The Male Lead I Raised Is Obsessed With Me

“What about it? Isn’t that the same as you running wild with the power of your family behind your back?”

Treon looked down at Tickle with a look of disgust on his face.

“No title, no skills. You’re a pathetic worm that lives as a parasite in your family. The reason why I can run freely is thanks to the madam who succeeded in securing a deal on her own. And I will repay her with my loyalty. It’s different from you, who was born with a lineage.”

Treon slammed his fist to Tickle’s cheek with all his might.

Tickle was on the verge of losing his mind from the shocking fact that he had been punched by the guy he looked down on.

 “If you want to speak, go ahead. I’ll report that you interrupted my investigation and tried to stop me. I don’t know if your father will even be on your side in front of Duke Summerhield.”

Treon picked up the sword that was lying on the floor.

It was the same sword that Tickle had used yesterday.

Treon struck Tickle’s stomach with the sword.

“Eugh…”

“Now you feel the same as I did.”

Treon kicked Tickle on the shin with his foot.

He hit Tickle as though to relieve his pent-up resentment.

“Even if I beat you like this, you can’t say anything. Do you understand?!”

“Keugh…Eugh…You bastard……”

Tickle glared at Treon fiercely, but was held back by the knights and could not move.

Only trembling his fingers was the last rebellion he could do.

Like a worm caught in a spider’s web.

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It took less than an hour for Treon to return back with thick papers.

Count Martech tried to deny it, but when the document bearing his seal appeared, he could no longer escape. 

“Count. Will you pay with your life for deceiving me, or will you buy your life with money?”

At Duke Summerhield’s words, the count wept and paid a huge sum of money.

Duke Summerhield gave me a portion of the money he had received from the count in exchange for the information.

And a few days later, the customers who heard the news flocked to Count Martech’s castle.

The information was, of course, the one I had conveyed to Duke Summerhield.

“Count Martech! Fabricating the materials of the weapon?! Is this true?”

“Wait, then that means all the things sold by the Count were fake materials? Give me back my money now!”

“You swindler! Show your face right now!”

Duke Summerhield and I drank tea together as we sat in the Count’s chaotic castle.

The weather was great, the count seems unlikely to recover, and the tea poached from the count smelled good. 

It was peaceful.

“It was fortunate that we were able to take our share first thanks to the Duchess this time.”

The duke spoke as he looked at the enraged nobles.

No matter how wealthy the Count Martech family was, it was impossible to compensate all those nobles.

They will be eaten one by one, in the order that appeared first.

“Why is it all my credit? I simply asked an informant merchant to connect me to a nobleman.”

“Then, should I not thank the duchess?”

“Rather, I should thank the duke. If it wasn’t for the duke, this matter wouldn’t have settled this easily.”

Because he was Duke Summerhield, he was able to rob Count Martech like a thug, which would have been much more difficult for other nobles.

This time, the duke did not refuse and smiled as if he agreed.

Then, Duke Summerhield suddenly said something out of the blue.

“I don’t have a daughter, but I do have a son. He’s fifteen, the same age as you.”

“Yes?”

If it was the son of Duke Summerhield, then I knew him well.

He was one of the sub-male leads in the original story.

He was a man with red hair like the duke and has a free and wild spirit that was unlike a noble.

But why mention his son all of a sudden?

“I hate to admit this, but he’s a handsome and strong guy just like me. He’s so strong that it might be a flaw, hahaha.”

It was a normal act of bragging about their child.

I responded with tact.

“He must be really handsome if he looked like duke.”

“Of course. I’m not saying this because he’s my son, but he’s really popular. Girls are bound to fancy him, don’t you think?”

I guess so.

It would be even stranger if a guy with a sub-male lead role in a romance novel wasn’t popular.

But recalling the sub-male lead’s character, I rather dislike him.

“So, why don’t you be my daughter-in-law?”

“W-What? Cough, cough.”

Surprised, I spat out the tea and coughed discourteously.

“Oh no. Did I surprise you?”

Duke Summerhield handed me a handkerchief.

“T-Thank you.”

Wiping my mouth with a handkerchief, I looked into Duke Summerhield’s eyes.

“I am serious, no jokes. No matter how hard I try with my wife, it would be impossible to give birth to a lovely and intelligent daughter like you. I also really like you.”

Wow, that really surprised me.

“I, that…I appreciate the offer, but I’m already married…”

“Since the duke hasn’t reached adulthood yet, that means he hasn’t had a formal ceremony.”

Perhaps because the law was made so long ago, the Imperial Law was very strange.

