The Obsessive Male Leads Want to Eat Me Alive - Chapter 32

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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 32
The Count continued speaking in his excitement.
“Out of affection, I stroked the child a few times, and it seems my ring scratched her cheek slightly. But then, without warning, she cursed at me! This little brat!”
“I didn’t ask you for an explanation.”
“…!”
At Gerard’s suddenly frigid tone, the Count flinched and took a step back, lowering his head.
Only then did I carefully speak up, shielding Heinrich beside me.
“Your Highness, I humbly apologize, but on such a wonderful banquet day, this hardly warrants such a commotion.”
I was subtly suggesting that I didn’t want this matter to escalate further.
At that, Gerard’s sharp gaze softened.
“How clever. What is your name?”
“I am Anette.”
Gerard then addressed the Count.
“Count, you can’t just touch children as you please. A child’s wishes matter too. Besides, she is a guest who has graced my banquet.”
“…That may be true, Your Highness, but she dared curse at a nobleman and an adult, and on top of that, she bit my arm!”
The more the Count spoke, the more enraged he became, glaring fiercely at Heinrich as he shouted.
“Such a rude little brat!”
He ground his teeth.
“She should be severely punished under the law of insulting nobility!”
Charging an eleven-year-old with insulting nobility? That’s absolutely unreasonable!
“Then, should we handle the Count’s ‘insult to the Imperial Court’ with execution?”
“…!!!”
The effect of Gerard’s casual remark was tremendous. The Count’s face turned as pale as a corpse.
Yet Gerard’s crimson eyes remained calm, and his long silver-gray hair, flowing smoothly, didn’t waver a single strand.
“By disrupting the Imperial banquet, aren’t you insulting me and the Imperial Court itself?”
“That, that is…!”
“A rude old fool has no place at my banquet.”
“Your Highness?”
“Escort Marquis Abinosh out of the Banquet Hall.”
“Your Highness! …Your Highness!”
At the command, the guards rushed forward and dragged the Count away.
In that moment, I stood there dazed, thinking.
‘An old fool is just… a horse, isn’t it?’
…’An old baby chick’ is such a strange expression, Your Highness.
Just then, a gentle voice reached the top of my head as I was lost in thought.
“This is a gift for you.”
“…Oh.”
What Gerard handed me were jellies of various flavors in vibrant shades of red, pink, green, and blue.
Just looking at them made my mouth water with their sweet and tangy appeal.
I carefully accepted the delicious jelly gift with both hands.
“…Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Do you dislike being touched as well?”
“No. I’m fine with it!”
Gerard’s large hand gently stroked my hair with a soft, soothing motion.
His warm gaze settled upon me, his eyes crinkling with a gentle smile.
“You’re quite adorable and well-behaved, Anette.”
“…!”
My face flushed without reason. To receive praise from the Imperial Prince!
But this was no time to simply feel embarrassed.
“Your Highness, could my younger brother’s face be treated?”
“Of course. I’ll have a word with the physician.”
“Thank you so much!”
Gerard offered a light smile and passed by me.
He seemed like a good person. He treated the children with genuine humanity, respecting each of them as individuals.
‘I thought the atmosphere was frightening earlier.’
Perhaps it was merely my imagination?
I watched the Imperial Prince’s retreating figure before quickly turning my attention to Heinrich.
“Heinrich, are you alright?”
Oh my, our little one. Look at that dejected face!
Heinrich spoke with his spirits completely dampened.
“…I’m sorry. I didn’t expect to drag you into this.”
“It’s alright, Heinrich.”
“No. I was foolish.”
Heinrich lowered his beautiful amethyst eyes and bit his lip.
‘Heinrich is actually feeling regret.’
Usually he cursed and was sharp-tongued and difficult, yet I’d never seen him regret anything like this.
It seemed to be because of me.
“From now on, when we’re together, I won’t cause you any trouble, Sister.”
“Heinrich….”
I pulled the dejected Heinrich into my embrace and patted his back gently.
“If Heinrich is alright, then I’m alright too!”
“….”
“So I hope Heinrich won’t be so downhearted about this.”
“…Sister.”
“Everything worked out well in the end.”
As I was comforting Heinrich with tenderness, Julius approached us belatedly.
“It seems there was quite a commotion.”
Oh, you’re just arriving now?
I released Heinrich from my embrace and looked up at Julius with focused eyes.
“Teacher, or rather, Julius! Where have you been?”
You have a duty to protect us, don’t you?
Julius pointed to the corner with an irritatingly composed expression, tapping his finger against his palm as he spoke.
“I was watching from over there.”
“…!”
What did you just say?
Julius adjusted his glasses with cold precision and continued.
“This too is part of the ‘socialization training’ process. Thanks to your wise handling, Anette’s value has increased. Well done.”
“….”
‘I’ll rub that ring the next time Julius desperately needs to use the restroom.’
I quietly swore my revenge.
Julius said he would help with the treatment and take Heinrich with him.
