Transmigration: The Stupid Canon Fodder Falls for the Villain Duke

"Oh, my heart hurts." Ivy opened her eyes, turning to Lucien and said, "I wasn't pretending. See... my heart is so purple." As she spoke, she attempted to open her chest to show him.

"That's enough, Ivy. I don't want to see your bosom," Lucien said in a cold voice, his hands holding hers to stop her. He wondered if Ivy had gone mad or something, behaving so inappropriately.

Ivy's hands were stubborn as she tried to pull away from him. She didn't want to be subdued by Lucien. His action of holding her hands and stopping her annoyed her. But how could she win against his strength? Lucien swiftly took her hand, pinning it above her head.

His other hand went to her chin, holding it firmly.

"I can't believe you still have the time for that, Duchess," his voice came beside her ear, low and like a soft growl.

Ivy blinked innocently.

"The time for what, Duke?" she asked, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Yes, Ivy had been pretending from the moment she was brought into the room. She had been testing the villain's patience to see if he had truly fallen for her... although the time was ridiculously short for him to fall in love with her.

Lucien wasn't acting according to the book, so it felt off to her. She had been having a headache thinking about this.

"Are you okay? You were really hurt, it seemed."

Lucien's voice made Ivy flinch out of her thoughts. Lucien couldn't understand. One moment she was flirting with him, and the next, she was lost in her thoughts.

The woman was still complicated, even if she carried mystery around her.

Ivy suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood, catching Lucien off guard.

In her pain, Ivy smiled instead.

"You see, I told you I was hurting, and you didn't believe me... Does seeing my blood make you happy?"

Her vomiting blood came at the right time. Would Lucien feel sad for her, seeing her vomit blood?

"Yes, Duchess, it makes me happy. Seeing your blood, your tears, it all makes me happy."

Lucien whispered in her ear, a smile tugging at his lips.

Ivy was playing games. She wanted to know something, and it was his reaction that would determine what she wanted to find.

Lucien didn't want the outcome to be in her favor.

"System, the villain is being creepy and showing his true self as the villain!" Ivy yelled to the system in her heart, but the system wasn't there.

Lucien's eyes were peering at her, his smirk growing creepy. Ivy felt her body trembling slightly under his misbehaving gaze.

"What? Can't you say a word? Did the cat cut your tongue?"

Lucien chuckled lightly, his finger tracing the locks of hair that rested on her forehead. It gave him a thrill seeing her like that, how she trembled, trapped between his arms.

Ivy somehow found her courage. "No, the cat did not cut my tongue, Duke," she said, decisively freeing herself from him. This time, she was resting on him, whereas before, he had been the one resting on her.

"Maintain the distance. The closeness is not compulsory," Lucien's voice came hoarse.

Ivy could swear she saw a blush on his cheeks.

That look on his face, she liked it. If only she could get more...

"Ahem, am I interrupting something, Duke?"

Rutor appeared, interrupting the moment. Ivy, still resting on Lucien, turned to Rutor with a blush of embarrassment on her face.

"No, you are not."

"By the way, I have brought the healer with me."

Rutor cleared his throat, revealing Stephania beside him.

Stephania was a tall woman with long orange locks, braided into two braids.

"Greetings, Duke. Excuse me if I have interrupted some romance, but please let me see the patient."

Stephania said, giving Lucien a side-eye. At her words, Lucien pushed Ivy aside, standing on his toes.

"Watch your tongue, Stephania," he growled.

"I shall, Duke," Stephania said in a mocking tone.

Stephania was a woman afraid of no one. She had a sharp tongue and was decisive. Even with her attitude, which might seem fierce and disrespectful, she had been working for Lucien for years, so her behavior today wasn't surprising nor meant to provoke punishment.

"Come on... Duchess, are you okay? How do you feel? Is there anywhere that you might feel pain?" Stephania said, walking to Ivy with a smile. Ivy nodded, pointing at her chest and then opening it slightly.

"Here," she said.

"Out of here, Rutor," Lucien ordered.

