The Obsessive Male Leads Want to Eat Me Alive - Chapter 65

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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 65
* * *
“Why do I feel a chill?”
I suddenly felt something amiss and glanced around nervously.
I was alone, yet I sensed as though someone was targeting me.
‘A shiver ran down my spine for a moment.’
After scanning the surroundings and confirming no one was there, I retrieved a thick blanket and wrapped it snugly around myself.
Hmm, it must be the heating system.
I’ll ask Um to fix it when he comes by. For free, of course.
As a self-employed proprietor mindful of maintenance costs, I refocused on the newspaper article.
―Even upon rereading it, something felt off.
“How on earth did you manage it, Sisrain? You’ve already become Crown Prince?”
He shouldn’t have been that powerful yet.
In the original story, the imperial princes possessed extraordinarily formidable abilities.
Sisrain was certainly strong, but the other princes had relatives and political influence within the Imperial Palace.
To match that, Sisrain in the original story ‘explosively strengthened his abilities’ and seized the Crown Prince position through sheer force.
That process took considerable time. It shouldn’t have happened this quickly…
It was then, mid-contemplation, that a lightbulb suddenly flickered on in my mind.
“Aha!”
I think I might know the reason?
“Could it be that his abilities improved faster because he’s happy without vengeance?”
Oh, that sounds quite plausible!
After all, studying with a happy heart yields better results, and exercising with joy enhances performance more effectively.
‘That must be it.’
I let my imagination soar.
Erasing the image of the original Sisrain—a desolate, obsessive madman—
And envisioning a new Sisrain.
A Sisrain who sleeps soundly without vengeance, his skin always radiant with vitality.
A Sisrain who eats three balanced meals on time, with proper macronutrient ratios.
A Sisrain who practices swordplay with joy.
A Sisrain kind to everyone.
“Mm.”
Occasionally, a Sisrain who inhales phytoncides to manage stress!
I sprayed phytoncides into the air with a psssht sound and delighted in the fragrance.
Contemplating such a neat and happy ending, I felt my spirits lift considerably.
I was now merely a background extra, removed from the main storyline and merely observing the protagonists, yet I felt pleased that things seemed to be progressing well.
And all thanks to my efforts, hehe!
“Now if only Heinrich could be happy too.”
‘Heinrich might have it rough.’
While it was good that he’d already become wealthy, the truth was that even a noble, no matter how rich, would be ruined in an instant if branded a traitor.
‘Heinrich will ultimately become a Marquis.’
He’ll inherit his adoptive father’s title.
If it ended there, that would be Heinrich’s most ideal happy ending.
Rustle—
Just as I thought this and turned the next page of the newspaper.
I was startled.
“…Huh?”
Once again, I encountered an unbelievable headline.
「 Eldorado’s Magnate Mage ‘Heinrich Hyacinth’ Now Wielding Power Too? ―Granted the Title of Grand Duke 」
My eyes widened in disbelief.
…Our Heinrich is a Grand Duke?
How is someone who throws such tantrums allowed to become a Grand Duke?
* * *
“Congratulations, Your Grace.”
Duncan bowed respectfully. Heinrich appeared to be in quite a good mood.
Five minutes ago, he had received the title of Grand Duke.
“There was great turmoil at dawn, and the seal’s owner changed, but… the Grand Duke title has already been approved, so it will be conferred as scheduled. Grand Duke Heinrich.”
There was the savage display of that beast’s cub (Heinrich’s own expression), but fortunately the conferment ceremony proceeded normally.
―It was a more straightforward ceremony than expected.
Except for Derek, who was nervous, biting his tongue twice while reading the title documents.
“You’ve received the Grand Duke title without spilling a single drop of blood.”
Heinrich’s adjutant, Duncan, was a man with dark brown hair and deep black eyes.
Like a shadow to Heinrich’s brilliant coloring, the two made a striking pair.
Heinrich answered Duncan’s remark with arrogance.
“Of course it is? …Using barbaric methods like accumulating military merit or slaughtering siblings isn’t elegant, is it?”
“….”
Wasn’t that clearly a jab at ‘someone’?
Duncan simply smiled.
If he agreed here, he’d be charged with insulting the Imperial Court.
Of course, his master habitually insulted the Imperial Court (or more precisely, Sisrain) as casually as eating, but somehow the Crown Prince seemed accustomed to Heinrich’s behavior.
“Remarkable, Your Grace.”
His beautiful master’s red lips curved upward in a satisfied smile at his words.
Normally, for someone not of Imperial blood to become a ‘Grand Duke’, they must either achieve distinguished military merit or make extraordinary contributions to the Empire’s prosperity.
Heinrich fulfilled both without shedding a single drop of his own blood.
‘Large-scale Teleportation Magical Artifact’—he invented it.
Since teleportation itself was such high-level magic that it could only accommodate five people at most, the magical artifact created by this unparalleled genius was different.
Using it, thousands of elite soldiers could be instantly teleported to any desired location.
No matter how solid a fortress an enemy nation built, if the coordinates were accurate, it could be penetrated in one strike.
As a result, Eldorado’s national defense became unparalleled.
“Sigh.”
Heinrich lowered his eyes.
“Being a genius is exhausting, they say. A genius with wealth, and now becoming a man of power too―”
It was unfortunate but factual, so Duncan held his tongue.
‘If only his appearance were unremarkable.’
The self-loathing of other men might have diminished somewhat.
