For Sale: Male Lead, Obsession Included - Chapter 15
Just as the dawn was about to break, while everyone was still fast asleep, I quietly got up from my place.
Yawning silently, I immediately changed into comfortable clothes for a secret outing.
The round moon was hidden behind clouds, and the shadows were faint in the dawn light.
It was the perfect night.
‘For committing a crime.’
As I carefully opened the door to leave, Declan woke up. He rubbed his still-sleepy eyes and called out to me.
“Where are you going…?”
“Just something to take care of.”
It was enough that only I knew about this secret mission.
Leaving a message for Declan to go back to sleep, I quietly closed the door behind me. Then, like a stealthy cat, I tiptoed towards the lord’s office.
The goal was simple.
To inspect the safe where my father kept important documents under lock and key.
Tonight’s visit was a preliminary check for the full-scale safe-cracking mission to come.
To see what kind of lock it had and how it might be opened.
It’s said that meticulous criminals often frequent the crime scene.
I was exactly that.
With a nervous heart, I squatted in front of the safe and inspected it from all angles.
‘Hmm. It just has one ridiculously large lock.’
The entrance to the safe was secured with a lock as big as two of my fists put together.
I carefully lifted the lock and peered into the keyhole.
Of course, I couldn’t see anything, but it was evident that the lock had a complex structure.
‘This won’t be easy to open.’
I glanced around the safe.
Something felt off.
This safe was where the margrave stored crucial evidence to backstab his partners at any time.
But it was secured with just one lock? And no guard stationed at the door?
I narrowed my eyes.
The margrave was a thorough man. There’s no way he’d lock a safe full of critical documents with just one lock.
‘Could it be…’
Trying to figure out the margrave’ thoughts, I pressed my ear against the safe.
And then I smiled slightly.
‘Just as I thought.’
I could faintly hear the distinct humming sound of magic being activated.
Indeed, the lock was merely for show.
Once the lock was picked and the door opened, another magical seal would be waiting.
I quietly stood up and left the office.
Clearly, I needed to be better prepared before returning.
***
“Get dressed. We’re going out.”
Declan’s red eyes widened at the word ‘out’. He looked like a startled rabbit.
“Hurry up.”
Declan jumped up and put on his thin coat. I had him wear a robe I used to wear, and thankfully, it fit. The sleeves were a bit short, though.
How thin is this kid?
With Declan snugly wrapped in the robe, we left the margrave’ estate.
This was my first personal outing in ten years.
“Wow…”
The sight of the market and village before me left me speechless. It felt like another world.
Declan seemed equally fascinated, his red eyes darting around from beneath his black hair.
When we reached the food street, Declan’s gaze fixed on one spot. Following his line of sight, I saw skewered chicken being grilled over an open flame.
“Do you want to eat that?”
He was so engrossed in the skewers that he didn’t even notice I was staring at him. It looked like he might start drooling any second, so I asked if he wanted some.
Declan quickly wiped his mouth in surprise.
“O-Oh, no…”
“Don’t say no and just go buy two.”
I confidently took out money from my pocket and placed it in his hand. Declan’s face lit up with a radiant smile.
The smile that formed dimples at the corners of his mouth was so genuine and kind. His cheeks, still slightly holding baby fat, blushed and his eyes crinkled into a gentle curve.
For a moment, I was mesmerized by Declan’s smile.
Red alarm bells started flashing in my mind.
With the chaos of planning an escape and my exhaustion, I had forgotten that this boy in front of me was the dangerous male lead.
‘He’s definitely dangerous.’
Seeing his heart-throbbing smile up close, I was reminded of just how perilous he truly was.
Declan ran off, shouting, “Thank you!” He had become much more cheerful in the past few days. Watching him, I glanced back.
I felt a prickly gaze on me.
Two of my father’s knights were following us at a reasonable distance.
As soon as I asked my father for financial support for my slave, a purse of money had been dropped into my hand.
But naturally, it came with surveillance.
I had expected this, but I hadn’t thought they would follow me all the way to the market.
For someone who had worked unpaid for over five years, this lack of trust towards me was frustrating.
