To Become Family with the Male Lead (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 14
Baron Kito arrived at a deserted corner of the square and sat down on an empty bench. He uttered several kind words in an attempt to ease my tightly wound wariness.
“I’m not a suspicious person at all. Don’t worry.”
Honestly, I never thought he’d kidnap or threaten me. It wasn’t that I trusted Baron Kito—it was because Duke Fenton stood right beside him. In other words, his presence was the main reason I’d followed him here.
Because of that, I felt anxious that Duke Fenton might suddenly disappear somewhere far away. If he stayed put, I planned to use one of my prepared excuses to slip away back to the mansion.
“…Even if he seems foolish, he’s not the sort to harm you.”
Duke Fenton spoke as if sensing my worry. Yet, since I still couldn’t bring myself to trust easily, the Duke chose to stay firmly by my side instead of leaving.
“Just wait a moment! I always carry it with me, knowing something like this might happen!”
“What?” Baron Kito asked with a chuckle.
“Oh dear. It seems to be stuck right at the very bottom corner!”
Baron Kito seated me in front of him and rummaged through his bag. It looked like the kind of leather bag a doctor might carry—worn thin at the bottom and riddled with holes here and there, making it look quite shabby.
Every time he dug around inside, I worried the bag might tear apart.
Baron Kito’s face suddenly brightened as he grunted and reached deep into the bag. Afraid of dropping whatever he’d found, he quickly pulled his hand out—and a folding chessboard appeared.
‘A chessboard?’
Baron Kito unfolded the board and took out the pieces inside.
“What on earth are you planning to do, Kito?”
“Just hold still! You’re in such a rush that it’s causing trouble.”
At Baron Kito’s sharp tone, Duke Fenton shook his head. I stared blankly at the two of them.
‘So Baron Kito and Duke Fenton are quite close.’
Despite the considerable difference in their titles, they called each other by name without hesitation.
Duke Fenton clearly disapproved of Baron Kito’s stubbornness but didn’t lash out or threaten him. Instead, he simply calmed his own temper, as if this were a familiar situation.
“I must correct myself—this fellow is not only a complete fool but also wasting your precious time.”
Duke Fenton let out a small, amused chuckle.
“What nonsense, Aimar! I’m discovering a promising talent right now. It’s a truly noble endeavor!”
Baron Kito placed all the pieces onto the chessboard and stared intently at me. Could he really be planning to play chess with me?
“You’re getting excited all by yourself without even asking this child’s opinion.”
“Once you see this child play chess, your opinion will change.”
“Are you certain this child is truly a strong candidate for the next champion?”
Duke Fenton complained, but Baron Kito wouldn’t budge. With a chess clock already set beside him, the Baron seemed eager to move the pieces himself, his fingers twitching with anticipation.
“…Now then, Lise.”
Seeing the Baron gaze at me with such hopeful eyes, it felt right to move a chess piece. Yet my hand wouldn’t budge. It wasn’t just the suddenness—I still hadn’t fully grasped why I needed to play chess with Baron Kito.
“Lise?”
“…Um, I’m sorry, but Mother is waiting for me…”
“Hmm, how about this? If you beat me, I’ll give you fifty gold coins.”
Fifty gold coins? My mouth fell open involuntarily.
“Tsk tsk, resorting to bribes with money now?”
“Aimar. You keep quiet.”
Fifty gold coins was more than enough to buy everything I wanted—and still have change left over.
“Can you really give that much?”
“Of course.”
I stared blankly at the chessboard. Fortunately, I loved chess.
Ever since I was born into this world, chess had been what eased my boredom. It all started when I took the chessboard from Swell’s room and began playing alone. As for the rules, I’d once overheard a friend learning chess before my possession and picked them up that way.
“How long have you played chess?”
“…I think I started around age five.”
“No one taught you?”
“I learned on my own.”
Baron Kito asked in quick succession.
“All by yourself? Really?”
“Yes. I found a manual on my own.”
“Then, who have you played chess with until now?”
“…Just myself.”
Baron Kito looked utterly incredulous. But I wasn’t lying. I’d once coaxed my siblings into playing, but they quickly lost interest after swift defeats. From then on, my only opponent was always myself.
