Rejected by Daughter’s Second Male Lead Chapter 80

Yuan was so dumbfounded by Gillen’s behavior that he was speechless. Where on earth did this Mister learn to act so charmingly? Was this even considered charming? It did not seem like he was trying to act cute, but every time Gillen shook his hand, the corners of his mouth twitched, threatening to break into a smile.

“Stop it.”

Yuan struggled to pull his hand away from Gillen’s. After doing so, he glanced at Gillen, worried that his feelings might have been hurt, but Gillen seemed unfazed. He simply smacked his lips and then smiled gently again.

“Yuan, what can I do to make you feel better?”

In truth, his anger had already subsided. Yuan had been in a good mood ever since Gillen had praised him in front of everyone. However, since he did not dislike Gillen lowering himself and acting cute to get on his good side, Yuan decided to pretend to be angry a little longer.

“That’s for you to figure out, Gillen. Isn’t it a bit shameless to ask the angry person to tell you how to appease them?”

“Hmm… come to think of it, I don’t even know what you like. What do you enjoy doing the most?”

Gillen asked, tilting his head toward Yuan. For a moment, Yuan was at a loss for words. It was partly because Gillen had moved closer, but also because the question of what he liked felt unfamiliar.

“What do I enjoy doing…?”

Yuan had never once thought about such a thing. He just did things because he had to, and because he could. Everything was accomplished in that manner.

Even when he conquered a continent, and even when he received the title of Marquis for it, he did not feel joy so much as a sense of having done what he was supposed to do. At that time, his goal had been to propose to Cecilia.

As Yuan’s answer was delayed, Gillen’s eyes widened slightly. He, too, had sensed that Yuan found this question strange.

“Have you never thought about it before?”

Yuan said coolly.

“Hmm, then I’ll help you. I think you… like to research magic. Right?”

“I don’t particularly like it. When I think of something I need, I research and create it on the spot.”

“Then… Ah! You have that cute parrot at your house, don’t you? I mean Parrot. You like Parrot, right?”

“Like my other robots, I neither like nor dislike it. It’s one of the inventions I made for my convenience.”

“Uh, then… Cecilia?”

“I already told you that I’ve given up my feelings for Cecilia. Are you perhaps trying to test me?”

My goodness. Gillen realized that Yuan was being serious. He really did not have anything he liked. No, it was impossible for a human to have no preferences at all, which meant that Yuan still did not know what he liked. At the age of twenty-five!

Gillen’s expression grew more serious. He took hold of Yuan and sat him down on a nearby tree stump.

“What kind of food do you like?”

“I don’t particularly enjoy consuming food. It’s a bother. I often substitute meals with nutritional potions.”

It was an astounding state of affairs. Gillen continued to ask various questions after that. Since he could not handle alcohol, that was out, but what was his favorite beverage? What animal did he think was the cutest? What was his ideal type? What kind of clothing did he prefer? Which gemstone did he like the most? What was his taste in music?

But Yuan’s answers were consistent. Why did he have to like something? Everything looked good on him no matter what he wore, he had never been particularly interested in animals or people, music was noisy, as long as he hydrated with a beverage, did he need to seek out and drink something else…

Seeing Gillen’s dumbfounded expression, Yuan pursed his lips as if embarrassed. Then, as if he had thought of something, he let out a small “Ah.”

“I did think of one thing I like.”

“Oh, really? What is it?”

Gillen asked eagerly.

“Sex.”

“…”

“The exchange I have with you.”

“Uh-huh, I heard you. I heard you, but…”

A moment of silence passed. Gillen sighed and put his hand to his forehead. Right, sex… it’s good. It must be good. I’m well aware that you like it.

“There’s something else.”

Yuan said abruptly.

“The smell of your pheromones.”

“What?”

That was a bit surprising. Alphas usually found each other’s pheromones unpleasant. At first, Gillen had also felt a tingling sensation all over his body and a strange, indescribable excitement when he smelled Yuan’s pheromones. It was only after they had sex that he had become attracted to Yuan’s scent.

“Did you… like my pheromones from the beginning?”

“It seems so.”

Yuan replied.

“Well, it’s not that I liked them immensely. It’s just that, if you think about it, I liked them.”

“Aha.”

“I quite like kissing too. Since it fulfills instinctual desires, after all.”

Yuan’s side profile, as he spoke primly with his chin held high, looked like a forest spirit today. A beautiful and sacred being was talking about sex, pheromones, and kissing in a sweet voice. It was funny, but Gillen could not bring himself to laugh.