I wanted to follow Heinrich, but before leaving, Julius whispered to me.
“If you leave like this, the Forest’s image will suffer. Stay and clean up the mess, Anette.”
A sigh escaped me involuntarily.
* * *
‘Goodness, socialization training is no trivial matter.’
Is it acceptable for a twelve-year-old’s entire body to ache?
I stepped out of the Banquet Hall, patting my shoulders, and breathed in the fresh air of the Garden.
Julius had told me to stay and manage the atmosphere, but I simply didn’t have the strength for it.
I needed a brief rest too…
“Waaaaaah!”
Huh? A crying sound in a place like this?
My eldest sister DNA from the Forest responded, and I found myself drawn toward the sound as if enchanted.
‘Oh, how adorable and precious!’
On the ground lay a plump little girl who appeared to be about five years old, kicking her legs and crying.
Her orange hair in twin tails looked as charming as a carrot.
“Hello there, Little Lady. I’m Anette from the Forest. May I ask what’s troubling you?”
Tell your older sister, dear. Why are you crying?
I bent down and asked the Little Lady with proper courtesy.
Then, wiping away her tears with sausage-like plump hands, the Little Lady spoke with her large brown eyes.
“My butterfly toy went up into the tree.”
“Oh? Then shall I go fetch the guards for you?”
“No, I can’t!”
The Little Lady quickly covered my lips with her tiny fingers.
Then she whispered as if sharing a secret.
“If I do, Mother and Father will scold me terribly! They say I was being unladylike by throwing my butterfly toy so high….”
“…Oh dear.”
She’s still too young to be scolded for such things.
Young children often cannot resolve what would be easily solved, simply because they fear being punished by adults.
Understanding that feeling well, I first confirmed the location of the butterfly toy and spoke.
“Then allow me to retrieve it for you, Little Lady.”
“But what if you fall…!”
“Don’t worry, I’m as nimble as a monkey when it comes to climbing trees!”
I folded my arms and flexed them with determination to show off my biceps. (Of course, nothing remotely impressive actually appeared.)
“In that case… I’m counting on you, sister.”
Oh my, how adorable.
“Yes!”
Climbing trees wasn’t particularly difficult. The Forest had far more troublemakers who placed toys in the branches, and cleaning up after them fell to me anyway.
But today, wearing this flowing dress was simply a nuisance.
I scrambled up the tree with a whoosh and safely retrieved the butterfly toy, humming contentedly as I descended.
Lulu. I’m quite the skilled tree-climber, aren’t I.
Just then,
Crack―!
Feeling the branch snap beneath me, the monkey had a thought.
‘Oh, so this is when I fall from the tree…!’
Soft.
But the next moment, instead of being thrown to the ground, I found myself cradled in warm arms.
“…Are you alright, little one?”
The man who caught me spoke with such tenderness.
“Are you hurt?”
I carefully examined the man holding me.
Honey-blonde hair and eyes of pale green.
‘Look at those dimples.’
A gentle smile with those charming dimples, and such an intoxicatingly wonderful scent.
“…!”
I covered my mouth with both hands and thought.
‘Found him. My ideal father!’
In that single moment of seeing him, I fell completely for the aura he radiated.
“…Hello.”
The man smiled warmly and returned the butterfly toy to the Little Lady, who then withdrew saying, “I’ll repay this kindness!”
Only then did the man carefully seat me on the bench.
“You’re Anette, aren’t you?”
“…You know me?”
“Of course. I sent you the golden rose.”
“…!!!”
What kind of absurd stroke of luck is this. It’s already difficult enough for someone I like to like me back, but now the man I wish were my father actually wants me as his daughter?!
…No, calm down.
He hasn’t even said anything about adoption yet, and it’s just a golden rose after all.
“You pleased me so much that I specifically requested a video from Mimosa to see you.”
“…Really?”
“Yes, the moment I saw you emerge from the crystal screen, my heart raced. I fell for you at first sight, as if it were destiny itself.”
‘Father, me too!’
In my imagination, I had already purchased a carnation for Parents’ Day and pinned it to his chest.
I was in the midst of my tenth complete rendition of the song “Father’s Grace.”
My ideal father smiled with that kind face marked by the Dimple Gentleman’s signature dimples.
“This may come as quite a sudden proposal for you… but might I be permitted to say such a thing?”
“W-what do you mean?”
Thump-thump.
“I’ve been wanting to tell you this the moment we met.”
The Dimple Gentleman dropped to one knee before me.
Then he extended a single flower.
‘Good heavens, is he going to adopt me right here?’
It was sudden, certainly, but I’d heard there were rare cases where people made an immediate adoption decision upon receiving a profile if it struck their fancy.
‘Such a lovely candy flower.’
My answer was yes!
I had already decided my response in my heart, and I waited for his next words with my chest pounding.
Soon he asked, his voice trembling with emotion.
“Anette. Would you please become my ‘daughter-in-law’?”
“…?!”
I beg your pardon, sir?

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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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