I Decided to Kidnap the Male Lead

Episode 37: The Eye of the Storm (III)

“Friend? I don’t know what you’re up to, but you’ll never be able to approach His Highness.”

“There’s no plan, and you’re very deluded. I have no intention of approaching His Highness.”

“Of course, the same goes for Ophelia.”

“Ha! Ohohohoho! If you don’t know, Ophelia and I have already decided to be lifelong friends.”

“You must have threatened her.”

“Nonsense, who makes friends through blackmail? Oh, my God. I can tell now that I see it. I can understand why you don’t have friends.”

Ophelia, caught in the midst of the snake and mongoose baring their teeth and glaring at each other fiercely, did her best to think, but alas it was in vain, mountains stayed as mountains and water remained as water.

Simply and innocently drinking chamomile peacefully, she was taken aback by Catherine’s continuation.

“You are too much of a meddler. Are you suspicious of Ophelia and following her during her private time like this? Who is going to do anything for the crown prince?”

“Kuhup! Keuk! Keuk keuk keuk!”

“Oh, Ophelia. Use this.”

“If you used that handkerchief, the smell of perfume would choke your nose. Ophelia, use this instead.”

A handkerchief appeared on either side of Ophelia, one with extremely gorgeous and delicate lace, and the other with only initials embroidered on it.

Eyes like the grayish tidal wave were shifting over from one side, while blue eyes that had been shaking like a ferry in lava on the other side were resolutely shining.

“Keuk! Ugh… uhh. It’s okay.”

Ophelia shook her head as she forcibly swallowed something that could not be normally done with human will with desperate determination and resolute will.

The reason her eyes were moistened was because of her throat, and not because of this crazy situation.

Seeing Ophelia smile awkwardly, Catherine and Iris’ eyes met.

The two, seemingly about to growl right away, soon avoided each other’s eyes and withdrew the handkerchieves.

And at about the same time, they apologized to Ophelia.

“Sorry.”

“Sorry.”

They realized belatedly that they were only exploding their feelings in front of the person concerned.

Ophelia laughed and shook her hand.

She couldn’t bear to say that she was fine, but she didn’t feel like blaming either of them.

The two had been like cat-and-dog even before they knew her.

She didn’t think that they would instantaneously smile merrily just because she suddenly appeared in the middle.

“How on earth did you become friends with someone like Lady Fillite, who’s terribly stiff and dry when it comes to fun?”

“Actually, I want to ask you about that. How did you become friends with Lady Sheffield overnight? The very beehive that everyone shuns.”

“Uh. Yes. That’s um… Somehow.”

It was a very ambiguous answer and no one would be completely satisfied with it, but Ophelia had nothing more to say.

She couldn’t explain to Catherine, as it would require saying all the deeply personal things Hermia and Iris were entangled in.

Similarly, she couldn’t tell Iris all the very personal talk she had with Catherine.

In the end, the only thing Ophelia could respond with was an ambiguous smile.

But, more than that, she was not willing to remain sandwiched between the two of them and having to continue to listen to the elegant yet direct sarcastic remarks maimed at the opponent; all of which pierced her eardrums.

Ophelia reached her hand out towards both ladies, who seemed to have cooled down.

Holding Catherine’s right hand and Iris’ left hand, Ophelia added strength to both of her hands and said,

“Can you step back a little for me?”

Then Ophelia lifted her chin as much as she could and straightened her back.

—Look!

—Look at me!

Catherine and Iris nodded as if they could hear those cries clearly.

“If Ophelia says so.”

“I’ll endure it.”

From Iris to Catherine.

They spoke like they were making a promise, and Ophelia accepted it.

‘I’m sorry, but you guys… Aren’t you guys actually good friends?’

Pushing down the words that had reached her throat, Ophelia raised her teacup. She was about to take a sip when Catherine asked, waving her hand gently.

“Ophelia.”

“Yes.”

“And Lady Fillite.”

“I’m an aide.”

“It’s hard.”

“Whatever.”

Right before the second war broke out from Iris cutting Catherine off, Ophelia hurried to extinguish it.

“The festival! I came here because of the festival!”

“Festival?”

“The Marquisate of Sheffield holds the most interest in the festival and is closely connected with other families.”

“I didn’t ask you.”

“It’s a pity that you can’t infer this simple thing, so I’m informing you. Purposely.”

As Ophelia watched the second battle between the snake and the mongoose with dazed eyes, she recalled the main culprit that had brought her to this place.

“Come to think of it, you’re close with Lady Sheffield…”

“Ouch! Ah, ah! Yes. you’re right! F… That’s right, it starts with that letter! You don’t have to tell me!”

“Calm down, there’s something to do with the Sheffield family.’

“I’m already stuffed with work that I’m about to explode.”

