Cinderella is… the Male Lead? - Chapter 41

Cinderella scrutinized Rona’s face without blinking, then let out a scoff.

“Hah, an ordinary man? Really?”

“Yes, that’s right! Ordinary… An ordinary family, an ordinary job… Well, I can’t lie and say looks don’t matter. It would be nice if he was at least decent-looking.”

“So, you can give up on everything else but can’t give up on good looks?”

How did it come to this? Feeling as if she were being interrogated, Rona quickly waved her hands in denial.

“No, it’s not that…”

Rona bit her lip, trailing off. In truth, she wasn’t interested in men at all right now. All her focus was on ensuring Cinderella safely married the prince so she could live a comfortable life by ‘her’ side. She needed to secure her position and safety before even thinking about men.

Rona tried to recall the events at the end of the novel, wondering if she had missed anything.

‘Cinderella’s father never returned until the end of the novel. That means if Cinderella doesn’t punish him, he’ll live safely for the rest of his life.’

Cinderella’s father attended the ball, but the novel didn’t detail his role. Despite encountering many omitted details before, Rona missed this fact once again.

It was fine if Cinderella married the prince and left Rona and Susan behind in the countryside. Staying too close could make them political pawns. As long as she maintained a good relationship with Cinderella, she could meet a decent man and marry, living a peaceful life away from the main plot. The novel’s world was too harsh to live alone.

‘As long as it’s not the prince, any man will do. Maybe I’ll find a handsome guy at the ball and start a new life in the capital…’

Lost in her plans, Rona was brought back to reality by a cold voice. She looked up to see Cinderella staring at her.

“How about a pretty man?”

“Pretty?”

“Yes. A man as pretty as me.”

Cinderella pointed at ‘herself’ with ‘her’ index finger and flashed a bright smile. Despite having seen it many times, Rona was still mesmerized by Cinderella’s angelic features. She quickly regained her composure and frowned.

A man as pretty as Cinderella doesn’t exist in this world. Cinderella was the most beautiful person Rona had seen in both her past and current lives. The idea of a man as beautiful as the novel’s protagonist was absurd.

‘A man as pretty as Cinderella? A pretty man… maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.’

Yes, it wouldn’t be bad. Rona’s face turned red as she lowered her gaze. Seeing Cinderella’s fingers tapping on the table reminded her of the brxxst massage she received. She thought she would be repelled by the idea of a pretty man, but imagining Cinderella as a man seemed quite appealing. Those large hands touching her…

Lost in her fantasy, she bit her lip. Daydreaming in front of Cinderella made her feel guilty and embarrassed. She quickly shook her head, afraid Cinderella might sense her thoughts. Her voice trembled as she spoke.

“No! No, I prefer handsome manly men. I don’t like men prettier than me. I’d like him to be strong too. Maybe I should look for a knighted nobleman.”

“Hmm, why do you dislike the idea so much? Handsome and strong? That’s not easy to find.”

Rona prattled on, clasping her hands as if she were eagerly expecting something. She felt guilty for having such thoughts about Cinderella. Cinderella tilted ‘her’ head to the side and glared at Rona. Seeing ‘her’ pretty face made Rona’s heart flutter.

‘This is dangerous.’

She couldn’t afford to have such thoughts. She couldn’t look at Cinderella directly and fixed her gaze on her plate.

“It’s not easy, right? Handsome and strong noblemen aren’t common. Anyway, I prefer handsome to pretty!”

At Rona’s added words, Cinderella’s smile faded slightly. ‘She’ dropped ‘her’ hand from ‘her’ chin and picked up ‘her’ fork, seeming somewhat displeased.

“Fine. Let’s just eat.”

“…But what about you?”

Rona, feeling the tension, asked, trying to lighten the mood. She was scared by Cinderella’s darkened expression and wanted to defuse the situation.

Cinderella hesitated as ‘she’ picked up a piece of grilled vegetable. ‘She’ blinked ‘her’ blue eyes slowly, seemingly deep in thought. Just when Rona thought the silence had stretched too long, Cinderella’s red lips parted.

“I don’t have any particular preferences. Whether he’s handsome or strong, whatever.”

“Really? But you must have some preference. So, you’re aiming for the prince, right?”

“Not really. Oh hey, this is tasty.”

“Huh?”

“It’s delicious.”

Not really? Rona was taken aback, but Cinderella didn’t seem inclined to say more. Rona clicked her tongue inwardly. Cinderella’s indifferent attitude was concerning.

Cinderella seemed unaware that this was a crucial turning point in ‘her’ fate. If things continued like this, Rona worried the novel’s plot might change.