Chapter 91

"…Didn’t we say we would eat something delicious?"

"Yes, there are so many delicious restaurants on the way!"

"Didn’t we say we would see something beautiful?"

"Shasha, look at the scenery outside. Isn’t that field of blooming flowers incredibly beautiful?"

"…And the cool breeze…"

"Take a deep breath."

I was tricked. Unable to find a counterargument, I tightly closed my eyes. It’s not impossible, but to suddenly cross the border and go on a trip without any mental preparation… Seeing my reaction, Serxia closed the window of the open carriage and said,

"Surprised that we’re suddenly crossing the border to another empire?"

"…Yes, I didn’t prepare anything separately."

"I’m sorry. If I had mentioned where we were going earlier, I was sure you would have refused."

She wasn’t wrong. If she had said, ‘Let’s go to the Artenu Empire today’ in the dining room earlier, I would have definitely refused.

"Since you got married to Theo, you’ve only had difficult times with our family affairs and that princess… no, that witch, right?"

Was that true?

"I couldn’t come because I was far away on business, but a lot has happened recently. There was the fire incident and the encounter with the witch."

"You… knew all of that?"

"Of course! I start my day by listening to reports about how Shasha’s body is doing and if anything bad happened last night."

Is there someone in the mansion who gives reports to Serxia…?

"You never enjoyed parties like other ladies, nor did you travel. Besides, Shasha doesn’t enjoy drinking or have mistresses. If you keep this up, you’ll get sick of the heart."

Serxia whispered maturely.

"You need some time to breathe. Who knows, I might not be here tomorrow after today."

Serxia smiled brightly, as if this was the only thing she could do for me. I clenched my fists and looked out the window. The sky was clear and high, without a single cloud. How long had it been since I last looked up at the sky like this? It felt as if the chains that had been tightening my chest had suddenly loosened.

"…Thank you, Serxia."

Serxia’s lips curved into a smile. She said she had packed my luggage and left a note for Terdeo, so it should be fine. Well, in a way, this might have turned out well. This morning, I was worried about what to say and how to face him. I absentmindedly rubbed my still aching waist. The heat from last night seemed to linger.

"Since you overdid it last night, your body must still be hurting. Theo should have been gentler."

"…Yeah, we didn’t stop last night… What?"

I stopped rubbing my waist and looked at Serxia with wide eyes. …How does she know?

"I’m sorry, I saw Shasha in Theo’s arms being carried to the bedroom last night."

"…!"

…Crazy.

"I didn’t intentionally eavesdrop. I just went out to sober up…"

"…Right. The mansion isn’t just our space… It could happen."

"When Theo broke the door and entered the bedroom, I told the maids not to wake us up in the morning."

No wonder no one came to wake us up this morning. My face heated up with embarrassment. Not knowing where to look, I ended up burying my face in my palms. Wait a moment.

‘Then, did she see us kissing in the garden too?’

"…Did you see anything else?"

"Like what?"

"Us in the garden… or…"

"…Oh my."

Now even my ears were burning. Seeing my reaction, Serxia rubbed her cheek with her palm, looking worried.

"Shasha, it’s not good to do it outdoors. What if someone sees… and besides, hygiene…"

"Ah! What are you saying! It’s not like that!"

I hurriedly cut her off and waved my hands. The carriage quickly heated up. Serxia smiled cutely, as if looking at a small animal.

"Shasha."

Serxia called me softly, resting her chin on her hand.

"I have a question."

"…Sure, as long as it’s not a strange one, I’ll answer."

"Do you love Theo?"

"Me? Me?"

My mind froze. What did I just hear?

"…What?"

I asked again without realizing it. Blinking, Serxia laughed heartily.

"Haha, Shasha, do you know how funny your face is right now? Your face is all red."

"…!!"

Why is my face red? I hurriedly rubbed my face and lowered my head. I was startled by the sudden, unexpected question. Since Serxia doesn’t know about our contract, I should naturally answer that I love him. But my heart was beating wildly, and I was trembling, unable to speak.

"I, I…"

"It’s okay, Shasha. Your reaction is answer enough."

You consider my reaction an answer?

"I didn’t expect Theo to fall in love with someone."

My appearance seemed to show that I loved Terdeo. I pressed my burning cheeks with the back of my hand.

"Similarly, I never thought Theo would fall in love with someone."

Serxia’s expression became more mature than usual. Her calm, red eyes were filled with a sister’s affection.

"Yesterday, when Theo looked at Shasha, it was a face I had never seen before."

"…"

"I didn’t know he could have such an expression."

Silence filled the carriage. As the atmosphere grew heavy, Serxia shivered and clicked her tongue.

