CH 44

Episode 44

“Just now, that man was the protagonist….”

For some reason, a hint of regret lingered in my voice. Fortunately or unfortunately, it seemed that Stella hadn’t noticed.

Indeed, that man clearly had the aura of a protagonist. He was so captivating and unforgettable that there was no doubt he was the main character. Such a person couldn’t be just a supporting role.

“He’s handsome, isn’t he? The protagonist is truly different. I was surprised when I first saw him at the debutante ball. He was even more handsome than I imagined.”

This seemed to be Stella’s second encounter with Jed. Their first meeting was at the debutante ball, where members of various noble families gathered.

“Since we both attended the debutante ball, he must be eighteen years old.”

In the story, Stella and Jed had a two-year age difference, so Stella, who is currently sixteen, must be correct in saying that he is eighteen.

“That day, the Duke Bloche was so popular among the noble ladies. Whenever the Duke Bloche moved to the right, everyone’s gaze followed to the right, and when he moved to the left, their gaze followed to the left… I felt burdened by all the attention.”

Indeed, being the protagonist is not something anyone can handle.

“Of course, I also received a lot of attention.”

Stella flicked her hair behind her shoulder and chuckled.

“It won’t be easy for anyone who dates him, right?”

“….”

She said it as if the person she would be in a relationship with wouldn’t be herself. But her words didn’t register in my ears.

I was only thinking about one thing.

Since he is the protagonist, he will inevitably fall in love with Stella.

* * *

On the way home, and even after returning home, thoughts of Jed Bloche filled my mind.

His deep purple eyes, nestled among his black hair that resembled the night sky, fluttered in the wind and captivated me.

Ah, could it be that my memory is becoming romanticized because of my mood?

I couldn’t erase his image from my mind, no matter how hard I tried. Even when I read a book after dinner or when I went to bed after taking a shower.

As if I had fallen in love at first sight.

Lying alone on the bed in the dark room, I blinked my eyes slowly. I was half-asleep, feeling drowsy.

Did I really fall in love?

Even if I did, it wasn’t a problem. How many times had I thought about him since I returned home? Countless times.

Thinking about him wasn’t my intention. Even when I tried not to think about him, his image kept appearing before my eyes.

When my eyelids completely covered my eyeballs, I muttered.

“Until today…”

Let’s just say that I was shocked by the protagonist’s appearance until today. Stella said so, that Jed Bloche was incredibly popular on the day of the debutante ball.

He is a person with that level of attractiveness. That’s why I kept thinking about him involuntarily. Yes, that’s right.

I vehemently denied it in my mind. I denied my feelings towards him with all my might, once again.

But I couldn’t deny my feelings forever.

What if I think about him not only today but also tomorrow? If he continues to appear in my thoughts tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and in the future.

What should I do then?

***

I found myself in a dandelion meadow where I didn’t know where it was. Fluffy clouds floated in the sky, and white and yellow dandelions danced in the wind on the field where I sat.

Next to me was Jed Bloche. His affectionate gaze was only directed at me.

His hand discreetly enveloped mine. I was taken aback when his thick fingers slipped between mine, but I didn’t resist as he interlocked our fingers.

He looked at me with the same expression he had when he confessed his love to the heroine in the original work.

His lips, which had been tightly sealed, parted slightly.

“I love you.”

I felt extremely embarrassed at those common and cliché words of love.

“What is it? It sounds so sudden.”

He repeated the words over and over, gradually drawing himself closer to me.

“I love you.”

I closed my eyes. It felt as if I could sense his breath.

***

The next morning, in my room, thump! Thump! A loud sound echoed as something hard collided.

That sound was me hitting my forehead against the headboard of the bed.

Thump!

‘I’m crazy, I’m insane.’

As soon as I woke up, I hit my forehead. The reason behind this foolish action was the dream I had.

‘To dream of dating Jed Bloche…!’

I dreamt that as a crazy person, I almost kissed the male lead of the original work while wearing the engagement ring. Luckily, I woke up just before the kiss…

Does it make sense to dream of dating the person who will become my friend’s husband in the future? Only a crazy person would have such a pathetic dream.

Thump! Thump! I continued hitting my forehead as a wake-up call, and Ellen opened the door and entered. Seeing me vigorously hitting my forehead, Ellen was shocked.

“Oh my, my lord…!”

In a state of surprise, Ellen rushed towards me, grabbed my forehead, and pulled me into an embrace.

“My lord, your forehead is hurt…!”

“It’s okay even if it’s hurt. It’s okay if it’s hurt.”

“It’s okay if it’s hurt…! How can you say it’s okay if you get hurt, my lord?”

“…”

Hurt, she says. Even I, who doesn’t treat myself with any significance, am regarded as significant by Ellen.

“Ellen…”

How could she casually differentiate me as a significant existence? I moved my head as she wanted, resting it away from the headboard, deciding not to hurt my forehead any further.

As I hugged her tightly, the bedroom door opened once again and then closed. Seeing me in Ellen’s arms, Joan entered and asked.

“What happened? Did our lord have a nightmare?”

With me still in her arms, Ellen instructed Joan.

“Joan, bring the first aid kit.”

“Why the first aid kit? Did something happen to our lord?”

While being held by Ellen, I turned my face towards Joan. As expected, Joan was startled when she saw the bruise on my forehead.

“L-Lord, there’s a bruise on your forehead…!”

“Hahaha…”

Ellen took out medicine from the first aid kit that Joan hastily brought and treated my forehead.

Because Joan accidentally hurt my forehead, she earnestly pleaded with me not to let it happen again.

Thanks to her, I was able to momentarily escape from thoughts of Jed Bloche.

“It’s done.”

As Ellen spoke, I looked into the mirror and saw a white bandage stuck on the bruise.

“Is it okay if I just apply some ointment? I’m concerned because something is stuck to your forehead.”

“It’s stuck there because it concerns me. Don’t do it again from now on.”

While fiddling with the bandage, Joan changed the topic.

“Oh, isn’t it Miss Iris’s birthday today? Since she always comes to see our lord on her birthday, will she come this time too?”

Iris and Cassius have been meeting since they were ten years old when they formed a bond on a train.

They couldn’t meet frequently due to their busy schedules, but they always visited the Flotina Kingdom at least twice a year, and Iris’s birthday was always included.

“She came two weeks ago, so I don’t think she’ll come today. She said she would be busy because it’s time to recruit knights.”

Mrs. Attila was the reason I, who hadn’t entered society, had information.

According to what I heard from Mrs. Attila, the current interest in social circles is the Knights’ Order. It was only natural that the public’s attention was drawn to the selection of the Guardian Knights, who everyone wanted to become, which happened once every few years.

Not only I, but Joan also knew about it.

“Oh, I heard from the other maids too. They said that this year’s selection for Guardian Knights will take place at ‘Nine,’ right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Nine is a club run by the Second Prince, a social gathering of noble youths aiming to enter the Knights’ Order.

Although it was simply a gathering of aspiring individuals and not an official Guardian Knights organization, its influence was significant as it was run by someone from the royal family.

Most nobles in their teens and twenties who wanted to become Guardian Knights, even occasionally having communication with the Three Imperial Guardians, desired to join the club.

However, I knew from reading the original work.

Social gatherings were just social gatherings and didn’t help at all in becoming a member of the Knights’ Order.