I’m Not Doing This With A Friend Chapter 66

 

He whispered at every opportunity that his mother abhorred commoners.

 

It was clear that he was trying to make a subtle excuse for not being able to take me in as a duchess.

 

But I knew that was only one of many reasons.

 

Would the Duchess be the only one to object to my connection to Rex Begonia?

 

His brothers would use me as a weakness to overthrow Rex Begonia.

 

I would be easy prey for them. The people would not want a commoner as their master.

 

Even Erhan, my blood relative, hated me, so why would they like someone else?

 

Rex Begonia, who turns into a demon if you don’t give him the answers he wants.

 

His brothers were always looking for my flaws. Employees who disrespected their masters.

 

It was a horrible future to imagine.

 

As his thoughts lengthened, and I didn’t speak, his expression slowly hardened.

 

“Answer me, why don’t you?”

 

Instead of speaking up and answering, I closed my eyes.

 

The last thing I wanted to say was that I would be his wife even if I died.

 

“If you won’t open your mouth, I’ll have to help you. Maybe you’ll think of an answer when you’re alone.”

 

I don’t know how much time passed after that, but Rex Begonia, who had been watching me mooning, spoke up in a pitiful tone.

 

“Say something. You’re breaking my heart, Leen.”

 

I slumped to the cold floor and blurted out a small voice, “You’re lying.”

 

Asking me if I thought you could ever overcome all the obstacles of our class difference and make me your duchess.

 

And the double meanings of whether it was a lie to say your heart was breaking.

 

His lips curled up as if he was glad to finally hear my voice.

 

He seemed to have interpreted the former meaning of my words.

 

“My Leen has many doubts, I’m not lying.”

 

Rex Begonia moved his hand closer to mine. I squeezed my eyes shut.

 

I didn’t feel him move for what seemed like an eternity. When I cautiously opened my eyes, he was kissing the end of my hair.

 

“I’m going to spend the rest of my life with you.”

 

Only after uttering those disgusting words did he leave my room.

 

I cut off the hair where his lips touched without hesitation.

 

The next day. Rex Begonia sought me out in the early hours of the morning, close to dawn.

 

His gaze rested on my hair for a moment. I wondered if he’d noticed. My hair was long, and I thought I could have cut off a lock.

 

Fortunately, his gaze quickly returned to my eyes.

 

“I don’t think I’ll be able to make it back for a while.”

 

I stared at Rex Begonia with an emotionless face.

 

What a ploy, this time. Does he think I would miss him if he didn’t visit me for a few days?

 

“When I announced that I wanted to be engaged to you, there was an uproar in the house. Especially my mother, she’s very upset.”

 

…You’re not lying?

 

As if noticing my eyes widen slightly, he knits his eyebrows together in a rueful expression.

 

“I don’t know why everyone wants to keep us apart. When I love you so much.”

 

He held my hand affectionately. As if we were really lovers.

 

“Just wait a little longer. I promised you I’d let you sit next to me, and I will fulfill it. Nothing can separate us.”

 

Rex Begonia never really appeared in my life after that day.

 

Even his occasional letters were sent through Erhan.

 

It was clear that the Duchy of Begonia had taken control to prevent him from seeing me.

 

This was my chance.

 

A chance to get away from him. If not this time, I would never escape him.

 

I took the Arena Academy’s transfer exam without Erhan’s knowledge, and I passed.

 

And as soon as I got the news, I ran away to the Academy.

 

Arena Academy was my perfect refuge.

 

Outsiders were not allowed to visit the academy without permission, and even if you were a family member, the only way to contact a current student was by letter.

 

With Rex Begonia and Erhan out of my life, I could finally breathe.

 

It was my first full breath in years.

 

🍃

 

“Leen, are you okay?”

 

“Huh? Ah… I’ve been bruising again.”

 

Carson was looking at me with concern.

 

Ever since I’d heard the news of the Duchess of Begonia’s death, I’d been bruising myself like this.

 

It was because I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to escape his grasp after graduation.

 

I forced a smile and pretended I was thinking of something else.

 

“So, Caon, how do you feel about the fact that we have spring break thanks to you?”

 

Carson smiled, genuinely pleased, “It’s nice to be able to spend more time with Leen.”

 

“I just meant to ask if it’s bothering your conscience.”

 

…Forget it. It was my fault for asking.

 

Spring break has begun.

 

It’s only a week-long, but it’s a special one. It was one of the few spring breaks in Arena Academy’s history.

 

The academy gathers a lot of talent, so they’ve put up a lot of magic to keep the students safe.

 

However, not long ago, several magic circles were damaged all at once.

 

The damage was caused by a powerful mana collision.

 

Knowing what caused it, I was more pricked by my conscience than amused by the sudden spring break.

 

After all, I was the one who caused it to happen to Carson.