“So, to sum it up… you like the exchange with me, my pheromones, and… kissing with me, is that right?”

“Yes. So, what about it?”

“No, there’s nothing to what about it. Right.”

Gillen turned his head away from Yuan and covered his mouth. It was difficult to control his expression as laughter threatened to escape. But since he was a man with a naturally loud laugh, he failed in the end.

“Hahaha! Ha! Ha! Ha!”

“Why are you laughing?”

“Haha! No, ha! Ha! Yuan, just listening to what you’re saying, it sounds like you like me, doesn’t it? Hahaha!”

It was half a joke and half serious. In the past, he would not have been able to say such a thing out loud, but many things had happened between them since then. Gillen could feel that Yuan had let down his emotional guard around him to some extent. Still, he had not thought that it went as far as liking him…

“Isn’t that so? Everything you, who has nothing you like, mentioned is related to me. Doesn’t that mean you like me? Ha! Ha! Ha! This feels good.”

At Gillen’s words, Yuan shot up to his feet. His face was noticeably redder than before.

“You’re the one who likes me! Stop talking nonsense! I… I…!”

Yuan wanted to lash out at Gillen, telling him that he did not like him, that he actually hated him. But strangely, the words would not come out, as if his tongue were stuck. It was a truly strange phenomenon, as if he were under a mute spell. He moved his lips a few times, then, unable to contain his anger, he stormed off.

From behind, he could hear Gillen’s characteristic hearty laughter. Yuan did not look back and escaped the forest at a brisk pace, as if fleeing. Only when he saw the line of carriages and the Blake family’s servants did he finally relax.

“Your Lordship, are you alright? Your face is very red, are you ill?”

The knight captain, who had become a fan of Yuan, spotted him and asked with concern. Yuan fanned his face with his hand. As he did, a cool breeze blew only around him.

“I’m just a bit hot, so mind your own business.”

“Yes, Your Lordship. But His Grace, the Duke…?”

“He’ll come on his own. Give me a horse. I’ll ride a horse.”

“The carriage is fixed, but you won’t take the carriage?”

“I said, give me a horse.”

“Ah, yes, I understand.”

The knight captain, unconcerned by Yuan’s rude attitude, had a knight bring him a horse. It was the robot horse that Yuan had brought separately. Yuan immediately mounted the horse.

“When are we leaving? I want to ride for a bit.”

“The procession is all reorganized. As soon as His Grace arrives… Ah, there he comes!”

The knight captain greeted someone behind Yuan. Yuan deliberately did not look.

“Hahaha! Yuan, are you going to ride a horse? Should I ride a horse too? Bring my horse as well, knight captain.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Soon, Gillen’s horse was also ready. As Gillen mounted his horse, the scent of his pheromones wafted over strongly. Yuan deliberately kept his face expressionless and looked straight ahead. But he could not stay like that for long. Because Gillen came over to tease him.

“Yuan, I, whom you like, am here, so why aren’t you looking at me?”

“This outrageous…!”

When Yuan looked at Gillen, aghast, Gillen laughed again, “Ha! Ha! Ha!”

“I can’t stand this. I’m leaving first. You come on your own, Gillen.”

Yuan left with only those words and kicked the horse’s belly. With a “Giddy-up,” the robot horse took off like a shot. Gillen, left behind, laughed even louder. The knight captain asked if he was alright, but Gillen just laughed and nodded.

“You know the destination, right? Let’s meet at the Cryning inn. I’ll follow Yuan.”

“But, Your Grace, you must take an escort knight with you.”

“Then one or two can follow on horseback. I’ll leave the rest to you. Giddy-up!”

Gillen also set off after Yuan. The remaining party hastily got into formation to serve their masters. From behind, they could hear the knight captain giving orders to his subordinates.

“Hey, Yuan! Let’s go together! Hahaha! I won’t tease you again!”

Gillen shouted at Yuan, who looked like a dot in the distance. Yuan did not even pretend to hear. But Gillen was just having fun. It had been a long time since he had ridden a horse at full speed, and since he had teased someone and played around. Besides, Gillen had seen Yuan’s face turn bright red.

Cute brat. I’m sure he’s fallen for me. Hahaha!

But there was one thing Gillen did not know. The expression on his own face, now wreathed in a bright smile as he rode his horse, was also an expression that would be difficult to make unless one liked someone.