Upon hearing Admund’s response, Clea was momentarily at a loss for words.

‘Since when have you been aware?’

She knew that he was aware that she was hiding something. After all, she hadn’t told him where it hurt.

However, his question implied more than just health concerns.

Clea was surprised by the question that seemed to suggest he knew something was troubling her heart.

Judging by the way he asked, it didn’t seem like he had heard anything from Oberon.

‘Then perhaps my behavior has been unnatural.’

Instead of sighing, she curled up the corners of her mouth.

He must have wanted to ask at the moment he noticed, but probably agonized over how to approach it.

Clea didn’t want to make Admund anxious.

‘How should I answer?’

It wasn’t that she wasn’t feeling frustrated herself.

It’s not that she hadn’t thought about how to tell him, but…

Still, she didn’t expect the timing to come so quickly.

She briefly looked at the back of her hand.

Being beside Admund calmed her heart. The rapidly ticking second hand seemed to slow down.

In the midst of her calmed state, she organized her thoughts for a moment.

“You should know as well.”

She came to a conclusion about what answer to give him.

That it would be better for him to know her condition accurately as they continue their relationship.

“But I hope you won’t be shaken.”

“I’ll try not to be.”

Clea tasted bitterness in her mouth.

She said she hoped he wouldn’t be shaken, but…

Where in the world is there someone who wouldn’t be shaken upon hearing that the person they love is terminally ill?

At that thought, she bit her lip.

Of course, even if he knew the truth, he wouldn’t abandon her.

Clea was just worried that he would suffer.

That’s why, even though she had resolved to answer, the words wouldn’t come out easily.

On the other hand, Admund was willing to wait until the end.

Even if today passed and tomorrow came.

He understood that she too must have her own reasons for finding it difficult to speak.

As time went on, he became curious about what could be so hard to say.

After a while, Clea swallowed and opened her mouth.

“The truth is.”

“What are you doing here?”

Just as Clea was about to say something, someone’s voice wedged between the two. Their gazes turned towards the source of the sound.

“Princess?”

“Aria.”

A familiar voice with familiar pink hair.

The two were bewildered by the sudden appearance of someone at their location.

Aria Hersher. It was the first time they had met her since that day they had bid farewell.

Clea got goosebumps wondering how she could be here, while Admund felt displeased at being interrupted.

Aria’s gaze was focused solely on Admund.

“Do you really love her and not me?”

“How did you know about this place?”

“Answer my question first, Admund.”

She completely ignored Clea and appealed to Admund with tears in her eyes.

Asking if he really loved her and not herself.

Her tear-filled eyes were remarkably pitiful.

When Aria shows this kind of appearance, most people’s hearts soften.

Even if it’s someone they’ve just met, or even people who personally dislike her.

But the two people present were different. Especially Admund, who had often seen Aria like this, clicked his tongue inwardly.

“Why are you here?”

He spoke coldly even in Clea’s presence.

His voice was tinged with displeasure at having their time together interrupted.

Clea was taken aback by Admund’s cold voice, which she had never heard before, but soon shifted her gaze to Aria.

Aria, who hadn’t expected him to speak to her so coldly, trembled.

How on earth did their relationship end up like this?

She thought they had been on good terms as close friends since the academy. She believed that all of this was because of Clea Odoi.

‘You tried to hurt me first. So I wanted you to feel the same.’

Aria glared at Clea as if to kill her.

Watching this scene, Clea sighed in exasperation.

Then she slowly got up and approached her.

Like Admund who was angry, Clea was also in a bad mood.

As he said, today was supposed to be their first date. Moreover, she was about to say something important to him.

Yet at this crucial moment, not only did an intruder appear, but she was also ruining the atmosphere.

At this rate, it seemed she wouldn’t leave until Admund answered her.

Clea didn’t want to waste time watching Admund deal with Aria.

So before he could step in, she spoke first.

“Didn’t I tell you clearly before? Who that man belongs to.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! You don’t even deserve to be near him!”

“Deserve? Who decides that?”

Clea had already reached right in front of Aria’s face.

Since Clea was taller, Aria had to look up at her.

Aria ended up lowering her head due to the pressure she felt from Clea.

Though her pride was telling her to lift her head, Aria found it difficult to handle the tense atmosphere.

