Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 116

☆ Chapter 117 ☆

“……Are you *really* sick?”

Luatisha eyed Duke Paeraton with suspicion.

Duke Paeraton paused, considering his daughter.

He figured he needed to have been sick at least once to convincingly fake it.

Finally, he opened his arms to her.

“Lulu.”

He seemed to have given up on pretending, appearing perfectly healthy to anyone who looked. But Luatisha, seeing his open arms, pouted and ran to hug her father.

Duke Paeraton easily scooped his daughter up.

“If you’re too sick to eat, I have no choice. As a dutiful daughter, I must take care of you.”

“Thank you.”

“But I’ll be sad if you don’t eat. Promise me you won’t skip meals anymore?”

“I promise.”

Duke Paeraton nodded and held out his pinky finger.

Luatisha swung her legs and linked pinkies with him.

‘How cheap!’

‘Such a poor excuse…!’

‘At least *pretend* to be sick properly!’

Duke Paeraton glanced at his sons, who were glaring daggers at him.

Smirk.

A crooked, arrogant smile played on his lips.

Just as the three of them looked ready to throttle him, Luatisha turned and waved at them.

“Brothers, take good care of Grandpa! Have a fun walk!”

Duke Paeraton shot a triumphant look at the four men before turning away.

“…….”

“…….”

The four men left in the garden were silent for a moment.

The greatest con artist baby cat had absconded with the youngest.

* * *

After spoon-feeding the baby cat—who was not only healthy but apparently sporting a six-pack—I immediately headed out.

With Azl’s help, I transformed into Surah and teleported straight to the mercenary guild hideout where Echen was waiting.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Even though I rushed, I was still way past our agreed-upon time.

Punctuality is the most basic courtesy in a deal.

“Did something happen?”

“There’s a baby cat at home, so I had to soothe him a bit.”

“Baby cat?”

“Yeah.”

Echen tilted his head.

He didn’t seem particularly bothered by the wait.

‘That’s a relief.’

I should be generous with this request!

Echen nodded at my offer to pay more black gold than last time.

From the beginning, Echen was easy to talk to, and after a few requests, the negotiations always went smoothly.

Honestly, I was starting to feel like he was more of an acquaintance I met once a month than a business partner.

Echen watched me fill out the request form, then asked,

“You seem to be in a good mood?”

“Huh?”

I wondered if I was smiling without realizing it, so I touched my cheek.

Echen shook his head.

“It’s just the vibe you’re giving off. You seem happy.”

“You can tell just by looking?”

“I can, I can.”

Echen’s eyes, as he looked at me, were bright like hazel nuts.

I stared at those eyes for a moment, then put down my pen.

Of course, I was in a good mood.

My grandfather, who had collapsed, had safely woken up and was gradually recovering.

“Was that slave issue resolved well?”

“Slave? Ah……!”

I had consulted Echen about Sid, right?

“……Did you forget?”

“I’ve been a bit busy.”

Starting with Clatie’s machinations, meeting my maternal grandfather, and then his collapse…

It was no wonder I was distracted.

“Hmm…….”

Echen’s eyes narrowed.

Huh?

He seemed upset for some reason…

‘But there’s no reason for Echen to be upset, right?’

I tilted my head, then seemed to understand.

‘Come to think of it, he liked hearing about other people’s love stories.’

How else would he interpret Sid’s story as a romance?

He must have been expecting to hear the rest of the story today.

I know that feeling.

It’s frustrating when you’re eagerly anticipating the next episode and it suddenly goes on hiatus.

‘But Sid and I are *really* not in a romantic relationship.’

Even if a sequel came out, it would be a thriller, not a romance.

Romance.

Romance, huh…

Honestly, I was really curious about my mom and dad’s romance.

I rested my arms on the table, leaned forward, and subtly asked,

“Hey, how do you seduce a man who is oblivious to emotions and doesn’t even know his own feelings well?”

