It's Actually Not Easy Wanting to be a Supporting Male Lead

Eve: You can thank Sora for getting this speedily done. A thank you for the ko-fi from us We’ll set up a bonus chapter/ko-fi thing with Sunday’s release so you guys can check it out if you want then :3

Translated by EvebvwB6e

Edited by Sora Harukawa

Sui Yuan discovered that ever since Seno had become Allen’s admirer and began working hard to become Allen’s guardian and mate, his task of troubling Allen became even more difficult.

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First of all, the one who stood in front of Allen to protect him from the dangerous Firethorn Beast was Seno, thus Allen had felt grateful towards him. Furthermore, Sui Yuan had helped him out once before. With regards to this pair of brothers, their actions caused the opinion of the protagonist, who liked to look for ways to return other people’s kindnesses, to become better and better. For the sake of giving Seno face, Allen indulged Sui Yuan’s displays of "childish temper", and pretended to be ignorant. And Seno, for the sake of resolving the conflict between his beloved and his younger brother, always followed closely behind the trouble-seeking Sui Yuan, using all sorts of ways to apologize for his little brother’s behaviour. Over the course of time, not only did Sui Yuan not achieve his wish, but he eventually became used by Seno to get along with Allen. As the time they spent together grew, their relationship became deeper and even more intimate. It was simply a case of losing both the bait and the fish!

With regards to this, Seno had patiently persuaded him to treat Allen warmer from the very beginning. Seno also gradually adopted a laissez-faire attitude towards the "conflict" between the two, even to the point of looking upon it favorably. Sui Yuan, who was fooled, suspected that no matter what he tried to do, he’d end up as a stepping stone to deepen the feelings between his family’s big brother and Allen!vHyb8

—- Of course, it wasn’t just Sui Yuan who held suspicions towards Seno. Allen, who caught sight of his expression, also felt a bit uncertain. This left Sui Yuan unable to come up with a convincing argument for self-defense.

Aside from Allen and Seno’s relationship that was gradually becoming more intimate and harmonious, Leonard and Sui Yuan — this pair of lovers — seemed to no longer have any more disputes after the Nata Festival. Beast people were, after all, relatively simple beings. Compared to baseless rumours, they were more inclined to believe in what their own eyes see. Aside from what had been said in those baseless rumours that had circulated, Leonard’s actions seemed to be praiseworthy, almost without any fault whatsoever, in the eyes of everyone else. Some people even began to suspect that the rumour had stemmed from a sub-beastman that had wanted to pursue Leonard, or from a beastman that had wanted to pursue Sui Yuan. They believed that perhaps this convenient, purely fictitious hearsay had begun with the intention to break up this pair of lovers.

Of course, towards this sort of transformation, not all people looked kindly towards it. For example, there was the "insider", Moya, who knew that Leonard was not at all "innocent". Another example was Monroe, who had always been waiting for an opportunity to act, yet had been unable to find one this whole time. Even more, there was Sui Yuan, who would soon come to age. His family members began to have ideas of "forcing him into marriage" after hearing about the way in which these two people had taken the spotlight at this year’s Nata Festival......

—- Upon learning about the family’s attitude from Seno’s mouth, Sui Yuan’s whole persona fell into disorder.ZkPDHB

"Although I don’t want to see you get married this early, if the way Leonard treats you isn’t bad, then I won’t be against it."

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Seno, who was lost in love, obviously had grown to tolerate Leonard a lot. Recently, when they met, he finally began to take the initiative to greet the other.

Sui Yuan opened his mouth, stiffly swallowing down the "I absolutely don’t want to marry him" utterance into his stomach, holding onto his crumbling character settings with bitterness.

"You and Leonard are, after all, young and aggressive. With regards to mating and breeding, I understand that you two find it hard to restrain yourselves. Although the fertility rates of sub-beastmen are not high, the younger one is, the easier it will be to get pregnant. We think that the earlier the two of you get married, the better. If you are not careful, you may end up with a child born out of wedlock."nv9uQU

Seno ruffled Sui Yuan’s hair, really unwilling to let go of him. After all, it will not be long before his very own little brother will belong to someone else. According to a beastman’s possessive behaviour, even if he is Sui Yuan’s older brother, he will no longer be allowed to act so intimately towards him anymore.

"We, your family, and Leonard’s family have already discussed this. It is just right that the two of you will come of age next year. After passing this winter, the two of you will finally be able to hold your marriage ceremony in the upcoming spring."

Sui Yuan widened his eyes, body slightly trembling. He refrained from saying things that should not be said, biting down onto his lower lip. It’s too bad that this sort of appearance became one of uncontainable excitement in Seno’s eyes.

After the Nata Festival comes a fairly harsh and severe winter for the beast people. Before winter falls, there may also be a large-scale wave of feral beasts, big and small. This is a challenge that the beast people must face every year.YwzoNJ

Along with the decrease in their natural power, the living conditions of the beast people began to gradually deteriorate. The summers were scorching hot and arid. The winters were cold, and food was often scarce. The temperate spring and autumn became shorter and shorter. Even though the beast people society had already developed to such a high level, and their combat strength was all the more formidable, in the face of a harsh natural environment, they remained as insignificant as before.

