Not even once had I seriously thought about Ruan’s death.

From the beginning, it wasn’t a marriage tied by love, but a time-limited marriage that started knowing he would die.

I simply thought that after living as husband and wife for 6 months without incident, once he departed, I would wrap up life at the duke’s house and leave……

When Charles died in an accident, Mercian was only 10 years old, too young to fully grasp the concept of death.

She was just sad that Charles, the only one on her side and who loved her in the viscount’s family, would never return. Thinking back now, his death itself didn’t seem to have hit her that hard.

There wasn’t time to mourn his death when the remaining family’s livelihood was more urgent, and she was too busy watching out for Penelope and Lucienne’s moods……

That’s why she had never deeply thought about Ruan dying.

At most, they’d lived as husband and wife in name only for 6 months.

His gradually thinning appearance was pitiful, but she thought that was all.

In the 4 and a half months with Ruan, they’d only shared breakfast and dinner, and slept in the same bed 4 times a week.

She had never whispered words of love to him or shared deep kisses or skinship, so she was confident her feelings for him weren’t deep either.

So she thought she wouldn’t be too sad when Ruan left……

No, she was confident she would give him a proper funeral and leave without much trouble.

At least until she saw him collapse right before her eyes.

But the moment he burst through the door into the bookstore, Mercian realized.

Along with the thought “Why is that man here?”, she felt relief at the fact that he, of all people, had come.

And the moment she saw Ruan’s face looking at her, Mercian could tell.

That she had been waiting for him……

That right now, she wanted to take his hand and leave this bookstore……

Mercian shook off the crown prince’s hand gripping her arm and spouting nonsense with all her might in order to approach Ruan.

But the more she did so, the more he grabbed her arm and wouldn’t let go.

As if trying to provoke Ruan, he applied more force the more she shook him off.

Why on earth is the crown prince acting like this?

Could it be he’s mistakenly thinking Ruan loves me?

But that’s not it. He’s only acting this way because he thinks the crown prince is dangerous and is worried I might get hurt by him.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Ruan, who had been approaching her, suddenly clutched his chest and said with difficulty to Daimond with a pained expression.

“Take your hands off my wife this instant……”

Why is he acting like that?

Don’t tell me he’s about to collapse again like last time?

“Ruan, are you having pain again? Are you alright? Please let go of this arm! Ruan!”

Mercian watched as Ruan opened and closed his mouth with a pained expression right in front of her.

In that moment, looking at Ruan gazing at her so desperately, she felt as if she could feel the pain he was experiencing.

In his eyes that reflected the fear of facing death.

In the shape of his mouth earnestly trying to say something to her.

When Mercian understood what he was saying as she watched the shape of his mouth moving as if screaming just before he collapsed, tears suddenly poured out.

What did you just say?

That you love me?

In this situation?

Ruan, this is cheating, you know.

I’m not ready to face your end yet……

You said you still had a month and a half left……

I knew you were getting thinner and weaker, but if you do this right in front of me, what am I supposed to do?

When Mercian saw Ruan collapse right in front of her, she pushed away the crown prince gripping her arm with all her might and ran to the fallen Ruan.

Daimond looked at Ruan, who had suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed, with a bewildered expression.

What the?

Could he be dead?

Just like that?

A man who didn’t even bat an eye when I used all those schemes to bring him down collapsed at the mere mention of taking his wife as a mistress?

Is he putting on an act right now?

Though Daimond had said those outrageous things to provoke Ruan, he hadn’t expected Ruan to collapse so easily.

Daimond, who had been pushed to the floor by Mercian, stared blankly at the fallen Ruan.

Seeing Mercian examining Ruan’s body with a half-crazed expression, it didn’t seem like he was pretending to be dead.

Did my provocation cause the poison to activate faster?

Wait a minute……

If I kill the duke in this situation, there will be no one left to stand in my way.

If the duke dies here, Harman won’t be able to defy me anymore either, right?

I absolutely can’t miss this opportunity.

