Second Life, I’m Dying Soon Chapter 90

Chapter 90

 

Cecil swallowed a quiet sigh. Still, there was no turning back now.

Forcing his reluctant feet forward, he approached Alexis.

The closed eyelids slowly lifted. Alexis’s head tilted slightly to the side, and eyes as blue as a frozen sea fixed themselves on Cecil.

Meeting that cold gaze after so long made it feel as though even his body temperature dropped. Cecil let out a long breath, clenched and unclenched his trembling fist, then composed his expression and spoke.

“Please reconsider.”

Alexis snorted. His head returned to center, then tipped back against the chair. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed down his anger.

“So you find my words amusing?”

“It’s what everyone wants.”

“Everyone? Does that include you?”

Cecil gave a small nod. At that, Alexis finally snapped and slammed his boot down against the desk.

The violent kick warped the desk out of shape and shoved the chair back. Springing to his feet, Alexis grabbed Cecil by the collar.

“No, Cecil. You should have opposed it. You should’ve told me you didn’t want to go, begged me to take Kilian’s head instead.”

“I’m not a child.”

Cecil brushed his hand away.

“There’s an easy way to end this war—why are you avoiding it? It’s better for me to go as a hostage and meet Kilian directly. I’m confident I can persuade him.”

If necessary, he could throw away his pride and kneel. He was even willing to offer his body. If this was how it was destined to end, then so be it. A body meant to die in forty-nine days wasn’t worth preserving anyway.

“Persuade him?”

But Alexis had already seen through Cecil’s reckless thoughts. Just imagining it made his teeth grind, his breath coming out harsher than ever.

“If you go to Kazarjan , do you really think Kilian will treat you gently?”

“I said I didn’t mind.”

“I mind!”

The shout stole Cecil’s words away. He had never seen Alexis this agitated.

“Don’t entertain stupid ideas. I will never send you to that bastard. Do you understand?”

“…….”

“I’d rather you help me figure out how to win this war.”

Alexis threw the door open and stormed straight into the council chamber. Seeing his furious expression, the aides immediately realized Cecil’s attempt at persuasion had failed.

“Inform the imperial army. Have everyone assume full battle readiness and await orders. There will be a battle soon—and this time, I’ll be leading it myself.”

It signaled a major battle was coming. Everyone stared at Alexis with tense expressions, and soon, a resounding reply echoed as they resolved to carry out the Crown Prince’s will.

Cecil swallowed a silent breath. Once again, events were veering away from the future he knew. Alexis joining the battle himself was proof enough.

“It appears Kazarjan has begun preparing for war as well. Their forces are all converging on the border.”

“So it’ll be a race to see who strikes first.”

Strategies were being meticulously exchanged. The two nations, which had briefly discussed a peace treaty, were now stoking the embers of war again as if nothing had happened.

Listening in, Cecil bit his lip anxiously.

This would be the fiercest battle in history.

Kazarjan possessed hundreds of cannon-bearing ships, all of which would be mobilized to attack the Empire.

Over the course of roughly a month, both sides would be utterly devastated. Imperial soldiers, imperial citizens—there would be too many dead to even count.

He couldn’t hide his despair. If only he sacrificed himself, it could all end so easily, yet Alexis was not someone whose stubbornness could be broken.

For a moment, Cecil considered slipping away to Kazarjan in secret—but with Alexis in this state, he wouldn’t sit idly by. He was the kind of man who would crush Kazarjan even if it meant all-out war.

Cecil didn’t know how this war would end.

It would be best to finish it while he was still alive. And to do that, they had no choice but to win this battle decisively.

‘I told myself I wouldn’t interfere this time….’

After long deliberation, Cecil made his decision.

He returned to the Peridot Palace and began swallowing painkillers indiscriminately.

Chief attendant Leo panicked and tried to stop him, but Cecil had already emptied an entire bottle.

“You can’t! If you take that much—!”

“Instead of wasting time, call Ethan. Tell him to wait in front of the strategy chamber.”

“Lord Cecil!”

“Hurry! Have you forgotten your promise to me?”

At the sharp rebuke, Leo backed away step by step. He looked at Cecil with tearful eyes, then ran off to fetch the palace physician.

Cecil headed straight for the strategy chamber.

When he threw the door open, a strategy meeting was already in full swing. Alexis stared fixedly at Cecil’s sudden intrusion.

Seeing the resolute look on his face, Alexis asked in a meaningful tone,

“What is it? Do you have something to say to me?”

