Limited Extra Time - Chapter 182

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

—— Page 1 ——

Carina Leopold stared intently at the hand he extended toward her.

“Please… don’t leave me and Seren behind… I beg you… please… please… Carina… I can’t bear the thought of never seeing you again…”

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

“It’s because I didn’t cherish myself. I… I…”

Through her dreams, Carina Leopold came to understand regret with bone-deep clarity.

She understood how deeply her dream-self had regretted, how desperately she had despaired at her own choices, how fiercely she had wished to turn back time.

This was why she had not surrendered to that despair, why she had not picked up her pen to draw.

She refused to regret the past ever again.

She refused to diminish herself for the sake of others, never again.

—— Page 2 ——

“I don’t want to die. Truth is… I want to see Seren and you so much more. There was never enough time… I’m terrified of leaving you behind. I’m terrified of dying…”

“…Carina Leopold.”

“I’m terrified that our memories together will fade away. What if Seren forgets me? I… I…”

“I won’t forget. I will never forget. How could I possibly forget? How could I… how could Seren and I ever forget you…”

Those sincere words, spoken in the grip of terror and dread just before death, remained etched in her mind.

That memory would never leave her. It would never fade. Perhaps it would bind her for the rest of her life.

So Carina Leopold chose to embrace this unexpected future with open arms. She no longer wished to imprison herself in a world of misery, no longer wished to destroy the very essence of who she was.

“You know…”

“Mm.”

“Is this a confession?”

At Carina Leopold’s question, Millaiyen’s eyes widened.

His earlobes flushed crimson in an instant. Flustered, he rolled his eyes, clenched his fists, and nodded firmly.

“Yes. I’m confessing that I want you to spend your entire life with me.”

“…Wow, you know that was unromantic, right?”

“Next time, I’ll make it more grand.”

Carina Leopold carefully placed her hand over his outstretched palm. He immediately grasped her hand firmly in return.

After Carina Leopold nodded, everything proceeded at lightning speed.

Millaiyen, who insisted they needed nothing—not luggage, not anything—procured a carriage from somewhere, placed her inside it, and even took the coachman’s seat to drive it himself.

—— Page 3 ——

“What is the meaning of this rudeness!”

“Shut up and get out.”

He lightly kicked the charging Infrick aside and departed without hesitation.

It was obvious that their protests would follow, but Millaiyen had no reason to care. He was never the type to concern himself with such matters anyway, and the Northern Territory was his domain.

Even the Emperor himself could not act recklessly there. And he would never permit it.

“Are you certain you’re not in pain anywhere?”

“In pain?”

“Yes. Your skin is so pale and you’re so thin, and at first glance you look so frail that I’d wager something ails you. If there is, tell me. If you need a Physician, I’ll bring one from anywhere.”

Carina Leopold blinked several times at his remarkably blunt words before a small laugh escaped her lips.

Why did his manner feel so raw and forthright, yet not displease her in the slightest?

Was it because he could feel his concern for her so clearly?

“You need to be honest with me. You’re going to become the mistress of the Duke’s Residence.”

Millaiyen struggled to come up with reasons so he wouldn’t appear like a madman.

After all, if he told her he’d seen a future where she died in a dream, the likelihood of her believing him was quite low.

“…”

She didn’t answer him easily.

‘Now that I think about it, her physician was absolute garbage.’

There was no way she’d received a proper examination.

Millaiyen felt the urge to bite his own tongue as he opened his mouth again.

—— Page 4 ——

“If you’ve never had a proper examination, you can always go to Pestellio Territory and get one there, so don’t worry.”

“I’ve had an examination. There’s nothing wrong with me right now, but I do have an illness.”

Carina Leopold answered calmly while gauging his reaction, worried he might find it distasteful to learn she had an illness.

In truth, she had always intended to go to the Northern Territory sooner or later, and meeting Millaiyen made her want to know more about him.

“…Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

He hadn’t expected her to know about her own illness, but it was within the realm of possibility.

The Artistic Affliction was extremely difficult to manage and nearly incurable, but it wasn’t impossible to slow its progression if one desired to do so.

The problem was simply that the Millaiyen in his dream had met her far too late.

Because there was no turning back now.

“What illness is it?”

“I’m not sure if you’d know, but it’s called Artistic Syndrome.”

My heart plummeted, as if it had crashed to the floor.

Millaiyen exhaled sharply, trying hard not to let it show.

