Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health - Chapter 2

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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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Episode 2

There was no miraculous Status Window appearing just because I called for one.
“So I prepared it myself.”
Name: Arelin Sigria Halbern.
Status: the sole daughter and heiress of House of Halbern, one of the Five Great Ducal Houses of the Grand Empire of Albrecht.
The rightful heir of Halbern.
And the successor.
That’s me.
“Wow, born with a silver spoon!”
There was a time when I felt that way too.
My body tottered the moment I got up. My head spun immediately after. Today, like every day, my body was garbage.
“Is this what it feels like to have your physical stats nerfed?”
Like stepping out of a high-end luxury sedan into a beat-up used economy car that’s been driven for fifty years?
“Why is this trial being given to me?”
The world’s trial because I’m too exceptional?
Was this terminal condition not just a time limit like [Death in: 3205 Hours]?
“What am I supposed to do with this garbage body?”
In novels, the heroine accomplishes everything—commands loyal retainers even as a baby, runs businesses, receives divine grace—but I couldn’t. I lost.
“Maybe it’s because this isn’t a possession, but an actual reincarnation?”
I never wanted this character—no perks, just penalties stacked on top of penalties.
I was certain it was reincarnation, not possession, because the memories of my second life as Arelin came rushing back with crystalline clarity, layer upon layer.
And was I happy about that?
I don’t know.
When I didn’t have them, I didn’t notice. But now that the memories have returned, my mental age has risen even a little, and I can see things I couldn’t before.

“Ah, so that person is…”

Those sharp, cutting glances that made me flinch whenever I left the room.
I couldn’t understand them back then.

“Right, they say the Halbern Duke picked her up from the streets.”
“They don’t even know who her mother is?”
“Even if she’s illegitimate, she’s been formally recognized as the successor, so she’ll become the next master of House Halbern.”
“An illegitimate becoming the master of Halbern? It’s the end times, truly the end times.”

Now I understood.
“The Halbern Duke suddenly brought back a baby from somewhere without explanation, disappeared for weeks, was it even his own daughter—no one knows. He left her with a proxy and rushed off to the Northern Front, so the whole situation remains a mystery. Then Arelin died before even turning ten, and the truth was buried forever.”
With Arelin’s death, House Halbern falls into ruin.
The novel focused mostly on the protagonist, so I didn’t know Halbern’s future clearly.
Ugh, it’s so bleak.
This new life isn’t easy.
“Sigh…”
Whether it was exhaustion from my body or my heart being worn down by the surfacing memories of my past life, I couldn’t tell. I just wanted to throw everything away and rest.
I should summon my survival instincts here—treat the disease, prevent the house from falling—but I had no motivation at all.
Whether I die or not.
Everyone dies anyway.
Had I really been so buried in that dark place?
“I heard you’ve been staying in your room lately, so I stopped by.”
He appeared. My guardian.

