If They Get Obsessed, I’m Doomed - Chapter 76

Chapter 39.1

The library in the early morning. Three people sat across from each other in front of an ebony wooden desk.

Lexius stared at Ariel with a frown, his fingertips pointing to the seat beside her.

“What is this?”

“He says she wants to learn from you, Senior.”

“The guy who ranked first in the grade evaluations?”

Lexius scoffed, glancing at Skylar. It was absurd that someone who had mastered all the advanced courses wanted to learn from him. It was an utterly ridiculous excuse. He found it so ridiculous that he couldn’t help but keep chuckling.

Skylar, with his ears turning red, feigned nonchalant.

Ariel looked at him curiously.

“Your Highness, you were first place.”

“No… It’s not like that.”

Skylar stammered as he denied her question, which wasn’t really a question. It was unclear whether he was denying his grades or the ridiculous excuse he had given earlier. He then turned his head to hide his blushing face.

Ariel considered pressing him further but decided against it. It felt like poking a beehive.

Skylar finally managed to compose his expression and met her gaze.

“…What did you fill your schedule with?”

“Magic Theory, Magic Engineering, Magic Combat, Advanced Magic Warfare, and one general education subject. I left the rest empty.”

Ariel obediently shared her schedule.

Instead of being satisfied, Skylar’s face only showed more confusion. It was no wonder—Ariel, who had claimed to lack the basics, had chosen only the most difficult subjects.

He was about to raise a question when Lexius spoke up first.

“What’s the point of taking general education classes?”

“I just wanted to include at least one. Since I’m at such a good academy, I thought it’d be nice to learn a little more.”

“But why are you suddenly speaking formally?”

All of a sudden, the topic shifted again.

At Lexius’s personal question, Skylar’s gaze sharply turned to Ariel. His eyes fiercely demanded, ‘What is he talking about?’ without a word.

Ariel looked at Lexius with a perplexed expression. However, he didn’t stop and added another remark.

“You didn’t have any problem calling my name before.”

“That… I thought it was a title and manner of speaking that were allowed only temporarily in completely private settings.”

“Is this a public setting?”

“Not exactly, but…”

Ariel trailed off, obviously conscious of Skylar.

“Just speak casually like you did yesterday. Call me Senior Lex.”

“No, I can’t do that right now…”

“Why not? I gave you permission. Go ahead and call me by my name.”

Lexius’s eyes could clearly read her predicament. She could see that he was deliberately being troublesome as the corners of his mouth, loosened, were curving upwards.

“….”

Ariel couldn’t respond properly. The name of her senior stuck in her throat, refusing to come out. Knowing who he was trying to provoke, she couldn’t easily comply with Lexius’s request like she had yesterday.

The gaze from the person next to her was too intense as Skylar exuded a sense of unease.

“So after just a few meetings, you’re already on a first-name basis…”

His lowered voice was chilling.

Ariel involuntarily shrank back for no reason. She didn’t have the courage to turn her head, so she glanced at Skylar from the corner of her eye. His pretty face was darkened with shadows beneath his blond hair, and his crumpled expression revealed unmistakable hostility toward Lexius.

Lexius, who was actually the target of Skylar’s hostility, remained unfazed. Even as he met his fierce gaze, he wasn’t only calm but also smiled casually.

“We’re close, so of course, we call each other by name.”

“Since when have you been so close?”

“Well, I’ve only really gotten to know her since she came to the academy, so it hasn’t been long. About a week, maybe?”

Skylar’s expression grew even more serious upon hearing the short time frame.

“A man called the Grand Duke allowed others to use his name after just a week?”

“Ariel and I have a pretty special relationship.”

“If you see each other a few more times, will you end up kissing too?”

“There’s nothing stopping us from that.”

A nonchalant tone as if it was no big deal.

While Ariel, who knew Lexius’s comments were just a joke, remained calm, Skylar wasn’t. Even though he knew it was a joke, he couldn’t brush it off lightly. His expression contorted as soon as he heard the words. The atmosphere he was giving off had moved beyond the level of mere jealousy to something more serious.

Even Lexius was beginning to question his intentions.

“Why are you so upset?”

“I’m not upset.”

“Then, relax your face. You look like you’re about to devour someone.”

“….”

“You’re pretty jealous yourself.”

At those words, Skylar’s face, which had been cold and stiff just moments before, flushed with anger.

“It’s not like that!”

He slammed his hand on the desk and stood up. It was the most intense reaction he had shown so far.

“That just makes it seem even more real.”

“I told you it’s not!”

Skylar, who was shouting again, seemed to have lost his reason.

Lexius was simply someone who repeatedly provoked others out of interest. The problem was that Skylar had very little patience to endure that. He seemed ready to respond immediately if provoked. It was similar to when he faced Devoncia—a convulsive reaction shown to intruders who coveted or tried to steal what belonged to him.

Knowing the cause, Ariel knew what she had to do.

“…Skylar!”

She called out the name of the imperial family member without hesitation or permission.

Skylar, the owner of the name, and Lexius, who sat across from him, turned their heads. Both of their eyes widened.

In the end, she had caused a stir.

It was a name she had repeatedly reminded herself never to use, knowing it was strictly forbidden. If she ever did use it, she was sure it would be a mistake, and she would end up in prison as punishment. But now, she was deliberately shouting it out to cut off the conversation between the two high-ranking individuals.

“Let’s stop the small talk and study!”

Ariel hurriedly opened her book, desperately trying to act cheerful and diligent.

The two of them silently watched her for a moment before their gaze fell to the densely written notes and countless underlined passages in the book. Seeing the pages covered with meticulous effort, they both calmed their expressions.

“We’ll take it slow today.”

Lexius opened his mouth first.

“If you have any difficulties, just let me know.”

Skylar also spoke up.

They obediently followed her suggestion to study, which she had thrown out with clumsy acting. For some reason, both of them were being unusually kind.

However, this moment of willingness didn’t last long.

Even while teaching Ariel, the two of them clashed quite often.

When Lexius taught briefly and only the essentials, Skylar criticized him for being overly vague. He argued that Lexius should address confusing parts or explain more thoroughly, suggesting that such simplistic explanations would lead to inadequate understanding and inability to apply the knowledge. His detailed comments were things that someone who hadn’t mastered the field wouldn’t be able to make.

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