I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend - Chapter 24

 

Should I just listen to this?

 

I looked at the woman who had just spoken. Her face looked familiar, so I wondered where I saw her before, and it seemed like she was one of the kitchen family members I often went to.

 

She continued with an infinitely serious face.

 

“Everyone makes mistakes while working, right? Then people usually think, ‘Why am I really frustrated and useless?’ ”

 

People nodded their heads altogether.

 

“It’s a little bit of this negative thinking. It’s just like this…”

 

She wrapped her arms around her body and said, shamelessly.

 

“I made a mistake again, didn’t I? Ahh, I look like a completely clumsy newbie. It’s so cute.”

 

Silence hung over the crowd for a moment.

 

The people all looked at each other with their mouths closed all at once, and a quiet crackling sound was heard from somewhere.

 

“You must be crazy…”

 

 

✧✧✧

 

Contrary to my concerns, the people quickly dispersed.

 

Hearing that people were gathering and playing hooky from somewhere, even the head maid appeared.

 

As a person who manages all the servants of the Duke family, she entered with a strict and dignified face, leading the servants in command.

 

When she appeared, people shut their mouths and began to notice.

 

I also couldn’t help but feel anxious. Because the head maid was very strict with anyone, even to the master she served.

 

There was a moment of silence, and some of the maids brought by the head maid swung their brooms and shouted.

 

“Disperse!! Couldn’t each of you do your own thing?!”

 

They ran away without saying a word, and before I knew it, the head maid and I were left alone in the empty hallway.

 

I was staring at her, unable to breathe properly.

 

‘I’m screwed…’

 

The face of the head maid was frighteningly stiff.

 

Yes, it’s worth getting upset about. I wonder why there was such a fuss all of a sudden, but I didn’t know it was because of me.

 

Even because she didn’t like me, who was usually like a peasant’s daughter.

 

No, but this wasn’t something I had planned and raised. If that’s the case, I’m also a victim of rumors…!

 

When I couldn’t bring it up and was being falsely accused, I heard a frighteningly hard voice.

 

“Miss.”

 

I looked at her with trembling eyes. The head maid looked down at me with a cold, hardened face and soon said.

 

“A lady was born to be loved.”

 

I replied with a little admiration.

 

“I’m going.”

 

So I went back to my room and had to lie down on the sofa right away.

 

It’s been a really tiring day.

 

I was just going to ask a few people, but things got bigger unexpectedly and I was a little embarrassed.

 

Still, through trial and error, I was able to gather a lot of pretty good methods.

 

As I stared blankly at the ceiling, I puffed, pressed my stomach and immediately jumped out of my seat. Because I felt like I would fall asleep right away if I lay like this.

 

‘I couldn’t be like that.’

 

How did I get all that information? It would be good to move it right now.

 

I rushed to the desk and picked up a blank piece of paper and a pen. After thinking about it for a while, I immediately wrote this in large letters at the top of the paper.

 

[ 8 SOLUTIONS FOR RUDRICK’S CONFIDENCE]

 

•The list thus compiled was as follows.

 

1. Do your favorite activity

2. Find something you love to do

3. Stay away from people who undermine you

4. Making friends with someone who sees your strengths

5. Look in the mirror and praise yourself

6. Developing a habit of accepting compliments

7. Write down what you like

8. Write down the good things today (write a diary)

 

After writing down only the plausible methods in a row, I looked at the list for a while and pondered. I knew how, but figuring out how to put it into practice with Rudrick was another thing.

 

First, #1 and #2 could be placed on the same line.

 

Rudrick said he wasn’t sure what he liked.

Because Rudrick said he wasn’t sure what he liked.

 

We’ve already promised to experience many things together and find out what he likes, so there won’t be anything else to prepare.

 

Of course, if he looks for things he might like, we would be able to do activities that he naturally likes.

 

‘Won’t he like the sword?’

 

Suddenly, my father’s “confidence comes from the sword” sounded echoing in my ears, but I shook my head and looked at the next point.

 

‘Stay away from people who undermine you.’

