The Obsessive Male Lead Is Jealous Of My Doll - Chapter 53

Chapter 27.1

Stella’s eyes began to twinkle like stars. It felt as though she had the entire world in her hands. Just the thought of being able to stay with Ignis and Karentina in the future filled her with immense happiness.

‘How can I get them married? Marriage is something that happens between people who love each other, right?’

The little girl found issues related to adults’ marriages and love too difficult to understand, so she threw the question back at Joseph, who was standing at a distance.

“How did Joseph marry Gemma?”

At her question, Joseph’s expression became dreamy as his neck and the tips of his ears turned pink.

“Well… I fell in love with Gemma when she saved me.”

Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked at him.

Joseph was a man with a towering height, a head taller than most, and a heavy build that made him appear intimidating just by standing there with a sword at his side.

Stella, who had known him since she was a child and knew that he was a good person despite his intimidating appearance, didn’t find him frightening. However, the attendants and maids in the imperial palace were secretly fearful of him. Naturally, the idea that Gemma, an ordinary woman, had saved such a man was simply unbelievable to her.

She blinked repeatedly at the story she was hearing for the first time.

“Is Gemma stronger than Joseph? I didn’t know Gemma had powers.”

“Gemma has no power.”

Stella tilted her head in confusion.

“Then, how did she save you?”

“Though it’s embarrassing to admit… At first, Gemma and I didn’t get along very well.”

“Really?”

The child’s interest grew as she heard that the two of them didn’t get along, just like Ignis and Karentina.

It was fascinating to her because Joseph and Gemma had always gotten along well.

“When I was still a knight to His Highness the Crown Prince and Gemma was a lady-in-waiting to Her Majesty the Empress, Gemma and I used to snarl at each other every day like enemies.”

Joseph chuckled as if recalling a fond memory.

“That day, too, we had a big fight because we couldn’t see eye to eye, and in my frustration, I drank myself silly—well, I drank a lot. I couldn’t even stand properly and collapsed on the street, and I ended up running into some muggers. I was on the verge of being beaten to death.”

“Really? You, Joseph?”

Stella’s eyes widened as she watched Joseph scratch his head in embarrassment.

He was known as one of the most skilled knights in her brother’s knights. Ignis had even mentioned that among the Butlers, a family renowned for their swordsmanship for generations, Joseph was outstanding.

“Ah, I thought I was going to die like this, but I came to my senses when Gemma suddenly appeared and started fighting off the muggers. The thought that she might be in danger, too, gave me superhuman strength. And that’s when I fell for her.”

While Joseph reminisced with a wistful expression, Stella tilted her head, thinking hard.

“So, if you want to make someone fall in love, you have to get them drunk?”

When she looked up at him with innocent eyes, Joseph jumped with a surprised expression.

“No! That would be a disaster. I quit drinking after that day.”

The child let out a small sigh.

“It’s too difficult.”

“It’s really nothing special. In my case, going through a crisis together made me fall in love. It’s something like the suspension bridge effect¹.”

“Suspension bridge effect…”

Joseph nodded several times in affirmation.

“It’s a common story where people feel a life-threatening fear together, develop a liking for each other, and then fall in love. I’m not very good with words, though…”

Stella’s eyes rolled as she thought over his words.

‘Ah! Then, all Karen needs to do is save my brother from a crisis.’

She knew better than anyone that Ignis didn’t easily open his heart to others. So, she realized it would be quicker to make Ignis fall for Karentina than the other way around.

‘But my brother is too strong. He rarely gets into danger. What should I do?’

Leah looked at Stella with concern, her ear perked up.

‘Right. It’s too early to give up. There must be some way.’

At the thought, the little girl clenched her small fist with a determined expression.

“Joseph, I want to go back to my room!”

“Yes? Yes.”

Stella hurried along, taking quick steps as she tried to come up with ways to get Ignis and Karentina married.

̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊

Although it was time to relax after Gemma’s lesson on the history of the empire, Stella was busy looking for books.

“This is of no help at all.”

As she set down the book she was holding with a displeased expression, she sighed while glancing at the fairy tale book featuring a magnificent knight and a beautiful princess. Seeing her like that, Leah gently pressed a soft puff of cotton against the child’s face with a concerned expression as if asking if something was troubling her.

“Leah, how can a man and a woman fall in love with each other?”

Leah tilted her head as if she didn’t understand the question.

‘Wait a minute. Leah’s feelings are connected with Karen’s.’

If Karentina found out about her plan to get the two married, it would be a disaster.

¹ [ The suspension or swinging bridge effect describes a psychological phenomenon where a person misattributes their physiological arousal from an unstable or frightening situation (like crossing a swaying suspension bridge) to romantic attraction or other emotions. ] ↩