Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health - Chapter 141

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 141

I regretted that this was merely a Fragment of the Past summoned by an Item.
That I could do nothing but watch over the person called Sione.
My mother, cradling her swollen belly, spoke softly to me—a child not yet born.
“I don’t care for cucumbers, but I wonder what you’ll think of them. Perhaps your tastes will differ.”
So she doesn’t like cucumbers.
“That festival I attended holding hands with Valere—the view was so beautiful. Someday I hope my baby sees it too.”
Yes. I’ll hold Father’s hand and see it for certain.
Beyond these things, small stories accumulated.
Sione fled to escape the Regent, unable to hide her pregnancy, and even in those difficult circumstances, she was happy.
“I wish you’d come soon.”
Longing to meet me quickly, yet—
“But then we’d have to part.”
—she whispered, reluctant to leave my presence in her womb.
Though at times her expression grew wistful, as if remembering something distant.
“Will he be all right……?”
But more than that, she thought of my future.
I recalled something Father had told me long ago.

“You are a daughter born of your mother’s love.”

Could any words have been more fitting?
I always believed I was the daughter of both Father and Mother’s love.
But truly, Mother bore me out of love for me alone.
No further explanation was needed.
The tender gaze in her eyes and the gentle voice that was always speaking to me—
All the emotion came through in the yearning expression and movements as she awaited my arrival.
“If only I’d been born into an ordinary household, I could have spent more time with you……”
The woman who had suffered her whole life being tossed about by things she never desired ached at the thought that she could not spare me from that same fate.
“I pray your fate will not be the same as mine.”
Now I understood why Father sometimes looked like a boy who hadn’t fully grown.
To have been raised with such love, only to lose the person who gave it in such a senseless way—how could he be anything but trapped in that moment?
“My baby.”
What if Sione had been born into an ordinary household and given birth to me?
I would have received the mother’s love I’d always longed for, and then perhaps—perhaps—
“I’m so sorry.”
I wanted to take her outstretched hand. I wanted to tell her not to apologize.
Though I knew this was only a record of the past, I wanted to step into that moment.

“Because I love you so much and you mean the world to me, to protect you, so that you can be happy—that’s why I’m sending you to him.”

Father’s words were true.
Mother truly loved me, truly cherished me, and had sent me to Father to protect me.
Entrusting your daughter to the one person you love and can truly trust.
That was the best choice Mother could have made.
Valere. Arelin.
These two were everything Sione loved.

* * *

[You have read the past memories of Sione Sigria of Halbern.]
[Cooldown Time until next question: 38 days 18 hours]
The longest Cooldown Time yet appeared, but I harbored no regrets. This was a memory I had to witness, whatever the price.
“Mother’s legacy was so close to me all along.”
And I never knew.
My eyes grew damp. I was crying without realizing it.
“Father……”
He truly was so loved.
Valere wanted to save Sione. Sione wanted to protect Valere.
Because they loved and treasured each other so deeply, their devotion created only sorrow.
“I need to go back to Father.”
Now I understood why Father made such an ambiguous expression whenever he looked at me.
“Is he an idiot?”
I couldn’t reduce all that complexity to a single sentence, but why should he bear it alone like a fool?
Now I grasped why Father clung to me like a child. He must have been feeling what I’m feeling now.
‘You should have told me sooner.’
Though perhaps I was still too young.
But wait!
How was I supposed to know? If I’d learned this sooner, I wouldn’t have misunderstood Father at all!
I was such an innocent reader, blind to the angst!
“I’ll boil every last sweet potato and devour them all!”
A storm of apology and regret crashed over me.
Without knowing at whom my anger truly aimed, I snapped and huffed my way out of the Grand Duke’s quarters.
I wanted to see Mehren. I wanted to see Father.
“Regent, arrange a meeting.”
The time had truly come to leave the Southern Empire.
‘If you won’t let me go this time, I’ll use the escape route from Mother’s memories!’

