The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 229: Catch Up

Chapter 229: Catch Up

His master had drilled into him the idea that worldly attachments were weaknesses, that they would only hold him back. And worse, he had threatened to destroy anything Dimitri held dear if he disobeyed.

For years, Dimitri had lived under that shadow, keeping his distance from Adeline and everything he cared about to protect them.

When he finally became the Arch Mage, it wasn’t the end of his torment. To claim the title, he had to take his master’s life. It had been necessary for the safety of the world.

His Master was not a good man. He was flawed. No, he was the worst. He was a mad man who was hell-bent on learning the way of destruction. He was the reason why the monster threat became worse.

His experiments on those monsters did not stop at him sampling their blood and learning the way they enhanced their abilities... He tried creating even more powerful beings. He tried to... Dimitri’s fists clenched. He couldn’t even think of such a thing.

Putting an end to his master’s life was not enough. His master’s followers still continue the experiments. He needed to weed them out. He knew that some of them stayed in the Empire. He realised soon enough that staying away from Adeline wouldn’t be enough to protect her.

He needed to return, and he needed to destroy his master’s life’s work.

Even now, the memory of that day haunted Dimitri. He didn’t want to burden Adeline with the truth, not today. Not when she deserved to be happy.

As the celebration wound down, the garden began to clear. Servants moved swiftly, cleaning up the remnants of the feast and extinguishing lanterns. The cheerful buzz of the evening slowly quieted, leaving only the Kendrick family behind.

Adeline’s brothers were thoroughly drunk, slouching in their chairs and leaning against each other as they laughed loudly. Her father wasn’t much better, his face red from too much wine. The three men were caught up in retelling old stories from when Adeline was little.

"Remember when hic she used to mispronounce words?" Alaric slurred, barely able to keep himself upright as he waved his glass around.

"She’d say ’flutterfies’ instead of butterflies!" Aaron added, doubling over in laughter.

"She was so cute back then," their father chimed in, a wide grin spreading across his face.

Adeline frowned, crossing her arms tightly. Back then? she thought indignantly. I’m still cute!

As the stories got more embarrassing, Adeline started to feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She couldn’t believe they were airing all her childhood secrets so casually. And in front of Dimitri, no less! She could practically feel the mortification clawing at her.

"And don’t forget when she—"

"Enough!" Adeline snapped, her voice sharp as she glared at her drunken family. She wanted nothing more than to shove a pastry or two into their mouths to shut them up. "If you value your lives, you’ll stop now!"

Her brothers only laughed harder, and her father wiped a tear from his eye.

"You’ll always be our little girl, Linny," her father said warmly, his voice tinged with nostalgia.

Adeline groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I can’t believe this..."

Desperate for some relief, she turned her attention away from her family and let her gaze drift across the garden.

That’s when her eyes landed on Dimitri. He was sitting quietly, watching her family’s antics with a soft smile. His warm brown eyes seemed to hold a mix of amusement and something deeper, something that made her heart ache just a little.

Adeline couldn’t hold herself back anymore. The question that had been swirling in her mind all evening finally escaped her lips.

"Are you staying? Or are you leaving again?"

Her voice was steady, her tone neutral, but she knew her eyes betrayed her. She could feel it—the hope, the vulnerability she couldn’t hide.

Dimitri looked at her, and for a moment, he didn’t say anything. The soft smile on his face wavered, replaced by an expression so raw it made her chest tighten.

"Of course, I’m staying," he said, his voice low but firm. His eyes didn’t leave hers as he spoke. "I’m staying right here. I’m not going anywhere."

Adeline felt her breath hitch. Before she could process his words, Dimitri reached out, gently taking her hand in his. He brought it to his lips and pressed a light kiss to the back of it.

"I am your knight, after all," he said softly, the words filled with a quiet devotion that made her heart skip a beat.

Above them, a voice rang out, light and teasing.

"Aww, he remembered!" the Goddess said with a giggle that only Adeline could hear. "So did I. The vow he took still remains active."

Adeline rolled her eyes, her momentary feelings of awe and gratitude replaced with irritation. Why does she always have to ruin the mood?

