The Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health – Chapter 342

Author: Asternkm

“Ask the elves for advice.”

It was actually a very good idea.

The only reason I hadn’t thought of it earlier was—

‘The elves came here with Chloe.’

I’d assumed that, one way or another, they’d be connected to Chloe and wouldn’t be very friendly toward me.

“But there’s no harm in trying.”

The old me would’ve given up, but not anymore.
The changed Arellin is on the move.

Getting close to the annex where the honored guests were staying wasn’t difficult. The imperial palace was a place I could come and go freely.

“Apparently the elves are completely hooked on that drama you like. If you offer that as a bribe, you might get some useful opinions.”

And I had Pession, who generously gave me advice like this.

‘For now, Chloe isn’t around.’

At the moment, Chloe—an awkward presence to run into—was out.

After the imperial welcome party ended, she’d received countless invitations and was apparently keeping an insane schedule, visiting four or five places a day.

‘And right now, she’s probably at the Gremwart family estate.’

For the record, Pession told me that too.

‘Meanwhile, the elves haven’t stepped a single foot outside their residence.’

So I came in person.

“Go tell them. Say that the Grand Duke Halbern’s daughter, the Archmage’s direct disciple, the genius mage Arellin, has personally brought a ‘gift.’”

The elves had rejected all other visitors—but could they reject this?

Even if they tried to reject me, surely they couldn’t reject the gifts I brought.

‘The latest episode of <Anamsum>, plus a full set of video orbs containing other drama series newly released by workshops under my sponsorship!’

And on top of that, a decisive dessert set specially made by my maid!

Could the elves really refuse fig financiers, orange madeleines, chestnut canelés, caramel gâteau, and chocolate brownies?

My prediction was spot on.

Not only did the tightly shut doors of the annex swing wide open, but the three noble elves themselves rushed toward me.

“We welcome your visit!!”

Before I could even say anything, a blond elf rushed up and firmly grabbed my hand.

Overpowered by the gleaming looks in the elves’ eyes before even exchanging greetings, I could only blink.

“Our savior—no. If you are his disciple, then you are our sibling as well. Sister, please come inside.”

…What is wrong with them?

If I’d had Idikels’s favorability ability, this is probably what it would’ve looked like right now.

[The elves’ favorability increases dramatically!]

That was how sky-high the elves’ mood was.

“The next episode! The latest episode!”

“Are we finally going to see Lady Rebecca destroy her in-laws?!”

“So who does she end up marrying in the end? I prefer the younger gentleman over the husband.”

Watching <Anamsum> this enthusiastically—they were elves with taste.

The elves also happily devoured the desserts I brought.

“What a delightful dish. It pleases the tongue.”

“It’s as though joy is spreading through my mouth.”

“Hehe, our other brethren will be jealous.”

The mood was perfectly loosened—ideal for asking questions. I could ask quite a lot like this.

Thankfully, the elves seemed pleased with the offerings and responded cooperatively.

“The Archmage is ill? Hmm… I’m not sure. Even we don’t know much about ancient elves.”

“What?”

“Even among elves, it’s like the difference between a chestnut tree and a beech tree. That one is an elf from before the Great Cataclysm. Of course they’d be different.”

This couldn’t be happening! The elves were useless?!

“Then I’m confiscating these.”

Desserts already eaten couldn’t be helped, but when I tried to retrieve the video orbs, the elves hastily hid them behind their backs.

“Wait! Hold on.”

The elves exchanged glances—and suddenly fell silent.

Huh?

It was strange.

They were quiet, but I felt something move. There was no magical fluctuation, no ominous feeling, so I tilted my head, thinking it might be my imagination—

“Hmm. Good. Permission has been granted.”

“What?”

Nadiel plucked a few strands of his long hair.

The next moment, my eyes widened.

Pure energy burst from the plucked hair, and suddenly, a tree branch dropped out of thin air.

“What is this?”