“It’s about the festival. Weren’t you paying attention?”

“I’m not going to put up with it anymore.”

“I’ll free you from paperwork.”

“I can do anything.”

Remembering that much, Ophelia swallowed a lamentation in her heart.

The culprit was her mouth.

Soon after, she tried to rub her face, but she gave up, looking down at her hands that were still tightly held.

‘Right. Isn’t it said that regret is always late?’

‘I shouldn’t have said I’ll do anything.’

‘If I knew it would be like this, I would just do the paperwork.’

Ophelia’s ears twitched as she swallowed bitter tears.

‘It’s quiet? It didn’t seem like it’s just a feeling… It wasn’t.’

Somewhat noticing the bloody battle had ceased, Ophelia was taken aback upon finding two pairs of eyes staring at her.

“Certainly.”

“Right?”

“What?”

“It’s a rabbit.”

“Like a rabbit.”

“What is it about a rabbit, all of a sudden?”

As Ophelia, bewildered, tilted her head, Catherine pointed at herself and said.

“Snake.”

Iris also pointed at herself.

“Mongoose.”

“Uh… uhm. That’s right.”

They knew?! Snake and mongoose!

“Look at that. She didn’t deny it, right?”

“That’s right. If it’s a normal reaction, she would have tried to deal with it urgently, asking what kind of snake and mongoose it is.”

The image of a snake and a mongoose floated above their heads too clearly to deny, so Ophelia pursed her lips before finally closing them.

She pondered about how to deal with it, and as she slowly sunk deeper into her thoughts, Catherine shrugged and asked.

“Didn’t you say you came to me about the festival? What is it?”

There was barely any time to get to the point, so Ophelia held her distraught mind and steadied it so as not to miss her chance.

“It may be a bit sensitive.”

“Everyone, go away.”

As Ophelia lowered her voice, Catherine didn’t hesitate to dismiss everyone around her.

Iris’ eyebrows twitched at Catherine’s demeanor, where she couldn’t find the slightest amount of hesitation, not even the amount of a chick’s tears.

How easy?

She never imagined that she would see that Lady Sheffield obey someone’s word so obediently.

They said they were friends, but did Ophelia somehow got hold of Catherine’s weakness?

If it had been before, Iris wouldn’t have thought of this at all, but after going through the case of Hermia and the Marquisate of Neir, she realized that it was quite possible.

Unaware of Iris’ confusion and her doubts, Catherine smiled innocently at Ophelia with her gorgeous face.

“It’s okay now, right”

As she said so, Catherine patted Ophelia on the back of her hand, as if asking for praise.

“Thank you. It’s perfect.”

“Anytime you want.”

Iris’ expression was morphing more and more, but Catherine ignored it. Meanwhile, Ophelia was concentrating on figuring out what to say next.

‘What should I say to her?’

It was an open secret that Catherine, though not the next head of Sheffield, was deeply involved in her family affairs.

Thus, she couldn’t just humiliate her to her face by asking, ‘I heard that Marchioness Neir is working behind the scenes against your family?’

To put it vulgarly, if the Marquisate of Neir is a family that snorts loudly in the political world, the Marquisate of Sheffield could be said to be a family that farts a little in the business world.

Fortunately for the imperial family, the two families that dominated the political and business worlds were on tight footing.

Crucially, the Marquisate of Sheffield strongly supported the imperial family; very different from the Marquisate of Neir.

‘So I’m sure Marchioness Neir is plotting something behind the scenes against Marquis Sheffield, but I don’t know if it’s related to the festival.’

‘Hmm, instead of mentioning the entire family…’

Unlike the dirty relationship between families, the young ladies might be on good terms, so Ophelia first asked,

“What is your relationship with Lady Neir?”

“She’s an annoying woman.”

“Annoying? I see.”

Ophelia was relieved that the relationship had been sorted out at once, and Iris quickly nodded like she agreed tremendously.

Catherine, whose eyes met Iris’, also nodded in silence.

Did people say that the enemy of an enemy is a friend?

No words were exchanged, but at that moment a strange bond developed between the two.

Of course, it was in danger of being smashed in a matter of seconds.

“She’s presumptuously aiming to be the crown princess. No matter how I look at it, it can’t be her. The entire empire knows that Lady Neir is greedy. Where is she going with that greed?”

“I strongly agree. But if you put your hand on your chest and think about it, didn’t a certain Lady Sheffield openly say that she would sit on the crown princess’ seat? Using grounds that only the lady knew.”

A very refreshing answer returned to Iris’ sharp and bloody words.

Ame: Yo Richard, get it together! The ladies kinda seem more charming than you!

Dea: if Iris and Catherine can’t get Ophelia maybe they can get together? nothing better than enemies to reluctant friends to lovers haha!