Supporting Characters Also Need Some Love

CHAPTER 1: THE SUPPORTING ROLE IS ALSO QUITE DIFFICULT (X)

Part 011

Even though it was a dance song with a fairly fast tempo with Homer’s natural lead, they danced two songs in a row. Homer went to get a drink for her, who was slightly panting, and she took a seat at a table placed at the edge of the hall, lamenting her low damn stamina.

Before she came, she only studied, but even after she came, she just sat there and her stamina was almost nonexistent. After the exam, she should go jogging every morning. Ah, was Jenny going to nag again?

A glass filled with a clear drink was set down on the table. She said thank you and looked up, but it wasn’t Homer. She jumped up in surprise.

“Duke Bigor.”

“Because it seemed necessary.”

He offered another drink and pulled out a chair. When she sat down again, the Duke, whom she thought would just pretend to go, sat across from her. What he handed over was refreshing green grape juice. She emptied his glass clean and thanked him.

“Thank you, Duke. You’ve been showing up at the right moment since yesterday.”

“I’m glad it helped.”

“Of course. No matter how much I think about how to respond to the grace I received yesterday, I can’t figure it out. Have you ever had any trouble because of me?”

She remembered the flood of questions she received as soon as she arrived, so she carefully asked him, but he made a face that he didn’t know what the trouble was.

“It was a shameful help to call it grace. Lady Damian, did you get home safely?”

“Sure. Unfortunately, I couldn’t save the dress, but thanks to the Duke, I arrived home safely.”

He raised his eyebrows and laughed.

Oh, that’s good. A handsome man’s smile was the best, even Tyrellius, the kingdom’s greatest scumbag, was worth looking at.

It’s a good place.

“Can I ask for a dance using yesterday’s relationship as an excuse?”

What kind of bullshit was that? He bounced like that yesterday and today he didn’t even come close to the floor but wanted to dance with her? Maybe that wasn’t a green light… and it’s probably because she was still grateful for his help. He had a pretty face and a nice heart. Who said he was a scary and cold-hearted Duke?

She looked down at his outstretched hand for a moment and smiled as prettily as she could.

“It’s an honor, Duke.”

When the Duke, who was like an ice prince, stepped onto the floor, gazes poured in again. Her face was stung by the young ladies’ suspicious and ferocious gazes toward her, but she felt free to look at the faces that had already been sold.

It was interesting to see the difference in dancing style or personality after dancing consecutively with Homer. Did Homer get wrapped up in her? If it was the feeling of following her movements, as if Duke Bigor was preparing for the place she was going to move in advance.

When she stretched out her hand, the large hand that had come in advance and was waiting for her hand gave her a great sense of security. Even the movements without superfluity and the gaze looking down at her while concentrating on me were beautiful. She was certain that she was now betting on the smile of her mother, who she used to put on her face when she was young and a fan of idols.

It must be true that he didn’t have any friends after returning to Midok after a long time wandering around the country. Because when he smiled, he had such a benign face. Yesterday, it was clear that he was hardened by tension. Would anyone be surprised to see him asking her to dance with that ridiculous happening?

Somehow, out of pity, she thought for a while about asking for a correspondence, but no. She needed to know her place. She was talking to be a pen pal with the subject of the test takers. After one full song, the Duke greeted her very politely. She guessed she danced too much. Her throat was dry again and sweat seemed to be forming on her forehead.

The Duke, escorting her to the edge of the hall, deftly snatched two drinks from a passing attendant. When she was handed a glass and tried to drink, she was in front of the terrace of yesterday’s event. Hungry for the cool breeze, this time she checked that the curtains were up and went inside the terrace. After going in and looking around to see if anyone was there, she sat down. The Duke, who was watching her, sat across from her and smiled.

When he smiled, he definitely gave a very different impression. When he was quiet, he was so scared that it was hard to talk to him, but when he smiled, he was so friendly that she was a little surprised.

“I’m wearing a sturdy dress today, so you don’t have to worry about it bursting.”

She was embarrassed for nothing, so he laughed again at what she said.

“Today, the curtains are double-draped, so don’t worry.”

This time she couldn’t help but laugh.

“You were very surprised yesterday, right? I’m sorry. Now that I think about it, I think I should have asked you to call my older brother. I was too busy at the time to think about it.”

“Thanks to that, I was able to get out of the boring banquet hall early.”

“Were you bored? Actually, I don’t like parties either. I was only going to attend until today, but I got the honor of dancing with the Duke, so I won’t regret this New Year’s banquet.”

When she said that she was in a good mood and he showed a happy smile on his face, which made her feel better.

She thought about it earlier, but his smile was so pretty. People like that should stick by one’s side and keep making them laugh, but why didn’t anyone use them when they have a good talent for brightening up the world with just one smile?

“I was only going to attend until today.”

“I see. The Duke and I don’t enjoy parties, so it’ll be hard to see you now. It’s not easy to talk to the Duke privately, but that’s a bit unfortunate.”

“No matter the place, please feel free to talk to me whenever you see me.”

She was sure it’s a misunderstanding, but she almost applied for a pen pal right away because he had a little regretful face. But she did not. She was a student examinee. It’s a pity that her relationship with the kind Duke ended there, but she was not going to be friends with him. Well, what could she do?

Even if he said ‘no matter the place’, where do the Duke and she meet? Even these days, she was in a relationship with the desk in the second row of her study. That person was also the one who had it all.

