Stella couldn't help but be stunned.
'I don't want to die.'
She was challenging for the Imperial Writer position with the resolve to die because she did not want to die. Kratex, observing Stella's expression, looked worried. It was because there was one more piece of bad news to deliver to Stella.
"I apologize for being rude."
"Then, can you make me some painkillers and an antidote first? Even if the medicine doesn't work well, I think it's worth a try."
"Of course. Please come pick it up next week. The effect might be minimal, but I will make it for now."
"Yes, thank you."
Stella appeared calm, but Kratex noticed that she was agitated. Her expression remained unchanged, but her voice trembled.
"Stella, and there is something else you need to know."
Stella looked at Kratex. What she had just heard was so shocking that she felt she wouldn't be shocked by anything he said anymore.
"You mentioned that Lady Stella is also suffering from an illness, right?"
She nodded.
"That disease seems to be progressing at a significant rate."
"No. I'm fine."
"The way I see it, Lady Stella looks more critical than the Duke."
Stella wasn't particularly curious about her illness. She knew when she would die and how the symptoms would develop. However, Kratex had a different opinion.
"At this rate, Lady Stella, you have at most a year."
Stella looked at her as if she couldn't understand.
"The life force is wavering just that much. Like a candle placed on the sea."
Looking at her expression, it didn't seem like she was lying.
"But, there weren't even any symptoms?"
It didn't make sense that she wouldn't even last a year. After all, she still had five years left until she died.
"Have you taken any medicine recently by any chance?"
'The medicine Roy gave me.'
Stella talked about the medicine Roy gave her.
"It seems like that is acting as a painkiller."
Her pupils trembled. She had only taken the medicine Roy had given her a few times out of consideration.
"However, I understand that the medicine is only effective on people with magical powers."
"Lady Stella, you possess magical powers."
She blinked. It was the first time she had heard those words, neither in her previous life nor in this one.
"The reason I noticed Lady Stella's illness in the first place is that you have magical power."
'I... have a magic power?'
"I've never used magic before."
"Lady Stella might be using magic without even realizing it. That happens occasionally."
Before she could even say no, tens of thousands of thoughts filled her mind.
There was more than one question. Why did symptoms that appeared after a few years in her previous life manifest so quickly now?
'Surely not, did Lady Decrit do something to me?'
However, Stella shook her head.
'If she really intended to do something to me, she wouldn't have informed the knight when I collapsed.'
Moreover, the person Decrit held a grudge against was Kendrick, not Stella. Stella had to find another cause.
"Kratex. Can the disease spread inside the body faster than expected?"
"Of course. If you don't take care of your body, naturally that will happen."
Come to think of it, it was only natural. Stella had been busy taking care of the people around her lately and hadn't really paid much attention to herself.
"If fatigue accumulates severely or overwork persists, illness spreads several times faster."
Overwork.
The word "overwork" struck Stella as a piercing remark. Since she hadn't slept properly while helping others and writing, nosebleeds were a common occurrence.
"Ha..."
Unable to hide her troubled mind, she ran her hand through her forehead. Then she squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again. Stella wasn't worried about dying right now. The faces of the people who would mourn her death came to mind. And...
'If symptoms appear and your body stiffens during the Imperial Writer Selection Tournament, it will be difficult to obtain Hajean's Magic Stone.'
Stella decided not to tell Kendrick about today's events.
'If Kendrick knew I could die within a year, his heart might go even crazier.'
First, she thought she should get the antidote from Kratex around next week and give it to Kendrick.
'If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have gotten that from God.'
Even if Stella was originally destined to die early from an illness, she felt sorry for causing harm to Kendrick as well.
"How was the Imperial Wizard's visit today?"
Stella smiled gently at Kendrick's question.
"It was quite fun. I'm also planning to go to the Imperial Palace next week to get the antidote."
"Oh, did she say she would gladly make it?"
"She said that more research is needed to see if it will provide a complete detox. It’s not certain, but it will be better than not drinking it."
"You must have met Sia for the first time in a long while."
Stella nodded.
"That's right. Oh, Sia also asked to borrow manpower from the Duke's family. She mentioned that rumors were circulating about a group experimenting on humans."
She briefly told Kendrick about the human experiments and stood up, saying she was going to the study. She could feel her fingers trembling.
'It won't work.'
Stella couldn't bring herself to leave, thinking that her illness had worsened due to overwork. It was a dilemma. If she neglected writing, the chances of finding the cure for the disease of loneliness would decrease, but if she worked too hard, the illness would deteriorate.
'Yes. Let's take the day off.'
