I Proposed Because You Were Terminally Ill - Chapter 9

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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 9

“I’m back.”

Damia slowly opened the door to the manor where no one was there to greet her.

Given the Ponti Viscount Family’s circumstances, they couldn’t properly pay the servants’ wages, so this was already a familiar occurrence.

“Damia, come here for a moment.”

From the living room, where she thought no one would be, came Viscount Ponti’s voice.

Damia let out a small sigh and took reluctant steps forward.

“Did you go to Sarkis Palace?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The image of the young duke coughing up blood suddenly came to mind, but Damia answered as calmly as possible.

She didn’t want her father to notice her confused feelings.

“Seeing that a marriage proposal has actually come in, it seems the young duke is quite fond of you.”

Viscount Ponti was in quite a softened state after seeing the marriage proposal stamped with the Sarkis Ducal Family’s seal.

“I told you, didn’t I? We’re passionately in love.”

“I still can’t believe it… Well, you are quite pretty.”

“Yes, I don’t know how fortunate I am to resemble my mother.”

“Yes, that’s fortunate as you say.”

It was an unusually gentle reaction from her father, who would usually bristle whenever the late viscountess was mentioned.

‘Does he have something to ask of me?’

When Damia narrowed the space between her eyebrows, Viscount Ponti cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Well… to commemorate the engagement, didn’t you receive anything else besides gifts?”

“Pardon?”

“Like territory… or perhaps they could help with funding, don’t you think?”

Damia’s eyes widened.

“I haven’t even had my debutante ball yet. There’s still a long way to go before we formally marry.”

“Tsk, who doesn’t know that?”

“Father, please… isn’t it a bit shameless to make such demands already?”

“You said the young duke cherishes you so much that he forced through this engagement despite the difference in status.”

The viscount glanced at Damia while smacking his lips.

“How sincere those feelings really are can actually be seen by how much money they spend.”

In the end, it was about money again. Her father was just as shameless as in her previous life.

A bitter laugh escaped from Damia.

“Count Fabron promised massive financial support even before marriage. So it would be good if the young duke also showed his sincerity…”

“Father!”

“Why, why are you raising your voice?”

“Isn’t that going too far?”

“Damia, do you know how devastating the damage would be to you if the young duke had a change of heart? You should understand this father’s heart, worried about you getting hurt.”

“You’re not worried about me, but about yourself. About missing the chance to sell me for a higher price.”

“Damia, what kind of way of speaking is that!”

Her father, hit right on target, shouted as if choked up.

“I don’t want to hear any more. I trust the young duke.”

As long as that purple herb existed, the terminally ill Cassian couldn’t betray Damia.

Any further conversation was meaningless.

It was the moment when Damia got up from her seat to return to her room.

“Butler, do you think Countess Sarkis will really allow the marriage, even if she’s watching the engagement for now?”

“If you’re asking for my opinion… I think it would probably be difficult.”

“There’s no immediate opportunity to gain anything, and Count Fabron would have been better after all.”

“Actually, it is a somewhat difficult situation. There are limits to juggling debts…”

“Tsk. Is there no hope left with Count Fabron?”

“Ah, fortunately Count Fabron…”

Though they lowered their voices considerably, perhaps being conscious of Damia, the house was small to begin with, so she couldn’t help but hear.

“I can hear everything, Father.”

Damia, who had stopped abruptly, glared at the two men.

“I’d rather die than be with anyone other than Young Duke Sarkis, so don’t say such troublesome things.”

Everything was disgusting.

To cut off the bad connections from her previous life and start anew, it seemed the only option was to flee to the Kingdom after all.

* * *

When she arrived at her old but cozy room, there was a letter placed on her desk.

At that moment, her brow, which had been deeply furrowed because of her father and the butler, smoothed out gently.

There was only one person she had exchanged letters with during this time.

“Is it from Arsene?”

Damia hurriedly picked up the letter envelope.

A smile appeared at the welcome name written on the front.

“It’s really been so long.”

Arsene was the eldest son of the successful commoner businessman Mr. Cadis, and Damia’s only childhood friend.

Being a noble lady yet as poor as a commoner, Damia was an ambiguous existence among her peers in many ways.

‘Besides kind Arsene, no one would associate with me.’

But as soon as the Cadis Family’s business grew, they fled to the Kingdom of Rhodion next to the Empire.

On the day Arsene left, Damia was heartbroken, but Viscount Ponti was delighted as if a burden had been lifted.

The viscount had been furious that a mere commoner dared to not know his place and associate with a noble lady.

‘Father was anxious that I might later throw a tantrum saying I wanted to marry Arsene.’

For her father, who had nothing but the meager pride of being a noble, a commoner son-in-law was a more terrible humiliation than starving to death.

Even though the Ponti Viscount Family was on the verge of bankruptcy, and Mr. Cadis was wealthy enough to rival most nobles.

‘Anyway, it was a needless worry. We were just friends.’

Perhaps her father was more fussed because Arsene was a rare pretty boy in the neighborhood.

Damia had possessed a discerning aesthetic sense since childhood.

‘When did I lose contact with Arsene in my previous life?’

Including her past life, it was so long ago that it was hazy.

‘I’ll definitely come to see you again, so wait for me. You absolutely can’t forget me!’

That boy who was like spring flowers, who worried about Damia until the end even while heading to the Kingdom of Rhodion with his father.

In her previous life, Arsene had taken over his father’s business and established himself stably in the Kingdom of Rhodion.

‘Arsene kept his childhood promise, didn’t he?’

Because he, now grown up, had really come to see Damia again.

The count wanted to establish trade with the Kingdom of Rhodion and tried to build connections with the successful businessman Mr. Cadis.

And he invited his son, who happened to be visiting the Empire, to the manor.

‘The count had no idea that we were childhood friends.’

Anyway, the count acted like an affectionate husband until the end in front of Arsene.

But as soon as they were alone, he turned violent again.

Was it because that memory was too horrible?

Even though she had sworn never to forget, she had somehow forgotten the boy’s existence.

‘Wait.’

Damia, who was opening the letter envelope with a knife, paused.

‘Couldn’t Arsene help with my exile?’

There couldn’t be a more reliable ally for moving to the Kingdom.

Perhaps Damia could also be of help to Arsene.

Damia had great interest in the herb business that the Ponti Viscount Family had abandoned long ago.

Damia’s eyes began to sparkle.

* * *

A few days later, this time Cassian invited Damia to the duke’s mansion.

‘Boating on the lake? Has the Young Duke’s health recovered somewhat?’

While she was tilting her head in wonder, the luxurious carriage arrived at the duke’s mansion.

“Young Duke! I didn’t expect you to come out yourself.”

Cassian was waiting alone for Damia at the entrance of the mansion that looked almost like a castle.

“Are you feeling better? I was very worried.”

“I’m fine.”

It didn’t seem to be a lie, as his handsome face, which had regained its color, was glowing with health.

‘I was so worried I couldn’t even sleep properly…’

The young boy before her looked very healthy, as if her concerns had been pointless.

She had been anxiously wondering if it might be a side effect of the treatment, but it seemed to have been unnecessary worry.

“Young Duke, did you miss me these past few days too? Is that why you came out like this?”

“No, I simply came to greet my fiancée since I invited her. This is just basic courtesy.”

His habitual boundary-setting was still there, and everything was the same as usual.

However…

‘Why does he keep avoiding my eyes?’

Cassian kept glancing at Damia’s fingertips rather than her eyes.

He looked as if he had something difficult to say.

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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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