Weren’t You the One Who Was Dying? – Chapter 62

Author: Asternkm

I wondered what he was going to talk about, but was he actually coveting this?

“I’m not selling it. I won’t sell it, but…….”

“But what.”

“It does look pretty valuable, right?”

“Enric!”

He had a look on his face like someone who’d just reached enlightenment after polishing a sword—so I thought something had changed, but no!

Instead of coveting something from Cloyden, did he just change course to coveting his younger sister’s belongings?

“Anyway, this is a no.”

I hurriedly put the pendant back into my bag. Then I even hid the bag behind my back.

Enric spoke with the expression of someone playing tag.

“Dapflen, just show it to me one more time.”

“No!”

More importantly, there was still something I needed to talk to Enric about.

“That’s not what matters right now. What happened earlier? How did you get out of prison?”

“Enric? Prison?”

Hearing my words, Elzers let out a yelp and rushed over. I could also feel Adlen—who had stormed out earlier—looking this way again.

With all the attention suddenly on him, Enric cleared his throat.

“There’s nothing to worry about. I was just in there briefly. They acknowledged I was innocent and released me.”

“What? Innocent?”

I thought it wouldn’t have been strange if he’d ended up with more charges. Did that Helbike brat—no, that young master—really agree to settle so easily?

How did he even talk things out with someone who made people wait five hours and then suddenly went on vacation?

“Did Helbike agree to a settlement?”

“It wasn’t a settlement. I told you, I was released because I was found not guilty, Dapflen. What do you take your older brother for?”

“……?”

“What’s with that look, Dapflen. Huh?”

Then how…….

‘Don’t tell me.’

I remembered Enric coming in together with Naya.

Half doubtful, I asked,

“Did Madam Naya help you?”

“You could say that. I’m grateful to her.”

“Really? She didn’t hang you up and interrogate you or try to do something bad—she actually helped you?”

“Dapflen. Why would Madam Naya do something like that? She’s such a wonderful person.”

Enric already looked like he’d almost become a follower of Naya.

But knowing what kind of person Naya was, I couldn’t help feeling uneasy.

Why would she help Enric?

“How did she help you? It is true that you hit the Helbike young master, so how were you found innocent?”

“I told you. I fought because it was worth fighting. Madam Naya thought so too, so she helped me.”

Did she really help him just like that? But still…….

‘Naya is a villain. She hates Ehit, and she tries to hurt him by using me, his fiancée.’

Would someone like that really help my brother with pure intentions?

What was she plotting?

‘But now that I’m engaged, I wonder what she could even do…….’

Should I ask Naya directly?

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

“Miss Dapflen, I will escort you to the studio.”

The studio? What was that again?

As if my confusion was written all over my face, the servant smiled and said,

“You’ll be painting a commemorative engagement portrait.”

Compared to other imperial ceremonies, my engagement with Ehit was fairly simple—but it still had enough procedures to take up the entire day.

“I’ll be back.”

I was about to leave, but then stopped and turned back to Enric.

“Enric oppa, do you like tofu?”

“Who eats tofu?”

“You’re supposed to eat it when you come back from there.”

“Are you talking about prison? Delphi, I told you, I was unfairly detained just for a bit!”

“Then don’t eat it.”

I turned around again and left the room.

I could’ve sworn someone said they liked tofu when we were younger. Guess it wasn’t Enric.

Then who was it?

****

I stepped into the studio.

I thought I’d be painted together with Ehit, but that wasn’t the case.

“Dapflen, your expression!”

Instead, several people were watching as I posed as the model for the portrait.

“Aren’t you tired? Go rest, Mother, Father.”

“We were about to leave soon anyway. The count said he’d explain the garden to us, didn’t he?”

“That’s right, Dapflen. I’ve never seen such a beautiful garden in my life. I must look around some more!”

“Dear, but we’ll be seeing it often in the future anyway, won’t we?”

“Oh, that’s true, my lady!”

While my parents laughed cheerfully, my expression grew stiffer and stiffer.

“Dapflen, relax your face!”

“Yes, it’s a portrait that’ll last a long time. Sir painter, please draw her with a smiling face.”

I forced the corners of my mouth up and glanced sideways at a mirror. Honestly, a blank expression might look better than this awkward smile.

