The Male Lead Knelt Before Me

My heart felt as if it had sunk.

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Not only that, but a ticklish sensation invaded my chest.

“So if I said that you don’t have to do that in front of me, would that be enough?”

“……yeah.”

That was enough.

I said blankly.

thump thump- 

My heartbeat has been pounding rapidly for a long time now, and it was being transferred through the pulse to the entire of my body.

My heart was pounding so fiercely that it pained the inside of my chest.

That overpowering sensation made me feel extremely ashamed.

“So, I’m going to get going then.
I’ll see you next week.”

“Please wait, Lady Oreu.”

Caleb grabbed me just as I was about to turn around.

As a result, I couldn’t move ahead and had to stare at him.

 

“If you don’t mind, Lady Oreu, I would like to accompany you.”

“But, I’m sure the Lord is on your way home……”

“I’m concerned about your safety while you go.”

Caleb added as he moved closer to me.

“Are you willing to allow me to accompany you?”

“But I also want to watch the play not just to meet my friends.
It will take some time to return.
Is it alright with you?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not sure if I’ll come back in the evening after having so much fun.”

“That’s fine as well.”

When he replied like that, I couldn’t resist.

I eventually had no option but to nod.

* * * * *

We decided to go by carriage.

Because I didn’t know the way to the theatre from here.

I could have asked Caleb for directions, but my conscience wouldn’t let me.

 

Caleb volunteered because he was concerned about my safety on my way so if I asked him to show me the way just a little……

But as soon as I stepped inside the carriage, I regretted my decision.

Because of the size of the carriage.

The carriage we rode in was a rented carriage for commoners.

The carriage, which commoners might use if they had enough money, was tiny in size and the seats were linked to just one side of the wall, unlike the nobles’ private carriage.

I had always travelled in Count Van Der’s carriage, so I was embarrassed since I assumed there would be seats in front and back.

‘Given Caleb’s status and position, it would be best not to ride it.’

Caleb asked first, just as I was about to offer to walk.

“Aren’t you getting on?”

“Oh, I guess I should get on.”

No, this was not what I should have said.

But the words had already left my mouth, and the horseman sprang onto the horseman’s seat, and I couldn’t cancel it.

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‘Ugh, I don’t know! Let’s just get on!’

Caleb sat next to me not long after I sat down.

In an instant, the seats were packed.

It’s not uncomfortable, but I positioned myself near the wall since I was afraid I’d bump against Caleb even if I moved a little.

If I touch him, he might feel uncomfortable.

Despite my best efforts, my head remained leaning on Caleb’s shoulder whenever the carriage moved.

Every time I did that, I frantically tried to straighten my neck, but it was futile.

Because the same thing happened every time the carriage shook.

‘It’s not my fault.
It’s because the carriage is too narrow.
Yeah, it’s because the carriage is too narrow……’

Caleb opened his mouth as I was mentally brainwashing myself.

“I’m sorry.
I should not have requested to accompany you.”

“What? No.”

Well, what was wrong with Caleb?

It was my fault for asking me to go in a carriage since I didn’t know how to get to the theatre company where I had been playing for almost three months.

“On the contrary, I apologize.
I keep leaning on your shoulder whenever the carriage rattles…… I had no idea the carriage was this narrow.”

“If you don’t mind, Lady Oreu, you can lean back till we arrive.”

“What? No.
How can I……”

It was awkward enough that we sat next to one other and put our shoulders and arms together.
But now he allows me to rest my head on his shoulder?

That was not something I could do.

Caleb asked me not to feel pressured, but I resisted and stiffened my body.

I couldn’t help but lay my shoulders on the top of his forearm, but I wouldn’t allow myself to lean my head on his shoulder.

It happened as I was attempting to maintain my body as straight as possible.

“In these days……”

I shrugged, taken aback by Caleb’s abrupt voice.

I said I should be careful, but did I bother him?

“How are things doing in the Knight’s quarter?”

Oh, he didn’t want to talk about it.

“Are you okay with it?”

