How To Survive As a Villain on the Verge of Death

The moment she told the story, for a moment, time seemed to stop in the room. She had seen Terence look surprised before, but she thought this was the first time she had seen him look so shocked.

 

“What did you say just now?”

 

There was a faint hint of shock in the voice asking the question. She suppressed a sigh and slowly began to explain.

 

“I saw the prognosis on my wedding night.”

 

She explained in detail what happened on the first night. Of course, the contents of the prediction were slightly adapted. The scene with the child was omitted, and the story about the emperor’s accession to the throne at the end was also omitted. She only described the conversation between Terence and Bayan in front of her grave. The date of death written on her tombstone. She also talked about the ‘evil deeds’ that Bayan had mentioned. Except for the word “pregnant woman” that came before it. As she continued to explain, his gaze towards her became increasingly darker.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me about this until now?”

 

“I’m embarrassed too. I needed more time to understand the situation.”

 

Terence tried to say something right away. It was probably something like, ‘Is this something you should hide because you’re embarrassed?’ But he just kept his mouth shut. He seemed to think that his sudden confession had a big influence on the fact that she was so embarrassed that she couldn’t say anything even after seeing this prediction.

 

“I thought I would tell you slowly later. It’s not urgent right now.”

 

“Is there anything more urgent than the princess dying?”

 

“Like I said, I’m not going to die right away.”

 

There was still one year left until she became terminally ill due to an evil act. It would take another year for her to really die. In the end, she had about two years left to live. Like Diane, if something changed in the middle, it may be accelerated. Terence seemed to be sorting out his confused mind and understanding the situation. The purple eyes that looked at her shook with shock, but soon darkened.

 

“Is it because of this…”

 

He trailed off. He may be asking if this was why she was unable to properly answer his confession.

 

“Yes, to some extent, seeing this premonition influenced me. Because I think I have about 2 years left to live. I don’t have the time to think about anything else.”

 

“Maybe we can change it.”

 

Terence spoke to her in a confident tone.

 

“Even when you saw the vision about the intent of assassination on the wedding day, the princess changed her future and survived. We will be able to do it this time too.”

 

They did. When she first came here, she was on the verge of death. At that time, as in the original work, he was scheduled to be murdered on his wedding day. However, it wasn’t something she saw with foresight, it was something she read in a book. And she definitely knew who the culprit was and when she died. It was also clearly stated why he was trying to kill her. But now it was much more vague than then. Because it was unclear who did it in the first place. He may be a member of the imperial family, but other than that, they didn’t know anything else.

 

‘I touched Bayan a few times, but no predictions came out.’

 

There was even a time when she captured Mikhail, but even then, she didn’t see any foresight related to my future.

 

“Try to catch it.”

 

While she was thinking that, Terence extended a hand across the table.

 

“If the only people involved are me and Shinsu, shouldn’t you catch me and see the wisdom?”

 

She looked at Terrence’s hand on the table and then slowly took his hand. She felt warmth in Terence’s hands. She remembered the day she first met this man. She held his hand in the middle of the night in the palace chapel and saw the future. Even back then, she remembered Terence’s hand being particularly warm when she held it for the first time. As she was recalling the memories of that time, she glanced up and saw Terence with his eyes fixed on their clasped hands. Terence looked frighteningly handsome then and now. However, unlike the confident and arrogant young Grand Duke back then, Terence, who was holding her hand now, had a deep worry hanging over him like a dark shadow. The cozy light from the fireplace cast an unsettling shadow on the neat and beautiful features. She was surprised that this man was so worried and anxious for her life, and at the same time, she was grateful to him. But unlike back then, even though she held on for a while, she couldn’t see anything. Was it because she couldn’t concentrate? Or maybe it’s because she already saw the prognosis once today. Terence consoled her, the disappointment evident on his face.

 

“If you try it a few times every day, you will see something. If we find any clues, we can find them and stop the assassination attempt.”

 

Terence said and squeezed her hand tightly.

 

“It will never turn out like that prediction. No matter what happens, I will definitely protect the princess.”

 

“…”

 

Even though she knew it was a vague promise, she felt a little relieved when this man said it with such confidence. As if the frozen snow was melting due to the warm affection she felt from his hands, she felt like her anxious and confused feelings were gradually disappearing. Actually, she thought she was a little scared. After seeing the people left behind by her death living with the hurt, she was afraid of forming a deep relationship with anyone. Although she had already experienced death once when she came here after ending her previous life. Because there was no one there who would be hurt by her death. She thought something like that would never happen in this life. Maybe she shouldn’t form a deep relationship with someone until the situation becomes clearer. She was so scared and hesitant.

 

‘I think I thought wrong.’

 

No matter what she did, if she died, this man would be left with hurt and guilt. He didn’t seem to be able to stop it just by pushing. If he continues to distance himself and then disappears, it may leave an even more terrible wound for Terence.

 

“If you don’t mind.”

 

She said half impulsively. She felt like she would never have a chance to say something like this if it weren’t for the current atmosphere.

 

“We could officially date… What about it?”

 

Although it may be impossible to become passionate lovers right away, how about taking the first step step by step? Even ordinary lovers started dating by going on a few awkward dates at first to get to know each other. Actually, she had never been in a relationship, so she couldn’t be sure, but from books and movies, it seemed like it was roughly like that. Although they had the difference of getting married as soon as they met, she still thought that if they moved forward one step at a time, they would somehow achieve results.

