Weren’t You the One Who Was Dying? – Chapter 48

Author: Asternkm

The more desperate people become, the more likely they are to believe in superstitions.

‘If this actually works even a little, then one Hark isn’t too much….’

As we crowded around the stall, people passing along the promenade began to peek over. The crowd around the stall quickly grew, and I barely managed to slip out and catch my breath.

‘I should put it on Ehit.’

Or would it be better to put it on the brothers instead?

Ugh, I should’ve just bought three or four.

Holding the bracelet in both hands and thinking like that, my eyes landed on a small child playing just below the promenade.

The child was running around on the deck in front of the docked ships. He looked to be only five or six years old, but somehow…

‘He looks familiar. That kid.’

Where had I seen him before?

Digging through my memory, I watched the child more closely.

Jet-black hair cut to shoulder length, big eyes full of curiosity, like he was endlessly interested in everything.

The kid dashed all the way to the far end of the deck, looked out at the sea with a bright smile, then ran back this way—

And slipped, plunging straight into the water.

“…?!”

I threw the wish bracelet aside without a second thought and ran down immediately.

“Ms. Dapflen?”

“Dapflen!”

Splash!

Without time to think, I jumped into the water. I heard my fellow healers calling my name from behind.

Living in a city by the sea, it was a good thing I’d learned how to swim properly. I quickly grabbed the child, who was sinking with bubbles rising around him, and pulled him up.

“Huff—are you okay? Are you okay, little one?”

“I’m okay, miss.”

Judging by his eyes, I must’ve looked less okay than he did.

The child stared at me worriedly, then suddenly pointed at the back of my head.

“Miss, your hair…”

“…Huh?”

Hearing that dangerous keyword, I hurriedly felt my hair. The half-braided part had come loose in the water, exposing the patch underneath.

“….”

I quickly fixed my hair again, not sure if the chill I felt was from the water or from dread. Only after checking that the patch was properly covered did I lower my hand.

My hands were shaking a little.

“Miss, your hair patch—”

“Shh.”

I raised my index finger to my lips, stopping the child from saying the forbidden word.

“This is our secret. Okay? Something special that only you know, so you must never tell anyone else.”

I said it with a smile that tried very hard to look normal, even though my eyes were watering.

At the word “secret,” the kid seemed to think it was something exciting. Thankfully, he nodded happily.

Still, no matter how I thought about it, I was sure I’d seen this kid somewhere before.

Those deep blue eyes that suited the sea, that small, clear voice, and eyes filled with curiosity where fear should’ve been.

Yes, definitely…

“You’re the kid from Ehit’s house, aren’t you?”

The one who’d popped out from under the sofa and startled me when I went to return that seal.

“Ehit? Big brother?”

The kid reacted to Ehit’s name.

“Big brother?”

“Yeah.”

“Not your dad?”

“Huh?”

Without realizing it, I blurted out the question that had been sitting in my mind.

“Yeah, he’s my big brother!”

The kid answered brightly, rejecting my suspicion with just one sentence.

Wait. Then this kid is Ehit’s younger brother?

Jaiman Cloyden. Ehit’s brother was this young?

“Dapflen!! Are you okay?”

“Oh wow—are you alright, Dapflen?”

In the distance, my fellow healers were running toward us, calling my name.

But I didn’t even have the presence of mind to respond. I was too busy trying to understand what this situation meant.

‘If Jaiman is here, then there must be a guardian.’

A nanny or attendant would be best. Even Ehit would be manageable. But the worst-case scenario was—

“Dapflen!! Oh—ah, s-sorry!”

“It’s fine.”

A low female voice I’d heard before came from behind me. Footsteps approached and stopped right behind me.

“Mother!”

I followed Jaiman’s gaze upward.

“Dapflen Ailetta?”

“……”

“You’re her?”

And there she was—the person who had taken first place as the one I least wanted to meet, surpassing even Ehit.

Naya Cloyden.

She stood there with sharp eyes, arms crossed, looking down at me.

“……”

I was doomed.

