The Obsessive Male Leads Want to Eat Me Alive - Chapter 13

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 13
“Heinrich, no more acting cute for a while.”
“Huh?”
Scrub, scrub—
I rubbed my eyes vigorously, trying to wash away the rose-tinted scales that had clouded my vision.
Then I opened them wide with determination, forcing myself to see clearly.
But in that moment, Heinrich’s beautiful face had already drawn impossibly close to mine.
“Sister, I’m really good at picking apples too, so I’m the most wonderful person in the world, right?”
I abandoned my resolve in a single second and nodded my head vigorously.
“Of course! Absolutely!”
…Good heavens, I’m far too weak when it comes to Heinrich.
How could I ever objectively identify the culprit like this?
But then again… if Heinrich truly were the one,
‘only I could stop him.’
I would have to be the one to catch him.
Besides, a ‘scheming little brat’? Such a character wouldn’t be educationally appropriate, Heinrich.
I opened my eyes wide and spoke sternly.
“Heinrich, haven’t I always told you? I hate children who do bad things.”
“Oh, of course.”
Heinrich answered without the slightest hesitation.
“That’s why I’m holding back from doing anything wrong—so you’ll keep loving me.”
…That’s right. In this moment, I am a factor in Heinrich’s life.
Perhaps he refrained from such deeds because he feared my disapproval. If only that were enough….
“Sister.”
Then Heinrich leaned his body against mine and embraced me, his eyes—holding the chill of early dawn—gazing downward before slowly closing.
“You know, don’t you?”
“Hmm?”
Out of habit, I stroked the boy’s hair, which gleamed like a snow-laden silver birch in winter light.
Heinrich whispered with eyes narrowed to slits.
“How much I love you.”
“….”
Because he couldn’t bring himself to look at me while confessing, his words rang with even greater sincerity.
“So….”
“….”
“I will become a truly good Heinrich.”
His lips trembling, Heinrich whispered with a voice full of determination.
It sounded less like a promise to me and more like a fierce vow to himself.
‘My dear Heinrich. If only that could be true.’
Then you wouldn’t be hated by Sisrain, and you would have nothing but a happy ending.
Heinrich, do you know that your happiness is my greatest wish?
I smiled brightly and replied.
“I love our little one the most too!”
“….”
I watched Heinrich’s face gradually flush crimson. Oh dear, he was going to burst at this rate.
“You don’t need to say it—I already know.”
“Oh, really? Then I shouldn’t say it anymore….”
“No, that’s not it! Say it as often as possible! Every single day!”
Heinrich was throwing a tantrum, crying out, “Take back what you said about not saying it! Please take it back!” when it happened.
A tiny child, no bigger than an acorn, came scurrying over and spoke.
“Heinrich, Mislin is calling for you!”
Heinrich replied listlessly.
“Why me? How annoying.”
“Some terrible villain apparently stripped all the apple trees in the Orchard bare!”
Heinrich’s eyes narrowed. His expression clearly said, ‘That villain is me.’
“I’ll be back soon, so wait for me, sister.”
“…Okay.”
Heinrich grumbled about how bothersome it was, left his seat next to me, and departed the Classroom.
“Phew….”
Only then did I let out a breath I’d been holding.
* * *
Quite some time passed and the next class period began, yet Heinrich still hadn’t returned.
Well, it was Mislin’s beloved Apple Orchard after all. Heinrich had picked over a hundred apples from that orchard—he deserved to be scolded.
Even Julian, who only picked one apple.
…Still, surely he’d be back soon, right?
But contrary to my expectations, as the break period passed and the next class began without Heinrich’s return, I began to grow worried.
‘What could be happening? The meeting seems to be taking quite long….’
Was picking a few apples really grounds for such a lengthy meeting?
I was lost in thought when it happened.
“Look at this!!!”
“Oh, you startled me.”
Suddenly, a large teddy bear brooch was thrust directly into my face.
‘The bear’s rear end is practically touching my nose.’
“Hehe, it’s cute, isn’t it, Anette!”
The owner of the teddy bear was Reina.
Nine years old this year, she had awakened quite early and had recently completed her socialization training.
“Such an adorable little bear!”
The girl with blueberry-colored hair and matching eyes smiled affectionately, her eyes crinkling with joy.
‘She looks like a smiling king blueberry…how cute.’
That king blueberry—or rather, Reina—clasped her hands together and spoke with a dreamy expression.
“I received it as a gift from Marquis Vivio during socialization training! He said he’ll adopt me soon.”
“Wow, how wonderful! Reina!”
‘Marquis Vivio has an excellent reputation, after all.’
He would make fine adoptive parents for Reina.