 

Terence seemed very surprised to hear what she said.

 

“Why are you suddenly saying that?” he asked in a confused voice.

 

“I was supposed to give you an answer earlier. I’m answering now.”

 

Well, it’s almost absurd that he was discussing her death until a minute ago and then suddenly said, ‘Do you want to date?’ But that thought occurred to her while she was holding Terence’s hand. Perhaps, if they continued to check the future as this man said, they would be able to avoid this death. If so, she didn’t have to be afraid to start building relationships now. But, just in case, if she died without really being able to change the future then there may be no chance outside now. A chance to make good memories by officially dating this man.

 

“Are you sure you don’t mind?”

 

“Yes, I think it would be good.”

 

Actually, she wondered if there was anything bad about dating a man like this. And they were already married.

 

A sincere smile spread across Terence’s lips as he looked at her.

 

“It’s an honor, princess.”

 

“Call me by my name.”

 

She turned the teacup around aimlessly, avoiding his gaze.

 

“It’s strange if you keep calling me princess while we’re dating.”

 

Terence laughed quietly when he heard her.

 

“Yes, Eve.”

 

…As soon as she asked him to call her by her name, she became Eve. She always called him Terence. Actually, ‘Eve’ was a bit strange. But Eve was just better.

 

She answered with a proud smile.

 

“Thank you, Sir Terence.”

 

This time a soft laugh was heard. Terence was smiling at her.

 

“Just call me Terence.”

 

“Okay, Terence.”

 

It felt a bit strange to just call her name. It’s also a bit strange.

 

‘For us to have a child… Let’s keep it a secret for now.’

 

Because it’s unthinkable right now.

 

Snow was still falling by the window. Pure white snowflakes fluttered across the pitch-black night sky. Feather-like snowflakes were coloring the dry soil in the garden a warm white light.

 

“Hmm, hmm. Then first, let’s look for Miss Diane’s scented candle.”

 

She changed the topic to lighten the embarrassed mood. Terence put his empty teacup away and joined in on her topic.

 

“I heard you were in the library until evening, but you haven’t found it yet?”

 

“Yes, I looked through books on scented candles, but I couldn’t find them. I’m sure I’ve smelled something similar somewhere.”

 

Just in case, she opened all the perfume and cosmetic containers in her room and smelled them, but there was nothing similar. She thought she was smelling someone else’s perfume, but she guessed not. Since she was not interested in perfume, there was no way she could remember the scent of someone else she passed by in such detail. Looking back, the grass called fragrant grass had a bitter, grassy smell instead of a fragrant flower scent. The smell did not seem to be that used in perfume. So what was it?

 

“Do you remember roughly when you smelled this scent?”

 

“It’s not that old. At the temple, Sir Terence, no, Terence? No, not this.”

 

Suddenly, from Sir or Lord Terrence, he became Terence, so she was a little confused and her words got mixed up. Terence had a smile on his face again, as if he found it funny that she was behaving awkwardly.

 

“You can just say you.”

 

“…I will decline that.”

 

It’s not something we they could afford to be that informal yet.

 

“Hmm, so you held the flower of the sacred tree at the temple… It must have been after meeting . As for exactly when…”

 

After talking up to that point, she paused. At that moment, she realized the identity of the déjà vu she was vaguely feeling.

 

‘Right, why didn’t I think of that?’

 

If you think about it, the answer was fixed. Eve, the princess, must have come into contact with many spices in this world, but not her. After she was first possessed here, she spent several days locked in the princess’s palace bedroom, and then she went to the temple to see Terence. After that, the only places she went to were the duke’s house, the marquis’ residence, and the tea garden. Even so, she only visited mansions and gardens briefly, and she had never smelled someone’s perfume strong enough to be memorable. In other words, the only spices she commonly encountered when she came to this world were the perfume in her room and the smoke she smelled in the Great Hall of the Islands.

 

“I remembered.”

 

After organizing her thoughts, she belatedly remembered what the scented candle was.

 

“This is the smoke I smelled at the temple.”

 

To be exact, it was the scent she smelled in the main building of the temple. On the day she went to the main shrine to meet Terence, she went to the main building where the main shrine was located to receive flowers from the sacred tree. Inside the temple, incense was burned wherever there was an altar. It was said that while fresh flowers and herbs were used in the imperial palace, it was customary to smoke incense in temples. Incense with a unique smell was burning on the altar in the main building. The peculiar smell was similar to the scent of the scented candle in the grass.

 

Terence said after hearing her explanation.

 

“Obviously, temples use different types of incense in different buildings. The gods served are slightly different.”

 

She had rarely been to the main building since that day. While she was staying at the main shrine’s lodgings, she only went back and forth between her lodgings and the Rastana Temple and did not visit the main building where the main shrine was located. The high priest was also afraid of her, so he didn’t come near her and didn’t invite her to the main building.

 

“A scent like that would appear in a book about religious rituals rather than a book about spices.”

 

She added right after listening to his explanation.

 

“I have to go to the library now and look for it.”

 

Terence smiled and said, as if she looked like she would get up from her seat at any moment.

 

“If it’s okay with you, I’ll go with you. Eve.”

 

The voice calling her sounded sweeter and friendlier than before, so the more she heard it, the more unfamiliar she felt. Did she tell him to call her by her name for no reason? She hurriedly stood up, avoiding his gaze. Outside the window, the white snowflakes that had been falling since evening had already covered the gray garden in pure white.

 

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Translator Note: