The Obsessive Male Lead Is Obsessed With Me! - Chapter 118

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

Episode 118

“…That’s an unexpected question.”

And Lionel closed his mouth.

Whether he had no intention of answering, or was choosing his words. He remained silent for a long time, and perhaps finding his silence frustrating, the Pope spoke first.

“My explanation was insufficient. Let me ask again.”

The Pope cleared his throat lightly and looked at Lionel with heavy eyes.

“If there were legitimate means to bring down the current Emperor. Then what would Your Highness do?”

“…”

“You know better than anyone else in this world, don’t you. That the rightful owner of that throne is Your Highness.”

Lionel silently stared at the Pope.

There was no greed in the Pope’s eyes. It meant he wasn’t saying this out of desire to use Lionel as a tool for political strife, to elevate him to a high position and gain something from it.

No, not just greed. There was no emotion that could be described as personal.

Therefore, while Lionel couldn’t know what intention the Pope had in asking such a question, he could vaguely grasp one fact.

“You officiated our wedding to bring me here and ask this question.”

“I won’t deny it. I needed an opportunity to contact Your Highness naturally without arousing anyone’s suspicion.”

If done wrong, just the meeting between the Pope and Lionel might have spread rumors. Rumors that the temple wanted Lionel’s conversion to fulfill the oracle.

“In fact, the Former Empress separately protested to me, asking why I wasn’t working to fulfill the oracle.”

“Yet Your Holiness officiated the wedding between me and Liri.”

“Yes. But the Former Empress won’t give up. She might try any means to divorce Your Highness and send you to the temple.”

“…”

“Let me ask again. Do you have any attachment to the throne, Your Highness?”

Now that he looked, the exit of this prayer room was behind the Pope’s back. He seemed determined not to let Lionel leave until he heard an answer.

Why did the Pope want to obtain the answer to this question?

He became curious for a moment, but not enough to waste time on it. So Lionel gave the answer the Pope so desperately wanted.

“I have no such attachment. However.”

“However…?”

Lionel stroked the gem of the ring Cecilia had placed on his left ring finger during the wedding ceremony earlier, thinking of her.

“If Liri wants to become Empress, I will sit on that throne, and if she doesn’t want to, I will never sit on that throne.”

“Huh… What do you mean, doesn’t Your Highness covet the throne?”

“No.”

“How can that be possible?”

It was the most supreme position in the Empire. A position that others could never reach even if they wanted to, because they lacked the qualifications.

Yet this man had all the necessary conditions, and possessed the ability to easily sit on that throne if he so desired.

How could he not covet that supreme, highest position in the Empire?

At the Pope’s pure bewilderment, Lionel smiled lightly.

“Isn’t that the fate God has arranged for me?”

“…Huh!”

A belated exclamation burst from the Pope’s mouth.

That was right. Those words were correct.

Lionel was the person who received the oracle that he would ascend to the supreme position ‘regardless of his own will.’

So naturally, it was right that his own will had no place regarding that supreme position!

It was truly a wise answer to a foolish question. At the same time, the Pope felt as if his dark vision had suddenly brightened.

‘Was that it, the fate God had arranged was precisely…’

While the Pope was immersed in trembling at the answer he had finally obtained, Lionel rose from his seat.

“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll take my leave now.”

“…Ah. Please listen to just one more thing.”

After barely calming his heart that was overflowing with finally understanding God’s will, the Pope looked at Lionel and spoke in a whisper.

“Whenever Lady Cecilia makes up her mind, please come find me. I will guide you on the easiest and fastest path.”

If he could contribute to fulfilling God’s will, what greater glory could there be for a Pope!

Looking at the Pope who was already wetting his eyes with tears of emotion, Lionel answered.

“Not Lady Cecilia, but Duchess Frost.”

“…Hahaha! Yes, that’s right. I officiated the ceremony yet momentarily forgot.”

The Pope burst into pleasant laughter and rose from his seat, stepping aside so Lionel could go outside.

