The Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health Chapter 104

Mehen let out a groan.

“So are you planning to start a war or something?”

“Not like I can’t.”

“The current Emperor, Your Majesty is—.”

“Does Ed’s opinion matter?”

Seeing the sincerity in those pale eyes, Mehen realized it. He was his lord, but this guy was seriously, properly insane.

He was talking about doing something that could easily get him accused of treason, as if it were nothing.

“……It’s a wonder you’ve stayed quiet until now.”

“There were more important things to deal with than grinding up trash like that.”

When it came to Valer’s priorities, number one was always Arelin.

More than revenge, more than Halbern, more than even his own life.

“Ha, fine. Do whatever you want. When have you ever listened to me?”

“I listen very well.”

“Since when?”

“Mehen.”

“What.”

“You still have to be on my side, at least.”

Mehen frowned.

“I’ve got no one but you now.”

“…….”

“You know that.”

Mehen clicked his tongue.

Where did this bastard learn tricks like this?

“Go say things like that to a woman.”

“You’re so cold, Mehen.”

“That’s gross.”

“But women—.”

Valer smiled with his eyes.

“—don’t know me like you do.”

“I’d like not to know you either.”

“Hahaha. I’m joking, right?”

This hateful enemy bastard.

And yet, when he showed weakness like this, Mehen couldn’t push him away. That was his contradiction.

“I feel like I can breathe again.”

Valer let out a sigh, leaning against Mehen as he pleased.

“I really missed you. The Northern Fortress was so gloomy and boring. Jaren only thinks about dragons, the other knights are desperate to leave the place, and I don’t even have anyone to play with.”

Mehen tried to push away the whining Valer, but with his strength it was impossible. He snapped irritably.

“Don’t you feel sorry for me?”

“I’m the one who’s more pitiful.”

After that complaint about how unfair it was, silence fell. A familiar, comfortable silence. For a moment, the two felt nostalgic, as if they had returned to their childhood.

“Mehen.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

Resting his cheek on Mehen’s shoulder, Valer looked out the window at Arelin.

My cute, lovely daughter.

“If it weren’t for you, Halbern wouldn’t exist anymore.”

“…….”

“I would’ve burned it all down and buried it.”

It seemed the aftereffects of his power were strong. It had been a long time since Valer had shown such weakness.

Mehen simply let Valer lean on him as he wished.

“You won’t leave me, right?”

The gloomy, sunken voice sounded especially desperate today.

“You won’t abandon me, right?”

“I will abandon you.”

“So cold.”

Brushing his hair back, Valer laughed lightly.

“That’s why I like you.”

“…….”

“Because if I ever disappoint you, you’ll throw me away without mercy and leave.”

Hearing the whispered plea to help him keep staying human, Mehen hid his troubled feelings.

“Ah, I miss my sister…….”

That damn bastard. He makes it impossible to hate him.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

I reset my life goals.

Before, I thought I’d just live as things went and die when it was time to die, but a lot had changed, so my life goals had to change too.

First goal: become healthy.

“If I could just get healthy, that would be the end of it.”

I was diligently taking even the bitter elixirs I didn’t want to drink and exercising hard, but I knew it.

My illness wasn’t something simple.

‘I have to find a way to get healthy.’

It was a vague and difficult goal, but it didn’t feel completely impossible.

After all, I’d read the novel, right? I was the only “reader” of this world, right?

Only I knew the future of this world.

“I feel like there was an item that granted any wish.”

I wracked my brain as much as possible, organizing not just health-related items but also other items that seemed necessary, along with how to obtain them.

“Still, I should prepare for the worst. For when I die.”

From the start, I was the type of person who prepared for pessimistic outcomes rather than thinking optimistically.

When preparing for a competition, I’d first assume I’d fail and make a Plan B.

So the second goal was Plan B: making sure Halbern wouldn’t fall into ruin even if I died.

And the last one: until I die, do my best to make lots of happy memories with the people around me!

“Alright, then first I need to stop Halbern from falling into ruin.”

This was way too easy.

I stood up on the spot and went to Mehen’s office.

