The Obsessive Male Lead Is Obsessed With Me! - Chapter 27

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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 27

“Yes. That’s why I thought it was strange how the coincidences overlapped.”

I said this with a light laugh, but Lionel didn’t smile at all.

He looked at me with his usual unreadable gaze—no, with an even more persistent stare than usual—before opening his mouth.

“Perhaps…”

“Perhaps?”

What on earth was he trying to say that he was hesitating like this?

I tilted my head, and Lionel shook his head with a short sigh.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“What do you mean nothing? You’re making me curious like that.”

“It really wasn’t anything important. Just…”

Lionel lowered his eyes and fell into thought, and that was it.

Instead of explaining anything more to me, he silently led me outside, and I couldn’t ask anything more as he escorted me back to the carriage.

On the way home. Uni asked me with an urgent expression.

“Miss, how did it go? Did you retrieve the magic device properly?”

“I couldn’t retrieve it.”

“What?”

“Honestly, I don’t understand what’s going on either.”

What was Lionel thinking when he told me to monitor daily in case I might bring women into the bedroom?

After some consideration, I came up with a plausible answer.

“The magic device I made apparently looks exactly like a blue bird he raised when he was young. When I said I’d dismantle it to analyze the circuits, he told me not to and took it himself.”

“What? …He took it even knowing it functions as a video communication device?”

“Surprising, right? I was surprised too.”

“That’s really surprising. How much must he have cherished that bird…”

Uni asked me several times whether that was really true, whether Lionel had taken the magic device as evidence or something.

Honestly, I was confused too, but if Lionel had taken the magic device for that purpose, he would have said so without hiding it. That’s the kind of person he is.

“It’s fortunate that it looks exactly like the bird His Highness raised when he was young.”

“Right? I think so too.”

“But I’ve never seen a bird that looks like that either. Where did you see that bird, Miss?”

“Huh? I’ve never seen it either.”

“You’ve never seen it? Then how did you create the illusion magic?”

“Just… That appearance naturally came to mind.”

Come to think of it, that was strange.

‘Where on earth did I see that blue bird?’

I definitely don’t remember seeing it in this life. Or maybe I saw it in my previous life?

I pondered for a long time until the carriage arrived home, but in the end, I couldn’t come up with an exact answer.

* * *

After beginning to gradually take on some of the Emperor’s duties as the heir apparent. Lionel’s mealtimes transformed into social gatherings with nobles or business meetings with his advisors.

When he didn’t have such specific appointments scheduled, he ate most of his meals alone, but very occasionally there were days when he had to become an unwelcome guest after being summoned by the Empress.

Tonight’s dinner was exactly that kind of occasion.

“I heard Cecilia Roheim came looking for you early this morning?”

As soon as she gestured to the servants to begin the meal, words filled with a reproachful tone flowed from the Empress’s mouth.

“I also heard that the Second Prince’s Palace was quite noisy yesterday. What on earth did you do wrong to make that precious child sad?”

If Cecilia had been present, she would have widened her eyes upon hearing the words “precious child” from the Empress’s mouth.

But Lionel, who had no way of knowing that the Empress treated Cecilia like sour grapes, simply answered with a calm expression.

“There was a slight misunderstanding, but we resolved it well through conversation.”

“What misunderstanding?”

Lionel thought for a moment before answering.

“She said she was worried I might take a mistress.”

“What? Ha! Don’t tell me you’ve already been flirting with other women? Did Cecilia Roheim catch you in the act?”

“No. It was really a misunderstanding.”

“Ha! Didn’t you provide some reason for that child to misunderstand?”

“That might be possible. But we resolved it well through conversation today, so there won’t be such incidents in the future.”

“Your words are quite smooth. I’ll be watching. If you, as a Prince, corrupt the morals of the Imperial Palace, I’ll punish you severely.”

The Empress’s sharp gaze swept over Lionel from top to bottom.

Before that gaze that contained not a trace of parental affection, only disgust and exasperation, Lionel sat quietly with an impassive expression.

Rather, only the servants helping with the meal looked like they were suffocating as they poured water into Lionel’s glass and served food.

‘Please let this time pass quickly…’

Contrary to their wishes, the Empress opened her mouth once more during the meal.

“But you don’t even ask about your brother’s well-being even though he’s nowhere to be seen. Aren’t you curious about how Kai is doing?”

“I am curious.”

“Ha! Curious? If you were really curious, you would have asked about your brother’s well-being long ago. Or visited him directly!”

“…”

Watching Lionel bow his head as if ashamed, the others couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

‘Her Majesty the Empress is being too harsh.’

‘When he asked if his brother was sick today, didn’t he overturn the table saying he was cursing his brother…’

Why does the Empress discriminate between her two sons to such an extent?

Actually, considering the circumstances under which she became pregnant with and gave birth to the two Princes, it wasn’t incomprehensible.

18 years ago. The Empress barely survived a life-threatening labor to give birth to the First Prince.

But due to the First Prince’s physical condition and the oracle, the ministers who judged that he wasn’t suitable as the next Emperor urged her to bear another heir as soon as possible, and the Emperor accepted their opinion.

How could the Empress resist when powerful nobles and the Emperor were pressuring her?

She became pregnant against her will to bear a healthy heir, and during that process, she experienced several miscarriage scares.

Going through such ordeals, and even nearly dying from severe labor complications while giving birth.

It was understandable that the Empress told them to take away the child she barely managed to birth because she couldn’t stand the sight of him.

‘But none of that is the Second Prince’s fault…’

“If Her Majesty the Empress permits, I would like to visit my brother.”

“What if I don’t permit it? Then you plan to live your whole life without seeing your brother?”

“No.”

“No, my foot!”

When she found fault with whatever he said, what more could Lionel say here?

In the end, he could only repeat apologies, and the dinner ended there when the Empress stormed off, apparently displeased with him.

No, to be precise, it wasn’t over. Though he had bowed to the Empress’s departing figure, once she was completely gone, Lionel sat back down and resumed his meal.

In the place filled only with silence, Lionel finished his meal with his back straight in proper posture, observing all the complex dining etiquette of the Imperial Family.

‘His Highness is really… tough.’

Anyone else would have gotten indigestion eating in such an atmosphere, but seeing him thoroughly finish even dessert, he was definitely someone destined for greatness.

Whether the servants clicked their tongues or not, Lionel calmly went to the training ground and proceeded with his scheduled training.

Afterward, he returned to his room, washed up, and sat at his desk to organize the day’s events while pondering what to do during tomorrow’s lesson time, which he’d been told was also canceled.

That’s when it happened.

“Chirp!”

The blue bird he had taken from his pocket before washing and placed on his desk suddenly spread both wings and let out a cute cry.

Then, as if stretching its stiff body, it stood up on both feet and stretched its wings up and to the sides.

Unlike what he had seen yesterday, the movement felt so natural, like a living creature, that Lionel watched in surprise before carefully opening his mouth.

“Cecil? Is that you?”

Then the blue bird tilted its head, and the long lace ribbon tail fluttered along with the movement.

And after a moment. The blue bird’s eyes sparkled.

At the same time, Lionel felt as if he had made eye contact with the blue bird.

More precisely, with Cecil’s eyes, who would be watching him through this blue bird.

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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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