I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend

 “What are you saying now…?” 

Rudrick couldn’t believe what was happening at the moment.

 

Surely, he thought, things had been going well so far.

 

The mysterious woman’s prediction had been correct.

 

No matter how determined he was to change Dahlia’s mind, he couldn’t think of a way to do it, and he had no choice but to go along with her methods halfheartedly.

 

Even though the woman said,

‘You can do what you always do,’

it was hard to do the same to her.

 

He would often spy on her from the window as she walked home, wondering nervously,

‘What if she’s angry?’

 

But it didn’t take long for Rudrick to see results.

 

The next day, Dahlia came again, and by the end of the day, she was visiting the Bouser mansion every day.

 

‘No way…’

 

‘Is it bothering her?’

 

Was Dahlia, who was so nonchalant about everything he did, reacting to the sight of him with another woman?

 

At that thought, his heart started pounding in his chest.

 

Even though he kept telling himself,

‘No, she must have come to visit him because she was worried about his sudden change,’

his expectations, once heightened, were not easily diminished.

 

On the contrary, his expectations grew with each passing day.

 

When he followed the woman’s advice and met her a few days later, Dahlia was strangely nervous.

 

Rudrick had to struggle to keep a straight face as he realized that while she was trying to appear calm, she couldn’t take her eyes off them.

 

That wasn’t the only thing.

 

Even when he wasn’t around, she’d come to the mansion every day, and stamped her arrival and departure, staying there from morning until nightfall.

 

‘She came by again today.’

 

At the butler’s words, Rudrick had to force the corners of his lips down, but he secretly clenched his fists, unable to hide his excitement.

 

‘I’ve got a chance.’

 

If Dahlia was indeed conscious of him, the reason she came to the mansion every day, looking for him… was jealousy.

 

Rudrick would do anything.

 

Even if his disgusting skin-to-skin interactions with her grew more and more intense with each passing day, even if he almost bit his tongue when she inevitably called him

‘darling,’

he could endure it.

 

Waiting was what he did best, and if he could only think of the day she would look back at him, it wasn’t hard, it was already exciting to the point of overwhelming…

 “Engaged, you say…” Bam! 

But what awaited him was even more horrifying.

 

Rudrick gazed blankly ahead, pen in hand.

 

But the subordinate in front of him was still bowing his head with a baffled expression, and after a long moment of inaudible muttering, Rudrick slowly opened his mouth.

 “En…gaged with whom?” “…” “With whom?” “Go, Goldman!” 

He squeezed his eyes shut and spoke, sweating like rain.

 “Didn’t I tell you… River Goldman, and the Princess…” “…” 

In an instant, the surroundings became distorted.

 

Rudrick couldn’t breathe properly. It was as if all his bodily organs had stopped working.

 

My mind went blank, my body felt numb, and after what seemed like an eternity, reality slowly began to set in…

 “Your Excellency!” 

Rudrick sprang to his feet. Before he knew it, his sword was in his hand. His men tried to stop him, but to no avail. One thought filled his mind.

 

‘I must kill him.’

 “Let go.” “No, you can’t do this, please!” “Let go!” “This isn’t going to solve anything, what are you going to do about the Princess!” 

At the mention of Dahlia, Rudrick, who had been pacing frantically, stiffened. 

 

Meanwhile, Ruth continued to speak,

“I’m not sure the Princess would be pleased if you used your sword, but she’s the one who chose him, and if you cut him down, you’ll not only ruin your relationship, but you’ll have a lifetime of resentment!” 

‘Resentment…?’

 

Rudrick thought blankly,

‘Why should I be the one to blame?’

 

It’s Goldman who deserves the blame.

 

He’s the one who admitted to me that he’s in love with another woman, and then insisted that he would tell her himself, or else it would hurt her even more…

 

‘Engaged?’

 

Engaged? To Dahlia? What the hell was I supposed to do now?

 

Why did I keep my mouth shut all this time, why did I have to make such a big deal out of it, putting on this stupid play?

 

Wasn’t it to distract her, to make her feel less hurt, at least until he told her the truth?

 

But to get engaged? Did he tell her the truth? No. If he had, none of this would have happened.

 

‘Did he cheat on her?’

 

My hand tightened on the sword of its own accord. No matter how much I think about it, I have to kill him.

 

It was right for him to step in and finish the job before Dahlia was hurt, before things got worse.

 “She likes him a lot.” “…” “She sends Goldman gifts every day, and they spend time together. Rumor has it they’ve already exchanged rings.” “…” “Isn’t it you, Your Excellency, who wants the Princess’s happiness more than anyone else?” 

He was frozen in place.

 

‘Dahlia’s happiness…’

 

I know she likes him very much.

 

She smiled so beautifully when she said she had someone in mind, and she spoke so confidently of trusting the one she chose. I couldn’t help but notice.

 

But Dahlia would never be happy, because the person she loves has his eyes on someone else.

 

All she’d ever want was a love that would never return.

