That Piece Of Trash Was Me - Chapter 184
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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 184
I couldn’t open my mouth for a moment, then slowly blinked my eyes.
Benjamin didn’t rush me for an answer. He just stared at me intently.
Only after accidentally stepping on Benjamin’s foot once more could I finally open my mouth.
“I didn’t expect you to bring this up so directly. I clearly told Sir Trini to keep the fact that I sent him completely secret.”
“Sir Trini.”
A hint of laughter flickered in Benjamin’s eyes as he mentioned Trini.
Well, even if he came under another master’s orders, Sir Trini was the one who protected young Benjamin with 24-hour close guard duty.
So Benjamin’s affection for Sir Trini must be genuine.
“He kept his word. Finding out about Sir Trini’s real master was purely my own ability.”
“It couldn’t have been easy, so why did you have to go that far?”
It must have cost quite a bit of money.
Benjamin was the type to use whatever he could. Also, having to survive in the wild-like Sorsen Royal Family, he definitely possessed the arrogant tendencies befitting a crown prince.
So regardless of where Sir Trini came from or who sent him.
After instinctively realizing that he wouldn’t harm him, there was no real reason to dig into his real master’s identity.
That’s what I thought, anyway.
“Because I need to repay the favor.”
“….”
“So I looked into it. There’s nothing you can’t find if you spend money and time.”
If I hadn’t been in the middle of dancing with Benjamin, I would have definitely scratched my cheek.
“It’s enough that you grew up well. I didn’t expect any repayment….”
…I was about to say that, but honestly the words didn’t come out right away. Because.
I’m Tulia after all….
I’m…!
I’m playing a game where my survival is at stake right now…!
My safety!
My life!
I need to protect such things!
So!
“Then since I’ve been paying Sir Trini’s salary very generously all this time, would Benjamin trade Baektul Dye on a scale of about 10 billion Gold?”
I can’t let this opportunity slip by…!
“Let’s do that.”
“Excuse me?”
Wait, hold on.
Were you always this easy of a man?
“I’ll send someone to your salon within three days. Since you’re Sir Trini’s real master, you’ll know. I can’t go myself, so I’ll send a representative instead.”
Benjamin smiled and asked back.
“Will you set the time?”
“…That.”
I was so dumbfounded that words wouldn’t come out.
How much did I just mention?
‘You said 10 billion Gold. Not 10 Gold.’
He’d readily pay out that much money?
Not just a few coins, but the huge sum of 10 billion Gold?
Seemingly misunderstanding my silence, a troubled look crossed Benjamin’s face.
“If you want, I’ll naturally come myself. However, in that case, I’d need to avoid others’ eyes, so where is your office?”
“It’s on the salon’s second floor, but….”
“Then I’ll climb up the wall at dawn and wait there, so just tell me the approximate location of the office beforehand….”
“…Benjamin?”
I asked back in bewilderment.
“Are you being completely serious about everything you’re saying right now?”
This time too, Benjamin completely misunderstood my words.
“I received my knight appointment long ago.”
So.
“It wasn’t an honorary position I received as a prince, but I went through proper testing like the other cadets.”
His words about climbing up the wall.
“After the appointment ceremony, when we sparred, I could completely defeat Sir Trini too.”
I was completely unable to believe them.
“So….”
“…?”
“….”
Benjamin’s voice, which had been continuing earnestly, slowly began to fade. Before I knew it, he had completely closed his mouth.
Thanks to that, I was regretting internally.
‘Ah. I shouldn’t have smiled.’
Watching Benjamin speak so passionately, I had unconsciously ended up smiling.
‘Is he angry?’
I absolutely had no intention of mocking him. How could I?
It’s just that watching Benjamin’s lively appearance just now, I couldn’t help but feel relieved.
‘Of course there was the Quest reason, but my worry for him when he was young was real.’
Those hollow eyes that were empty like a withered doll.
Rather than a leisurely and relaxed adult appearance, the life-filled look from just now was much better to see.
At least for me, who had wished for that abused pitiful boy to be safe.
“…Did I just act too much like a child?”
Benjamin was the first to speak. A light blush had risen on his cheeks.
“No. I just….”
Anyone would smile automatically when seeing your face, right?
Reflexively?
“I’m happy thinking about the deal. I love money.”
But since I couldn’t bring myself to tell the truth, I told him another truth instead.
Because this was also really, really sincere.
Benjamin blinked and looked at me.
A smile slowly began to appear on his face, which had been flushed red.
How unfair. Perhaps due to his shining hair and eyes, Benjamin’s smile was brilliant like the sun cutting through darkness.
“….”
Thanks to that, I almost stepped on his foot with a crunch again.
“Then I should buy well for you.”
Suddenly, I felt a deep, deep question arise.
