Everyone is Obsessed With Me (reupload)

Chapter 16

Hanbal reached out to smell his shirt and flinched slightly at the faint smell of rot and decay. Despite being down there for only a short amount of time, it seemed as though the terror had already clung to him. His brows furrowed slightly, but he did not utter a word.

"Why are you hiding?"

Hanbal turned, his eyes darkened slightly as they landed on the large oak tree concealing the entrance.

The wind blew softly, causing the grass to sway and the leaves to dance. Despite it being late November, the sun still stood tall and warm, reminding him that this world was fictional - unlike the one he had been born into. He watched as strands of white hair blew gently across his face and the scent of blossoms filled the air.

"My apologies...brother."

Emerging from behind the oak tree was Berenike, wearing her beautiful, gentle smile - her eyes as light as the blush on her pale cheeks. Her arms, thin and fragile as sticks, moved from behind her back. She wore a thin dress that barely sheltered her from the breeze, yet she stood tall, as if she didn't mind the cold against her skin.

"What are you doing here?" Hanbal hid his balled fist behind his back. He couldn't understand why she was here when she wasn't supposed to. At least, not yet.

"I-I got lost..." Berenike mumbled, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Her lips formed a small pout, and her body seemed to shrink with every word. He could see unshed tears gathering in her eyes like a loaded gun. Hanbal can not tell whether she was being sincere, but all he knows is that she's dangerous - especially now that it was just the two of them, alone in a place where anything could happen.

Hanbal smiled gently and took a step forward, his eyes warm and kind, like an older brother's.

"I will escort you back. I am sure father is worried." He patted her head and gently guided her away. From the corner of his eye, he caught her lingering gaze towards the dungeon entrance - the narrowing of her eyes, the twitch of her soft smile.

"Thank you, brother! I was worried I wouldn't find my way back! You're the best!" She giggled and clung to his arm like an excited kid - despite the very obvious path before them.

All Hanbal could do was smile. If he were an ordinary person, he might have thought she was genuine and cute, like an overexcited dog. But he noticed how her eyes lingered on his face, as if searching for any cracks in his facade, or how her fingers tightened ever so slightly at his lack of response. He couldn't shake off the unsettling feeling that had settled in his chest whenever he was near her. Maybe it's deja vu - from reading about her in a book... But she felt oddly familiar.

"Brother, how is father? He hasn't called for me in a while..." She whined, her voice sickingly sweet and sad, like a wounded puppy. Hanbal merely chuckled softly, offering no response. After all, he has no idea as well. He hated how different they had become. He felt as though the control was slipping further and further away from him. He thought that thanks to his prior knowledge of the plot, all he had to do was avoid the obvious dangers. But now it seems as though he can't anymore. He would need to start all over again.

As they walked down the dirt path, Hanbal noticed a second trail branching off in the opposite direction from the estate. It looked hastily made, as though someone had torn grass away in uneven lines to mimic a path. Stones were scattered about, seemingly placed to conceal it.

'Interesting...' He thought. He would have to return later and see where it led.

"Brother?" Berenike tugged shyly at the hem of his shirt, her eyes never leaving his face.

"Sorry.." He chuckled softly and looked away. Berenike stretched her neck to peer in the direction he had been staring, but he stepped forward, blocking her view.

"Let's get going, father must be waiting for us."

Which wasted a lie - he had originally been supposed to meet Osric before being kidnapped by the twins. He didn't want to imagine the expression Osric was making right now. Just the thought sent chills down his spine.

—

Although the sun was high and warm in the sky, the air in the garden felt like a winter dome. Servants shivered as the clock ticked onward. In the center of the vast garden, beside the lake, stood a grand gazebo. The table beneath it was adorned with various snacks and desserts laid upon gold-rimmed plates.

The weather was exceptionally clear and warm, yet the servants felt cold to the bone. None dared to raise their heads, fearing the wrath of their already infuriated master. The once cold and dignified Osric now looked as though he had just witnessed everyone in his family being beheaded. No, even that would not affect someone like him. At most, he would just raise an eyebrow, looking merely annoyed. His golden eyes were as still as the morning sun, yet utterly devoid of warmth. His fingers tapped against the table - slow, deliberate - counting the seconds.

"M-master... The youngest master is not in his room..." A servant bowed deeply, sweat dripping from his brow.

Osric merely hummed and leaned back. Then, a small - almost imperceptible - smile curved across his thin red lips. For a moment, Osric looked like a painting. But his angelic smile was cruel.

Quietly, Osric rose from his seat and plucked a white rose from a nearby bush. Without a word, he crushed it in his palm. White pearls fell like raindrops, scattering messily at his feet.

"Find him."