The Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health Chapter 311

Meanwhile, at the same time.

“Mehen and Dad seem really close.”

At Arellin’s words, Pession followed her gaze to Mehen and Valer and gave a small nod.

Just as the two of them could see Pession and Arellin, Pession and Arellin could also see them.

“I guess it’s because Mehen puts up with everything. Dad should seriously bow to her. If it weren’t for Mehen, our family would’ve fallen apart.”

That was Arellin’s firm stance as a devoted mom-lover, but—

“…I don’t know.”

Pession couldn’t quite agree.

Setting aside the deep bond between the Duke of Halbern and Mehen, Pession—who understood this world’s mechanics better than anyone—found it hard to agree with the idea that ‘Mehen would’ve lived grandly no matter which family she served.’

Mehen’s current influence had only grown this large because she stood atop the backing and power called Halbern.

What ruler in the world would hand over full authority of their house to a subordinate?

Power wasn’t even shared with family.

Thinking about that, the Duke of Halbern really wasn’t sane.

‘Not something I can say in front of Arellin.’

Suddenly, Arellin smiled brightly.

Watching her, entranced, Pession asked without realizing it.

“Why?”

“It just looks like Dad’s getting mad seeing the two of us together.”

When Arellin took his hand, a suppressed killing intent could be felt even from far away.

To release such refined killing intent—precise enough to affect only one person without disturbing others—made Pession sigh anew at the Duke of Halbern’s level of mastery.

‘…Taking Arellin by force would be difficult.’

It would’ve been convenient, but this time, the world wasn’t on Pession’s side.

“Dad’s petty.”

On top of that, Pession had another reason to stay on the Duke of Halbern’s good side.

“Well, that’s kind of cute, though.”

“Arell—.”

That’s cute? Was her eyesight okay?

Just what had happened? Arellin’s affection toward the Duke of Halbern was absurdly high.

From Pession’s perspective, the duke had only neglected her and left her behind—so why did she like him this much?

There had to be something only the two of them shared.

He tried lightly probing to find out what it was, but whenever he did, Arellin put on a troubled expression, forcing him to back off.

Outwardly, Pession smiled coolly like everything was fine, but inside, he was a complete mess.

‘Why won’t she tell me? Is it something I shouldn’t hear?’

Because it’s family business? Because it’s about blood relatives?

The idea that the two of them shared something he didn’t know kept irritating him, no matter how personal it was.

‘It’s far.’

It was right within reach—so why did it feel so distant?

‘I’m lonely.’

Pession gazed anxiously at Arellin’s side profile as she smiled brightly while watching Mehen and Valer.

Had wandering the hidden world for so long broken something inside him? Or was he just sick?

Maybe it was delayed trauma, like ordinary people often experienced after extraordinary events.

The fear that this peace could shatter at any moment.

And at the root of all that anxiety was Arellin.

A world where Arellin died.

A world without Arellin.

So even knowing her heart was his, it felt like everything could vanish like a mirage one day.

“…Sion? Are you okay?”

Perhaps his quiet reaction seemed strange. Arellin looked over with concern.

It made his chest ache for no reason.

Whoever said human greed had no end was right.

All he’d wanted was for her to like him, for her to be happy—but once she truly did like him, he began to crave being at her side.

What had once been a longing to simply stay near her had turned into a ravenous desire to know everything about her and claim it all.

No—calm down.

Arellin likes me.

But once his emotions were overturned, they didn’t settle that easily.

“Pession, what’s wrong? Are you upset because I didn’t tell you?”

At Arellin’s playful yet cautious tone, Pession thought—

This was where he should smile and say it was fine. Adults understood and let things go. So—

“…Yeah.”

What came out instead was a pout bordering on childishness.

“It bothers me that you have secrets with someone who isn’t me.”

He wanted to act composed and admirable, but his petty heart wouldn’t allow it.

“And that it’s with the Duke of Halbern…”

That man didn’t even qualify as a father—so why were you so gentle and generous with him?

Pession felt wronged.

Shouldn’t she at least show him as much caution and distance as she’d shown Pession at first?

He’d blurted it out in a surge of emotion, and afterward, Pession grew sullen again.

Did I disappoint her?

It felt like he’d exposed every ugly part of himself, and his face burned.

