I Proposed Because You Were Terminally Ill - Chapter 35

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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 35

 

The last tea party of the summer ended with an ambiguous aftertaste.

 

“Miss!”

 

As Damia entered the front yard, Luke was waving both hands.

 

He seemed to have been frozen in awe at the scale of the Duke’s mansion, but appeared relieved upon seeing Damia.

 

“I was so surprised to hear that you suddenly moved residences.”

 

“Didn’t Romi tell you?”

 

“Both of us tend to think that no news is good news.”

 

It was an extremely ordinary sibling relationship. Perhaps they might even be on good terms.

 

The two took seats at a small table set up near the garden.

 

‘I wanted to meet outside and take a look around the town too.’

 

Cassian had discouraged it, saying it was dangerous, but instead allowed Luke access to the Duke’s mansion.

 

Damia examined Luke carefully and frowned.

 

“What’s that wound on your face?”

 

There was a deep cut on Luke’s cheek. It seemed to have already healed, with a scab formed over it.

 

“Wolves have been running wild lately. I went out on a subjugation request and… got hurt a bit.”

 

“Wolves? Luke, with your skills, you got hurt by mere wolves?”

 

Luke scratched his chin with a troubled expression.

 

He looked around once more to check if there were any servants nearby, then lowered his voice.

 

“Actually… it was a bit strange to call them wolves. Not just their size, but their eyes.”

 

“Were they red by any chance?”

 

Luke gasped in surprise.

 

“How did you know?”

 

Because it was according to her past life’s memories. Damia’s heart pounded.

 

It was definitely that creature that was later revealed to be a wolf-type monster.

 

Red eyes were traces of dragon power, that is, demonic energy. Beasts contaminated by demonic energy either died or transformed into monsters.

 

Only the House of Sarkis was an exception. Even though their ancestor had slain the Mad Dragon, instead of dying from demonic contamination, they maintained their sanity.

 

However, perhaps due to the influence of demonic energy, their descendants were born with red eyes for generations.

 

“There are hushed rumors that they might be monsters. Though it’s been so long since monsters appeared.”

 

“Just because their eyes were red?”

 

“All the wolves in the pack had red eyes. And…”

 

Luke looked around and lowered his voice.

 

“Actually, the wounds from those creatures are a bit strange too. If left alone, they quickly start to rot. But on those wounds…”

 

Luke stroked his cheek with one hand.

 

“The ointment you gave me works amazingly well.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes. Everything else had no effect at all.”

 

“Did you share some with people around you?”

 

“Yes. Now they’re all clamoring asking if I can get more.”

 

The corners of Damia’s mouth rose slightly. Everything up to this point was according to plan.

 

“There’s a line of people willing to pay extra to buy it.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Is there anywhere I can get more? What you gave me last time is running low.”

 

Damia swallowed a sigh. This was where things got troublesome.

 

To make that ointment, she absolutely needed the medicinal herbs planted in the garden of the Viscount’s Manor.

 

Normally she would have made it quickly, but now she was confined to the Duke’s mansion.

 

“Miss? What’s wrong?”

 

“I’ll share some of what I have with you for now.”

 

The amount she had brought when coming to the Duke’s mansion could put out the immediate fire. But it wouldn’t last long.

 

‘I might need to go home soon.’

 

Damia quietly steeled her resolve.

 

* * *

 

After sending Luke away, Damia headed straight to Cassian’s room.

 

Since the butler’s corpse was found in a horrific state, Cassian kept postponing Damia’s return home.

 

Even knowing it was overprotection, it wasn’t incomprehensible.

 

‘He said the mastermind might be the Dragon Clan.’

 

Just the thought made her fingertips cold.

 

Though she knew that Cassian had a limited lifespan due to the Mad Dragon’s curse, she seemed to have unconsciously regarded dragons as legendary beings.

 

The Dragon Clan. Whether Count Fabron had joined hands with them, or whether he too was being used, was still unknown.

 

“Oh, Miss Damia.”

 

“Hello, Butler.”

 

Damia encountered the butler in the corridor. The butler was from minor nobility who had served the House of Sarkis for generations.

 

“I was on my way to deliver mail to the Madam, and there’s also a letter for you, Miss.”

 

“For me too?”

 

“It appears to be correspondence from the Kingdom of Rhodion. Shall I bring it to your room?”

 

“No, please give it to me now. I want to read it quickly!”

