Chapter 31
“If your wariness—which never vanished even when your young and ignorant fiancé threw tantrums and tested your patience—disappears like spring snow at a single accidental favor, what then? What if I intended to use this to steal the Duchy’s secrets later on?”
“You are not that kind of person….”
“I’m not? Based on what?”
I curled the corners of my mouth into a smile.
It was the smile the young Titania had practiced in the mirror countless times. A noble smile where the eyes half-closed and the lips curved just so.
It was an expression that highlighted her bright and vivid beauty, but he surely must have sensed that the smile didn’t reach my eyes.
“I am truly grateful for the kindness shown by the House of Castline during this incident. Thanks to you, I was able to stay safely at the Empress’s Palace and avoid getting caught up in… unpleasant business.”
“…Imperial Princess. I…”
Raymon spoke up with a hint of agitation, which was unlike him. But I didn’t stop.
“So, I hope the House of Castline will not show me such excessive kindness in the future. It only causes me trouble.”
“…….”
I shrugged as I looked at his tightly set jaw, which betrayed his displeasure. I knew he’d react that way.
“Fine. Then, let’s just consider this a clean debt.”
“A debt?”
“You must grant me two requests in the future, no matter what they are. In exchange, I won’t ask for anything unethical—nothing that directly harms the Duchy, encourages such a situation, or forces you to commit a crime.”
“Will that be enough?”
“I’m told I can ask two favors of the great House of Castline. Isn’t that more than enough?”
I smiled shamelessly. Raymon avoided my gaze. Both Bibi and Raymon looked troubled. Despite knowing that, I didn’t let the mask-like smile slip. Even though I knew I was being petty.
There was no need to resent Raymon.
There was no need to reproach him for not giving his heart to an imperial fiancé who had been forced upon him. Everyone has things they want to protect, things they hold dear.
Titania was simply unfortunate enough to have no one who cherished her.
Everyone came rushing over and made such a fuss just because I saved Bibi’s life. Watching them thank her and shower her with gifts made me so envious it brought tears to my eyes.
The Prince and the Empress had shown a bit of interest belatedly, but that was all.
Yes, it was a relief that the memories of my past life had awakened now.
Titania had no one, but I had parents who loved me. I could endure on those memories alone.
They told me not to shift blame or get angry at others in unreasonable situations, but surely they’d overlook this much.
—Don’t you want to be loved?
Something suddenly popped up in my mind and asked. It was the same voice that had rebuked me when I went to save Bibi.
—If you hold onto him through marriage like this, it seems like he’d let himself be held?
I answered in my heart.
I don’t want emotions that aren’t sincere.
I hate pity and compassion.
There’s no need to be that miserable.
The thought occurred to me momentarily.
The Titania of the original story probably fed Bibi that medicine knowing that she wouldn’t be loved in her place even if Bibi disappeared.
Because it was so painful to see Bibi being loved like that.
Because she was so envious of the overflow of people who would do anything for Bibi.
“So, please don’t use being my ‘savior’ as an excuse to interfere with me anymore.”
I decided to smile.
Because those who have nothing must at least put up a front.
Inside the carriage heading to the Duke’s residence, Bibi stared at Raymon, who looked uncharacteristically dejected.
“Big oppa.”
“…….”
“You know, Bibi hasn’t known Titania unnie for very long, so I don’t know. About the relationship between Raymon oppa and Titania unnie.”
No, the regressor Bibi did know.
She wasn’t ignorant. That was why she had even tried to lead the way toward a safe annulment between her eldest brother and Titania in this life.
Bibi watched Raymon’s complicated expression again as she organized her thoughts.
It was publicly known that Imperial Consort Elaine suffered from an incurable disease.
As of now, the name of the disease wasn’t even properly known. It was only in the distant future, after several patients with similar symptoms appeared, that someone dug through ancient texts and identified it as ‘Arlene’s disease.’
