I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend Chapter 130

 

For a moment, I stared blankly ahead.

 

Then I frowned, wondering what was wrong.

 

“Rudrick?”

 

When I opened the door, I was greeted by the sight of a typical home office.

 

Properly arranged, antique furniture and bookshelves against the side walls. The flag of the Duchy of Bouser hanging in the center of the room, and the executive desk beneath it.

 

And, as far as I could tell, Rudrick was supposed to be sitting at that desk. I’d been here long enough to know that he did his business before bed.

 

But what I saw was not what I expected.

 

The way the chair was set up, it looked like he was sitting down. The problem was that the chair was turned the other way.

 

With his back toward me, facing the window to be exact.

 

And even though he had clearly heard me enter, he didn’t move, not even to look back at me. At first glance, I thought he had fallen asleep.

 

But the way he answered when I knocked on his door suggested otherwise.

 

“Rudrick…?”

 

I stood in the doorway, dumbfounded, and I couldn’t stay like this forever, so I walked towards him. 

 

But then something happened.

 

“Wait.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Don’t come.”

 

My eyes widened at the sudden sharpness of the voice.

 

But there was still no movement from the chair where I assumed Rudrick was sitting, and after a long moment of silence, I heard his voice again.

 

“…Sit down for a moment, I’ll be right there.”

 

“Huh? Mm-hmm…”

 

I nodded meekly, realizing how serious his voice sounded.

 

And when I sat down on the couch as he requested, he remained that way for a while.

 

It continued even when the maid came in and set down some light snacks and tea, and even when I fidgeted and showed my boredom.

 

As the ambiguous confrontation dragged on, I naturally started to worry.

 

‘What’s going on? Is something wrong?’

 

If things were going well, he might simply turn his chair around and think he’s looking at his papers. But the stacks of papers and pens scattered across the desk suggested otherwise.

 

I wondered if he had something on his mind, but he would never give away his feelings. He’d never shown it before.

 

So that leaves only ‘stuck in place’ as a possible explanation…

 

‘Are you hurt?’

 

I looked up, nervously fiddling with my teacup. When he stopped and stood up, demanding to know what was going on.

 

Fortunately, he beat me to it.

 

“A little… something to think about.”

 

As he turned away, he was dressed lightly.

 

He was wearing a white shirt and black slack pants that were so casual I wondered if this was the North.

 

In addition, he wore his bangs down naturally, unlike in public, giving him a slightly languid and enchanting look…

 

‘Hmph…’

 

I almost fell under the spell of Rudrick’s bewitching beauty again, and after scanning him again,  I shook my head, ‘He’s normal, right?’

 

In fact, he looked like his usual self. I wondered if he was feeling unwell, but he looked perfectly fine as he walked over to the couch and plopped down across from me.

 

His grave face somehow looked worse than usual, and his forehead beaded with sweat…

 

‘Huh?’

 

I blurted out, “You’re not sick, are you?”

 

“…What?”

 

“You don’t look like yourself. I wonder if you’re sick…”

 

“No, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

 

Then what’s with the night sweats?

 

If he wasn’t sick, what the hell was he doing here, breaking into a cold sweat?

 

Something was wrong, but I had no idea what it was, and I doubted he’d tell me, so I could only swallow a sigh.

 

Yeah, he says he’s fine, so what, I suppose if something’s wrong, he’ll tell me later.

 

“Okay, I’m glad you’re okay. Anyway, I asked to see you because…”

 

I shook my head, shaking off the sour mood, and cut to the chase.

 

“I met with Mrs. Fedwick this afternoon.”

 

In truth, I was more preoccupied with the party than with Rudrick.

 

I had said so confidently to Mrs. Fedwick, ‘Trust me,’ that all I could think about was how to convince him.

 

But as my explanation grew longer and more complicated, I realized that the party was not the problem.

 

Especially as I watched Rudrick grow stranger and more distraught.

 

“So, I was thinking that we could have a party when the Ducal House was in a better mood…”

 

“…”

 

” Rudrick? Are you listening?”

 

“What?”

 

“Didn’t you hear?”

 

I squinted at Rudrick, my eyes narrowing. He shook his head hastily and opened his mouth to speak.

 

“Uh… No, I heard about the party…”

 

“Yeah, I mean, it’s been a while since we’ve had a party, so we’ll just invite a few people and keep it simple.”

 

But when I started talking again, he was preoccupied with something else.

 

I started to slow down and examine him.

 

‘That’s weird.’

 

It’s not just weird, it’s very strange.

As if the tingling I felt earlier wasn’t for nothing, he wasn’t his usual self.

 

The normal Rudrick wouldn’t be so distracted, he wouldn’t be fidgeting nervously, and most of all, he never looked away, unable to make eye contact with me.

