Translator: Nox

While Others Became Female Leads In Romantic Fantasy Novels, I Became A Closet Monster

Chapter 8

Watching the brightly smiling girl, Dedrick felt a strange itchiness in his heart.

It tickled so much that he rubbed his chest for no reason.

“……Only me?”

“Yeah. Only Didi. I approached you with a very, very wicked ulterior motive. To survive. Since Didi is going to become a very great person, you’ll be more than capable of keeping me alive.”

For someone who claimed to have approached him with a wicked motive, she looked far too soft, and Dedrick felt the tension drain out of him.

“……Then you’ll stay by my side?”

“Of course.”

“Until when?”

“Unless you throw me away?”

Uh-huh, that’s right. Unless that happens, I’ll stay by Didi’s side forever.

Dedrick lowered his head, stealing a glance at the girl who nodded as if making a vow to herself.

From his neck to his face, he felt incredibly hot.

He was so flustered by the heat that he didn’t know what to do, only biting his lip.

Even after I found his mother’s keepsake, Dedrick had treated me with a lingering sense of wariness, but as of today, that had vanished.

It seemed that giving him a reason for my kindness made it easier for him to lower his guard; telling him the truth was definitely the right answer.

He had now willingly granted me a place beside him. I had earned the right to stand a step closer to Dedrick than I had yesterday.

‘A very satisfying result.’

To be honest, I said it partly to get on his good side, but nothing I said was a lie.

As long as I was a closet monster, I had to stick close to Dedrick, the owner of the wardrobe.

There was no place in this world safer than by his side.

I wouldn’t even try to change the wardrobe for a new one.

Male leads in romance fantasies never have a hobby of changing their room furniture anyway!

Under his protection, I intended to continue a quiet and comfortable life.

Where else could a closet monster go?

Finding a good master is the best thing that can happen.

I walked briskly beside him, smiling brightly.

Don’t they say you can’t spit on a smiling face?

Even without that, just looking at Dedrick’s face made a smile spread across mine naturally.

To think such looks could not be hidden even by long bangs covering his eyes.

That face is just cheating.

“Shall we head back in? Somerset has probably left the book by now.”

He stared at me intently, then hesitated.

“Why? You can ask me anything you’re curious about.”

Dedrick wavered before carefully fixing his gaze on my horns.

“……What are those horns? Is there some kind of device?”

“A device…….”

I wish there were something like that.

“I don’t know either. Maybe it’s just to let people know I’m a closet monster.”

“Do you want to try touching them?”

When I thrust my head forward, Dedrick flinched and pulled back.

“Oh, do they look gross? I can’t see them myself. Sorry.”

They seemed to be shaped a bit like reindeer antlers, though.

As I fumbled with my horns and straightened my posture, he reached out his hand as if he had made up his mind.

Soon after, a touch that felt slightly cool brushed against my horn.

He met my eyes.

I could see the effort he was making, and a faint laugh escaped me. Dedrick looked at me and spoke in a voice that was barely a crawl.

“……They aren’t gross.”

“Thanks. How do they feel?”

“They feel hot……”

“And?”

“Soft.”

“Right! You can press down on them. They’re very hard.”

He glanced at me, then took both horns in his hands and gave them a squeeze.

“Does it hurt……?”

“Not at all.”

Rather, the gentle touch felt like a mother stroking a child’s hair under the warm sunlight, and my eyes closed on their own.

After fiddling with them for a moment, he carefully pulled his hands away.

A sense of regret surged within me, like a puppy longing for its master’s touch.

In contrast, Dedrick muttered as if slightly impressed.

“So the nerves extend all the way to the horns…….”

“It seems so. I wonder if they’d regenerate if they broke.”

“……Have you tried breaking them?”

“No, it hurts.”

I’d tried a little out of curiosity, but a dull pain rushed in, so I hadn’t tried since.

“More importantly, if even a little pain is applied to these horns, all the strength leaves my body.”

“Is it okay to tell me your weakness like that?”

“I already told you the wardrobe is my heart, so what does it matter?”

He looked at me strangely, but his expression wasn’t a bad one.

I should take this opportunity to score a ton of points.

Just as I was about to open my mouth to start another conversation.

I was forcibly summoned again.

I stepped out of the wardrobe doors as I always did.

Heading straight for the desk, I saw a tattered book.

They had torn the book into a complete mess.

