I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 171

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Many people have spent time with me, but among them, Yuri is the one I spend the most time with.
Yuri had completely shut down Yuri Moor Confectionery and stuck herself to my side.
“Sometimes I think Yuri sees me as a doll.”
“Actually, I kind of do.”
“What?”
“It’s so much fun and enjoyable to find clothes that suit such a beautiful person and dress her up, trim her hair.”
“…Really?”
It was a sensibility I couldn’t quite understand, but since Yuri was genuinely happy about it, I supposed that was reason enough.
I sat in a chair and gazed at my reflection in the mirror.
‘I am quite beautiful.’
For someone with less than three years left to live, my complexion was remarkably vibrant and my skin was full of elasticity.
Without any special makeup, my skin was fair and smooth, pleasant to look at.
“Today I’ll give you an elegant wave. You’re beautiful no matter what, but today you’ll be especially beautiful.”
“Alright, do whatever you want, Yuri.”
Yuri certainly had skillful hands.
With her golden touch, it was obvious she would produce the best results no matter what she did.
“Your Highness. Have you given any thought to Arun last night?”
“What… what would I have to think about?”
Truth be told, I was somewhat confused.
Whenever I saw Arun, my heart would flutter inexplicably, and meeting his gaze felt burdensome.
This was Arun’s fault.
Arun’s fault for being so handsome that merely looking at him made my heart race.
I had no fault in this.
“From what I can see, Your Highness seems to have Arun on your mind as well?”
“That’s not true.”
“It seems like it is true.”
“Yuri.”
Honestly, Arun was handsome—that much was true.
He was handsome even with blurry eyes, and he was so strikingly handsome that my eyes would snap open even if I saw him on a train.
He was truly my type.
And I knew of his unwavering devotion and sincerity toward me.
I knew he desperately wanted me.
“But I.”
I could not accept Arun’s feelings.
In three years, I will no longer exist in this world.
Yuri dropped the brush she was holding to the ground.
And she covered both her ears with her hands.
“Nope nope nope. I can’t hear you, I can’t hear. I won’t listen.”
“…”
Yuri had an uncanny ability to sense exactly what I was about to say.
Soon after, Yuri picked up the comb that had fallen to the ground.
Though there was no real need, she summoned Bangwul, the Spirit of water, to wash the comb clean before resuming her work.
“They say the Princess will live a long life, so I’ll make sure of it no matter what.”
This was always difficult for me.
My death was already predetermined, yet when Yuri spoke with such desperation, I didn’t know how to respond.
I had seen it in the novel.
This was something that could never be changed.
I couldn’t tell her that.
And I was afraid that if I carelessly said, “Thank you, I wish for that too,” it would give her false hope.
“Wow, the sunlight is beautiful. Can I stand by the window?”
“Sigh. Understood. I’ll finish your hair by the window. But let’s make a promise—no more scary talk about what happens three years from now.”
“Agreed.”
We moved to the window.
‘Huh?’
In the distance, a man and woman were laughing brightly in the warm spring sunlight.
It was Arun and Aselia.
The sight of them was like a scene from a youth film, and I found myself gazing at them without thinking.
‘Arun… doesn’t smile often, or so they say.’
The rumor was widespread that Arun only smiled in front of the Princess.
I both liked and disliked that.
But the Arun walking with Aselia now was smiling quite contentedly.
‘And Aselia doesn’t usually smile either.’
Aselia was famous throughout the Imperial Palace as a workaholic, called a machine without expression.
Yet the Aselia beside Arun was smiling as happily as someone who possessed the entire world.
It was a refreshing sight.
They suited each other so perfectly that just watching them made my heart feel light.
‘But…’
Even though it was such a beautiful scene to witness, my chest inexplicably began to ache with sharp, piercing pangs.
* * *
Arun was not naturally perceptive.
Thanks to the self that had formed during his Kim Beolggwol days, he had a remarkably stubborn, solitary nature, and because he had grown up caring little for anything other than Isabel, he had not developed the ability to attend to those around him.
Most of his adolescence, when he should have learned much, was spent sparring with Emperor Ron, so his experience was limited and it was difficult for him to be perceptive.
However, when it came to matters concerning Isabel, his perceptiveness was extraordinary.
This was because Isabel was the only person he truly cared about.
Every day he visited Isabel’s room and paid attention to her every breath.
As a result, he reacted sensitively to even the slightest change in her breathing.
‘Isabel is trying to push me away.’
Arun understood well why she was doing this.
It was because she believed he would soon depart.
Over the past seven years, he had come to terms with his own heart with absolute certainty.
‘It doesn’t matter if Isabel leaves sooner rather than later.’
Seven years.
That span of time, which I had desperately prayed and longed for Isabel to awaken during, had taught him something.