“Arelin? What brings you here?”

“Mehen.”

“Yes.”

I spoke to Mehen in a serious tone.

“Even if I die, you can’t leave Halbern.”

“……Pardon?”

Mehen, who had been tense, looked at me as if asking what I was talking about.

There was a deeper meaning to all this. Halbern’s decline would start the moment Mehen left. As long as Mehen stayed in his position, things would work out somehow.

I grabbed the confused Mehen and even hooked pinkies with him.

“You absolutely can’t leave. Okay?”

Still bewildered, Mehen nodded.

“Yes, I understand.”

Good. One problem solved.

 

 

 

****

 

 

Playing one piece after lunch has now become part of my daily routine.

The instrument is either the violin or the piano.

The piece I play is whatever comes to mind.

I still can’t play anything longer than five minutes, but that was fine. Everyone liked it anyway.

“Waaah.”

“Isn’t the young lady a genius?”

This time slot has, before anyone realized it, become a performance time that everyone in the mansion looks forward to, regardless of status.

What started as playing in the instrument room my father gave me has now turned into performances on a stage in the mansion hall, voluntarily set up as the servants gathered one by one.

“How do you even play music like this…….”

“Every day feels new.”

Watching people look entranced after the music ended was one of my small joys.

Ah. Bach really is great.

The problem started with the twins I had called over because I had something to ask.

As soon as the performance ended, Ciel suddenly grabbed my hand.

“Arelin!”

“Why?”

What is it? Why are you calling my name so normally?

I looked at him warily, and Ciel’s eyes sparkled excitedly in a way that felt overwhelming.

“Let’s do a performance!”

“A performance?”

All of a sudden?

“Our Sperom is opening Albrecht’s largest art hall yet on Prude Street, so how about performing there?”

Wasn’t that the place where the auction was going to be held this time? I’d been keeping an eye on it in case an item I was looking for showed up.

I’d called the twins over to maybe get some help about the auction without Mehen or Dad knowing……

So how did this turn into me performing?

“With Arelin, it would definitely be a performance remembered in history—!”

“I’m not doing it.”

“……!”

Ciel’s face crumpled.

“Why? You’re not going to let anyone hear such amazing music?”

“I let you hear it.”

“Things like this should be heard by everyone. It should be spread far and wide. It’s genius-level music no one has ever heard before!”

Since I was only playing the good pieces made by geniuses, that kind of evaluation was natural.

But to put on a performance, I’d need to play at least three pieces, and with my terrible stamina, playing back-to-back was impossible.

“With my stamina, more than one piece is too much. It’s exhausting.”

“Then just play one piece!”

“That still feels wrong……”

You have to be polite to the people who come.

Just as Ciel, burning with a sense of duty that such art couldn’t be monopolized, tried to persuade me further—

“I’m against it.”

Suddenly, Noel spoke up in opposition.

“If Arelin’s playing becomes famous and everyone in the world knows it, then we’ll get fewer chances to hear it. I don’t like that.”

“What?”

“I want to be the only one who listens to Arelin’s playing.”

Ciel and Noel glared at each other.

“She already only plays once a day. What do you think will happen if she starts doing performances too?”

“Even so, it’s wrong not to let the world know something this amazing!”

“I still don’t like it. I’m against it.”

Sparks flew in the air.

Ciel and Noel’s expressions instantly turned fierce.

Huh, what is this?

“Noel, why are you being so selfish?”

“What? How is this selfish? What’s wrong with wanting to keep something good to yourself?”

Why are these two suddenly fighting?

Browning’s eyes widened in surprise at the twins’ first-ever argument.

Noel snapped angrily.

“Ciel is always like this. He never thinks about others. Arelin said she doesn’t want to perform.”

“When did Arelin say she didn’t want to? She said she doesn’t have the stamina. Noel, why are you the one being so irritating?”

Ciel raised his voice too.

Noel frowned deeply, and after glaring at each other, the two suddenly turned to look at me.

“Arelin, choose!”

“Which one?!”

You’re pointing the arrow at me now?

“……?”

I was completely confused.