I Give Up on the BL Novel's Male Leads - Chapter 156
She was curious about what Melias wanted her hair for, but she didnāt ask. If she did, she would have to explain herself, and that made her hesitant to ask the question.
With that, Melias and Illein stood up and left the restaurant.
Step, step.
As they exited the restaurant room, numerous staff members stood in a row to escort them to the entrance.
Illein, who had never received such a grand treatment in her life, was startled and felt a bit uncomfortable.
However, Melias walked ahead, seemingly unfazed by it all, as though it was nothing out of the ordinary.
For a moment, Illein felt distant from him, smiling wryly. She was grateful, but when he acted this way, it felt like he was from another world, making her emotions difficult to navigate.
“Ah!”
Had she been lost in thought? Or was it because she wasnāt used to wearing the shoes? Illein lost her balance and twisted her ankle.
It was almost inevitable. She had been walking clumsily, like a young fawn while feeling unstable.
Melias quickly grabbed her hand to steady her and looked at her with a deeply concerned expression.
“Are you okay?”
“Of course.”
Illein brushed it off, pretending it didnāt hurt, as her legs felt fine. Still, Melias didnāt let go of his worry. He gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders, guiding her as they walked together.
Illein didnāt mind it at all, though.
If someone asked if she loved him, she would say no.
But if they asked if she hated him, she wasnāt sure.
All she knew was that whenever he was near, it didnāt feel unpleasant. And whenever he spoke seriously, making eye contact, it brought her a sense of calm.
She couldnāt help but wonder: What if Melias were someone who had nothing, just like her?
She wondered if that might make her love him. But thinking that made her feel odd. It was as though, because he had so much, he felt even more distant.
“Melias.”
With a restless heart, Illein gently placed her hand on his hand. Melias tensed for a moment but then relaxed and continued walking. Illein walked alongside him, too.
* * *
They arrived at the salon, where they exchanged hair, and then headed toward the square.
In the square, there was an unusual magical item shop that only opened in the evening.
Typically, magical item shops were run by wizards, and most wizards were of noble birth.
But this shop was different.
It opened at a different time, and it was famous for being run by a commoner wizard.
Of course, it wasn’t just the rarity of the ingredients that made this shop famous. Most importantly, they dealt with many rare and hard-to-find materials.
Illein had come here for that very reason.
“Illein.”
“Yes?”
Melias was watching as Illein pointed to the ingredients she needed, then spoke up.
“How about I ask them to bring one of everything in the shop to Baron Thierryās house?”
“Huh? No…”
Illein wasnāt sure how to react. Despite knowing that the Wignum family was wealthy, she always felt awkward in moments like this, when the grandiosity of it all seemed foreign to her.
Additionally, she didnāt want to broadcast her intentions to make a love potion by buying too many materials, so she was carefully gauging the situation.
“Itās fine, guest. If you’re from the Wignum family, you’re always welcome here.”
The shopkeeper quickly reassured her and encouraged the idea.
“Ah… Thank you.”
“Thereās no need to thank me. The Wignum family helped me open this shop, so Iām more than happy to offer this.”
Melias smiled contentedly as he listened to their conversation. Using the wealth his family had built to help those he cared about felt fulfilling. And this was the first time he had brought Illein here, where using the Wignum name wouldn’t cause any issues.
“Well then, shall we head back?”
“Yes, Melias.”
Illein nodded in agreement and left the shop with him. It was time to return home.
* * *
When they arrived at Baron Thierryās house, Illein didnāt refuse when Melias offered to escort her to the main gate. She was starting to get used to it.
“Wellā¦ Iāll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
Illein entered the house and began to ascend the stairs. When she reached the third floor, she found someone already inside her room.
“Ah…!”
Illein tensed up when she saw the man standing in the dark. A large man with jet-black hair, blood-red eyes, and a cold expression was waiting for her.
“Edwin.”
Illein hadnāt expected Edwin to be waiting for her. But strangely, she didnāt feel bad about his presence.
“Are my parents here? Is that why you’re hiding like this?”
She asked, but when she saw Edwin smile faintly without answering, she wondered if something was off with him.
As he gazed at her with that peculiar look, she quickly approached him and took his hand.
