I Tried to Avoid The Male Lead, But I Made Harem - Chapter 14-1

The east entrance was close to the nobility’s grandstand.

It was a quiet area with a small number of people.

‘Who sent this?’

The servant whispered quietly when I gave him a strange look.

“Lord Crawford sent it.”

My uncle is here?

I stroked the bright boy’s head once as he had finished running his errands.

Then I proceeded to the east entrance.

‘It’s really Cedric.’

He had his back to me and his arms were folded.

Nonetheless, it was nice to see him from behind because he was someone I recognized.

“Uncle.”

As he turned around, Cedric’s eyes widened.

“Selina.”

He also took a step closer, as if he was relieved to see me after such a long time.

“I came by to see your face after the border reconnaissance.”

His gaze was sharp as he grabbed my shoulder and looked around my body.

“Have you been doing well and staying healthy? Didn’t the priests make you do anything rough?”

I shook my head and smiled.

“That can’t be right, uncle.”

Cedric’s hardened face, on the other hand, did not loosen.

“I was astounded to learn that you had been assigned a task to support the martial arts…”

He furrowed his brows, as if he was concerned about me.

Cedric, on the other hand, hasn’t written me a letter in over a month.

‘The illiterate Penny even sent me dozens of picture letters.’

Of course, as Commander of the White Knight, he must be busy guarding the territories.

In the end, Cedric Crawford’s interest in his one and only nephew was only that much.

I knew so well that he was such a character, so I didn’t expect much in the first place.

“I’m doing fine. The priests taught me a lot. I believe it was a good thing that I came to the monastery.”

“Don’t say anything like that. I complained to the monastery because they were sending you back and forth to the prison, where the prisoners were.”

“This is a monastery. Regardless of my status, I am expected to perform fairly in the same manner as everyone else.”

Cedric’s lips curved into a faint smile as he heard the satisfactory response.

“Yes. You do the same thing as other trainees… There are even numerous compliments that you are setting a good example for others.”

Ah, I see.

He came here after hearing from the priest that I was settling in well at the monastery.

‘Is that why he seemed so happy?’

He didn’t stop me from going to the monastery from the beginning.

Rather, he wanted to test me.

“When are you going to return home? I’ll send a carriage to pick you up if you tell me the date.”

I answered Cedric with a smile, as if I had a lot to say but couldn’t.

“Selina, what’s wrong…?”

“If I said I was going home…would Mother like it?”

“Hmm?”

Cedric blinked for a moment, as if perplexed.

When he saw my glum expression, he quickly put on an awkward smile.

“No… Of course, the Countess will welcome you with a hug.”

“……”

“The Countess has taken such good care of you since you were a child. She cared more about you than her biological daughter Shannon.”

Cedric seemed eager to believe that everything between me and Camilla was fine.

‘But, no matter how much he hates conflict, that’s the truth.’

Is he desperate to deny that his only nephew is abused?

“When you got a cold, she stayed up all night for three days and looked after you.”

“……”

“Everyone referred to the Countess as a capital scoundrel, but no one expected to see her weaving a wet towel herself.”

Cedric has never been so talkative.

I mean, everything he said was upsetting to me.

“Camilla loves and cherishes you as much as she loves and cherishes her biological daughter, Selina. Me too… Of course.”

“Yes. Uncle, I see.”

How troubling would it be for him to admit that he and Camilla are at conflict?

“On the day you return, it would be nice to have dinner together. When are you going to return? Tomorrow?”

“……”

“Selina.”

When I didn’t respond, a look of disappointment flashed across his face.

“Don’t tell me you’re staying here any longer.”

“For me, this Monastery is more comfortable than home.”

“What…?”

Perhaps it worked this time, because his awkward smile had been shattered by shock.

“If I go back to Mother’s house, I’m afraid I’ll stutter again.”

Cedric covered his mouth with one hand, unable to say anything.

If I told him this much, he couldn’t pretend he didn’t know anymore.

‘It’s not like he had no idea what had happened.’

He is the White Knights’ Commander. Is he that tactless? No way.

He raised his head after a while.

“Perhaps Selina… Is it possible that the Countess is…no, there’s no way.”

Cedric couldn’t keep his hand still like an anxious man.

He touched his chin, putting it on his waist and repeating the process.

After a while, he opened his mouth.

“… I’ll wait for you at home.”

Cedric patted my shoulder and quickly turned around after saying that.

He was always calm and serious in the original story.

However, his demeanor as he walked away proposed that he was a fiery angry man

His fists were also trembling…

For a while, I couldn’t take my gaze away from Cedric.

* * * * *

A long whistle sounded.

It was a sound that signaled the start of the final match.

Everyone went outside to witness The Berserker’s and The Raven’s bloody battle.

I was the only one who remained in the dungeon.

The game will last 30 minutes at the most and 10 minutes at the least.

Meanwhile, the fate of the man in the containment room is being decided.

It was a time when I was wiping the vials and pondering which side would win and how I would deal with it.

Someone hugged me from behind, as if they were sneaking up on me.

“……!”

The musk scent that came out like a bomb was unfamiliar.

The large hand that hugged me protruded like a rag.

Despite the scent of his luxurious perfume, the man hugging me appeared to be doing hard labor just by looking at his hands.

‘Who is it?’

At that moment, the man placed his face on the back of my neck, took a deep breath, and rubbed his face.

It was a gentle gesture, as if a large pet was cuddling, but I froze and couldn’t move.

“It’s me.”

I got goosebumps from the low whispering voice.

‘Who are you?’

I grabbed his forearm, gently swallowing the question stuck in my throat, so I could get out of his arms.

Then he hugged me even tighter, as if he couldn’t let go, and buried his head deeper into my shoulder.

At the same time, as if relieved for my existence, a mournful voice that seemed to crumble could be heard.

“Noona…”