Weren’t You the One Who Was Dying? Chapter 61

So… that just means she’s not going to tell us at all…….

“But I will tell you one thing. Rather than choosing Aileta, I chose you, Dapflen.”

Was my treatment really that good?

Well, Ehit is sickly. No—“weak” isn’t quite right. He’s ill, but strong… anyway.

Was it something like, Let’s make the Empire’s best healer my grandson’s wife!?

‘That really might be it…….’

But if that were the case, the duke would have to know that Ehit is terminally ill. And it doesn’t seem like the people of Cloyden know that yet.

Even in the original story, there was never a hint that anyone else knew. And even now, if his family knew, they would’ve taken some kind of action already—but it doesn’t seem like they have.

In the end, the duke didn’t explain any further, and before long, the meal came to an end.

“Only the most important procedure remains.”

The duke rang a small bell on the table.

This was practically the core moment of the engagement ceremony. The priest’s blessing, and the vow to promise marriage.

The table was cleared in an instant. The priest, who had stepped out earlier, returned to officiate.

I felt a different kind of tension from when I first arrived.

The priest opened a document and read the blessing. Ehit and I shared a ceremonial drink made from holy water and wine.

“May you be blessed.”

With the priest’s words, Ehit received a white velvet box from an attendant.

Right—there was something like this in the procedure. I vaguely remembered hearing about it. I’d been so distracted while preparing for the engagement that it was really only vaguely.

Inside the box, something sparkled.

A flower bracelet— five Shalia petals engraved into a pale pink gemstone.

A symbol of a promise of eternal love.

Ehit gently lifted the bracelet from the box. I heard people around us hold their breath.

My eyes followed his hand without thinking. He took my arm with both hands and fastened the bracelet around my wrist.

‘It’s pretty.’

We’ll have to return it if the engagement is broken off, so it feels like a short-term rental—but still, it’s beautiful.

Even after fastening it, Ehit didn’t let go of my hand. I was so captivated by the bracelet’s glow that I didn’t notice what he was doing.

Then, in that moment—

Ehit lifted my hand with one hand and gently pressed his lips to the back of it.

Thump.

The world didn’t shake—my pupils did, right?

Thump, thump.

This wasn’t an earthquake. That was definitely my heart.

As if to prove it, the gaze he turned toward me while kissing my hand didn’t waver at all.

And yet, I was the only one feeling strange. The deep sea formed by his blue eyes seemed to stir something inside my heart.

‘Is it because this is my first engagement ceremony?’

If that were the only reason, then that would be a relief.

If this fluttering wasn’t because it was Ehit holding my hand—

If Ehit hadn’t become even a little special to me—

Then that would be better.

Ehit lifted his lips away. The family members each offered words of blessing.

‘Just smile.’

I forced myself to calm down.

My heart was still pounding, and my feelings were confusingly strange—but looking flustered at an engagement ceremony would be even stranger.

So I smiled brightly.

But seeing that, Ehit’s face turned red, and his expression grew serious, as if he were upset.

‘Smile, Ehit.’

I mouthed the words at him. Doing our best here wasn’t something Ehit was exempt from.

He frowned slightly, but soon managed to put on at least a forced smile.

It was a very awkward smile.

‘Honestly, his earlier expression might’ve been better.’

Anyway, while everyone present smiled in their own way, the long half-day engagement ceremony passed by.

 

 

****

 

 

“Hoo.”

After the engagement ceremony ended, only our family remained.

Our parents bustled about chatting, then went to have tea with the elders of Cloyden.

“Dapflen, you worked hard.”

“Adlen.”

As I lay sprawled out on the sofa, completely drained, my third brother Adlen approached.

After neatly slicking back his hair, Adlen leaned against the sofa opposite me. I stayed sprawled out, looking up at him.

“Asking that earlier was reckless—very much like you.”

“What?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

When I gave a vague nod, exhausted, Adlen shot me a sharp look.

“I mean asking the Duke of Cloyden why she proposed to Aileta. What kind of answer were you expecting? If it were me, I never would’ve asked.”

“Then you should’ve gotten engaged instead,”

“I’d love to, but you’re the one who got the proposal. So answer me—why did you ask that?”

