My Lover Isn't Interested With The Female lead!

 

 

 

 

“Oh, Father! Brothers! I told you it’s nothing serious. Why do you keep scaring me like this?”

 

“How can you say it’s nothing? In this cold season, if you even get a bit of water on you, you’ll catch a cold immediately. How is that ‘nothing’?”

 

“Father is right, Arie. When you catch a cold, you really suffer badly.”

 

“Arie, nothing is more important than your health. It’s fine to worry about other things, but you should prioritize taking care of yourself.”

 

Ariette has always been the type to take care of others before herself, which has often been a problem.

 

Thanks to her family’s protection, she’s gotten a bit better, but she’s still so kind and gentle that she hates it when anyone raises their voice. Her softness worries them all.

 

“…Should we have just left, brother?”

 

“I’m starting to think so.”

 

“…I’ve heard rumors about the Duke’s family, but it’s even more than I imagined.”

 

Watching this farce were Lenard, Kenneth, and Ezkhiel, though fortunately, their voices didn’t reach Alexander.

 

Letticia, who had to witness her father’s doting behavior up close, unknowingly muttered, ‘What the hell…’

 

Finally, with the intervention of the Count Sharon’s party, seating arrangements were made, and as everyone climbed aboard, not only the oarsmen but also the staff held the boat steady to prevent it from tipping over.

 

Thankfully, not a single drop of water splashed on Ariette, and so the boat departed smoothly.

 

 

After the boat set off, Alexander glanced intently at the very front.

 

In the front row of the eight-person boat sat Letticia and Ariette; in the second row, the Duke and Lenard; in the third, Alexander and Ezkhiel; and in the last row, Achilles and Kenneth.

 

“….…A-”

 

“……….”

 

His beloved younger sister was mostly obscured by their father’s back, and it was driving him crazy to leave her alone with that temperamental woman, yet he found himself unable to sit closer in case anything happened.

 

If not for the pretext of not wanting his debutante sister surrounded by unfamiliar men, he could have taken Lenard’s seat, but that didn’t help.

 

“Pardon, Sir Averil.”

 

At that moment, Ezkhiel, seated next to him, started a conversation. Alexander turned his head reluctantly to respond to Ezkhiel.

 

“Regarding the proposal from the Lord Chancellor that His Highness the Crown Prince should extend the meeting—would you happen to have any openings next Wednesday?”

 

“…My Wednesday is fully booked. How about Thursday?”

 

“Thursday won’t work for His Highness. He has a meeting with the Minister of Culture that day….”

 

Due to the unexpected work-related conversation, Alexander found himself distracted from Ariette, caught up in recalling the Chancellor’s schedule.

 

Casting a sidelong glance to check if his father was paying attention, he noticed that the Duke was now conversing with Lenard about something, alternating his gaze between Ariette and their discussion.

 

“If possible, I’d love for you to visit Sharon Jewelry. Not to boast, but we’re confident that our gem chains will start a new trend, and we’d be delighted to introduce the lady’s birthstone chain to you….”

 

Piecing together the fragments he overheard, it seemed they were pitching a visit to Sharon Jewelry.

 

Though they might not hold positive feelings on account of his sister, they put those feelings aside in favor of business—a discernment he admired.

 

“That building is Rosen Theater. Are you interested in theater, young lord?”

 

“I prefer it to books. Arie enjoys theater, so we go sometimes.”

 

“Then have you seen <Lovers of Aquarius>? It’s currently one of the best-reviewed plays.”

 

“I heard about it from a fellow knight. I’m planning to take Arie there soon.”

 

In the back, Achilles and Kenneth were surprisingly engaged in a good conversation.

 

Achilles didn’t have a shy personality, and Kenneth, serving as Letticia’s chaperone, seemed to be quite adept in conversation, so there shouldn’t be any issues.

 

‘So, is it just that woman who’s the problem?’

 

Alexander cast a sharp smile at the sight of the bright pink hair that stood out.

 

The nickname given by the Empress—’Rose’—was indeed fitting. No other name could suit her more perfectly.

 

‘Roses have thorns, after all.’*

 

Alexander couldn’t stop being wary, fearing that those thorns might harm Ariette.

 

If he had been able to sit next to Ariette, he wouldn’t have felt so powerless. If only their father and sister hadn’t stubbornly fought over such trivial things.

 

‘I even came prepared to explain the scenery.’

 

Alexander, who had already bought a travel guidebook for the capital, quickly reviewed and memorized the parts about this park as soon as they decided on the outing.

