I Proposed Because You Were Terminally Ill - Chapter 68

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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 68

“Neighbors like family?”

Cassian snorted.

A chill overflowed that would have intimidated young nobles of the same age in an instant.

But instead of cracking, Arsene’s smile became even more solid.

“You moved to Rodion. What nonsense are you spouting when you became a citizen of the Kingdom, not the Empire?”

“I’ve decided to stay nearby again for a while.”

“What? Just when we barely managed to kick you out of the Viscount’s Manor…”

“It seems you’re aware that I was unjustly kicked out by someone who wasn’t even the landlord.”

Cassian shut his mouth tight as if he had been hit where it hurt.

“No, when exactly did you get out of the Viscount’s Mansion?”

“The Countess gladly gave her permission.”

While Damia was busy with Drury’s coming-of-age ceremony and Cassian was away on campaign, Arsene seemed to have grown quite close to Elena.

“Then where are you staying now?”

“Viscount Ponti also gave permission, but I had some trouble finding a new place to stay due to opposition from Damia’s anachronistic fiancé.”

“Just get to the point. I’m not free.”

“Young Count, you’re surprisingly impatient.”

Arsene’s voice was as gentle as when he spoke to Damia, with little difference.

But strangely, thorns could be felt in every syllable.

‘Am I imagining things?’

When Damia tilted her head, Arsene smiled reassuringly, his eyes crinkling.

“You know I originally lived next door to Damia, right?”

“Yeah.”

As if that fact was extremely distasteful, Cassian replied as if chewing on the words.

“I bought that house again.”

“…What?”

“This business trip seems like it will be quite long.”

Cassian’s red eyes trembled.

“Just how long are you planning to stay here? Do you think a minor can stay in a foreign country this long without a guardian?”

“My father will be visiting the Empire soon, so.”

“…I should immediately look for legal ways to deport you.”

“Huh? Are you serious?”

At Cassian’s unreasonable demand, Arsene drooped his eyebrows and made a troubled expression.

Perhaps because they had often played together alone since childhood, Arsene’s reaction was strangely similar to Damia’s.

“Arsene, you didn’t just copy me, did you?”

When Damia burst into laughter without realizing it, Cassian’s sharp gaze turned toward her.

He too seemed to have noticed that Arsene’s expression was similar to Damia’s.

And he seemed quite hurt in his pride by that fact.

No, it was a face that felt even betrayal beyond simple pride.

‘I guess Young Count doesn’t have many friends other than me, so he must be feeling left out.’

For his sake, it seemed she should quickly change the subject.

“Hmm… By the way, Cassian, what’s the reason you came to visit today?”

He said he wouldn’t spare investment in Damia’s affairs, but would minimize private meetings.

“…I was trying to buy the house next to yours, but someone had already moved in.”

“Why our neighboring house?”

“I was going to make you a proper workshop.”

“…What? What did you say?”

“I offered to pay double the asking price, but they refused, so I came to see what kind of bastard it was…”

Cassian’s voice was tightly locked. A sense of defeat briefly crossed his red eyes.

“Ah, that was me? I guess I was one step ahead of Young Count.”

Arsene, who usually won others’ favor with his humble attitude, replied as if boasting.

“No, what? This is too much from both of you!”

Unable to bear it any longer, Damia shouted loudly.

“Cassian, I have no intention of using the place where Arsene lived as a workshop. It would be somewhat burdensome!”

At Damia’s firm refusal, Cassian’s shoulders drooped.

“And Arsene, was this the business you said you had in this area? Why did you specifically buy the neighboring house again?”

Damia immediately turned her head to stare at Arsene.

“…Huh?”

“Actually, our house is in a pretty remote location. It’s quite far from town too. And the security isn’t great.”

“Th-that’s true.”

“If you’re going to travel around for business, it’s quite an inconvenient location.”

“Still, since I’m close to you…”

“Even so, isn’t it a waste of money?”

At Damia’s extremely practical point, this time Arsene’s lips stiffened.

“Right. My fiancée is correct. My fiancée didn’t particularly want to live close to you.”

