After that, Natalie and I were soon found by Ralph and brought back.
I was seated on a couch facing Ralph in a room next to the birthday party hall.
This might be a dead end.
It was like I was stuck in a corner.
The low class just became the worst class.
‘Haha, nothing to worry about. So, don’t stare at me with your eyes so sharply.’
The head of the Alderath family.
I’m really scared.
“So why did you take Natalie?” he asks in an intimidating voice.
Ooooh, scary.
Sweat poured from my forehead…
“Uh, I wanted to celebrate my friend’s birthday.”
That is not an excuse, is it?
Why would someone take you away to celebrate your birthday?
Oh, that’s me, I’m that someone.
“I see. You are a friend of Natalie? I didn’t know the Pepper family’s legitimate son and my daughter got along so well.”
He’s definitely angry about this.
What father would not be angry when his daughter gets taken away from him at a birthday party?
Plus, I’m the heir to the Pepper family, who are famous for being assholes.
Phew, I messed up.
“Father. I met him today.”
“Today…?”
“Yes. We just talked on the balcony and became friends,” Natalie replied.
She called me a friend? Thanks.
“Natalie’s friend, huh?”
Ralph still glared at me with a piercing gaze.
“Ye- Yes. We are friends, Sir.”
What’s wrong with being friends?
I don’t really understand what I’m saying.
“…”
Silence lingered for a while.
I feel a little, you know, suffocated.
Come on, say something.
“Well, … I must have misunderstood then. I thought that a guy from who knows where took Natalie, but I guess he was just a friend.”
Then Ralph started to laugh, “Hahahaha.”
What the heck is going on?
Why is he laughing?
I am a little confused.
Well, I didn’t want him to be mad at me, but…
“Owen, please continue to get along with Natalie.”
“…Y-Yes?”
I wonder how he came to that conclusion.
I truly don’t understand the thought process of the big shots.
Ralph stood up from the couch in a good mood and headed out of the room.
“Natalie. Go back to the hall after a while. If the main character does not show up for a long time, they’ll get suspicious.”
“Yes… I’ll be right there.”
Ralph slammed the door shut.
I made sure he left the room then collapsed limply onto the couch.
“Aah. I was so nervous!”
“Even you get nervous?”
“Of course. He is the head of the Alderath family.”
He has a lot of trust from the king and can be entrusted with the central part of the country.
In addition, he is skilled in the use of magic.
I can be destroyed in an instant, socially, and physically.
That makes me nervous.
“But he is a better person than I thought.”
“That’s not the case… I am sure my father thought you would be helpful. He’s the kind of person who only sees others by that kind of criteria.”
Useful …huh.
I wonder what criteria he uses to make his decision.
“I don’t know what kind of uses I could serve, but I’m glad you didn’t blame me.”
“Yeah. That is right. As father said, I think we will have a long relationship. Please treat me well,” Natalie put out her right hand and asked for a handshake.
“Yeah, please treat me well.”
I wiped the sweat off my hand and shook her hand.
Thus, Natalie’s birthday party ended.