If They Get Obsessed, I’m Doomed - Chapter 87

Chapter 44.2

She glanced around, trying to figure out how to get back to the dormitory. Several large buildings with white roofs atop red brick walls surrounded her. Not many people could be seen through the white window frames. The grass was neatly trimmed, and white paths converged, leading to a central square.

She didn’t recognize this place at all. She hadn’t even passed by here before.

“Where am I?”

Ariel wandered around in a daze, glancing here and there. The place was practically deserted.

“What am I supposed to do now…?”

This unexpected teleportation had left her stranded, unsure of where to go. She began to feel a twinge of resentment toward Lexius for leaving her behind in such an unfamiliar place all by herself.

‘If he’s going to help, he could at least help all the way.’

At least she had her phone so she could roughly check the map—if that could be considered a small relief.

It seemed wiser to figure out her location before wandering aimlessly. With that thought, Ariel found some shade and sat down on a nearby bench. The sound of leaves rustling above her was so peaceful. It was hard to believe she had just been caught in a tense exchange between Skylar and Lexius.

‘How relaxing.’

Soothed by the faint breeze and the fresh scent of grass, she closed her eyes for a moment, taking in the tranquil atmosphere. Unlike the whirlwind of sudden teleportation that had dragged her through unfamiliar surroundings too quickly to process, everything now felt slow and peaceful.

‘Even though I’m in an unfamiliar place, just knowing there’s no target to focus on makes me feel so relaxed.’

Feeling a sense of relief, Ariel stretched and opened her eyes. Having kept them closed for a while, even the faint light filtering through the shade felt piercingly bright.

Her vision blurred for a moment but quickly cleared.

In front of her stood someone wearing a white school uniform. His blazer was buttoned neatly, though his shirt had a few buttons undone.

“Who…?”

Ariel tilted her head up to get a better look at the person’s face. She saw calm, golden eyes that resembled Lexius’s, but the long hair brushing past his eyes was bright gold, unlike Lexius’s.

The man’s face was cold and emotionless as he looked down at her.

It was only then that Ariel realized the person standing before her was Racine.

“….!”

Startled, she flinched and leaned back abruptly, hitting her back hard against the bench. A sharp ache radiated from the impact. The fact that he had appeared without any warning made her heart feel like it was about to leap out of her chest. In stark contrast, Racine’s face remained completely emotionless.

After calming her racing heart, Ariel managed to speak.

“Young Lord… Solem, what brings you here…”

“You’d better stop.”

Racine interrupted her, getting straight to the point—his manner of speaking struck Ariel as oddly familiar. Skylar, Lexius… Racine’s speech pattern was very much like theirs.

She calmly asked.

“What are you referring to?”

“The Grand Prince.”

Once again, his words were brief and without explanation.

Racine’s way of speaking was blunt and uncomfortable, but Ariel quietly listened. It was rare for someone who usually ignored her to speak to her first, so she was curious. Besides, if he was referring to the Grand Prince, that meant Lexius, didn’t it?

Racine, after observing Ariel’s reaction to his words, continued.

“Lexius doesn’t care much about his subordinates.”

“….”

“His treatment is harsh, so you wouldn’t be able to endure it.”

His cold words came across as both a warning and advice—a chilling suggestion that it would be better for her to leave rather than foolishly linger.

With that, Racine turned and walked away.

Ariel was left standing there, feeling somewhat dejected. She had thought that Racine initiating a conversation might open a door for connection, but instead, all she got was a suggestion to back off.

‘Still… he must care at least a little if he’s bothering to warn me, right?’

She thought to herself that at least she wasn’t being completely ignored by Racine. If he truly saw her as insignificant, he wouldn’t have said anything at all.

‘…But why suddenly bring up Lexius?’

Racine even spoke as if she was bound to end up in a bad situation. It sounded like he was warning her to get out before she got hurt, implying that Lexius didn’t treat his subordinates well. Strangely enough, it almost sounded like a concern at first glance.

‘Though he isn’t that kind of person.’

If anything, it seemed more likely that he was worried he might somehow be affected by her actions. It wouldn’t be surprising if he thought Lexius might do something reckless involving her and was warning her to distance herself before things escalated.

But if that were the case, it meant Lexius was the kind of person who caused enough chaos to drag others down with him.

“That can’t be…”

Ariel unconsciously muttered to herself, shaking off the thought. She had no choice but to keep interacting with Lexius. If he really was the kind of person Racine implied, it was only a matter of time before she got caught up in something dangerous.

She desperately hoped her guess was wrong. However, the profile window of Lexius that came to mind only added more weight to her suspicions.

A single, ominous sentence…

『 * Be cautious of his unusual violence. 』

“I can’t be… Probably not…”

Ariel whispered to herself, trying to suppress the unease creeping in.

Even if it were true, she couldn’t distance herself from Lexius. She needed his favorability if she wanted to achieve the special ending.

“…Ah!”

The voice of someone dear to her, which had faintly echoed in her mind the day she woke up in this place, shook Ariel once again. Before that voice faded completely, she desperately wanted to recover her memories. She had to find her memories and go back.

“…Ah! Quickly!”

Even though it was only a voice, it was still precious to her. The fact that she couldn’t remember anything about them made her even more desperate.

̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊

After parting ways with Racine, she somehow managed to return to the dormitory with surprising ease.

Just as she was about to check her phone, a passing attendant recognized her. Even though Ariel wasn’t wearing the white school uniform, the attendant seemed to realize she was an important guest and quickly called the higher-ups to arrange a car for her.

Thanks to this, she avoided what would have been a long walk and was dropped off at the dormitory entrance in no time. She hadn’t even bothered checking her phone during the ride.

She wasn’t avoiding anyone, nor did she feel the need to seek anyone out. She was simply exhausted from being swept around all day. The last thing she wanted was to keep worrying over a complicated map when all she wanted was to relax in her room.

So, she left her phone in her pocket and didn’t take it out. Checking the location would only make her more anxious, so not looking at it felt like the easier choice.

‘If I run into someone, I’ll talk to them. If not, no big deal.’

Ariel didn’t give it much thought.

After climbing the stairs at the front entrance, she quietly walked down the dormitory hallway toward her room. But waiting for her there was an uninvited visitor.