“I see. I’m not entirely unfamiliar with that illness, but I can’t claim any deep expertise either. Among my old acquaintances, there’s someone well-versed in such matters. I’ll reach out to them for assistance.”

“I would be grateful for that.”

“By the way, did you learn about Artistic Syndrome through a medical examination?”

Millaiyen asked as he brought the carriage to a halt at what appeared to be a suitable inn.

Carina Leopold, who had thought they would depart immediately, looked bewildered as he

—— Page 5 ——

swiftly escorted her out of the carriage in one fluid motion.

“Ah, yes… that’s right.”

“From what I understand, few people know about Artistic Syndrome, and since it doesn’t manifest visibly, detecting its onset is said to be quite difficult.”

“Yes, well. It’s not exactly a common ailment, so…”

Millaiyen entered the inn with practiced ease.

Since it was an inn she had never visited before, she looked flustered, her eyes darting about before she pressed close behind him.

“This Physician seems quite skilled. If you tell me who they are, I’d like to scout them myself. Would you mind sharing?”

Millaiyen was truly like a bull.

Like a bull that charges at the sight of a red flag, he looked only forward and pushed through with his decisions. It was something Carina Leopold had never done in her life and could never do.

“You are the Physician named Winston.”

He nodded in acknowledgment.

Standing at the counter of the elegant Inn, Millaiyen Pestellio spoke to the attendant with practiced ease.

“One of your finest Rooms. We’ll be staying for about two days.”

Once he completed the payment and returned, Carina Leopold could no longer contain the questions that had been flooding her mind.

“But Your Excellency, weren’t we supposed to be heading to the Northern Territory?”

“Where would we go at this hour? I have no intention of pushing you beyond your limits, and we need to stock provisions and supplies for the journey ahead. Besides, I should hire some additional staff—a Maidservant to attend to you, a cook, and the like.”

Was it merely her imagination that things were becoming increasingly elaborate?

She gazed at him with trembling eyes, her bewilderment evident.

“The Northern Territory is quite distant and the journey will be long. Won’t it become difficult if we have too many people?”

“Money will suffice.”

—— Page 6 ——

“That’s… well, you see…”

He truly left her speechless.

Unable to hide her bewilderment, she rolled her eyes before letting out a helpless laugh.

“Provisions are fine. Dried meat and light, shelf-stable foods would suffice.”

“Tch. If you traveled on such fare in your condition, you’d arrive as nothing but bones, starved to death.”

“What? No, surely it wouldn’t come to that…”

“You need not concern yourself. We’ll depart as planned the morning after next, so put your mind at ease.”

But how could she not be concerned when concern was all she felt?

And yet, in just a single day, he had brought back every person he had mentioned.

“…What is all this?”

“The personnel necessary to reach the Northern Territory.”

Carina Leopold’s mouth fell open in astonishment.

“I reduced it to the minimum since I thought you might find it burdensome.”

“Pardon?”

“Originally, I intended to prepare a more proper supply of luggage, but it seemed the personnel and baggage would become too excessive, and it would hinder our swift travel. So instead, I upgraded to a considerably better carriage.”

I had never anticipated that the extraordinarily ornate and massive carriage over there would be theirs.

‘I thought it was merely decoration.’

It appeared to be roughly three times the size of an ordinary carriage.

Upon opening the interior, there was a simple bed and bedding.

It looked so comfortable that one could be perfectly content simply sleeping inside.

It was scarcely different from an Inn room, only slightly narrower in space. The floor was covered with soft carpet that felt plush underfoot, the interior was warm, and it was abundantly stocked with refreshments. It was nothing short of luxurious.

—— Page 7 ——

She had not left the Inn room for two entire days.

The Inn room was quite spacious and ornate, leaving no room for boredom. Meals were brought at appointed times, and whenever she felt restless, Millaiyen Pestellio would visit and spend time with her.

So truly, I had not noticed time passing. I only realized this morning that two days had elapsed.

…This is excessive.

Not at all—it is merely insufficient to serve you properly.

Still finding much to be dissatisfied with, he issued instructions down to the finest details, yet he responded to my words with such nonchalance, effortlessly accepting them as though they were nothing.

Why would I ride a horse alone when I have such an ornate carriage at my disposal?

He had endured the hardship, yet somehow only I seemed to reap the rewards.

We departed.

In that moment, our modest procession of merely two had transformed into a grand cavalcade of nearly twenty.

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