I Corrupted The Good Male Protagonist - Chapter 18

“Hello, Lady Sinclair. I’m Gabriela Hayes. Please be assured that I am going to serve you the best I can. You’re going to attend the upcoming Chichimeme, right? Since all the boutiques will be crowded these days, I am here to serve you because of the Duke’s consideration. I look forward to your kind cooperation.”

The graceful woman with brown hair looks like she came from the upper class even at first glance. I heard that she opened a boutique as a hobby and seemed to be very famous.

The Duke wouldn’t have brought just anyone in after all, plus, he has a lot of influence.

I was a little nervous when I thought of the upcoming party.

Chichimeme was a party that Olga, the female protagonist, had never attended, so I didn’t know the details.

However, Chichimeme refers to a monster who indiscriminately massacred people in the past.

It came up from the west and ate people at random so the people decided to drove the monster towards the burning fire. Since then, it became a ritual. And that’s the origin of this party.

Only nobles who still had yet to celebrate their 18th birthday were allowed to attend the party, and special artificial beasts were offered to be sacrificed.

Of course, for safety, four restraints were attached to the beast. Three were for suppression, and one was for immediate death.

Participants watched the raging beast, and finally, they will push it into the furnace.

(t/n: woah, that’s a weird party to be celebrated by a bunch of underage noble kids…)

Looking at the part that was described, it looked quite bloody, but surprisingly, the party was extremely popular. Later, even Olga regretted not attending the Chichimeme event.

“Would you please look at the satin dress displayed here? Since your skin is very white and pale, a warm-colored dress will suit you. We prepared a design that doesn’t tighten the waist relatively. We excluded excessive decorations as much as possible so it doesn’t hinder your movements with the increase of activity and highlighted them with diamonds and rubies….”

It was a coincidence, but I remembered dressing like a couple with Adele. I looked back at a maid who looked like the same age as me who was waiting.

“Did Adele already chose what he’ll wear?”

“Not yet.”

I thought hard.

“Will he hate it if I ask him to do a couple look with him?”

I wanna know! Am I really the only one who’s catching feelings? Or maybe Adele feels for me as reasonable as well!

Perhaps noticing my agonizing heart, the maid suddenly spoke loudly.

“I’ll ask him about his opinion!”

T-that scared me.

“No, calm down.”

“The young master will love it! Absolutely! Definitely!”

Someone might think she’s on a speech contest.

“Y-you think so?”

The maid nodded her head enthusiastically to the point that I got scared, she would break her neck.

“I and all the other servants can prove it. You’re the only one our young master cares about. The young master had been supplementing his studies all night long so he could spend the day with the Lady! Nevertheless, the fact that he’s is not lacking at all compared to other aristocratic children is amazing!”

I cheered inwardly.

There’s a one percent chance that Adele might be interested in me!

But I didn’t know why my conscience was poking me. Maybe it’s because Adele is someone who values his friends and is good and caring…

Who in the world would pays a year’s worth of tuition to someone he doesn’t even know! No matter how much money you have left, it’s not easy!

No, no way! Let’s hope for a little more! My kiss would not be in vain!

I was slowly going crazy.

“Then can you ask Adele?”

Trying to clear my voice and speak politely, the maid beamed and replied.

“Yes! I’ll be right back!”

After the maid left, I changed my dress in a nervous mood.

Sometimes, I would even put my arm in the place where I needed to push my head in and Gabriela even laughed a little at me, and before I even know it, I already tried seven of the dresses.

The dresses were all beautiful enough that I can just close my eyes and choose anything. But I couldn’t concentrate at all.

My eyes kept leaning in the direction of the door.

“It’s late. Did Adele refuse?”

I murmured to myself. Gabriella suggested with a smile.

“Would you like to go in person? I’m done checking the size, so you can choose any dress.”

I nodded sharply.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

The Duke said that they would be down there, right? I went down the stairs at a rapid pace.

Aish, I wouldn’t let it go if he wasn’t really doing a busy job and made me wait on purpose. I’m going to make him throw away ten candy wrappers…

But I suddenly felt strange, so I slowed down my walking speed.

Come to think of it, I don’t see any servants in the hallway.

“Let me ask you straightforwardly. Why do you care about Anastasia?”

The Duke’s voice penetrated my ears, so I stopped walking completely.

Two people were talking in the hallway, there were no other people there. If I went down these stairs, they would surely see me.

“You’re saying as if I had an impure motive for my actions. Didn’t you teach me to be a perfect and good person in the eyes of others? Is it so unnatural to care about a sick person?”

Adele used a noble and polite tone as usual. But for some reason, it seemed like there’s a tension rising in the air.

This was a conversation I shouldn’t have heard. I realized that at once.

