Because I was Terminally Ill, I Married the Male Lead's Brother, and Now He's Obsessed with Me

Episode 70

Lloydin, who usually came home late every day, returned to the mansion around sunset.

Excited at the thought of having dinner together, I eagerly went out to greet him.

A carriage stopped in front of the mansion, and Lloydin got out from inside.

His face showed signs of exhaustion and tiredness, as usual.

However, today he seemed more exhausted than usual, and his expression wasn’t as good.

Feeling anxious at his appearance, I approached him with a smile, pretending everything was fine.

“Duke, you came home early today?”

“Madam.”

Somehow, his voice sounded as low as his expression.

“Are you okay? Dinner is ready, let’s have a meal together.”

I deliberately led him with a brighter demeanor.

“Yes, let’s.”

While Lloydin changed into comfortable clothes, I waited for him outside the door.

After a while, the door opened, and Lloydin came out.

“Madam?”

Seeing me at the door, Lloydin looked at me with surprised eyes.

“Why didn’t you go ahead?”

“I want to go with you.”

I casually took his hand and smiled brightly.

Seeing me like that, a faint smile appeared on Lloydin’s lips.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Duke.”

We walked down the stairs and went straight to the dining room.

As soon as we sat down, the servants began to serve the food.

“Enjoy your meal. It’s nice to have dinner together after a long time.”

Ian went to the academy, and Lloydin was too busy, so I spent most of my time alone in the mansion, including meals.

Sometimes, when I felt really bored, I used to go to the Anaitz mansion for a visit, but I couldn’t do that every day.

Now that Lloydin was busy with work, as the lady of the mansion, I had a responsibility to take care of and pay more attention to the family.

Of course, to the servants of this mansion, it was more familiar without a master than with one.

“Enjoy your meal too, madam. I’m glad to have dinner with you after a long time.”

“Is that so?”

Unlike the serious atmosphere that surrounded him in front of the carriage earlier, the dinner was full of warmth throughout.

I talked about what happened to me today and had ordinary conversations with him.

After putting the last piece of meat into my mouth, I put down my fork on the table.

“Ah, I’m full.”

“Did you enjoy the meal?”

Lloydin, who had been watching me since we finished eating, smiled contentedly and asked.

“Yes, it was delicious. It was even better with you, Duke.”

“So was I.”

“What should we do now? Oh, maybe your work isn’t done yet?”

Until I fell asleep without thinking, I had planned to spend a pleasant time with him, but I suddenly realized that he was a very busy person.

Although disappointment quickly turned into joy.

I suggested going for a walk to him, feeling happy that the work was over.

“Sounds good. Let’s take a walk in the garden while we digest.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea.”

When we came out after dinner, the sky had already turned dark.

But the moon was bright, and there were no clouds around, making it perfect for a night walk.

However, it was still winter, so the weather was quite cold.

“Aren’t you cold?”

Before entering the garden, Lloydin asked me with a worried look.

“It’s okay. If it gets too cold, I’ll let you know.”

“Alright.”

“And if we stick close like this, it’ll be less cold.”

As I linked my arm with his, Lloydin flinched slightly.

But then, as if it were natural, he released our arms from the link and gently wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

“To prevent the cold, this seems more effective.”

“Yeah, you think so?”

I nodded in agreement with Lloydin’s words and leaned deeper into his embrace.

As we strolled through the garden, we took a moment to sit on a bench near a large tree.

I hadn’t realized how cold it was until I sat down and suddenly felt a chill at the tip of my nose.

Sensing my shivering, Lloydin took off his coat and draped it over my shoulders.

“I’m fine. Duke, you’re cold too.”

“This level of cold is nothing to me. So, it’s okay.”

“But…”

“It’s okay.”

As he spoke, his action of wrapping his arm around my shoulders while still sitting felt so familiar now.

I stopped speaking further, feeling that saying more was no longer about courtesy but rather about appreciating his concern.

“Thank you.”

And I expressed my gratitude.

“If you’re too cold, let’s go inside.”

“Alright.”

After that, we continued our ordinary conversation.

Talking with him was always enjoyable.

Especially in this dimly lit space, it felt like there were only the two of us, which filled me with excitement.

As we laughed and talked, Lloydin suddenly said he had something to tell me.

“Me? What is it?”

Until then, I had been smiling, thinking it was nothing serious.

“Tomorrow…”

But he paused for a moment, and as his expression gradually hardened, my smile faded as well.

“What is it?”

Feeling anxious for some reason, I nudged him.

“Tomorrow morning, I have to leave for the northern border.”

“Ah…”

What I had desperately hoped wouldn’t happen had finally come true.

For a moment, my mind went blank, and I couldn’t think of anything.

Although I knew it, the shock was still overwhelming.

“Tomorrow morning?”

“Yes.”

“Why, I mean, how can you leave so suddenly?”

I had never stumbled over my words like this before, no matter what the situation.

But there were so many things I wanted to say, yet my mind felt empty, and I couldn’t articulate properly.

“The monsters are suddenly surging towards the border, so there’s no choice.”

Monsters.

Yes, this place was where monsters existed.

Because of the existence of monsters, the world was always in turmoil, and to maintain some peace in such a world, there needed to be someone to repel the monsters.

That someone was Lloydin Brighton in front of me.

“Do you really have to go?”

With a gloomy face, I asked him.

While asking, I already knew the answer.

If he doesn’t go, then who will?

It’s thanks to his strength that the monsters have been held in check to this extent.

But even for him, that place was not safe.

And just because he went to a place where death was rampant didn’t mean he would definitely come back alive.

“I have to go.”

Once again, he answered with a resigned tone, as if it were obvious that he would go.

“I have to go, I must go, but I don’t want to go this time.”

“What?”

But soon, at his unexpected words, I replied with a blank expression.

“I’m worried about my wife, and I don’t think I’m going to be able to get off my feet easily.”

Ah, his words made me feel emotional for a moment.

At this moment, he was comforting me by his side, but when he left, there might be a time when I didn’t know when he would return.

He was worrying about me before leaving for the battlefield where death was rampant.

And I felt the same way too.

Until just a while ago, I had worried more about my illness.

But now, I was more worried about him than my illness.

‘We’ve only been worrying about each other.’

He worried only about me, and I worried only about him.

“I’ll be fine, I guess.”

With a face that seemed like I was about to cry, I deliberately smiled widely and replied.

I didn’t want to send him to the dangerous place where monsters lurked.

If I could, I wanted to hold him tightly and keep him by my side.

But I knew I couldn’t.

So, I hoped that by expressing my worry, I could ease his burden.

And if possible, I didn’t want to add another worry to him, a person already burdened with many things.

“I haven’t fallen asleep even once until now. Maybe everything will be okay.”

“Is that true?”

Lloydin asked with a brightened face.

“Yes, so don’t worry.”

Actually, I didn’t know either.

But to reassure him, I deliberately answered with a confident expression.

According to the contents of the novel, there was only one sign that my illness was getting better.