The Obsessive Maniac Is Trying To Confine Me - Chapter 46

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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 46

I was flustered by Rihardt’s sudden words while waiting for him to quietly finish his meal.

“…Are you still not fully awake?”

“Perhaps.”

Despite bringing up the topic first, he seemed nonchalant about it.

What on earth is he thinking?

“Then I must have smelled it wrong.”

“What…”

“I caught the scent of a maid from somewhere.”

“…”

I wondered how he found out, and it was that.

Actually, when Rihardt said I had a scent, I half didn’t believe it, but now that it’s come to this, I had no choice but to believe it.

“Must have been my imagination.”

He muttered leisurely, but his blue eyes were directed at me.

Testing me when he already knows.

‘But if he knows it’s me, why didn’t he tell Philip?’

Philip seemed completely oblivious.

What’s his reason for pretending not to know?

I studied Rihardt’s face. Should I tell him after all?

Since he could be in danger.

“…You be careful.”

Yurta’s note contained truly terrible contents.

Revealing to Rihardt that I was there last night would be foolish, but I couldn’t pretend not to know.

“Be careful, you say. Are you worried about me?”

“…Yes.”

When I answered honestly, Rihardt’s eyes widened as if surprised.

He seemed quite shocked.

“Can’t I even worry about you?”

“Then may I worry about you too, miss?”

“Suddenly?”

That’s so out of the blue.

“I’m worried about you, miss.”

“…Why.”

“Because I don’t know what I might do.”

As expected, it was something I shouldn’t have listened to.

I thought about it.

Whether it was right to keep pretending to be kind in front of Rihardt.

Just continuing to keep my distance seemed like the wise choice.

“Miss, if you’re that worried about me, won’t you make a deal with me?”

“What kind of deal?”

What scheme is this now?

“Since you seem to have noticed anyway, I’ll be honest – I’ve been given a chance to escape.”

“…!”

He’s saying that so frankly?

What on earth is he thinking?

Rihardt would have fully anticipated that I could go tell Arzen about this.

That would be disadvantageous for him too.

The fact that he’s doing such a thing means it either helps his escape, or…

‘He has a reason that forces him to make such a dangerous choice.’

“I won’t escape. But only if you accept my condition, miss.”

“What do you want?”

“It’s nothing difficult.”

Rihardt smiled slightly while looking at my anxious gaze, then stated his desired condition.

I was momentarily dumbfounded.

“…Are you serious?”

“Why would I lie about something like this?”

The condition Rihardt proposed was absurd. In a good way.

That’s why I couldn’t believe his words that he wouldn’t escape if I just did that one thing.

“How can I trust you?”

“Would you believe me if you saw it directly?”

“Directly?”

“Tonight at midnight. That person is supposed to come again at that time. You could confirm it then, couldn’t you, miss?”

…It doesn’t seem like a bad proposal, but since it’s coming from Rihardt, it feels like there must be some trick hidden.

And since Philip caught on that someone was watching that day, I was worried whether I could observe as easily as last time.

“Whether you confirm at midnight or not, I have something to ask first – why are you giving up the chance to escape?”

I doubted whether the condition he mentioned was worth that much.

“And if I don’t accept your condition, are you planning to run away?”

“…Well, to be honest.”

Rihardt made a troubled expression.

“I absolutely hate anything suspicious. If someone appeared last night offering to help me escape, that’s quite suspicious, isn’t it?”

That makes sense.

However, I couldn’t readily agree and pondered for a moment.

Whether accepting Rihardt’s proposal would be more valuable than revealing to Arzen that there’s a spy in the manor.

I had already secured evidence that Philip was a spy with the letter he had.

‘But…’

There was something bothering me, so I hadn’t delivered it right away.

I sighed.

“Fine.”

I have no choice but to trust Rihardt.

‘Still, just in case, I should meet with the gatekeeper.’

After Rihardt finished his meal, I went to find the gatekeeper as planned.

I smiled brightly at the gatekeeper who looked at me with puzzled eyes.

“Shall we have a little chat?”

* * *

And so the promised night arrived.

“…So you won’t run away?”

Philip’s bewildered voice could be heard from outside the door.

“So tell your master to give up too.”

Beside me, Rihardt answered Philip with a sly smile.

He really was insane.

When I worried that Philip wouldn’t be careless with security this time, Rihardt said I just needed to stay in this room with him.

