I Proposed Because You Were Terminally Ill - Chapter 38

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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 38

 

“Thank you, Mother. Everything is so beautiful, more than I deserve! But it seems like too much….”

 

The designer’s group finally left.

 

Exhausted, Damia took a sip of the tea the Countess handed her.

 

“Money is rotting away, Damia.”

 

“Still, it seems like enough to last a lifetime.”

 

“Money must circulate. Wealthy people like us have a duty to spend generously where it’s truly needed.”

 

Elena spoke as if giving Damia expensive things was her duty.

 

‘She seems to have noticed that things have been awkward with the young duke lately.’

 

Damia quietly swallowed a sigh.

 

As if Cassian was desperately trying to avoid Damia, she hadn’t even seen his shadow for the past few days.

 

‘We were supposed to be so in love that we decided to get engaged!’

 

If we agreed to act, we should do it properly!

 

“Is there something going on with Cassian lately?”

 

After making it so obvious, what was bound to come finally came. Damia swallowed dryly.

 

“Um… not really.”

 

Elena smiled gently as if she expected that answer.

 

“I don’t know why Cassian is doing something so obviously visible.”

 

“Ahaha.”

 

“From what I can see, the boy seems desperate because he likes you.”

 

That’s definitely not the case.

 

Damia barely swallowed the words that almost spilled out.

 

“Ah, yes. He treats me so well.”

 

“I’m glad you feel that way.”

 

Her tone suggested she knew it wasn’t true. But she seemed to be pointing out Cassian’s strange recent behavior, not doubting his feelings themselves.

 

Does Cassian act like he’s dying of love for Damia in front of his mother?

 

“Even if that boy suddenly acts childish, please look at him fondly.”

 

“What? The young duke is so mature.”

 

“He’s probably being defensive because his pride is suddenly hurt that his feelings are stronger.”

 

Damia barely managed to smile and sipped her tea. She couldn’t panic and say it was all a misunderstanding in front of the Countess.

 

“I’m happy that Cassian seems a little healthier since you came, dear child.”

 

The Countess didn’t seem to intend to pry into their relationship. She just seemed concerned that Damia’s feelings wouldn’t be hurt.

 

“I had almost given up hope, but you appeared like a miracle, and I can’t express how grateful I am. Thank you, truly.”

 

Those words somehow sounded ambiguous. A strange premonition flashed through Damia’s mind.

 

Could she already know that Damia was slowing down Cassian’s curse, even if just a little?

 

“No, I’m more grateful. Meeting the young duke and you was a greater fortune for me.”

 

“I’m happy you say that.”

 

“You know how much I like the young duke.”

 

Those words were half sincere. Even if this contractual relationship ended, she wanted to continue knowing Cassian if possible.

 

“Mother, by any chance….”

 

Though she had no basis, she wanted to ask. How much did she know about her?

 

“What is it?”

 

Damia, who had been hesitating, closed her mouth again. She didn’t know how to explain it.

 

She also remembered the confidentiality clause in the contract Cassian had given her.

 

“It’s nothing. I’m just so grateful.”

 

Damia smiled instead of answering.

 

“If Cassian confuses you in the future, look at his actions rather than his words.”

 

Damia slowly nodded. Those words strangely stayed with her.

 

She couldn’t continue being awkward with Cassian. If there was any misunderstanding, it needed to be resolved.

 

* * *

 

Damia was walking down an endlessly stretching corridor. It looked like the Virgin Road.

 

The Grand Hall was filled with guests. An inexplicable ominousness pressed down on her chest.

 

Was it because of the white veil blocking her vision?

 

Wait, why am I wearing a pure white dress?

 

At the end of the Virgin Road, a man was waiting for her. He was dressed in wedding attire, but his face wasn’t visible due to the backlighting.

 

‘Young duke?’

 

The man extended his hand to her. His bare hand, without gloves, touched her skin.

 

It was a wrinkled hand. Goosebumps covered her entire body.

 

“I suppose you thought this time would be different.”

 

It wasn’t Cassian but Count Fabron. The man smiled with satisfaction, baring his teeth.

 

‘Let go!’

 

She tried to scream, but no voice came out.

 

She tried to ask anyone for help, but none of the many guests paid any attention to Damia.

 

At that moment, cracks appeared in the marble floor, and the entire space began to distort.

