The Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health Chapter 209

To be honest, I didn’t want to fight with Pession.

Why would I want to fight with the person I’d missed more than anyone else for the past fifteen years?

But from the very first meeting, he’d treated me like some fake who came to seduce him, and even now he was looking at me like I was a bug. No matter how generous I was, there was no way that wouldn’t make my temper flare.

“Good afternoon, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

That was why.

Even though I could have just passed by, I deliberately acknowledged him.

I even unfolded the fan I was holding and fanned myself lightly in perfect etiquette.

A look that blatantly said Did you really follow me all the way here? was directed at me.

Hmm. Looking again, he really did grow up well… and the fact that he still didn’t recognize me was newly infuriating.

“Miss.”

I heard Rena trying to stop me from behind, but the smile blooming across my face didn’t fade.

Pession openly ignored my greeting.

See, Rena? This bastard keeps poking at my temper.

“You seem very displeased that I greeted you. I was merely fulfilling my duty as a civilized person by greeting a familiar face. We’ve even met privately before, haven’t we?”

Pession’s eyebrow twitched.

A gaze mixed with irritation and disbelief turned toward me.

Now he’s finally looking at me.

When Pession’s eyes actually took me in, I felt just a little bit satisfied.

“I didn’t really want to greet you either, since it’s obvious how much you dislike me. But suddenly, I felt terribly wronged.”

“Wronged?”

“Yes. That time, you were the only one talking unilaterally. I thought I should at least be allowed to defend myself.”

For the first time, his cold eyes—utterly devoid of emotion—showed a hint of change.

I responded with the brightest smile I could manage.

“You were very curious about how much I paid to have this face redone, weren’t you? Unfortunately, it’s all-natural—courtesy of my parents. If you’re dissatisfied with your own face, I regret that I can’t be of help.”

Pession narrowed his brows.

“And you were also very curious about who sent me, weren’t you? Who do you think sent me? Your victim complex seems a bit severe—I recommend psychiatric counseling with your physician.”

Pession swallowed a dry laugh, his eyes clearly saying Let’s see how far you’ll go.

I kept smiling cheerfully.

“Lastly, I can eat well and live comfortably without making Your Highness fall head over heels for me. So please prevent narcissistic delusions and reclaim a healthy life!”

It was outrageously insolent to say to the Crown Prince of a great empire, but my life had been far too turbulent to shrink under the gazes stabbing into me from all around.

And honestly, I was confident.

Confident that Pession wouldn’t be able—or willing—to do anything to me over something like this.

“Then, enjoy your time.”

Yeah, what are you going to do about it? Hmph!

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

The VVIPs of the Domel Auction were able to participate from specially prepared private balconies.

That said, with a little effort, it wasn’t hard to tell who was sitting where.

As I sat in our seats and picked at the prepared finger foods, Rena, beside me, pressed a hand to her forehead and let out sigh after sigh.

It was probably because of what had happened earlier.

I knew I’d caused trouble, but still…

How was I supposed to hold that in?

“My mom didn’t raise me to be cowed.”

At my excuse—which barely qualified as one—Rena shot me a dumbfounded look.

“No one raised you like that, Miss.”

“I know.”

“Where did my small, precious young lady go?”

Rena looked like she was about to cry, demanding the return of the gentle, quiet, trouble-free, angelic young lady she remembered.

“What on earth did the Archmage really do to you?”

“Master didn’t do anything?”

“That’s impossible. He must have done something. There’s no way you’d change this much otherwise.”

“I didn’t change at all.”

I really didn’t understand why everyone kept saying my personality had changed.

I was like this even when I was young.

It was just that back then, my physical limits made it less obvious.

I was diligently picking up finger food when my cheek started to sting. I lifted my head and met crimson eyes.

Of all things, our terrace seats were right next to each other.

I wanted to ignore him, but his persistent stare was surprisingly intense. I stared back just as stubbornly, until belatedly feeling hollow.

“At this rate, I’m actually starting to feel hurt. How can he really not recognize me?”

