I Became The Male Lead's Female Friend

Maybe it’s because he appreciates my succinct response. Jeron opened his mouth with a look of astonishment after being unable to speak for some time.

“… Don’t you usually say you’ll choose the hard way in situations like this?” said Jeron.

I gave him a strange look as a result.

Indeed, I knew what he wanted and why he asked me this question. But I had no intention of meeting his expectations. I’m not the main character in the novel, and what am I going to do after dealing with my hardships and adversity?

Above all, I had a firm set of values that I had established since childhood.

“Jeron,” said Dahlia.

“What?”

“Do you know what my life motto is?”

Dahlia answered with the utmost sincerity, “Eat life raw.”

(Eat life raw, slang: to achieve something without efforts/ live easily.)

Jeron looked far away,  “I’ll just tell you.”

Then, he started talking about the ‘easy but long way’, but I, who was still listening to him, couldn’t help but frown.

“It’s about going through a major remodeling and transforming it into a public-friendly inn. Also, by making a difference in service, attracting people, and then gradually making your name known…”

“When can we do that?!”

“That’s why it takes a long time.”

No, this was the perfect answer, wasn’t it?

When I looked at him as if I was dumbfounded, Jeron looked at me with a shameless expression, saying, ‘I told you to choose the hard way.’

In the end, I was the first to raise my hand in surrender.

“So what’s the hard way?”

Jeron answered immediately, as if he had waited, “The port site business rights of the port city of Veloa.”

“A port site business, right?”

My eyes widened. Soon afterward, realizing his plan, I shouted,  “You want me to get business rights?”

⌈ Port City of Veloa ⌋

Veloa, an area belonging to the Hansen Kingdom, was located at the center of the sea area where each country interacted.

As a result, Veloa expanded to become the largest port city on the continent because we had to pass through it to reach other nations, whether we were trading or traveling.

I wonder if Veloa was more famous than the Hansen Kingdom. Many people called the Hansen Kingdom the ‘Kingdom of Veloa.’

By the way, the business area that all merchants strive for was the port site business located in Veloa, the area around the port with the greatest migratory population. 

To put it another way, it resembled Yolk Land.

“Is it possible?”

Of course, there was some truth in what Jeron said.

It takes too long to change the image of the inn you currently have, and even if you build or take over an ordinary inn, nothing would change.

Then the best way was to set up accommodations in places where there are many people to interact with and draw attention at once. 

No place in there has the best conditions than Veloa, but it’s a little…

I asked cautiously, doubting again whether Jeron was joking.

“You didn’t just say anything to get back at me just because I played you, did you?”

Jeron answered with an absurd expression,

“Are you scrutinizing me while thinking something? I said it, first and foremost, because I thought it was worth a shot. After all, it has Averine in its name. From the top, beginning position, it is different. However, the issue is…”

After touching his lips for a moment, Jeron murmured to himself.

“I might have to stick with Rebeauvel…”

“Rebeauvel?” repeated Dahlia.

The unexpected name caused me to turn toward Jeron. No, that word just had a light load. It would have fantastic leading as long as it was in the yolk land…

But I was shocked to realize that I couldn’t even name one firm or my prior employment, so I looked at him in disbelief.

Jeron added, nodding lightly to my question.

“Because Rebeauvel’s youngest son is aiming for that position.”

The youngest son of Rebeauvel, I repeated with a trace of memory of the name that I had heard somewhere unfamiliar.

“Oh, your friend who recommended you to Rebeauvel…” said Dahlia.

“Academy colleague.”

“Is it great? Is the competition formidable?” asked Dahlia.

Jeron shook his head at once, “Compared to my other siblings, his abilities are average. He’s not even mentioned as the next successor. But…”

“But?”

For some reason, he replied with a sullen look on his face.

“He’s friendly.”

I stared at him, wondering what that had to do with this time. I suddenly realized. It’s good to be friendly and make connection.

“You mean he has a wide connection.”

“That’s right.” answered Jeron.

“Then please…”

Jeron nodded his head without question.

“I’m sure he made friends with most people. There’s a rumor that he’s especially close with the Prince of Hansen.”

“… It’s a difficult road.”

I sighed deeply as I pressed on my forehead.

Firstly, my unease started to build when he advised me to get the greatest seat in the port city and when I learned that my opponent was competent.

Jeron was somewhat right. It was so challenging that I’m still not sure how I could manage it, but if I did, it would be an accomplishment unlike any other.

‘Is there any way?’

Seeing my face more depressed than before, Jeron continued with a puzzled tone.

“Well, it’s not like there’s no mountain to overcome at all…”

“I can think of countermeasures quickly because I am the closest to Rebeauvel’s youngest child, and Rebeauvel is less likely to offer a lot of support at this point because he is attempting to become independent. Above all, it comes down to who gets to make the final decision,” said Jeron.

