I Became the Male Lead in a Romance Fantasy Novel

040. What You Truly Desire (4)

With only those words left behind, Owen left the study.

As Bella stared helplessly at the study door, Kyle spoke up.

“So, is it really just that the Saint herself walked all the way here for that reason?”

After he spoke, Bella’s gaze finally returned to its original place.

“Yes.”

As if that could be the case.

That you came to check on him.

Though that was her honest intention, Bella didn’t make the mistake of revealing the truth.

Should I just say I’m crazy.

“Yes….”

Of course, Kyle wouldn’t just believe her easily.

It was natural.

No matter how kind and good-hearted…

Is it really just because of those reasons that someone who is almost a saint personally came here just to ask for forgiveness?

Even the original Bella hadn’t done such a thing.

“Okay.”

Facing the unyielding Kyle, Bella called for the Holy Knights.

Then, two individuals who brought gifts stepped forward.

Bella admired them as they placed the gift packages on Kyle’s desk.

Although the situation between the three of them earlier was surprising, the fact that they quietly waited was impressive.

It was remarkable how they acted as if nothing had happened, even though they were blatantly ignored.

“These are gifts conveying a small apology and forgiveness.”

“I’ll accept them graciously.”

After a quick glance at the gifts, Kyle nodded his head casually.

His attitude suggested that he wouldn’t pay much attention to whatever the gifts were.

“…By the way, Sir Top.”

As Bella carefully chose her words, she eventually brought up the question that had been on her mind.

“Are you friends with Marquis Verdin?”

“W-well… yes, by chance.”

As Kyle hesitated in his lengthy response to her question, he nodded his head.

Whether it was embarrassment or his ears blushing slightly, it was hard to tell.

‘What’s with that reaction.’

Her embarrassment only intensified.

Kyle asked, bewildered.

“But even when the Saint walked herself, the wizards didn’t say anything, did they? Are you telling me they couldn’t recognize the Saint?”

“Oh, yes. They didn’t say anything specific.”

As Bella affirmed, Kyle narrowed his eyes.

With his handsome face, even creased, he still looked good.

“He’s quite handsome too, isn’t he…?”

With his blue hair and mysterious, subtle aura in his eyes, along with his beautiful and glamorous face, he had a face that would suit an idol perfectly in Korea.

If Owen was an actor, Kyle could be an idol.

Though Owen didn’t have an overly bold facial structure, he did fall on the darker side when compared to Kyle.

“I should apologize for that part. It was clearly a mistake on the part of the wizards at the Tower for not recognizing the Saint.”

While Bella was admiring Kyle’s face once again, Kyle came forward with an apology.

Bella blinked briefly, then shook her head. “No, was it really a mistake? It’s been a long time. It’s natural for ordinary people not to recognize the symbol of the Saint.”

The symbol of the Saint was silver hair and silver eyes.

However, it had been 200 years since the Saint had last appeared.

By this point, the existence of the Saint itself had become blurred.

For ordinary people, the chances of not knowing what the symbol of the Saint was were high.

“Well, then, I won’t say anything more about it.”

“Yes, that’s fine. There are even those in the temple who don’t understand the meaning of the color blue.”

Similarly, people didn’t always understand the symbols of the Tower.

The Imperial Family represented gold, the two Dukes of the Empire represented red and black, and just like the temple symbolized white, the Tower also had a symbolic color.

And that color was none other than the blue of magic.

While direct descendants of the Imperial Family were born with golden hair and golden eyes, and the descendants of the Dukes had red and black hair and eyes, it was simply an external difference.

Of course, among those who were skilled in swordsmanship, spear fighting, or archery, some could evoke red and black aura, but that was a story that only applied to certain knightly descendants.

The fact that the Saint and the Saintess in the temple had silver hair and silver eyes, while the Tower Lord had a blue color, had an entirely different meaning.

Silver was a color where the pure white sacred power gathered deeply, while blue was a color that appeared when there was a large amount of magic power.

“Well, that’s true.”

Kyle let out a short laugh and then rose from his seat.

“Since you’ve come this far, I’ll at least escort you to the first floor.”

“Thank you. But you must be busy…”

“This much is fine.”

Playing the role of being reasonably kind, Kyle replied with a smile.

Bella was puzzled by his response once again.

“His attitude is quite friendly. It seems like things have changed with Owen, and although he doesn’t show any special favor to me, fundamentally, he doesn’t seem any different from the original?”

Kyle was originally a bit gruff. Except for Bella.

Currently, Owen was also included among those excluded from that category.

“Should I ask Kyle about Owen…?”

That would probably be the quickest way to get an answer.

It was clear that they were friends, and for some reason, Kyle seemed to like Owen quite a bit.

To the extent that his ears turned red, it seemed like he had a deep admiration.

“Lord Tower.”

“Yes. What is it?”

“You mentioned earlier that you were friends with Duke Verdin.”

“Ah, yes.”

“What kind of person is the Duke?”

