I’m Looking for the Male Lead for the Ending - Chapter 65

Chapter 33.2

“And even if, by some rare chance, it were true, who else would care for a servant like me as much as you do? If other servants from different families heard about today, they’d all be lining up to work for you!”

“….”

“Of course, even if they did, I’d still be the one serving you.”

Her triumphant expression was so endearing that I couldn’t help but laugh. Only after noticing my expression relax did she speak up again.

“So please, accept my thanks.”

“….”

“I truly want to be your maid even in my next life. So, promise me you’ll be my lady in the next life too! Alright? Now, get some rest, my lady!”

Without waiting for my response, Marie, who had just given me a confession-like declaration, disappeared in a flash. Once she was gone, leaving me alone in the room, my thoughts drifted back to what had just happened.

〈 His Highness the Grand Duke said he felt he hadn’t been able to properly help the Young Lady today, so he’s ensuring I get the assistance I need to make a full recovery! 〉

My heart fluttered at Estieren’s thoughtfulness, which I hadn’t known about.

For most nobles, servants were considered replaceable. From his noble perspective, it probably didn’t make sense that I’d be so concerned about Marie’s health, just like Diel’s reaction when he questioned why I’d ask him to lift the petrification spell cast on her.

Yet, Estieren not only found someone to examine Marie’s condition within three days of my request, but he also promised further assistance for whatever might come next.

I appreciated that he seemed to understand Marie was more than just a servant to me.

In that moment, I recalled his piercing blue eyes and the words he’d spoken to me.

〈 And if the day ever comes when those reasons start to hold real meaning for me, when each word you say begins to carry significance, then I think that’s when your refusal would truly hurt me. 〉

Just recalling that moment made my chest feel tight again. My mouth went dry, and warmth crept onto my cheeks.

“…It really is strange.”

Once I started remembering, the memories flooded back like tidal waves. His face, which I had tried so hard to push away, forced its way back into my mind. As I recalled his unwavering gaze and his low, steady voice devoid of any playfulness, I felt my ears heat up.

Fanning myself, I muttered in frustration.

“Who’s the one getting pursued here…?”

With a pout, I mumbled irritably, then quickly brushed away the thoughts of him that kept occupying my mind. In reality, the meaning behind his words wasn’t the priority right now.

“It’s the system window.”

I let out a shallow sigh, recalling the system window that had appeared moments earlier.

[ 〈SYSTEM〉

Estieren Kaisian’s favorability ?? by ?%

Estieren’s current favorability: ??% -〉 ??% ]

I’d been feeling uneasy, unable to check his favorability level for quite some time.

When the window finally appeared, I felt a brief sense of relief—until I found myself rereading the message over and over. The problem was that there was no indication of whether his favorability had increased or decreased, and no numbers were shown.

“Why all the question marks… why…?”

In that moment, any hope I had that the system window would ease my uncertainty was completely dashed. Seeing his favorability displayed like that only confirmed that, when it came to Estieren, I was just like any ordinary person who couldn’t see the system window.

“Ha…”

I let out a deep sigh and leaned back against the chair.

To be honest, the system’s behavior was beyond comprehension. I had correctly predicted the winner of the martial arts competition, unlocking a hidden route, so there shouldn’t have been any more glitches. So, why was his favorability window still obscured with question marks?

Running a hand through my hair, still without answers, I remembered another issue.

“…The forced missions of the hidden route.”

There had been times when the system window had forced certain choices on me.

The very first mission was like that.

For instance, delivering my father’s letter to Heron was mandatory to progress to the next scene. Nonetheless, the system had never repeatedly enforced missions exclusively along a single route before.

Why did this keep happening only on the hidden route?

It almost felt as though the system had a mind of its own, at least when it came to the hidden route.

‘…Why is that?’

Just as the thought crossed my mind that there could be some kind of connection between Estieren and the system, a chime sounded as a new system window appeared.