I’m Not Doing This With A Friend Chapter 149

 

Should I tell my aunt that Erhan bullied me?

 

But it was just the other day that I vowed not to tell her.

 

‘Is it that easy?’ 

 

I told Erhan that as long as you keep your mouth shut, they won’t find out.

 

In fact, I could change my mind about what I said to him like the back of my hand, and I wouldn’t feel remorseful.

 

But the question was whether it was okay to tell something I’d kept secret for so long, like baked beans on a stick. The anxiety?

 

Yes, I felt anxious.

 

…I wondered why I hadn’t told my Auntie and Luca.

 

My aunt was frail. The Count cares too much for me to take matters into the hands of the Duke of Begonia and cause him unnecessary harm.

 

Luca, I didn’t want to burden my little brother.

 

And now?

 

My Aunt was much stronger than I realized, and the Duke of Begonia was now on my side, Luca was a grown man now.

 

So why should I keep my mouth shut?

 

As if sensing my distress, my Aunt’s hand tightened.

 

“It looks like you have something to say.”

 

“…I’m unsure if I should bring it up.”

 

She looked at me confused and spoke cautiously.

 

“I’d like to hear it, if you don’t mind.”

 

“If you do, it might not be possible to return to the way things were before, and I might disturb the Count’s peace.”

 

“Why would that be your fault.”

 

I gulped in surprise. Surely she didn’t already know. Erhan couldn’t have told her, so how could he?

 

My palms felt sweaty.

 

“…Do you know what I’m about to say?”

 

My Aunt shook her head slowly.

 

“No, I don’t. But I have a feeling that whatever it is, it won’t be your fault.”

 

At the words ‘I don’t know’, my tense muscles relax.

 

“You pretended to be cold, but you were more thoughtful and caring than anyone else.”

 

She pauses for a moment to examine me, then speaks again.

 

“I don’t think you would do something like that on purpose.”

 

I was relieved to see her eyes filled with faith. Maybe I was afraid she would take Erhan’s side.

 

I wasn’t sure what face to make now. I never thought I would ever have to tell her this.

 

So, in the end, I chose to smile, the corners of my mouth twitching upward, a crooked smile.

 

“Auntie, the truth is, I hate Erhan to death.”

 

🍃

 

My Aunt listened to my story in silence without interrupting me.

 

Her expression didn’t change much, perhaps out of consideration for me, even though it must have been quite shocking.

 

I think I even saw blood in her eyes when I told her about the years of abuse I had suffered from Rex.

 

When I was done, she hugged me hard, as if to release all the emotion she’d been holding in.

 

“You poor thing. How hard it must have been for you. How did you think you could handle it alone…”

 

I squeezed the hem of my Aunt’s dress hard.

 

“I’m sorry, Auntie, I’m sorry I didn’t figure it out beforehand.”

 

‘Sorry.’

 

‘I’m sorry.’

 

She apologized over and over again.

 

“I’m sorry for leaving you with an ugly son.”

 

I felt a lump in my throat as I watched her emotions run wild.

 

“…You didn’t do anything wrong.”

 

She didn’t respond to my words. Perhaps she thought it was her fault.

 

“So, was it Duke Carson who comforted you?”

 

At the mention of Carson, there was a chuckle.

 

“Yes. He’s the one who helped me the most when I was struggling.”

 

” I dare say I’m not the one to gauge whether he’s worthy of you.”

 

“Don’t say that. Auntie didn’t really know much about me and Carson, and it’s not a bad thing that you hope I meet someone good.”

 

“…Not knowing is sometimes a sin.”

 

My Aunt looked me in the eye and asked, “What do you want me to do?”

 

She was referring to Erhan’s punishment.

 

“I would like you to pretend for a few years that you didn’t know you found out about  Erhan, that’s all.”

 

Erhan must be on edge, knowing that I might open my mouth at any moment.

 

“I see. I’m sure you have other ideas. I just don’t see Erhan as the heir to the Count of Armenia.”

 

I nodded. Having already mortgaged his estates, he had no right to become a Count.

 

“It’s a little late to be training an heir, but Luca would make a good Count.”

 

“Yes, if it’s Luca…”

 

After a moment of silence, my Aunt checked her watch and spoke up.

 

“It’s been quite some time. I’m sure Duke Carson has finished touring the manor.”

 

“I’m sure Caon will understand.”

 

Auntie said, “Would you like to go to him first? I’m just going to use the restroom for a moment.”

 

“Sure. Take your time.”

 

Plop—

 

After she left Leen, the Countess sank back into her place with her back against the door.

 

She buried her face in her hands and began to sob. It was pride that kept her from crying in front of Leen.

 

Pride that came from not wanting to show weakness to her children.

 

Even if it wasn’t pride, she had to hold it together in front of Leen.

