Quietly Hiding that I am a Man chapter 81- Fake Goods

* * *

I realized a bit too late that I might have asked an awkward question, but after running for an hour to get here, I needed to know.

How important was this person that Jerome had been thinking about them the entire time he was locked up?

Jerome, who had been silent for quite a while, sat down next to me, his shoulder pressed against mine.

Then, in a calm voice, he answered.

“Yeah.”

“Who? An ex?”

“Well…”

Jerome trailed off, his reluctance clear.

I decided not to press further since he clearly didn’t want to talk about it.

As the sun shone brightly, warming me, sparrows gathered around the stone-carved fountain.

Jerome, watching the birds splashing in the water, spoke again.

“I stopped by the guild house briefly yesterday and was surprised. I thought everything would be rusted and crumbling after I’d been away for so long, but instead, there were flowers blooming—ones I had never seen before.”

“…”

“I laughed for a while once I realized it was your doing. Then, I found myself wondering—why work so hard? What could possibly make it so enjoyable and fulfilling? If it were me, I’d have dug up the ground rather than plant flowers.”

A sudden gust of wind blew, messing up my hair.

Startled by the sudden breeze, the sparrows flew off in a flurry.

I instinctively looked at Jerome’s face, but my view was blocked by my disheveled hair.

Jerome continued, his expression hidden from me.

“If I were Jeanne, would I have found meaning in this dull life?”

A baby sparrow, unable to fly away, flapped its wings helplessly in the water.

In the quiet that followed, I let Jerome’s words sink in.

After brushing my hair back, I finally responded.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Now that I think about it, it was really tough. My skin got sunburned, my back ached, and there were so many bugs. Every day I was anxious, worrying that the tulips might not bloom.”

“…”

“But hearing what you said makes me feel like it was worth it after all.”

One of the sparrows returned and helped the struggling bird out of the water.

The drenched sparrow shook itself off and flew away with its friend.

Watching the scene, I added with a smile.

“Maybe that’s what it’s all about, meaning. It’s born naturally, even if you’re not consciously trying to create it.”

After finishing my words, I turned my head and froze.

Jerome, arms crossed and head tilted back, let out a groan as if in pain.

Narrowing my eyes, I asked.

“What’s with you all of a sudden?”

“I was just thinking… talent is terrifying.”

“…”

“No matter how much I study how to win someone over, I’ll never beat you.”

Jerome, rubbing his face with one hand, looked oddly defeated.

I hesitated, wondering what on earth he was talking about, but quickly pulled myself together.

This was the perfect moment—Jerome’s defenses were down.

Carefully watching his reaction, I leaned in closer and whispered.

“There’s a report that the Shinsu’s apostasy has begun. The guilds selected by the Committee will have access to the Shinsu. If we can join that expedition, we’ll definitely find Maya’s Stone.”

“…”

“So, why don’t you submit an application for Luna Guild in the selection exam…”

Jerome, who had been half-listening to my impassioned explanation, suddenly interrupted.

“Jeanne, do you like me?”

“…As a business partner, I think you’re pretty decent.”

“Can you fit my cock down your throat?”

“Ugh!”

The moment Jerome said that, I gagged reflexively and shot him a cautious glance.

I knew I shouldn’t be reacting like this when I was trying to win him over, but come on!

That was an automatic response for any guy.

And seriously, what kind of person asks if you can take their cock right after asking if you like them?

Feeling nauseous, I barely managed to steady myself and closed my mouth.

Jerome, as if expecting my reaction, turned his head slightly and spoke calmly.

“I’ve come to realize—you don’t like me. I’ve realized that Chloe is just an illusion I created. And that you’ll never eagerly suck my cock. I’ve lost my motivation.”

This is so annoying…

Grinding my teeth, I glared at Jerome, who seemed to have completely given up because of my gagging.

How could any of that matter right now?

When Mephisto could pop up again at any moment, who cares about winning over someone’s heart?

I barely held back from yelling at him and took a deep breath instead.

“Why are you suddenly acting like some end-of-the-world doomsayer? And as a noble, stop using words like ‘cock’ and ‘dick.’ You should at least use the word ‘genitalia’—it’s more formal.”

“Jeanne, no respectable lady throws around the word ‘genitalia’ like you do.”

