Now You’re Obsessed - Chapter 26

“Since then, I thought this lower part was mine….”

“Wh-What do you mean?”

“Are you really saying you’ll go to someone else now?”

Lionel’s words, which once again flustered Ariel, poured out. Soon, Lionel’s lower body pressed tightly against hers. Even through their clothes, she could feel his immense arousal, making her head spin.

‘What is all of this about?’

Confused thoughts filled Ariel’s head, but she could only say one thing.

“Wasn’t it just my own thought?”

At some point, she had started to think that way. She thought she was the only one who liked Lionel and followed him around.

“Ha.”

What came back was a sigh of disbelief. That confused Ariel even more. She barely managed to speak.

“Everyone said that. That I was forcing myself on you even though you didn’t like it….”

“Since when did you care about others’ opinions?”

There was nothing she could say to that. He was right.

Ariel had never cared about other people’s opinions when it came to liking and following Lionel. Recently, she had started to care because of that romance novel, her wavering career path, and her family….

“You picked up a bad habit from reading strange books.”

It was as if he knew she had read the romance novel. While Ariel felt a pang of guilt, Lionel buried his head in her shoulder.

“It was good that I found and burned them all.”

She thought she heard him mutter that. Despite the fierce energy below, his touch was light. It felt like a child pouting, which made Ariel feel strange again.

‘Of course, a real child wouldn’t do this….’

The sensation of him rubbing her p*ssy and teasing her to the edge was vivid. When Ariel swallowed her saliva, he spoke again, seemingly genuinely upset.

“Why do you listen to others?”

“…….”

“No one knows me better than you do.”

“That’s….”

This was the first time Lionel acknowledged that. Ariel was so surprised she almost hiccuped. She rolled her eyes to look at Lionel, who had his head buried in her shoulder. His wet eyelashes trembled slightly, making her heart ache.

“I….”

Lionel’s lips moved several times as if to say something. Then, as if embarrassed, he rubbed his cheek and lips against her shoulder and spoke.

“I get unusually shy.”

“…….”

“Since puberty, whenever you touched me, I’d get an er*ction and push you away.”

Lionel gritted his teeth and lifted his head, finishing his sentence.

“You knew that, didn’t you?”

Ariel’s mouth hung open. She had always thought he was shy and embarrassed. But.

‘er*ction…?’

This was something she had never heard or even imagined. So, Lionel, the object of everyone’s admiration, known for his beauty and piety, the diamond of the Holy Kingdom.

‘Got hard because of me?’

So it wasn’t just shyness. His body reacted whenever she touched him….

She suddenly remembered that Lionel started avoiding her seriously around the age of sixteen.

Indeed, from that point on, Lionel grew rapidly and became noticeably more masculine. His shoulders and chest broadened, and his face, which had always been beautiful and holy, started looking more manly around that time.

‘So, back then… even down there.’

As if confirming her thoughts, Lionel’s voice continued.

“You made me like this.”

His voice was small, as if he was gritting his teeth or embarrassed, but to Ariel, it sounded like thunder.

“W-What?”

“So you were supposed to take responsibility.”

She couldn’t tell if the ragged breathing was his or hers. Every time he spoke, the thing touching her moved.

“I’ve always disliked anyone but you. Since you chased away those dogs.”

“…….”

“You knew that, didn’t you?”

His voice sounded resentful. As Ariel’s face grew more distant, Lionel looked at her with eyes full of longing.

‘It was true.’

So it wasn’t just what people said, her intuition was right. Her conclusions, drawn from years of watching and experiencing Lionel, were correct. The fact that he pushed her away out of shyness, which was so obvious to her.

‘I was right….’

As she grew older and started to waver, even she had been swayed. Realizing this, Ariel’s face turned as red as it could, like strawberry jam soaked in sugar.

“So….”

“So, talking about marrying another man now is….”

“Eek!”

“Isn’t that nonsense?”