Long eyelashes, silver hair, and violet eyes—a combination beautiful as a creature born abundantly blessed by the divine.
It was a famous anecdote that a young marquis, once praised for his considerable handsomeness, fell from a balcony after glimpsing Heinrich’s face and succumbing to self-doubt (unbelievable perhaps, yet true).
Moreover, he possessed a subtly masculine edge that stirred the hearts of women.
―Yet.
Even this perfect man harbored a fatal “flaw.”
“Heinrich Hyacinth!”
At the casual sound of his name, Heinrich’s face stiffened in an irritating manner.
His sole defect was his personality.
His nickname, in fact―
“Sociopath.”
“….”
Duncan heard his master curse with his eyes alone. It was unmistakably a vile epithet.
“Heinrich, I hear you received a peerage today?”
Marquis Bimothes had deliberately followed Heinrich down the corridor.
He was accompanied by a young maid.
He was a close friend of Marquis Hyacinth, Heinrich’s adoptive father, and had long looked down upon Heinrich.
“Are you the monster born of a courtesan?”
Marquis Bimothes seemed quite irritated by his friend’s illegitimate adopted son.
“I just heard about it.”
Even now, the same.
He was subtly speaking down to Heinrich.
Heinrich pierced him with his beautiful violet eyes and asked curtly.
“What are you doing?”
His voice was frigid.
“You said you heard I became an Archduke….”
His crimson lips curved with arrogance.
Heinrich seized the old marquis by the back of the head and yanked him down forcefully.
His violet eyes gleamed with unsettling brightness as he deliberately met his gaze.
“Bow at once.”
“…!!!”
This sociopath, this madman.
Marquis Bimothes flailed in panic at that grip, then cast an appealing look toward Duncan, who at least appeared to possess “sanity.”
It was a silent plea for him to restrain his master.
Yet Duncan didn’t even blink in response.
“Show proper respect to the Archduke, Marquis.”
Ordinarily, even if a father’s old friend had risen to become a Grand Duke, he would not immediately trample the other with such arrogance. But Heinrich was different.
That unpredictable brutality terrified his opponent.
Heinrich whispered, his eyes narrowing.
“If you dare lift your head so freely before me again… I’ll scar that ugly face of yours.”
“…I-I apologize, Your Excellency.”
As Marquis Bimothes answered, trembling with humiliation and fear, Heinrich finally released his grip.
His expression brimmed with the irritation of having to spell out such obvious lessons.
It was at that very moment.
“G-Grand Duke, Your Excellency—”
A thin voice rose from below.
The voice of the Young Maid, who had been watching this entire scene while trembling.
She could barely have been ten years old.
Heinrich’s eyes softened immediately as he responded.
“Hmm?”
The maid spoke, taking his small hand in hers.
“I-I beg your pardon, but there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you… M-might I be so bold?”
“Go ahead.”
Heinrich answered readily.
Despite his permission, the maid could not easily open her mouth. The child was afraid—of something.
At that moment, Marquis Bimothes glared with his eyes.
“…”
—It seemed the maid’s curiosity was not her own.
He must have had her ask the question instead, to put someone in a difficult position.
As expected.
A question perfectly matching my prediction tumbled out.
“I’ve heard rumors that you, Grand Duke, kidnap young children and use them as subjects for magical experiments… That’s not true, is it?”
Hmm, Heinrich chuckled, stroking his chin.
This beautiful, morally bankrupt Bimothes had all manner of rumors attached to his name, and this was one of them.
That he captured children and used them as experimental subjects.
That was why children trembled at the mere sight of Heinrich.
Yet among them were those who admired his arrogant, dazzlingly beautiful appearance.
—Like this young girl right now.
The Young Maid’s face was fearful, yet her cheeks were flushed slightly.
“I heard you make dolls of children, using living children as materials… That’s all just rumors, isn’t it? You’re not such a frightening person, are you?”
Heinrich’s eyes narrowed.
“Well, who knows~?”
The ten-year-old girl flinched greatly.
Why didn’t he deny it…?
A look of “surely not” deepened across the Young Maid’s face as her complexion drained to ashen white.
Watching that frightened expression, his beautiful eyes curved ever so slowly—like those of a mischievous boy.
It happened right then.
With a snap, Heinrich thrust his face forward and teased the girl.
“Hello?”
“…!! Kyaaah.”
Watching the girl burst into wails, Heinrich let out a mischievous laugh—tee-hee-hee.
Then he suddenly seized Marquis Bimothes by the jaw with a sharp tap, forcing their eyes to meet.
“One needn’t craft a ‘doll’ from the flesh of children alone.”
Gulp—
Fear flickered across Marquis Bimothes’ gaze.
Despite meeting my eyes directly, this mad Birantum spoke in a gentle, measured tone as though answering the maid.
His beautiful eyes gleamed and curved with amusement.
“After all, since it’s merely a ‘doll’, the flesh of adults serves just as well.”
“…!!!”
The Marquis’ pallid lips trembled violently.
I released him with that expression of utter terror, and Marquis Bimothes finally collapsed into his seat.
“…Tsk, everyone’s so fragile.”
Heinrich, living up to his nickname of ‘Birantum’, departed down the corridor with unhurried grace.
Despite leaving everything in shambles, he moved with such elegance and composure.
* * *
―The rumors were not entirely baseless.
Half true, half false.
Heinrich was in the process of creating his own Anette.
Entering his office, Heinrich knelt before a statue of a young girl.

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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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