To Become Family with the Male Lead (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 5
It was pure coincidence.
Meeting Yurick alone after going down to the village on an errand.
Today, the marketplace was more crowded than usual, making it hard to walk. On top of that, my small stature often caused me to lose sight of the maids.
‘When will they come?’
About ten minutes had passed since I’d gotten separated from the maids. To make it easier for them to find me—since they were surely searching desperately somewhere—I sat down by the open fountain in the square.
“……Hello?”
“…….”
That was where I met Yurick. He held a book in his hand, as if he’d just come from the library. It was a rather difficult collection of formulas, unusual for someone his age.
‘But where’s his maid?’
He, too, must have gotten separated from his accompanying maid, as he sat dazed by the fountain.
“Young Master, where are you!”
Just then, a woman’s voice called out desperately for someone. From what I could tell, she seemed to be calling for Young Master Yurick.
“……Um, that person over there seems to be looking for you?”
As the maid’s figure gradually disappeared from view, I spoke up first. Yet Yurick remained seated without moving even a finger.
Was he still upset? Our last encounter had left things awkward, making eye contact uncomfortable.
“……Your name is Lise, right?”
“Right.”
He finally spoke, remembering my name.
“I received the handkerchief. You didn’t have to give it to me.”
“It seemed like something you cherished.”
“No!”
Startled by his sudden shout, I flinched. His face looked slightly shadowed—something must have happened.
“……That silly rabbit handkerchief? I don’t cherish it. Do you really think I suit such childish things?”
“What does that matter? Could you still be bothered by what Swell said last time?”
“…….”
“Just ignore him. He talks like that, but he actually likes cute things too.”
Yurick stayed quiet. As the atmosphere grew awkward again, I racked my brain for something to say.
I stared blankly at the book he was holding. That book was practically required reading for physics formulas—fairly famous among nobles, and naturally present in the Marceau household as well.
“We have that book at our estate too.”
I tossed out the comment to ease the tension, but Yurick gave no response.
“We have the whole series.”
“…….”
“You’ve read it yourself—you know how tough it really is, right? I gave up halfway through the series. Have you read another book by the same author as that one? That one was truly incomprehensible.”
No matter how much I chattered, Yurick refused to speak.
It was frustrating—books should’ve been common ground, yet they weren’t connecting us. So I launched into the plot of “Gilbert’s Heroic Tales,” currently popular among kids our age.
“Wasn’t Gilbert’s final rescue of his mother absolutely amazing?”
This should work—there’s no child who hasn’t read that book!
“……I haven’t read that book.”
“What? That famous one?”
“I’ve never even heard of it.”
This surprised me more than learning he liked cute things.
“Do you… maybe dislike reading?”
When I asked, Yurick jumped as if caught in a lie.
“What?”
“No, it’s just… because you haven’t read ‘Gilbert’s Heroic Tales.’”
“Is it really that famous?”
He truly didn’t like books. When I nodded, Yurick’s face turned pale, and he avoided my gaze.
He muttered softly, “Then I guess I’ll have to start reading it now.”
“You really don’t like books, huh.”
“……Actually, I prefer swordsmanship over books.”
Caught off guard, Yurick confessed something I hadn’t even asked about.
“Really?”
I was slightly surprised. The Fenton family ran a trading company—they had almost no connection to swordsmanship.
According to the original story, Yurick would eventually become the family heir and take over the trading company.
Not only that—he was the kind of person destined to fulfill his heir role more perfectly than anyone else, someone who’d actively drive trade and cultural exchange not just within the empire, but across the entire world.
“Isn’t swinging a sword cool?”
“It is cool.”
“Why? Do you think it doesn’t suit me?”
When Yurick asked, I quickly shook my head. It was truly unexpected. In the original, Yurick had learned basic self-defense and martial arts, but it was stated he rarely ever used them.
“N-no way. It suits you well.”
“Do you like books?”
“Mm-hmm. I’ve read three in one day before. At least, reading keeps me from getting bored.”
When I said that, Yurick held out the book he’d been holding.
“This one too?”
“I’ve already read it about twice.”
“…….”
At my answer, Yurick hesitated.
“……Then could you explain what’s on page 36? I’ve read it several times at the library, but I just can’t understand it.”
“Let me see.”
Yurick immediately flipped to page 36.
“Oh, this part.”
To explain it to him, I moved closer beside Yurick.
“Got it?”
“Yeah. This is actually pretty easy. It’s related to differentiation…”
Yurick listened intently, asking me whenever something was unclear. Despite claiming to dislike books, he possessed quick comprehension and natural intelligence. He grasped the material easily and even applied it.
“Right, that’s it.”
“Then how do you apply this formula?”
“Oh, this isn’t much different from what we just discussed.”
Before I knew it, I was excitedly explaining even things Yurick hadn’t asked about. I realized I’d gotten carried away when I noticed Yurick staring fixedly at me—not at the book.
“Oh, sorry. Was I overdoing it?”
“No, I just realized how much you truly love books.”
“Yeah. But my parents won’t let me read. They say reading books like this from a young age is bad for my emotional development or something. Truthfully, I’m probably just a thorn in their side because, as the youngest, I love books more than my siblings.”
“They won’t let you read?”
His eyes widened in shock.
“Lately, they allow me about five books a month—but absolutely no more. If I read beyond that, they’ll just take the books away from me again.”
“Why? The Marceau family runs land development, right? Reading more would definitely help.”
“Right?”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“……I’m forced to read books. My grandfather is strict. He says that as the eldest son, I must read a lot and be smart to inherit the family.”
“That’s completely different from my parents. Our estate is wealthy, yet they won’t invest a single penny in me.”
“My grandfather invests everything in me. I only borrowed this book recently because Grandfather visited the estate. When he saw my room had not a single book, he was horrified and immediately told me to go to the library.”
