The Obsessive Male Lead Is Actually Scary
Chapter 27: Noble Stains

Chapter 27: Noble Stains

The sky had deepened into shades of mauve and slate. A gull’s cry echoed from the distant docks, but this part of the city was eerily quiet—too quiet for a port district. The usual clatter of carts and chatter of traders had vanished behind us, swallowed by narrow lanes and forgotten alleys.

Once we ducked into a secluded corner behind a crumbling stone building, Alessio drew his sea-green pendant—the communication artifact—from beneath his cloak. A soft glow shimmered across its surface as he began the call.

Alessio pressed two fingers to the surface of the pendant. A soft glow shimmered across it as the connection activated. His voice remained low and steady as he relayed instructions through the link. He told Caleb what we’d found and sent our location—a built-in feature of the pendant that let users on the same network track each other in real time.

At the same time, Alessio gave Mateo a separate order: find the boy’s younger sister and secure her before anyone could move her.

Caleb’s response came swiftly, efficient as ever. A heartbeat later, Mateo replied—his voice steady despite the winded edge to it, footsteps thudding faintly in the background. He was already on the move. Still, his tone remained calm and assured: he would handle it.

With the exchange complete, Alessio ended the call and tucked the pendant back beneath his cloak.

"Ready?" he asked.

I nodded.

We circled toward the warehouse from the rear, careful not to make a sound as we stepped over broken crates and weed-cracked stone. One of the side windows, though boarded from the outside, had slats just wide enough to see through. Alessio gave me a boost, and I climbed quietly, settling in the narrow space between the wall and the overhanging eave. He followed, crouching beside me.

We’d found the perfect vantage point—just high enough, hidden in shadow, and close enough to hear the voices inside.

Inside, the warehouse wasn’t as dim as I expected. Lanterns hung from wooden beams, flickering over crates stacked to the ceiling, some marked with false shipping crests. Toward the far end of the building, a group of men stood in a loose half-circle around someone... someone who hadn’t turned around yet.

The thug leader stepped forward, giving a slight bow.

"Master, we’ve brought the goods. And the boy."

The man facing away from them didn’t move. His hands were clasped behind his back, shoulders stiff with impatience.

"You waste my time," he said in a sharp, accented voice. "Do you know how long I’ve been waiting?"

"My apologies, Master," the thug leader muttered quickly.

At last, the man turned.

My breath caught. He wasn’t a local—not with that pale skin, thick curling mustache, and the embroidered sash straining over a belly far too well-fed for someone lurking in a warehouse. His dark damask coat shimmered in the lanternlight, lined in silk and trimmed in gold filigree.

The whole look was so over-the-top, I half expected him to pull out a cane tipped with a ruby.

"That’s..." Alessio’s voice dropped low. His eyes widened with recognition.

"You know him?" I whispered, leaning closer.

"Of course. That’s Count Belmont," Alessio murmured. "A vassal under the Wittelsbach Duchy. One of Marius’s allies."

My brow twitched.

’Of course it is...’

But now wasn’t the time to lose focus. I drew in a breath and stayed quiet, eyes locked on the scene below.

"Where’s the goods?" Count Belmont demanded.

"Here, Master."

The thug leader snapped his fingers, and one of his men brought forward a medium-sized wooden box. With a grunt, the leader took it himself and extended it toward Belmont with both hands.

Belmont opened the lid with a soft click. He reached in and pulled out a glass vial no bigger than a finger. Inside, a thick liquid shimmered faintly—purple, tinged with something darker swirling within.

Poison? Some kind of reagent? I couldn’t tell... but something about it felt wrong.

"Good." Belmont replaced the vial, shutting the box with care. Then he turned his sharp gaze toward the boy, who stood off to the side, trembling.

"This child will serve as courier from now on," Belmont said. "Children draw less attention. No one suspects them when they carry small packages."

The boy flinched as Belmont’s gaze bore into him. His shoulders hunched, his hands twitching nervously at his sides.

"E-excuse me... Master," the boy stammered, his voice cracking. "Th-they said you’d take care of my sister and pay for her medicine if I did whatever you asked. S-so..."

The thug leader stiffened instantly.

"You impudent little rat!" he snapped.

He stepped forward and struck the boy across the face—hard.

The blow knocked him to the ground. Blood pooled at the corner of the boy’s mouth, and his cheek split from the impact against the floor.

"How dare you speak out of turn in front of the master!"

My heart stopped.

I jolted in place, one hand shooting to my mouth while the other clenched so tightly at my side I could feel the nails dig into my palm. My whole body trembled—not from fear, but from rage I could barely contain.

’That bastard...!’

Alessio turned to me sharply as if sensing my breaking point. His hand reached over and clasped my fist, firm and grounding.

Our eyes met. He didn’t speak—but in that silence, I understood.

’Not yet.’

He was right. As much as I wanted to storm in there and shield that boy with my own body, now wasn’t the moment. We needed information. Evidence. Timing.

Count Belmont barely spared a glance at the scene.

"If he speaks again, break his other jaw," he said lazily, waving his hand. "If we’re finished here, load the crates. The ship will be ready tomorrow night. I’ll return before then. Don’t disappoint me."

He turned on his heel, his cape flaring slightly as he walked toward a back exit guarded by two silent men in armor too fine for common thugs.

As he disappeared, the warehouse began to bustle with movement. Crates were lifted, supplies rechecked. The boy, still bleeding, sat up slowly, cradling his cheek as he bit back a sob.

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