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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: An Unwanted Complication
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To her surprise, Lute readily confessed his worries.
She had sensed he had a simple personality even when reading the original story, but...
In any case, the fact that he wasn't wary was a good thing for her.
It seemed he had let his guard down because he had already seen Romeo and knew she was his relative.
“So… I have no idea what I should do.”
“……”
The only problem was that Lute's dilemma was an incredibly awkward one.
‘To think that how to confess to Yuriana is the greatest dilemma of his life...’
Lellia felt a sense of emptiness and leaned back heavily against the bench.
The thought, *‘Some people have it so easy,’* crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it.
Lute was one of the heroes who had returned after years of hardship on the battlefield. It was rude to think of him this way.
But what was annoying was annoying.
‘Why on earth do I have to be a stepping stone for the original male and female leads?’
Lellia glanced at the small text of the quest list visible in the corner of her vision.
There were two quests in progress.
One was Calix's, and the second was a sub-quest.
[Sub-Quest~]
∙ Help the sorrowful young man with his love confession.
Lellia let out a deep sigh inwardly, hidden from Lute.
After spilling all his worries, Lute now seemed embarrassed, scratching the back of his head.
“It’s strange, I find myself confessing all my worries to you, Sir Raymond. I suppose it’s because you seem to know a lot about women.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
Lellia asked in surprise. She wondered if he had realized she was a woman.
But Lute waved his hand and said.
“It’s just that you seem like the type who would be quite popular with the ladies. I only learned this after coming to the capital recently... I hear that men with beautiful features like you are popular among the noble young ladies of the capital these days.”
“Ah.”
“I’m not exactly the pretty type... Ah, surely Yuriana doesn’t like your type, does she?”
Lute, who had had a gentle look in his eyes, immediately became guarded as he asked.
Then he immediately grew sullen and answered his own question.
“Ah, that’s probably not it. Seeing her walk off with Calix earlier…”
Lellia watched him ask and answer his own questions before she spoke.
“…Now that you mention it, why are those two suddenly taking a walk? They shouldn’t have known each other before.”
That was what Lellia knew, at least.
As she brought it up, Lute began to fume.
“I don’t know either. After the banquet ended, Yuriana suddenly approached Calix... She was staring at him all through dinner, too. Surely she hasn’t fallen for Calix, has she?”
“…Well, she could fall for him.”
Calix was a man so handsome he’d still look good even after doing a hundred somersaults.
To be honest, while Lute was also clean-cut, Calix was a cut above when it came to charm.
He was tall, handsome, with the kind of captivating dark skin women liked, and a lean yet thickly muscled physique.
His personality was a bit... much, but that was also part of Calix’s charm.
Just then, Lute laughed with a deflating sound.
“Even so, isn’t he a cripple? How could she like someone who can’t even see…”
“……?”
Lellia couldn’t believe her ears.
In the original story, Lute was an upstanding young man. He would never say something so rude...
Lute, too, seemed to realize his mistake a moment later and squeezed his eyes shut. He belatedly tried to take back his words.
“Of course, I don’t mean to insult Sir Calix. But... but... I’m sorry. Please pretend you didn’t hear that.”
*Yes, but it was probably because he was blinded by Yuriana.*
Even in the original story, he was the type whose entire way of thinking collapsed when it came to matters concerning Yuriana.
Lellia suddenly lost all desire to continue the quest.
She was disgusted.
If Calix hadn't injured his eyes, the war with the Mad Dragon would never have ended.
In an instant, Lute, who was criticizing her precious friend, felt like an enemy.
Overcome by a sudden wave of displeasure, Lellia shot to her feet.
“It’s getting late. I’m not feeling well, so I should be heading back.”
“Ah, I understand. Thank you for listening to my worries today, Sir Raymond.”
“Yes.”
As Lellia turned to leave, Lute stopped her.
“Could you perhaps listen to my worries again next time? I find it difficult to open up to others…”
“……”
Lellia glanced irritably at the quest window visible in the corner of her vision.
‘Right, I’ll endure it for now. Just endure it... The moment this quest is over, I’m going to punch him in the face.’
When she managed to muster the strength to nod, Lute’s face brightened.
It was then.
“What are you two doing here?”
It was Calix and Yuriana, who had walked off in that direction earlier. It seemed they had spotted Lellia and Lute on their way back.
Calix raised an eyebrow, looking back and forth between the two.
“……”
Yuriana also gazed at them with a curious expression. Then, her eyes met Lellia’s directly.
And Lellia couldn’t help but be flustered by what Yuriana did next.
The moment Yuriana’s eyes met Lellia’s, she stared at her intently before shyly turning her head away.
Shyly.
Shy...?
“……”
Lellia was utterly bewildered.
But why?
Lute, who had been staring intently at Yuriana, turned his gaze to Lellia.
Lellia flinched at the intensity of Lute's gaze, which she could feel on her left cheek.
Lute was glaring at her as if he wanted to kill her.
‘He’s glaring at me like that because of Yuriana? All of a sudden?’
After just asking me to listen to his problems...?
Lellia was dumbfounded by Lute's fiery and ever-changing attitude.
“What are you doing? Let’s go.”
Calix, who had been watching quietly, said.
“Oh. So you knew each other…”
Yuriana murmured as she watched them, then stepped forward to greet Lellia.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Princess Yuriana.”
As she spoke, Yuriana naturally extended the back of her hand.
Her posture was very elegant and dignified. Every bit the princess.
“……”
Honestly, she didn't want to, but she had no choice.
Right now, she was ‘Raymond Levester.’ That is, she had the status of a man.
Lellia recalled a gentleman's etiquette, took the tips of Yuriana’s fingers, and lightly pressed her lips to the back of her hand.
When she straightened up, she saw Yuriana’s flushed face and the whispering handmaidens behind her.
Also in her view was Calix, who wore an expression as if he’d just seen something bizarre at her textbook-perfect etiquette.
Lellia pretended not to see Calix’s face and spoke.
“It is an honor to meet you. I am Raymond Levester, staying at the imperial castle through the consideration of His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Ah, you’re the one who is Prince Romeo’s distant relative, aren’t you?”
“…That is correct.”
“Ah…”
Yuriana let out an unintelligible exclamation and looked Lellia up and down.
For Lellia, it was simply baffling.
When she glanced to the side, her eyes met Lute’s, which were wide with fury.
Lute’s eyes were saying it all.
‘You promised to help, so how could you interfere like this?’
Lellia ignored his glare and looked at Calix, wanting to get out of there quickly.
She raised her eyebrows as if to say, *Let’s go*, and he began to walk away.
Lellia gave a brief farewell to Princess Yuriana and the handmaidens behind her, then hurried after Calix.
