The Obsessive Male Leads Want to Eat Me Alive - Chapter 34

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

Chapter 34
I clapped my hand over my mouth in shock at the gruesome sight unfolding before my eyes.
“…!”
Gerard wiped the blood-soaked blade clean with a slight flick before sheathing it once more.
‘He killed them to keep the secret sealed!’
I realized anew just how thorough and meticulous this man truly was.
The warm image of the prince offering me jelly vanished in an instant, of course.
While his adjutant disposed of the corpse, Gerard slowly lit a cigarette with deliberate calm.
In the darkness, the flame burned with an acrid glow, like crimson eyes blazing to life.
‘I’m terrified.’
It was then, while I remained crouched.
“….”
That Gerard’s crimson pupils fixed their gaze directly upon me.
‘I’m doomed. Surely I haven’t been discovered?’
I hadn’t made a sound, barely even breathing.
Even the most perceptive swordsman would struggle to sense my presence from such a considerable distance.
Like a frightened squirrel, I held my breath, clutched the tree, and prayed desperately. Please, don’t come this way. Please.
It was at that very moment.
“Sister!”
Heinrich’s voice called out from afar.
“….”
The adjutant’s attention snapped sharply in that direction.
Gerard, keeping his gaze lowered, leisurely dispersed the smoke before flicking the half-burned cigarette away with a sharp gesture.
Then the two of them departed silently from the spot, like a mirage dissolving.
“Sister!”
‘…Phew, I’m alive.’
I slid down the tree trunk and collapsed onto the ground. Goodness, your timing is absolutely perfect, my dear.
“Heinrich!”
Moments later, I quickly revealed myself to Heinrich.
‘It’s best he doesn’t see the blood!’
Fearing Heinrich might become entangled in unnecessary trouble or worry, I hurried forward.
But then.
“Huh?”
There wasn’t a trace of blood anywhere.
Not a single sign that someone had died here remained. I stood bewildered, as though I’d witnessed a phantom.
An extraordinarily swift cleanup.
‘This wasn’t his first time, clearly.’
As I recalled the blood-dripping blade and felt a chill run through me, I hesitated and took a step back.
It was then that I noticed something glimmering at my feet.
‘What is that?’
I picked up the object and examined it carefully.
It was an elegant cigarette case with a chrome body and edges wrapped in brown leather.
The Imperial seal was engraved upon the case.
I had never entertained the naive notion of simply finding the owner and returning it to them.
I was merely suspicious.
‘Could this be a trap?’
Deliberately dropping the object here to flush out the suspicious person who had witnessed it…?
‘…That’s unlikely.’
If that were the case, they would have used something ‘less precious.’
In fact, the original story even included an episode where Gerard struggled to find his lost cigarette case.
It vanished without a trace, causing him considerable distress, and at that time Heinrich, who was in the Imperial Palace, was accused of being the culprit.
‘In any case, it means there’s no tracking magic attached to it.’
Otherwise, there would have been no reason for him to struggle with its disappearance.
Should I just leave it on the ground? But then someone else might happen to pick it up and be misunderstood, potentially facing a ‘swift end!’
‘That won’t do. Absolutely not.’
Perhaps it’s better for me, who knows the situation, to keep it. If it’s a precious possession of the Imperial Prince, it might prove useful someday.
I quickly pocketed the cigarette case.
Heinrich, who came running late, examined my face intently and spoke.
“Sister, why is your face so pale? Did something happen?”
“No, I think it’s just from being in the night air for too long.”
“I’ve been searching for you. Don’t wander around alone without me. The Imperial Palace is dangerous.”
“Okay!”
I lowered my brows and forced a smile.
* * *
‘Phew, eating cheesecake made me feel a bit better.’
As anxiety and fear drove me to stuff delicious food into my mouth, my mood gradually improved.
If I were truly a twelve-year-old child, I would have burst into tears by now, but fortunately, the adult consciousness from my previous life kept my mental state firmly in check.
Moreover, that murder scene felt like a scene from a movie, so it lacked a sense of reality.
That was fortunate in its own way.
“Heinrich, have you ever seen someone die?”
Heinrich scratched his pretty cheek and raised his brows.
“What do you mean, of course I have. In the Town Square, they behead people and display their heads practically every day.”
“…!”
“Last time, I even saw someone die by stoning for the crime of harassing a nobleman’s daughter.”
How could such cruelty exist?
Of course, the crime of harassment deserved death.
Seeing people die at eleven years old is commonplace?
As I trembled like a wet rabbit, Heinrich narrowed his left eye and looked at me.
“Sister, you’re too gentle and kind.”
…No, I’m not, child.
