The Abandoned and Terminally Ill Lady Married a Monster - Chapter 88

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Chapter 88

Even though every possible spot seemed to be covered, it didn’t end. Kin and Mother paused their argument and began a serious discussion. “Now that I look at it again, what you suggested is also quite nice. Our daughter-in-law looks good in everything!”

“What Mother suggested also looks good now that I see it. We can just buy them all. It’s not a big deal.”

“That’s the smartest thing I’ve heard all day.”

W-wait a minute. Buy all of this? But I’ll be gone soon! My face paled, and I waved my hands frantically. “I’m happy with just this one—”

“You want us to buy everything except that one?”

…I felt like crying.

In the end, they determined the ring size for each of my ten fingers. Information I really didn’t need. My lips trembled as the ever-growing pile of jewelry continued to expand. My inability to refuse properly meant I couldn’t stop them.

‘So many jewels, and they’re all coming to me, someone who won’t be able to wear them for long.’

When I was younger, I was envious of the jewelry my siblings received. Watching the dazzling, multi-colored light refracting and shifting, I had once yearned for such treasures myself. But now I know better. I know what suits me and what doesn’t. I know what is mere desire and what is appropriate for my station. The lesson I learned in exchange for a broken arm was a bitter one.

‘They don’t suit me.’

Shining, beautiful things don’t suit me. The excitement I felt by the sunlight and the sea slowly faded.

“Please, just know your place!”

I belong with moss-covered rocks, hidden from the light. Mother, Father, Kin—people who shine with a warm, golden light, they don’t suit me. They suit someone more worthy, someone who can stay by their side longer. Someone who can easily give love when they receive it. Someone unlike me, who calculates and schemes.

I’m afraid of getting hurt, so I can’t even say “I love you” easily. This selfish me doesn’t belong here. Days like today, as memories continue to accumulate, only frighten me. I used to think that no one would cry for me when I died, so I wasn’t afraid of dying. But as you continue to show me the world, I’m starting to become afraid of dying. I’ve never felt this way before.

[My dear…]

Glancing at Mother and Kin, still engrossed in their discussion, I carefully removed the rings from my fingers one by one, placing them softly on the table, lest they get scratched.

[My dear?]

“.…”

[Tsk, tsk. They’re all so busy arguing about buying you things that they’re not being very considerate.]

With a clinking sound, I unclasped the bracelets as well, removing all but the one on my left wrist. Just then, Father’s face popped up from beneath the table. The sight of his face emerging from the tabletop was so bizarre that I almost screamed.

[Ahem. My dear, I’m not very fond of receiving excessive gifts either. Are you the same?]

His eyes were bright and clear, more so than usual. I found myself nodding without thinking. It wasn’t that I disliked receiving excessive gifts; it was more that I couldn’t accept them due to the burden and guilt they brought. But the two weren’t entirely different, so I didn’t bother correcting him. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t speak to Father with all these people around.

[Ho ho. But what to do? Minerva will buy you everything on display if you say you don’t want anything. She’ll say you can choose again later when your tastes develop.]

E-everything here? As if reading my mind, Father chuckled and nodded.

[When I was young, I didn’t have much of a preference, and I was a bit timid, so I couldn’t choose anything properly. So they would buy me everything, saying that one of them must be to my liking. After that happened a few times, I developed my own sense of judgment. Ho ho. It’s all thanks to Minerva.]

According to Father, to minimize the damage, I had to choose something. Then I had to choose the cheapest item. The cheapest, the cheapest. Oh dear.

‘But I haven’t heard anything about the prices!’

There were no price tags. As soon as we arrived, they had ordered the finest pieces to be brought out, so everything on display had been retrieved from vaults or storage. If they were on the shelves, it might have been different, but the items laid out on the table had no price tags.

Since there were no price tags, I had to guess. What’s the cheapest gemstone? What’s the least expensive? Would emerald be the cheapest among these? Or ruby? Surely diamonds wouldn’t be the cheapest…

‘The books didn’t teach me this.’

They didn’t tell me which gemstone was the most expensive, or what qualities defined the highest grade.

Perhaps a typical noble lady who received a proper education would have a general idea. But I was a noble who hadn’t even learned how to dance at balls, aside from the most basic education. There was no way I could know.

My eyebrows drooped, and I turned to Father for help.

[Hmm, but seeing you, I understand why Minerva acted that way. She wants to fluster you by buying you everything. To think I could understand my wife like this.]

‘No, please don’t.’

The corners of my eyes naturally drooped. Father chuckled.

[Even if you choose something here, she’ll probably buy you about fifteen more items. Minerva is very generous with her loved ones. Well, I wasn’t going to stop her, but since you seem so distressed, I’ll help you just this once.]

His words made my eyes widen again. I glanced at Mother and Kin, still bickering, and nodded vigorously.

[Go to Minerva or Kin and tell them you want to get matching family rings, including me, with this ring.]

“…What?”