I Want To Die One Day Before You - Chapter 11
“I don’t want to send off my grandmother in that way. I only wish for at least some time for preparation.”
Rufus murmured.
“So please let me know about my grandmother’s death.”
While saying this, Rufus held a small hope. Perhaps, just perhaps, there was a chance that his grandmother could make it through this year.
“…Alright.”
After a moment of silence, the maid nodded firmly.
“But I’ll let you know only when your grandmother’s time comes. Don’t ask for anything else.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
That’s all he wanted. He had no interest in any other information. He just wanted to know how much time he had left with his grandmother.
As they entered the palace with the maid, Rufus’s younger brother, Edel, came rushing out.
“Brother! Where did you go? I was worried… Ah?”
Seeing the maid standing by Rufus’s side, Edel abruptly stopped in his tracks.
When the maid smiled warmly, Edel’s ears turned as red as beetroots.
“This is my younger brother.”
Rufus briefly introduced Edel to the maid.
“Hello.”
The maid greeted Edel with a friendly smile. Edel’s face, which had turned beet red, didn’t seem to cool down anytime soon.
“Uh, hello… I, I’m… Er, nice to meet you.”
‘She got you all flustered.’
Rufus sighed inwardly as he watched Edel, who seemed unsure of what to do, his gaze fixed on the maid.
She might not be a beauty, but the maid had a charming freshness about her with innocent features. Moreover, Edel had never met a woman of her age in the Inferna domain. So perhaps he fell for her at first sight.
And Edel didn’t disappoint Rufus’s expectations.
“Y-You’re very lovely. Are you perhaps Princess Sordid?”
At Edel’s words, the maid chuckled softly.
“No, I’m a maid working in the princess’s palace. Please feel free to speak casually.”
“A ma, id? No, um, a maid?”
“Enough of that.”
Rufus, who couldn’t bear to watch his brother’s behavior any longer, intervened.
“Just wait in your room for a while. We’re going to meet our grandmother.”
“Grandma? Why? Are you two getting married? Getting grandma’s permission to marry?”
“If you don’t want me to deprive you of your blankets tonight, run into your room right now.”
Rufus chased the babbling Edel upstairs.
“Sorry. He’s still a kid, so he’s not quite mature yet.”
As Edel’s figure disappeared up the stairs, Rufus turned to the maid and let out a sigh.
“It’s okay. Your brother is cute.”
The maid looked in the direction where Edel had disappeared and chuckled.
“Cute?”
“Yes. What’s your brother’s name?”
“Why do you want to know that?”
Rufus gruffly asked. He was a bit annoyed. She hadn’t even asked his name.
In response, the maid just smiled mischievously.
***
“Grandma.”
As Rufus knocked on the door, a faint response could be heard from inside.
As they cautiously entered, Rufus’s grandmother struggled to sit up in bed. Rufus quickly approached her.
“You should lie down, you’ve been through a lot.”
“It’s fine, Rufus.”
Baroness Inferna turned her head and propped her upper body against the headboard.
“I want to see you as much as possible while I still can.”
Rufus clenched his teeth.
His grandmother must sense it too, the feeling that her remaining days were not so long.
‘No, you still have many days ahead of you. You have to keep living…’
That’s why he wanted to confirm. It was a fragile hope, but he was willing to gamble on that small chance. He hoped that his grandmother could live a long, long life.
“Thanks to you, Rufus, I’ve been able to come to the royal palace. I’m grateful.”
Baroness Inferna gave a weak chuckle and let out a harsh cough. Her face contorted in pain.
Seeing this, Rufus felt like a lump was forming in his throat.
“Don’t push yourself. Rest comfortably, Grandma.”
Rufus gently laid his grandmother back down and covered her up to her neck with the blanket.
“I’m sorry, Rufus. You’ve come back, yet I’m in pain like this.”
“Please don’t apologize.”
Rufus deliberately averted his gaze. He couldn’t bear to look his grandmother in the eyes. If he met her eyes, he felt like he might burst into tears.
Rufus left his grandmother’s room with the maid. Since there were many listening ears outside, he took her to his own room.
“My grandmother…”
Rufus closed the door with a thud and let out a deep sigh in a hushed voice.
“How much longer do you think she has?”