"Totally gives me goosebumps. Ugh… watching my brother’s romance is so difficult. It was creepy just looking at you."

She was trying to lighten the mood. Shrugging, Serxia let out a deep breath.

"…But Shasha."

"Yes?"

"I really like you."

Serxia closed her eyes tightly. A smile lingered on her lips.

"I like you not because you married my brother, but because you, as a person, are amazing. Your character, actions, and thoughts. Everything is truly admirable, and I want to emulate you and cherish you."

"That… much…"

"If I hadn’t met you as Theo’s wife, I would have made you my sister and taken you everywhere with me."

Serxia said firmly. I never expected to receive such deep, trusting affection. My lips, which had no clue, kept trying to curl upward.

"So I want you to think carefully, Shasha."

"About what?"

"About the feelings you’re experiencing now."

Serxia opened her eyes. Her warm gaze was directed at me.

"It might just be pity, not love."

The carriage jolted violently. Serxia’s smiling face seemed distorted, as if she didn’t want to say these words. I remembered hearing this before.

‘Feeling special and pouring out devoted love because you feel pity for someone.’

Yes, it was the same advice Terdeo had given me when we first met.

"I’m sorry, but for Theo’s sake, I don’t want you to be unhappy, Shasha."

"Serxia."

"Isn’t it ironic? To wish for your happiness, you should stay away from my brother, my family, and me…"

Serxia lowered her gaze. Her long eyelashes cast shadows under her eyes.

"But I’m serious, Shasha. The more I get to know you, the more I want you to be happy. Shasha, you are different from anyone I’ve ever met. I truly consider you part of my family."

My family. Like a winter heart thawed by a cold wind, flowers bloomed.

"So I don’t want you to repeat the same mistake twice."

The same mistake must refer to losing her husband and child.

"Take this opportunity to think far away. Whether it’s love or pity. Whether it’s better to stay here or to be far away."

"…Serxia."

"Shasha, you are like a gift from a compassionate god to us."

"I’m not here because of someone else’s will, Serxia. I’m here because I want to be. No one is holding me back. I could leave anytime, but I choose to stay here, with the Laphireon family."

"…Shasha, Theo grew up without ever being loved."

Serxia bowed her head like a sinner.

"Two years before Father passed away, Theo, the youngest of the three of us, was born. Being so young, he naturally wouldn’t have any memories of being loved."

"…"

"Theo once said that his earliest memory was of his mother trying to kill him."

"…!"

Terdeo almost died at the hands of his mother? I had no memory of hearing about his parents from Terdeo. The story of his mother that Serxia had briefly mentioned before was so shocking that I didn’t ask.

"We have memories of being loved, but Theo, who was born later, didn’t. After Father passed away, Mother became desolate. Theo’s childhood was spent locked in a small storeroom, envying others."

Envy… something unimaginable for the current Terdeo.

"A few years later, when Mother committed suicide and our guardian disappeared, Lady Gloria took us in. Thanks to Lady Gloria’s efforts and Uncle Phineas’s help, Theo regained his vitality."

"…Then…"

"But that was the problem. The suppressed child, upon meeting the world, forgot about our curse."

As we left the capital and climbed the mountain road, the carriage jolted violently.

"The first was the nanny. There was a nanny who really took care of Theo like a child, and Theo followed her like a mother… but she died."

My body shook violently, perhaps due to the carriage.

"Because of Theo’s carelessness. Theo’s blood, the curse, killed her."

I swallowed hard. My throat was dry.

"Next, the young heir of a noble family who played well with Theo died. Perhaps it was a foregone conclusion. While playing with a toy sword, Theo accidentally injured him, and when the heir tried to treat the wound… After that, Theo kept his distance from people."

I remembered how he got angry when I grabbed his hand the first time we met.

"But the tragedy didn’t end there. Theo had a puppy he loved. The lonely child, unable to give his heart to anyone, was willing to give it to anyone. While playing together, the puppy scratched Theo, and it bled."

I knew what happened next without needing to hear it.

"The puppy licked its beloved owner’s wound."

Serxia smiled bitterly.

"At that time, we were young, and Lady Gloria was busy with the aftermath of the war. Uncle Phineas was too preoccupied with identifying the curse."

"…"

"Theo acted as if he wouldn’t love anything. He didn’t give his heart or attention to anything. He clearly realized that anything he loved would die."

What must it have been like for a young child to witness the deaths of those he loved, one after another, all because of his own curse? A child who saw everything around him die with his own eyes… I bit my lower lip hard. Serxia looked at me with a worried expression.

"Shasha, if you love Theo, you might get hurt."