I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend - Chapter 71

The day of the prom was approaching.

After waking up early and making all sorts of fuss, all of a sudden, a strange woman was sitting in the mirror.

Maybe it’s just too early to grab a mirror right away and say, “Oh, is this me…?”

Still, I thought I had dressed up well so far, but compared to this look, I looked like I had a bare-makeup face.

Being reborn, I became a calm and gentle-looking beauty, like an elegant lady.

Who would have thought that I was a child who would have looked like a clown in the past, “Eat? Bath? Or Me?”

Even my parents would have suspected that Rudrick was their daughter.

‘… Rudrick must have grown up a lot too, right?’

Come to think of it, it wasn’t just that Rudrick didn’t recognize me. There was a possibility that I wouldn’t recognize Rudrick.

Ten years was a long time.

The Rudrick I remember was an innocent little boy who was an inch shorter than me, but in the original, Rudrick was portrayed as a sexy young man with a cold atmosphere.

He must have been very tall. Was his hair that long? Or did he also cut it short?

“What if we can’t adjust?”

In the previous letter, he confidently promised that we would get to know each other again…

What if I feel like I’m going to die of awkwardness first? Oh, I’m getting blemishes on my face, will it be okay?

When all sorts of thoughts come into play. I remembered a memory of the letter.

[… I also want to see you in person with your braids on. I think it will fit well, but imagination alone has its limits.]

Then I made an appointment with Rudrick.

[But, you can show it the next time we meet. I’ll wear it with the dress you’ve been wanting to see!]

Unfortunately, the dress you sent me later became smaller, and I can’t wear it anymore, but I might be able to wear it with a hair tie.

I got up and headed to the bedside table. Then I opened the bottom drawer of the side table and took out a wooden box placed deep in the drawer.

The box was covered with dust. Let’s open the lid of the box immediately.… There, inside the box, was a ribbon hair tie.

‘It’s old.’

Unlike the first time, the braids were a little worn out.

It was because I was excited to receive the hair tie when I was young, and I wore it every day.

Later, I was worried that it might break because I tied it too much, so I kept the hair tie in a box from a certain point.

And I forgot about it for a while because I was so busy.

“Will it go well with the dress?”

I checked the colorful dress and ribbon hair tie over my body. No matter how much I looked at it, it seemed too much to just wear a hair tie.

Wouldn’t it be nice to mix it with other hair ornaments and tie it cleverly?

As I was drowning in my thoughts as I tangled the hair tie around, the maid, who had just gone to get some accessories, opened the door and came in.

Looking at her, I secretly made up my mind.

‘I need to tie it with something, And it can do well if it’s someone good at decorating.’

Then I snatched the maid’s hand and asked, “Can you tie this too?”

✿

“We’re here.”

I took the knight’s hand and got off the carriage. The Imperial Palace, which I came to after a long time, was still magnificent.

I have been here a few times, but when I stand in front of the grand gate of the Imperial Palace like this, I get nervous without realizing it.

As I was swallowing my breath, the gatekeeper, who had confirmed our family seal, immediately shouted out loud.

“Duke Adelio Averine, Duchess Chloe Averine, and Princess Dahlia Averine are welcome!”

When the door opened, all kinds of gazes poured into the splendid interior.

Many nobles had already arrived inside. Because the higher the status, the later it usually comes.

Our family walked leisurely to the center of the banquet hall as if familiar.

Soon people flocked to us.

Among them, there were aristocrats with familiar faces and aristocrats I had never seen before.

“Congratulations on your victory!”

“I admire you for participating in the war yourself.”

“They are so foolish to start with. The Empire has built up this way…”

Everyone was trying to talk to my father in the name of congratulating him on his victory.

‘The powerful are tired.’

I glanced sadly at my father, who was already struggling.

I’m sorry for my father, but I wasn’t confident that I could survive the hordes of nobles who flocked like zombies.

While everyone was preoccupied with my father, I sneaked out and went to an empty table, and grabbed a glass of wine.

Then, as if waiting, a man followed.

“… Well, I don’t recognize you.”

I looked sideways in a low voice. There, as usual, stood Jeron, dressed neatly.

He was consistent for a long time, but I guess I wasn’t.

Jeron’s eyes widened as if surprised, and glared at me several times.

I whispered near him and said, “Ha… it’s difficult to fall in love like this. I’m being warned not to get involved with my co-workers.”

“That’s not what I meant …”

I laughed happily at his salty reaction. Then he asked in a passing tone, pretending to greet me.

“How have you been? Is everything okay?”

Jeron, who is now pretending, answered with a blank face.

“Yes, everything is going well.”

“Then the thing I said before…”

“… That’s not—”

Are you saying you still don’t know who I am?

Even if he doesn’t have any restrictions on his actions, if he hasn’t been able to find it yet, he can only say that he was determined and hid from the other side.

I’m not sure what he meant. As I take a breather in an ambiguous situation. I could hear a group of nobles chattering next to me.

“Then you’re all coming to the capital? Duke Bouser too?”

“There’s no way he won’t come, the main hero of this war. The emperor himself is celebrating it.”

“There’s a rumor that he will be given an award.”

“Then the generation has already changed….”

A war hero who overcame difficult circumstances and cut the head of King Rohandell himself.

Rudrick’s rumors were so famous that it was impossible not to hear them.

In the first place, this ball was also a victory commemoration ball, and his story could not be left out of talking about war.

We listened unconsciously to such nobles, but belatedly we met eyes with each other. Then I laughed awkwardly.

“You must be nervous. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other…”

“You’re the one I’ve been missing for a long time.”

“…”

“The one who never forgot…”

“The ‘master’ of your ‘heart’…”

“Princess please…”

Seeing Jeron shaking with a blushing face, I put the last direct hit.

“Master, I’m back, is your heart okay?”

“Oh, come on!”

He chuckled and thought secretly at the sight of him raising his voice.

It’s not that I’m not nervous. But thanks to Jeron, I was able to relax a lot, and I was big enough to hide one of my feelings.

No matter what Rudrick looks like, he can greet you with a smile.

As I was so confident, I soon heard a loud shout from the gatekeeper.

“Little Duke Rudrick Bouser is here!”

Silence revolved around him for an instant.

All eyes were directed to one place. I also followed them and looked towards the door.

The door slowly opens… and there…

‘…?’

I opened my mouth blankly.

A tall man was entering the hall.

His short hair was dark and shimmering as if woven from darkness, and his small face beneath it was transparent without any blemishes.

His nose rises steeply as if you could ride a slide, lips that are well-closed and well-shaped, and a jaw sharply forged like a veil.

The facial features were harmoniously embedded without missing anything, but the most impressive thing was the man’s eyes.

The deeply shaded eyes were dark blue like the deep sea, and the cool energy seemed colder than the ice cap.

Looking at the man’s face after putting it in like everyone else, I soon came to my senses. And I thought.

“Your face is crazy.”

But who is he?

I wouldn’t forget a man with such an impressive face. Is this your first time attending a ball?

But why do I feel so familiar with that low-key face? It’s the first time I’ve seen such an angelic look.

“… Angel?”

For a moment, my eyes met with the man.

I feel like I’ve experienced a similar situation before. As the strange anxiety climbed up my back, the man began to stride toward me.

At that, my neck was gradually bent backward, and before I could even say anything-.

“Dahlia.”

He hugged me right where I was. Unconsciously, I also hugged him. We hugged!