Weren’t You the One Who Was Dying? Chapter 51

“We’ve met again.”

A low voice came from inside the sitting room.

“I thought you might stay out all night.”

Ehit set Jaimen down with a stiff expression, and I forced my shivering body to calm down.

Only then did I realize what Jaiman had been trying to say all along. There was no need for him to say it today anymore.

Because the news he wanted to tell us was already right in front of us.

“Good evening, Dapflen Aileta.”

Naya, who had been sitting on the sofa, turned her head. Her gaze was icy. The aura around her made the air grow heavy in an instant.

‘Scary!’

Now I understood why Yudel hadn’t even dared to talk back on the train.

‘What did she come here to say?’

Meanwhile, Jaiman was scooped up by the nanny beside him and carried straight off to his room, dangling in her arms.

Only three people remained.
A suffocating silence passed.

Ehit’s eyes were just as hostile as Naya’s, and stuck between them, I barely dared to breathe.

“Why are you here?” Ehit asked.

“That’s quite a look to give a guest.”

S-should I just leave right now…?

As I read the room, bowed quickly, and was about to turn away, Naya spoke.

“Let the child stay at the estate.”

“…?”

Naya’s gaze shifted to me.

Looking straight at me, she said in a meaningful tone,

“I heard you lost your place to stay.”

“….”

“So let her stay here. At your estate, Ehit.”

What Naya meant was that I wouldn’t just be staying for one night, but for the time being.

‘Seriously?’

In this situation, the most ideal thing for me to say should have been,
“No, it’s okay!”

I really should have said that. I knew I should.

But no matter how I thought about it…

‘I have nowhere to go!’

If I could secure even a few days of shelter, that would be an enormous relief for me.

Yes, it was the house of the fiancé I was going to break up with. Yes, I had no idea what my scary, future–villain mother-in-law was plotting.

But compared to sleeping out in the cold streets, this felt a hundred times better.

‘But… is it really okay?’

While the many versions of me argued and delayed my answer, Naya stood up from the sofa, threw on her jacket, and walked over to Ehit.

She lightly tapped his shoulder and spoke calmly.

“Remember this, Ehit. No matter how much you dislike it, I’m still above you. That means I have this much authority.”

“And what exactly are you planning to do?” Ehit asked.

“I’ve already had a room prepared for her.”

Already?

Naya looked at Ehit, then at me, and smiled with one corner of her lips lifted.

“This should be fun.”

Then she left the sitting room.

‘Why does she keep saying it’ll be fun…?’

Ehit stared at the spot where Naya disappeared with an unreadable expression, then turned to me.

At his gesture, the butler standing off to the side approached. He was the head butler Ehit had called Archers earlier.

“The room is ready, young master, miss.”

Even so, I hesitated to go upstairs right away. From any angle, Naya and Ehit didn’t look close, and me staying here was ultimately Naya’s decision.

“Please follow him. Archers will guide you with whatever you need.”

“Is it really okay?”

“Would you rather go back to that hotel?”

“Well…”

Honestly, I wanted to stay anywhere other than that hotel, even just for tonight.

Of course, the room Naya prepared might be some strange storage room or closet.

‘But even if you’re going to be a servant, better to be one at a noble’s house.’

The duke’s storage room was probably better than that place. At least it wouldn’t have a single bug that looked like three bugs fused together.

Ehit left the sitting room after entrusting me to Archers. The room I would stay in was on the second floor.

“This way.”

“Thank you.”

Up the stairs, to the right, past the sitting area— the third room.

Standing in front of the door, I examined it carefully.

‘At least from the door, it doesn’t look like a storage room.’

Archers told me that a maid would arrive soon to guide me to the bathroom, and that I could ring the bell outside the door if I needed anything.

“Please rest well, miss.”

With that, the door opened.

“…You want me to sleep in a place like this?”

The words slipped out of my mouth the moment I saw the room.

I had prepared myself—mentally trained—for every possible variation of storage rooms, closets, or low-ceilinged attics.

But this was just…

“I’m not sharing this room, right?”

It was too big.

Not only was it big—my room had jumped from minus five-star to plus five-star luxury in an instant, and the gap made me dizzy.