 

If I broke down as a self-proclaimed parent, Leen might not be able to rely on me again.

 

Every word Leen spoke stabbed me in the heart.

 

It was like my heart was being ripped out of my chest.

 

And the guilt of realizing her pain too late.

 

🍃

 

I left the room and paced the mansion.

 

Carson would come running if I called his name, but it’s fun to play hide and seek.

 

The mansion hadn’t changed in a long time. I naturally walked in the direction of my room, then turned sharply when I realized it.

 

It was a room that held many memories, some good and some not so great.

 

After all, I had confessed everything to my Aunt, there was no need to go into my room today and bring up bad memories.

 

“Hmm…”

 

It was a curious turn of events, but once I got past my room, I had nowhere else to go.

 

“Come to think of it, even as a kid, my radius of travel was the lab and my room, except for when I ate.”

 

I realized what a small world I’d been living in.

 

Before I met Rex, I used to run all over the place with Luca to play pranks.

It was then.

 

A booming laugh came from the direction of the Count’s office.

 

“Hahaha!”

 

I don’t know what good has happened, but it seems certain that the Count who went to the imperial court has returned.

 

Whether he had heard of my arrival, I do not know.

 

I sneakily walked to the front of the office, hoping to surprise the Count.

 

I could hear the conversation through the slightly ajar door.

 

“I did not know that the Duke of Carson had a hobby of collecting wines.”

 

“It’s not so much a hobby as it is that I buy every bottle I see.”

 

“Hmph. I see, I can’t keep up with Lysianthus’s wealth, so I just buy them one by one.”

 

From the sounds of it, it seems like he’s talking to Carson.

 

The question was, why does their conversation seem so harmonious?

 

It’s obviously the first time they’ve met in private, and I wonder how they’ve gotten along in such a short time.

 

Curious, I sneak a peek through the crack in the door.

 

“What the hell is that?”

 

There were dozens of bottles of wine on the table in the office.

 

Not just any bottles, but bottles that had already been opened and corked.

 

I was somewhat taken aback.

 

As far as I knew, Carson was not much of a drinker.

 

“It makes me even more pleased to see you enjoy it, Count, and do you know this?”

 

“No, that’s…! Isn’t it a precious white wine made with divine power in honor of the current Emperor’s enthronement!”

 

The excited Count suddenly jumps up from his seat.

 

“Ahhh…. To see this in person, all my dreams as a collector have now been fulfilled.”

 

“If you want, I’ll give you this too.”

 

The astonished Count quickly threw up his hands.

 

“This, this is ridiculous. I’ve had enough of what you’ve given me so far, how can you give me this precious thing…”

 

“I’m not much of a drinker, so it’s all right.”

 

Carson smiled the same personable smile he’d given my Aunt earlier.

 

“I saved it up to give it to Leen in the first place, and it’s not a waste at all to give it to the Count, who are like her parents.”

 

I’m impressed. So that’s what he does with his pampering.

 

His words made me feel like a first-class groom.

 

He’d proven to me that he was in love with me, while also subtly showing that he was wealthy enough to pay for the wine.

 

It was then that the Count turned to Carson, somewhat depressed.

 

“…Does Leen enjoy drinking?”

 

Ah. Come to think of it, we haven’t seen each other since I became an adult.

 

The Count was always talking about looking forward to drinking with me.

 

“No. Although she does drink reasonably well, I don’t enjoy it.”

 

“Then why…?”

 

“I save it so that when Leen wants to drink, I can give her the best.”

 

The Count looked at him with a somewhat frozen expression.

 

He looked as if he didn’t know what he was collecting such an expensive thing for.

 

“Well, I see.”

 

He coughed a few times, then continued, “If it was meant for Leen, I’ll give it to her. I’m not childish enough to take away my child’s gift.”

 

But despite his words, the Count’s eyes were wistful as he looked at the bottle of wine.

 

Carson rolled his eyes and held out the wine.

 

“I have one for storage, one for decoration, and one for tasting. I have three, and that’s fine.”

 

The Count gapes, impressed.

 

“You are indeed a true gentleman of education, Duke Carson…!”

 

“Compared to Leen, I’m still a long way off.”

 

The Count took Carson’s hands in his, his eyes twinkling.

 

“Perhaps, if you have the time, you would be willing to play with me?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Haha, actually, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask that bastard… I mean, prospective son-in-law, if Leen brings his beloved to me later.”

 

I, who had been smirking as I listened to the two of them talk, turned sober when I heard that.

 

Most of the questions I remembered him asking were…

 

If his parents and Leen fell into the water at the same time, who would I save first?

 

How would he deal with Leen if he committed murder?

 

What if both parents opposed the marriage to the end?

 

And so on.