Rolling in Bed with the Male Lead

"Are you really insane?"

In a corner of the mansion corridor, Derek pressed his thick fingers firmly against Richard's forehead, pinning him against the wall.

"No."

Richard smiled mockingly. Even as Derek's prodding snapped his head back several times, he continued laughing, truly looking like a madman.

"Ha. You call that the behavior of someone sane?"

Derek clicked his tongue in exasperation. There was no reasoning with this lunatic.

Well, considering he'd pulled that kind of stunt twice, even in front of the Crown Prince, it was no wonder.

"Stay in your room."

After issuing the command, Derek turned his back. He could feel Richard's gaze boring into the back of his head, but he ignored it.

He wasn't like this before.

Clicking his tongue as he walked down the corridor, Derek grew annoyed. Richard Friedrich hadn't always been like this.

Weak and timid. Unmanly.

The coward who would tremble in fear merely at the sight of his face—that was the Richard Friedrich he knew...

Did he eat something wrong?

Richard Friedrich had changed.

He had changed beyond recognition.

Ever since the day of the banquet. Ever since "that incident."

He had become audacious, as though his guts had swollen. He acted like a madman, and above all... he no longer feared Derek Friedrich.

Tsk.

Derek's brow furrowed deeply.

He didn't like it. How dare a lowly illegitimate child?

His arrogant demeanor grated on him.

Derek strode down the corridor with a grimace, taking heavy steps. Before he knew it, the staircase leading downstairs came into view.

He stomped down the carpeted stairs without hesitation.

Just as he reached the first floor of the mansion—

"The largest room was prepared, correct?"

"Yes. The cleaning is complete, and everything necessary has been arranged."

He spotted the mansion's maids speaking with serious expressions.

?..

Derek tilted his head and approached them.

"Young Master Derek."

The maids hastily stepped aside and bowed respectfully.

Derek asked,

"What's going on?"

"Ah, well..."

The head maid raised her head and reported.

"Due to the heavy snowfall, the carriages cannot travel... His Highness the Crown Prince will be staying at the mansion for one night. We were preparing the bedroom for His Highness."

Ah.

"Is that all? Then it's no big deal."

Losing interest, Derek tapped her shoulder and walked past.

He looked around as he wandered through the first floor of the mansion.

Where is Father?

I wonder if his conversation with His Highness the Crown Prince ended well. If it concluded without issue, there might be some crumbs left for me.

As he wandered, lost in thought, an angry voice pierced his ears from behind.

"Derek Friedrich!"

His father, Albert Friedrich, was looking for him, fuming.

"There you are, Derek Friedrich!"

It seemed dinner had not ended on a pleasant note. Albert looked as though steam were rising from his entire body.

Derek turned toward him and cautiously opened his mouth.

"Ah, Father. Is something..."

"Something?! How can you even ask that?!"

Albert roughly seized Derek by the shoulders.

Derek's eyes twitched slightly.

"It's all going to be ruined! Because of you and that lunatic!"

Albert shouted, his eyes bloodshot.

Startled, Derek squeezed his eyes shut.

His fear was short-lived, and he cautiously began to voice his grievance.

"W-well, even if that bastard Richard is like that, why am I..."

"Isn't it because you failed to keep him under control?!"

Albert flared up again.

"Ha, but..."

Why should I be responsible just because that lunatic went crazy on his own?!

Derek felt deeply wronged. Defiance rose to the tip of his tongue.

"But what?!"

"N-no, it's nothing."

He fell silent, like a mute who had swallowed honey. His chin trembled.

Because he was afraid of his father.

"Just you wait. From now on, you'll have to keep a close eye on your younger brother."

Albert spoke in an icy voice.

It was a warning. If Richard caused another problem with his insane antics, Derek would also be held responsible.

"Yes, Father..."

It was unfair. But Derek could only nod obediently.

Because, as always, he was afraid.

"Haa..."

Only then did Albert release Derek and stride away with heavy steps.

"..."

Derek remained frozen in place for a long time. Only after confirming that Albert had completely disappeared from sight did he let out a sigh of relief.

Shit. Damn it...

Derek clenched his fist tightly. Why should I suffer this humiliation when I've done nothing wrong?!

Once the fear faded, resentment reared its head.

Because of that bastard!..

His thoughts inevitably turned toward blaming Richard Friedrich, that lunatic, for everything.

Gritting his teeth, Derek began storming down the corridor.

I need to teach him a lesson.

Anyway, Richard Friedrich needs a beating to come to his senses.

He intended to beat him so badly that he would be unable to move for days. Derek repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fist.

How dare a lowly illegitimate child...

That bastard Richard's birth mother had been neither a noblewoman nor a commoner, but a lowly slave. He had been born with filthy blood.

