Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health - Chapter 196

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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 196

“Arelin has awakened?!”
Until this morning, Fession had been floating on cloud nine from the glad tidings that arrived from Halbern Manor.
“Yes. Miss Arelin wishes to have an audience with Your Highness. How shall we proceed?”
“Of course we must see her!”
Fession accepted at once, only to hesitate a moment later.
Did he even have time today?
Griam, quick to read his young master’s mind, laid out the schedule with crisp efficiency.
“Once you finish just one lesson after lunch, you should have two or three hours free.”
“Griam!”
“Indeed. I am rather capable, am I not?”
Though he said it lightly, Griam found his own lips curving upward as he watched Fession smile so brightly for the first time in months.
Children truly were wonderful when they laughed.
“Has Arelin recovered?”
“I cannot say for certain. Halbern has only conveyed that Miss Arelin wishes to see you.”
“I do hope she’s gotten better…”
In any case, the news that Arelin—who had been bedridden for half a year—was awake was heartening indeed.
Fession wanted nothing more than to abandon his schedule and rush to see her at once, but that was simply not feasible.
“When exactly will Master return from the Northern Fortress?”
It had been nearly a year since Mubisk had been dispatched to the Northern Fortress to fill the void left by the Grand Duke of Halbern and the Saren Knights.
Though Mubisk had entered the fortress as though on a brief excursion, the relentless onslaught of monsters pouring from the Abyss had rendered him rooted there instead.
Since the Grand Duke of Halbern had vanished unexpectedly, no one had thought to call him back. The military was simply relieved that the Saren Knights, at least, had returned to the Northern Fortress.
“It seems Duke Mubisk is quite satisfied with his posting.”
“The monsters there have excellent flavor, he says.”
“…Flavor.”
“The touch is different from inland monsters, or so he told me. He said I should visit sometime.”
“…”
What in the world has Duke Mubisk been telling Albrecht’s future ruler?
Watching Fession speak of the Northern Fortress—humanity’s final rampart, the site of endless war—as though it were a tourist destination, Griam swallowed the sigh that threatened to escape.
He could not interrupt; it was the first time in ages that Fession had chattered away like this.
Griam found himself smiling for the first time in months at the sight of Fession’s endearing expression, the kind that softened the faces of all who saw it.
Compared to the past half year, when he had grown quieter and drifted about listlessly, this version of Crown Prince Fession suited him far better.
“Your Highness seems particularly energetic today.”
“Hm? Is Your Highness smiling?”
“What is it? Has something good happened?”
Griam was not alone in noticing the change. Everyone who encountered Fession that day remarked on it in one way or another.
Even at the comfortable lunch hour, when Fession met Sirua, the boy’s expression soured. Fession returned his look with equal impudence.
“What, what.”
“Nothing…”
“?”
“I hated seeing you mope around all depressed, but now that you’re walking about grinning like an idiot, it irritates me just the same.”
Sirua’s words laid bare the complicated feelings he harbored toward his blood brother. Fession let out a snort of laughter.
“What are you saying, Siru?”
Meow.
“Siru, let me pet your belly.”
Mew.
The captured cat surrendered its belly, and peace descended. Sirua, nominally Siru’s master, narrowed his eyes to slits.
“Siru is a free spirit—let him go, you villain!”
“Who are you calling a villain?”
“You.”
“That’s right.”
“You’re only a year older than me!”
“Then you should have been born earlier.”
“How aggravating. You’re insufferable. Drop dead.”
“Show some respect and call me brother.”
“I’ll do no such thing as long as I live!”
The two children squared off, each bristling with wounded pride.
“Siru! Come here—I’m your real master!”
Meow.
“Don’t ignore me.”
The divine beast, older than he appeared, wanted nothing to do with the children’s quarrel.
Escape!
“Oh!”
Siru darted away in an instant, leaving Fession and Sirua nonplussed.
“You made Siru run away.”
“Ha. Spare me. It was your fault.”
As Fession and Sirua traded blame, young Terion pressed a piece of bread into each of their hands.
“Eat this and make up.”
The two children’s frowns melted away instantly.
Once again, Terion had preserved the peace of the Imperial Palace through sheer cuteness.

