If They Get Obsessed, I’m Doomed - Chapter 96

Chapter 49.1

The moment Ariel spotted him, she spun on her heel without hesitation.

She already had no desire to get caught in the mess between Lexius and Skylar, but even more than that, she wanted nothing to do with Devoncia. He was like a walking disaster when it came to Skylar, always making everything worse. If she ended up alone with him, there was no doubt Skylar would completely lose it.

Unfortunately, the crown prince seemed to have a different opinion. He turned toward Ariel and looked straight at her. Slowly, he moved his legs and began to approach.

A chill ran down her spine as the ominous presence behind her grew closer.

Ariel’s steps instinctively quickened.

A short distance away, a barrier tangled with glowing red threads flickered into view. Inside, sparks crackled violently. The battle, which had already felt suffocatingly intense, hadn’t subsided in the slightest.

Rather, it was only escalating.

Ariel had been heading toward the barrier, but quickly veered away.

If she approached, Devoncia would catch her in an instant. Worse, she might end up bringing him straight to Skylar, and that would be an absolute disaster.

She moved swiftly, almost running, and hurriedly slipped beneath the stairs of the training grounds. The passage stretched long, connecting several entryways that led up to the spectator seats. The air felt cool, like a basement and sparse lights dimly lit the corridor, casting deep shadows.

Following the trail of orange lights, she pulled out her phone.

『 A target has been detected nearby. 』

『 Devoncia von Elios Lévretin

▷ Favorability towards you: [ Unable to verify ] (Due to a temporary error, the verification of the affection is delayed.)
▷ Current Location: Academy Training Grounds — Passageway beneath the stairs. 』

‘No. Crazy!’

Of course. Just as she dreaded, Devoncia was right on her heels. He moved at an unnervingly steady pace, neither rushing nor falling behind, as if he were toying with the distance between them.

Ariel quickly tucked her phone away and stole a glance over her shoulder. In the dimly lit passage, his shadowy figure loomed just beyond the light.

There was no mistaking it… he was chasing her.

She picked up her pace as soon as she saw him under the bright lights. And just as expected, he did the same. He stepped into the warm orange glow she had just passed through, his golden hair catching the light and shimmering. The shadows that had obscured his face faded, revealing his sharp, elegant features in full clarity.

The moment she saw Devoncia clearly, panic shot through her, and she sprinted away. But as soon as she did, he accelerated as well, matching her pace.

No matter how fast she ran, she couldn’t put any distance between them.

It wasn’t long before Ariel’s breath began to falter. Her legs ached, and her lungs burned, while Devoncia didn’t seem winded at all. At this rate, she would tire first, and he would catch her with ease.

In the first place, the physical strengths between the two of them were incomparably different. There was no way Ariel, who had spent her life in the comfort of her room and was as fragile as a sheet of paper caught in the wind, could outrun the crown prince.

There was no point in continuing this exhausting battle since she was only wearing herself down. At this rate, getting caught seemed like the better option, so she allowed herself to slow down.

And, amusingly enough, Devoncia slowed down as well.

The sound of his footsteps, which had been steadily trailing her, grew quieter. As if toying with her, he matched her pace perfectly, keeping a constant distance between them.

‘Is… he messing with me?’

Ariel, sensing something off, glanced over her shoulder. The moment she locked eyes with Devoncia and saw the playful smile in his gaze, her suspicion became a certainty.

He didn’t say a word. He simply watched her quietly.

She met his gaze head-on.

His heterochromatic eyes gleamed with a mix of amusement and intensity, unreadable yet captivating. The mysterious colors of his irises seemed to pull her in, conveying an emotion that was both intoxicating and alluring. It was like the secret gaze of forbidden lovers, but beneath it, there was something eerie… something unsettling.

Their steps slowed in tandem until, without realizing it, they both came to a stop.

A peculiar tension hung in the air between them.

The thick walls of the secluded corridor muffled the sounds from outside, leaving only a heavy silence. In that stillness, Devoncia gazed at Ariel as if they were secret lovers meeting in hiding.

Just as the silence stretched between them, unbroken, Devoncia took a step closer.

Booom!

A deafening explosion echoed through the training hall as the prince and the grand prince collided. This time, the impact was on a completely different level. The ground shook violently, and within seconds, the lights flickered out, swallowing the corridor in total darkness.

The sudden crash, as loud as a lightning strike, jolted Ariel, snapping her out of her trance. In that eerie exchange of gazes with Devoncia, she had sensed something far more sinister beneath his charm—a hidden hunger lurking just beneath the surface.

The moment he had stepped toward her, she felt his carefully concealed desire, now sharpening its fangs, aimed directly at her.

Her instincts screamed at her to run, to get away before it was too late.

And then, the lights went out.

The pitch-black darkness that followed left her with only one option.

Run.

As the corridor plunged into complete blackness, fear gripped her chest. It was even worse because she couldn’t see Devoncia in the overwhelming darkness at all.

She turned away from the direction he had been in and quietly moved in the opposite direction. She was careful not to make a sound. When she managed to create some distance between them without being caught, she pushed off the ground and sprinted, thinking that he had let his guard down.

But it was a mistake.

She barely took a few steps before something blocked her path, halting her instantly. The abrupt stop caused her to stumble forward—right into a firm yet gentle embrace that eagerly caught her.

“Don’t tease me like this and then run away.”

A smooth, honeyed voice murmured, laced with a playful hint of complaint.

Devoncia.

The one she had been desperately trying to avoid had somehow gotten ahead of her. Before she even realized it, she had stumbled right into his arms. His grip tightened around her waist, pulling her in.

Reflexively, she pushed against him, trying to break free.

“I’ve never teased you. Now, please let me go.”

Her voice remained calm, but her frantic movements betrayed her urgency. She fought with surprising force, trying to escape his grasp. However, to Devoncia, her resistance was laughably weak, like a tiny bird flailing in vain. Effortlessly, he held her in place and let out a soft, amused laugh.

“I wanted to let you enjoy this little game of chase, but watching you run away… I couldn’t resist anymore.”