The Obsessive Male Lead Is Jealous Of My Doll - Chapter 48

24 — 2

Just as she sat in front of the flowerbed with Leah, smiling contentedly as she looked at the cute flowers, a long shadow suddenly fell over her head.

Karentina mumbled without much thought.

“Zion, do you happen to know the name of this flower? It’s really cute, but I can’t seem to figure out the name.”

Zion, who was a formidable demon who had lived for such an immense amount of time, would probably know the names of flowers.

[ I’m still in the pantry? ]

Karentina, who had paused as she heard Zion’s words in her head, slowly turned her head.

“….!”

In front of her was a handsome man in rather relaxed-looking clothes, looking down at her with a languid expression. She was so startled by the unexpected figure that she nearly collapsed on the spot.

“Oh my God, you startled me!”

Placing her hand on her pounding chest, she tried to calm her startled heart.

His pure white face, contrasting sharply with his black shirt, was so handsome it made her heart race. She almost dropped Leah.

“Hhf.”

Ignis spat out a hollow laugh.

“It looks like you’ve just got stabbed.”

A distinctive charm appeared in the crimson eyes, dripping with decadence.

“Well, of course I’d be startled if someone stood behind me without making any noise.”

“I thought you were expecting. Did you say Zion?”

Seeing Ignis’s expression, Karentina hurriedly opened her mouth again, worried that she might arouse suspicion again.

“Zion is the doll that resembles Your Highness. He’s like another part of me.”

As she cut off his suspicion with a decisive tone, Ignis’s gaze shifted to Leah.

‘…Would he think it strange for a grown adult to carry a doll around?’

Karentina and Leah swallowed their dry saliva nervously under Ignis’s piercing stare.

“I guess you also make the doll in your hand?”

She nodded slowly as she held Leah, whose ears perked up, in her arms.

“I saw Stella holding it, so I was guessing it’s also a doll made by the Young Lady.”

Contrary to her expectations, Ignis didn’t say much about Leah.

“Yes. It’s a doll made with my magic so it can move and think, but she doesn’t have enough magic to speak like Zion.”

She intended to keep the abilities of the dolls, except for Zion, hidden.

“There’s a reason why Stella likes you.”

Ignis’s expression softened.

In contrast to him, Karentina, on the other hand, kept glancing at him with a sympathetic gaze because of his past that Gemma had mentioned.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Yes?”

“It’s really unpleasant to see you with a look as if you’re looking at a pathetic, miserable dog.”

“….!”

She was left speechless, her mouth moving without any words coming out and could only gape.

Ignis, with his eyes narrowed, shifted his gaze to the light purple flowers blooming in the flower bed. He abruptly approached and lowered himself beside her, who was sitting crouched with a dazed expression. The refined and elegant scent tickled the tip of her nose. It was a scent that suited his image perfectly.

‘Why, why is he coming so close?’

His statuesque profile suddenly made it feel like heat was rushing to her face.

“Rublia.”

Karentina’s eyes widened as she looked at Ignis, who was speaking with an expressionless face.

“Yes?”

At the sight of Ignis, who was right next to her, brushing the flower she was holding with his hand, she flinched and shuddered.

“That flower’s name is Rublia.”

She snapped back to her senses.

“Ah!”

How did he know? It was a little surprising.

“Rublia? It’s a name that’s as cute and pretty as it looks.”

Unlike her, who smiled broadly, Ignis’s expression was dark.

“Rublia isn’t grown for horticultural purposes. The North is quite unusual.”

“Yes? Why? Doesn’t it look cute?”

As Karentina tilted her head in confusion, he withdrew his hand from the flower before he parted his lips.

“The flower language of Rublia is ‘malice.’ It could lead to misunderstandings and gossip, so please remove the flower.”

She looked down at the small, water-laden flower with a regretful expression.

“Thank you for letting me know.”

At her words, he straightened his posture, still expressionless.

“So, as long as I don’t give it as a gift, I can keep growing it, right? I’d like to continue growing this flower.”

Ignis, who had been staring at her intently, asked back with a very puzzled look on his face upon hearing her words.

“Why? Even just possessing it could lead to misunderstandings.”

Karentina fell into deep thought before breaking into a bright smile.

“The meanings of flowers are given by people. Since no one truly knows the true value of a flower, it’s so sad that some flowers are praised for their good meanings while others are shunned for their bad ones.”

Ignis wore a look of surprise and fell into thought.

“It was difficult to be locked in a room, but I realized that everyone, even small flowers like this, lives to change and overcome their own struggles.”

She then redirected the conversation to his past.

“I was quite worried earlier because Your Highness misunderstood me, but seeing this flower, Rublia, has made me feel at ease.”

He pursed his lips but soon closed his mouth.

“Even if others attach bad meanings to the flower, I’ll give it a pleasant one. Since it’s cute and lovely, and it has comforted my heart, I’ll call it ‘warm consolation’.”

He looked at Rublia silently, then turned his head towards her.

“What do you think? It suits it much better, doesn’t it?”

“….”

Although he appeared expressionless at first glance, he couldn’t hide the confusion in his eyes.

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