I Wasn't Trying to Seduce with the Male Lead - Episode 111

“You were adamantly against it, but now you’ve changed your tune to suit your own whims! How can you say she’s a better match than my son?!” Grand Duke Robert’s veins bulged in his neck as he fumed.

“My son was on the brink of death for four days in a dungeon because of that woman!”

On the brink of death? That was news to her.

Eleanor looked over at Sky, who gave her an embarrassed expression.

“It seems Zenith reported it.”

“So, it’s true?”

“Let’s agree not to talk about the past.”

Sky was evasive, but the commotion at the banquet hall prevented her from pressing him further.

“So what? My son even cut his tongue for that woman!”

“My son almost lost his life to the princess!”

“Rian even committed treason!”

“So did my son!”

Why are they competing over this? The two people involved are still in the middle of a push-and-pull, deciding whether they will officially date.

Eleanor, who had been elevated from a notorious socialite to the most coveted bride a ducal family would fight to the death for, was dumbfounded.

“Enough now.”

As the fight continued, the Duchess of Calabria stepped between them.

“That’s for the children to decide. It’s not something we can resolve by fighting amongst ourselves.”

At the dignified words of the duchess, the two men fell silent. But only for a moment. They subtly moved behind the duchess and continued to bicker.

“I heard your wife ran away when you were newlyweds and you were separated for nearly 20 years. If you have time to worry about your son, shouldn’t you worry about yourself?” Grand Duke Robert’s provocation made the Duke of Calabria’s forehead twitch.

“And you? How’s your management? I heard you had 30 wives who all fought amongst themselves and disappeared, and now you have none left?”

“I had no intention of keeping them! It’s a family tradition not to stop people who want to leave!”

“Then don’t stop her this time either!”

They exchanged menacing glares and huffed.

“With a personality like that, it’s no wonder the one wife you had ran away.”

“At least I kept my fidelity. That’s why I have one wife and one son. But why do you only have one son out of 30 women? Do you have a problem down there?”

“I said, enough!” The duchess shouted again as the fight devolved into childish personal attacks.

Both men looked displeased, but they didn’t dare to defy her cold command.

“Well, there’s no need to fight anymore. It’s as good as decided.”

“Ha. Life is long, so the immediate result isn’t the final conclusion.”

“We’ll marry them off as soon as possible, so you can forget it.”

“It doesn’t matter if they get married. She’ll come back to Sky eventually.”

“How ridiculous. I said we’re getting them married!”

“What’s wrong with getting married? That girl has already been divorced once, so she can do it twice!”

Grand Duke Robert’s stubborn remark made Eleanor feel dizzy.

What in the world is he saying?!

How childish for grown men to act like this.

She sighed and looked up at Sky, who was inexplicably nodding.

“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”

“Let’s all have a drink and celebrate the victory. We’ll have some time before the Count of Calabria shows up.”

They had gone through a lot together and were close, but recently they had all been too busy to see each other. Eleanor also wanted to drink wine with them, celebrate Mina Zhu’s coronation, and have a heart-to-heart.

“If you’re with all of us, people won’t bother you.”

Sky smiled, speaking as if he could read Eleanor’s mind.

This man is an expert at making it impossible to refuse.

Eleanor grumbled to herself but soon headed with him to where everyone was.

“Viscount Canterbury! Biancasta!”

When Eleanor called out in a loud voice, the people who were talking all turned at once. Seeing Eleanor, Biancasta’s eyes sparkled, and she ran over and hugged her.

“Eleanor! I missed you!”

“Me too. You look so well.”

The pale, thin Biancasta was gone, replaced by a healthy, rosy-cheeked girl who had gained a good amount of weight.

“What were you all talking about?”

“Lord Herhon is getting married to his fiancée after this banquet. He was just talking about introducing his friend to Lord Elai.”

“Oh, really?”

As she enthusiastically joined the conversation, Eleanor noticed Blaine standing nearby, scowling. A dark cloud seemed to surround him.

“Viscount, why the long face?”

“Ha, everyone’s in a relationship but me.”

“You can get in one too, you know.”

“If I could, I would have! What is that, ‘If you have no bread, eat cake’? Ugh!”

Seeing Blaine’s despair, Biancasta wrapped her arm around Eleanor’s. “He’s been like that for a while. Eleanor, can you help him?”

“Me?”

“Yes. You’re the best relationship expert in the empire.”

She had forgotten about her main occupation for a moment. While she did offer consultations, write books, and give lectures, matchmaking was not her specialty. After all, she had completely failed to make a relationship happen for Rian.

Still, it sounded like it could be fun, so Eleanor asked Blaine, “What kind of woman are you looking for?”

