I Quit Being The Male Lead’s Rival

Chapter 19

Strange things I’ve believed in (7)

I looked at the green eyes in the robe with a bewildered expression.

“Since it was a Rainfield meal ticket, it wouldn’t have been an easy decision.”

Robert smiled slyly.

“Of course it wasn’t an easy decision.”

I replied rudely and left the gambling room at a quick pace.

Still, Robert didn’t mind at all and followed me around.

“Goodbye then.”

I turned around quickly with a wary face.

It would become difficult if an in-depth question was asked, such as why I thought he would become the emperor.

I was quite grateful when he congratulated me on my birthday, but I tend to not hold on to the things others have done for me.

I’m not the kind of person who wants to look good…

A politically complicated person like that would get tired of even a little entanglement.

My dream was just a simple life.

I’ve already made up all the proper life plans.

It was not necessary to live as an aristocrat, it was just a matter of making use of the abilities I had by eating and living well.

For example, Oscar, who runs a lot of chain stores, or Marilyn, the owner of a high-end clothing store.

I completely gave up on being recognized as a member of the Marquis of Abedes and decided to go my own way.

After the swordsmanship contest was over, I was going to pursue a flat life trajectory when I could be freed from the danger of being accused of being an assassin.

First of all, my plan was to either become a swordsmanship teacher in a wealthy family, or get a job in the knights of an aristocratic family.

When I become a lieutenant like Aaron, my salary would be good and then the treatment wouldn’t be as bad.

After that, I was going to meet the right man, date the right man, marry, and then have children.

“Hang on, Miss Annabelle.”

Robert grinned and blocked my way.

“I have to say thank you. I’m happy to receive your support.”

I answered without reservation.

“If you want to say thank you, I’ll take it. Of course, you can’t say it with words. If you feel pressured to give me thanks, show me instead.”

“Oh really?”

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At my stern reply, Robert was lost in thought for a moment, then rummaged in his pocket and handed something to me.

“I can’t give you a meal ticket to the Rainfield restaurant, but I can give you an invitation like this.”

I took the invitation and blinked.

Oh my.

“Will you be my opera partner?”

It was an invitation to the opera “Don’t Go Crazy.”

Operas were not only expensive but it was also difficult to get tickets to go, so it was not something anyone could just attend.

Only the upper aristocrats who were invited could attend.

It was more like a social event for the chosen ones than a performance.

Naturally, there was also the Duke of Wade’s family on the list of attendees.

Leslie refused to go when she was asked by the Duke of Wade, Braden, out on a date, saying ‘I’m going to fall asleep from watching that boring thing’.

So he chose his son, Ian, as his partner to go with.

And in this opera performance, Reid’s last ruse was hidden.

Originally, I thought I wouldn’t be able to enter the opera concert hall, so I planned to infiltrate…

But this was sweet!

Since I wasn’t not a thief, I would most likely get caught if I infiltrated anyways.

I didn’t know the structure of the opera hall… So I was at a bit of a loss, but now that this had come, it would work out.

I smiled brightly at Robert and nodded.

“Sure, let’s go together.”

“Great.”

Robert shrugged.

“I’m glad that Miss Annabelle likes it.”

“Thank you, Prince. When you return to the palace and take off your robe, I hope you find a silver coin in your inner pocket.”

“…Can’t you say something nicer, like gold?”

“If it’s that, then I won’t say anything. I’m balancing it in my own way.”

It would really be the last time.

If I got entangled with Ian only in this opera performance, I wouldn’t have to run into him anymore after this.

I was sure the aristocratic community would be very nervous if Robert’s partner appeared…

Afterwards, I was just going to live as a professional commoner.

Robert had no reason to pay any attention since I also wouldn’t be seeing him after this incident.

At last, a peaceful life was finally starting to lurk before my eyes.

~*~

Ian barely slept that night.

Because there were so many scenes that came to mind when he closed his eyes.

In particular, he was reminded of her as she crossed his garden while limping on one leg.

