In This Rebirth, The Male Lead Is Mine [BL]

”I know.” Rise recovered from his shock. ”That Kamille’s a noble. He’s not deceiving me.”

Mitchel frowned at him. ”You knew?”

Rise nodded.

”Now, tell me, how did you know Kamille’s a noble?”

Mitchel stared at Rise, conflicted emotions appearing in his face. He looked at Rise as though he had some kind of terminal illness or something.

”Why are you looking at me like that? Answer my question first, Mitchel.” Rise could now speak more smoothly without pause.

”You’ve been bewitched by him, Rise.”

”Huh? Bewitch?”

”Yes. That Kamille—” Mitchel’s jaw tightened, and his gaze became sharp with obvious anger. ”That noble is bewitching you. My decision is right to hide you from him. Don’t worry, I’ll find a solution.”

Rise blinked incredulously at Mitchel. He was unable to comprehend how Mitchel had gotten to this conclusion for a moment.

However, he realised it soon after. There was only one who could sway Mitchel like this.

”Heh. Between us, you’re the one bewitched by Mitchel.”

Mitchel looked at him.

Rise sneered. ”Who is it? Is it Epsilon? Or is someone unknown talking to you? I know you’re not the smartest, but I’m so disappointed that you let someone manipulate you this much, Mitchel.”

This time, Mitchel’s expression changed, and his eyes widened. He looked completely shocked.

”How did you—”

Rise rolled his eyes. ”It’s obvious. You can even betray me. Now, you are saying these bullshit things about Kamille. Now, who is it? Mitchel, you can still go back.”

Rise pursed his lips and looked at the man before him. Mitchel was a friend, someone he thought he could trust. Yet, it had been proven again that none were completely safe from the author’s manipulation.

He was waiting for his decision. Mitchel showed a conflicted emotion once more; he bit his lips and closed his eyes. Slowly, he rubbed his head as though someone were talking at him. He began to grumble.

Looking at him, Rise sighed. He closed his eyes firmly and slumped on the bed. He knew the answer already.

”I’m doing this for you, Rise.”

Mitchel’s painful voice resounded, and Rise did not open his eyes. He did not want to see his face at all. Otherwise, he might resent him even more.

”Rise...”

”Do I need your saving, Mitchel?”

There was silence.

”But I want to protect you. She said—”

”I don’t give a damn what she said to you. Or what the bitch has been telling you in your head.” Rise took a deep breath and waved his hand, now having enough energy to do so. ”Just... leave. I want to be alone.”

He wanted answers, but Mitchel seemed not to be in his right mind to give what Rise wanted. Moreover, he might say more ruthless words if Mitchel remained.

A few minutes, and the silence shrouded the room before footsteps sounded and the door being opened and closed. Rise waited a few more minutes before he opened his eyes again.

He was alone again.

Rise stared at the door, and he could not help but curse.

”Fuck.”

Well played, author. Truly. To use Mitchel against him.

Now, he was stuck in this place. He did not even know what was going on outside. Kamille might have been raging already. He could only hope that Mitchel knew that Kamille was a noble from the author’s mouth and that his identity had not been exposed yet.

However, if he continued to be stuck here, there was no telling when Kamille’s patience would reach the limit. Rise had been unconscious for a week already, so they surely knew about his disappearance by now.

Rise looked at his palm. He tried to clench it, then unclench it. He could do it, but the process was slow. His recovery was slow, and even his mana was still restricted.

Escaping on his own was impossible for now. Rise’s face contorted and hurled silent profanities towards Mitchel, who had just left. That guy could not be swayed by his words.

Rise tried, but he already saw that he had been entangled with the author deeply and had become ’her’ puppet. When he asked earlier. Rise saw conflicted emotions but only for a moment.

Mitchel truly thought he was protecting Rise from Kamille and would do anything to keep him here.

After a while, Rise sighed heavily and closed his eyes.

Deadend.

He could only hope that Kamille would find him soon. No matter how difficult it was.

Rise had always dreamed of being a damsel in distress, but now that he got himself in that situation, he could not find himself to be happy.

Being a damsel in distress sucks! Damn it.

Rise hated to see Mitchel, but on his turf, it was inevitable for them to meet. He might not want to leave the room; Rise needed to.

He also had to eat. That was something that he had to do, even if he was a miserable captive. Rise absolutely must not be hungry. He did not want his mentality to collapse earlier on.

It would also help with his discovery, and so despite not having any appetite at all, he managed to gulp down the entire table of dishes.

He forced himself to walk, gritting his teeth despite countless offers from Mitchel to help him. He completely ignored the man, not acknowledging his presence.

Rise did not want to argue with him any further, lest he manage to provoke him. This was the best course scenario he could think of.

Fortunately, he still had the body of an esper. With his resilience, he managed to walk on his own, albeit with several pauses and supporting himself on the walls.

Rise washed himself slowly and then decided to wander off outside.

”I can carry you to the gardens. There’s fresh air there and might...”

Rise ignored Mitchel. It had been a day since they last talked, and the other continued to pester him. It was so annoying, but Rise’s strategy was to ignore and keep silent. He would stick with that.

For now.

Rise looked at the stairs. Well, if he forced himself, he could go downstairs. However, there was no telling how many hours it would take to do so, or he might accomplish it by directly stumbling on the stairs.

He knew his limits. So, going downstairs would not do. Maybe tomorrow. He walked past Mitchel and decided to look around the second floor first.

Rise did not care if Mitchel was following him or if there was lots of surveillance. Much less, if Mitchel was aware that he was surveying escape routes.

No, he wanted to slap him with that very idea.

Look, I don’t want to be here.

Rise felt showing it to his face was better than saying it verbally.