 

Does that mean he’s trying to avoid me? That didn’t seem right either. His gaze had been fixed on me the whole time.

 

‘Then what the hell is he doing?’

 

But I had no way of knowing, so I could only bite my lip, and at the same time, I realized.

 

‘Wrong place, wrong time.’

 

If this was the case, why did he call me at this time of day, and what was wrong with thinking that he would be free?

 

The water had already been spilled, and I couldn’t pick it up again, but what could I do?

 

Let’s just say what we’re doing and get out of here. I looked at him fidgeting with his arms crossed from earlier and asked him outright.

 

“So, what do you think, can we have a party?”

 

“Uh… Huh? Well… yeah. Do whatever you want.”

 

“What?”

 

Watching him nod dryly, I roll my eyes suspiciously.

 

“There’s going to be a lot of people here, and it’s your party you seem bothered about?”

 

“I thought you said it was going to be small, I don’t care.”

 

“I’ve heard all about it. So you’re having it, and I assume you permitted me?”

 

“Yes.”

 

What the hell, why was it so easy?

 

All those hours of meetings with Mrs. Fedwick, trying to figure out how to convince Rudrick, couldn’t have been so futile.

 

When I’m sitting at the tea table, feeling strangely uncomfortable, even though I know I’ve been permitted to do so.

 

Rudrick, who had been cowering in front of me, suddenly spoke up.

 

“By the way…”

 

“Huh?”

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

He and I stared at each other for a long moment before he finally looked away.

 

“No, forget it.”

 

“…”

 

I glared at him, then quickly pulled away.

 

Normally, I would have asked what the hell was going on, either because I was already thinking too much about it or because I was so easily distracted from my purpose.

 

Now I didn’t have the energy, and I just wanted to get back to my room.

 

Yeah. If that’s what you say, then I guess I should get going. I nodded and scrambled to my feet.

 

“Okay. Anyway, I’m done here, so I guess I’ll just…”

 

Bam—!

 

But I must have gotten up too quickly. I accidentally knocked over the table in front of me.

 

It wouldn’t have mattered if there was nothing there, but there was something on top of it, just a simple snack and tea that I’d left behind earlier.

 

Tea that I hadn’t even taken a sip of because I was too worried about Rudrick.

 

Eventually, I banged the table, causing the teacup to shake violently and spill the tea.

Right into Rudrick’s face.

 

I froze, stunned by the accident. Rudrick was equally surprised, and his eyes widened and he looked down.

 

Thank goodness the tea was cooling, or I would have been in trouble, and I fumbled for a handkerchief.

 

“I, I’m sorry. I’ve been a little busy lately… I’ll wipe you with this, and then I’ll call the servant to get you a change of clothes…”

 

And the moment she held out the handkerchief to him, it froze in place.

 

Rudrick’s posture was different from before; he had unclasped his arms, which had been crossed the whole time he had been talking to me, and was leaning back.

 

I could see his bare chest, which I hadn’t seen before.

 

And there it was…

 

‘Eh?’

 

🌸

 

Rudrick regretted his impulsive behavior.

 

He hadn’t realized he was so jealous. 

 

‘I should have realized it when I saw the way she was so wary of the men who had been hovering around her since before I was even aware of my feelings.’

 

But it was too late for regret. I was too distracted by the fact that Dahlia was interested in another man’s chest.

 

And when I finally regained my senses, I realized that in his hand was a shirt.

 

A shirt that was exactly one size too small.

 

‘…’

 

Rudrick wanted to throw the shirt on the floor right now.

 

But he couldn’t, and it was all because of the stupid rumors.

 

There were all kinds of rumors floating around the ducal residence, not just the ones my subordinate told me.

 

Rumors that Kassar was in love with Dahlia, that he was constantly flirting with her, that he had taken off his shirt to seduce her, and that he was going to fight her in hand-to-hand combat.

 

Of course, the rumors are not without exaggeration, but one thing was certain: Dahlia’s attention was currently focused on Kassar.

 

For better or worse. For Rudrick, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

 

He thought he’d finally gotten away from Goldman by declaring ‘Don’t want to be friends,’ only to have the other guy snatch her right back up.

 

What’s more, he suspected that the rumors weren’t entirely true.

 

For example, things like ‘he took his shirt off himself’ would be a lie, but Dahlia actually complimented him on his chest.

 

‘I don’t want to see that.’

 

The thought of Dahlia delighting in the sight of another man’s chest was enough to make Rudrick’s blood boil, so he quickly pulled his shirt off.

 

His lips quivered with self-deprecation as he pulled the shirt on, barely buttoning it up to his neck. Even more so when he caught a glimpse of his gaping chest in the mirror.

 

Does this really have to be this way? This kind of shame. I was alone and suffering endlessly.

 

It was a message that made me decide.

 

“The Princess wishes to speak with you privately.”