The Obsessive Male Lead Is Obsessed With Me! - Chapter 52

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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 52

 

“Ah, that? Originally, hunting competitions started as a way to reduce the number of harmful beasts that hurt people.”

 

“That was the original purpose.”

 

“Right? Small birds actually eat harmful insects and spread seeds far and wide by eating fruits. There’s no need to kill those good birds. Don’t you think?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

Uni nodded her head, then rolled her eyes slightly before carefully opening her mouth.

 

“I thought… His Highness the Second Prince said that because of the blue bird he raised when he was young.”

 

“Blue bird? …Ah, Liri?”

 

“Yes? Liri?”

 

“Didn’t I tell you, Uni? The blue bird Lionel raised when he was young. Its name was Liri. What a strange coincidence, right?”

 

I giggled and laughed, but Uni didn’t seem to find it funny at all.

 

No, it wasn’t just unfunny – her face had turned completely pale, making me wonder if she was sick.

 

“Uni?”

 

“Lady… If it’s not too rude to ask… do you know how that blue bird named Liri that His Highness the Second Prince raised… died?”

 

“Huh? I don’t know the details.”

 

In the novel, Liri’s death wasn’t described in detail.

 

What remained in my memory was just…

 

“Either the First Prince killed it directly, or he neglected it and left it to die. Anyway, the First Prince must have been the cause. The First Prince took Liri away.”

 

“Took it… away?”

 

“That guy is no joke. Really awful. Why, just recently he took away the fountain pen I gave to Lionel.”

 

It’s hard to defend such behavior even as a child, but what kind of behavior is this at eighteen years old? Especially since eighteen is considered adult age in this world.

 

“But Lady, when you collapsed at the Imperial Palace before… didn’t you not go to the First Prince’s Palace then?”

 

“Huh?”

 

What does my collapse have to do with the First Prince’s Palace?

 

I couldn’t understand why Uni was asking such a question, but her expression looked so serious that I carefully thought about what happened at that time.

 

“I didn’t go to the First Prince’s Palace. But I did go to the Empress’s Palace for bridal lessons then.”

 

And the First Prince’s Palace is right next to the Empress’s Palace.

 

Uni must have remembered this fact too, because her face, which had just been pale, was now turning red and blue in a complete mess.

 

“But why do you ask?”

 

“No, just… well.”

 

Uni moved her lips as if she was about to explain something to me, then quickly shut her mouth tight.

 

Then she smiled brightly and said this:

 

“I was just thinking how fortunate it is that your fiancé is His Highness the Second Prince and not His Highness the First Prince.”

 

“Ah, right. I think so too.”

 

What would have happened if a man who so cruelly killed a useful and cute blue bird had become my fiancé?

 

Just the fact that my parents chose Lionel instead of the First Prince as my fiancé showed that they must love me tremendously!

 

* * *

 

That night, I picked up the communication device first for the first time in a while.

 

“Ahem. Lionel? Can you hear me?”

 

-Yes. I can hear you.

 

Lionel, reflected in the crystal ball, was sitting at his desk today too with a calm face, showing no signs of surprise.

 

Thinking that I’d like to see this man’s surprised face at least once someday, I brought up my business.

 

“It’s nothing major, but I heard about handkerchiefs from my maid today. …Do you happen to know about the custom where fiancées tie handkerchiefs to bows when attending hunting competitions?”

 

-Yes, I know about it.

 

“You know about it?”

 

Since this was his first time attending the hunting competition, I thought Lionel might not know about handkerchiefs like me, but I was wrong.

 

He nodded quite casually.

 

-My aide told me about it.

 

“Then you must have also heard that you’d be humiliated if your fiancée doesn’t tie a handkerchief for you?”

 

-Yes.

 

“…And yet you said it was fine if I didn’t come?”

 

-Yes.

 

Ha. I think I know what this man is going to say.

 

“Because it’s not a problem?”

 

-Yes.

 

Wow, really amazing.

 

I’ve never seen such an upright person in my entire life.

 

“But you know what? I think it might be a problem for me.”

