You Said I Was a Persecuted, Terminally Ill Grand Duchess? - Chapter 39
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 39
Katarina’s vision was filled with Rene’s mischievously smiling face.
Her heart was still pounding frantically.
‘Why…’
Strangely, someone seemed to overlap with Rene.
That person Katarina respected most in this world, the one she never stopped admiring.
‘That can’t be! Katarina Hugo, get a grip! Are you going to be played by this woman’s wiles?’
But her heart that had started pounding showed no signs of calming down.
It was the same even after getting on the small rowboat.
“Wow, look at that sunset over there. Katarina. Dusk has its own special charm.”
“Y-yes, it does…”
Even at Rene’s tickling whispers, Katarina’s heart remained endlessly complicated.
That’s when it happened.
Whoosh.
“Oh my!”
A sudden river breeze blew Katarina’s hat away helplessly.
Fortunately it didn’t go far, but it got caught on a tree branch overhead.
It was at a subtle distance – too far to approach from land, too far to reach from the boat.
“Kyah! No, my hat! That’s this season’s new item too!”
This time Katarina truly looked like she was about to cry.
It was a brand new item she’d bought along with the dress she wore today.
She’d worn it for the first time today, determined not to lose to Rene!
“Really?”
At those words, Rene earnestly rowed toward the hat.
Then without a moment’s hesitation, she stood up.
The one who was startled was Katarina instead.
The small rowboat began to rock from Rene’s movements.
“Rene! It’s okay. Let’s just consider it thrown away.”
“But you said it was new. Wasn’t it precious to you?”
“W-well, yes, but… I’ll do it instead.”
“No. I’m closer to it. Ah, if only I were a bit taller. Ugh, but I think I can still reach it…”
Rene’s body, stretching her arms as far as possible, tilted precariously toward the stern of the rowboat.
At that moment.
“!”
A dark voice whispered in Katarina’s heart.
‘Should I push her now? There’s no one around to save her anyway.’
But at the same time, a white voice also emerged and persuaded her.
‘But you know too, Katarina. What wrong could that tiny girl have done?’
Perhaps that voice’s name was conscience.
“…”
Meanwhile, Rene continued swaying as she reached toward the hat.
“Ugh, just a little more and I think I can reach it!”
The alarmed voices of the maids watching them from afar came flying over.
“Goodness! My lady! It’s dangerous!”
“We’ll take care of the hat, so please sit down!”
“No, it’s fine! Katarina, could you row just a little? The boat keeps going the wrong way…”
At that moment.
“!”
Splash!
The boat capsized.
“Kyaaaah!”
Everything happened in an instant.
At the same time.
Time seemed to flow very slowly.
“Goodness! My lady! Our lady fell into the water!”
“Katarina! What do we do!”
“Report to Cal immediately…”
Even the maids of Rene and Katarina, who usually had fierce rivalries, were united in shock this time.
Even while floundering in the river, Katarina couldn’t properly grasp the situation.
‘What happened? Don’t tell me I really pushed Rene Blanche?’
But her thoughts didn’t last long due to the rushing current.
“Puh, kyaaaah! Save me!”
Katarina was a noble young lady.
All she knew were things like embroidery, writing letters in pretty handwriting, and occasionally playing instruments.
So it was natural.
That she didn’t know how to swim.
‘Am I going to die like this?’
When she couldn’t even distinguish whether what filled her vision was tears or river water.
“Ugh, Kata… Katarina!”
With a weak cry, something came floating toward Katarina.
It was the rowboat’s oar.
Katarina grabbed its end like clutching a lifeline.
“Relax your body!”
She just focused on the weak voice she could hear and followed it.
Soon the body of the capsized rowboat touched her arms.
“I-I’m alive!”
Katarina clutched the rowboat like a lifeline with both arms and finally caught her breath.
Even in the chaos, she quickly turned her head to look for someone.
“What do we do! Goodness, Rene! Where did she go!”
She didn’t even realize she was calling out just the name in her shock.
But no matter how much she looked around, Rene was nowhere to be seen.
“My lady! My lady!”
“What should we do!”
Everyone fell into panic.
Resentfully, the wind kept getting stronger.
Then.
“Rene!”
In the distance, she could see Jenos riding urgently toward them.
With a face pale as she’d never seen before.
‘Jenos…’
That was Katarina’s last memory.
* * *
‘Mmm…’
With eyes closed, all I could feel was haziness and a floating sensation.
Like drifting in water, my whole body felt light without any sense of gravity.
A comfort that felt like I could float like this forever.
Did I become a jellyfish this time…?
‘If possible, I want to stay like this for a long time.’
Floating like that.
While feeling as if time had stopped forever.
‘Huh?’
Someone pulled me into a strong embrace.
My eyes naturally opened as if it were the natural course of events, and what filled my vision was….
“Rene, please….”
Surprisingly, blue-violet eyes filled with moisture.
It was the Grand Duke.
‘What, what’s this? Is he crying?’
He had a desperate expression I’d never seen before and was shedding tears.
Large teardrops rolled down onto my cheek below.
‘What kind of situation is this?’
I couldn’t grasp the situation due to this unbelievable scene.
Why was the Grand Duke crying in front of me, desperately calling my name?
And before long, I felt a strange sensation.
‘My body won’t listen to me.’
At first I thought I was experiencing sleep paralysis, but it was a bit different from that.
There was no sense of pressure or tension at all.
But still that familiar feeling.
‘Out-of-body experience would be more fitting than sleep paralysis.’
The one being held by the Grand Duke was ‘me’, but it wasn’t me.
As proof, my mouth opened on its own, contrary to my current will.
Soon a weak and delicate voice flowed out.
“Jenos, why are you crying…?”
Though it was mine, everything felt strangely unfamiliar.
I had never called him Jenos before.
‘Is this a dream….’
Like dreaming, or like watching a movie filmed from a first-person perspective.
There was nothing I could do but observe.
Meanwhile, my hand trembled as it gently cupped the Grand Duke’s cheek.
The exposed wrist was much thinner than my original one.
Terribly gaunt, like a patient on the verge of death….
“Rene. Please don’t die.”
Placing his large hand over mine, the Grand Duke sobbed miserably.
‘Die? Me?’
As if he had lost the world, the man’s sparkling hydrangea-colored eyes were losing their usual light.
The ‘Rene’ who wasn’t me forced the corners of her mouth up in a smile.
Meanwhile, the Grand Duke’s eyes only grew darker.
“I’ll save you. So hold on. I’ll search the entire world to find medicine to cure you. So please….”
A low voice that seemed tinged with madness.
It was a fierce expression like a growling beast.
But perhaps because I was synchronized with ‘Rene’s’ heart.
That ominous voice wasn’t frightening at all.
Rather, it felt so pitiful.
It was like looking at a wounded, frightened young beast baring its fangs.
“Jenos.”
“….”
“You know too, Jenos. I don’t… have much time left.”
Rene speaking like that was like a withered flower.
Her body, her heart.
She seemed so precarious, as if she would crumble at the slightest touch.
“No. That’s not true.”
The Grand Duke declared quite firmly.
But in truth, he himself would know best.
Right now, Rene was no different from a weak candle flame before the gale of fate, her life’s light fading.
I felt Rene smile gently.
“Jenos is the person who hurt me most in this world. You’d admit it yourself.”
“I’m sorry….”
“But even that clumsy side of you… is so like you. So how could I not love you.”
The woman’s eyes began to fill with tears as she spoke.
My vision became dizzy, clouded with moisture.
Witnessing this, the Grand Duke’s breathing became labored.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