“Yes, I suppose that is good.”

I willingly nodded my head.

Lord Vessel did appear to despise me, but other than that, Knighthood life was pretty flat.

‘It is indeed probably because Caleb handles everything.’

He didn’t have to care so much for me, though.

Nonetheless, I was pleased that he still cared about me.

And I felt bad about it.

“Did Lord Vessel mention weird things to Lady?”

“Weird things?”

“Something that might hurt Lady’s feelings…… You can inform me even if he did something with actions rather than words.”

For a brief time, I wondered whether Caleb was inquiring about something he knew.

Lord Vessel despised me, but there was no way he’d show it when Caleb was present.

‘Does he want to ask because he already knew? Is it only a feeling that he detects anything odd and asks?’

If it’s the latter, Caleb must have had a keen sense of intuition.

I wasn’t sure which scenario it was, but I didn’t have to inform Caleb that Lord Vessel despises me.

‘It would just add to his workload.’

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I appreciated his concern for me, but I didn’t want to owe him anything else.

Above all, I am the type of person who would leave after a few months, but Lord Vessel is the person who will stay at Knight’s quarter.

There was no good in making a bad relationship between the two.

“No, there isn’t such a thing.”

“Is that so?”

The tone I heard was quite dubious.

He did not appear to believe me.
I was anxious since I had a feeling he knew I had lied.

I shouldn’t have said no.
But I didn’t want to bother him by telling him.

“Lord Vessel told me yesterday that Lady Oreu was the one who worked on the paperwork of the end-of-month report.”

“Ah……”

That was exactly what he intended to say.

I mistook it again.

“I know it’s late, but thank you.” We were able to avoid trouble thanks to Lady.”

“Did I succeed?”

“Did I helped?”

“You have been really helpful.”

“That’s a relief.
I was worried that I might have stepped up to the line.
I’m afraid it’s wrong and going to trouble you.”

“Step up the line……that is not true.”

I smiled silently.

Our conversation was cut off there.

Later, I realized I had been leaning against Caleb during the conversation.

Oh my goodness, when did I start doing this? Should I withdraw my body now?

What if he noticed and it got awkward once again?

Several concerns arose in my thoughts.

‘Ugh, I’m not sure.’

Even if I tensed my body, it would still lean on him due to the carriage, so I’ll only stiffen my head.

Determined, I gave Caleb my best effort not to tilt my head whenever the carriage shook.

During that little struggle on my own, the carriage, which had been moving rapidly, came to a halt.

Over the window, I could see the theatre company.

It was just as I stepped out of the carriage and was ready to hand the money over to the horseman.

“I will pay the expenses.”

Caleb offered the money to the horseman first, before I could stop him.

It was much more than the original the horseman had requested.

I attempted to dissuade him, but the coachman did not hesitate, but instead grinned cheerfully and accepted the money from Caleb’s hand.

Then he quickly drove off the carriage.

Well, there are all those people, no, of course, I would have gotten money from someone who would give me more money, but still…….

“I’m sorry, Lord.
I’ll give you the same amount you paid.”

“It’s all right.”

Caleb shook his head as I rushed to withdraw more money.

“Please consider it as a sign of my sincerity for allowing me to accompany you.”

It was, indeed, a strong declaration of determination.

So I had no choice but to put my wallet back.

* * * * *

The appearance of the theatre when I came back was no different from what I remembered.

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Well, it couldn’t change rapidly in a month.

I stood in front of the ticket booth to purchase tickets.

Caleb and I had a small argument before that.

‘We will need a ticket to get in.
Could you just wait a moment while I go buy a ticket?’

‘I’ll buy it.’ 

‘No, I’ll buy it! Since you already paid for the carriage earlier.’

Like this?

Caleb nodded, as though it had the effect of making me speak rather loudly.

I’m starting to feel a little weird.

It was my house until about a month ago, but now I have to pay for a ticket to go in……

I’ve collected money to buy tickets because I feel like I’ve actually left the theatre.

That’s when it became my turn.

The ticket agent widened his eyes and yelled my name.