* * *

A handsome man with finely textured, soft honey-blonde hair and pale-green eyes that gleamed gold in sunlight, with a sharp-featured countenance.
“Mehenleborgen.”
But underestimate this man and you won’t survive in the Halbern Residence.
Within the Halbern Residence, this man is a predator.
The proxy of the Halbern Duke.
The chief aide of the Halbern Duke.
The administrator of the Capital City residence.
And.
“Long time no see, Young Lady.”
My poor guardian.
Mehenleborgen spoke in a weary voice, pressing his temples with his fingertips as if exhausted.
“If there is anything troubling you, you need only tell me…”
In this worn, civil-servant tone of someone taking complaints at a desk…
When I didn’t have the memories from my past life, that sharp, prickly atmosphere frightened me. I thought he’d snap at me any moment.
But now I could see—this man was just an unfortunate office worker ground down by a black company.
‘Poor guy. He can’t even clock out.’
Right, what’s his fault? It’s the fault of having a bad boss.
Or should I say a bad lord in this context?
Mehenleborgen.
This prodigy, picked up as a child by the young Duke and brought into the Halbern Residence, ground through everything with sheer ability despite the limitations of his common birth.
He’s even registered with the Nobility Council and firmly maintains his position as the Duke’s right hand to this day.
‘Though he lost the ability to go home.’
Apparently he bought a townhouse and estate under his own name in the Capital City, but can’t go home to use them because of work. Poor thing.
And then there’s me, thrown on top as a bonus burden.
I felt sorry for him without reason.
Childcare for a perfectly healthy twenty-five-year-old bachelor. Honestly, I think this is my biological father’s fault.
I figured it was unavoidable if Mehenleborgen hated me.
“Long time.”
“Yes. Pardon?”
Mehenleborgen, who had been answering out of habit, tilted his head as he looked at me belatedly.
Why such a strange reaction?
Oh right. I was supposed to be afraid of Mehenleborgen.
“Well, that is…”
Noticing that he was too surprised at just a greeting, Mehenleborgen cleared his throat awkwardly.
“There’s nothing wrong. Don’t worry.”
“I see.”
“Yes.”
By preempting him, I stole whatever he was about to say, and a deathly silence fell over the room.
“…”
“…”
Mehenleborgen’s eyes narrowed.
As if he were trying to discern something about me.
“…But, Young Lady. I heard from the Care Unit that lately you haven’t been engaging in any social activities.”
“I hated going out anyway.”
“…”
Mehenleborgen’s expression became subtle.
“It puts too much strain on my heart.”
“I see. Well. Yes.”
“I’ll stay quiet.”
Mehenleborgen fell silent. I thought it was the answer he wanted, but the silence stretched longer than expected, so I tilted my head.
“…Did I do something wrong?”
“No. Not at all.”
A quick denial. Yet Mehenleborgen’s expression remained complicated.
“Well…”
He looked at me as if he didn’t know what to say.
For a long moment, quietly.
“Understood.”
And then came his answer.
“Rest then.”
“Okay.”
Mehenleborgen left with a puzzled tilt of his head.
I lay back down on the bed.

* * *

Leaving Arelin’s room, Mehenleborgen couldn’t stop tilting his head.
Something—something he couldn’t quite pinpoint—was off. He considered ignoring it, but it nagged at him like a splinter caught in his throat, and he couldn’t let it go.
“Hah…”
It had been three months since he’d last seen Arelin’s face, what with so much work to handle.
Was that the problem?
‘Actually, something was different, wasn’t it?’
Even if Mehenleborgen was known for being oblivious to such things, he couldn’t help but notice.
“Mehenleborgen?”
“Dillen.”
After some deliberation, Mehenleborgen finally convened the Care Unit.
“Summon everyone.”

* * *

It had been six years ago.
The Halbern Duke, who had vanished for weeks without a word, suddenly reappeared carrying an infant.
“Who is this child?”
The Halbern Duke promptly handed over a newborn.
“She’s my daughter. Raise her well.”
“Pardon?”
Then he headed straight for the Imperial Palace, and soon after left for the Northern Front.
At nineteen, despite being a prodigy of legendary caliber, Mehenleborgen knew nothing about childcare—it was like a bolt from the blue.
“What am I supposed to do about this, you lunatic lord?”
The only reply to the carefully worded letter expressing his distress was: “The girl’s name is Arelin. Raise her well.”
After losing his composure and sending back a tirade of curses, the reply was simply: “I trust you.”
What was he supposed to do about this shameless lord?
Setting aside the urge to rebel that crept up from that poor choice of lord, Mehenleborgen faced his new reality.
He was at a loss.
No matter how much Mehenleborgen was called a genius, that was only in management and administration.
So he made a decision: “Leave it to the professionals.” He commandeered the lord’s funds to gather talent.
Top graduates from the Ernst International Butler/Maid Academy, the very best of the best—scholars with perfect theory—assembled into a dedicated care team for Arelin.
Commonly called the Care Unit.
They were professionals. In theory, at least.
“I knew it.”
“It is strange, isn’t it?”
“She’s lost her vitality, so to speak. The brightness in her eyes seems to have died.”
Rena, the head maid, wore a gloomy expression.
“She’s locked herself in her room and won’t come out.”
“Though she does eat well.”
Ern, the chief butler, offered his observations.
“She’s stopped smiling as much as before. She used to laugh if we made her laugh, but now…”
“Is something troubling her?”
“How could we not notice if something was wrong?”
Tap. Tap.
While the lively exchange of opinions continued, Mehenleborgen, seated at the head, remained quiet, tapping only on the table.
“How is her health?”
Uni, the health-care maid, answered quickly to Mehenleborgen’s question.
“So a few days ago, we moved up her regular checkup.”
“What did the attending physician say?”
“No particular problems, he said. Though given Young Lady’s naturally frail constitution, there’s nothing remarkable to report.”
Everyone fell somber.
Despite House of Halbern possessing everything, treating Arelin’s body was far too difficult a task.
“She suddenly shutting herself away—that’s never happened before.”
“She always wanted to go out…”
“She’s at the age when children want to run and play. Before, we were always having to stop her.”
A complete reversal of the usual situation.
“For now, we can’t even see her unless Young Lady comes out of her room…”
“Is there any reason she would do that…?”
The moment everyone grew serious.
“Oh! Now that I think of it, tomorrow is that day!”
A solution appeared.

