I’m Looking for the Male Lead for the Ending - Chapter 37

Chapter 19.2

With his lips pursed for a moment, he eventually turned away and spoke.

“…I feel sorry for you about what happened today. If there’s anything you want or if you need help, just say it.”

“…”

“…I’ll help you.”

[ 〈SYSTEM〉

Heron Aidelis’s favorability increases by 2%.

Heron Aidelis’s current favorability: 25% -〉27% ]

A strange feeling gripped me as I glanced at the system window appearing above his receding figure.

It occurred to me that perhaps I just hadn’t realized it all this time, but maybe he didn’t hate me that much.

̊ · : * ✧* : · ̊

“I think the punishment the head of the house gave the Young Lady was excessive.”

It was the morning of the second day after receiving a punishment from my father following the tournament.

Marie, who had been serving me tea, spoke with pursed lips.

“Why should the Young Lady bear the punishment for Young Lord Heron’s failure to win the tournament? And to be honest, it’s strange to receive punishment for not winning the tournament. Winning and losing are natural parts of competition, aren’t they?”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

I replied nonchalantly, playing with the jewelry box by opening and closing it.

As she watched me fiddle with the jewelry box, Marie, who had been getting increasingly agitated, turned her gaze towards me. She spoke in a huffy tone, with her cheeks puffed out.

“Do you like it that much?”

“Huh?”

“That jewelry box you received as a gift. You’ve been staring at it ever since the tournament.”

At her question, I closed the jewelry box I had been playing with and placed it inside the drawer before I smiled sheepishly as Marie popped a chocolate cookie into my mouth. She then asked in a playful tone.

“I meant it as a compliment, but why are you hiding it?”

“Because it’s embarrassing…?”

In response to my answer, Marie squinted as if recalling that day’s events.

“Of course, it’s nice that the Young Lady likes it so much. But no matter how I think about it, that man was rude back then. Treating you like a thief out of nowhere without knowing the circumstances!”

“….”

“How on earth does he think of Aidelis?”

As I slipped a chocolate cookie into Marie’s mouth, who was red with frustration, I chuckled at the sight of her eating the cookie obediently despite having a brusque expression.

“Well, it might be because it’s Aidelis. The Grand Duke of Kaisian and Marquis Aidelis are in contrasting positions, after all.”

“…Still, it’s rude. His demeanor wasn’t great from the start.”

Marie, who swallowed the cookie in her mouth, neatly summarized her opinion. Then, she straightened herself up and clasped the tray she had brought against her chest.

“Though His Highness the Grand Duke seems like a good person.”

“Huh?”

“Honestly, among the high-ranking people, there are many who pretend not to notice when a subordinate makes a mistake. Or they draw a line, claiming they’re not involved.”

“….”

“But His Highness told the subordinate to apologize to the Young Lady for his rudeness! He even gave you the prize he received from winning the tournament!”

Marie’s cheeks flushed as if she were recalling the events of that day.

“Ah! And I’ve noticed that His Highness seems to have a bit of a romantic side, too.”

“Romantic?”

“Yes! To be honest, I was angry when I saw you getting accused of stealing a brooch that didn’t even look expensive. So, I looked into it a little myself.”

“….”

“But it turns out the brooch is more famous than I thought.”

“What do you mean by that?”

When I asked with a serious expression, Marie blinked as if surprised for a moment, then quickly added.

“A-Apparently, it’s already been eight years since His Highness has been wearing that brooch. There are rumors that he received it from his first love.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. The girl who told me the story claimed to have heard it directly from Lady Perideline, but it’s not certain. She tends to exaggerate a bit.”

I narrowed my eyes at her words, picturing the brooch. Even though the owner was identified as the Grand Duke, I couldn’t help but wonder if there might be a connection between the girl and the brooch after all…

‘The child seemed to be around ten years old at the time, but if the brooch has been in the Grand Duke’s possession for eight years, the timing doesn’t make sense.’

Could it be the key to the hidden route, not because it was related to the girl, but simply because it was an item representing the Grand Duke of Kaisian?

“Anyway, please bear with it a little longer, Young Lady! Tomorrow, your probation…”

That was when it happened.

Marie’s voice coming from right beside me suddenly faded away, and the room was filled with light for a moment.

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