“Le, Lena?”

“Bill?”

“Why, why are you here? Didn’t you leave?”

“I dropped by because I missed Rael and Veloca.
I’ll also be watching the performance.”

“Is, is that so?” Bill trembled like a leaf as I said it.

‘How come he’s behaving like that? Is there anything I did wrong to Bill……?’

As I cocked my head, I noticed Bill clutching his trousers hard.

“Bill.”

“Uh-oh?”

Even when I called him, he seemed taken aback.

Oh, I guess I understand now.
This is why Bill looks at me and reacts in this manner.

“Come to think of it, I think I saw Bill hiding while Lord Themis was bothering me……”

Bill took a deep breath and responded even more vehemently to my comments.

As expected.

“Just get in there! You don’t have to pay!”

“Uhm…….
Well, thank you very much, but I have one more member.”

“It’s okay, just go in! Here are the tickets! I will give you the best seat too.”

“Wow, thank you!”

After receiving the ticket Bill handed me, I turned to Bill instead of going to Caleb.

“By the way, Bill.”

“Uh, uh, uh, uh?”

“If you do it one more time, it won’t go over like this.”

Bill nodded his head with a pallid expression in response to my remarks.

That’s how we got inside the theatre.
I chose to go to the waiting room first because Bill said Rael and Veloca would be there when I came in.

‘I’d better go to the waiting room by myself.’

Caleb was a complete stranger to the troupe.

If I escorted Caleb to the waiting area, not only would he feel uncomfortable, but so would Rael and Veloca.

I checked the time for a moment.
There were about 20 minutes left before the performance starts.….

Let’s go alone as soon as possible.

“Well, Lord Egon.”

“Yes.”

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“I’m sorry, but I’m thinking of meeting my friends for a while, so could you go to the audience seats first and wait for me? I’ll be back before the performance starts.”

“I’ll do it.”

“Thank you so much.
You can take this ticket and proceed to your seat.
I’ll return as soon as possible!”

I rushed to the waiting area behind the stage after handing him a ticket with Caleb’s seat number on it.

Twenty minutes was a very small amount of time to spend.

‘Will they be surprised?’

I smiled as I imagined Rael and Veloca, who would be surprised to see me.

I arrived before I knew it and knocked softly on the door.

“Please come in.”

A familiar woman’s voice is heard.

When I opened the door, suppressing my pounding heart, I saw the back of a woman with red hair through the door gap.

The familiar back.

“Veloca!”

“……Lena?”

Veloca turned around when I shouted.

Then, in disbelief, she called my name.

“Right, Veloca, long time no see.”

“Oh my goodness!”

Veloca, who had risen from his seat, approached me.

Then she asked, holding both my hands gladly.

“It’s been a long time! Why didn’t you stop by for a while?”

“I’m sorry.
I was preoccupied with work.”

“I can’t help it.
How is it going at work? Are you all right? Are you sure you don’t want to quit?”

“You want me to quit, don’t you?”

“You got me.”

Veloca laughed and giggled.

“But it can’t be helped, can it? That’s how you get back.
Do you know how bored I am after you leave? You didn’t even come to see me?”

“That’s why I’m here to meet you, isn’t it?”

“You became better with your talk.”

This time, when I listened to the complaining voice, I chuckled.

“How about Rael? I expected him to be here with you.”

“We were together before.
But one of the members called him out and he hasn’t come back since then.”

“Aren’t you meant to be on the stage soon?”

“Yes, but……Well, he’ll be here before we begin.”

“Is something serious going on?”

“I don’t think so.Nothing major is going on.”

Veloca responded as if nothing had happened.

“I’m glad you’re doing better than that.”

“Why? Did anything happen?”

“Well, something occurred.
Viscount Casaro went to the theatre shortly after you left.”

Viscount Casaro……

The first day I became Lena, the man who was beaten up by me and spread false rumours, right?

I believed he’d never return, yet he showed up at the theatre company?

“Do you have any idea why he came?”

“Yeah, he made sure you actually left.”