The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 13
I didn’t wonder why he was here.
‘…I’ve managed to avoid it quite a bit.’
For a week, I hadn’t come face to face with Hedonia directly. Of course, it wasn’t intentional. I was incredibly busy studying what the Duke Apharantes had assigned.
He gave me a list of people I should know as Hedonia, the only ‘daughter’… and I thought I’d faint from the encyclopedia-like volume.
I had heard whispers that Hedonia had summoned me, but…
Even if they were aware of Hedonia’s orders, my primary role for them was to be overlooked, as I had duties to fulfill for him first.
I quietly conveyed the message, adding fuel to the fire.
‘I have a feeling Hedonia will be furious, though…’
Still, I hadn’t expected him to come looking for me like this.
As I trembled inwardly, the unexpected voice of the head maid spoke first.
“Lady Hedonia, considering your current state of health, wouldn’t it be better for you to return for now?”
It was the typical bravery of a noble’s retainer.
“If someone is to act as my stand-in, it’s only fair to monitor if they’re doing it properly.”
Of course, this didn’t sit well at all. From behind, I could hear the sound of Hedonia’s determined footsteps approaching.
Moments later, Hedonia stood before me, flipping his hair back with a confident expression on his face.
“You’ve been quite anxious, huh…”
Damn, his personality. Despite thinking this inwardly, I was grateful that my face didn’t betray me.
Nonchalantly disregarding his words, I muttered under my breath, steering the conversation.
“Still, you seem to be in decent shape, which is fortunate. It appears to be having some effect, indeed.”
If it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t even be alive right now. It was a moment to reaffirm my worth.
“……”
An awkward silence ensued.
Hedonia must have heard my words, yet he chose not to respond. It was a clean disregard.
‘Quite the impression…’
He didn’t seem particularly interested in responding.
Hedonia glanced away before replying.
“The feeling of the heart’s racing and feeling dizzy are pretty much the same.”
For someone claiming to be in pain, he looked rather confident, didn’t he?
I replied with a nonchalant expression.
“Well then, you should hurry back.”
It was a case of falling into his own trap.
If you’re in pain, shouldn’t you go back?
After a moment of silence at the obvious response, Hedonia met my gaze directly and smiled wryly.
“I’m always like this, so I’m used to it. Don’t try to convince me to go back.”
From the slight narrowing of his brow, I could tell that I had just touched a nerve. The image of a cat ready to pounce flashed through my mind once again.
He’s not just any arrogant person… He’s a cat…
Having completed my manipulation, I turned my gaze back to the head maid.
“Shall we begin then?”
Facing the reality that there was nothing to be done about Hedonia, the head maid nodded. She briskly moved her hand.
It seemed she had reached the conclusion that it was better to finish quickly.
It was a swift handling of affairs befitting of a determined expression. A maid vigorously applied the potion onto my purple curly hair.
Moments later, after rinsing off the potion, I admired the truly splendid color of my hair.
“Wow…”
But the head maid murmured with a hint of disappointment.
“It wasn’t a bad color…”
“Well, now it’ll be an even prettier color.”
It wasn’t just idle talk.
Truth be told, I preferred platinum blonde.
“Hm, think of it as an honor.”
Hedonia, who had suddenly brought a chair and sat beside me, grabbed a handful of his own hair to compare. It was indeed quite similar.
I was taken aback by Hedonia’s sudden approach, but my heart quickly found its rhythm.
Calm down, it’s just the male lead.
Despite having been bedridden for some time, Hedonia appeared nothing but skin and bones, but his frame itself was large.
Hedonia extended his slender wrist towards me and scoffed.
“To think we’re at similar levels…”
His muttered words carried a hint of sarcasm.
So what if we are! Despite my inner turmoil, I instinctively offered him comfort.
“If you’re in pain but still like this, it must be okay.”
Hedonia half-opened his eyes at my clumsy attempt at comfort.
After a moment, he chuckled and muttered,
“You’re not very good at comforting.”
“That’s right, it seems that way.”
I readily admitted.
Having finished the process of dyeing, I slumped into the chair.
The head maid then dropped the next potion into my eyes.
A burning pain erupted in my eyes.
“Argh…”
“Endure even if it hurts.”
Hedonia muttered from beside me.
You’re not very good at comforting too, huh? I maintained a composed demeanor as I suppressed the words that rose to my throat.