I Have a Stalker of Noble Status. And to Make Matters Worse, their Numbers are Increasing (BL) - Chapter 2

As soon as the afternoon class bell rang, I bolted out of the private room like a rabbit fleeing for its life.

I had properly thanked him for the meal, and I was only rushing because I didn’t want to be late for class—so there shouldn’t be any issue. Yes, I’m sure of it.

Lord Raymond probably found a countryside baron’s son like me amusing and decided to tease me for fun.

Besides, the opportunity to dine with the son of a duke is something that will likely never happen again in my lifetime.

It was a little too much for my heart to handle, but if I think of it as a rare experience, it might make for a good memory in the future.

For someone from the countryside, sharing a table with a duke’s son is a legendary achievement. My younger brothers would surely be thrilled to hear about it.

“Goodbye, Lord Raymond! Thank you for the meal!!”

◇◇◇

That’s what I thought—up until a few hours ago.

After school, I found myself staring at Lord Raymond, who was waving at me with a bright smile in front of the first-year classroom.

Why?!

Screams of excitement echoed through the classroom as curious eyes fixated on me.

“Hey, Patrick! Let’s go home together.”

Lord Raymond said cheerfully, his smile dazzling.

As if I even had the option to refuse. Ah, how I despise the social hierarchy.

And so, I was practically dragged away, paraded through a corridor of swooning female students, and placed into a fabulously extravagant carriage adorned with the duke’s family crest. The decorations were absurdly excessive.

What is this—a public execution?!

“Um… Lord Raymond, why are you bothering with someone like me? I mean, not to put myself down, but I really don’t see what you’d gain from being around me.”

“Hm? But we’re already friends, aren’t we?”

…F-r-i-e-n-d-s?

Friends?!

Wait, what? Is there some unwritten rule in the capital that if you share a pot of braised beef cheeks, you automatically become friends?

City life is terrifying!!

“Besides, like I said at lunch, I’ve died and returned to the past seven times now. In other words, I keep repeating the same timeline after dying.”

He’s bringing that up again? He’s really gone deep into this delusion.

After spending the last few hours involuntarily pondering over what he said, I had come to a conclusion.

Even though he’s a duke’s son, he’s still just a person—a man, at that.

He must have developed a case of that, uh, adolescent phase a little later than usual.

I have four younger brothers, and they all went through something similar to some degree.

The youngest twins are still in that phase, keeping a “dark dragon” (which is actually just a lizard) in their room.

For reference, they’re five years old. It’s their adorable age.

…Well, as long as it doesn’t concern me, I guess it’s fine.

Just as I resigned myself to watching over Lord Raymond with a warm, distant sympathy, he suddenly turned the conversation my way.

“I have to save Violetta and break free from this loop. And I believe you’re the key to doing that!”

Why in the world?!

“No, no, no! I am absolutely not some grand, special person!”

I frantically shook my head and waved my hands at lightning speed, desperately trying to emphasize my lack of involvement.

“During my first life, I abandoned my sister… No, I went along with the others and condemned her. As a result, she took her own life.”

He’s not listening to me at all!!

“But she was innocent. Overwhelmed with regret, I couldn’t eat or sleep, and I just kept tormenting myself. Eventually, I fell ill and died… or at least, I thought I did. But when I came to, time had rewound.”

This is way too dark for just a case of adolescent delusion.

Frankly, I’m horrified.

Future Duke, I beg you, just stick to raising dark dragon lizards in your room.

The future of the country is at stake here.

“I want to create a different future this time. And then—you appeared. You were never in any of my past lives before. So I thought, ‘If I involve you deeply in my life, then surely the future will change.’”

Major unforeseen disaster alert!!

“L-Lord Raymond…”

“So from now on, we’ll go to and from school together! We should eat lunch together, too. In fact, why don’t you just move into the duke’s estate?”

Aaaaaaaahhh!!!

The carriage, packed with the latest advancements in the kingdom’s technology, glided so smoothly that it didn’t shake at all—yet I was the only one trembling violently.

“Once again, I’m counting on you, Patrick!”

Lord Raymond flashed a radiant, 100% pure noble beauty smile.

Ah, so when they say a smile is blinding, it’s not just a metaphor.

Someone, please—get me a pair of sunglasses.

And if possible…

…Help meeeeee!!

Sunglasses might be useful for hiding my tears, too.