I’m Looking for the Male Lead for the Ending - Chapter 11

Chapter 6.2

“Yes, I brought some without the chef’s knowledge so that the Young Lady can try some tarts made with the green grapes that were delivered.”

Her words, delivered with a casual smile, made me involuntarily break into a smile.

“Thank you, Marie.”

“You’re welcome. Would you like to eat it at your desk?”

“No, I’ll eat it at the table.”

At my answer, Marie set the tray down on the table. As I got up from my seat and moved to the sofa, she poured the properly brewed tea into a teacup and opened her mouth again.

“I saw some other fruits that came from the principality of Efren, and they all seemed to be big and plump, perhaps because it’s warm there year-round.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, of course, it’s not like the fruits from Arbonis are inferior! Anyway, because the quality of the ingredients is so good, the kitchen has been quite exciting. Anne and Belle were making a big fuss about it…”

I roughly listened to Marie’s story, which I had already heard dozens of times before, as I delicately cut the tart with my fork. The soft cream and the sliced grapes on top still made my mouth water, even after eating it many times.

As I savored the tart melting in my mouth, she watched me with a proud smile on her face.

“Does it taste good?”

“Yeah, it’s really delicious.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Lately, it seems that Young Master Heron has been skipping meals, so the kitchen has been preparing since dawn, though, of course, he left without even tasting it.”

As I was eating the tart while nodding my head, I turned my head towards her upon hearing Heron’s name. At the same time, Marie stopped eating her tart and shifted her gaze in various directions in response to my questioning look.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“If even brother were to eat a tart like this, he might feel better, don’t you think?”

“Yes?”

“I mean, even if he doesn’t like me, I think that his feelings toward me will improve a little if I give him this delicious tart.”

There’s an everlasting truth in the world — the person who offers food to someone with a smiling face and doesn’t spit on them is not a bad person! So, having drawn my own conclusion from the question I directed at Marie, I jumped to my feet and spoke vigorously to Marie, who blinked in confusion.
[ T/N: It’s a proverb or saying in Korean that conveys the idea that a kind and generous person should not be considered a bad person. ]

“Help me get ready to go out, Marie!”

˚ ·: * ✧ * :· ˚

‘The two whispered their love and lived happily ever after.’

In the romance novels or operas I was familiar with, this was often the ending. The protagonists overcome all hardships and challenges, eventually pledging eternal love to each other. They promised unchanging, eternal love to everyone who watched over and supported them, ensuring them that only a happy future remained ahead of them.

That was why I thought that in Arbonis, the characters’ routes would lead to such an ending as well. Regardless of who the other person was, I believed that the moment we whispered eternal love, I would reach a happy ending.

However, the story would take a different turn when the character I was trying to conquer was Heron Aidelis. He and I were undeniable step-siblings, and whether it was unfortunate or fortunate, the system firmly stated that there would be no wedding ending between us. In that case, if I were to choose Heron Aidelis’s route, what kind of ending would be given to me?

As I pondered the uncertain actions of the system, Marie, who had been sitting across from me in the carriage, spoke up.

“By the way, did you know that I was a little surprised earlier?”

“Huh?”

“At the mansion. Actually, I didn’t expect that the Young Lady would offer to bring Young Master the tart first.”

When I raised my head to look at her words, Marie had a somewhat touched and emotional expression, as if she was moved by the fact that I had offered to bring Heron his tart before anyone else even mentioned it.

“I was worried because it seemed like the Young Lady was having a hard time with the Young Master.”

Marie spoke fondly, but I awkwardly smiled.

Despite the fact that I had learned that he didn’t hate me thanks to his route that opened yesterday, I still had a hard time with him. Maybe it might be because the intense memory of our first meeting had remained deeply ingrained in my mind.

‘When I first came to Marquis Aidelis’s estate holding my mother’s hand, Heron looked at me as if he could kill me at any moment.’

As I kept my lips sealed about the fact that I couldn’t express myself directly, Marie, misunderstanding my expression, smiled brightly and added.

“Still, if the Young Lady offers the tart to the Young Master today, I’m sure he will really appreciate it.”

“….”

“I hope that this opportunity can bring the two of you closer.”

Listening carefully to Marie’s cautious addition, I nodded my head and replied.

“Yes, me too.”

“Yes?”

“I also hope that this will make brother happy with me.”

…So, I hoped that I could survive without dying and see the ending with him.

I couldn’t bring myself to voice these dark thoughts aloud and kept them inside. In the meanwhile, Marie, who had no way of knowing my innermost thoughts, smiled brightly and nodded.

“Don’t worry, Young Lady. It will definitely turn out that way!”

I looked at Marie, who was confidently clenching her fist, and followed her lead, clenching my fist as well. It was only the first step into Heron Aidelis’s route, but I felt excited as if I were someone on the verge of the final episode.

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