After a little conversation, no matter how warm the winter was, it was winter, so she quickly cooled down in her thin dress and went out to the terrace. Those who saw them coming out of the terrace whispered again, but soon lost interest when they saw the Duke saying hello and turning around coolly.

She looked for him, but she couldn’t find Homer again, so she talked to some young ladies she knew, danced a couple more times with some young men, and returned early.

* * *

After the New Year’s banquet, she went back to working mode until Ailene’s letter arrived. She returned to her study desk and devoted daily life with her hair in a chemise.

Ailene’s letter came five days after the banquet. The day after she received the letter, they met at the most popular dessert shop on 1st Midoc Avenue. Unlike her, who was rotting while cultivating her dark circles while studying, Ailene, who wore a female lead buff and even a love buff, shone brightly. The already pretty girl was in full bloom.

The dessert shop ‘Chocolat’ was for nobles, so the second floor consists of exclusive rooms only. Thanks to Ailene, the daughter of a Duke, Ailene and she occupied a spacious and cute room with a large window. As soon as she spread out on the seat hugging the pink cushion, Ailene showed off her exciting boyfriend.

As soon as the banquet was over, Prince Dozern sent a letter to the Duke’s residence asking for official companionship. Duke Nodovan didn’t reply, and he didn’t even say anything to Ailene. However, since he did not stop Ailene from going out to meet the prince every day, he seemed to think that this was connivance.

Prince Dozern sent me these gifts, Prince Dochern told me these things, Prince Dochern took me around and so on. After listening to the boasting of a lover enough to make phosphorus go down in their ears, they ordered dessert for the second round to make up for the lost sugar. The hot chocolate sprinkled with powdered sugar was so sweet that she couldn’t take a few sips, but the macarons and meringues were amazingly delicious.

While thinking about how to get her words out to Ailene, who was in a great mood, she took another bite of the macaron.

“Damian, I suddenly…”

“Ailene!”

Her head spins as she gets up to approach Ailene, who has suddenly collapsed on the sofa. What happened? Poison maybe? But she hadn’t done anything since coming to this world? Getting caught up in a conspiracy and having nothing to do with it? She sat down, held on to the table, and tried to hold on, but I couldn’t control her body. She was sprawling on the back of the sofa and barely holding on to her senses when someone came in.

Two… Three?

“Isn’t that a drug that’s harmful to the body?”

“Of course. It’s a noble body, so it could be damaged.”

“Check.”

What was it, it sounds like she had heard it somewhere. It was getting farther away, but something rustled in Ailene’s direction. With all her might, she pushed her eyelids up. Her posture had slanted before she knew it, and she could only see a little bit of the top and bottom of the table.

It’s two people. She could only see the clothes standing behind Ailene, and the other was walking behind Ailene’s back and touching her hair.

‘No, you crazy bastards. What are you doing?’

She tried with all her strength to hold her body in place, but even the eyelids that were barely open were slowly lowered. It’s so scary and she felt like she was going crazy. She hated being so helpless, but she couldn’t do anything.

“I’m sure.”

At the end of the monster’s voice, consciousness fell far away.

“No!!”

She screamed and opened her eyes. But there was no one around. How long has it been? What about them?

Ailene was lying on her stomach, the same figure she had seen before closing her eyes.

“Ailene. Ailene! Wake up.”

As she approached and shook her shoulder, Ailene came to her senses as if she had just woken up. Fortunately, it doesn’t look uncomfortable anywhere. She had a slight headache, but her body was normal.

There was no trace of the missing belongings or who had come. The only difference was that the drinks and desserts on the table were cleaned. Eilene looked bewildered.

“Did I pass out? What happened?”

“It looks like they put some sleeping pills in the drinks we drank. I just woke up too.”

“Sleeping pills? Who? Why? We’re both asleep?”

“I saw it before I lost my mind. Two men came.”

Ailene became contemplative and trembled. She checked all over her body to see if there was something wrong. Fortunately, nothing changed.

“Who’s looking at me? What were they checking? What the hell did you see?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen their faces, they’ve lifted their hair behind your back. Any guesses?”

“I don’t know! What the hell is this!”

“It was you who almost killed us in the fall. It was a problem that could be dismissed as a prank, but now that it’s like this, that’s questionable.”

“That was Philia! I’m sure! I must have seen the hem of the red dress that day. The only one wearing a red dress that day was Philia.”

“Why is Lady Philia targeting you?”

“Because she wants to be queen. She hates Tyrellius terribly, but she wants to be queen. Last year, after Philia came of age, there was talk of an engagement with the crown prince, but it was because of me. My father stopped it in order to push me in. Who wants to become the crown princess? Philia can just do it, why are you doing this to me!”

Ailene eventually let her cry out.

“Today’s work is too strange to think that Lady Philia did it. We don’t know what happened, so we’d better be careful for the time being. Tell Duke Nodoban and ask for an escort.”

“Would my father care?”

“Then tell Lord Dozern. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of any help.”

As she spoke melancholy, tears welled up in her eyes, and Ailene also shook her head gloomily.

“No. Because of me, you are suffering for nothing. Twice.”

For the time being, they decided to send their regards by letter and parted ways. She couldn’t even bring out the story she was going to talk about because she wasn’t in a hurry.

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Translator Note:

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