Daimond slowly approached Ruan with the sword he had drawn from his waist, watching Mercian who had pushed him away and was now holding Ruan in her arms, examining him.

“Your, Your Highness, what are you trying to do now?”

Daimond considered killing Mercian too as she blocked his path, but decided to give her one chance.

She was quite an interesting woman in her own right, apart from Ruan.

Daimond smiled gently at Mercian glaring at him and spoke as if admonishing her.

“Madam, if you hand over the duke now, I will surely make you my mistress – no, my empress – when I become emperor, as I said before. So please hand over the duke.”

At Daimond’s words, Mercian held Ruan tighter in her arms and said with a resolute expression:

“I cannot do that.”

“Madam, think carefully. When he dies, you will be a duchess in name only, and since you’ve cut ties with the viscount’s family, you will no longer be able to live as a noble. If you quietly hand him over to me now, I will make you my mistress as I said before. Then you can live in luxury in the imperial palace for the rest of your life. So, hurry and hand over the duke.”

His heart is still beating, albeit weakly. He’s not dead yet.

Mercian looked at Daimond approaching with his sword and said:

“Your Highness, I’m sorry but I have no interest in being that kind of mistress. If Your Highness wants a mistress so badly, why don’t you speak to Lady Beano who so desperately wants to stand by your side? And as you know, people outside are looking in because Ruan broke down the door. So Your Highness should refrain from actions that will cause gossip.”

What? That kind of mistress? Does she know what she’s saying?

The noble young ladies of the empire are dying to become my mistress, yet she defies me for the sake of a man who’s about to die?

Daimond looked at Mercian who flatly refused his proposal.

Her face shone so brilliantly with the determination to protect Ruan no matter what, that it made his insides twist.

Why is she choosing him and not me?

What has he done for her?

What do I lack compared to him……

Fine, if that’s what you want, I’ll send you together.

If he dies like this now, he’ll think his wife will become my mistress anyway……

He’ll experience hell even after death.

“Very well, madam. If you want to be with a man who’s about to die, I can’t stop you. I’ll send you together side by side.”

Daimond raised his sword high and swung it at Mercian.

Clang!!

“Brother, it’s been a while.”

Behind Cassel, who blocked Daimond’s sword, Harman and knights entered the bookstore.

“Duke! Madam, are you alright?”

Mercian, who had been shielding Ruan from Daimond’s sword, saw Cassel and jumped up holding Ruan, shouting:

“Cassel, we need to move Ruan to the duke’s residence quickly. And call the doctor too!”

“Cassel, hurry and take Ruan. I’ll take care of things here.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

At Harman’s words, Cassel quickly left the bookstore with Mercian holding Ruan.

“Harman, why are you here? I heard you were returning to the empire next week……”

“I arrived in the capital earlier than expected. But brother, what are you doing here? Swinging a sword at a powerless woman and a poisoned patient?”

“Harman, do you think you’ve become something just because you married a princess of a vassal state?”

Harman pushed aside the sword pointed at him and approached Daimond, whispering:

“Brother, because the door is broken, imperial citizens outside are watching you. The capital is already noisy with ominous rumors, there’s no need for you to add to it.”

Damn it, if it weren’t for those cursed rumors……

With Kaiman under house arrest, Daimond knew better than anyone that if he caused trouble now, damage control would be impossible.

“Don’t worry. As if I would actually kill the duke and his wife. I was merely giving a warning not to speak carelessly.”

As Daimond put away the sword he had drawn and smiled as if it had been a joke, Harman also smiled and replied:

“Many things happened while I was away from the empire for nearly a month and a half.”

“……”

“Oh yes, Father earnestly asked me to uncover the truth behind the rumors currently circulating in the capital.”

Daimond’s expression turned fierce at Harman’s provocation.

I should have killed that bastard earlier!

Without Ruan, he’s nothing……

Right, I can’t say Ruan is here now.

No one knows when that bastard will wake up.

No, if he’s lucky, he might never wake up like that.

Now is the time to get rid of you from my sight.