"Ah, yes, my lord," Rutor saluted before vanishing from the room.

Stephania looked at Ivy's bosom, examining the injury. It was blue and purple, covered in lines that seemed like lightning.

"This... It was..." Stephania mumbled, barely able to finish her words.

"What is it?" Lucien's brows furrowed as he stepped forward, looking at what Stephania was observing.

"It was frost magic that hurt her," Stephania finally said, trailing her finger over the scar. Ivy grimaced slightly as she touched it.

"Ouch, it hurts when you touch it," Ivy murmured, the pressure from Stephania's touch causing discomfort.

"Who do you think did it?" Lucien asked, his expression full of worry as he looked at Ivy.

"You're asking me? You should be asking that stubborn right-hand man of yours to do the investigation," Stephania shrugged, folding her arms.

"I see," Lucien nodded.

He would get to the bottom of it. Surely he would. No one should ever mess with members of the Duke's household.

Ivy stared at Lucien's serious expression and sighed in her heart. His face was so cold!

"Oh, Lucien," she called.

"What is it, Ivy?" Lucien looked at her and asked.

"Am I dying? I don't want to die, Lucien." Her face turned dramatic as she spoke.

"You are not going to die, Ivy," Lucien said with authority.

***

"Just a simple job that you should have done, and you had to mess it up!"

A woman slapped another woman kneeling before her. It was none other than Lady Seraphina and the heroine, Goldy.

"I'm sorry, Goldy... I didn't know that things wouldn't work out so well."

Seraphina cried and begged as Goldy hit her. She winced in pain. The slap Goldy gave her wasn't an ordinary slap—it was mixed with dark magic that Goldy had learned.

"Of course, you wouldn't have known... Excuses to save yourself."

Goldy grinned wickedly, holding Seraphina's hair. She yanked her head to the floor, then dusted her hands off while looking down on the shattered Seraphina with a smile.

"You have failed me, Seraphina, and now you will face your punishment."

Goldy folded her arms, chanting some words. Soon, her purple fog surrounded her.

"No, please, Goldy!... I have done everything you asked me to," Seraphina panicked, tears welling in her eyes as she saw Goldy preparing her spells. She was very afraid of what Goldy had learned and used for her powers.

"It was because Lucien was there, and I couldn't hurt him," Seraphina confessed.

"Yes, after this punishment, you will forget that you ever loved him," Goldy said, moving closer to Seraphina. All she could see was the slight grin of the heroine.

"No, please,"

Seraphina begged for the last time. She was going to lose her memory for the number of times she couldn't remember. The warmth and memories, like "mommy," that came from the purple fog were like a nightmare that Seraphina couldn't forget.

***

Ivy woke up to darkness, feeling an arm wrapped around her waist. It was Lucien, resting next to her. He had slept here to keep an eye on her, according to what he had said.

"Oh, Lucien is sleeping beside me," Ivy sighed as she had almost freaked out.

She was almost scared out of her wits.

"System, where are you? Come out here!"

Thinking of the system, Ivy summoned the fat guy.

"Hi, host! How's your health? You're still alive, thank God, good then."

The system appeared, skipping its body around.

Ivy rolled her eyes at its enthusiasm.

"Shh! I don't have time for this pep talk, system. Where's my reward? Where's the new system update that you promised me?"

She said, covering the system's mouth. Her eyes glanced twice at Lucien, sleeping next to her.

"Oh, sorry, host. The update is on hold until the next mission,"

The system hurriedly said, its body vibrating like it wanted to run away, but Ivy held its tail firmly. It was painful for the system.

"You darn bird, come here," Ivy said, shoving it next to her legs.

"You're cheating me, you know?" she mumbled, her brows furrowed.

"Don't worry, host. Right after the new mission is completed, you'll get your rewards," the system panicked, speaking quickly to escape her claws.

"What's the new mission?" Ivy asked, her hand refusing to let go of the system.

"Hurrah, host! New mission: Take a bath with the villain tomorrow morning,"

The system announced.