I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend - Chapter 97

‘This guy. His quadriceps muscles looked very strong.’

Dahlia lay blissfully smiling. Not on a pillow, but a hard and stiff thigh.

And this man who gave a pillow-thigh.

The man who accidentally displayed his upper body naked previously was River Goldman.

‘What’s going on?’

To be honest, I was embarrassed at first. I only realized Sir River was the man with a muscular body like David after I had already shifted my gaze and had a nosebleed burst.

Initially, he noticed me as a strange individual, but when he thought of me as a pervert’ as a result of this occurrence, I couldn’t help but feel restless.

Contrary to my worries, however, he was quite bold.

Maybe it was the shock of suddenly spilling blood from my nose, but he ran to me, and his face stiffened. He pulled a handkerchief from his pants pocket, supported my neck, and covered my nose.

His swift action averted an even more obnoxious situation, but would he know? Now he’s practically hugging me with his bare upper torso.

I firmly closed my eyes, distracted by the shimmering meat of a strange man in front of me. The nosebleed won’t cease at this rate, but I would die of anemia. I managed to discern my voice as I yelled God in my mind.

“Oh, clothes…”

“What?”

“Firstly, put on some clothes…”

Sir River with his face simply stained crimson red as he realized his appearance. That figure was equally cute, so I giggled and scratched my nose at him.

Lord River’s charisma, though, was also his diligence concerning what he had to do.

Despite his embarrassment at exposing his unclothed body, he was more concerned about me and lifted me to a long chair in front.

I glanced at him, perplexed, after fulfilling my wish of “embracing a prince.”

He then whispered shyly, covering my eyes with his large hand, “I’ll get dressed quickly.”

No WONDER, the corners of my lips lifted to the sky.

Lord River eventually tied off his wet shirt, buttoned it to his neck, and returned in front of me. In an instant, I felt sorry for his robust and hidden figure, but I was pleased with the skin visible beneath the white shirt.

Furthermore, he said respectfully, ‘Excuse me for a moment,’ and then lifted my head, and then the goal… I think he’s giving me a knee pillow.

‘I tried not to but—!’

Seriously, what with this situation?

I am speechless that I’ve hugged him, Sir River who’s like a prince, but he even made an effort to give me a knee pillow.

What day of the week was it right now? Wasn’t it for this day’s purpose that I spent all night working?

While I was irritated that the nosebleed wouldn’t stop due to the quick surge of endorphins, I sneakily rested my head on his thigh, and I’d been laying with my head on his thigh for the past several minutes.

Not knowing my insidious innermost thoughts, Lord River was looking at me with anxious eyes and asked,

“Are you okay?”

I couldn’t bear to say, ‘Your face looking up from this point was so ecstatic that I’m growing exhausted and bleeding‘, so I faked a soft voice and answered.

“I felt a little better since I’m resting… Is it uncomfortable? I think I’ve been laying down for quite some time.”

“I’m fine. It doesn’t matter if you keep resting like this,” said River.

‘So… shall I do that?’

My heart almost jumped out at the moment, but I quickly clamped down. Then, as I cast a sidelong glance at him, I muttered something that piqued my interest.

“Then I’ll look after you for a little longer, and by the way, why…”

“What?”

“Why are you here… and abruptly stripped your clothes…”

When I reflected on it again, I felt uncomfortable for no apparent reason, so I blurted out my thoughts.

Lord River, for the most part, seemed to understand what I was saying, yet his face reddened, and he continued to utter gibberish.

“Well, well, I was on my way to get some fresh air when I bumped into the servant and spilled food, I couldn’t even enter the palace looking like this, and there was a fountain nearby, so I was thinking to wash it off and depart.”

Perhaps that was why his hair was wet, but the coat of the uniform he was wearing was certainly damp and laying on the fountain, and his shirt was strangely soiled.

He didn’t need to come all the way here for this, but I was strangely convinced that all he needed to do was go into a room and change his clothes but with that expression.

Above all, I’m grateful to this side of him for the comfort.

I quietly nodded, pretending to understand him.

Then, with a faint smile, he spoke, “Then may I ask you something?”

“What? Yes, as much as you want,” answered Dahlia.

I was embarrassed by the sudden question, but I readily allowed it.

Maybe it was because I had been laying down for a while, but I felt fine and the wind was cool.

‘Besides, resting with a lap pillow!’

It’s better with this angle, I also wanted to take some time.

Just as I waited for his question with such a pleasant smile…

“Are you having a hard time?”

My eyes widened like someone who heard bad news then without realizing it, I almost asked—

“What?”

Are you referring to physical or mental health? I could not think of anything, since I’m laying pleasantly on Lord River’s thigh right now, and if it were mental in nature I’d inquire if this scenario were inconvenient.

I glanced at him with dismay and eventually came to my senses. Lord River would be concerned about just a single thing.

