I’m The Male Lead’s Biological Daughter, But I Want To Live With The Second Male Lead! - Chapter 24

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 24
Aselth, puzzled by the unfamiliar word, held up the Spectacles that he’d received from Kellik.
“These?”
“Yes! That’s right!”
Aselth turned to Mabel, whose eyes were bright with enthusiasm.
“I was going to ask you about these anyway. What exactly are they? They look like Spectacles, but……”
Spectacles existed in this world, but Sunglasses did not.
When he’d commissioned them from the workshop, the owner’s expression had suggested he was asking for something utterly bizarre.
But as the saying went, seeing once was worth a hundred tellings.
“Try them on.”
Mabel urged him at once to put them on like ordinary Spectacles.
Aselth was hesitant at first, but trusting Mabel, he slipped on the Sunglasses.
“Oh…….”
He’d expected the dark lenses to block his vision, but he could see far better than anticipated.
The world’s colors were slightly muted, that was all.
Indoors it might be of limited use, but outdoors in strong sunlight, they seemed quite practical.
Aselth looked around the room in the Sunglasses, then turned back to Mabel.
“But why are you giving these to me?”
“Well…… actually, they were meant as a substitute for an Eye Bandage.”
“A substitute for an Eye Bandage?”
“Yes. I heard that because you were wearing the Eye Bandage constantly, your wound wasn’t healing. But I was told that you could still see even with the Eye Bandage on?”
If you could make out letters through it, the material had quite high transparency.
“Since there’s a barrier that stops your ability and prevents the petrification, I thought—why not create a barrier using Spectacles instead?”
She didn’t realize that this was only possible because Aselth had learned to control his ability perfectly.
Mabel fidgeted with her fingertips pressed together as she continued.
“But now that you can control your ability completely…… well, so I was actually really unsure about whether to give them to you at all!”
She worried that giving him something he no longer needed would be burdensome.
“But while I was wavering, Kellik ended up getting hold of them…….”
It had happened almost like extortion, but in a way it had worked out for the best.
They’d been made for Aselth anyway.
“If you don’t need them, you can just throw them away—”
“Why?”
“What? Well, because you can control your ability perfectly now, and everyone in the Duke’s Household knows it.”
“But you made these for me. On purpose.”
“Well, yes, that’s…… true, but…….”
“Then I should use them. Besides, I actually quite like these.”
Aselth let out a small laugh while wearing the Sunglasses.
With his sharp features and pale complexion, they looked remarkably good on him despite their crude appearance.
“And Mabel, like you said—yes, the people of the Duke’s Household may not fear me anymore, but what about everyone else?”
“What do you mean?”
“When I go out.”
“But I heard you don’t really enjoy going out.”
Mabel tilted her head in confusion.
Just yesterday, when word came that the Sunglasses were finished, she’d gone into the Capital with Ella.
Hisin had accompanied them both, and the two of them mentioned that Aselth rarely left the Duke’s Residence—barely on one hand you could count the times.
Like some kind of snake, Mabel had thought simply—he must be a real homebody.
But was that not the case?
“Who says that? I like going out. More precisely, I like basking in the sun.”
As if reading Mabel’s thoughts, he added, “Because I’m a snake.”
“And I didn’t go out because of the Eye Bandage. People stared at me so intensely.”
“Ah…….”
She could imagine it—even she’d stare if a pretty young man in a black Eye Bandage walked down the street.
At first she’d thought he could simply remove the Eye Bandage when going outside, but Aselth was Siegmund’s disciple.
Moreover, being a Basilisk, a Legendary Species, he couldn’t very well wander about alone without an escort.
‘He kept wearing the Eye Bandage for the sake of the people from the Duke’s Household who accompanied him.’
From now on that wouldn’t be necessary, but then again, who knew.
The fear inspired by the Basilisk species was formidable.
Even if Aselth could control his ability, that sense of dread wouldn’t easily fade.
“But with these, I can move about outside freely.”
“True…… they do look far less suspicious than an Eye Bandage.”
“Isn’t that right?”
Aselth removed his Sunglasses and let out a soft chuckle.
It was no casual remark that the Sunglasses had pleased him — his fingers traced the bridge with unmistakable tenderness.
For a moment Aselth gazed down at them, then spoke in a voice thick with emotion.
