Chapter 58. You’ll Die Soon Too

2023.11.27.

Seeing confusion flicker across Yuan’s face, Bollonico gave a light smile.

“There’s no need to be surprised, dear sister-in-law. I’ve heard many praises about you from that mansion. They say you’re quite intelligent.”

“Praises?”

“The Emperor shows little interest in state affairs, which makes things difficult for Bollonico. And when Bollonico suffers, he gathers talents to assist in various matters. Nearly all proposals brought before the Council of Ministers must pass through Bollonico to be approved.”

Someone from the mansion had been in contact with this prince.

‘My praises?’

Had they really only spoken of my merits?

Suddenly, Clade’s voice echoed in her mind.

‘Don’t trust anything sent from the palace.’

Looking at the beautiful prince, whose face radiated absolute confidence that he could do as he pleased with anything within his sight, Yuan wondered if Clade still kept his guard up around certain people in the mansion precisely because of this strange prince.

“What do you think? How about escaping that dreadful mansion and coming to Bollonico?”

“I appreciate your offer, Your Highness.”

Yuan forced her trembling legs to straighten as she stood upright.

She softened her expression as much as possible, careful not to appear hostile.

“I’m simply content living as I am.”

With that, Yuan respectfully bowed and quickly placed the bouquet of wildflowers she had brought before the distant memorial stones of the late imperial couple, then hurriedly left the cemetery as if fleeing.

She could feel his gaze prickling the back of her head.

It felt extremely, extremely unpleasant.

***

The carriage racing back toward Central Roxenhardt came to a sudden stop just after leaving the marquisate, on a forest path.

Without any warning, movement came from the driver’s seat, and a masked, fat stranger abruptly leaned into the carriage.

Yuan nearly screamed, but quickly recognized the man after he tossed aside his mask, and her brows furrowed sharply.

“Yuan!”

It was her uncle.

His face, drenched in sweat from the heat under the mask, was flushed as he urgently leaned his upper body toward her, eyes filled with anxiety.

“Did you meet Crown Prince Bollonico? Hm? Did you?”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I saw you!”

The uncle huffed in frustration, then quickly glanced out the window before pulling the curtains completely shut.

Still too shocked to even scream, Yuan suddenly remembered Mr. Mazarin and bolted upright.

“Sit down.”

“What did you do to the driver?”

“The weak driver and useless guards only realized too late that their carriage had been stolen and are now rushing here. If you just listen to me properly, I’ll return you both unharmed and peacefully.”

Yuan let out a breath of relief and deliberately sat as far from her uncle as possible, crossing her arms.

The uncle noticed the resentment and wariness flashing in her eyes and wiped his soaked face with a handkerchief.

“Listen carefully, Yuan. If you stay in that mansion, you will die.”

When Yuan turned her head away with a tired, skeptical expression, as if to say “Here we go again,” the count stuffed the handkerchief into his pocket and tightly clenched both fists on his knees.

“There are people chasing after us, so I won’t waste time with long speeches. It’s clear that Crown Prince Bollonico is targeting our family.”

“Our family? I’m not part of that household anymore. The Pelliese matters are for the Pelliese to handle.”

“You’re bleeding from the nose, Yuan.”

Startled, Yuan quickly pressed a handkerchief to her nose. Sure enough, just as he said, warm blood soaked into the cloth.

Her uncle’s face darkened.

“Since when has this been happening?”

“Should I go see a doctor? Not that you’d know how to properly check.”

“How insolent!”

The uncle shifted as if about to strike her, then roughly messed up his slicked-back hair like someone caught off guard by an unexpected twist.

“This is truly adding insult to injury. Now that I look closely—yes, though well-maintained on the surface, your eyes are dark, and your face is pale. This sudden nosebleed isn’t the first time, is it?”

“Anyone might get nosebleeds when tired.”

“I’ve never seen you bleed like this even when you were far more exhausted and unwell.”

Did you torment me every day despite knowing how tired and sick I was?

Yuan suppressed her rising resentment with a sharp look and pressed harder on her still-bleeding nose.

Though it was Yuan who was bleeding, her uncle looked as pale as if he had lost all his blood, sitting there for a long while silently wiping his dry face.

“That dreadful family’s curse has manifested in you too, Yuan. And still you claim you’re not a Pelliese?”

Before Yuan could react, Gerret Pelliese raised his voice further.

“Have you forgotten how your sister died? They said she had a short life span and died in the royal household—fine. But if someone dies young, there must be a reason. That damned genetic illness! Your sister slowly died just like you—same face, same symptoms. You were close to her, so you should know better than anyone.”

