Rolling in Bed with the Male Lead

Stupid Derek.

Once he reached the shopping district, Richard wandered around with a considerably lighter step.

Well, he’s easy to handle because he’s simple.

It was truly easy to define someone like Derek Friedrich.

A third-rate villain who was rotten to the core, but equally stupid and therefore easy to handle.

He was a character perfectly suited to the minor "role" of merely tormenting Richard Friedrich, the second male lead of this "story."

I don’t dislike you, Derek.

Richard recalled the words he had spoken to him moments ago.

If one called it a lie, it was a lie; if one called it the truth, it was the truth.

One might say it made no sense, but...

It’s because I neither like nor dislike him.

Richard glanced at the leather pouch jingling as he walked and curled the corner of his mouth in satisfaction.

It was true that Derek had persistently tormented him since childhood.

A very long time ago, Richard had feared him, hated him, and wished he would disappear from this world.

But...

That was in the past.

Richard interlaced his fingers and stretched leisurely.

After forty-nine regressions, Richard no longer feared or hated him. After all, he was only stupid Derek.

Even though he was the one who had made Richard’s childhood a living hell...

Anyway, thanks to that, I got to meet Daphne.

That was enough. The corners of Richard’s eyes curved beautifully.

He no longer harbored any particular ill will toward Derek.

Not that he liked him either.

After wandering the streets for quite some time, Richard stopped before Bellinod Atelier, a high-end tailor shop in the capital.

Curling his lips slightly, he stepped inside.

Being fitted for banquet attire was a long and arduous process.

Selecting the fabric, taking measurements, confirming the silhouette, adding decorative details...

Only after enduring the entire lengthy process was he finally able to escape from the tailor. Richard’s shoulders slumped as he emerged into the atelier’s main hall.

"Phew..."

He collapsed weakly onto a sofa.

The outfit will be ready in three days...

Richard rolled his weary eyes.

With his attire taken care of, the next thing he needed to secure was a partner.

Attending a ball with a partner was the most fundamental of fundamentals. All that awaited a noble who attended alone were the piercing gazes and indifference of those around them.

As for the partner who would accompany him, naturally...

He was just sinking into thought when—

Oh my. It’s Young Lord Friedrich.

Did you hear that rumor? The other day at the mansion...

Of course I heard! The rumors were everywhere, weren’t they?

The nobles who had come to have their suits and dresses fitted began buzzing when they saw him.

I heard he even snatched His Highness the Crown Prince’s poisoned tea and drank it.

The hall was instantly swept up in a restless atmosphere.

Poisoned tea?

You haven’t heard? A few days ago, at the tea party...

The nobles exchanging stories kept stealing glances at Richard.

Huh, did he know? No, then why did he do it?

I don’t know. Why don’t we ask him?..

Several of the whispering nobles exchanged glances, then approached Richard.

One young lord stepped forward from among them.

"Young Lord Friedrich. Fancy meeting you here."

He looked down at Richard, who was leaning so far back on the sofa that he was practically lying down.

"Have you come to have your banquet attire fitted?"

"Well... I suppose so."

Richard straightened his limp body as he answered.

However, he immediately slumped back down again.

"There are several rumors circulating about you, Young Lord..."

The young nobleman narrowed his eyes.

"Might they be true?"

"Which ones are you referring to?"

"First, the rumor that you snatched His Highness the Crown Prince’s poisoned tea and drank it."

Eyes gleaming with implication swept over Richard from head to toe.

"Ah, if you mean that, then yes, well..."

Richard rubbed his drowsily drooping eyelids as he replied.

"It’s true."

Because it was a fact.

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"I’m asking why you did such a thing."

The young nobleman’s gaze turned cold.

A small flame of curiosity burned within it, as though he were determined to uncover Richard’s true intentions.

"Hmm..."

Why had he snatched the tea and drunk it?

Richard sank into contemplation. Because if Daphne drank that tea, romance would bloom between the two of them, so he had to stop it somehow...

No, to put it simply...

Well, because that tea was his...

"Because I had to protect it."

Because I had to protect my tea.

Richard answered nonchalantly.