Unable to contain myself any longer, I ended up summoning the forbidden summoning button.
‘Kim Ddongbyeol! Affection Check!’
Just how much does this guy like me?
Maybe, like Father, he’s already maxed out?
That would mean.
He’s in love with me?
‘No way….’
My heart fluttered strangely for a moment.
‘…It’s blue.’
An incredibly deep blue that could almost be mistaken for purple at first glance.
Contrary to my expectations or predictions, Benjamin’s affection level wasn’t gold yet.
It wasn’t, but I could tell well enough that his feelings were by no means light.
Then suddenly, one question arose.
‘I need to achieve A-rank, don’t I?’
Because it’s a condition I must meet for the main Quest .
But to achieve A-rank, I inevitably had to raise the Male Leads’ affection levels.
The standard for what constituted ‘high’ suddenly felt ambiguous.
‘…Don’t tell me I’m supposed to max out all of them to gold?’
But if I do that…
What happens afterward?
“…”
In , seeing the end of an affection level meant you had to be at the level of passionately confessing love with that character.
After exchanging hearts completely with all three Male Leads like that?
‘It can’t be telling me to live with all three of them.’
No way.
No way.
…No way?
I reflexively glanced up above my head.
Kim Ddongbyeol was dazzling and serenely alone today too, making people irritated.
‘Hey, after all this, couldn’t you give me some answers? Huh? Are we strangers? Are we strangers or what?’
Actually, we are strangers.
Then a new question occurred to me.
It was about my own heart.
Do I have someone I like among these Male Leads?
Well, I like them all.
But is there someone I’ve fallen in love with?
I can check their affection levels toward me through the gauge bar, but I can’t see with my eyes the affection level I have for each of them.
So I have to figure out my own heart by myself…
‘Ugh, my head hurts.’
“Tulia?”
“Yes?”
Then I suddenly realized that Benjamin was observing me carefully.
“I’m fine.”
“What?”
“I said it’s fine if you keep stepping on my feet.”
“Ah…”
‘Geez. That startled me.’
I thought he was reading my thoughts and responding.
Anyway, I was finally able to shake off some of my thoughts.
“Benjamin.”
“Tell me.”
Benjamin’s movements as he danced with me were straight and elegant, flawless in every way. Even when his feet got stepped on, he didn’t budge an inch.
“Are your feet really okay? I stepped on them quite a lot.”
Benjamin, who had been staring intently into my eyes, burst into laughter for the first time.
“It’s not bad.”
“That’s a relief.”
Since this was the second song, the greeting with partners was different this time.
“It was enjoyable.”
“It was enjoyable.”
Benjamin’s smile became softer than before.
“I look forward to seeing you again.”
Since it was after the music ended, Benjamin’s words just now would have been more than audible to the other Ladies and Young Lords nearby.
‘Is he doing this on purpose?’
No, this wasn’t just idle suspicion.
Benjamin was the Male Lead who prioritized his own interests above all else in too.
When it wasn’t a route connecting with Coriko, Benjamin was the character who would cleanly use even that Coriko for his own benefit.
‘Like creating fake scandals with Coriko to use for his smooth succession to the throne…’
So there were more than a few times I was dumbfounded even while playing the game.
‘Well, given how unfortunate his childhood past was.’
A personality that wasn’t satisfied unless he held everything in his hands.
The youngest prince who seemed carefree, pretending to have no ambitions, but was actually more greedily gathering money and power than any demon.
That was Benjamin Fluas.
Knowing this well, I couldn’t help but suspect his ulterior motives.
As I was examining Benjamin with narrowed eyes as he stayed by my side, I suddenly recalled one fact.
“…”
That Benjamin Fluas suffered from severe mysophobia.
It was because he had been mocked as ‘dirty blood’ and abused in the Royal Palace as a child.
So he always wore white gloves.
There were few occasions when Benjamin would remove his gloves outside of his own quarters.
One of them was precisely when he first opened his heart to the Female Lead.
It was like that in too, and when he first appeared at this banquet, Benjamin was wearing white gloves.
Sir Trini would always mischievously report at the end of his letters that Benjamin was ‘diligently suffering from that strange mysophobia that prevents him from removing his gloves today as well.’
Yes, that was the case.
So when exactly did he remove his gloves?
Benjamin’s skin enveloping my hand was firm and hot, yet even cautious.
I could guess without being told.
That this Crown Prince, brilliant as gold and mysteriously sensual, was actually very nervous inside.
For one reason only.
Because he was afraid I might push his hand away…
That sight looked exactly like a young child suffering from terrible loneliness, anxiously fearing even abandonment by his parents.
So I couldn’t say anything.
Even though Benjamin finished the escort but didn’t go anywhere, just standing by my side indefinitely.
I could only return his smile.
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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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