The Original Work Got Ruined After I Quit Being the Sub Male 96

96

In the end, that day we disbanded without getting any real help other than being told to endure. On the way home afterward, Riette said she would stay to talk more with Laura, so only Cedric and I got in the carriage.

“Eddie, Cedy. See you again next time then.”

“Yeah. Miss Laura, please get home safely too.”

“Yes! I hope to hear good news soon.”

We waved to Riette and Laura, and not long after, the carriage began traveling down the road.

Once we were alone, Cedric leaned his head against my shoulder as if he had been waiting, putting his weight on me.

I stroked his head as he acted cute. Cedric, who was obediently receiving that touch, quietly murmured a question.

“Are you worried about it?”

“Hm?”

“You seem to be in low spirits constantly.”

He lifted his head that had been leaning on my shoulder to look at me. When our eyes met, he pulled me a bit closer and pressed his lips firmly to mine. I quietly responded to that skinship before pouting my lips.

“…We’ve already been trying to change my traits for well over half a year.”

“I know.”

“Your parents won’t allow us to marry unless my traits change.”

Actually, it was a better situation than when I worried they wouldn’t allow it even if I became an Omega… but having received an answer that they’d allow it if only my traits changed, it was frustrating that this one trait kept holding us back.

If my traits had changed quickly and my parents’ opposition had been stronger instead, there would have been more alternative solutions.

Like the methods Riette had mentioned.

“Well, that’s probably true.”

Cedric leaned back against the carriage seat and exhaled. Watching him intently, I lowered my eyes drowsily.

“Aren’t you worried?”

“I’m not worried.”

“Why?”

“Because it doesn’t matter if your traits don’t change.”

“I’m being serious, Cedy. Let’s think realistically.”

Cedric was always blind when it came to me.

I knew that too.

So I knew that when he said he’d remove any external interference by force if necessary, it wasn’t just empty talk.

But reality doesn’t always go as we want. So I think it’s better to do our best to find solutions before going to extremes.

It was Cedric, not me, who had much to bear. I didn’t want him to suffer because of me.

Of course… I also knew there wasn’t much I could do right now…

“Eddie. It’s okay. Don’t be too anxious.”

Cedric soothed me with a calm voice. Normally, I would have been reassured hearing that voice. But to me now, it sounded indifferent instead, making something well up inside my heart.

It was insufficient to calm the anxiety that had already grown as large as it could.

What made me even more irritated was that Emma’s words about compatibility and choosing a Beta came back to mind, gnawing at my mood.

Even knowing that was probably that woman’s intention, it wasn’t easy to compose myself. It was agonizing.

“……”

I sighed and clamped my mouth shut. Since I wasn’t saying anything, Cedric quietly stayed by my side as if giving me alone time.

Even such consideration… made my heart complicated and heavy.

In the quiet silence, the carriage that had been traveling for a while crossed the territory boundary and arrived at Lowell first. As I was getting off the carriage first, I looked at Cedric.

“Well, I’m going in. Get home safely.”

“Yeah. Eddie, I love you.”

“…Yeah, right. Me too.”

Soon the carriage carrying Cedric moved away. I watched the carriage’s retreating figure for a while before deciding to return to the mansion.

The gears that had been barely meshing together while creaking precariously like that exploded a few weeks later, starting from the day Cedric and I were supposed to have a date.

That day was when we had stopped by the library to look at books together. Looking at books was basically an excuse – we really just wanted to spend intimate time alone together.

Anyway, it was fine until we arrived at the library. The problem erupted due to a fact I learned during our conversation.

An argument broke out.

“Why didn’t you tell me about that until now?”

I was bewildered.

I had only just learned that Cedric had been proposed to go on another matchmaking meeting by the Grand Duke of Soliwen a few days ago.

Since our relationship was publicly known, he probably made the proposal knowing we were struggling with the trait change issue. What truly nasty intentions.

Of course, Cedric said he naturally refused, and the Grand Duke of Soliwen said it was just a proposal since it came up, not a demand.

Still, thinking that those who were eyeing connections to Soliwen were probably saying similar things to what Emma had said behind the scenes made me feel uneasy all over again.

It was like I was causing trouble for the Soliwen name because of myself alone.

“I didn’t tell you because I was worried you’d stress about it like you are now.”

“……”

“It’s okay, Eddie. It’s not something you need to worry about.”

I felt sorry for Cedric, who said such things. At the same time, I felt powerless. It’s nice that he’s being considerate by saying it’s not something I need to worry about. But… but still.

“I’m not okay.”

I ended up shouting because this situation was so frustrating.

“I said I’m not okay!”

For a moment, the people in the library turned around in surprise. Conscious of their gazes, I stood up from my seat with a hardened expression.

And in my anger, I blurted out.

“Let’s just stop this.”

Immediately after, a terribly heavy silence arrived.

Cedric followed me with quiet eyes.

“Stop what?”

“Let’s break up.”

“…Are you serious?”

Even as he asked that, he didn’t show much agitation. He was annoyingly rational, as if he could see right through that I had just spoken in anger.

I glared at him sharply. Then I stormed out of the library.

Returning home in such a sullen mood, I suddenly welled up and ended up shedding tears. Redward, who discovered me like that, panicked and quickly approached.

“Young master. Is something wrong?”

“…It’s nothing.”

I quickly wiped my face and passed by him to go up to my room. I was in a gloomy mood all day. I had no appetite, so I skipped dinner and lay down to sleep early.

And thinking calmly, while there wasn’t a grain of sincerity in saying we should break up, I reached the conclusion that it might actually be better to really break up like this.

My feelings hadn’t cooled. Rather, because I liked Cedric… because I liked him too much, it was closer to a conclusion I reached.

Because I didn’t want his possibilities or future to be ruined because of me.

I became tired from the stress of standing at such a paradoxical crossroads where I had to let him go precisely because I liked him.

‘Nothing’s easy.’

Is love always this difficult? My eyes drowsily closed.

Having slept early like that and woken up late the next day, after filling my hungry stomach first, it was around the time I sat at my desk to focus on studying.

“Young master. It’s Redward.”

Redward knocked on my door. When I gave permission for him to enter, he opened the door and peeked in.

“What is it?”

“Young Master Cedric has come to visit.”

“……?”

I was momentarily flustered.

I had said such angry words about breaking up yesterday, so I hadn’t expected him to come looking for me so soon.

“Cedy came?”

Unable to believe it, I asked again, and Redward nodded with a puzzled look, giving me confirmation.

“Yes. He’s in the lobby now.”

“……”

I briefly pondered what to do.

Because of yesterday’s incident, it was a bit awkward for me to face him too… but it would also be wrong to send him back saying I wouldn’t meet him.

Eventually I stood up.

“Okay. I’ll go.”

Leaving Redward behind, I went down the stairs toward the lobby. Cedric, who had been standing near the entrance, seemed to sense someone coming and lifted his head to look at me coming down the stairs.

“…Why did you come without saying anything?”

“It’s not the first or second time I’ve come without notice.”

That was true. After we started dating, he had been coming and going quite often without prior notice or permission. But the problem was that now wasn’t ‘that kind of situation.’

I furrowed my brow for no reason.

“Did you already forget what I said yesterday?”

“What, about breaking up?”

His response was utterly shameless.

It was when I was widening my eyes in bewilderment.

Cedric’s eyelids slowly lowered.

“I never answered ‘okay’ to those words.”

Author: Hyacinthus B

Hyacinthus