The Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health Chapter 198

“Is it already the Founding Festival season?”

“It feels like the capital is noisy every time we come.”

The people who were each making a comment while looking at the imperial capital’s scenery outside the car window turned toward the back seat.

“Don’t you think so, Mehen?”

The man who had been resting his chin on his hand and staring out the window indifferently opened his mouth after a brief silence.

“I’m not sure.”

Albert flags densely decorating the streets, the founding king’s life story playing all day through the visual orbs, promotional schedules for plays and operas based on the founding king’s achievements, even the Magic Tower’s flashy fireworks schedule.

Just as they said, the imperial capital was dazzling and loud.

“Will you be declining all the invitations again this year?”

“Are there still invitations addressed to me?”

“Surprisingly, yes. Invitations from the imperial family are still coming as well.”

At Dylan’s words, Mehen gave a bitter smile.

It had already been fifteen years since Grand Duke Halbern had left his seat, and more than ten years since Mehen had stopped all external activities he had carried out as the duke’s proxy, left the estate, and gone into a disappearance that was almost like vanishing completely.

“I can’t tell whether I should be grateful for such unchanged favor, or sick of how persistent it is.”

“Of course you should say you’re grateful!”

Watching the startled Dylan, Mehen let out a dry chuckle.

“By the way, Mehen. You won’t be staying at the estate again this time?”

At Rena’s well-timed question, Mehen tapped the armrest lightly before answering.

 

 

****

 

 

 

“Let’s stay at the Spherom Hotel.”

The Spherom Hotel, built on the most prime land in the empire’s capital.

Famous for its elegant exterior and meticulous service that rivaled even noble estates, the Spherom Hotel was a business created purely by the twins.

The Spherom twins—Ciel and Noel—once called the little devils of Spherom, who people said would be lucky not to squander their inherited fortune, started the business while reminiscing about their “happiest and most enjoyable” trip to Sagret.

At the time, Arellin had casually said,

“If there were something like a hotel, traveling would be much more convenient.”

…and that became the starting point.

In an era without hotels, travelers could only stay at inns that targeted adventurers or, at best, high-class inns—but no matter how good the facilities were, there were limits.

High-ranking nobles would buy villas or borrow the estates or vacation homes of acquaintances when they traveled. However, after Spherom began the hotel business, the paradigm of tourism changed completely.

Thanks to that, Mehen also used it comfortably every time he came to the capital.

After all, if he went to the Halbern estate…… too many memories would unsettle him.

“It’s been a long time, Mehen.”

“It has been a long time, Chief Butler Gregory.”

In the end, all that remained at the Halbern estate were the chief butler and a small number of maids and servants.

“Is managing the estate difficult?”

“Ha ha. It’s an old mansion maintained by magic. With fewer people, it’s actually easier to manage.”

“I see. That’s a relief.”

“Here—these are the reports that came up from the territory.”

Mehen skimmed through the documents the chief butler handed him and processed them quickly.

People found it strange that Halbern continued to run smoothly even after Mehen disappeared, but that was all thanks to Mehen handling things behind the scenes.

“As for news about His Grace the Grand Duke…….”

With a troubled expression, the chief butler reported everything he had gathered, including information from the Adventurers’ Guild, the Information Guild, and privately hired sources.

“So the conclusion is that he still hasn’t been found.”

“I have no excuse.”

It had already been fifteen years since Grand Duke Halbern went missing.

Until the third year, Emperor Edward had raged, saying the duke had abandoned his duties and vanished somewhere. By the fifth year, he began to worry, and by the seventh year, he seriously wondered whether the duke had truly died somewhere, to the point of genuinely worrying about the future of House Halbern.

Gossipmongers argued endlessly about whether the Grand Duke of Halbern was dead or not.

Each time, Mehen scoffed—but by now, it was becoming serious.

He really might have died somewhere.

Really? That man?

‘Does that make any sense.’

Even if you threw him into the Bottomless Abyss, called hell on earth, he was the kind of man who would come back alive. In fact, the Saren Knights all scoffed at such rumors.

People praised the Saren Knights endlessly for their unwavering loyalty, but Mehen thought differently.

‘Loyalty? More like they’ve planted their stakes there because it’s the most comfortable place.’

