Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health - Chapter 307
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 307
Naturally, the Sperom twins and the Harun brothers were also in attendance at the Imperial Ball that evening.
The debutantes and their male counterparts averaged around eighteen years of age.
Since the Sperom twins and Harun brothers had long since made their own debut into society years ago, they were content to observe this year’s principal players dancing with such enthusiasm.
“In the end, we failed to arrange a separate meeting with Arelin.”
“That’s right.”
The twins could not tear their eyes from her.
“He locked her down completely. Otherwise we would have had a chance.”
The man the twins had positioned near Arelin had been overwhelmed without a sound by someone Fession had planted there, and by the time they noticed, it was too late.
Watching the pair before them—matched like soulmates in a fairy tale—Noel’s lips twisted.
“I knew this would happen, though…….”
They had hoped that because they’d spotted her first, there might be at least a brief opportunity, yet somehow it had come to this.
“Should we give up?”
At Noel’s muttering, Ciel asked.
“Can you give up?”
“…No.”
Even when they thought her dead, they couldn’t give up, which was why the two of them hadn’t even become engaged yet. Now that they knew she was alive, there was no way they could surrender so easily.
“Then what do we do?”
The twins’ minds grew turbulent.
What troubled them even more was the way Arelin looked at Fession.
That the girl who once had an indifferent, lukewarm gaze now looked at someone with such warmth and tenderness—it was surprisingly difficult for two people whose hearts didn’t easily break.
The unripe feelings of childhood, when they barely understood what it meant to like someone, had matured and softened with time.
How could Ciel and Noel not know each other’s hearts?
Unlike their younger days, now that they’d grown and pursued different paths, there remained between them a bond that others could never comprehend.
And that one young girl had always been peculiarly special to them both.
“For now…….”
“For now?”
“Let’s ask Arelin for a dance as well.”
Ciel made the suggestion. Noel’s eyes shifted.
“Right. We lost the First Dance, but we won’t lose the next one.”
“It looks like that’s already been taken by the Grand Duke of Halbern, though.”
“But we can’t lose the one after that to just anyone, can we?”
Though nothing had been decided about what they would actually do, Noel and Ciel rose from their seats.
At the same moment, the twins posed a question to Harun, who was sitting nearby.
“Are you coming too?”
Of course, unlike the twins, Harun probably didn’t harbor such feelings for Arelin…….
But it would feel strange to leave him out.
Harun fell silent, regarding the twins and Arelin in thought. His elder brother Johan gave his back a nudge.
“Go on.”
Harun looked at Johan with concern. Johan, receiving that unspoken question—whether he’d be all right alone—gave a gruff nod.
“I’m fine.”
Only then did Harun rise.
The three made their way directly to where Arelin was.
* * *
I had no idea how many times I’d danced.
Once with Fession, once with Father, then with Fession again…….
‘This is exhausting.’
No matter how much healthier I’d become, or how my core muscles had strengthened, dancing through the entire night was beyond what I could manage.
“Come on, dance with me too.”
“With me!”
But how could I refuse a request from the twins?
After dancing with the two of them, Harun suddenly stayed with me.
“…….”
Harun hadn’t actually asked for a dance, but surely I couldn’t just skip him?
“Want to dance with me too, Harun?”
A nod.
Normally a lady shouldn’t ask for a dance first, but why not.
The twins and Fession made disgruntled faces at Harun’s special treatment, but…….
When Harun prepared to withdraw immediately, they seemed to change their minds.
Funny guys, these.
“Harun, are you feeling all right? Your body, I mean?”
“?”
I asked a question I’d posed before, stepping through the familiar dance we’d performed several times already tonight, the music flowing around us.
‘Having spent so long in that Ruin, any number of symptoms could be expected.’
According to the Magic Tower’s follow-up investigation, the Ruin itself drained Life Force and Mana. If you remained inside too long, everything would be drained, leaving you exhausted and withered away.
“If anywhere hurts, you have to tell me. And your brother too.”
“…….”
Harun regarded me with an odd look before nodding.
Perhaps because we were so close now? I’d thought so before, but he really is handsome.
That sharp gaze and cold atmosphere still cause him considerable misunderstanding, though…….
“Do you have a fiancée, Harun?”
“No.”
“Why? You seem like you’d be popular.”