Yes, go ahead and run wild. Your life doesn’t have much time left either……

“Is that so? Father has given you an important task. Try your best to solve it. Someone like you who brilliantly resolved the refugee crisis will surely catch the culprit.”

“Thank you for the encouragement, brother.”

As Daimond was leaving the bookstore with a sardonic smile, he stopped and turned back, saying:

“Harman, always be careful. You just got married, we can’t make the princess a widow, can we? Hahahahaha.”

After Daimond left, Tablo entered and approached Harman.

“Are you alright?”

“For now, but it seems the time has come to finish things with my brother. How is Ruan?”

“He’s been moved to the duke’s residence for now. He still hasn’t woken up, they say.”

“I see. Let’s return to the palace.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

“What happened? Why did the duke…?”

“I don’t know either. He suddenly clutched his heart in pain and then collapsed just like that.”

In the carriage, Cassel wanted to ask Mercian for details, but she didn’t look to be in good condition either.

What on earth did the crown prince do to them?

They clearly said the curse was being lifted, so what happened?

***

Along with rumors that Ruan had collapsed, renowned doctors from across the empire began coming and going from the duke’s residence.

But there was no news of Ruan waking up, nor of his condition improving.

The imperial citizens prayed for the quick recovery of Ruan, who had been their hero.

A week passed like that, and when word spread that Ruan still hadn’t woken up, Biseluk even sent the imperial physician, but both the attending physician and imperial physician only repeated that there was no major problem with Ruan.

“Why won’t he wake up? Could it be the poison has spread? Is there really no antidote for that poison?”

The attending physician made a troubled expression at Mercian’s questions and replied:

“I’m sorry, madam. There doesn’t seem to be any particular problem.”

Mercian, who hadn’t slept properly for even a single day since Ruan collapsed and had been by his side, felt like her insides were burning up.

They all say there’s nothing wrong, so why won’t he wake up?

Ruan, please open your eyes.

Mercian became afraid at the thought that Ruan might die just like this.

.

.

.

“Madam!”

“Marquis!”

Mercian, who was coming out of Ruan’s room, urgently approached Tablo who was entering the duke’s residence.

Seeing the haggard Mercian, Tablo said with a serious expression:

“How is Ruan?”

“They say there’s nothing wrong, but he won’t wake up.”

Looking at Mercian who seemed about to cry any moment, Tablo said:

“I’ve brought another expert. May I go in for a moment?”

“I’ll also- no, I’ll wait outside.”

Seeing Tablo’s troubled expression at her words, Mercian stepped back, and Tablo said with an apologetic look:

“I’m sorry, madam. It will only take a moment. Elder, please go in.”

At Tablo’s words, an elderly man who had been following him into the duke’s residence greeted Mercian before entering the duke’s room.

“Elder, how is he?”

“Hmm……”

Moses examined Ruan’s body, which seemed to be in a deep sleep, here and there before smiling brightly and saying:

“Congratulations, Marquis.”

“Pardon?”

“The duke’s curse has been completely lifted. Look, the thread-like lines on the duke’s arms have all disappeared, haven’t they?”

Tablo confirmed that the thread-like lines on Ruan’s arms had all disappeared, but tilted his head and said:

“But I heard he collapsed feeling pain in his heart. And now he hasn’t woken up for a week……”

“I’ve heard that when the curse is lifted, one feels tremendous pain in the heart. Usually, they wake up after fainting for a day or two, but because the duke hasn’t been eating properly, his physical strength has dropped too much. He’s quite stable now, so he’ll wake up in 2-3 days at the latest. After waking up, if he eats well and takes good care of his body, you need not worry anymore.”

At Moses’s words, Tablo looked at the collapsed Ruan with an expression of disbelief.

When he heard the curse had weakened, he doubted it, but has the curse really been lifted?

You who never cared about others’ affairs……

You who said the most foolish thing in the world was to throw away your life for love……

At that moment when you collapsed in the bookstore, you were thinking of giving your life for your wife?