I Became The Male Lead's Female Friend

“So cute…”

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His reaction was too cute to shake a woman’s heart, being embarrassed just by saying my name. Even being a sub-male lead, he has a natural talent for attracting people.

‘Oh, is it okay?’

I smiled outwardly and glanced at him, he was handsome, and his family was also fine. He’s friendly and kinda and cute too.

And he’s the second son, Goldman’s eldest son would succeed anyway.

He may be given a proper title for this war, but wouldn’t the Duke’s spouse be better than the arrogant title?

‘I’m not sure…?’

As I was lost in thought again, Sir River turned his head as someone called him.

Sir River hesitated, then kissed the back of my hand once more and smiled softly, and said, “Dahlia, till next time…”

After bowing my head slightly, I smiled warmly as I watched Sir River move away quickly.

“That’s good.”

Let’s feed my eyes with handsome people and of course, there was the most beautiful man in the world right next to me, but he was my little friend. It’s rude to have this kind of feeling toward a friend.

However, my friend on the hand had a bitter expression.

“Oh, are you okay?” asked Dahlia.

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other, but instead of a thrilling reunion, it seemed like he was dissatisfied with the fact that I was paying attention to someone else.

‘Just like you did when we were kids, in a place like this before.’

Rudrick was a bit jealous when we were young, and he used to be shy when I was laughing and chatting with someone else.

It was when I smiled warmly at the memories that came to mind and tried to soothe Rudrick.

“Now shall we finish what we were talking about? I have something to tell you…”

“Was it mouth-watering?”

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‘I thought I heard it wrong.’

“Ugh, huh?”

“Is it that good?”

I looked back at Rudrick in dismay. In my eyes, he had a wretched, bad-tempered smile.

“I guess the hawk’s eye that hasn’t seen has lowered its standard, Princess Averine,” said Rudrick.

I almost screamed out loud, “Who are you?”

✿

It’s been a while since I saw Rudrick. He had turned into a very cheeky guy.

‘Unbelievable.’

It’s like I’m observing a stranger with his arms folded and visibly upset. It’s just a plain expression on his face, but when other people see him, they’ll think he’s making the same expressionless face as before.

But I could tell…

As a result of reminiscing senses my memories of Rudrick in the past, it was clear that he was upset.

Well, because he never made eye contact with me until I brought him from the hall to the patio.

Even when I tried to change the mood by pretending to act bright, he didn’t even pretend to listen and just folded his arms.

As a result, I became more and more obsessed with his attitude…

‘What did I do wrong?’

Why do I feel like someone caught cheating? Or was it because I was blinded by a man called ‘friend’ that I haven’t taken care of for a long time?

‘… It’s my fault.’

It was sad, but I had to admit it. Furthermore, it was undeniable that I was blind at the time.

But so was Rudrick. I didn’t openly flirt, I just politely greeted the son of the same Duke. How could you be so jealous of something like that?

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“Is this the jealousy of the male lead?”

It was strange that the jealousy that should have been directed toward the female lead was directed at me, but what could I do?

If I made him feel bad about anything, I have to soothe him.

‘Because it’s not good. It’s just business, business!’

“…”

“It’s not that he’s handsome, I laughed without thinking. It’s our first time seeing each other, but we can’t even look at each other.”

“…”

I tried to deny what Rudrick had said and gently comforted him. But Rudrick still avoided my gaze.

For some reason, I was getting nervous at the sight of Rudrick, who didn’t seem to want to reconcile easily.

This wasn’t the time for this. I have to go back to the same relationship we had before, so I could ask him something I’m curious about, but above all, I have something to tell him first.

I quickly shook my head and thought of the many ways I used to coax people. 

Then suddenly words popped out of my lips, “How can I look away when you’re here?”

Rudrick’s body flinched.

“You know I have high standards. I have the most handsome friend in the world by my side, who will catch my eye?”

“…”

“And look. You’re more talented, have a higher status, and have a personality… Anyway, there’s you, who’s so much better in many ways, there’s no way I can get over you easily, right?”

Maybe in my previous life, I wasn’t such an actress.

As I was trying to convince Rudrick with sweet words, I glanced at him again.

And then I saw it… His expression of smiling as if satisfied. 

I thought secretly, ‘Where on earth has my pure and lovely Rudrick gone to?’

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As I was shedding tears of blood inside, Rudrick, who had remained silent, suddenly sighed.

And then suddenly, he’s asking aloud, “So, what are you going to tell me?”

He seemed as if he knew why I was doing this and wanted me to go right to the point.

I laughed bitterly at him. I wanted to talk to him after I lightened up the mood between us. Or I wanted to bring it up after we got close enough to talk about the dark past.

But it was something I had to tell him anyway. After taking a deep breath for a while, I ended up spitting out.

“The Duchess of Bouser.”

Rudrick’s face cracked as he looked at me while I continued to say what I had to, “Your mother, we have her.”

✿

It was after my family decided to help Bouser that I learned the details of Rudrick’s situation. It started when Averine people began to enter the North in earnest.

Until then, the Duke’s door had been firmly closed by the Duke of Bouser, Rudrick’s father.

We, who had never heard of the news, helped Bouser and inevitably found out what had happened there.

I still remember, the shocked faces of my parents when they first heard the news and my heart began to break.

Of course, I knew that Rudrick, who returned to the north, would suffer more unhappiness than before.

But the intensity of that misfortune was stronger than I thought.

I thought that Duke Bouser would bring his pregnant lover to the mansion, have children, and live happily ever after.

Seeing the Duke break his promise to live happily, then the Duchess getting crazy, and eventually, the Duchess, who couldn’t accept her tragedy, living in a separate house on her own— that’s all I knew.

The reality was completely different.

The Duchess didn’t stay in an outhouse herself, she was literally ‘locked’ or rather ‘imprisoned’.

Later, as I listened to the maids of Bouser, the Duke and his lover did not live well after her miscarriage.

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Her mistress’ miscarriage caused to be the Duke’s weakness in taking care of her, making him fidgety.

And the words that followed were more spectacular.

[At that time, everyone believed that the Duchess was blinded by jealousy and gave the mistress poison. So, His Highness the Duke was very angry and told to lock up his wife in the desolate annex…]

When asked why, the maid replied, [A poison was found in the Duchess’ room.]

I had no choice but to scratch my head in disbelief.

“You believed that?”

No matter how I looked at it, it was a false charge.

Regardless of who puts dangerous objects such as poison in such an obvious place, I couldn’t understand how they could push the Duchess to that extent by trusting only one maid.

Especially a cynical and suspicious owner like Duke Bouser?

No matter how blind he’s in love, the fact that he just did that to his wife?

‘Maybe… was it on purpose?’

Whatever the case, he couldn’t have been so insane to do so… Even his trashy act didn’t end there.

After that, it seems that Rudrick went to convince his father, but the Duke saw his son and locked him up somewhere, saying, [Adolescence has come.]

[I don’t know where he was. It’s just that the master has changed strangely since then…] said the maid.

Then I regret it a little. If I hadn’t given up on visiting the Duke of Bouser, if I had slipped through the door of the Duke’s house, ignoring the Duke’s permission, it would have been different.

But things had already happened, and all I wanted was for the Duke of Bouser to pay for what he did.

But it’s always said that the end of the wicked always ends in vain.

Duke Bouser stood in an unexpected place and collapsed absurdly.

Rudrick then went straight to the monster subjugation at a young age and returned as a Commander.

Of course, it didn’t end there…