“Um… Do I really look that bad?”

Maybe it’s my complexion.

Even if I hadn’t seen Lord River’s disgrace, I wasn’t in great shape prior to that. When Rudrick saw me standing there blankly, didn’t he try to say something similar?

‘Somewhere seems terrible…’

Although Rudrick was unable to speak due to the Emperor’s attendant who emerged later, I considered myself fortunate. I couldn’t explain to Rudrick something I couldn’t tell Jeron.

But why do I feel inclined to tell Lord River for no discernible reason? Was it because he’s a stranger with whom I have minimal contact?

“Your complexion still seems not good. You got a nosebleed, and I was wondering if you weren’t feeling well elsewhere…”

“Oh, this…”

‘It’s because I saw your hot body!’

… I couldn’t bear answering that way, so I smiled vaguely. I had no idea either. Furthermore, I had no idea my nose was so frail.

I had never been enchanted to have a nosebleed, even when I had been up all night preparing for the battle.

Of course, it was probably due to the accumulated exhaustion, but I was embarrassed that the final blow was his bare body, so I glanced away and resumed chatting.

“I’m a bit overworked these days.”

“What?”

“It’s just that I get nervous from time to time. So I went around trying harder, but nothing happened, and I was in a rush because I was in the same domain.”

“…”

I just said that without thinking about deceit, but Lord River looked serious. He glanced down at me for a moment before asking cautiously, as if he was hesitant.

“… Are you having a hard time telling me what’s going on?”

“Um, yes, well… That’s right.”

“I see,” answered River.

Lord River, who nodded lightly, gazed into space for a minute before speaking quietly.

“I don’t know if it’s grave, but… I think I can understand.”

“What?” asked Dahlia.

“It’s an anxious, impatient feeling.”

We made eye contact when I looked at him and stated,

“It’s over now, but I used to feel the same way, no matter how hard I tried, I kept falling back, and in that case, I’d rather give up.”

“…”

“At the time, I was able to get this far by gritting my teeth and persevering, but now that I think about it, I feel fresh.”

“Why?”

“I was afraid I’d lose if I took a break.”

He gave a sour smile.

“It’s only for losers to rest, and it’s not too late to rest after achieving all of your goals.”

“…”

“It’s not like you’ll be in trouble just because you rest a little.”

I just looked at him. Then, at a moment’s notice, deep in his heart, he couldn’t stand my words and spit them out.

“What if something truly catastrophic occurs?”

“… What?”

“If I take a little rest now to make myself comfortable, maybe things will get messed up, but then there’s no turning back.”

“…”

“If it’s a mild case, can you rest in such a situation?”

As I unwittingly blurted out the words, Lord River’s eyes widened. Having only recently regained awareness, I waved my hand and grinned awkwardly.

“I just assumed that situation and said that…”

“I see, then it’ll be difficult.”

But he had a serious look on his face, as if my rash comments weren’t a joke. He rested his chin and thought about something before speaking out.

“Then why don’t you lighten the burden on someone else?”

I blinked at him and spoke in a pained tone, “Because it’s something I can’t tell anyone.”

“No, I don’t mean you have to tell me…”

Sir River scratched his cheek as if embarrassed.

“I wondered what it would be like if I told them just like now.”

“Oh, it’s not what I mean, but just a few words?”

“Haha, yes. I know.”

In the end, I laughed without knowing it, and he continued.

“If you talk with someone you can trust and share the burden of your heart, you may see a breakthrough again.”

“…”

“And if it’s something to be heard that you’re resting a little, isn’t there a good chance it was played from the start?”

“That makes sense.”

“And if you need someone to lean on for a while…”

He spoke calmly at first, but then he paused and couldn’t speak.

However, he appeared embarrassed to say it, so when I looked at him, he averted his gaze slightly and whispered to himself.

“If you don’t mind talking to me anytime.”

His earlobe turned a little red, so I burst out laughing. Then I answered in a lighter tone than before.

“I need someone like that right now.”

“What?”

“Can you stay with me a little longer?” said Dahlia.

Lord River looked down at me blankly.

Then he replied with a bright smile, “Of course.”

I’m curious if that smile was brighter than ever. Only then did I feel at ease.

It feels like the weight I’ve been carrying has been lifted slightly.

Nothing had been settled as yet, but I still felt lightened than before, so I closed my eyes in an upbeat state of mind.

Then I fell asleep for a while and woke up without realizing it, and Lord River was there. With a lap pillow, while covering my eyes with his hand, fearing that the moonlight would dazzle my eyes.

I glanced at him blankly before falling asleep again, and then I had a thought.

‘If there is someone who lifts my burden, someone on whom I may rely and rest quietly, it might be that person. And hoping he’ll be able to stick by my side.’

After a long time, I finally fell asleep.