It was obvious, considering they were the kind of people who’d be fine being stuck in the Northern Fortress as long as they got a few months of vacation.

As Mehen shook his head, recalling the knights who had seriously urged him to come to the Northern Fortress “just in case,” his eyes met the chief butler’s. The chief butler smiled warmly.

“Are you comfortable in El Sionel? Even the capital is buzzing with El Sionel’s reputation.”

The city that had only just settled fifteen years ago had now grown into a metropolis that rivaled the imperial capital.

The chief butler knew it was all thanks to Mehen.

Mehen, who had gone to El Sionel to recuperate, quietly ruled from the shadows there, growing the city as a shadow-market power.

“Burying myself in work makes life more bearable. No matter how well I handled Halbern’s affairs, it lacked a sense of achievement or fun. Maybe it’s because I built the city from scratch…….”

“You look well.”

Mehen smiled.

He had learned how to smile now.

There had been a time when Arellin’s absence was so great that he couldn’t do anything at all.

When Mehen smiled, his sharp features softened, and for a moment he looked like a different person. Chief Butler Gregory once again marveled at Mehen’s appearance, which showed no trace of the fifteen years that had passed.

“You truly haven’t aged at all.”

“No.”

Mehen shook his head with a bitter smile.

“I’ve grown old now too.”

 

 

*****

 

 

 

Mehen received contact from the Archmage ten months after Arellin disappeared.

「I’m sorry for the late contact, as the situation was extremely urgent. Arellin is under my protection. She is still in critical condition, but she is alive.」

The message had barely reached Mehen after passing through the Sky Tower, which was said to have risen again to the place closest to the stars.

The mage named Hilla, who delivered the news, rambled on about what a miracle it was and how great the Archmage was, then left.

It was praise bordering on fanaticism, and maybe because of that, it strangely put him at ease.

Right. If he’s that amazing, then saving someone like Arellin should be easy enough.

From that moment on, the dead look in Mehen’s eyes began to return.

By then, rumors about Arellin’s death had already spread throughout the capital, and most people believed she was dead—but none of that mattered to Mehen.

The only thing that mattered was the Sky Tower’s messages, which might come at any time.

As long as the news wasn’t that Arellin had died, that was enough.

That thought alone kept him going, day after day.

「Arellin’s condition is worse than expected, so we need your help. Please send the medicine Arellin had been taking long-term.」

「Arellin briefly opened her eyes. There are no noticeable changes, but her physical condition seems to be slowly improving.」

「Arellin was looking for you. It was the first time she had clearly regained consciousness. She asked me to tell you that she loves you.」

The Sky Tower’s updates, which came every three months at the shortest and up to a year at the longest, were enough to breathe life back into Mehen.

Was it because he had never felt this level of attachment to anyone before? His own feelings felt unfamiliar, and that thought crossed his mind.

If he had raised Arellin alone and then lost her… the blow would have been even greater.

“Was this how Sister Sione felt too……?”

Thinking of Sione, who had cherished and raised Valer like a priceless treasure, Mehen let out a small laugh.

Even when Mehen decided he had to do something, settled Halbern’s affairs, and crossed over to El Sionel, the messages from the Sky Tower never stopped.

「Arellin has gotten up.」

Good news first.

「Arellin collapsed again. During the course of using the medicine…….」

News that made his heart drop.

「Arellin is enduring the treatment process well. At this rate, the chances of recovery will increase.」

Arellin’s condition went back and forth often, but it was clearly improving little by little.

He was shocked when he heard she had started learning magic, and when he first heard that her recovery was progressing smoothly, he was so happy that he held a festival in El Sionel.

「The treatment may be finished soon.」

When he received that message a few years ago, how shocked he had been.

Only after about three more years did Mehen recall that the Archmage was of the fairy race, and rethink what “soon” really meant.

Damn long-lived race.

He had thought he might never see her again…….

“Did I come too early?”

Mehen blinked both eyes.

He might have been so shocked that his heart stopped. Or maybe he was dreaming. Or maybe some illusion magic had been cast on him.

Whatever it was—

“……Arell.”

At the name he barely managed to squeeze out, a child who had grown so much before he realized it walked up with a bright smile.

“Mom, I missed you.”