The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 227

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

I’ve acted out death many times, but this is my first time actually dying, so I’m not really sure.

Seeing past memories unfold so vividly before my eyes, I wonder if this is what they call a life flashing before one’s eyes.

If so, then the past memories are already scattering, and in the place where the Duke disappeared, someone is gazing at me…

“Ide.”

Seeing Ide must also be the final mercy granted to the dead.

Ide, silently staring at Cedric, looked exactly as she had when she left the house earlier.

The current Ide, who looked somewhat tired and weary after he had extinguished her light.

“I kept thinking about it. That I should let you go. That I should let you do what you really wanted to do. But… I couldn’t bring myself to say it.”

“…”

“Because I was scared of letting you go, and afraid of being left alone. …Because I like you too much.”

Ide remained silent. It was natural since she was just a fantasy.

So Cedric was able to speak honestly for the first time.

“So I used a cowardly method. Since I couldn’t let you go, I hoped you would leave me instead. I thought if I acted like a materialistic person talking about contract marriages and such, even the remaining affection from our childhood friendship would disappear.”

His vision blurred.

Cedric realized it had been a very long time since he had cried sincerely.

“I really wanted to say this one last time. I’m sorry. For everything…”

“Good grief.”

“…Huh?”

Did I just hear Ide’s voice?

“You’re mistaken about something, Cedric. My affection for you as a childhood friend disappeared long ago. About two years ago, when I was struggling to clean up after your scandals.”

Cedric, blinking his tear-soaked eyes, asked in a somewhat stupid-sounding voice.

“Why are you talking? Weren’t you a fantasy?”

“Did you drink?”

“No, I didn’t drink alcohol, I drank poison… Huh? What?”

Is this really Ide?

While Cedric was very slowly processing the situation, Ide said matter-of-factly.

“More importantly, what do you mean by what I want to do? What is it?”

“Act, acting work. Obviously.”

“Didn’t I tell you? I genuinely love the manager work I’m doing now. That was just a childhood dream. Career aspirations can change anytime.”

“…But, after doing manager work for so long, your eyes gradually became…”

“Want to go out to the square in the morning? Whether people like their work or not, everyone goes to work with dead fish eyes. Though it’s a bit irreverent to say, even His Imperial Majesty probably wakes up thinking ‘Ah, I don’t want to go to the office.'”

As Cedric sat there speechless and dazed, Ide casually threw out a comment.

“I told you to please stop apologizing because I know this habit of yours to dig tunnels and shovel by yourself.”

“Then you… knew everything?”

“I had some idea of what you were thinking. Though I didn’t expect you to suddenly call in an Appraiser.”

“…Then why didn’t you leave me?”

Cedric’s voice trembled.

“If your affection disappeared long ago, why didn’t you abandon me? I’m such a pathetic guy who only bothers you…”

“After building my career for years doing all sorts of odd jobs through sheer grit and determination, why would I give up my position for someone else’s benefit?”

It was a bland answer.

It should have been a welcome response since he now knew Ide truly loved her work, but Cedric felt somehow stung.

Did Ide really have no feelings for him at all?

“Give up the opportunity to work with the best actor to someone else? I couldn’t do that.”

“…You mean that’s me?”

“Yes.”

“What, what acting am I good at? I’m just someone with a good-looking face who gets roles through scandal buzz…”

“Why would an actor who fooled the entire world say they can’t act? No one has figured out that your playboy image is fake. Except me. Oh, and I guess we should exclude the Appraiser too.”

“…”

“I took the day off today and went around the industry to get some evaluations of your acting. If you don’t believe me, read those.”

Ide chuckled.

“Well, no matter how good your acting is, that stupid expression you have now looks better than any fake smile.”

Cedric’s ears suddenly turned bright red as he stared entranced at Ide’s smile, which he hadn’t seen in a very long time.

“Um, Ide. What I said earlier about liking you…”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.”

