69. What Will Be Cast Off

It was truly a strange world. Even with the same bloodline, some could enjoy everything, while others had to endure a life of constant patience. But at the same time, there was a great contradiction in this strangeness. A life that seemed destined to be suppressed forever could, with just a few letters before or after a name, make others into a reflection of that suppressed self.

“Is there any other answer I can give?”

Yuan’s resignation, which tripped at his feet before any words were even spoken, made Marhel realize that the resolve he’d prepared to face Yuan’s refusal was suddenly rendered insignificant, and he let out a hollow laugh. Even though they were related by blood, his cousin—whom he only knew of and rarely saw—had always been a stranger, but this defeated figure seemed more than unfamiliar, almost like meeting a foreigner for the first time.

“I thought you’d resist and refuse to go.”

“I’m paying the price of my foolishness.”

“Foolish? What a thing to say to the Empire’s hero.”

“Isn’t it generous to call myself foolish, considering I walked right into an obvious trap?”

“If there are two caught in the trap, then I suppose there are two fools.”

One might have expected two rivals to fight for a woman, but instead, the two foolish prey, caught in a death trap, were having the kind of conversation you’d expect from men waiting for their necks to be cleanly cut. Since the other had already resigned himself to everything, Marhel had nothing more to say. Even though everything was going as the Empress wanted, she could change her mind and kill him at any moment, and Yuan, standing before him, was more likely to die at the hands of Veone than the enemy.

“How about going back under the Duke?”

“…….”

“The name of Dominic will follow you forever.”

“Would anything change if I went back under that name?”

“At least you’d keep your life.”

“Do you believe you will return safely, Your Highness?”

Isn’t it too clever to call himself foolish? Marhel mused about Yuan’s character, but only answered his question with silence. Either way, it was a battle that required the resolve to die, even if one didn’t.

“That’s why I came here, shameless as it is.”

“…….”

“It turns my stomach, but I came to find you.”

“Do you think I’ll take your hand, Your Highness?”

“Yes, I do.”

It was a foolish pride, thinking he could turn a wounded heart back. There were only two ways to atone for that pride: disappear completely from Felicia’s sight, or, if he still wanted to see her, help her stay with what she was facing now. Marhel thought it was a thought fit for a third-rate novel, but the burden of his accumulated karma was high, and the size of his realized feelings was too big to pay off step by step. So Marhel was confident Yuan wouldn’t refuse the hand he offered. The hand extended and the hand that must take it shared the same feeling, whether they admitted it or not.

“You must come back.”

“…….”

“It’s chilling how you managed to find the exact color.”

Ha—Marhel couldn’t help but laugh at Yuan’s childishness, hiding his hand as soon as Marhel’s gaze landed on the ring. Out of all the countless shades of green, both had found the exact color of Felicia’s eyes under sunlight. Neither of the two men standing in the deserted corner of the Akuris mansion seemed normal.

“Let’s see if we can hold onto each other’s lifelines.”

“Don’t you think I’ll let go?”

“So ‘foolish’ wasn’t just a word thrown out, was it?”

“…….”

“If you let me die, there’ll be someone who cries.”

“…….”

“The one you love enough to give your life for.”

So Marhel was sure. And he had to be. Yuan, like him, would hate to see Felicia cry—and if the reason was someone else, he’d be jealous enough to regret not dying himself.

“Isn’t it ridiculous?”

“…….”

“We’re dangling by a thread, but in the end, all we worry about is one person.”

“Now that you’re here, do you regret it?”

“My sins are too great to dismiss with such light feelings.”

“I’m glad.”

“…Glad about what?”

“That you know your sins.”

“What?”

Seeing Marhel’s formerly composed face now mixed with anxiety and irritation, Yuan felt as if something in his own chest had finally cleared. At the same time, every childish gesture he made piled on his guilt. By what right could he criticize the Prince’s feelings for Felicia? Even if the Prince let go of his lifeline during war, Yuan wouldn’t blame him. It was what he’d always wished for. Still, he couldn’t help but feel his blood run cold at every word from the Prince.

“I’ll hold onto your lifeline well, Your Highness.”

“Now I remember why I hated you as a child.”

“Because His Highness the Crown Prince liked me more.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Never mind. Take care on your way back.”

For men about to go off to war, it was a childish conversation to the end. Yuan placed a hand on Marhel’s shoulder and, with formal politeness, left first, not caring about the Prince. Even with his head aching from the mix of emotions, Yuan’s steps were, for the first time since entering the Akuris mansion, purposeful and unhesitating. As his heart trembled, the old, vivid memories of festering, decaying smells enveloped him again, but for the first time, the hellish afterimage was trapped by the small word “just,” unable to do anything, and slowly faded away.

“Pia.”

Felicia turned at Yuan’s voice, looking at him before glancing irritably down at her feet. She’d sent Yuan to Marhel as if she didn’t care, yet her feet, stuck like nails, wouldn’t move. But at the sound of her name, her legs suddenly felt weightless, and she was annoyed by it. Why did it make her happy? After all the trouble he’d caused, why should she be glad to hear her name from someone who’d decided to leave?

“Hasn’t it been three days, as promised?”

“Ha, Yuan, you’re really…!”

Her feet, which had felt light as clouds, suddenly became heavy as lead, sinking into the floor. Her irritation burst out, and her sharp gaze landed on Yuan, but she couldn’t finish her complaint. Her face must have twisted with annoyance, but Yuan’s was peaceful and happy, as always.

