I Decline the Ex-Boyfriend of the Regretful Male Lead - Chapter 15

My head was aching as if it would split open.

I had a nightmare. I couldn’t remember it. There seemed no need to recall an unpleasant dream.

“It was unlike Your Highness.”

“You don’t understand, Osen.”

A familiar male voice.

Come to think of it, did Edward save me?

I tried to open my eyes. The tear stains caked around them made my eyes sting.

Soon two people came into view through my brightened vision.

“What don’t I understand?”

“…The pain.”

A ringing sound echoed in my ears. It was quite fierce.

“Ah…”

I closed my eyes again and covered my ears.

“My lady!”

The man’s hands firmly embraced me. As soon as I touched him, the ringing cleared completely. I removed my hands and opened my eyes.

“Grand Duke?”

Hertian stared at me intently with worried eyes.

“Your Highness… why are you here?”

Slowly, my memories returned.

My parents sent a letter to Hertian saying to forget about the marriage, and I boarded a ship to go on a date with Edward.

But why is Hertian here?

“Did Hertian save me?”

My memory was hazy.

I remember waiting for Edward by the lake, and someone boarding the ship.

Was that Hertian instead of Edward?

He nodded in response to my question.

“Didn’t you send me a letter, my lady? More importantly, are you alright? I’ll call for a doctor.”

He sat in the chair by the bed, examining me closely. His gaze was intense, but not uncomfortable like Edward’s.

“I’m fine. I’ll feel better after some rest.”

“How can you say you’ll be fine with rest when you fainted right in front of me?”

“I’ve always had a weak constitution. I must have overdone it, being tired and coming to the water after so long.”

I calmly explained to reassure him, who seemed even more startled than I was. He knelt beside me and whispered softly with a sigh of relief.

“You used to dislike water, my lady.”

A story I had never told him.

“Did I ever tell you that?”

Not in my memory.

Only a select few besides my family knew about my unpleasant memories regarding water.

“- is what I guessed. A normal person wouldn’t faint no matter how tired they were.”

Hertian added with a grin.

“You should listen to the end in the imperial language.”

I thought his attitude of brushing it off seemed strange, but I put aside my unease and asked for the full story.

“Did you come looking for me after seeing the letter I sent? How did you know I was here?”

Our agreed meeting place was the fountain in front of the square. Even if the coachman delivered it quickly, it would have taken at least an hour to get here.

“Actually, after receiving the letter canceling the marriage, I was on my way to your mansion when I learned you were here and changed course.”

“I’m sorry. For asking for marriage first without proper permission.”

Yet Hertian’s movements were nothing if not gentle. He slowly raised me up and carefully sat me on the edge of the hospital bed.

“Thank you.”

Now it was time to get to the main point.

I swallowed hard once, sat up straight, and called to him.

“Hertian. There’s a reason I asked to meet today.”

“What is it?”

Hertian focused on me, seemingly curious about why I asked to meet.

“My father heard some strange rumors somewhere and is opposing our marriage.”

I wanted to tell him everything without hiding anything. Since we were to be on the same side.

“So that’s why he suddenly refused. It’s my fault. It’s understandable the count would dislike it, given the rumors that I’m a war demon.”

“No. He refused because he heard Your Highness has complicated relationships with women.”

Hertian’s face gradually filled with bewilderment. The same was true for his subordinate standing beside him.

Understandable.

For someone who didn’t have even a hair’s breadth of interest in women. It seemed nothing had changed from the original story after all.

“That’s not true.”

He denied it a beat late. He looked troubled.

“If Your Highness says it’s not true, then it must not be. And even if it were true, I wouldn’t mind. I wouldn’t mind even if you took a concubine in the future.”

I gave him a harmless smile to reassure him. So that he wouldn’t back out of the contract due to feeling upset.

“A concubine is out of the question. I don’t know who spread such rumors, but they are completely unrelated to the truth about me.”

“That’s right! The commander didn’t even hunt female deer on the battlefield, let alone women!”

This time his subordinate knight chimed in.

Of course. I know.

“I believe in Hertian. But regardless of me, my father and mother misunderstand. They’re very worried about me and think I’ll have a hard time if I marry the Grand Duke. They say they have evidence too, so they’ll think it’s just words even if I explain.”

Hertian frowned at the mention of evidence.

“How strange. It’s only been a few days since you and I met, and I went to propose just yesterday, yet in that time someone spread false rumors.”

He was right.

Honestly, I couldn’t help but suspect Serdis.

Who else would try to prevent my marriage other than Serdis, who was obsessed with watching over me?

“There is one person who doesn’t want me to get married.”

It was almost half certain. Which is why I was even more determined not to back down from the original story. My will to make this marriage happen also burned brighter.