 

‘Like my mother.’

 

Rather than seeing that scene again, it would be better to be resented.

 

But when I think of Dahlia, who would weep, when I picture Dahlia, who would turn her back on me forever…

 “…” Clang— 

Rudrick finally let go of the sword.

 

And even as the Ruth Fedex that had been clutching onto his pants sagged with relief, and the sword that had been clutched at his feet fell to the ground, he remained motionless

 

He just stood there, mesmerized, staring blankly at his empty hand.

 

A tingle ran through his fingertips.

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he was sick. His empty chest throbbed as though it were being squeezed into a fist.

 

A small voice groaned through his throat.

 “Dahlia…”  

After forming an alliance with Lord River. I immediately made this suggestion to him.

 “Then get engaged to me.” 

He immediately looked dumbfounded. He looked overly surprised for someone who had just asked him what he was supposed to do.

 “What?” “Oh, I’m sorry, I phrased it a little oddly. Not engaged, but pretending to be engaged, which is all well and good in moderation, but we have to fool the Duke first, so it’s almost a done deal…” “What? Wait, wait!” 

He interrupted me urgently, and then continued slowly, as if he didn’t know what to say.

 “That, that…I’ve already told you, I’m…” “What, you have someone you like?” “…” “What’s wrong with that?” 

Lord River’s face colored with embarrassment.

 “What do you mean…” “It doesn’t mean anything, I merely proposed an engagement as a means to bring down the gambling house, or to be more precise, a pretense of an engagement.” “…” “What do you want to do?” 

Lord River was speechless for a moment. His mouth opened and closed as if he were about to say something, but he finally spoke with a faint sigh.

 “…You said this because you knew I wouldn’t be able to refuse.” 

I smirked and blurted out a string of words,

“Don’t worry, if things work out, the engagement will naturally break off anyway, and I’ll be the one to dash off first.” “What does that mean…” “What the Duke wants most right now.” 

I asked him out of nowhere,

“What do you think your father wants most from you right now?” “From me…?” 

Lord River thought for a moment. Not long after, he let out a short exclamation, as if he had realized something.

 “Becoming the Princess’s husband.” “That’s right, the Duke is in desperate need right now. He needs capital to expand his gambling house, and you’re the man of the family who can provide that capital.” “…” “The news of your engagement with me will be an opportunity for the Duke, and he’ll be overjoyed, and I’m sure he’ll thank you for bringing it to his attention.” 

I lowered my voice whispering,

“Then you will be able to gain the Duke’s trust.” “…” 

Lord River swallowed dryly.

 “What do you intend to do with his trust…” “Find someone to run the gambling house?” “…!” “What do you think he’d say if he found out that his second son, who just happened to be the lucky one who asked to marry a Princess for the family, was helping his father with his work?” 

He clenched his fists wordlessly. Then he lifted his head, looked at me, and muttered softly.

 “…I guess I’ll need to deal with it.” “Can you do it?” “I’ll try.” 

I smiled at his determined look.

 

After that, Lord River and I talked a few more things before we parted ways.

 

Some promises about how we should behave in the future, some things we hadn’t known each other about, and finally the machinations of the Duke of Goldman.

 — ‘I went north purely at my father’s command,’

he said.

 

At last, Lord River told her what had happened. Why he became involved in the subjugation of the North, he was ordered to watch the Duke of Bouser, and…

 — ‘You were told to bring what?’

 — ‘Yes, when the time comes, someone will hand me the goods, and I must bring them safely to the capital.’

 

Lord River said he didn’t know what it was, but somehow I knew what Duke Goldman was talking about.

 

There was only one treasure to steal from Duke Bouser’s house.

 

‘

The ring.’

 

So it was Duke Goldman who was behind Mrs. Fedwick, and as soon as I realized it, I asked urgently.

 — ‘Is that the reason you took it?’

 

But Lord River only shook his head, his grim.

 

Instead, Lord River was suspicious of his father’s orders and investigated, and he realized that there were some people planted by the Duke of Goldman in the Bouser residence.

 

That’s why he warned me to

‘be careful’

at the party, and before we parted, he repeated the same words one more time.

 

‘Be careful.’

 

I nodded and parted ways with him. On the way home, I suddenly remembered Rudrick.

 

‘I guess I should tell him.’

 

Although he told me it was family business and I shouldn’t bother, I couldn’t keep what I’d learned to myself. It might help him, after all.

 

I wondered if I should go see Rudrick right away, but I shook my head.

 

He’d be busy with the continuing subjugation, and I had enough to deal with at the moment.

 

‘What if word gets out, and he comes to me, curious??’

 

Then I would have to tell him everything. I only thought about it so casually.

 

As I expected, a bit of gossip would spread quickly, especially when it comes from two powerful Dukes.

 

And as I suspected, news of Lord River’s engagement spread across the empire within days.

 

But it was an unexpected visitor who came to see me.

 “O’Neill?”