“Is it?”

“The supreme decision-maker is ‘the King of Hansen’.”

I immediately raised my head at his words.

“Now the King keeps putting off making decisions. Should I say he’s not in the mood…”

Listening to Jeron’s words, I was overcome with a strange feeling. 

It was odd. I had never heard any of the words he was saying before, so why did it sound so familiar?

A strange feeling, as if I was hearing information I already knew…

My eyes widened as I briefly lost myself in thought. There was only one explanation for why it felt familiar, despite the fact that it was the first time I heard it.

“Silver Bell Lady!”

The moment I recognized that fact, a scene passed before my eyes.

[Thank you. Because of you, for the first time, I have hope that my daughter will be healed. How should I repay this favor…?]

The old King bowed his head in the field of vision when it was sprayed as if it were covered with cotton paper.

[I express my gratitude to you as a father, not as a King of Hansen, O’Neill.]

“— Lia, Dahlia. Dahlia Averine!”

“Oh my!”

When I came to my senses, I looked around sharply.

I was still seated on my room’s couch. There was only Jeron in front of me, and he was looking at me with a serious gaze. 

The O’Neill he called, or the king who was almost as vivid as the actual thing.

I blinked my confused eyes. Jeron stood up from his seat and walked up to me as he was nervously watching me.

“Are you sick again? It’s not urgent, so let’s stop here for today and continue next time…”

“Jeron.”

I quickly caught him.

“The story that the king is not in the mood to do that.”

“What?”

“Is it because the youngest Princess of Hansen Kingdom is sick?”

Jeron’s eyes widened, and said, “What, did you know?”

“As expected.”

I gulped dry saliva. It was obvious that this was the original plot because ‘O’Neill’ was in the previous scene. 

Oh my, I just realized…

What happened to the daughter of the King of Hansen?

Was this a result of my reading [The Silver Bell Lady] as well?

Then why, instead of recalling the book’s content properly or dreaming like before, does the scene suddenly play out in front of my eyes as I saw it in person?

The more I pondered it, the more perplexed I became, yet this was not the time to be lost in thought. I’m not alone here right now, after all.

Jeron, who was frowning and speaking softly, caught my attention.

“I’m fine. I can’t hear you because I’m thinking about something else,” answered Dahlia.

“Really? But why…?” asked Jeron.

“More than that, Jeron.”

I gave him a more energetic stare and said, “There is.”

“What?”

Jeron’s eyes widened at my words.

“How to persuade the King.”

✿

I didn’t think of a fantastic solution till after.

The majority of the traders heading for Veloa likely had at least heard that the youngest princess of Hansen was ill. They also had that in mind.

‘I suppose I can heal the Hansen family’s youngest princess.’

However, the problem was that Princess Hansen was terminally ill.

The princess, who has always been frail, one day develops a mysterious illness. All of a sudden, she started to develop red patches all over her body, alongside an extremely high fever.

The youngest princess in particular was very loved because she was the daughter the king had just met, but when she was abruptly on the edge of passing away, her eyes were compelled to turn.

The princess’ illness showed no indications of improvement despite the king’s extensive travels around the continent and invitations to all the continent’s renowned medical professionals, therapists, high priests, and even sorcerers.

No, rather, the disease got worse over time. According to Jeron, the princess was now losing her eyesight.

‘Everyone would have given up.’

That’s why even the merchants who were aiming for Veloa would have given up on the princess’ treatment sooner or later. 

Perhaps if I had been an ordinary person, I would have gone through the same procedure as them.

‘But I’m different.’

Because I was reincarnated in a book.

What are the advantages of reincarnation?? Don’t I know the future right away?

I was knowledgeable about everything they were unaware of. For instance, the manner in which Princess Hansen was treated or the fact that her condition was more than just a disease.

‘Was it mana deficiency syndrome?’

I couldn’t recall the disease’s exact name. O’Neill didn’t exactly know what her condition was, all she knew was that she had been treated accidentally with the medication that she had ingested.

The princess, however, appears to be in pain because, in the latter scenario, it was revealed that she was not born with magical abilities.

It was rumored that even commoners possess magical abilities in this realm, where wizards and sword masters exist. However, some also passed away since their corpse was unable to adapt to the magic that dwelled in this world.

‘So there was only one way to cure her.’

To artificially inject mana into her body…

As a means, O’Neill makes medicine with the sap of the magic light, which was called the ‘source of mana…’

‘But where did she get it?’

However, she knew that the demonic light was such a rare bug that ordinary people would never see. 

The issue was that I couldn’t recall how O’Neill had managed to save the demonic light.

In the end, I had no choice but to go around looking for it myself, and when I finally got the information about the polishing layer from the information board.

At the same time, I had to hear the shocking news.

“Rudrick is going back to the North?”