IBVM 08

Chapter 08

“Ah… ah.”
A faint sound confirming he was alive reached my ears. At that small sound, I snapped my eyes open.

“Your Highness!”
“…You’re alive.”
Whether it was relief, resignation, or dissatisfaction, an incomprehensible sound slipped through his dry lips. It didn’t suit an eleven-year-old boy.

“Would you like some water?”
Before waiting for Cassion’s answer, I poured water and held it out. Meanwhile, our family servant helped him sit up. To prevent the hard headboard from pressing against his back, they also placed a soft cushion behind him.

By the time all these actions were done, Cassion’s eyes had clearly regained focus.

“This is Flack, Irenber’s servant. Flack will attend to you from now on, Your Highness.”
Flack bowed deeply to Cassion. Cassion’s suspicious gaze swept over me and Flack in turn.

I waved the cup of water in my hand, signaling him to take it quickly, but Cassion just stared blankly.

“What’s with you?”
When I insisted on placing the cup in his hand, he swatted it away.

But his weak hand failed to reach its purpose, grasped my wrist feebly, and then dropped it. He didn’t even have enough strength to hold my wrist properly.

“Flack, leave. Janis, you too.”
After the two left, we remained in silence, staring at each other.

When the silence started to feel tedious, Cassion rolled his bloodshot eyes and scanned the room. His eyebrows twitched.

Had he noticed?
Thanks to the soft lamplight instead of moonlight, Cassion’s transformed room was fully visible.

A clean room, a desk stocked with everything needed, and a neatly organized wardrobe filled with clothes.

While tidying Cassion’s room, I worried that if Dyson came later and saw the changes, he might throw a fit.

But Cassion’s room hadn’t been in good condition. It wasn’t even suitable for a healthy child, let alone a patient like Cassion.

‘Dyson doesn’t come often.’
In the past, Dyson would report to me after visiting Cassion. Calculating quietly, I realized the intervals were quite long. Since he came today, he probably wouldn’t visit again for a while.

‘At least he can be comfortable for now.’
I could restore the room to its original state when Dyson came, so I didn’t throw away the messy items but gathered them to the side.

“How is it, Your Highness?”
“You… what are you?”
Cassion repeated the same question with a vacant expression, as if dreaming.

“You’re probably not curious about my name. Then you must be asking why I’m being kind to you, Your Highness.”

“Being kind? This is being kind?”
“Of course. I’m nursing someone who’s sick, buying what they need, and I’ll even help with your revenge in the future.”

“What did you say? Cough, cough.”
Cassion’s voice rose, followed by a coughing fit. I quickly offered him the cup of water.

After sleeping a long time with a fever, his throat must be parched. Speaking without drinking water would make anyone cough.

Holding his chest and coughing dryly for a while, Cassion finally took the cup I offered. He drank like a person who had been in the desert for days.

After setting the cup down with a clatter, Cassion stared at me sharply.

“Don’t glare at me like that. I want to get along with the person I’m going to marry.”
Cassion shook his head and lay down, as if no longer wanting to fight.

He seemed surprised by the word “revenge,” but not by “husband,” so he must not have heard properly.

I pulled the blanket up to his chin and said,
“You can listen while lying down, Your Highness.”

“The late Duke of Irenber in heaven would be so saddened. His daughter, who should inherit the family, has gone mad.”
If only he weren’t sick, I’d snap his mouth shut!

Cassion had a habit of speaking sharply. If I married him, I’d need to fix his rude tongue first.

“Which would be sadder: a mad daughter inheriting the family, or a wretched younger sibling stealing it? What if the daughter is abandoned? If I were my father, the latter would be sadder.”

Cassion, fidgeting under the blanket, froze. His eyes sharpened.

He studied my shadowed face carefully. After a moment, he licked his dry lips and asked,
“Is the problem my uncle?”

Cassion was smart. Just from listening to me, he accurately grasped the situation of our family. He skipped several steps and pinpointed the core problem.

“Yes. That’s why I came here.”
“Why?”

Even though he was smart, he still acted like a child. He didn’t understand why I had come and asked.

“I need a husband.”
“Whose? Yours?”

I nodded.
“Yes. Congratulations on your marriage. Need a witness?”
“No. I need a marriage partner. I want to marry you, Your Highness. Let’s receive the congratulations together. You will be the witness, of course, Your Majesty?”

