MPGF 02

Episode 2: No More Trashy Male Leads, Please

The pain wasn’t the real problem.

The bigger problem was getting dragged into drama with a trashy male lead and being exiled to the outskirts.

I must’ve been insane. I basically dug my own grave.

I wanted to go back in time and smash the head of my past self who thought, “If I stay by Serdis’s side, I’ll survive!”

I was losing it. What now?

Lying in bed with my eyes closed, I replayed everything over and over. It hurt worse than when my memories came back. I wanted to deny reality, but…

TrashGoesInTheTrashCan: Serdis smells like trash.
TrashGoesInTheTrashCan: Recycling? Overkill. There’s a real male lead, right??
TrashGoesInTheTrashCan: Hello? Author-nim? HELLO???

Then it finally shifted into a romance line between Violet and Serdis.

TrashGoesInTheTrashCan: Don’t let our sweet Violet smell like garbage!!

The harsh comments I once left on the story came flooding back—too vivid to deny.

“Are you awake?”

A gentle, bird-like male voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Anette, how are you feeling?”

“Gasp!”

I jolted instinctively.

The very man I vowed to avoid all night was standing right in front of me.

And his presence was like a refreshing breeze in a forest full of phytoncides. No, no—that’s not the point.

“W-why are you in my room, Your Highness?”

“Were you surprised? You collapsed at the café yesterday, so I rushed you to the Count’s house. I was too worried to sleep.”

That voice, once comforting, now felt off-putting. He was no longer my savior—he was the trashy male lead dragging me to ruin.

“You can’t just enter someone else’s room.”

“I was too worried. I’m sorry if I startled you.”

Serdis handed me a teacup as I sat up in bed.

“Here. It’s warm water. Drink it.”

Avoiding his gaze, I asked:

“But why haven’t you gone home?”

At my curt tone, his face flushed with embarrassment.

“The Count asked me to stay the night since he was concerned.”

“My father did?”

“Yeah. He’s also the one who told me to check on you.”

Ugh, my useless dad!

He probably welcomed Serdis with open arms, thrilled that his eternally single daughter brought a man home.

I rubbed my still-throbbing forehead.

“You’ve seen me now. Please leave.”

“Are you still feeling unwell? Just lean back, Anette.”

You’re the reason my head hurts. Ugh.

Serdis gently adjusted the pillow behind me and helped me lean back.

“Thanks, but please go. I want to sleep more.”

“Okay. But before you sleep, eat some soup and take your medicine.”

Knowing the original story, I could see it: his eyes sparkled like a man in love. If infatuation had a face, his would be it.

This is insane.

How much does he like me?

In the original story, he got dumped by Anette. This didn’t seem like mild interest. Judging by the look in his eyes, just avoiding him might not be enough to shake him off.

“I made the soup myself.”

…What?

“It’s my first time, so I’m not sure it’ll taste good. Don’t eat it if it’s bad.”

He blushed shyly. Yesterday, I might’ve smiled, thinking he was a kind protagonist. But now, knowing the truth, I was creeped out.

Serdis wasn’t kind. Behind closed doors, he was a horrible, abusive man. That sweet face? Just a mask for my benefit.

He was setting me up to fall.

If I smiled and thanked him, he’d probably tell Violet later:

“Anette was overjoyed with just a bowl of soup I made… but you, Violet, always want more. I’m exhausted.”

With a memory buff and selective nostalgia, of course.

I had to cut ties.

Clutching my trembling hands, I spoke firmly:

“Why would you go through the trouble of making that?”

“Because you’re sick, of course.”

“Then I feel bad to say this, but… I don’t eat breakfast. I go straight to dessert.”

I looked over to Betty, who was peeking from the door.

“Betty, what’s for breakfast today? I had croissants with whipped cream yesterday, so I want something new.”

Betty blinked in confusion, as if wondering what nonsense I was spouting. I winked. We’d grown up like sisters—she’d get the message.

“Huh?”

No, Betty. Not “huh.” Just go with it!

“Come on, you know soup upsets my stomach all day.”

I subtly pushed the soup bowl away. Then glanced at Serdis. I expected to see a crushed puppy expression again.

But instead—

He smiled?

Serdis flashed a killer grin like things were going great.

