A Side Character's Guide to Surviving an Otome Game

And Now We Return to Ambrose

Cale wasn't particularly fond of people who tried to take the people he had claimed as "his".

Venion ignored Cale and turned to Ambrose, his eyes bright and almost manic when they landed on him. "Lord Finley, I heard that you had fallen ill recently. I'm pleased to see you're on the mend." His smile seemed slimy.

Ambrose forced a smile, choking back the string of swear words he wished he could throw at the man as he struggled to keep up his nobleman facade. "Why, thank you, Lord Stan. It was nothing more than a simple cold, however, nothing to worry about."

It had been more than a simple cold- Ambrose had been unable to move for weeks, the pain in his leg essentially paralyzing him- but it wasn't like Ambrose was about to admit weakness to a noble, and especially not to someone as insane and yandere-ish as Venion.

His gloved hands tightened on Stick as he tried to ignore the look on Venion's face.

"Your health should not be overlooked, Lord Finley!" Venion protested, his blue eyes feverish. "If the Henituse family is overlooking your health by brushing it off as a simple cold...!" He practically spat out the Henituse name.

Cale smashed his fist on the table, rising from where he sat to loom over the blond- a vaguely amusing sight, given that Cale himself was challenged in the height department. "The Henituse family would never overlook Lord Finley's health!" Cale hissed, his eyes narrowed into slits. He laid his hand on Ambrose's shoulder protectively, baring his teeth. "So I suggest, Lord Stan, that you pay heed to my father's warning and walk away, before you do something you'll regret."

A couple other nearby nobles looked over, twittering with excitement and curiosity. By the end of the party, Ambrose was sure that the exchange would be shared with everyone attending the banquet, both noble and servant alike. By tomorrow, the exchange would be printed in every noblewoman's gossip paper and shared with every single servant's family and friends.

In short, Ambrose would be once more a hot topic amongst the drama-loving society.

Ambrose had a headache.

God, how he hated the prince's banquets.

"That party went rather well, did it not?" Cale said conversationally as they arrived back at the Henituse manor via teleportation circle.

Ambrose resisted the urge to smack Cale over the head with Stick. "I think you're delusional, Henituse," he groaned.

"Again with the Henituse?" Cale laid his hand on his chest in mock offense. "Why so angry?"

Ambrose sighed. "These parties are atrocious." By the end of the banquet, Ambrose had been confronted by no less than forty individuals wanting to "wish him well" while simultaneously wanting to ask him about the earlier stand-off with Venion.

His social battery was never high to begin with, but now? It was completely depleted and all Ambrose wanted to do was to curl up in bed and never wake up again.

"This is why I suggest that we don't attend."

"Unfortunately, Cale, as much as I would love to not attend, they are held by the Crown Prince."

At the mention of Cale's newest "rival", Cale stiffened, causing Ambrose to roll his eyes. "That doesn't mean we have to attend!"

Ambrose just rolled his eyes, leaning more heavily on Stick as the pain in his leg pulsed again. The pain was making his headache worse, and it was getting harder to hide it from Cale now that they were walking.

"I will be in my chambers," Ambrose said, dislodging his best friend from his arm. "The interaction with Venion left me with a bitter headache, and everyone else just intensified it."

Cale's face darkened at the mention of Venion Stan. "Of course. I'll send Ron with some drinks."

"Just make sure he doesn't bring lemonade," Ambrose pleaded quietly.

Oh how he hated bitter drinks, and oh how Ron seemed to delight in giving him the most bitter drinks known to mankind.

It was probably some twisted form of affection towards Ambrose, and sure he should've probably felt touched, but it was hard to feel emotional when he was choking down an eye-wateringly bitter drink.

"I'll make sure to pass that message on to Beacrox," Cale laughed. Cale, too, hated the drinks Ron gave them, though he personally despised the sour taste rather than the bitter aftertaste that Ambrose despised.

Ambrose nodded his head at Cale and painstakingly made his way to his chambers, which were thankfully close to the transportation circle- a brilliant idea by Basen, Ambrose had to admit. He immediately fell into bed, not even bothering to change his clothes.

His dreams were filled with nightmares of fire and violence.

A/N: okay okay not much has happened plot-wise, but soon! i promise. i just kinda wanted to explore what life would be like for ambrose since he's been living in this world pretty peacefully for five years, unlike in totcf when kim rok soo is transmigrated days before the main story plot began. ambrose has an established life in this world, and therefore i wanted to sort of show that in this beginning part. but the story will def become more interesting reaaaaaallllyyyyy soon, i swear. and yes, i know venion stan is not like this canonically. however, i felt like, in this story, he *would* be the obsessive one. just as a reminder, this is very not canon and very much fanfiction. thank you.