“What?”

Echen’s eyes widened for a moment.

His face stiffened noticeably.

Oh?

I thought he would like it when this kind of story came up?

Echen was silent for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“……Do you have a man you like?”

“Ah, no, it’s not like that. Our… um, friend? It’s my friend’s story.”

“Friend’s story.”

“Yeah.”

I swallowed hard.

Echen’s voice was deeper and lower than usual.

I felt nervous for some reason.

“So… the reason your friend forgot about the slave is because of a suddenly appearing, emotionally oblivious man?”

He didn’t raise his voice, speaking quietly and slowly as if whispering.

But his eyes, fixed on me, were intensely burning.

I took a sip of the iced tea in front of me.

His gaze remained locked on me.

The hand holding the cup, the lips biting the straw, even my Adam’s apple moving as I swallowed.

I couldn’t escape his gaze at all.

Even though I quenched my thirst with the cold drink, the tension didn’t disappear.

“That’s, well, a different friend from her…….”

“Give up on that kind of man.”
A firm voice.

“Why?”

“He’s not charming.”

I gaped.

In an instant, the tension vanished.

No, how is my dad not charming?!

Traditionally, the Northern Grand Duke was the most sought-after groom.

Besides, my dad was outwardly tough and inwardly soft, and even a baby cat, so his unexpected charm was amazing.

“What do you know?”

“It’s obvious without even looking.”

“He’s handsome, has a great body, is incredibly rich, and has a high status.”

“…….”

“On top of that, he’s capable and strong. Most of all, he’s devoted. He doesn’t even look at other women. But you’re saying he’s not charming?”

“…….”

Echen just stared at me, who was ranting, without saying anything.

I slammed the table.

“Isn’t he a groom that everyone would want?”

My dad is the best groom!

“……Do you too?”

“Huh?”

“Do you also want him?”

I snapped my mouth shut.

No, that person is my dad…

It would be a *big* problem if I wanted him.

That’s against the natural order.

A K-Confucian girl cannot tolerate such a thing.

“So, is that kind of man your type?”

“Huh?”

“A man who is handsome, has a great body, is incredibly rich, and even has a high status. On top of that, he must be capable and strong. A devoted man who doesn’t even look at other women.”

Uh…

Now that I listed them like that, it really was a fantasy.

Echen stared silently at me and asked,

“And what else?”

“Huh?”

“What else do you like?”

“Well, I don’t know?”

Honestly, isn’t that enough?

He’s such a perfect man that I wonder if it’s a joke.

“I like everything. But I don’t like men who are oblivious to emotions and can’t even properly recognize their own feelings.”

“Why?”

Echen didn’t answer.

He just stared at me intently with deep eyes.

Uh…

I couldn’t meet those eyes and lowered my head.

I awkwardly fidgeted with my hands on the table.

Is this a *some* [Korean term for the ambiguous stage between friendship and dating], by any chance?

* * *

I came home and dove straight into bed.

Hugging a soft hamster doll tightly, I rolled around.

In my previous life, I was a born solo [someone who has never been in a relationship].

And of course, I’m still a born solo now.

‘Is spring finally coming to my life?’

Or is it just wishful thinking?

I had read thousands of romance novels and encountered countless love stories, but I myself was a romance idiot.

That’s right.

I was someone who learned about love through books.

Then, there was a knock, and the bedroom door opened.

“Lady, we have received a message from Baron Brown, the head of the Magic Department.”

“Yeah, I’ll see it later…….”

I was in a serious dilemma, so I waved my hand while still lying down.

Then I suddenly had an idea and jumped up.

“Anna!”

“Yes?”

Anna tilted her head as if asking what was wrong.

“Um, it’s nothing.”

Even if it’s Anna, it’s a bit much to ask her for love advice.

“Whatever it is, please call me immediately if you need anything.”

Anna smiled without asking further.

“Yeah, thank you.”

