I Became The Younger Sister Of A Dying Woman - Chapter 49

49. Indeed

There was a saying about taking off the bull’s horns while they’re still short.

It was decided that Linzel and Hernan should go to the Marquis of Hawkins today.

Hernan had accepted her request to meet Marquis Miller in person and ask him what he wanted. Of course, Delta fully supported this decision as well. Delta even added that it’s better to confront questionable matters directly.

After sending a letter of intent to the Marquis, the young couple decided to stop by the Duke of Valencia’s mansion first.

For the sake of her father and Letty, who would be anxious to know about her well-being.

In the carriage with Linzel for the first time in a long time, Hernan held her hand tightly as they sat side by side.

She told him the news she’d heard when she met with Izekiel.

“But, Hernan, why do you want to become a crown prince?”

Linzel understood Izekiel’s reason for wanting to be crown prince, but not Hernan’s.

Even in the original story, Hernan’s reason for wanting to be crown prince was never really explained.

Maybe she just didn’t remember it.

“Are you curious about that now?”

“Sure. I thought I had a pretty good idea of who you were, but I’m not sure why you wanted to be crown prince.”

“……It’s an embarrassing reason to reveal. Still, do you want to hear it?”

“Could it possibly be more embarrassing than you and…… and even your family knowing that I like your face as much as I do? “

“Yes.”

‘Really?’

Indeed.

Hernan seemed well aware of how embarrassed the things Linzel did made her feel.

And yet she still did those things? …Well, there was no point in dwelling on the past.

In the meantime, Hernan began to confide in her about the truth that embarrassed him.

“Firstly, I wanted to beat Izekiel. I figured the surest way to beat him was to stand on top of him.”

“Aha.”

“That’s how I got to the point where I couldn’t give up.”

“That’s not a very embarrassing story, is it?”

“But isn’t it ridiculous? It started not with an aspiration to become a king, but from a sense of inferiority of simply wanting to surpass my older brother.”

Was that so? Did dreams need to be grandiose?

Linzel expressed her thoughts without reservation.

“Well, is there a need for grand reasons behind dreams or aspirations?”

“…….”

“There are many people without dreams. I think having a dream itself is great. It’s like having motivation, energy, something like that.”

Hernan looked at me with a very surprised expression.

“Linzel… I think I can finally believe what you said.”

“What do you mean?”

“You mentioned enjoying reading books. Just now, it sounded like you have a broad perspective.”

Linzel frowned.

Hernan, as if her frown was insignificant, had a wide smile on his face.

“You’re too much, Your Highness,” Linzel pouted.

“Haha. If you pout and stick out your lips like that and you’re sulking…,” Hernan inadvertently felt like he was thirsty, looking at her plump lips. “Am I just clueless?”

“Yes! I’ll give clueless Hernan one last chance.”

“Very well.”

“I’ve pouted, I’ve stuck my lips out, and I’ve done nothing all this time because of a damn sneeze, so what am I supposed to do now?”

Linzel purposely pouted her lips again, enticingly.

‘With this, Hernan should understand what I want.’

Hernan’s head, which had been gazing at her lips for a while, tilted to the right. Before long, their lips lightly touched and then separated without going further.

“I hope that was the right answer.”

Linzel looked at Hernan with a sullen look.

“A simple peck on the lips is not enough!”

‘If he wants to appease my sulking mood, he should at least give me a deep kiss.’

Linzel had been so curious about kissing handsome Hernan!

‘Well, at least today, it seems like my pollen allergy is calm, so can I expect a little more?’

It was the moment when Hernan’s smile approached, and their lips were about to meet again.

“A-achoo!”

Unknowingly, she sneezed.

“H-Hernan, Your Highness. A-achoo!”

The sudden sneeze didn’t seem to want to stop anytime soon.

“……This first baptism by saliva wasn’t bad at all,” he chuckled.

Linzel frantically wiped his face with her sleeve. But then, she still couldn’t escape from a strange sense of discomfort.

She waited for the sneezing to subside, but by the time it did, they had reached the duke’s house.

At this rate, she might as well become a virtuous cleric. Damn it.

* * *

Linzel stepped out of the carriage and into the duke’s garden.

A voice called her name loudly from nearby.

“Linzel!”

It was Letty, welcoming them.

Letty had been waiting for her sister since she received the letter announcing the visit.

Letty ran towards Linzel, her long hair swaying, and ran straight into a deep hug.

“Linzel. How are you feeling? Is your forehead okay?”

Linzel hugged Letty tightly.

She smelled like Linzel’s favorite oil. It was nice to smell the same as someone you loved.

Actually, Linzel’s forehead throbbed every time she moved her facial muscles… but she decided it was better to keep it a secret from Letty.

“Letty, should we go inside the mansion for now? There’s nothing hurting, but my nose is itchy.”

As soon as she finished speaking, another sneeze burst out.

“Achoo!”

Damn pollen allergy.

