Weren’t You the One Who Was Dying? Chapter 58

A look that knows this moment—this relationship—will someday be nothing more than the past.

A look that knows we aren’t here as partners who will spend our lives together, but are already heading toward a fixed ending.

“Dust got on you.”

Ehid said as he pulled his hand back.

Is this how Ehit faces his own death?

That thought made what would happen tomorrow feel strangely frightening.

I had already been worried and scared, but that fear had been about the safety of my family and myself.

In that worry, Ehit had only existed as a judge who would punish my family and scold me.

Not just now—always.

But what I felt just now was……

‘If the blessing really gets cut in half, would Ehit be disappointed too?’

For the first time, that thought crossed my mind.

In the original story, he never got engaged to Ridel either, so this would be Ehit’s first and last engagement ceremony too. If my family and I ruined it, how would Ehit feel?

Would he be disappointed? Would he get hurt, even a little?

For the first time, I thought that Ehit might also be hurt by the bad fate waiting for both of us—a future that could never be pleasant.

‘What am I even thinking. I can barely take care of myself right now.’

But still……

“It’ll definitely become a good memory.”

I smiled softly and said it like I was reassuring him.

“It’s the first time for both of us, so let’s do our best together, Ehit.”

I held my hand out to him.

Ehit looked at it for a moment, then took my hand.

With an uneasy and strange feeling in my heart, the night before the engagement quietly passed.

 

 

****

 

 

 

“Dapflen, I thought about it all night, but I couldn’t find a way.”

As soon as he saw me the next morning, Enric said that with hollow eyes. He really did look like he hadn’t slept at all.

I took off my gloves and gave him a little divine energy. Seeing him hold back tears made my chest hurt.

“Why did you fight that marquis’s son?”

“Because he was worth fighting.”

“Yeah… okay…….”

Even after thinking all night, Enric really didn’t expect to get out today.

Honestly, I was the only one in the Aileta family taking this seriously. I was the only one who knew what kind of terrible future this could lead to.

But just because I knew the future, could I really change it?

I had thought the same back when it was Elzers. Maybe there’s a force in this world that tries to keep the original story on track.

If that’s true, would persuading him even work?

‘But I have to try.’

Even if everyone else stayed the same, I was different.

Even if I couldn’t change everything, I had to change at least one thing.

“Enric.”

“Hm?”

“I know. Compared to Cloyden, I’m lacking. And I know how much of a gift it is for our family that Cloyden chose me. But…….”

“Lacking? Dapflen! What are you talking about? How are you lacking?”

“It’s true. Anyway, but—”

“No!”

Enric shouted angrily. Why was he suddenly mad?

The guard standing outside rushed in at the noise. I quickly apologized, then turned back to Enric.

“What is it? Why are you yelling all of a sudden?”

“What do you lack, Dapflen? You’re prettier than your brother-in-law, smart enough to graduate early from the medical academy—”

Wait. Did he just call Ehit brother-in-law?

“And you’re kind enough not to even get angry while I’m like this.”

“I did get angry.”

“You got angry, but you’re still kind.”

Enric kept huffing as he listed my good points like his life depended on it. I finally shouted for him to stop, and only when the guard rushed in again did he quiet down.

“Okay. Thanks for thinking so highly of me, Enric.”

“I’m not just thinking highly of you. You really are amazing.”

“Okay.”

I nodded, calming him down.

“But even you didn’t expect Cloyden to send me a proposal, right? When it actually happened, you were excited and happy. That’s true, right?”

“Well, that’s…….”

“Because Cloyden can do things the Aileta name can’t. Getting closer to that name must’ve felt good. That’s only natural.”

“……Yeah. That’s true. But that doesn’t mean you’re inferior to Cloyden—!”

“I know what you mean. What I’m saying is…….”

I held Enric’s hand through the bars. Right now, I was serious—desperate.

“We’re not so weak that we need to borrow Cloyden’s power for everything.”

“……Of course.”

