The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 269: A Stupid Plan

Chapter 269: A Stupid Plan

Annora looked at her with that ever-present, infuriatingly gentle smile. "Well, we will get going since we have a lot of work to do."

Adeline bit back a scoff. "We." Annora said it so naturally, as if she and Dimitri were a perfect team. As if Dimitri was her ally now.

Annora then turned toward him, flashing a knowing smile. A private look. One of silent understanding.

Adeline’s fingers twitched.

She hated it.

She didn’t know what Annora was trying to do, but she wouldn’t let it get to her. She forced herself to remain composed, keeping her expression neutral.

Annora took a step forward, then suddenly turned back to face her again. Her tone was light, almost teasing, when she asked, "Oh, you’re here to meet the head priest, Edward, aren’t you?"

Adeline stiffened slightly.

Annora... sounded cheerful.

That wasn’t right. Annora had never spoken about Edward in such a casual, pleasant manner before

But now...

Adeline studied her carefully, searching for some hidden meaning behind her words. But Annora’s expression remained bright, pleasant as if there was nothing unusual about this at all.

Her unease deepened.

Before she could dwell on it, she felt Dimitri’s gaze burning into her.

She turned toward him—and instantly regretted it.

His expression was unreadable, his icy blue eyes cold and distant. But the look he gave her...

It was disapproving.

As if he couldn’t fathom how she could associate herself with someone like Edward.

As if he believed she was aligned with the Holy Temple itself.

Adeline clenched her fists.

She didn’t know what frustrated her more—the fact that Annora was acting strange, or the fact that Dimitri looked at her like that.

Like she was something filthy.

Like she wasn’t even worth acknowledging.

She took a slow, deep breath, forcing herself to let it go. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing her flustered.

Instead, she let a smirk curl on her lips and said mockingly, "Yes, I have unfinished business. You’re right—you two should be leaving."

Her tone was dismissive, brushing them off like they were the insignificant ones. And without another word, she turned on her heel and strode away, refusing to let herself see that look on Dimitri’s face again.

The heavy wooden doors creaked open as Adeline stepped inside, the scent of burning incense and old parchment filling her lungs.

Edward was already lounging in his chair, smirking as if he had been waiting for her.

"Ah," he drawled lazily, "so you survived your little reunion. That must have been painful."

Adeline narrowed her eyes. "I ran into Dimitri. You knew, didn’t you?"

Edward’s smirk widened. "Of course."

She took a sharp step forward, her patience wearing thin. "Why do you enjoy my suffering so much?" She had been targeted by him ever since she could remember, just why couldn’t he leave her alone?

Edward placed a hand over his chest, feigning innocence. "Enjoy your suffering? Why I’d never." Then, with an exaggerated sigh, he continued, "But I do think I should savour these moments. Who knows how long they’ll last?"

Adeline’s stomach twisted. There was no use trying to talk or reason with him.

She took a sharp step forward, her patience wearing thin. "Why do you enjoy my suffering so much?"

Edward placed a hand over his chest, feigning innocence. "Suffering? I’d never." Then, with an exaggerated sigh, he continued, "But I do think I should savour these moments. Who knows how long they’ll last?"

Adeline’s stomach twisted.

She hated it when he talked like this.

Like he always knew something she didn’t.

Her eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms. "Are you telling me they’ll awaken soon?"

Edward didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he leaned forward, his grey eyes gleaming with something unreadable.

She hated that look.

She hated the way he toyed with her.

"Tell me, Adeline," he said, voice smooth and teasing. "Do you want them to awaken?"

Her throat felt dry.

Of course, she wanted them to break free—to shake off the chains that bound them to the original story.

But would they ever forgive her? It might sound irrational but she blamed herself for this happening. She was not careful, she should have known something was amiss long ago. She should have... She should’ve cast some sort of protection over them!

Would Benedict stop looking at her with disgust? Would Dimitri stop ignoring her?

Would Cassian—

She swallowed.

