Imprinted with the Obsessive Male Lead - Chapter 49

They were dazzling cakes I had never seen before, each about the size of a fist. Six in total, all different kinds. From a lovely design with pink cream topped with cherries, to an appetizing cake with red chiffon and pure white cream, and more. The highlight was the heart-shaped cake placed right in the center. Caramel dripped down over the chocolate-coated cake, with almond powder sprinkled on top. Just looking at it made the sweetness seem palpable.

All of these cakes are mine? But I can’t eat this many cakes.

I looked at Chase with a puzzled expression. Maybe he had received them again from the place where he had gone to purify mana. Though the design and craftsmanship felt on an entirely different level compared to the ones before.

“Did the villagers give you these again?”

Leaning his arm against the backrest, Chase looked at me indifferently.

“No.”

“Then?”

“I picked them up on the way.”

“…”

What kind of nonsense is that? How could someone just pick up cakes this luxurious? I looked back and forth between the cakes and Chase several times.

“You? Where?”

“Anywhere. Eat.”

“But there’s too many…”

“Eat.”

Why is he forcing me!? How am I supposed to eat all this? Still, his gaze was so intense that I picked up a fork. And the moment I took a bite…

“I went to the Imperial Palace this morning.”

I had taken too big of a bite and couldn’t fit it all in my mouth, and with the conversation starting so suddenly, I lifted my head to look at him and ended up getting cream everywhere.

Seeing me look for something to wipe it with, Chase clicked his tongue and handed me a napkin from beside him.

“You’re no longer part of the Grace family. There’s still paperwork left, so it’ll take about a week, but from now on, you’re no different from a stranger.”

While wiping around my mouth, I froze with my eyes wide open.

“Why are you surprised?”

“No, it’s just… it’s a bit sudden.”

His brows furrowed.

“I clearly asked you yesterday. You agreed.”

“I know.”

“Even if you regret it now, you can’t take it back.”

“I’m not asking to take it back… it’s just… it got processed that quickly?”

How is he this fast at getting things done?

“It’s not that fast. I told you there’s still paperwork left.”

“That’s still fast. How did you do it?”

“I resolved it by accepting you as someone sent from the Grace family, and in exchange, I requested that you be legally removed from the Grace family. The Emperor granted it.”

Isn’t that beyond just being straightforward? He decides something and just does it immediately. What kind of man acts this fast in a single day? That’s incredible.

“As I said, you now belong to Heinrich. I handled it so that the Grace family won’t cause trouble later by trying to take you back. Especially…”

Chase’s eyes slowly closed and opened.

“Felix Grace. Your eldest brother.”

Ah. That long-haired bastard. Fully agreeing, I stabbed the cake with my fork. I hardened my gaze.

“Good. Since you’re saying it like that, I’ll say it again. I never had even the slightest intention of going back to that house.”

I set the fork down and pinched my thumb and index finger together to show how little my intention is.

Becoming strangers with the Grace family. Now, if they touch me, it won’t be abuse, it’ll be assault. Their family is powerful enough that reporting it might not help much, but still, assault is better than abuse within the family. At least it creates a chance to report it… And now that I’m Heinrich’s mage, if they touch me, Chase won’t just stand by.

“So that means my brother can’t touch me anymore, right?”

“If he touches you, he becomes my enemy.”

Chase answered calmly, but at that, I couldn’t help but grin. Then suddenly, a napkin was held out in front of me.

Chase tilted his chin.

“Wipe it.”

Ah. The cream. He must mean that. I took the napkin and scrubbed at the spot where the cream had gotten earlier. Then I looked at Chase, and his brows furrowed slightly.

“Not there.”

Tilting my head, I rubbed the napkin more.

“Not there. Left.”

“Here?”

“No. A bit to the right. Below that.”

I diligently followed his instructions, rubbing with the napkin, but Chase seemed to lose patience and let out a small sigh.

“Such a hassle.”

Clicking his tongue, he stepped toward me in an instant. Then, with his thumb, he slowly wiped the corner of my lips.

My surprise lasted only a moment. As I stared at his face, now so close that I could see each strand of his black hair, I found my face turning red without realizing it.