“He’s been through so much that it’s understandable. To begin with, His Highness believes you passed away.”

“Even with Rena right next to me, he still can’t tell it’s me.”

“It’s been ten years since he last saw me—maybe he just doesn’t recognize me.”

“Still. If he really loved me, shouldn’t he recognize me at a glance? Like—bam!”

Rena made a strange face.

“Have you been reading too many novels?”

“Hmph.”

I almost insisted that it was called romance, but stopped myself. The more I talked, the more miserable I felt.

I endured all kinds of pain just to meet you again. And yet—

But as I kept looking at him like this, I started noticing things I hadn’t before.

Does he sleep properly?

His complexion looked awful. He is eating regularly, right? Maybe it’s because all the baby fat is gone—his sharp features stood out even more, and they kept catching my eye.

“Rena.”

“Yes, Miss?”

“Pession… he doesn’t have any health problems, does he?”

Rena glanced at my face.

“Why are you suddenly looking so generous again?”

“Hm. It reminded me of when we were kids.”

Back then, when he barged in out of nowhere, asked if I slept well, dragged me outside insisting I needed sunlight, forced me to eat, and made me walk because I needed exercise—I’d hated it. I’d resented it. It had annoyed me to no end.

But now, I understood how Pession must have felt.

He really had been worried about me.

Back then, his concern felt bothersome and intrusive. Now, it felt different.

How had Pession managed to keep coming to see me so earnestly?

“I treated him so harshly, but he still came to see me with a smile every time. How could he do that? I’m this sulky over just one or two encounters like that.”

“His Highness was… exceptional, in many ways,” Rena replied vaguely.

But as I looked at Pession—his eyes now devoid of emotion—my thoughts deepened.

Once, you looked so vast, so solid, so incredible.

So much so that I believed no matter what wounds I gave you, you’d never be hurt.

You always smiled at me, yielded to me, cared for me, acting as if you were the one lacking.

And then, the moment I realized that all those familiar things hadn’t been “givens”—

I finally understood just how great a heart I’d been receiving all along.

Thinking about it that way, this situation didn’t feel all that bad.

After all, I was seeing a side of Pession I’d never known before.

Hah, honestly.

“Rena.”

“Yes?”

“I think… I still like Pession.”

“…Pardon?”

“Wow. I really do like him.”

I’d forgotten, but Pession was the first person I’d ever liked who wasn’t my parents.

And I had no idea how to handle feelings like that either.

“Just looking at him makes my heart feel lighter.”

Was liking someone always this powerful?

If it had been anyone else, I never would’ve softened like this. Yet here I was, my heart already melting, wondering what was so good about him.

“Ugh. Mehen told me to be gentle, but I got worked up again and acted childish.”

“You do realize that, at least?”

“I’m not completely irrational, you know.”

“Knowing it and doing it anyway makes it worse, actually.”

“But still.”

Thinking about what happened earlier made me feel hurt all over again.

“Shion keeps looking at me like I’m a stranger. Of course I get mad. It hurts.”

“Yes, yes.”

“And it makes me angry that he won’t even listen to me and just brands me as a fake and ignores me.”

“Yes, yes.”

“What’s with that response?”

Annoyed by Rena’s constant placating, I glared at her—only to see her smiling warmly.

“I suppose I’m happy to see that even though you appeared all grown up, there are still parts of you that haven’t matured.”

“……”

“You’re adorable, Miss.”

That snapped me right back to reality.

Sure, I was pretty, cute, and lovable—but I didn’t want to be cute at my age.

…Wow. Reality check. Yeah. I need to grow up.

Just then, the auction was about to begin.

“Let’s just focus on what we’re here to do.”

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

“Why do you keep staring over there?”

The Lord of Sirua snapped at Pession, who couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from something.

Sirua, who had joined late, knew nothing about what had happened earlier.

He didn’t know that a young lady had hurled words bordering on outright insult at Pession, nor that Pession had merely been displeased without reacting much beyond that.

“Huh?”

Following Pession’s gaze, Sirua turned his head—and blinked.

Once.

Then twice.