Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health - Chapter 171

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

Episode 171

“Hi there?”
A smile and eyes as bright and clear as summer sunlight turned toward me.
The sudden warmth of her presence made me tilt my head. It was as if only that spot had different lighting.
“……Hi.”
At my quiet greeting, Chloe bloomed into an even brighter smile—like a flower bud bursting open—and turned to leave.
“……What? You know Chloe too, Arelin?”
“Ciel, you broke character.”
“I know her? How do I know her?”
“Maybe I should’ve given you actual cat ears instead.”
I touched the Rabbit Ear Headband that Chloe had enchanted—it fluttered about so vividly it seemed alive and moving.
Meanwhile, Chloe was laughing brightly among the other children.
‘So this is the original heroine…….’
I felt like I’d be sterilized and dried out by her radiance.
I found myself thinking of Fession—the original source of sunshine (?) who’d naturally exorcised my dark mood—and when I turned back, Fession was holding Noel’s headband and tilting his head at me.
“?”
“?”
In that moment of mutual confusion, Fession suddenly approached me and placed the Rabbit Ear Headband on my head.
“It suits you perfectly, Arelin.”
The sensation of something moving above my head felt entirely new and refreshing.
“Your turn.”
I took Ciel’s Rabbit Ear Headband and put it on him, and combined with his already handsome face, the result was absolutely devastating.
‘Is it even allowed for a person to be this cute?’
Was this a human, or the incarnation of cuteness itself?
Yet Fession couldn’t take his eyes off me, as if I were the cuter one.
“Arelin, it really does suit you so well.”
I wish there were a mirror. That’s probably why he says things like that without really knowing.
Just then, Ciel bounced up suddenly.
“Wow, Arelin’s so cute, meow!”
“Is that speech pattern permanent now?”
“Arelin should do it too, meow!”
“No way, meow.”
The Twins widened their eyes and laughed. They produced extra headbands from somewhere and put them back on.
These ones were actual cat ears, not rabbit ears.
‘Maybe because they’re twins, it suits them well.’
“Harun should wear one too, meow!”
Gentle Harun refused vehemently and tried to escape, but when Fession joined in with mischievous intent, he was soon caught.
“Rabbit or cat?”
“There are other ear styles?”
“Yeah. Bear ears, dog ears too.”
“Why do you have so many?”
“Hehe hehe.”
Ciel grinned with sinister amusement.
Right—he’d planned to try all of them from the start.
“—I don’t want to!”
Harun writhed in protest, but there was no escaping the fate of wearing animal ears.
“My Warrior’s Pride…….”
Watching Harun’s face flush bright red with shame in dog ears, something inside me stirred.
“So cute…….”
“Ugh.”
Harun, usually expressionless, had turned bright as a ripe tomato, and that embarrassment only made him cuter—tempting me to tease him more.
How could he be this adorable?
“D-don’t…….”
His reluctance was so pitiful, with tears even threatening to spill, that my mind told me to stop—but…….
“You’re so cute.”
With that teardrop clinging to the corner of his right eye, Harun had the flawless features of a cool-faced beauty, and the animal ears’ destructive power was immense.
As I lost myself in Harun’s adorableness, Fession, watching the scene, let out a laugh laced with something ominous.
“We should take it off.”
The Twins grabbed Fession.
“Let Arelin enjoy herself, just leave her be~.”
“A man’s jealousy is shameful~!”
Fession stopped dead.
“Shameful……? Me……?”
As Fession stood there shocked, the Twins giggled, and other children watching us rushed over.
“This looks fun. Do you have more of these?”