Stella turned around and returned to the bedroom.
"Are you going to sleep now?"
"Yes. I met someone, so I'm a bit tired today."
Kendrick smiled with satisfaction. He quietly stroked Stella's forehead and hair as she lay in bed. It felt ticklish. The sensation of pleasant goosebumps running all over her body. Stella thought that she didn't have much time left to experience this sensation.
"Are you going to stay like that until I fall asleep?"
Kendrick let out a faint laugh and nodded.
"I don't get many chances to see your sleeping face. Please understand this much."
She closed her eyes. And she accepted his hand, caressing her cheek and stroking her head. Stella had been very anxious all this time. Although she smiled and pretended to be okay, saying she wanted to live happily, she secretly harbored a fear of death. It seemed that this fear had manifested as overwork.
"Isn't it hard for Kendrick?"
"What?"
"Marrying a woman like me."
She still had her eyes closed. It was surprising that she could ask such a question without even drinking alcohol.
"What does that mean?"
"During our honeymoon, I got hurt alone every day, and I suspected you were with another woman."
Stella did not open her eyes. She was not confident enough to confirm what kind of look Kendrick was giving her. However, judging by how the spot where his shadow fell stung particularly, it was clear that he was staring with an incredibly intense gaze.
"And now, I'm just making you worry for no reason by being sick. I've started so many projects and been so busy working that I haven't even properly supported you as a wife."
As she spoke, she felt even more apologetic.
Honestly, Stella didn't expect much from Kendrick. The harm she had done to him so far was enough. In other words, she didn't want Kendrick to suffer from heart problems and wait only for her for the rest of his life after she died.
"It's okay."
Kendrick's low voice tickled Stella's ears.
"Because that's all a memory, too."
And he stroked her slender fingers.
"Stella, we have plenty of time together. When we become old, we will look back on this time and find it amusing."
The more sweetly and affectionately he spoke, the more Stella's heart ached. She wanted to live longer and wanted to make him happy.
"So don't think useless thoughts."
However, if the disease could not be cured, she wanted Kendrick to be happy on his own.
"Kendrick, I have a favor to ask."
"What is it?"
"If I die, don't wait for me then. Just remarry."
At Stella's words, he withdrew his hand. And no sound was heard. She had expected him to say something—whether he got angry, denied it, or just meekly accepted it with a "Yeah." It was when Stella, puzzled, opened her eyes slightly.
"Ugh."
Kendrick's breath approached. He rubbed his lips together as if to express his anger. Kendrick fiercely devoured Stella's lips, and she accepted the kiss, unable to refuse or actively move her tongue.
'Ouch.'
Her lip hurt. Judging by the metallic taste of blood, he had clearly bitten her lip. It looked like it was wounded from biting. Kendrick aggressively dug into her lips.
"I can't breathe."
Stella gently ran her hand over the soft inside of his mouth and pushed his shoulder away. Surprisingly, he stepped back obediently.
"Say it again."
"Yes?"
"Say what you just said again."
She hesitated, not knowing Kendrick's intentions.
"You can remarry comfortably if I die... Sob."
He devoured Stella's lips again. This time, he thrust his tongue deeper, making Stella dizzy. She let out a breathless gasp and pushed him away again. Kendrick backed away obediently once more.
"Why don't you say it one more time?"
Kendrick met Stella's eyes with one eyebrow furrowed.
She shook her head. If she brought it up again, Kendrick would surely devour her lips.
"Why? Don't you want to do it this time?"
Perhaps because of the kiss, Kendrick's voice sounded unusually low and growling. Stella swallowed hard.
"Are you angry? I just said it because I wanted you to be happy...”
Kiss.
Once again, Stella was speechless. It wasn't a passionate kiss like before, but his lips sweetly brushed against Stella and then pulled away.
"So please don't take that the wrong way...”
Kiss
"It’s not like I’m saying this because I want to, either.."
Kiss
"Kendrick, wait a minute."
Kiss.
Stella gave up speaking as she heard a series of embarrassing sounds. Then Kendrick laughed cynically.
"Yes. I won't do it anymore."
"Sorry."
Kendrick took out a handkerchief and wiped the corners of Stella's mouth. It didn't hurt much, but he could feel that her lips were chapped.
"The reason you are saying that must be because I was lacking for you."
Kendrick lowered his gaze and half-closed his eyelids. That languid look seemed both cool and poignant. Stella couldn't say a word.
'This isn't the kind of apology I wanted from Kendrick.'
He raised his gaze toward Stella.
"I'll do better from now on."