He was in love with Isabel now.
‘While we’re together, I want to love her truly.’
I wanted to love her as if tomorrow were our last day.
I had made a firm resolve to do exactly that.
But the moment I saw Isabel trying to distance herself from me, that resolve wavered.
Of course, my feelings for Isabel themselves remained unchanged.
Yet something else tormented Arun.
‘Am I causing Isabel pain because of my own selfishness?’
All he desired was Isabel’s happiness.
If Isabel could be happy, he was prepared to give up everything.
He was indifferent to all else, but Isabel’s laughter brought him joy.
Nothing else could be a true gift to him, but Isabel’s smile—that was his gift.
‘If Isabel suffers because of me… that cannot be allowed.’
Arun, whose perceptiveness regarding Isabel was exceptionally keen, found his heart in turmoil.
In that moment, a knock sounded at the door. Knock, knock.
“It’s Administrator Aselia. Are you in?”
“Yes.”
Aselia entered Arun’s office.
For reference, Arun was currently the Vice Commander of the Black Whale Knight Order and handled much of the practical work.
“These are the matters the Chamberlain’s Office wishes to request of the Black Whale this week.”
“Understood. I’ll review them by this morning and send a response by tomorrow.”
“By this afternoon.”
“….”
Aselia adjusted her glasses and stared intently at Arun.
“You can do it, Commander Arun.”
A resolute determination not to back down today was evident.
“Yes, I’ll have it done by this afternoon.”
“Thank you for your cooperation, Commander Arun.”
It was a routine occurrence.
Arun and Aselia engaged in these little contests of will once every three days.
Having achieved her objective, Aselia turned to leave.
“Administrator Aselia, there’s something I’d like to mention.”
“Please do. I do hope last week’s requests weren’t overlooked.”
Aselia fixed Arun with a sharp gaze.
From Aselia’s perspective, Arun was not a particularly good partner.
Arun’s martial prowess was so overwhelming that he tended to pay little attention to other minor matters.
As long as most problems could be solved through force, that was the end of it.
However, for Aselia, who oversaw administrative affairs, the difficulties were far from few.
“That’s not quite it.”
“Then what is it?”
“When a difficult situation arises, is it better to push forward stubbornly regardless, or would it be better to show consideration?”
Aselia regarded Arun briefly before speaking.
“You’re going to do as you please anyway, aren’t you?”
“….”
“You’ll suppress them by force as usual, then ask me to write up the incident report later. I’ll be the one handling complaints from human rights organizations and such. The lawbreakers you’ve brutally subdued are too terrified of you to protest, but they’ll lodge vigorous complaints with an easy target like me. It repeats every day. Damn it.”
“…I feel sorry about such things.”
“It’s been repeating for five years now. At this point, I don’t think ‘sorry’ cuts it.”
Aselia turned and walked away as if there was nothing more worth hearing.
“It concerns the Princess.”
“….”
Aselia stopped.
“I’m listening. Though I don’t have much time.”
“Then shall we talk while walking? We need to head to the Chamberlain’s Office anyway, don’t we?”
“Fine.”
For Aselia, a conversation with Arun wasn’t worth setting aside separate time for.
The only reason she was even talking to him was because it involved Isabel.
Since she had to go to the Chamberlain’s Office anyway, she could spare that time.
As they talked, Aselia discovered several good qualities in Arun.
“The Princess seems to like cute animals. Making a note.”
“What are you doing?”
“Recording.”
From what Aselia could see, Arun genuinely cared for Isabel.
He seemed like someone who would cherish even a single strand of her hair, and she found that endearing.
Arun knew many things about Isabel.
“And the Princess, she absolutely loves cake made with fresh strawberries and fresh cream.”
“That’s something I already know well. Don’t you have any more exclusive information?”
The two conversed quite naturally.
Though they had never shared personal conversations before, they had Isabel as a common subject.
‘I thought he was rigid and boring, but he’s not quite that.’
‘I thought he was a machine without emotions, obsessed only with work, but he’s not quite that either.’
Whenever they spoke of Isabel, both of them felt their spirits lift, and they found themselves smiling inadvertently.
“…So in conclusion, it seems I am in love with Princess Isabel.”
“What’s new about that?”
“Pardon?”
“Everyone in the Imperial Palace knows. They’re just keeping quiet because His Majesty the Emperor is furious.”
“….”
“So? What’s troubling you?”
“I’m uncertain whether I should continue drawing closer to the Princess, or if I should merely cherish my affection from a distance. It’s difficult to find the right answer—what would truly benefit her most.”
As we walked, we arrived before the Chamberlain’s Office without my realizing it.
It was there that Aselia finally spoke.
“If it were me, I would say this.”

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