“No. I’m different from my sister.”

“Where else could a genetic illness come from?!”

Her uncle shouted in exasperation.

He seemed parched, roughly pulling open the collar of his black coat as he cried out.

“I didn’t come today to say this, but I’ve decided I won’t stand by and watch any longer. First, you must survive—that’s the only way to plan anything! Damn, now I have one more problem to worry about.”

Staring at Yuan’s frozen face, her uncle pounded his chest as he spoke.

In the distance, she could hear the voices of the mansion’s guards and Mr. Mazarin, rushing to find her.

“The only place that might prolong your life even slightly is the Pelliese mansion. And the only one who knows more about this illness than anyone else is this uncle of yours! Have you forgotten all the research we did together trying to save your sister? Among that research, we achieved remarkable breakthroughs in treating numerous other diseases. Don’t you see how valuable that is?”

Her uncle whispered quickly.

“This is my final warning, spoken kindly. Come back. Just like we agreed before—I’ll prioritize your words over your cousins or aunt from now on. Your treatment will be different. I’ll recognize you as a full partner!”

“I’m not going to die.”

“That’s what I sincerely hope. But if—just if—that accursed genetic illness that killed your sister has manifested in you too—”

-Knock knock knock knock!

As voices grew closer, someone urgently knocked on the carriage door from outside.

The uncle quickly pulled the mask back on. Through the holes in the black cloth, his pitch-black eyes locked onto her with a sharp, warning glare.

“You’ll die soon too.”

***

After the uncle left, the guards and Mr. Mazarin, who had been frantically chasing the carriage, arrived.

Mr. Mazarin peered into the open carriage with a pale face, then sighed in relief upon spotting Yuan.

“I had thought my lady would come out later, so I briefly stepped away—and then this happened… My lady, are you alright? Are you injured? Where did those who took the carriage go? We should immediately notify Marquis Rev’s household.”

“…….”

“My lady? Why does your face look like that? You must have had a severe nosebleed—”

“They mistook it for my master’s carriage. Please don’t make a big fuss and just let it go, Mr. Mazarin.”

“Oh. Yes, I understand.”

Mr. Mazarin glanced at Yuan’s unusually cold demeanor and silently closed the carriage door without another word.

The sounds of people inspecting the carriage brushed past Yuan’s ears, and soon the carriage began moving forward very slowly.

‘That dreadful family’s curse has manifested in you too, Yuan. And still you claim you’re not a Pelliese?’

‘Have you forgotten how your sister died? They said she had a short life span and died in the royal household—fine. But if someone dies young, there must be a reason. That damned genetic illness! Your sister slowly died just like you—same face, same symptoms. You were close to her, so you should know better than anyone.’

Clenching her teeth, Yuan turned over her uncle’s words in her mind, but in the end, she couldn’t suppress the violent churning in her stomach.

“Ugh—!!”

“My lady!”

The carriage door suddenly burst open as it slowed, causing a small commotion among the procession.

Ever since morning, her stomach had been unsettled from motion sickness and her encounter with Bollonico. Now, with her mind distressed, it completely revolted.

She had eaten nothing, so only bitter bile rose up.

Yuan roughly wiped her soiled face with a damp handkerchief.

Standing in the middle of a spring forest, she barely steadied herself with a spinning vision.

Responding to Mr. Mazarin’s worried voice patting her back, Yuan answered with a pale face.

“I’m fine.”

She was anything but fine.

‘You’ll die soon too.’

Her uncle’s voice lingered in her ears like a curse, refusing to fade away.

***

“Not yet?”

Just as the servants began growing slightly anxious over the mistress’s delayed return before sunset,

Clade’s expression darkened abruptly as he suddenly wondered about Yuan’s whereabouts.

Gustav, the butler, who had been examining the shiny cover of the latest edition of

brought by Lancelot, reassured Clade by saying she was surely fine and offered to send guards to meet her.

Clade lightly held the thick, clearly brand-new book as if it were a sandwich, casually wandering around the west wing like someone out for a stroll.

The red outer walls, scrubbed clean of old grime, gleamed so brightly under the sunset that they almost reflected human figures upon close inspection.

This was also the result of servants constantly wiping them down as they passed.

Vines, winding up the walls like blood vessels, had by now claimed half of the wing as their territory.

Fresh, large cotyledons trembled easily even in a light breeze.

Clade idly flicked one of the noisy leaves that clattered against the wall whenever the wind blew, killing time, until he frowned at the gathering darkness.

***

The next day.

Early in the morning, while Yuan was out with the group fetching water, Eddie Rev suddenly barged into the mansion.