I Proposed Because You Were Terminally Ill - Chapter 41

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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 41

 

Early summer sunlight pierced through the windows and filled the young duke’s office with warmth.

 

Cassian Sarkis stood by the sunny window, looking down at the garden.

 

“It feels like it’s been quite a while, little bird. Every time I see you, you seem to be becoming more of a lady.”

 

“Thank you, Mother! I’ll try to visit more often from now on. Just like in the old days.”

 

After Damia began to seep into his daily life, several seasons had passed in the blink of an eye.

 

Unlike his increasingly slow heartbeat, the time they spent together flowed by unusually fast.

 

“I wanted to throw you a grand fifteenth birthday party…”

 

And Cassian Sarkis had turned seventeen.

 

Even though he coughed up blood every night, he stubbornly refused to die and continued to prolong his life.

 

Two years had been enough time to strip away the childish look from Cassian’s face.

 

Now standing on the boundary between boy and man, Cassian’s gaze was languid and drowsy.

 

“It’s okay. A friend from the Kingdom of Rhodion is coming to visit, so I decided to spend time together after a long while!”

 

Damia Ponti had also turned fifteen.

 

Damia was still faithfully fulfilling the terms of that ridiculous temporary engagement contract, maintaining her position as his fiancée.

 

‘A friend from the Kingdom of Rhodion? That bastard is coming?’

 

She was still the same when it came to casually uttering words that turned his insides upside down.

 

* * *

 

‘If things go as originally planned, there’s probably about a year left?’

 

It had been quite a while since she’d visited the duke’s mansion. Damia headed to Cassian’s office with a thoughtful expression.

 

In the Belotea Empire, one becomes an adult at eighteen, and in her previous life, Cassian Sarkis had died before reaching adulthood.

 

If everything flowed exactly the same as in her previous life this time too, that perfect young duke would die in a year.

 

Just one year.

 

Damia bit her lip firmly.

 

“Young Duke, it’s me.”

 

When she arrived at the office and knocked on the door, permission to enter was soon granted.

 

It was a pleasant baritone voice. She could really feel that Cassian was nearing the age of adulthood.

 

“When did you arrive?”

 

Cassian was sitting leaning against the sofa, reading a book.

 

His dramatically increased height and broader shoulders, his much sharper jawline. He looked far more masculine than when they first met.

 

Moreover, thanks to the shadows created by the sunlight, his handsome face stood out even more.

 

“Just now. But didn’t you know I had arrived?”

 

“Yeah. I think the butler mentioned that you were coming.”

 

“That’s strange? I thought I saw your face reflected in the window when I was in the garden with Mother earlier.”

 

“…That never happened. You’re mistaken.”

 

Her fiancé had turned seventeen but was still not honest.

 

His habit of being prideful in unnecessary situations remained the same too.

 

“Really? I wondered if you might have been waiting for me.”

 

“Why would I?”

 

“We haven’t been able to meet for a while lately. You’re always busy, and I’m also…”

 

“What’s your business?”

 

Cassian slightly furrowed his brow. He very slowly put down the book in his hands.

 

‘He’s been on the same page this whole time.’

 

It was all so obvious, yet he still pretended to read.

 

“Do I need to have business to come see my fiancé?”

 

“…”

 

Cassian gave no answer. His lips only moved hesitantly.

 

‘What creative and annoying thing is he going to say now.’

 

Damia decided to ease his worries.

 

“You know that whatever you say doesn’t really affect me, right?”

 

“You…”

 

“How are you feeling physically?”

 

He still had that flawlessly perfect face, but his sickly appearance was evident.

 

His gaunt cheeks contrasted with his increasingly bright red eyes. His pale skin, perhaps due to his malfunctioning heart.

 

He had an attractive quality that caught the eye as if he might collapse at any moment, but the fact that he was terminally ill was subtly apparent.

 

In her previous life, around this time Cassian had also begun reducing his external activities. The duke’s family tea parties that used to be held weekly in summer also became less frequent.

 

Along with talk of being busy with succession issues. Damia had believed it back then too.

 

But thinking about it now, it was probably because Cassian’s condition had deteriorated to the point where it was visibly apparent.

 

‘It was around this time that Count Fabron approached Cassian too.’

