Treat the Second Male Lead Like a Stone

Leon couldn't concentrate on the documents at all, as if Cedric's presence was unbearably distracting. Not only did he groan, but he also kept switching out documents without even reading them properly.

“Stay still, you're making it hard to focus.”

Eventually, Cedric, who couldn't bear it any longer, said something.

“……Would you be able to concentrate if you were me?”

“Then just quit.”

Cedric let out a deep sigh.

“It's not like I'm doing this for my own benefit. If you sit there with that sour face, what does that make me?”

“Who told you to do that? Who was the one that just sat there taking the seat as he pleased?”

“Wouldn't it be better to accept your situation instead of wasting time like this? Arguing like this won't change anything, will it?”

“Oh, like you’re really trying to help me out of goodwill!”

Once again, their voices rose.

This is so exhausting I could die.

How many years has it been since we started fighting over nonsense like this?

“Ugh, both of you, just stop already!”

As I shouted angrily, Leon and Cedric flinched and looked up at me.

“Does it matter whether it’s out of goodwill or not? What matters is that you're here to help, so let’s just get it over with!”

“……Bi, Bianca.”

Leon’s lips moved slightly. I immediately turned my glare on Cedric.

“And the same goes for you, Cedric! You're here to help, but you just add some sarcastic remarks and stir things up like this?”

“I-I didn’t come here to help…”

“Then why are you sitting here? You could just leave!”

Cedric quickly retorted.

“I will leave.”

“No, you don’t have to say that kind of pointless thing! Just leave!”

Cedric flinched. But contrary to his words, he quietly stayed in his seat.

“See? You’re not even going to leave, so don’t say pointless things. You won’t have another chance to go, so stop fighting already.”

The room quickly fell silent. Only then did I sigh and hand the documents to Cedric. He hurriedly tried to explain.

“It seems there’s a misunderstanding, but I only came because the Dean asked me…”

Instead of replying, I rolled my eyes, and Cedric chose to shut his mouth properly.

Should’ve just done that from the start.

* * *

At some point, the twilight had dimmed outside.

As I stretched my stiff body and looked around, I saw Leon dozing off and nodding next to me.

Cedric looked at him like he was pathetic, as if he was about to say something, but the moment I narrowed my eyes, he swallowed his words.

“Why am I in this mess…”

“But it’s true that you were bothered by Leon, wasn’t it?”

He didn’t agree, but he didn’t deny it either.

“If you really hated Leon, your ties with him would’ve ended long ago.”

“If it weren’t for you, this whole play would’ve ended already.”

“Is the only reason really just me?”

“……”

“I don’t think so.”

At my words, Cedric’s eyes wavered. But only for a moment—then he slowly let out a smile.

“Yeah, maybe you’re right.”

“Finally, you’re being honest.”

“But I really didn’t intend for things to go this way today.”

“Ah, sure.”

Really, he just won’t lose even once.

“Anyway, evidence doesn’t matter to me.”

“Because you don’t want to clear up the misunderstanding?”

“No. Even if there was no evidence, I would’ve believed that guy’s words as they were.”

“……!”

“He doesn’t even try to explain himself, so I have no choice but to believe the situation.”

I opened my mouth slightly, then clenched my hand.

“You’re like me, so you would’ve made the same choice.”

“……That’s true.”

He must’ve judged that I wasn’t even worth explaining to.

I had thought something similar before, too.

“So all of this is unnecessary. Unless it’s evidence to show Eli.”

I glanced at Leon.

“But I don’t think he knows what you’re thinking.”

“Why not? Is he so dumb that he can’t even think that far?”

“I think he believes you’d only trust his words if he had evidence.”

“……Ha.”

Cedric let out a scoff, seemingly dumbfounded. He only looked at Leon with a harsh gaze for a moment before getting up from his seat.

“Let’s head back.”

“Already?”

"The evidence has already been found. Cleaning up the mess is that bastard’s job."

When I looked at the desk in surprise, I saw neatly arranged documents, in stark contrast to my messy space.

Could it be those?

No way—if he found them all, he could’ve at least told me!

"Considering you suspected me of cheating, you really are an idiot."

He clicked his tongue and studied my face. It was as if he was trying to confirm whether his assumption was correct, but I couldn’t say anything in return.

Because I really had suspected him!

Unfortunately, Cedric seemed to have understood my silence, and his face instantly twisted in frustration.

“I’ve got enough on my plate—did you really think I had time to talk about that bastard’s cheating? Hah, forget it. What’s the point now, anyway."

Knock, knock.

Just then, there was a knock from outside the room. For some reason, Leon’s fingers flinched slightly.

"Excuse me for a moment."

It was a servant from the Owen household. Upon seeing Leon fast asleep, he began to hesitate.

"I’ll deliver the message when your master wakes up."

The servant seemed to hesitate for a moment, then held out a letter he was carrying.

"The Count said this might be of help."

Count Owen…?

From what he said, it sounded like he knew what we were doing here at the estate.

What he handed over was none other than a partially burnt letter.

The servant gave an awkward smile.

“And if the young master asks what this is… he said to just tell him you picked it up by mistake.”

[……The gift sent to Professor Cleo in exchange for grades was not true, and the Tower has finished reviewing the evidence proving that the above testimony is indeed true.

We deeply apologize for the incident where we wrongfully suspected the House of Owen of corruption due to Professor Cleo’s written confession delivered earlier.

The Temple has also expressed a desire to offer compensation.]

……From the Temple?

The letter had been half burned, so the latter part was cut off.

As I read the letter carefully, Cedric snatched it away.

But soon he too was stopped at the same burnt section I had been.

“Why didn’t he reveal this?”

“Th-That’s what I’m wondering too…?”

Come to think of it, I hadn’t expected evidence to be found at the Owen estate. If it had been likely, Leon would’ve checked it first.

‘Or did he just give up?’

Did he think it was a pointless effort?

Questions kept trailing one after another. While I blankly stared at Leon, his fingers flinched once more.

“……Brother.”

I called Leon softly, yet he kept his eyes closed.

“I know you’re awake, you know?”

Only then did Leon awkwardly yawn and open his eyes.

“I dozed off for a bit.”

“You, how long have you been like that?”

Seeing Cedric’s face turn ghostly pale, Leon averted his gaze sheepishly.

“Answer me.”

……What exactly had we said while Leon was asleep?

He hesitated.

“Hmm, from the moment you two started arguing?”

Oh, if that’s the case, things might work out on their own?

Of course, it’s not what Cedric or Leon would’ve wanted.

I hurriedly handed the letter I had to Leon.

“Cedric found other evidence too, so it’s fine. We can shut Lord Glaster’s mouth now!”

“There’s no reason for the Temple to get involved in this, unless it’s because of Eli?”

“You have to ask me to figure that out? Of course that’s the reason.”

Leon snapped irritably. Of course, his anger wasn’t directed at Cedric.

His face had completely stiffened as he read the letter.

“Let me just ask one thing. Were you at my knighthood ceremony?”

He barely managed to exhale.

“I got dragged into that damned subjugation campaign and suffered for years…”

I recalled that Leon had participated in the subjugation campaign. He used to send me letters from there now and then.

“You know I hate wasting time the most. Do you seriously believe I would’ve gone all that way just to see someone like you?”

Cedric let out a sharp laugh.

“Then let me ask you just one thing. On the day of the exam, was it you who sent me the drug?”

“I don’t need to pull dirty tricks to beat someone like you! Have you seriously believed all this time that I’d do something like that?”

Leon shouted, his voice full of resentment, then fell silent. But Cedric wasn’t much different either.