****

Even sitting before the emperor wouldn’t have made me this tense.

“So, then you are…”

Her long-crossed legs and bored yet piercing gaze showed exactly what kind of person Naia was.

“That man—no, that child’s fiancée?”

Her tone was far from kind.

Barely holding my soul together, I answered.

“…Yes, ma’am.”

At the word “ma’am,” Naya let out a short laugh.

“…Lady Naya.”

I hurriedly corrected myself. Her mocking smile made cold sweat bead on my skin.

Naya slowly spun the teacup in her hand, then drained it in one go. Just like her strong aura and appearance, she seemed to have a strong mouth too.

“Why didn’t you say anything back then? I even mentioned inviting you to the Cloyden estate.”

“I was flustered, and I wanted to greet you properly, not like that.”

“Did that child tell you to? To pretend you didn’t know me when you saw me?”

Her eyes gleamed sharply, still filled with ridicule.

“No.”

I swallowed dryly.

‘On the train, I was too exhausted… I couldn’t handle dealing with Naya on top of that.’

That was why I hadn’t revealed my name.

I knew she’d find out eventually, but I never thought it’d be like this.

‘Get it together, Dapflen.’

Naya, Ehit’s stepmother, was a villain in the original story—someone who tormented both Ehit and Ridel.

‘If she tormented Ridel because she was precious to Ehit, then as his current fiancée, I might not be any different.’

I’d already started off on her bad side. It could only get worse.

“I heard it was dangerous earlier. You fell into the water?”

“No, it wasn’t me—”

“From a distance, it looked like my child noticed you and pulled you out.”

No, it was the other way around.

As I tried to explain, Naya spoke in a cold voice.

“If you disappeared, Ehit would be quite sad, wouldn’t he?”

A strange smile crept onto her lips.

I had two possible answers. Yes, or no.

What if I said yes?

Maybe I could make her think that Ehit wouldn’t stay quiet if she messed with me.

But—

“No!”

That kind of misunderstanding wasn’t necessary. In the original story, Naya wasn’t afraid of Ehit at all and tormented both of them anyway.

If I said yes, she might harass me even more just to hurt Ehit, whom she hated.

“No?”

“Yes, not at all!”

I answered quickly.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes! My relationship with your son isn’t that deep.”

“So you’re saying you don’t love Ehit? You expect me to believe that?”

Naya laughed scornfully. I waved my hands in a panic.

“It’s true, really!”

“Truly?”

“Uh—yes, not at all! It’s the same for your son too, isn’t it?”

“What?”

Unlike my forced grin, Naya’s expression slowly hardened. The smile vanished from her lips.

“Why?”

“…What?”

“Why? Why do you not care for each other?”

“Um… we didn’t get engaged out of love. As you know, it’s just a political engagement between families.”

Facing Naya’s gaze like a predator about to lose its prey, I firmly stated my position again.

“We’re just fiancés in name only!”

“Fiancés… in name only?”

A serious look crossed Naya’s face.

She paused, then asked slowly,

“Does Ehit think that too?”

“Think what?”

“That you don’t love him… does he know that?”

Naya spoke with an angry edge.

Was she angry because she realized tormenting me wouldn’t hurt Ehit?

‘But if that’s the case, why that expression…?’

She looked like someone who couldn’t openly show concern, but whose emotions were boiling inside—like a stern northern duke lead with a crumpled heart.

As I studied her face, the teahouse door flew open with the sound of a bell.

A gust of wind rushed in—and even faster than that, Ehit strode inside.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Ehit glared at Naya.

Naya tilted her head slightly and looked back at him.

“That’s my line.”

Sharp gazes clashed in the air. Caught between them, I desperately wished I could turn transparent and melt into the wallpaper.

Ehit held out his hand as if telling me to take it. When I just stared, he grabbed my hand himself and pulled me to my feet.

“Let’s go, Dapflen.”

Naya let out a dry laugh and looked at Ehit.

“Looks like you came to look after your person.”

“She’s not my person. I came because I don’t know what you might do.”