I Like Another Man, Not the Male Lead - Chapter 28
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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 28
On the cold bed in the Knight Order infirmary, Heyson slowly regained consciousness. His entire face was throbbing, especially around his left cheekbone which was swollen hot. He had just woken up after being thoroughly beaten under the guise of sparring by Rochester Regfield. He didn’t even know when he had lost consciousness.
“You’re awake.”
The Medical Officer said in a calm voice.
Heyson tried to sit up but lay back down due to dizziness. Heyson gritted his teeth.
“How long was I unconscious?”
“About half a day. It’ll be midnight soon. It seems Rochester Regfield controlled his power. Otherwise, your jawbone would have been broken.”
At the Medical Officer’s words, Heyson clenched his teeth.
Power control? After beating someone up so mercilessly like this, power control? Ignorant bastard!
“Get up and go back now. You’ll be fine. I need to rest too.”
“I will definitely report this incident to the higher-ups. Even though I’m a junior Knight, there’s no reason for me to be beaten like this! What Rochester Regfield did was violence, and I must protest against it. If you could issue me a medical certificate…”
The Medical Officer stared at Heyson coldly with indifferent eyes.
“I heard you laid hands on Rochester Regfield’s sister. Do you think there were only one or two people who witnessed that? There are rules and order within the Knight Order. You’re the one who disrupted them!”
The Medical Officer shouted. Rochester had finished it as simple sparring, but if he insisted on bringing it up again and stirring trouble, Heyson would be the one punished for disrupting the Knight Order’s unity. Whatever rumors had spread, his eyes were full of disgust as he looked at Heyson.
Heyson ground his teeth fiercely and got up. He needed to assess the situation first. Leaving the infirmary, Heyson staggered out of the Knight Order building. The street he encountered at this late hour looked more desolate than usual.
When he looked up, Caesar Prince was standing across the street. Caesar Prince’s golden eyes were glowing coldly.
“Caesar Prince.”
Heyson smiled awkwardly. His swollen and bruised face became even paler.
He started to approach Caesar Prince but hesitated. Even his body hair seemed to freeze under Caesar Prince’s intimidating presence. Heyson gulped. He was overwhelmed by Caesar Prince’s gaze as he looked at him without saying a word. Heyson staggered.
Under that suffocating gaze, Heyson realized. That he had failed to obtain anything he had wanted. That he had lost both Caesar Prince and Reina.
Even after Caesar Prince left without saying a single word, Heyson stood there dazed for a while. Muttering just one thing.
“I’m screwed. Damn it, I’m screwed.”
* * *
The next day.
I considered following Rochester to meet Caesar Prince but decided against it. If I made a mistake, it might end up adding fuel to Heyson’s delusions. I shouldn’t go anywhere near the Knight Order for a while.
It’s not that I’m afraid of baseless rumors. However, I was concerned about the people who would be hurt by those rumors. My family and friends who had been happy that I had withdrawn my interest from Caesar Prince. I didn’t want to upset them.
So today, I decided to go look at curtains to decorate the banquet hall with Grace and Selena as originally planned.
My two friends had quite different views on charity events. This was evident even in their curtain choices.
Grace argued that the atmosphere of a charity event venue should be bright and lively. Her reasoning was that people should feel good when paying large sums at charity auctions. All the curtains she requested samples for from the staff were pink with lace.
On the other hand, Selena chose purple, saying that since it was an event hosted by the Imperial Family, it should have dignity.
I had to rack my brains caught between the two. Whether as a friend or as a group project team member. Both of their arguments made sense, making it even harder to take one side. The curtain that was finally chosen was light purple with elegant lace. Having achieved a dramatic compromise in 3 hours, we finished our order and moved to a coffee house.
“Um, Reina.”
Selena called me with a worried expression that didn’t look villainous at all.
“Yes?”
“…Actually, I know about what happened yesterday.”
“Yesterday?”
“That, in front of the Knight Order… the friction you had with Lord Reliz…”
No way, that becomes a rumor in half a day? Even though we met so secretly? No, even so, how does Selena know about it? She has no friends in high society. Just me! Could there be some internet in this world that only I don’t know about?
When I made a flustered expression, Selena waved her hands and said.
“Oh, don’t misunderstand, Reina. I happened to see it while passing by that area yesterday… Actually, Mother sent me to grab Brother by the collar…, ahem, ahem. To bring him back by force if necessary. So I happened to be there by chance.”
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, even though it was a blind spot, it was only to the extent that I wouldn’t be visible from inside the Knight Order building, not a completely closed space. It wouldn’t be strange for someone passing by to see that argument. Even though I told the errand boy to keep my visit secret, Rochester still discovered it.
I must have been more shocked by those harsh words than I thought. To think I didn’t even notice Selena was nearby.
“So I ended up seeing it…”
Selena seemed to be pondering how to speak without being rude to me. I really don’t know how such a soft tofu ended up becoming a villainess. Her eyes looking out for my feelings were serious and her voice was only cautious. She just speaks harshly, but inside she’s that soft. Moreover, lately she’s gone through a lot of socialization through Grace, so her words have become softer too. Grace was also looking at me worriedly from beside Selena.
“Actually, if it hadn’t been for Rochester, our brother would have stepped in. Lord Reliz seemed very agitated. His voice was loud too. Brother even said ‘Where does that bastard think he is, glaring at someone weaker.’ And what Lord Reliz said at the end… those were words that wouldn’t be satisfying even if his limbs were torn apart. Brother said ‘It’s truly shameful to be in the same Knight Order as someone who doesn’t even know what chivalry is. I should crack his skull to make him come to his senses.'”
The last words weren’t soft at all. I can see who Selena takes after. She learned it all from the Minor Duke. It has a rough smell to it.
“I was really fine, Selena. Nothing happened at all. Besides, Rochester appeared at just the right time.”
“…I didn’t cause you to experience that by saying something unnecessary, did I?”
Grace, who had been quiet, asked with eyes that looked like she was about to cry. So there was a reason she’d been looking anxious all this time.
What did Grace do wrong? If anyone did wrong, it would be Heyson who cornered someone with words he couldn’t take responsibility for. And though it’s still speculation, Caesar too for provoking Heyson and causing trouble.
If Caesar knew about Heyson, he shouldn’t have done that. Even if he was worried about me as a friend, he should have been more careful. With delusions that severe, poking carelessly caused this whole mess, didn’t it?
No wait. Perhaps Caesar was also underestimating his blood relative’s problems too much.
Anyway, the perpetrator of all this was Heyson. If anyone should apologize, it should be Heyson, but that guy would never seem to do such a thing.
I replied to Grace with gentle words.
“No. There seems to have been a misunderstanding with Lord Reliz. It seemed like he heard something strange somewhere. And don’t worry about it. Really. Seeing how he got beaten by Rochester and is bedridden, he probably won’t approach anymore.”
“As expected…”
Grace let out a sigh of relief, and Selena nodded.
“Unlike our brother, he really seems like a reliable person. And he’s affectionate and caring too.”
Are you talking about my brother right now? Rochester?
I stared at Selena with wide eyes. Selena cleared her throat.
Then she blushed and did the strange behavior of fidgeting with her fingers. Why is she acting like that? Like a puppy that needs to poop. After Selena cleared her throat a few more times, she opened her mouth.
“By any chance, is there a woman that Rochester Regfield is seeing?”
“I really hope there is. Do you happen to know any good women I could introduce? Then I’ll arrange a meeting right away.”
At my words, Selena blushed pleasantly.
What, why is she acting like that? So obviously.
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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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