How to Live as the Terminally Ill Younger Sister of the Villain - Chapter 100

‘I’m someone who finds great joy and pleasure in granting what brother wants.’

Various things she had said flashed through his mind.

‘So if brother doesn’t want this marriage, granting that would become another pleasure for me.’

What would it feel like to receive such unconditional affection?

Someone who could truly be called his ally.

A woman who prioritizes her precious person so much that she wouldn’t even glance at a position of power and wealth like that of the Crown Princess.

While he pathetically throws all sorts of bait trying to catch her attention…

Aiden’s gaze shifted to ‘Kuns Village.’

“Just what did you use to get her attention?”

He was dying to know how Blake had managed to move her.

Moreover, he was also concerned about why that bastard was approaching her in the first place.

“What are you plotting, Blake…”

When he’s busy fixing his ruined duchy, there must be some benefit for him to continue meeting with her.

Is it for Flaubert’s money? Is Marquis Flaubert, who’s behind all this, his ultimate goal?

But if he knows about the relationship between the Marquis and the Empress, he wouldn’t set such an unlikely goal.

Is he planning to seduce her like himself? No, that doesn’t match his personality at all.

‘Or perhaps, really…’

‘Are you not curious whether your desire to see the play that day was interference or involvement?’

It was something he had said just to see his reaction, but could that have actually been the correct answer?

“…Well. He’s a man, too; it would be strange if he wasn’t moved by that woman’s face.”

Aiden muttered quietly.

But soon after, he frowned and abruptly closed the report file containing details of Angelina and Blake’s meetings.

“Hah…”

He sighed and rubbed his face with his hands again.

The scene of the two talking in the garden kept flickering before his eyes, making him very uncomfortable.

It irritated him. That bastard was constantly hovering around the woman he had his eye on.

‘I really don’t like it.’

Though he remembers thinking about trying to get along with his only cousin when they were young.

Now he had one more reason to dislike him.

***

Blake and Angelina parted ways immediately after returning to the capital from Kuns Village.

“Next time we meet will be at the theater.”

“Are other operations suspended until then?”

“These things need time.”

Angelina felt at ease since Aesi and Catherine were being much more helpful than expected.

But the fact that such rumors had only now reached the well-connected innkeeper meant these stories were just beginning to circulate.

It would take time for the stories to reach everyone’s ears and become established as fact. Such things couldn’t be rushed.

“I’m planning to stay at the mansion from now on. I heard the greenhouse garden construction is finished.”

“Then, if there’s anything, I should look for you there.”

“Yes. Or you can set a place through a letter.”

Angelina gave a light farewell greeting before turning to leave first. Blake remained still, seemingly intending to watch her go.

However, Angelina hesitated after turning around and looked back at him.

“Um, Your Grace.”

“What is it?”

“May I make a slightly strange request?”

“Go ahead.”

He answered as if he would grant anything.

Angelina hesitated a bit more before extending both hands.

“Your hands, for a moment…”

“…?”

Though puzzled by her unclear intention, he willingly offered his hands.

Then Angelina stepped closer to him and firmly placed his hands on top of her head.

“…??”

Though his face showed bewilderment, he let her do as she wished.

Angelina gently moved his large hands to pat her head.

After repeating this action a couple of times, she soon smiled faintly.

“…??”

Blake’s confusion only grew.

“Thank you.”

But his questions remained unanswered.

Angelina’s face looked incredibly relieved as she released his hands and stepped back.

“Then, I’ll see you next time.”

“…??”

And so she left without any explanation.

The remaining Blake looked down at his hands. The soft, ticklish sensation of her hair lingering on his palm.

He’d lost count of how many times he’d patted her head now.

But every time he stroked her head, a tingling sensation would travel up through his wrist and dance along his spine.

He felt like he could pat her head all day.

Startled by this sudden thought that popped into his mind, Blake tightly clenched his fist. He was perplexed by these unfamiliar feelings that kept arising and messing with his head.

