I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend

After what seemed like an eternity of futile laughter, I leaned my head back.

 

‘So the book I was reading was…’

 Thump-! 

Suddenly, my body shook violently.

 

Startled, I quickly looked around. The blurry objects in the lightless interior gradually became clearer, and I began to feel a strange vibration down my buttocks.

 

No, I realized, the vibration had been going on for a while. I just didn’t realize it until it was too late, not yet out of the dream.

 

‘Then this is it.’ 

 

Suddenly, the motion stopped with a loud rumble. Footsteps moved closer to the door, which creaked open.

 

Looking at the stranger on the other side of the door, I realized with certainty.

 

‘The carriage.’ 

 

Sure enough, I was being loaded into a carriage, bound hand and foot.

 

‘Where?’

 

But my thoughts were interrupted.

 

Suddenly, a large hand shot out in front of me, and I was being grabbed by the back of the head and dragged along by a man I didn’t recognize.

 

It was already dark outside. It had been broad daylight when I left home, but it felt like a long time ago. Fighting the pain in my head, I sneak a sideways glance.

 

There was a group of people there. There were three or four men and a woman, so it looked like a professional organization.

 

‘I can’t run away now,’

I thought.

 

If I tried to run away, I’d be caught again, and I wouldn’t even be able to escape the grasp of the man who was dragging me.

 

As I bent my head down and pursed my lips, I heard the man talking to his companions.

 “So, you’re staying the night?” “Yeah, we’ve come a long way.” “Still, with all the people who’ll be after us, don’t you think we’d be better off going to the docks?” 

The harbor?

 

Another voice interjected from the side.

 “It’s getting too dark, we could get lost, and the woods would be hard to search.” “Yeah, I’m tired, myself. We’ll get some rest and leave at first light.” “Ugh, I don’t care how much money they offer, what’s the point, can’t we just sneak up on them and get away with it?” “Are you crazy? She’s a valuable person, and if they catch us by the tail, we’re all dead.” “And it’s too much of a waste to just kill her.” 

All the men’s eyes turned to stare at me when the words ‘this is what it looks like’ were uttered. I flinched of my own accord, and the man holding me grabbed my hair and yanked me back.

 “Ugh…” “See, it’s pretty neat, isn’t it? They said we could do as we please as long as we stayed out of the Empire.” “Well, she’s certainly a commodity. I’m sure we’ll get a good price for her if we sell her to a slave trader.” “Isn’t it a bit much to just sell her as a slave? To some rich merchant…” 

Lunatics. The thought of spitting in their faces as they giggled at the unthinkable made me want to bite my tongue, but I bit down thoughtfully.

 

My head hurts bad enough, but if I take a beating, I might not be able to stand up, and then I won’t be able to escape. 

 

I vowed, swallowing the curse words that rose to the top of my throat.

 

‘I’m not going to leave you in peace.’

 

But that would only happen if I escaped from here.

 

They immediately locked me in a warehouse. It was less stuffy than the carriage, but equally filthy.

 

Before I had time to think, the door slammed shut and latched securely. I didn’t see it, but the sound of the lock was unmistakable. I quickly gave up trying to push against the door, just in case.

 

Instead, I looked around for a way out.

 

The warehouse, unlike the wagon, had a window. But it was high up, almost touching the ceiling, and barely big enough to fit my fist, let alone my body.

 

‘It’s blocked everywhere.’

 

No matter how many times I searched around the place, looking for an opening, the situation remained the same.

 

‘What should I do?’

 

What the heck was going on?

 

The answer was obvious. They kidnapped me, and there was only one person who would benefit from my disappearance.

 

‘Son of Myers.’

 

Or, more accurately, Marquis Myers.

 

If I didn’t remember anything, I might think it was Confucius.

 

But I remembered it clearly. It was a dream that still doesn’t feel real. The face of the man who tried to overthrow our family, who framed us and destroyed us.

 

Maybe the reason the Marquis hasn’t taken an active role until now was because my parents are still alive and well, and that’s why he’s joined forces with the imperial family to indirectly claim Averine.

 

‘But I screwed up.’

 

In the heat of the moment, I screwed up.

 

‘How am I going to deal with the fallout?’ 

 

Although I couldn’t help but chuckle at the Marquis’ extreme choice, he might have thought it was a good idea.

 

If he got rid of me as planned, he could bury the evidence, and if I did manage to escape, he’d have his footing.

 

Perhaps he thought he only needed to stall until noon the next day, when the final meeting would be held.

