I Want To Die One Day Before You - Chapter 163
“Ugh!”
With that powerful force, Iruel’s head whipped to the side. In that moment, he saw the face of his kind mother before his eyes.
Ah, this seriously hurts like sh!t.
Like pigeon droppings hitting the ground, Iruel found himself flung far away, muttering to himself.
“Prince Tarek!”
“We have to pull Prince Camus away!”
Seeing Prince Tarek injured, his guards hurried to intervene.
Of course, Camus’s side wasn’t just watching idly either.
“How dare you touch Prince Camus!”
“Protect Prince Camus!”
The guards from Prince Camus’s side also rushed in.
In an instant, the front of Prince Camus’s palace turned into chaos. It became a full-blown brawl, with bodies tangled together, making it impossible to tell who was attacking and who was defending. Startled by the disorder, the palace servants fled the scene.
“Prince Camus and Prince Tarek are fighting!”
“I heard Prince Camus tried to kidnap the Saintess, and Prince Tarek came to confront him, which led to this!”
The shocking news spread like a ship catching a tailwind in a calm sea. For those in the palace, already feeling tense before the upcoming banquet, it was the perfect gossip.
There was one person watching this entire spectacle from above.
‘What a bunch of idiots.’
Rufus silently sipped his cold tea, gazing out the window.
The commotion happening far away reached even here.
Iruel had played his part well. With this, everything was in place.
Second Prince of Hevania, Camus. Now it’s your turn.
“What are you thinking about, Rufus?”
A soft voice came from across the table.
It was Sarubia.
“Just thinking about something.”
“You look like you’re enjoying yourself.”
“Do I?”
Rufus unconsciously pressed the muscles at the corners of his mouth.
I must hide it. Just as I promised the witch Odr, Sarubia must not find out. She must never know that the deaths of all the royals to come will be because of Rufus’s plan.
“…”
Sarubia quietly stared down at her teacup.
Rufus had come to find her shortly after she returned to her room. When she asked where he had been…
‘I went to see Baroness Inferna for a moment.’
…he gave her that vague answer.
Sarubia didn’t ask any more questions.
She already knew.
She had heard everything from Edel, Rufus’s younger brother. Everything that had happened while she was away from Prince Tarek’s palace.
But Rufus hadn’t said a word to her. Not that Prince Camus had visited, nor that he had been looking for her, nor that Baroness Inferna had been injured during the scuffle. He hadn’t told her anything.
She had a vague idea of why.
He was probably worried. He didn’t want her to know that all these things had happened because of her, fearing she would feel guilty and suffer. That was why he hadn’t told her.
So, she wouldn’t ask.
Smiling softly, Sarubia lifted the teapot.
“Rufus, would you like more tea?”
“Thank you.”
With a quiet pour, the dark red tea flowed into the cup. The tea rippled in the cup, spreading small waves.
“…”
Sarubia gazed at Rufus’s reflection in the tea.
―Rufus, you don’t know.
There are so many things I can’t tell you either.
Just as you don’t ask me, I won’t ask you either.
That’s the kind of relationship we have.
We love, respect, and cherish each other so much that we can’t casually ask about what’s hidden deep in our hearts—a delicate relationship like that.
I don’t mind that.
A careful, respectful relationship where we cautiously explore each other—I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all.
Rufus.
I can accept anything as long as I’m with you.
Even if loving you means falling into hell, I will accept it willingly.
Because.
I cannot accept a future without you.
So.
Just as you hide everything from me, I will hide everything from you as well.
***
Night fell, and darkness covered the land like a black veil.
Sarubia covered her mouth with both hands and let out a yawn.
“Are you sleepy?”
“Yes, we’ve been in the forest, remember?”
Mumbling “That’s right,” Rufus gently stroked her hair.
“I’m going to sleep now.”
“Alright.”
Rufus lifted Sarubia into his arms and kissed her forehead.
“You’re treating me like a child again.”
Though she grumbled, Sarubia gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.
“I want to sleep together.”
“Once we go down to the Inferna estate.”
“When are we going to the estate?”
Lying in bed, Sarubia wiggled her toes under the blanket.
“We’ll leave after the banquet.”
“Oh, right. The banquet is tomorrow.”
Sarubia giggled as she stared intently at Rufus.
“Why are you laughing?”
“I’m going to wear a dress tomorrow.”
A dress…
He already knew. The moment they entered the palace, he had ordered the seamstresses to make a dress for Sarubia to wear at the banquet.
Sarubia, who had likely never touched a pretty dress in her life, deserved only the best.
Originally, Rufus had wanted to secretly surprise her with the dress, but unfortunately, he knew nothing about women’s fashion. So, he left all the decisions to Sarubia. He would find out tomorrow what kind of dress she had chosen.