 

After bankrupting Damia’s father, he had the homeless girl stay at the count’s mansion even before marriage.

 

The count never laid a hand on Damia, but he would make her skip meals or throw humiliating words at her in front of everyone.

 

He would also work her to the point where her hands became swollen from making treatments.

 

Cassian from her previous life had often visited the count’s mansion to obtain those treatments.

 

Damia clearly remembered how that brilliant boy had gradually grown weaker.

 

“I changed the mixing method for the treatment. It should be easier to swallow.”

 

“Isn’t this troublesome for you? I told you to just send someone to deliver it now.”

 

“Since you’ve been reducing your outings lately, everyone’s curious. Rather than having rumors leak out unnecessarily, it’s better for me to move directly.”

 

“Ask the maids or knights I stationed at the Ponti Viscount’s Estate. They’re all trustworthy.”

 

Two years ago, someone presumed to be dragonkin had set fire to the viscount’s estate.

 

Cassian, with Countess Sarkis backing him, had renovated the viscount’s estate to be quite befitting of a noble residence.

 

Maids with clear backgrounds, mercenaries and knights for protection – servants that seemed almost too generous were provided.

 

Damia hadn’t hidden from Cassian the fact that she had revived the dragon herb. They had been doing their best for the past two years.

 

Since he had started taking the treatment much earlier than in her previous life, Cassian’s condition was probably better than it had been then.

 

But his body was slowly crumbling.

 

Nevertheless, Cassian participated in monster subjugation using his innate martial prowess, and despite being young, he achieved consecutive successes.

 

Thanks to his overwhelming skills that could hide his sick body, everyone was fooled, but Damia knew.

 

If he had been truly healthy, his current achievements would have been merely a starting point.

 

“No, I’m busy too, so don’t bother coming to visit.”

 

“I know that too.”

 

He would batch his outings and work when his condition was okay.

 

Because he had to constantly show that the legitimate heir of House Sarkis was doing well.

 

“But I want to see you, even with this kind of excuse.”

 

Cassian bit his lip firmly. It seemed like he was suppressing laughter that was about to burst out.

 

“Isn’t it about time you gave up on me?”

 

He asked back as if he had regained his composure.

 

“If I could do that, I wouldn’t have proposed in the first place, would I?”

 

“…Still, you can’t.”

 

“What?”

 

“Don’t come and go frequently anymore. Mother needs to gradually detach herself from you too.”

 

“Young Duke, if you keep doing this, I’ll really be hurt.”

 

“What if I really die before reaching adulthood like in your dream?”

 

A short, heavy silence flowed. Damia lowered her gaze.

 

“That was just a dream that a child had.”

 

“Why are you suddenly being modest? Two years ago you were confident, calling it a prophecy.”

 

Cassian twisted one corner of his mouth.

 

“I had a crush on you even then. I often dreamed about you, and a few of them happened to come true by coincidence.”

 

“Only a very few people in the family knew that I was terminally ill.”

 

“Young Duke….”

 

“How did you know that those wild herbs would be effective against my curse?”

 

Cassian knew that Damia had circumstances she couldn’t speak about.

 

Since Damia seemed troubled by it, and he now trusted her, he simply chose not to pry.

 

“Children tend to have rich imaginations. Being at that age, I probably had all sorts of dreams.”

 

“Say something that makes sense.”

 

“Think about it. I haven’t predicted anything through dreams since then.”

 

Who would believe her if she told them about her past life now?

 

Moreover, she couldn’t guarantee to Cassian that this time, unlike her previous life, he wouldn’t die young.

 

She had no choice but to insist that it was all just dreams, so they should hold onto hope.

 

“You’re still a child now, Damia Ponti.”

 

That was a clear distortion of reality.

 

Damia had grown enough over the past two years to show the bearing of a proper young lady.

 

Her body, which had been pitifully thin, was now pleasantly slender, and her once pale cheeks glowed with a rosy hue.

 

Her delicately crafted features remained the same, and her amethyst-like violet eyes drew the attention of those around her.

 

Due to her melancholy atmosphere that didn’t match her age, young nobles of her peer group would stop their conversations and stare only at the girl whenever Damia appeared.

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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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