The Obsessive Male Lead Is Obsessed With Me! - Chapter 5
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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 5
I smiled brightly and said to Lionel.
“We may not have met before, but anyway, we’re getting engaged like this, right? Let’s get along well.”
“Yes.”
“…That’s it? Don’t you have anything you want to say to me?”
“No.”
“At least pretend to think about it!”
Despite my outburst, Lionel just blinked as if he didn’t understand why I was angry.
‘Oh my, so frustrating. Oh my, so frustrating!’
“Unless we break off our engagement or divorce, we’ll be living together for life. So you should say things like ‘please take care of me from now on,’ ‘let’s get along well,’ ‘I’ll protect you no matter what happens,’ ‘I have no feelings now but someday I’ll love you’—that kind of thing!”
“Ah.”
Lionel looked at me with an expression as if he hadn’t known such things because he’d never learned them.
Soon, he spoke to me with a truly serious and solemn face, whatever his inner thoughts might be.
“Please take care of me from now on.”
“…That’s it?”
“Let’s get along well.”
“…That’s it?”
“If dangerous situations arise, I’ll protect you.”
“…Yes, well. Alright.”
Though these were all things I had said myself, I thought it was better than nothing, like bowing when I prostrated myself.
Though it was a bit annoying that he didn’t say he’d love me someday, even as empty words.
“But calling you ‘Duke’s daughter’ feels a bit distant. We’re engaged now, aren’t we?”
“Then how would you like to be addressed?”
“Please call me Cecil. I’ll call Your Highness Rio. Is that alright?”
Lionel was silent for a moment, but soon nodded.
“Let’s do that, Cecil.”
“See how nice that sounds? Now it finally feels like we’re engaged!”
I laughed cheerfully and extended my hand to Lionel.
“Then please take care of me from now on, Rio.”
“Yes. Please take care of me as well.”
Lionel obediently took my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of my hand.
My intention was to shake hands, but this wasn’t too bad either, so I just let him kiss it.
I hoped he would continue to maintain this current demeanor.
* * *
“Cayen, are you alright?”
The Empress personally covered Cayen with a blanket as he lay in bed, asking with a worried expression.
“How’s your stomach? Is there anywhere uncomfortable? Should I call the court physician?”
“How many times do I have to tell you not to make such unnecessary fuss?”
Though she could have been hurt by that irritated voice, the Empress was busy soothing her son with a gentle voice.
“Don’t be too disappointed. I’ll find you a better fiancée…”
“Is there really a woman in this empire with better conditions than Cecilia?”
The Empress was speechless and closed her mouth.
It was certainly true. Considering status, wealth, appearance, age—everything—there was no better bride candidate than Cecilia.
So the Empress had also early on set her sights on Cecilia as Cayen’s match…
“Wake up from your dream. If you were Duke Roheim, would you give your precious daughter to a man who might die at any moment?”
How could he say such things about his own son!
The Empress gritted her teeth, thinking of the Emperor whom she no longer considered a husband, only someone hateful.
“What good is being a duke’s daughter if she’s so immature? She should know how to behave properly in important situations.”
Without considering her own and Cayen’s behavior at all, the Empress only criticized Cecilia’s actions.
“Character is what’s important in people. I’ll choose a more mature and modest young lady for you…”
“Right. In that sense, it seems Cecilia needs some strict education.”
“What?”
The Empress couldn’t respond immediately because she felt something strange in the flow of conversation.
Hadn’t they been talking about Cayen’s fiancée until now? But why was he suddenly saying Cecilia needed education…
“Mother?”
“Hm? Oh, yes… You’re right. I don’t know when it will be, but if you hold the ceremony, she’ll become a prince’s consort, so she should receive bridal lessons.”
“If she receives education from you, Mother, who is the Empress, Cecilia will mature too.”
“Right. We can’t bring her into the Imperial Palace while she’s still so immature.”
Just as the Empress was agreeing, Cayen frowned and squeezed his eyes shut. It seemed dizziness had struck him while lying down.
“Ugh… I’m going to rest now… Please leave.”
Cayen, his face pale, dismissed the Empress.
The Empress was about to call the court physician immediately, but seeing her son already covered with the blanket, she sighed regretfully.
“Alright, rest well. If you feel unwell, don’t forget to pull the bell cord right away.”
Cayen didn’t answer, and the Empress lingered reluctantly for a while before being forced to withdraw when Cayen shouted for her to leave once more.
In the room that had fallen silent, Cayen, hidden under the blanket, breathed heavily and recalled Cecilia’s image in his mind.
“What’s wrong with a political marriage? If I marry the Second Prince, I’ll become Empress in the future. It’s a glorious thing.”
In other words, Cecilia had accepted the engagement with Lionel because she coveted the future Empress position.
Cayen suddenly imagined himself as Emperor, with Cecilia standing beside him as Empress.
It was just imagination, but it wasn’t bad. He naturally lifted one corner of his mouth, but his mood was instantly ruined by a sudden bout of coughing.
“This damn body!”
After coughing a few more times and catching his breath, he felt irritated again.
‘The most precious things always go to that guy.’
A healthy body. The Crown Prince position. And even the beloved youngest daughter of House Roheim, Cecilia.
What good was being born the First Prince? What he received in the end were only empty husks, while all the plump, full grains went to Lionel.
‘Yes, let’s see how long you keep taking everything like that.’
Cayen swallowed a bitter smile in the dark blanket.
* * *
“Mmm…! It smells wonderful!”
The weather was nice, and the breeze was pleasant. Indeed, nothing was as fragrant as rose tea drunk in Mother’s rose greenhouse.
“Your skill is excellent today as well, Uni.”
“You flatter me, Miss.”
“Flattery? You know well that I don’t say empty words.”
The tea tasted good, and the dessert was excellent too.
Especially this éclair filled generously with custard cream was perfect for my taste.
I wished such daily life could continue forever.
I was putting one in Uni’s mouth as a reward for brewing delicious tea, when the surroundings seemed a bit noisy.
“Hm? Did someone come?”
Mother, Sister, and Brother all went out, so no one should be home right now…
“There you are, Cecil.”
“Oh? Sister!”
A tall woman with long, curly rose-colored hair tied up high, wearing a rapier at her waist.
Her name was Belrose Roheim. She was the Vice-Captain of the Second Imperial Guard.
Her graceful figure that stylishly carried off the pure white knight uniform and leather boots was so admirable that I was amazed every time I saw her.
“You’re early! Did you get off work already? Uni, pour Sister a cup of tea too.”
“I got off early. To scold our little troublemaker.”
“Me? Why me? I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Facing my bewilderment, Sister made a tsk sound and lightly pinched my cheek.
“You behaved so rudely at the Imperial Palace yesterday and you didn’t do anything wrong?”
“Ow ow, Sister, that hurts. Ow ow.”
Actually, it didn’t hurt much. Sister, who pinched gently, probably knew that fact too.
But as if hearing my whining was enough, Sister let go of my cheek.
“Do you know what I heard at the Imperial Palace today?”
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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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