Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health - Chapter 22

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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 22

“What? What did you just say?”
Jade responded half a beat too late. Feshion shook his head.
“Nothing. Never mind.”
“Your Highness, are you feeling unwell?”
“No, I’m perfectly fine!”
“Phew, you gave me a start.”
Jade pressed a hand to his chest. He’d nearly become that most despicable of men—the one who put the crown prince through drills without noticing he was ill.
At Jade’s sharp reaction, Feshion spoke up.
“It’s just… well, there’s a friend of mine who’s rather frail, and because his health isn’t good, he can’t play for very long. But I want to play with him for longer, you see.”
Feshion scraped his foot against the floor, embarrassed.
“If he got healthier, we could play more, couldn’t we?”
“That’s true.”
Jade looked at the crown prince’s flushed cheeks.
His face still carried the softness of childhood, round with baby fat. And yet there was something of Emperor Edward and Empress Azeni in his features—a shadow of royalty that time would only sharpen.
What blessed soul was the object of such unguarded affection and care?
“Health, then…”
The crown prince had a generous heart indeed. Such tender concern for a friend—it spoke well of his character.
Jade applied himself with full dedication to imparting everything he knew.
“The human body operates on surprisingly simple principles.”
“Simple? How so?”
“Regular habits, sufficient sleep, three balanced meals a day with proper nutrition, and moderate exercise. That’s the core of it.”
“I see.”
“Has that been helpful?”
“Yes!”
Feshion laughed.
It was a smile bright enough to illuminate the darkest corners of the world.
“The most important thing is exercise. The human body is designed to gain vitality only through proper activity.”
“Of course!”
“Greater strength! A healthier body! That requires training.”
Without quite meaning to, Jade found himself smiling with satisfaction as he picked up his sword again.
“Shall we resume your training, then?”
“Yes!”
Let me finish this quickly so I can go tell Arelin how to get healthy!
It was after Feshion had completed his training with renewed vigor.
The next day came the scheduled playdate with his childhood companions.
“What? Arelin isn’t coming?!”
Thump.
It was the moment dark clouds rolled in over Feshion’s plans.

* * *

Not having to go is wonderful.
Mehenm kept his promise to me. He’d sent an official notice to the Imperial Palace saying I’d be unable to attend for a while due to poor health.
“Mehenm is the best.”
What am I doing, you ask?
I’ve burrowed so deeply into my light, fluffy blankets that I’ve effectively merged with the bed itself.
Back in South Korea, there’s a saying:
The world outside the bed is dangerous!
“Since the world outside the bed is dangerous, I’m staying right here all day.”
Everything was perfect.
Except for one thing.
“Are you really quite all right, miss?”
“Shall I get you something? Would you like to rest?”
“Couldn’t we just stay here and watch over you? We won’t do anything at all, I promise. We won’t even breathe loudly.”
“Oh dear. Miss, you’re being difficult.”
The butler and maids were being far too clingy.
“Miss!”
“Miss Arelin!”
I’d become someone who had to hide from the butler and maids just to avoid them.
“Sigh.”
I’d already suffered enough at the hands of that new pest at the Imperial Palace, and now this household wouldn’t leave me in peace either.
“After Master Mehenm, I’m the one who receives the most favor from the young miss.”
“What are you talking about? I’m the one truly qualified—I’m the one responsible for the young miss’s health.”
“Then why couldn’t you even give her medicine on time?”
“You!”
Why were they fighting in the first place?
The butler and maids, who always wanted to appear dignified and professional, dropped their masks, and the mansion turned into a battlefield in an instant.
“But why aren’t you over there fighting with them?”
The one quietly keeping watch by my side, as though present yet absent, was always Ern—the butler who escorted me whenever I went outside.
I’d heard he was some sort of remarkable knight, so I couldn’t fathom why he worked as a butler.
“Ah, the young miss is taking notice of me…”
Ern was moved.
Right. He was from the Childcare Unit too.
“Don’t worry, miss. I won’t lower myself to such behavior.”
“…”
“Hm-hm. Is that a look of doubt in your eyes? It wounds me. I’m content to serve and protect the young miss in the shadows, like a proper shadow should.”
I kept giving him suspicious looks, but Ern deftly deflected them.
Come to think of it, Ern hadn’t really been a bother to me at all lately, had he?
“The others are reflecting deeply on their past behavior and steeling their resolve. They’ve sworn a blood oath to serve and care for you more perfectly, never to leave you alone again.”
A blood oath—that sounds terrifying no matter how many times I hear it.
“From this day forward, nothing shall ever happen to the young miss again.”
“…Fine, whatever.”
Was that incident when the maids insulted me really so shocking?
Being insulted is so routine for me that I’m not sure what the fuss was about. Wasn’t it normal? They all seem to be overreacting, if you ask me.
“Don’t worry, young miss. We’ll dedicate ourselves with all our hearts and serve you for life!”
Had Ern always been this passionate of a character?
Startled by the blazing fervor in his eyes, I nodded up and down and then tilted my head in confusion.
“But isn’t the Childcare Unit all on Contract Positions?”
“…Pardon?”
“So how can you serve for life?”
As far as I knew, the contract was supposed to end when I either died or reached adulthood.
I’d only asked out of simple curiosity, but Ern’s eyes went wide.
There was a question in his gaze—as if asking how I could possibly know such a thing…
“Does that mean you plan to discard us?!”
No, how did he reach that conclusion?
“Are you saying you’d abandon us who have vowed to dedicate our very bodies and souls to your service?!”
“…?”
When did I receive anyone’s body and soul? I have no memory of that.
“Oh no! Miss, you wound me!”
“No, wait…”
I watched, bewildered, as Ern rushed off in apparent heartbreak. What just happened?
“Ah, there she is!”
“I found the young miss!”
“Miss!”
Because Ern had made such a loud announcement before disappearing, my location was exposed.
Seeing the swarm of Childcare Unit maids approaching, I slapped my forehead.
I’m done for.

