The Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health Chapter 203

Mehen stepped into the private room he had been guided to and prepared himself mentally.

From the moment he attended the imperial ball hosted by the royal family, a meeting with the Emperor had been unavoidable.

“It’s been a long time.”

As Mehen bowed and showed proper respect, Emperor Edward greeted him in a voice that was firm yet calm.

“I greet His Wise Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress.”

“That’s enough formality. Raise your head.”

At Empress Ageni’s words, Mehen finally lifted his head.

The warmth in the Empress’s welcome made Emperor Edward’s expression sharpen for a brief moment, but Mehen was already used to things like this.

“So, are you done pretending to be dead?”

“…….”

“First the Duke vanished without a trace, and then even his representative left his post. I was worried Halbern might be struck from the noble registry altogether.”

“My apologies, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Edward smiled generously.

“Looks like life in El Sionel suited you. Your face has softened. I can’t even tell where you put your years—you still look like you’re in your twenties.”

“I’m not even in my thirties yet.”

“Exactly.”

Even as he said that, Emperor Edward himself looked younger than his actual age.

“Your Majesty, that’s enough.”

Seeing him keep picking at Mehen despite it being their first meeting in a long time, Empress Ageni finally intervened.

The room fell quiet in an instant.

Instinctively, Mehen knew that this was the topic that was coming.

“Duke Mehen, about the young lady you brought today…”

Tense glances passed between them.

“Don’t tell me—”

“Yes.”

Even without a long explanation, everyone understood. Emperor Edward asked carefully,

“Ha… is it really that child herself?”

“Do you think I wouldn’t recognize the child I raised for seven years?”

At Mehen’s weary but firm answer, both Emperor Edward and Empress Ageni fell into their own thoughts.

“Sione…”

Seeing that face—so unmistakably familiar—Empress Ageni thought of the friend who still appeared in her dreams.

Meanwhile, Emperor Edward thought about how completely tangled the present situation had become over the past fifteen years.

“It’s something to celebrate. It really is. Truly something to welcome.”

Then why was Emperor Edward—who often declared that he would hand over the throne the moment his heir came of age and live happily ever after with his beloved Empress—still sitting on the throne?

Because his flawless heir, Pession, had long since become a bomb that might explode at the slightest wrong touch.

After worrying himself sick, Emperor Edward finally threw dignity aside and clung to Empress Ageni.

“Noona, what do we do?”

“Your Majesty, please keep your dignity.”

“Noona, how do you think Pession will react if he finds out? I honestly can’t imagine it.”

“He’ll be happy.”

“Really? Just happy? Then why can’t I imagine anything good at all?”

“…….”

“You know our son isn’t exactly stable. Ha… I’m scared of Pession now. He’s stronger than me.”

“Oh, honestly, Ed!”

“Should we just change the Crown Prince to Therion? It might not be too late.”

“Therion hasn’t even studied imperial governance. What are you saying?”

“We can make him start now. I didn’t study it either.”

“Stop talking nonsense and act like an emperor, Your Majesty.”

“Ah, noona. Let’s just hand over the throne already and go live somewhere with clean air and nice water, just the two of us. How about it?”

Emperor Edward carefully and dearly held Empress Ageni’s hand.

“As long as I have you, noona…”

Even faced with such desperate persuasion, Empress Ageni remained firm. In the end, as always, Emperor Edward was the one who gave in.

“This country is blessed. It’s lucky to have you as Empress.”

“Ed, you’re the Emperor. Get a grip.”

Seeing that the Emperor was clearly not in his right mind from excessive stress, Empress Ageni called the chief attendant to escort him out, then cleared her throat.

“Sorry you had to see that, Mehen.”

“It’s fine. The harmony between the two of you is a blessing for the nation.”

Empress Ageni gave an ambiguous smile.

“Are you returning to Halbern now, Mehen?”

This time, Mehen gave an ambiguous smile in return.

Arellin had come back—but Mehen was more satisfied with his current life.

