(BL) Rejected by daughter's second male lead-Chapter 49

Seeing Gillen’s face filling the communication device, Yuan realized something. The reason Cecilia could grow up so loved, the reason the ducal estate’s aide and servants could all be so cheerful and friendly, the reason there was always a warm and comfortable atmosphere whenever one visited, was all thanks to this man, Gillen Blake.

And now, this man was connected to Yuan. Whether temporarily or as a pretense, he had become Yuan’s lover.

’If I stay by this man’s side, can I also become part of a picture like that?’

Yuan unconsciously asked himself that question. The image formed on its own. Drinking tea with Gillen and talking about something, laughing, strolling through the forest together, playing chess, and at night, lying in the same bed. Mixing pheromones and pressing their bodies together...

"Cough, cough!"

At the suddenly explicit scene that came to mind, Yuan choked and let out a cough. Gillen was startled and made a fuss.

"Be quiet! It hasn’t been long since Cecil and Brian left!"

He warned in a small voice, but Navard’s voice could be heard from outside the door.

"Your Grace the Duke, are you all right? May I come in?"

"Ah, cough, cough! Gack! Uh, uh, just a moment! Wait a moment, Navard!"

Gillen forced out a cough and then spoke into the communication device.

"Hang up, quickly!"

"Cough, ahem... It won’t hang up unless the Duke says the spell."

"...Ah, right. I forgot in my hurry. Well then, I’ll contact you again. End communication. Gillen, Gillen, Gillen."

The light of the communication device went out just like that. Gillen’s face, which had been clearly reflected in the sphere, also disappeared.

Yuan stared blankly at the now transparent magical communication device for a moment, then burst out laughing with a pfft. In truth, the spell to end the communication was just to say, ’End communication, Gillen’—similarly, to make a call, one only had to hold the device and say ’Yuan’—but Yuan had deliberately told him to say the name three times.

The reason... was simply because he thought it would be funny. It also made him feel good when Gillen looked ridiculous.

"Pfft... haha, ha..."

As Yuan continued to laugh by himself, Ricardo rushed in from outside in surprise.

"What is the matter, Marquis?"

"Haha, what is it?"

His silver hair, bathed in the soft afternoon sunlight, shone like jewels, and his long, curved eyes made Yuan’s chiseled face look even more beautiful than usual. His gently upturned lips and the pearl-like teeth between them, along with his flushed cheeks, were like those of an angel.

For a moment, Ricardo thought he saw a halo shining behind Yuan’s head.

The first thing he saw when he was born was the most beautiful man in the world. From the beginning until now, Yuan had always been Ricardo’s god, his father, and his only master. But now, Ricardo could do nothing but forget everything and marvel. Pure admiration. His heart swelled as if he were looking at an unrealistic natural landscape or a perfect work of art.

"Ah, Mr. Yuan... Thank you."

He felt a renewed sense of infinite gratitude that Yuan had created him with the ability to feel emotions. After Yuan became a marquis, he was required to address him as ’Marquis,’ but at this moment, no other information came to Ricardo’s mind. He quickly knelt and prostrated himself. It was what humans did when they went to a temple.

"What’s with you, all of a sudden? Well, I suppose my very existence is something to be thankful for."

He could faintly hear Yuan saying something from above. Ricardo shed a single tear.

"Thank you, my god. For showing me your precious laughter."

Yuan let out a huff as if in disbelief.

"I laugh often, don’t I?"

He was right. Yuan did laugh often. The problem was that he usually laughed with one corner of his mouth pulled up, or when he was sneering at or cursing someone.

"But the laughter you showed today is different. I, Ricardo, will forever cherish Mr. Yuan’s laughter in my heart and faithfully serve you until the day my life ends."

After that, Ricardo continued to ramble on with praise before exiting the room as if backing away. Yuan frowned and nodded.

"Well, I do possess a beauty and aura that stir the emotions. Still, it’s a bit bewildering. Maybe I should reduce the emotions a bit when I build the next robot."

He picked up the communication device and rose from his seat. What was important now wasn’t the next robot he would build, but the appointment he had with Duke Blake tomorrow.

That’s right. The two had promised to meet. After several days of discussing various things—though some might call it fighting—over the communication device, the two men had finally decided on a location for their first meeting. It was a tailor shop.