My parents kept chatting happily, and I only nodded along now and then, trying my best to keep smiling.

They seemed so happy about my engagement that they weren’t just smiling—they kept bursting into laughter.

“Ho ho!”

“Ha ha!”

Each time, it felt like fragments of their laughter piled up on my shoulders, making it impossible to smile sincerely.

“Our Dapflen is sparkling even more today, on her engagement day. Don’t you think so, my lady?”

“Of course!”

But the strange feeling I had wasn’t just because of my parents’ expectations, which would soon be shattered.

‘I really did get engaged.’

Once it became official, something felt off. I couldn’t explain it, but my heart felt strange.

The church had already formally approved the engagement, and this ceremony was just the final step.

And yet, suddenly my feelings toward this engagement weren’t the same as before.

Yes—more than anything, Ehit was the reason I felt strange.

‘Ugh, my head.’

An engagement alone would normally be exhausting, but on top of that, there was too much to think about. Learning Mrs. Bella’s true identity was honestly shocking, and I still couldn’t guess Naya’s intentions.

Sitting still, I clenched my hands tightly.

‘When Ehit held my hand earlier, I felt a little better.’

That was what was really strange.

Normally, Ehit was the reason my head hurt. Even now, all my worries were because of Cloyden!

And yet, I was subconsciously looking for emotional support from Ehit—the very center of Cloyden.

‘So we’re drawing the portraits separately.’

My eyes drifted briefly to the empty seat beside me.

Since we’d be painted in the same frame anyway, it probably would’ve been fine to paint together with Ehit.

I don’t know why I’m thinking like this.

‘I must be tired. Too much happened today.’

But was it really just fatigue?

‘Let’s stop thinking. About Ehit!’

But I couldn’t walk around, and I couldn’t keep my hands busy either.

All I could do was sit still and think—and inevitably, my thoughts returned to Ehit.

“…….”

Suddenly, I remembered Ehit’s gaze as he kissed the back of my hand at the engagement ceremony.

In the bright banquet hall, a meaningless kiss. A dry, emotionless look.

And yet, strangely, it felt decadent.

‘What is wrong with me? Am I not tired, but crazy?’

I blinked a few times. It felt warmer than before.

“Dapflen! Your expression…… oh dear, my child. Is posing that hard?”

“Yes.”

I didn’t bother denying it and answered honestly.

“Then we’ll continue the rest tomorrow.”

The perceptive painter said with a gentle smile.

My parents laughed and chatted with the painter for a bit, then went off to tour the garden. I planned to leave after fixing the outer clothes and skirt decorations I’d worn for the portrait.

‘I need to go rest now. I really can’t keep going.’

I quickly stood up and left the studio. I planned to go back to my room with the help of the servant who should be waiting outside.

But the one waiting for me in front of the studio wasn’t a servant—

“Out already, Dapflen Aileta.”

It was Naya.

“…….”

Faced with someone I never expected, I instinctively tried to go back into the studio—but Naya crossed her arms and blocked my way with her long arm.

A brief silence fell.

Naya tilted her chin slightly, as if telling me to speak first. I shook my head and gestured with both hands, signaling for her to speak instead.

She stared at me for a moment, then narrowed her eyes and spoke.

“You said there was nothing, but there was something very big.”

She was talking about Enric.

“Ah…… I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Were you planning to just leave your family there and go?”

“Of course not.”

I answered right away, but my voice trembled without me realizing it.

A relaxed smile spread across Naya’s face.

But maybe because I couldn’t tell what emotion lay behind it, her smile was even more frightening. The raised corners of her lips looked sharp enough to cut something—truly fitting for a villain.

‘……She’s scary just standing in front of me.’

Still, since we’d already run into each other, and since Naya had started the conversation, I couldn’t just avoid it.

I steadied myself and asked,

“Why did you help Enric?”

Yes. Rather than worrying alone without knowing her intentions, it was better to ask directly.

Of course, whether she’d answer was up to Naya—and I couldn’t expect anything too positive from her.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

The smile lingering on Naya’s lips cooled slightly.

“……Pardon?”

“Did you think I would harm your brother?”

“No? Of course not?”

I answered in a tone that sounded, even to myself, like I very much did think that.