The faintly glowing branch still felt alive. And strangely—sacred.

“A branch of the Sacred Tree.”

There was only one thing the elves called the Sacred Tree.

The World Tree.

Was it really okay to give this to me?

Just as I accepted the branch in a daze—

“Huh?”

The status window reacted.

[You have come into contact with a part of the World Tree]

[The World Tree is observing you &#%!%$]

“?”

The status window suddenly filled with garbled text.

What is happening?

As I blinked in confusion, readable text finally appeared.

[The World Tree expresses great astonishment at your existence!]

****

The status window vanished abruptly.

“…?”

At the Gremwart estate, Chloe froze mid-sip of her tea.

She blinked rapidly in confusion, but the status window that had always lingered at the edge of her vision was gone.

No—it’s not like the status window runs on electricity, so why would it disappear all of a sudden?

‘What is going on?’

Already overwhelmed by a string of incomprehensible events, Chloe’s patience was reaching its limit.

What was so hard to understand?

The cars she’d seen the moment she left the imperial palace!

‘Why are there cars in a fantasy world?!’

The Spherom Hotel standing in the middle of the capital!

‘What even is that hotel?!’

And everywhere she went, nonstop talk about <Anamsum>. A drama—in a fantasy world? When only elves were obsessed with it, she could brush it off, but now the entire world was buzzing about <Anamsum>.

“Have you seen it too, Miss Chloe?”

“Haha… yes. By chance……”

Up to that point, she could still chalk it up to “the world has really advanced.”

What truly pushed Chloe over the edge was something else.

“This is called a ‘macaron.’”

“……”

Why are there macarons here?!

Confident in her cooking and baking skills, Chloe had planned to introduce true gourmet cuisine to this uncivilized fantasy world and make a fortune.

That plan shattered completely.

“Waaah…”

‘And why is it so good? That just makes it worse.’

She hadn’t even cleared 【Main Scenario I】 yet, and now her big money-making opportunity was gone!

On top of that, the status window had vanished.

Romance costs money. Raising favorability requires frequent meetings and gifts—and all of that requires money.

In the game, she’d solved this with microtransactions, but now that this was reality, what was she supposed to do?

Chewing on a macaron, Chloe racked her brain.

‘Guess I’ll have to squeeze money out of the elves after all.’

Long-lived races were inevitably wealthy. Just as Chloe was scheming about how to “cook” the elves—

A man lightly tapped a wine glass with a teaspoon, drawing everyone’s attention, and announced the long-awaited event of the day.

“Thank you all honored guests for gathering despite your busy schedules. We will now unveil what you have all been waiting for—the ‘will.’”

Under normal procedures, only family members would attend the opening of a will.

However, the Gremwart family was currently split into chaos between the second and third sons, and whoever was named successor would surely face opposition. Thus, it was decided to reveal it in the presence of other ducal families and nobles.

As the nobles enjoyed the spectacle with interest, and the other dukes concealed their complicated thoughts—

The sealed box, personally brought by Count Sillow, whose family had long safeguarded noble wills, was placed at the center of the hall.

“This box can only be opened when both my seal and the Gremwart family seal are present.”

“But our family seal is missing.”

“Yes. In preparation for such situations, the box can be opened using the blood of a direct descendant in place of the family seal. Please proceed.”

Gremwart’s second son, Jarve, stepped forward as if it were only natural. Watching him present himself as the family’s representative and drip his blood inside, the third son, Leton, stiffened.

All eyes focused on the will of the late Duke of Gremwart, which was about to be revealed.

The document that would name the next holder of the long-vacant ducal title.

Clatter. Click.

The sealed box, having accepted Sillow’s seal and Gremwart blood, opened on its own.

And then—

“!”

A deep silence fell.

It was unavoidable.

Shock spread through the hall.

“No—no, this can’t be……”

The box that should have contained the duke’s will was empty.

The will was gone!