Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 39

How would I know about that?

I didn’t argue much because a part of me understood what Cheshire meant.

Despite the harsh warnings from mages about the consequences of dark magic, apprentices were still becoming dark wizards every year.

Perhaps it was the never-ending greed of humans that blinded them into paying such a high price.

Once a man knows the warmth of a fire, he will never give up that comfort.

Even if it meant everything would be destroyed as its consequence.

“Don’t worry so much. An innocent child like Seedo will never become a dark wizard.”

He smiled lightly, reassuring me with his words, which felt unexpectedly solemn.

I was thinking about protesting in front of him for what happened in class today.

However, I just couldn’t understand whether Cheshire’s methods were right or wrong.

I still had much to learn about this world, and perhaps Cheshire’s lessons were guiding Leo down towards a right path.

Walking in silence, we soon reached the main gate of the mansion.

The carriage Cheshire had called for had not yet arrived.

As we waited for the carriage, Cheshire looked at me as if he had something to ask.

“You know, people generally like pretty and beautiful things.”

For most people it was true.

I absentmindedly nodded, wondering where this was going, until he said…

“But why don’t you like me?”

I was caught off guard.

Generally, humans like pretty and beautiful things. Cheshire is pretty and beautiful.

Therefore, Belinda Blanche, a normal human, must like him. At first glance, the perfect syllogism on his head seemed flawless.

(E/N – Syllogism: a deductive scheme of a formal argument consisting of a major and a minor premise and a conclusion. Basically, it is used as a reference to define a crafty person)

I can’t really argue with the first two propositions.

But the final conclusion was……

“You’re overly self-conscious about yourself. You are a true narcissist.”

“I see. But I think you could use a bit more of your self-awareness, dear customer.”

I raised an eyebrow.

Did he just say something sarcastic, that I didn’t understand?

At that moment, the wind blew, tossing my hair into disarray.

A faint golden glow emanated from Cheshire’s eyes, and butterflies from the lesson fluttered around.

They delicately rearranged my unruly locks.

When my gaze returned to Cheshire after being momentarily stolen by the butterflies, he was holding a handful of my hair that the butterflies had missed.

“By the way, I adore roses that are so arrogantly beautiful, yet with thorns that make them untouchable.”

Cheshire, like a butterfly, lightly kissed my red hair and swept it behind my ear. A move that caught me off guard and freezing my entire body.

The reason I couldn’t stop his actions was probably because my whole body froze up for a moment at the sight of his face approaching closer to mine.

Time seemed to have slowed down, capturing everything in vivid details.

His face was as sweet and beautiful as that of the gods of the old mythology who presided over love.

Ashen eyes with a golden tint, resembling the birth and death of a star exploding like a supernova.

Lips that slowly parted as if to whisper the sweet language of love.

I was captivated by it and was reading Cheshire’s words with my eyes rather than hearing them with my ears…

“It’s getting chilly.”

Sir Penadel’s voice jolted me back into reality.

‘It’s getting chilly?’

No way. It’s perfect day for a walk, the sun is also very warm today.

I stared blankly, trying to understand what was on my shoulders.

It was Vivian’s robe.

I turned around and saw Vivian and Terry at a distance, gesturing towards Sir Penadel, then hurrying away.

I felt my sudden sense of reality returning.

I clutched Vivian’s robe and looked back at Cheshire.

“What did you just say?”

“…It’s nothing.”

His answer left an unsettling feeling in me.

Before I could press onto him further, Cheshire already hopped onto the carriage that had arrived.

A butterfly, which were not yet gone, circled around me and Cheshire before landing on my fingertips.

It felt unusually heavy.

“Convey my regards to Seedo.”

Leaning against the window, Cheshire smiled at me as usual.

“To say sorry for being mean, and also to celebrate his magic spark.”

With a light tap on the carriage door, he signaled the coachman to depart without waiting for my response.

I, along with Cheshire’s butterfly, received an escort from Sir Penadel back to the mansion.

It was just after that, I went inside, comforted Leo in my own way, eaten dinner and read him a bedtime story under the pretext of teaching him to write.

As Leo slept, the butterfly sat on his head like a decoration item and was slowly flapping its wings.

The butterfly’s beautifully polished wings, like the surface of a precious metal, glistened at the candlelight.

The events of the afternoon flashed through my head like a video being replayed.

“Ah.”

Sometimes, this happens.

When some kind of trigger makes a memory from my past come alive into my mind.

Suddenly, I could recall the words Cheshire said to me in front of the main gate.

“That’s why I like people like you, dear customer.”

In a quiet night as still as a dead mouse. I covered my mouth with both hands, afraid that a scream might burst out.

* * * *

I had always found Cheshire’s way of speaking and attitude towards me a bit peculiar.

But thinking back at those moments…

“Can you lend me your shoulder for a moment, Master?”

“It was a personal interest.”

“However, I can make an exception for you, dear customer.”

“That’s why I like people like you, dear customer.”

If all that was meant to express his interest in Belinda, then it made sense.

I invited Cheshire for dinner after Leo’s class, as usual.

As expected, he readily accepted the invitation.

I had alerted Terry that Cheshire would be joining us for dinner, so I dropped him off first, did some quick preparation and headed down towards the dining room.

“……?”

But there was a strange atmosphere in that room.

Terry and Cheshire were smiling, but there was a chill in the air.

I placed all the party invitations that I had been holding in my hand onto the table and glanced over the long dining table.

The seat to my left which was the most prestigious, belonged to Leo, and the seat to my right to Sir Penadel.

However, Cheshire boldly took Sir Penadel’s seat and waved his hand casually at my direction.

I glanced at Sir Penadel, who had been pushed to the farthest end of the table. I took my seat and ringed the bell.

Shortly after, the servants started setting the table, bringing a variety of dishes from appetizers like soup to fish dishes and main course all at once.

Then they left the dining room.

Although the servants served the meal, Terry was the one who tasted the food.

She nibbled at the food, tasting it carefully to make sure it wasn’t poisoned, and carefully transferred small amounts onto individual plates.

While the food was being set, I put on the glasses I’d brought along and leisurely examined the invitations.

While placing my share of the salad on the bowl in front of me, Terry asked.

“Master, are you very busy?”

She seemed concerned as I hadn’t brought any of my work to the table despite the busy atmosphere.

“Just looking for a party to attend.”

I lied. There was no party.

The only reason I brought invitations to the table was so I could look natural with my glasses on.

“Do you like turkey meat?”

Terry asked our guest of honor as she skillfully dismantled the main dish of the day, a roasted turkey.

As Vivian was known to be a hearty eater, three turkeys were brought to the table, and it required considerable skill to dismantle them due to their size.

…..Though, Terry didn’t have too much trouble with it, slicing and dicing the flesh was her specialty.

“How is it?”

“Perhaps you’ll come to like it from today. The chef’s skills in handling meat are excellent.”

Terry efficiently dismantled the three turkeys, separating them into different parts and serving each onto the individual’s plate.

“As our guest, I’ll give you the most delicious and special part.”

Soon, I almost spat out what was in my mouth when I saw what was served on Cheshire’s plate.

Cheshire, looking at the neatly arranged three turkey necks on his plate, raised the corners of his mouth.

It was a smile that had never been shown in front of me before, an elegant but somewhat chilling at the same time.

“You are treating your guest splendidly.”

“Don’t mention it.”

What’s with them? Why are they acting so rude towards each other?