* * *

The Grand Duke of Halbern and the Saren Knights arrived safely in Lemsha, the Capital of the Southern Empire, where Rok Fortress stands.
Some posed as ordinary travelers, others as merchants, so entering the Capital proved surprisingly easy.
“Ah, the weather’s fine—must be because it’s the south.”
“This place has some kind of Blessing, so it’s always spring here, right?”
“Really blessed.”
“Blessed indeed……”
Compared to Halbern’s domain in the northern reaches of the Empire, it was an absurdly generous Blessing.
Winter transformed the Northern Region into a frozen hell.
Enormous heating costs, firewood that was never enough no matter how much you gathered, land where you couldn’t survive without a thick coat……
“Suddenly I hate these southern bastards.”
“You too? Me too.”
“These dogs never worry about heating bills in their whole lives. Damn them.”
Jaren clicked his tongue watching the knights hold a grievance session over how painful it was when plate armor froze.
“These guys sold a dragon and made a fortune. Why are they still whining like paupers?”
“What did you say?! Jaren, you bastard.”
“Think you’re the only rich one?!”
Some of the knights moved to gift spears to this silver-spoon ignoramus, but quieted at Jaren’s remark that drawing attention would be dangerous.
“We’ll settle this back home.”
“Not scared are you?”
After quelling the knights’ grumbling, Jaren approached Valere, who continued to sit in enigmatic silence.
“So, my lord. When do we run ‘that operation’?”
That operation was the Arelin Abduction Operation. Valere, studying the distant Rok Fortress, nodded curtly.
“Tonight.”

* * *

“What?”
Ruthwig’s eyes narrowed as he questioned. An attendant stammered and lowered his head.
“Young Lady Arelin says she absolutely must meet with you, the Regent, or she will… she’ll jump…”
“Hah.”
Like mother, like daughter—even her blackmail technique was an art form.
“Tell her it’s not possible now. Say I’ll see her later.”
The insomnia that had plagued him since losing Sione had worsened these past few days, making even daily life difficult to endure.
Ruthwig desperately hoped Arelin wouldn’t test what little patience remained.
Learning that Arelin wasn’t his blood felt like a blow to the back of the head that shocked him awake—he wanted to rush to Sione and interrogate her immediately. But Arelin was innocent.
He wasn’t so far gone as to vent his anger on a guiltless child.
And…
‘She’s the same but different.’
Though she had Sione’s face down to the smallest detail, Arelin did things Sione would never do.
‘A softer Sione—I can’t imagine it at all.’
One thing was certain: Ruthwig didn’t want to frighten Arelin. He didn’t want to be harsh, didn’t want to keep his distance. He wanted to approach her naturally.
This was a kind of emotion he’d never felt before in his life.
“Why are you coming back?”
“It’s that…”
Ruthwig’s eyes narrowed as the attendant he’d sent away re-entered.
Then.
“Regent! Sir!”
Arelin burst into the office without ceremony.
She’d come this far and no one had stopped her, it seemed.
Ruthwig’s brow furrowed.
“Send her back.”
“Not that again. If it’s what I think, we’ve already settled this…”
“You’re not my father anyway. I know everything.”
Ruthwig’s eyes narrowed at her confident retort.
He’d sworn to kill everyone present if that secret leaked, and yet somehow it had. Who in hell was responsible?
“I want to see Mother.”
“Your mother again?”
“And I want to see Father.”
“…”
Father—she must mean Valere.
A twisted emotion surged violently.
Sharp envy flooded through him. The moment he recognized it as envy, his eyes twitched.
Envious. How absurd…
“It’s still not possible. You’re my daughter.”
“You’re not my real father!”
“So long as your mother is my wife, I have parental rights. If I say you’re my daughter, you are.”
“That’s not fair at all!”
“There’s no room for compromise. Now leave.”
Arelin, who had been glaring defiantly, suddenly clutched her chest.
“Ugh.”
At the twist of her expression, Ruthwig pressed his forehead. She didn’t need to inherit this from Sione too.
“Hah, are you acting? I don’t know where you learned such a trick, but you think I’d fall for—”
Arelin, gasping and moaning while clutching her chest, seemed to realize something.
“Oh, I didn’t take my medicine.”
“…?”
In that instant, Arelin collapsed.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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