The Sickly Grand Duke is Obsessed with Me

ein’s red eyes glimmered.

“Don’t feel too bad about it.
I couldn’t help it because I wanted to protect my precious things.”

“…”

“Since you also said you have a hazy memory, I thought it would be helpful if I could find something.”

“So, did you find it?”

Simon shook his head.

“No, no matter how much I investigated, I couldn’t find anything.”

“…I see.”

“Is there still nothing that comes to mind?”

Astein quietly lowered his gaze.

He was running away from Grand Duchy Sestain suddenly at dawn.
He remembered the words his older brother had whispered in his ear.

 

“Useless brat.”

“That infinite regeneration! I should have had that special power.
If that was the case, I would have been the one to fulfill this family’s long-cherished wish.”

“I think this will be your last meal, Aster.”

“If you want to live, try your best.
I’m a little curious about how good your luck is.
Pfft.
Hahaha!”

 

But when Astain looked up again, his face sank calmly as if he knew nothing.

“Yes.”

“As expected.”

A deep wrinkle formed between Simon’s brows.
But then he smiled lightly and continued, “Then let’s do this.”

“…?”

“What do you think about staying here?”

Astein looked at Simon with incomprehensible eyes.
Simon’s eyes, like transparent glass beads, shimmered and did favors.
It was such a pure favor for a suspicious person.

‘Is that real or fake?’

“I don’t know if it’s too much, but that’s what I think.
I want you to stay here at least until your memories return.”

Astein pondered for a moment.
As Simon said, he had nowhere else to go except here.
Wasn’t that why he even skipped meals to buy time in the first place?

‘If I want to hide, there’s nothing I can’t hide, but I still don’t have the confidence that I won’t get caught by them.’

However, he didn’t like this kind of unconditional favor.

“Is there anything you want from me?”

“What can I ask for? Just be as good as you’re now.”

“…I will do so.”

It was then.
There were urgent knocks on the office door.

 

* * *

 

Knock, knock, knock.

“Father! Father!”

“Huh? Lusi?”

When the butler opened the office door, Elusiana, who was out of breath, rushed inside.

“What’s the matter, Lusi? Did you run here?”

“Gasp.
Father.
It’s-”

Elusiana, who ran straight for Simon, suddenly stopped.
Her creaking head slowly turned to the side and faced Astein, who was sitting on the sofa.

“A-Astein? You… why,”

Are you already here?

Elusiana’s face became contemplative as she swallowed back her words.

“You’re just in time, Lusi.
I have something to tell you.”

Simon smiled benevolently as he put her on the sofa, standing at a distance.
Elusiana’s mind went blank, and she couldn’t think of anything.

‘I ran here for nothing.’

Looking at the situation, it seemed the whole story had already ended.
What was more disturbing was that she couldn’t read anything from Astein’s expressionless face.

‘What happened? What did my father say? Don’t tell me, did he tell Astein to leave?’

You couldn’t do that.

Simon smiled happily at Elusiana’s nervous look.

“You must have come because of Astein.”

“…Yes.
N-No?”

Elusiana replied with a blank face.
Then Simon smiled softly and swept her hair.

“Don’t worry.
Since we’re going to be together from today.”

“…what?”

“I hope that you can be a good friend.”

“F-Friend? Who?”

‘Is it Astein?’

‘Rather than being a friend, I wanted to be a supporter, a reliable backing, or at least prevent him from being pushed helplessly by the absurdity of the heavenly punishment… No, we weren’t friends anyway!’

Simon continued as if he hadn’t noticed the dumbfounded Elusiana.

“It was always on my mind.
After you got better, I didn’t give you a chance to make friends.”

“That’s something I agreed with.”

In fact, it was right to do so in advance as she was afraid to get caught being possessed.
For some reason, Simon seemed reluctant to interact with the outside world.
Just in time, the interests between the two were in line, and this state was being maintained.

“Don’t you blame this father?”

“I’m happier when I’m with my father.”

“It’s good to hear, even if it was just empty words.”

Simon chuckled and put on a pleasant smile.

“But you should still have a friend of your age.
I heard it’s a trend to have a conversation partner nowadays.”

“Conversation partner?”

“I hope you get along well with Astein.”

“Pardon?”

Simon smiled satisfactorily and looked back at Astein.

“Please take care of me, Astein.”

“…yes.”

‘Wait.
What did I just hear? Is it true the word ‘yes’ came out of his mouth right now? It’s not a rejection?’

Elusiana looked at Astein in bewilderment.
But Astein silently ignored her.