Even Death Was Taken Away by That Obsession - Chapter 10

“How many more times do you have to do this before you stop?“

“When will you realize that you can never die?“

“You want to escape from me? I have no intention of letting you go.“

“Even if you lose your memories, you’ll end up loving me.“

“Keep struggling. That sight is beautiful too.“

“In the end, you can never escape from me.“

I bit my lip as I recalled a few memories with ‘him’.

Although many memories had returned thanks to Feiden’s medicine, there was just one thing.

I couldn’t remember ‘his’ face and name clearly.

‘If you’re going to make medicine, make it properly.’

I directed my frustration at not being able to remember the most important part towards Feiden.

It had already been two weeks since I changed my status from Ian’s fake benefactor to his fiancée.

The current life seemed comfortable and lacking nothing at a glance, but this time was merely on borrowed time.

Even if it was a bet I could win by loving someone other than him, with all the vague conditions and timing, it was a luxury to wait leisurely.

“I’m thinking of visiting the temple today.”

Having become Haine Berdandi from just Haine, I spoke up while seeing off the busy Ian early in the morning.

“The temple?”

Ian asked, leaning against the door of the carriage.

He was dressed in an obviously luxurious formal attire, clearly heading to the assembly.

“Yes, Fei… the High Priest has been sending medicine every day, hasn’t he?”

He nodded and I recited the excuse I had prepared in advance.

“I want to ask about the medicine, express my gratitude, and offer a prayer while I’m at it.”

And I need to hear more from that crazy guy’s mouth.

“Don’t overexert yourself. If you just contact him, my brother would return to the mansion right away.”

Ian worriedly clasped my hand.

That kindness was so splendid that Dantea patted Bonnie’s shoulder and smirked contentedly.

“See, what did I tell you? The two were lovers. ”

Dantea seemed to have been certain from the beginning that our relationship was not simple.

Since my relationship with Ian changed to ‘fiancée’, she had been proudly going around proclaiming that her guess was correct.

A relationship that was still just pretense.

I gently shook my head and subtly pulled my hand away.

“We can’t have the High Priest come and go for personal reasons.”

It would be a big problem if someone overheard our conversation in this mansion like Bonnie did last time.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”

Ian lowered his light blue eyes slightly.

He seemed to have no intention of hiding that he was unbearably anxious about an outing without him.

It’s just a brief visit to the temple, not even a crowded place, what could be so worrying?

When I blinked, urging his permission, Ian yielded as if he couldn’t resist.

“If that’s what you want, of course, you should do that.”

Then he instructed Hubert, who was seeing him off with me.

“Take good care of her.”

“Do you even need to ask?”

Hubert, boasting that only he could be trusted, closed the carriage door.

There seemed to be a secret exchange of glances between the two, but I didn’t pay much attention to it.

It was probably just ordinary concerns like taking extra care of me or reporting any suspicious activities immediately.

As his carriage disappeared, I quickly turned around and urged Hubert.

“Shall we depart right away?”

I wanted to remember the face of ‘him’ who had thrown me into hell as soon as possible, even if it meant shaking down the noble High Priest.

***

To be honest, I had been underestimating how impressive the Grand Duchy’s temple could be.

But as if mocking my assumption, the Bonasea Central Grand Temple towered dizzyingly, comparable to any imperial palace.

Round and solid pillars, and marble floors that made one worry about slipping.

Sculptures harmonizing with the temple and neat phrases praising the gods hung everywhere.

Walking along that wide path, a beautiful and incomparably sacred garden tended by apprentice priests unfolded.

“Well, why is there no one here?”

Hubert, who had deliberately muttered loudly, turned his head several times to check if any apprentice priests were passing by, but soon gave up and dropped his shoulders.

He seemed embarrassed that his plan to escort me without waiting had been disrupted.

“Would you mind waiting here for a moment? I’ll go inform the High Priest.”

It seemed he thought it would be faster if he met Feiden directly.

After clearing his throat a few times, he headed towards Feiden’s office.

‘At least he’s calling him High Priest instead of young master in the temple.’

I nodded obediently and sat down on a white chair set up in the central garden.

My limbs ached due to a strange tension.

My mind was complicated about what to ask Feiden first when I met him.

‘The conversation will probably be long.’

Among countless memories, some scenes were as clear as if they happened yesterday, but oddly, only his face couldn’t be remembered accurately.

Also, many things were vague, like how this bet came about, and how I should prove that I love someone else.

