I am living unmarried with my terminally ill lover.
Episode 11
“Don’t like me.”
She said it as if she was sure he would like her.
Calad nodded with a wry smile.
Ines asked, satisfied.
“If you have nothing else to add, shall we sign?”
Kalad checked the contract one last time.
Watching him, a satisfied smile tugged at the corners of Ines’ mouth.
“Be nice to my gold.
Ines smiled broadly and held out her pen to Kalad.
And the moment their fingers touched.
A black mist descended upon her.
Misery was so great that even when she tried not to see it, she was forced to.
‘Crazy…….’
Ines dropped the pen.
“Gold nugget, you’re going to die in a week?! Ranier’s cheeks flushed red in an instant.
He shuddered slightly.
Ines lifted her teacup nonchalantly.
“And they say that even beasts take care of their young. You can’t have a father who is less than a beast.”
“My father is good to me!”
Ranier retorted.
It was a small cry, but it sounded loud in the silence around them.
In the breathless silence, Ines took a sip of her tea.
Ranier pursed his lips, but eventually began to sob.
“I…… wanted to get along with my family, even though my mother is different, and, uh, my sister and Halo……..”
At the mention of Halo, Ines’s face instantly turned cold.
She exhaled slowly and set her teacup down.
She knew why Ranier was so obsessed with Halo.
He wanted to show off that he had a cute, angelic little brother.
He’d always been the kind of guy who needed to have everything pretty and nice to himself to keep his temper in check.
He’s also younger than her, so she thinks it’s easier to sleep with him.
“She wants to play dolls.
If I ever had to send Halo back to that mansion again…….
Just the thought made her head run cold.
Ines rose from her seat.
She walked around the round table and stopped in front of Ranier.
Ranier looked up from his seat.
Ines looked down at Lanier and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Youngae. If you’re looking for family fun, you’d better look elsewhere.”
“…….”
“If you ever write to Halo again, I’ll send you to…….”
Ines leaned down and whispered in Ranier’s ear.
“Because you don’t know what I’ll do.”
Ranier burst into sobs.
“Uh, how could you say that!”
Leaving the sobbing Lanier alone, Ines turned to the tea party host, Count Youngae.
“Under the circumstances, I think I’ll have to go.”
“What? Ah……, I can’t help it.”
Countess Youngae, who had been fidgeting earlier, replied grimly.
Ines smiled.
“Thank you for the delicious tea. In return, I would like to invite you to the manor next time.”
The Countess’s eyes narrowed.
Trying not to sound too pleased, she said.
“I’ll come anytime you invite me!”
As she left the tea party, Ines glanced one last time at Lanier.
Ranier was sobbing into her palm, covering her face.
But no one was there to comfort her.
Ines remembered the misery she saw when she grabbed Lanier’s shoulder.
[I told you she had to wear that dress!]
Ines turned on her heel and ran out of the courtyard.
Ines climbed into the carriage.
A short time later, she arrived at Count Elrdin’s estate.
A hired hand waiting at the entrance quickly approached her.
“Lady, Kalad Asdeon is here.”
Ines stopped dead in her tracks.
Kalad was here?
Wasn’t he supposed to come today?
I haven’t heard from him……?
The hired man spoke after a moment’s pause as Ines ran through her schedule.
“He’s in private with the Master right now.”
***.
In the early hours of the morning, Kalad woke up.
He’d had the dream again today.
The dream of being alone and waiting for someone.
But if there was something a little different from the usual…….
-waiting.
For the first time, someone else appeared in my dream.
But I couldn’t remember his face or what his voice sounded like.
Kalad wiped away his tears with the back of his hand and stood up.
He looked out the window, and the sun was cutting through the bluish dawn light.
As he watched the fading blue, he thought of Ines.
“Still suspicious.
I can understand why Ines would offer me a fake lover.
But there was still a part of him that didn’t make sense.
“I don’t know what you expect from me, but I’m sure you’ll be disappointed.
Just like anyone who approached him with unrealistic expectations.
Kalad was willing to play the long game until Ines gave up first.
[Master, are you going to see her today?]
Kalad suddenly remembered his promise to Ines at Magum’s words.
He had asked her to come and see him.
Since it was her day off, it seemed like a good time to visit her.
Kalad immediately sent a message to the Elrdin manor.
Soon enough, he received a reply, inviting him to come.
The sun is slightly tilted in the afternoon.
Kalad traveled to the Elrdin Manor.
When he arrived at the mansion’s entrance, he double-checked the address.
He wondered if he had come to the wrong place.
The Elrdin Manor was so grand that he was embarrassed to call it a mansion.
It was the largest and most ornate building Kalad had ever seen, second only to the Imperial Castle.