 

‘They’ll take advantage of my absence to hold a meeting with the vassals they’ve already arranged.’

 

Normally, the meeting would be postponed in case something happened to the heir, but given the circumstances, there were no guarantees.

 

‘I must return.’

 

Through gritted teeth, I desperately searched around. I couldn’t give up like this.

 

How much have I built up, how have I protected this family name, and now I’m supposed to hand it over to someone else?

 

Even my parents are in danger if Lord Myers becomes the heir. 

 

The Averine has always been an eyesore to the Marquis. If anything were to happen to them…

 “No way!” 

My mind was growing increasingly nervous.

 

At times like this, I knew I had to stay calm, but as the minutes ticked by, my heart was beating restlessly. It was like I was still seeing the ghosts of my terrifying dream.

 

My gestures became increasingly impatient, and I crawled like a dog to search the warehouse.

 

But no matter how hard I searched, I found nothing. 

 

All my belongings had been taken from me, and I couldn’t even find a way to untie the ropes that bound my hands, let alone shards of glass.

 

At last, I slumped in my place.

 “What, what should I do…” 

As I was muttering helplessly, the door suddenly opened.

 Squeak— 

The sudden sound made me look up, and my eyes locked with the woman I had glimpsed earlier.

 “Princess Averine… is that you?”  

The woman introduced herself as being sent by the Marchioness Myers.

 

When I heard the words

‘Marchioness Myers,’

I automatically pictured my aunt’s face. A face like my father’s, but sterner, and yet more loving than his.

 

In my previous life, she had been of no help to me.

 

Partly because she was bedridden after my father’s death, partly because she had been ill for so long, she could not stop her beloved husband’s plot and said only.

 — “I’m sorry. I should have asked someone I knew to marry you…”

 

Still looking at the woman with those bitter eyes, I asked.

 “Why did Auntie…” “She expressed her regret that things have turned out this way. She said that while she believes the squabble over the heir is inevitable, she didn’t want you to be in danger.” 

She was sorry that things had turned out the way they did. It was absurd that she would suddenly jump into a succession battle when she had already given up her right to carry on the family name so long ago.

 

Staring at her in disbelief, I clamped my mouth shut, and then spoke up instead.

 “You can’t mean that…” “Let me get you out of here.” 

My eyes widened.

 

‘Really?’

 

So easy? Why did they kidnap me in the first place?

 

Seeing my puzzled expression, the woman continued.

 “She found out about it late, really, and by the time she tried to do anything about it, it had already been executed, so she had no choice but to send me.” “…You’re not expecting me to understand, are you?” “Of course, I know you won’t understand. But my offer to help you escape is sincere.” “…” 

Biting my lip, I paused. I had no idea why my aunt was suddenly interjecting.

 

‘Is there something she wants from me, or is it purely out of guilt?’

 

Maybe. This life was so different from the last.

 

My father came home safely from the war, and thankfully, my Aunt didn’t cower in her seat.

 

Perhaps this time, she’s trying to stop it before it gets out of hand. Perhaps she could have stopped her husband in the first place, but she felt sorry for me. I felt a glimmer of hope at the thought.

 

‘I don’t know what else to do.’

 

Whether she was suspicious or not, I had no choice but to enlist her help. Making a quick decision, I looked up quickly.

 “Then please let me go right now.” “What?” 

She stared at me in disbelief, and I urged her on.

 “I’m in a hurry myself, I have something important to do, and I need to be back at least by noon tomorrow. I don’t know where I am or how far I’ve come, and I need to get moving now…” “If it’s important… you mean the heir thing?” “You do know, then you’re a quick one, I thought you said you were staying here tonight, and if you let me out when they’re asleep…” 

My eyes widened at the thought of escape, and I rambled on. The longer I ramble on, the more I lose sight of the woman’s face, which is slowly hardening.

 

Turning around, I held out my bound wrists.

 “Come on!” “…” 

But after a long silence, a cold word came back.

 “I’m sorry, but I don’t think that’s going to work.” “What?” 

I blurted out, then turned around in disbelief, only to be frozen in place by the woman’s face.

 

She was looking down at me with a troubled expression.

 “We didn’t agree on that, so…” 

‘We didn’t agree?’

 

I stared at her, mulling over her words. Then, suddenly, my head snapped up and I blurted out.

 “By any chance, my aunt is trying to help me… does the Marquis know about it?” “…” “ You mean the arrangement you two made over me…” 

I gaped at her with trembling eyes, but what came out of the woman’s mouth were more despairing words.

 “…That’s right.”