I Want To Die One Day Before You - Chapter 159
From head to toe, there was nothing about Iruel that Rufus found remotely impressive. Yet despite that, calling Iruel his right hand was something Rufus genuinely meant.
The future now depended on Iruel’s next moves.
Iruel, who played the role of Prince Tarek. He must be used well to eliminate Prince Camus.
Rufus glanced at the time.
Late afternoon. The sun had not yet set. Many people would still be bustling inside the palace. In other words, there were many eyes watching.
Good. There was still time.
With that judgment, Rufus turned his head towards Iruel.
“Get ready to go, Iruel.”
“What? Where are we suddenly going?”
Iruel stood there wide-eyed, and Rufus replied with these words.
“Get ready to be beaten by Prince Camus.”
Iruel was dumbfounded by Rufus’s words. What did I just hear?
“Uh… Sir Rufus, I don’t particularly enjoy being beaten by grown men.”
“So what?”
Rufus frowned as he responded.
Seeing his fierce expression, Iruel felt as though his skin was being roughly scraped by a sharp hook.
“Um, well, I mean… Why do I have to go and get beaten by Prince Camus right now? I’m really curious about that…”
“Because you have to.”
Rufus coldly threw out the answer to Iruel, who was stammering.
“Oh, I see.”
Iruel felt crestfallen once again at the entirely unhelpful answer.
Here we go again.
It was always like this. Iruel never knew what schemes or plans were running through Rufus’s mind. He wished Rufus would share his thoughts with him, but Rufus rarely spoke about his plans.
It was disappointing.
If Rufus had personally called him his right hand, shouldn’t he treat him accordingly? Feeling a sudden surge of frustration, Iruel mustered the courage to speak.
“Sir Rufus, no matter how I think about it, this treatment doesn’t seem ethical.”
“What part?”
“Shouldn’t you give me a more logical explanation as to why I have to get beaten by Prince Camus? Otherwise!”
“Otherwise?”
“Otherwise, I’m not going to Prince Camus’s palace. Do you think I won’t? Go ahead, try me!”
Iruel made a bold declaration. Rufus glared at him with wide eyes.
Then.
“Show me your stomach.”
“I apologize.”
Iruel’s courage vanished in an instant, like a cockroach in a lit room.
***
Sarubia, who had gone up to her room first, was heading towards the bath with the assistance of the maids.
“Oh, I’ll do it myself.”
Still not used to being cared for by others, Sarubia stiffened and stubbornly resisted the maids’ assistance. However, the maids would not leave her alone.
“We have orders from Sir Rufus. Please allow us to assist you.”
“I’m not unwell or anything. I can manage on my own.”
“If we don’t assist you, we’ll get scolded.”
It seemed Rufus had given the maids strict instructions. Sarubia had no choice but to allow the maids to tend to her.
The small bathroom, decorated with amethysts. Transparent glass flowers hung from the ceiling adorned with multicolored patterns, and the golden inlaid tiles on the walls shimmered brilliantly. Warm steam rose from the scented water filled with petals and herbs.
Sarubia, assisted by the maids, soaked herself in the bath.
“Haaa…”
As she sank into the warm water, her whole body felt like it was melting. Her skin, from her toes up to her chest, felt soft and relaxed.
‘It’s like I’ve become Princess Sordid.’
The thought gave her an odd feeling.
Back when she was a maid, Sarubia had always been the one scrubbing and cleaning the baths. But today was different.
She was the one stepping into the bath.
“Is the temperature to your liking?”
A maid, kneeling beside the bath, asked.
Sarubia wiggled her toes.
“Hmm… If I said it was too hot, would you fetch ice from the cave?”
At those words, the maids immediately prepared to carry jars and head for the cave.
“Just kidding, just kidding! It’s perfect!”
Sarubia quickly stopped the maids.
When Sarubia finished her bath and stepped out of the tub, five maids quickly gathered around her.
One to dry her body, one to apply fragrant oils, one to comb her hair, one to prepare her clothes, and one holding a glass of milk.
Surrounded by the maids’ attentive care, Sarubia didn’t know how to handle it.
“This feels like how an old person must be treated with respect…”
The maids didn’t seem to hear Sarubia’s muttered comment and continued to tend to her in silence. Once her bath was over, Sarubia finally returned to her room and was left alone again.
‘I feel refreshed.’
She pinched her arm lightly. Her skin felt smooth, like that of a newborn baby. She couldn’t help but feel pleased.
‘I’ll have to brag to Rufus.’
Sitting on the bed, Sarubia giggled to herself as she waited for Rufus. But no matter how much time passed, Rufus didn’t return.
Normally, he would have barged in by now, as if ready to break down the door, but something felt off.
‘Hmm.’
Sarubia tilted her head as she stood up.
Could he have gone to see his family? With that thought, Sarubia set off to find him.
But Rufus wasn’t in any of his family members’ rooms.
“Baroness Inferna is asleep.”
A passing servant whispered to Sarubia.
“I see. Thank you.”
She smiled brightly as she responded, but inside her mind was restless. Where could Rufus have gone?
Just as Sarubia turned to head back to her room—
“…Sister Sarubia?”
A voice called out from behind her.
“Oh, Edelweiss.”
It was Rufus’s younger brother, Edelweiss.