He should be grateful he was even allowed to live in Friedrich Mansion!

And that smooth, pretty face pisses me off too...

It had irritated him from the beginning.

What kind of man had such long eyelashes and such a delicate face?

The noble young ladies would chirp happily that he was as beautiful as an angel, with his platinum hair and watery blue eyes, but Derek could not understand it.

Even the young lady Derek secretly liked...

"..."

A deep crease formed between Derek's brows.

Thinking about it soured his mood even further. He stomped up to the top floor with steps heavy enough to break the stairs.

Richard's bedroom was in the attic, alongside the servants' quarters. Even that was more than the bastard deserved, but still.

BAM!

"Richard Friedrich!"

Without so much as a knock, Derek shoved the door wide open.

"Brother?"

The bastard was sitting peacefully on his bed, reading a book.

After what I went through because of him!

At the sight, Derek's anger flared even higher.

"What are you looking at?! Give it here!"

Derek crossed the room to the bed and snatched the book from his hand.

!..

Richard's pupils widened slightly, his expression flustered.

"What? Were you looking at something dirty?"

Feeling a cheap sense of satisfaction, Derek looked down at the book.

"..."

He saw flesh.

A graphic illustration vividly depicted two naked men engaged in intercourse.

"You lunatic!"

Derek immediately hurled the book away.

"Shit, you disgusting bastard. Do you really like men?"

Derek's eyelids fluttered. This crazy bastard had been looking at a book depicting relations between men.

Goosebumps rose all the way to his scalp.

"..."

Richard Friedrich spoke with a perfectly composed expression.

"Love isn't a crime, is it?.."

"Shut up!"

Unable to bear hearing any more, Derek covered Richard's mouth with his palm.

Th-this...

I need to teach him a lesson. I have to.

Even though he had come here intending to give Richard a thorough beating, seeing him do yet another insane thing drained the strength from his body.

"Ha..."

Derek closed his eyes, trying to control his irritation.

Think. Think, Derek Friedrich.

Isn't there some way to punish this lunatic...

!..

Derek's eyes shot open. An outrageous idea flashed through his mind.

"Hey, Richard."

He grinned slyly.

"Do you like His Highness the Crown Prince that much?"

He had thought of a good way to torment the bastard.

"Yes."

He looked the bastard up and down as Richard answered with an innocent expression.

"Yeah? If you like His Highness the Crown Prince so much..."

He chuckled under his breath.

"Why don't you go serve him tonight?"

"Why don't you go serve him tonight."

"..."

Pfft.

Richard laughed inwardly at Derek.

Well, he really is childish.

To think that's all he could come up with.

"For a prestigious household like Marquis Friedrich's, it would be improper not to have anyone serve His Highness at night, wouldn't it? And since you happen to adore His Highness... you'd be perfect."

It was a lie so flimsy that even a child would not fall for it. What noble would dare send someone to serve the Crown Prince at night without permission?

He probably just wants to see me punished for committing a grave discourtesy toward His Highness.

Although Richard had completely seen through Derek's intentions, he blinked innocently, pretending not to understand.

"Me?"

"Yes! Since it's getting late... you should go right now."

Derek's thick hand suddenly seized Richard's wrist.

!..

Richard stumbled forward, dragged along by the forceful pull.

After passing through the corridor and descending the stairs, Derek stopped in front of a certain guest bedroom on the second floor.

"Here. Go in."

Derek chuckled. He pushed Richard in the back as though telling him to do his best, then scurried away with a malicious grin.

Perhaps it was time for the changing of the guard, because the area in front of the door was empty, without a single knight present.

"..."

Left alone, Richard quietly stared at the closed door. The mansion corridor was deserted in the dead of night.

Slowly, the corner of Richard's mouth curled upward.

Perfect.

This was what he had wanted anyway.

Although it meant playing along with Derek's stupid scheme, when he thought about it, it was not a bad thing.

After all, he was in a position where he had to seduce Cailus.

With a cool smile in his eyes, Richard examined his attire. Since he had been resting in his bedroom until a moment ago, his white shirt was thin enough to faintly reveal the skin beneath it.

Pop, pop.

With one hand, Richard undid three or four buttons and stepped closer to the door.

Knock, knock.

He knocked.

"..."

No permission to enter came.

Creak!

But Richard grasped the doorknob and turned it without hesitation.

!..

A spacious bedroom came into view. The man sitting at a table to one side of the room, dressed in light clothing and drinking tea, froze.

His sharp red eyes turned toward Richard.

With a gentle smile, Richard stepped into the room.

"I've come to serve you tonight, Your Highness."

Thump.

Click.

The door locked beneath his hand.

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