I Plotted The World Destruction With The Male Lead - Chapter 12

It wasn’t the first time Eleanor had heard that guiding could lead to arousal. Stories like that were common and popular, feeding into the fantasies people liked to indulge in.

Even in the original story, Eleanor and Van hadn’t refrained from intimacy, even while on the run. It was the most effective method of guiding, and for Eleanor, it had also been a way to forget Carlyle.

“Even then, I don’t think it was this effective,” she thought.

The level of contact back then—when she had guided Van while they navigated the secret passageways of the imperial palace—had been similar to now. Something must have changed since her regression.

“Could my ranking as a guide have shifted somehow?”

In the future she desired, she hadn’t envisioned a life as a guide at all. But the gods had said the life she sought would unfold before her.

As Eleanor wrestled with these thoughts, Van was barely restraining himself from rubbing his face against her palm. He knew he already looked absurd enough as it was.

“Lady Eleanor…”

The pleading tone in Van’s voice snapped Eleanor out of her internal conflict. His expression as he looked up at her, his face pressed against her hand, struck her as unexpectedly appealing.

“Love? What a joke.”

The pain that had once gripped her chest when she regained her memories of her past life had long since faded. All that remained was anger—anger toward those who had stolen everything from her and thrown her into misery.

Even so, Eleanor didn’t feel opposed to being Van’s guide. Unlike Carlyle or the Duke of Armoire, Van hadn’t tried to force her.

As royalty, he had no reason to lower himself before her. He could have taken away all her choices and demanded her compliance, like the others had. But he didn’t.

“That’s why… you’re acceptable.”

“Alright. Be my… man,” she said, deliberately substituting man for the word royal.

The joy that lit up Van’s eyes was immediate and blinding. In one swift motion, he rose to his feet, gazing deeply into Eleanor’s eyes before pulling her into a tight embrace.

It was as if she could feel the fierce storm of emotions and heat swirling inside him.

“Yes… I will,” he whispered, his voice trembling with undeniable desire.

Yet Eleanor felt neither fear nor disgust. It was natural for a high-compatibility guide and partner to feel such intense reactions to one another.

Still, she had no intention of allowing things to progress beyond a kiss for now.

Stroking his head as if soothing a loyal beast, Eleanor made her intentions clear. Van didn’t feel humiliated by her gesture; instead, his face melted into a look of pure bliss.

“…Nothing more than that,” she said firmly. “For now, just a kiss.”

At her words, Van’s eyes seemed to ignite with flames. The next moment, he captured her lips in a fiery, almost devouring kiss, as though he was trying to consume every bit of her.

*

The Duke’s expression as he descended the staircase was… strange, to say the least. It wasn’t the kind of expression someone would wear even if bewitched by a witch.

“It looks almost like the melted face of a beast,” Apis thought to himself, momentarily distracted. But his musings were cut short when he noticed Van glaring at him, pressing a hand to his face as if to hold himself together. Van’s gaze was sharp, almost as if he knew what Apis was thinking.

Don’t. Even. Think about it, Van’s glare seemed to say.

That deadly look, however, immediately softened the moment Eleanor turned to look at him. Seeing the change in Van’s expression, Apis became certain: Eleanor was a guide. And not just any guide—one of the highest-ranking ones.

Eleanor turned her attention to the people on the lower floor—her family, to be precise—and spoke with a clear voice.

“I’ve decided to become his guide. Other members of the royal family are targeting me, so all of you will need to move to the Duke’s territory for your safety.”

Her words threw the family into chaos, especially her father, Gus, who was known for his loud voice. He looked at Eleanor as if he’d just won the lottery.

“W-what? You’re a guide?”

But as Eleanor’s gaze grew colder, reality began to sink in for Gus, though not entirely. Ignoring her icy expression, he turned to Van with hopeful desperation.

“So, what happens now? If we suddenly have to leave, what about our livelihoods? My job, the kids’ jobs—everything is here….”

This, coming from a man who hadn’t worked in over three years. Gus had long stopped contributing financially, relying entirely on Eleanor, Peter, and Leo to support the family.

Peter shot a sharp glare at his father, clearly frustrated, though he too waited for an answer, given the seriousness of the situation.

“I will provide accommodations, cover all living expenses, and ensure your family has everything it needs. You’ll also receive a stipend, so you don’t need to worry about making ends meet,” Van replied coolly.

Gus wanted to push further—perhaps even set a specific amount—but Van’s frigid stare silenced him.

Sensing the tension in the room, Gus awkwardly shuffled around the dining table and approached Eleanor.

“Do we have to leave?”

“For your safety, yes. I’m sorry,” Eleanor whispered, her voice soft yet firm.

Gus looked as though he had plenty more to say, but he glanced between Eleanor and Van, clearly hesitating. Meanwhile, Margaret, the children’s mother, was too stunned to speak. Her daughter becoming the guide of a Duke—an incredibly powerful man—had left her utterly speechless.

“When do we need to leave?” Peter asked, his tone steady but anxious.

