I Became The Childhood Friend of the Obsessive Second Male Lead

Noel let out a big sigh of relief when he got out of Rieta’s room.

I almost confessed…

He was lucky that Rieta didn’t notice. Apparently, she didn’t seem to notice.

The reason he worked so hard was because there was something Rieta had been asking for for a very long time.

Rieta used to talk to Noel about various ‘considerations’, but among them there was something like the attitude of a confessing man.

Even now, he didn’t know why she talked about such a topic when they were young. At the time, Rieta said:

[Understood? I like a place with a very pretty background. So the illustrations look great… Huh? illustration? Did I say that? Anyway, it means I like nice places like the temple garden.]

Now she seemed to have forgotten that she even said that, but Noel remembered everything.

So, maybe if they could talk about that at the temple together, Rieta would be even more delighted.

While saying, ‘did you remember everything?’ to Noel.

Of course, it was very painful to stop the confession that almost came out.

Well, it’s just for a bit, anyway.

Noel walked lightly back to his room.

Soon, it was breakfast time. Noel went down to the dining room with the utmost composure.

What if he made eye contact with Rieta during the meal?

At least there shouldn’t be a disaster of blushing in front of his father and older brother.

Upon arriving at the dining room, Darrel, who had arrived first, greeted him.

“Noel, you look great. I thought you’d come down tired.”

“What?”

“Looks like you slept well all night, right?”

No, actually, I couldn’t sleep at all…

He wanted to say that, but he just mumbled to himself and laughed.

“That’s right.”

“By the way, what about the Princess?

Noel suddenly flinched for no reason in particular. Fortunately, Darrel was looking at his watch and didn’t seem to notice.

“We, well. I’m not sure.”

Noel answered, turning his head.

Of course, Rieta will be awake. Because he had been with her until a little while ago.

“The banquet was yesterday, so maybe she’s tired. Shall we wait a little longer?”

Noel nodded at Darrel’s suggestion, and the two of them waited for Rieta while reading newspapers and books.

But even after they had finished three cups of tea, Rieta did not appear.

“She is very late.”

“It seems so.”

Noel began to worry that Rieta might have fallen asleep again.

Just when he realized he couldn’t wait, Darrel asked the maid to check out Rieta’s room.

“If she fell asleep, there’s no need to wake her up. The Princess will be tired too.”

After the maid replied, she hurriedly left the dining room.

Noel contemplated whether to follow, but he didn’t.

Time passed again.

The maid who said she would be back soon was later than expected.

The brothers’ concerns deepened. At some point, both of them were just looking at the entrance.

The risky anxiety continued.

“Young master!”

Soon, a hurried sound that seemed to lose her breath began to be heard from afar.

The two jumped up and immediately started running toward Rieta’s room.

They had an ominous feeling.

In fact, in Noel’s case, it was just vagueness, but not Darrel’s. He had a guess.

A while ago, when BB came to the Duke’s residence, he heard the story of the Kingdom of Liz, who could not get a loan because they had nothing more to give as collateral.

Darrell breathed heavily and entered Rieta’s room.

He felt anxious.

“…”

There, however, only a rattling open window greeted him, and Rieta was not there.

The maid belatedly arriving behind him said, “The Princess is nowhere in the mansion.”

Darrel bit his lip.

Why had he not thought of the possibility of this until now?

“I don’t know if I should say it’s fortunate that the kingdom has nothing more to offer.”

No, it wasn’t ‘fortunate’.

King Liz, who couldn’t find money anywhere, must have remembered that there are still things of special value in that country.

Behind Darrel, who was staring at the wide open window, was Noel with a devastated look.

***

Rieta occasionally returned to consciousness. It felt the same every time. Shaking and dizziness.

When she moved her body to get a little grip on the situation, someone raised her up and shoved something like mush into her mouth.

She probably thought it was food.

She didn’t want to eat that much, but she couldn’t help swallowing what was being pushed.

“Uh….”

Rieta managed to pass the question several times beyond her vision, where she couldn’t see properly.

Who are you? Where am I?

The answer to her question, which she squeezed with all her strength, was a bitter liquid.

Rieta knew that if she took this liquid she would fall asleep again.

Since she was caught by these, they had made her take this a few times so far whenever she’s awake.

“She didn’t swallow it. Emily, what to do?”

Someone muttered something troubled, and from a distance there was an answer, “Make her swallow.”

Soon Rieta’s mouth was forced open, and a large amount of liquid flowed into her mouth.

Rieta was so delirious that she felt like she was about to drown in the liquid that had come into her mouth.

Bitter water with a familiar taste flowed into her body.

At that moment, the place Rieta was lying on jolted again, and she lost her consciousness again.

***