I Proposed Because You Were Terminally Ill - Chapter 15

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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 15

“What do you find suspicious?”

“Thoroughly investigate the gifts sent from the Soro Viscountess as well. It’s fine to send them back.”

“Yes, drugs could have been mixed in through that gap.”

“Right. That’s far more suspicious than our dear child anyway.”

Elena’s eyes sharpened.

“Thinking it might help Cassian, I once even considered an engagement with the Soro Viscount’s daughter… It was a misjudgment.”

Elena let out a low snort.

“Viscount Soro is a snake-like man, but I thought there was no need to involve his young daughter in my thinking.”

But the behavior Drury showed today was exactly like her father’s.

“Seeing her abandon her own limbs with an innocent face, it contrasted too much with our dear child.”

Dear child. No matter how many times she heard it, the maid steward swallowed a cough at the embarrassing term of endearment.

“Still, you seem to care especially for Viscount Ponti’s daughter.”

“She’s a pretty child like a doll, but she’s so thin that my heart aches every time I see her.”

“As you instructed before, I’ve ordered all the desserts popular in the Empire.”

Elena smiled elegantly and closed her eyes. She seemed very satisfied.

“You may go now.”

The maid steward bowed politely and withdrew.

The room instantly became quiet. Left alone, Elena reached toward the desk.

She picked up a sachet with prominent clumsy stitching marks. It gave off a subtle herbal scent.

‘I made it myself.’

Damia’s face came to mind as she had offered the sachet, her cheeks flushed rose-colored as if embarrassed.

Damia Ponti.

Even an engagement with such a large status difference could be permitted.

If Cassian had even the slightest attachment to life, Elena would have nothing to lose.

Moreover, the possibility of this engagement leading to actual marriage was slim.

Since Cassian was terminally ill, never knowing when his heart might stop.

“…”

Elena thought of Damia, who was always polite but never servile.

Her excessively kind nature might be a flaw as a duchess, but it was much better than being cunning like Drury.

“If only Cassian could really live long.”

That girl would inevitably be left alone because of Cassian’s heart.

The reason for choosing engagement despite the blemish of a broken engagement was…

‘Because that child’s feelings are sincere. Just like Cassian’s.’

To have other motives, Damia was still too young. She was only thirteen years old.

Elena found that girl both pitiful and lovable.

* * *

“Welcome, Romi.”

Despite Damia’s kind greeting, the maid couldn’t lift her deeply bowed head.

“I’m glad you arrived safely at the viscount’s mansion. Could you lift your face for me to see?”

Romi clenched both hands and trembled while following the order.

Round brown eyes, short curly hair, a few freckles.

‘Looking again, it’s exactly the same face from my memories.’

Damia barely swallowed the exclamation that was about to burst out.

Though the timing might differ, Romi had been expelled from the Soro Viscount’s mansion in her previous life too.

And she had honed the discernment she developed there into business acumen, opening a precious goods store that even noble young ladies desperately sought.

‘Count Fabron in my previous life often called Romi to the manor too.’

He had forced unwanted things upon Damia, as if dressing up a doll he owned.

Count Fabron was obsessed with reputation and enjoyed playing the role of a good husband.

Romi was always cautious to please the count and his wife.

But whenever their eyes occasionally met, Damia invariably felt shame. It seemed like Romi saw right through her situation.

That’s why she couldn’t forget Romi’s face.

‘With Romi here, investment immigration to the Kingdom of Rhodion will be much faster.’

Romi would suffer less than in her previous life, and this was a good opportunity for both of them.

“Are you really going to punish me?”

Romi spoke in a hoarse voice as if her throat was constricted. Being a quick-witted child, she didn’t seem to believe the excuse Damia had given Drury at face value.

“What did the Soro Viscount’s daughter promise you?”

“…Pardon?”

“I mean what did she say she’d give you in exchange for taking the false blame.”

“There was never such a…”

Romi could neither confirm nor deny. She still seemed afraid of Drury’s retaliation.

“If you’re thinking of lying, stop. It would be better to cooperate honestly.”

Then Cassian, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

“My fiancée is trying to give you a chance. You wouldn’t want to go back to the duke’s mansion for interrogation, would you?”

“Are you really going to give me a chance? Not punishment?”

Despite Cassian’s threat, Romi was only looking at Damia.

“Yes, Romi. It might be hard to believe my words, but…”

“No! I believe you!”

The answer came so quickly that Damia couldn’t even voice her persuasive words.

“I’ll believe you, so please don’t send me back to the viscount’s mansion!”

“What? If I had intended that, I wouldn’t have brought you here in the first place.”

“Could you… promise me?”

Romi’s voice sounded almost desperate.

When Damia unconsciously nodded, color returned to Romi’s face.

“Miss, you’ve practically saved me.”

Romi’s brown eyes grew moist.

“I’m good with my hands. I’m good at cleaning too. I’ll serve you well by your side.”

“Why…”

“The snake is a little scary, but… I can take care of it.”

“Why are you being so cooperative? At first you tried to take the blame for the Soro Viscount’s daughter.”

At Damia’s puzzled look, Romi bowed her head deeply.

“Was the compensation the Soro Viscount’s daughter offered trivial? Or was there no reward, only threats?”

“No. Miss Drury promised quite a large sum of money. It would be worth several years of my wages.”

“Then because of me, you can’t receive that money, right? Aren’t you disappointed?”

“The viscount’s mansion has servants changing very frequently. Some are just kicked out, but many quit after receiving hush money.”

Romi bit her lips tightly. She had an expression as if she had resolved something.

“And all the servants who left the viscount’s mansion lose contact completely.”

“…What?”

“It might be a coincidence, but I’m afraid of the viscount and Miss Drury. Even if I received a large sum… if I disappeared, it would be useless.”

Romi trembled just from the hypothetical situation.

“I was thinking I should be careful too since I don’t know what the Soro Viscount’s daughter might do in the future.”

Damia glanced sideways at the white snake.

“I just couldn’t corner the viscount’s daughter with a non-venomous snake.”

As if pleased with its new home, the snake had already coiled up and fallen asleep.

“Though I felt sorry that you were taking false blame, I didn’t bring you here purely out of goodwill.”

“Still, thank you, miss. You could have just pretended not to know…”

“I just wanted to keep someone who knows the Soro Viscount’s daughter well by my side. We happened to be short-handed too.”

Damia felt a bit embarrassed by the fondness in Romi’s eyes.

Even if she hadn’t known about this child’s future, she would have extended her hand, but either way, this wasn’t a losing deal for Damia.

“As you can see, our family’s finances aren’t exactly abundant. The salary won’t be much, but instead, I’ll separately provide what Lady So promised.”

“…What?! No, I’m grateful just for you taking me in.”

She seemed not to believe that Damia would have that kind of personal funds.

But considering the payment for the medicine Cassian had agreed to provide, it wasn’t too much of a burden.

Besides, she planned to make Romi work hard to earn even more money, so this amount wasn’t regrettable at all.

“When I tell you to take it, just take it. I have some saved up, so don’t worry.”

“Still…”

“I don’t believe in trust without compensation.”

When Damia smiled brightly, Romi’s pupils wavered.

At that moment, Cassian let out a big sigh from behind.

When she turned around, Cassian’s face was full of dissatisfaction.

“What is it, Young Duke?”

“Are you serious?”

When Damia tilted her head as if she didn’t understand, his eyebrows twitched.

“You forgot the most important thing.”

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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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