I stared at the closed door, then flopped down again.

‘Should I talk to Tiriel or Jasmine?’

Love stories are best shared with girlfriends.

I thought of the young ladies I had become close to at the dawn festival, then shook my arms and legs and hit the hamster.

Embarrassing!

My face flushed just imagining it.

‘Above all, it might just be my delusion.’

When I read romance novels, I matched even the love stories of the supporting characters, and I even gave good love advice to my friends in reality.

But, when it comes to my own story…

‘Am I just showing off that I’m a born solo and getting ahead of myself?’

I couldn’t help but think that.

And above all, I had never seen Echen as a romantic interest.

‘Echen, huh…….’

Well, he’s capable, communicates well, and looks…

He seems ordinary, but the more you look at him, the more charming he is.

Should I say he’s the type to receive a lot of confessions?

“Hmm…….”

I covered my face and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Echen’s face floated up.

‘I must be crazy. Why am I like this all of a sudden.’

I was clearly excited about being in a *some* for the first time in my life.

I don’t even *like* Echen.

“If I’m a little excited and fluttered, I can date him. And if we don’t match, we can break up.”

“But I don’t even know if I really like him…….”

“You think about dating too reverently. They say it’s a characteristic of born solos.”

“What? You’ve asked that born solo for love advice so many times!”

“They say it’s also a characteristic of born solos to give good love advice to others but not be able to handle their own love lives.”

I remembered chatting with my friends while walking around the playground like revolving sushi in high school.

That was so much fun back then.

But I never ended up dating anyone.

Well, as much as my situation was what it was, I wondered if I could really date.

It was even more so after I became an adult.

‘As a result, I ended my life as a born solo.’

Thinking that way, I felt that it wouldn’t be bad to have a *some* just once.

But.

‘That person knows me as a complete adult.’

The real me is a ten-year-old baby.

This is a crime.

‘Sigh, whether it’s my wishful thinking or not, I need to draw a clear line when I meet Echen next time.’

It was almost dinner time, so I staggered out of bed.

When I went down to the dining room, my family was already there.

Including Grandpa.

“Oh? Grandpa, are you okay?”

“Yes, I went out for a walk today and my condition is good.”

“That’s a relief. It might be too much every day, but I think it would be good to come down and have meals once in a while.”

It seems like you had a good walk with my brothers.

I was worried, but it’s good that you’re doing well.

“Thank you for the food!”

“Enjoy your meal.”

Tonight’s dinner was lobster baked with plenty of cheese and sprinkled with salty sauce.

I was excited to eat when Ares, who was quietly watching me, spoke to me.

“Luatisha.”

“Yeah?”

“Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing’s wrong?”

Why are you asking that?

I tilted my head and looked around, but not only Ares but also the other family members were looking at me.

“Why?”

“No, it’s okay if nothing’s wrong.”

Ares resumed eating.

The other family members also turned their gazes away from me as if nothing was wrong.

‘Why did you ask that?’

I put the crab meat that Dad peeled for me into my mouth and glanced at my brothers.

They’re my brothers, but they’re really handsome. To the point that they can’t be compared to Echen.

It was natural that they were popular.

‘The young ladies went crazy every time they dropped me off or picked me up at the dawn festival.’

Then, did they receive a lot of confessions?

“Hey, you know, brothers, do you have a romance… no, it’s nothing.”

I stopped talking and shook my head.

What’s the point of being popular?

What’s the point of receiving confessions?

It’s obvious that people who are stuck at home are solo.

Honestly, seeing that they only want to be with their sister, it’s obvious that they’re solo.

If they had a girlfriend, they would be playing with their girlfriend instead of playing with me.

‘Tsk tsk.’

“……Romance?”

Zeon asked quietly.

“Why suddenly romance?”

“Are you dating?”

Ares and Ixion continued to ask.

Looking around, Dad had also stopped eating and was staring at me without blinking.