“Am I really using this alone? By myself?”

“Uh, well… the young master doesn’t like sharing rooms with others. I can ask again, just in case—”

“No, no! This is perfect as it is!”

“Pardon?”

I hurriedly thanked Archers and sent him away.

After washing up in the prepared bathroom, I came back. The whole time, it felt unreal, like I was dreaming.

‘Why is this room so nice?’

It was so nice that I almost felt uneasy, like something had to be hidden.

Still feeling dreamlike, I lay down on the bed, squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them again.

“It’s really nice…”

Of course, everything has pros and cons. Me lying here now, in Ehit’s estate, was no exception.

So I didn’t want to be greedy or keep wishing for more. I just hoped that the “cons” of my choice wouldn’t be too big, and that everything would pass as quietly as possible.

I was lost in thought, looking in the direction Ehit had gone, when a knock sounded.

“Are you inside?”

Ehit?

I opened the door slightly and peeked out. Ehit stood there in loungewear.

His hair looked freshly dried, and he carried the same soap scent I’d noticed earlier in the bathroom.

“…What is it?”

He had come himself but was just standing there in silence, so I spoke first.

“Huh? Did you have something to say?”

He still stood there for a moment, until I prompted him again, and only then did he speak.

“There’s something I didn’t ask earlier.”

“What is it?”

“Why did you go to such a shabby hotel? You should have told me.”

“How was I supposed to say that to you?”

“You could’ve just come to see me. You show up at the naval base without warning all the time.”

“But this was… different.”

“You were going to come here eventually anyway. It would’ve been better to come from the start. If people knew the duke’s fiancée was staying in a place like that—”

“What would that make Cloyden look like? I know. I’m sorry about that. But I couldn’t just—”

I can’t just reach out to you without thinking.

I hesitated before finishing the thought. After all, I was already here now.

“I understand. Please go back inside.”

“Yes.”

I nodded and closed the door.

I couldn’t say there was no sharpness in that short reply.

Thud. Maybe because of the wind, the door closed harder than intended. Late at night, the sound echoed even louder.

I leaned my back against the closed door.

“……”

I stayed like that for a long while.

Something felt off. Like I hadn’t said everything I needed to say.

Thinking about it, Ehit was the one who brought me here in the first place. So why did I only make excuses and complain?

I should’ve at least said thank you.

‘Should I say it now?’

He’d probably already gone back to his room.

‘Was his room upstairs? I don’t know exactly where…’

But still, I opened the door. I hurriedly turned toward the staircase.

Then—

Thump.

With the same force as before, I ran straight into something.

“Ow.”

This feels familiar. Déjà vu. There wasn’t a wall—but now there is one.

Along with the pain at the tip of my nose, the soap scent from earlier tickled my nose again.

“Ehit? You didn’t leave?”

“Why did you come out?”

“Well, I just…”

“…What is it?”

“There’s something I didn’t say yet. I think it only counts if I say it today.”

“Same here.”

Was he here to say something about how I slammed the door earlier?

“I’ll go first.”

“No, I will.”

“Me first. I really want to say it.”

“…Go ahead.”

Even if you spit on a smiling face, it’s hard to keep smiling after being spat on. Better to say thank you before getting scolded.

I looked straight into his eyes and said clearly,

“Thank you.”

Ehit blinked twice.

He clearly hadn’t expected that the reason I came back out was to thank him.

“For what?”

“For bringing me here. Honestly, I was really having a hard time earlier. So… really, truly, thank you for suggesting I come here.”

As I spoke, my gratitude swelled even more, and I put extra emphasis into my words.

“What were you going to say?”

Since I’d said something nice first, he probably wouldn’t insult me to my face… but I didn’t expect it to be something nice either.

Considering everything that had happened and the mood he’d been in.

“If something happens that makes you want to rely on me more,” he said,
“don’t hesitate.”

That answer surprised me.

I might have made the same face Ehit had earlier when he heard my thanks.

“…What?”

“When I said you’re Cloyden’s fiancée, I wasn’t just talking about family honor or appearances.”

“Then…?”

“I meant that you have the right to receive help from Cloyden.”

His eyes and voice were firm.

But there was no sign of contempt or disdain toward me.