The Obsessive Male Lead Is Obsessed With Me! - Chapter 51

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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 51

 

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Due to the Empress’s greedy mindset of only wanting to educate her precious son, Lionel’s volunteer work that seemed like it would continue forever finally came to an end.

 

The reason was as follows.

 

“A hunting competition?”

 

“Yes. Starting this year, I’ve been ordered to attend in place of His Majesty the Emperor and achieve good results so as not to tarnish the Imperial Family’s honor.”

 

While Lionel ate cookies and I sipped tea, we held hands tightly.

 

And according to the Empress’s orders, since we couldn’t be alone together in the secluded room, the servants and maids of the Second Prince’s Palace, along with Uni, were watching us.

 

‘Why are they staring so intently? It’s embarrassing.’

 

Embarrassing or not, mana was mana. I touched the flowers in the vase on the desk with wind magic while taking another sip of tea.

 

‘Good! The efficiency has increased!’

 

While mentally calculating the amount of mana consumed by magic versus the amount flowing in through our clasped hands, I continued the previous conversation with my mouth.

 

“So this is Lionel’s first time attending the hunting competition? You haven’t even watched it before this year?”

 

“Yes. I’ve never attended.”

 

Right, his appearance and demeanor are so mature that I keep forgetting, but last year Lionel was only fifteen years old.

 

Actually, even sixteen seemed young to participate in a hunting competition, but what could he do when the Emperor ordered it?

 

‘More importantly, I think some major incident happened around this time in the novel…’

 

In the novel that started from the moment Lionel ascended to the throne, perhaps because this current time was a story from the past?

 

The events that happened at this time seemed to be briefly explained and glossed over, so my memory was hazy.

 

While I was struggling to somehow recall that content, Lionel asked me.

 

“Will Liri also attend the hunting competition?”

 

“Me? I’m not going. No, I can’t go.”

 

Since I hadn’t made my social debut yet, I couldn’t attend such official events.

 

To be precise, if I attended the hunting competition, that place would become my social debut venue, so it was more accurate to say I wouldn’t go.

 

‘Regardless of my own wishes, our family would absolutely never allow it…’

 

Besides, there was a very important reason why I ‘couldn’t’ go to the hunting competition.

 

“I hate seeing blood splatter. Whether it’s shooting with arrows or cutting with swords… Ugh.”

 

Just imagining those scenes made my whole body break out in goosebumps and my hair stand on end.

 

When I wrapped one arm around my shoulder and shivered, Lionel nodded as if he understood what I meant.

 

“Then it would be better for you not to come to the hunting competition in many ways.”

 

“Yes. But I’ll still hear news about it, so you must perform well. Got it?”

 

“Understood.”

 

“Don’t catch small birds. Only catch big, scary ones like bears or wolves.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Lionel nodded without saying no or that he disliked it, no matter what I said.

 

I was feeling pleased thinking my fiancé listens so well, when I felt an intense gaze from somewhere.

 

When I turned my head, Uni was looking at me with eyes full of pity.

 

‘Why?’

 

When I mouthed the question, Uni made a startled expression and shook her head saying it was nothing.

 

I was tilting my head wondering why she was acting like that, when I felt the warmth leave my hand.

 

Wondering why he let go of my hand, I turned my head to see Lionel wiping cookie crumbs off his hand with a handkerchief.

 

“But Liri. The cookies taste a little different.”

 

“Wow, you can tell the difference? Mother baked these herself.”

 

The person who made them was different, but since they used the same ingredients and the same recipe, the difference shouldn’t be that big. I was impressed that he noticed.

 

“These taste better, right? Mother’s skills are really, really excellent. Even the head chef can’t match Mother’s cookie-making skills.”

 

Both the rose tea and the cookies – I was going on and on bragging about how amazing Mother’s skills were when something unexpected came out of Lionel’s mouth.

 

“Does the Duchess hope to build a relationship with me?”

 

“Huh?”

 

What is he talking about now?