“I see.”
“While I’m at the library, Grandfather will probably send servants to buy every book in the bookstore. They’ll likely arrive tomorrow.”
I recalled Yurick’s grandfather from the original story. Even when he appeared, it was only in a few lines—there was no way to know his personality or appearance. Yet he turned out to be this strict.
Now I finally understood why Yurick hid his true preferences.
“Honestly, I like this new side of you more than your smart and wise side.”
“……What?”
The Yurick Fenton in the story had been perfect—solving every incident, overcoming every crisis, without a single flaw or insecurity.
I never dreamed he’d have worries like this. He even liked different things than in the original. Maybe that’s why Yurick, who’d felt distant as the story’s protagonist, now seemed a little endearing.
To be honest, he almost felt like a different character.
“What’s wrong with liking cute things? I don’t dislike that side of you.”
“……What are you talking about.”
“Oh, of course—you don’t want anyone to find out about that side of you, so I won’t tell a soul. Really!”
I checked Yurick’s face, worried he might be upset again. Contrary to my expectation, his face was bright red like a persimmon.
The boy who’d met my eyes without flinching earlier now looked flustered.
“……Okay.”
“…….”
“J-just don’t tell anyone.”
The atmosphere grew quiet again. It was probably about time Viti would start looking for me……
As I glanced around, I spotted a familiar face in the distance.
“I should probably go now.”
“Wait!”
“Hm?”
Just as I moved to leave, Yurick called out to me.
“I’m sorry for what happened in the park. I spoke too harshly.”
He apologized to me in a slightly trembling voice.
“I’ve wanted to apologize ever since.”
“…….”
“I’m really sorry.”
I was taken aback by his sudden apology. Honestly, I’d assumed that incident would just naturally fade away.
‘He really is different.’
In the original story, I’d never seen Yurick apologize to anyone. He was usually so blunt that even when he did apologize, he expressed it in other ways.
“Well then, since we’ve both apologized, let’s forget about it.”
“…….”
“But we also have to keep each other’s secrets. I can’t let anyone find out I’m secretly reading books here, and you… can’t let certain things get out either. Understood?”
When I said that, Yurick’s face brightened.
“Of course.”
“Then goodbye!”
Just before leaving the square, I took one last look at Yurick, who sat dazed by the fountain.
The last time I’d seen Yurick in the park, his expression had bothered me—but not this time.
Unlike back then, when I couldn’t guess what he was thinking at all, Yurick now waved at me.
He quickly lowered his hand, seemingly embarrassed, which looked a bit silly—but it didn’t matter.
[This is the timeline separator]“The Fenton family’s eldest son.
The reason Yurick had always kept an eye on the Marceau family was because of their youngest daughter.
Her name was Lise Marceau. Among the six children, she looked so different from her siblings that it was obvious at a glance she was born of another woman.
Red hair and yellow eyes.
Her face alone was strikingly prettier than the other children’s—so much so that despite the Marceaus trying to hide her, rumors of her beauty had already spread among the young men of other noble houses.
Unlike them, however, she showed no interest in men. She spoke little and rarely revealed anything behind her expressionless face.
At first, Yurick might have felt pity for such a Lise Marceau.
He always met her in unexpected places—hillside reed fields, parks, village squares, and so on. There, he’d once accidentally revealed a secret too shameful to tell anyone else.
Unlike the frightened Yurick, she remained unchanged—still expressionless.
Yet Yurick worried she might spread his secret. Then one day, a short letter arrived, proving his worry unfounded. It was from Lise Marceau.
Yurick wondered if he’d spoken too harshly to her. Her apology weighed heavily on his heart.
He even retraced the words he’d said to her. He realized he’d judged her superficially, just like the people he disliked.
‘……Hello?’
Not long after, when he met her alone again, Yurick began to understand. She wasn’t the person he’d imagined—she was livelier and more interesting than he’d thought.
Moreover, Lise Marceau possessed everything Yurick wished he had.
From that moment on, Yurick’s heart began to beat a little faster whenever he saw Lise.”
[This is the timeline separator]
Evening at the Marceau estate was quiet.
Isabelle, lying in her bed, looked at the empty space beside her. Sleep wouldn’t come. Carefully rising, she took the still-burning lamp and moved toward the window.
She recalled the acquaintance she’d met in the park recently.
The person she hadn’t seen for about ten years looked far older and frailer than expected. Though they’d avoided answering her question about their health, it was clear they were suffering from some illness.
‘Isabelle. You haven’t forgotten either, have you?’
‘I’m married.’
‘That doesn’t matter. You know that well enough.’
Isabelle kept thinking about her acquaintance’s calm, penetrating words.
‘So come back.’
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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MANGA DISCUSSION
1 Comment
Chapter Comments (70)
Isabel is so mean! What is this bullying of a poor child? I hope Liz gets rid of this family.
Fitton is a wonderful and very kind lady. I hope our Liz finds a loving family like Yorick. Then the wicked Isabel arrived.
Oh, that evil woman never changes. She’s clearly plotting something against Liz. I just hope our dear Liz doesn’t get hurt.
Inline Comments (31)
My gaze held no selfish desire. I didn’t even want it for myself—I’d only been l
This also explains why everyone is bullying our little Liz. She should be respected. It’s good that she taught him a good lesson.
Grateful for my answer, Madame Fenton kissed me on the cheek. The brief touch of
Aaw they are so cute. Madam, you are my favorite adult. Omg my heart melted
Once the incident ended, the nobles who’d been happily browsing jewels quietly s
Oh, I loved Isabel’s actions! She defended our little Liz. The jeweler deserved what happened to him.
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Miioo
Yes, well said. It’s a mistake to judge people without knowing them. I hope you and Liz get along.