I Was A Supporting Character

I asked, looking at him with a really puzzled face.

“Why did you think so? I am not as close with Leah as you thought.”

“Ah… … . Is that so? But except when Leah was there, I couldn’t really talk to you. I think it was my misunderstanding.”

Is that so?

I pondered over my past deeds in my head. 

Regardless of whether Leah Saturnos was there or not, it seems that I always tried to avoid Ares.

My expression was quite serious, then he said with a sly smile.

“If it’s not like that, then nevermind.”

“Yes……”

Haa. I don’t know how I’m doing these days. 

Because of the ‘author’, there were not days when I wasn’t mentally exhausted and struggling not to become a villainess. 

I had to open my eyes wide and look around to see how I would die.

His voice seemed to have lowered a little in my ears.

“I’m not that bad. So I hope you can give me some time too. Bianca.”

I looked at his face silently.

If I want you to give me a break, what are you going to do? 

If you’re going to Leah anyway, why are you making such a demand to me? 

Sadly, I’m excited for nothing.

At that moment, I heard a voice calling our waiting number.

“Twenty!”

I saw Mimas quickly approaching the window and hand out the documents. 

Slowly getting up, I said to Ares in a tone that was as calm as possible.

“I will register as a guarantor. Please wait a moment.”

“… … .”

It wasn’t too difficult to verify the guarantor. Because the official saw my face and my signature, it was finished. 

Of course, there is still the process of visiting the family for confirmation later.

I told Mimas that Ares wanted to help as well. His expression changed very subtly, but he agreed anyway.

It was not easy to go back to the slums from the government office.

No, if you’re the son of the Duke Jupiter, please ride your own carriage!

“Um, so you’re saying you came not in your own carriage… … .”

I looked at my carriage with embarrassment.

Isn’t it a bit narrow for three people to ride? 

But I can’t even reject him!

Finally,  I exhaled as if resigning.

“I’m going to try it. Everyone, be patient, even if it is a little uncomfortable.”

It’s a bit funny to see two strong men and a slender woman riding in a small carriage but fortunately, the carriage began to rattle and run.

I’m sorry, driver, please stop. Isn’t it very heavy? I’ll go home and give you a lot of your favorite sugar cubes.

Mimas and Ares are sitting on either side of me, but I was more conscious of Ares, perhaps because of my feelings.

It felt like he was looking at me, so I was uncomfortable.

Wouldn’t my face have turned red? 

Somehow it felt like his breath reached my ears, ah! Why am I so conscious? 

I must be crazy!

It was the first time that the road to the slums felt so far away. 

Anyway, when I arrived safely, I breathed a sigh of relief.

As Mimas said, there was still a lot of work to be done. 

Fortunately, a staff member quickly cash out my jewelry and was waiting for us.

“Did they give you a good price?”

“Well, when I said that it was Lady Uranos’ item, I was able to get a price that was as good as new.”

Ares, who was listening to my conversation with the staff, suddenly interrupted.

“You mean Bianca’s stuff?”

Then Mimas answered instead.

“I didn’t have enough money right now to buy ingredients for tomorrow’s lunch, so the lady gave it to me in kind. With that, I was able to shop in a hurry.”

Ares kept his mouth shut, so I couldn’t tell what he was thinking anymore.

Some of the staff rode a carriage to the market. 

They were able to rest for a while after they came to buy food.

As I drank the tea that Mimas had brought, I fell into thoughts.

I guess I will have to meet the ‘author’ again. How on earth are my encounters with Ares described in her novel? 

Why do these coincidental encounters with Ares continue? 

Is there something the ‘author’ is hiding from me?

“What are you thinking?”

As I was about to dig deeper, I heard a voice interrupting me.

Ha, Yes. For now, let’s focus on the issue in front of me.

“Ahh. It just seems like we see each other quite often these days.”

I honestly said what I was thinking. 

I thought it would be good to find a clue somewhere and try to solve it.

But his answer was not what I expected.

“… … On the contrary, don’t you think we haven’t met too much?”

“Huh… … ?”

Ares seemed determined and had something to say. 

Perhaps he sensed the subtle atmosphere, Mimas took the teacup and went outside!

This time, I was stuck with him.

“It was the same year that you and I debuted in the high society. Still, isn’t it more surprising that we haven’t greeted each other without contact for more than two years?”

Well, because I deliberately avoided you. I didn’t want my love at first sight to be found out.

“Unless someone deliberately avoided me.”

Ouch! He’s smarter than I thought

“It wasn’t me, Bianca, did you avoid me?”

What should I answer? To say that I avoided him, or to say that I did not, from my point of view, it seems unreasonable.

“And you never called my name.”