 

The only person who would send Damia a letter from Rhodion was Arsene.

 

“Yes, understood.”

 

“Thank you!”

 

Damia quickly received the letter. She couldn’t hide her excitement.

 

She had been continuously corresponding with her childhood friend Arsene, but there was one strange thing.

 

Whenever Damia’s engagement came up, Arsene would now subtly change the subject.

 

Moreover, after Damia told him she had moved to the Duke’s mansion, his replies had been cut off for a while.

 

‘Isn’t he even curious about how I’m doing?’

 

It was a reply that had arrived after quite a long time. Damia’s cheeks flushed as she held the letter.

 

She wanted to read the letter quickly. Just as she was about to turn away from heading to Cassian’s room.

 

“Damia.”

 

Looking up quickly, Cassian Sarkis was walking toward her from the middle of the corridor.

 

As if he had just finished sparring with knights, his cheeks were slightly flushed.

 

His hair was also damply wet, as if he had just washed.

 

“Young Duke.”

 

Damia stopped abruptly.

 

Cassian after training looked tired yet strangely satisfied at the same time.

 

His cheeks still warm with heat and his eyes relaxed leisurely. Perhaps due to that languid atmosphere, he looked much more mature than usual.

 

“Perfect timing. I had something to tell you anyway.”

 

He approached Damia with large steps. The scent of soap wafted over.

 

“…”

 

Damia unconsciously bit her lips. She wanted to hide it, but felt like her nervousness would show.

 

“Based on the information you gave me, I’m tracking the mastermind behind the guy who impersonated me.”

 

Cassian began explaining, unaware of Damia’s feelings.

 

“There are too few clues about how far this extends. If we hastily touch Count Fabron, they’ll probably cut off the tail immediately.”

 

“If Count Fabron is the tail… does that mean there’s someone above him?”

 

He slowly nodded.

 

“We caught a spy who had infiltrated the Duke’s mansion recently. He seemed to be low-level, but we did extract some useful information.”

 

“What? A spy?”

 

“Don’t worry. It’s safe now.”

 

“I didn’t know anything about this?”

 

“You didn’t necessarily need to know about it. It would only make you anxious for no reason.”

 

He seemed to be trying to protect Damia in his own way.

 

Sometimes she forgot because he acted so childishly, but Cassian had a strong sense of responsibility.

 

“Still, please let me know from now on.”

 

“What for? I deliberately proceeded without telling you.”

 

“Knowledge is power, Young Duke.”

 

Cassian clicked his tongue softly. He seemed reluctant.

 

Cassian had always treated Damia like a child, but after seeing her cry, it had gotten even worse.

 

“And I don’t think I can stay here indefinitely.”

 

“What are you talking about? Why, did someone make you uncomfortable?”

 

“No, that’s not it.”

 

Everyone was excessively kind. There was nothing lacking, nothing uncomfortable.

 

However, she shouldn’t get too accustomed to Cassian’s kindness. She also had things to do when she returned home.

 

“I was only supposed to stay until the butler was caught.”

 

“The Dragon Clan might be involved. It’s dangerous outside.”

 

“I can’t stay here indefinitely. Bad rumors might spread.”

 

“We need to set up security measures at the Viscount’s Manor first. Fix the facilities, and we’ll need guard personnel too.”

 

“On such a large scale?”

 

“Yes. First, we’ll need the Viscount’s cooperation.”

 

Damia was momentarily speechless.

 

She had no idea how Father would take this. It was a completely different matter from expensive gifts.

 

No matter how much it was under the pretext of protection, it was essentially the same as placing the Young Duke’s people in the Viscount’s Manor.

 

Renovating the entire manor could also be perceived as disregarding Father’s authority as a viscount.

 

“That might take some time then.”

 

“Right. But do you have something going on? You looked excited.”

 

When she suddenly looked up, Cassian’s eyes were fixed on her hands.

 

Damia belatedly realized that she was clutching Arsene’s letter preciously.

 

“Huh? I wasn’t particularly excited. I was just heading to my room.”

 

Though Cassian had changed the subject rather abruptly, Damia, who felt guilty, didn’t notice the awkwardness.

 

She was suddenly very conscious of Arsene’s letter.

 

Even though she hadn’t done anything wrong, she felt like she’d been caught trying to have an affair.

 

“What’s that in your hand?”

 

A crooked smile formed on Cassian’s lips.

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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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