The Obsessive Male Lead Is Jealous Of My Doll - Chapter 67

Chapter 34.1

“Isn’t the lady being considerate of Baron Rodon?”

“….!”

“With a teleportation magic circle, you could travel from the north to the west in just a few minutes. However, the cost of using the magic circle is incredibly expensive. And unlike you, a high-ranking noble or a member of the imperial family, Baron Rodon, being of lower rank, would have to go through multiple complicated procedures just to use it.”

‘Ah, he’s really sharp.’

“You must have done all this for him, right? Or am I wrong?”

Feeling as though Ignis had read her mind, Karentina masked her embarrassment and replied hesitantly.

“Yes, that’s right. At first, I was planning to pay the cost and handle all the arrangements myself… but I thought even that might feel burdensome to Baron Rodon. And of course, there’s the issue of time. The residents of the territory will be returning soon from the magic stone mine, so we need to hurry.”

Karentina brushed the back of her hand against her warm, flushed cheeks, trying to compose herself. Ignis pondered for a moment before smiling, his red eyes lighting up with a refreshing twinkle.

“Alright, I’ll go west with you.”

For a moment, Karentina found herself staring, captivated by his unbelievably handsome face.

̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊

Later that evening.

Stella’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit as she glanced between Ignis and Karentina.

“Really? You and Karen are going somewhere alone?”

Her eyes sparkled brightly as if she were staring at a delicious chocolate cake.

“Yes. There’s some business in the west, so I’ll be accompanying Lady Lorraine.”

“When will you be back?”

Stella’s flushed cheeks gave away her excitement as she eagerly pressed for an answer.

“We’ll be back the same day. The teleportation magic circle is quick, and it’s not like this is a leisure trip. We’ll be home before dinner.”

As Karentina smiled as she spoke, Ignis nodded in agreement. Stella, glancing between the two, pouted her lips like a little duck.

“You could stay a few more days before coming back.”

“….”

Ignis closed his mouth, seemingly at a loss for words at his sister’s grumbling. Meanwhile, Karentina, unaware of Stella’s subtle remark, answered in a calm voice, aiming to reassure her further.

“I’ll leave Zion and Leah behind, just in case.”

“Really? So it’s just the two of you? No knights, either?”

Stella seemed to have a lot of questions today as she continued to chat nonstop.

“That’s right. We’ll be back soon, so don’t wander far from Joseph or Gemma, alright?”

“Okay! I’ll stay at the castle and study hard while waiting for brother and Karen to come back.”

Ignis chuckled softly, affectionately patting his sister’s head.

‘Wow, so brothers like that actually exist. Amazing.’

Sometimes, when she heard her friends talk about their brothers, they’d describe them as ‘household roommates’ or ‘Mom’s favorite.’ Of course, it was probably different for Ignis and Stella because of their significant age gap… As she watched the beautiful siblings interact so warmly, she found herself wondering if she could have that kind of relationship with Damion someday.

‘I hope Damion comes back soon.’

As she looked at them, her eyes reflecting a mix of envy and wistfulness.

̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊

Early morning.

Karentina hurriedly finished her preparations and stepped into the carriage. Inside, Ignis, disguised with the help of a magical artifact, rested his head against the backrest, his expression unreadable.

‘Even if he wore rags, the male lead would still be handsome.’

She stared curiously at Ignis, whose hair and eyes had been altered to black. The disguise was necessary, as Ignis’s journey to the west needed to remain a secret. The magical artifact that changed his appearance was remarkably effective, after all, in this empire, there wasn’t a soul who wouldn’t recognize his face.

For someone like Karentina, who wasn’t even important enough to be considered an extra, such precautions might not have mattered. But Ignis was a different story entirely.

As her thoughts wandered, she found herself admitting that the black hair suited her taste more than she’d expected.

Just then, his low voice cut through her musings.

“Aren’t you going to sit? Don’t tell me you’re planning to stand the whole way.”

‘That mouth of his is always the problem.’

Karentina let out a quiet sigh and sat down, keeping a considerable distance from Ignis before propping her chin against the window.

[ Master, are you really okay going alone? ]

Zion’s voice was laced with dissatisfaction. It seemed he didn’t like the idea of her going with Ignis instead of him.

Karentina chuckled softly as she soothed Zion, who continued to grumble. She could really feel his concern for her.

‘I’ll be back before you know it, Zion. You and Leah stay with Stella and keep an eye on her. If anything happens, let me know right away, okay?’

[ Fine. I’ll come pick you up later. ]

‘There’s no need to go through the trouble. I’ll be back in time for dinner, so just hang in there a little longer.’

Karentina smiled as she patted her dolls gently.

After passing through Applewood and reaching the outskirts of the northern border, they finally arrived at the entrance to the teleportation magic circle.

With Ignis being the Crown Prince, they didn’t need any special permissions or procedures.

Although Karentina had used a warp portal with Zion before, this was her first time experiencing an official teleportation magic circle. Her entire body stiffened nervously.

“Huh…?”

As she stepped out of the carriage, her jaw dropped at the sight before her. The magic circle, said to be the pinnacle of magical artifacts maintained by the imperial palace and the alchemy tower, was right in front of her.