For Sale: Male Lead, Obsession Included - Chapter 72
During the month-long journey, Ariel had many opportunities to hear about Estira’s preferences and thoughts, so it didn’t take him long to choose a gift.
“Welcome!”
The place that caught Ariel’s attention was none other than a bakery.
Estira, like any fifteen-year-old girl, loved sweet things. With that in mind, Ariel went straight to the pie display, which was emitting a sweet aroma.
‘Cherry pie would be nice, I suppose.’
Recalling that Estira often ate cherries, Ariel picked up a cherry pie.
He would ask them to wrap it nicely.
Just as Ariel was heading to the counter, someone spoke.
“Cherry pie?”
“Ah!”
Startled by the black-haired boy behind him, Ariel nearly dropped the pie. The boy was so silent that Ariel hadn’t even noticed he was there.
“Y-Yes. It’s a cherry pie.”
Regaining his usual calm, Ariel replied with a gentle smile, and the boy gave him an unreadable, peculiar expression.
“Are you buying it as a gift?”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
Perhaps because he took the last cherry pie, the boy stared intently at the pie in Ariel’s hand.
Normally, Ariel would gladly give up the cherry pie for someone else. But since this pie wasn’t for himself, he pointed to the back display with an apologetic expression.
“There are other fruit pies too.”
“Are you giving it to someone who likes cherry pies?”
“……?”
Ariel blinked.
The conversation seemed completely off-topic.
Leaving behind only the words, “Yes, it’s for someone who likes it,” Ariel paid for the pie and left the store.
Just before exiting, he looked back at the black-haired boy who was still staring intently at him.
The calm, red eyes fixed on him seemed to contain a faint hostility.
Yet there was nothing in his expression, so Ariel couldn’t quite grasp the boy’s emotions.
Leaving behind an uncomfortable feeling, he walked on.
“Welcome!”
Ariel barely dodged a man with red hair who was rushing into the bakery and then headed toward his lodging.
Meanwhile, the red-haired man, Clovin, shrieked, his face pale.
“Seriously! Where did you go? How many times do I have to tell you not to use your stealth training for things like this!”
Standing by the door with his gaze fixed somewhere, Declan, as usual, did not respond.
Clovin, simmering with anger, finally noticed the figure that had captured Declan’s attention—a man with long silver hair and a neatly fitted priest’s robe.
It wasn’t the man who almost bumped into Clovin earlier…
“…That priest?”
“……”
“So, you vanished suddenly because you were following that priest?”
“Yes.”
Clovin’s face twisted in frustration, and he hid his trembling fists behind his back.
‘It’s not like I can just knock some sense into him.’
“Judging by your expression, it seems Estira isn’t with him.”
“Yes.”
Declan, answering absentmindedly, turned and swept all the pies on the display into his arms and took them to the counter.
Clovin, feeling too worn out to even be angry, watched Declan’s strange behavior with a slumped posture.
Then Declan’s cold voice reached him.
“Aren’t you paying?”
“…Why should I… No, yes. I’ll pay. How much?”
Fearing that Declan might disappear without warning, Clovin quickly finished the payment.
With both hands full of pies, Clovin hurried after Declan, who was already heading out the door. Lately, Declan had perfected his stealth technique, so Clovin was afraid of losing sight of him.
Keeping a close eye on Declan, Clovin nagged out of habit.
“You clearly promised not to leave without permission. How could you just disappear like that?”
“I was wrong. I’m sorry.”
“……”
That was quick—both acknowledgment and apology.
Lost for words, Clovin scratched the back of his head, his mouth agape.
“Then please don’t do it again!”
“Fine.”
“Now, let’s head to the ducal residence. There are too many people here—you’ll attract attention.”
“No.”
“What do you mean, no?”
“I’m not going to the residence.”
“Then where are you going?”
Without answering, Declan followed the path Ariel had taken.
Sensing something off, Clovin tightly grabbed the hem of Declan’s clothes.
“No, absolutely not. You promised not to leave without permission!”
“It’s not leaving without permission.”
“What?”
“You’re coming with me, aren’t you?”
“…What?”
Declan casually brushed off Clovin’s hand and continued walking straight ahead.
All of Declan’s attention was focused on that silver-haired man.
Or, to be precise, the person he was going to meet. The one who likes cherry pie.