It was when Cedric bit his lips tightly.

“It wasn’t something to hear at a place where you came to have a contract marriage with a stranger.”

“…Huh? Then that means…”

“If I hear it next time in a different place, ahem, I might seriously consider it. I’m not saying I’ll accept it though. …What, are you crying?”

“Sniff, hic, Ide…!”

Ide couldn’t help but laugh as she patted the back of Cedric, who had started sobbing again.

Tesagh, who had been watching the laughing woman and crying man from a distance, uncrossed his arms.

‘I didn’t expect to play an unexpected cupid role.’

This was a pretty good result, wasn’t it?

Tesagh looked at Elisha standing beside him with a slightly ticklish feeling. She must be feeling proud, right?

But Elisha, the mastermind behind all of this, had a somewhat sullen expression.

“I thought Cedric would be rejected nicely. I had such a hard time getting Ide to come out. I naturally thought she wouldn’t accept Cedric’s feelings.”

“What?”

“So as the next step, I was planning to call all the newspaper companies and hold a fake retirement press conference. I was also thinking of putting our pawnshop logo on the sponsors for promotion.”

“…”

“I’m glad things worked out for them, but I feel strangely disappointed…”

Tesagh ended up laughing at the sight of Elisha, who looked like a raccoon whose cotton candy had been stolen.

However, Elisha seemed too shocked by her miscalculation to notice this fact.

“What kind of thing is this, really.”

“I even ordered amazing fireworks, what am I supposed to do with those…”

“Let’s go now, okay? Elisha.”

“I prepared flower petals in all different colors too…”

“Yes, I understand how you feel. *Chuckle*”

Tesagh’s shoulders shook with laughter the entire time he half-carried the muttering Elisha out.

***

Splash, splash.

I came to my senses hearing the sound of water nearby.

‘Why are only my feet so warm?’

I was in some outdoor hot spring, soaking only my feet and splashing around.

The outdoor hot spring with fragrant flower petals, soft candlelight, and some rubber duck toys floating around was quite pretty. Pretty, but.

“Where is this?”

Wasn’t I just looking at the back of Cedric’s head, wondering how to dispose of the flower petals?

I must have been lost in pretty deep thought.

As I looked around in confusion, I heard large footsteps approaching and someone sat down beside me.

“Tesagh? …Wow, what’s all this?”

What he brought was a small brazier, marshmallows, and warmly brewed mulled wine.

I felt a sense of déjà vu, and thinking about it, these were the things we had when we watched the stars together at the bell tower of the Duke’s residence and by the river just before going to the sanctuary.

“Today’s events ended well. We should raise a toast.”

“…For a toast, mulled wine doesn’t have alcohol. I don’t get drunk easily, you know? That time I was really just drunk from being tired!”

“Why don’t you taste it first before saying anything?”

Is it alcohol that just looks like mulled wine?

I took a sip expectantly and glared at Tesagh.

“It’s mulled wine.”

“I don’t think so. Try drinking a bit more.”

“I took another sip, but this is just warm grape juice with fruit flavor.”

“Maybe your evaluation will change if you drink about one more cup. …Kup.”

“Are you seriously expecting me to fall for it while you can barely hold back your laughter?!”

Well, still… it tasted good.

I also liked how the rigid and inflexible Tesagh was showing his playful side only to me.

Relaxing the strength in my eyes, I decided to obediently drink the warm grape juice he made.

By the way…

“I was wondering where this was, but isn’t this the empty manor I mentioned before? The one where I thought some rich person must have bought it!”

Tesagh stiffened.

Watching him closely, I sighed with mixed feelings and said.

“What am I supposed to do with you acting like this after I forgave you, Tesagh.”

I let it slide when you entered the pawnshop.

“You can’t do this. Unlawful trespassing is a crime in Presrife.”

I’ve turned a needle thief into a cattle thief…

I was speaking seriously, but Tesagh suddenly choked.

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