I Want To Die One Day Before You - Chapter 20

“I don’t have good memories when it comes to my grandmother,” the princess continued. “Old people are all the same, aren’t they? They smell weird, can’t understand a word you say, and keep hugging you even when you don’t want them to.”

“…”

Rufus remained speechless.

How.

How could someone be so rude?

Rufus already didn’t have warm feelings towards the princess. Now, any remaining respect he had for her as a member of the royal family had vanished completely.

But the princess interpreted Rufus’s silence as agreement and continued to speak while enjoying her cake.

“So, I wasn’t particularly sad when my grandmother died. Frankly, I find it strange why people cry when their own grandparents die. I don’t even know why they are so sad. After all, it’s not like they won’t die eventually, so what’s there to be sad about?”

“…”

Rufus tightened his grip on the sword at his waist.

He felt an impulse to draw the sword right then and there.

He wanted to get rid of this abhorrent woman who made fun of others’ grief without understanding it, all the while making no effort to comprehend it herself.

As a man accustomed to the battlefield, eliminating things that bothered him felt completely natural. Moreover, the shock from the prophecy he had heard from Sarubia the day before hadn’t subsided yet.

In a half-crazed state, Rufus raised his hand towards his sword.

At that moment, just as he was about to draw the sword…

Far in the distance, Sarubia stood.

‘You can’t.’

Sarubia whispered without making any sound.

‘Ah.’

When he saw Sarubia’s face, his senses finally returned. His hand, which had been on the sword, lowered.

Instead, he raised his head.

“Your Highness the Princess.”

“What’s the matter?”

The princess, with her fork in hand, intentionally raised an enchanting smile, seducing him.

The princess’s smile was undeniably captivating. There was not a person present whose heart didn’t race. But Rufus didn’t want to look at that kind of smile anymore.

It was repulsive.

Her smile, crafted solely to adorn herself, without a hint of consideration for the other person, was too repulsive.

“If there’s nothing more, I shall take my leave.”

“Wha, what?”

Rufus didn’t wait for the princess’s response. He rose from his seat and passed by the frozen princess.

Instead, he approached a maid, taking brisk steps. His sudden actions left everyone baffled.

However, the man was not concerned enough to pay attention to their gazes.

“Let’s go, Sarubia.”

“Rufus, but…”

“It’s fine.”

The man extended his hand toward the maid.

“You wanted to see the fuchsia flowers, remember?”

The meaning behind the man’s words was lost on those present in the princess’s garden. But the maid, who understood, smiled quietly and took the man’s hand.

No one attempted to stop the man and the maid from leaving the princess’s garden.

***

Rufus returned to his private palace with Sarubia.

“Brother!”

His younger brother, Edel, heard the commotion and rushed out. Edel blushed deeply when he saw Sarubia standing beside Rufus.

“H-Hello, Miss Maid.”

Sarubia chuckled.

“Oh my, cute young master. Hello to you, too. It’s nice to see you again today.”

“Cu, cute young master…”

Upon hearing that, Edel’s lips trembled as if he were about to burst with joy. He desperately held back, not wanting to show his happiness in front of his brother.

“Don’t tease him too much.”

Rufus held Sarubia’s hand tightly, wearing an annoyed expression. He remembered when he was that age, he was cute too.

“Where is grandmother?”

“She’s inside.”

A calm voice came from behind Edel. Baroness Inferna, draped in a shawl, stood there.

“Rufus, didn’t you go and visit Princess Sordid?”

She asked with a light cough.

“I met her and came back.”

“Is that so? You left alone but returned with a lovely young lady.”

“Her name is Sarubia, Baroness.”

Rufus let go of Sarubia’s hand, and she curtsied politely.

“You met her once before, but I wasn’t able to introduce her properly.”