I AM NOT THE LOVE INTEREST!

Chapter 14: So Irritating

—CELIA—

I was humming as I walked down the corridor with my hands lightly clasped behind my back.

My steps were slower than usual, my mood suspiciously elevated for someone who had nearly triggered a major plot deviation before the day ended.

"This is going well," I said under my breath.

"...No, do not say that out loud," I corrected immediately. "That is how disasters begin."

Still, I could not stop the small smile forming on my face.

Because for the first time since waking up in this world, something had gone right. Not accidentally right. Not barely survived right. But actually, good kinda right.

I can’t believe I found myself an ally!

I continued walking, the soft echo of my steps following me as sunlight filtered through the tall windows. Everything looked the same as before, elegant and expensive and quietly intimidating, but it no longer felt like a place I was trapped in.

Now it felt like a place I could use.

"Though it sounds mildly concerning," I hummed.

I tilted my head slightly, thinking.

Ren was not just someone I picked up out of impulse. Well, technically he was, but that was not the point. The point was what came next.

If I was going to survive this story, I needed someone on my side.

Someone loyal and capable.

Someone who would not stab me emotionally, physically, or politically.

Which, unfortunately, eliminated most of the main cast.

Ren, however...

I smiled again.

"He has potential," I said thoughtfully.

He had awareness, causion, a sense of survival that could not be taught easily. More importantly, he listened. He observed. He thought before speaking.

Those were valuable traits.

"And," I added, "he does not hate me."

That was also important.

I slowed my steps slightly, my thoughts beginning to organize themselves more clearly.

If I was doing this properly, then I could not just bring him in and leave him as he was. That would be a waste. No, if he was going to stand beside me, then he needed to be... upgraded.

I stopped near one of the windows, looking out briefly as I continued thinking.

"First," I said, counting lightly on my fingers, "basic education."

That was non-negotiable.

Literacy, numbers, proper speech. He already spoke well enough, but refinement mattered in a place like this. Words could open doors. Or close them permanently.

"Second, physical training."

He had survived on his own, which meant he was already capable to some extent. But that was not the same as structured training. If he was going to remain near me, he needed to be able to protect himself.

"And possibly me," I added.

That felt like a very realistic concern.

"Third..." I paused.

Magic.

I frowned slightly.

"I do not actually know how magic works yet," I admitted.

That was a problem.

This world clearly had magic. That much was obvious from the original story. Archmage Ezekiel existed, which meant magic was not just a background concept. It was a very real, very dangerous factor.

"...I should probably look into that before assigning him to it," I muttered.

Still, if he had any aptitude at all, it would be a waste not to explore it.

"Fourth, social positioning."

I nodded to myself.

He could not remain "just" a servant in the long term. Not if I wanted him to be effective. But elevating him too quickly would attract attention.

Unwanted attention.

And suspicion, in this story, tended to end in very unpleasant ways.

I exhaled slowly.

"Gradual," I said. "Everything must be gradual."

I turned away from the window and resumed walking.

"There is also the matter of loyalty," I added.

That one, at least, I had already started.

I was not naive enough to believe that one act of kindness guaranteed anything. But it was a foundation. A strong one, if handled correctly.

"Yes," I said. "That part, I did well."

I allowed myself a small moment of satisfaction.

I giggled. An actual, unfiltered giggle, that slipped out before I could stop it. I even bounced lightly on my feet, hands curling near my chest like I had just been handed something I had been wanting for a long time.

"This is going to work," I whispered to myself, unable to hide the grin forming on my face.

I turned slightly, pacing in a small circle as my thoughts rushed ahead of me.

"This is a start," I continued, quieter now but no less excited. "A proper start."

Ren was not just a random act of kindness. He was an investment. A strategic, well-timed, emotionally compelling investment.

I pressed my lips together, trying and failing to suppress another smile.

"I am building my escape route," I murmured.

Because that was what this was.

I was not staying here.

Absolutely not.

This place was beautiful, yes. Powerful, yes. But it was also the center of everything that would eventually go wrong. Every major character, every important event, every tragic misunderstanding seemed to circle back here or the capital.

Which meant, I needed to leave before any of that fully unfolded.

"I will prepare quietly," I said, nodding to myself. "Step by step."

First, resources.

Second, allies.

Third, distance.

A lot of distance.

I clasped my hands together, rocking slightly on my heels.

"And when the time comes," I added, a soft laugh escaping me, "I will disappear so gracefully no one will even realize I’m gone."

That sounded a little dramatic.

But also very satisfying.

I giggled again, softer this time, the sound slipping out as I imagined it.

A quiet exit. No execution. No courtroom. No four men standing in judgment like they were collectively sponsored by tragedy.

Just... gone.

"That is the dream," I said.

I spun lightly on my heel, unable to stop myself. The movement felt natural, easy, like my body had momentarily forgotten the weight of expectations tied to this name.

For a brief moment, I felt free.

Until...

"Aria."

The voice cut through the moment.

I froze mid-step.

Slowly, I turned.

Duke Sebastian stood a short distance away, his posture straight, his expression as composed as ever. There was no visible reaction on his face, no clear sign of what he had just witnessed.

But he had seen it.

That much was certain.

For a brief second, neither of us spoke.

I straightened immediately, my hands dropping to my sides as if I had not just been... whatever that was.

"Yes," I said, clearing my throat lightly. "Duke Sebastian Blackwood. I didn’t know you were still here."

His gaze rested on me.

"I was unaware that the corridors of this estate had become a place for... celebration," he said.

I blinked once.

Ah.

Right.

That.

"I was merely in a good mood," I replied, keeping my tone even. "Is that not allowed?"

"It is," he said. "Though unexpected...for someone like you to act like a child."

His gaze did not shift, but there was a pause that lingered just a fraction longer than necessary.

"So, what was it you said about an escape route?" he asked, "Are you planning to run away? Maybe eloping with your lover?"

My entire brain stalled.

I stared at him, trying to decide if I had misheard.

"...I uh... I..." I stuttered, because that was apparently all my vocabulary was capable of producing today.

Before I could recover, he stepped forward.

"I stayed here," he said firmly, pointing directly at me now like I had personally committed a crime, "waiting for you to say that I do not accept your request to dissolve our engagement."

I blinked, caught off guard.

"...You do not accept?" I repeated slowly.

He crossed his arms.

"Yes," he said.

I exhaled quietly, trying to steady myself before this situation got even more absurd than it already was.

"And your reason?" I asked carefully.

He narrowed his eyes at me immediately, as if I had asked something offensive.

"You are the one who suddenly decided this," he said. "Without warning."

"I did not suddenly decide–"

"You did," he interrupted immediately and scoffed, as he looked away.

I could feel my own patience ready to snap.

This joke of a man! So irritating!