According to traditions, before winter, the beast people needed to enter the jungle and hunt for as much food as possible. At the same time, for the sake of one’s own survival through winter, the feral beasts may unite and launch an attack on the cities and towns of the beast people, plundering all their food and items. This was the biggest contest of strength between the two sides. Each time, there will be beastmen who fall in the name of protecting their race. This kind of tradition prolongs the history of the beast people.

And within their traditions, the Nata Festival that young lovers celebrated also became a carnival in which they can bid farewell to each other prior to facing this life and death situation.

Unmarried beastmen look for a mate during the Nata Festival. If they can find one, then they will arduously begin to mate. Even if it’s during the feral beast tide or the harsh winter, they are able to have offspring and impart their blood. Likewise, if mated, beastmen will leave behind them a worrying lover and child, and thus they will have even more courage and tenacity while struggling to survive in this kind of harsh environment.gTF2wi

Of course, as the beast people’s ability to survive in such conditions increased, the tragic and heroic meaning behind the Nata Festival gradually disappeared, becoming a simple and pure Valentine’s Day like event. It was only when faced with the deaths of the beast people following the feral beast tide that everybody felt the grief brought upon by the early, ancient version of the Nata Festival.

As time passed and winter began to approach, Sui Yuan’s class of not-yet-at-age beast people finished their studies at school for the year. One by one, all of them successively returned to their own homes, spending time under the protection of their elder family members. This was the last time that they will be able to enjoy such protection. This time next year, they would come of age and would find themselves face-to-face against the feral beast tide as soldiers.

Sui Yuan and Leonard’s homes were very close, so they naturally went home together. To Sui Yuan’s surprise, Allen had given into Seno’s earnest beseechment and had agreed to seek shelter in Seno and Sui Yuan’s home. After all, Allen was an orphan and he did not have anyone who would take care of him. Seno naturally could not bear to see his beloved pass this difficult time all alone. Moreover, he had already come of age and was a subordinate of the armed forces. He could not make time to take care of Allen while he fought against the feral beast tide.

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Although Allen’s background was that of a commoner’s, beast people, for the most part, did not pay attention to ensuring that the potential partner’s social status was similar to their own. Furthermore, Allen’s remarkable spiritual power was definitely enough to make him a good match for Seno. With regards to Allen’s arrival, Sui Yuan’s family was extremely joyous. After all, he was Seno’s first love, the sub-beastman that he was determined to win over. Furthermore, as long as no big accidents occured, the feelings between beast people were strong enough to last a lifetime.nphNtv

Of course, besides Allen, Leonard also received a warm welcome. Sui Yuan had so painstakingly chased after him for such a long time, and his hard work had finally come to fruition. Having won over this young beastman who was one of the most outstanding of his generation, all of the Folson family members felt happy for him.

Compared to the plot’s original Leonard, the current Leonard was even more convincing. Although he appeared to remain as reticent and cold as before, each time Leonard spoke to Sui Yuan, the expression he wore when facing Sui Yuan was just perfect. It quickly caused the elders of the Folson family to burst into laughter, faces lighting up with pleasure. The original misgivings they held towards Leonard disappeared into smoke, leaving nothing behind. They were completely at ease as they prepared to deliver their family’s pampered child into his hands.

Sui Yuan sat on the sofa maintaining a solemn attitude, as if he was restraining his happiness. Inwardly, he felt like he had suffered an internal injury. Allen, who sat beside him, felt even more awkward. This kind of situation of being led by the hand and being directly dragged to see the head of the family to speak about marrying into the family made Allen feel even more traumatized than Sui Yuan.

Allen turned his head to look at Sui Yuan, just in time to meet the other’s gaze. For a moment, Allen felt as if he could see the same type of suffering in the other’s eyes, but immediately dismissed it as some kind of illusion. He supported his head with his hand, warning himself to not misinterpret what he saw. However, for some reason, Allen felt a bit more relaxed after seeing this.dnNKsA

Leonard could not reside at Sui Yuan’s home before marriage. Although Leonard stayed with Sui Yuan from dawn to dusk, he did not abuse his rights as a guardian, which delighted the Folson family elders. Aside from Leonard, the relationship between Allen and Sui Yuan had begun to ease. After all, even if he was a specialist, Sui Yuan was unable to concentrate on making trouble for Allen 24/7.

According to the plot, this time’s feral beast tide would not be that troublesome. Furthermore, next year, Allen and his "lovers", Monroe and Leonard, would all come of age. The feral beast tide that was to occur after they were added to the troops would later become known as this world’s most greatest and most dangerous tide ever. So, when Sui Yuan received news that this time’s feral beast tide was very big and that his elder brother Seno had disappeared, he became stupefied.

