The Obsessive Maniac Is Trying To Confine Me - Chapter 144
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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 144
The man carelessly swept back his disheveled brown hair as he looked this way.
I was silently shocked.
Dillen? What the hell is this sudden behavior?
It wasn’t just me who was flustered, as the clerics shouted at Dillen.
“Prince Herthas! What is the meaning of this rudeness!”
“We apologize, Paladin Commander. The Prince suddenly…”…”
The clerics were angry at Dillen’s sudden action, but also tried to explain the situation while watching Rihardt’s reaction.
“Young Lady, I know this is rude, but I would appreciate it if you could spare me some time.”
Dillen brushed away the clerics’ hands trying to drag him out and looked at me resolutely.
“Prince Herthas, you barge in like a ruffian and then brazenly ask for time.”
Rihardt stepped in front of me and spoke to Dillen in a gentle voice.
“Acting so unreasonably like this doesn’t make sense. How about formally requesting a meeting with the Young Lady next time?”
When his kind voice, as if soothing a child, rang out, one of the clerics admired Rihardt’s character.
Of course, watching this, I was dumbfounded.
Rather, this man had an unpleasant feeling of treating Dillen as his inferior.
“I asked Young Lady Camilla.”
“That kind of attitude is no different from intimidation.”
“Intimidation? When did I ever intimidate…”
“If you burst in with such fierce momentum and browbeat someone, anyone would be frightened, Prince. Do you really think a decision made in a state of fear is justified?”
Why are you two making a fuss over me?
I quietly held my head behind Rihardt.
‘What should I do.’
There were two choices.
Either give Dillen some time as he wanted, or turn away from him.
‘Dillen isn’t the type to act unreasonably.’
Seeing him suddenly acting like this, there must be something going on.
I wanted to have a conversation with Dillen, but it wasn’t an easy decision. Hadn’t I already decided to push Dillen away?
I rubbed my tired eyes. Soon I made my decision.
“I’d like you to excuse us for a moment.”
“Prince, did you hear that?”
“Not the Prince, but you.”
Rihardt, who had been triumphant, looked back at me as if he couldn’t understand.
I smiled brightly and gestured with my chin for him to leave.
“I had promised to meet with Prince Herthas, but I forgot about it. That’s probably why the Prince came so urgently.”
“…”
“Right, Prince?”
* * *
Rihardt and the clerics left the room with displeased faces.
When Dillen and I were left alone in the prayer room, I naturally became tense.
“Rose.”
Dillen called my name.
‘So he did know after all.’
I don’t know through what means he figured out my identity, but…
“Who are you calling right now? My name is Camilla, Prince.”
When I feigned ignorance, Dillen’s face subtly contorted.
I have no intention of pretending to know you.
I didn’t want to get involved with him unnecessarily and give him false hope.
“Don’t try to fool me, Rose. You think I wouldn’t recognize you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
You can’t even smell scents like Yurta. How did you recognize me?
“…Ha. So you’re going to push me away after all.”
However, Dillen didn’t back down at all.
Dillen, who had been standing in one spot as if nailed there, soon took heavy steps.
Seeing the man stride toward me, I wondered if Dillen had always been this tall.
I instinctively swallowed as Dillen reached out and grabbed my wrist.
“What are you doing right now…!”
“When I’m by your side, when I meet you, it’s this painful, yet you say you’re not Rose?”
“…”
The strength that had gone into my hand to shake him off drained away.
“I didn’t expect you to recognize me.”
“…Rose.”
“Why did you appear before me?”
Wasn’t our connection supposed to have ended back then at the northern castle?
“You’re asking because you don’t know? That’s what I should be saying!”
“What?”
“Why did you suddenly say you’d come back?”
Come back? What does that mean?
“Weren’t you never going to set foot in Herthas again? You hated that place terribly.”
“…”
“But why are you suddenly saying you’ll come back?”
The words pouring out like rapid fire made my head spin.
“Dillen, speak slowly. I’m coming back? What do you mean?”
“…You sent a letter saying you’d come back. Why are you pretending not to know?”
“I did? When?”
