Surviving as a Terminally Ill Heiress - Chapter 80

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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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Chapter 80

I nodded silently.
There was nothing surprising about it. In my past life too, Genie had always wanted to become a physician like her father.
Besides, she had Dido’s stubborn streak—the kind that refuses to look at any other path.
“As a parent, I’d hoped she’d choose anything but medicine… but I suppose that’s just another form of parental selfishness.”
Morgan laughed weakly.
I walked on without finding much to say in response.
Because I understood what he meant.
Knowing firsthand how difficult the physician’s life could be, I wanted anything but that for my own children.
Mother had said the same thing once.
‘Thank goodness our little one has no talent for dancing.’
‘Why are you picking a fight? I’ve been drinking.’
‘She couldn’t be a dancer anyway… but I’m telling you, our daughter—no dancing, understood?’
On nights when she’d drunk too much of wine she couldn’t even stomach, she’d work herself into these little drunken tirades.
I’d simply wipe her feet clean and push her onto the bed to sleep.
If Mother had been a knight, she would have talked Hui out of it; if she’d been a painter or sculptor, she would have done the same with Dido. That’s the nature of such love.

* * *

And if Mother could see Dido now, she’d thrash her soundly.
“Fine.”
I’d lost. I admitted it.
I ended up handing over several Drawing Tools to Dido.
Because the hunger strike showed no signs of ending.
Dido, still expressionless, accepted the tools with a casual grab. Her pink curly hair bounced with delight.
I watched her back and sighed.
You’re incorrigible too. Stubbornness is something of a family trait for us.
“Well then, I’m going out. Eat something while I’m away—I’ll need to examine you when I return.”
I called this out as I left Dido behind, but whether she heard or not, she already had her nose buried in paper.
Goodness. I really am getting old.
Muttering complaints as I came down to the lobby, I found the partner for today’s Juliad Marquis House Tea Party waiting there.
“Oh, Big Sister!”
“Vincent.”
He was engaged in friendly banter with Hui, who had a Wooden Sword strapped at his waist.
Then he glanced behind me and asked,
“Where’s Dido? Isn’t she coming to see us off?”
“She’s busy drawing.”
I answered with a sigh, and he laughed it off as expected.
With a “let’s go,” Vincent gave Hui’s shoulder a light tap and offered me his arm.
“Shall we, Miss?”
“My, my.”
The gallant gesture made me smile all the more.
I lightly swatted his hand away and simply walked toward the carriage. Vincent followed alongside, chuckling.
I’m not particularly small for my age, but Vincent, only two years younger, was nearly my height.
‘He must take after Graime.’
The man was impressively tall and broad-shouldered, almost bear-like.
Though behind that imposing frame lurked a mind sharp as a fox.
I silently prayed that Vincent wouldn’t inherit his father’s cunning as well.
I climbed into the carriage with that small prayer.
As the carriage began its gentle departure, Vincent, sitting across from me, suddenly remembered something.
“Oh, I just remembered—when Juliet heard I was partnering with you, she complained it wasn’t fun.”
Vincent and Juliet, whom he’d met through me, got along splendidly. Their bright, sociable natures were much alike.
I shook my head.
“Tell her to get her fill of romance-watching from beside Matilda.”
Today Matilda was coming with that Young Master who had been her Debutante partner.
Wondering if they were heading steadily toward an engagement.
Though they were still young and such things were hard to know, as long as Matilda was happy, I was content.
Vincent, in contrast, had simply joined me on the grounds that we were heading the same way regardless, and tilted his head curiously.
“Why do you hate romance so much, Big Sister?”
“Mm…….”
I’d need to censor myself carefully before answering.
However mature Vincent might seem, he was still a child.
Separate from my love for Mother and my siblings—deeper than life itself—living with a father who hadn’t stopped having children despite Mother’s failing health was the kind of thing that did that to you.
But I couldn’t say that.
After a moment’s consideration, I answered as optimistically as I could manage.
“I just don’t like people much.”
“Ah, I see.”
Why did he accept that so readily? Why did he simply nod as if it made perfect sense?
Feeling oddly exposed, I glared at him, but Vincent just whistled and laced his hands behind his head.
“Well, either way, that’s good for me.”
“Hmm?”
“If you’re not courting anyone, you’ll keep playing with me, right?”
Vincent grinned cheerfully.
Left to his own devices, this boy might yet break a few hearts.