* * *

At last the moment arrived.
After lunch, right up until he was to see Arelin, Fession found it nearly impossible to concentrate during his lesson.
The professor’s voice did not reach his ears; the words on the page would not sink into his eyes. His mind was wholly consumed by thoughts of Arelin.
Had the Magic Tower finally succeeded in developing that cure they’d been working on? But how could she be up and about so soon? Was she really all right? He wanted to see her so badly.
He sensed, with the clarity of intuition, that moments like this would not come again, and the thrill of it was almost unbearable.
When the lesson ended, Fession hurried Griam along, barely returning the customary bow.
“Where is Arelin?!”
“She is in the Garden.”
“I’m going now!”
“Your Highness!”
As Fession strode quickly into the garden, he caught sight of Arelin’s figure in the distance. His heart hammered in his chest.
It was really her.
“Arelin—!”
Though he had been taught that as Crown Prince he must never forget his dignity and composure, that running in the Imperial Palace was beneath him, Fession cast all such lessons aside in that moment and ran.
His heart was in such a rush he could not possibly walk.
Every second felt precious.
“Hm?”
Arelin turned toward him, then suddenly stopped short and swayed. The color drained from her face.
Fession froze without meaning to.
The white hand Arelin pressed to her mouth stained red.
Drip. Drip.
Crimson droplets fell.
Even seeing it, Fession’s mind could not process that it was blood.
As he stood paralyzed, unable even to blink, Arelin’s small frame began to crumple.
His mind screamed at him to run and catch her, but his body would not obey.
As Fession watched helplessly while she fell, an unfamiliar arm caught her failing form.
In that instant, their eyes met.
Cold golden eyes regarded Fession for a moment before looking down at Arelin. A white robe stained red with blood.
“Why already… she should have been fine for at least a few more days…”
The man’s face twisted as he held Arelin and vanished rapidly, fading into light. Only after watching him disappear completely did Fession regain his senses.
“What?”
What had just happened?
“Arelin?”
She was gone.
Vanished without a trace.
“Arelin?”
Had he been dreaming?
What had just occurred?
Who was that man?
In the strange, sluggish moment as if time itself had stopped, Fession closed his eyes, then opened them again.
The adults’ kindness in not disturbing the reunion of the two children had, paradoxically, become a curse.
It was only much later that Griam, sensing something amiss, appeared.
“Your Highness? What has happened?”
“Griam.”
“I heard… commotion…”
“Arelin… Arelin…”
As Griam puzzled over the sight of Fession standing alone, the boy himself could find no words. His mind spiraled.
“Arelin…”
She had coughed blood. She had lost consciousness. She had collapsed. She had gone pale.
Many sentences came to mind, but only one thing was possible for Fession to say.
“…Arelin disappeared.”

* * *

The Imperial Palace was thrown into chaos.
The shock-stricken Crown Prince could give no coherent account, and eventually talented individuals summoned by Empress Azeni’s order took over the investigation and damage control.
During all this, Mehren—who looked as though he might burst if not allowed to demand Arelin’s immediate recovery—remained surprisingly quiet. Only after Empress Azeni met with him directly could she make sense of his silence.

“I have a rough understanding of what has occurred.”

With that, the investigation was promptly halted, and both the Imperial Palace and Halbern fell silent on the matter of Arelin’s whereabouts.
And so Arelin, vanished, did not return.
“Griam, where is Arelin?”
Yet every day since Arelin disappeared, Fession asked after her.
“Still no word?”
“…I apologize. I have nothing to tell you.”
Rumors spread that Arelin was dead.
Fession was outraged, but Mehren—who should have mounted a forceful response—offered no statement whatsoever.
Halbern had always been difficult to approach, but after the rumors began, Mehren, who had previously handled what little external affairs they conducted, vanished entirely. Halbern became completely inaccessible.
“It makes no sense.”
He could not believe it.
It must have been a dream.
Fession rejected reality.
“I’ll go to Halbern myself.”

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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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