Jerome muttered something about me being a vulgar woman, and I slammed my forehead into his.

Jerome clutched his forehead, groaning in pain, and I looked at him in exasperation.

Still curious, I asked.

“Why have you suddenly turned so cynical? There’s always a reason behind every action. I can’t believe your madness suddenly worsened when you seemed to be getting better.”

“Do you know the old woman who sells flowers in front of the Academy?”

Jerome’s abrupt question made me think.

The flower seller?

Oh, the suspicious old woman who sold herbs and flowers that we needed for class supplies every morning.

“Yeah, I know her. Why?”

“This morning, I had her read my fortune with flowers. And… she said there’s no woman in my life. When I asked if I could at least get married, she flatly said that’s impossible too.”

“…”

“And then she told me I would die in the arms of a lover.”

I stared at Jerome, who let out a deep sigh, with a blank expression.

So that’s why he had seemed so down ever since we entered the auditorium.

The fortune had said there would be no woman in his life, but it didn’t say anything about a man.

In a way, it was an accurate prediction.

It must have been devastating news from Jerome’s perspective, not knowing that Jeanne was a woman.

As for the other parts of the fortune, I had no idea what they meant.

‘Well, if I got a fortune like that, I’d probably be rattled too…’

Just as I was lost in thought over the unsettling fortune, Jerome, with an indifferent expression, continued.

“I don’t care if Mephisto eats my brain anymore. The thought of a world ending isn’t as scary to me as a future where I can’t marry you.”

“…”

“You understand now, right? That’s why I’m not going to the selection exam. Let’s get up. That rabid goose has been eyeing us for a while.”

And just like that, I failed to convince Jerome, and with his brain consumed by Mephisto, Jerome started wreaking havoc on the world.

Mephisto’s rampage shifted Earth’s axis, ushering in an eternal ice age, and Eunsoo’s unfinished masterpiece became nothing more than firewood for the survivors.

The end of Jeanne’s secret as a male.

…No way!

I had finally found a fantasy world I could live in.

I could finally eat good food to my heart’s content.

I could finally live in a world where I didn’t have to file my taxes every May!

There was no way I was going to let Jerome, now an apocalyptic madman, take my life.

I grabbed Jerome, who was starting to stand up.

Jerome looked meaningfully at my trembling hands and smiled wickedly.

His expression was like someone swallowing the most bitter medicine as he said.

“If you help me win the selection, I’ll suck your cock or whatever.”

That’s it.

The answer had been clear all along.

No matter how much I tried to wiggle my way out of the one-lane road, in the end, there was only one exit.

I had momentarily forgotten this undeniable truth.

But there was no way I could win the guild war on my own without Jerome.

‘I’ll just dangle the bait of sucking his dick in front of him, win the war, and back out later. Surely, no matter how much he likes me, he wouldn’t force my mouth open and shove it down my throat like feeding a cat medicine… right?’

He hid the dagger lodged in his heart, continuing his act of resignation.

Jerome, who had been watching me in silence, suddenly grabbed my chin.

His calloused thumb traced my lips, making me flinch as my shoulders trembled.

A shadow fell across his face, as he stood with the sunlight behind him.

“Your mouth’s too small… it might not fit.”

“…”

“Ever had a man before?”

The unexpected question left me momentarily stunned.

Sure, I’d come across similar things while researching materials for novels, but those were just videos.

Judging by Jerome’s aura, which screamed ‘I have plenty of experience with women,’ it would only be a matter of time before he discovered that I was a virgin with absolutely no experience in sexual encounters.

That made me wonder—would a virgin giving a blowjob even be worth it?

As if on cue, Jerome’s voice turned indifferent, as if he had already lost interest.

“Jeanne, stop pretending…”

“I-I have!”

“…”

A heavy silence hung in the air.

Seeing Jerome’s face grow colder by the second, I realized I had said something terribly wrong, but the words had already left my mouth.

Sweating nervously, I averted my gaze, but Jerome gripped my cheek, forcing me to face him.

His strength made it feel like my face might shatter, and tears welled up in my eyes.

Jerome, still looking at me, smiled faintly and asked again.

“You have?”

“Why? Is that so hard to believe? I mean, free love is all the rage in high society these days.”