So don't tell me to remarry.
'I don't want to die.'
She was challenging for the Imperial Writer position with the resolve to die because she did not want to die. Kratex, observing Stella's expression, looked worried. It was because there was one more piece of bad news to deliver to Stella.
"I apologize for being rude."
"Then, can you make me some painkillers and an antidote first? Even if the medicine doesn't work well, I think it's worth a try."
"Of course. Please come pick it up next week. The effect might be minimal, but I will make it for now."
"Yes, thank you."
Stella appeared calm, but Kratex noticed that she was agitated. Her expression remained unchanged, but her voice trembled.
"Stella, and there is something else you need to know."
Stella looked at Kratex. What she had just heard was so shocking that she felt she wouldn't be shocked by anything he said anymore.
"You mentioned that Lady Stella is also suffering from an illness, right?"
She nodded.
"That disease seems to be progressing at a significant rate."
"No. I'm fine."
"The way I see it, Lady Stella looks more critical than the Duke."
Stella wasn't particularly curious about her illness. She knew when she would die and how the symptoms would develop. However, Kratex had a different opinion.
"At this rate, Lady Stella, you have at most a year."
Stella looked at her as if she couldn't understand.
"The life force is wavering just that much. Like a candle placed on the sea."
Looking at her expression, it didn't seem like she was lying.
"But, there weren't even any symptoms?"
It didn't make sense that she wouldn't even last a year. After all, she still had five years left until she died.
"Have you taken any medicine recently by any chance?"
'The medicine Roy gave me.'
Stella talked about the medicine Roy gave her.
"It seems like that is acting as a painkiller."
Her pupils trembled. She had only taken the medicine Roy had given her a few times out of consideration.
"However, I understand that the medicine is only effective on people with magical powers."
"Lady Stella, you possess magical powers."
She blinked. It was the first time she had heard those words, neither in her previous life nor in this one.
"The reason I noticed Lady Stella's illness in the first place is that you have magical power."
'I... have a magic power?'
"I've never used magic before."
"Lady Stella might be using magic without even realizing it. That happens occasionally."
Before she could even say no, tens of thousands of thoughts filled her mind.
There was more than one question. Why did symptoms that appeared after a few years in her previous life manifest so quickly now?
'Surely not, did Lady Decrit do something to me?'
However, Stella shook her head.
'If she really intended to do something to me, she wouldn't have informed the knight when I collapsed.'
Moreover, the person Decrit held a grudge against was Kendrick, not Stella. Stella had to find another cause.
"Kratex. Can the disease spread inside the body faster than expected?"
"Of course. If you don't take care of your body, naturally that will happen."
Come to think of it, it was only natural. Stella had been busy taking care of the people around her lately and hadn't really paid much attention to herself.
"If fatigue accumulates severely or overwork persists, illness spreads several times faster."
Overwork.
The word "overwork" struck Stella as a piercing remark. Since she hadn't slept properly while helping others and writing, nosebleeds were a common occurrence.
"Ha..."
Unable to hide her troubled mind, she ran her hand through her forehead. Then she squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again. Stella wasn't worried about dying right now. The faces of the people who would mourn her death came to mind. And...
'If symptoms appear and your body stiffens during the Imperial Writer Selection Tournament, it will be difficult to obtain Hajean's Magic Stone.'
***
Stella decided not to tell Kendrick about today's events.
'If Kendrick knew I could die within a year, his heart might go even crazier.'
First, she thought she should get the antidote from Kratex around next week and give it to Kendrick.
'If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have gotten that from God.'
Even if Stella was originally destined to die early from an illness, she felt sorry for causing harm to Kendrick as well.
"How was the Imperial Wizard's visit today?"
Stella smiled gently at Kendrick's question.
"It was quite fun. I'm also planning to go to the Imperial Palace next week to get the antidote."
"Oh, did she say she would gladly make it?"
"She said that more research is needed to see if it will provide a complete detox. It’s not certain, but it will be better than not drinking it."
"You must have met Sia for the first time in a long while."
Stella nodded.
"That's right. Oh, Sia also asked to borrow manpower from the Duke's family. She mentioned that rumors were circulating about a group experimenting on humans."
She briefly told Kendrick about the human experiments and stood up, saying she was going to the study. She could feel her fingers trembling.
'It won't work.'
Stella couldn't bring herself to leave, thinking that her illness had worsened due to overwork. It was a dilemma. If she neglected writing, the chances of finding the cure for the disease of loneliness would decrease, but if she worked too hard, the illness would deteriorate.
'Yes. Let's take the day off.'