If I normally face him and laugh, I cannot guarantee that my feelings will not be revealed to him. It was for that reason that I wanted to stay away from him even when my death was near.

Can’t I live quietly like this without letting him know about this feeling until the end and supporting his love?

I looked at him with a slightly sad heart.

“Ares.”

First of all, I started by calling his name. But the effect was amazing. 

Because Ares’s face, which had been severely hardened, has visibly loosened!

I decided to hide the truth a little. As if I hadn’t deliberately avoided him.

“I didn’t mean to avoid you. I’m sorry if you felt that way. I lacked consideration for you in my conduct.”

“… … It’s okay now.”

He accepted my apology unexpectedly. 

“Instead, I want you to stop feeling that way now. Therefore… … .”

Ares hesitated with a slightly red face.

“I want us to be close like a friend. Please feel free to talk with me, and I hope that it will not be awkward to be together like this even if Leah is not here… … .”

I smiled slightly and nodded my head.

Yes. After all, us three were friends even in the novel by the ‘author’, so it seemed difficult for me to break this setting.

And I thought that maybe, this narrowing of distance with him might be the last gift of my destiny. 

Although it is painful and sad that my time is running out, if my heart is not completely revealed, wouldn’t it be possible to create a few happy memories? 

Yes. Let’s accept it. Let’s accept this flow as naturally as water flows. 

Guess this is my destiny, huh?

As I was drawing that conclusion in my mind, Ares’ voice came again. 

“Your atmosphere seems to have changed a bit these days.”

“Huh?”

Inwardly, I was startled by his sharp intuition.

What kind of man’s intuition is sharper than a woman’s!

He nodded his head and said with a rather worried face.

“I felt it when we met before, but… … .”

I replied playfully.

“A face like I owe the whole world?”

Then he agreed.

“That’s right! It was difficult to express that feeling, but I think it is.”

I laughed.

Hey, I guess I’m not really good at acting.

Maybe it’s like I said,  ‘I’m going to die soon.’ to them. It’d be better to advertise and go around.

Anyways, I thought I should say something.

Looking back, Ares seems to be very worried. 

“Just, not long ago, there was a time when I felt that life was so short. It’s not a big deal, but I’m still holding it in my heart, so I guess that’s the kind of atmosphere that came out. Are you worried a lot?”

Ares replied with a soft smile as usual.

“It bothers me a little, but if you say it’s not a big deal, then that’s it.”

He was a very nice person. 

Instead of asking what happened and why do you think that way, he chose to accept what I said. Indeed, he was a man full of manners enough to be counted as the best man among young girls in high society.

Leah Saturnos, you’re so lucky.

Let’s go ahead and question him now that it come to this point.

“Um, Ares. I have a question for you.”

“Say it.”

He answered me, still without a smile on his face.

“What did you want to do with your visit to the government office today? Was it okay for you to exchange your ticket for me so easily?”

“It wasn’t that important. I was trying to register my personal carriage.”

Hmmm, it’s a good thing it doesn’t have to be today, but considering the number of visitors at the government office today, it must have been a long wait. 

“That’s why you came without your own carriage.”

“Because it’s before registration, I can’t ride it recklessly.”

Private carriages that can be ridden by either nobles or commoners by themselves must be registered and certified. 

This is because carriage accidents are more frequent than expected, and sometimes they even cause accidents and run away. 

Therefore, it can only be operated by reporting a personal carriage to the government office and attaching it to a certificate. 

What if you don’t? If caught, you will be subject to a hefty fine!

When the atmosphere between Ares and I had become nicer, a carriage arrived. 

It seemed that the food had arrived from the market. 

I stood up vigorously from my seat. 

“Now is the time to work.”

Ares was confused.

“I have to trim the ingredients. It will be difficult with only the employees here. Because there is a lot of it.”

“Did you do this often?”

“Not often, but a few times to serve.”

“Hey… … .”

I laughed softly.

Now, I’m going to chop vegetables. 

What are you going to do? Please, I wish I could just tell you to go home. 

“Then I’ll have to help you even with the ingredients.”

Ares also responded with a smile to me.

Oh, he’s not easy. 

Ares, who took off his jacket and dressed in a thin shirt, quickly followed Mimas’ instructions (?) and carried sacks of onions, potatoes, and heavy ingredients one by one. 

He unbutton his sleeves and rolling it up, whoa! Those thick arms are so cool. 

Oh my, that’s why I didn’t want to get close to him! I can’t get him out of my mind!

“… … Bianca? What are you doing?”

I was staring blankly at Ares’ forearm while holding a potato peeler in my hand, and then I came to my senses as he looked at me and started peeling potatoes again. 

It seemed like he laughed.

Ahh! How embarrassing! My face must have turned red too!