Quietly Hiding that I am a Man chapter 147- Fake Play

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Jerome, clutching Jeanne’s lifeless body, was lost in memories of the past.

Before his admission to the Waverly Asylum, Jerome had spent time at another facility, one isolated in the middle of an endless sea.

It was a place where individuals abandoned by their families due to mental illness were taken.

There, Jerome met an elderly man.

“I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been trapped here for decades, but it seems to me that people who live their lives normally are the ones who’ve truly lost their minds.”

The old man, who had been afflicted with delirium after losing his wife, often struck up conversations with Jerome.

The man likely approached Jerome, who radiated an air of lifelessness, simply because his faded, cloudy eyes couldn’t see Jerome’s expressions.

One day, while Jerome wordlessly ate his soup, the old man smiled faintly and continued speaking.

“How does one live sanely? It’s simple—you act. Pretend to be someone you’re not. Laugh at meaningless jokes, make some yourself, and keep it light. Only those who can’t manage that act end up here, losing their sanity completely.”

Jerome’s spoon hesitated mid-air.

As he processed the old man’s words, the man, smiling bitterly, added:

“Life is a play that doesn’t end until I take my final bow.”

A few days later, Jerome, at the old man’s request, procured poison for him.

The old man consumed it and ended his life.

Watching the man’s self-directed exit, Jerome felt a profound loneliness he had never known before.

Knowing the end yet willingly starting again—Jerome concluded he would never understand that sacred and noble sentiment.

At least, that’s what he thought.

“Show me.”

The boyish voice startled Jerome, and he slowly turned his head.

A boy with white hair and vivid blue eyes stood there, staring at him.

When the boy reached out toward Jeanne’s lifeless body, Jerome instinctively clutched her tightly, his expression hardening.

The boy smirked at his reaction.

“No doubt about it. She’s dead.”

“……”

“I can’t see any remaining lifespan.”

Jerome realized who the boy was—the owner of this labyrinth, Belges.

After making his statement, Belges turned and walked away.

Jerome, still holding Jeanne, followed him.

Belges led him to a small cabin near a lakeshore.

As Jerome persistently trailed behind, Belges glanced at him and spoke.

“There’s no need to look so sorrowful. The end is fair to everyone, and soon enough, you’ll die just like her.”

Despite the ominous prediction, Jerome didn’t waver.

Belges, who had brought over a set of teacups with a clink, gestured for him to sit.

Jerome carefully laid Jeanne on a sofa before sitting across from Belges.

“You have something to ask of me, don’t you?”

Jerome hesitated but then nodded. Belges smiled.

“In that case, define for me what love is.”

“Love?”

“Yes. If your answer intrigues me, I might grant your request. Think of it as my third and final riddle.”

Jerome had expected to face a terrifying monster for the last riddle, but it was surprisingly straightforward.

Belges clasped his hands together, a flicker of curiosity gleaming in his translucent eyes.

“Well, go on. Entertain me.”

Jerome, replaying old memories in his mind, wrapped his hands around his teacup.

Love was something Jeanne might understand, but he, who often harbored unpleasant thoughts, had no confidence in defining it.

Yet, for Jeanne’s sake, he had to satisfy Belges.

With a composed expression, he began:

“I wanted nothing more than to leave this tedious play as soon as possible. My pitiful performance on the stage was so shameful that I felt capable of doing anything to make my exit.”

“……”

“Whether the audience applauded me or jeered, it didn’t matter. To me, the play was already over.”

Jerome stood and sat beside Jeanne, stroking her hair.

She had marched boldly into his dreary play and insisted on directing the next scenes, as if to protest against its dull conclusion.

Her upright gaze seemed to urge the audience to believe her.

“But at some point, holding her like this…”

He couldn’t let go of anything about her—the habit of tilting her chin slightly when uncertain, the way she closed her eyes to choose between two options, even the faint cave of her smile.

Like an unyielding thread in a botched knitting project, he found himself wanting to see the ending with her.

“…I started wanting to live.”

The suppressed confession tore from him.

His indifference had always been a lie. Jerome had always wanted to live.

But the fear of the inevitable ending had made him pretend otherwise.

“Even knowing the end, I wanted to begin.”

Jerome finished and pressed his thumb gently against Jeanne’s pale lips.

Belges, watching in silence, murmured with a faint laugh:

“A love confession disguised as a monologue. I like it.”

Setting down his teacup, Belges walked to the kitchen and retrieved something from a shelf—the infamous orb everyone had sought.

Standing beside Jerome, Belges said:

“I have the power to breathe life into the dead. But as you can see, this corrupted orb can only save one person.”

“……”

“If only one of you can live, you or her—who will it be?”

A flicker of surprise crossed Jerome’s gaze, and he let out a laugh.

As Jerome whispered his answer, the orb in Belges’ hands began to glow brilliantly.

---

Swish, swish…

The sound of waves woke me.

My body felt as heavy as if it were soaked in water.

Amid the noisy laughter and chatter, I heard familiar voices.

Looking around, I saw sailors playing cards beside my hammock.

Among them were Layla and Jerome.

Layla, clutching her cards with a groan, finally buried her head in frustration. Laughing, Jerome teased:

“Idiot. Amateur.”

