Male Lead, Please Dump Me Three Times - Chapter 21

“Do you want to sleep with me?”

“What?”

Ray’s voice trembled slightly. For a moment, his arm tightened a bit more.

It seemed I unintentionally left room for misunderstanding.

Looking up at Ray, I said, 

“I mean sleep. Sleep… rest…”

Meeting my gaze, Ray smiled softly.

“Yes. I want to sleep. Just a bit longer.”

“Are you uncomfortable?”

“What do you mean?”

“Your arm… it might hurt. Even though my head is on the small side…”

“It’s okay. The sofa is hard, and it would be uncomfortable for you to lie down.”

“But Ray, your arm is hard too.”

“Is it uncomfortable?”

“No…! I actually find hard things comfortable and nice.”

“Well, that’s fortunate.”

Ray straightened his disheveled coat, which had been disheveled by my movements, and covered me again carefully. Then he cautiously placed his hand on my waist.

“Daisy.”

“Yes?”

“You seem really fearless.”

“Suddenly? Why?”

“Just because. I suddenly had that thought.”

Ray was saying words that were hard to understand.

To get back to sleep, I burrowed into the warmth of his body. 

I closed my eyes and thought, 

‘I truly… have no prejudices.’

I wasn’t particularly conservative by nature, but to think that Ray and I are doing this together.

It made me wonder if I was being too careless.

I could distinctly feel the thumping of Ray’s heartbeat. His breathing also seemed a bit rough.

‘I hope there’s nothing wrong, right…?’

Since I reunited with Ray, we haven’t discussed his physical condition. 

And I was the only one who remembered what happened in the Forest of Dreams.

But I couldn’t pretend to know everything about Ray.

It could be a sensitive issue that he wanted to keep hidden.

“Ray… are you going to sleep? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

“It’s not uncomfortable. I’m not sleepy yet.”

“Ray, just in case, I’m saying this so you don’t misunderstand.”

“What misunderstanding?”

“Just… it’s not common to do this with a man who isn’t your partner.”

“No misunderstanding.”

“Really?”

“Yes. If anything, I’m the one worried.”

“Why?”

“I’m being impolite by asking this. I’m afraid you might feel uncomfortable.”

Ray trailed off at my question.

“It’s okay. You don’t often get a chance to sleep deeply, Ray. Let’s agree to have no misunderstandings or biases between us!”

He nodded in response to my words and whispered softly,

“Daisy. Your warmth is comforting and nice.”

He pulled me closer into his embrace.

Although Ray spoke casually, seeing him like that made me feel a bit melancholic.

The previous Duke and Duchess passed away when Ray was quite young…

He must have grown up alone without knowing the comfort of his parents’ embrace.

“I like it too. It’s warm.”

I nodded in Ray’s embrace and said,

“Oh… but what’s this?”

Something large and solid brushed against my leg.

“Ray, there’s something here… it’s really hard and big…”

“It’s my leg. Don’t worry about it.”

Suddenly, Ray urgently pressed his leg against mine.

But that leg felt thin…?

It seemed only about half the thickness of a usual leg…?

“Daisy.”

“Yes?”

“Did you like the dress?”

“Oh! I forgot. I absolutely love it!”

“That’s a relief. I was worried it might not be enough since I rushed the preparation.”

“The color is perfect too. I’m crazy about shades of blue.”

“I’ll remember that. So, will you go with me?”

“You want me as your partner?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, I’d love to. Since I already received a dress that fits perfectly, I have no choice but to go with you!”

I chuckled nervously.

“Oh, but didn’t you mention something you wanted to discuss with me today?”

“Oh, that. We just did it.”

“What? I didn’t discuss anything with you yet, Ray?”

“Whether you like the dress and if I can go as your partner.”

“Oh, I see.”

In fact, those were topics that could have been adequately discussed through letters.

‘I was nervous when he called me to the study… but it was needless worry.’

We exchanged whispers for a while.

The resonance of our voices was conveyed through our skin.

Thus, as we touched each other closely, we melted into each other’s warmth and fell into a deep sleep.

Just as I was about to barely make my curfew, Ray woke me up from my slumber.

And the two of us headed towards Carnelian Mansion.

* * *

“Phew… This is crazy. Is this really okay?”

I tapped my cheeks thoughtfully.

If this were a historical novel setting, I would definitely be in trouble.

It was unbelievable that I slept so naturally in Ray’s arms.

At that moment, I definitely lost my senses.

But.

That deep voice…

Those languid eyes…

Ray expressed his desire to sleep a little longer, and I couldn’t bring myself to push him away.