“Don’t get sick! Don’t let your body get any worse!”

He thought that even if everyone in the world was worried about him, he never thought it would be as much as Annabelle, and she was really outrageous.

He stayed up all night frustrated that he was ultimately suffering from all this fatigue because of Annabelle.

It was all because of Annabelle’s mad curses.

He kept thinking about her when she poured her curses on the little things of everyday life.

They were terrible curses where he had no choice but to think of Annabelle when eating, washing, or looking at anything.

Because of Annabelle Nadit, his daily life was ruined like this.

Furthermore…

‘Damn, my heart keeps pounding like this every time I think about my wrist.’

He groaned as soon as he remembered Annabelle laying on top of him on his own bed.

No matter how hard he tried not to think about it, he couldn’t.

It happened in his own room.

‘Do I really like this kind of thing?’

No matter how hard he thought about it, his body and mind seemed to have become strange.

‘No way. I’m not that weird.’

His agony continued and he kept pondering whether to change the structure of the room or not.

After staying up all night like that, his eyes looked empty as he wielded his sword all day long the next day.

Leslie, on the other hand, was having a lot of fun apart from her painful son.

“Hey…”

Annabelle came to visit while smirking.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t say hello yesterday and left suddenly…”

“What are you talking about? You didn’t have to since you got hit by that crazy bomb instead of Ian. How’s your foot?”

“Yes, it’s still a little swollen, but I’m feeling better.”

“Fortunately, we’ve commissioned the book to the guild, but… I don’t think they’ve learned much so far.”

“Ah…”

“Anyways, thank you very much. I don’t know how to express my gratitude…”

At Leslie’s fuss, Annabelle hesitated while rolling her dark blue eyes as if she had something to say.

“Well, I mean.”

“Have you had breakfast? Oh, let’s not hit that rotten pepper with food.”

Leslie knew why she had been looking for her since morning, but she was deliberately dragging on and holding on to her longer.

Eventually, after feeding her a full-course meal in the morning, Leslie drank tea and listened to Annabelle’s business.

“I then… I left my sword and training suit in a hurry.”

Annabel sighed and continued.

“Since I left my sword behind, my qualifications as a swordsman are poor. I’m especially ashamed to say this to Leslie.”

“Didn’t you take something else instead of leaving your sword?”

Leslie smiled softly.

Leslie spread all sorts of chocolates on the table.

As planned, Annabel carefully picked up a chocolate and picked up the teacup again.

“I’ll call it a day…”

“Anabelle, that’s pavé chocolate and it has cookies in it. The texture is totally different. Why don’t you try it?”

“Yes, then I’ll try it.”

If Annabelle could spend all her time like this…

“Ma’am.”

A person who had been waiting after a knock appeared.

“I’ve completed all the dresses you ordered and brought them.”

It was Marilyn, who came with a mountain of clothes.

Marilyn sighed when she saw Annabelle in a pink dress.

She looked sad that Annabelle was still wearing the clothes she had made for her.

“Well, this was completed today…”

Marilyn muttered at Annabelle and began to try all kinds of dresses on her body.

“The training suit will be completed soon, although it is a little late since I need to study the material again.”

“Thank you.”

Annabelle thought it was really pretty with a little decoration, but in Marilyn’s eyes, she was as pretty as a doll no matter what she wore.

“There…”

Annabelle cautiously opened her mouth.

“If it’s okay with you, can you help me with just one thing?”

“What?”

Leslie said half-heartedly.

“Tell me anything.”

“I was invited to an opera performance.”

Leslie and Marilyn’s eyes widened at the same time.

“What kind of clothes should I wear there? I’ve never been to a place like that, so I don’t know what to wear so as not to bother the person next to me…”

“Did you get an invitation? Who’s your partner?”

“Oh.”

Annabelle answered indifferently.

“Prince Robert.”

With that said, even Leslie, who was relaxed about most things except eating, opened her mouth.

It was such a big event to be invited by the prince.

Leslie and Marilyn could no longer afford to relax.

This was an emergency.