How to Live as the Terminally Ill Younger Sister of the Villain - Chapter 74
The more Angelina thought about the Crown Prince’s intentions, the more complicated her thoughts became. Strangely, things didn’t add up, and there were many parts that bothered her like protruding nails.
“If I…”
After much deliberation, Angelina began.
“What if I refuse?”
Aiden’s hand, which had been stroking his chin, stopped.
His expression didn’t change, but his gaze on Angelina intensified slightly.
Still, Angelina continued without tension.
“You said my feelings were important, right? But I… I’m someone who finds great joy and pleasure in doing what my brother wants.”
“Hmm……”
“So if my brother doesn’t want this marriage, listening to him would be another pleasure for me.”
“Following his opinion is your opinion……”
It was a truly active yet passive stance.
This wasn’t the first time Aiden had seen someone whose happiness came from making others happy, so he understood in what sense Angelina was saying such things.
“That’s why I’m asking for time with you.”
But he couldn’t agree.
“Pardon?”
“Do you remember what I said about not ignoring emotions in marriage?”
“I do.”
“What do you think is the reason for that?”
“…Because it’s choosing a companion to spend the rest of your life with?”
“That’s right. And I think the most important thing for that is having a heart that prioritizes each other.”
Angelina looked at him silently. As she slightly furrowed her brow in incomprehension, Aiden continued.
“Whether one’s original priority was family, friends, or oneself, it tends to change when affection develops. And marriage is like a procedure to confirm that reprioritization in one’s heart.”
When there was no response even after his explanation, Aiden chuckled.
Then, looking at her with eyes that found her cute, he said.
“Do you still not understand what I’m saying, Lady?”
“……?”
“I’m asking you to meet with me once.”
“……!”
“So that I can try to make your desire to marry me grow stronger than your desire to satisfy your brother.”
With a somewhat mischievous smile, the words he uttered teasingly were none other than a date proposal.
A very sweet offer.
Coming from the Crown Prince’s mouth, it was a splendid proposition that might make someone dream of power or wealth.
But the first thought Angelina had upon hearing those words was…
‘Has he lost his mind?’
She was questioning his mental state.
“Umm……”
A sigh that sounded like a groan escaped through Angelina’s teeth, as she had no idea how to react.
Seeing her ambiguous response, Aiden sighed regretfully and asked.
“Do you still need more time to think?”
Aiden turned his gaze to the window he had been looking at before she arrived.
“Or… is there another reason you don’t want to accept?”
The casually thrown question had a certain edge to it.
Angelina, quickly noticing this, observed his expression for a moment.
He was clearly probing for something. The problem was that she didn’t know what it was.
“Since my brother refused, I thought it was over and didn’t think about it further. I don’t seem to have a reason to accept or not accept, so I’m not sure what to do.”
She indirectly conveyed that it wasn’t that she needed ‘more’ time to think, but that she hadn’t thought about it at all in the first place. Implying that she couldn’t possibly have reasons to accept or not accept something she hadn’t even considered.
“No reason……”
Aiden slowly repeated her words, then removed his arm from the sofa armrest he had been leaning on and stood up. He then walked towards the window.
“How often does the Lady use this drawing room?”
“I believe this is the first time I’ve personally received a guest here. It’s an honor that my first guest is Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
Seeing that his mood seemed quite bad, she added some flattering words. However, his expression didn’t soften.
Standing again in front of the window where he had been when she entered, he crossed his arms and looked outside.
“If it’s your first time, you probably don’t know what scenery can be seen from here.”
“……?”
Angelina, who naturally didn’t know, didn’t respond, and Aiden beckoned with his finger as if telling her to come and see for herself.
Angelina followed his instructions.
She stood beside him and looked out the window.
“Ah.”
Taking in the scenery, she couldn’t help but let out a sigh. She could now understand why the Crown Prince had been making such provocative remarks.
“……It’s beautiful.”
The garden was visible in its entirety.
It was well-maintained and pleasing to the eye. The harmony it created with the horizon visible just above made it even more beautiful.