“Don’t they know this only hurts them in the end?”

Anyone could see it was a trace of bullying.

The reason I bothered to replace the book anyway was that the Grand Duke believed his children should resolve even these minor instances of bullying themselves.

His stance was that anyone who couldn’t handle this much didn’t deserve to lead the Blackwood Family.

Therefore, even if Dedrick stole Somerset’s book and shamelessly acted as if it were his own, the Grand Duke wouldn’t say a word.

He might even give him credit for preparing by taking Somerset’s book without him knowing.

‘I should head to Somerset’s study first.’

Dedrick had to read the book too. Since the Grand Duke often called the children at any time to check what they had learned, it was better to have him read it as soon as possible.

Fetching Somerset’s book was a piece of cake.

It was possible for me to move the wardrobe along with objects.

I went straight to Somerset’s study and hurried to find the book.

‘The one identical to that book…… there it is.’

Since I couldn’t read, I searched for the book by remembering its cover.

When I returned to the room with the book, the door burst open and Dedrick rushed in urgently.

I greeted him happily as he entered.

“Didi, come here. Look, the book was left here after all.”

Wiping the sweat from his chin with the back of his hand, Dedrick breathed a bit heavily.

Did he run here?

“……Forced summons?”

“Ah, yeah! The timing is so inconsistent.”

I placed the book I brought from Somerset’s study on the desk.

“When you’re done, I’ll put it back. He’ll definitely suspect you first if his book goes missing, so let’s leave it for now and bring it back quickly if the Grand Duke calls!”

He nodded as he approached me.

“……Okay.”

He’s even answering well now!

It was a huge improvement.

It was definitely a good idea to find his mother’s keepsake.

He even seemed more lively than usual.

I watched Dedrick read his book and fell into a light doze in the wardrobe.

The one who woke me from that sweet sleep was none other than Somerset.

Bam!

I clicked my tongue as I watched him kick the door open with enough force to break it.

“I guess he never learned how to open a door with his hands.”

Dedrick looked at me and very slightly curled the corners of his mouth.

Somerset stomped up to Dedrick and stood right in front of him. The look in Somerset’s eyes as he looked down at Dedrick was menacing.

“Hey, it was you, wasn’t it?”

“……Pardon?”

Dedrick feigned ignorance.

I scurried over toward Dedrick’s desk.

As if he had expected him to come, the book had already been hidden away.

I clutched my head in deep self-reproach.

“This is a dereliction of duty……. I forgot to put it back because I was sleeping.”

Still, I was glad Dedrick had noticed and moved it quickly.

Watching for an opening, I whispered a small apology to Dedrick.

To think my work would be so clumsy.

I must have been tired from that little walk. Strangely, my energy seemed to drain away whenever I left the wardrobe.

Dedrick gave a slight shake of his head.

Somerset shrieked.

“You stole my book!”

“……I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Why you……!”

As usual, Somerset began recklessly searching the room.

Dedrick carefully blocked my way. As if he were protecting me.

Curious, I peeked my head out from behind him. He had been incredibly tense, but then his eyes met mine.

His tension seemed to ease for a moment, and he let out a small laugh.

Somerset reacted instantly to that sound.

“What are you?”

“Why are you laughing?!”

At Somerset’s shouting, Dedrick’s body stiffened habitually. Having been bullied for so long, his body reacted first.

I spoke to him soothingly.

“Didi, there’s absolutely nothing to be afraid of. People like that are actually cowards. He’s so, so scared that you’ll threaten his position, which is why he gets angry at you every day. He’s actually a nobody, so you don’t have to be that scared.”

Dedrick, who had been listening quietly to my words, gave a small nod.

He then clenched his fists and looked Somerset straight in the eye.

“Did I…… laugh?”

For a moment, Somerset froze with his mouth open as if he were at a loss for words.

It was because Dedrick had never talked back like this before.

I praised him with all my heart.

“That’s it! No need to feel discouraged at all.”

“Ha……!”

He let out a hollow gasp of disbelief.

“Give it back while I’m being nice.”

“……Give back what?”

“Give me the economics book Father gave me!”

“Why are you looking for that…… from me? I am also in a difficult situation because the book Father gave me was completely torn.”

With a troubled face, Dedrick acted the part of the victim.

Watching him, I felt a small sense of admiration.

He’s doing so well, even without me telling him what to do!