The Obsessive Male Lead Is Actually Scary-Chapter 39: Baron Slovene

"Hum... hum..."

A man was humming quietly, legs propped up on the desk, his head lazily resting on one hand while the other hung off the armrest of the chair. He looked entirely at ease in the quiet of his study.

Knock, knock.

The sound of knuckles rapping against the door interrupted the tune.

The man stopped humming. He lowered his legs from the desk and straightened his back, clearing his throat.

"Ahem. Come in."

"Excuse me, my lord."

The door creaked open to reveal an elderly man in formal attire. His hair was completely white, combed neatly back, and though age lined his face, his posture remained sharp and professional.

"Have they arrived?" The man behind the desk asked with a slight smirk. He leaned forward, resting both arms on the table and cupping his chin in one hand.

"Yes, Baron."

Baron Julian Slovene. His hair was a deep ash-grey, flecked with silver at the temples. Though in his early fifties, his posture was upright, and his eyes carried the calm wisdom of age.

"Guide them to the parlor. I’ll be there shortly."

"Understood."

The butler bowed and left the room, closing the door gently behind him with a soft thud.

Baron Slovene rose from his seat and strolled toward the window, pushing aside the curtain slightly to peek out. Below, several knights stood outside the estate gate in polished armor.

"You leave such an amusing task behind, Your Highness."

* * *

"Hey, we’ve come all the way out here to this remote countryside. What if he’s not even here?"

"Don’t be stupid. We’re just following the duke’s orders. Even if we don’t catch him, we still need to gather information on this family and report back."

"...Well, yeah, you’ve got a point. It’s just a baron household anyway. Shouldn’t be too hard to squeeze what we need out of them."

Step. Step.

The sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the hall, and the parlor door slowly creaked open.

Baron Julian Slovene entered with the same composed air he always wore, the elderly butler following closely behind.

The two knights inside stood from their seats immediately. They gave a short, polite bow, glancing up cautiously at the nobleman who had entered.

"Ah, no need to be so stiff. Please, sit." Baron Slovene gestured lazily with a wave of his hand as he strolled to the sofa, reclining with one leg crossed over the other and arms stretched comfortably across the backrest.

’He’s got quite the smug attitude for someone who’s just a baron.’

Still, despite the irritation swelling inside them, the knights knew better than to challenge nobility, no matter how low their rank. Etiquette demanded a degree of respect, and so they complied, sitting down again with restrained expressions.

"I heard there was a bit of a commotion outside, and that the duke’s knights were asking for me," the baron said casually, his tone almost amused.

"I’m sorry we came without warning. But this is urgent. It concerns your son."

"My son?"

"Yes. Sir Alessio Slovene," said one of the knights, looking a little tense.

"Oh, pardon me. I’m Johann, and this is my comrade, Enosh."

"Hm, I see. A pleasure to meet you, Sir Johann, Sir Enosh. Now, what’s this about Alessio?"

The two exchanged a glance before Enosh finally spoke.

"He was reassigned to the dungeon... for speaking out against the duke. The punishment was supposed to last only a few days, but he escaped the very day he was imprisoned. We’ve yet to locate him."

"Spoke out against the duke?" Baron Slovene’s expression sharpened, and his hands dropped from the sofa. His voice turned quiet and focused. "Do you know what their argument was about?"

"Ah, from what we gathered, he was requesting temporary leave from the estate. But since he had only just resumed duties there, the duke denied him, and... well..." Johann trailed off, clearly awkward.

"I see... well, that boy’s always been that way," the baron said with a sigh and a slight shrug. "Once he’s set on something, there’s just no stopping him. He’s usually quiet if there’s nothing pushing him, but when he decides on something..."

Johann glanced at the baron, as if reading him.

’Looks like he’s not here,’ he thought, letting out a soft, barely noticeable sigh.

"Do you happen to know where he might’ve gone?" Johann asked.

"Of course. I know exactly where."

Both knights widened their eyes in surprise.

"He must have gone to visit his grandmother. That was the reason for his last leave as well. You see, my mother doesn’t have much time left. And of all her grandchildren, she’s always been especially fond of Alessio."

