I’m Not Doing This With A Friend

"You don't have to make that face. It doesn't matter to bring up a story after a long time. And not only my aunt, but also my uncle's a really good person."

"I'm glad you're a good person…"

Carson smiled bitterly and continued.

"Then Leen's aunt or uncle must be merchants?"

Most of the wealthy commoners were successful in commerce, so Carson's question wasn't particularly strange.

Leen rolled her eyes and looked elsewhere while thinking.

‘Would it be okay to say this?' 

Well, strictly speaking, my status was just a commoner.

Even if it was against the school rules to say this, Carson wasn't someone that would make himself in trouble with this fact.

"No, my uncle's the Count. Neither of them has any talent in commerce, so they're only investing a little. Even if they don't do anything else, the estates are on the rich side."

"Aha!"

To be precise, her uncle was the son-in-law of the Count of Armeria.

Leen's mother refused to take over the title because of her herbal research, and her aunt had difficulty becoming the head of state thanks to her fragile and weak disposition.

Here, Leen's identity becomes ambiguous…

Under imperial law, one must have the right or surname to inherit in order to be treated as a noble.

Leen's mother was a daughter of a Count, but her father had no surname.

Strictly speaking, Leen was a commoner because Leen didn't have the surname of Armeria due to the nature of the Lagras Empire, which inherited a father's surname.

She's a commoner, sometimes treated as semi-noble.

What's a little ironic is that Leen's father was from the Abascanthus Empire.

Unlike the Lagras Empire, the Abascanthus Empire had most of its surnames, even if they were commoners.

Of course, having a surname didn't necessarily mean that one was an aristocrat. Even more so if the castle belonged to the Abascanthus Empire.

However, it was questionable that my father didn't have the last name of any Abascanthus citizen.

‘Did my dad spend his childhood so unfortunate that he didn't even have a family name?‘

I wanted to ask, but unfortunately, my father didn't exist in this world anymore.

My aunt had never met my father, so there was no way she knew anything.

Now that I think about it, it was weird.

We sometimes went to play with my mother at the Count estate.

If so, didn't father get enough chances to meet aunt?

My aunt wasn't a person to ignore him just because he's a commoner.

Somehow when an awkward atmosphere was flowing between the two due to Leen's dark expression.

Someone stood in front of them.

"Carson?"

It was a woman wearing a dress with wide shoulders and back, high shoes, and a gorgeous outfit that looked like she would go to a party right away.

"Oh my! You're really Carson!"

When she fully captured Carson's gaze, her face was filled with joy.

On the contrary, Carson's face hardened as soon as she appeared.

Carson's eyes rose at once, but when he realized that Leen was in front of him, he changed his expression again.

Leen, who was watching the reactions they were doing, raised an eyebrow because she felt like something annoying would happen.

"Caon, do you know her?"

"No."

To Leen's question if he knew the woman, Carson answered without hesitation.

It wasn't a lie. Carson truly didn't know that woman.

"I heard the rumors. When I first heard it, I thought it was ridiculous, but now that I see it…"

The woman's gaze reached Leen. She stared at Leen quietly, then slowly raised the corners of her lips.

"Kyahaha!" (Laughing out loud)

After laughing for a while, she put on a straight face, removing the smile from her lips.

"It's really funny…"

Leen stared at such a woman and let out a small exclamation to herself.

‘Wow, it's the first time I've actually seen a crazy person.'

Then, wondering what else the woman would say or do, I began to admire her.

Then, Carson called out Leen's name. It was the usual friendly tone.

"Leen."

"Yes?"

"Can I hold your hand for a second?"

Leen's forehead crumpled at his sudden remark.

‘Don't tell me you're trying to make me pretend as your lover to chase out that woman?‘

Carson smiled lightly with eyes bent to a crescent shape as if he knew what Leen was thinking.

"Because…"

Carson grabbed Leen's hand before she granted him permission.

Tap~

As he lightly flickered his finger, the view quickly distorted and the surroundings changed.

"I think it's better to run away through teleport."

As Carson said that, only then I came to my senses and looked around.

This place where they were standing was a little far from the restaurant they had just eaten.

"What do you think? I solved it neatly, right?" ᶜᵃʳˢᵒⁿ

Leen spoke with a trembling voice at the sight of Carson, whose eyes twinkled as if hoping for praise.

"Can you just leave her alone like that?" ᴸᵉᵉⁿ

"It's better than constantly dealing with weird people." ᶜᵃʳˢᵒⁿ

For Carson, it was best to run away by teleporting.

‘Wasn't that better than ruining my date with Leen by dealing with a woman who I don't even know the name or face on the spot?‘ ᶜᵃʳˢᵒⁿ

As Leen's ideal type was a good man, he couldn't do it in his own way on the spot.

Although Leen did say that she found Carson's jealousy cute, he couldn't guarantee that it would include her jealousy towards a woman other than a man.

