The Young Master I Carefully Raised Became Obsessive-Chapter 92

Chapter 92

“What do you mean by that?”

Ardion stared at me intently. “Laila, there's something you've forgotten about me.”

“…”

“No matter how much of it is drained, my mana regenerates on its own.”

“Then the temple…”

“Rowell doesn’t know. Only you and I are aware of this.”

I stared down at Ardion in a daze. At some point, he had placed my hand against his cheek.

Meeting my gaze, he smiled. “You know they can never completely extract all the mana from my body, Laila.”

“…”

“You were the first to realize that, back at that mansion.”

For a moment, I had forgotten. Ardion’s mana regenerated endlessly. No matter how much was taken, it replenished itself, which meant it was impossible to drain him of mana completely.

Still holding my hand, looking into my eyes, Ardion slowly stood up. “At the coronation ceremony, I’ll only pretend to have my mana extracted. There’ll be no risk to my health.”

Hearing that brought some relief. I let out a deep breath. But there was still one major hurdle left.

“Then what about this magical drug?” I raised my wrist.

Ardion gently took hold of my wrist. “Just the fact that you noticed the drug on your wrist means we’re already halfway there.”

“But you still don’t know how to remove it, right?”

Ardion nodded, his expression grim. I’d hoped otherwise, but it couldn’t be helped.

Wait, did this magical drug even appear in the original story?

No matter how hard I tried, nothing came to mind. Maybe it was because the plot had already started diverging. Life here was beginning to go far beyond anything I’d imagined.

Suddenly, Ardion softly cupped my cheek. I instinctively looked up, and he met my eyes.

“But I’m curious about something.”

“What is it?”

“How did you break the mana I had bound to your ankle?”

“Oh, that…” I trailed off. I couldn’t exactly tell him I broke it by thinking about kissing him. If I said that, he might just take things even further.

And then, considering what I said earlier…

“Did you… imagine me or something?”

“Huh?” I flinched at his question.

Ardion’s eyes narrowed. “Apparently, it happens sometimes. If the mana types are compatible, they can cancel each other out naturally.”

“…”

“So… what did you imagine, Laila?”

Still cupping my face, he leaned in slightly. His upturned lips, the graceful line of his nose, his sharply defined eyes, his emerald gaze captured me completely. If I said even a single word, it felt like he'd immediately close the gap between us.

I was too flustered to respond.

That was when a squeak cut through the tension.

“How about capturing the mage who brewed the magical drug and asking them directly?”

Ardion and I turned our heads at the same time. It was such a clear and dangerously bold idea. But when I thought about it, it didn’t seem like a bad one. We had always been on the run, so maybe it was time to take the offensive…

Ardion said, “No. Even if we capture Serina, there’s no guarantee she’ll tell us anything.”

I nodded in quiet agreement and added, “Serina’s not someone you can reason with. She’s the type to be single-mindedly focused on her goal.”

I glanced at Ardion. Serina’s goal was clear: she wanted to kill him.

He looked down at the table, deep in thought.

It was obvious now: this Ardion was very different from the one in the original story. His personality was similar, yes, but by now, in the original, he had already massacred countless people and turned this place into a bloodbath.

Including Rowell.

I used to think he hadn’t changed much, but now… Maybe he really had grown the way I’d raised him. Though sometimes, his true nature did still peek through.

Just then, Ardion lifted his gaze. Our eyes met. He studied me, then gave a soft smile. When I turned away awkwardly, his voice whispered close to my ear.

“Laila, I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier. I’m sorry for being selfish. But I can’t help it when it comes to you.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’ve always wanted to have you, no matter what. That’s been my dream.”

I stared at him blankly, lost for words.

So much for raising him well. Ardion was probably just hiding his true self whenever he was around me.

Derol looked at me, a little gloomy. “Master, then… is there no way?”

“No, there has to be a way. And what you said isn’t necessarily bad either. It’s just risky and unpredictable.”

“Then… shouldn’t we try it at least once?”

Ardion shook his head. “No. Serina is targeting Laila right now. If anything goes wrong, she could be in real danger.”

