I Don’t Want To Be The Protagonist of a Romance Novel – Chapter 36

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Eileen bowed her head and held the tissue I handed her to her nose.

With her head lowered, I couldn’t see her expression, but her reddened ears were enough to tell that she was feeling embarrassed.

Well, it’s not unusual for people to suddenly get nosebleeds while living their lives. What’s there to be embarrassed about?

And just as I expected, Sylphia was sitting with her legs crossed, giving Eileen a crooked look.

But at least we managed to avoid a confrontation between them as soon as they met, so I should consider that a consolation.

“They say women are still children even when they get older. That saying fits perfectly here,” Sylphia remarked.

“…Are you saying that for me to hear?” Eileen retorted.

“Oh my, I didn’t particularly intend that,” Sylphia replied innocently.

“Sylphia Andres, Baron. I hope you haven’t forgotten that you also fall under that category,” Eileen countered coldly.

Cancel that.

Sylphia, who had been glaring at Eileen from a crooked posture, said something, and Eileen, who had been bowing her head until now, raised her head and responded.

“Eileen, keep your head down. The blood will flow back if you lift your head,” I intervened.

“…Ah.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Eileen lowered her head again, but her eyes visible through her fallen bangs were still glaring at Sylphia.

Who would believe that these two were the Northern Grand Duchess and a dragon, respectively, based on their current behavior?

They were both acting like children while arguing over something trivial. Even though I had no intention of intervening, I couldn’t understand why they kept bickering among themselves.

‘These stubborn fools, seriously,’ I muttered inwardly with a sigh. Of course, only to myself so they couldn’t hear.

Usually, I didn’t mind, but whenever they occasionally engaged in such antics, it felt like a year was being shaved off my lifespan.

I wasn’t sure about Eileen since we didn’t meet often, but I couldn’t understand why Sylphia, who was usually so kind and gentle, periodically transformed like this.

Realizing that my grumbling would never end if I continued, I got up from my seat.

“I’ll go and bring some tea. Eileen, keep your head down and stay like that. Don’t lift your head carelessly, or the blood might flow into your throat and harden, which would be a big problem,” I instructed.

“Rudrick, I appreciate your concern. But even so, to think that I would…” Eileen started to protest.

“Tsk tsk,” I interrupted.

“…I understand,” she conceded.

Even after receiving Eileen’s confirmation, I couldn’t fully trust her.

Saying I was going to bring tea was just an excuse.

In reality, it simply meant going to the multi-purpose room attached to the research lab, boiling water with magic, and steeping the tea leaves my mentor had bought, claiming they had an awakening effect that helped with research.

I now understood why there was a saying about leaving a child by the water’s edge in the old days. If I left them alone, they would surely start bickering and engaging in a battle of nerves again.

The expression “Men are still children even when they get older” seemed to have been adapted in this world, with the genders reversed, to “Women are still children even when they get older.” There was a reason such sayings existed. It wasn’t just a coincidence.

As I busied myself preparing tea for three people, the clattering sound of the teaware echoed. While listening to that sound, I pondered deeply.

‘The only information I obtained from Arwen was that I had died before they regressed…’

If I subtly probed Arwen, I might be able to learn more details about the situation… But since Arwen was the only one who had openly revealed that she had regressed so far, it felt a bit premature to do so.

I could keep that as a last resort and an insurance policy, but the best choice would be to gather information from Sylphia, whom I often had to stick close to, or Eileen, whom I occasionally met like this.

However, it was a difficult situation.

‘This is becoming a bigger headache,’ I thought to myself while adding tea leaves to the teapot.

The fact that I knew all five of them had regressed was a kind of merit. There was no particular reason for me to conceal that fact, but conversely, there was also no reason for me to reveal it.

Let’s think about it. What I knew was that the five of them had regressed, and the reason for the regression was the fragmented information that I had died in the past before the regression.

While I wasn’t particularly worried, I wasn’t a sage who could remain indifferent to the extent of being unconcerned about my own death.

It was just that I had already experienced death once, and due to the discrepancy between my past and present lives, I was a bit more composed than others.

However, I couldn’t bluntly go and ask them, “Excuse me, but why did I die before the regression?” It wasn’t something I could do.

Rather than carelessly poking around and stirring up a hornet’s nest, only to regret it later, it would be best to carefully gather information piece by piece and put all the fragments together.

‘Easier said than done,’ I thought, arranging the teapot and teacups on a tray when the tea seemed sufficiently steeped.

What choice did I have?

I had to be as cautious as possible with Eileen and slowly gain information from her since I didn’t have many opportunities to meet her…

As for Sylphia, we were already together in the research lab on a regular basis, so I would have more chances compared to Eileen.

For now, I thought it would be best to approach it that way. When I returned with the teacups, Eileen and Sylphia were engaged in a cold war.

As if intentionally, they had turned their gazes away from each other, and a heavy silence hung in the air.