Edward chuckled softly, as if he could see every thought running through her mind. Then, instead of answering her directly, he simply laid a map on the table before her.

Adeline hesitated for a moment before stepping closer. The map was old, the edges frayed, but the markings on it were clear.

A location was circled.

It wasn’t too far from the Holy Temple.

"What is this?" she asked.

Edward rested his chin in his hand. "The place you’re so desperate to find."

Her breath hitched.

A base for forbidden magic wielders.

This was bigger than the last few leads.

Adeline’s fingers hovered over the inked circle. "Are you sure?"

Edward’s smirk faded slightly, his tone shifting into something more serious. "I don’t deal in uncertainty."

That much was true.

If Edward was presenting this as a lead, then it was one.

She exhaled slowly.

It all came down to this.

With her holy power, she would be able to sense the corruption—it repelled her, after all. But the truth was, she wasn’t the best at detecting it.

Forbidden magic users could sense their own kind much more easily.

They had an affinity that no one else did.

And that was why the ones she wanted to save—Cassian, Benedict, and Dimitri—were still suffering under its grasp.

Because no matter how much holy power she had, she wasn’t one of them.

Edward’s voice cut through her thoughts.

"Well?" he said, watching her closely. "What will you do now, Adeline?"

She clenched her fists.

Adeline frowned, arms crossing as she stared at the map. "So how did you find this lead?"

Edward simply tilted his head, his smirk deepening as if amused by the very question.

She knew that look.

It meant he wasn’t going to tell her.

Adeline exhaled sharply, biting back her irritation. "Fine."

She turned her attention back to the map, tracing her finger along the marked path. The location was nestled deep within the eastern border of the Holy Temple, right on the edge of a thick forest. A strategic choice—it would be hard to track, and easy to escape from if needed.

"When are we going there?" she asked. "What’s the plan?"

Edward rose from his chair in one fluid motion, his robes shifting like liquid shadows around him. Slowly, he walked toward her, his presence looming.

Adeline forced herself to remain still.

Even though a part of her wanted to step back, to create distance, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

Edward’s stormy grey eyes glowed faintly in the dim candlelight as he spoke, his voice rich with amusement.

"Forbidden magic wielders can detect each other... So you know I can’t enter their base."

Adeline’s frown deepened. "So you’re sending me alone."

Edward shrugged, entirely unconcerned. "You’re more than capable of taking care of them yourself."

Her grip tightened on the edge of the table. "And what exactly am I supposed to do?"

Edward smirked, stepping even closer. "Once they realise they can’t detect magic on you, they’ll assume you’re high-ranking—so powerful that your magic is beyond their senses."

Adeline blinked.

That... Was actually plausible. But also incredibly stupid. What if they question her and don’t think of her as some high ranking wielder.

She wasn’t one of them. She could never be.

If she walked in, they would sense nothing.

And their first assumption would be that she wasn’t one of them.

For them to think that she was so powerful that they couldn’t even begin to grasp her presence...

Edward’s smirk deepened, watching as realisation flickered across her face.

Adeline exhaled slowly. "And what about you?"

Edward made a lazy motion toward the map. "I, of course, will be standing outside. As a mere guard."

She narrowed her eyes. "That’s it?"

"That’s all I can do," he said simply.

Adeline rolled her eyes.

So, in summary—she had to infiltrate the heart of the base while Edward, in his infinite wisdom, would stand outside and do nothing.

How convenient.

She folded her arms. "So let me get this straight. I go in alone, pretend I belong there, somehow figure out exactly what’s going on, and you... Just sit back and watch?"

Edward chuckled. "I wouldn’t say ’just watch.’ I’ll be observing."

"Oh, that makes me feel so much better." She said sarcastically.

He smiled. "It should."

Adeline let out a frustrated sigh and turned back to the map. The more she thought about it, the riskier it became.

It was one thing to sneak in.

It was another thing to convince an entire base of forbidden magic users that she was one of them.

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