 

Anyway, that’s why the spring break was granted, to give time to repair the magic circle.

 

Carson suddenly asked curiously, “Leen, have you heard anything from your roommate?”

 

“I’ve heard a lot about her, but nothing in particular. Why, is there something you want to know?”

 

“Hmph. Nothing.”

 

I looked at Carson with a bemused expression, then looked away.

 

Carson has Fjord, so there’s no need to introduce him to Jane.

 

Speaking of which, Fjord has…

 

I sighed, leaning back on the couch.

 

“You know, about Fjord, it’s weird to think about, right?”

 

Due to the short vacations, most of the students spent their time in the dormitories instead of returning home.

 

The nearest capital city to the academy was a three- or four-day round trip.

 

But Fjord packed up and headed back to the Marquis as soon as spring break began.

 

“Do you think it was because of his brother that he had to return so soon?”

 

Carson nodded slightly, “Marquis Ananas has declared that he has chosen an heir. The announcement will be made at the end of next year.”

 

“An heir?”

 

Marquis Ananas was a member of House Fiorne.

 

I’d vaguely guessed it, but now that I’d heard it, I fully understood why Fjord had been so nervous.

 

“Fjord has always been at the academy, except for vacations, but the Marquis has declared that he has chosen an heir…”

 

Carson nodded.

 

“Which means there’s a good chance the heir isn’t Fjord.”

 

I was silent for a moment, contemplating. Whether it was right to let Fjord stand idly by.

 

At first, I tried to respect his choice.

 

But no matter how I thought about it, it didn’t seem like a good friend to stand by and let this happen.

 

As Carson had mentioned to Fjord, I wanted to at least let him make a choice he wouldn’t regret.

 

I made my decision and said with a wistful expression, “Caon, do you know something?”

 

“What?”

 

“I have a little bit of a headache.”

 

Carson smirked, confirming my statement, “I know.”

 

“The closer I get to you, the harder it is to let go.”

 

“I like Leen like that.”

 

I didn’t ask because I wanted to hear that, but…

 

Well, it’s not bad.

 

“So, do you think we should go hang out at our friend’s house?”

 

“If you want.”

 

Carson nodded, his lips twitching upward.

 

As always, all the time.

 

🍃

 

Fjord stood in the doorway of the Marquis’s mansion, looking back and forth between me and Carson, his face full of expectation.

 

His hair was disheveled from the rush to the door.

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

“I came to see you.”

 

“What I mean is, why did you come to my house without making an appointment?”

 

I replied with a straight face, “Because I wanted to hang out with you, right, Caon?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Fjord squeezed the space between his brows, tired of our shameless behavior.

 

“I’m sorry, but I’m busy, and I don’t have time to deal with you.”

 

“What do you have to do?”

 

“Well…”

 

Fjord hesitated for a moment, confused. But then he put on a determined face and said.

 

“Anyway, no. Sorry, it would have taken several days to find me.”

 

My gaze naturally turned to Carson.

 

Actually, we didn’t need to take days to come to here, using Carson’s spatial traveling magic…

 

I suppose I shouldn’t have to apologize for telling the truth.

 

My gaze landed on Carson, and he nodded, believing that he had misunderstood something.

 

“Leen wants to talk to you about something. Please let us in and serve us tea while we’re being nice.”

 

Dude, that’s blackmail.

 

I was about to poke Carson on the side.

 

“Fjord. What’s all the fuss about?”

 

We turned to the unfamiliar voice from behind Fjord.

 

“…Brother?”

 

Fjord looked at the man standing behind him and used the title of brother.

 

So that’s him…

 

He had the same blond hair and green eyes as Fjord. But unlike Fjord, who was fluffy and friendly, he exuded a hard, cold presence.

 

He looked at me and Carson with a blank stare.

“…So there you are, Carson, and the other is a new friend from the Academy?”

 

“It’s none of your business.”

 

Without batting an eye at Fjord’s chilly retort, he turned to the other servants.

 

“Take them to the drawing room.”

 

“Brother.”

 

“We can’t kick out our honored guests.”

 

“It’s already over. The two of you are going back.”

 

We when?

 

The man pushed up his glasses as Fjord glared at him, eyebrows furrowed in frustration.

 

“These guests seem to have had a different conversation with you.”

 

“I’m busy with other things. You have no authority to force me to meet with anyone else, do you?”

 

The man tilted his head lazily, keeping a straight face.

 

“Who told you to serve the guests?”

 

“What the…”

 

“I invited them. They will be my guests, and you will do your job.”

 

“…”

 

Fjord chewed his lips as if he had nothing to say in retort.

 

Dismissing him with a casual glance, the man turned and strode toward the interior of the mansion.

 

“Come in.”

 

I hadn’t expected to be invited in by his brother, not Fjord.

 

Wow, was this going to be awkward as hell?