“This actually works out.”

His perfect-teeth smile made sweat bead down my back.

“Works out how?”

I forced a smile, trying to guess his angle. Serdis, the male lead, was impossible to predict.

He took the soup bowl and stood from the chair.

“I actually brought the special macarons we ordered yesterday but didn’t get to eat. We can have those instead.”

“Special macarons?”

Ah—right. The ones he reserved from that neighboring kingdom, Alberca. Filled with rare fruit, if I recalled.

“If you hadn’t gotten sick yesterday, we could’ve enjoyed them then. But I packed them up and brought them.”

“I see…”

I trailed off reluctantly. I had just bragged about eating dessert for breakfast, so I couldn’t turn them down now.

Meanwhile, Betty skipped over, clearly excited.

“You love macarons, miss! You should eat those! I’ll go get them.”

That’s not it, Betty.

I subtly shook my head, but she just smiled brightly—cheering on what she thought was my budding romance.

I watched her retreat in tiny, happy steps. Once the door closed tightly, only Serdis and I were left in the sealed room.

Ahem.

He cleared his throat obviously, as if the alone time excited him.

Get a grip, girl.

But how could I shake Serdis off?

Even if I pushed him away, he’d bounce back like a weeble. I got up with a plan.

Let’s try something old-school first.

“Your Highness… could I borrow your ear for a second?”

“Huh? Sure.”

I leaned in close to Serdis’s ear. Watching his earlobe turn red, I took a deep breath and blew into it.

“You see… hoo~”

How’s that? My morning breath!

I’d been asleep for 12 hours. There’s no way it wasn’t awful.

“I…”

Serdis flinched. I upped the ante—didn’t even brush my teeth yesterday.

Surely this would strip away even the thickest love goggles.

But then—

Pfft.

He laughed?

Instead of recoiling, Serdis chuckled like it tickled him.

He must’ve smelled it…

“Anette.”

“Y-yes?!”

I flinched in shock.

“Are you trying to tickle me to death? It makes me want to tease you too.”

It didn’t work at all.

“I even want to wipe your eye crust off myself.”

He doubled down.

“Every morning.”

“I’ll pass. I can’t let a royal do something like that.”

Even with gunk in my eyes, he looked at me like I was the most beautiful thing on Earth. That wasn’t normal infatuation.

Gross tricks weren’t going to work.

I rubbed my eyes and thought hard.

Before I could come up with anything—

Serdis blushed and murmured:

“If we get married, even a prince wouldn’t mind…”

What utter nonsense.

Betty walked in right then and stumbled in shock. The teacup on her tray crashed to the floor.

Just like that, my thoughts shattered too. My heart dropped.

Did I just hear that right? No, I must have misheard…

“Careful.”

“I-I’m so sorry, Your Highness!”

“It’s okay. The macarons are fine.”

Serdis looked at me with a shy smile—and I knew I hadn’t misheard.

Married? To me?

His soft smile lingered. Meanwhile, my heart turned cold.

This couldn’t go on.

If Serdis proposed officially, I wouldn’t be able to refuse—not as a noblewoman’s daughter. I’d be trapped.

Then… there’s only one option left.

An eye for an eye.

Time to bring out the big guns.

Determined to exit the original plot, I cleared my throat.

“Betty, you have to be more careful.”

I walked over to Betty, pretending to scold her, and whispered in her ear:

“Just say yes to whatever I say from now on.”

“Miss…?”

She looked alarmed, like I was about to do something wild.

“Trust me.”

But I didn’t explain further. Serdis was watching too closely. She’d figure it out—we were like family after all.

“Wow. These macarons are amazing, Your Highness.”

I clapped and changed the subject.

The heart-patterned shells, white filling, mysterious red fruit, and white chocolate—everything I loved. It creeped me out how perfectly they matched my taste.

“These are the most stunning macarons I’ve ever seen.”

Spinning around with my hands behind my back, I smiled. Serdis’s worried expression eased.

“I’m glad you like them. You must be hungry. Try one.”

“But now that I think about it, today might be the last time we sit and eat macarons like this.”

“The last time?”

His face froze.

This time, I dropped the bomb that would really snap the male lead out of it.

“I’m getting married, Your Highness.”