 

Alexander wanted to showcase himself as a great brother by enjoying the scenery with Ariette and explaining the surroundings to her.

 

However, reality had him stuck discussing work with Ezkhiel instead, making him think that fate was relentlessly absurd.

 

“…Understood. Looks like I’ll be working overtime again.”

 

As Alexander finished speaking, Ezkhiel sighed, lost in thought.

 

That sigh reminded Alexander of a question he hadn’t yet asked.

 

“Come to think of it, what brings you here with young lord Sharon, Sir Bright?”

 

“Oh, young lord Sharon invited me. We’ve been close friends since our academy days.”

 

“Friends… huh.”

 

Alexander glanced at Lenard with disdain.

 

Five years ago, during that unpleasant incident, Alexander had developed a strong resentment toward Lenard.

 

 

“Honestly, I doubt that’s really the case. Isn’t it just that what young lord wishes to believe it so?”

 

 

While it was only natural for him to stand up for Letticia as her older brother, even Alexander felt a surge of anger when he asked Achilles, ‘Isn’t that what you think?’

 

‘Speaking without knowing others’ circumstances is foolish.’

 

In the past, when Ariette was being mistreated by Marchioness Irma, the inability to protect his younger sister left deep scars on the Averil brothers.

 

Determined never to let it happen again, they scrutinized everyone who approached Ariette and warned those who seemed likely to harm her. Yet there were always people who envied her.

 

Even now, some people in her workplace occasionally exclude her. How could Lenard speak so carelessly, practically giving those people a free pass?

 

‘And yet, he’s supposedly friends with Sir Bright?’

 

Alexander glanced at Ezkhiel, who was now looking tiredly at the scenery.

 

As one of the most dedicated workaholics in the imperial household, second only to the Crown Prince, Ezkhiel was among those who worked overtime the most, excluding the Finance Department.

 

Yet, he had managed to carve out time for Lenard’s invitation.

 

“If he’s inviting you on a boat outing, you must be quite close. With the new project the Chancellor started, you must be incredibly busy. Wasn’t it difficult to make time?”

 

“Haha… I’ll just finish it up when I get back.”

 

Ezkhiel responded with a half-pale face.

 

Seeing him push himself to attend, Alexander couldn’t help but be baffled.

 

“Did you really have to come? You look like you’re about to collapse.”

 

“It’s not that bad. But just thinking about the work waiting for me makes me a bit dizzy, that’s all.”

 

Though Ezkhiel said that, considering what he’d heard about their relationship, it seemed more likely he hadn’t refused his invitation due to their friendship.

 

‘What could have led him to become friends with such a person?’

 

After a brief flash of pity, Alexander turned his attention back to Ariette.

 

Whatever Lenard’s friendships entailed, they didn’t concern him at this moment.

 

The longstanding feud between the two families had been put to rest with Freesia’s introduction, and now they only met occasionally at gatherings, exchanging polite greetings or perhaps sharing a dance.

 

The main concern was solely how they would influence Ariette.

 

Focused on that thought, Alexander pricked up his ears, hoping to catch bits of Arietta and Letticia’s conversation, while Ezkhiel sighed as he observed Alexander.

 

‘He’s glaring at Lady Sharon so intensely. Is that okay…?’

 

Letticia seemed to be conversing with Ariette without any issues, although the Duke and Lenard blocked a clear view.

 

Nevertheless, Alexander’s piercing gaze tracked Letticia, as if determined to catch any misstep she might make.

 

‘Those eyes aren’t filled with kindness.’

 

Remembering how the Duke, Alexander, and Achilles had earlier rushed to shield Ariette, Ezkhiel began to worry about Letticia.

 

If a single drop of water touched Ariette, those men would threaten anyone who dared spill it. If Letticia, even unintentionally, hurt Ariette’s feelings, there was no telling what they might do to her.

 

‘Of course, Lady Sharon could handle herself well, but still….’

 

Ezkhiel knew that Letticia had always bravely faced adversaries since their academy days. Even so, he couldn’t shake the desire to protect her.

 

Thus, instead of engaging Alexander in further conversation, he decided to keep an eye on him as well.

 

All to ensure Letticia could enjoy the boat ride she had been looking forward to.

 

 

🍓; *something beautiful or appealing often has a darker or more challenging side. It implies that while the person (Letticia) may have many positive qualities (like charm, beauty, or talent), they also possess flaws or undesirable traits that can cause difficulty or hurt, much like the thorns on a rose can cause pain despite the flower’s beauty.