The Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health Chapter 241

Ageni first met Sione when she was about six years old.

From the very beginning, Sione was a strange child. She didn’t like any of the things children her age were supposed to like. There was something distinctly unusual about her, and the way she thought was different from everyone else’s.

“Isn’t it strange that only humans possess special abilities?”

Even so, no one could take their eyes off Sione, and if she wanted something, people felt compelled to give it to her.

Ageni was no exception.

“The traces of dead gods exist equally among all races on this land. Elves, halflings, beastfolk—even dragons. And yet none of them possess special abilities. Don’t you find that odd?”

Something that existed only in humans and nowhere else—Sione called that “special abilities.”

“Isn’t it strange? If special abilities are powers inherited through bloodlines, then why don’t they manifest in children born outside those families?”

Sione wanted to get rid of the ability she had been born with. More than escaping her father’s grasp, she wanted a life that wasn’t bound by her bloodline.

A life chosen entirely by herself.

“Why do you want that?”

“Because I want to prove that I’m truly alive here.”

Ageni had never met anyone like her before.

Someone who spoke of dreams—of life, of the future.

Someone who spoke of their own life.

Who wouldn’t be captivated by those sparkling eyes?

“Ageni, people don’t dream.”

They’re born, and they live as they’re born to—wanting nothing else, simply accepting what’s given to them.

“You’re the same. You’re smarter and stronger than your younger sibling. But your sibling is the heir, right?”

“What’s strange about that?”

“It is strange. You could do it, but you don’t even want to.”

“I won’t live like that.”

As if sharing a secret, Sione declared quietly.

“I’ll live in a home I choose, doing work I choose, eating dinners I choose, and being happy with people I choose.”

“What will I do tomorrow? What will I do in the future? What am I capable of?”

“I want a life where I can live while asking myself those questions.”

For some, it was an effortless life.
For others, a life that had to be seized by force.

“Ageni, if we ever have children someday, should we become in-laws?”

“That’s far too distant a future, Sione.”

“So what? It’s just a dream.”

Ageni supported Sione’s dreams. She sincerely hoped that one day, Sione would escape her father’s shadow and live the life she wanted.

In the end, that dream was never fulfilled.

Sione crushed her own dream with her own hands. Even now, whenever Ageni closed her eyes, the image of Sione she had last seen remained painfully vivid.

After the marriage had been decided, Sione had been locked in her room by her father, who feared she might try to run away—yet she still welcomed Ageni with that same brilliance in her eyes.

My friend, who was still shining.

“Live the way you want to live, Ageni.”

Ageni couldn’t understand it. How could someone who seemed impossible to break end up like this…?

“Isn’t there… anything I can do to help?”

Whether it was escaping or running away—Ageni was ready to help Sione in any way.

“No.”

But—

“Don’t. I can’t lose you too.”

Sione knew exactly how cunning and cruel her father was.

If Ageni tried to help her, not only Ageni but even her entire family would be destroyed.

“I don’t want to be responsible for losing you too.”

“Sione…”

“Truly. I don’t want to become the cause of your unhappiness.”

Ageni wasn’t dull enough to fail to understand what Sione was saying.

Sione already had the eyes of someone who had given up on life. Ageni hated that.

“Then why not give up on your sibling?”

Why did you have to be the one sacrificed?

“If you just… then you could live your own life—”

“Ageni.”

Instead of answering, Sione slowly shook her head.

Ageni knew it too. If Sione had been willing to abandon Valer, she wouldn’t be standing there now.

“Ageni, be happy. Live exactly the way you want. In this godforsaken world, never become unhappy. Be happy—absolutely happy—and show me that happiness truly exists in this world.”

What had she replied back then?

From that day on, Ageni did everything she could to become happy.

She reclaimed the position of family head that she had once yielded to her sibling. She learned swordsmanship, even went out to hunt monsters—she truly did everything she could.

Living freely, exactly as she pleased, she often wondered: if it was this easy for her, why had Sione never been able to have it?

Empress Ageni’s words—“If it weren’t for Sione, I would never have met you”—were true. If she hadn’t become the family head, she would have long since married another man. She never would have met the crown prince who confessed his love to her, declaring that he would rather die than live without her.

“Sione…”

For the first time in a long while, Empress Ageni thought of her friend.

