The Obsessive Male Lead Is Actually Scary
Chapter 37: Under the Moonlight

Chapter 37: Under the Moonlight

"You know..." he said suddenly, his gaze locking onto mine with a strange intensity that made my spine stiffen.

"Y-yes?" I chirped—far too high-pitched, too sharp. My nerves had clearly hijacked my vocal cords, and my eyes were spinning like pinwheels.

"...Y-your hands, they’re cold." His voice was soft, almost gentle. The way he smiled, just a little and just enough, held something unspoken. Like he had stopped himself from saying whatever had almost slipped out.

"Huh?" I tilted my head, confused.

’Is that all he wanted to tell me?’

My brain short-circuited. I stood there, completely blank. Like a fool who’d prepared for a test, only to realize it was the wrong subject. Was I expecting... something? Anything? I didn’t even know anymore.

"Oh uh, yeah," I mumbled.

Then, without a word, he let go of my hand. The sudden lack of warmth startled me a bit. He scratched the back of his neck instead, his fingers brushing the nape like he was trying to shake something off.

"...You wanna go in?" he asked quietly.

"No, I haven’t been here that long. You can go in first if you want."

"No, that’s not what I meant." His eyes dropped to the ground, his voice barely audible. The way his brows furrowed ever so slightly and the stiffness in his shoulders made it seem like something invisible was weighing on him.

’What’s wrong with him? He’s acting strange tonight.’

I squinted, narrowing my eyes suspiciously as I stared at him. As if sensing it, he glanced up and chuckled.

"Pfft." The sound was soft, amused.

Then he leaned in and pressed a finger against the center of my forehead, smoothing out the furrow between my brows.

"You’ll get wrinkles if you frown like that," he teased, that warm smile blooming on his face again.

My heart did that fluttery nonsense again, the kind that made me panic internally while trying to look composed. I glanced away quickly.

"That’s because you’re acting strange tonight," I muttered, giving him a half-side-eye.

"...I’m sorry. I’ll tell you later," he said softly.

"Huh? You want to tell me something? Why can’t you just tell me now?"

"Be patient, my lady." He ruffled my hair with a grin.

"Tch." I pouted, but my lips twitched into a reluctant smile.

"By the way, Alessio... when did you even buy this inn? It looks so normal from the front, but what’s with this massive training yard and garden out back?"

I gestured toward the massive yard that stretched out in front of us. We’d been doing our morning training there almost every day now, but the first time I saw it, I’d nearly fallen over in shock.

The front of the inn looked perfectly ordinary, just another neat building tucked into the alleyways of Kalvena. About the size you’d expect for a place like this. But behind it? A full courtyard, a garden, and a training field spacious enough to fit a dozen sparring partners. It didn’t feel like a backyard. It felt like a private estate.

’Don’t tell me... he bought half the block or something?’

The space behind it had to stretch across nearly all the neighboring plots.

"So you noticed."

"I’d be a fool not to. Our second-floor rooms aren’t even part of the public layout. It’s like a private wing, and barely anyone ever goes up there besides us. The access is restricted, and the way it connects to these private grounds makes no sense for a regular inn. We’ve been here a while. I notice things."

"Well... there were certain circumstances in the past," he said, his tone quieter now. "I had to handle a few things around here back then. That was also when I met Khan."

"Oh..." I blinked, caught off guard.

I was curious. Really curious about Khan, actually. But somehow... it didn’t feel right asking Alessio now. Not like this. Not when he looked the way he did, like the shadows of something heavy still clung to the edge of his expression.

So instead, I kept quiet.

We stayed in the courtyard a little longer, talking about nothing in particular. The stars had faded behind drifting clouds, and the moon cast a soft glow over the quiet garden. A light breeze rustled the leaves and brushed against our sleeves. The air was cool, but comfortable.

Eventually, we headed back inside, our footsteps soft against the stone. We said our goodbyes outside our rooms, and that warm smile he gave me lingered in my mind. We’d had a nice chat, a surprisingly easy time... and yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about the way he looked at me.

’Seriously... what’s with him tonight?’

I just sighed and shrugged it off.

* * *

Morning came gently, the sun already peeking through the sheer curtains as I woke up.

I got washed up, changed into my training clothes, and scarfed down breakfast. Once I stepped out of my room, I nearly bumped into Alessio.

"Oh."