Married people were treated as adults, but they could only hold an official wedding when they both reach the age of 20 when they become adults. 

“And there is a good divorce system in the empire.”

Right. That is why I wanted to get a smooth divorce after receiving alimony later.

I pulled myself together and responded politely. 

“Thank you for your favourable comment. But I have no intention of leaving Valruga.”

“Even though you could be the future Duchess of Summerhield?”

To be honest, I desired the position of Duchess of Summerhield.

Unlike the ruined Duke of Valruga, the Duke of Summerhield was still a powerful family that ruled the continent.

If I became the Duchess of Summerhield, I wouldn’t have to worry about saving the family.

I would enjoy a rich unemployed life to the fullest, and according to the characters I read in the original story, I would be given plenty of alimony when I get divorced.

Considering my future life, it’s best to choose the Duke of Summerhield……

‘Sister. Will you come back?’

The moment I thought of Luc holding my finger all the way until I got onto the carriage, I was already saying no.

“……I’m sorry.”

Even though his offer was rejected, Duke Summerhield showed no signs of displeasure.

On the contrary, he looked rather delighted.

“Hahaha. That’s the problem. If you were going to reject my offer, you should have agreed.”

“What?”

“Then I would have judged your loyalty, and put you down, saying that you’re a person with no integrity. You are capable and loyal, so wouldn’t I want you even more?”

The duke’s eyes shone dangerously.

I refused, but why does it seem to intensify it more……?

“But I wonder why you refused. Is it because of Duke Valruga?”

“Yes.”

“There are still about 10 years before the Duke of Valruga comes of age. You never know how the relationship between the two of you might change in the meantime.”

“Haha……”

“So if you ever change your mind, let me know. The door of the Summerhield Duchy will always be open for you.”

I’d appreciate it if you’d accept me after 10 years.

By then, I would have already divorced Luc.

Swallowing the words in my heart, I simply covered it with a smile.

There’s a probability that the duke would be more driven if we keep talking aimlessly.

“Then I should take my leave. I wish to talk to you more, but I’m in a hurry as I’ve been behind schedule.”

As if he had just remembered, Duke Summerhield spoke and stood up.

“Don’t mind what I just said, and let me know if you ever need my help. This is purely because I like you.”

Then, Duker Summerhield left.

I leaned against the railing and looked down towards Count Martech, whose hair and moustache was being torn by the people.

“It hurts, ahh…! I have proof…! Ack!”

“What proof? Still trying to get away with it?!”

“Aaahh!”

Count Martech’s moustache was ripped by someone’s hand.

Count Martech groped his face in disbelief as only half his moustache remained.

“M-My moustache…My moustache…!”

While the Count was suffering, Tickle Martech seemed to have disappeared and was nowhere to be seen.

In the end, he was just a guy with no great power.

Watching the chaotic scene below, I began to miss the quiet and peaceful Valruga Castle.

Noticing that Duke Summerhield had left, Bircher and Treon approached me.

“Shall we go home now?”

Treon knelt down in a solemn manner.

And looked up at me with eyes full of sincere loyalty and trust.

“Yes, madam.”

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Before returning to the Duchy, we headed to the bar where the informant merchant was located.

The informant merchant, who was busy preparing for the opening, glanced at me and acted casually.

“Huh? What’s wrong? Do you have another piece of information to sell at a high price?”

Despite knowing my identity, his attitude remained unchanged.

Considering the attitude of the informant merchant who talked frankly with the male lead without hesitation in the original story, it may be a side concept of the informant merchant. 

“No, I came here to buy information this time.”

“Alright, let’s talk inside.”

The informant merchant noticed the cleaning staff and pointed inside.

“Do you work as an ordinary employee at the bar?”

“Well, yes. Confidentiality is a part of life. It wouldn’t be a good thing to know too much, is it?”

I nodded in agreement.

“By the way, I will be going to the Valruga Duchy later, so please take good care of me there as well.”

“What?”

“My master seems very interested in you.”

I knew his master was Duke Summerhield, but I laughed as though I didn’t know.

Nevertheless, the arrival of an informant merchant was welcome.

A lot of information regarding our territory will spread, but it will also be much easier to gain information.

Our family’s secret organisation was just developing, so it was hard to keep up with the Summerhield’s sturdy information team.

Someday, our family will also have to build a continental investigation team, but until then, it was necessary to use Duke Summerhield’s information team.

The informant merchant, who entered the room we had been to previously, sat down on the chair and asked.

“So? What information would you like to know?”