If They Get Obsessed, I’m Doomed - Chapter 88

Chapter 45.1

Skylar, who had been chasing after her relentlessly during the teleportation commotion, was now leaning against Ariel’s dorm room door, blocking the way. He seemed to have lost his jacket somewhere, standing there in just his shirt. As he raised his head, which had been looking down at the floor, he turned to face her.

His blue eyes had already found her several times today.

“You’re finally here?”

From the way he spoke, it seemed like he had been waiting there ever since they were forcibly separated earlier.

Ariel hadn’t checked her phone because she hadn’t intended to avoid him, but now she regretted it a little. She hadn’t expected him to wait so blatantly like this. If she had checked her phone, she might have run away.

“Have you been waiting here this whole time?”

“Yeah.”

Skylar responded with a rather gloomy expression. Ariel figured he would soon bring up Lexius, so she quietly waited.

Sure enough, Skylar’s lips moved as if he had been waiting. However, the question that came out of his mouth was quite different from what she had expected. It caught her completely off guard.

“Why… didn’t you ask me to save you?”

“…Save me? Are you talking about what happened with the Grand Duke earlier?”

“Yeah. Lexius was holding you against your will. I could tell just by looking.”

Skylar stated firmly.

‘Oh, so he can tell just by looking.’

It was a bit ridiculous, but since he wasn’t entirely wrong, Ariel didn’t deny it. She felt a little awkward, unsure whether to be relieved that she hadn’t sparked any unnecessary misunderstandings.

Seeing that Ariel wasn’t arguing back, Skylar continued to press her with more similar questions.

“Did he threaten you?”

Ariel shook her head. She couldn’t say there was no coercion, but in the end, Lexius had been trying to help her.

Skylar, looking incredulous, asked again.

“So, he just held you against your will?”

“Yes, I was forcibly held. But Senior… the Grand Duke was trying to help me.”

“What?”

Skylar’s voice turned sharp, clearly angry.

“What exactly did Lexius help you with?”

“He must have thought I looked troubled by your questions, so he was trying to give me a way to escape.”

Skylar fell silent, likely recalling how he had blocked Ariel’s path and practically interrogated her earlier. His expression was full of displeasure, but he didn’t seem to have anything more to say.

Ariel felt she needed to calm Skylar down, honestly, without mixing in any lies.

“That’s just how the Grand Duke saw it. It all happened so suddenly for me that I was more overwhelmed than anything.”

Her response seemed to ease his anger visibly.

“I knew it. That b*stard… always getting in the way.”

“…”

“It may be a pity, but let’s go to the Central Hall together tomorrow since we couldn’t make it today.”

Ariel didn’t understand why the conversation had suddenly shifted to that, but this time, she was determined to refuse.

“I don’t want to go to the Central Hall.”

“Why not, again?”

Skylar’s face twisted again, his expressions always seemingly full of negative emotions.

Ariel stood her ground and calmly explained her position.

“I appreciate the kindness of wanting to take me to the imperial palace, but for me, it feels like a huge burden.”

“Why?”

“Well…”

Ariel hesitated for a moment before continuing. How should she express her opinion? If she didn’t make things clear now, Skylar would keep pushing her. Worse yet, something irreversible—like becoming a princess—could be set in motion. She needed to draw a line to prevent that, but she also couldn’t be too harsh.

“We haven’t known each other for very long. Before coming to the academy, we’d only met two or three times. Receiving an invitation to the imperial palace from someone I’ve known for such a short time feels like… too much.”

Skylar crossed his arms silently as if urging her to continue.

“Even speaking informally and calling each other by name like this… it already feels like too much. Anything beyond that…”

“Are you saying I make you uncomfortable?”

Skylar interrupted, having somewhat understood what she was trying to say.

‘Uncomfortable…’

Ariel repeated the word to herself.

It was the perfect way to describe their relationship. She really did need time to get to know him better. The idea of becoming a princess wasn’t just impossible from the game’s perspective—it was also far too soon in reality.

She nodded in agreement with Skylar’s comment about being uncomfortable.

It was still awkward between them, and they needed time to understand each other better. Perhaps they could maintain their connection while keeping a bit of distance. Hopefully, Skylar would at least slow down in how quickly he was approaching her.

“I still don’t know much about you. What you like, what you don’t like, what makes you angry…”

“….”

“After I get to know you better and we become closer… then I don’t think receiving a personal invitation would feel so overwhelming.”

“….”

“So, for now, I don’t want to go to the imperial palace. I’m sorry.”

Ariel added a firm refusal to avoid being swept along.

Skylar’s face, which had been frowning the entire time she spoke, never softened. He looked visibly upset. Although he had listened quietly, it was clear he didn’t like what she had said.

“It seems you think I’ve been treating you too generously. I didn’t have to do that.”

There was a sharpness in Skylar’s tone. He was clearly hurt. To be more precise, the word ‘sulking’ might describe his feelings better.

“I’ll give you the distance you seem to want so much.”

His voice turned as cold as it had been when they first met, and he brushed past her without even saying goodbye.

Ariel turned around, watching him walk away.

He moved quickly, never looking back once. It was hard to believe that just moments ago, this was the same person who had been waiting anxiously by her door. His retreating figure seemed so distant and cold that she instinctively pulled out her phone to check Skylar’s profile.

『 A target has been detected nearby. 』

『 Skylar von Aither Lévretin

▷ Favorability towards you: ♥♥ (He’s strongly conscious of you and will often initiate conversations with you first.)
▷ Current Location: Academy 1st Dormitory Building — 2nd Floor Hallway. 』

Skylar’s unchanged favorability greeted her, and it felt as though the coldness he left behind still lingered in the empty hallway.

“Is he really just sulking?”

Ariel tilted her head. His icy behavior as they parted seemed like nothing more than childish sulking, leaving her with an odd, unsettled feeling.