I Proposed Because You Were Terminally Ill - Chapter 74

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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 74

“Excuse me, are you really sure you’ve mistaken me for someone else?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s such an obvious line, isn’t it? I thought you might be trying to get my attention.”

“Ha.”

“Should we take this opportunity to get a bit closer? I’m actually free since I don’t have a fiancé.”

“…You don’t have a fiancé.”

“I don’t know anything about you, sir, but I’m actually the type who judges by looks.”

Damia stared at him intently and smiled brightly.

“Your appearance isn’t the kind that can be hidden by a mere mask. You pass.”

“…”

“Status and wealth come after that. I’m the type who trusts faces over conditions. That’s more truthful, isn’t it?”

The man with the most perfect conditions in the Empire narrowed his eyes.

“You really don’t know who I am.”

“I came from Rodion, you know. Are you perhaps someone very famous in the Empire?”

“You…”

Cassian’s red eyes stared directly at Damia.

He seemed to be scrutinizing every inch of the face hidden beneath the mask, determined to uncover the truth.

“…Really not?”

He seemed to be seriously considering for the first time the possibility that the woman before him was not Damia.

“You truly don’t know who I am?”

“No matter how handsome you are, excessive self-consciousness isn’t attractive.”

Cassian slowly twisted his lips.

“…Is that so.”

His low murmur pierced through her ears.

“Can you guarantee what you just said?”

Soon the confusion cleared from that handsome face and composure settled in.

Cassian leaned his upper body toward Damia. His shadow seemed ready to swallow Damia whole.

“…!”

Damia forgot to pretend to be calm and stepped back.

“Ah, I’m sorry if I startled you.”

Cassian chuckled softly. It was a very relaxed smile.

Damia gripped the hem of her dress. She felt unfairly wronged for flinching under his pressure.

“I noticed your dress got dirty from the muddy water.”

Whether it had splashed while collecting soil samples, small dirt stains remained scattered across her dress.

“It wouldn’t be proper to let a lady walk around in this state.”

“No, I’m fine…!”

Without giving her time to refuse, Cassian removed his outer coat and draped it over Damia’s shoulders.

Cassian’s distinctive cool fragrance wafted up, completely different from the stuffy air of the Wetland Garden.

Damia’s fingertips trembled slightly as she gripped the coat.

“…Thank you. How gentlemanly of you.”

“It was only natural.”

Cassian quietly gazed at Damia with one corner of his mouth raised.

His sharp, probing attitude had disappeared. He had become polite in an instant.

“I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”

Everywhere Cassian’s gaze touched seemed to grow warm for no reason.

‘He’s even using formal speech?’

It was hard to believe he was only seventeen years old, he was so perfectly gentlemanly.

‘Was he half-serious when he called me his little sister?’

It was completely different from how he usually treated Damia. Much more mature and polite.

“If your business is finished, how about we head back up?”

Cassian extended one hand as he spoke. It was a very natural request for an escort.

“Hmm…”

Since she had collected the soil samples she was curious about, there was no longer any reason to stay here.

But Damia couldn’t bring herself to grab his extended hand and only stared at it.

“Are you alright?”

Perhaps because of the gentle blue light from the luminous plants, Cassian looked particularly mysterious and handsome.

She realized anew that he had become closer to a man than a young boy.

Getting swept up in this atmosphere would be dangerous.

“…Yes, I’m fine.”

A voice that seemed locked tight from tension flowed out.

“Do I make you uncomfortable?”

Cassian’s eyes narrowed, but he still didn’t withdraw his hand.

“Of course not.”

Damia gripped his hand firmly and smiled brightly. She was grateful he was wearing gloves.

“Earlier you seemed puzzled that I didn’t recognize you.”

He led Damia’s hand toward the stairs.

“You must be such an important person in the Empire that everyone should recognize you even at masked balls like this.”

Damia gazed down at her own hand held in his. For someone rumored to be a germaphobe, he readily took the hand of a woman he’d just met.