* * *

Today was the day.
The day to meet the male protagonist.
‘…Not really. It’s a gathering for building rapport among the Crown Prince, great nobles’ heirs, and imperial talents.’
But for me right now, it was the day to get a glimpse of the male protagonist.
“Welcome, Lady Arelin. Thank you for coming. Your friends are waiting. I’ll show you the way.”
“Have fun while you’re here.”
I entered the Crown Prince’s residence with a cheerful send-off from Butler Ern.
This world ran on highly advanced Magical Engineering.
If I had to compare it to Earth, it was like the transition from modernity to the contemporary era.
Thus the Imperial Capital, where all capital and technology converged, was dazzling beyond measure.
Its crystallization was the Imperial Palace.
‘It feels like I’m touring a neighboring country.’
Ridiculous amounts of money on display.
I marveled at the fantastical, artistic, and intricately designed structures.
My eyes were pleased.
‘If this were the world, business might have been worth doing.’
Well, it doesn’t matter anyway—I won’t live long.
Even as I thought this, just from a short walk my breathing was already growing labored.
…This body really is garbage.
Can’t even walk a bit without this.
“Young Lady?”
“I’m fine.”
Fortunately or unfortunately, pain was familiar to me from both my past and current lives.
“Here it is.”
The reception hall was already crowded with children.
Stepping through the door held open by an Imperial Palace maid, the children glanced at me and greeted me politely, but none showed particular interest.
Hm, how familiar.
I should have felt slighted, insulted, or indignant, but instead I felt at ease.
Being alone was easier.
The fact that I didn’t have to force myself to smile and socialize with six-year-olds was even better.
I wedged myself into a corner and surveyed the room.
‘So these are the future of Albrecht?’
The “childhood friends of the Crown Prince,” handpicked by Empress Azeni.
Over there were the troublemaking twins from another of the Five Great Ducal Houses.
There, a marquis’s heir who would later become the Crown Prince’s sworn guardian knight.
It felt like watching celebrities.
Here I was, seeing in person all these famous names I’d only read about in novels.
‘So that one becomes the legendary womanizer who makes all the women of Albrecht weep, and that one becomes the so-called mad sword master?’
Knowing someone’s future was a strange feeling.
Even if I wouldn’t be there to see it.
‘Too bad I can’t witness the infamous love triangle that shakes the empire.’
I was idly thinking such things with my chin propped on my hand when suddenly there was commotion at the door.
“Fassion!”
“The Crown Prince, Your Highness!”
He’d arrived.
Every child instantly rushed to the door with gleaming eyes.
“Hi, everyone!”
The day’s protagonist made a grand entrance with a flourish.
“Wow…”
I gasped without thinking.
Is this really what seven-year-old beauty looks like?

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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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