Once inside, the grandeur was indescribable.
The gardens were as endless as a meadow, planted with all manner of rare flowers.
Marble statues, three-tiered fountains, and more.
It made the Marquis of Asdeon, who had thought himself a decent man, look shabby.
After a long moment of silence, Magum said seriously.
[Master, let us live here].
“…….”
When Kalad didn’t answer, Magum chuckled.
[This is paradise, paradise].
[You could live here secretly!]
[Maybe you should just sneak in and live as you’ve always been here].
Kalad pressed his fingertips to his hilt.
No one would hear him anyway, but it would drive him crazy to keep talking.
Finally, the carriage carrying Kalad stopped in front of the front door.
Already exhausted, Kalad stepped out of the carriage.
On the porch, a boy stood at an angle with his arms folded.
The boy had curly silver hair, just like Ines’.
Looking at the cherub-like boy, Kalad made his request.
“I have come to see Lady Elrdin.”
“Your sister is not out.”
It was strange.
He’d been told to visit before he left.
They must have gotten mixed up.
This sort of thing happened to him often, so Kalad replied bluntly.
“Well, maybe next time…….”
“Why don’t you talk to me until your sister gets here?”
Kalad paused.
But the boy didn’t answer and went inside first.
“You and your brother are alike in not listening to people.
Kalad had no choice but to follow the boy.
Once in the parlor, they sat down across the table from each other.
The hired man brought them tea.
“Please drink.”
As Kalad picked up the teacup, he could feel the boy’s gaze on him.
He took a sip of the tea and realized it was incredibly salty.
His employer had mistaken the salt for sugar.
“A small misfortune, I suppose.
Kalad drank his tea in silence.
Then the boy’s expression became subtle.
It was a look that said, “This isn’t right……?
The boy coughed and then opened his mouth.
“My sister, you know she’s popular, right?”
Kalad nodded.
“I wouldn’t want you to fall for her while pretending to be her lover.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“I know.”
The boy declared with a sour face.
“I’m your sister’s first.”
Kalad looked at the boy with a momentary, what-the-hell look.
“I see.”
The boy’s expression relaxed slightly at Callard’s answer.
It was a moment before the boy spoke again.
“What are you two doing?”
The boy stiffened at the voice from behind him.
He jumped to his feet and shouted.
“Sister……!”
The boy, who had been acting stiff, fidgeted and greeted her.
“Halo, I see you’ve been entertaining guests.”
“Oh, yes.”
At Halo’s reply, Ines looked at Calad.
“Did you two get a chance to talk while I was gone?”
Kalad nodded, though it wasn’t much of a conversation.
Ines smiled slightly.
“How’s that, my good brother?”
Halo flinched at Ines’s flirtatious tone.
Halo glanced nervously at Kalad.
Catching her gaze, Calad gave another short nod.
Anyone else would have been reluctant to even be in the same room with him.
But Halo had offered him tea himself.
He even talked to her while she waited for Ines.
But for some reason, Halo gave me a very complicated look.
“Halo, you can go now. Go to your room and get some rest.”
“……, Sis.”
Halo hesitantly left the room at Ines’ words.
As the door closed behind her, Ines smirked and muttered to herself.
“Cute.”
It was a genuine gesture of affection.
Kalad felt a strange twinge of embarrassment at the thought of his brother, Dihas, with whom he had never gotten along.
Ines sat down across from him.
“I didn’t expect you to visit so soon.”
“I finally had the time, so I called.”
“You contacted her? We must have gotten mixed up.”
He even replied, but Ines had no idea.
Something was wrong, Kalad convinced himself.
It happened so often, it wasn’t that strange.
Ines and Kalad sat down, facing each other.
“So, let’s talk about what we didn’t get to talk about.”
Ines pulled two pieces of paper out of a filing cabinet in her hand and set them down.
It was a relationship contract.
“I want to make sure we’re clear, okay?”
Kalad read the densely written clauses one by one.
Ines pointed out the important ones.
“Ines Elrdin and Kalad Asdeon hereby enter into a contract to become lovers. For one year.”
“I may not make it through the year.”
I said, not knowing when the temple might drag me away.
“Let’s call it a year, unless the other dies, in which case the contract remains in place.”
Ines confirmed the other terms of the contract.
We will make no other lovers during the term of the contract.
They will do their best as temporary lovers.
The expenses of the contractual relationship would be borne by Innes Elrdin.
Kalad Asdeon will fend off any men who approach her.
“Physical contact is only possible with each other’s consent, but we may occasionally hold hands or link arms without consent. And finally…….”
Ines looked straight at Kalad.
“We harbor no other feelings for each other.”
Ines looked Kalad in the eye and whispered.