“Let’s talk. The two of us.”

“…….”

“Hm?”

Had she won this kind of war after all? Not knowing what she’d given up for Yuan, or what she’d tried to do to stop him, Felicia couldn’t even keep her annoyed expression as her fiancé, with his favorite gentle face, leaned in. She nodded quietly. At that, Yuan bent down and took her hand, leading her to her room. The ostentatious gesture made Felicia feel that the knot between them was finally coming undone, even as a lingering anxiety kept her from looking away from Yuan.

“You’re fearless.”

When Yuan opened the door for her, Felicia entered with his escort, and Yuan followed, closing the door. His words came as soon as he entered her room. Wondering if she’d misheard, Yuan tilted his head at Felicia, who bit her lip and deliberately furrowed her brows more fiercely.

“What are you trusting, to come to my room without fear?”

“Something’s changed, Pia.”

“You have nothing to be proud of with me.”

“…….”

“What would you do if I decided to lock you up in here, Count?”

“Ah…”

Yuan straightened his head, squeezed his eyes shut, and clenched his teeth. He hadn’t expected things to resolve so easily, but he managed to suppress a burst of laughter at Felicia’s sly words and exhaled slowly. Felicia, watching him, felt her suppressed frustration flare up. Someone was giving up everything they’d built to save one person…!

“Say what you have to say.”

“…….”

“Go ahead.”

“…….”

“I’ll listen.”

But wanting him to speak far from the door, Felicia pulled Yuan by the wrist to the opposite side of the room. Yuan let himself be led, and as he glanced at her hand, he saw the engagement ring on her wrist. Was it greed, or selfishness born of guilt? There were plenty of excuses, but none led to the ending Felicia wanted. The air between them grew heavy again, and Yuan’s lips closed as if locked.

“Then I’ll go first.”

“No, Pia.”

“…….”

“I’m sorry.”

“Do you love me?”

“Pia.”

He never said yes, not even now. It was obvious, anyone passing by could see the love in his eyes, but his stubbornness in not changing his mind made Felicia’s annoyance swell into anger. Even after killing the most important person in his plan, why wouldn’t he change?

“Then you shouldn’t have made those promises to me.”

“I don’t know.”

“…….”

“I still don’t know if I deserve to be alive, Pia.”

“You said your life wasn’t yours, but one borrowed from someone else?”

“…….”

“Then is this the ending its true owner wanted?”

If she couldn’t stop him herself, she could borrow someone else’s name. It hurt that she couldn’t save her love’s life herself, but Felicia was desperate, and this version of herself felt so unfamiliar, as if she’d become someone else, dropped into a world where no one existed. Realizing this, she let go of Yuan’s hand. Yuan’s hand slipped easily from hers, and Felicia knew exactly what this emotion and situation were. All her love had been like this, and maybe always would be. Felicia was always the one holding on, and always the one letting go.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“…….”

“I can’t think of any better way.”

“…….”

“I thought I’d finally held on, but I’m scared you won’t come back.”

She felt her fingertips trembling. All warmth had drained from her body, and even though the sun was now at its highest, it felt as cold as a winter dawn. What was he so sorry for, what had he gone through—she wanted to ask and hear so much, but feared that if she heard it all, she’d really have to let go. The fear grew in her heart.

“I might be punished by heaven.”

“…….”

“I abandoned the one I should have protected and survived with his help.”

“…….”

“I’m afraid my pain and guilt will pass to you, Pia.”

With every word, the trembling grew, blurring its shape. But the hand that had let go reached out again and desperately held Felicia’s hand, and the feeling was so vivid. Even as he spoke, Yuan doubted himself, and the coldness of the hand he’d finally found made him regret not reaching out sooner. He still felt responsible for Gailen’s death, and was always ready to pay the price for being abandoned by heaven.

“Are you only afraid of heaven?”

“…….”

“Aren’t you afraid of me, who might lock you up here?”

At Felicia’s words, Yuan burst into tears and finally let out the laughter he’d been holding back. The fear that had swelled in Felicia like a ticking bomb deflated like a balloon at that laugh. The anxiety that had gathered in one place wrapped around her, but Felicia reached out and touched Yuan’s face.

“Who’s the one who wants to cry?”

“…….”

“You haven’t said everything yet.”

“I’ll come back.”

“That’s obvious.”

“I’ll definitely come back.”

It wasn’t the answer she wanted, but she missed Yuan’s embrace so much that she hugged his crumpled body tightly and pressed a short kiss to his neck. The burn scars on Felicia’s back, still raw, had not healed, digging into her even as she finally faced Yuan after their long, drawn-out battle.

[I Will Do As You Wish 3, END]

ANNOUNCEMENT:

Hello everyone,

Thank you so much for reading and supporting my translation work. After careful consideration, I’ve decided to stop translating this story and will not be continuing with future chapters.

Reason for discontinuation:

Limited number of readers/engagement: With very few readers following along, it’s difficult to justify the time and effort required to continue consistently.

Translation difficulty: The story is increasingly challenging to translate accurately. Capturing the author’s tone, pacing, and subtle nuances in a way that reads naturally has become difficult, and I don’t want to deliver a translation that feels off or unclear.

Thank you

I truly appreciate everyone who took the time to read, comment, and support this project. Your encouragement meant a lot.

Thank you for understanding.