"!.."

At those words, the faces of the surrounding nobles stiffened.

Had to protect it?

Protect what?..

Could it be... His Highness the Crown Prince?

The nobles whispered among themselves with bated breath. A single misunderstanding blossomed among them.

Young Lord Friedrich drank the poisoned tea to protect His Highness the Crown Prince!

"Had to protect it... Why..."

The young nobleman let out a hollow laugh before asking.

"Well, because it was mine."

The indifferent answer flowed from Richard’s lips.

Because it’s my tea.

It was the same reason.

Good heavens!..

However, the nobles misunderstood him once again.

He says His Highness the Crown Prince is his.

Oh my, how romantic...

Are you in your right mind, Young Lady? They’re both men!

Of course, none of it reached the weary Richard’s ears.

He looked away from the young nobleman, who was retreating with a strange expression. Propping his chin on one hand, Richard sank back into his thoughts.

A partner...

A partner to accompany him to the ball at the Chesika Duchy.

Naturally, she would be the best choice.

Richard pictured her in his mind.

It would be difficult to make Cailus my partner...

It was obvious that Cailus would reject him if he asked, since he was still wary of Richard.

Richard decided not to undertake an impossible challenge unnecessarily.

More than anything...

To be honest, he also wanted to be her partner...

"..."

Right. That was indeed his true intention.

He wanted to remain by her side a little longer.

Richard had just resolved to ask her to be his partner and was about to rise from the sofa when—

"Richard?"

Clear jade-green eyes stared directly at him.

"!.."

Richard’s cheeks immediately flushed red.

"Daphne?"

He nearly took a step back instinctively.

No, he actually did take a step back before realizing that the sofa was blocking his way.

Richard opened his mouth with a foolish expression.

"When did you... arrive?"

"Hmm, just now."

Seeing Richard’s flustered face, she burst into laughter. Then, after slowly surveying the spacious atelier hall, she spoke.

"Richard, are you also planning to attend the ball at the Chesika Duchy?"

She was asking whether he had come to have his banquet attire fitted for the ball.

"Ah, yes!.. That’s right."

Richard took a deep breath to cool his heated face.

"I just finished having my outfit fitted and was about to head back..."

Choosing his words carefully so he would not misspeak, Richard suddenly closed his mouth.

Come to think of it!..

Since I’ve run into Daphne, why not ask her to be my partner right now?

"!.."

Realizing this a beat too late, Richard nearly slapped himself across the cheek for his stupidity, but barely managed to restrain himself.

"That’s right, Daphne."

"Hmm?"

"There’s something I’d like to ask you..."

"What is it, Richard?"

She smiled brightly, as though she would grant him anything.

"Would you..."

Struggling to suppress his pounding heart, Richard spoke.

His voice trembled slightly.

"Would you attend the ball at the Chesika Duchy... as my partner?"

He was instinctively nervous, but Richard knew her answer would not be a refusal.

At this point in time, she hated Cailus. There was no chance she would attend as his partner. Therefore, the likelihood that she would accept Richard’s request was high.

Just as he was anticipating an affirmative answer—

"That’s..."

Daphne awkwardly shifted her large jade-green eyes.

"I can’t, Richard."

"What?!"

Richard asked, taken aback.

"Why?! No, I mean... Why not?"

He was genuinely bewildered.

At this point, he was the noble closest to her.

That was the truth.

After Cailus rejected her, Richard had always remained by her side while she secluded herself from High Society.

Just as Richard’s mind filled with confusion, an unexpected answer came.

"I’ve been thinking..."

"..."

"I’m still worried that you might get hurt by His Highness the Crown Prince. But..."

She scratched her cheek.

"If you truly... like His Highness, then supporting you is the right thing to do."

"Wait a moment, Daphne..."

"Being someone’s partner at a ball is an important position too..."

Before Richard could even voice a rebuttal, she spoke as though she had already reached her conclusion.

"I’m not so tactless that I would steal that position from you."

She smiled brightly, as though graciously yielding it to him.

As though telling him to become Cailus’s partner.

"..."

Damn.

Richard sincerely wanted to cry.

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