* * *

A peaceful evening hour.
After being tormented all day, I’d hoped this time at least would be quiet.
“Miss, let me feed you!”
“No, let me feed you!”
“What? It’s my turn this time. Uni!”
My peace was nowhere to be found—instead, the room was filled with unwanted clamor.
Ah, my river of peace has been diverted.
“No? The position of head lady’s maid, first in rank, belongs to me.”
“Fine then. Step outside. Today we settle this once and for all.”
“Yes, a duel!”
“We fight to the death. Loser becomes a slave.”
“Deal!”
Recently, something peculiar had been happening repeatedly at the Halvern Mansion. The Childcare Unit had suddenly begun fighting among themselves to establish a hierarchy.
Why? The sudden eagerness to please, the ranking of favor—I couldn’t understand any of it.
“Goodness, at their age, bickering about hierarchy? How shameful. Wouldn’t you agree, young miss?”
“Hm? Yes, I… suppose.”
“Well then, let’s pay no mind to those shameful people. I’ll feed you instead. Say ‘aah.'”
“…I can feed myself.”
“Oh. It’s been my lifelong dream to feed you myself, and I even practiced in secret yesterday…”
How do you practice that in secret?
“…Ah.”
“Now, say ‘aah!'”
As I was eating the Pudding Rana had offered me, Uni, who’d won the duel, suddenly cried out.
“Wait! I was supposed to feed you! This is cheating!”
“What? What are you saying? I was simply looking after the young miss, who’d been left unattended.”
“Unattended! We never left you unattended! How could we ever leave you alone!”
“Well, I can’t say for certain, but in any case, I simply made sure to care for you. Isn’t that right, miss?”
“…”
I don’t know. I just want them to work it out themselves.
“Miss, don’t you think Rana was in the wrong?”
“Miss, isn’t Uni being unreasonable?”
Suddenly the arrows came back my way, and exhaustion set in.
Help me, Solomon!
“Divide it in half.”
“…!”
The moment I quoted Solomon’s wise judgment, the maids’ eyes lit up with inspiration.
“A competition! From here to here I’ll feed the young miss, and from that point on, you do it!”
“Whoever feeds her more deliciously wins!”
What does that even mean?
More deliciously? How is that even judged? What’s the criterion?
“All right, let’s begin!”
“Mmm.”
In the end, I was the one being tormented again.
Save me.

* * *

This can’t go on.
I sat up abruptly in bed.
“If this continues, I’ll die of stress, not illness. I managed to escape the Imperial Palace, but I can’t take this at home too.”
I’d barely managed to avoid the torment at the Imperial Palace, and I couldn’t endure it here as well. But there wasn’t exactly an obvious solution at hand.
Was I just supposed to suffer through it?
No way.
These servants and maids had already lost their minds—talking wouldn’t help. If it would have, they’d have stopped long ago.
What about Mehenm?
‘But Mehenm is busy.’
I knew better than anyone that using Mehenm as a solution every time was unreasonable—he was far too occupied with his duties.
Then there was only one option left.
“I didn’t want to resort to this, but…”
Time to pull out the final card.
It’s like that uncle giving his nephew pocket money on Chuseok—a decisive move that never fails.

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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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