Quietly Hiding that I am a Man chapter 93- Fake Lovers

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When the dust settled, the target came into view.

The crowd, which had been jeering at me, began rising from their seats one by one.

Lowering my bow, I let out a breath I’d been holding.

The arrow was embedded squarely in the bullseye.

A hush fell over the crowd, then ripples of discontent started to rise.

“Damn, that Sacre girl must’ve done something sneaky!”

“This can’t be right. I bet everything I had on Luke!”

Watching the distressed crowd, Marchen covered his mouth with a fan, surprised by this turn of events.

His eyes widened as he met mine.

“More than expected.”

He muttered in a low, rich voice.

Relieved at avoiding financial ruin, Marchen looked quite pleased.

I gritted my teeth, wincing at my aching shoulder.

“I won, but… this body is nothing like Eunsoo’s. The draw strength is lacking, and my stance is unsteady. All I had was bravado. In terms of power and accuracy, I’m still no match for Luke.”

My shoulder throbbed, and my fingertips ached after just three shots.

Of course, Jeanne, the body I was inhabiting, was a noble lady who had servants even brush her hair.

My mind darkened.

“Jeanne’s body is so weak.”

A sigh escaped me.

While Jeanne couldn’t become a fierce warrior, I needed to at least train enough to protect myself.

After a quick self-assessment, I solidified my resolve.

“Starting today, I’ll train on my own. If I don’t, I’ll only drag Jerome down in the qualifiers.”

While I might not be of much help, I certainly didn’t want to be a burden. Lost in my thoughts, I felt a burning gaze on me.

I turned to see Luke, staring with a far more lethal look than usual. Realizing the risk, I quickly adjusted my expression.

“For now, I’ll act as if it was a lucky shot. There’s no need to give away my skill. If the other guilds catch wind, they might start seeing Luna as a threat.”

Since the selection process was a battle royale, Luna’s reputation as a weaker guild worked in our favor.

In the original story, Flare had been a target for the other guilds simply because it was strong.

Taking a deep breath, I dropped my bow and cutely clasped my hands over my mouth, hopping around in exaggerated excitement toward the stunned Luke.

“No way, that was my first time hitting the bullseye! Did you see? Did you see?”

“……”

“Beginner’s luck is real, isn’t it? But my fingers hurt so much. Is archery always this painful before you get used to it?”

I spread my hands, grimacing.

The look of suspicion vanished from Luke’s eyes.

I silently thanked Jeanne’s past obsession with luxury over martial prowess.

If Jeanne had had any calluses, he might’ve seen through me.

Relieved by my childlike excitement, Luke finally spoke.

“I’ll admit it. I was careless this time. I’ll bet whatever it takes, so I propose we compete again.”

Luke hadn’t fully accepted his defeat or seemed to think it was just a fluke.

He likely didn’t realize I’d intentionally aimed low at the start.

Smiling graciously, he extended his hand, radiating the aura of a saint.

It was a beautiful smile that suited his title.

But I knew that smile was part of his strategy to weaken Jeanne’s resolve.

I ignored his outstretched hand, clasped my hands behind my back, and taunted him.

“Nope, not interested. You’re terrible at this.”

“……”

“Also, how dare a loser propose another match? You should humbly bow and say, ‘Master, please honor me with another match,’ and I might consider it.”

Of course, he knew it in his head.

Especially after the animosity he’d earned thanks to Carlyle, provoking Luke was the last thing he should do.

But come on – how could any guy in Korea resist a little bit of “teabagging” after winning in such a dramatic comeback?

Watching Luke’s genuinely frustrated reaction was cute, and he couldn’t resist the urge to tease him just a little.

Luke stared silently at him, then withdrew the hand he’d offered with a soft murmur.

“It seems you may have forgotten, but in guild tournaments, all attacks are allowed except for killing. Put simply, as long as the opponent doesn’t die, there’s no punishment.”