 

The rumors about me clinging to Lionel had just started to die down, but if I didn’t tie a handkerchief to his bow, I felt like strange rumors would start circulating again.

 

For example, rumors that the Duchess had quickly changed her mind and her heart had left her fiancé.

 

“I’ll come before the hunting competition starts and tie a handkerchief to your bow. If anyone asks, you must! You must! say that I came and tied it. Got it?”

 

-Didn’t you say you didn’t want to come?

 

“Even if I don’t want to, I have to go.”

 

Of course, if I had to wait until the end of the event, I wouldn’t have gone.

 

“I’ll just tie the handkerchief before the hunting competition starts and come back. It’s fine.”

 

-I understand.

 

At least he’s good at giving answers, which is fortunate.

 

-By the way, have you named the blue bird?

 

“A name? No. I’m still thinking about it.”

 

Honestly, it wasn’t even a real bird, just a magical device. If I had to express it, it would be like naming a robot vacuum cleaner?

 

I could just give it any random name, but strangely I kept overthinking it. Even thinking this much wouldn’t help me come up with a good name.

 

“Speaking of which, Lionel, do you have any good name ideas?”

 

-No.

 

“…You did think about it, right?”

 

-No, I didn’t.

 

“Why not!”

 

-Because the person who should name this child is Liri.

 

As Lionel said this, a faint smile appeared on his lips, and I felt like the view through the crystal ball was slightly shaking up and down. He was probably petting the blue bird’s head.

 

…Somehow it reminded me of when he touched my hair, making me feel a bit strange.

 

‘What a peculiar person, really.’

 

“But why did you suddenly start calling me Liri?”

 

-Because you are Liri.

 

“No, I mean why did you suddenly decide to use my nickname? I’m curious about that change of heart.”

 

-There wasn’t really a change of heart. I simply learned that you are Liri.

 

“No, I mean… Ugh, never mind, forget it.”

 

It seemed like we could communicate but also couldn’t, and the longer we talked, the more I was at a disadvantage.

 

“It’s late, so let’s sleep quickly! Come to think of it, why weren’t you sleeping today? Did your schedule change?”

 

-Yes. It was adjusted.

 

“Really? Then send me a new one.”

 

-I’ll prepare it so you can take it when you come next time.

 

“Great!”

 

Actually, something like His Highness the Second Prince’s schedule would be somewhat classified.

 

‘Well, since he’s giving it himself, it should be fine.’

 

After saying goodnight to Lionel and ending the communication, I lay down in bed.

 

In that position, I thought about names for the blue bird, but before I could catch any of the names floating around in my head, I drifted off to sleep.

 

* * *

 

Uni immediately shared the facts she had discovered with others.

 

“The blue bird that His Highness the Second Prince raised as a child was named Liri, and that blue bird was taken away and killed by His Highness the First Prince.”

 

“What!”

 

“From the circumstances, it seems the Lady’s spirit familiar is indeed a blue bird. Also… this came up when we were talking about the hunting competition, but the Lady seems to have considerable aversion to killing small birds.”

 

Everyone bearing the name of Roheim was outraged by Uni’s hesitant words.

 

-Th-that damn First Prince who deserves to be chewed up and spat out! That bastard shot my daughter to death with an arrow!

 

It was an unconfirmed fact. However, everyone already believed without doubt that such a thing had happened in the past.

 

“Should I kill him? I’ll secretly infiltrate the First Prince’s Palace.”

 

“Calm down. There’s no way that would succeed.”

 

“Are you looking down on me right now?”

 

“No, think about the Oracle.”

 

A groan escaped from Bellows’ lips at Albert’s point.

 

[He will take his own life by his own will]

 

No other person could ever kill him.

 

Even if a hundred assassins rushed at him simultaneously, that assassination would fail. So Bellows sneaking into the First Prince’s Palace would be throwing away his life.

 

“If we leave the First Prince alone, he’ll take his own life someday.”

 

“Right. For now, retrieving Cecil’s soul fragment is what’s important.”

 

Until now, they had thought Cecilia’s soul fragment would be in the Second Prince’s Palace.

 

But if the place where Cecilia’s spirit familiar was killed was the First Prince’s Palace…

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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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