I Want To Die One Day Before You - Chapter 14
So whenever the princess got angry, she would call Sarubia and take her frustrations out on her.
“She went on a short errand.”
Unable to admit that Sarubia had gone to answer Rufus’s call, the maid who dared not speak these words didn’t answer straight.
“What? Who does she think she is, a noblewoman free to go anywhere as she pleases?”
“…I apologize.”
“If you know you’re sorry, then you can take the beating for her!”
The princess, brandishing a club, faced the servant.
Trembling, the servant approached the princess.
Smack—!
The princess swung the whip down on the servant’s back. Unable to withstand the blow, the servant twisted her body. All the while, she bit her lips tightly. If she couldn’t hold back her cries of pain here, it would only stoke the princess’s anger further.
The princess didn’t stop beating the servant until she was sure the servant couldn’t stand properly.
“Princess, please, let go of your anger for now.”
As the princess vented her anger for a while, a calm voice came from behind.
It was the princess’ childhood governess.
“Am I not composed enough right now? Am I, the most beautiful and noble in this kingdom, meant to marry that country bumpkin who came out of nowhere just because he killed a mere demon king?”
“Though his birth may be humble, Rufus is now the hero of this kingdom.”
The governess tried to reason with the princess patiently.
“Then are you taking his side too? I can’t possibly marry a man like that, no matter where he rolled in from!”
“Even so, given that His Majesty the King has already made his statement, we cannot stop this marriage.”
“So what am I supposed to do then? What do they expect from me?!”
With these words, the princess began to cry as if she were unjustly treated.
The governess sighed deeply.
“Princess, right now, what you should be doing is not crying loudly.”
“Then what? Am I supposed to marry that man and get ready to rot in Inferna territory?”
“Listen carefully. Even though His Majesty the King has allowed Rufus, the one who killed the demon king, to marry you, the final decision lies with Rufus himself.”
The governess spoke calmly.
“If the princess can persuade Rufus well, this marriage can become a non-issue. So, please prepare to meet Rufus soon.”
“Unbelievable! Any man who sees a woman as beautiful as me would immediately want to marry me!”
“Please come up with reasonable excuses. Since the war ended not long ago, you can say something like ‘I’d like to marry after the situation has settled.’ Create a suitable pretext and see how things unfold, and if needed, you can break off the engagement.”
The governess’s words made the princess lift her head suddenly. It was a cunning plan, and the princess found it intriguing.
“Will that guy listen to me?”
“Who wouldn’t listen when someone as beautiful as the princess asks for a favor?”
The governess flattered the princess.
“I will send someone to invite Rufus to the palace.”
***
“All better now.”
The maid tidied up his hair.
This had resulted from the maid hugging him in her arms. Rufus’s hair had become a mess as a result.
Not being able to leave in this state, Rufus held the comb but was offered help by the maid who tidied it for him.
“Thank you.”
Rufus responded briefly.
After that, no more words came out.
He looked pitiful. A grown man overwhelmed by emotions to the point of shedding tears. Surely, he must think he looks pathetic.
However, words contrary to his expectations escaped the maid’s lips.
“I truly admire you.”
“What for?”
“Everything about you.”
The maid replied quietly.
“You’ve been through a lot in the last three years.”
As she spoke, the maid gazed at Rufus’s back.
“The many monstrous demons that were coming after you must have been terrifying, right? It must have been heartbreaking to see your comrades die.”
“…”
“Yet, despite all that, you overcame it all and returned. And as soon as you got back, you were more concerned about your family. You’re truly brave and kind.”
The maid whispered from behind Rufus.
“I deeply respect everything about you.”
“…It is all thanks to your prophecy.”
Facing forward without looking at the maid, Rufus mumbled.
“Because you gave me that prophecy, I could survive to the end.”
“You were destined to survive the demon subjugation anyway.”
“Even still.”
Rufus turned his head slowly to the side.
“Thanks to your presence, these past three years haven’t been lonely.”
The maid’s face was right in front of him. They were so close that their hair was intertwined, and they were almost within touching distance.