Or was he just pretending to be fooled while actually being certain of Damia’s identity?

“It would be awkward for me to say so myself.”

Cassian smiled cheekily, then stepped aside on the stairs so Damia could go up first.

Damia gathered her skirts and climbed the stairs.

“I’ll return your coat.”

“No need.”

“What if strange rumors start spreading?”

“Does that concern you?”

There was a strange hint of laughter in his voice. She couldn’t fathom his true intentions at all.

“I’m fine with it, but… isn’t there anyone who shouldn’t hear such rumors about you?”

“Not particularly.”

What? There isn’t?

Damia barely managed to resist the urge to turn around and scrutinize his expression thoroughly.

Did this mean Damia wasn’t his official fiancée, so there was no one to be concerned about?

“Really? Like someone your family arranged beforehand, or someone you exchange feelings with… or if not that, someone who one-sidedly yearns for your affection… there could easily be someone like that.”

Without realizing it, she kept rambling on and on.

“There’s no one I should feel guilty toward.”

It was a firm answer. It wasn’t wrong.

They were contractual partners who had to abide by strict clauses prohibiting personal relationships. They were bound by transaction, not emotion.

Yet she didn’t feel good about it. Damia’s grip tightened on the stair railing.

“As for you, my lady… I heard rumors that you’re a noblewoman from Rodion, so I thought you might be married.”

Damia’s mouth went dry at the pleasant baritone voice coming from behind her.

“It’s safer to be known that way, and it’s also good for gaining trust.”

Perhaps thinking it made sense, no rebuttal came back.

Damia quickened her pace. She didn’t know why these stairs felt unusually longer than before.

“Come to think of it, you have similar hobbies to my fiancée.”

“…What did you say?”

This time Damia couldn’t help herself and turned around.

It was too dark to see Cassian’s expression clearly.

She felt like only her own agitation would be exposed. Damia quickly turned her head away.

“Why are you acting like this? Is there some problem?”

As they approached the banquet hall again, the sound of people murmuring could be heard from upstairs.

“Earlier, you said there was no one I shouldn’t be involved with, even if rumors spread about us.”

“Ah.”

“But you have a fiancée.”

Without realizing it, my tone came out sharp and accusatory.

“That’s…”

“You don’t need to make excuses. I remembered that in the Empire, emotions and marriage are separate matters.”

“…”

“I think it’s a rational way of thinking. If I had been born in the Empire, I might have had no objections at all.”

The footsteps that had been following me stopped.

“…Is that so?”

“Fortunately, I was born in Rodion, so I can marry whoever I want.”

“So that’s why you were talking about seeing someone’s face and all that?”

“That’s right. Would you like to hear more details about my ideal type?”

“Let’s say I would. Someone seems very similar to you, but their actions appear to be the opposite.”

“Well, if you’re that curious…”

Actually, I had already established my standards for an ideal type. I had systematically organized them, including experiences from my previous life.

The conditions seemed quite valid and reasonable, so I had been wanting to subtly boast about them to others.

Thanks to the mask, it felt much less burdensome to talk about it.

“Hmm… Actually, I think it would be fine even if they didn’t have much. As long as the person is smart and kind.”

“You mean conditions aren’t important?”

“Yes, actually I’d prefer it if they weren’t nobility. I absolutely hate things like obligations. They’re so suffocating.”

“…”

“I don’t like having too much money either. It becomes tiresome with all the family matters, reputation, and responsibilities to take care of.”

“Are you serious?”

Damia was so absorbed in talking about her ideal type that she didn’t notice Cassian’s expression was far from normal.

“But I don’t like lazy people. It would be perfect if they worked diligently to earn money, retired early, and we could live together in the quiet countryside.”

“It seems like you have someone specific in mind.”

Huh? I wasn’t really thinking of anyone in particular when I said that.

But when I thought about it carefully, it did seem similar to Arsene’s situation.

Though I had never consciously realized that fact before.

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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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