‘We're happily having our first date, why does something strange twist and turn it to something annoying when I'm with Leen?‘ᶜᵃʳˢᵒⁿ

Leen's muffled voice was clearly heard in Carson's ear, who was spitting out bitter swear words inside.

"Caon. Aside from that woman, how do we pay for the restaurant bill?"

"Leen, you keep worrying about that? Oh my…"

As if Carson had witnessed the cutest creature in the world, he's face distorted with a small sigh.

After calming down with a deep breath, he replied with a smile.

"The bill's fine. It's a restaurant owned by our family." ᶜᵃʳˢᵒⁿ

"What?"

Lien froze for a moment.

‘No wonder even though we didn't say much, they guided us to the best seat.' ᴸᵉᵉⁿ

Even though the restaurant bill problem, which she was worried about, was solved, Leen's heart was still uncomfortable.

No matter how much money Carson had, it was a matter of my chance to buy him a meal.

I said I'd pay for him, but in the end…

Leen pulled up Carson's sleeve lightly

"Caon. Do you want to eat dessert? It makes me feel sad to go back to the dorm like this? This time, it's really on me."

A quick smile spread across Carson's face. He hurriedly nodded, as if Leen was going to change her words.

"Yes!"

Just before going out for a meal with Carson, Jane had just introduced a cafe with a good atmosphere.

I'm glad I heard the location in detail just in case.

‘…And we won't meet anyone strange there either.'

Leen smiled and tapped Carson who became happier.

"Let's go, Caon. I know a good place."

✿

Leen, who ordered a piece of cake and a drink each, asked Carson as she suddenly felt an uneasy feeling rising up her spine.

"Caon. Are you sure you don't know that crazy person?"

"Yeah. I really didn't know her." ᶜᵃʳˢᵒⁿ

"That person seems to know you."

"Because there are not one or two people who know me."

Leen felt sorry for Carson, who sighed as if he were tired of it.

Even within the academy, he had a lot of strange rumors rather than a broken personality.

Besides his status as the successor to the Duke and his handsome appearance.

It was not unreasonable that many people knew him.

Leen pats his back and tries to comfort him. Suddenly, Carson jumped up from his seat.

"Lien!"

"Huh?"

"I'm going to the bathroom for a second."

"What am I supposed to say? Our order hasn't come out yet, so take your time."

Carson ran out of his seat without having time to listen at the end of Leen's words.

Leen quickly blinked as she glanced at the empty seat of Carson, which disappeared in an instant.

"You must have been in a hurry."

Contrary to Leen's thought that he had gone to put out an urgent fire, the reason why Carson left was because of the crazy person earlier.

Carson found the woman looking through the dessert shop window with a light smile in her eyes and looking for him.

Carson rushed out and stood in front of her, hoping to deal with it before Leen saw her again.

"What are you doing, wandering around and following me?"

With a cold face, Carson asked the woman. Then the woman clasped her hands together as if ecstatic to even see him angry.

"Oh, Carson! You left the person next to you to find me."

‘That expression and way of talking. It was similar to the stalkers I've met countless times so far.' ᶜᵃʳˢᵒⁿ

How come they are all in the same delusion?

Unwittingly he whispered to her to shut her off. If she didn't want to die suddenly, Carson wanted to get rid of her, but she opened her mouth.

"I understand you don't know me. Carson and I are in different grades. However, I took a leave of absence this year. We could meet next year. Hopefully, we may be in the same class!"

Carson's forehead crumpled.

‘I can't believe you took a leave of absence to attend the same grade as me? She wasn't just the usual crazy.'ᶜᵃʳˢᵒⁿ

"Carson. Did you know the secret of the person next to you earlier?"

"Secret?" ᶜᵃʳˢᵒⁿ

When Leen was mentioned, Carson asked back without realizing it. Then the woman who thought Carson was interested shouted, raising the corners of her lips.

"Yes! Her secret! Carson you're being fooled by that bitch! Just a dirty trick to use your heart and covet your money and status! She's only trying to use and take advantage of you!"

"I'm taken advantage of… Her…?"

Carson's face quickly turned red. The woman exclaimed with joy at the change.

"Yeah! That bitch was just playing with you!"

"Pftㅡ hahah!" ᶜᵃʳˢᵒⁿ

Carson burst out a meaningful laugh, and soon swept his hair back with excitement. It was such a happy face.

"I can't believe that Leen's taking advantage of me? Wasn't that good? Yes, more, and more. I hope she uses me more…"

The woman faltered and stepped back, embarrassed by the unexpected response. It was an instinctive reaction.

"But you know what?"

Carson smiled softly.

"Who are you to dare put Leen's name with those dirty lips?"

✿

"Leen, I'm back."

It was Carson who returned to his seat when the cake and drinks were served.

Leen nodded as if she understood everything while looking at Carson.

‘As expected, he was in a hurry.'