He didn’t want to erase them.

He just wished they would settle down a bit more gently. He was afraid of making mistakes.

But being so unfamiliar with them, it seemed it would take quite some time to learn how to properly process these feelings.

***

After leaving the collection of items from the inn to Laura, Angelina went straight to the Flaubert mansion in the capital, where she immediately encountered a sulking Jake.

“My lady, you should at least tell me when you’re going somewhere so I can follow in case of emergency.”

And Jake wasn’t the only one who was angry.

“Grung… Grrrung…!”

Pudding, who immediately rushed into Angelina’s arms upon seeing her, raised all its fur and huffed. Though its cute form made its attempts at intimidation futile.

“Um… I thought it would be fine since Haley and Laura were there.”

“Do you know how much I worried when none of you three returned?”

“Didn’t Haley contact you?”

“I only received contact when it was nearly night!”

“Kyu! Kyu!!”

Pudding added sound effects to Jake’s protests.

“When we thought you had disappeared, this one…! Hah…”

It had grown its body as big as a house and caused havoc, destroying the inn and everything else.

After spending an entire night explaining to the guards who had rushed over, thinking it was a monster, they finally returned.

Jake, who had been passionately protesting, soon realized it was pointless and let out a long sigh.

“Krung!”

Pudding, still quite angry, turned its face away from Angelina and smacked her cheek with its tail. Though with its fluffy fur, it only tickled.

“Sir Jake, you’ve worked hard.”

“Go wherever you like, just please let me know next time.”

Seeing Jake, who usually didn’t talk much, go this far showed how shocked he must have been.

“Yes, I understand. I’m sorry.”

She had thought there wouldn’t be much to worry about since Laura and Haley were with her, but that was wrong thinking.

“Kung!”

“I’m sorry to you too, Pudding.”

Angelina gently stroked the back of Pudding, who was deliberately staying in her arms to express its anger with its whole body.

“Krung. Kung!”

This sulking seemed like it would last quite a while. Though even while upset, it was still gently flowing holy power to Angelina.

To be precise, it was neither holy power nor magical power, but both. In Yansen’s words, it was ‘the power of the sun.’

That’s why even those close by, like Haley, Sean, and Mason, couldn’t notice it.

Ante was different,t though.

Either way, barriers that blocked both holy and magical power were again layered several times around Angelina.

“What about the black market?”

Angelina asked while adjusting her hold on Pudding.

“I’ve confirmed both the date and location.”

Jake returned to his usual demeanor.

“When is it?”

“It will be held for three nights, starting two nights from now.”

“Three nights is quite long?”

“Yes, when I heard mercenaries saying the same thing, I looked into it more and found rumors of some big transaction taking place.”

“Big transaction?”

“Yes. My apologies, but I couldn’t find out anything certain as there are only speculations flying around.”

“No, just knowing the date is enough.”

Though she was curious about what the big transaction might be, since it had nothing to do with her reason for going there, she decided not to worry about it.

“Yes. Still, I’ll try to find out more.”

“Yes, that would be good.”

Jake bowed his head and moved back outside the mansion.

He also received a sharp glare from Laura, who had just returned from the inn. Understanding the meaning behind the glare, Jake pointed to Pudding behind him.

Laura, immediately understanding why the inn was in such a state, sighed and passed by Jake to return to Angelina.

“Creating such a chaotic atmosphere isn’t welcome…”

Angelina muttered to herself while giving a small wave to the returning Laura.

She was a bit worried.

But she couldn’t not go either.

‘I’ll just quickly get one holy power suppression device and return quickly. What could go wrong?’

Though uncertain, hoping to hear more of those voices that she presumed were from her memories, she had no choice but to go and see for now.

“Laura, Haley. Please prepare for a night outing two nights from now.”

“Yes, understood.”

“Yes!”

After assigning their respective tasks, Angelina waited comfortably for two days to pass.