“Don’t call a royal amateur so casually.”

“A loss is a loss. Accept it. And women are especially dangerous rivals.”

Layla, silent for a moment, let out a scoff.

Jerome seemed likely to join me on the gallows soon.

Struggling to sit up, I croaked:

“What should I accept?”

Jerome and Layla, glaring at each other, turned to me in unison.

Layla’s face lit up with joy.

“Jeanne, you’re awake!”

As Layla threw her arms around my neck, I patted her back and looked around.

I was sure I had been in the labyrinth before losing consciousness, but now I was somehow in the middle of the vast ocean.

In a dazed voice, I asked:

“What happened?”

“While you were out, we met the second divine beast.”

“Wait, hold on. What about the Stone? Are you okay? Back then, I’m sure…”

I hope he would at least say something, but Jerome just smiled faintly, even as I bombarded him with questions in my flustered state.

When I tried to climb down from the hammock in a rush, I lost my balance and stumbled.

Jerome grabbed my shoulder, steadying me, and our eyes met.

The calm, unchanging demeanor of his gaze made my heart drop for a moment.

Layla, sensing the unusual tension between us, cleared her throat and spoke up.

“Enough with the card games, everyone. Follow me. We’re about to enter the Kraken’s territory. Move it, now!”

Layla spun on her heel and strode off.

The crew, who had been watching us like gossiping housewives engrossed in a drama, reluctantly dispersed.

Once they were gone, I cautiously broke the silence.

“Do you remember?”

“…”

“I’m talking about what happened in Belges’s memory.”

Back then, I was certain I had confessed my true feelings to Jerome when he had become Mephisto.

Yet here he was, looking as unaffected as someone who had never heard such a confession.

After a long silence, Jerome finally spoke in a calm voice.

“Sorry, I don’t really remember.”

I see. He doesn’t remember.

The moment those words left his lips, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh, though I wasn’t sure if it was due to relief or disappointment.

Observing me carefully, Jerome added with a mischievous grin.

“Except for the part where you told me you loved me.”

“…”

“It was so heartfelt it even brought me to tears.”

I slowly raised my head, my expression hardening.

Was he teasing me because he thought he had leverage over me, or was he seriously accepting my feelings?

His unreadable face gave no answers.

Clenching my fists, I asked again.

“So… what’s your answer?”

Jerome’s hand, still on my shoulder, tightened its grip slightly.

Just as the silence was becoming unbearable, a loud voice rang out from the deck.

“KRAKEN! IT’S THE KRAKEN!”

The deck was quickly enveloped in thick sea fog. It seemed we had entered the Kraken’s domain once more.

Jerome, watching the crew scurry to prepare for battle, muttered under his breath.

“No, this isn’t the Kraken’s presence.”

The fog dissipated, revealing bright sunlight.

As my eyes widened at the sight of something gliding through the sparkling blue ocean, I stifled a surge of emotion and smiled faintly.

“It’s here to protect us.”

Booooooom!

A deep, resonating cry—like a ship’s foghorn—echoed through the air, making my chest vibrate.

A massive white whale leapt high above the glittering waves.

Covered in barnacles and bearing scars that seemed to tell the story of its life, the whale was nonetheless breathtakingly majestic.

The once-terrified crew, armed with spears, broke into wide grins and pointed at the whale.

“It’s a whale! Belges’s whale!”

“If we were a fishing boat, this would be a full haul.”

“Everyone, make a wish! They say if you make a wish to that whale, it’ll come true!”

The crew couldn’t contain their joy at the rare sight of Belges.

As the whale slapped its massive fins against the water, our ship swayed from side to side.

I noticed newborn calves swimming alongside the great whale, their movements almost playful.

One of the calves strayed from the pod, swimming right up to our ship, seemingly enamored with Jerome.

I leaned dangerously over the railing to get a better look, and Jerome quickly caught me by the waist.

“It’s coming this way!”

The young whale sprayed water from its blowhole, sending a sparkling blue Stone into the air.

I barely managed to catch it before it hit the deck and let out a sigh of relief.

“Three more to go.”

To perform the miracle, we needed five Stones.

Having collected two so far, only three remained to rid Jerome of Mephisto’s presence.

While I felt exhilarated at the thought of our progress, Jerome remained silent, standing behind me with his arms still wrapped around me.

Puzzled by his unyielding embrace, I awkwardly laughed and teased.

“What’s this? Did you mistake me for another woman again or—”

“I love you.”

The smile lingering on my lips vanished.

For a moment, I thought I misheard him, and I turned to look at him in disbelief.

While everyone else was busy making wishes to Belges, Jerome’s eyes were fixed solely on me.

“I love you, Jeanne.”

It wasn’t a joke or an exaggerated declaration.

It was just a plain, simple confession. Yet, my heart pounded wildly.

Without saying a word, I pulled him into a tight embrace.

Tears welled up, and I sniffled quietly, even though he was supposed to be the emotionless one.

Because those words weren’t just an ordinary confession of love.

They were a resolution.

A vow to continue living, no matter how dull or worn-out life might be.

Jerome burrowed into my arms, and for a long while, neither of us let go.

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