I Became The Younger Sister Of A Dying Woman - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: A Springtime Nightmare (1)

Hernan’s steps were heavy as he walked back to his office after seeing Linzel off.

It was because he hadn’t heard what he wanted to hear from her. No, it was his own inability to say what he wanted to hear.

‘I hope you’ll cheer for me in the hunting competition.’

It wasn’t so hard to say that…….

Hernan hoped that Linzel would instead say first, “I will prepare accessories for Your Highness!”

But Linzel kept saying strange things like “Beware of ants.”

She seemed quick-witted, so he thought she would quickly understand his true feelings.

“Hahh….,” he sighed.

It seemed that dating was hard in many ways.

Eventually, he arrived at the office. His father and mother were there.

Other high-ranking nobles were expected, but they didn’t seem to have arrived yet.

“Hernan, you’ve arrived.”

“Yes.”

“Take a seat.”

“Yes, Father.”

His father’s face looked serious as they sat facing each other.

Come to think of it, not only his father but also his mother seemed serious.

“How is Linzel? I heard from an aide that she’s fine, but…… I’m worried.”

“Linzel is fine. She even ate well this morning.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Even with the reassurance that Linzel was fine, his parents’ faces showed no sign of improving.

It was as if they had a story they couldn’t bring themselves to tell.

“What… is the matter?”

The answer came from Angel.

“I was kicked out of the door again by Illiya this morning.”

Illiya Kleman.

Third Prince of the Kleman Empire and a recluse living in the West Palace.

Even his parents said they only saw his face a couple of times a year.

Not to mention Hernan, who was constantly away. The last time Hernan remembered seeing Illiya was ten years ago. It was when Illiya was eight years old.

Many people speculated about the cause of Illiya’s seclusion.

But no one, not even his parents, knew the cause.

Illiya didn’t suffer abuse from adults like Izekiel, and he was so quiet that he had no friends.

Was he tormented by his brothers?

That wasn’t the case either.

Izekiel wanted to be a good brother to Illiya, and Hernan didn’t pay much attention to him.

So, they dismissed Illiya’s reclusiveness as a passing phase, a whim. They thought that after a year or two of holing up in the corner, he would miss the world and come out naturally.

But they were mistaken.

Iliya’s seclusion had lasted for a whole ten years.

The longer he remained in seclusion, the less attention the world paid to him.

Some of the nobility had forgotten that the Third Prince ever existed.

But his parents couldn’t forget that child, as much as they tried. As his seclusion continued, their concern only grew.

“I can’t even remember the last time I had tea with that child.”

In the end, Angel choked up.

Although she appeared endlessly cheerful, she actually suffered from severe depression because of Illiya.

There were countless nights when she couldn’t fall asleep due to worries about their third son.

Hernan, who saw his weeping mother, slammed his fist on the table.

Bang!

A thunderous sound echoed through the room. Hernan’s eyes took on an eerie glow.

“I will go and see him myself. If he doesn’t open the door, I will break it down and bring him out by force.”

Hernan was determined to grab Illiya by the collar right away.

“That’s enough.”

Delta was the one who restrained him.

“But father……!”

“It will only be for a moment. Even if you drag him out by the collar, it will only be at that moment.”

“…….”

“If you resort to violence, you might just lock the door to his heart even further.”

“Haah..,” Hernan sighed again before clenching his fist tightly, and Delta let out a long sigh himself.

“What in the world caused him to detach himself from the world…? I’m curious, too.”

The conversation about Illiya ended there. It was because the high-ranking nobles entered the council chamber.

Hernan looked at Angel, who couldn’t contain her tears, with pity.

‘Illiya, you scoundrel.’

Hernan thought it was about time he met that child for the first time in a long time.

* * *

Linzel ended up discarding a total of ten handkerchiefs. And her fingers were pricked twenty-five times.

That meant that the finished handkerchief required a great deal of effort.

She spread the handkerchief wide open and looked at the symbols engraved in the corner.

‘Hernan ♥ Linzel’

“Perfect.”

Linzel was saddened to realize that her fingers were this tattered after just a few letters, but the result was not bad, so she decided to be satisfied with that.

She neatly folded the handkerchief with the embroidery and put it in her handbag.

Today was the day of the hunting competition.

How eagerly she had anticipated this day for the past three days.

“A-choo!” A sneeze escaped her lips as she stood up from where she had been sitting for so long.

Damn allergies.

Linzel was allergic to pollen.

This damn allergy had kept her from doing anything with Hernan for the past three days. Every time his lips were about to touch hers, a sneeze would come out.

Of course, they couldn’t do anything more than a kiss.

It was quite a serious problem.

It’s not like she hadn’t taken any medicine for the past three days. But instead of getting better, now she had a runny nose along with the sneezing.