“What do you mean, ‘Is this really okay’?”

“Eek!!!”

My hair stood on end at the sudden, familiar voice.

My hands were holding onto the startled chest.

My father stood there, looking at me with cold eyes.

“Oh, Dad! Why are you here?”

“Where have you been wandering off to this late at night?”

“Oh. Let’s go inside, Dad. It’s chilly outside.”

I casually diverted the topic to buy time to think up an excuse.

“I wonder if Dad already had dinner?”

I asked my dad while linking arms with him. Dad clasped my hand, which was linked with his, tightly. It was a rough but warm hand.

“Not yet.”

“What? It’s 8 o’clock. Aren’t you hungry?”

“You probably haven’t eaten either. We’ve been waiting to eat together for a long time.”

“Oh! You were waiting for me?”

I smiled brightly at my dad like that.

‘A man who is only warm to his women.’

Although the expression may be a bit awkward…

To me and Mom, he was an endlessly kind father and husband.

That’s the kind of person Dad was.

So, like a harmonious family, we headed to the mansion together.

It was a bit late, but it was a cheerful dinner time as usual.

Until that conversation came up.

“So, has our dear daughter chosen her partner for the event?”

Mom’s face was full of worry.

“Well… about that…”

“Hmm… Honestly, I can’t help but worry. You haven’t been very social lately. You’re just stuck in your room, reading books.”

I nodded at Mom’s words.

‘Well, that’s true. I’ve read so many books that I’ve had to give away several boxes of it.’

I hesitated for a moment.

Should I tell them that I’ll be attending with Ray as my partner… or should I keep quiet?

But I couldn’t hide the fact that Ray and I were partners forever.

We already promised to go together…

It’s better to have someone to go with than to have no partner to accompany your daughter, right…?

Parents would naturally be curious about how their only daughter’s first social event was being prepared.

Yeah. It’s better this way.

Since it came up, I should tell them.

“Actually… I’ve chosen my partner.”

‘Clang!’

The sound of metal hitting the table loudly echoed.

Dad and Dermian both dropped the forks they were holding simultaneously.

“At last…”

Dermian trailed off with a shocked expression on his face.

Dad’s now empty hand was trembling slightly in the air.

“No, why are you both so surprised? Dad, are you okay…?”

“…Which noble family is he from?”

And my father’s cracked voice was trembling to the point where it was noticeable

Mom looked at Dad with pity, seemingly finding him as a pitiful man.

“Uh… well…”

“…Is he the young lord from the Marquis of Sylvia?”

“No.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

“…Then from the Count of Ruina?”

“No, it’s not Ian either. He’s Delian’s younger brother. I’ve known him since we were kids.”

“Okay. That’s a relief. He’s not the second son of Count Dwell either, is he?”

If it was the Count of Dwell, he was Dad’s close friend. In other words, ‘Dad’s friend’s son.’

“No. He’s not.”

“Okay. He won’t do. He’s not good-looking enough to stand next to my daughter.”

“Dad, is there no one you like at all?”

‘Ahem.’

Dad coughed slightly as if stung.

Then he spoke with a deep sigh, feeling quite frustrated in this situation.

“Then say it clearly. It’s already decided anyway! This father is fed up!”

Dad sent me a sharp look.

Unlike Dad, Mom just watched over us with a relaxed gaze.

“Well… I decided to go with the Duke Croit…. You may not know him, haha.”

I smiled awkwardly.

— Remember. Absolutely not. I can’t allow it even if a knife is held to my throat.

It was Dad who made such a terrifying threat. How could he not know…

“What!? Is that true?”

Dad’s gaze piercing was intimidating. Deep wrinkles were drawn on his forehead.

Whether he clenched it tightly or not, the muscles in his jaw moved slightly.

What should I do…?

“Ah. Haha, that’s right. Somehow… how did it come to this…”

I said while casually touching the back of my head.

I tried to brush it off casually, but Dad wasn’t going to let it slide easily.

“Didn’t I clearly tell you…”

“Dad! I’m sorry, but before that, I have something to tell you.”

“What is it.”

After swallowing hard, I spoke to my parents.

“If I’m not going with Duke Croit as my partner… I don’t plan on attending the event.”

A brief silence followed my words.

The suffocating silence was broken by Mom’s gentle voice.

“Well then, if that’s how it’s going to be. This mother agrees.”

“What? Suddenly? Why…?”

Mom smiled coolly and her blue eyes sparkled sharply at the same time.