I Proposed Because You Were Terminally Ill - Chapter 12

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 12

“Please escort the young lady of the Viscount’s family this way immediately!”

At Cassian’s urging, the servants were filled with determination.

She felt like she could die from embarrassment. This was the first time across both her lives that she had become the protagonist of such a mortifying situation.

“Young Duke, I’m really fine. I can even swear to it.”

“I’m not fine.”

Cassian seemed completely indifferent to others’ gazes.

Damia eventually squeezed her eyes tightly shut.

In her head, she thought she should act nonchalant, but it wasn’t easy at all.

Her oblivious heart kept pounding.

So Damia’s heart was…

‘Wait, this doesn’t seem like the sound of my heart?’

Damia stopped struggling and held her breath.

Thump, thump, thump…

She could feel quite fast and irregular beats.

From a place where it absolutely shouldn’t be possible—namely, the Young Duke’s left chest.

“What on earth is this ridiculous…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll thoroughly investigate why a snake appeared.”

Cassian seemed to have misunderstood her muttering, but she didn’t have the energy to correct him.

* * *

The gamekeeper of the ducal house rubbed his chin with a serious expression.

“It’s definitely not a snake that inhabits the empire. Looking at how smooth its scales are, it seems to have been handled by humans.”

He carefully examined the white snake that had come out of the picnic basket. The albino snake’s pink eyes sparkled like jewels.

“Yes, that’s right. I heard it’s a species they even keep as pets in the Kingdom of Rhodion.”

“Oh, you know about it? That’s correct.”

“Not only is it quite pretty, but it’s originally such a gentle species that it would never bite humans.”

The gamekeeper nodded repeatedly at Damia’s words as she received first aid.

“Focus on your treatment, Damia.”

“Sigh, Young Duke. Is there anything that would change if I focus?”

“…”

“Besides, I think I’ve already received excessive treatment.”

Was it because the physician was overwhelmed by the Young Duke’s murderous aura?

Damia’s wrist was wrapped with unnecessarily thick bandages.

“Well… the young lady is right that it’s a non-venomous snake.”

The gamekeeper said while gauging Cassian’s reaction.

“See, I was right? I read it in an herbology book!”

“When it concerns your safety, we need to verify it.”

“Young Duke, you’re always so excessive when it comes to my matters!”

Cassian glanced at her lightly but didn’t particularly refute it.

“Fine, then everyone can leave now.”

At Cassian’s dismissal, the physician and gamekeeper quickly left the guest room.

They seemed very pleased to escape from this uncomfortable situation.

“I’ll find the culprit, so you rest well. You need to stay calm.”

“I’m fine, Young Duke.”

“I’m not fine.”

“No, that’s not what I mean… I think I already know who the culprit is.”

Damia smiled brightly while holding a handkerchief she had secretly taken from the basket.

“What did you just take out? And how did you figure out who the culprit is?”

“Hmm… First, there’s something I want to check before that.”

Damia slowly rose from her chair.

“What, what? Why are you suddenly approaching?”

Cassian stumbled backward in confusion.

He seemed more flustered than usual. When his back hit the wall, his cheeks even turned red.

“Phew, we’re finally alone together.”

“Don’t tell me you were waiting for this moment?”

“Of course. It was hard to endure.”

“…To that extent? What exactly do you want to check?”

As Damia blocked his path with sparkling eyes, a subtle tension crossed Cassian’s face.

“When you insisted on carrying me earlier.”

Cassian let out a bitter laugh as if he had expected this.

“Ah, that’s what this was about? I’d prefer if you didn’t misunderstand.”

“Um… what do you mean?”

“I feel bad for making you have pointless expectations. I had no ulterior motives—I was just fulfilling my duty as a fiancé.”

“Pardon?”

“Still, as long as you’re my fiancée, I intend to maintain this level of courtesy in the future.”

Damia barely managed to swallow a sigh.

“Sorry, but you’ve got it wrong. That’s not what I was trying to talk about.”

“…Then what?”

An ambiguous emotion that could have been disappointment or relief appeared in Cassian’s red eyes.

“I felt your heartbeat then.”

“What?”

“You said it was getting better little by little thanks to the medicine. But it wasn’t just that level—it was incredibly irregular and fast!”

“That, that’s…”

“Maybe the medicine was more effective than I thought? I want to check once more!”

Damia smiled with her palm extended. There was a subtle madness in her expression.

“Wait, what’s with that hand? Are you planning to touch it directly yourself?”

“Well, if necessary.”

Cassian’s face turned pale.

“Even if we’re engaged… maintain some boundaries!”

“I don’t have any ulterior motives either. Please trust me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. How many times have you confessed to me so far?”

“Are you perhaps embarrassed? Just think of it as a medical procedure.”

“You’re mistaken, so calm down! If my heart was really beating that hard, there’s no way I wouldn’t have noticed.”

“Ah…”

Now that she heard it, that made sense too. The most desperate person would be Cassian himself.

‘Was it really my imagination after all?’

Right. That purple herb was only meant to buy time—it wasn’t a perfect cure.

“Stop talking nonsense and tell me who you think the culprit is.”

But why was he oddly stammering?

Damia stared at Cassian with furrowed brows.

“Who exactly made such a pathetic assassination attempt?”

It was an urging that clearly showed his desire to change the subject.

“Hmm…”

“Hurry up!”

It was suspicious, but it was only a hunch. Besides, there didn’t seem to be any reason for Cassian to lie.

“But to call it an assassination attempt… isn’t this one a bit too small and pretty?”

Damia placed the white thread snake on her palm.

“Why do you keep touching something dangerous? Put it down right now.”

“You heard earlier. It’s originally a very gentle species. It’s not dangerous at all. Look, see?”

As if to prove her words, the snake docilely coiled around Damia’s hand.

“Either way, it’s the one that bared its fangs at you. What if it bites you again?”

Cassian looked extremely anxious. Today especially, he seemed unusually obsessed with Damia’s safety.

“That wasn’t its fault.”

“What do you mean?”

Damia let out a small sigh and held out a pink handkerchief. Due to the thick bandages wrapped around her arm, moving it was quite uncomfortable.

‘I didn’t want to drive a wedge between him and Drury, but…’

Since she was the one picking a fight first, there was no reason to cover for her.

If she let it slide this time, she might cause even bigger trouble later.

“It seems like someone was trying to play a trick on me.”

“On you, not me? Who would dare?”

“Hm? Why are you getting so worked up?”

“What? Well, you’re my one and only…”

One and only? Was this really the time for such cheesy adjectives?

“I mean… right, you’re my fiancée.”

“Yes? That’s it?”

Instead of answering, Cassian quickly snatched the handkerchief. His eyes instantly sharpened as he confirmed the object in his hand.

“This is the Soro Marquis family crest. Don’t tell me this was inside with it?”

“Yes, that’s right. But there’s something even more meaningful than that.”

Damia let the white snake smell the handkerchief.

Hiss—!

The snake that had been lying languidly straightened its body and bared its sharp fangs.

It was a very aggressive display, completely contrary to its reputation for being gentle.

“What is this…”

Just as Cassian’s face filled with shock.

“Cassian, may I come in?”

Countess Sarkis knocked on the guest room door.

“Miss Drury says she has something she’d like to apologize for.”

This was a completely unexpected development.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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