This structure was probably designed to impress visitors to this place.
However, the view was so open that everyone passing by could be seen. And…
“It’s a splendid fountain.”
The fountain where Angelina had been conversing with Blake was clearly visible.
“I’ve heard it’s a common design for fountains in this area.”
“It’s spacious, so that peculiar pet of yours would have plenty of room to play.”
Angelina tried to feign ignorance, but Aiden’s response implied that he had seen the two of them.
Mentioning Pudding, whom she had deliberately left behind thinking it might surprise him, meant that he had been watching since she was in the garden.
Honestly, it was impossible not to know. With such a clear view, it would be strange not to see.
“He’s a well-behaved child, so he doesn’t run around much.”
Angelina responded as naturally as possible. As if she didn’t know what he had seen, as if she didn’t care what he had seen.
However, he didn’t seem inclined to let the subject go.
“You said there was no reason not to accept, right?”
He asked again.
“There’s no reason to accept as much as there’s no reason not to accept.”
Now knowing what he was thinking with such questions, Angelina could nod without hesitation.
She meant to imply ‘That doesn’t mean I’m accepting,’ but Aiden lightly ignored such nuances and smiled.
“That’s good then. I was worried I might have to compete with my dear cousin.”
“……”
“The timing is perfect, so how about we all have a meal together? I was wondering when we’d have a chance, and now we have this fortunate coincidence.”
His mouth was smiling as he added that it would be a shame to miss such an opportunity, but his eyes were somewhat cold.
“I heard there’s a place famous for steak not far from here. I was thinking of treating you there, what do you think?”
He didn’t wait for an answer.
It wasn’t a question asked for a response in the first place. It was merely a unilateral notification.
“Dominic, call Blake.”
He immediately ordered Dominic, who was waiting at a distance.
“Yes, I underst……”
“Wait.”
However, Angelina, who finally spoke up, stopped him.
“I’ll send my own person.”
Aiden’s eyes narrowed slightly at Angelina’s words. As if trying to gauge her intentions.
“After all, this is the Flaubert’s villa. Those who have come here are, in any case, guests of the Flauberts, so I think it’s appropriate for us to go and escort them.”
Implying that since they were guests at their villa, they would handle it themselves and that even the Crown Prince couldn’t order their guests around.
Such meanings were embedded in her words, but perhaps due to the careful phrasing, Aiden didn’t seem particularly offended.
Rather, he seemed intrigued that such words came from Angelina.
“Then let it be so.”
“And we’ll host the meal here at our villa. I’m here for recuperation, after all, so it would be inconvenient to go far.”
Angelina added with a gentle smile.
The word ‘recuperation’ made Aiden’s eyes twitch for a moment.
Perhaps he felt guilty for pressuring someone who was ill.
It was clearly a reaction of momentarily forgetting that she had come here because she was unwell.
“……Let’s do that.”
Perhaps because of this, his response came a bit slower this time.
“Then, would Your Highness please go to the dining room first and wait? I’ll change into more suitable attire for the meal and join you shortly.”
Aiden quietly observed Angelina as she calmly managed the situation.
He had thought she would be flustered in many ways, but she showed no such signs. Rather, her telling him to go and wait first made him chuckle.
“You’re the first person to tell me to go and wait first, aside from the Empress and His Majesty the Emperor.”
Not many dare to waste the Crown Prince’s time carelessly. Everyone tries to accommodate him, even if it’s a bit inconvenient for them.
“Forgive my rudeness.”
However, she didn’t retract her decision even at this pointed remark.
Rather, her immediate bow of apology as soon as he nitpicked didn’t sit well with him.
It was meant to be a joke, but her serious response made him feel like the bad guy, which annoyed him even more.
“It’s fine. I was the one who suddenly suggested the meal.”
Aiden sighed and shook his head.
The expression that had been stiff until just a few minutes ago was now relaxed.
“I’ll wait.”
Although he generally doesn’t like wasting time, waiting for her strangely didn’t seem so bad.
Avatheran
This story might be my actual favorite 😍. Thank you sosososo much for translating