One of the drugs tested by the mage who had performed various experiments on Bibi was the cure for that disease.
It was called Arlene’s disease because the cure contained Arlene flower roots. Arlene flower roots were extremely rare and expensive. It was a rare wild herb that grew only occasionally on seaside cliffs.
Once afflicted with Arlene’s disease, one would first lose weight rapidly and lose strength throughout the body. The digestive system would continuously weaken, making it difficult to digest anything eaten.
Finally, the respiratory system would also slowly break down, leading to death after gasping for breath. It was known as an incurable disease because the symptoms appeared slowly without any specific cause.
But in reality, it was poison?
It wasn’t a disease?
‘…The original Rasper oppa was also said to have contracted Arlene’s disease.’
Bibi bit her lip.
Most people who contracted Arlene’s disease were civilians who did not train with the sword. Civilians who mainly stayed indoors and did not strengthen their bodies. Most were people who were already heard to be physically frail.
So, everyone initially ignored it, thinking it was just a cold or overwork, and fell into despair as the disease slowly progressed without them ever guessing the name or cause.
Later, it was speculated that the disease might be caused by an imbalance of power within the body, for reasons unknown.
The reason the mage fed the medicine to Bibi was also because the Rasper of that time had fallen ill.
The youngest, Rasper, was the only one among the three brothers of the Duchy who did not train with the sword.
He didn’t come up to the capital but continued his academic studies at the family estate. And his physical health wasn’t as good as his other brothers. That was the extent of the information known at the time.
Even when the Duke’s residence conspicuously searched for medicine after he fell ill, no further information was revealed.
‘…Arlene’s disease might not actually be an incurable disease, but symptoms of a special poisoning.’
It was only after Imperial Consort Elaine finally died that the number of cases of this disease increased. Because it became famous due to Imperial Consort Elaine, some even called it the “Beauty’s Fated Short Life Disease.”
Looking back now, that too was suspicious.
As was the attitude of the mage who tested the cure containing Arlene flowers on Bibi without even knowing the proper cause of the disease.
To find out detailed information, contacting Imperial Consort Elaine would be the easiest way.
If it wasn’t the Empress or Imperial Consort Cleo who fed it to her, but if Imperial Consort Elaine was taking the poison voluntarily….
‘But, but still….’
Bibi recalled Titania’s face as she put up a wall with a smiling countenance.
The way she smiled with a slightly tired face, as if she had given up on everything before sensing her own death.
Just as Bibi had regressed, she too might have changed in this life.
That might be why she showed a different attitude toward Raymon, whom she had been so obsessed with. And why she tried to save Bibi. But still.
‘I can’t bring myself to ask…….’
Bibi bit the edge of her lip.
Bibi had the House of Castline.
She had people who backed her up and encouraged her to do whatever she wanted. That was probably why Titania had drawn a line with Bibi, saying they should be ‘closer than strangers but more distant than family.’
Telling her to prioritize the House of Castline, her family.
That she shouldn’t grow distant from her precious people because of her. That there was no need to choose.
Would it be hypocrisy to say she was sincerely worried about Titania?
Would it look like charity bestowed by someone who had much?
Bibi agonized over it. But she couldn’t seem to find an answer.
“Oppa, what is your relationship with unnie?”
“……We are engaged.”
However, the voice that answered was unstable. Yes. He must have felt it himself.
The attitude Titania clearly displayed today was not that of a fiancé. Nor was it the attitude of someone who had once loved him.
Rather, it was certain, if anything.
It was the very attitude Raymon had shown Titania all this time.
Not denying the legal fact of the engagement. But that was all.
We are political rivals, and I don’t think we are people who will trust, cherish, or love each other. I don’t even know if we’ll make it to marriage….
“I know what’s what too. All the members of the House of Castline know. There were even people who suspected it might be a self-staged play. Although those voices vanished because oppa got so terrifyingly angry.”
Bibi briefly recalled the past.