I Proposed Because You Were Terminally Ill - Chapter 75

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 75

“I don’t know who you had in mind when you set your standards for an ideal type, but you clearly don’t know much about how the world works yet, young lady.”

“Excuse me?”

“Economic power and status are essential conditions for a stable life. Especially when it comes to a partner’s high social standing, there’s no reason to refuse it.”

He had a peculiar way of treating Damia like a child.

“I wasn’t talking about my ideal type to get advice.”

“Please don’t take offense. You’ll come to understand that my advice is correct later on.”

“What did you say? You seem to have just come of age yourself, and you’re clearly younger than me.”

Damia bristled without realizing it.

She had a lot of pent-up frustration toward Cassian, who always acted like only he was an adult despite their mere two-year age difference.

Moreover, if she added her memories from her previous life, she was clearly the more mature one!

‘Count Fabron was exactly that kind of husband with economic power and status!’

She didn’t want her standards for a husband, gained through two lifetimes, to be refuted by a seventeen-year-old telling her she didn’t know anything.

“Excuse me, I asked you to answer.”

“Ah, it seems we’ve arrived.”

The light from the chandelier was visible through the gap in the door. They had reached the entrance to the banquet hall.

Damia stopped in front of the door and stared intently at Cassian.

“…What is it?”

Cassian tilted his head sideways. Seeing that leisurely, smooth face made mischief suddenly well up inside her.

“I should thank you.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“You escorted me all the way to the Wetland Garden without me even asking… and you lent me your coat too.”

His coat was still draped over Damia’s shoulders.

She had planned to return it before going back to the banquet hall, but she changed her mind.

The people from the Midnight Greenhouse didn’t know Damia’s identity anyway. If rumors spread, it would be Cassian who’d be bothered by it.

She no longer felt like being considerate.

“Are you really grateful?”

“Of course. I’m so thankful. It was uncomfortable, but I think it was quite enjoyable in its own way.”

Damia stepped closer to Cassian. His eyes widened at the suddenly shortened distance.

Damia grabbed Cassian’s firm forearm and stood on her tiptoes.

The moment he froze in confusion.

“What, what are you doing!”

Damia’s lips brushed against his cheek. It was contact so childish and playful that it was hard to even call it a kiss. In fact, she had only mimicked it and barely touched him at all.

“In Rodion, this is how we express our gratitude when we’re truly thankful.”

It was indeed a greeting exchanged between close friends in the open-minded Rodion.

She thought he might be disgusted since he disliked contact with others, but she wanted to get back at him.

“…!”

But Cassian didn’t get angry. Instead, with his lips parted, he placed his hand on his own cheek and froze.

His red eyes were shaking as if an earthquake had struck.

‘Huh? Did I go too far?’

She knew that Cassian disliked contact with others.

That’s why she had been careful not to let her lips actually touch him…

He couldn’t say anything for a long while. His handsome face even turned as red as a tomato.

‘Was he so displeased that he can’t even speak?’

Damia’s heart pounded. It was a dumbfounded expression she had never seen once in the past two years.

“Um…”

She had boldly kissed his cheek, but seeing him freeze up like that made her gradually worry.

“If you found it unpleasant, I’ll apologize.”

“…”

“I forgot that Rodion is much more open than the Empire.”

“…Are you insane?!”

Cassian fumed while still keeping his hand on one cheek.

“Are you saying that in Rodion, everyone indulges in such improper behavior upon first meeting?”

“I, I don’t think it was that improper. It’s just a light greeting.”

As if his mind had cleared, focus returned to Cassian’s red eyes.

“Then you mean you’ve been casually exchanging such shameless greetings with just anyone among fellow Rodion natives?”

“Huh? Is that what’s important right now?”

“It’s important to me!”

“Why?”

“That’s…”

Cassian’s lips moved, but he couldn’t continue his words.

He roughly ran his large hand through his hair as if frustrated.

“Answer me. Even if I had exchanged such greetings with others as a sign of affection, what business is it of yours, Young Count?”

