I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend

After O’Neill’s stabbing spree.

 

At some point, she started stamping our house every day.

 

I don’t know why she’s suddenly doing this, when just a few days ago she was holed up in the north, not wanting to come out.

 

When she shows up unannounced and waits for me in the parlor, I wonder if I’m the same person who was so obsessed with entering and exiting the Bouser mansion not so long ago.

 

‘Never again.’

 

And the reason for her daily visits was simpler than I thought.

 “Please let me help.” “Again,”

 

 

She said, because her characteristic backbiting had kicked in.

 

No, I don’t know if I should call it an obsession or an attachment.

 

As before, she put on her angelic face and announced that she wanted to help me, and I was about to say no when I realized that I had already given her a handful of things.

 “It’s okay, I already have Lord River’s help, so there’s no need for O’Neill…” “Why? Why River and not me?” 

You don’t know that?!

 

I wanted to shout,

‘Think of all the things you’ve done,’

but I managed to swallow.

 

No matter what I said, O’Neill would still be like,

‘Why?’

and I knew she wouldn’t understand, and if I got it wrong, I could have started a second war with her.

 

And then there’s no telling what else might happen, if it goes beyond the arguing and the stabbings… if it goes beyond that… to something more frightening.

 

‘Horrible, really.’

 

Looking at O’Neill with complicated eyes, who had suddenly gone from

‘original heroine’

to

‘walking time bomb,’

I tried to soothe her as gently as I could.

 “O’Neill, I have my own work to do, and it’s important to me, so if you could focus more on that…” “Of course, I’m focusing on my research, and it’s not like helping you out in my spare time is going to interfere with that.” “The… why don’t you take a break if you have some time to spare? You must be working hard on your research, so why not take a break during that time…” “Helping you is why I’m taking a break, and the thought of you being happy that your work is going well gives me a boost.” 

O’Neill pumped her fists in the air in a cute little gesture, but knowing her true colors, I was almost giddy.

 

‘And you’re going to do something stupid again! Is this what it means to be a ‘smiling maniac X’?’

 

I hesitated for a moment, not knowing where to turn, and then, as if sensing my hesitation, O’Neill spoke up.

 “I’m sure there’s something I can help you with, I’m a wizard, and I can do anything that requires magic.” “…” “I won’t go off without knowing the subject like last time, I’ll just support you from behind, and if that’s not enough…” 

O’Neill said grimly,

“Since you don’t trust me…” “Never!”  

I blurted out,

“You can’t say anything about becoming a mistress, or using your body, or anything like that.” “Yes.” “The most important thing is your own safety. Okay? If something goes wrong, you have to go with the mindset of, ‘Me first!’ attitude.” “Got it.” “And the knife is confiscated. If you cut yourself like you did last time, I won’t see O’Neill for the rest of my life, do you understand?” “Sure.” 

I watched her nod meekly and sighed, deeply. Then I turned to her, my eyes twinkling in secret expectation.

 “…I’ll let you know if I need anything.” 

From then on, O’Neill began to walk in and out of Averine’s mansion with confidence.

 

To be honest, it wasn’t without regret. Later, after she left, I thought,

‘Should I just say no?’

 

But she was right, objectively, she was very capable.

 

If she can easily cast high-level magic even in the north, where the magic waves are unstable, it might come in handy someday.

 

‘Let’s give her a chance.’

 

Honestly, I’m still a little nervous, but I figured I’d better keep my wits about me.

 

I tolerated her behavior every time she came to the Averine estate, and she naturally spent more time with me.

 

How could I have ever said to her, as she came and went, as if she belonged here?

 “If you’re going to do this, why don’t you stay with us instead of at the Bouser mansion? I think it would be better for you.” 

Although she would visit the mansion from time to time, she would also go back whenever she could.

 

I brought it up because I figured if she was going to keep coming here anyway, 

 “Why bother?”

her response was odd.

 

O’Neill was visibly flustered and quickly threw up her hands.

 “No! I’m comfortable where I am… and I couldn’t be more trouble to you, Princess…” “It’s not trouble?” “Oh, the… research! I have to travel to the north of the province often for research, and it’s easier to trouble Bouser Manor, where there is a transportation circle.” “Really?” 

I nodded unenthusiastically at the rushed explanation. Then it dawned on me.

 

‘But O’Neill can come and go as she pleases, even if she doesn’t have a transportation circle, right?’ 

 

It wasn’t that I didn’t question it, but it might be hard to cast that much magic every time, and it might be easier to use a traveling circle.

 

Otherwise, why stay at the Bouser mansion…

 

‘Because of Rudrik?’

 

I gasped and stiffened at the sudden realization.

 

‘Speaking of which, what’s going on with Rudrick?’

 

It seems like it wasn’t that long ago that I was struggling with this question.

 

Whether it was O’Neill’s increasingly unorthodox behavior or the fact that things had gotten busier with Lord River, I’d forgotten.

 

For some time now, my nervous trips in and out of Bouser’s mansion seemed distant, and I quickly realized why.

 

‘O’Neill’s been hanging out with me a lot lately.’

 

That means she wasn’t with Rudrick after all, which makes me cringe. 

 

But then I remembered that she had been chanting a mantra that she and Rudrick were friends, and when he tried to distract me, she became impatient and fondly remembered that I had pushed them apart.

 

Still, my conscience pricked, wondering if I was being unnecessarily greedy, I asked in a passing tone of disinterest.

