I Proposed Because You Were Terminally Ill - Chapter 53

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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 53

 

The manor’s security seemed excessively tight, but it wasn’t because the Soro family was being overly cautious—it was due to a royal visit.

 

“What brings His Highness the Prince here?”

 

“Could he have come to celebrate Miss Drury’s coming-of-age ceremony?”

 

The nobles began whispering among themselves one by one. The young ladies were busy craning their necks to steal glances at the prince.

 

Then, the orchestra began playing a grand piece once more. In sync with the rising music, Damia’s heart pounded ominously.

 

“….”

 

As Basili entered along the red carpet, his gaze briefly rested on Damia for just a moment.

 

‘Why is he smiling so meaningfully like that!’

 

Though it was an instant that others wouldn’t notice, Damia felt her heart shrivel up.

 

Soon he stopped in the center of the banquet hall, and Drury approached him as if she had been waiting.

 

Her attitude was confident, as if that spot had always belonged to her.

 

At the sight of the two people who looked perfect together, a strange current flowed through the banquet hall.

 

What that composition implied was clear. Everyone held their breath and focused only on the prince’s lips.

 

He elegantly raised his champagne glass.

 

“To celebrate my beloved fiancée’s coming-of-age ceremony.”

 

He proposed a toast. Shock crossed the guests’ faces, but no one dared make a sound.

 

‘Drury is engaged to the First Prince?’

 

The Soro family was powerful enough to have once been related to the Imperial Family by marriage. So Drury wasn’t of a status that could never be united with a prince.

 

‘In my previous life, she seemed satisfied with being the Young Count’s fiancée.’

 

Did this happen because Damia interfered?

 

“So Miss Drury will become a princess?”

 

“Since Lord Basili will soon become Crown Prince, she might even become the next Empress….”

 

Everyone seemed to have mixed feelings as they grabbed nearby people and began whispering.

 

Basili Ballotea was certainly an excellent marriage prospect.

 

Of course, he had a fiancée who had been decided since birth. She was none other than a princess of the Kingdom of Parmia.

 

But even though the prince had passed his coming of age, their engagement never led to marriage and was only postponed repeatedly.

 

‘They finally broke off the engagement recently.’

 

People said they looked very well-matched on the surface.

 

That’s why no one could easily guess the reason for the broken engagement.

 

Only conflicting theories circulated—that the Emperor cherished Basili and didn’t want to send him outside the Empire, or that he was wary of too much power concentrating in someone who was still just a prince.

 

“Oh my, those two look quite well-matched too.”

 

“They must have held the coming-of-age ceremony when it wasn’t even her birthday to announce their engagement?”

 

A victor’s smile hung on Drury’s lips.

 

Whether she had truly fallen in love or was intoxicated by power was unclear.

 

But it was certain that she was extremely satisfied with this situation.

 

“They’re going to dance!”

 

People moved to the edges so the two protagonists of the day could have their first dance.

 

Basili and Drury swept across the hall, displaying perfect and flawless coordination.

 

“By the way, His Majesty the Emperor must have given his permission, right?”

 

“Of course. Earlier, Viscount Soro was boasting that they would hold a proper engagement ceremony again at the Imperial Palace.”

 

Even while dancing, Drury’s gaze often reached Damia. Her upturned face was extremely arrogant.

 

‘Did she want to show off this scene to me?’

 

Damia quietly hid herself toward the wall.

 

Though Drury’s open wariness toward her wasn’t pleasant, she did want to congratulate her on getting a new fiancé.

 

If Damia hadn’t interfered, Drury might have gotten engaged to Cassian once again.

 

‘Right now I’m just glad that Drury isn’t getting entangled with Cassian again.’

 

Because that shameless scene of her framing Romi was still vivid in her memory.

 

“Excuse me….”

 

Just then, she felt several young nobles glancing at her and approaching. They looked ready to ask her to dance when she just wanted to stay quiet.

 

Damia pretended not to see them and quietly stepped back.

 

“Romi!”

 

She spotted Romi among a group of maids waiting on one side.

