I'm Stuck on a Remote Island With the Male Leads - Chapter 189

***

Pope Benatrice and the Empress have not yet arrived at the ballroom. Of course, no one thought it strange that they were later than the main character of the party.

Archbishop Rinnehaon stood quietly in a corner of the ballroom, out of sight of the others.

‘Damn, we have to make it this time.’

There were a total of ten people with magic stones left. One of them was Rinnehaon. He reached into his pocket and felt the rough texture of the magic stone.

As he held the magic stone, unrecognizable voices chattered in his head.

– I can do anything.

– As long as I have this magic stone.

I can do anything I want with it. I feel like I can have the world, and I can’t let them take it away from me.

Rinnehaon pulled his hand out of his pocket and bit his nails, staring at Yuanna and Ruzef.

Archbishop Victor has gone missing, shortly after the explosion at the welcome home party for survivors of the Langridge Empire. He was with other priests, so how could he just disappear like that? Moreover, Archbishop Victor was in possession of a magic stone.

In the Holy See, two archbishops with magic stones have also gone missing. Aberdeen, in the Kingdom of Hestia, was said to be completely out of contact.

It was clear that the survivors were searching for it. Otherwise, there’s no way so many people involved would disappear at once.

‘But even then, they can’t destroy the magic stone.’

The magic stone had remained unbroken for a thousand years. Only Jenas, who directed its development, would know how to destroy it. The wizards who developed it for House Rohade are all long dead.

‘No, no. It’s not that they’re indestructible……’

It had never occurred to them, none of them, that magic stones could be destroyed.

Then Rinnehaon wondered for a moment.

‘Why did it never occur to me? Surely it must have occurred to you at some point.’

With that thought in mind, Rinnehaon gripped the magic stone and stared blankly into space for a moment. He felt dizzy, as if his mind was foggy. After a few moments, the dizziness passed, and another thought came to mind.

‘What a stupid thought I had……’

That’s not what matters now.

Rinnehaon turned his attention back to Yuanna and Ruzef, and in the distance, Crown Prince Hestia, surrounded by people, and the Magic Tower Lord, who was furiously driving people away.

Ruzef’s mouth twitched as he made eye contact with Rinnehaon. Rinnehaon narrowed his eyes and studied the shape of his mouth, trying to figure out what he was saying.

‘What are you looking at?’

Rinnehaon twisted his lips in annoyance. That scoundrel had been a thorn in his eye since his monastic days.

A temperamental, petulant man, yet received the most grace from God.

Unlike Rinnehaon, who hadn’t really gotten a handle on the divine power until he was formally baptized, Ruzef had always stood out for his skill, even being considered for the next Pope.

So Rinnehaon pushed him into the Alea experiment. Constantly whispering to Pope Benatrice that it was Ruzef who threatened his position.

I didn’t expect him to make it out alive.

‘But why does that bastard have flowers……’

Ruzef was carrying a large bouquet in his arms, and those watching him seemed to assume they were Yuanna’s, but Rinnehaon didn’t think so.

Ruzef was clearly waiting for someone.

“Oh my God. As expected, in terms of appearance, she deserves to be called the best in the Langridge Empire.”

The chatter beside him made Rinnehaon turn his head, and into his field of vision came Margaret Rose Floné. As beautiful as she was, she was not his focus.

Once the Pope and Empress arrived, the plan would be put into action. He held his breath, waiting for the right moment.

***

Vanessa came into view as I looked around the ballroom, her eyes darting from one side to the other, as if she were looking for someone.

“Margaret, I wonder if something happened with the Lord. What’s worrying you?”

I heard Enoch’s voice in my ear. Enoch had escorted me into the ballroom, his attention focused on me as he dealt with the crowd on my behalf. I lifted my head and looked up at him, confused for a moment.

No, actually, nothing to be worried about. Kayden didn’t directly say he was going to distance himself from me. He’d just declared that he couldn’t say that he liked me anymore, and he’d been strangely avoiding me ever since.

I glanced around the ballroom, but Kayden was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he’d left the ballroom for a while.

As I pursed my lips, not knowing what to say, a crack appeared on Enoch’s face, a subtle distortion in his usually flawless features.

I lowered my voice and whispered, barely loud enough for Enoch to hear. “I don’t really know, but I think Kayden is avoiding me because of Jenas, because he keeps coming to me at night.”

“……what?”

Enoch paused as he brought his wine glass to his mouth, then looked at me. His sharp eyebrows quirked upward.

Come to think of it, I had told Kayden but not Enoch the details of Jenas’s visits to me at night.

Enoch took a step closer to me. I glance around in confusion for a moment. Most of the people in the ballroom were watching us now.

‘We should have talked outside.’

“Margaret, why didn’t you say that to me?”

“Because……”

“Margaret!”

Just then, Yuanna ran up and hugged me tightly.

“I missed you, Meg~!”

Enoch parted his lips, looking like he had a lot to say, but then he sighed and pulled away. Eunji, who had been hanging off my shoulder, slithered down in surprise and into my pocket.

Yuanna hugged me, rubbing her cheek against my shoulder in a feline display of friendliness. The murmurs of the people around us grew louder as they watched.

