If They Get Obsessed, I’m Doomed - Chapter 32

RP: Haebaragi_syk

Chapter 17.1

“It’s not like I’m trying to take anything away from you, and I also don’t bother digging into your people either.”

“Does that even matter when we share personal connections anyway?”

“If you’re going to be so sensitive about it, I’ll step back from the academy side.”

“You can lie about keeping the boundary all you want. However, when Lex comes back, you’ll regain the territory again, and you’ll be doing what you’re doing! Since he has taken the position of crown prince, even the local nobles will have to defer to you to some extent, so why are you wasting your time on a county’s princess?”

“That’s right, but I’m not really trying to be involved with her for the political games.”

“….”

“Why does it look so good in your hands?”

“….”

“The same goes for your fiancée.”

“Stop…”

“But once I had it, it wasn’t fun anymore.”

“…Ha!”

With a sigh resembling a mocking scoff, Skylar let out a low curse. The person who couldn’t stand it seemed to have reached the threshold.

The corners of his mouth quivered as if trying to suppress his emotions.

“…Yeah… I’d feel better if I didn’t own anything personally. I need to get rid of everything, be it people or anything, otherwise…”

Skylar, burning with anger to the core, roughly unwrapped something cold from his wrist.

At that moment, Devoncia seemed somewhat surprised.

“Are you serious?”

Instead of answering the question, Skylar held what he had grabbed from his wrist and looked out at the river. Even without wind, the water’s current wasn’t slow, and something as light as this would be quickly carried away in no time. On the other hand, reading his intention, Devoncia crossed his arms and smiled meaningfully.

It was a slight smirk that seemed to be bitter or perhaps even caustic.

“It’s a sacrilege to mother, Skylar.”

“Shut up. You’ve never even properly commemorated your mother.”

“You know I wasn’t in a position to commemorate.”

“But whether I throw it away or not.”

“You’re the one who cherishes it.”

Upon hearing that, Skylar sealed his lips. His face was fierce, as it was filled with turbulent emotions.

“…I’m sick of it.”

With an air of resignation at the end of his anger, Skylar interrupted the conversation. His brow furrowed, and he narrowed his eyes with his clenched jaw. Overwhelmed by emotion, he threw what he had in his hand into the river. Rather than saying that he really intended to do that, it felt more like he was forced to give up because of weariness and frustration with Devoncia’s behavior.

The object that fell into the river sparkled with a silvery light. It appeared lightweight and was easily carried away by the current.

Coincidentally, the silvery object drifted towards where Ariel was hiding. Floating and sinking in the calm ripples, it illuminated its slender form—a circular, curved shape linked by chains. Slowly submerging in the water, it was a bracelet that radiated a pearly sheen.

“Why bother throwing it away?”

“I’d rather discard it than get more involved with you.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind? It’s an heirloom, even if you throw it away.”

Even though Devoncia expressed concern, his tone strangely sounded like he was sneering and mocking at the same time.

Still, Sky didn’t say anything.

On the contrary, Ariel was the one who appeared shaken. Her eyes widened significantly as she watched the bracelet being carried away.

‘…What did Devoncia just say? Heirloom? If it’s an heirloom…’

Something left behind by a deceased person. Something they used.

‘If that’s the case, the deceased person is related to Skylar… whom Devoncia mentioned earlier…’

“It’s a sacrilege to mother, Skylar.”

“You’ve never even properly commemorated your mother.”

Mother. His biological mother.

…An item left behind by his biological mother.

It was an heirloom left by Skylar’s mother that was floating downstream, passing by where she was.

At that moment, Ariel’s instincts took over before her thoughts.

Splash!

She pounded the ground and leaped without hesitation. The violent waves that rose as she broke the surface sent water splashing in all directions. The weather was still early spring, so the water temperature was cold. The water, which she had barely expected to reach her waist, was now deeper than her neck.

Still, she didn’t care.

As Ariel moved forward, parting across the waves, her eyes quickly searched for the bracelet. The depths beneath the trembling surface were turbid. After waiting for a moment for it to calm down, a silver, round object was spotted beneath the transparent waves. The silver ring drifted diagonally and settled. Far below, it was descending toward the dark silt of the river.

She didn’t hesitate to stick her head under the water.

She battled against the current and stirred up the riverbed to grab the slowly sinking silver ring.

A cold sensation pierced her fingertips as she reached towards the mud, and a metallic object touched her hand. She bent her outstretched fingers, clutching the ring and placing it in her palm. Feeling its solid strength, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief.

‘…I’m glad I didn’t lose it.’

As she stood up, breaking the surface, Ariel let out the breath she had been holding.

A stream of water trickled from her damp hair and ran down her pale face. She used her wet sleeve to wipe her face and blinked her eyes, only to be dazzled by the sunlight. Her vision was initially bleached white but gradually adjusted and cleared up. In the shade of the cedar trees, two figures approaching from the riverside came into her view.

Standing right by the water was Skylar, followed a bit behind by Devoncia, who was a few steps behind.

“Are you crazy?”

Skylar, who was ahead, asked as if in utter amazement. No, rather than a question, it might be closer to an exclamation.

He gave her a scrutinizing look.

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