Just then, the candle on the table had almost completely burned out, with barely any smoke rising from the wick.

Before leaving through the door, Lionel confirmed that the smoke covering the prayer room hadn’t completely dispersed yet and said to the Pope.

“I have secured the person you’re worried about.”

“…What?”

“When the time you mentioned comes, I will bring them personally.”

Well then, Lionel replied, giving the Pope a small bow before going outside.

As soon as the door closed, the smoke that had filled the prayer room naturally dispersed.

Though the wick had completely burned out, the Pope let out a hollow laugh at the table where the melted wax remained in a round shape.

The person to worry about must refer to that person whose condition became uncertain after a private audience with the Empress.

“Well, well… I might have meddled unnecessarily.”

Suddenly, the Pope thought that perhaps Lionel’s lack of ‘personal will’ was God’s arrangement.

If he had personal will, this Empire would have long been embroiled in tremendous turmoil.

* * *

Lionel left the prayer room and walked down the quiet corridor to exit the building.

He stopped there for a moment and looked around. It was to gauge where Cecilia might be.

‘She said she was hungry… The dining hall, perhaps.’

“Chirp, tweet!”

Just then, a familiar bird’s cry reached Lionel’s ears.

When he turned his head toward where the sound came from, he saw Ruda flying toward him. And Cecilia’s figure following behind.

“Oh? Are you done praying already? They said it would take about an hour?”

“That’s how it turned out. Why are you here, Liri?”

“Why indeed. Lionel must be hungry too. When I thought about it, there’s no law against eating while offering prayers of gratitude.”

Cecilia opened the lid of the picnic basket she was holding with both hands with a “ta-da.”

“Look at this. I packed plenty of meal items and snacks, didn’t I? Even so, drinking alcohol during prayer seemed a bit much, so instead of wine, I brought a bottle of juice.”

Praising that she was so hungry she tried just one small sandwich and it was really, really delicious, Cecilia took out a sandwich from the basket and put it in Lionel’s mouth.

“Hurry and say ‘ah.’ Ah.”

Since it wasn’t the first or second time he had received food from Cecilia at the Roheim Duchy, Lionel opened his mouth without resistance.

Then the small sandwich slipped into his mouth. Before he could chew a few times, Cecilia asked with sparkling eyes.

“It’s delicious, right?”

“Yes. It’s delicious.”

“Tweet!”

“You want to eat too? Wait just a little.”

“Chirp…”

While Cecilia was smiling and talking to Ruda, Lionel took the picnic basket from her hands.

Judging by its considerable weight, the food inside seemed to be enough for two people, maybe even three.

Cecilia’s words about eating only one small sandwich were probably true. Lionel felt something soft stirring inside his chest.

“You must be hungry, Liri.”

“Yes! I feel like my stomach is sticking to my back!”

Where did she learn such a fresh expression? Lionel laughed lightly and extended his arm to Cecilia.

“I saw a bench over there. Let’s sit there and eat.”

“Alright! Let’s go, Ruda!”

“Tweet!”

On the way to the bench, holding the basket in one hand and Cecilia’s hand in the other.

Lionel rubbed Cecilia’s hand with his thumb. Then she looked around in surprise and glared at him.

“Look at this man. This is a temple!”

“Is that a problem?”

“Of course it is! What if someone sees us!”

“There’s no one around.”

He meant there was no one within the distance where he could sense their presence, which also meant there was no one to see them whether they secretly kissed or did anything else.

“Still… wouldn’t God be watching everything?”

“Didn’t we already kiss in front of God before?”

“That was just a peck…”

Cecilia rolled her eyes back and forth, then with an expression that said ‘oh, whatever,’ she grabbed Lionel’s hand and led him under the large tree.

“Just once. I’m hungry.”

“Yes.”

“Wait a moment, let me just eat one orange.”

Just how long exactly that “once” lasted. How many hours it took for the two of them to finally emerge from the shadows under the tree and finish eating their lunch.

The only one who knew that answer was Ruda, who had crawled into the picnic basket and was diligently pecking at cookies.

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