The Obsessive Maniac Is Trying To Confine Me Chapter 241 - Side Story Chapter 31

As soon as we stepped past the castle gates, the chilly evening wind brushed against my cheeks.

Rosie held onto one of Argen’s arms the whole time as she guided him. Argen silently walked, matching her pace.

On the roadside stalls, rough medicinal herbs and crudely carved wooden figures were scattered messily.

It was different from the glamorous capital. Rosie looked around as if she found it fascinating.

Even though it was a scene she had seen often during her two years in the Piet territory.

“Hey, miss. Are you interested in a lucky stone?”

A peddler stopped Rosie, holding up a common stone from the ground.

“A lucky stone?”

Rosie showed interest.

“It’s exactly what it sounds like. A stone that brings luck. Just keep it by your pillow when you sleep and make a wish.”

It was an obvious sales trick.

But Rosie looked at Argen.

“I want it, Argen.”

The corners of her eyes curved softly.

The woman who had been drawing a line by calling him “Marquis” suddenly called his name without warning.

In the end, Argen tossed a gold coin to the peddler.

“Th-thank you, my lord!”

It was far too much for a single stone. The peddler bowed deeply.

Rosie succeeded in getting the lucky stone.

She walked ahead of him, humming happily.

“That’s just a sales trick.”

“You have no sense of romance.”

She turned around.

Taking a step closer, she held the stone in both hands right in front of his face.

“Look. It’s not just a rock—it’s a perfect heart shape. Isn’t that amazing?”

A crude heart-shaped stone was proudly presented. Argen’s gaze rested on it for only a brief moment.

“That doesn’t change the fact that it’s a rock. Throwing a gold coin for something like that is a stupid thing I won’t do twice in my life.”

“Then you did it once because of me?”

His deep green eyes moved past the stone and traced up along her slender wrist.

Then they settled heavily on her flushed cheeks and lively lips.

“…Yeah. That’s right.”

For some reason, he couldn’t deny it.

At his admission, Rosie smiled brightly.

A cold sensation rose in a corner of his chest.

She led him around as if she planned to tour the entire Piet territory.

“Your wife is very beautiful. Are you newlyweds? You two look wonderful together!”

At one point, they were caught in a ridiculous misunderstanding.

Before Rosie could even react, a merchant suddenly shoved a cheap accessory in front of Argen.

“In that case, how about this necklace? It’s very popular among wives these days—”

It was a shabby item, a cheap metal chain with a poorly made pink glass bead.

To Argen, who owned all kinds of luxurious accessories, it looked like trash.

“If you buy this and gift it, your wife will love you even more—it’s a magical—!”

Clink!

The merchant was too noisy, so Argen tossed him another gold coin.

Rosie’s eyes widened at the sight.

As soon as they left the alley, she couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst into laughter, clutching her stomach.

“Ahaha! You said it was a scam! Why did you buy it too?!”

“He was being loud. I just wanted to shut him up.”

Despite Argen’s cold reply, Rosie kept laughing as if it was the funniest thing ever.

Tears even gathered at the corners of her eyes.

When her laughter finally died down, she wiped the tears and looked at him.

“Liar.”

“…What?”

“Then it’s not?”

Rosie took a step closer.

“You bought it for me, didn’t you? Hurry and put it on me.”

She lifted her hands and gathered her pink hair around her flushed cheeks, neatly sweeping it over one shoulder.

With that small movement, her long white neck and defenseless nape were fully revealed in the dark.

“Why hesitate after buying it? Are you afraid I might actually fall in love with you, Marquis?”

“…You really.”

In the end, Argen let out a deep sigh as if surrendering and stepped behind Rosie.

Every time his large hands wrapped around her slender neck and the thin metal chain touched her skin, a heat that felt like it might burst spread through.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

Before long, the sun set and night fell.

I put the candy Argen bought me into my mouth and thought,

‘It’s about time, right?’

Time to take Argen there.

“Argen, follow me.”

At my call, he came willingly.

It was hard to call him “Marquis” outside, so I was calling him by his name.

I even thought I should’ve decided on how to address him beforehand.

But since Argen didn’t seem bothered, I became more at ease.

I led Argen toward the edge of the Piet territory.

It was a closed-off area that no one entered.

“I told you I’d show you something interesting, right?”

“Yeah. I was wondering what could be so impressive that you dragged me all the way out here…”

Argen’s gaze shifted to the side.

The place I brought him to was a steep cliff where the boundary of the land could be seen at a glance.

“Isn’t this a bit underwhelming, Rosie?”

Below us was a bleak scene.

The land bordering the cursed area was cracked, giving off a grave-like atmosphere.

Argen frowned as if wondering why I was showing him such barren ruins.

“You’ll see if you wait.”

Soon, the red sun hanging over the western horizon completely disappeared.

And at that moment—

Fwaaah—

“…This is.”

For the first time, a faint sound of admiration slipped from Argen’s lips, which had always been relaxed and arrogant.

From the ground of the lifeless gray forest, a soft blue light began to rise like fireflies.

“It’s pretty, right? You can only see this for a very short time, right after a mana storm completely overturns the land.”

I took in the shimmering blue light and spoke quietly, but with certainty.

“This is land that Piet territory has completely abandoned. It looks rotten on the outside and is heavily affected by mana storms.”

That’s why no one knew the secret hidden beneath this land.

No one ever tried to come here.

“But… beneath this land, there’s actually a rare mineral vein.”

The lights spreading before their eyes were caused by the hidden minerals reacting to the energy of the setting sun.

It was something Richard and I discovered while living here.

I slowly turned my head to face Argen.

His side profile, dyed in blue light, looked unreal—like a perfect sculpture.

I continued, aiming for his reason and greed.

“This is only a small part. I know more places like this.”

“So, Rosie… you’re saying you want to make a deal with me using that land.”

“That’s right.”

I was willing to give him even more valuable information.

If he would just let Richard and me go.

It would be good for everyone.

“I’ll tell you everything about lands with rare mineral veins. The Piet lord has no interest in this land. He’ll sell it to you for cheap.”

Argen’s green eyes, which had been looking down at me against the backdrop of the glowing blue forest, slowly turned as cold as ice.

Just minutes ago, he had looked relaxed while staring at a heart-shaped stone, but now all warmth vanished from his face.

“…Ha.”

A short, dry laugh slipped from his stiff lips.

The moment I heard that eerie sound, I realized it.

Something had gone very, very wrong.