The Obsessive Male Lead Is Obsessed With Me! - Chapter 138
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 138
* * *
Fortunately, we were able to arrive safely at the Central Temple without being caught by anyone.
Even before we could mention wanting to see the Pope, they immediately guided us to the Pope’s private chambers.
“It’s been a while, Your Highness the Grand Duke, Your Highness the Grand Duchess. Have you been well?”
“Yes. Thanks to God’s protection, we have been well.”
After mentioning God’s name once out of courtesy, Lionel and I sat in the seats the Pope offered us.
‘Wow, I’m actually inside the Pope’s private chambers.’
Perhaps because it was a temple, the Pope’s chambers weren’t particularly spacious or luxurious.
The furniture made of natural wood was polished smooth, showing signs of long use, and fresh flowers that seemed to have been picked this morning were placed in front of a small altar with a divine statue.
What was distinctive was the subtle fragrance mixed in the air of the room. Even though no incense was currently burning, the lingering scent indicated that the Pope regularly burned incense in this room.
“Since you came straight here, I assume you received my message.”
Whether he was referring to that contact request note from earlier, Lionel nodded.
“We received your message well. The rumors in the capital do seem to have spread uncontrollably.”
“About that matter… I apologize. It seems a gossip magazine reporter secretly infiltrated the temple.”
“A reporter infiltrated the temple?”
Ah, so that’s how the gossip magazine was able to publish an article saying no one had seen Archbishop Seiji pregnant.
What remarkable dedication. If only they had applied such thorough reporting to someone else’s story instead of mine.
“The schedule has become more urgent than expected, but since this was bound to happen anyway, it doesn’t matter.”
“I’m simply grateful that you say so.”
Lionel asked the Pope, who let out a light sigh.
“Are you fully prepared to bring down the Emperor?”
“Of course. However…”
The Pope glanced at Lionel and me as if about to bring up something difficult.
As expected.
“Could you give me a little time?”
“A little time?”
“Why do you need that?”
Lionel’s voice was more tense than usual as he questioned the Pope.
Whether he noticed this or not, the Pope spoke with difficulty.
“If we bring down the Emperor and the Former Empress like this, won’t Nicole, as the Empress, also face judgment for the same crimes? I want… to bring Nicole to the temple and question her for the crime of stealing Your Highness the Grand Duchess’s oracle.”
In other words, he wanted to put Nicole on trial as a temple person rather than as an imperial family member.
“For that to happen, Nicole would have to stop being the Empress, wouldn’t she?”
“Yes. So I’m thinking of going to the Imperial Palace myself to directly ask the Emperor for a divorce.”
“Uh… But would the Emperor readily grant a divorce?”
No matter how I thought about it, the Emperor didn’t seem like someone who would do favors for others.
“Still, trying and not trying are different things. Also, the Emperor who married Nicole because of the oracle is surely dreaming of remarrying Your Highness the Grand Duchess by now… Ahem.”
Thinking it wasn’t appropriate to say in front of us, the Pope cleared his throat without properly finishing his sentence and glanced at Lionel and me.
‘So he’s going to dangle the bait of remarrying me to the Emperor, get him to divorce Nicole first, then pull him down from the throne?’
It meant taking whatever practical benefits he could before bringing him down anyway.
‘Not just anyone becomes Pope.’
While I was inwardly admiring this, Lionel took my hand under the table.
“What do you think, Liri?”
“Me? Oh, me?”
“Yes. Since you’re the one whose oracle was stolen, Liri. I’ll follow your wishes.”
“But even if you say that…”
With the Pope watching right in front of us, how could he leave such a burdensome choice to me?
Honestly, I had been sitting there without any particular thoughts and couldn’t give any answer, just hesitating.
“Um, well, so…”
“Yes. Please speak comfortably.”
After swallowing the words “This isn’t comfortable at all,” I finally came to a decision after much deliberation.
“Then exactly one week. I’ll give you one week.”
“One week… you say.”
“Yes. The rumor that I’m the true owner of the oracle has spread so widely now. I don’t think it would be good to drag this out too long.”
“I understand. Thank you for your consideration.”
The Pope stood up, made the sign of the cross in front of both of us, then bowed.
“One week. I won’t drag it out any longer than that. I promise in God’s name.”
“Please also promise to protect Liri’s safety during that week. In God’s name.”
“Yes, in God’s name.”
The Pope looked at me and answered firmly.
“The temple will definitely protect Your Highness the Grand Duchess.”
* * *
His mind was clear.
It felt as if all the fog that had been stuck in his head had been completely cleared away.
He couldn’t remember the last time he had woken up from sleep feeling this refreshed.
Cayen lay in bed, blinking his eyes as he organized the fragments of memories floating in his mind one by one.
When had his memory started becoming hazy?
“Your Majesty! Please make me the Empress! …As you promised!”
…Right, it was after hearing that insolent woman’s presumptuous nonsense.
He had no idea what had happened after that, or exactly how much time had passed.
What he could barely remember was…
“Now you have to abandon your family, your subordinates… even your beautiful fiancée, don’t you?”
Lionel’s face, glaring at him with clenched teeth and a resentful expression.
“How cool! The Northern Grand Duke!”
Cecilia’s figure, embracing Lionel’s arm with a bright smile.
In his memory, she was only looking at Lionel. She didn’t spare him even a glance…
“Ugh!”
His head hurt. It felt like it would split.
Cayen held his head with both hands, breathing roughly, then barely managed to pull the bell cord to call someone.
“Your Majesty! Are you alright?”
He heard the sound of the closed door opening and people rushing inside.
Cayen let out groans close to screams while clutching his splitting head, unable to understand who was saying what.
But then.
‘Cai.’
A voice as sweet as sugar penetrated his ears.
At the same time, the pain stopped. Cayen jerked his head up and looked toward where the voice had come from.
Cecilia was there.
She was smiling at him.
Looking only at him.
“Ce…”
“Pull yourself together!”
Clap! With a loud clapping sound, Cecilia’s figure instantly evaporated and disappeared.
At the same time, his vision brightened. Only then could Cayen make out the faces of the people surrounding his bed.
Court physicians. Maids. And…
“…Who are you?”
“I’m the alchemist in charge of treating His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Alchemist?”
“Since you seem to have confusion with your memories, I’ll explain briefly.”
The woman, who said she had been summoned by the Former Empress, explained in detail what Nicole had done and how badly Cayen’s body had been damaged as a result.
“I currently cannot remove the toxins remaining in Your Majesty’s body. Seeing that your consciousness has clearly returned, the brainwashing drug seems to have been neutralized to some extent, but I cannot completely cure this either.”
“Why? Didn’t you say you knew all the ingredients used in the brainwashing drug?”
“Because it conflicted with the toxins remaining in Your Majesty’s body and caused side effects.”
The alchemist asked Cayen with a serious expression.
“Your Majesty, didn’t you see hallucinations or hear auditory hallucinations just a moment ago?”
Hallucinations, auditory hallucinations…
The image of Cecilia he had seen just moments ago wasn’t real?
The terrible sense of loss that felt like his chest was being torn apart made it difficult to breathe for a moment. Cayen swallowed dryly and barely managed to nod his head.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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