The Obsessive Male Lead Is Obsessed With Me! - Chapter 53

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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 53

“Uni. When Cecil collapsed, did that child go to the First Prince’s Palace?”

“No. But she did stop by the Empress’s Palace.”

“The Empress’s Palace? …Ah, right. The First Prince’s Palace is right next to the Empress’s Palace.”

That meant we also had to consider the possibility that Cecilia’s spirit familiar was killed at the Empress’s Palace.

The First Prince’s Palace and the Empress’s Palace.

Both were difficult places to search thoroughly. If only Cecilia could regain her magic power just once, Melania would be able to create a tracking magical tool….

“Father, Mother. For now, I’ll look around the Empress’s Palace and First Prince’s Palace area during my patrols to see if there’s anything suspicious.”

-Don’t do anything too dangerous. You can’t get hurt while trying to help Cecil.

“Yes. Don’t worry, Father.”

“I’ll try asking around among the servants and maids who worked at the First Prince’s Palace or Empress’s Palace at that time.”

Albert, who had entered the Academy as valedictorian and graduated early, had built numerous connections through various gatherings starting with alumni associations, reading clubs, tea parties, and more.

Most servants and maids working in the Imperial Palace were children or branch family members of noble houses, so if we kept asking around, we would surely find a witness.

“I’ll also follow closely beside the Lady and examine the Empress’s Palace in detail.”

“Don’t overdo it.”

-Right. If something happens to you, wouldn’t Cecil be sad too?

The Duke and Duchess worried about her, but Uni was burning with enthusiasm.

Since she had the easiest access to the Empress’s Palace among them, she thought she had to be the one to find the Lady’s soul fragment.

‘I can’t leave the Lady’s soul fragment abandoned in a place like the First Prince’s Palace or Empress’s Palace!’

So two days later. Uni, who had come to the Empress’s Palace following Cecilia, made excuses about needing the bathroom, dropping her handkerchief, and getting lost to reach the garden between the Empress’s Palace and First Prince’s Palace.

‘If they really released a bird and shot it with an arrow, the scene would most likely be here….’

Uni discreetly looked around to see if there was anything suspicious.

Then she discovered it.

“Hic, huuung….”

“…A child?”

At the edge of the garden near the First Prince’s Palace. A young child in priest robes sitting under a tree, hugging their knees and crying.

* * *

-Knock knock knock.

“Your Majesty the Empress, Lady Roheim. Excuse me for a moment.”

The Empress’s maid came inside to ask for understanding, then went to the Empress’s side and whispered to her.

I couldn’t hear exactly, but it seemed like someone had come.

‘What? Who came that they’d interrupt even knowing I’m here with the Empress?’

It must be someone important indeed, as the Empress showed a momentarily surprised expression before looking at me with a nonchalant face.

“We’ll have to stop here for today.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Instead of asking what was going on, I politely nodded. The fact that they whispered in front of me meant they had no intention of telling me.

‘I thought she seemed a bit distracted all day today.’

“Then I’ll see you again next time.”

As I left the room, I secretly glanced around. But I didn’t encounter the Empress’s guest.

‘If it’s a guest the Empress would go out of her way to hide, I can only think of someone treating the First Prince….’

I was curious, but if I got caught eavesdropping on the conversation between the Empress and her guest, even my parents would have trouble cleaning up the mess.

Though it was a bit disappointing, I decided to give up and came out of the Empress’s Palace, where I noticed another carriage besides our family’s carriage.

‘That crest is…. Isn’t that Count Riam’s?’

Count Riam. Count Riam.

‘I feel like I heard this name somewhere recently. Where did I hear it?’

If Uni were here, I could have asked her right away. It was a bit strange that I couldn’t see Uni even though I’d come this far.

‘Where did she go?’

I was looking around and searching for someone to ask about her whereabouts when a maid approached me.

“Are you Lady Roheim?”

“That’s right. And you are?”

“I’m a maid from the First Prince’s Palace.”

Huh? Why would a maid from the First Prince’s Palace want me?

“Lady’s maid is currently at the First Prince’s Palace. So His Highness the First Prince ordered me to bring you.”

“…Huh?”

Why does the First Prince have our girl?

I was so dumbfounded and bewildered that I just blinked, when the maid glanced at the guards from the nearby Empress’s Palace and spoke to me in a small voice.

“I’m Fiona’s friend.”

Then she continued loudly enough for others to hear.

“Please come with me, Lady.”

“Ah…. Yes. If my maid is there, I should go right away.”

The fact that she revealed to me that she was Fiona’s friend was probably intended to tell me how Uni ended up at the First Prince’s Palace.

Sure enough. While crossing the vast garden between the Empress’s Palace and First Prince’s Palace, the maid told me what had happened here.

“I don’t know how Lady’s maid ended up coming to this garden. However, in the process, she encountered the apprentice servant of the Bishop who is treating His Highness the First Prince, and in that process, she heard something she shouldn’t have heard.”

“Something she shouldn’t have heard?”

“That His Highness the First Prince is currently receiving treatment, and that it’s effective.”

Ah, right. That was supposed to be a secret.

Honestly, judging by the talk among the maids, it seems like everyone who should know already knows.

“So is my maid in a very dangerous situation right now?”

“To be honest, it seems like His Highness the First Prince is thinking of using this to trouble you rather than silencing your maid.”

The maid’s face showed an expression of being fed up as she said this. It seemed the First Prince had troubled people by catching their weaknesses more than once or twice.

“Be careful. His Highness the First Prince has always been a bit…. He couldn’t stand seeing His Highness the Second Prince have something better than him.”

“Yes. Thank you for telling me. Thanks to you, I can prepare myself mentally.”

There was a big difference between knowing and not knowing the situation in cases like this.

I was grateful that she told me things I didn’t even ask about, but I wondered if it was okay for both Fiona and this maid to tell me all this. If the First Prince found out, they wouldn’t have a good time.

‘I must repay this kindness later.’

I decided to remember her face and ran simulations in my head to prepare for the upcoming situation.

And when I arrived at the reception room where the First Prince was, the sound of the First Prince’s snort flowed out through the half-open door.

“How dare you threaten me…. I’ll praise you for that courage alone.”

“Your Highness was the one who frightened the child first.”

“I told you twice that the child was the one who committed the crime first, didn’t I?”

“No! I really didn’t say anything. I didn’t do it!”

Then I heard the sound of a child crying loudly. Having heard the general situation from the maid, it felt even more heartbreaking.

I couldn’t just stand by and watch, so I was about to open the door and go inside when the First Prince’s voice was heard again.

“Fine. In consideration of your efforts in treating me, I’ll let this incident slide. But you must remember that there won’t be a second time.”

There was no voice responding to him.

Instead, footsteps approached this way. I stood a little away from the door, and after a moment, the door opened.

“…Ah.”

The person who came out was a woman holding a sniffling, crying child in her arms.

The first thing that caught my eye was the priest robes. Judging by the decorations on the clothes, she was probably a bishop.

‘I see. The person treating the First Prince is….’

But somehow. Even though it was clearly a face I was seeing for the first time, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

‘No, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen her.’

I had definitely seen that face before.

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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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