Derol bowed his head and slowly approached me. “If you might be harmed, Master, I won’t be greedy anymore.”

I patted Derol gently, falling into thought. Come to think of it, even when Serina tried to kidnap me, I managed to escape unharmed. And then, a question popped into my mind.

“Ardion, the people who escaped the prison with me, are they safe?”

“They’ve all been pardoned. They’ve returned home, though they’ll stay at their residences for a while before heading back to the imperial palace.”

So that incident had just… faded away. Rowell had committed countless crimes, yet instead of being held accountable, everyone was simply pardoned, with no one allowed to testify.

It felt like Rowell had orchestrated everything from the start, ensuring any loose ends were cut. If things continued this way, I’d end up being dragged along by him forever.

I glanced at Derol. “But thinking about it, maybe turning the tables on Serina isn’t a bad idea. She is the one chasing me after all…”

“Laila.” Ardion’s voice was sharp.

But I couldn’t stop. I’d been through too much to stay quiet now. “Seriously, think about it. I’ve been running from Serina nonstop. Maybe this time I can catch her and just ask her directly.”

“Laila, this…”

“I know it’s dangerous, but what else can we do?”

“… That’s true, but I’ve found out a few things about the magical drug.”

Ardion walked over to his desk. After flipping through some neatly stacked documents, he pulled out a thick bundle of papers. “This drug uses ancient magical techniques. It merges specific types of mana and blood, binding them together…”

He turned the pages while explaining, “If the person who commissioned the drug applies it, it has to be placed near the heart for long-lasting effects. But there are side effects. Some say it causes intense pain, like the feeling of the heart being crushed.”

I suddenly recalled the dream. Rowell had clutched his chest in agony.

So that was why he was in pain…

Derol jumped forward and squeaked, “I have a question. What does it mean to ‘commission’ the drug?”

“It means someone asked for it in the first place. Usually, they sacrifice their own mana or blood and infuse it with the target’s mana. The drug is then absorbed through the heart.”

The more I listened, the more my face hardened. Knowing that my mana was in Rowell’s heart made my skin crawl.

“Then… is there no effective way to remove the drug?”

Ardion didn’t answer right away. He closed the folder and looked at me. “The only person who truly understood the potion… died a few days ago.”

“You mean…”

“It was probably Rowell’s doing. The more people who know about the drug, the worse it is for him.”

Hearing that only solidified my resolve.

“Then all the more reason to capture Serina,” I said.

Ardion sighed and took my hand. “Laila, I don’t want to put you in danger anymore.”

“No, this time could be different.” I smiled at him. Speaking informally came naturally now. Honestly, it felt more comfortable this way.

Ardion gazed at me silently, his green eyes shimmering faintly.

I said with near certainty, “Ardion, you just have to protect me from behind.”

“And then what?”

At least he wasn’t stopping me, so he was willing to listen. That gave me more energy.

“First, I’ll make myself visible: wander around so Serina can find me easily.”

Ardion’s expression darkened, but I held his hand tightly and continued, “Then, when Serina tries to abduct me, you catch her.”

Derol jumped and squeaked with excitement. “As expected, Master! Your intelligence is unparalleled!”

I laughed and gave him a pat. But Ardion still looked tense.

Furrowing his brow, he said, “Laila, what you’re saying… means you’ll be the bait.”

“Exactly. Otherwise, how else are we going to find Serina? If anything, this might be our best chance. She’s actively looking for me.”

“It’s still too dangerous…”

“Ardion, I trust you. You’ll protect me, right?”

“Laila…”

“We have to try everything we can. Don’t you agree?”

Ardion stared at me, then suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace. Before I could react, his arms wrapped fully around my waist.

With his head nestled into the crook of my neck, he murmured, “Laila, there’s something you’re overlooking.”

“What is it?”

“What if… Serina isn’t the one who made the drug?”

“No way. In that dream, she knew everything about it like she created it herself.”

Then Ardion gripped my shoulders tightly. “Wait… that dream… when exactly did you have it?”