“Thank you. For understanding… that I’m in pain.”
No one else had ever acknowledged the suffering Aselth bore alone.
No one had sought to share that burden with him.
With an ability like his, it was considered only natural — even expected — that he endure such anguish while living among ordinary people.
But Mabel was different.
In just a few days, she had recognized the want and loneliness hidden beneath his actions.
And she had wanted to share it with him, to help him bear it.
Grateful, moved by this, Aselth’s pale eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Mabel watched him quietly for a moment, then spoke with deliberate brightness.
“Thanks aren’t necessary — it’s only natural! I’m part of the Duke’s Household, after all!”
When she emphasized those words — “part of the Duke’s Household” — Aselth laughed, a real laugh this time.
He reached out and gently ruffled her hair as he answered.
“That’s right. You are family now.”
Late as it was, he was welcoming her home to the Duke’s Household.
* * *
Meanwhile, Kellik had burst into his room and flung himself onto his bed, pummeling the hapless pillow with fury.
“Idiot brother, blockhead, birdbrain, feathered dimwit, turkey-brained, goldfish-brained, and, and…”
He cycled through every animal he could name, tacking on the single vulgar word he knew — “brain” — to each one.
But he was running out of animals, and cursing Aselth only made his own heart heavier.
“Damn…”
In the end, Kellik couldn’t even manage a proper curse — he just sat there and wept.
He’d often resented Aselth’s usual cynicism, but never like this.
‘He said he didn’t like her. He got hurt because of her!’
So he was trying to drive Mabel away instead, and Aselth got angry at him?
‘After all the worry I’ve had!’
The thought sent another wave of hurt crashing over him.
His hatred for Aselth lasted mere seconds before giving way to affection; affection lasted just as long before anger surged back.
“You really are an idiot, and I hate you!”
Overwhelmed again, Kellik bit into the pillow and howled in anguish.
The servants outside heard the sounds from within and exchanged worried glances.
“So Aselth dismissed him?”
“Yes… Aselth took Mabel’s side instead of Kellik’s.”
“My goodness, really? That’s not like Aselth at all. I thought he disliked the young lady.”
“Well… I’m not entirely sure, but perhaps he’s come to see her true nature?”
“If that’s the case, I’d be happy. It would be nice if our Kellik would also talk with her.”
But Kellik had no intention of doing any such thing, indifferent to the servants’ hopes.
Instead, he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, renewing his resolve.
‘My teacher, Dein, even my brother — I don’t know what he did to win them over, but I’m not a fool. I absolutely won’t fall for it!’
No matter what Mabel did, he wouldn’t be swayed by that cute, pretty face of hers!
But exactly twenty-four hours later.
‘How could this woman possibly…’
Kellik’s world was turned upside down.
‘How do we get along this well?!’
Playing with Mabel was so much fun — far more than he’d expected!
This morning, Kellik had gone to Aselth’s room as usual, intending to eat breakfast together.
He’d cried his heart out over Aselth yesterday, but that was yesterday — this was today.
But to his shock, Aselth wasn’t in his room.
– Oh? Isn’t he going to the Dining Hall?
– Huh? No, I was supposed to eat with him here…
– My! Didn’t you hear? Aselth has gone to the Dining Hall to have breakfast with Miss Mabel!
– What?!
When Kellik rushed to the Dining Hall, Aselth was indeed eating with Mabel!
How could this be?!
And after breakfast, Aselth was going to the Garden for a picnic with her!
‘Leaving me out completely!’
This he could not abide.
‘But I, Kellik, am a thinking man. A smart one.’
Even as the urge to dash forward and collapse on the floor in tears threatened to overwhelm him, Kellik forced himself to think.
‘A picnic, is it? We’ll see about that!’
He was resolved to cause such a scene that she’d have no choice but to leave the Duke’s Residence on her own.
Which was why he’d sought her out with a wooden sword dangling a caterpillar from its tip.
– Hey!
Kellik deliberately thrust the wooden sword, caterpillar and all, toward Mabel.
‘Scared? Startled? Disgusted?!’
He was certain Mabel would shriek and wail and throw a fit.
But Mabel shattered his expectations utterly, her expression perfectly composed.
– Oh, there’s a bug on it.
Far from fainting, she simply plucked the caterpillar from the wooden sword with her bare hand and flicked it away.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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