The Obsessive Male Lead Is Jealous Of My Doll - Chapter 51

Chapter 26.1

“Even though you must be busy, please spend a lot of time with Princess Stella. Time spent with family is the most precious.”

“….”

As mixed emotions surfaced on Ignis’s face, Karentina stifled a smile as she watched him.

“Then, I’ll be on my way now.”

Karentina, after greeting properly according to etiquette, left the greenhouse with Leah. As soon as they opened the door and stepped out, the chilly north wind brushed past her face. The dizziness in her head quickly cooled.

[ Young Lady Karentina… ]

As Leah looked up at her with her large, round eyes, she could sense that the kind-hearted Leah was worried about her in many ways.

‘I’m okay.’

She gently stroked Leah, who must have been surprised by the shared emotions. However, the relief of being outside was short-lived when someone suddenly blocked her path.

“Master. Are you out already? I was worried because I could feel you suddenly getting scared.”

“Ack!”

She thought her heart was going to drop to the floor because of Zion’s sudden appearance.

“Could you make some noise when you move around? You startled me.”

Zion tilted his head with a puzzled expression before turning his gaze toward the greenhouse. Sensing Ignis’s presence, he let out a sigh.

“I guess I was too late.”

Karentina shook her head and tugged at Zion’s sleeve.

“No, you’re not.”

“Why did you come out wearing such thin clothes? It’s cold outside.”

Saying so, he buttoned her coat all the way up to her neck.

“Thank you, Zion.”

“Don’t mention it.”

At the sight of Zion clearing his throat and proudly puffing out his chest, Karentina found him so adorable that she couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Now, let’s head back.”

As if to deliberately show Ignis, he then extended one hand and gestured for her to take it quickly.

‘Ignis is inside anyway, so he won’t be able to see.’

It seemed that he was still holding a grudge against Ignis as his irritation lingered. So, to soothe the growling Zion, Karentina took his outstretched hand and slowly began to walk. As they passed through the corridor illuminated by the glowing magic stones, Zion spoke with a strange expression.

[ The one who looks just like me. ]

‘Ignis? Why?’

While he continued to speak with a gruff tone as he brought up Ignis, Karentina’s eyes widened in surprise.

[ I’m a bit surprised that he knows how to imprint seals with magic. ]

She nodded.

‘Yeah, I was surprised too. If I’d known this would happen, I shouldn’t have hidden it. I made pointless meddling to try to bring Ignis and Ceria together…’

As she trailed off gloomily, Leah perked up her pink ears.

[ It should be okay since he doesn’t know it’s you yet. After His Highness’s anger subsides, maybe if you speak slowly, he’ll forgive you? He doesn’t seem like such a bad person. ]

‘Thank you for worrying about me.’

At the sight of Leah blinking her brown eyes affectionately, her troubled mind calmed a bit.

[ We’ll need to keep an eye on him, but that guy… He has the strongest magic power of any transcendent I’ve ever seen. ]

Karentina glanced at the greenhouse, which was now barely visible, and asked back.

“Really?”

[ Yes. He’s as strong as or even stronger than the first emperor. Stronger than Eloisa. That’s why it’s dangerous… Is he really from the bloodline of Badelstan? ]

‘As expected, a male lead is still a male lead.’

She thought about the meeting between Ceria and Ignis from the novel.

Ignis wasn’t in love with Ceria from the beginning.

Ceria was a rare female aide in this empire. She was an exceptionally talented student from a lower class at the Imperial Academy, which Ignis attended. Although he hired her as an assistant, his unconventional choice of a female aide didn’t sit well with the nobility.

‘We’ll probably understand Ceria’s feelings once Damion and the knights return to the castle.’

What does she think of Ignis?

If Ceria had feelings for Ignis, then she had made a really huge mistake. Feeling as if she had messed up the fate of her favorite main characters, Karentina’s step felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊

The next day, only the quiet clatter of knives echoed in the elegant dining room.

“All right, it’s all cut. Go ahead and eat it.”

“Ung…”

Stella took a bite of the tender meat that Ignis held out.

The table in the dining room was filled with foods that she particularly liked. There were round and tender meatballs, cheese gratin, and even chicken legs roasted with a savory and sweet sauce. Although the dishes made by Chef Velda of the Duke’s castle were always excellent, Stella thought that they were a little tasteless today.

「 I have some urgent work to attend to, so I think I’ll have my meal in the office. Please enjoy your meal with His Highness. 」

Recalling Karentina, who was smiling while reviewing documents, the little girl dropped her shoulders sullenly.

‘…It would be nice to have a meal together.’