Sometimes I played with my eyes closed. Other times, I replayed famous matches move by move from recorded games. I studied strategies alone and reviewed my games afterward. The first time I finally applied it all in a real match and shouted “Checkmate,” I’d been filled with exhilaration and excitement.
“But recently, I’ve hardly been able to play chess at all.”
“What? Why?”
I stared straight at Baron Kito as he asked. If he wanted to know the reason, it was because of the letter this very man before me had sent. Whether he knew it or not, the excited Baron simply waited for me to speak.
Yet here I was, meeting Baron Kito again. If Isabelle found out about this…
“I’m sorry…but even if you offer fifty gold coins, I don’t think I can play a chess match.”
I absolutely had to return to the mansion within thirty minutes. Beyond that, if I grew friendly with the Baron here, he might send another letter to Marceau Mansion. Then Isabelle would surely confiscate the chessboard hidden in my room.
“Why suddenly so?”
“I must go back to the mansion. Mother will be looking for me.”
“Then I’ll go myself and explain the situation to Madame Marceau.”
That would be disastrous.
“No!”
My urgent cry startled both Baron Kito and Duke Fenton slightly.
“Truthfully, my mother strongly dislikes me playing chess.”
“I don’t understand why. Chess is such a beneficial game.”
Baron Kito asked with genuine confusion. What answer should I give?
“I think I understand. Without talent like yours, who could possibly make a living from chess? Madame Marceau probably only wants the child to treat it as a hobby.”
The Duke, who’d been listening, came to my aid. At that, Baron Kito’s expression softened as if finally understanding.
“Oh, I see! So your dream is to become a champion?”
“Huh? No, that’s not it.”
“What?”
“Mother dislikes even me playing it as a hobby. And if I really don’t return to the mansion within thirty minutes, she’ll be furious.”
I thought that much explanation would make him understand and let me go. Baron Kito paused for a moment, then spoke.
“How about this? I don’t usually enjoy it, but let’s play bullet chess.”
‘So he’s determined to play chess after all.’
If I refused, he probably wouldn’t let me leave. Glancing cautiously at him, I missed my chance to stand up.
“You know what bullet chess is, right?”
I nodded.
Simply put, it was speed chess. Unlike the usual style where moves are considered over a long time, bullet chess required reading and moving pieces within mere minutes.
“And I promise not to mention today’s meeting to your mother.”
“But…”
“If you just leave now, I’ll probably send a letter asking to play just one game of chess out of regret.”
He was incredibly stubborn.
After all, my opponent was the famous Baron Kito. Even if I gave it my all, I’d surely lose within minutes.
“Just one game, then.”
“Good! Then let’s begin right away.”
Baron Kito hurriedly started the game, fearing I might change my mind.
My heart suddenly raced at the prospect of playing chess again after so long. Seeing the pieces standing in their positions, my mind instantly grew complex.
And it was bullet chess, no less—requiring intense concentration. Rushed by time, a single wrong move could lead to an irreversible mistake.
“Ah, you’re moving a pawn first. Classic opening.”
The game began.
Baron Kito’s previously cheerful face turned utterly serious. Without exchanging a word, we both focused intently on the opening phase, moving our pieces rapidly.
“Fast.”
The watching Duke remarked. True to his words, Baron Kito and I captured pieces not in minutes but in mere seconds. Had he always been this quick?
Though Baron Kito had claimed to lack confidence in fast play, he gradually increased his speed—and I was swept along by it.
My focus was solely on the chessboard—and the pieces placed upon it.
Baron Kito swiftly struck at my weakness. His attacks were so precise they seemed impossible to have been conceived in such a short time. Even when I played what appeared to be a clever intermediate move, it had no effect.
In my panic, I failed to notice the rook on the left and carelessly moved a piece—a clear mistake. Because of this, Baron Kito immediately captured a high-value piece and gained a favorable position on the board.
‘I’m ruined.’
I bit my lower lip. Of course—it had been a lost game from the start… I was anxious.
“…Don’t rush too much. Think.”
