For Sale: Male Lead, Obsession Included - Chapter 134

Declan’s approach was extremely meticulous and cautious.

Clovin didn’t know who he’d learned it from, but seeing how the brat stopped at nothing in terms of methods and means, the thought ‘raised well’ would sometimes come to mind…

‘I never taught him like this.’

Watching him obsess and yearn this intensely over a woman who hadn’t spared him a single glance for three years, Clovin had now half given up.

Because he could feel it in his bones. Unless Estira died, Declan would never stop obsessing.

Declan Ragnar was persistent. To a terrifying degree.

To the point where he would master in a few months what others took years to learn, or ultimately accomplish things that even Clovin had judged impossible.

Using that persistence, Declan had been thoroughly making ‘preparations’ to make Estira even more firmly his own.

What had been prioritized most in those preparations was, as expected, being recognized as the heir. It was clear just by looking at his past, when he’d studied himself half to death and struggled desperately to gain the Duke’s approval.

The reason he strove to be recognized as the heir was none other than power. To have many people under him as hands and feet, in order to obtain even more information about Estira.

Sure enough, once Declan gained the ability to command people, he accessed everything about Estira that Clovin hadn’t told him, shaking it all out down to the last speck of dust.

It wasn’t anything particularly impressive.

For example, trivial things like which shop Estira stopped by and what she bought, which road she took, and who she met.

But Declan treasured that information as if it were a relic with a thousand years of history, savoring it as he stuffed it into his mind.

Clovin had asked him before.

What he planned to do by gathering such trivial information.

Declan, as expected, didn’t answer. But one day, he gave him an order.

To find out the owner of the abandoned building in front of the bridge at the capital plaza.

Puzzled over what kind of command that was supposed to be, Clovin slapped his knee and smacked his forehead.

The owner was none other than someone named Ribolto.

Declan was looking into who Ribolto was.

He was a man from the south whom Estira had come into contact with when she stayed briefly in the capital three years ago, and he was managing her funds through money laundering. And the abandoned building Ribolto had purchased was, according to Declan’s guess, soon to return under Estira’s name.

From the mere fact that Estira had met Ribolto briefly, Declan had managed to uncover even the information that Estira had bought that abandoned building. His insane level of obsession was truly astonishing.

“Ribolto is continuously passing information to Estira. There’s no reason to stay in contact for years just because she asked him to launder money.”

“She could just be checking in, couldn’t she? Or well, maybe she invested that money into Ribolto’s bank or business.”

“Then why do you think that Ribolto guy suddenly bought an abandoned building at the plaza? And secretly, at that. Recently, they even started interior renovations, but it has nothing to do with Ribolto’s business.”

“…If it’s a forced assumption?”

“Look at this. It’s a reply from Estira that was secretly siphoned off.”

“Ah, what. So it’s not a guess, you openly had information? Then why are you acting like you’re deducing something.”

“Her handwriting is really pretty too.”

In truth, he had simply hired a seasoned professional to copy a reply written in Estira’s handwriting word for word.

In any case, even though the reply didn’t contain precise details and was written vaguely, the fact that Declan figured out that Estira was talking about the abandoned building in the capital plaza was something he’d accomplished himself. At least that much, his obsession deserved to be acknowledged.

“So about that building.”

“Is there no way for me to buy it back?”

“Huh? Someone already bought it. How would you do that?”

“Well, offer several dozen times the price. Or bring up imperial law or whatever. Or at least bring up the Duke’s name. You’re good at that sort of thing.”

“Huh?”

Just look at him. When did he learn all the bad things so well.

Clovin found himself wanting to smack Declan on the forehead as he threw a tantrum about forcibly taking the building back into his own hands.

“To begin with, why do you want to buy that building anyway? Don’t you know it’s a building everyone avoids because it’s rumored to be haunted?”

“Don’t know.”

“No, I mean, why…”

Declan’s sharply glowing red eyes stared straight at Clovin.

“That building is clearly something Estira needs badly enough to secretly buy through someone else.”

“…And?”

“And if I were the owner of that building.”

“If you were…?”

“Then wouldn’t Estira have no choice but to cling to me?”

“…She would, wouldn’t she.”

I suppose so, yeah.

At Declan’s demand to steal a building for such a reason, Clovin’s head began to ache.

“I’ll try my best, but…”

“If that doesn’t work, buy the land underneath it. And if that doesn’t work, even the airspace.”

“The airspace, Young Duke, what kind of nonsense are you saying so confidently as if it makes sense…”

“Go. Go and work.”

Declan waved his hand as if shooing away an annoying insect. Clovin was kicked out the door, clutching the thick stack of documents Declan had dumped into his arms.

It was so damn unfair.