The Obsessive Male Lead Is Obsessed With Me! - Chapter 21

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

Episode 21

“Alright. I brought all of this to give to Lionel anyway.”

“Thank you.”

Lionel took out his handkerchief and carefully wrapped the cookies before putting them in his jacket’s inner pocket.

Seeing this, I was startled and stopped Lionel.

“They’ll all crumble that way! And the crumbs will remain in your inner pocket! I’ll give you a case. Put them in here instead.”

“No. This place is safer.”

“It doesn’t look safe at all…”

Somehow I felt uncomfortable about it all, but since the cookies were already in his pocket, it was awkward for me to take them out, so I just let it be.

‘But why is he taking the cookies with him?’

Were the raspberry cookies that delicious?

‘Or maybe they didn’t suit his taste? Maybe he’s taking them to throw away separately.’

I should definitely send out the bluebird today too. If they don’t suit his taste, he should honestly say they don’t suit his taste. If he does such trashy behavior, I’ll never forgive him!

“Time has already gotten this late? I should head back soon.”

“Yes.”

Was it because I didn’t say he didn’t need to see me off today? Lionel stood up from his seat as if he would escort me to the carriage and extended his arm to me.

I reflexively tried to say that seeing me off was fine, but since his arm was already extended, I grabbed that arm and came outside together.

“Wait a moment.”

Lionel, who had come outside the building, told me to wait here for a moment, then picked up a flower pot that had been placed in a sunny spot and returned to me.

“This is a gift.”

“A flower pot?”

I was a little surprised and looked at the flower pot, then examined closely what kind of flower this was.

‘Could it be a cattleya?’

…Contrary to my expectations, unfortunately the flower in the pot was not a cattleya.

The petals weren’t large, nor were they flashy. This red flower was rather on the cute and delicate side.

‘So, this flower’s name is…’

“Begonia? Is that right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Since my mother liked tending to the greenhouse and I often helped her, I knew quite a few types of flowers. But I didn’t know all the flower meanings of those flowers.

“What’s the flower meaning of this?”

“Kindness.”

“Ah, kindness… Hmm.”

Not pretty or cute or beautiful, but kindness?

“Cecil is always kind to me. I really wanted to give you this flower.”

“Me?”

I wondered if I had done anything particularly kind enough to receive a flower with the meaning of kindness.

‘He must be thanking me for baking cookies?’

“At first I was going to make a bouquet, but the flowers are small, and I thought the potted version would live longer, so I chose this.”

“Right. A flower pot is definitely better than a bouquet.”

Thinking about it, it was a little unexpected.

Giving a bouquet as a gift – anyone could think of that. But going one step further to give a flower pot, and for the reason that it would live longer.

‘If this is acting… No, would someone normally act to this extent?’

If he wanted to pretend to be a moderately good person, just giving a bouquet would be sufficient.

‘Ugh, this is troubling.’

At this point, I wondered if I was strange for continuing to suspect this man’s true nature, and if this world was different from the novel I read.

“…Do you not like the flower?”

My expression as I quietly looked down at the flower in the pot must not have been very bright.

To Lionel who cautiously asked the question, I shook my head saying it wasn’t like that.

“It’s just, how should I put it. A sense of responsibility is welling up that I really must keep this flower alive for a very long time.”

“I didn’t mean to pressure you like that. If this flower withers, I’ll give you another flower as a gift.”

“Then what flower will you give me at that time?”

“I don’t know that yet.”

Of course. He’s still studying the flower encyclopedia.

Thinking of Lionel sitting upright at his desk with good posture, diligently copying the contents of the flower encyclopedia even though it was time to sleep, made me feel like teasing him a little.

“Then may I recommend one? How about forget-me-nots?”

“Do you like that flower?”

“Rather than liking it, the petal color resembles my eye color.”

I smiled brightly to appeal that I had no other meaning.

“Or purple flowers similar to Lionel’s eye color would be nice too. For example… like cattleya?”

Lionel’s eyes widened. Didn’t he expect cattleya to come from my mouth?

“Does Cecil also think of cattleya when you see me?”

“Huh?”

Cecil ‘also’?

Wait. Could this be…

“Who says they think of cattleya when they see Lionel? Who?”

“Well…”

Lionel was about to answer something, then covered his pretty-colored lips with his hand and showed a contemplative expression for a moment.

Then he shook his head lightly.

“No. Thinking about it, I seem to have been mistaken.”

“Mistaken…”

The words “That mistake wouldn’t happen to be about the bluebird that entered your bedroom yesterday, would it?” surged up to my throat.

But I couldn’t let that question out of my mouth. If he asked how I knew that, I’d have nothing to say in response!

‘I wasn’t thinking of that flower when looking at you! It meant you should give it to me as a gift!’

How could he misunderstand it that way? Don’t tell me he couldn’t associate the word beautiful with me?

Even though in the future you’ll kidnap and confine me to do this and that all night long!

“Cecil? Why is your expression like that?”

“What’s my expression like?”

Perhaps because I was told my expression was strange, my eyes naturally became sharp and my lips jutted out.

Lionel stared intently at my face without even blinking and said.

“You seem angry.”

“Why do you think I’m angry?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then homework. Try to guess why I’m angry.”

I handed the flower pot I was holding to Uni who was standing behind me, then gracefully spread my skirt with both hands.

“Thank you for escorting me this far, Your Highness. See you next time then.”

“…Yes. See you next time.”

Lionel naturally kissed the hand I naturally extended, and stood there with a calm face until I got in the carriage and left that place.

I made a light humph sound, hoping that a storm would rage beneath that peaceful face.

* * *

After the carriage carrying Cecilia disappeared from view, Lionel turned around and went back into the palace.

Since the place where he and Cecilia had their conversation was outside the palace, at the waiting area where the carriage was stationed, many people heard their conversation.

One of them. Although he usually didn’t want to interfere in matters between men and women, Chief Aide Maximus, who felt sorry for Lionel who was undoubtedly a novice in that area, quickly followed behind Lionel.

“Your Highness. Do you have any idea why the Duke’s daughter was angry?”

“No, not at all.”

“Then shall I give you a hint?”

Without noticing that pity for wondering if he really didn’t know something so easy was evident in Maximus’s voice, Lionel firmly shook his head.

“Homework should be solved with one’s own strength.”

“But homework is originally something you ask the teacher about when you don’t know, isn’t it?”

“Before that, coming up with an answer yourself, even if it’s wrong, should come first.”

“…”

It was such a logical argument that there was nothing more to say.

Since the person he served had spoken so definitively, Maximus had nothing more to add and nodded in understanding.

‘His Highness must be the only person who doesn’t know why the Duke’s daughter got angry…’

Maximus’s guess was exactly right. The servants and maids of the Second Prince’s Palace who had already heard the conversation between the two were whispering among themselves.

“His Highness is really dense. If I were in her shoes, I’d be angry too if my fiancé came back after hearing some woman say that seeing this flower reminds her of him.”

“Why? I really don’t understand—is that really something to get angry about?”

“Let’s say you have a pretty fiancée. Then imagine you witnessed some man giving your fiancée gorgeous roses while saying the exact same thing.”

Some unknown man giving my fiancée flowers while saying that seeing these roses reminds him of her…

“…Th-this damn womanizer!”

And so the people who came to understand why Cecilia Roheim had gotten angry soon found their curiosity turning in another direction.

Then who exactly was the person who told the Second Prince he was like a flower?

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