* * *

The Juliad Marquis Estate Garden was dazzling in its beauty once more.
Roses of every hue bloomed in profusion. Pristine white canopies dotted the verdant spring grass. Between them stretched long rows of refreshment tables. At the center, a crystal fountain flowed gently.
‘They spared no expense this year either.’
That one thought summed up the whole spectacle.
The moment we stepped down from the carriage, Juliet waved from a distance.
What was she doing, coming all the way out to greet us?
She approached with unusual speed, so I led with a compliment.
“Miss Juliad, today’s party looks——”
“It’s a disaster!”
Right. A disaster then.
I simply nodded calmly.
And for my friend’s sake, I asked,
“Is this something money can’t fix?”
“I’m sorry?”
“I’ve found it’s effective to ask that first. Can it be solved with money, or can’t it?”
Juliet considered this with a bewildered expression, then answered haltingly.
“Um… no… it doesn’t seem like it can be.”
“Then it really is a disaster.”
At the confirmation, Juliet’s shoulders sagged.
The stranger of a Young Man at her side moved to comfort her.
A new partner today, apparently.
Leaning against him pitifully, Juliet gnashed her teeth.
“This Camilla Kafka… asking for an invitation first, then pulling such a vile scheme…!”
The Miss from the Kafka Count House was someone who viewed Juliet, the central circle’s rising socialite, as a rival and opposed her at every turn.
She’d even tried to exclude me for being close to Juliet, taking sides against me.
I could already sense what had happened.
She wanted to sabotage the Juliad Marquis House’s prized Tea Party and ruin Juliet’s reputation as hostess.
Vincent tilted his head questioningly.
“What exactly happened?”
“Ah, some dirty pests have infested my beautiful party……”
What on earth was going on?
I exchanged a glance with Vincent and headed into the garden.
We were nearly the last guests; the Juliad Marquis Estate Garden was filled to capacity with people.
Well, everywhere except one spot.
“Do you know who I am!”
Ah.
I understood.
It was a voice from my memory. The lines were identical too.
‘Still carrying on like that after all this time……’
I lowered my eyes slightly in disdain.
What was his name again?
“Please, Young Master Gallager.”
The Miss from the Kafka Count House spoke from beside him, her mouth hidden behind a Fan.
The words sounded innocent, but her tone was clearly egging him on.
It was the combination of a driver who’d let go of the wheel and a runaway magical carriage.
Moreover, it seemed Camilla Kafka didn’t even harbor genuine affection for Gallager himself.
She’d simply chosen him as her partner purely to ruin Juliad’s party—a remarkable commitment to malice when you thought about it.
In a way, it was admirable. The stomach it took to tolerate him just to make someone else miserable… if she applied that determination to something constructive, she could accomplish anything.
“But what exactly is this Gallager thinking, acting like that?”
Was the Gallager Count House really so influential? Objectively, they couldn’t hold a candle to the Juliad Marquis House.
Juliet answered with an awkward expression.
“Well… he does have the Emperor’s patronage.”
“The Emperor’s?”
“There was a small incident in the Imperial Palace when he was young. To put it simply, Young Master Gallager shoved the Second Prince. The First Prince saw it, pinned Gallager down, and struck his head with——”
A stone, she said.
Juliet’s words trailed off into a whisper.
I blinked slowly.
The First Prince? Struck someone with a stone?
‘I’ve heard rumors he’s not quite right in the head.’
Being so shrouded in mystery, there was much I didn’t know about him.

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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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