I Didn’t Lull You to Sleep Only for You to Be Obsessed With Me - Chapter 96

RP: Haebaragi_syk

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Chapter 49.1

“Ah…”

April felt a bit embarrassed.

Just then, Claude burst out laughing. Since she had never seen him laugh like that before, April found herself staring, transfixed.

“I’m really curious what kind of thoughts are running around in that head of yours.”

Seeing him laugh so freely revealed a surprisingly childlike side of him. She gazed at him, almost entranced, then belatedly tried to make an excuse.

“No, it’s just that you mentioned physical contact…”

Claude gently tapped her forehead as her cheeks flushed bright red.

“Don’t worry. I won’t make you do anything strange.”

His voice still carried a trace of amusement.

April’s face turned even redder, more flushed than a ripe tomato. Covering her face with her hands, she quickly tried to steer the conversation in another direction.

“Then, can we just hold hands?”

“Ah, not quite. First, you need to learn how to control mana. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll channel it by holding the Duke’s hand.”

“And how do I learn to control mana?”

“That’s something you can pick up quickly. Could you give me your hand for a moment?”

April extended her hand toward the wizard. However, just as he was about to take it, Claude swiftly stepped in beside her and took her hand instead.

“Is it enough just to control the mana?”

“No, Duke. I’ll handle this.”

The expression on the wizard’s face clearly read, Please let me handle it. Secretly, April also hoped the wizard would lead the lesson, but Claude didn’t waver.

“Since this is to help with my insomnia, it only makes sense for me to assist. Besides, I can manage mana just fine myself.”

It sounded like sophistry, yet oddly reasonable.

“But…”

“Do you have a problem with that?”

To be honest, even if they did, this wasn’t the moment to say so. The wizard shook his head, and April stayed quiet, not daring to protest.

Seeing both of them fall silent, Claude smiled in satisfaction and led April over to the sofa.

“All right, Lily. I’m going to let my mana flow into you now. Try to sense the mana moving through your body.”

As she listened to his words, April felt something subtly flowing through the tips of their joined fingers. It reminded her of the feeling of receiving an IV at the hospital when she’d had a bad flu.

Soon, an invisible energy began flowing through her body, spreading outward. It wasn’t exactly a pleasant sensation.

At that moment, she unknowingly furrowed her brow as energy from within her started to push back against the mana that had been forced into her body.

“Hoo.”

Claude murmured in quiet admiration.

The two energies collided around her solar plexus—one pushing, the other resisting. As she began to feel a slight dizziness, he withdrew his energy.

April covered her mouth as a sudden wave of nausea hit her.

“Oh dear.”

He gently stroked her back as she curled up.

“What was… ugh, that just now?”

“That was your own mana pushing mine back out.”

She took a steadying breath and replied with difficulty.

“Me? But I didn’t do anything.”

“You reacted instinctively. It seems your body recognized my mana as an intruder.”

Claude, who had explained up to that point, clicked his tongue as if dissatisfied.

“Why?”

“It’s nothing. Now, Lily, could you try sending mana into me this time? If you can locate that energy you felt moving in your body earlier, you should be able to direct it back toward me.”

“I’ll give it a try.”

April clasped Claude’s hand with both of hers and focused her mind.

“Hup!”

But no matter how much strength she exerted, the energy from before showed no sign of moving. No, in fact, she couldn’t even sense the mana within her body to begin with.

“It’s not working.”

“Let me try again.”

As Claude spoke, he sent his mana into her once more. This time, the energy clashed around her shoulder.

After repeating the process three times, April finally managed to move the mana flowing through her body. By then, she was completely exhausted.

“Haah… can we, huuk, please stop now?”

“All right.”

Claude, however, looked completely unfazed.

‘This is somehow unfair.’

She thought while casting a slightly resentful look at Claude, who pretended not to notice and turned to the wizard.

“Is this enough?”

“Yes. By sending mana like that, you should be able to fall asleep.”

Claude lifted one corner of his mouth in a smile.

“You heard that, Lily? Come to my bedroom tonight.”

April knew he didn’t mean anything by it, but for a moment, her heart skipped a beat.

̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊

That evening, April hesitantly made her way to Claude’s room. Unlike her usual task of making coffee, tonight, she’d need to hold his hand until he fell asleep.

‘Is this really okay?’

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