Yuan arrived at the tailor shop in a simple outfit of a ruffled shirt and pants. At the appearance of the outstandingly handsome man, the tailor shop employees were so stunned they couldn’t even greet him, only managing to stutter out a welcome after a moment. Since this was a common occurrence, Yuan generously waved his hand, forgiving the employees’ rudeness. The excessive display of emotion and gratitude from Ricardo the day before had made him a little more nonchalant about it.

"An, an angel—no, Marquis of Hampton..., thank you for visiting Madame de Ziner’s tailor shop. What kind of clothes are you looking for today?"

A brave employee stepped forward and asked, trembling. When addressing a high-ranking noble, it was proper etiquette to bow one’s head and avoid eye contact, but the employee was looking at Yuan’s face as if licking it, having forgotten all such facts. This too was a familiar experience for Yuan.

"I’m here to order clothes for the Harvest Thanksgiving Festival. I’m waiting for my companion, so I’ll wait until he arrives. Where is the owner?"

"Eh... yes? Ah, the owner, I mean, Madame de Ziner, is in the workshop due to a backlog of orders for the Harvest Thanksgiving Festival. She will be here shortly, so please wait for a moment while enjoying some refreshments."

The employee stammered out a reply. Yuan just nodded and began to look at the samples displayed in the shop with an indifferent eye. The employees swallowed hard and subtly shuffled sideways next to the mannequins displaying the samples. It was in case they might catch Yuan’s eye. But not a hint of interest could be found on Yuan’s face.

Just then, the door opened with a jingle, and a new customer entered. The employees, who had been mesmerized by Yuan’s beauty, were a beat late in noticing the customer, and they hurriedly lined up and bowed.

"Your Grace, Duke Blake, it is an honor to have you visit our Madame de Ziner’s tailor shop!"

"Oh, yes. Are you all doing well?"

Gillen greeted the employees warmly and approached the sofa where Yuan was sitting. The employees all looked up in surprise. In the Moore Empire, at least within the capital, there was hardly anyone who didn’t know about the scandal between Yuan and Gillen.

In particular, how much Yuan loathed Gillen was famous. The incident from a few months ago, where Yuan had declared through a magical megaphone at a jewelry store across the street, ’If you appear before me again, I’ll kill you,’ was talked about time and again—as all rumors tend to be exaggerated and distorted.

But now, Gillen was sitting across from Yuan as if it were nothing and calling his name.

"Yuan."

"Duke. You’re late."

And Yuan even replied as if it were nothing!

"My apologies. I can’t teleport like you, you know. Please understand."

"I came by carriage too."

"Hahaha! In that case, my excuse won’t work. I’m truly sorry."

The employees’ eyes trembled. A situation completely different from the newspapers or rumors was unfolding before them.

Yuan and Gillen didn’t look like mortal enemies, they weren’t acting like they were about to kill each other, nor did they seem to be having a pheromone battle. Rather, it was as if they had promised to meet here beforehand...

"My companion has arrived, so could you call for Madame de Ziner now?"

Yuan said.

’They really did promise to meet!’

As soon as the employees realized this fact, they each began to move busily.

"Yes, I’ll go right now!"

"We’ll bring refreshments for Your Grace the Duke as well."

"The two of you look so good together."

"Did you both come to have formal wear made for the Harvest Thanksgiving Festival?"

Their words overlapped, and the atmosphere was chaotic. Gillen looked at them and laughed loudly.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Relax, everyone. We’ve come here on very intimate terms. Take your time."

"Ye-yes! We apologize!"

The employees, who had just received new information—information that would become a very hot topic—bowed stiffly.

Gillen looked at the backs of their heads with a pleased smile.

That’s it.

The strategy Yuan and Gillen had devised over several days, putting their heads together over the communication device, was as follows:

First, be seen together in the city once or twice. Show themselves doing things like shopping intimately or having tea together. The frequency shouldn’t be too high. That way, it would be easier for people to imagine and embellish things differently.

They had decided to follow the same method by which the rumor that had tormented Gillen had spread. Now, the rumor that the two of them had ordered formal wear for the Harvest Thanksgiving Festival together would spread. For the time being, Gillen intended to watch how far and in what ways that rumor would spread and be embellished.