CH 1

“Finally, I got my license!”

I ran around with my business registration certificate delivered by the postman.

After 20 years of having books piled up, the time had finally come.

Finally, I completed the registration of a newspaper and publishing company and acquired a printing press.

In a way, this could have been the beginning of a novel in those days. Actually, if the female protagonist was left alone, people would follow her around as if she were playing a flute.

I thought I wouldn’t mind if I didn’t worry about it.

‘Who the heck is he?’

When I went to the next door to show off my business license, I saw a man blocking Gloria.

He was playing with the female lead.

“Gloria, come with me. I’ll be nice to you.”

“No, thank you.”

Apparently, it was a man brought by Gloria’s biological sister, Brie.

Brie had a fatal flaw other than a bad personality. She had absolutely no interest in men.

Brie’s boyfriends, always sticking behind the main character, Brie.

But didn’t this guy make a bolder approach to my friend? He slowly rubbed Gloria’s cheek with his finger and held her chin.

“I didn’t have anything to do with your sister. You know, we broke up because we met twice and we didn’t get along.”

Gloria stepped back in fear. However, the man continued to show her the technique of hitting the wall.

“I’ve never seen a girl as beautiful as you. Do you know I’m a nobleman? If you marry me, you’ll be addressed as a baroness. What do you think? Do you want to come to my house tonight?”

“Ugh! Get away from me.”

“You’d rather rebel. Right, I prefer a keen girl.”

The reddish-brown haired man brought his face close to Gloria.

Gloria frowned, her eyes closed. She didn’t resist much against his horrifying gaze. Was she also surprised by the man’s behavior?

‘What is he doing? That’s what I told you to do!’

Perhaps, it’s because of the protagonist’s personality.

She had trained the protagonist to be tough, but it was useless. She was naturally obedient and kind, which made me a little frustrated.

I thought it wouldn’t work if she was on her own, so I approached them with one of the firewood stacked near my house.

“Let go of me, please.”

I hit the man on the back of his head with firewood at the same time when Gloria said that.

“Argh!”

The man collapsed on the dirty floor. Shortly after, a large lump began to swell on the back of the man’s head.

“This little kid, who do you think you’re playing with?”

Gloria, who was watching with her eyes wide open, blocked me when I raised my hand in an attempt to hit him again. 

“Haley! What are you going to do if you get caught by the police again?! When you do, you’ll be treated as a common criminal.”

“It’s okay. I got this from my mother.”

I bragged to my friend as I took the medicine bottle from my hand, then wiped it with a handkerchief. I held the man’s head and placed it on his face as he groaned in pain, saying that his head hurt. The man grunted and lost his consciousness in an instant.

“What is that?”

“This just makes him lose consciousness. I heard it will also mess up with memories.”

My mother told me repeatedly not to use it as self-defense. It was fine to use it in the current situation.

I shrugged once, as if it did not matter.

“Haley! Are you guys okay?”

Caron, who ran over after seeing us from afar, appeared belatedly behind us. I frowned at Caron.

“Can’t you live without seeing my face even for just one day?”

Stop following me because I got enough seeing her.

After my brother, Claude, left our house, Charon followed me blatantly. It’s been seven years since she followed me around. I still get annoyed by her. First of all, Charon Siebel’s face is far from my ideal type.

‘I heard he’s busy attending the academy. Why are you showing up every day?’

Charon patted the fallen man with his foot, pretending not to notice my thick stare.

“What should we do? Should I bury him?”

“Leave him there. He’ll go home by himself once he wakes up. More than that, are you surprised, Gloria?”

“Huh? Uh, uh…”

“Then, kick it here. Then she won’t be able to move.”

I said as I pointed my hand between Charon’s legs. Charon crouched down.

“But this guy. He’s a noble. Will he be okay? Even if you do this.”

Of course that was not allowed. In the society where social status was the most important thing, a commoner hitting the back of a noble’s head is prohibited. Why must she erase his memories? It was because she couldn’t handle what would happen after that.

Gloria continued to stare worriedly at the fallen man. I calmed her down, rubbing her back gently.

“It will be fine. My mother’s meds are very effective. I believe she is a good doctor. He may not even remember what happened when he wakes up.”

“I’m glad to hear that, but…”

Charon stared at the fallen man for a moment and opened his mouth.

“So, about Brie. Didn’t he get married last month? Who is this man?”

I answered Charon’s question.

“Brie is someone I used to see. Since my brother got married, I got curious and said I wanted to meet him.”

“What? What a load of crap.”

Charon slapped the back of the fallen man. I left him alone and took Gloria to my house.

There will be an important day soon.

I counted how many days there were left in my head. The main character would soon meet one of the side characters. And that man was the man I needed.

A man who was more capable than the crap on the floor at that moment. In fact, for me, the sub male lead who Gloria would meet soon is more compassionate than the male lead.