Lionel lowered his head to her chest like a child seeking comfort. Ariel held her breath as his hot breath penetrated her cleavage.

“I had already sent a marriage proposal that day you took me in your mouth….”

“Ah.”

She remembered the letters from the Frenderick family that she had left unopened.

‘Right. While I was bedridden, letters came from the Frenderick mansion….’

Lionel kept visiting, but she hadn’t met him. And the letters from the Frenderick mansion that she hadn’t opened until now.

If what Lionel said was true, he had already sent a marriage proposal before going on the subjugation mission. She just hadn’t checked it herself.

A strange feeling surged within her. So Lionel.

‘Really intended to marry me.’

Regardless of what others said, he always planned to marry her, just as she thought.

“I intend to follow you to Veloto.”

“Th-Then the vow of prohibition….”

Lionel’s voice whispered, as though it was crawling its way into her heart. Ariel turned her head slightly to avoid the sweat gathering in her chest. Lionel, still in that position, looked up and spoke.

“I did it for that reason.”

“Ah.”

“To follow you.”

Ariel’s mouth opened and closed. She couldn’t define the emotions filling her heart.

‘That was Lionel’s future.’

Born into a prestigious family, with outstanding abilities, he was on a solid path.

Now, if he quit being a holy knight and made a vow of prohibition, it would be like sealing his innate holy power. He would lose what he was best at and most confident in. Besides, going to Veloto without holy power, where he had no connections, could make it harder for him to settle down than for her.

‘Despite all that….’

He made a vow of prohibition to leave with her.

“And now you’re talking about marriage proposals with another man.”

Considering he made the vow and came to her, it seemed reasonable for Lionel to be upset.

The feelings of disappointment and resentment she had often felt towards Lionel seemed to vanish. But the last bit of resentment whispered to her.

‘Wait a minute.’

But didn’t he also have a lady he was exchanging marriage proposals with? Realizing this, the lingering resentment took its place again.

“…That.”

“That?”

“You too… It’s the same for you.”

“What do you mean?”

The moonlight glistened on his silver hair and smooth forehead, casting a deep wrinkle between his brows. Ariel felt a surge of emotion and answered.

“Y-You too, with that lady.”

“That lady?”

“R-Rivella….”

Hearing the name, Lionel’s brow furrowed even deeper. Ariel instinctively reached out to smooth it, then pulled her hand back. When she withdrew her hand, Lionel took it back and bit it, asking.

“Are you talking about Count Rivella’s daughter?”

“Yes. Weren’t you supposed to marry her and take over the position of Holy Knight Order commander?”

That was the ending of the romance novel she had read.

Lionel’s tongue traced her fingers. He began to bite each of her fingers, leaving marks.

“Nonsense.”

“But….”

But Ariel clearly remembered hearing it in the hall. Now that she thought about it, Rayon had tried to hide Lady Rivella from her.

‘I thought he was hiding her to protect me from getting hurt.’

Rayon, being as kind as Lionel, must have hidden her to prevent Ariel from being shocked.

Lionel growled again and bit her hand. After licking the spot he had bitten, he murmured.

“The one exchanging marriage proposals with her is Rayon.”

“Huh…?”

Half understanding, half confused, Ariel spoke. She swallowed hard and asked.

“…I heard it was with a son of the Frenderick family.”

“Rayon is also a son of Frenderick.”

That made sense. But then, why did Rayon try to hide Lady Rivella from her?

“…Hmph!”

But that thought didn’t last long. Lionel suddenly sucked her ring finger deeply. Ariel’s finger twitched from the tingling sensation. He whispered in a low voice.

“Even if there were marriage proposals, I planned to refuse them.”

“…….”

“Because I have you.”

“Mm….”

“I sent a marriage proposal, but there was no response. I even sent a partner request for the November Ball.”

“…….”

“You didn’t respond, did you?”

“That’s… That’s because….”

She had no excuse. It was true. Using the excuse of being busy and distracted, she ignored the maid’s insistence to check the letters.