Harun looked at me intently, then made an odd expression.
“…I don’t know.”
“?”
He had the kind of beauty that captivates people. There must be many who’ve been drawn in by this face.
Suddenly I thought of Chloe, the original female lead, who had completely vanished from sight, but I let it pass.
‘I thought Chloe was dating Harun.’
I heard that not long after I collapsed, Chloe left as well. No one knew what had happened to her.
‘…If the story had gone as written, she should have stayed in the Capital and grown up.’
Was it because I survived? Chloe’s fate seemed to have changed as well.
“Anyone would like Harun.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I guarantee it.”
“…You too?”
“Me? I like you too. Harun’s my friend, after all.”
“I see.”
Harun’s expression grew complicated for a moment. I wanted to ask why, but just then the song ended perfectly.
It was a shame, somehow.
I would have liked to dance a bit longer, but I was afraid Fession would pout, so I tamely returned to my place.
Just as I’d expected, Fession—who had been glaring at the hand I’d held while dancing with Harun—said abruptly.
“Arelin, let’s dance again…….”
“I’m going to have to decline. I’m exhausted.”
“…….”
His gaze turned discontented, but what could I do about genuine exhaustion?
The ball seemed to be reaching its midpoint; fewer people were dancing now, and many had gathered in small groups to converse.
“But nobody besides you all has asked me to dance.”
Was I unpopular?
As I tilted my head in confusion, the others turned toward me with exasperated looks. What? What is it?
“Noel, is this some highly deceptive scheme on Arelin’s part? Here we are with you, me, Harun, and His Highness watching her, and you’re telling me others are coming to ask for a dance?”
“Arelin might actually be serious. Setting aside us, she didn’t even sense the murderous intent the Grand Duke of Halbern and the Regent Duke were radiating earlier…….”
“Now that you mention it, as soon as those two stepped away, a few people tried to approach.”
“But they can’t because Fession’s like that.”
The twins whispered between themselves, but I didn’t catch what they said.
Mean of them, keeping secrets like that.
Just then, Fession drew my attention with a dazzling smile.
“Why would you need anyone else? I’m here. Right, Arelin?”
“Well, yes, that’s true.”
“Right, so stop thinking about dancing with anyone else.”
“But Fession, why do you look upset?”
“…….”
Did he really think I was going to dance with someone else?
‘Even if others had asked, I would have refused.’
I was simply genuinely surprised that nobody else had asked me for a dance at all.
The twins and Harun were looking at me as if to ask, ‘How can you not see?’, but I had no idea what they meant.
What was Fession doing?
I turned to look at him, but Fession was only smiling brilliantly.
What is it…….
Now that I thought about it, people hadn’t approached our area, and the temperature seemed to drop by about three degrees, but…….
I genuinely had no idea what was causing it.
As I tilted my head in confusion, Noel smacked his forehead.
“That’s enough. Arelin really can’t see it.”
“Wow, did you see how fast Fession’s expression changed? I could’ve sworn he had split personalities.”
“Is he really just putting on an act when he’s in front of Arelin? It’s irritating, honestly.”
Harun even nodded in agreement with Noel’s remark.
Just as Fession was about to say something, preventing me from properly hearing the conversation between the twins and Harun, and I was tilting my head in confusion…….
Empress Azeni suddenly appeared.
“My son.”
“…….”
Fession’s expression looked somehow caught out.
“Surely you know that a debutante’s evaluation by people depends on how many dance requests she receives?”
“But, Mother…….”
“Stop interfering. You foolish boy.”
Empress Azeni, who had been looking at Fession with disdain, abruptly turned to me with a gentle smile.
“This foolish son of mine will trouble you no more. Please enjoy the ball, Arelin.”
“Yes, of course.”
I replied hesitantly, and Empress Azeni’s expression grew wistful.
Why did that look feel so familiar?
It was an expression I’d seen the Regent Duke make often, and without thinking, I opened my mouth.
“…Your Grace.”
Radiant!
Empress Azeni’s smile shone brilliantly as she took Fession and returned with him to the head table.
And only then did I understand what Fession had been doing all this time.
“My lady, if you’d be willing, would you dance with me…….”
“Grant me the honor of dancing with you…….”
“What a privilege it would be to dance with you!”
An endless flood of requests.
Fession, come back!
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————