The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 231: Malicious Intentions

Chapter 231: Malicious Intentions

Dimitri frowned deeply, his thoughts clouded with unease. The attack that had just occurred left more questions than answers. Who was behind it? Was it Edward, someone who had proven capable of using forbidden magic before?

Or was it someone connected to his late master, a man whose obsessions and dangerous philosophies still lingered like a dark shadow?

Either way, Dimitri understood one thing with certainty: there was a target on his back.

The black smoke had been a clear warning. It wasn’t a random event or a coincidence. Someone, somewhere, was testing his strength, probing his limits.

The knowledge filled him with a familiar tension, but it did not shake his confidence. Dimitri had faced worse. He was the Archmage now, a position he hadn’t sought but had grown into. His abilities were unparalleled, and his connections...

He intended to make some changes whether or not those in the tower agreed with it. His loyal group of mages will scour the Empire for traces of forbidden magic practitioners. He intended to eliminate them.

The Mage Tower usually never involved themselves with the Empire’s affairs but he did not intend to be like that.

He intended to stay here... Stay beside Adeline.

That thought gave him pause staying by her side could very well place her in danger. If he were being targeted, the people after him wouldn’t hesitate to go after those he cared about. Dimitri clenched his fists.

It was a harsh reality, one he had been forced to accept long ago. His life as the Archmage was dangerous, and attachments, and relationships, made him vulnerable.

Yet, despite knowing all this, he couldn’t bring himself to leave.

His mind drifted to earlier in the evening when Adeline had shared everything that had transpired during his absence. She had smiled as she spoke, but he could hear the pain beneath her words, especially when she mentioned Cassian.

Dimitri hadn’t known much about the Crown Prince’s powers before, but he understood enough to piece together the situation.

Cassian had left. He had walked away from Adeline without explanation, leaving behind wounds that were still raw. Dimitri couldn’t do the same to her. He couldn’t just walk away.

He let out a slow breath, trying to steady himself. The logical part of his mind told him that the right thing to do would be to put some distance between them. To protect her, he needed to ensure she wasn’t caught in the crossfire of whatever forces were at play.

But his heart rebelled against that idea.

It was selfish, he knew. Staying by her side wasn’t the most rational choice. It wasn’t the safest choice. But Dimitri couldn’t bring himself to do the "right" thing this time.

He wanted to stay.

It wasn’t just a matter of duty or obligation- it was desire. For so long, Dimitri had buried his own wants, focusing solely on his responsibilities and the burdens placed upon him.

But now, standing in the home that had once been his sanctuary, surrounded by memories of simpler, happier times, he found himself yearning for something he hadn’t allowed himself to hope for in years.

He wanted to be with Adeline.

Her laughter, her stubbornness, her kindness- it all reminded him of what he had been missing. She had grown so much in his absence, becoming a confident, capable woman.

Yet, to him, she was still the same girl who had given him a place to belong, who had believed in him when no one else did.

"I’m staying," he muttered under his breath as if saying it aloud would solidify his decision.

Dimitri walked to the window, staring out into the quiet night. The manor was still, the earlier celebration having come to an end.

His gaze drifted toward the garden where they had all gathered. The laughter and warmth from earlier lingered in his mind, a stark contrast to the darkness he had faced later that night.

He knew the risks. Staying meant putting Adeline in potential danger, but it also meant he could protect her. He wouldn’t let anyone harm her- not Edward, not some remnant of his master’s twisted plans, no one.

Dimitri sighed, running a hand through his hair. He felt selfish for wanting to indulge his desires, for wanting to stay by her side despite the risks. But for once, he was willing to be selfish.

He thought back to the way Adeline had looked at him earlier, her blue eyes filled with an unspoken question.

"I’m your knight, after all," he murmured, a small smile tugging at his lips.

He thought back to the vow he had made all those years ago, a promise that still held weight even now.

Dimitri turned away from the window, his resolve solidifying. He would stay, not just because of his vow, but because he wanted to. For the first time in a long time, he was allowing himself to follow his heart.

Adeline was still groggy when her maid gently nudged her awake. The sunlight streamed into her room, and the warm rays fell on her face. "Miss Adeline," the maid said softly, "Sir Dimitri is waiting for you downstairs. He says he wishes to speak with you."

The grogginess vanished almost instantly. Dimitri was waiting for her? Adeline sat up quickly, brushing her hair back and trying to clear her thoughts. She hadn’t expected him to seek her out so soon. "I’ll get ready," she said hurriedly, waving the maid off so she could prepare herself.

She dressed in a simple but elegant morning gown, tying her hair back quickly but neatly. As she made her way down the stairs, her heart raced slightly. What could Dimitri want to talk about so urgently?

When she reached him, he was waiting near the entrance, standing tall but with a distant look in his eyes. "Good morning," Adeline greeted him with a smile.

Dimitri was going to talk about something sombre but seeing the familiar face with hair fluffy pink hair swaying as she moved, he couldn’t help but smile.

"Good morning," Dimitri replied, his tone warm but serious. "I was hoping we could talk. There’s something I need to tell you."

Adeline tilted her head, surprised by his solemn expression, but she nodded. "Of course," she said. "Let’s go for a walk in the garden."

The two of them strolled through the lush gardens, the scent of fresh flowers filling the air. They walked in comfortable silence until they reached the old tree by the pond. It was the tree they had played under as children, a spot that held so many cherished memories.

Adeline leaned against the trunk and looked at him expectantly. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Dimitri sighed, running a hand through his hair. He hesitated for a moment as if trying to find the right words. Finally, he began. "The late Archmage... My master... He wasn’t a good man, Adeline."

Adeline frowned, confused by the sudden weight in his voice.

Dimitri continued, his tone laced with pain. "He... He’s the reason why I couldn’t contact you all those years. He controlled every aspect of my life, and any attachment I had was seen as a weakness. He wanted me to be his perfect apprentice, his successor, and he... He went to terrible lengths to make sure of it."

Adeline listened in stunned silence as Dimitri recounted his time under the Archmage. He told her about the gruelling trials, the isolation, and the harsh punishments for any perceived failure. Then, his voice wavered slightly as he spoke about a friend he had made in the Mage Tower.

"There was a boy," Dimitri said, his gaze fixed on the ground. "He was a fellow apprentice, someone I grew close to. He was kind, and always smiling, even when things were hard. He reminded me of... Well, of home. But the Archmage didn’t approve. He saw our friendship as a distraction. He... He killed him, Adeline. Just to teach me a lesson."

Adeline’s eyes widened in horror. Her hand flew to her mouth, and she stared at Dimitri in disbelief. "He killed a child? Just to punish you?"

Dimitri nodded, his expression grim. "He said it was for my own good and that attachments would only hinder my progress."

Adeline felt a lump in her throat. She couldn’t fathom the pain Dimitri had endured, the horrors he had witnessed. Without thinking, she reached out and patted his back gently, offering what little comfort she could.

Dimitri smiled faintly at her touch. He took her hand in his, holding it tightly, as if to ground himself in the present. She was here in front of him, she was real.

Adeline gave him a small smile, but her heart ached for him. She could see the pain in his eyes, the burden he carried.

Dimitri took a deep breath and continued. "But it didn’t stop there. My master’s... Malicious intentions went far beyond me. He was obsessed with power, with understanding how to become stronger. He believed that monsters, those creatures held the key to unlocking untold magical potential. They grow stronger over time, adapting and evolving, and he wanted to harness that for himself."

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