Clea reached out her hand, grabbed her chin, and lifted it to meet her gaze.

Aria, not wanting to be overwhelmed, glared at her and said,

“You, you should never be by Admund’s side.”

Seeing her act frightened despite being the one who appeared first to cause trouble, Clea almost laughed.

Indeed, anyone who saw this scene might think Aria was entirely the victim.

‘It was always like this back in the academy days.’

The Aria that Clea remembered was always like this.

She would first hurt Clea with actions that disregarded her, and when Clea tried to point out the rudeness, she would show a trembling appearance with an innocent face.

Even as she recalled her actions, Clea did not release her chin.

“So, I’m asking. Why?”

Even when they encountered each other in Admund’s office last time, Clea had suspected something.

It was clearly visible that Admund did not love Aria.

Aria was about to say something at the end, but she definitely looked at the back of her hand.

More precisely, at the wrist where the second hand was ticking due to the curse.

What did she know?

Clea wanted to find out this time.

As she slowly looked into Aria’s eyes, anxiety swirled within them.

Aria, seeing that Clea wasn’t backing down, whispered as if delivering a final blow.

“Your curse, I know about it.”

‘I see.’

Hearing the word ‘curse’, Clea became certain of what she had been suspecting.

But there was still more to discuss.

‘How do you know about that?’

If Aria had simply broken her own curse, she would have no way of knowing that Clea was cursed.

Yet Aria now knew that Clea was under a curse.

Clea pondered.

Whether it would be better to tell a lie to induce Aria to reveal how she knew, or to confront Aria right here and now.

“You can never stay by his side for long. You know that well too. So disappear before that happens.”

“What if I don’t leave his side despite that?”

“Then I’ll do my best to crush even that last bit of happiness of yours.”

Aria was rather flustered to see Clea unfazed even after mentioning the ‘curse’. She had expected her to be shaken after exposing her vulnerability.

Because she didn’t waver, Aria ended up unnecessarily revealing a dangerous card.

Unable to overcome her bewilderment, Aria shook off Clea and left the place.

‘She says her piece and just leaves.’

For Clea, who knew that such a person was supposed to assist Admund as an empress, it was laughable.

In the novel, it was said that Aria and Admund ushered in the golden age of the empire, but…

Now she could see that Admund must have achieved that golden age alone.

“Clea.”

Clea turned her head towards the direction of Admund’s voice.

“She said what I was about to say.”

“What do you mean by curse?”

Clea looked at Admund, who was gazing at her with a sorrowful expression.

Admund seemed even more confused than when Aria had suddenly appeared.

Seeing him trying his best to keep his promise of not being shaken, Clea extended the back of her hand.

“Can you see anything?”

“…Not at all.”

“There’s a clock pattern drawn here.”

If it were someone else, they might say to limit such lies, but Admund silently listened to Clea’s words.

Clea continued to explain.

That there’s a clock drawn, with a second hand, and that second hand keeps turning.

She doesn’t know how long it will keep turning.

Just that as it turns more and more, the pain intensifies. At the same time, her body gradually weakens.

Even without explaining that far, Admund seemed to have guessed.

“Is that all you know?”

“Yes, I’ve told you everything I know.”

“I have something to say too.”

With those words, Admund drank the water in his glass.

Clea remained silent until he spoke.

She was also afraid of what he might say.

An image formed in her mind of him asking her to leave his side after hearing about her life that was no different from being terminally ill.

If so, what should she do?

Clea smiled bitterly.

As she coldly steeled her heart, thinking that if he wished it, she should do so by all means.

“Will you marry me?”

Admund quietly took out a ring and held it out to her.

* * *

Returning to the mansion, Aria skipped even greeting her family and headed straight to her room.

Upon reaching her room, she locked the door, took out the key to the drawer, and retrieved the old book inside.

Only after seeing the old book she had taken out did Aria’s coldly set expression soften.

She smiled as she opened the book.

“According to what’s written in here, you can never be happy. Never.”

Relief swirled in Aria’s eyes as she read the contents inside.

The book contained not methods to break the curse, but something else.

For instance, content about making others bear one’s curse in their stead.

“In the end, you’ll die for my sake, and I’ll survive and have everything.”

Although Admund’s attention was currently captivated by someone else, Aria thought she could soon reclaim even that.

“I pray for your death, Clea.”