If this guy intended to team up with Philip to ambush me, I’d be in danger with no corner to escape to.

I pondered for a long time, but under the assumption that Rihardt was my ally, there seemed to be no better method than being here.

And so currently.

I was listening in real-time to Philip’s words flowing freely along with Rihardt.

‘Why did I even tail him.’

Reality hit me, but still, didn’t I obtain the information that Philip was Yurta’s henchman?

I decided to be satisfied with that.

“…Do you perhaps have some other plan to escape?”

“No, I don’t have anything like that.”

“That can’t be. That’s ridiculous. How could you give up such a good opportunity unless you had a plan?”

“How amusing. Why are you so confident that plan is good?”

“…How insolent.”

When Rihardt sneered openly, Philip’s voice dropped sharply.

‘This seems pretty real?’

It doesn’t seem like acting.

If this is also staged, it would be truly impressive.

My distrust of Rihardt bred suspicion upon suspicion.

“You’ll regret it.”

Philip said that while gritting his teeth and left.

‘Is that phrase trending these days?’

It was something I’d been hearing quite often lately.

“Did I do well?”

What’s there to do well?

When I avoided answering, Rihardt’s gaze became persistent. As if asking for praise.

“…You did, well.”

Unable to withstand his gaze, I answered, and Rihardt beamed with joy.

It was the first time I’d seen him smile so brightly.

When his lake-blue eyes curved into crescents, it felt very refreshing.

I immediately turned my head away.

…He’s handsome.

The description written in the novel wasn’t carelessly done—it was truly a dazzling beauty.

“Then can I receive the promised condition now?”

“…Yes.”

I extended my hand to Rihardt.

Rihardt looked at my hand for a moment, then hesitantly took hold of it.

It was completely different from his attitude when he boldly proposed the condition.

His condition was to touch my hand until he said to stop.

‘Why would he propose such a condition for something like this?’

Holding hands is quite simple.

But perhaps it wasn’t for Rihardt. He looked at my hand with a serious expression.

If he were a doctor, he would have looked like he was about to give a bad diagnosis.

“Miss, would you try thinking of something pleasant right now?”

“Do I have to do that too?”

“Come on. You must have some pleasant memories or something like that.”

What pleasant things are there….

Since coming to This Place, every day has been eventful, so there’s no way there could be pleasant things.

I just want to go home….

I had no choice but to try recalling things that happened in Korea. However….

‘I can’t remember.’

Here we go again.

Why is this happening?

Since when have I been unable to remember?

“Miss?”

When I was frowning despite saying I’d think of something pleasant, Rihardt asked curiously.

“…I can’t.”

“Pardon?”

“I said I can’t think of pleasant memories or anything like that.”

“Hmm….”

Rihardt looked troubled.

Even so, he seemed inwardly curious about having no pleasant memories.

“When you try to recall them, you can’t remember, or you’ve never had pleasant times?”

“It could be the former, or it could be the latter….”

It might seem like an insincere answer, but I really couldn’t remember.

And it was also true that I had no pleasant memories in This Place.

Even if I had them, I felt like they wouldn’t come to mind when asked.

“How curious.”

“It’s not that curious. What about you—what are your pleasant memories?”

“I….”

Rihardt seemed lost in thought, pausing and pondering for a moment before slowly opening his mouth.

“I think mealtimes with my mother were pleasant.”

Whether I should call it unexpected, it was quite modest.

Does he find happiness in modest things?

“How sweet. Your mother would be moved to hear that.”

Perhaps because I heard Rihardt’s story, something seemed about to surface.

In a hazy, fog-covered background, the face of a woman laughing as beautifully as a newly bloomed flower flickered.

My head hurt.

Who is that?

The image of the woman blooming like a flower in the fog strangely made my heart feel heavy.

Then Rihardt’s hand holding mine trembled slightly.

Only then could I return to reality.

“Did you recall something pleasant?”

“…Not exactly. Or maybe something similar? But how did you know?”

“You looked like you were in a good mood, Miss.”

I looked like I was in a good mood?

“…You look like you’re in a better mood than me though?”

Unlike his usual artificial smile, he really looked pleased. Why?

As I wondered, Rihardt’s smile rapidly faded.

“But Miss, may I tell you something?”

“What….”

“It seems like there’s a fire.”

As soon as he finished speaking, acrid smoke began spreading from somewhere.

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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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