I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend - Chapter 61

It’s been a year and a half since the war started. In the beginning, the Empire faced difficulties.

‘Allied Power…’

The number of kingdoms involved was larger than expected, and the kingdoms that were allied with the Empire did not actively help the Empire to make the situation possible.

In addition, the unity of the Allied Powers was stronger than I thought.

For the first time they had allied, the Empire’s hands and feet were fast, and were not easily shaken by the enemy’s strife.

Seeing this, the Crown Prince, who was in charge of the Empire, said, “They must have a leader.”

There must be a head who leads the Allied Powers, which was a mess.

Instead of leading the force and sweeping away the enemy at once, the Crown Prince stayed in the form of defense for a while and concentrated on planting spies in the enemy’s camp.

And it wasn’t long before he figured out who the leader of the Allied Powers was.

The Crown Prince immediately assembled the commanders. It was from the thought that if the leader died, it would inflict a huge blow to the Allied Powers.

The problem was that the leader was hiding deep in the enemy’s camp.

“I’ll do it.”

At that time, the person who stepped up was the youngest Duke of Bouser among the commanders.

The young Duke said that he would organize a small elite army and attack the enemy but the commanders didn’t respond very well.

As long as he succeeds, he can make the most of the profit with the least amount of information, but he could only get killed by being surrounded by enemies.

But the youngest Duke came back after completing his mission brilliantly.

In the bloodied hands of the little Duke, there was a neatly cut head of the Allied Powers leader.

The Crown Prince was greatly pleased. He congratulated the young Duke for his achievements and celebrated by pouring alcohol throughout the barracks.

“Haha! At a young age, I knew he was going to get tired of peeing in his bed, but who would have thought that he would cut off the head of an enemy by himself?”

“How dare you be so bold at that age. He’s not dead yet, either.”

“Isn’t his skill great? When the war is over, I want him to be my son-in-law.”

“Oh, don’t talk about your interests!”

The commanders were united in praising the Duke. It was a distinctly different reaction from the early days when he was secretly ignored as the youngest Commander.

Adelio, Duke of Averine, who was looking at him, swallowed a sigh.

At some point, he promised that the Duke would never come back alive.

‘I was sick and tired of their two-faced attitude.’ Duke Averine thought.

Adelio left the barracks without drinking alcohol.

The main character of the celebration wasn’t present there anyway, so there was no need to stay any longer.

As he went to the corner to feel the wind, he soon saw familiar scenery.

This place, where the trees are thick and hidden but lit by the moonlight, was the place Adelio went to whenever he felt frustrated.

“Hmm?”

But today, another guest came first. Adelio turned his head to the young man leaning against the tree.

Then, he was surprised and said without realizing it.

“The Duke of Bouser.”

There was Rudrick Bouser, the protagonist of today’s banquet.

Seeing him for the first time in a long time, he looked so different from his old days.

Where did the appearance of being smaller and softer than my daughter goes, and now only a man who is tall enough to be similar to my height, who has lost his baby fat and has a sharper impression?

However, at the beginning of the battlefield, he seemed to be smaller than that.

In just a year, he was still growing little by little, not enough to catch up with Adelio. But he grew much faster than the average boy.

But it wasn’t only Rudrick’s growth that surprised Adelio. It was his attitude that changed in an instant.

“I don’t think he was like that before.”

When I first saw him, I doubted if he was really Rudrick.

At best, he resembled the Duke of Bouser, at worst he had an unmanly atmosphere.

The same goes for his expressionless face like a doll, but above all, his eyes. The low, empty eyes made him particularly unfamiliar and distant.

Even his eyes did not change on the battlefield. He didn’t show any emotions even when he killed people, so it was like seeing a doll that was better trained than a human.

First, his appearance looked young. But Adelio had no choice but to look at him because they had known each other in the past.

Most of all, he was my daughter’s best friend. I don’t even have to wonder why the child changed like that.

So, as time passed and Rudrick got used to it, Adelio started talking to him one or two words at a time.

Of course, he avoided it, but there was little to no response.

‘Still, it doesn’t seem like he doesn’t like it.’

To be precise, he did seem to make him uncomfortable.

Unlike other people who are consistent with his indifference, whenever he sees him, he sneaks a peek at him.

That’s why he was even more talkative.

He thought that, aside from being rude, he had some good reason to react differently to him.

If I talk to you like this, I think there will be a day when we can talk openly.

Adelio approached Rudrick as usual.

I was just going to ask you how you are, “Young Duke?”

Somehow, Rudrick’s appearance looked different from usual.

At this point, he should have noticed and responded to anything, but there was strangely no movement.

It’s like someone who knows but can’t move.

“No way.”

And Adelio was right, Rudrick, leaning against a tree, or laying down, was half unconscious.

“Rudrick Bouser!”

Adelio rushed to him. His face was pale and tired in the dim moonlight. Adelio lifted Rudrick’s fallen body and soon lamented at the visible wounds.

“It’s crazy.”

How can you pretend to be distant even with these wounds? Didn’t he even talk to the Crown Prince a while ago?

If I look at the large cut on his side, I won’t be able to say anything even if he fell on the spot.

I was almost blown away by his tremendous mentality.

Looking at the bleeding wound, Adelio quickly put his arm around his neck.

He moved hastily thinking that he had to go and get treatment right away when he heard Rudrick’s shrill voice.

“I don’t need it. It’s a long way off.”

“What are you talking about!”

“…”

Adelio spoke to him for the first time.

“How can you utter such words at this point? You can’t even move?”

“…”

“If you don’t like it, push me away, I’ll take you to my barracks for treatment.”

Rudrick was silent with his head down.

He had no objection. No, it was right to say that he didn’t have the strength to resist.

Adelio let out a deep sigh as he looked at his stubbornly clenched lips.

“I understand what you’re worried about…”

“It’s getting late and everyone’s drunk, so there won’t be anyone to see you. There are few people here.”

“…”

“If it’s too hard, it’s okay to lean on me for a while.”

Adelio was worried about him. If he’s left by himself, eventually…

Because during this time he can’t bear the weight and collapses. It’s because he suddenly saw someone’s face in his clenched teeth.

“You and Dahlia both don’t say anything about facing difficult times.”

Rudrick’s body twitched at Adelio’s mumblings.

And Adelio, who was supporting Rudrick, had to know why he chose to suffer.

Adelio glanced at Rudrick and turned his head as if he didn’t know. Nevertheless, his shaky expression seemed indelible.

Adelio’s eyes grew a little bigger and then bent gently.

“I see.”

He smiled secretly, thinking he now understands why Rudrick was reacting that way, and why he’d been uncomfortable with him until now.

Because he wasn’t the only one who remembered his childhood memories.

“Dahlia.”

Suddenly, his face was filled with longing.

“I miss you a lot.”

✿

“Father…!”

About a year and a half since my father left.

“Why are you so busy?”

I was just working. There were times when I was so busy by myself. The problem was that there are not one or two things that I have opened up.

In the morning, I deal with the documents that were delayed at yesterday’s date, in the afternoon I dig through the documents related to the estate and check the funds I have invested in separately, and in the evening I listen to the progress of the treatment from Hestia and many more.

I was busy enough to split my body in two. Sometimes, I felt embarrassed that I was reincarnated to be so busy.

I’ve even ruined the much-anticipated Debutante Ball.

“I was looking forward to it so much!”

When I think of that time, tears of blood came out, but I can’t help it.

But thanks to that, the territory was running without any problems, and the things I had been doing were progressing step by step.

Except for one thing…