For Sale: Male Lead, Obsession Included - Chapter 17
After a short wait, the image of an elderly man with white hair appeared in the round, transparent communication orb.
I instantly recognized him as Declan’s godfather, the head butler.
It was impossible not to recognize him due to his white eyebrows and long beard, giving him the appearance of an immortal.
I hadn’t expected him to personally receive the communication, so I moistened my lips and carefully began to speak.
“The Young Duke is currently in my custody. He has black hair, red eyes, and a scar on his neck… it’s certain.”
“I will send someone to confirm.”
His voice held no expectation. The old man’s reply was as mechanical as ever.
“No. The Duke must visit personally.”
I am trying to change the original storyline.
In other words, I am willing to bear all the consequences. Sweat soaked the palms of my hands.
“Please inform the Duke that Declan Ragnar, his lost heir, is definitely here.”
The elderly man on the other side of the communication orb slowly shook his head.
“He is a busy man. He won’t spare time for uncertain information—”
“I saw the baptism mark on the Young Duke’s shoulder.”
“…”
At that moment, the old man’s face visibly stiffened.
“How did you know… No, what mark did you see?”
How did I know? I read it in the novel.
The original female lead was a priestess walking the Pilgrim’s Path, so she could see the baptism mark on the male protagonist’s shoulder with her naked eyes.
She recognized immediately that he was a high-ranking noble and contacted the Duke of Ragnar.
The Pope’s baptism can only be received by high-ranking nobles or priests, and each baptism leaves a unique mark, so there was no way I could mistake it for someone else’s.
Knowing this, the old man’s beard trembled at my next words.
“It was a mark in the pattern of clasped hands.”
“…Oh, my God.”
Due to the setting that few knew what shape Declan’s baptism mark took on, the old man looked as if he might faint, clutching his forehead.
“I will contact the Duke immediately.”
“Yes. As I mentioned earlier, please also deploy soldiers and investigators.”
“Of course. There must be no falsehoods.”
The tired face of the old man, which had previously shown no hope, now lit up with color.
***
Back in my room, I tried on the nightgown dress that Declan had bought for a whopping 5 silver (which could have bought two at regular price).
‘The material is thick, and the lining is soft, so it wasn’t a total rip-off.’
As I stood in front of the mirror, examining the dress, I saw Declan’s face reflected behind me. He blinked his round, rabbit-like eyes at me.
‘What kind of reaction is that?’
Did he think the nightgown was bad, or was it me in the nightgown that was the problem?
I looked down at the white nightgown with its awkward lace trim and just crawled under the covers.
Even if it’s not great, so what? I like it.
As I pondered what to do with my old, worn-out nightgown, a thought suddenly came to me, and I turned to Declan.
“You held onto the hem of my nightgown while you slept, didn’t you?”
“…Ah.”
Declan, who had been lingering around the bed, blushed furiously.
“I wasn’t going to say anything. Just, well. I have habits too.”
Let’s just sleep.
At my words, Declan slowly climbed onto the bed.
After telling him several times not to sleep on the floor, he had gradually adjusted to sleeping in the bed over the past two weeks.
Watching him lie down at the edge of the bed, I blew out the candle. Darkness quickly filled the room.
Perhaps due to the tension of secretly contacting the Duke’s residence, drowsiness soon overtook me. In the hazy boundary of consciousness between sleep and wakefulness, I heard a small voice calling me.
“Master.”
“…Yes?”
It was Declan.
He never called me first unless it was something important. Why was he calling me in the middle of the night?
Struggling to hold onto my fading consciousness, I lifted my eyelids.
“…Are you asleep?”
“No, not yet. Why?”
Thinking he had something to say, I turned my body to face him, having been lying with my back to him.
“…!”
And in that moment, the air in my lungs escaped me.
His red eyes, illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the curtains, were right in front of me.
As I swallowed my surprise and opened my eyes wide, he smiled softly and leaned back slightly.
His soft lips parted gently.
“What is your habit, Master?”
His low, languid voice hovered in my ear like a lullaby.
Entranced by the blue moonlight shimmering in his eyes, my response came a beat too late.
“Uh…”
“Yes.”
“I, I bite my lips when I lie?”
Upon hearing my answer, Declan’s dark eyes rested on my lips for a moment.
Then his eyes, folding gently, resembled crescent moons.
“I see.”
At his soft smile, I lost myself again.
‘This… this is the male lead’s flirting, isn’t it?’
Realizing my heart was beating slightly faster, I quickly turned my body to erase his face from my view.
‘Don’t smile at me. It makes me anxious.’