Stella turned around and returned to the bedroom.
"Are you going to sleep now?"
"Yes. I met someone, so I'm a bit tired today."
Kendrick smiled with satisfaction. He quietly stroked Stella's forehead and hair as she lay in bed. It felt ticklish. The sensation of pleasant goosebumps running all over her body. Stella thought that she didn't have much time left to experience this sensation.
"Are you going to stay like that until I fall asleep?"
Kendrick let out a faint laugh and nodded.
"I don't get many chances to see your sleeping face. Please understand this much."
She closed her eyes. And she accepted his hand, caressing her cheek and stroking her head. Stella had been very anxious all this time. Although she smiled and pretended to be okay, saying she wanted to live happily, she secretly harbored a fear of death. It seemed that this fear had manifested as overwork.
"Isn't it hard for Kendrick?"
"What?"
"Marrying a woman like me."
She still had her eyes closed. It was surprising that she could ask such a question without even drinking alcohol.
"What does that mean?"
"During our honeymoon, I got hurt alone every day, and I suspected you were with another woman."
Stella did not open her eyes. She was not confident enough to confirm what kind of look Kendrick was giving her. However, judging by how the spot where his shadow fell stung particularly, it was clear that he was staring with an incredibly intense gaze.
"And now, I'm just making you worry for no reason by being sick. I've started so many projects and been so busy working that I haven't even properly supported you as a wife."
As she spoke, she felt even more apologetic.
Honestly, Stella didn't expect much from Kendrick. The harm she had done to him so far was enough. In other words, she didn't want Kendrick to suffer from heart problems and wait only for her for the rest of his life after she died.
"It's okay."
Kendrick's low voice tickled Stella's ears.
"Because that's all a memory, too."
And he stroked her slender fingers.
"Stella, we have plenty of time together. When we become old, we will look back on this time and find it amusing."
The more sweetly and affectionately he spoke, the more Stella's heart ached. She wanted to live longer and wanted to make him happy.
"So don't think useless thoughts."
However, if the disease could not be cured, she wanted Kendrick to be happy on his own.
"Kendrick, I have a favor to ask."
"What is it?"
"If I die, don't wait for me then. Just remarry."
At Stella's words, he withdrew his hand. And no sound was heard. She had expected him to say something—whether he got angry, denied it, or just meekly accepted it with a "Yeah." It was when Stella, puzzled, opened her eyes slightly.
"Ugh."
Kendrick's breath approached. He rubbed his lips together as if to express his anger. Kendrick fiercely devoured Stella's lips, and she accepted the kiss, unable to refuse or actively move her tongue.
'Ouch.'
Her lip hurt. Judging by the metallic taste of blood, he had clearly bitten her lip. It looked like it was wounded from biting. Kendrick aggressively dug into her lips.
"I can't breathe."
Stella gently ran her hand over the soft inside of his mouth and pushed his shoulder away. Surprisingly, he stepped back obediently.
"Say it again."
"Yes?"
"Say what you just said again."
She hesitated, not knowing Kendrick's intentions.
"You can remarry comfortably if I die... Sob."
He devoured Stella's lips again. This time, he thrust his tongue deeper, making Stella dizzy. She let out a breathless gasp and pushed him away again. Kendrick backed away obediently once more.
"Why don't you say it one more time?"
Kendrick met Stella's eyes with one eyebrow furrowed.
She shook her head. If she brought it up again, Kendrick would surely devour her lips.
"Why? Don't you want to do it this time?"
Perhaps because of the kiss, Kendrick's voice sounded unusually low and growling. Stella swallowed hard.
"Are you angry? I just said it because I wanted you to be happy...”
Kiss.
Once again, Stella was speechless. It wasn't a passionate kiss like before, but his lips sweetly brushed against Stella and then pulled away.
"So please don't take that the wrong way...”
Kiss
"It’s not like I’m saying this because I want to, either.."
Kiss
"Kendrick, wait a minute."
Kiss.
Stella gave up speaking as she heard a series of embarrassing sounds. Then Kendrick laughed cynically.
"Yes. I won't do it anymore."
"Sorry."
Kendrick took out a handkerchief and wiped the corners of Stella's mouth. It didn't hurt much, but he could feel that her lips were chapped.
"The reason you are saying that must be because I was lacking for you."
Kendrick lowered his gaze and half-closed his eyelids. That languid look seemed both cool and poignant. Stella couldn't say a word.
'This isn't the kind of apology I wanted from Kendrick.'
He raised his gaze toward Stella.
"I'll do better from now on."
So don't tell me to remarry.
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