The Tragic Male Lead Chose the Wrong Partner Chapter 4

I stared at the back of the child who slapped the back of my hand and ran off.

 

That little cutie must be the mascot of this residence, right?

 

Just as I was thinking that, Maceira added, “I’ve raised him badly.”

 

What’s he talking about? I looked up at him with eyes full of question marks.

 

“Do you mean you don’t discipline him?”

 

“I don’t know how.”

 

Maceira handed the coat he had taken off to a servant and continued slowly, “All the methods I know are too harsh.”

 

His voice was affectionate, but cold as if laced with frost.

 

I tried to figure out what he meant.

 

Maybe he was raised strictly and spanked as a kid?Even if he looks like a noble who grew up being pampered, there might be some tragic backstory I don’t know.

 

I shook my head.

 

“It’s okay, he probably just got startled by my unfamiliar face.”

 

I smiled brightly to lighten the somber mood.

 

“General, please show me around the mansion. I want to see the bedroom we’ll be sharing too.”

 

Maceira’s eyebrow twitched slightly at the phrase ‘♥The bedroom we’ll be staying in together♥’.

 

Then he looked over at a man wearing glasses.

 

The brown-haired man, who looked like a typical nerd, politely bowed to me.

 

“I’m Diego, the Brigadier General’s aide. I’ll show you around.”

 

Ah, he must’ve signaled for him to go instead. All romantic fantasy male leads are shy and formal at first.

 

“Okay! Let’s go quickly!”

 

House tours are always fun! And now, it’s our house!

 

As I got excited, the servants looked flustered.

 

Oh… maybe I should’ve acted a bit sad instead?

 

“Tch.”

 

I feigned a sulk and pinched Maceira’s arm lightly, then followed Diego with an obviously cheerful skip in my step.

 

“There are some things you should be careful of while staying at the official residence.”

 

Diego began in a cautioning tone.

 

“Is it by any chance a Neapolitan ghost story?”

 

“Are you talking about pasta?”

 

“Yes, that’s right.”

 

Looks like they don’t have that ghost story here.

 

With a face that said ‘Why the hell would you ask that?’ Diego resumed.

 

“This may look like a mansion, but it is also the official residence of the Chief of Staff, a military security zone, and a military base. Taking photos or drawing pictures of this place and leaking them to the outside is prohibited….”

 

Basically, he was explaining that this was a high-security residence befitting a high-ranking officer. No wonder there were so many soldiers around.

 

“And you are not allowed to enter the Brigadier General’s office or private quarters without permission.”

 

Saying that just makes it obvious I will have to enter someday, right? But I’ll definitely make sure not to do it.

 

As Diego reached for a doorknob, he said, “This will be the bedroom you two will use after the wedding..”

 

I looked through the open door with anticipation. The spacious room was completely empty—no bed, no furniture, nothing.

 

“Wow.”

 

They’re really living the minimalist lifestyle in this bedroom.

 

Diego spoke up as if he had prepared in advance in response to my exclamation.

 

“There’s still time before the wedding, so…”

 

“Oh! You’re giving me the privilege to decorate the room, right?”

 

Maybe it’s like a rich family challenge to see if I can fill it with appropriate furnishings.

 

That sounds fun.

 

* * *

 

After finishing the grand tour of the vast official residence, Cynthia followed Diego to the dining hall.

 

Maceira was already there, pouring himself wine at the long marble table.

 

“Brigadier General, did you come early to wait for me?”

 

Maybe he was planning to join her for dinner on her first day.

 

But Maceira wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up from his seat. The subtle light of the chandelier shimmered like ripples over his platinum hair as he moved.

 

“I’ve already finished eating.”

 

A brief silence followed his soft voice.

 

Cynthia’s red eyes slowly blinked a couple of times with a dazed expression.

 

“Oh dear, you must’ve been so hungry…”

 

Maceira didn’t say anything.

 

Cynthia smiled gently and faced him.

 

“Please go rest, then. Thank you for coming all this way to pick me up.”

 

“….”

 

Was that smile from the kind of ignorance only someone raised in comfort could have… or was it a mask for pure malice disguised as innocence?

 

His gaze dropped to her slender fingers covered in silk gloves.

 

She looked like the only person with color in a grayscale world. Even though the only color she had was red.