But unlike Pession’s crushed self-esteem, Arellin’s reaction wasn’t bad.

She didn’t get angry or mock him—she just looked surprised, like ‘Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.’

“Pession, are you jealous right now?”

“…….”

Was this jealousy?

As Arellin studied the stiffened Pession, she swallowed a laugh and tried to be serious.

“You’re jealous even though it’s my dad?”

His feelings were too conflicted and complex to label them neatly as jealousy!

Yet denying it felt impossible when he looked this immature. Pession felt miserable.

“Forget it.”

“Forget what?”

“Everything that just happened. All of it.”

Pession buried his face in his hands, his ears burning red. Arellin thought that was incredibly cute.

“Pession~.”

He tried to ignore her gentle call, but she tugged his hand with a soft laugh.

It wasn’t much force, yet Pession was helplessly pulled closer, his face revealed.

His eyes looked ready to cry, his face flushed with embarrassment, the corners of his eyes reddened—why did all of it look so pitiful, fragile, and beautiful?

Unaware of Arellin’s thoughts, Pession closed his eyes like a criminal awaiting punishment.

“…It’s just hard right now. So, later.”

“Later?”

Pession opened his eyes, confused.

Right in front of him, Arellin smiled sweetly.

“Yeah. I’ll tell you later. Everything.”

Her spring-bright eyes sparkled, as if she’d made a decision. Pession swallowed, suddenly thirsty.

“There are things that make it hard to say right now, so don’t hate my dad too much, okay? He’s the reason I’m here now.”

The words carried many meanings, but Pession couldn’t grasp them all.

He could only stare at Arellin, who was trying to soothe him, with longing eyes.

Did Arellin know?

That every time she trusted him so easily, he wanted to swallow her whole in one bite.

When she looked at him with those trusting eyes, he felt an urge to tell her just how much he wanted to devour her.

If not for his obsessive desire to never be hated by her, he might’ve already done something unforgivable.

“You have to tell me.”

“Yeah. I promise.”

“You really have to.”

“I will.”

Only after receiving repeated assurances did Pession’s expression finally calm. Seeing that, Arellin smiled and patted his head.

He was being treated like a child, but the touch felt nice, so Pession stayed still.

“By the way, Sion. I’m curious about something too.”

“What is it?”

“When my impostors were running wild, they even fooled the twins—but not you. How did you know they were fake?”

What, that was all?

“Remember the young divine beast I gave you as a gift and then took back?”

The bird he’d practically begged Siroa to give him, despite not even wanting to speak to her.

“Oh. Sion?”

“I brought them in front of it.”

Though they hadn’t spent long together, the divine beast recognized its true owner perfectly.

He remembered how unusually restless it had been when he brought it to the crown prince’s palace to confirm Arellin’s identity.

‘Now that I think about it, I should’ve realized back then.’

Recalling his accumulated sins, Pession quickly checked Arellin’s expression and confessed immediately.

“I’m sorry. Back then, Arell looked so similar… I thought it was prepared that thoroughly, and I hated it so much it made my teeth grind. I didn’t even try to look closer.”

“Hm.”

“Should I kneel?”

Pession moved as if he really would, but Arellin hurriedly stopped him.

“No! If you kneel now, I’ll be on tomorrow’s front page!”

 

****

 

 

While people’s attention was focused on the noisy Arellin and Pession—

On the opposite side of the ballroom, Mehen couldn’t properly hear Valer’s voice through the noise.

“What did you just say?”

“I asked if you wanted to hear something interesting.”

“All of a sudden?”

At Valer’s abrupt suggestion, Mehen’s eyebrow twitched as she poured herself a drink.

What nonsense was this guy about to spout now?

“None of the ‘interesting facts’ you’ve told me so far have been interesting.”

“That’s harsh.”

At Mehen’s harsh review, Valer drooped his eyebrows and put on a pitiful expression—but it didn’t work on her at all.

She couldn’t tell why his purple eyes, sparkling more keenly than usual, made her uneasy, but since Valer rarely volunteered stories first, her curiosity was piqued.

“So what are you going to tell me?”

“There’s a biological experimentation facility beneath the annex. Its size is… bigger than this building. The ashes of the victims I burned are still there.”

The flat, emotionless delivery was enough to instantly kill the taste of alcohol.

“…What?”