The Only Way to Break the Curse is Through Contact with You - Chapter 95

#95

When I returned to the mansion after a long time, the servants welcomed me warmly. They looked relieved to see me looking healthy, but they repeatedly asked if there was anywhere I felt uncomfortable. It occurred to me that everyone, except for Diart and Lambert, still thought I was suffering from the Puythan disease.

In their attempt not to show any signs, I had forgotten that I was being misunderstood as someone on the verge of death. I realized that I would have to clear up this misunderstanding soon.

“I’ll be a bit late due to paperwork.”

Diart said as he escorted me to my room. Until we left the townhouse, the Emperor persistently urged him to reconsider relinquishing his title, but Diart never changed his mind.

But the Emperor seemed unable to give up altogether and insisted that even if he temporarily set aside his title, he should continue to govern the territory. It was clear that he intended to use that as an excuse to give him back the title later and recommend him for an official position. But most of the territories that Diart was currently governing were territories of House Wheaton that had long been under their control.

The central city where the mansion was located was also owned by the Wheaton family, and the rest was insignificant. Due to the Emperor’s constant nagging, it seemed that Diart had plans to address this territorial issue.

After Diart left the room, I sighed while drinking the tea Lily had prepared and took out a letter I received from Leticia before leaving the capital. Already aware of the railway construction ceremony, she expressed her intention to attend and asked if she could stay at the mansion for a day on that day.

As I read her warm letter, filled with her affectionate personality, I couldn’t help but smile. At the bottom of the letter, it was written that Adelia would also be banished to a remote area the day we left the townhouse.

‘I really wanted to see your face to see how stupid you looked.’

Adelia, who used to smile arrogantly as if the world belonged to her, ended up with an outcome opposite to what she had expected. If she had been a little more modest, she would have lived a comfortable life as a noblewoman by now.

I heard that she was given hard labor every day in that remote area. But she kidnapped me and I almost died, so I didn’t feel sorry for her.

Now, instead of someone I will never see again, I should think about proposing to Diart. I planned to recreate the moment when I attacked the sleeping Diart, which was our first and most intense moment among the many hours we spent together.

Of course, many things would be different from back then since our relationship had changed, but I would still lay my hand on his firm chest. I wonder if he’ll chase me away when I pounce on him today.

Of course, Diart wouldn’t drive me away, and I would stop his hand from trying to embrace me and kiss him. Then I would put the ring that I had been holding in my mouth into his mouth. And then…

“What are you thinking about?”

Lily, who was massaging my hand, flinched and trembled. I quickly controlled my expression, as I had been laughing wickedly. Lily, who had been looking at me with a suspicious face while leaning back, tilted her head.

“What was wrong with my expression?”

“You looked like you were going to eat someone.”

Lily has a sharp side to her sometimes. I coughed uselessly, feeling pricked by Lily’s words that seemed to pierce through my thoughts. It would be better to decorate the room nicely too. For that, I needed Lily’s help.

I explained my proposal plan to Lily, leaving out the most important (?) part. Surprised by my words when I said that I would propose first, Lily listened with a serious face. I could see in her face her determination to make this proposal a success.

* * *

Finally, the day of the railway construction ceremony arrived. We were going to head straight to the harbor, where the party after the ceremony was held on board, so we were busy from the morning. Lily and Annie, who had finished dressing me up, were busy preparing dresses and jewelry for the party.

Leaving them behind, I made my way to Diart’s room. Since Diart had been staying only in my room lately, his own quarters, which were practically empty, were touched by Lily’s hands.

I looked around Diart’s perfectly decorated room, which was decorated following my instructions, with satisfaction. As I picked up a single rose petal scattered on the bed and was about to leave the room, I thought my heart would jump out of my chest. It was because I coincidentally ran into Diart right in front of the door.

“Why are you coming out of here?”

Diart, who had been watching me from behind while I was getting ready, had gone to the office in response to Lambert’s call. For a moment, I forgot that his room and the office were close by, and I stammered like a guilty child, unable to make any excuses. In the meantime, his gaze fell on the rose petal I was holding.

“What’s that?”

Diart quickly approached me and took the rose petal from my hand. His face looked puzzled at the sight of a single petal, not even a whole flower. Seeing his gaze directed towards my room, I quickly grabbed his arm. If we were caught here, it would be a disaster!

“I went out to the garden for a moment, and it must have stuck to my clothes.”

“Why did you go into my room then?”

“You weren’t coming, so I came to look for you.”

Although Diart had only been away for less than ten minutes, I had to insist. I pretended to be frustrated at his expression because he didn’t fully believe me.

“I’m not allowed to go in your room? You’re always coming into mine!”

I snapped my head back and took the lead, as if telling him to go in and check. Because of that gambling-like behavior, Diart quickly chased after me. I didn’t turn my head to acknowledge Diart’s attempt to lighten my mood until we were far away from his room.

The cloudless sky was exceptionally clear today, with a gentle breeze signaling the onset of the fully-fledged autumn season. Perhaps it was because I was planning on proposing later that I felt even more uplifted. As soon as I got off the carriage, Diart took my hand. He seemed to be still nervous and uneasy about me being angry, but his more timid behavior was cute.

“Is it because I’m thinking about proposing that this man looks so cute today?”

I had to hold back the urge to shout, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, this man is my husband.’

“Roeni!”

Leticia, who had already arrived, called out to me and came over. Edgar and Annabelle were also behind her. Diart, who was standing next to me, clicked his tongue quietly and rolled his eyes, while Jarvis, who was smiling next to them, seemed to be fitting in.

“Isn’t it impolite to arrive later than the imperial family?”

“I told you that the protagonist is always late.”

Jarvis joked, and after responding to his playful remark, I exchanged greetings with Leticia.

“I heard that this project was actually proposed by you, Roeni?”

Leticia’s eyes sparkled with admiration.

“How did you know?”

“Some good-for-nothing said it was his wife’s idea or something.”

Instead of answering, Jarvis looked at Diart with a teasing look. Diart, who had been grimacing, quickly changed his expression when he saw me turn around. When I gave him a questioning look, he just shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

“I just told the truth.”

“Well…the villagers are grateful too.”

Annabelle, who had been stealing glances at me with a shy expression from behind Leticia, cautiously interjected.

“They’ve all come to say hello to you because they’ve won the rights to the mutroi sales.”

Annabelle pointed her finger to one side. When I followed her gaze, I saw a familiar face that made me happy. Remida, holding a child, was with the others. They lowered their heads when they saw me. I apologized to Leticia and approached them.

Although they looked embarrassed when I approached, no one had a hostile face like before. It was a bit awkward to see the gratitude and affection in their eyes for just helping them a little.

“It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Thanks to you, Madam, we’ve been doing well.”

I looked down at the child in Remida’s arms. They were so adorable and chubby. The child giggled when I held them. Seeing their playful faces, I couldn’t help but smile, and Diart, who had been quietly standing by my side, whispered in my ear.

“Our child would be even cuter.”

Wait, what is this man saying right now! With a shocked expression, I pushed him away with my forearm. In that moment, as I was about to say something to his teasing face, I caught sight of a familiar face in my peripheral vision. Among the people gathered to watch the spatial event, there was a woman wearing a flipped black hood, resembling Adelia, who had been driven away to the frontier.