 

As she approached with delight, she could hear the young nobles grumbling, thinking they had been ignored.

 

“You came too… late. I’m sorry, Miss.”

 

Romi’s bangs were damp with sweat and stuck to her forehead. Though her breathing was rough, her complexion was still pale.

 

“Are you feeling better now?”

 

“Yes, I’m much better now. I guess I was a bit nervous since it’s been a while.”

 

“Nothing happened to you, Miss?”

 

“…Yeah.”

 

Basili’s face from their encounter in the private room came to mind, but Damia shook her head slightly.

 

“Let’s leave when we get a good chance. I have a bad feeling.”

 

Though she had attended because she couldn’t simply refuse an invitation from Drury, a viscount’s daughter, she had felt uncomfortable the entire time.

 

She had decided to observe Drury’s activities since she had been quiet for a while, but it seemed better to leave quietly even without gaining anything.

 

“Miss Damia, are you enjoying the banquet enough?”

 

Just then, a nasal voice caught Damia’s attention. It was Drury, her face flushed red after dancing with the prince and numerous young nobles.

 

Her more cheerful tone than usual carried a hint of intoxication.

 

To personally come all the way to the corner where the servants were gathered. Did she have something she absolutely wanted to tell Damia?

 

Not wanting to draw any more attention, Damia smiled awkwardly.

 

“Yes, thanks to your consideration, Miss Drury. I sincerely congratulate you on your engagement.”

 

“Really?”

 

Though there was no particular reason for it, Drury burst into giggles.

 

Then she suddenly pressed her lips close to Damia’s ear.

 

“I always leave a mark on anything that was once mine.”

 

“…What?”

 

“So whatever it is, you’d better not think you took it from me.”

 

Drury smiled coldly and stepped back without hesitation.

 

“Wait, Miss Drury…!”

 

Before she could catch her, Drury disappeared into the crowd. Her face was smiling like a flower in full bloom.

 

“Wh-what did she just say? Don’t tell me she threatened you?”

 

“No, it wasn’t that….”

 

Though it sounded like a warning, it was puzzling. Could she be talking about Cassian or Romi?

 

But unlike in her previous life, Cassian in this life had never belonged to Drury.

 

It didn’t seem like Drury would still be obsessing over a mere maid like Romi.

 

“It seems Viscount Ponti’s daughter came without even a chaperone. Isn’t she still young?”

 

“She probably didn’t have a suitable maid to bring. Well, there wouldn’t be any proper retainers left in a family that’s falling apart.”

 

The young nobles who had been rejected when they asked Damia to dance settled nearby and began gossiping.

 

Their voices were deliberately loud, as if they hoped Damia wouldn’t miss a single word of this mockery.

 

‘I should have come with Mother.’

 

Though it was realistically impossible.

 

Countess Sarkis was too busy to attend a viscount’s daughter’s suddenly scheduled coming-of-age ceremony.

 

Moreover, she was handling the Count’s proxy duties while Cassian was away from the west, so she wouldn’t have had a moment to spare.

 

If Damia had asked, she would have gladly stepped forward, but she didn’t want to trouble her.

 

And lately, whenever she recalled Countess Sarkis’s warm gaze, her conscience pricked her.

 

She still didn’t suspect Damia’s feelings toward Cassian in the slightest.

 

‘Right. I need to solve this myself.’

 

If she just endured their rudeness, even greater humiliation might follow.

 

“Sigh.”

 

Damia let out a sigh as if for them to hear.

 

“If he knew I was hurt, how upset would the Young Count be?”

 

The shoulders of the sneering Young Nobles visibly flinched.

 

“With his personality, it wouldn’t end with just being upset.”

 

“A-are you trying to threaten us by using the Young Count’s name? Have you no shame!”

 

“Huh? That was just me talking to myself, did you hear it?”

 

When one of the Young Nobles who had gotten scared on his own shrieked, Damia widened her eyes and played innocent.

 

“Ugh…”

 

“But what do you mean by threatening? Did you perhaps do something wrong to me?”

 

When Damia smiled brightly, the Young Nobles’ faces turned deathly pale.

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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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