I Like Another Man, Not the Male Lead - Chapter 10

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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 10

I took Selena’s hand. Her fingertips were cold. I held it tightly as if breathing warmth into that hand. Selena was surprisingly weak to such trivial skinship. Selena’s cheeks turned red.

“Let’s go talk. Will you tell me what happened? Things might work out if we talk as friends.”

Selena hesitated, then nodded. Selena obediently followed me.

People moved their gazes to follow us.

I brought Selena into an empty balcony. After drawing the thick blackout curtains, it felt like we were completely cut off from the outside. Who would have thought I’d end up entering the famous curtained balcony from romance novels with a villainess. This is where history begins. Great view too. Wow, this kind of place should really be visited with a man though.

I finished my brief admiration and turned my attention to Selena.

“Now there’s no one here, Selena.”

Selena, who had been hanging her head low, raised it again. Selena’s eyes were red.

Wait, she’s crying? Why?

“Grace is really annoying.”

“Grace?”

“Yes. It was fine until we wore the dress we picked together. The problem came after that.”

Though the beginning was difficult, once her words started flowing, Selena poured out her story continuously.

“I can share all my things with Grace. What could Grace possibly have anyway? A girl who only lived in the countryside. Even after coming here, she just stayed holed up in her room and never went out to get decent things. So today I offered to lend Grace my jewelry. It’s embarrassing, but I haven’t been able to buy Grace proper jewelry yet.”

Selena let out a deep sigh. Her face was full of frustration.

That’s genuine love though…

“As Reina knows, decent jewelry takes time to process and craft, right?”

No, I don’t really know that stuff. I haven’t been in this body for long.

“Yes, that’s right.”

I agreed for now. Both the original Reina and Selena have completely different spending concepts from me. Even though I’m Reina now, that part is still a bit confusing.

Even now I get startled when I see Reina’s dazzling dress room.

Wondering if I really became this rich.

“I ordered a jewelry set for Grace but it hasn’t arrived yet. Sigh, yellow diamonds are difficult to supply… Quality topaz and amber are also not easy to obtain.”

“…I see.”

Amber, topaz – from my perspective, they’re just expensive items displayed in luxury stores, but I roughly agreed. It would be strange for me not to know since I’m a princess. Anyway.

“So today I had no choice but to try lending her mine, but Grace said it was burdensome and refused. I mean, does that make sense between sisters? What’s burdensome about it?”

“Right…”

This is something I need to hear Grace’s side of too. Grace just came up from the countryside and hasn’t even adapted to princess life yet. And Selena is stirring things up.

Somehow I felt like I could understand Grace’s position.

“First, Selena. I understand why you’re upset.”

I patted Selena’s hand. It was a problem between Selena who wanted to give endlessly and Grace who wasn’t used to that yet. This kind of thing needs to be resolved through conversation.

“So what did Selena say?”

“That she still can’t shake off her country bumpkin ways.”

See? This girl accumulates karma with her mouth. This is what a cursed tongue is like.

“What did Grace say?”

“To stop bothering her… When did I ever bother her? She’s always so negative.”

I comforted Selena who was sniffling. This doesn’t seem like it’ll be resolved today. They’ve already exchanged words. But I can’t just ignore it either. How long has it been since I decided to help, and I’m just going to comfort only Selena and end it? Tsk, I think I need to look at this long-term, but isn’t there some good method?

Ah, that’s right.

“What did I buy as Selena’s birthday gift this time?”

“…What is it?”

“You said both Selena and Grace like drawing, right? But that you have no talent for it.”

“…That’s right. Still, Grace is better than me. She does quite well even though she’s never learned.”

I get it, you Grace fanatic. Grace being good at drawing isn’t important right now. What’s important is that there’s something the two of you can do together.

“So this time I had a custom gift made that would suit both of you.”

I commissioned and had a This World version of a coloring book made. Thanks to Rochester, that giant whale, butting in, I was able to make it in a bigger size. I was fortunate there was an artist who found it interesting. This is really good for healing too.

“What is it?”

“You’ll know when you see it. It’s a gift you can do together with Grace.”

“…I’m really curious what it is.”

“I’ll bring it tomorrow. But until I come tomorrow, you’re not to talk with Grace about this.”

“Why on earth not? We need to talk quickly and resolve things…”

Right, that conversation is the problem. No matter how I look at it, someone definitely cursed your mouth. But I couldn’t tell Selena that, so I smiled awkwardly.

“I think you’ll need time to let your emotions settle.”

“…I suppose so.”

“Even if not you, Selena, Grace might need that.”

Fortunately, Selena didn’t seem to be the type who completely ignored others’ words. Selena, who had been thinking it over, nodded her head.

“Let’s go outside now, Selena. Everyone must be waiting for the main character.”

“…You have to come tomorrow for sure.”

“I promise.”

I hooked my finger around Selena’s ring finger and made a promise with her anxious face. Only then did Selena smile and nod her head. When we came out of the balcony together, people who had been waiting for Selena immediately flocked over. The tender-hearted young lady who had been on the verge of tears just moments ago had disappeared somewhere, and she immediately became a haughty princess dealing with people.

That’s the basic attitude in high society, so it must be difficult dealing with Grace. I should understand her.

I was letting out a deep sigh when someone approached me.

Now who is it this time.

My schedule is already packed this week. If you’re going to make me even busier than this, I’d appreciate it if you’d just leave me alone…

…Caesar?

“…What’s the matter?”

Didn’t we decide not to know each other anymore? No matter how I look at it, this seems like he’s approaching me.

“I have something to tell you.”

Caesar spoke with a heavy expression. Caesar gestured with his chin toward the balcony I had just come out of.

“Could you spare me a moment?”

“…Will just a moment do?”

It would be awkward to refuse in front of all these people. Besides, Caesar’s expression was so serious that I was curious about what was going on. A moment should be fine, right?

I entered the balcony again with Caesar.

Ah, I did come with a man. Sigh. Though I never thought it would be Caesar. I said let’s not run into each other, but we’ve been running into each other everywhere I go. I urged Caesar on.

“Tell me what this is about…”

“Walter Dobson and Gelstone Tears are out of the question.”

Caesar burst out with words as if exhaling breath he’d been holding back all this time.

Huh, what’s this about now? They were the ones who had been competing with each other earlier to ask me on dates. Caesar spoke with a serious face.

“They are people of poor character. They enjoy gossiping behind other Young Ladies’ backs and treat Young Ladies like trophies. They think lightly of relationships with the opposite sex.”

“So what?”

“…It would be better not to meet them.”

What kind of kindness is this again? But I’m rejecting that kindness.

“…I understand what you’re saying.”

Of course, those two people might really be like that. There are many people who are different on the outside and inside. We’ve only just started talking, so what could I possibly know? And you can’t get full from the first spoonful. I never had expectations that they would be suitable marriage partners for me in the first place.

I just thought of them as decent dating partners.

Am I also trash for thinking of the men who ask me on dates as just that much? I let out a small laugh.

“Thank you for telling me. However, Caesar Prince. This is my business. My business that others don’t need to worry about.”

I emphasized my words. Caesar is an outsider to me. Since I don’t like Caesar, he no longer has the right to criticize me. In other words, I’m telling him to mind his own business. Caesar’s eyebrows twitched. As if something didn’t sit well with him.

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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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