I AM NOT THE LOVE INTEREST!

Chapter 9: Ren

—CELIA—

"This place is not suitable for you to walk alone."

I turned back slowly, my smile still in place but now significantly more strained.

"Oh," I said lightly, waving a hand as if dismissing the idea. "There is no need. I am quite alright on my own."

He did not move.

"I insist."

Of course you do.

Because why would anything go smoothly today?

I let out a small, polite laugh.

"Your concern is appreciated, truly," I said, "but I would not wish to trouble you. I am merely taking a short walk."

Matthias’s expression remained steady.

"It is no trouble."

That was not the response I wanted. At all.

I clasped my hands lightly, maintaining composure while my thoughts started running in circles again.

This is bad.

This is very bad.

"I assure you," I continued, still smiling, "I am quite capable of returning safely."

He looked at me for a moment, then said, "That is not in question."

That somehow made it worse.

"Then..."

"It is my duty," he added calmly.

Ah.

I held his gaze, trying to find an angle.

"You are off duty, are you not?" I asked.

"I am still a knight," he replied.

...Right.

Why did I expect logic to help me?

I inhaled quietly, then exhaled, adjusting my approach.

"Sir Sinclair," I said, softening my tone, "I came here precisely because I wished to be... unaccompanied."

That was honest.

Carefully phrased, but honest.

"For a short while," I added.

He watched me, silent for a moment.

I could feel the weight of his attention again, steady and assessing, like he was trying to understand something that did not quite align with what he knew.

Which, to be fair, was accurate.

"I do not intend to cause concern," I continued. "But I would appreciate a bit of... freedom."

The word felt strange to say out loud, but for a brief moment, I thought it had worked.

That he would stop.

That I would finally get my peaceful, uneventful walk back.

Then he turned and positioned himself beside me.

"Let us go," he said.

Hah.

I stared ahead, my smile holding by sheer force of will.

What a stubborn man!

This was not how this was supposed to go.

Did he not dislike me?

Actually, no...scratch that.

He definitely disliked me.

From what I remembered, the original Aria had made it very clear she had a talent for antagonizing people she should not antagonize. And Sir Matthias Sinclair, being one of the more principled individuals in this story, had not exactly appreciated watching her mistreat the female lead, Cynthia.

Right.

Kind, gentle, universally loved Cynthia.

The exact opposite of... well.

Me. Or rather, the person I was currently pretending not to be.

So why...

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye.

...why was he walking beside me like this?

"What is happening right now?" I muttered under my breath.

Because from my understanding, this man should have avoided me unless absolutely necessary.

Something was off.

Or maybe...

I paused slightly.

Maybe I was the one throwing everything off.

I sighed quietly.

"...Of course," I murmured. "That would make sense."

Because if I was not acting like the original Aria, then his reactions would not follow the original pattern either.

Which meant unpredictable outcomes.

Still, there was no escaping this now.

I adjusted my pace slightly, accepting the situation with what little dignity I had left.

"Very well," I said, glancing at him briefly. "Since you are already here, I suppose I cannot object further."

He inclined his head slightly, as if that settled the matter.

It did not for me.

But clearly, it did for him.

We walked in silence for a few steps, the noise of the market filling the space instead. It was almost amusing, in a way. The contrast between him and everything around us.

"Do you often patrol this area?" I asked after a moment, mostly to fill the silence and partly out of genuine curiosity. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Occasionally," he replied. "Security within the capital is not limited to the palace grounds."

"I see," I said. "Then I suppose I simply had unfortunate timing."

His gaze shifted slightly. "You consider this unfortunate?"

I smiled faintly. "I had hoped for a quieter outing."

He looked around briefly at the crowd.

"...This is quiet?"

I almost laughed.

"Quiet in a different sense," I said. "I’d rather be alone."

He was silent for a moment.

Then, "You prefer that?"

I paused but nodded.

"I find it... refreshing. Helps me with my fear of being...alone." I clumsily lied.

"You have fear of being alone?" He asked.

"Mhm. I uncontrollably shake and tremble when I am alone and don’t see anyone." I lied again, just to disappoint him.

That seemed to catch his attention, though he did not comment.

We continued walking.

For a few moments, everything almost felt normal.

Almost.

Then I noticed a boy not more than thirteen or fourteen, sitting near the edge of a stall where the crowd thinned slightly. He wasn’t begging loudly or drawing attention.

He was just... sitting. He looked thin enough that I noticed before I consciously decided to.

His hands hovered near his knees like he didn’t quite know where to put them.

I slowed without thinking.

Back in my world, I’ve always pitied homeless people. But more than that, I’ve pitied myself because I couldn’t do anything to help them.

But now... now I have the means!

Matthias instantly noticed the shift in my mood.

"Is something the matter?" he asked.

"No," I said softly. Then added, after a pause, "Just a moment."

I stepped closer to the stall and it made the boy looked up immediately, alert.

I crouched slightly so I wasn’t towering over him.

"What is your name?" I asked gently.

He hesitated. "Ren, my lady."

His voice was careful.

"How long have you been here, Ren?"

"...A few weeks."

A few weeks.

I nodded slowly, then glanced at the stall owner, who immediately looked away.

Right.

Understood.

I reached into the small coin pouch I had taken without much thought earlier, then paused.

The numbers came automatically to Aria’s memory.

Good.

I placed a few coins into the boy’s hands.

He stared at them like he didn’t understand what they were for.

"Eat properly," I said simply. "That is not a suggestion."

He blinked at me confused before I smiled.