Male Lead, Don’t Follow Me! - Chapter 11

This guy is definitely dangerous. Every line he says is that of a playboy, not to mention his ingrained skillfulness.

“Absolutely not, not at all!”

“You’re denying it that much? How cruel.”

Serhin, who was clearly experienced in anyone’s eyes, was enjoying this situation.

Let’s stop talking.

“Thank you for treating me.”

I moved far away from Serhin. For the time being, he’s my number one target for caution.

Serhin reached out to me as I moved away, pulling at my collar. He whispered to me as I leaned slightly towards him.

“But the mana was convincing, right?”

My whole body stiffened at his words.

***

“My lady, you’re out of your mind!”

I was pacing back and forth in the room, biting my nails, when I stopped abruptly at Ena’s words.

“Aaaaaargh! I think I’ve gotten into trouble!”

I felt like dying right then and there. That day, Serhin had left those words with me and then nonchalantly returned to the line of magicians.

What on earth? What could it be?

Why did he manifest mana even though he knew it was an artificial trace I had created?

They say the mana calmed down after a brief manifestation.

‘What on earth could Serhin be thinking?’

I was on the verge of going crazy with anxiety.

“My lady, Lady Kirin is here.”

“Tell her to come in.”

I grabbed the back of my neck when I saw what Ephelia was holding as she entered the room shortly after.

It was an invitation from Duke Bishwaltz’s family.

“That bas… I mean, why does Duke Bishwaltz want to see you?”

I stood up abruptly and shouted.

Ephelia also showed me the invitation with a puzzled expression.

“It seems I’ve been invited as a spirit mage……”

“But why! No way!”

Ephelia tilted her head, looking at me as I strongly objected.

I had never opposed anything she did before. And soon after, Ephelia clapped her hands as if she had realized something.

“Ah! Come to think of it, the person you mentioned seems similar to Duke Bishwaltz.”

You’re only realizing that now?

Good gracious.

I was at a loss for words at Ephelia’s unexpectedly slow perception.

If there was any consolation, it was that she always remembered what I had said.

“Do you have to go?”

“Well….. Since it’s an official request from the Duke’s family, I can’t refuse.”

“But why does it have to be you!”

“Because I’m the most talented among the spirit mages…?”

Ephelia shrugged her shoulders. I couldn’t argue because what she said was true.

She was indeed a talented individual among spirit mages, so it wasn’t strange that they would seek her out in this situation.

But for me, it was a different problem.

Of course, Ephelia was talented.

But there was another reason why she had to go to Duke Bishwaltz’s family.

I had heard rumors that the Duke’s family had recently taken an interest in her.

‘What should I do……’

If things continued like this, it was only a matter of time before he would become interested in Ephelia.

As I was biting my nails in anxiety, I thought of a magic potion.

“How about we do this?”

Ephelia’s eyes widened at the potion I pulled out.

“Is it really okay to do this?”

“Ephelia. I can’t just stand by and watch you become unhappy.”

“Kiara……”

Ephelia nodded reluctantly at my words.

“But we need to be careful. There will be a time limit, and if you use spirit powers, it’s obvious you’ll be caught.”

“Don’t worry. Who do you think I am?”

What I pulled out was none other than a disguise potion.

Unable to let her go, I decided to become Ephelia for a while.

Perhaps thanks to the story she had heard from me, Ephelia, although reluctant, eventually agreed to participate in my plan.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Please be very careful.”

I left the house in Ephelia’s place and got into the carriage. The time limit was half a day.

It was enough.

***

“Lady Kirin has arrived.”

Duke Bishwaltz nodded.

He paused as he mulled over the events of that day.

‘It was strange to call it the power of a magical beast.’

No matter how he thought about it, things didn’t add up.

The fact that there was no reaction from the spirits afterward was particularly suspicious.

“Just how long do you plan to stay here?”

“It’s about the magical beast, so I should be here too.”

Serhin smiled as he savored his coffee in Bishwaltz’s office.

‘I’m sorry about this.’

He inwardly apologized as he watched Bishwaltz racking his brains.

Since he had manifested the mana for her sake, there would be no trace to find no matter how hard they looked.

“But no matter how I think about it, I can’t understand. How could mana that manifested in such a short time disappear without a trace?”

Although they knew nothing about magical beasts, it was almost as powerful as high-level magic.

“I know. It’s my first time seeing it too.”

“Are you sure the Magic Tower didn’t find out anything?”

“Nothing.”

Even if they had sensed his mana, the magicians of the Magic Tower wouldn’t dare to speak up. They were practically Serhin’s fanatics.

“By the way, why did you call Lady Kirin?”

“She was simply recommended by the spirit mages. Besides, her spirit found the trace, didn’t it?”

“Is that so?”

It’s not just because of that, you sly fox.

Serhin shook his head as he looked at Bishwaltz, who wasn’t revealing his true intentions.

‘It’s a pity, that Lady Ephelia did have the power to draw people’s attention.’

Serhin kept thinking of the pink-haired girl.

Kiara, was it?

It would have been nice if the girl he saw then had come.

‘I have something to say to her too.’

He stood up, seemingly no longer finding the situation amusing.

“Are you leaving?”

“Well, I don’t think there’s any need for me to be here. I’m not interested in other people’s love affairs.”

“Love affairs?”

Bishwaltz frowned as if displeased.

At that moment, Ephelia entered through the door.

Ephelia’s expression seemed quite tense due to the chilly atmosphere inside.

Serhin raised one corner of his mouth as he looked at Ephelia standing before him.

‘I guess she didn’t expect me to be here.’

All potions sold in magic shops come from the Magic Tower.

This meant that the disguise potion she used was also created through Serhin’s hands.

“I’ve changed my mind. I think I’ll stay a bit longer.”

***

Why on earth is that person here?

I swallowed hard when I saw Serhin as I opened the door and entered.

‘He hasn’t noticed, has he?’

I glanced at him sitting nonchalantly in his seat.

“I apologize for calling you here separately.”

Bishwaltz extended his hand to me, observing proper etiquette.

I recalled Ephelia’s behavior and greeted him gracefully before taking a seat.

“There are no magical beasts in the Forbidden Forest. For that reason, we won’t be conducting any further investigations.”

No more investigations?

That was welcome news. I nodded my head, inwardly rejoicing.

“The reason I called you separately, My Lady, is for a personal matter.”

In truth, there was another reason why he had called Ephelia.

Serhin also guessed why Bishwaltz had specifically called Ephelia separately.