“I think you’ve gotten even prettier. As expected, my friend shines no matter what she does.”

She looked me up and down with excitement, lavishing me with compliments. I smiled awkwardly, feeling a little embarrassed.

Then, out of nowhere, a bouquet of flowers appeared in front of me. I stared at it wide-eyed in surprise, and then I heard a faint coughing sound. It was none other than Ruzef.

“It’s a gift.”

“Why are you giving me a bouquet?”

“Isn’t it pretty?”

Ruzef looked a little disappointed at my question. This wasn’t the reaction I was hoping for. I quickly shook my head.

“No, it’s beautiful! Thank you.”

“At that time, didn’t you say it was your first time receiving flowers? Your first flower was a poisonous one…… so I wanted to make sure you got the right one this time.”

I suddenly remembered Ruzef’s gift of Tentathionem flowers to me on Alea Island. I think he had mentioned that it was also his first time giving flowers.

He had never given any flowers to anyone, and I had never received any, and it just so happened to be Tentathionem.

“Margaret, you’ve never gotten flowers before?”

Yuanna, who was standing next to me with her arms crossed, asked with a puzzled look on her face, and Enoch looked at me. I nodded hesitantly, wondering what the big deal was.

“Uh, yeah. I’ve never been in a relationship.”

I didn’t have any friends. We didn’t exchange flowers in my family, and I was known as a troublemaker, so it was unlikely I’d ever received a gift of flowers. The Margaret of old hadn’t made a big deal out of it.

But for some reason, there was a brief silence between the three people looking at me.

Suddenly, someone snatched the bouquet from my hand. Startled, I look up to see a dazzling head of silver hair.

“Kayden?”

Kayden, who had been avoiding me like the plague, was right in front of me. I don’t know where he came from, but he was breathing heavily.

He glared at me disapprovingly. Then he pointed to Enoch, who stood beside me with a relaxed expression on his face and his arms crossed.

“Margaret, I see you’ve chosen the crown prince as your partner.”

“Uh……?”

Kayden looked like there were so many things he wanted to say about this situation. But after parting his lips a couple of times, he finally clamped his mouth shut, saying nothing.

Then Ruzef glared at him, annoyed. “Those flowers belong to Lady Floné, give them back.”

“They don’t look good on Margaret.”

I was a little hurt by Kayden’s adamant response.

“Yeah. I’m not the kind of person who looks good holding flowers,” I muttered to myself, a little embarrassed.

Kayden looked at me in confusion. “Huh? Margaret, that’s not what I meant……”

“Dirty wizards have no sense of aesthetics. How can a human with a crude aesthetic like you possibly fathom the heart of a young lady? Give the flowers back and go away.”

“Hey, Ddaggari. What I’m saying is, who are you to give Margaret flowers, especially since she’s never gotten them before?”

“So what am I supposed to do?”

Kayden turned to me at Ruzef’s retort. “Margaret. I’ll get you flowers. I know what looks good on you.”

I narrowed my eyes at his words. Didn’t he decide to keep his distance from me?

“Hey, you said you can’t say that you like me anymore.”

I paused, glanced around, and closed my mouth. Did anyone hear what I just said?

As Yuanna, Ruzef, and Kayden approached, everyone slowly moved away from us. I don’t think our conversation would have traveled very far at this loud party.

Yuanna and Ruzef looked at me and Kayden in a rather strange way. Enoch stood there with a look on his face that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking, but he didn’t look happy.

“I can’t say I like you anymore.”

Kayden looked at me like he remembered what he’d said not too long ago, and then started to make excuses.

“Giving you flowers has nothing to do with liking you,” he said in frustration as he ran a hand through his hair.

“You still say weird nonsense, Lord.”

Arthdal, who appeared then, laughed, putting an arm around Kayden’s shoulders.

“He said something the other day. Something about how he doesn’t like the young lady, but he misses her, how it feels good to see her laugh, how he wishes she would only look at him, or whatever, but he’s got a serious load.”

At that, Yuanna got fed up and pulled away from Kayden. Kayden shrugged as if it didn’t matter.

“What I said then is not the same as what I’m saying now. There are circumstances. If you don’t know, keep quiet.”

As he had with Enoch, Kayden was relentless with Arthdal.

I hadn’t expected him to turn and run so soon after trying to distance himself from me, but I understood Kayden. No, I shouldn’t say I understood him, for the pain he must be feeling in having Jenas in his body is beyond my comprehension.

“How is this different? You don’t like her, but you want to be her first? Lord, you’re a very unscrupulous man.”

Arthdal’s retort left Kayden speechless. Arthdal shook his head and looked at me.

He said, “Young lady, I’ll give you flowers as a gift.”

“I’ll do it, you mind your own business.”

Enoch stepped in and blocked Arthdal’s path to me. I rubbed my forehead and sighed.

“I don’t need flowers, but Archbishop, thank you for the gift.”

I snatched the bouquet from Kayden’s hand, and Ruzef’s face lit up.

It was then that Innis approached me, unfazed and calm despite the fact that she’d watched our childlike fight in a way I’d be embarrassed to admit.

“Margaret. Have you seen? There’s a journalist from the Burneton Newspaper.”