* * *

“What is this, some kind of animal farm…….”
The teacher who entered the classroom flinched at the sight of us children.
Indeed, we all wore animal ear headbands.
“So this was your plan.”
“Hehehehe.”
“With this, a new trend shall spread!”
At the Twins’ resourcefulness in using the Crown Prince and me as living advertisements, I shook my head in disbelief.
Who knew they’d try to make a profit off the whole class?
“Hand it over.”
“W-what?!”
“Advertising fee.”
The Twins played dumb, but when Harun and Fession united against them, they finally handed over money to me.
“Ugh, that’s too harsh.”
“Arelin’s mean.”
I split the money and gave half to Harun and the other half to Fession.
“Pocket money for you two.”
The moment I finished settling it, an uninvited guest squeezed in.
“What?”
“What what?”
While the Twins made their escape, Cheiyen took the now-empty seat beside me.
This shameless guy, honestly.
“Why are you sitting next to me?”
“Where else would I go?”
Cheiyen smiled confidently and shrugged as if this was the only place he could possibly sit.
Fession’s expression hardened instantly, and a subtle chill crept into the air, but only Cheiyen seemed unconcerned by it, still grinning.
Cheiyen spoke to the Twins.
“Give me one of those too.”
“Thirty gold.”
“Fine.”
Cheiyen casually handed over the substantial sum without hesitation and put on a Rabbit Ear Headband similar to mine.
Cold sweat broke out on my skin.
‘I-it… suits him well.’
Dammit, this superficiality.
But what crime is beauty? The real problem is what’s inside that exterior.
“You seem to like it.”
Cheiyen smiled prettily, having noticed my expression.
Wow, he really does pull it off well.
As I couldn’t tear my gaze away, Fession spoke with petulant malice.
“Does the Prince of Greyafort have no duties?”
“Call me Cheiyen, Your Highness.”
“…….”
Fession’s expression turned sour. The Twins, watching us, whispered so loudly that I could hear.
“Isn’t this weird?”
“Pretty suspicious actually.”
“There’s definitely something between the Prince of Greyafort and Arelin.”
“Must be.”
There’s nothing between us!
Absolutely nothing!
“Focus. We’re in class.”
At my stern look, Cheiyen laughed.
“You focus too.”
Who does he think he is, telling me to study?
Since today’s lesson was Etiquette, there was no need to pay close attention—except for a few who hadn’t attended those classes elsewhere.
I caught sight of Chloe, who lived at the Magic Tower, studying particularly hard, when Cheiyen leaned close and whispered.
“You keep watching her. Do you know her?”
“…….”
Was it that obvious I was paying attention?
“Not exactly…….”
Strictly speaking, I’m just paying attention to her on my own.
Sensing something from my words, Cheiyen looked at Chloe.
Now that I think about it, they do seem quite close.
“If you don’t even know her, why are you watching so intently?”
I closed my mouth before those curious, glimmering golden eyes.
“I guess it’s like… the whole world revolves around that girl?”
“……?”
“That’s just the feeling I get?”
In short, she’s the original heroine, so I can’t help but pay attention—that’s what I meant.
I was vaguely brushing it off when Cheiyen alternated his gaze between me and Chloe.
“That’s strange. What I see is something completely different.”
“……?”
When I tilted my head in confusion, Cheiyen smiled knowingly. From the look in his eyes that didn’t seem interested in explaining, I sensed he wouldn’t tell me even if I asked.
“If anything happens, you can ask me for help anytime.”
Why did his voice, sweet as honey—enough to draw insects—inspire only unease in me?
“I’ll help you.”
Looking at those gently curved eyes, I thought such thoughts.
The way he speaks those words—as if pondering how best to prepare something.

* * *

The Capital had a new trend.
Yesterday, having grown accustomed, I absentmindedly went home with the rabbit ears still on and all hell broke loose.
The Childcare Unit rushed to film everything, and Regent Duke Ludwig, who came out during the commotion to see what was happening and spotted me with the rabbit ears, went speechless—and then…….
“It seems people really do like father.”
Or rather, do they like father’s face?
My father was the culprit behind this chaos—he’d taken the headband I made for him and wore it to the Imperial Palace.
“He actually wore it to the Palace.”
Does my father have no sense of shame whatsoever?
The courtiers who witnessed his appearance rushed to get their own animal ears, and now the trend was spreading—truly incomprehensible.
“I’m starting to feel out of touch with the times.”
The Twins were giggling as my father’s face plastered the front page of the Albrecht Times.
“Perfect, just as planned.”
“Are we gonna be rich now?”
As if they weren’t already.
I was lost in bewilderment, having just kicked the Twins out, when it happened.
“Miss Arelin.”
A group of girls approached me.

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