I Proposed Because You Were Terminally Ill - Chapter 6

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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 6

Wait, how much does the Countess know?

‘The medicine I gave him, or at least the prophetic dream story—she must have heard about that, right? That’s the only way the Countess would have taken interest in me…’

Damia unconsciously glanced sideways at Cassian. When their eyes met, the young boy shrugged his shoulders with a relaxed expression.

At that moment, an ominous premonition struck the back of Damia’s head.

‘Su-surely he didn’t tell her nothing at all, right?’

Damia froze in panic and stared blankly at the Countess’s moving lips.

“I’m delighted to meet you, young lady. And you’re so composed and dignified…”

Huh? Delighted?

Damia’s eyes widened at the unexpectedly gentle and favorable reaction.

“Cassian opened up his secrets to you because he’s given you his heart, hasn’t he? Even knowing this child’s condition, you embraced him.”

The Countess’s blue eyes, looking at her terminally ill son and Damia, had become moist with tears.

“I wanted Cassian to experience all the happiness that others get to enjoy.”

“Mm…”

“But ever since Cassian realized his condition, he’s been extremely reluctant to form deep relationships with anyone.”

“Ah…”

“I’m grateful for your existence, young lady, for giving such courage to Cassian.”

It seems like there’s been a serious misunderstanding…

Damia swallowed dryly and stole a glance at Cassian.

She expected him to jump up and ask what kind of nonsense that was, but instead the young boy was nodding his head.

It seemed Cassian himself was the one who had planted this deeply romantic misunderstanding in the Countess’s mind.

“Even if Cassian should leave this world first…”

As if overcome with emotion while speaking, Countess Sarkis stood up.

She approached Damia and clasped both her hands together.

Despite her cold appearance, her hands were warm and soft.

“The Count Sarkis Family intends to take responsibility for you, young lady. If needed, we’ll support you to the end with remarriage, studying abroad, or whatever else.”

‘What? Even remarriage?’

At that part, Cassian grimaced on one side of his face as if something bothered him.

“Isn’t that right, Cassian?”

But when the Countess turned around seeking agreement, only a very wistful smile remained on Cassian’s handsome face.

“Of course. I want my fiancée to be happy even in a world without me.”

Though there couldn’t be even a trace of sincerity mixed in, it was a voice that sounded sickeningly genuine.

‘So this is how you’re going to play it.’

Damia’s violet eyes sparkled for a moment as she grasped the situation.

“Please don’t… say such things.”

“…Young Lady Ponti?”

“How could I ever be happy without the Young Duke? I… *sob*!”

Damia buried her face in both hands and hung her head low. She even sniffled, pretending to cry.

It was quite a high-level acting performance that could fool even Cassian, who knew the whole situation.

“How can someone have such a beautiful heart…”

Countess Sarkis’s voice trembled faintly.

She seemed moved by the scene before her eyes.

“May I call you my daughter?”

“*Sob*… Yes, Mother!”

When Damia answered quickly, the Countess was so moved that tears welled up in her eyes.

‘Maybe I can be quite loved during this fake engagement period?’

Though Cassian seemed to be shaking his head in disbelief, it was still a much smoother start than she had expected.

* * *

A few days later, Damia sat in the drawing room of Sarkis Palace with a tearful expression.

“Are you really serious? You’re going to introduce me as the Young Duke’s fiancée at this tea party?”

Damia anxiously chewed her lips.

“Wasn’t that just a kids’ tea party? You’re suddenly making an engagement announcement?”

“If others heard you, they’d think you’re not a kid yourself.”

Well, unlike how I appear, I’m not really a child…

Damia swallowed the truth that must never be discovered along with a sigh.

“Are you dissatisfied that it’s not a proper engagement ceremony?”

“That can’t be it. I just…”

I want to quietly spend time as the Young Duke’s fiancée in name only, then break off the engagement and flee to another country.

So there’s nothing good for either of us if my face becomes known everywhere.

Damia bit her lips firmly to avoid accidentally revealing her true thoughts.

“How about being satisfied with just an engagement announcement? If we prepare a grand engagement ceremony, I might just drop dead in the meantime, being terminally ill and all.”

“What? No, Young Duke, that’s not…”

According to my memories from my previous life, you’re not that terminally ill.

There wasn’t a single thing she could comfortably say out loud.

Damia eventually gave up on arguing and obediently pursed her lips.

“Well, if you think even the engagement announcement is too much, just bear with it. Mother seems to want to show you off that way.”

“Mother does?”

Instead of answering, Cassian lightly gestured to the butler.

The silent butler bowed his head and opened the drawing room door.

“Madam has prepared engagement gifts. Due to the tight schedule, we’re only delivering part of them today, so please understand.”

Along with the butler’s explanation, a group that seemed to have moved the entire capital’s marketplace poured into the drawing room.

“This is… just part of it?”

Damia unconsciously swallowed dryly. The group of merchants bowed their heads in unison.

“We will serve you with our utmost effort!”

The spacious drawing room of the palace was filled with Damia’s dresses, jewelry, and various accessories.

“What will you do if you’re already surprised? I haven’t even brought in my gifts yet.”

“What? You prepared gifts too, Young Duke?”

“Of course. You’re my precious fiancée.”

Cassian approached Damia, who was so stunned her lips could only twitch, and replied.

When they were alone, he constantly grumbled, but in front of others, he acted like an affectionate fiancé.

“As long as you don’t break the contract and get clingy, I’ll provide generous material support.”

At his whisper, Damia’s heart began pounding like crazy.

“Really?”

Though it was payment for the medicine, since she had demanded the engagement unilaterally, she had kept quiet thinking it would be shameless to expect financial compensation too.

But since he was offering to take care of it himself, there was no reason to refuse.

‘The funds for fleeing to the kingdom will pile up nicely, won’t they?’

Because of her previous life, she was now sick of men. Honestly, even if the Young Duke offered his heart, she would reject it.

Soon the panic faded from Damia’s violet eyes.

“I like the Young Duke sooo much that it might be difficult, but…”

The girl clearly whispered an embarrassing confession in Cassian’s ear and stood up abruptly.

“I’ll take good care of my heart so I won’t disappoint you.”

And she extended one hand to the Young Duke as if requesting a handshake.

Her attitude was more like dealing with an employer or business partner than someone she had a crush on.

“…A handshake? Now?”

Cassian raised an eyebrow, sensing something off, but couldn’t bring himself to reject Damia’s hand.

Damia smiled very satisfactorily and shook hands with Cassian.

The rumor about him having mysophobia wasn’t entirely false, as the Young Duke never removed his gloves to the end, but that didn’t matter at all.

* * *

“Did everyone hear the news? At today’s tea party, Young Duke Sarkis is going to personally introduce his fiancée!”

“What? That can’t be true!”

A commotion broke out among a group of noble young ladies.

Cassian Sarkis, the most beautiful young man in the empire, was the center of every girl’s attention.

“…A fiancée?”

At that moment, a blonde girl standing under the Willow Shade with a parasol spoke up.

It was Drury Soro, a girl with honey-bright blonde hair and attractively upturned eyes.

“Oh my, I thought it was about Lady Soro, the Marquis’s daughter, but it wasn’t?”

Drury blinked slowly to hide her confusion.

‘That Cassian Sarkis is engaged?’

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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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