“…Young Count?”

Oops, she had made a mistake.

Damia bit her lips tightly.

Given the situation, it seemed better to escape quickly.

It was the moment Damia was about to grab the door handle to return to the banquet hall.

“Ha, so you’re finally confessing. Were you planning to pretend not to know me until the end?”

If she aroused more suspicion here, Damia’s identity would be exposed.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Instead, Damia confidently raised her head and gripped his jacket draped over her shoulders tightly.

“Since I’ve been caught anyway, I’ll be honest with you too.”

Cassian, having regained his composure, nodded arrogantly.

“Actually, I knew all along that the gentleman before me was Young Count Sarkis.”

“Right. There’s no way you wouldn’t know.”

“A scandal with a celebrity would spread like wildfire. As a businesswoman, I couldn’t pass up such an opportunity.”

“…What?”

“Thank you. For helping with my publicity like this. I’m going to thoroughly enjoy this rumor.”

Damia grinned and flung open the door.

* * *

“Oh my, look over there.”

“I thought they had left early since I couldn’t see them, but what’s this about?”

All eyes turned to Damia and Cassian as they reappeared in the banquet hall.

“Did the two of them disappear together?”

“Oh my, this doesn’t look ordinary.”

Perhaps due to the anonymity characteristic of masquerade balls, the surrounding gazes blatantly looked the two of them up and down.

Cassian’s coat draped over Damia’s shoulders, the seemingly closer distance between the two.

Cassian probably hadn’t failed to anticipate this reaction, but he seemed flustered as more attention focused on them than expected.

“Listen, Young Count.”

Damia whispered close to his ear.

“I’ll have this coat cleaned and returned to you.”

“There’s no need for that.”

“Contact me at the address on the business card I’ll enclose with it. If you want to continue meeting with me, that is.”

Damia smiled leisurely and took a step away from him.

“Then I’ll specially meet with you.”

And before he could stop her, she melted into the crowd.

In the distance, she could see Romi staring in their direction.

Her strategy of pretending to be poor at the Imperial language seemed to be working, as none of the gathered people around Romi were easily striking up conversations with her.

“D-did he find out?”

Romi quickly covered her mouth with her fan and whispered.

“Well… um… I’m not sure.”

“…What?!”

“Let’s watch the situation a bit more before leaving.”

Romi nodded with determination.

Just as they were trying to slip toward the exit, curious noble young ladies surrounded Damia.

They were clearly trying to figure out her relationship with Cassian based on the clothes she was wearing.

“Oh my, what’s going on?”

Just then, Bertha Golt, Baroness, who had recovered her complexion, approached as well.

Even though Damia was her benefactor, it seemed she couldn’t miss out on interesting gossip.

“Ah, you’re all curious about these clothes.”

Damia smiled leisurely.

“That gentleman kindly helped me out. My dress got dirty while we were touring the Wetland Garden together.”

What did they do together that got stains on her dress?

Does this mean she’s gotten that close to that picky Young Count?

The Wetland Garden has nothing worth seeing, yet they specifically went there together?

Just looking at their eyes, it was obvious what questions they wanted to ask.

“Could everyone step aside for a moment?”

At Berta’s gesture, the curious eyes scattered.

As people moved aside, Berta immediately seized the opportunity and approached Damia closely.

“He wouldn’t have come here for social purposes… How interesting.”

“Pardon?”

“You’ve figured out who he is, haven’t you? Even though you’re from Rodion.”

“Well… red eyes aren’t common in the Empire. He’s probably Young Count Sarkis.”

“That’s right. There are strange rumors going around lately, so I think he came to keep watch.”

“Strange rumors?”

At Damia’s question, Berta’s smile deepened.

“Monsters have been rampaging in the West lately. There are rumors that it’s because of the Young Count.”

“What? That’s ridiculous.”

“They say the monsters are stirring again because there’s a crack in the Empire’s shield.”

A crack?

‘Could it be that Cassian’s terminal condition has been discovered?’

Damia’s fingertips turned cold.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————