"Morning," he said, already standing there like he’d been waiting.

I glanced at him, still unable to shake off the moments from last night. His ear looked a little red, too. Anyway, we walked together toward the training yard.

When we arrived, I started my usual warm-up. At this point, the stretches that used to pull at my muscles like torture devices felt... manageable. My body had slowly adjusted to the routine. I could stretch deeper, hold positions longer, and recover faster.

"Alright," I said, bouncing slightly on my heels, energy pulsing in my limbs. "What am I learning today?"

Alessio tilted his head slightly. "I’ve prepared a few options for you. In the end, you’ll learn all of them, but you can choose which one to start with."

He raised his voice slightly and called, "Mateo."

"Yes, Your Highness."

I flinched. I hadn’t even seen him nearby, but suddenly Mateo appeared as if conjured by command.

’Wow... is he a ninja or what?’

Alessio continued, "First, advanced dagger training. Second, archery. And third, crossbow."

Mateo unrolled a cloth and revealed three weapons, each set neatly in its own compartment. The daggers glinted under the morning sun. The bow had a sturdy but elegant curve to it. But the third option caught my eye.

The crossbow.

It was compact, almost sleek. Despite its size, I could tell from the way it was built that it packed a punch.

"This one." I pointed toward the crossbow. "It’s small. Easy to carry around. And I don’t have to get too close to someone to deal damage."

Alessio nodded. "Good choice. Let’s go over the basics."

He stepped toward the weapon and picked it up like it belonged in his hand.

"This one’s a hand crossbow," he explained. "It’s much smaller than the standard, which means it has shorter range and less power. But it’s still deadly if you aim it right."

He handed it to me. The weight was more than I expected, solid and cool in my hands.

"To load it," Alessio continued, "you place the bolt—" Mateo passed him a small steel bolt, which he demonstrated sliding into the groove, "—here. Then, you pull this lever to draw the string back until it locks in place. Always check the safety latch before aiming."

I nodded as I watched him closely, repeating the motions with my own crossbow. Loading it took a little effort, but nothing too difficult. The mechanism clicked satisfyingly when the string locked in.

"Keep your stance grounded," he said, gently adjusting my foot placement. "Left foot forward, right back, shoulder-width apart. Don’t lean too much or it’ll throw off your aim."

Mateo, already ahead of us, was setting up the target. It was a round, multicolored circle placed against a straw backing, the kind with colored rings: white on the outside, then black, blue, red, and yellow right in the center.

"That’s called a butt target," Alessio said, noticing my stare. "Center ring’s the bullseye. Try to get as close to it as possible."

"Got it."

I raised the crossbow, braced it against my shoulder, and aimed. The weapon felt foreign, heavier on one end and almost too smooth to control. I took a breath and pulled the trigger.

Thunk.

The bolt hit the outer blue ring.

"Not bad for your first shot," Alessio said. He crouched beside me and made a small adjustment to my elbow. "Try to keep your arm steady after firing. It’ll help you understand the weapon’s recoil better."

I reloaded and tried again. Thunk. This time, it landed in the red ring.

"Nice!" I grinned, feeling the satisfying tremor in my fingertips from the release.

"It’ll take some practice, but you’ve got a good feel for it already," he said. "The key with crossbows is rhythm. Load, aim, fire. Don’t rush. If you panic, your shots go wild."

"Is it okay if I keep trying for a bit?"

He raised a brow and smirked. "I didn’t bring out the target for decoration. Go ahead."

I spent the next thirty minutes firing bolt after bolt, ooccasionally hitting the yellow, once even grazing the bullseye. Every time I missed or my shot wobbled off course, Alessio would calmly point out where I tilted or how I breathed too fast.

Mateo stood nearby with his arms crossed, nodding approvingly. "You’re a quick study, my lady."

"Please. You’re the one who ninja’d your way into the yard earlier."

He blinked. "Ninja?"

"It’s a secret kind of spy," I said with a smug grin. "One that appears from thin air."

He gave a rare chuckle. "I’ll take that as a compliment."

"Should we add moving targets next?" Alessio asked, looking at me with a bit too much enthusiasm.

My grin faltered. "Can we... maybe just do that tomorrow?"

He let out an actual soft laugh. "Alright. You’ve earned a break."

I wiped the sweat off my forehead and dropped to the ground, crossbow resting beside me.

’Huh... I think I actually like this.’

The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!