I Proposed Because You Were Terminally Ill - Chapter 51
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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 51
An important announcement?
“I really hope Miss Damia will celebrate with us too.”
Whatever scheme she was plotting, Drury’s deep blue eyes were full of life.
“So please go rest quickly. You really look terrible.”
“I’m really fine though.”
“I’ve prepared one of the guest rooms at the end of the corridor. It’s a VIP room, so please feel free to rest there.”
“Miss Drury, I…”
“It’s the room with a camellia-decorated door handle. I’ve filled the inside with flowers too. I’d really love for you to see it.”
Her endlessly sweet tone contrasted with eyes that absolutely would not accept refusal.
‘She’s definitely plotting something.’
Just as she was about to escape with a suitable excuse, Romi, who had been waiting in one corner, came into view.
“…”
Romi was pale as a sheet and trembling down to her fingertips. It was the complete opposite of her usual cheerful demeanor.
If left like this, she really seemed like she might collapse soon.
“Then I’ll go for a moment. I do feel a bit dizzy too.”
In the end, Damia nodded obediently.
Drury’s eyes narrowed with satisfaction.
“I’ll tell the band not to start the dance music until Miss Damia returns. As a special favor.”
“Thank you for your consideration. I’ll be back soon.”
Damia smiled back calmly and left with Romi in tow.
“Oh my, Miss Drury is so kind. Truly befitting today’s star.”
“You look even more beautiful today. Congratulations on coming of age.”
As Damia withdrew, countless nobles flocked around Drury.
Drury smiled leisurely at the center of it all.
* * *
“I’m sorry, Miss. I’m just causing trouble by insisting on coming along.”
“No, it’s fine. Are you feeling any better?”
“Yes. I don’t know why I’m acting like this. Whenever I see Miss Drury, my stomach keeps churning and I can’t breathe…”
Damia leaned forward to wipe Romi’s sweat.
“Ugh…!”
At that moment, Romi quickly covered her mouth. Though she tried to support her, Romi waved her hands and stepped back.
“I really can’t do this. I need some fresh air for a moment… ugh, I’ll go get some! Please rest first!”
Romi ran toward the garden without waiting for an answer.
Damia called out that she would come along, but Romi didn’t look back.
‘Did meeting Drury bring back some bad memories from before?’
Left alone, Damia rubbed her stiff shoulders.
Walking down the corridor by herself, she saw an antique door with a camellia-decorated handle. It seemed to be the guest room Drury had boasted about.
Since the party had just started, the corridor was quiet. There probably wasn’t anyone else in the room either.
Damia slowly stepped into the room.
‘Huh?’
Even though it was broad daylight, the interior was pitch black. Thick blackout curtains were perfectly blocking the light.
It wasn’t simply dark. As soon as she entered the room, heavy and humid air pressed down on her entire body.
‘I can’t breathe.’
She didn’t sense any dangerous presence, but her instincts were sounding alarm bells.
Damia staggered toward the window. She wanted to quickly draw the curtains and open the window.
She couldn’t even see the flowers Drury had boasted about.
Ventilating this suffocating, alien air was the urgent priority.
“Kuk.”
Then, she heard laughter from somewhere that sounded like scratching the inside of one’s throat. Goosebumps ran down her spine.
‘I’m… not alone here?’
She recalled how Drury had insisted she rest, her eyes gleaming.
She had watched and waited, thinking Drury wouldn’t cause trouble at her own coming-of-age ceremony, but perhaps she had been too careless.
Damia stiffened and stepped backward. Just as her hand was about to reach the door handle.
“You disturbed me, and now you’re leaving without even greeting me?”
It was a voice that seemed languid yet carried authority.
When she barely managed to turn her head, she saw the silhouette of a tall man.
“…Young Duke?”
The man’s face was too dark to see clearly. But at the inexplicably familiar feeling, Damia unconsciously blurted out.
The man let out a laugh that seemed to scrape his vocal cords.
