Male Lead, Don’t Follow Me! - Chapter 3

So, what sound did they hear? Was it about Bishwaltz’s secret? Or was it cursing at him to stay away from Ephelia?

Or could it be the knowledge I have about this place?!

Honestly, I had talked about everything to the point where it would be easier to list what I hadn’t said in the forest.

‘It was supposed to be a forbidden forest! Even the owner didn’t know!’

That’s why I had gone there to pour out my troubled heart.

But now…

It seems like everything has gone wrong.

Bellita seemed a bit burdened by everyone’s attention.

She cleared her throat and spoke with an uncertain tone.

“They said it sounded like a monster crying…”

Huh? A monster?

I blinked and stared at Bellita, not expecting this. However, contrary to my reaction, the young ladies made a fuss.

“Oh my! A monster! We’ve heard rumors, but one has never appeared before!”

“How dreadful. I hope it doesn’t come out to the village.”

But this reaction actually helped me. So, Bishwaltz also thought it was a monster and went to investigate the forbidden forest, meaning he wouldn’t even consider it might be a person.

‘I’ll have to be careful for a while.’

I, who had been terrified, felt the tension release and slumped down in my chair.

Looking at my hand, I saw it seemed fine as if Ephelia had already finished treating it.

“You look shocked, drink this.”

Ephelia handed me a warm cup of tea while patting the back of my hand.

I nodded with a faint smile and inhaled the aroma of the tea.

“But how did the monster cry?”

One of the young ladies, suddenly curious, urged Bellita with sparkling eyes.

They waited for her next words as if children begging their mother for a bedtime story.

“How did it cry… Hmm.”

How could it cry? It wasn’t even a monster to begin with. Besides, I didn’t cry in the forest…

Oh, I did.

When I first realized my situation, that is.

But they said it was a recent sound, so they couldn’t have heard me crying with snot and tears.

Having lost interest, I sipped my tea to calm myself.

“Ah, that’s right!”

Bellita spoke with an enthusiastic voice as if she remembered something.

“Gae-gae saekki-saekki!”

Hailey’s eyes widened at Bellita’s words.

“Pfft!”

W-what did she say?

I spat out my tea and stared at Bellita with a dumbfounded expression.

She shouted once more.

“They said it sounded like ‘gae-gae saekki-saekki’. But it sounds somewhat familiar…”

Of course, it does! That’s the word for ‘son of a b*tch’!

“But do monsters even talk?”

“Something does seem off.”

One of the young ladies who had been listening sighed.

“Of course not!”

It was Hailey, who seemed to know all the information.

Even Bellita, who had spoken first, widened her eyes at her words.

“Then, are you saying I’ve just shared incorrect information?”

“Bellita, think about it carefully.”

Hailey said, beating her chest as if frustrated.

‘What? What does she know?’

Worried by Hailey’s words, I held my breath while hiding my trembling hands.

“It wasn’t a monster, it was a person speaking!”

Everyone looked puzzled at her words.

“No, are you saying someone entered the forbidden forest?”

I nodded strongly along with the young ladies’ objections.

Whatever it was, Hailey’s statement was extremely dangerous for me.

Looking at that expression, it feels like she’s figured something out…

“Yes, think about it. Gae-gae saekki-saekki. Doesn’t it sound familiar?”

At Hailey’s words, everyone fell into thought.

One young lady who had been muttering to herself suddenly brightened up and said.

“Could it be… gay bastard?”

“That’s it! That’s it! Think about it, doesn’t something seem off?”

Hailey’s eyes sparkled, sensing her chance.

“What if Duke Bishwaltz is gay, and he went to investigate the person who spread rumors, covering it up as a monster?”

Everyone nodded in agreement, finding her words plausible.

“Oh my, oh my! That could be it! To catch the culprit!”

An excited Bellita chimed in.

In an instant, Hailey’s words became accepted as fact.

No, why are you going from ‘gae-gae saekki-saekki’ to ‘gay bastard’!

It’s not that, it’s ‘son of a b*tch’.

I pressed hard on my knees, desperately suppressing the urge to shout out the truth in frustration, but I couldn’t hide my trembling hands.

“Oh my, Lady Lowell, are you perhaps angry now? I suppose you’re concerned since you’ve exchanged greetings once?”

What is this nonsense now? Can’t they see my pale expression?

The young ladies, sensing an opportunity, started to press the issue. Apparently, they weren’t too pleased about the exchanged greetings.

“It seems Lady Lowell also has feelings for Duke Bishwaltz. Look how she trembles at the words ‘gay bastard’.”

“What? No, that’s not…”

In the end, I couldn’t deny it. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to explain my current state.

The best I could do was smile awkwardly and brush it off in response to their words.

“But if that’s true, why is he investigating about a monster?”

Lady Fellon Hertia, who had been quietly observing everyone, expressed her doubt. I too found this point puzzling.

‘He must have heard words about me, so why is he investigating?’

No one could easily answer this question. It seemed difficult to even guess Duke Bishwaltz’s intentions.

After all, he had never shown his true feelings to anyone.

***

The reason I started pouring out my story in the forbidden forest was ordinary. Keeping a secret that no one else knows was more burdensome than I thought.

Thinking it might be better to tell Ephelia rather than knowing it alone, I went to find her right after accepting the reality.

“Ephelia!”

“Kiara, what brings you all the way here?”

Ephelia welcomed me cheerfully as I came to her house.

Her face was full of smiles until she saw my somewhat solemn expression.

“Do you have something to tell me?”

“Yes, you see. I!”

I held her hands and started to pour out everything I knew.

For several long minutes, I spilled out everything inside without even taking a breath, but Ephelia’s expression was tinged with difficulty.

“Um, Kiara.”

“Huff huff, yes. Speak, Ephelia.”

I caught my breath and listened carefully to Ephelia’s words.

She seemed to ponder for a moment, then spoke to me cautiously.

“If you’re just moving your lips without sound, I can’t hear you… Am I supposed to guess?”

“…What? Then from where…”

Ephelia smiled awkwardly.

That’s right.

She hadn’t heard a single word of my story.

Excited, I shouted at Ephelia once again.

“This place we’re in is inside a novel! I’m going to die by Bishwaltz’s hands soon!”

However, my voice never reached Ephelia.

Even after several more attempts, the result was the same.

Damn it, I couldn’t confide in anyone.