“She said I could ask anything. And I was curious.”

“Fortunately nothing happened, but don’t act so recklessly again. You could lose a house like Cloyden.”

Adlen spoke in a lecturing, authoritative tone, as if saying I knew very well who held the upper hand in this engagement.

‘Losing a house like Cloyden’—that way of thinking is exactly the problem!

“Aren’t you answering? I said don’t act recklessly.”

“Don’t ack recklessly.”

I exaggerated his words back at him out of spite. Adlen’s authoritative brow furrowed deeply.

“……Dapflen.”

He called my name in a voice tightly suppressing his anger, but I only shrugged my eyebrows at him.

“You’re a member of Aileta. Cloyden won’t just be reading you—they’ll be reading Aileta through you.”

“What’s with you, Adlen? Are you scared we’ll lose Cloyden?”

“Yes. You’re unpredictable. You might just run off and lose Cloyden.”

…That part was kind of true.

I frowned to hide my unease, then said,

“You be careful, Adlen. You’re not thinking of doing something under Cloyden’s name, are you?”

“W-Why would I do something like that?”

He answered coolly—but he hesitated a little.

I’d just thrown it out there, but was he really thinking about it?

‘You’re about to do something dangerous.’

I quickly sat up properly and said,

“Right, Adlen. I believe you wouldn’t do that.”

“……Right.”

“You’re always rational. But if you are thinking about something like that, stop now.”

“I’ll handle it myself.”

“Adlen.”

At that moment, Enric walked over and sat beside Adlen, draping an arm over his shoulder.

“Adlen, Dapflen is right. Take it to heart. Aileta has nothing to lose.”

Enric, who seemed newly repentant after his time in jail, backed me up.

“What’s with you, Enric hyung.”

Adlen glared at him, but Enric patted him with the gentle eyes of a reformed man.

“You don’t need to use Cloyden to raise your standing.”

“That’s right, Adlen…… live without being greedy.”

Elzers, who had already once tasted rock bottom, agreed as well.

Adlen scoffed and looked over me and our brothers.

“Why are you all so scared?”

“Adlen.”

“If you’re getting married, doesn’t that make you family already? What, do you think family’s going to wipe Aileta out?”

Wipe out…
The accuracy of that word—like he’d seen the future himself—made me answer firmly.

“Yes. Even if we’re engaged, we’re not married yet. And even if we were, the families don’t merge.”

“Hmph.”

“And it really could be wiped out. So don’t do anything stupid.”

“Stupid? That’s—”

“Yes, Adlen. Don’t do stupid things!”

“Why are you all like this? I was just—”

“I think so too, Adlen. In the end, you’d just be hurting yourself.”

Enric, Elzers, and I surrounded Adlen, each saying a word.

‘When did these people reflect like this?’

I’d always been worrying alone—seeing the two of them like this almost brought me to tears.

“…….”

Adlen tried to argue, but eventually stood up abruptly.

“Fine!”

Then, with irritation written all over the face that had been pretending to be composed, he stormed out.

‘Get a grip, oppa.’

I glanced toward the door he’d left through, then looked at Enric and Elzers.

Such reliable brothers. Always causing trouble—when did they grow enough to back me up like this?

If they’re saying this much, maybe I can worry a little less.

Oh, right. What was Enric going to say to me earlier?

“By the way, Enric, what was it you wanted to say back then?”

“Huh?”

“You said you’d tell me after you got out of jail. Why did you send me that letter?”

“Oh, that.”

Enric gestured for me to stand up and led me to a quiet corner of the room.

What is it? What does he want to ask?

“Let me see that pendant.”

“Pendant?”

“The one Grandma gave you.”

I took it out of my handbag. I’d carried it like a charm since I was young, so I still had it with me.

The round, emerald-colored gem gleamed. Enric stared at it closely and said,

“This looks expensive, doesn’t it?”

“…….”

“It looks pretty valuable. Not something you’d find easily on the market. Don’t you think?”

“…….”

“Don’t you?”

“…You’re not thinking of selling it, are you?”

“That’s not it.”

“No. Absolutely not!”

Startled, I immediately snatched the pendant back from Enric’s hand.