And…

“Even if I return, it will be difficult to officially guarantee Arellin’s identity.”

“Yes. That’s true.”

Empress Ageni agreed.

Over the past fifteen years, the most common incident had been impersonation—people claiming to be Arellin.

All aimed at Pession.

The House of Halbern had sunk beneath the surface at just the wrong time. It was already a family with little public information, and now even its most well-known lord and his representative were missing.

A Duke’s daughter declared dead—yet with no body, no funeral.

And once Pession’s condition became known, all of that gave certain people the wrong kind of courage.

Now, when people in the capital heard the name “Arellin,” the first thing they thought of was the Crown Prince’s forbidden topic—and the second was, Is this another fake?

That was the truth Mehen could never bring himself to fully explain to Arellin.

“The most certain solution would be for the Duke of Halbern himself to return and formally certify her…”

Even the Halbern Guardian Stone—which only responded to Halbern blood—could only be activated by Valer, the head of the family.

“So that’s how it is.”

Mehen gave a bitter smile.

He couldn’t even begin to tell where this tangled mess should be unraveled.

I just hope Arellin doesn’t get hurt by running into His Highness.

He’d told her not to cause trouble before leaving, but unease crept in all the same.

Surely… nothing like that will happen.

 

 

****

 

 

Bang.

The back of my head throbbed as it hit the closed door, but the pain only lasted a moment.

“Who are you.”

That sharp, cold voice snapped me back to my senses.

Unlike the brightly lit hallway, the room was dark, with only moonlight coming in through the window. Because of that, I couldn’t immediately make out who the shadowy figure was as he pressed me against the wall.

But how could I not know?

That voice.

When my eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and I could make out the delicate lines of the face right in front of me, I stopped breathing without realizing it.

Those emotionless eyes—eyes I’d seen not that long ago during the procession—were staring down at me coldly.

My heart dropped.

I didn’t know what to say. I even wondered if what I was seeing was really Pession.

All I could think was that if this man truly was Pession, then the past fifteen years must not have been easy for him either.

Only after facing this completely changed Pession did the weight of those fifteen years truly sink in.

No… maybe it was harder for Pession than it was for me?

Whenever the treatment hurt so much that I wanted to die, I thought about the people who would be waiting for me.

And when I could no longer remember their faces, I asked my master to show me illusions pulled from my memories.

Over and over again, until I could picture them even with my eyes closed.

In my imagination, Pession was always bright—someone who smiled like the sun, able to melt away any darkness in an instant. I firmly believed that when we reunited, he would greet me with that familiar, happy smile.

This—this was never what I imagined.

In the moonlight seeping through the window, his smooth facial lines came into view.

Not a trace remained of the cute, cheerful boy from our childhood. In his place was a sharp, cold-looking man.

He really did grow up well.

I’d always thought I wasn’t the type to be swayed by a man’s looks—but maybe I was wrong, if I was reacting like this.

When I reached out without thinking, Pession, who had been completely still, let out a hollow laugh.

“What kind of trick is this now?”

Beneath his long lashes, red eyes that seemed to swallow the darkness gleamed sharply. The deep distrust and suspicion in his gaze made me flinch.

After examining my face closely, Pession finally spoke.

“Hah. Of all the ones I’ve seen so far, this is the most convincing. You really look like her. If it weren’t me, I might’ve fallen for it.”

…What?

“Who sent you? Who was it? Who thought I’d lose my head just because you have this face, huh? How much did you pay for it? How much did you change? Is there even any part of your real face left?”

What is he talking about?

This is my real face!

The sudden accusations and mockery left my head spinning.

I almost snapped back in protest, but I forced myself to calm down and respond as maturely as possible.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying, Your Highness.”

“Even your voice is similar.”

Covering his face with one hand, Pession gave a cold warning.

The killing intent pouring off him made goosebumps ripple across my skin.

“If you don’t want to die, get out of my sight. Now.”