The only friend who had profoundly shaped her life.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

No matter how many times I heard it, my biological mother was truly an extraordinary person.

To think that Empress Ageni and my real mother had been inseparable friends.

I’d suspected it, but realizing that was why the empress’s gaze toward me had been so oddly intense made it feel new all over again.

This dangerously charming woman.

So she’d even captivated women?

Thank goodness Empress Ageni was a woman. If she weren’t, I might’ve ended up with yet another dad.

Between my unknown biological father, my dad (Grand Duke Halbern), and Regent Duke Ludwig… I already had far too many fathers.

“Any more dads would be a bit much…”

Still, thanks to that story, I could finally understand Empress Ageni’s behavior.

So it was PTSD.

Because she had lost my biological mother once, it seemed she couldn’t bear the thought of Pession going through the same thing.

“This too must be fate. Please take good care of Pession, Lady Arellin.”

Remembering how Empress Ageni had repeatedly asked that of me while holding my hands before leaving…

I felt a small pang of guilt.

I’m planning to leave Pession behind.

No matter how many times I thought about it, taking Pession with me to find my father was far too dangerous.

I didn’t even know where I was going—how could I bring him along? If it were just me, I was used to the Other Side, I had magic, and if worst came to worst I could use my master as a trump card and escape somehow, but…

“……”

Meanwhile, Pession was quietly watching my mood because of what had happened earlier that day, and somehow that made him look both funny and adorable.

Ha… this is troublesome.

How am I supposed to shake him off and leave?

“Anyway, you were in the wrong.”

“But—”

“Do you want to fight with me?”

“I was wrong.”

Pession answered instantly, then cautiously checked my expression again.

Seeing him so blatantly trying to read my mood was so funny and cute that I forced myself to stay expressionless—until Pession suddenly stiffened.

“…Did you start hating me?”

“What?”

“Are you going to abandon me?”

“Are you an object or something? What do you mean, ‘abandon’?”

The moment my expression softened, Pession immediately pulled me into his arms. It was funny how quickly I’d grown used to him clinging to me—after only a few days.

When I brushed back his fine silver hair, Pession just smiled, clearly pleased.

“I love it when Arellin pats me.”

…When he’s like this, my conscience really starts to hurt.

Seriously, how am I supposed to leave this puppy behind?

Still, I couldn’t take him somewhere dangerous. I hardened my resolve.

“You didn’t sleep again today, did you? Just look at your face. Those dark circles are practically down to your chin. This won’t do—let’s go to bed.”

“I don’t need to sleep.”

“Oh sure, you don’t. At this rate, you’re going to die.”

Half of it was part of my plan, but half of it was genuine.

At this rate, he really might die.

I grabbed Pession’s hand and dragged him toward the bedroom. From behind us, I could hear Graham and the attendants cheering me on.

Just how long had he gone without sleeping?

“Alright, close your eyes.”

Once we reached the bedroom, Pession just stared at me blankly. Even after I forced him to lie down, he kept looking at me with bright, alert eyes.

Unbelievable.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I’m scared this is all a dream.”

“……”

For a moment, that nearly shattered my composure—but I endured it with superhuman effort.

“It’s not a dream. Don’t worry and sleep. I’ll put you to sleep.”

“Then stay with me until I fall asleep.”

“Alright, alright.”

As he closed his eyes, Pession murmured,

“This is nice. Really.”

Whether it was just because I was there or not, soon I could hear his steady breathing.

Still, that alone wasn’t enough to reassure me, so I took out the magic tool I’d prepared in advance.

“Sleep.”

Thankfully, it worked—Pession didn’t wake even at the sound of the incantation.

“I’m sorry, Pession. When I get back, I’ll kneel and beg for forgiveness.”

Please forgive me for leaving like this. But no matter how I think about it, taking you along would just be too dangerous.

As they say, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

I activated the teleportation spell.

“Setting coordinates—Mage Tower.”

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

The next morning.

After enjoying a long-overdue deep sleep, Pession felt a strange sense of discomfort the moment he opened his eyes.

As if something were missing…

Sure enough, a single letter waiting by the bedside greeted him.

It was filled, line after line, with apologies.

And then—

「I’ll rescue Dad and come back!

—Arellin」

Crushing the letter in his hand, Pession ran a hand through his hair.

“Did you really think you could leave without me?”

Pession’s red eyes flashed dangerously.