“Like you said, neither I nor the Aileta family is worthless. So even if things don’t go well, or if there’s something we want more of, we don’t need to use Cloyden’s name to get it. No matter what it is.”

Enric bit his lip, then nodded.

After that, he might’ve borrowed Cloyden’s name again. He might’ve done things I still don’t know about.

Maybe that fight was related too.

But the feeling in Enric’s eyes as he nodded—the sense that he understood—felt real.

We could talk about details later. For now……

“You’re right, Dapflen. Honestly, I did do that. Cloyden’s name felt like magic, and I started thinking that magic was mine.”

“……Yeah.”

“Like you said, we’re Aileta. That alone should give us pride enough not to borrow someone else’s name.”

That was enough.

Nothing had actually been solved. The blessing would still be cut in half, and Enric might stay locked up.

But his eyes looked like something inside him had changed.

“Dapflen.”

“Yeah, Enric.”

“I really thought a lot. Even before you came, I kept thinking in this cell.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I used Cloyden’s name to write IOUs, pulled in business funds saying Cloyden would cover it.”

“…….”

“After doing it once or twice, I thought it was fine.”

“I… see.”

“I kept thinking, Cloyden isn’t that different from me. He’s going to be our family’s son-in-law anyway.”

He really had thought a lot.

“But being stuck here for days, I realized it. That was arrogance.”

Staring somewhere beyond me, Enric spoke seriously—unlike himself.

“The way the world looks at me doesn’t feel like mine anymore. Even the truth doesn’t. I was too careless. This could’ve gone really wrong.”

“Enric… are you sure you’re Enric?”

“I’m your brother.”

“How much did you think last night?”

He’d realized everything I wanted him to realize.

Gazing into the distance, Enric continued.

“I never believed in the power of confinement. But lying in this cell made me believe. If someone wants enlightenment, I’ll recommend jail.”

“……Mm.”

With eyes full of deep realization, Enric clenched his fist.

“So, Dapflen. I won’t borrow Cloyden’s name anymore!”

I blinked, deeply moved by his firm declaration.

Good thinking, Enric!

And then he continued.

“But! Asking for a favor should be okay, right?”

“Yeah…… huh? What?”

“I don’t mean relying on Cloyden blindly. Just asking rationally seems fine!”

“……?”

“If it becomes known that I couldn’t attend your wedding, that won’t be good for either Aileta or Cloyden, right?”

“That’s true.”

“So asking them to get me out isn’t completely unreasonable, logically speaking.”

“…….”

My energy drained away.

“Enric…….”

“Delphi, don’t take it the wrong way. I thought through thousands of ways all night, and this is the conclusion I reached.”

Annoyingly enough, he wasn’t entirely wrong.

And then, that line came back to me.

‘When things get hard, don’t deal with it alone. Tell me. Don’t just whisper it to the bamboo forest.’

I knew that asking Ehit would only put me more in debt later.

‘But Enric’s right too.’

Refusing Cloyden’s help no matter what might not actually prevent a bad future.

The clock was already nearing 9 a.m. I had to return soon to prepare for the ceremony.

“Enric. Wait just a bit.”

I wasn’t sure which choice was right. I’d decide on the way back.

“I’ll be back soon.”

I turned and stepped over the threshold of the detention building.

‘Should I tell Ehit? But if that makes him hate the Aileta family even more…….’

I didn’t know.

Telling Ehit the truth and asking an unreasonable favor, or letting everyone know Enric couldn’t attend because he was in jail.

Which would feel worse to Ehit?

‘There isn’t a single pleasant option.’

As I stepped outside, thinking that—

“Dapflen Aileta?”

“…….”

Oh no.

I ran into someone I had momentarily forgotten about.

A woman wearing a black robe over a white uniform—the one who had introduced herself as the head of the Second Investigation Bureau.

She blocked my path.

Naya glanced sideways at the detention wing I’d just left.

Gulp. I swallowed dryly.

‘I’m doomed.’

Again.

I messed up. Again.