I Like Another Man, Not the Male Lead - Chapter 24

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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 24

The Empress examined the invitations that the three had prepared with eyes full of amusement.

Grace had calm handwriting, Selena had proud handwriting befitting her personality, and Reina had cheerful handwriting. They say handwriting reveals a person’s character.

Actually, there was no need to look at Reina’s. What Caesar Prince needed wasn’t the daughter of House Regfield. Caesar needed the daughter of a Noble House that could give him strength. That’s why he needed Selena or Grace. Daughters of houses that hadn’t yet chosen their allegiance.

So Viviana’s gaze lingered a bit longer on the invitation Grace had made.

‘A calm and quiet woman would be good. She probably wouldn’t be very interested in what Caesar or I do.’

Having made that judgment, Viviana smiled brightly and lifted her head.

“Thank you for preparing so diligently. Thanks to you, I have less work to do.”

“Not at all.”

Grace, receiving Viviana’s gaze, answered calmly.

“Besides, thanks to Grace’s idea, we’re able to hold a more meaningful event, aren’t we? The High Nobles willingly offered their treasured items.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress. I think it’s because Your Majesty prepared everything so well.”

“My, how beautifully you speak.”

Grace blushed. After that, Viviana fairly asked questions and gave praise to Selena and Reina as well. Viviana’s gaze briefly rested on Reina.

‘I hear she’s been getting along well with Heyson lately.’

If that was the case, there would be no need to worry about Reina. She had distanced herself from Caesar and was associating with the easily manipulated Heyson.

Heyson was a card that could be discarded at any time. Even if he was her nephew, could he be more important than the greater cause? Viviana withdrew her gaze from Reina.

Everything in the world was flowing according to the natural order. That natural order included the connection between Caesar and Grace.

However, when human power intervenes, that flow tends to become stronger.

“Grace, since the bazaar idea was yours, could you stay and help me?”

Grace hesitated. Selena poked the hesitating Grace in the ribs. Selena believed this event was a good opportunity to solidify Grace’s position. Selena glanced at Grace and answered on her behalf.

“I dare to answer on her behalf, Your Majesty Viviana Imperial Consort. Grace seems to have frozen from such an undeserved honor. Grace will certainly help.”

“That would be very much appreciated. It won’t be very difficult work. It’s about categorizing the treasured items sent by each Noble House, and I’d like to borrow Grace’s eye. It seems there are several items among those sent for the bazaar that would be suitable for the charity auction. You just need to examine the items with me.”

“I, I don’t know if I’ll be of help, but I’ll do my best. But I’m not sure if I can do it alone. Selena and Reina…”

“Hmm, it’s not such difficult work that one person should be sufficient. Help me so I don’t trouble too many people.”

When Viviana Imperial Consort was asking for help, how could she refuse? Grace carefully nodded her head.

“Yes. I’ll do that, Your Majesty.”

Hearing those words, Reina nodded inwardly. Finally.

Through that incident, Grace and Caesar would become entangled. Grace would return late after helping Viviana, and Caesar would end up taking Grace home, during which a small incident would occur.

The carriage would break down.

‘It was a very romance novel-like development.’

Thanks to that, they would get out of the broken carriage and build some friendship and affection. That’s how the story went.

‘Now Caesar will lose interest in me too.’

When something more interesting came along, passing connections like the one with Reina were naturally forgotten. No matter what form they had ended in. It was really a good thing.

Reina linked arms with Selena.

“Then we’ll head back first, Selena.”

She couldn’t interfere with someone else’s romance.

Viviana smiled contentedly.

＊ ＊ ＊

According to the original story, Caesar and Grace should definitely be together around this time.

But here’s the thing.

Why are you here at this hour?

I couldn’t believe this person was standing before me, so I stared at Caesar in a daze.

It was time for Grace to return home, yet Caesar had come to the Regfield Estate. Why on earth? It was supposed to be the moment to pull the trigger on their romance. Ah, maybe he already escorted Grace home and came back? That could be possible. The novel didn’t clearly describe the time they spent together due to the carriage breakdown.

That must be it.

…Right? Please.

“Why… why are you here?”

Caesar frowned slightly. Caesar spoke in a low voice.

“…Didn’t I just tell you? I came on an errand for Rochester. He asked me to bring more clothes for him to change into.”

“What about Brother…”

“He went out to provide support because there’s fighting between mercenaries on the street right now.”

“…I see. But what about Grace? Grace was left alone at the Imperial Palace today. Grace’s escort… Ah, has Grace already returned?”

Unable to contain my frustration, I asked. Caesar smiled coldly and said.

“Heyson probably went.”

No, why would Heyson…? It seems like Heyson should have come here instead. My hair felt like it was standing on end from confusion. Something was going wrong. I had a bad feeling about this.

“Since Heyson is a knight who serves Mother, I thought Heyson would be more suitable than me for running Mother’s errands.”

Caesar said something incomprehensible. Heyson is a knight who serves Her Majesty Viviana? Well, they could be especially close since he’s her nephew. That was natural. But why is he saying that so meaningfully?

“The world is neither as honest nor as warm as you think, Princess Reina.”

“What do you mean by that.”

“This is also concern from a friend, so please listen carefully. You shouldn’t make such an important decision as marriage too easily.”

Well, that’s true.

I was meeting Heyson with good feelings, and I thought that if things developed well, we could even get married, but that didn’t necessarily mean I would definitely marry him. There’s so much to consider before marriage. At minimum, we should spend all four seasons together. What if he goes crazy every summer? He could become a lunatic in winter. And we need to match our economic views, our values. And we need to get along with each other’s families, and even our views on child-rearing.

It just meant that since we’re currently dating, Heyson is currently the person closest to being a marriage partner. It’s not a situation where Caesar needs to worry like that. Besides, you’re the friend-hopeful who rejected me. Shouldn’t you pretend not to know about my love life?

But.

Can I ask why you’re looking at me like you’re watching a cheating girlfriend…?

＊ ＊ ＊

That night.

Caesar let out a long sigh.

He didn’t want to return to the Imperial Palace today. So he planned to spend the night at the Knight Order Dormitory under the excuse of emergency duty. He didn’t want to see the person he would inevitably have to meet if he returned to the Imperial Palace. If he faced that person, he felt like he might unknowingly say things he shouldn’t.

Caesar lay on the hard bed and covered his eyes with his arm. The mental fatigue was greater than the physical.

The conversation he had with Heyson this afternoon kept circling in his head.

‘…So you, I heard you’ve been meeting with a Young Lady lately, was your date partner the Regfield Young Lady?’

‘Ah! That’s right. Please, please keep this secret from Lord Regfield. As you know, if this gets out…, I might be floating as a corpse on the river tomorrow morning.’

‘That’s a real possibility. How did you come to know the Regfield Young Lady? Not long ago, Mother…,’

‘Right. You knew about it too? It’s practically like Her Highness Viviana introduced me to Reina. She told me that I’m of marriageable age too and that I should keep an eye on Reina.’

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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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