If They Get Obsessed, I’m Doomed - Chapter 86

Chapter 44.1

An aristocratic greeting, showing affection and respect, was a common practice in high society. However, it felt out of place being done in the shadows between buildings. Despite the awkward setting, Lexius bowed and gracefully kissed the back of her hand.

Ariel blinked, staring at him for a few seconds before asking.

“What are you doing?”

Lexius slowly lifted his head, pulling his lips away. The silver earring hanging from his ear swayed lightly.

“A greeting.”

“Why all of a sudden?”

“That’s a secret.”

When he dismissed her question with cryptic replies that were quite unlike him, Ariel sensed there was more to it. As she stared at Lexius, curiosity evident in her gaze, his face lit up with a fresh smile.

“I usually don’t do things like this.”

Lexius added, unprompted.

“Really? It seemed surprisingly natural…”

“It’s not a difficult gesture. Even if I haven’t done it before, I can still do it well.”

“Senior, is this really your first time doing something like this?”

“Yeah. You’re the first person I’ve ever done this for.”

“Don’t people greet each other like this a lot in social circles? I haven’t been there, so I wouldn’t know.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty common.”

“Then, if this is your first time doing it, does that mean you haven’t been to any social gatherings, like me?”

“No, I have. Not frequently, but a few times.”

“….”

“But I’ve never done this for anyone else. You’re the first person.”

Lexius kept repeating that it was his first time. He didn’t seem to be joking or teasing. The words themselves sounded sincere, and Ariel was taken aback. What kind of response did he expect from saying that? Was she supposed to feel honored?

Worried that her reaction might come off as mocking, she replied in a casual tone.

“I see… I’m honored, Senior.”

Lexius’s smile faded, leaving behind a slightly disappointed expression, as if that wasn’t the reaction he wanted.

“You don’t seem to like it at all.”

“…That’s not true. I’m really, really happy to receive such an affectionate greeting from you, Senior!”

“Enough.”

Displeased with her mechanical response, Lexius cut her off and finally released the arm he had wrapped around her, letting her go.

Ariel stepped back, rubbing her wrist where it had reddened from his grip. Lexius, leaning against the wall, stared at the mark his hand had left. He didn’t look the least bit sorry. She hadn’t expected an apology from him, but she was more curious about something else.

“…Why did you help me?”

“So, you realize I helped you.”

“Yeah. You even told me yourself, and I looked like I needed help, so you stepped in.”

“….”

“Why did you do that?”

“Because I was in a bad mood.”

Ariel didn’t understand why he would be in a bad mood. If she had looked helpless, maybe it would make sense.

Puzzled, she asked without thinking.

“Why were you in a bad mood?”

Lexius straightened up from leaning against the wall, his lips tightly shut. Maybe it was because he stood in the shade, but his eyes appeared so dark that his pupils were barely visible. His gaze, sharp and piercing, seemed to cut through Ariel as he looked down at her.

“You’re strange.”

Instead of answering her question, he changed the subject.

“Even when I annoy you, you don’t really get mad, and when I treat you a little special, you don’t seem all that excited. It’s not like you’re trying to get anything from me, either.”

He listed off the things he’d noticed, almost like he had been watching her the whole time. Even now, his eyes were fixed on her calm expression, as if he were still analyzing her.

“If you were just happy being around me, I’d understand, but that doesn’t seem to be the case, either.”

His eyes scanned her slowly, piercingly, as if he were about to take her apart. It was relentless, as though he was determined to uncover every hidden part of her.

Ariel felt a shiver run down her spine.

“But it’s clear you really want to be involved with me.”

After his blatant observation, Lexius made a surprisingly accurate guess.

Ariel had always shown ambiguous behavior toward Lexius. No matter what he did, she neither greatly liked nor disliked it, yet she still tried to stay close to him. It was like walking a tightrope—keeping just enough distance while steadily getting closer. Yet, there was no sign she was after his status or power, nor did she show much selfish interest.

In a way, it wasn’t strange that Lexius was suspicious. That was why he had carefully observed her behavior and arrived at an analysis that was quite close to the truth. However, he hadn’t uncovered her real motives. No matter how sharp his instincts were, that was something he couldn’t know.

It was because she had to keep his favorability at exactly three hearts. She had to achieve the goal set by the strange circumstances of this game. It was only natural that it couldn’t be understood from a normal perspective.

Ariel did her best to stay calm and avoid raising any more suspicion.

“Senior, I… haven’t met a lot of people in my life, so I’m not really sure how to talk to others or act naturally around them.”

The hasty excuse flowed smoothly from her mouth. Who would have thought that her unusual life, spent entirely indoors, would come in handy like this?

“So, I want to get closer to you, but I’m not sure how… I apologize if my actions made you feel uncomfortable.”

“….”

Lexius stayed silent after hearing her explanation. His face was hard to read, still blank and indifferent. The only thing that hadn’t changed was his gaze, still fixed on her. Whether it was the coolness of the shade or the narrowness between the buildings, the weight of his prolonged silence felt unusually heavy to Ariel.

“…Senior?”

Unable to bear the tension, Ariel called out to him.

In response, he closed the distance between them, leaving them as close as they had been when they teleported together earlier.

“It doesn’t seem like you’re lying.”

Lexius finally spoke. Even though they were close enough for Ariel to feel his breath, she didn’t step back. Instead, she looked up at him, his face still expressionless. He didn’t seem like he was going to grab her again, but that didn’t make the situation any less tense.

As her face remained stiff, frozen in place, his eyes meticulously scanned her pale, fearful expression.

Seeing her obvious fear, the corners of his mouth slowly relaxed into a slight smile.

“Relax. If anyone saw us, they’d think I was scolding you.”

He finally smiled, his usual laid-back demeanor returning. The sight of his lips curving into a refreshing smile brought a wave of relief to Ariel, as if she could finally breathe again.

“Senior…”

“Thursday and Saturday. Eight o’clock.”

With that, he tapped her lightly on the forehead and walked away. Having said everything he wanted to, the conversation ended, leaving her standing there, unable to respond.

His tall figure passed by her and disappeared between the buildings.

In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Ariel belatedly turned to look at the path he had taken. The end of the alley was bathed in bright sunlight. She began walking toward it.

‘Thursday, Saturday. Eight o’clock… He probably meant the library, right?’

As Ariel mulled over the words he had left behind, she tilted her head back to look up at the blazing sun. It was nearing noon. Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten lunch.