 “By the way, is it okay if I don’t date Rudrick, since we’ve been hanging out so much?” “Yeah, it doesn’t matter.” “What?” “What…” 

She rolled her eyes at my puzzled expression at her breezy, cool answer, and then said lightly.

 “I don’t think we need to do that anymore.” 

What?

 

But whether I was embarrassed or not, she just smirked, and then asked, as if nothing had happened.

 “By the way, I thought you were planning to head out. Where are you going?” “What? Oh…” 

I looked at her, feeling nervous. I think she’s just changing the subject on purpose.

 “Yeah. I was supposed to meet up today.” “With whom?” “Sir River and…” “What?” 

After answering her casual question without thinking, I looked up with an ‘oops’.

 

Sure enough, there was O’Neill, looking like a stone.

 “What? Why are you seeing him?” “What? I told you, we have to pretend to be engaged for the sake of the plan.” “But you don’t have to meet, can’t you just keep sending him gifts like you’ve been doing? Do you have to see him face to face?” “But we’ve been seeing each other?” “You were even seeing him?!” 

What’s wrong with you guys?!

 

I opened my mouth in disbelief, almost at the point of a ‘continued detour’.

 

What the hell does this mean?

 

It’s like catching a cheating lover in the act.

 

But O’Neill, who was nervously chewing on her lip, oblivious to my embarrassment, raised her head and looked at me.

 

And then she exclaimed boldly,

“I’m coming with you!” “What?” 

Jeron, who had just entered the room, exclaimed,

“Me too!” 

What’s wrong with you?!

  “Hey, what the heck…” “Haha…” 

Lord River looked at me in bewilderment, and I made an awkward smile and quickly looked away.

 

I was surprised when I realized that the two people sitting on either side of me were glaring at each other.

 

In the end, I couldn’t stop them from following me.

 

O’Neill looked like she’d kill if I didn’t follow her right away, and Jeron…

 — ‘Why are you following me again!’

 — ‘I think you two are up to something, and I should know, after all the help I’ve given you.’

 

…I didn’t know what to say, so I brought him along. 

 

Of course, I had already told Jeron the general plan, but I hadn’t told him the details. No, more accurately, I hadn’t told him the details.

 

‘How can I tell you anything when we don’t even have a plan yet?’

 

So far, Lord River and I had been going through a pattern of meeting, hanging out awkwardly, and then parting ways.

 

In truth, that was half the battle.

 

Until the Duke of Goldman stabbed us in the back, he and I were to play lovers on the verge of engagement, and we agreed that we would meet regularly to give him the appearance of dating.

 

Our meeting places varied.

 

Famous theaters, atmospheric tea houses, and scenic spots.

 

Most of them were great places for lovers to go on dates, but they were more effective at fueling rumors.

 

Now, wherever we went, people took us for granted as a couple.

 

‘We were just going to meet at a restaurant today, have a quick lunch, and then leave.’

 

I had to change my plans at the last minute when they followed me.

 

Instead of a place where I could put on a romantic act, I decided to find a place where we could have a moderately confidential conversation.

 

My room, for example.

 

‘I’m glad he didn’t say anything, but…’

 

I gazed at Lord River with complex emotion.

 

This was something I knew from the moment I decided to take O’Neill with me, even though he had already admitted that he was in love with her.

 

Seeing it with my own two eyes was more surprising than I expected.

 

From the moment he first spotted her, he couldn’t hide his bewilderment, and he hasn’t been able to take his eyes off her for a single moment since.

 

Even Jeron, who had been forewarned, looked bored.

 “It’s piercing, like being drilled.” 

‘That’s the thing.’

 

And O’Neill was O’Neill.

 

Normally, when someone looks at you like that, you’d realize it, but you’re ignoring him like he doesn’t exist.

 

‘I see you weren’t empty in disliking him.’

 

I clicked my tongue at Lord River’s plight of another failed love.

 

Lord River finally gave up and looked away from O’Neill. Then he turned to me, a bitter look on his face, and when his gaze met mine, he stiffened.

 

‘Huh?’

I stared at Lord River in disbelief. 

 

But he seemed to start fidgeting suddenly, wondering what else was wrong.

 

Eventually, it was he who spoke first.

 “Well, my lady… there’s something I need to tell you first.” “What?” “I actually…”

He trailed off, shaking his head.

 “I think I’ve made a mistake…” 

With that, Lord River began to recount a story from a few days ago.

 

He said that he had recently run into Rudrick at the palace.

 

I was actually surprised at that point. Here I thought Rudrick was in the midst of a crusade in the north, but he’d come to the capital and stopped by the palace.

 

‘Was there an urgent matter?’

 

As I shook my head. Lord River continued.

 — ‘Rudrick happened to see me and my father talking about it, and it had something to do with the engagement.’ 

 

That, he said, must have been a firm misunderstanding on his part, for Rudrick, who already knew the truth of his intentions, was not in the least surprised.

 

I was surprised for the second time.

 

‘He knew?’ 

 

Our Rudrick wasn’t that perceptive, was he?

 

I stared at Lord River, intending to ask him more about what had happened.

 

But that wasn’t the end of his story. He and Rudrick had a misunderstanding that led to an argument, and then…

 

I gaped, open-mouthed. Then I asked again,

“What did you say?” 

Lord River narrowed his eyes and said,

“I— I said I was going to take you away from him…”