“…?”
Something was going wrong.
Both Dillen and I stared at each other blankly, unable to understand what the other was saying.
“…What kind of trick is this again? You’re trying to mess with me, right? That won’t work.”
“Do I look like I’m joking to you? A letter? You’re saying I sent a letter to Herthas? I never did that.”
“What? No. It was definitely your handwriting.”
“What do you…”
At that moment, a thought flashed through my mind.
There’s no way Dillen would know my handwriting. Had he ever seen my writing?
Then the handwriting Dillen was talking about would be ‘Rose’s’ handwriting, not mine.
And Rose was…
That woman who had strangled me when I was in the North.
“If you didn’t send that letter, then who did?”
Dillen raised the question.
However, I was too busy processing my own doubts to have the leisure to answer his question.
“If it wasn’t you who sent it, then who the hell was it?”
As I was organizing the situation in my head, Dillen asked me again.
I raised my head to look at him. Then I gave him a firm answer.
“I did send it.”
“What?”
“I forgot for a moment. You’re right that I sent it saying I’d return soon.”
“You forgot that?”
Dillen questioned me, saying it was absurd, but I shamelessly nodded my head.
A woman with Rose’s face.
In a situation where I still couldn’t tell whether that woman was really Rose or not, I had no intention of spreading word about her existence.
‘That woman is planning to return to Herthas soon?’
That worked out well.
I too was looking forward to meeting that woman again.
“C-Count!”
Just then, another commotion could be heard from outside.
“Oh my. Arzen must have arrived.”
It was understandable that he’d be surprised since I suddenly headed to the temple.
“Dillen, let’s end our conversation here…”
Bang!
Before I could finish speaking, the door burst open. How rough.
“Come here, Camilla.”
Arzen’s voice was somehow fierce.
Was he angry because I moved without saying anything?
“What business does a child of Herthas have with my mistress?”
The cold green eyes directed at me were unfamiliar.
“…Mistress?”
“Didn’t you know Camilla is my mistress? You couldn’t have approached without knowing that.”
Dillen clenched his fists tightly, seemingly reacting to the word mistress.
Rihardt’s expression, standing behind Arzen, also hardened.
Rihardt looked at me with desperate eyes.
He smiled at me as if he would endure it while thinking of future compensation.
However, I couldn’t feel the same composure as before in his softly curved lips.
“It was nothing important. Let’s go back, Count.”
I naturally linked arms with Arzen.
Since Arzen usually gave in when I did this, I skillfully smiled at him.
But strangely, today his cold reaction continued.
“Count?”
“Yes. If my mistress wishes it, I should comply.”
Ah. I understand why Arzen feels unfamiliar.
Usually Arzen called me his lover, not his mistress.
‘That could happen.’
Titles aren’t important, right?
“Let’s go quickly, Count.”
I pulled Arzen along.
Arzen looked at me and smiled meaningfully.
‘He’ll soften up if I coax him.’
However, that was naive thinking.
* * *
Something was definitely strange.
Arzen was always taciturn, but today he kept his mouth particularly shut.
The atmosphere I felt from him was so fierce it seemed like it would annihilate everything around us, so I couldn’t properly say a word the entire way to the Count’s manor.
I had to silently endure the pouring silence that felt like pain.
“Roji.”
It was when Arzen led me into the room.
“Her Imperial Highness says she’ll help you meet the Benefactor if you attend the upcoming festival event.”
As if the awkward atmosphere that felt like an awl piercing skin was a lie, a gentle smile appeared on Arzen’s lips.
Only then could I open my mouth to Arzen in the much more comfortable atmosphere.
“Really? The festival isn’t far away. Then let’s go together…”
“No.”
Cutting through my excited voice, Arzen closed the door.
Thud.
The sound of the door closing rang out softly, but somehow it felt like a massive iron gate was closing.
“I won’t be going there with you.”
“What do you mean…”
“You’re the one who broke the contract terms.”
What is this about all of a sudden?
“You shouldn’t have betrayed me, Roji.”
Click, the sound of the door being completely locked could be heard.
Arzen had imprisoned me.
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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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