‘The bet, the past, and also…’

I was quietly organizing my thoughts while waiting for Hubert to return.

Suddenly, my attention was drawn to the fountain in the center of the garden.

It was made with such fine craftsmanship using high-quality white stone that it seemed too precious for only a few people to enjoy.

Clear water flowed along multiple streams, making small sounds.

It was a serene, clear water color.

I headed towards the fountain as if entranced, listening to the sound that calmed my mind.

Up close, somehow my distracting thoughts disappeared, and I took a moment to catch my breath.

And then.

“Die.”

Suddenly, someone pushed my back and pressed down on my head.

My body was plunged into the fountain in an instant.

There was no time to resist or save my breath.

‘What is this!’

I, who had wanted to escape from him even if it meant dying, flailed my arms with all my might, ridiculously.

It was a struggle to live.

I struggled with all my strength, but it was difficult to even escape from the immediate danger of drowning, let alone identify the owner of the hand pressing down on my head.

‘Should I use my power?’

While desperately holding back my instinctively glowing golden eyes, I tried to think as rationally as possible.

Should I use my power to escape this situation?

At the risk of someone discovering my secret?

My breathing became increasingly labored. With a cough, my remaining breath disappeared into bubbles.

‘No. It would be stranger to die once and come back to life.’

As my mind was turning blank, I steeled myself.

I decided to destroy the owner of the hand threatening my life, even if I had to use his power.

And at the moment I closed and opened my eyes.

The terrifying hand that had been pressing down thoroughly from the nape of my neck to the back of my head suddenly disappeared.

And then, someone quickly fished out my body, which couldn’t easily regain balance due to exhaustion.

It was such an ungentlemanly force that ‘fished out’ seemed more fitting than ‘rescued’.

“Haa!”

The holy air of the temple hit my entire body coldly.

I quickly inhaled the air and then collapsed on the ground, clutching the grass and coughing repeatedly.

For a while, I couldn’t even open my eyes properly.

It took quite some time of loud coughing before I could regain my blocked breath.

Someone dunked me in the water? To kill me?

Was the voice telling me to die real, or was it an auditory hallucination?

Before I could fully organize these confusing thoughts.

“Are you alright?”

A pleasant voice with a regrettably cold tone asked about my well-being.

I kept wiping away the water streaming down my cheeks and belatedly raised my head toward the direction of the unkind question.

At a distance close enough for our noses to almost touch, a man with striking ruby-red eyes and golden hair was sitting face-to-face with me.

Although my vision was briefly obstructed by water droplets falling from my hair, the man sitting across from me shone even through that.

Nobly fluttering golden hair.

Red eyes as brilliant as jewels passed down as imperial treasures.

And facial features so distinct that they would be unforgettable once seen. It was an appearance that naturally made one stop thinking.

“You’re more intact than I expected.”

The baritone that flowed languidly from that elegant appearance was as heartless as if he had dunked me in the water himself.

“If you had fainted, I was thinking of waking you up with a kiss.”

“Didn’t you see any suspicious person? Or…”

Or did you push me into the water and pretend it wasn’t you?

I cut off my words abruptly, unable to say that much.

But the man easily deduced what I had left unsaid and twisted his eyebrows.

“Ah, I should have left you to die.”

That gentlemanly delivered ungentlemanly remark violently echoed in my ears.

“How disappointing to be suspected by the person I helped.”

His red eyes were so ominous that it was confusing whether he meant he wanted to save me or kill me.

‘He’s somehow unpleasant.’

Hiding my honest feelings, I lowered my gaze as demurely as possible, looking as pitiful as I could.

A weak, frightened young lady.

It was the best mask to make an opponent who believed they had the upper hand let their guard down.

“I was only going to ask if you had noticed anything suspicious. I’m sorry if it sounded like suspicion.”

“…..”

“Thank you for saving me.”

“Why do you think I saved you?”

“…Pardon?”

We were far too unfamiliar with each other to be exchanging such frivolous jokes.

When I flinched, unable to understand his true intentions, the man finally seemed to remember me and gently tilted his head while closing his eyes beautifully.

“Ah, you must be the rumored fiancée.”

“…..”

“Haine Berdandi, was it?”

The man briefly looked away, tapping his fingers.

“Perhaps it would have been better for Ian if I hadn’t saved you after all.”

It was an indifference that completely ignored the pitiful young lady trembling right in front of him.