After serving hot tea to my friends, I took out my business license that came out today and started bragging.

“I’m going to start my own business now! Hahaha!”

Charon smiled, spread his arms a bit too widely, and clapped his hands.

“Yay. Congratulations, Haley.”

“Oh, you’re finally starting?”

Up until now, I’ve told my friends that my dream was to be a reporter, opening a newspaper and a publishing company. I was so happy that it felt like I owned the world merely with this business license. All of my friends congratulated me for it. However, Charon was flushed and said something absolutely stupid.

“Ekhem, Haley. I guess all you have to do now is to get married, huh?”

“Why are you saying that all of a sudden?”

“Nothing, it’s just… At our age, everyone either gets married, has kids, or lives a well-balanced life. Why don’t we…”

“I’ve had my share of seeing men’s faces.”

The rejection was harsh. I coldly expressed my rejection so Charon wouldn’t live on with false hope. Then, Charon made a resented expression.

“Hey! Am I not an exception?”

“Yeah, you are. Grow up.”

Charon, with his face covered in freckles, must have felt like his pride was struck by what I said. His expression turned gloomy and dark. Gloria came and revealed her ‘good self’ to try to comfort him.

“Hey Charon. It’s nice to see you bricked up. I heard that after you graduate from the academy, you’ll be working at the Imperial Palace like your parents.”

Yes, he was going to attend the academy and get a job at the Imperial Palace due to his parents’ connections. However, I personally think he wouldn’t do well.

Gloria smiled brightly and pointed to Charon’s forearm.

“Women like men who have a good body and a good personality. Men like you. Wow! Can I touch your arm once? I bet it’ll be so firm.”

I can’t even tell if Gloria’s compliment is just for the sake of courtesy. Caron looked proud and flexed his arm confidently at her.

“Uh, of course you can. Go ahead.”

Gloria, who poked her finger at his arm, tucks her hair behind her ear and admired it.

“Wow, it’s so firm. Charon, I personally think you’re a lot more of a sweetheart than Haley.”

“Oh Really? Hahaha. That’s what I was thinking, too.”

Charon flaunted at me, but I ignored him thoughtlessly. It was okay because I never thought of this guy as a man in the first place.

Gloria must have decided to float Caron today. Excessive compliments flowed from the female lead’s mouth.

“I want to be in a relationship, too. Are there more nice guys like you out there?”

“Huh? Oh, right. You don’t have a lover yet either…. Haha. Do you want me to introduce you to some of the guys at the academy?”

“Oh, really? Would you really do that?”

“Sure. What’s your ideal type?”

“Unlike Haley, I don’t judge men by their looks. I just like men who are neat and tidy. Just like you.”

What’s this? I thought she was trying to raise his value by secretly repeating ‘unlike me’. Or, am I mistaken?

It was a moment where I suspected that the female lead, who I thought was a bear, turned out to be a fox. I guess it must be because of her mood.

Charon was in a good mood, so the clown flew up in the sky.

“Hahaha. That’s right. It’s not easy to find someone like me. Can you try finding a guy as cool as me?”

“Oh, and one more thing. I’d like someone that I can respect.”

“Sir John?”

Unlike me, who only judge men by their appearances, Gloria said she would want someone who is manly, neat, and respectable.

But when I interpreted those words in detail, didn’t it mean she was just looking for someone who was tall, good-looking, and had money? I think she was just as picky as me when it comes to men.

Gloria sighed loudly and continued.

“I wish I was born sophisticated like Haley. My chest is big. Guys keep looking at me like I’m racy. Even Brie’s guy friends thought I have a lot of experience with men, so they talk about me a lot. I actually haven’t even had my first love yet.”

I only sighed while looking at my chest after hearing Gloria’s remarks. Charon’s eyes naturally alternated between mine and Gloria’s chest. I felt a little emptier than I should have been. When I eat snacks, the food reaches my stomach before my chest. D*mn it.

‘Haha. I was pretty busty in my previous life. For now…’

Is this chest thing hereditary? No. Come to think of it, my mom has a good body. Then, what happened to me?

Hearing the female lead’s words made me sad for no reason and I felt my eyes become moist. She must be lucky to have such a big heart, such a b***h.

Charon turned red because of his lingering imagination, and so did his neck.

“Well, yes. Poor Haley though. Hahaha. But to us men, someone with a good body like you is deemed more attractive, Gloria.”

When I was about to feel even worse.

I heard a knock outside.

I tried to say something to the female lead of this world, but I held myself back. I was afraid I would be the only one who sounds b****y if I make such comments.

“I’m sure you don’t mean any harm.”

Gloria used to say she was jealous of me. The things she said this time is just to comfort Charon. I opened the front door, feeling somewhat uncomfortable while thinking about it.

By the way, the man standing in front of the front door looked oddly familiar. The man, who had broad shoulders, smiled and talked as if he recognized me.

“Noona? Long time no see.”