 

“Didn’t you say that baking cookies personally was to build relationships?”

 

“What…”

 

Ah!

 

“Those cookies. I baked them.”

 

“Really? Why did you do the head chef’s job?”

 

“Why do you think? I was trying to build a close relationship with my fiancé.”

 

“No! No! Mother’s cookies taste better, so I brought them on purpose for you to eat something more delicious!”

 

“There are many delicious cookies in the Imperial Palace too.”

 

“No… That’s not it? Mother’s cookies are the most delicious, right?”

 

I stared at him intensely, saying I couldn’t compromise on this point, but something else came out of Lionel’s mouth.

 

“Wasn’t the fact that you baked the cookies personally for me more important than the taste?”

 

“That’s… right?”

 

Right. I definitely did say that.

 

‘But this is unexpected.’

 

I thought Lionel would naturally prefer the more delicious cookies.

 

“Then… should I bring ones I baked myself next time?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Again, he answered immediately.

 

“Ahem. Alright. Next time I’ll bring cookies I baked myself.”

 

Right, well. Since I’m generously sharing mana every time we meet, there’s nothing wrong with baking some cookies!

 

“It’s okay that I can’t go to the hunting competition, right?”

 

“Yes. It’s fine.”

 

“Good. Instead, I’ll pray from afar that you achieve good results.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Since Lionel just nodded without saying much, I really thought I didn’t need to go to the hunting competition.

 

I found out that wasn’t the case in the carriage on the way home.

 

* * *

 

“What? A handkerchief?”

 

“Yes. You must personally tie it to his bow before the hunting competition begins. Anyone who goes hunting with a bow that has nothing on it, whether man or woman, will be humiliated.”

 

At Uni’s kind teaching, I could only gape.

 

But I never heard anything like that…!

 

“Then what do people without fiancés do?”

 

“In that case, they receive handkerchiefs from other family members.”

 

“What if they have no family?”

 

“Friends or relatives or… Actually, people who are that isolated don’t attend hunting competitions at all. They’d only be ridiculed more.”

 

That’s really too much. Someone might not have family, friends, or a fiancé but still want to hunt!

 

“But Lionel is the Second Prince. Wouldn’t there be at least one person around to tie a handkerchief for him?”

 

“Lady. If someone with a fiancée goes hunting with a bow tied with another woman’s handkerchief instead of his fiancée’s, that’s an even bigger problem.”

 

“Why? …Don’t tell me it’s like openly declaring ‘I’m having an affair with this person’ or something like that?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Ah, social life is really difficult!

 

“Then if someone with a fiancée goes out with a bow that has nothing tied to it, couldn’t people think ‘Oh, that person’s fiancée must not have attended the hunting competition’?”

 

“No. They’d think the relationship must be so bad that the fiancée wouldn’t even come to show support.”

 

Uni looked at me with a troubled expression. Her eyes seemed to say, ‘I thought our Lady was smart, but she doesn’t even know things like this, what should I do…’

 

“But I’m still sixteen and haven’t even made my social debut yet?”

 

Come to think of it, it was unusual for Lionel to attend the hunting competition despite still being a minor.

 

Then they should also consider it unusual that I, his fiancée of the same age, don’t attend that competition!

 

“There’s also the method of secretly visiting before the hunting competition officially starts to tie it for him.”

 

“I just need to not be there after it officially starts?”

 

“For now, yes. In Lady’s case, since you have the excuse of coming to tie a handkerchief to your fiancé’s bow, everyone will understand.”

 

“Anyway, I do have to go…”

 

I hugged the bouquet Lionel had given me and sank deeply into the plush carriage seat.

 

‘The hunting grounds.’

 

I really, really didn’t want to go. A sigh escaped me naturally.

 

But what could I do? It was a matter concerning my fiancé’s reputation.

 

“But Lady… earlier you told the Second Prince not to shoot small birds.”

 

“Yes. Why?”

 

“Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if there was a particular reason you specifically told him not to shoot small birds.”

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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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