It wasn’t appropriate to ask directly, so Bella brought up the topic in a roundabout way.

What she really wanted to ask about was Owen’s request and their relationship, but she couldn’t ask directly like that.

If she did, she would likely be seen as rude for prying into personal matters.

“Owen?”

“Yes, Duke Verdin.”

“Hmm… He was quite different from what I expected. Polite, kind, and good-hearted.”

Kyle’s ears turned red again.

“He knew how to surround people. He was someone who would support others. He cherished his own people greatly.”

“…”

What was up with that reaction, really?

Bella looked at Kyle with eyes that seemed to find him hard to understand.

It seemed like someone might misunderstand if they saw it.

Kyle’s appearance was so shy, just like a boy with a secret crush.

“No way.”

As the thought reached there, a faint doubt crept in.

It was true that Kyle fell for Bella at first sight.

However, what made him deeply fall for her was not Bella’s appearance.

Kyle grew fonder of her kindness and warmth.

He found great favor in Bella’s giving, cherishing, and standing up for him.

“And very strong. Just as expected.”

And ultimately, Bella and Owen had something in common.

A very strong and precious power.

“…Ah. But how could a supporting male lead like the female lead?”

Even if the original work was falling apart, a supporting male lead liking the female lead.

That was genre-breaking.

It was funny that a supporting male lead’s s*xual orientation could change overnight.

“If they were bi or pans*xual from the start, that’s different.”

But in a romance novel, could that really happen?

Bella, who quickly voiced her thoughts, exclaimed with admiration.

“They said you were very cold and composed, but it seems like just a rumor.”

“Rumors are likely to be distorted. But why are you asking about this? No way…”

No way?

As Bella raised an eyebrow, Kyle sighed.

“Unfortunately, Lady Bella. Give up on Owen. He already has someone he likes.”

“What?”

Surprised, Bella reflexively asked, and Kyle shook his head in response.

“The longer you like him, the harder it will be. So, it’s easier to sort out your feelings quickly.”

“…”

What on earth is he talking about…

With a bewildered look, Kyle added an explanation.

“You heard it earlier in the study. Owen came to me with a request.”

“Yes.”

“It was a request related to the person he likes. He asked me to make a video. He wants to leave a video of that person. He said drawing wouldn’t be enough.”

The person he likes.

There was only one person who could fit in that context.

The villainess Lucía Edelte from ＜Empire’s Flower＞.

“Edelte, you mean?”

“Yes, the red-haired one.”

Not knowing the social circles and nobility well, Kyle roughly described the appearance.

The one with red hair.

That description was enough.

There was only one person in the empire with red hair.

“…I see.”

Even in the eyes of a friend, it seemed like they were seen as more than just friends.

She probably wouldn’t deny it herself.

That’s why Kyle was so convinced.

“It’s easier to give up. He seemed very firm. Hard to break.”

“If it’s hard to break?”

While trying to settle her sinking heart, Kyle added.

Hard to break, he said.

For some reason, the expression felt a bit off.

It was as if he had tried to break it himself.

“He seemed very resolute. Like he could devote everything to one person, that kind of attitude.”

“…”

So why do you know that?

Why in such detail…

“Because we’re friends?”

They said they were friends.

Judging by the requests they exchanged, they must be quite close.

But even so, does that mean you know so much about the other person’s love and emotions in such detail?

For a regular friendship?

‘No way.’

No.

It can’t be.

They weren’t people who would blabber about everything they knew.

Not Owen, not Kyle.

That means…

“Knights. Will you go out first?”

The group that had reached the first floor was almost at the entrance of the tower.

Upon Bella’s suggestion, the knights quickly caught on and nodded their heads.

“We will be right in front of the door.”

“Alright.”

The knights exited the tower first.

Bella turned back to look at Kyle again.

He had a puzzled expression.

‘…The characters are all too thorough, it’s absurd. Except for Bella, why are they all so good at acting.’

Bella took a deep breath and steadied herself.

The reason the original work went awry was, of course, due to the influence of Owen and Kyle.

Among them, Owen.

Due to Owen suddenly becoming a bit more kind to others unlike the original, a change occurred.

“Lord Top.”

Fortunately, there wasn’t a single passing mage around.

Bella whispered softly in a very solemn voice.

“Do you like Duke Verdin?”

At the serious question, Kyle blinked his eyes.

As if trying to understand the question.

Then, as Kyle grasped the meaning, his ears turned red once again.

“W-why are you asking that?”

“Just… It seems like you do. Like the Duke.”

Adding those words, Kyle let out a deep sigh and responded.

“I do. How could I keep someone I don’t like by my side.”

As expected.

Bella listened up to that point and then delved back into her thoughts.

She had to think about how to fix the completely ruined original love line, where to start.

Thanks to that, Bella didn’t hear.

“There’s no reason to make a friend dislike you. It’s bothersome. I may not know much since this is my first time making friends.”

What she truly needed to hear.