While nobles sometimes adopt children as trophies, many households genuinely shower their adopted children with affection afterward.
Marquis Vivio would certainly cherish Reina dearly.
‘Wait?’
Moreover, the teddy bear’s eyes gleamed so brilliantly that upon closer inspection, they were nothing less than sapphires.
“Goodness. That’s incredibly expensive.”
“Really?”
Reina gazed at the teddy bear brooch with an innocent expression.
Marianne had drawn near and was observing it from beside her. With her characteristically serene demeanor and quiet voice, she spoke.
“…A teddy bear with eyes of this color… the legendary rare teddy bear….”
“Wow~ So that’s what it is!”
These children truly don’t understand gemstones.
It seems the mystique of a legendary rare teddy bear resonates more deeply with children than the capitalistic allure of precious stones.
The children quickly swarmed around Reina like a cloud, offering their congratulations.
Robert, with his honey-colored hair and sun-bronzed skin, asked.
“So your future parents gave you a gift for the first time?”
Reina’s shoulders rose with delight.
“That’s right!”
“Wow, what a precious treasure.”
“Yes! I must treasure it always!”
‘A sapphire teddy bear certainly deserves to be treasured. Yes. That’s worth two months of noble living expenses in the Capital.’
I nodded, my thoughts tinged with mild cynicism.
Of course, precious things need not always be expensive.
For instance, like this.
I withdrew a lustrous, gleaming apple from my bosom and breathed in its fragrance.
“Mmm.”
The crisp apple scent eased my tension and lifted my spirits.
‘Hehe. My dear child’s very first gift to me.’
The heart poured into that apple moved me.
That pure and tender kindness—selecting the most beautiful apple and offering it without hesitation.
‘…Why must someone as kind and innocent as Sisrain endure such suffering.’
Sisrain never asked for much.
He harbored no greed for grand luxuries.
All Sisrain and I desired was to emerge from that dark cave and live as ordinarily as the other children.
To sleep without trembling from cold. To walk beneath the bright, warm sunlight.
That was all.
…Yet why must even such basic, ordinary things be so difficult for Sisrain.
‘Some people are born with misfortune as their default, it seems.’
Misfortune is so deeply embedded in one’s fate that achieving even the mundane requires tremendous effort.
I had often witnessed such people in my previous life.
If I’m being honest, I belonged to that category myself, which made my heart ache all the more. I understood, at least somewhat, what such an existence meant.
‘Sisrain is far too young to have grown accustomed to misfortune.’
A life filled entirely with suffering from birth until now….
As I thought of Sisrain, who had endured every conceivable hardship thus far, my chest burned as though seared by flame.
“….”
I was standing there holding an apple, lost in melancholy thoughts.
“Anette.”
A gentle voice drifted from behind me like a spring breeze. There was only one person in this world who called my name in such a tone.
I turned to face the boy, still holding the apple.
Then, as though I hadn’t been gloomy just moments before, I smiled brightly.
“Sisrain, thank you so much for the apple. You know, I think this apple is the most beautiful thing in the world!”
At that, Sisrain’s eyes curved playfully. Those warm, crimson eyes gazed at me quietly.
The boy spoke to me.
“Then I’ll call you Apple.”
“Huh? Why would I be an apple?”
The moment I asked, I realized what he meant.
“…!”
He was calling me an apple because I said this apple was the most beautiful thing in the world?!
My face flushed in embarrassment. This obsessive little sprout really does say the damnedest things for an eleven-year-old.
I rambled incoherently.
“…I’m not an apple, it doesn’t suit me at all, so call me rambutan or dragon fruit instead….”
I rattled off some oddly-shaped fruit at random, and Sisrain let out a soft laugh.
I cleared my throat and quickly tucked the apple away carefully.
Then I began to worry internally.
‘Should Sisrain know about this situation?’
Strictly speaking, this was something happening to him.
A little demon trying to drive him out of The Forest.
‘The person involved shouldn’t be kept in the dark. But….’
What if he gets hurt too deeply?
I looked at the boy, recalling how he had trembled weakly in my arms.
I couldn’t predict how Sisrain would react once I told him the truth.
Then Sisrain asked me first.
“Is there something you want to tell me, Anette?”
“Huh?”
He had keenly noticed that I was hesitating about something.
“…Ah, yes.”
‘I have to tell him. Please, don’t let him be hurt too much.’
I took a deep breath and quietly began to speak.
“Sisrain, listen carefully. Marquis Putolio finding you wasn’t a coincidence.”
“….”
“Someone deliberately revealed your location to the Marquis, and worse—they also informed your mistress of the Secret Hideout’s whereabouts.”
“…What?”
Sisrain’s crimson eyes rippled with profound emotion.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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