Cassion stiffened like stone. His head, which had been staring at the ceiling, turned toward me. Every movement sounded like a wooden doll creaking.

Clatter, clatter.

He must have been very shocked.
“You… are insane.”
With an incredulous expression, he spat out words as coarse as his lips.

Refusing would be understandable—suddenly approached by a princess from Irenber with a marriage proposal.

But with a little thought, he would realize marrying me would be far from a loss.

I immediately tried to persuade him.
“Think about it, Your Highness. You won’t lose anything. Marrying me means having the powerful Irenber family as a strong ally. Do you know what kind of family Irenber is? A family even His Majesty dares not act against.”

The Irenber family contributed heavily to the kingdom’s wealth through diplomacy and business.
They had prevented over five wars and established diplomatic ties with more than ten countries.
Some kings had promised the most fertile lands if the Irenber family became citizens.

It was more than enough. My family and I were incredibly attractive. So, Your Highness, just accept. If you’re shy, a nod will do. You’re smart.
“Marry me, Your Highness.”

But Cassion rejected my proposal:
“No, I have no intention of marrying you.”

I shouldn’t let him refuse.

“Are you going to the palace again today, miss?”
Janis asked.

There was no time to nurse a broken heart.
Having secured a secret passage to Prince Cassion’s palace during a royal visit, I often went to see him. Every time, he would turn me away, but I didn’t give up.

It takes years to gain a great servant, so a little effort to gain a husband was nothing.
“No.”

Janis assumed I’d go to the palace as usual, but today I had a different destination.

I woke up early, bathed, and dressed with Janis’s help. I paid extra attention today and added a large ribbon to my dress.

After preparing, I examined myself in a full-length mirror.
No matter how I looked, I was adorable.

“I don’t like pumpkins.”

Cassion rejected my proposal for an absurd reason.

“I can’t accept the term ‘pumpkin,’ but beauty standards differ. Still, I have plenty of money.”
“What’s money for if you can’t even spend it all before dying?”

Hearing him say “die” left me speechless. I suddenly understood why he hadn’t even considered my proposal.

Maybe it wasn’t that he disliked me but that he worried he couldn’t take responsibility even if we married.

I wanted to tell him, I’ve seen you grown up; don’t worry, but swallowed my words.
“If dying is a problem, then we just save you.”
“Huh? What did you say, miss?”

Oh! You saved me! What do you want? No, you don’t need to tell me. I’ll do everything for you!

I imagined Cassion being revived by me and chuckled. Janis looked at me oddly.

“Let’s go, Janis.”
“Where? At least tell me!”
Janis followed, chattering, but I didn’t answer. I wasn’t even sure if I could meet the person I intended to.

“Miss, where is this?”
In an alleyway that clashed with my fancy dress, I leaned against the wall, waiting.

The floor and walls were covered in filth, emitting a foul stench. Janis finally covered her nose.

“Don’t you smell it, miss?”
I did. I had smelled something similar before—in the underground prison.

I didn’t want to remember it, but I didn’t shy away. Painful memories fueled my anger, and anger fueled revenge.

Footsteps echoed as someone approached. It must be the person I was waiting for.

I smiled brightly and lifted my head. Sure enough, the person I had been eagerly waiting for came toward me. I waved.

Her red hair tied high swayed. Seeing her younger face compared to before made my heart flutter.
Glad, missed, grateful.

“Aunt!”
Chyo, leader of the Chorni and the one who appeared for me at the execution site, stopped.

“Aunt, I’m Diana Viola Irenber! Your one and only niece!”
I rushed to her, grabbed her hand, and waved it up and down without hiding my joy.

“Ugh.”
Apparently, I was the only one happy. In a blink, Chyo restrained me, hugging me from behind and pressing a knife to my neck. A faint scent of sweat came from her body.

“Miss!”
Janis, left behind by my movement, stomped and shouted. Rats in the alley began squeaking.

“Tell her to stay still.”
Chyo whispered ominously into my ear.

“Janis, don’t move! She won’t hurt me. She’s my aunt.”
“Enough with the aunt thing.”
“Yes, aunt.”

I was an obedient niece and quickly answered.