Cassian, who had instantly regained his energy, grinned. He even crossed his arms, pretending to be relaxed.

“Since you said you were almost like sisters with my fiancée, I was going to specially let you continue staying at the Viscount’s Mansion.”

“…Fiancée, fiancée, please stop that. And like sisters? What nonsense are you talking about?”

At the word sisters, sparks flew in Arsene’s sky-blue eyes.

“Why? My fiancée introduced you as a childhood friend who’s as comfortable and close as a cousin sister.”

“Um, Cassian. I think the expression is a bit distorted. I never said it quite like that…”

“Anyway, since my fiancée defended you as such a harmless existence, I’m tolerating you despite your unclear identity.”

At that moment, Arsene’s smile stiffened, but it was only for an instant.

“Haha, this is an honor. It seems like someone as great as Young Count is jealous of my relationship with Damia.”

“What? Jealous?”

Damia swallowed dryly.

That proud and arrogant Young Count would never tolerate the word jealous.

He would surely throw a fit asking what she took him for.

“Yes, that’s right. Jealous.”

However, Cassian nodded surprisingly obediently.

“Is there any reason I shouldn’t be jealous? Where in the world is there a fiancé who would welcome his fiancée’s male friend?”

For someone who had said something extremely reasonable, Cassian’s red eyes were boiling fiercely.

“So stop provoking me and get up, won’t you?”

“What? Why should I?”

He grabbed the arm of Arsene, who had his bottom firmly planted in his seat.

“Well, I’m jealous of you being alone with Damia… no, honestly, it’s not quite jealousy-inducing.”

“…What? Why are you being so wishy-washy?”

“Since I’ve grasped the situation, I have business with you. I’m curious about what the property I was trying to buy actually looks like, so I can’t just leave. So guide me right now!”

“What unreasonable demand are you making again! I told you I won’t sell!”

The two were definitely close to being enemies.

Cassian always drew lines with others to the point of being fastidious, but Arsene was an exception.

Even now, Cassian was linking arms with Arsene, trying to make him get up.

“Wow, Young Count, you’ve become quite friendly with Arsene?”

“What? That’s nonsense… no, right. This guy is quite agreeable.”

Cassian changed his attitude like flipping his palm and grinned wickedly.

“I said I don’t want to go!”

“Right, thanks. Please guide me well.”

Arsene stiffened both legs with strength, trying not to be dragged away. The carpet on the floor was being pushed.

But he couldn’t match the grip strength of the Young Count who inherited the blood of a dragon slayer.

“Damia….”

In the end, Arsene began to be pitifully dragged away.

“That’s right, Arsene! This is a good opportunity to become friends with the Young Count.”

In fact, having the Young Count as a connection wouldn’t be bad for Arsene either.

Arsene’s expression crumpled miserably at Damia’s frustrating encouragement.

* * *

Arsene absolutely despised Young Count Sarkis.

Because he had taken the seat next to the girl he had loved since he was very young, while he was briefly away.

“Hey, why don’t you brighten up that expression?”

“I was born looking like this. Now, here is the library.”

Arsene forced his lips into a smile as he guided Cassian around the manor.

In front of Damia, he had pretended he couldn’t bear his curiosity about Arsene’s new house, but now that they were alone, Cassian seemed to have lost all interest as if by magic.

Cassian ran his gloved hand along the library bookshelf and spoke halfheartedly.

“Well, it’s not bad for something that hasn’t been touched by human hands for a long time.”

“You flatter me, Young Count.”

Arsene stealthily stole a glance at the Young Count’s chiseled profile.

‘Damn, I lost.’

He didn’t want to admit it, but he had no choice but to acknowledge it.

Clearly, he wasn’t the type to lose out in looks anywhere he went, but with Cassian, it felt like they were different species altogether.

Moreover, there was that innate elegance and composure that Arsene could never imitate.

Unlike himself, who had been scorned by Damia’s father for being of common birth, the Young Count was someone born to reign above others.

‘No, background and status aside… the real problem is that face.’

Yes, Cassian’s true talent was precisely that appearance.

Arsene suddenly recalled his shocking first meeting with Damia.

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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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