I Like Another Man, Not the Male Lead - Chapter 25

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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 25

Caesar let out a bitter laugh. As expected, someone had intervened.

Heyson didn’t stop there and transparently revealed his true intentions. It was because he had let his guard down due to their blood relation. He must have thought Caesar would share the same intentions as Empress Viviana.

‘Actually, as you know, House Regfield has quite a lot of wealth. The Regfield name also holds high value among knights. If I marry Reina, it would be good for our family too.’

‘…Didn’t you like her?’

‘Come on now. Are such emotions important at this age? Those things come as secondary benefits. Actually, looking at Regfield’s background, I think I’m starting to like her now. Besides, Reina is pretty. Wouldn’t it be fine to have her by my side?’

As expected, Heyson was Mother’s blood through and through. The type of people who could hurt and use others’ hearts without hesitation for profit.

Mother had intended to use Heyson to completely separate Reina from him. And Heyson had responded to that. Heyson had also calculated the benefits he could gain through Reina. Was there any love in that?

“Not knowing even that…”

Just thinking of Reina’s face when she said she was considering marriage with Heyson made his insides burn with rage.

But he also didn’t want to reveal this fact and hurt Reina. Hadn’t Caesar already caused Reina enough pain?

It would be better to remove Heyson instead. At the very least, Reina should marry a man far more sincere and good than someone like Heyson. Reina, who cherished her own emotions and knew how to express them, was someone who deserved that much.

‘…You’re misunderstanding something.’

‘What do you mean by that?’

‘I mean it seems like you’re being used by Mother. Mother must be calculating to gain benefits from the Regfield daughter through you.’

‘What’s strange about that?’

‘Why don’t you think it’s strange? Heyson, you were close to my mother. Then let me ask you. Do you know whose side Regfield is currently on?’

Heyson, who had looked confused, made an expression as if he had realized something.

House Regfield was practically the Crown Prince’s people. What could be the reason for pushing Regfield’s daughter toward Heyson?

‘Mother probably intended to use you to drive me and the Regfield daughter apart. Think carefully. If Mother had wanted to win over Regfield, wouldn’t it have been right to connect me with the Regfield daughter? During the time when the Regfield daughter liked me. But Mother didn’t do that and was rather uncomfortable with it. What do you think that means?’

‘…After using Reina to eliminate Regfield, she plans to dispose of me as well?’

Heyson’s expression hardened.

‘Why would Aunt go that far? Even to the point of abandoning blood relations!’

‘That’s not important, Heyson. There’s something else you should be concerned about. Even if you join hands with Mother to scheme, and even if it succeeds, the one who will hold power is me. Not Mother. So if what draws you is power rather than blood, shouldn’t you think carefully about whose hand you should take?’

‘…Caesar.’

‘Choose carefully whose mood you should be reading. Only then will you know where that person’s gaze is directed, and why you became a discarded card. There’s nothing to see if you look in the wrong direction searching for answers.’

‘…’

‘It would be best to keep today’s conversation secret.’

Caesar blinked slowly.

While mulling over the conversation, he finally realized one fact. Who he had been keeping in his sight. Why his gaze had continuously gone to Reina all along. Why he kept thinking of the empty space she left behind.

“Damn fool.”

Why only now.

Caesar roughly ran his hand through his hair and let out a frustrated breath.

Moreover, he couldn’t gauge how far Viviana Imperial Consort would go, or what kind of things she might be capable of doing. He had suspected it might happen, but he never thought she would actually reach out to Reina. At this point, even calling the princesses to help prepare for the banquet seemed suspicious.

“She’s definitely planning to cause some kind of trouble.”

The bad thing about Viviana is that she never leaves any evidence.

Caesar let out a hollow laugh.

Even at this point, Caesar had no idea what kind of butterfly effect his words to Heyson would cause.

＊ ＊ ＊

The next day, when I went to see Selena, I was able to hear from Grace about what happened last night. Why exactly Caesar didn’t escort Grace home and came to me instead. And what happened with Heyson.

“Phew, you have no idea how panicked I was when the carriage suddenly broke down.”

Grace recalled yesterday with a pale face.

It seems the carriage had broken down just like in the original story. Originally, it should have been the moment when Caesar and Grace spent time alone together for the first time. But Heyson took that role instead, and Caesar came to find me yesterday, leaving only meaningful words before departing. Along with a bunch of Rochester’s clothes.

“Oh my. So were you okay? You must have been really shocked.”

“…Fortunately, Lord Reliz took good care of me, so I was fine. Of course!”

Grace said while watching my reaction.

“I have no interest in Lord Reliz whatsoever. Lord Reliz probably felt the same way.”

She seems to be being considerate since Heyson and I are currently meeting on good terms. I’m grateful, but she doesn’t need to worry about my feelings.

“That may be true, but… it’s not like Heyson and I are anything definite either. You don’t need to feel so burdened about it, Grace.”

I should keep all possibilities open.

If Heyson turns to Grace because of that incident, then that’s just how far our connection was meant to go. There was no need to waste my emotions on such a connection. And for now, Grace was more important to me than Heyson. So I hoped Grace wouldn’t worry too much about it.

Grace scratched her cheek with a troubled expression.

“Actually, there is something I need to tell you…”

What is it. I’m mentally prepared.

Selena poked Grace in the ribs. It meant to stop hesitating and speak up quickly. Grace took a deep breath and said.

“…Yesterday, Lord Heyson seemed to be in a bit of a bad mood. He was kind, but… his expression hardened whenever your name came up, Reina. He also seemed to have a lot on his mind.”

At that moment, Caesar’s words came to mind. The story about how the world isn’t as honest or warm as I think. Since he came after getting rid of Heyson to tell me that, he must have been referring to Heyson.

Did he find out something that Heyson was hiding?

Those words were sincere, conveyed out of concern for me. Even though I didn’t know why he did it, it was hard to deny that sentiment.

“Reina, I’d like to recommend that you have a conversation with Lord Reliz in the near future.”

Grace said as if bursting with the words. For Grace, this was quite a show of courage. So much so that Grace herself was startled after saying it. Grace stared at me with rabbit-like surprised eyes and asked.

“Was I being too presumptuous…?”

“No, thank you.”

With our fourth date approaching, a red warning light had turned on for my romance.

I was flustered by the situation that had gotten tangled up in just one night. It was certain that something had happened between Heyson and Caesar.

I wanted to hear both of their sides of the story. What Caesar felt from Heyson that made him say such things seemed important.

Because in that moment, Caesar was definitely on my side.

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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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