A child with such a strong stomach!
‘Perhaps there’s a generational difference in this world.’
In this realm, death was not such an uncommon occurrence.
“Still, you shouldn’t look, sister. It’s not a pleasant sight.”
Heinrich spoke while gently patting my head as if he were quite the adult.
I answered quietly.
“Mm….”
Sob, well, I’ve already seen it, Heinrich.
To offset the shock, I swallowed hard and bit into a cherry tart.
Watching me, Heinrich narrowed his eyes.
“But why are you asking that? Where did you see someone die?”
“…No?”
I hurriedly shook my head. Somehow, it felt better if no one knew what I had witnessed.
With trembling eyes, I glanced toward Gerard, who sat among the crowd sipping wine with an air of dominance.
His expression was utterly composed.
He remained the perfect First Prince—flawless in ability, character, and qualification.
‘How can he be so calm after just slitting someone’s throat?’
He looked no different from someone who had simply finished an errand.
Just then, our eyes met.
“…!”
I pretended not to look his way and instead gazed with clouded eyes at the philtrum of a nearby marble statue.
Gerard offered me a warm smile.
‘Sob. I’m terrified. Absolutely terrified.’
I must never entangle myself with him again. I shouldn’t even linger near Gerard.
I shouldn’t have picked up that cigarette case either. I’ll bury it in the deepest part of The Forest and not retrieve it until I’m a grandmother.
“…Let’s ask Julius to leave early today, Heinrich.”
“Should we?”
“Yes! Please!”
Heinrich laughed, his beautiful eyes crinkling.
“Your first socialization training must be tiring. Understood, sister. I’ll tell Julius and come back. Wait for me.”
I nodded repeatedly.
I was exhausted. The Imperial Banquet Hall, socialization training—I just wanted to go to The Forest and embrace the children.
‘…I don’t want to see anything frightening anymore. I want to see only good and beautiful things.’
As if reading my thoughts, someone kind and beautiful walked toward me with perfect timing.
“Anette.”
It was my prospective father-in-law, the virtuous Marquis Bijeje, with his charming smile and deep dimples.
He knelt on one knee before me without hesitation, lowering himself to meet my gaze, and smiled benevolently.
“Now that I think about it, I have one more gift prepared for you, Anette.”
Bijeje produced a small bottle from his pocket.
Before he even opened the lid, a sweet raspberry scent wafted out, and my mouth watered. Inside were jewel-like confections arranged beautifully.
“I hear it’s the confectionery the noble children adore most from the City Confectionery.”
“…Your Grace.”
I was deeply moved that he had worried about meeting me and even prepared a gift.
“Share it with your friend.”
“Yes, thank you so much, Your Grace!”
He subtly flushed, bringing his fist to his mouth with an awkward cough.
“I’d prefer it if you called me Father instead of Your Grace. Ahem.”
“…Oh.”
“I was joking.”
He quickly recovered when he saw my surprise.
‘That didn’t sound like a joke. You’re quite the obsessive father-in-law.’
“But why did you come alone?”
You said you’d introduce me to your son.
“Ah, well….”
Bijeje scratched the back of his head with a sheepish laugh.
“Kyle is quite shy. Would it be possible for Anette to come with me to where Kyle is…?”
“Of course, I’d be happy to!”
Just how shy could this boy be?
* * *
‘Oh my!’
I was startled when I went to meet Kyle.
The boy was hiding behind the sofa, with only his chestnut-like hair peeking out.
‘That chestnut from before…!’
Bijeje graciously escorted me to the front of the sofa.
“I’ve brought a lady to meet you, Kyle. You should greet her.”
…A lady?
I discreetly brushed the tart crumbs from my hands.
I couldn’t let it show that the lady had been eating pastries.
A lady and gentleman’s meeting!
The chestnut gentleman, being quite shy, remained behind the sofa and spoke.
“Ah, good day to you. Anette.”
‘Goodness, even though he’s still young, his voice and diction are excellent.’
Moreover, his pronunciation and manner of speech were quintessentially noble.
It was a delightful contrast to his overly bashful demeanor—he spoke like a polished nobleman.
He asked again with utmost courtesy.
“My lady. I apologize for my shyness, but would it be acceptable to converse like this for a moment?”
“Of course, sir.”
“…Please forgive my rudeness.”
I struggled to suppress the laughter bubbling up inside me.
‘How adorable. So shy he insists on conversing from behind the sofa.’
After just encountering that frenzied chihuahua charging about, this chestnut-haired boy felt remarkably refreshing.
Then, with a soft sound—
A small, trembling hand emerged from the sofa. Clutched within it was a single delicate, pristine flower.
Quivering.
“Please accept this flower.”
The flower extended toward me trembled so violently that its petals seemed to perform a shaking dance.
I couldn’t help but laugh, letting out an amused snort through my nose.

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