The baron’s tone was thick with emotion... perhaps too thick. He clasped his hands together as if the entire conversation weighed heavily on his heart.

"Oh..." The knights exchanged a glance again, their expressions softening just a bit, seemingly buying the heartfelt act.

"Then... the grandmother resides in...?"

"She’s staying at our family villa near Eldham Vale. It’s a remote, quiet place, perfect for someone in her condition. You’ll likely find him there. I haven’t heard from him lately, but that’s where he’d be."

"I see. Then we’ll report this to the duke and head there immediately with the rest of our unit."

"Of course," the baron said with a pleasant smile, the kind that somehow made one feel he truly meant it. His tone remained just as smooth as before.

The two knights stood up from their seats.

"Then, we’ll take our leave now."

"Please, take care on the road. The weather can be unpredictable this time of year," Baron Slovene added, rising with the same polite smile he wore so well.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

"Always a pleasure to be of service to the duke."

The knights nodded once more, bowed, and made their exit, their boots clicking against the floor with every step.

As soon as the door closed behind them, the butler, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke.

"...Quite the performance, my lord."

Baron Slovene chuckled under his breath and turned back to the parlor with a sly grin.

"Let them believe whatever they want. It buys us time. And besides..." he looked the empty chair across from him, his smile twisting into something colder as his gaze settled on the empty chair. "The real game has only just begun."

Step. Step.

Baron Slovene’s polished shoes echoed against the floor as he walked down the quiet corridor, hands clasped behind his back in thought. He strolled back toward his private study, unbothered and in no rush, always game for whatever came next.

Upon arriving, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. The familiar sight of scattered papers and half-read documents greeted him from the desk. He walked straight to the large window near it and pulled back the curtain.

From this vantage point, he could see the group again near the estate gate. The two knights from earlier had rejoined their comrades, now checking their gear, saddling their horses, and speaking in low, hurried tones. Preparations to depart, just as expected.

A small vibration tickled his side. He slipped a hand into his inner coat pocket and pulled out the familiar cobalt-blue pendant, cool and coin-sized, its surface pulsing softly with blue light.

The communication artifact.

Baron Slovene brought it close and tapped its edge lightly.

"Yes, Your Highness."

— "Did they take the bait?" came a low voice from the other side. Calm, composed, yet carrying the weight of someone used to issuing commands. It was Crown Prince Alessio.

A slow grin spread across the baron’s lips. His voice was light, amused.

"Yes, they’re heading to the villa now." He let out a brief chuckle. "Hahaha, it’s been a while since I’ve been this entertained in such a dull countryside. Watching people like them try to act clever is almost nostalgic."

— "..."

The voice on the other end fell briefly silent, just long enough to say without saying that Baron Slovene was at it again. Of course he was. They both knew it.

— "Anyway, good work. And Allen?"

"Already at the villa," the baron replied with a pleased smirk. "With his ’grandmother,’ of course."

— "Good. Is he in position?"

"He is. He arrived at the villa yesterday. Everything is in place."

— "And the security detail?"

"Hidden in the forest. No more than three, lightly armed. Won’t raise suspicion unless necessary."

— "Fine. Keep them close enough to intervene, but out of sight."

"Understood."

— "I’ll contact you again once we get confirmation from Caleb and Mateo. In the meantime, don’t let your guard down. We still don’t know how far the duke’s men will dig."

Baron Slovene’s smile faded just slightly, his tone turning a bit more serious.

"I understand. I’ve already given my staff instructions. If anyone tries to double back or sneak around the estate, we’ll catch them."

— "Good. And Baron?"

"Yes, Your Highness?"

— "Thank you."

That gave the baron pause.

He blinked once, then let out a small exhale and smiled again, this time softer.

"It’s my honor. For the crown... and for you."

The light of the pendant dimmed, and the faint glow faded entirely, signaling the end of the transmission.

Baron Slovene placed the pendant carefully back into his pocket, then turned from the window and eased into the chair beside his desk.

"Everything’s finally in motion..." he murmured to himself.

A slow, satisfied smile returned to his face.

"Now then... let’s see how far the Duke wants to play."

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