Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 39
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 39
How would I know that?
The reason I didn’t say that was because I could understand Chaser’s words to some extent.
Just as Chaser said, despite mages warning their disciples so harshly and making them pay with their lives for dabbling in dark magic, dark mages were still being born every year.
Perhaps human greed has no end, and that greed blinds people, making them willing to pay any price.
Once humans learn the warmth of fire, they can never give up that comfort.
Even if everything gets destroyed as the price.
“Don’t worry so much. A child like that sprout could never become a dark mage.”
I couldn’t give any response to his words as he smiled as if he had never been serious.
I had intended to protest about what happened in today’s lesson.
In the end, I couldn’t say whether his method was right or wrong.
I still didn’t know much about this world, and perhaps Chaser’s lessons might be what guides Leo down the right path.
After walking in silence for a while, we quickly arrived at the manor’s main gate.
The carriage Chaser had called hadn’t arrived yet.
While waiting for the carriage, Chaser looked at me as if he had something he wanted to ask me.
“You know, people like pretty and beautiful things, right?”
Most do.
I nodded absentmindedly and then…
“But why doesn’t the customer like me?”
I paid the price for letting my guard down.
Humans like pretty and beautiful things.
Chaser is a pretty and beautiful person.
Therefore, Belinda Blanche, being human, likes Chaser.
The perfect syllogism that proceeded in his head seemed flawless at first glance.
I had no particular objection to the first two premises.
But the final conclusion…
“You’re being narcissistic.”
“I see. But I think the customer could afford to be a bit more narcissistic.”
I raised my eyebrows.
He just said something sarcastic, but did I miss it?
Just then, the wind blew and my hair flew around messily.
A faint golden light appeared in Chaser’s eyes as he looked down at me steadily, and butterflies like those I’d seen during the lesson bloomed around me like flower buds bursting open.
They tidied up my disheveled hair.
When my gaze, which had been stolen by the butterflies for a moment, returned to Chaser, he was holding a strand of my hair that the butterflies had missed.
“For reference, I like roses that are arrogantly beautiful yet have poisonous thorns that no one can break.”
Chaser lightly kissed my red hair as if he had become a butterfly, then tucked it behind my ear.
The reason I couldn’t stop his action in time was probably because my whole body froze for an instant at his face that had come so close.
As if time was flowing slowly, everything captured in my eyes was too vivid.
A face as sweet and beautiful as a god of love from ancient mythology.
Gray eyes rimmed with gold, like showing the death of a star exploding into a supernova.
Lips slowly parting as if about to whisper sweet words of love.
“So I…”
While I was reading Chaser’s voice with my eyes rather than hearing it with my ears.
“The weather is cold.”
Sir Penandel’s sudden voice brought me back to reality.
‘The weather is cold?’
No, it wasn’t. Today the sun was warm and perfect for a walk.
I blinked stupidly and looked down at what had been placed on my shoulders.
It was Vivian’s robe.
When I turned around, I could see Vivian and Terry in the distance gesturing frantically at Sir Penandel before hurriedly pretending to look elsewhere.
Only then did I feel like my sense of reality was returning.
I gripped Vivian’s robe tightly and turned to look at Chaser, asking.
“What did you just say?”
“…Nothing.”
An answer that left me feeling unsettled.
Before I could question him further, Chaser had already hopped onto the carriage that had arrived at some point.
One butterfly that hadn’t disappeared yet circled around Chaser and me before landing on my fingertip. Despite being an illusion, it felt surprisingly heavy.
“Tell the sprout for me.”
Chaser, with his arms resting on the window frame, said with his usual bright smile.
“That I’m sorry for being mean. And that it’s a congratulatory gift for creating the magic flame.”
Then he knocked on the carriage door, signaling the coachman to depart, and left without even listening to my response.
I returned to the manor with Chaser’s butterfly, escorted by Sir Penandel.
It was right after I had comforted the dejected Leo in my own way, had dinner, and read him a fairy tale at bedtime under the pretense of teaching him to read.
Chaser’s butterfly sat on the soundly sleeping Leo’s head like an ornament, slowly fluttering its wings.
And the moment the butterfly’s wings, which had a beautiful luster like the surface of precious metal, reflected the candlelight and sparkled.
Like playing a video, the afternoon’s events flashed through my mind.
“Ah.”
Sometimes, that happens. When some stimulus causes past memories to be vividly drawn in your mind.
Suddenly, I could clearly recall what Chaser had said to me at the main gate.
“So I like people like you, customer.”
In the dead quiet night.
I covered my mouth with both hands, afraid a scream might burst out.
* * *
I had always thought Chaser’s tone and attitude toward me was strange.
But looking back…
“Master, lend me your shoulder.”
“It was just… selfish interest.”
“For you, customer, I can make time without charging extra fees.”
“So I like people like you, customer.”
If all of that was interest he was showing in me, then yes. It did make sense.
I invited Chaser, who had finished Leo’s lesson as usual, to dinner.
As expected, Chaser readily accepted the invitation.
Since I had informed Terry in advance about Chaser joining us for dinner, I sent him down first, finished my simple preparations, and headed to the dining hall rather late.
“…?”
But there was a strange atmosphere in the hall.
Both Terry and Chaser were smiling, but somehow I could feel a chill.
I placed the party invitations I was holding onto the head table and surveyed the long dining table.
The seat to the left of my place at the head was Leo’s, and the right was Sir Penandel’s.
But Chaser, despite being a guest, had shamelessly taken Sir Penandel’s seat and was waving at me cheerfully.
I looked sympathetically at Sir Penandel, who had been pushed to the very end seat, then sat down and rang the bell.
The employees immediately brought appetizers, soup, fish dishes, and the main course all at once and began setting the table. Then they left the dining hall.
While the employees prepared the meal, serving was solely Terry’s responsibility.
She carefully examined the food bit by bit to prepare for assassination threats, checking meticulously for any poison before transferring small portions to individual plates.
While the food was being set up, I put on the glasses I had prepared and leisurely looked over the invitations.
Terry asked as he placed my portion of salad bowl in front of me.
“Master, are you very busy?”
He seemed worried since I had never brought work to the dining table before.
“I should start looking into parties to attend.”
That’s a lie. What parties.
The reason I brought the invitations to the dining table was to make wearing glasses look natural.
“Do you like turkey meat?”
Terry skillfully carved today’s main dish, roasted turkey, while asking the invited guest.
Since Vivian was such a big eater, three whole turkeys had been brought to the table, and they were so large that carving them required considerable skill.
…Though cutting and piercing flesh was Terry’s specialty, so there wasn’t much difficulty.
“It’s alright?”
“You’ll probably come to like it starting today. The chef who handles meat has excellent skills.”
Terry skillfully carved the three turkeys by parts with practiced hands and distributed them to each person’s individual plate.
“Since you’re a guest, I’ll give you the most delicious and special parts.”
Soon I looked at what was on Chaser’s plate and almost spat out what was in my mouth.
Chaser stared down at the three turkey neck portions neatly arranged on his plate, then raised the corners of his mouth.
It was a smile he had never shown in front of me—elegant yet somehow carrying a chill.
“Excellent hospitality for a guest.”
“Not at all.”
What’s this, why are these guys being so menacing?
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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