The Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health Chapter 305

For a brief moment, silence fell over the main hall.

Just now… who said what?

A wave of murmurs broke out all at once—shocked voices overlapping—before the noise quickly died down again.

Because this had clearly not been discussed beforehand, everyone except Empress Ageni stared at her in astonishment.

Even Emperor Edward.

“……”

Valer narrowed his eyes and glared at Ageni as if asking what on earth she thought she was doing.

Ageni met his gaze and smiled brightly.

She had known from the start that Valer would never agree— which was precisely why she had made such a public declaration!

Sensing the empress’s intentions, the Duke of Halbern now sent her an openly hostile stare, but Ageni didn’t retreat in the slightest and continued.

“Arellin, as you know, I shared a deep bond with your mother. I owe her an immeasurable debt.”

“Ah… yes.”

“I would like to repay that debt—through you.”

In truth, ever since Arellin had descended the stairs, Empress Ageni had been so overwhelmed she could barely remain seated.

How could she—

How could she resemble Shione so closely?

For just a moment, she had thought Shione herself was coming down.

At the same time, the empress remembered Shione’s debutante ball— a night that had bewitched not only royalty but the entire social world.

If only you were here.

Having been friends since birth, Ageni believed she knew Shione better than anyone in the world— even better than her younger brother Valer.

She could easily imagine what Shione would have been like if she had lived.

Shione, who had loved her younger sibling so fiercely— how deeply would she have loved Arellin?

A powerful longing surged through her.

Her intense admiration for Shione, and a depthless affection, churned violently.

Emotions she had forcibly suppressed and deliberately ignored finally burst forth like a dam breaking.

I don’t want to regret it ever again.

Ageni traced the un-faded regrets within herself—
the countless moments of remorse she had felt every time she truly grasped Shione’s absence.

She should have helped her.

Even if Shione’s misery had become her own, even if it had dragged her into hell—

That belated regret remained as a knot in the heart of Ageni, a woman whose life appeared perfect to all.

Moments when memories would ambush her in the middle of an ordinary day. Moments when the fact that she alone was still alive felt like a sin.

Even the guilt of being happy.

“So…”

Empress Ageni cut through the turmoil that had made her hesitate.

She wanted to do something—anything.

This was not her presuming to replace Shione. Nor was she trying to use Arellin as a substitute.

She simply wanted to cherish the last trace Shione had left in this world.

Because it was precious to her, too.

“Please… won’t you give me that chance?”

At the empress’s sincere, almost desperate voice, Arellin—who everyone had expected to be stubbornly pressured—blinked rapidly.

“Uh…”

A strange tension filled the vast hall as everyone held their breath, waiting for her answer.

Feeling the pressure in the air, Arellin glanced at Valer.

He wore a displeased expression, yet still nodded, as if telling her to follow her own heart.

And Arellin answered.

“I look forward to your guidance, Godmother.”

 

 

****

 

 

The event, briefly delayed by Empress Ageni’s bombshell announcement, proceeded smoothly afterward.

Arellin was followed by Caroline Muon Gremwat, daughter of the second son of House Gremwat, and Thomas Muon Gremwat, son of the third.

“…Explorers of the unknown who raise the glory of Albert—House Gremwat’s…”

They were children of one of the Five Grand Ducal Houses, worthy of attention in their own right.

Yet everyone’s mind was still fixated on Arellin.

That included Grace, the Duchess of Spherom, seated at the high table.

“To think Her Majesty would take a godchild…!”

“My heart still hasn’t settled.”

Diana, Duchess of Idikels, said with a hand pressed to her chest.

“To witness something like this… I’m glad I attended tonight.”

Julia Mubisk also looked intrigued.

The only person at the table wearing a conflicted expression was Mehen.

“Did you know anything about this, Duke Mehen?”

At Julia’s sparkling question, Mehen shook his head.

“She gave me no prior notice…”

Though he had his suspicions.

Usually, a debuting lady would be assisted by her mother, godmother, or a married female relative acting as chaperone.

Mehen himself had once asked the Duchess of Gremwat—an elder of the social world—to serve as Arellin’s godmother, only to withdraw the request at Empress Ageni’s urging.

So that’s why.

Mehen marveled at Ageni’s meticulous planning.

Now that it had been publicly declared, no matter how much Valer objected, he couldn’t take it back.

“You look troubled, Duke Mehen?”

Diana smiled at his expression.

“I hear Lady Arellin adores you like a mother—looks like you’ve got competition~.”

“But you’re on good terms with Her Majesty, aren’t you?”

Grace and Julia joined in.

“Honestly, who wouldn’t adore Duke Mehen? Everyone does.”

“Who could dislike him? My husband’s been courting him for twenty years now, you know. And of course, I welcome it too.”

“Haha…”

“That’s probably why Her Majesty wants to stay on your good side. Just look where she seated you.”

“Exactly.”

The three women chatted amicably, and Mehen’s expression grew complex under their praise.

They all showed him care, affection, and goodwill—yet he still felt a distance.

He was grateful for their kindness and trusted them, but nothing deeper formed.

Some praised him for being perceptive and knowing his place— but that wasn’t really it.

Even after more than thirty years living as part of the noble world, Mehen still didn’t feel like he truly belonged.

What intentions lie behind those smiles? How do they see me—and Arellin? Useful words? Valuable cards?

That wariness was a habit learned from standing too long in this world.

No matter how warmly nobles approached him, no matter how long they interacted— he always felt they were fundamentally different.

Only two people stood outside that boundary.

Valer, bound to him by an infuriatingly tangled fate, and Arellin, whom he had raised with his own hands.

…Perhaps that was why Mehen had ignored countless offers and remained in Halbern.

“Idikels has it easy. All your children are married. I don’t know what to do with my twins—they reject every match I suggest.”

“Our family tradition has us betrothed before birth. Still, my eldest will return soon. It’s time to discuss succession.”

“Oh, already?”

“Speaking of which, there was another house troubled by succession…”

Mehen decided it was time to leave. He’d seen enough.

“Excuse me, but I should be going.”

“Oh? Already?”

“Stay a bit longer.”

“Yes, it’s rare for the three of us to have Duke Mehen all to ourselves~.”

At their regretful voices, Mehen offered a gentle smile.

“I should go check on the young lady.”

“Oh my.”

The three duchesses had noticed long ago that Mehen’s gaze hadn’t left Arellin since her appearance.

They’d only pretended not to see.

With lingering regret, they let him go.

“Look at him—he can’t take his eyes off Lady Arellin.”

“He really dotes on her.”

“Well, he raised her himself.”

Watching Valer, Arellin, and Mehen together like a family, the three women smiled at once.

It was a rather lovely sight.

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

“The first dance is absolutely mine.”

As soon as Mehen approached Arellin, he witnessed Valer clinging to his daughter and making a scene.

“You hear me? The first dance is with your father. No exceptions.”

Once all debuting ladies and gentlemen completed their first audience, the opening dance began.

Seeing Valer radiate sheer refusal to yield this honor to anyone, Mehen was about to look away in exasperation—

When he noticed something.

“…?”

Arellin’s expression was different.

Valer hadn’t noticed yet, but Mehen recognized it immediately—

That was the face she made when she was troubled.

As Mehen sensed something amiss and stroked his chin, Ludwig suddenly appeared and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

Then pointed.

Standing there was Crown Prince Pession, whose presence alone overwhelmed every other young man in attendance.

“Lady Halbern.”

Pession approached, smiling softly enough to melt.

He held out his hand.

“May I have the honor of your first dance?”