Looking around the garden, there was a pink color resembling the twins’ hair everywhere.

Cherry blossoms, symbolizing spring, were in full bloom.

“It’s a shame,” Letty said with a crestfallen look on her face. “The weather is nice, and there are so many flowers. I wanted to have tea time with you in the garden.”

Linzel comforted the disappointed Letty.

“You’re a flower, Letty, so why do you need other flowers? I don’t need them.”

Letty let out a happy laugh.

At that moment, Hernan, who had been watching us a few steps away, said something.

“Linzel, I don’t need other flowers either.”

He cleared his throat, as if feeling embarrassed.

His blushing ears and the cherry blossoms spreading behind him were truly harmonious.

Linzel couldn’t help but smile.

The sisters’ teatime was in Letty’s room. They chose that room because it had a better view of the cherry blossoms than Linzel’s room, so they could still enjoy the view of the garden’s cherry blossoms through the window.

Hernan had gone to see their father.

Perhaps he temporarily left the space to the two sisters, so they could have their own time together.

Linzel drank a cup of tea that was good for alleviating allergies.

“Linzel, how is life in the palace? Is there anyone bothering you?”

“I’m satisfied. There’s no one bothering me.”

Although there are a few people who seem to bother Hernan, and that bothered her a bit.

“By the way, can you introduce me to the designer that the Duchy hired? Because I want our honeymoon room to be beautiful.”

The interior design of the duke’s mansion was excellent, even to someone like Linzel who knew little about art.

“Sure. I’ll have them sent to the palace.”

“Thank you, Letty.”

“Sure.”

“Sigh. It’s a shame that I can’t be with the kind and beautiful Letty like this more often.”

“I agree. I feel like I’ve lost you to Hernan……….”

Letty pouted her lips. Her pout was adorable.

“I still like Letty.”

For now, Linzel preferred Letty over Hernan.

“Still……?”

“Can’t I just live with the both of you?” Linzel asked slyly.

“Linzel. That’s too much.”

‘But it’s too hard to choose between you two.’

If things worked out with Letty and Izekiel, she wouldn’t be able to choose between her sister or Izekiel as well.

“Don’t say that and tell me about yourself, Letty. How do you feel about Prince Izekiel? Did you have any conversations during the hunting competition?”

A shadow fell over Letty’s face. She spoke sporadically, as if reluctant to talk about it.

“No… We didn’t have any significant conversations. As you know, Prince Izekiel is a famous figure. There were so many ladies around him that I couldn’t find an opportunity to approach him.”

“I see. The path of unrequited love is tough.”

“Like you and Prince Hernan, I also want to get along well with Prince Izekiel.”

“Sooner or later, you’ll be closer than we are, because you’re the couple I’m rooting for!”

Linzel was convinced of their future because they were the protagonists of this novel.

“Oh my, you too.”

Letty didn’t deny Linzel’s words, even though she felt shy. Linzel couldn’t help but regard her as such an adorable person.

“Oh, right! Linzel. I heard you were coming, so I prepared some things for you. A few days ago, a merchant from the capital visited and brought some herbs,” Letty added.

She said it was a mixture of various herbs… Linzel wondered if it would be useful.

“I’m going to send them to the imperial palace anyway, so why don’t you eat one today and bring them back with you.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

Letty left the room, telling Linzel to wait a moment.

Alone, Linzel looked around Letty’s room for the first time in a long time. 

Nothing was noticeably different. The same bed they slept in together, the same desk where she was always reading or writing something…….

Unlike Linzel, Letty was actually very knowledgeable.

There was a book open on the desk in front of her that Letty must have been reading before she met up with them.

“What was she reading?”

Linzel raised herself up and walked to the desk. Then she read the words written on the open page.

⌜…Everyone who met Apophis had a different impression of him.

Some said he was too reserved, while others claimed he had an abundance of mischief.

Some  believe that after living for hundreds of years, Apophis was bored of imitating the same human form, so he changed his personality according to the situation.

This may explain why he changes his residence every time.

So, while we can’t be sure of anything else, we can be sure of this: it is clear that Apophis is a fickle creature.

To wish for one with a fickle nature like Apophis, known for his love for humanity and overflowing benevolence, not to turn against people… that is the author’s earnest hope.⌟

So, the reason why Apophis’s dwelling changes constantly is due to his easily getting bored.

But even Linzel didn’t think she could live in one place for 500 years.

‘Then, where is he now, and what kind of life is he leading?’

He might be closer to her than she thought.

“By the way, did Letty also wonder about Apophis? She read this kind of book.”

Linzel thought about borrowing this book from Letty.

It’s a win-win. It wouldn’t hurt to learn more about Apophis.

Just as she was about to sit back down, having finished checking what book Letty was reading, something caught her eye. The bottom drawer of the desk was slightly open. Not entirely sure why she was doing it, Linzel opened it as if she were possessed.

Inside the drawer was a red notebook.

“What could this be?”