“Young Duke, you say. That’s quite a fresh title.”
He instantly closed the distance between himself and Damia. The man’s cold gaze pierced down at Damia.
“…”
He hadn’t done anything yet, but she couldn’t move a finger as if standing before a predator.
The man wasn’t Cassian. Up close, she wondered why she had even mistaken him for Cassian.
His build, scent, and the atmosphere he gave off were all different.
Moreover, he seemed to be blonde.
The surroundings were so dark, and with disheveled hair covering his forehead, she couldn’t even see his eye color.
“…Who are you?”
Her voice trembled terribly. The man tilted his head and chuckled.
“I never imagined there would be someone in the Empire who doesn’t recognize me. This is quite disappointing.”
His voice carried faint mockery. Damia swallowed dryly. Her mind began racing.
‘Why did Drury spill wine on me? It couldn’t have been an accident.’
She hadn’t even managed to dirty Damia’s dress, nor had she caused any great embarrassment.
Drury gained nothing from that noisy commotion…
‘Could it be that luring me here was the real purpose?’
Right now, with everyone crowded in the center of the hall and chaos everywhere, no one would notice whatever happened in this remote guest room.
Cassian wasn’t even in the West. It was perfect timing to carry out and secretly cover up whatever deed.
“I’ve heard about the young lady. I was quite curious too.”
The man slowly stroked Damia’s cheek with his gloved hand.
Damia, who had been glancing at the doorway looking for a chance to escape, froze.
“Excuse me, but I have no idea who you are. And I don’t find it pleasant when you touch me so freely.”
Among the guests at this party, there probably wasn’t anyone of lower status than Damia, so the man before her would be the same.
But at the sudden contact, displeasure rose before fear.
At Damia’s rejection, the man burst into loud laughter.
Rather than irritated, he seemed delighted like a child who had found an interesting toy.
“You’ll regret those words soon enough.”
‘What nonsense is he spouting?’
Just as she was about to snap at the man, he suddenly drew the curtains at the window.
Swoosh—!
Sharp sunlight struck her eyes that had grown accustomed to the darkness.
“It wouldn’t be bad to help you come to your senses.”
The man muttered something incomprehensible and this time threw the window wide open.
As the wind rushed in, a strange fragrance wafted over despite the considerable distance.
It was that dizzyingly sweet and fishy smell she had detected from Drury.
“Why are you suddenly opening the window?”
“Hmm, you’re quite impatient. You’ll find out soon enough anyway.”
By the time Damia’s eyes adjusted to the light, the man slowly turned around.
His blonde hair, backlit, sparkled brilliantly.
The first thing that came into her blurry vision was his eyes.
Golden eyes the same color as his hair, chillingly vivid.
They were nothing short of the mark of the Velothea Royal House.
“…Your Highness.”
Eyebrows that curved upward, contrary to his kindly drooping eye corners.
Features that weren’t bold in line but graceful like an angel in a religious painting.
From any angle, his appearance would earn the assessment of being handsome.
Though she’d never had occasion to meet him directly, it was a face she knew well from portraits.
The First Prince, Basil Velothea.
As the eldest son with outstanding abilities, he was mentioned as the next emperor, a man rumored to soon be crowned Crown Prince.
‘Why is the Prince here?’
No matter how distinguished the Soro Family was, for the First Prince to personally attend the coming-of-age ceremony of a young lady who wasn’t even the family head.
“I have committed a discourtesy, Your Highness.”
She never imagined she would encounter the Prince, but to survive, an apology had to come first.
As Damia hurriedly bent her knee, he stared at her intently for a while.
Soon a chuckling sound was heard, and Basil extended his white hand. Damia instinctively stepped backward.
However, her back immediately met the door. There was nowhere left to retreat.
“…”
The man stretched his long arm over Damia’s shoulder. Trapped helplessly in his embrace, she felt suffocated.
Click.
The sound of the door locking echoed clearly throughout the room.
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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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