Blaine mumbled and didn’t answer, so Biancasta stepped in for him.

“He said he wants a woman who’s sophisticated, elegant, beautiful, capable, and smart, like you, Eleanor.”

“You have very high standards.”

Blaine looked shocked by Eleanor’s blunt remark.

“Just kidding. There are a lot of women like that here, so you should try talking to them.” Eleanor chuckled, and Blaine glanced around, looking puzzled.

“Where are there women like you here?”

“There are plenty. There are even better people out there. I’m not the prettiest person in the world.”

She thought everyone would say, “Of course not!” in unison. But the people around her looked thoughtful, as if they were actually considering it.

“What’s with that reaction?”

“But Eleanor, you’re the prettiest and the most capable, and your personality is the best too!” Biancasta said with a seemingly sincere expression, her hands clasped in front of her chest and her eyes shining. She looked like a fan who had met her idol, showing her deep admiration for Eleanor.

Feeling embarrassed, Eleanor saw Blaine sigh heavily next to her.

“Even if a woman like that existed, would she date me?” he asked glumly.

Adrian patted his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. “Sometimes, a really beautiful and high-status woman dates a truly mediocre man, doesn’t she? Viscount, you could be that man!”

Blaine’s expression, which had briefly looked hopeful, now soured.

“Wait, are you saying I’m truly mediocre…”

“Oh, that young lady over there looks very sophisticated! And she’s from a very good family.”

Eleanor quickly changed the subject before he could realize what Adrian said. Blaine looked at the lady Eleanor pointed to with a dejected expression.

“I’ll get rejected in three seconds if I go over there. I have no hope.”

Spending so much time as the only single one among his coupled-up friends seemed to have broken his spirit. To make up for her lover’s gaffe, Biancasta stepped forward.

“Why don’t we get advice from a popular man first?”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Sky, who was drinking champagne.

“Duke Phaedra. Do you have a secret to winning a woman’s heart?”

“Hmm. Maybe making eye contact?” Sky replied, stroking his smooth cheek.

“That’s good. What’s next?”

“I don’t know.” He thought for a moment, then raised an eyebrow and shook his head. “I’ve never had to go further than that. The other person usually expresses interest once our eyes meet.”

“What is that? Are you Medusa or something?”

Sky approached Blaine, who had spoken bluntly, and looked at him deeply. When their sea-colored eyes met, Blaine’s wide eyes softened after a moment.

“…I’ll admit defeat. Please stop looking at me. I will hang myself if my face turns red.”

“I’ve gotten the same reaction from men, so there’s no need to be embarrassed.”

Blaine looked even more deflated by the excessive advice from a high-level player.

Ilai, who had been silent, tapped Blaine’s shoulder and then asked Eleanor, “Then how do you attract men?”

“I don’t. I just sit here, and they come and talk to me.”

Blaine was furious at the responses from the two superior individuals.

“Damn it! Beatrice! Are you listening? Is there a spell to become handsome?”

[No. Be reborn.]

A cold answer came back.

Just as Blaine was about to retort, a gasp erupted in the banquet hall.

“Aaaah!”

Eleanor looked up to see a man’s silhouette on the second-floor balcony. The tall man behind the curtain briefly looked this way, then turned and disappeared.

“The Count of Calabria, I see,” Sky murmured softly.

Even without his words, anyone could tell it was Rian from his superior physique. Even after he had disappeared into the room, the young ladies kept their hands clasped in front of their chests, gazing at the balcony with hopeful eyes, as if expecting him to reappear.

“What is this? Now he can captivate people with just his silhouette, not even his gaze.” Blaine pounded the table in frustration.

“Use your gaze! No, at least come out and sit down! Ugh.”

Seeing him suffering from self-loathing, Eleanor brought over a few bottles of strong alcohol from a stacked barrel.

“Here, have some.”

“What is this?”

“It’s a potion that makes the world look beautiful.”

Blaine looked up at the strong alcohol in Eleanor’s hand and said in a resolute voice, “Fill it up.”

It had been a while, so Eleanor took a drink from Blaine as well. They all passed the glasses around and were starting to feel the effects of the alcohol when…

“Aaaah!”

The same scream from before erupted again. She looked up, thinking Rian had returned to the balcony, but there was no one there.

Eleanor looked back down at the front and flinched.

“Eleanor.”

Rian had appeared next to her.

“I’ve come to get you.” He lifted her hand from the table and gently kissed it. Then, he winked with his purple eyes and a smirk.

“Shall we go on our date?”

Maybe it was the alcohol, but the whisper in her ear felt even hotter.

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