CH 5.2

5. Female Lead, get out of the way! I have to make a living, too! (2)

The Empress was upset with Ariad for engaging with other men every night, and that was when Joshua decided to remarry Kelly Eurecia for being beautiful and genuine.

So-hee already expected this.

Kelly was the female lead of her web novel after all.

“You can’t,” So-hee said firmly.

Joshua and the maid narrowed their eyes at her in response.

“It’s either you’re coming or you’re going with me. Whether you want it or not, these two are your only options.”

So-hee clutched Joshua’s thick wrist with her uninjured right arm and he glowered at her, not understanding the situation at all.

Ever since they met each other yesterday, Ariad seemed to have changed so drastically that it felt like she had turned into a completely different person.

Was the woman who told Joshua that she didn’t want to talk to him because he was cold and boring just a mere illusion?

He certainly recalled Ariad saying that she never wanted to try and get his attention.

If this woman were indeed the ‘Ariad’ he knew, she would have kept up her pretense of being such a graceful aristocrat in front of him all the damn time.

But this person in front of her—-

“Joshua, why aren’t you answering my question? Hurry up and tell me you won’t leave me alone!”

She seemed very far from elegant.

* * *

Ariad, what happened to you?” The Empress asked bluntly.

“Oh, I fell down the staircase.”

Joshua could only stare at Ariad.

He knew the truth, alright, but he didn’t want to elaborate more.

It turned out that So-hee had successfully ‘clung to his trouser leg’ figuratively.

Joshua had fallen for her trap and he ended up coming to the luncheon with her.

After skimming the bandages all over her body, the queen spoke. “You didn’t have to come out like that, Ariad.”

It was obvious that her appearance wasn’t welcome here.

Yes.

So-hee had zero desire to come out like this either.

A full-time author like her had to work hard so that she could pay for the rent next month.

‘I had to make a living, so don’t look at me like that, Empress.’So-hee suppressed what she wanted to tell the Empress and observed the atmosphere between Joshua and Kelly instead.

Their romance had started to blossom while the Empress was busy scowling at her.

“The food seemed far away from you, Your Majesty.” Smiling shyly, Kelly cut some lamb and placed it on Joshua’s plate. “I’ll give you some.”

So-hee’s expression was grim as she regarded Joshua’s handsome face, smiling sweetly at Kelly’s kind gesture.

“Thank you, My Lady.”

He seemed kind to everyone except for Ariad and Deon.

Yet, So-hee couldn’t clearly tell if Kelly would still have a heart for Joshua once he revealed his cold and calculating side.

“Kelly Euresia. It’s far away for me, too.” So-hee said, sprinkling ashes at the original male and female lead’s romantic atmosphere instead of cherry blossoms.

“What?”

“I want to eat lamb, too.” So-hee whined.

Flustered, Kelly handed the mutton to her.

Yes.

She will annoy them and keep her skin thick enough just to keep this fated couple’s romance from blooming.

The Empress smiled at So-hee before moving her attention to Kelly.

“By the way, I just learned that Kelly can speak the language of the Dunmark Empire. How knowledgeable of you, my dear,” she praised.

“I just learned it from a book, Your Highness. That is why I’m embarrassed to speak the language in front of people.”

“Oh! It seems like you are humble as well.”

The Empress was a real fan of Kelly.

So-hee applauded, thrilled by their delicate words and sophisticated gestures.

“Other women should watch and learn from your talents and skills.”

That statement must have been aimed at Ariad.

So-hee pouted and continued chewing on her lamb while scrutinizing Kelly’s appearance at the same time.

She had fair skin, pink blush on her pale cheeks, gentle doe-eyes with round sapphire pupils that glittered like jewels, and blond hair that sparkled mysteriously under the sun.

Wow!

Her heroine’s pure innocence would be so hard for a woman like Ariad to replicate.

She was completely different from Ariad who had a sexy and dynamic aura.

Joshua hated Ariad so much that it would be easy for him to get attracted to Kelly for her opposite nature.

“Oh, there’s a place I’ve wanted to go. I heard there is a slightly larger garden than here.”

So-hee got confused as she watched Kelly smile and talk softly.

If she wasn’t careful, she might fall for her, too.

How could Ariad become the heroine and replace this seemingly perfect girl?

She was ruined.

Her web novel was doomed.

“Oh, of course.”

The Empress, who agreed with anything Kelly said, replied.

Then, she swept through her son as he sat there, finishing his meal.

It made her nervous.

“Joshua, why don’t you show me around as well? I’d like to go with you.”

When So-hee tried to step in, the Empress told her firmly.  “No, you haven’t even finished your meal. You’re not feeling well, too. I’ll take care of you, so just eat here.”

Wow, that’s awesome.

Was she confirmed to be the heroine then?

When Joshua rose from his chair without any response, Kelly followed him with excitement.

“No way!”

Screaming, So-hee tried to stand up.

However, her injured feet wobbled, making her bend forward.

She stumbled and tried to grab the corner of the table, but her hand slipped and it grabbed the plate, instead.

The steak on the plate flew in the air and it her head with a thud as she fell backward on  the long table .

She avoided great pain thanks to the fluffy grass around her.

The clear blue sky twirled around in her vision before the floating steak landed gently on Ariad’s face.

The sweet steak sauce covered her cheek.

“Oh, my.” She exclaimed.

Everyone looked down at So-hee, speechless and her limbs stretched out on the grass.