“The sooner, the better,” Van replied, his expression softening slightly as he spoke. His gaze shifted to Eleanor, carefully studying her reaction. The way he looked at her was reminiscent of a servant waiting for approval from their master, a detail not lost on the knights observing the exchange.

“Start preparing now,” Eleanor added, her tone decisive. “Don’t bother bringing anything unnecessary. Everything you’ll need will be provided once we arrive.”

At Eleanor’s words, Margaret immediately retreated to her bedroom to start packing. There was much to prepare.

*

Apart from mementos or sentimental items, there was little of value for Eleanor’s family to bring. Fortunately, their home was relatively close to the Duke’s eastern territory, making the relocation more manageable.

Van had already contacted a mage via a crystal orb to arrange for carriages. Soon, Eleanor and her family were packed into them, heading toward the Duke’s domain.

Earlier, Eleanor and Van had come to an agreement regarding her family’s future.

While Eleanor wanted her family to be safe, she had no desire to live in the same household as her parents. Gus would undoubtedly try to exploit her connection to Van to gain more for himself, and Margaret would almost certainly enable him.

As much as Eleanor wanted to stay close to her younger siblings, she couldn’t bear the thought of enduring Gus’s manipulative behavior just to do so.

Thus, Van had agreed to secure a residence near the Duke’s estate for her family. He would assign servants and knights to ensure their safety and comfort. Her siblings, meanwhile, would receive the education they desired.

Since enrolling in a prestigious school was no longer feasible, Eleanor had arranged for private tutors for all three siblings. Peter, aspiring to become a scholar, would focus on academics. Millie, aiming for a career in administration, would study accordingly. Leo, who wanted to learn swordsmanship, would train with the martial instructors at the Duke’s estate.

Eleanor joined her family in the carriage headed toward the Duke’s estate to explain the details. Gus, however, had been relegated to another carriage under the pretext of limited space. In truth, Eleanor simply didn’t want to listen to his pompous attempts to manipulate her. When charm failed him, Gus often turned to violence, and he had acted on those impulses more than once in the past.

Margaret, on the other hand, clearly saw this as an opportunity to elevate her status. Alone in the carriage with her children, she wasted no time prying.

“What did the Duke say about our new house? How big is it? Is it a grand mansion like the ones nobles live in? We’ll have servants, won’t we?”

“I don’t know the exact details,” Eleanor replied calmly. “But there will be staff to help.”

Margaret’s eyes sparkled at the confirmation.

“How many? Can we hire a chef? Oh, Eleanor, thanks to you, I’ll finally get to wear fine dresses and be treated like a proper lady!”

Margaret’s excitement was contagious, and even Leo seemed momentarily cheerful. Peter, however, wore a serious expression.

“What about you, sis? Will you be okay?”

Peter had heard unsettling rumors about guides and their relationships with royalty. Before Luria became Empress, there had been only four guides in the Empire.

One of them, after the royal they had bonded with was assassinated, tried to kill another royal and was executed. Another became embroiled in a royal feud and was killed. The last guide, desperate to escape a royal’s obsession, fled but died in a tragic accident.

Stories of royals obsessing over their guides were infamous.

As the memory of those tales crossed his mind, Leo’s expression darkened. He turned to Eleanor and asked cautiously, “Will you live with us?”

“I’ll be staying in the Duke’s estate,” Eleanor said simply.

Millie, who had been seated next to Margaret, sprang to her feet and grabbed Eleanor’s arm in alarm.

“Why? You can stay with us! Isn’t the house near the Duke’s estate?”

“Being a guide is similar to being engaged,” Eleanor explained. “Most guides and their partners live in the same residence.”

It was a plausible explanation, though the reality was that Van seemed to want far more than just an engagement.

Leo’s expression became skeptical. “But he’s a royal. Is he going to marry you?”

Eleanor gave him a look that said, stop asking difficult questions, and replied, “We’ll see.”

Peter, sensing the discomfort in the air, leaned back with a heavy sigh. Margaret, meanwhile, seemed to pick up on the growing tension.

“If the Duke starts making… strange demands…” Margaret trailed off, unsure how to finish. Was she about to tell Eleanor to refuse him?

Margaret knew full well what royalty was like. To her, nobles were already intimidating and untouchable, but royals were on a completely different level—almost godlike in her mind.

Only now did Margaret begin to realize what Eleanor might have to give up in exchange for the comforts and opportunities being offered to the family. And yet, Margaret couldn’t suppress her excitement.

The weight in her throat lingered for a moment before disappearing entirely. At the end of the day, Margaret thought, everyone has to live with their fate.

“It has nothing to do with me. Even if she ends up as a mistress… better a young, handsome royal than some old, overweight merchant. At least that Duke is good-looking!”

Still, it was hard for Margaret to look Eleanor in the eye. There were countless questions swirling in her mind, but seeing the gloomy expressions on her sons’ faces made her hold her tongue.

Eleanor gently guided Millie to sit beside her and slowly began stroking her younger sister’s hair.

“It’ll be okay. You don’t need to worry about anything,” she reassured her softly.

Even if something were to happen to her, Eleanor resolved that this time, she would protect her siblings no matter what. No matter the cost.