I Want To Die One Day Before You - Chapter 169
“Die? What nonsense! Has that foolish girl forgotten her own prophecy?”
Roned scoffed as he stuffed the gold coins back into the sack.
He recalled the prophecy of death that Primrose gave him long ago. After learning that Primrose possessed a unique magic that allowed her to foresee death, Roned had asked her a question.
“Primrose, how will I die?”
In response, Primrose had stared deeply into Roned’s eyes, as if searching for something hidden within their depths.
And after a brief moment…
“You’ll die buried in gold coins, Brother.”
“Buried in gold coins?”
“Yes. You’ll die in a place overflowing with gold coins. All of those coins will be yours, but they’ll be wealth you were never able to spend.”
It had been a question asked partly out of curiosity. How would he die in the future? And Primrose had clearly said so.
Wealth he was never able to spend. That surely meant Roned would die only after amassing a great fortune.
“Primrose, you definitely said I would die as a very wealthy man.”
Roned ground his teeth. He had witnessed every prophecy Primrose had made since she first awakened as a Saintess. Her prophecies had never been wrong. Therefore, Roned would not die. Not until he had obtained the wealth and honor promised to him by Prince Camus.
With that conviction, Roned dragged the sack of gold out of the prison.
It seemed that Primrose had already informed the prison guards, as no one tried to stop Roned from leaving the prison.
“Do they think I’ll back down? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! If I play my cards right, I can live the rest of my life in luxury!”
Roned exhaled in the cold air as he left the prison, his steps heading toward Prince Camus’s palace.
He planned to try again.
He would present Saintess Sarubia to Prince Camus and claim the wealth and honor promised to him. The words of the woman he once considered family had long been washed from his mind.
It wasn’t enough.
The man had long been consumed by his own desires, and the insatiable hunger within him always left him feeling something was missing.
***
A new day dawned.
Today was finally the day of the banquet celebrating the return of the third prince of the Kingdom of Hevania, Prince Tarek. At Prince Tarek’s palace, Rufus and his family were busy preparing to attend the event.
Rufus dressed in a simple tailcoat.
He had never once appeared in high society before, so wearing a tailcoat was unfamiliar to him.
“This tight fit would make it uncomfortable to swing a sword.”
Well, there wouldn’t be any need to swing a sword today.
As he was thinking that, Edel, dressed in a well-pressed suit, stood in front of Rufus.
“Brother, how do I look?”
Edel puffed out his chest with pride. His silver hair, slicked back with pomade, gleamed. It seemed he had styled his hair to look more mature. However, he was still a small boy, which made him look somewhat awkward.
“You’re cute.”
After scrutinizing Edel from head to toe, Rufus finally spoke.
Edel pouted his lower lip.
“C-Cute? I’m not a little kid, how can you say I’m cute!”
“Ask Grandmother. She’d probably say the same thing.”
“What are you talking about?”
Baroness Inferna, who had been changing in the adjacent room, walked in.
“G-Grandmother!”
Edel’s mouth dropped open at the sight of Baroness Inferna’s attire.
“I’m not naked, so why are you making such a fuss?”
Baroness Inferna replied nonchalantly, but Edel couldn’t stay calm.
“It’s a banquet, why are you wearing a uniform!”
A uniform.
Indeed, Baroness Inferna was wearing a uniform instead of a dress. And not just any uniform, but an honorary uniform worn by retired commanders.
“I fought off many demons in my military days. And today, my grandson, who not only defeated demons but also killed the Demon King, is being honored. On a day like this, I should at least wear this much.”
The medals on Baroness Inferna’s chest glittered as she spoke.
“….”
Edel wasn’t the only one left speechless. However, unlike Edel, who was flustered and showed it all over, Rufus quietly observed his grandmother’s outfit.
‘Honestly… it’s a miracle how badly it suits her.’
Baroness Inferna had retired decades ago. Considering her past, Rufus had expected the uniform to suit her perfectly, but it didn’t at all.
His grandmother usually wore simple, everyday clothes. Seeing her in a formal, flashy uniform with decorations weighed down by decades of time felt strange. The ornate embellishments were overshadowing her usually upright and formidable presence.
Baroness Inferna, noticing Rufus’s sidelong glances, lifted her chin.
“Do you have a problem?”
“No, ma’am.”
Even if he did, he couldn’t say so. How could he dare to upset the household head?
After ensuring that his family was all dressed, Rufus went to find Sarubia, who was preparing in another dressing room.
“Is the Saintess ready?”
“Yes, I’ve just finished.”
The maid bowed her head and led Rufus into the dressing room.
“Ah, Rufus!”
Sarubia turned her head from where she stood in front of the mirror.
Her golden eyes sparkled, curving into a gentle smile. Captivated by her gaze, Rufus unknowingly stopped in his tracks.
He couldn’t move.
His feet, which had been about to take a step toward her, and his lips, which had been about to tell her she was beautiful.
It was as if he was overwhelmed, unable to move.