 

There was only one person who could undermine Rudrick’s self-esteem.

 

‘The Duke of Bouser.’

 

But fortunately he’s not here right now. If possible, it would be nice for him to be gone forever, but he would have no choice but to face him again when he returns to the north.

 

Now I could only hope that while Rudrick was in the capital, the Duke would never come to the capital.

 

And I smiled confidently when I saw the opposite of ‘Making friends with someone who sees your strengths‘.

 

Well, do I need to look for it from somewhere?

 

‘It’s me.’

 

Pass!

 

Looking at the rest of the list, I wrote down the methods.

 

The most specific and consistent activities I could do every day are ‘Praise myself in the mirror‘ and ‘write down the good things today.’

 

I didn’t put a mirror in my room because I didn’t feel the need to, but I think I should prepare a full-body mirror tomorrow. And a diary too.

 

If I ask him to write a diary together, we could naturally record “good things“, right?

 

I wish it would be an exchange diary. Although I was worried about whether I would be able to keep a diary after being lazy and putting off the homework the day before.

 

The rest of the items could be practiced from time to time.

 

‘I have to give him a compliment every day.’

 

I wanted Rudrick to get used to compliments, but in fact, I didn’t want to see him embarrassed every time he was praised.

 

I sighed and carefully folded the paper on which I had written down my plans so far and put it in the very bottom of the drawer.

 

Then, looking at the darkened window, I suppressed my excitement.

 

‘I want to see you as soon as possible.’

 

And waiting so eagerly for the third day.

 

Rudrick was finally here.

 

 

✧✧✧

 

It’s already been 3 days since I opened my heart to Rudrick and decided to become true friends.

 

Now Rudricks here.

 

However, it wasn’t that Rudrick was late.

 

The Duchess and Rudrick usually came to play at this interval. No, on the contrary, it could be said that this visit was a fast visit.

 

But why was I so anxious for such a short time?

 

I had been waiting for each day, and as soon as I heard the news that Rudrick was coming, I jumped up and ran downstairs.

 

Unlike usual, I was running flutteringly with my ponytailed hair, so my mother, watching me coming from afar, said, ‘You’re like a puppy’.

 

Then I thought about whether that was an insult or not, and I quit.

 

Actually, it didn’t matter if it was swearing or not. I was so excited that I didn’t even care about such trivial words.

 

I’ve been missing Rudrick for a while, and finally the opportunity came to practice the methods I worked hard on.

 

I almost died because I couldn’t sleep when I imagined how Rudrick would react every day.

 

Anyway, I got down earlier than usual and was waiting for Rudrick at the door, and soon after, a carriage with the Bouser family’s symbol arrived.

 

Before the door could even open, I rushed over and shouted.

 

“Rudrick!”

 

Rudrick, who had just got out of the carriage, saw me pop out of nowhere and widened his eyes in surprise. Then he smiled and said,

 

“Dahlia.”

 

Perhaps because it was the sunny afternoon, Rudrick’s smile from outside was more dazzling than ever.

 

As I frowned, making a hand shade, I heard a familiar and caring voice right next to me.

 

“Dahlia, can’t you see me?”

 

It was the Duchess who came down from the carriage under the escort of a knight

 

Only then did I come to my senses and straighten out my disorganized posture, lift up my skirt, and bow politely.

 

“Good afternoon, Duchess Bouser. How have you been?”

 

“Thanks to you. Although Rudrick was a bit frustrated that he wanted to come soon.”

 

“Mo- Mother!”

 

‘Oh, did you? This cute kitten.’

 

When I glanced at Rudrick with a smile, he turned his head in ignorance with his cheeks tinged red.

 

Needless to say, my hopes went up higher than that.

 

My mother, who was approaching, said,

“Dahlia also called Nora because she missed Rudrick so much. It’s a match made in heaven.”

So Rudrick’s face became a burning sweet potato.

 

Anyway, the atmosphere was good. What was awkward a few days ago seemed like a distant thing.

 

As the mothers exchanged simple greetings with each other, I secretly glanced at Rudrick.