I Just Wanted to Avoid Death - Chapter 69
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Yeshion lay wide awake all night, staring up at the ceiling. Maybe it was because something so utterly overwhelming had happened—he was exhausted, yet sleep wouldn’t come. All he could think about was what Adelio had said.
“That doesn’t mean I’m sure whether I really like you or not.”
Now that he thought about it, it was absurd.
“No, like—he said he wishes I were his. How is that any different from liking someone?”
It was a relief that it hadn’t been a direct confession, but it was still ridiculous.
“You just wanted to rub your snout on me, that’s all.”
He shouldn’t have listened to him in the first place.
He had overlooked the fact that the guy was sly and calculating. The real idiot was himself—for thinking a single kiss could end it.
“Try fooling me like that again in the future.”
Grinding his teeth, Yeshion changed his clothes.
Anyway, today was finally the day they were leaving for the southern Mishemol Duchy.
Since the ambush hadn’t happened long ago, Eldis had asked, “Are you really sure about coming with us?” But for Yeshion, there was no real choice. If he didn’t go, who knew what might happen to Rosaline?
Once he finished getting ready, Yeshion headed straight out of the room.
“Ye~shion! Over here, here!”
In front of the temple.
As he approached the crowd of people, Rosaline greeted him with a wave.
“Did you sleep well las—wait. Why are your lips swollen?”
“My lips?”
Yeshion touched his lips, but honestly couldn’t tell if they were swollen or not. Rosaline, however, squinted at him and insisted they were.
“Don’t tell me…”
“Don’t tell you what?”
“I heard the Crown Prince came by yesterday. What did he do to you this time?!”
Rosaline’s eyes blazed with fury.
Yeshion’s eyes widened when Rosaline threatened to rip all of Adelio’s hair out if Yeshion just said the word.
“I wouldn’t call it something he did to me. It was… consensual.”
“What?”
“Just, you know, a bit of mutual figuring-things-out…”
“Wait, wait, wait! Consensual? What exactly did you do consensually? Did you kiss? No—don’t tell me. Did you sleep with that bastard?!”
Rosaline’s voice grew louder and louder until Yeshion had to hurriedly slap a hand over his mouth. Even the temple priests loading luggage onto the carriage turned to stare.
“N-no! It’s nothing! Really!”
Yeshion blurted out, throwing Rosaline a panicked look. Rosaline, still steaming, yanked Yeshion’s hand down.
“You, say it. What did you do consensually? Did you really sleep with him?”
“Of course not! Why would I sleep with the Crown Prince?!”
“You did say before that you wanted to sleep with him.”
“That was a different me.”
The answer came out sharp and firm, without a moment’s hesitation. Rosaline narrowed his eyes.
Still suspicious, he stepped in and gave Yeshion’s waist a solid pat. When Yeshion didn’t react in pain, Rosaline mumbled, “Guess you really didn’t…”
Face full of worry, Rosaline sighed heavily.
“Of course, whoever you date is up to you. But… I’d really prefer it if you ended up with someone who actually cherishes you.”
“That’s not what this is abou—”
“There are plenty of good people! Eldis! Or me!”
Rosaline stood with both hands planted on his hips, full of conviction.
Yeshion blinked at him in disbelief.
“Why are the Saintess and the Archpriest in that category?”
“Exactly! Unless they’re as good as us, you shouldn’t bother dating them.”
Rosaline’s face was dead serious as he spoke. The sight was so absurdly cute that Yeshion found himself nodding without realizing it.
“Alright, I’ll do that.”
“You mean it? Promise!”
As Yeshion nodded at Rosaline’s final, decisive words, Rosaline turned toward Eldis, who had just exited the temple.
“Eldis! Yeshion says he’s going to marry us someday!”
“…..?”
Yeshion ran a hand down his face and bowed his head.
…He’d forgotten, just for a moment.
That in ‘In the Name of the Saint,’ the most unpredictable person was always Rosaline.
* * *
Yeshion stared blankly past the cliff edge.
The densely packed trees and wild grass, grown so high they brushed past his sleeves, scratched at his skin.
“Saintess. The purification will start from here and continue all the way down to the far end—”
“All at once, that’s…”
Yeshion glanced at the two standing near the cliff edge.
They were talking about the purification ritual, so Yeshion couldn’t understand a word.
Eventually, tired of spacing out while they talked, Yeshion quietly stepped back.
‘Well, it’s not like I’m doing the actual purifying anyway.’
At any rate, he’d managed to bring Eldis safely to the Mishemol Duchy. That was enough. Now, even if something happened to Rosaline, it wouldn’t be fatal.