“…”

“You’re quite lucky. But even luck has its limits. So, Lady Jeanne, be mindful of your words and actions. This is a warning, just for you.”

The icy statement erased his grin instantly.

Was Luke serious?

That didn’t sound like a warning – it was more like a threat.

Luke stormed out of the training hall with heavy steps, and he could see members of the Flare Guild waiting outside, quickly following him.

Beads of sweat ran down his forehead as he thought to himself:

‘Did… did he get mad? Maybe I should’ve held back a bit.’

He awkwardly rubbed his stiff shoulder, and spectators around him chimed in.

“Didn’t they say he got in as a special admission? Sure, his first two shots were clumsy, but that last one was flawless. Maybe he’s more skilled than he seems?”

“No way. Look at that reaction. If he was genuinely skilled, he wouldn’t have botched the shots like that. Well, at least those who bet on Jeanne must’ve made quite a profit.”

Absolutely, they made quite a haul.

He hadn’t just won the title; he had correctly predicted every outcome of the match rounds.

He was already considering using those winnings to fix the leaky guild house roof when he suddenly felt a chill from the spectator area.

‘What…?’

He glanced around, only to find himself locking eyes with a man in a black robe, standing among students in uniform.

The light obscured his features, but his pale eyes shone unmistakably.

Swallowing dryly, he clenched his fists.

The look in the man’s eyes was… peculiar.

It was as if he were looking at him with both resentment and strange familiarity.

‘Why… is he looking at me like that?’

The man, who had been watching him quietly, finally rose.

The young girl beside him hastily followed.

The girl looked strangely familiar, and his heart skipped a beat.

If his eyes weren’t mistaken, her face bore a resemblance to Lily’s – the girl who once shyly smiled as she told him about the siblings she had left back home.

His breathing quickened, and fragments of past conversations with Lily began flooding back.

“Everything will be alright. I’ve known about you for a long time, Lady Jeanne. That’s why I made sure no other maids came near you; I stayed by your side all this time.”

Lily was from Sacre, just like Jeanne.

She was the only one who knew his true identity as a man.

When he asked how she found out, she had answered:

“My name is the only thing I can reveal for now. But please know that I’m here to protect you.”

She’d come to protect him.

Her words had struck him as odd, but he hadn’t pressed further.

If she had any ill will toward Jeanne, she would have betrayed his secret long ago.

But instead, she had treated him kindly, even while he remained isolated in the mansion.

Clenching his fist, he thought back.

When he had asked the head butler about her, he’d learned that Lily had been recommended by a high-ranking noble.

For someone able to send a recommendation to the Duke’s estate, it would have to be someone of considerable status.

If Lily’s words were true, then the person who had instructed her to protect him was probably the one who recommended her.

The moment he came to this conclusion, he bolted after the man and girl.

Ignoring the voice calling his name from behind, he frantically searched for them.

Even if they were benevolent, he needed to know their true identities as long as they knew Jeanne’s secret.

He brushed his pale face and bit his lip.

‘But who could he be? If he’s really working to protect Jeanne, why didn’t he reveal himself? Is he planning to use my secret against me later?’

Anxiety replaced the exhilaration of victory.

He regretted not getting a better look at the man’s face.

All he could remember were those pale eyes.

Gripping his throbbing head, he determined that he had to uncover the man’s identity – for Lily’s sake if nothing else.

Memories of Lily, frail and dying in his arms, clouded his mind.

He struggled to compose himself and piece together the fragments of the past.

“Lady Jeanne… no, Jan. There’s someone waiting for you in Sacre.”

Yes, she had said that. Someone was waiting for him in Sacre. And…

“Seek out Camille. The answers you seek are there.”

His erratic breathing slowed as he found himself convinced that the mysterious man was none other than Camille, the one Lily had spoken of.

But why?

He could no longer just stand by and watch as this lurking figure kept him under surveillance.

Jeanne’s fate depended on keeping his identity a secret.

Muttering in a low voice, he resolved:

“I have to find out who this Camille is.”

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