If They Get Obsessed, I’m Doomed - Chapter 55
RP: Haebaragi_syk
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Chapter 28.2
She arrived at the door of the reception room where she had been staying but walked right past it. Her sharpened instincts shouted at her not to go in there, and instead, her eyes were drawn to the window.
Through the crack in the unlocked window, a faint breeze drifted in.
As she cautiously pushed the window, the clean glass window silently swung open, clearly revealing the floor below.
The first-floor window wasn’t very high from the ground.
Ariel impulsively climbed over the window frame and descended. She landed soundlessly on the ground before carefully closing the open window, leaving it slightly ajar as before, then withdrew her fingers from the window frame. The distance between her and Skylar, which appeared on her phone, was only a few meters.
Ahead, there was only a spacious lawn and a well-paved road. It was certain that running blindly would attract more attention.
Because of that, she crouched lower beneath the window, planning to move once Skylar passed by.
As the faint figure that had been following her closely revealed itself more distinctly until it became a clear shape, the owner of the shadowy figure soon reached the door of the reception room.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound of a polite knock on the reception room’s door seeped in through the crack of the slightly open window.
“Ariel.”
Skylar called her name.
Ariel broke out in a cold sweat.
‘If I had just entered the reception room earlier…’
Recalling the moment when today’s plan almost fell apart, she felt dizzy.
“Hello?”
While Skylar asked, facing the unanswered door, Ariel froze as she held her breath. He continued to stare at the unresponsive door for a moment before letting out a sigh. Then, he reached for the doorknob.
“I’m coming in. I knocked and called your name, so don’t complain later.”
The doorknob turned, and the door opened with a click. He stepped into the reception room.
“What. She’s not here?”
Noticing that his voice sounded fainter and farther away than before, she thought it was time to move.
Ariel crouched low and quickly walked away beneath the window. When she reached the end of the building, she slipped into the shadow behind the curved corner. Thankfully, there were no signs or movements here. She leaned against the shadowy wall, catching her breath. Her heart was pounding.
Skylar, who was on her phone, seemed to have lost her direction and was wandering around the reception room.
‘Thank goodness.’
She let out a long, suffocating breath in slight relief.
Racine was still on the third floor.
Ariel carefully studied the building layout on the screen and searched for a route to the third floor.
There was one central staircase leading upwards, two to the right, two to the left, and finally, a small door leading to a spiral staircase for servants. After some consideration, she shifted her steps towards the spiral staircase. Although she had to go all the way around the building, she had the least risk of being caught.
‘Surely, nobles wouldn’t bother to glance at the servant’s staircase.’
Skylar’s noble pride wouldn’t allow it. Even as she realized that, Ariel was still anxious and kept checking her phone.
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“Not this time!”
The Grand Duchess shouted from the council chamber. It was a brave voice as if she were threatening.
She was particularly sharp because of the topic discussed during the meeting. It was because Lexius was called up again due to the ongoing subjugation of the alliance’s continued war that was going on in the South.
“No matter how much this generation is hailed as the golden age, consecutive subjugations are unreasonable!”
“Your Highness, please calm down a little…”
“Calm down now? My son can’t go! I can’t let him go anymore!”
The Emperor’s aide hastily intervened, but it was futile.
Unlike the Grand Duchess, who was screaming and shouting, Lexius, the person in question, was calm.
With his formidable magical powers, he saw the southern war as an opportunity to build his reputation.
His mother, the Grand Duchess, held the opposite view. To her, the Southern affairs were nothing but a nuisance and threat—she saw it as a blade that could harm her son.
Lexius was only fourteen years old during his first subjugation. As the eldest son of the Grand Duchy, he was appointed as the youngest knight commander and stationed at the front lines in the South. He subsequently went on multiple subjugations, leading victories in fourteen battles. As a result, one-third of the vast southern continent fell into the hands of the Empire.
He was revered as a hero, and the status of the Grand Duchy soared above that of the other three ducal families.
Despite such a reputation, Lexius was only eighteen years old.
He was still too young to fight another war again.
The Grand Duchess was adamant that she could never send her son on these subjugations.
From the Empire’s perspective, there was a strong desire to deploy a war hero who had achieved significant success in past battles. Lexius seemed indifferent about it and didn’t show much interest, and even the Grand Duke gave a lukewarm response without much opposition either.
It was the Grand Duchess and the imperial command.
The confrontation between two immovable sides continued unabated. For what seemed like dozens of minutes, the Grand Duchess’s voice had been growing louder with no conclusion in sight.
Eventually, the reign of the empire rose from his throne.
“Enough.”
With his words, the noisy council chamber fell silent in an instant.
“It seems to have heated up excessively. We’ll take a thirty-minute recess. Everyone, cool your heads and return.”
Everyone solemnly bowed their heads at the dignified order. Even the Grand Duchess, who had been boiling with anger, was no exception.
Finally, an adjournment was declared.
As the Emperor left his seat, the nobles dispersed one by one. They were separated according to rank into the different reception rooms set up next to the council chamber. Naturally, the Grand Duchy was assigned the reception room closest to the chamber, in keeping with their hierarchy next in line to the imperial family.
As soon as the Grand Duchess entered the drawing room, she expressed her discomfort.
“If my son is sent to war again, I’ll crush your skull.”
“Honey… Your words are too harsh.”
“Why don’t you get out there yourself?! Don’t push it onto our young son!”
“I’m also going on the subjugation.”
“But why does my son have to go out again?!”
The Grand Duke hesitated at his wife’s outburst, then closed his mouth. It was an uncharacteristic display of cowardice for a hero of an empire known as the Crimson Calamity.
“You’re crazy! You’re obsessed with achievements, going crazy over some measly land! You didn’t object to them dragging our young child to the battlefield!”
Her husband’s lukewarm response to the issue, even though it concerned their son, caused the Grand Duchess to explode with frustration.
When her anger didn’t subside, the person in question eventually spoke up.
“Mother, I’m fine.”
When Lexius replied softly, the Grand Duchess’s face crumbled as if she had lost her composure.
“I’m not fine. I’m not! The Grand Prince is only eighteen.”
“Then, how about postponing the subjugation until after I graduate from the academy?”
“Are you suggesting we stall, Grand Prince?”
“Since Mother said I’m too young, wouldn’t postponing the time of being called up to subjugation be the method.”
“Grand Prince… Then, after graduation, you’ll be taken away…”
“You know it too, Mother, that I can’t avoid going to war eventually.”
Lexius’s attitude in anticipating his forced subjugation wasn’t only calm but indifferent.
The Grand Duchess called him, saddened by the reality that nothing was going to change.
“Lexius…”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Are you… Are you really okay with that…”
Looking at his mother, who was genuinely upset, he paused, wondering what answer she would want. Was she hoping for reassurance? Did she wish for her son to still remain innocent…
However, having already become accustomed to war, he couldn’t give his mother the answer she wanted.
“I’m fine. I’ve been fine ever since I was fourteen.”
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