Pulling her hand back quickly, Adeline masked her emotions with a playful scoff. She clenched her fist and lightly punched Dimitri on the shoulder.

It wasn’t a hard punch, nothing that could even faze him. She knew that. But it was the only way she could think of to cope with the overwhelming mix of feelings swirling inside her. Gratitude, relief, hope... A little bit of anger sure, but she was not sure why and at whom she was angry.

Dimitri didn’t flinch. He didn’t move an inch. Instead, he chuckled softly, his brown eyes sparkling with understanding.

"Are you still angry?" he teased gently.

"No," Adeline muttered, her cheeks tinged pink. "Maybe."

Dimitri’s smile widened, but he didn’t push her further. He understood her well enough to know when to let her process things in her own way.

"Adeline," he said after a moment, his tone softer now. "I’m sorry for everything- for the time I was gone, for not being here when you needed me. But I’m here now. And I promise, I’m not going to leave again."

Adeline bit her lip, her heart aching at his words. She was not angry at him, no. She knew his circumstances. Even when she was surrounded by people she loved, she couldn’t help but think of that b*stard who broke her heart. Cassian...

"You better not," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "Because if you do, I’ll hunt you down myself."

Dimitri laughed at that, a deep, genuine sound that made Adeline’s lips twitch into a reluctant smile.

"Deal," he said, holding out his hand as if to seal the promise.

Adeline hesitated for a moment before shaking his hand, her smile growing just a little wider.

From the corner of her eye, she saw her brothers watching them with goofy grins on their faces. Her father, too, seemed to be observing the exchange with a knowing smile.

"Well, would you look at that," Aaron said, leaning heavily against Alaric. "Our little sister’s knight in shining armour is finally back."

"Well, I wouldn’t need one if you were reliable." Adeline snapped back.

"Ha ha!" Alaric pointed at Aaron and laughed which left Aaron annoyed and fuzzy.

Adeline shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. Perhaps it was for the best that Isabelle wasn’t here.

Her brothers were far from their best tonight, and seeing them in such an embarrassing state might not have left the best impression. She couldn’t have Isabelle witness this and then reconsider marrying into the family.

The thought of Isabelle joining the family warmed Adeline’s heart. There was finally going to be another girl in the family, and the idea filled her with excitement.

She could already imagine the late-night conversations, the shared smiles at family gatherings, and having someone to balance out the chaos her brothers always seemed to bring.

Pushing her brothers’ antics out of her mind, Adeline turned her attention to Dimitri. "Let me catch you up," she said, deliberately ignoring the drunken laughter of her father and brothers behind her.

Dimitri’s lips quirked up into a gentle smile, and he nodded. "I’m listening," he said, his tone soft but focused.

Adeline launched into a recount of everything that had happened since he left. She started with the lighter moments—the funny, day-to-day things that had happened in the household, but soon moved on to the more significant events.

Dimitri’s expression remained calm at first, but his eyes widened slightly when Adeline mentioned Benedict.

"He must have been so devastated," Dimitri murmured, shaking his head. "To have his mother... Alive and then... For her to be gone."

Adeline nodded. "He was. It changed a lot for him. Benedict’s entire demeanour has softened since then. I’m glad that he is able to find happiness in the things he does.

Dimitri’s brows furrowed, his gaze growing distant for a moment. "It’s a complicated situation," he said quietly.

"It is," Adeline agreed, "but I’m hopeful. For now, things seem to be going in the right direction."

Dimitri nodded, his expression thoughtful. He remained silent as Adeline continued, though his surprise became evident when she mentioned Cassian.

"Cassian revealed his powers?" Dimitri asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

Adeline nodded, her tone light yet filled with the weight of the secret. "He did. It’s been... Complicated."

Dimitri’s brows knit together as he listened, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. "I didn’t know Cassian had powers," he admitted, a faint hint of curiosity in his voice.

Adeline hesitated for a brief moment before speaking. "I did," she said simply, glancing at Dimitri.

"You knew?" Dimitri’s tone was calm, but there was a hint of surprise.

"It was a secret," Adeline explained, her gaze steady. "Between Cassian and me."

Dimitri’s eyebrows furrowed slightly at her words. He didn’t say anything though.

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