Baron Kito whispered, watching me break out in a cold sweat. Following his advice, I took a brief moment to consider how to escape this crisis, but no good move came to mind.
I couldn’t afford to waste any more time.
I wanted to concede immediately and head back to the mansion, but my hand wouldn’t move. My eyes stared intently at the chessboard, as if searching for even the faintest glimmer of hope.
‘……’
In my mind, the chessboard before me was perfectly mapped out. There, the pieces moved on their own, generating countless probabilities and corresponding strategies. The pieces shifted, returned to their original positions, repeated, and repeated again.
Then, returning to reality, I boldly moved a piece.
“…!”
“…Oh.”
An exclamation escaped Duke Fenton, who had been silently observing the board. At the same time, Baron Kito paused mid-capture, looked at me, and gave a slight smile.
I thought I’d escaped the crisis and even gained a slight advantage—but only for a moment.
Baron Kito changed tactics and cornered me. With speed and precision, he pushed my king into peril and steadily eliminated my pieces one by one.
“Check.”
Check. Nowhere to run.
“Check.”
I was trapped. Lacking confidence in victory, I tried to steer the game toward a draw, but Baron Kito was too experienced. He allowed no draw.
“Checkmate.”
I had lost.
“Oh…”
After the game ended, I stared blankly at the chessboard for a while.
“Judging by your expression, you’re disappointed.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Regaining my composure, I quickly offered my hand to Baron Kito. He accepted my handshake and then looked at the chessboard alongside me.
“Your move just now was astonishing, but so was your opening. I’ve hardly ever seen that opening sequence in any chess match before. At first, I thought I’d discovered a prodigy.”
“Really?”
“It was somewhat disadvantageous, but truly an unusual move.”
Baron Kito smiled contentedly and straightened his back. As if marking the hour, the nearby clock tower rang out with a dull chime.
“You said you never received my letter, right?”
“Yes…”
“The truth is, I sought you out because I wanted to make you a proposal. That letter contained exactly that proposal.”
Baron Kito’s eyes met mine.
“A proposal?”
“Yes, Lise. Would you consider entering a chess tournament?”
“…”
“Not right away, of course. As you know, official chess tournaments only allow participants aged sixteen and above. Before that, there’s a junior chess tournament, but it’s fairly new and poorly organized. I doubt it would benefit you much.”
“I don’t know. Even if I wanted to, Mother would surely oppose it.”
“But you do want to, don’t you?”
Baron Kito asked sharply. When I remained silent, he carefully continued.
“Then… could you play chess with me, say, once a week?”
“You can’t come to our mansion.”
“Of course. I’d prefer playing at my own estate, but I’ll be heading to the capital in a week for the preliminary matches. I’ll likely stay there for about three months.”
Baron Kito pondered deeply. Then, as if he’d found a solution, he turned to Duke Fenton.
“Then go play at the Fenton household!”
“Huh?”
“He’s not as skilled as I am, but he’s quite capable nonetheless. He’ll surely help you.”
But could the daughter of House Marceau really visit the Fenton mansion?
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
MANGA DISCUSSION
1 Comment
Chapter Comments (61)
Hahaha, they’re arguing over our Liz! She’s amazing! I hope Liz beats the Duke!- How frustrating! I wanted to defeat the arrogant duke, but it’s good that it’s not too frustrating. Thanks, Yorick, our dear Liz is very kind.
- Oh, he explained the situation to her well. I hope Liz’s game improves and she wins the upcoming matches.
Inline Comments (26)
Duke Fenton stared at his son as if seeing a stranger. Then, finally, Madame Fen
Hahaha, Duke’s situation is so funny! Everyone is in love with our little Liz.
Only a vague sense of emptiness lingered in my chest.
Poor baby. She has not a proper family. When I think about the other novels. Her family looks better than them. But it’s doesn’t mean they are good. They are abusing in a different way
When she asked, I shook my head.
This is so sad. I hope Liz has a family who loves her too. Why was she born again without a family? I hope Liz finds happiness.😭💔
YOUR COMMENT
2. Inline comments are now available. Tap the end of any line in a chapter to share your thoughts instantly.
Log in to comment.
Miioo