Something’s Not Right About This Transmigration

Frey stared at Samuel in disbelief.

His golden hair shone even in the moonless darkness, and his eyes gleamed brighter still.

No matter how Frey looked at him, his face perfectly matched the description of Samuel in the novel.

“D-Duke Norbert……?”

Could he be seeing things?

When Frey stammered out his name, Samuel tilted his head.

“It seems you have no intention of answering my question.”

“What?”

“Answer me.”

A shadow fell over Samuel’s eyes as he repeated himself. Frey swallowed beneath his frighteningly cold gaze, then spoke with an awkward smile.

“W-well, um, I didn’t know you were coming. I wanted to take a walk for the first time in a while……. I know this isn’t exactly a proper route, but I wanted to slip out unnoticed.”

They had known each other since childhood, so surely it was safe to say that much.

Contrary to Frey’s expectations, however, Samuel’s expression only grew more menacing the longer he spoke.

“……Your Grace?”

Had he realized Frey was lying?

‘I didn’t expect him to believe me, but…….’

Frey had not expected to be met with such a murderous glare either.

“A great deal of time must have passed. In the past, even a small lie made your face turn red, yet now you appear entirely untroubled.”

Frey discreetly looked away at the sound of Samuel’s voice.

The real ‘Frey’ must have been a poor liar.

“That does not mean your lies are any less obvious now, Young Lord.”

……Apparently, he was bad at it too.

“Ahem. We were supposed to meet at two in the afternoon. I only came out briefly because I had something to do, so I’ll see you later today.”

Frey spoke with feigned nonchalance and tried to remove Samuel’s hand from his waist.

More accurately, he would have removed it if Samuel had not deliberately tightened his hold and pulled him closer.

“Were you trying to run away?”

“No, I told you, I was taking a walk…….”

“If you expect me even to pretend to believe you, you should put some effort into your lies.”

Unlike his manner of speaking, which seemed carefully restrained, his voice was as sharp as a whetted blade.

“Once was bad enough, yet now you’ve tried to flee twice……. Do you hate the thought of helping me so much?”

“Twice?”

“Do not pretend you do not know.”

Samuel’s eyes curved into a gentle smile as he reached out and caressed Frey’s cheek. From a distance, it might have looked like a tender gesture of courtship toward his betrothed. To Frey, who could see his eyes up close, it felt like a death threat.

“I don’t know what misunderstanding you’re under, but…….”

Frey pushed against Samuel’s chest. Contrary to his expectation that the man would resist with all his strength, Samuel released the arm around his waist.

Frey swallowed beneath that piercing gaze, took a short breath, and continued.

“I wasn’t trying to run away.”

That was a lie.

“I’ve been shut in all this time, and I felt stifled…….”

That was probably a lie too.

“But why are you here, Your Grace?”

“……Hmm. Perhaps I came because I wanted to see you sooner, Young Lord.”

When Frey openly displayed his disbelief, Samuel’s expression changed.

The corners of his mouth, which he had forced upward, flattened into a straight line. When he blinked, naked hostility showed in his eyes.

“You could not possibly believe that, of course. Not unless your head is as empty as a rattling cart.”

Frey’s lips twitched awkwardly at the sarcasm.

“Perhaps you believe that keeping your mouth shut when we meet again after so long will erase your past wrongdoing……. Or perhaps you are shameless enough to pretend you know nothing.”