Linzel sniffed and wiped that aforementioned runny nose before she pulled a thin handkerchief over her ears, covered her nose and mouth, and climbed into the carriage.

The hunting competition was scheduled to take place in the “Elche Forest” located behind the palace.

Since Linzel wasn’t participating in the hunting competition, she planned to stay only at the base camp set up at the entrance of the forest.

Originally, she was supposed to leave with the royal family, but due to the severe sneezing caused by her allergies, she requested to go separately.

Sneezing was unfortunately loud.

Hernan also had to accompany his parents, so the couple parted ways for a while.

“Lady Linzel. Your style today is like that of a mysterious woman.”

Inside the carriage, it was Mini sitting across from her who spoke. 

“A mysterious woman?”

“Yes, someone with numerous secrets… Perhaps you know a way to save this world. It must be because of the handkerchief covering your mouth!”

‘A way to save this world,’ Linzel mused. 

She may not know about that, but she had a general idea of what will happen in the future.

She lowered her voice.

“Mini, I’m actually not a person of this world.”

“H-huh!”

Mini… She was ever the skilled acting partner. The gasp she made was so genuine that for a moment, Linzel mistook it for her believing her words.

Who would believe such an absurd fact that sounds delusional?

“This place is a world inside a novel. I am a reader who has read that novel.”

“I-I can’t believe it!”

“That’s why I know what will happen in the future.”

“Then, what about my future?”

“You…..”

‘Hmm…’

While pondering what kind of future to make up, a line Mini had said came to Linzel’s mind.

‘Miss. If you see a puddle of water on the road ahead, please say hello!’

‘Why?’

‘Because that’s me melting at the sight of your perfect legs.’

That’s it.

“You’re going to be a puddle of water because you can’t escape my charms.”

Mini screamed.

“No! I haven’t even experienced love yet!”

Linzel burst into laughter, creating an uproarious sound that would conclude this ridiculous play.

“Pfft!”

“At least you should experience love before becoming a puddle,” Mini grumbled.

Kind-hearted Mini didn’t object to the idea of becoming a puddle. It was as if it was only natural for her to succumb to Linzel’s charm.

Linzel granted Mini’s earnest wish.

“You will live a happy life as a human forever.”

“Thank you.”

Linzel wasn’t sure if Mini would ever know the fact that half of today’s skit was real.

The scene of the hunting competition was bustling.

At the base camp located just beyond the entrance of the Elche Forest, behind the palace, nobles and servants were abundant.

The orchestra played soft music, and on more than a dozen tables, there were refreshments, drinks, and fruits arranged.

Linzel exchanged pleasantries with a number of noblemen who had previously greeted her in the banquet hall.

Some of them asked why she had come separately, and she sneezed repeatedly as she told them the reason.

They understood.

‘I think they were avoiding me because they were afraid my sneezes would be contagious…….’

After finishing the greetings, Linzel took a seat at a secluded table.

‘Even though I only greeted them, I feel exhausted.’

The hunt would end at sunset. 

This meant that she would not be able to rest until about six hours later, in the middle of the day.

It seemed necessary to preserve her stamina.

In times like this, something sweet is the best.

It was when she was eating one delicacy at a time, covering her mouth with a handkerchief, that the orchestra suddenly played a loud noise.

The performance was announcing someone’s entrance.

Indeed, in the distance, a group of people could be seen walking towards them. 

Linzel’s gaze was fixed on the man with the most magnificent cloak among them.

‘It’s Hernan!’

Hernan’s cloak was swaying elegantly, just as she had seen during the victory ceremony.

It would be a lie to say it was love at first sight that day but seeing him today really did make her heart skip a beat.

The others, apart from Hernan, were the emperor and empress.

Oddly enough, Izekiel was nowhere to be seen, and Prince Illiya, the third prince, also did not make an appearance.

Linzel rose from her seat, as did the other nobles.

Delta stood at the head of the table and spoke in imperial fashion.

“Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to attend.”

Well, well. The atmosphere is different from when they all had dinner last time.

Back then, he was smiling so much that he was kind of like the guy next door…….

But why was her nose tickling like that?

“I hope you all enjoy the hunting competition.”

Perfectly timed, Linzel made a sound that was close to a response, just as Delta’s speech ended.

“Ah, ah, ah-choo!”

The massive sneeze echoed loudly. And what followed was a stifling silence.

Her porcelain face became instantly hot, and her lips dried up.

‘I’m so embarrassed!’

It was Delta who broke the silence.

“Hahaha! My daughter-in-law must have been paying attention to me. That was an excellent answer.”

Laughter erupted around her, one noble after another.

It was fortunate that they took it lightly, but……

Linzel still couldn’t lift her burning face.