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Allen’s face turned deathly pale, his expression turning complicated. Upon seeing Allen who was shocked to the point of being unaware that the cinnabar ink from his Incantation brush had dripped onto the paper, Sui Yuan really wished to enthusiastically observe three minutes’ silence for this leading role’s "protagonist halo".

Last time, they clearly had changed the plot’s route, which completely changed their actions. However, the Firethorn Beast still appeared as it was supposed to. This time, the one Allen was most concerned about was Seno, rather than Leonard and Monroe. Thus, Seno had replaced these two people and met a mishap in their place. Furthermore, the scale and grade of this feral beast tide had increased by many folds because of this butterfly effect......A 9MUZ

—— The protagonist’s halo, it truly was a giant lethal weapon with both pros and cons......

"How did this disappearance come about? They truly can’t find him?" Allen abandoned the Incantation brush in his hand and impatiently asked the beastman who had come to report. In contrast, both of Sui Yuan’s parents, although they were grieved and heartbroken, they were not at all flustered and remained calm — after all, with regards to this kind of "stormy waves, rough at sea" kind of experience, it wasn’t as if the beast people of the Folson family hadn’t long mentally prepared themselves to face it.

"...... We can only say that we will do our utmost best to search for him."

The beastman’s tone was full of grief and pity as he looked at Allen, regarding him to be Seno’s soon-to-be widow. "However, I beg that you understand. Facing such a large-scale feral beast tide, the matters that we can accomplish are very few in number. The assignment of the armed forces is to resist the feral beast tide, and isn’t to look for those that have gone missing."fBqzOD

Allen fell back in a trance, backing away one step at a time, as if he had been struck by lightning. The beastman saluted him, and soon afterward began to carefully answer Sui Yuan’s parents’ questions about the situation. Fortunately, Allen was strong enough. After all, he managed to accept the fact that he had inexplicably transmigrated into the body of a sub-beastman who could give birth to children. He quickly calmed down and earnestly listened to the question and answer session occuring between the few people off to the side.

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The reporting beastman did not stay for long. He quickly rushed out. Sui Yuan’s parents ran towards Allen, and hugged him in a heavy, but comforting embrace. Soon after, they left the parlour, supporting each other. From behind, they seemed to have aged many years instantaneously.

It seemed to be as the beastman had said. Once beastmen disappeared during this kind of large-scale feral beast tide, there was practically no chance that they would return alive. Even their remains would be unlikely to have been left behind. Although it was a hard to accept fact, it was extremely rare for anyone to be able to remain optimistic when faced with this sort of circumstance.

Sui Yuan also found it difficult to accept in his heart. Although he was a qualified actor and he did not hold much familiar feelings towards the original inhabitants, however, regardless of whether it was because of his own feelings or because of the plot, he was reluctant to see Seno be left without even his remains at this point. His sole consolation was that by good fortune, Seno had more-or-less taken over this world’s protagonist gong role and thus should have received the protagonist halo. According to this reason, he ought to not die this easily. 5ogOeu

As Sui Yuan thought deeply, Allen finally seemed to have made up his mind too. Fist tightly clenched, Allen took a deep breath. Sui Yuan immediately adjusted his distracted facial expression and allowed Allen to pat his shoulder. Afterwards, Allen turned around to return to his own room, walking steadfastly.

"It seems that he plans to follow the plot, going deep into the feral beast tide by himself to look for Seno?" Leonard whispered into Sui Yuan’s ear.

Sui Yuan nodded his head, agreeing with his view. Only, his brows remained knitted and his mouth remained in a frown: "The timing has shifted earlier by a year, no matter if it’s his strength or his understanding of this world, he’s a bit worse off compared to how he was in the original plot. Will it go smoothly? If he’s not careful, our protagonist will also have to pay for this. What should we do?"

Leonard shrugged his shoulders. "Haven’t you already come up with a plan? You want to follow him, right?"BeOogW

"Do you think that it’s a good plan?" Sui Yuan still heavily relied on Leonard’s opinions.

"If we were to go with him, we could say that Eli felt anxious for his older brother, and disregarded the consequences to go find him. That probably wouldn’t be OOC."

Leonard paused, and added a bit unwillingly, "If we were to follow his tracks, I’m not at all confident that I will be able to protect you, myself, and him while in the middle of the feral beast tide. Nor am I confident that we will not be discovered if we were to follow in secret."

"So, we can only choose to travel together." Sui Yuan sighed.fxrnP7

The protagonists within stories always like to seek death to show how courageous and special they are. Yet when they’re seeking death, Sui Yuan...... can only throw his lot with them and risk his own life too.

The author has something to say:

I’ve finished my exams......and I did terribly.......I feel terrible......resting my chin on my head dejectedly. The smutty chapter has finally been locked. I don’t feel like doing anything today. I’ll put it off ’til sometime tomorrow.╮(╯▽╰)╭

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Eve: 3 more chapters until this arc is over~j3k2DY