I Just Wanted to Avoid Death - Chapter 71
“W-We were good together, just four years ago!”
How the hell would he even know about something that wasn’t in the original story?! Even the author probably hadn’t written that far!
When Yeshion stared at him in alarm, Edward suddenly changed expressions—gone was the hateful glare, replaced by a bright smile as he stepped forward and grabbed Yeshion’s hands.
“Even if you don’t remember, I—I do. Everything we shared, the future we promised, even the kiss. I remember all of it!”
…You kissed me?
What kind of relationship did Edward and “Yeshion” have that it would lead to a kiss?
‘What was their relationship… were they sleeping together?’
The questions kept spiraling.
Yeshion wanted to dig up the real “Yeshion” and punch his temples with a closed fist.
“M-My father, I’ll talk to him, I’ll convince him. So you don’t need to pretend anymore, o-okay?”
Blue eyes peeking through tousled, wheat-colored hair stared straight at Yeshion.
There was a chill to them that ran down his spine. That piercing cold felt eerily similar to the eyes of the man who had attacked the temple. Yeshion’s stomach churned.
Blind obsession.
That was all he could see in those icy blue irises. As if failing to back away would end with his throat torn out. Instinctively, Yeshion stepped back.
“W-Where are you going, Yeshion? You came all the way to the Mishemol Duchy—because you wanted to see me again, right? Right? You came because you were hoping we could make things right again?”
Muttering like a lunatic, Edward reached out and gripped Yeshion’s shoulder.
“W-Wait…”
“I’ll treat you right. I—I’ll forgive everything you did in the past. I’m not the same man anymore. I’m going to inherit the dukedom soon. So, I can give you anything you want.”
His grip tightened on Yeshion’s shoulder.
The stronger Edward’s hand clamped down, the more Yeshion’s face twisted in pain.
As he twisted his body to break free, Edward—like someone unhinged—burst out, “Why do you hate me?!”
“I—it hurts! Let go…!”
It felt like his arm was being torn off.
Just as the sharp pain of Edward’s nails digging into his shoulder hit its peak and Yeshion went to shove him away, a pale white hand shot out and grabbed Edward’s wrist.
Immediately, Edward flared up, his voice booming.
“…Who the hell do you think—!”
“How dare you?”
A calm but cutting voice rang out, and Yeshion instinctively let out a breath of relief.
It was Rosaline.
Under Rosaline’s murderous glare, Edward stumbled back as if the rage had never been there to begin with.
“Yeshion. You might be needed, so come with me to the purification site.”
Yeshion nodded quickly.
Any other time, he might’ve hesitated, overthinking things—but with danger right in front of him, he had no interest in making stupid choices.
“Y-Yeshion!”
As Yeshion left without a second thought, Edward reached out, trying to grab his collar. But his hand only swept the empty air—he hadn’t caught him.
“…Are you… abandoning me?”
His voice trembled faintly.
That miserable tone nearly made Yeshion look back out of reflex, but Rosaline gave his back a sharp tap.
“Don’t turn around. If you do, he’ll chase you down and grab you again, it’s obvious.”
Something in the way she said it—like she knew Edward far too well—snapped Yeshion back to his senses. He looked straight ahead and kept walking.
Once they had gotten far enough away, Yeshion lowered his voice and asked,
“Did I… do something with him? I mean—what kind of relationship did I have with that guy?”
Rosaline rolled his eyes at the urgent question.
His expression clearly said he had no idea. And really, it made sense. The old “Yeshion” didn’t seem like the type to go around blabbing about his personal affairs.
It wouldn’t be strange if Rosaline had only ever heard lectures from him.
“I don’t know about you and Edward. But I do know the second son of Mishemol has a nasty reputation.”
“Reputation?”
“Yeah. I heard he got kicked out and sent to the capital because he caused trouble at home. Hitting people, bullying them…”
Birds of a feather, huh.
The few times “Yeshion” had supposedly hung out with people, it turned out they were even worse than him—richer, more powerful, more messed up.
Yeshion remembered that chilling blue stare Edward had locked onto him.
“You’re sure we were just… friends, right?”
“Huh? Why?”
“It’s just, the way he looked at me…”
It was like watching someone forced to say goodbye to the love of their life.
The problem was, that gaze didn’t fall within any normal category of affection. It was obsessive. Psychotic. It was like… if you said the wrong thing, he’d lunge at you and tear your throat out.
Yeshion swallowed dryly and gripped Rosaline’s arm.
“…Let’s just go.”
That uneasy feeling in his gut kept churning.
