For Sale: Male Lead, Obsession Included - Chapter 119

「 Lover… You mean me and Ariel? 」

「 T-That… I’m sorry. It must be a painful topic, but I brought it up for no reason. 」

「 Excuse me? What do you mean, painful…? 」

「 Ah, um. Maybe you’re not lovers anymore… 」

I was so dumbfounded by Jin’s ridiculous misunderstanding that I was at a complete loss for words.

How in the world did he get the idea that Ariel and I were like that?

For a moment, I retraced my memories.

With Ariel… Well, we did talk often. We even went up to Seonui Lake together… And Ariel did give me that letter…

Of course, that letter was an apology, not a love letter, but if Jin didn’t know that, it made sense he might misunderstand.

I awkwardly scratched my chin.

「 Ariel and I aren’t like that. 」

As I shook my head firmly, Jin smiled faintly, as if he understood everything.

What the heck? I said we’re really not!

「 You’ll surely meet someone even better. 」

「 …Huh. 」

Turns out, Jin’s not only oblivious, he’s stubborn in the weirdest places.

Jin politely excused himself, saying he’d get up first and left my room. He added he’d ask Okhee to make something nourishing for dinner, saying when your heart aches, your body needs to be strong to endure it—another unnecessary comment.

“Haha…”

For a moment, I wanted to show him the letter tucked under my pillow.

***

Strictly speaking, all this was thanks to Ariel, but the villagers treated even me and Feyden, as Ariel’s companions, like heroes who saved the lake and the village.

Because I was a ‘distinguished guest from a far-off land’, not only could I eat and sleep for free at the wealthiest house in the village, Okhee’s, but everywhere I went, I was treated as an honored guest to the point that I was embarrassed to show my face.

But Feyden seemed to enjoy it, greeting people with a thicker skin each day.

This way, the ladies would give him an extra snack, or so he claimed.

Honestly, it seemed like Feyden was adapting to Dongguk even better than I was.

“So, have you thought about what I said?”

“I’ve thought about it a lot.”

“And your answer?”

“No. Still no.”

Feyden turned his head away with a sulky, precious-child tone.

“Ugh, why not!”

“Why should I bother with such a hassle? And didn’t you say the sword you bought last time was for that guy over there?”

“What’s that got to do with teaching Jin swordsmanship?”

“It matters.”

“How?”

“Hmph.”

He’s getting spoiled from all the praise and attention from the ladies, acting like he’s the Truman Show’s special kid.

Because of Feyden, who was getting more and more sulky and stubborn, I was at my wits’ end.

Even if I said I’d raise his pay, even if I said I’d come watch the sword training myself, he wouldn’t budge.

What kind of treat would it take to win over this precious little brat?

I was starting to get pretty annoyed at this unexpected obstacle.

“If you’re going to keep ignoring your employer, why don’t you just go back to the Empire!”

“……”

Feyden, who’d been walking along with a stalk of foxtail grass in his mouth, suddenly stopped. He spun around and said to me, in a much lower voice.

“So that’s it. You were planning to send me away and make that leaf-head your guard, weren’t you?”

Uh, how did he know?

He caught my brief panic and spat out the foxtail grass.

“Then there’s no way I’m leaving.”

Oh, this stubborn punk.

“Then what will it take for you to do as I ask?!”

“Forget about training that leaf-head to be your guard. You really think that guy, who’s all height and nothing else, will ever be stronger than me? And with someone like that around to keep an eye on you, how could I ever leave? You clueless, mean potato.”

Feyden grabbed my cheeks roughly and turned me around. That’s when I saw the mage browsing goods at the market. The same mage who had opened the portal to Dongguk.

“Why do you think that woman is still here, in this backwater?”

“If she’s watching me so openly, it means she doesn’t plan on harming me. I know that much.”

“You never know. You flower-headed potato.”

“If you don’t want to leave, you could just say so instead of beating around the bush.”

Hey, you started it.

Feyden looked at me with his mouth open, as if he’d been caught out. From the way his jaw jutted, it was clear he was going to get angry out of embarrassment.

Yeah, I’ve figured out all your tricks.

“You think I wanted to give you an assistant to help out… Fine! That’s right! With Ariel gone, I thought it’d be tough for you to always be at my side, so I was trying to get you a helper!”

Before he could start yelling, I raised my voice first. Feyden, caught off guard, blinked in confusion.

Now that he thinks about it, it’s actually a compliment, so it’s hard for him to get angry, right?

Since Feyden’s weak to flattery, I decided to pour it on, just like when I used to force new products onto reluctant convenience store owners back in my sad old life.