“So you sympathize with her?”

“My father may think I’m simply following others, but I also have feelings. But you’re right. I sympathize with her.”

I held my breath and turned my back on one of the pillars. It was fortunate that my shadow did not reach the hallway because of the shade.

Should I just leave them like this? Or should I make a scene and let them know I’m here?

“You’ve been very good, Adele. I trust you now. That’s why I’m talking to you right now. Anastasia is the precious daughter of my most cherished friend. I hope you don’t hurt her.”

There was silence for a moment. After some time, I heard Adele’s patient voice.

“What do you want me to do?”

“You already know what I’m going to ask for.”

It was an incredibly dry voice to treat his son. It was distinctly different from when he was talking to me. And Adele was calm as if he was already used to this.

“I’ll tell you to be patient. Give up, give, don’t be greedy for anything. Until you die.”

“It’s for your sake.”

The duke added after a short pause.

“At one time, I tried to connect you and Anastasia, because I thought your impersonation would be more useful than other lesser and more sloppy guys. Through comprehensive analysis and observation, you will be able to act as if you love that child no matter who sees it. But now I’m skeptical. Adele, if you can’t keep your composure in front of Anastasia, stay away from her.”

My heart started beating faster.

Even though it wasn’t for me, it struck me like a dagger.

The Duke thought that Adele was imitating emotions.

In the meantime, he was saying that Adele was safe, but it would be dangerous if he truly felt emotions.

Adele laughed.

“You’re saying cruel things. You’ve never let me have what I want, and now you’re telling me to give up again this time. Can’t you trust me that much? To the point where you think me, having fake feelings are better? “

“All you have to do is act as you learned. I won’t tolerate variables.”

I heard the sound of footsteps moving away with those last words. And after a while, there was another sound of footsteps getting closer with one breath.

Adele looked up at me under the stairs.

“Anastasia “

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop…”

“Did you find a dress you liked?”

Adele asked as if he’s was willing to pretend not to know I was there.

He was wearing a soft smile and speaking in a peaceful tone. It’s not the Adele I knew.

I thought I knew Adele Magnus very well. I think so too since I’ve seen the lives of Adele and Olga through the novel.

That’s why I didn’t try to know the Adele who’s right in front of me now. I thought he would be the same as the original character I knew anyway.

But I overlooked one thing.

The story I’ve read always revolved around Olga, it never described Adele’s real inner self. I just followed Olga’s point of view.

I knew the Adele whom Olga met, the Adele based on Olga’s thought, and the man whom Olga gave her heart.

I didn’t know this man who didn’t love Olga.

“My father wants to eat with Anastasia.”

My heart ached. I felt a sense of incompatibility when I saw his glowing red eyes.

“This time, we prepared Anastasia’s favorite menu, not healthy food.”

It was a very friendly and gentle attitude. Adele was the same as usual. It was the good Adele Magnus that everyone liked.

But I couldn’t get rid of the feeling that something was off.

“Adele.”

“Yes, Anastasia.”

I was a little dazed and confused.

“Why are you pretending not to know? Why are you trying to get away with it? I heard everything you and the Duke said. You can be mad at me.”

Eavesdropping on the conversation of others was clearly an act to be criticized especially if it’s about an important secret involving me. However, Adele’s face did not reveal any negative emotions.

“I don’t have a reason to get angry about that. And I don’t want you to care about those words.”

The moment I heard Adele’s answer, I became very upset at his reason.

“How can I not care? I told you I already heard everything. I’ve heard clearly that your feelings are only safe when they’re fake, and it’s dangerous if you’re serious…”

“Forget it, and like everyone else, you can just think of me as a good, giving, and loving person, and you’ll get my favor as you’ve always been. You don’t have to do anything, just enjoy it. I can’t be as close to you as a lover, but in a way, isn’t it the most ideal and stable relationship?”

I felt like blood was draining from my body.

Adele suddenly felt so far away.

“You said it! You said you hated the life of helping people and putting yourself second!”

I shouted in a trembling voice. Adele seemed to care about that in the past.

“You can forget that too.”

There was still no one else in the hallway.

The wind blew towards me, and like rain, it penetrated through my flesh.

I felt the chilly cold and shook my head in the end.

“I can’t.”

“Then I have to keep my distance from you.”

“I-I don’t like that… “

I knew it well, I was stupid. This was very embarrassing to me. I wasn’t ready to accept it yet.

However, he was prepared to persuade me for reasons that were logical, human, and valid even at my sudden burst.

I knew that this confrontation will come eventually but I didn’t expect for it to be this early.

And Papa Magnus really be making me simp for him for 1 chapter then make me despise him on the next. SAGHDVAHV Dang he really is a well written character.