 

As if submerged in a swamp, she couldn’t move her body at all.

 

‘Is this the same ending as my previous life again? Even though I tried so hard to change it!’

 

Somewhere, bells rang out dong, dong. It seemed like a sign that this terrible marriage had been completed.

 

No!

 

No matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t escape Count Fabron’s grasp.

 

While her vision blurred with tears, the Count’s face began to melt like candle wax. Eventually, his form changed.

 

That man who resembled Cassian but felt like a fake somehow. It was the dragonkin who had been impersonating the coachman.

 

With his severely burned face, he smiled as if tearing his mouth.

 

“Found you.”

 

As if whispered right in her ear, that voice was strangely clear.

 

“Ah!”

 

Damia opened her eyes, breathing heavily. A chill seeped in, making her whole body tremble.

 

She knew she had been dreaming, but the last voice kept echoing endlessly in her head. It really felt as if that dragonkin had found her.

 

Damia pulled the blanket closer and looked around. There was only familiar darkness; no one else was in the room.

 

“….”

 

Her throat felt parched. She reached for the water glass by her bedside, but it was empty.

 

She thought about calling Romi, but gave up because she didn’t want to show her confused face.

 

Damia barely managed to get up and stumbled out of her room.

 

She felt like she needed to drink something to regain her senses.

 

But the moment she stepped into the corridor,

 

“Ugh, urgh.”

 

Her heart felt like it was sinking.

 

‘What’s that sound? I must have heard wrong, right?’

 

She heard what sounded like sobbing.

 

“…Ngh.”

 

The end of the moan that seemed to escape despite trying to hold it back was mixed with crying.

 

She could feel the pain intensely. She could no longer pretend not to hear it.

 

Damia looked around. The sound was coming from the end of the corridor.

 

She slowly walked in that direction. As the crying grew closer, her heart beat faster with an inexplicable premonition.

 

‘Ah.’

 

Her steps stopped in front of Cassian’s room. Sobbing was leaking through the door crack.

 

At that moment, no thoughts came to mind. Damia threw the door wide open.

 

* * *

 

As soon as the door opened, heat struck her face. The room was scorching hot, unbelievable for dawn.

 

“What is this….”

 

Damia covered her mouth and nose with her arm and approached Cassian.

 

“Young Duke!”

 

Cassian was hovering between life and death on the bed.

 

His bangs were stuck to his forehead with sweat. When she reached out to gently push them aside, his forehead was cold as ice.

 

She couldn’t feel any warmth of a living person at all.

 

“Ugh, urgh….”

 

Cassian was writhing in pain. His body seemed to be consumed by heat and poison.

 

“Get a hold of yourself!”

 

When Damia’s touch reached him, Cassian’s breathing became steady for just a brief moment.

 

“Why are you… here….”

 

Reason briefly returned to his red eyes. He seemed to recognize Damia.

 

“Get out… now!”

 

As if suddenly coming to his senses, Cassian tried to push Damia away.

 

“It could be… urgh, dangerous!”

 

The suffocating pressure that had been choking her throat wasn’t her imagination.

 

Something strange was mixed in with the heat that filled the room.

 

Could it be the curse of the mad dragon leaking out?

 

Had Cassian been enduring and suppressing this kind of thing all along?

 

“I’m fine, Young Duke.”

 

Damia firmly grasped Cassian’s hand. Perhaps because his strength had left him, Cassian couldn’t shake her off.

 

“Why… are you awake at this hour.”

 

Resentment flashed in his red eyes. It was an unexpected emotion, but she felt she could understand it.

 

“How often has this been happening to you?”

 

“….”

 

He said nothing. He seemed unwilling to show his weak side.

 

“Young Duke….”

 

Damia bit her lip hard.

 

She had often seen him cough up blood, but this was the first time she’d seen him suffer like this.

 

Had he endured all of this alone? Cassian was only fifteen years old.

 

It was too cruel a pain for one person to bear.

 

At that thought, a corner of her heart stung as if pierced. Anger even rose from her sense of helplessness.

 

“…Go away.”

 

He pushed her away again, but Damia didn’t budge.

 

“I have the… medicine you gave me. Now I can… urgh, handle it myself….”

 

Drop.

 

Something warm fell down her cheek. Cassian’s expression instantly hardened.

 

Damia realized belatedly. The fact that she was crying.

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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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