I Want To Die One Day Before You - Chapter 1
01_The story of Sarubia, a maid
In the kingdom of Hevania, there lived Princess Sordid.
Princess Sordid was a woman of such breathtaking beauty that she was often referred to as a paragon of grace. There was not a man who could resist her enchanting charm and radiant appearance.
As the years passed, Princess Sordid came of age, and with her coming of age, the kingdom was plunged into chaos. Young nobles began to fight over the beautiful Princess Sordid. Fiancés clashed, engaging in frequent quarrels as they vied for her affections.
Everyone desired Princess Sordid.
Fearing that the kingdom would be torn apart by internal strife over Princess Sordid, the king finally made a proclamation.
“Anyone who wishes to marry my daughter, Princess Sordid, shall come and find me. I shall personally choose the man who will become my son-in-law.”
Countless men came to the kingdom of Hevania, seeking the honor of becoming Princess Sordid’s husband. Among them, a man named Rufus appeared before the king.
“Your Majesty, please bestow Princess Sordid upon me.”
The king looked down at the man kneeling before him.
Rufus Inferna.
The eldest son of the Inferna Barony, located in the most remote corner of the kingdom. A country bumpkin who had never set foot in the capital before. An 18-year-old hailing from a noble household that could boast of its historic lineage, yet not of its proactiveness within high society.
‘He doesn’t even know his place.’
The king inwardly snorted as he observed Rufus.
Even the young nobles of renowned families were repeatedly rejected. How could he possibly give away their precious princess to an obscure country bumpkin with no name or reputation?
It was an audacious challenge.
The king couldn’t simply imprison him right away, considering he was technically a noble. So, the king devised a plan.
“Very well. Then I shall appoint you as the captain of a demon subjugation unit. If you bring me the head of the demon lord, Audisus, I will give you the princess as your wife.”
Demon subjugation unit.
In the outskirts of the Hevania kingdom, demons frequently raided human villages. They would frequently raid and plunder.
One fortunate aspect was that nobles possessed magical capabilities. While individual strengths varied, all nobles had magical powers, which allowed them to combat the monsters effectively.
The king had previously carried out large-scale subjugation operations to defeat the demons.
Countless soldiers had been sent to the border until now. People of all ages and genders were deployed to the frontlines.
It was a chaotic, deadly struggle. Among those sent, fewer than half returned alive. And if you counted those who returned with all their limbs intact, the number decreased even further.
Rufus, who knew all these facts well due to his household’s domain being on the border, clenched his lips tightly.
‘Are you telling me to go and die?’
Rufus could easily foresee his own fate.
To die or become a cripple.
Nevertheless, the king’s command was absolute. Rufus had no choice.
Having concluded his brief audience with the king, Rufus walked away with a heavy heart.
The path ahead was pitch-black. He felt lost and didn’t know what to do. The fear of imminent death caused his body to tremble.
Should he just run away?
He hadn’t officially joined the demon subjugation unit yet. The king’s decree would come down soon, but until then, he was a free man. Perhaps fleeing to another country as a refugee might be a wiser choice than being forcibly taken to the demon subjugation unit and meeting his death.
But running away would be an act of defiance against the king’s order. The punishment for defying royal commands would be borne by his entire family.
Rufus thought of his family.
His parents had passed away long ago, leaving Rufus and his younger brother behind. Instead of Rufus, who was too young to take on the family’s responsibilities, their grandmother had become the household head of the Inferna Barony and upheld the family.
Lately, however, his grandmother’s health hadn’t been great. Moreover, his younger brother was still a child. Rufus couldn’t be sure if his family could survive without him.
If he ran away, his grandmother and younger brother…
‘No. I can’t run away.’
It was bitter. Even if he tried to force a smile, his despair-hardened lips wouldn’t budge. He couldn’t think straight in his troubled mind.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
T/N: Hello, I’m Marmalade and I’ll be picking up this novel! I’m starting from Chapter 1 again because I’ve read only the raws and not the previous translator’s work. I will try to do daily updates so that I can catch up in no time.
Thanks and hope you like my work!