On the other hand, Hertian tilted his head. It was a natural reaction since he didn’t know the details of my situation.

“It seems there’s more than just one person who doesn’t want you to get married, my lady.”

But what he said was different from what I expected.

“Ah. There might be one more. Edward Yeongshik.”

Based on our conversation today, it was clear he liked me.

But Hertian raised one corner of his mouth in a smile at my words. As his red lips curled up, a subtle sensuality could be felt.

“You underestimate yourself, my lady.”

“Not particularly.”

“Just two people? Others would be disappointed to hear that.”

He left behind words I couldn’t understand.

I didn’t pay much attention to it. There was a more important conversation left.

“So Hertian. I’ll take care of my parents, so please proceed with the marriage safely.”

A contract that won’t break.

The reason I wanted to meet him today was to get this promise.

“I’ll persuade my parents well.”

“How do you plan to persuade them?”

“Since they changed their minds after hearing strange rumors, I’ll persuade my father using the same method.”

I recalled the newspaper article I had left in the dining room. By now, their thoughts should have changed in one direction or another.

“So please promise me one thing. No matter what happens, no matter what you hear, proceed with our marriage as agreed.”

Who knows what other variables might arise.

It was possible he could change his mind amidst the anxiety. I could handle everything else, but if Hertian turned his back on me, I would have no hope left. I had to hold onto his heart no matter what.

“Are you anxious?”

He asked instead of answering. As if he wanted to confirm something.

“I’m anxious. That I won’t be able to marry Hertian.”

That everyone will become unhappy as in the original story.

So please give me a definite answer.

I sent him a desperate look.

But he didn’t give an answer easily.

‘He must find it bothersome. He didn’t save the Grand Duchess until the end in the original story either.’

Fearing he might leave the hospital room like this, I decided to add why I should be his match.

“Please think of it as repaying a debt.”

Only then did he properly meet my eyes.

“A debt, you say?”

“Yes. The debt you owe me from the victory celebration.”

“I believe that account was settled with His Majesty the Emperor.”

A faint smile spread across my lips at his answer. It seemed he had already heard about what almost happened at the victory celebration and how it was prevented.

“So you knew everything. Then our conversation will be easier.”

I straightened my back and looked at him clearly.

“His Majesty the Emperor must have told you about my ability as well.”

The ability to occasionally glimpse the future.

He seemed to understand my meaning, raising one eyebrow.

“If I become Your Highness’s match, I will help the Grand Duke on my own without having to grant wishes like His Majesty the Emperor. For as long as our contract is valid.”

How about it, doesn’t it pique your interest?

An ability that even the Emperor couldn’t obtain for free, offered free of charge for a limited time – how could this not be appealing? It was an ability more valuable than just being a figurehead Grand Duchess.

“I will become Your Highness’s greatest asset.”

But contrary to expectations, Hertian gave no particular answer.

‘Could it be not enough?’

I had no choice but to force out a cough and add:

“And as you can see, I’m someone who collapses from even minor fatigue. Like my elder brother, I don’t know when or how I might die. Don’t worry about any future repercussions from our contract marriage.”

He could just say he rejected me because of my weak health, and that would be the end of it.

“That illness. You don’t know when you might die?”

At last, his tightly closed lips opened. His voice was dry as hay.

“Yes. Unfortunately.”

“Is there no treatment?”

I shook my head slightly and tasted bitterness. This wasn’t an act, but the truth. After Rian left, I had locked myself in the academy’s research lab for years studying treatment methods, but couldn’t discover anything.

“I spent years doing nothing but researching treatments. But I couldn’t find anything. My lifespan is probably only a few years at most.”

Anette in the original story also died not long after marrying the Marquis of Byeongyeong.

The air in the hospital room grew heavy at my bitter answer.

“It’s not something for you to worry about. I’ll take care of my illness myself. I decline both your concern and involvement. You and I just need to gain the benefits we each seek from this marriage.”

I immediately drew the line. I did so because I didn’t want to leave any unpleasantness, but Hertian didn’t seem to like it. The veins bulging between his black hair as he roughly ran his hand through it were visible.

“My lady, I always feel like you’re testing me.”

“I hope you’ll think of it positively. It’s certainly not a losing deal for you.”

“A loss…”

He mulled over those words several times. Then he climbed onto the bed and sat down, bringing his face close. If I moved just a little, his prominent nose would touch me.

I blinked a few times with slightly surprised eyes. My gaze involuntarily lost its way and landed on his lips, which had the most saturated color. Soon after, as his lips parted, I hurriedly averted my gaze again.

Unlike before, he asked me with calm, sinking eyes:

“Then, your life with not much time left. Can you give it all to me?”