Cecil nodded. The hand hidden behind his back clenched into a tight fist.

This was clearly madness. If saving hundreds of lives meant enduring this pain, what kind of suffering awaited him?

It wasn’t easy to withstand that vague, looming fear.

But if this would win the war—if it would give Alexis victory—then he had to do it. Cecil had no other choice.

“Yes. I’d like to speak with you privately, just for a moment.”

Cecil shared everything about the future that was to come. Letters and circles were boldly drawn across the map, thick lines slashed through it as he explained Kazarjan ’s expected routes and attack patterns.

“The enemy’s surprise attack will occur at two in the morning on Friday. We must move before them.”

Alexis remained silent for a long while, using the information Cecil provided to calculate the most efficient tactics.

His gaze slowly lifted from the map and settled on Cecil.

“Kazarjan has an invincible fleet—but we have a divine messenger who can see the future.”

It wouldn’t be an easy battle. Alexis immediately took the map down from the wall and spread it across the conference table. Naturally, the aides gathered around.

“What is the current situation at the garrison?”

“The entire army is combat-ready. We are prepared to move at any moment.”

In front of his key aides, Alexis shared the strategy he had just formulated. The framework was in place—now they needed to account for variables and fine-tune the details.

As countless opinions were exchanged, Alexis never lost focus, his gaze grave and unwavering. Not a single word could be careless. With each decision, countless lives hung in the balance.

“We won’t be able to avoid conflict within the territory. First, evacuate the imperial citizens in the affected areas.”

“There’s a high chance Kazarjan’s scouts are watching. We should move them out little by little so it doesn’t draw attention.”

About twenty minutes passed as discussions continued. Cecil covered his mouth with his palm, steadying his breathing.

Alexis occasionally directed questions at him as well, so he stayed in place. Even the date of deployment had been set. He was reaching his limit.

Pain began to creep in. His heart pricked sharply, and his stomach churned like severe motion sickness.

It felt different from usual. The nausea was worse than the crushing pain in his chest.

Perhaps it was anxiety, bracing for pain that could strike at any moment. Or perhaps his stomach was protesting from the excessive medication.

Even so, it was clearly an overdose. To be honest, he’d already prepared himself to collapse right here.

If he could barely save a single life without being bedridden, wasn’t it only fitting punishment to suffer this much when dealing with hundreds of lives?

Relieved that he hadn’t yet made a complete spectacle of himself, Cecil offered a brief prayer of thanks to the goddess Gaia. Just as he decided it was time to excuse himself—

“……!”

The room spun violently. Without thinking, Cecil slammed his hand down on the table. His pale hand covered a corner of the map, and all eyes turned to him.

Naturally, everyone assumed he was about to speak. But Cecil had his eyes tightly shut, his face contorted.

The way he covered his mouth made him look like someone desperately holding back something foul.

“Cecil, what’s wrong? Are you unwell?”

“My stomach… a little.”

“Oh dear! You’re bleeding from the nose! Please, sit down for a moment!”

As drops of red fell from beneath Cecil’s nose, the noble standing closest hurriedly pulled over a chair.

In the meantime, Alexis abandoned everything else and rushed to Cecil’s side.

“Are you all right? Look at me. What hurts?”

Cecil could only shake his head. The nausea was so overwhelming he couldn’t even answer.

Suddenly, he retched. Reflexively bending forward, he vomited with a wet sound, a thin mass spilling onto the floor.

Those who witnessed it were struck speechless.

“Cecil!!”

Alexis’s shout snapped him back to his senses. Cecil had only thought he’d made a disgusting spectacle of himself in front of everyone.

But when he lifted his head, Alexis’s expression was strange—like someone who had seen something horrific.

Only then did Cecil look down. The vomit soaking the floor and his clothes was entirely dark red.

Seeing both palms smeared with sticky blood, Cecil was struck with horror, unable to speak—no, his voice wouldn’t come out at all.

His esophagus felt as though it were burning away, his insides melting.

As the pain finally crashed over him, tears streamed down his face—and even then, another wave of nausea rose.

“Ugh—!”

He reflexively covered his mouth, but couldn’t stop it from spilling out in heaves.

Terrified emerald eyes fixed on the person right in front of him. Blood splattered across Alexis’s face as well, who looked just as shocked.

A crushing pain seized his chest, forcing Cecil to lower the hand covering his mouth. As his body gave way, Alexis desperately caught him.

“Physician! Bring a palace physician immediately!”