It seemed that without my presence as the mood maker, this was the inevitable outcome.

“Drink it while it’s warm,” I said, placing the tray on the table.

“…Thank you, Rudrick,” Eileen replied.

“Thanks,” Sylphia added.

Only then did the two of them start moving. Even though they had regressed, couldn’t they get along instead of fighting?

They were not children, after all. I assumed they each had their own thoughts on the matter.

And just like that, my thoughts became meaningless.

“Ah,” Sylphia gasped.

“……” Eileen fell silent.

As they reached for the teacups, their hands brushed against each other, and Sylphia and Eileen’s gazes met in midair once again.

“If you accidentally hit someone’s hand, you should apologize, right? I almost dropped the cup because of you,” Sylphia complained.

“I reached for it first, and you reached for it later and bumped into me. The one who should apologize is you, not me,” Eileen retorted.

Cancel that again.

They weren’t elementary school children, yet they were ready to fight again just because their hands brushed against each other.

“Both of you, stop,” I intervened, deliberately lowering my voice.

I had no choice. If I left them here, they would continue to fight at every opportunity.

Rather than constantly mediating, it would be better to separate them.

“Eileen. That sponsorship contract or whatever, how long will it take?” I asked.

“…I left it to my staff, so I’m not sure. But even if they adjust the details and finalize the contract, it will take at least two more hours, if not more,” Eileen replied.

Two hours. It was a long time, yet short at the same time.

However, considering they had already bickered several times in less than thirty minutes, I concluded that it would be better to keep them apart.

“Then follow me,” I said.

“…Where to?” Eileen asked.

“If I leave you here, you’ll keep fighting with Sylphia. I’ll just show you around my room or something,” I explained.

As soon as I finished speaking, Eileen and Sylphia’s movements abruptly stopped. However, there was a subtle change in their expressions.

Sylphia’s complexion had darkened drastically as if she had lost something, while Eileen maintained a stoic face with a faint smile.

The contrast between their expressions was striking.

“…Not a bad idea. Let’s go right away,” Eileen agreed, standing up as if she had been waiting for those words.

…What was going on? I had just used the excuse of showing her my room to separate them. Why was she so delighted about it?

Although I found it strange, I was relieved that she was being cooperative.

I couldn’t understand why Sylphia was looking at me with pitiful eyes, as if I were a deer caught in a trap waiting to be rescued, but I took Eileen and left the research lab.

Just before the door closed, I thought I heard a chuckle, but anyway, I had achieved my objective of separating the two of them, so I spoke as we walked down the corridor.

“But even if it’s my room, there’s nothing special. All rooms where people live are pretty much the same,” I remarked.

“……” Eileen remained silent.

“There’s really nothing special. I feel a bit sorry to say this to my parents, but aside from the slightly better facilities since it’s in the Imperial Palace, there’s not much difference compared to the room I used in the estate,” I continued.

“…It’s not without meaning,” Eileen mumbled.

“Pardon?” I asked.

“I mean, it’s your room, Rudrick… I misspoke,” Eileen replied, her face turning red.

Her skin was so fair and clear that the faint blush stood out prominently on her face. I couldn’t understand why she was blushing.

It couldn’t be that she was simply embarrassed because it was a man’s room.

With a puzzled expression, I opened the door to my room, which wasn’t far from the research lab.

Arwen was either out for a walk… or in the room, one of the two. If she was sensible, she would pretend to be a normal cat.

Anyway, to keep Eileen and Sylphia apart, I had to spend time with Eileen in my room, chatting or something, until that sponsorship contract or whatever was finished.

With that thought in mind, as soon as I opened the door, I heard a cat’s meow.

Meow~

Arwen approached me with a proud gait, as if asking why I had returned so soon, and let out a low meow. Then, as soon as she saw Eileen standing behind me, Arwen stiffened like a statue.

“……” Eileen also stood there, speechless as if she had lost her words upon seeing Arwen.

“Arwen… Nosferatu…?” Eileen muttered.

“…Eileen Nord?” Arwen responded.

It was a rare sight to see a person and a cat slowly enunciating each other’s names. And then…

Clang!

With the sound of metal, Eileen drew her sword from the sheath at her waist and pointed the blade at Arwen. In a flash of light, Arwen returned to her human form and bared her fangs.

“Rudrick, step aside. To think that a filthy bloodsucker would dare set foot in the Imperial Palace…! No, I never expected you to even pretend to be a cat and deceive us,” Eileen exclaimed, her expression filled with unprecedented anger.

“Move aside. If you get involved, Rudrick, you might get hurt. Let me deal with this impudent woman first, and then we can talk,” Arwen said coldly, casting magic with both hands, her face expressionless.

And once again, I found myself in the position of a sandwich caught between them.

…This situation seemed familiar, like something I had experienced before.

Moreover, what on earth had happened between them to make their relationship so bad?

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