 

He suddenly felt the urge to make this woman,  who smiled as if she’d never known the filth of the world and had never been tainted, cry.

 

Diego swallowed dry saliva as he witnessed Maceiras cold gaze as he left.

 

‘How long will the Lady endure being treated like that…?’

 

In Diego’s eyes, Cynthia looked like a snow rabbit tossed into a snowy mountain.

 

At that moment, a maid brought in Cynthia’s meal. Not only was she cold in attitude, but she also set the dish down with a clatter.

 

“Where did you learn such rude behavior as to place tableware with noise? And top blade steak? Serving such a low-quality dish is an insult to royalty.”

 

These were not Cynthia’s words.

 

It was one of the attendants from the Count Queensguard, Rose, who was frowning and protesting.

 

Although it was a disguise, Cynthia was of royal blood to the outside world.

 

“I like it. And the portion is large.”

 

However, unlike the strict Rose, Cynthia was slicing the steak with the utmost satisfaction.

 

Meat is meat, even if it’s a cheap cut. Having not seen any meat while working as a maid, this was a rare delicacy to her.

 

The maid who brought the dish scoffed, glaring at Rose.

 

“Are you here to file complaints on behalf of your Lady?”

 

Rose crossed her arms and shot back sharply,  “My Lady is too gentle to speak harshly to others. Isn’t the real problem those who take advantage of that?”

 

A fierce verbal battle began between the two.

 

Then Cynthia slowly stood with a pained expression.

 

“It’s all because of me, isn’t it? I’ll leave first since I’m the cause of the conflict…”

 

“But Lady Cynthia, because of that rude maid, you didn’t even get to—!”

 

Rose turned and froze when she saw Cynthia’s now completely empty plate.

 

‘When did she eat all that?!’

 

Cynthia, who was happy with her full stomach for the first time in a while, whispered in Rose’s ear as she passed by.

 

“Miss Rose Pasta. If you really want to help me, shouldn’t you start by unpacking my luggage? Playing the part of a royal maid is no help at all.”

 

Her tone was gentle and kind, but Rose’s face stiffened as she felt suffocated.

 

* * *

 

Cynthia walked down the hallway, lost in thought.

 

Disciplining rude servants and establishing authority might be the standard in romance fantasy, but she wasn’t in a position to act so boldly.

 

Lies never last forever. Sooner or later, the truth will come out.

 

‘I need to build a good image while I can, for when that time comes.’

 

Everyone here had military-style speech and precise movements, they clearly weren’t ordinary servants.

 

Above all, Diego said this was a military security zone. . Meaning not just anyone could work here.

 

‘So they’re all basically part of the military.’

 

The calluses on their hands, typical of people who’ve held guns, confirmed it.

 

Having experienced war in her past life, Cynthia was quick to recognize military traits.

 

At that moment, the old butler Milchenko, with white hair and a long scar across his wrinkled face, passed her and gave a polite greeting.

 

‘I can understand why they act like this toward me.’’

 

Soldiers were also victims of war. They must harbor resentment toward the royal family who waged reckless wars in the past.

 

Thump.

 

Lost in thought, Cynthia bumped her head against something hard.

 

“I apologize…”

 

She rubbed her head and looked up to find a tall man standing before her.

 

It was Maceira, dressed in a shirt with suspenders, looking down at her expressionlessly.

 

“Oh, Brigadier General. I was just about to ask you something. Are most of the people working here from the military?”

 

At her question, Maceira’s lips curled into a sneer.

 

“Why do you ask that?”

 

“I just want to understand and get along with them.  There must be aftereffects of the war after all……”

 

“There’s no need to try so hard.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

Cynthia widened her eyes and looked surprised.

 

“Someone like you, who’s lived a comfortable life without ever knowing war, what could you possibly understand?”

 

Maceira added in a chilly tone, “This marriage is a matter of convenience. Don’t expect anything from me, Lady.”

 

He thought she’d burst into tears and run away.

 

But Cynthia didn’t cry. Instead, she smiled with her eyes and stared directly at him.

 

“Ah, got it!”

 

From Cynthia’s perspective, it was a useful conversation that allowed her to understand the male lead’s character.

 

‘Sigh, so typical. He’ll end up regretting everything later and cling to me, crying.’