am suspicious of you.’ but I could be wrong.

“There’s not much time left till morning comes.”

I looked at the window. When I came to check on him, a lot of time had already past after it became dark. Just like what Knox said,  the sky looked as if it was going to become dawn anytime soon. About 4 am? Or maybe even 5 am?

…Ah. So I just need to stay until then?

Surprised, I quickly shook my head.

 “No, no, no, no! I really need to go back to my room.”

“Stay here and wait.”

No… This couldn’t be happening. I shook my head, going against this determined man. How could I sleep here? Sleeping here wasn’t even the most worrying thing. I didn’t know when my sister was going to wake up!

Above all, I was so scared that I wanted to run away as soon as possible. But Knox, who continued to look at me indifferently, seemed to have no intention of letting me go.

“I-I need to leave.”

Moving, he sat right next to me and asked me with a low voice.

“Who said you could leave?”

“…Huh?”

Knox applied pressure to my hand which he had been holding loosely.

…Sir, could you not have mercy on me, a powerless supporting actor? I was too nervous to even breathe.

Fortunately, Knox who was sitting still beside me, changed his posture, leaning towards me with our waists slightly touching.

But the closer he approached me, the weirder it became because he was half-naked and I was touching his bare skin.

“…Most importantly, I’m getting sleepy…”

He leaned back, with his back against the wall and closed his eyes. Only then did I noticed that he looked tired. His dishevelled hair and crumpled sheets seemed to suggest that he was forced awake.

Come to think of it, child Knox always began to look drowsy by the time it was early evening but tried his best to stay awake because he didn’t want to be separated from me. I wonder whether there was a reason as to why in both child and adult forms, Knox was so fatigued.

Maybe, it was the build-up of fatigue from travelling through the forest where monsters roamed.

There was nothing I could do now to help. I swallowed dryly and looked at Knox whose eyes were closed.

“…Uh, Knox? Do you mind putting some space between us?

“…Knox”

“Yes, Knox, just move in front a little…”

With his eyes now open, he looked at me. His eyes were different from child Knox’s. Maybe it’s because his eyes were those of the ‘Mad Grand Duke’ who killed anyone who got in his way.

Scared that I might end up killed as well, I quickly corrected myself.

“…Nevermind, this position is not bad, sir.”

Knox stared at me blatantly. As if he was wearing coloured lenses, despite it being so dark, I could still see his eyes clearly. For reasons I did not know, his eyes shook. Knox looked at me with a slightly strange expression before bowing his head.

“If what you said was in fact true, I was stuck to you when I was in child form. Doesn’t it matter?”

Knox’s head dropped gently.

“You can just think that way.”

I flinched when I felt hair tinkle my neck.

“But it’s different. It’s very different.”

Knox who was breathing steadily as he leaned his head on my shoulder made me very nervous. It felt strange, even ticklish, when his breath touched my neck.

…Was he asleep?

After waiting for some time to pass, I decided to make my move.

Tak.

My hand was suddenly grabbed onto causing me goosebumps.

“It’s better if you stop having thoughts of running away.”

“…Yes sir.”1

I looked at my wrist which was being tightly held by him and quickly nodded my head. I guess he leaned against my shoulders because it was more comfortable.

I held back the suddenly arising urge to touch his hair.

“…My legs are numb.”

Feeling his gaze, I flinched. He rolled his eyes but remained looking at me before raising his eyebrows.

“Just straighten your legs.”

“…The thing is I can’t…”

“…”

“…You’re a real piece of work.”

“Huh?”

Without me knowing, my back hit against the wall as he grabbed my leg with his hand suddenly. The hand, pulled and stretched my legs, slightly lifting my skirt as a result.

“I’m going to touch you, okay.”

Feeling awkward, I looked away from the man who grabbed my leg. His hands which held my leg for a while felt like handcuffs. I could feel shame creeping up my pale neck as my ankle continue to be held by him.

“…This will do.”

“Okay… Thank you…”

I was grateful for his help in straightening out my legs, but wasn’t it because of you that my legs were numb in the first place so why did your expression suggest that my gratitude was expected?

“What’s your name?”

“Amy… I don’t have a surname.”

I was getting nervous again because those big hands of his that were grabbing my arm could break my wrists any time. Before dawn comes, I should back to my sister’s side. If I had to remain stuck here until dawn…?

If only Knox could suddenly knock out or if my sister could remain deep asleep until morning comes. But I know the latter was impossible since no matter how much she drinks, my sister didn’t get hangovers.

While I was worrying, a sweet smell came from next to me. The refreshing scent of gardenias in a midsummer forest wafted from the man beside me. It smelled unfamiliar because it was different from the child Knox.

Does the male lead have a scent? The more I was conscious of it, the stronger the scent became…

At that moment, Knox murmured slowly.

“…The last thing I remember is a forest.”

The thick low voice that trickled out from the man next to me tickled my ear.

“Did you bring me here?”

“…”

After hearing his question, I hesitated to answer… To be exact, it was my sister that picked you up, not me.

Knox escaped into the forest after the Crown Prince’s raid. So the last thing he could remember in adult form was the forest. But seeing that he couldn’t remember that it was my sister that picked him up, I concluded that he did not have any memories of when he was in child form or of the past.

I was in the position my sister was supposed to be placed in. Suddenly, it occurred to me that as long as I conduct myself well, I could save my sister.

The next 1 year.

For the next 1 year, I can save my sister as long as I take her place and be nice to the male lead. Then when it was all over, we can run away to someplace far.

I just had to be nice to him and treat him gently until the Crown Prince catches up… One day, when we escape and Knox remembers everything, wouldn’t he have a better opinion of us?

“Yes. I was the one that brought you here.”

With my unblinking, unwavering eyes, I looked at Knox who was now wide awake and nodded. I felt sorry that I was lying to him when he trusted me so much.

“Yes, I… had been a very attentive caretaker.”

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“…”

Yup, I went too far.

T/N:

I really hope they speak to each other more often because translating descriptions hurt my eyes ㅜㅜ