I Was a Supporting Character

I had been thinking about this novel’s premise all wrong from the beginning.

I can’t believe it was in the first person.

That means everything about being the villainess was from Lea’s perspective. The fact that she considered me the villainess because I interfered with the love of the main couple was because of my actions.

…So, I am undeniably, unquestionably the villainess now. Because of Ares’s feelings toward me, I unintentionally became a hindrance to Lea’s love.

Ha. I could only laugh. I resisted becoming a jealousy embodiment, trying not to be the villainess, but unintentionally, I ended up becoming one because of Lea.

Despite my efforts to avoid meddling between the two, it turned out to be all in vain.

Assuming the pillars of the novel continue to appear, I, as the villainess, will eventually exit the story through death.

If it were possible to change it so that the essential ‘pillars’ of the novel don’t appear… If so, I could avoid being the villainess and escape from death. Confirming that would ultimately happen during the cherry blossom festival a few days later.

I took a deep breath, feeling my shaky nerves. Although it was still days away, I was already nervous and trembling. I had just recovered from a severe illness, barely starting to move today, and now it seemed like I would get sick again.

I had resolved to love someone until the end of my life, without regrets, before I died. However, I couldn’t help but think about what would happen after my departure. Of course, if I only thought about myself, it wouldn’t matter much since I was living a life with an imminent death. But considering the family, friends, and Ares who would be left behind, I couldn’t ignore it.

If, really, due to the essential ‘pillar’ of the novel, Ares would soon fall in love with Lea and I would die, I didn’t want to become Ares’s lover.

Even if I were to accept Ares’s confession, he would soon fly away to Lea. There was no need to preemptively feel the pain of being abandoned by a lover whom I knew would eventually leave. Moreover, after my death, Ares would have a lifetime companion waiting for a happy ending, according to the novel’s setting. So, if I endured until then, there was no need to worry.

I also had a slight concern about establishing a relationship in the middle, fearing that if Ares and Lea became lovers later, Bianca’s existence might cast a shadow between them.

While they may have a happy ending, life after the novel’s conclusion is uncertain. Ares and Lea might live happily ever after or face challenges; that’s unknown.

However, all these thoughts are based on the assumption that the pillars of the novel exist. If those pillars could crumble, I wouldn’t need to be so cautious.

Let’s see what happens during the cherry blossom festival.

The pillars of the novel will not appear. If I know Ares, he won’t enjoy a date with Lea at the cherry blossom festival, surrounded by many people.

I trust Ares.

Suddenly, I burst into laughter alone. It was amusing how I seemed to already hope for his pure commitment, even though I hadn’t properly responded to Ares’s confession yet.

In reality, I want to live a long life with Ares. I want to accept his feelings, share the joy together, and be happy.

Rather than believing in the writer’s statement that the pillars of the novel won’t change, I trust Ares’s feelings for me more. I’ll give him an answer to his confession after confirming that the pillars of the novel don’t appear at the cherry blossom festival.

With my thoughts organized, my mind became clearer. I finally put down the pen and leisurely picked up the teacup filled with rosemary, which the waiter had brought a while ago, to savor its taste.

From where I sat, I could see the entrance of the wine bar. I absentmindedly turned my head and looked out the window.

At that moment, I made direct eye contact with Ares, who was standing at the entrance of the wine bar!

No way, why does that guy appear in front of me at such a perfect timing again!

I hastily averted my gaze.

Ugh, why bother looking outside! I felt like banging my head at my careless behavior.

Then, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. And soon…

“Bianca.”

Ugh, Ares greeted me with a smile. I really liked his gentle smile.

“Ares.”

I couldn’t help but smile back at him.

Ares greeted me and confidently walked over to sit across from me.

“You’re sitting here again.”

I nodded silently. This was my designated spot, after all. The second floor of Aphrodite Tea House was almost always empty after the noon tea time.

“You also visited the wine bar today.”

He said with a slight smile, and this time, I nodded in agreement.

“It seems like you enjoy wine. Or perhaps, you like the wine from that bar?”

At my words, Ares’ expression subtly changed.

Could it be that he doesn’t like wine?

“I don’t drink that much. I don’t always go around drinking alcohol.”

No, I didn’t say anything about him always drinking. Why does he look so awkward?

“I see…”

I mumbled vaguely, unsure of what else to say. Ares, who had been silently watching me, spoke up.

“I heard you were not feeling well.”

Huh? How did he know? I’ve been unwell for two days, and Ares didn’t visit as a viscount or send any letters.

Seeing my puzzled expression, he hesitated before responding.

“Lea told me.”

Ah, I see. Lea must have informed him. Well, when I was lying down sick for two days, she sent a letter saying she would come visit, but I declined. Did she run over to tell him?

Well, if Lea has a liking for Ares, she might have wanted to talk to him a bit and share any news she had.

Somehow, I felt a bit bitter.

No matter how things played out, Ares and Lea undoubtedly shared a special relationship. A special friend among friends? Then, how long would it take for that to evolve into a romantic relationship?