I Thought I Didn’t Have Long To Live!

Chapter 59 (Unreasonable demands)

A large, thick arm wrapped around Lariette’s back. He hugged me so tightly that I felt as if I had been bound.

“Lariette.”

A low-pitched voice rang in her ear. The end of the words calling her name seemed to tremble slightly.

“Lariette.”

Asrazan repeated her name in a desperate manner. With a large hand, he gently swept her back and patted her back. Rather than a sexual act, it was an act of checking if there were any injuries anywhere.

– A rat broke into Lariette’s room.

Illustration 

Upon returning to the mansion, Asrazan heard the news and felt as if the blood in his body had frozen.

Even though Halstein intentionally delivered that Larriette was okay, it did not calm him down. I thought it would be reassuring to see it in person.

Asrazan ran frantically towards Lariette. Then he opened his eyes and hugged her as he looked at her.

After that, he was muttering her name like a frightened child.

Lariette patted him on the back as a sign of calm. But no matter how hard she tried, he didn’t seem to be able to calm down, so she quickly pushed his body away with her hand.

“Asrazan. I’m not hurt anywhere. look at this. I’m fine.”

She deliberately smiled brighter and shrugged. Asrazan still looked down at her with anxious eyes.

A muffled voice soon followed.

“… I’m sorry. I put you in danger.”

“Yes? What are you talking about? What do you mean it’s your fault?”

Lariette opened her mouth as if embarrassed. There was no threat, and even if there was, Asrazan would not have been at all to blame.

However, Asrazan had a sinful expression on his face as if it was all his fault. It was something he had to think about.

“It is my own fault that I encountered such a danger in my mansion.”

It was Duke Kandel’s mansion. It was a place where no danger should exist, which should be completely in his hands.

In the case of servants, even if he entrusted the employment to Halstein, the knights were chosen by him himself.

In fact, it was the responsibility of the general manager and vice-presidents, Gerard and Melissa, to discover talented people and proceed with the joining, but it was safe to say that he personally selected them as he always went through the final confirmation of Asrazan.

But the knight threatened Lariette? This was soon to be his own fault.

“Asrazan, because I wasn’t in any danger. Stop blaming yourself! Stop!”

Lariette comforted Asrazan as if to comfort a baby. I just met the knight in the room, but I couldn’t understand why he reacted like this.

She patted his back with her hand and turned to ask Halstein.

“Halstein, so is there anything missing?”

“… Nothing has been found yet. I also…  Even though I was close, I couldn’t protect you… I am not qualified to be a butler.”

Halstein was also in a state of drowsiness. I was humming and humming and scribbling in Lady Larriette’s dangerous situation. I wanted to die right away by sticking my nose in the water on the plate.

Lariette, who was trying to avoid the melancholy of Asrazan and faced the melancholy of Halstein, comforted the two of them, saying please don’t blame yourself, but to no effect.

She reached out with her other hand and gently patted Halstein on the shoulder. Then Asrazan hugged her even tighter, as if to only touch him. It was so lovely to see him digging into her arms.

“Ugh. When you look like this, you know you look like a real puppy? It’s like a stray puppy getting hit by the rain and whining pitifully.”

Due to its large size, it looked more like a large dog rather than a puppy, but it was cute as well. It was surprising how a person who looked scary in the past can now look so gentle and cute.

Asrazan did not react much, even after hearing the perhaps insulting metaphor, just clinging to her. Lariette was holding him in her arms, laughing out loud and repeating the word cute.

If I had met Asrazan’s eyes, I would never have said it.

He had berserk eyes that wouldn’t be strange if he tore and killed anyone. His hideous gaze was fixed on Lariette’s corner.

To be precise, to Gerard and Melissa, who are hiding there and bowing their heads.

‘We are dead.’

Gerard thought, biting his lip harshly.

And that prediction, which was close to certainty, soon became a reality.

* * *

Gulp.

The sound of someone swallowing saliva echoed in the silence.

The culprit, Gerard, cursed his own salivary glands for letting out saliva without noticing this situation. He cursed both the throat that swallowed it and the throat that made the sound.

‘You’re acting like a cute puppy…!’

Gerard thought as he looked at the back of Asrazan, who was standing without a single movement. Is he cute and pitiful? A dog in the rain? A passing dog would laugh at it.

He didn’t say anything, he just stood still, and the energy emanating from his back was so fierce and cool that his body trembled.

I was afraid to face him again, hoping that he would give me a reprimand as soon as possible, saying it would be better to be criticized first. Rather than facing him that angry, I thought it would be comfortable to just faint.

“Melissa.”

“Yes. Master.”

Ranoche’s deputy general manager, Melissa, bowed her head modestly in response. Even though she prepared her heart, it was not easy to open her mouth because the energy was so heavy.

An ice-cold voice continued.

“I would have entrusted the education of newcomers to you.”

“I’m ashamed. I’ll take any punishment for not managing it properly.”

“Alright.”

Asrazan turned around slowly. Then he went to Melissa.

“If only she had been hurt even a little.”

Thump, thump. Heavy footsteps sounded. Thick drops of sweat ran down Melissa’s thick neck.

There was no emotion on his face in front of Melissa. The low-pitched voice sounded like thunder.

“What kind of punishment do you think you should have received?”

“… I’m sorry.”

Melissa bowed her head without making an excuse. There was no excuse.

As for the result itself, it ended without anyone hurt, but if the knight had any other intention, Lariette would have suffered for a moment.

The fact that there was a possibility of her getting hurt made Asrazan unbearably angry. There should not be the slightest uncertainty in her well-being.

“Gerard. Where is he?”

Gerard raised his head in surprise at the sudden voice directed at him. He quickly cleared his throat and explained what he had investigated.

“He ran away immediately after being caught by the lady. It seems that even a newcomer who came in with him has not been seen since yesterday, so he seems to have withdrawn his feet beforehand, but we have not yet figured out what the purpose of infiltrating Duke Kandel was.”

“From where he is.”

“his name, age, place of birth, it was all lies. It is clear that it was intentional. I’ll find out soon.”

One of Asrazan’s eyebrows curved as if dissatisfied. His right hand twitched as if he was about to draw a sword.

“I’ll give you a week.”

A cold voice fell towards Gerard and Melissa. I lowered my eyes, but I could feel that ugly gaze.

“Drag him in front of me.”

“Yes, I understand!”

Gerard and Melissa answered quickly in unison.

Some members of Ranoche were relieved by the more generous treatment than expected. But those who have seen Asrazan for a long time knew that this was not the end.

It wasn’t that he was broad-minded and allowed to make mistakes. It was just an opportunity to take responsibility for mistakes.

If this opportunity is also missed, then no mercy can be expected. It was the same when making the same mistakes over and over again.

The determination in the eyes of Gerard and Melissa was faint. It was because they felt a flashing red light behind their backs.

* * *

For several days, Asrazan did not attend meetings very well and checked Lariette’s condition. It looked like he was worried that there might be a sore spot on her body, even if it was too late.

There was no itching, let alone any pain, for Lariette, and there was no way she could understand why he was overreacting.

She was also in Blanche and faced various threats, but the difference was because he did not know how many people were targeting Duke Kandel and how many different ways they were approaching her.

Maybe they didn’t put anything on her food, or they didn’t hide anything in her room. Was it something that could harm Lariette’s health or curse her?

Numerous doubts and worries filled Asrazan’s head. He even ordered his knights to thoroughly inspect Lariette’s room and every part of the mansion.

‘It was almost a big deal.’

Lariette, who had hidden the things she had bought to take with her when she left, in the depths of her closet, barely escaped being discovered. It was thanks to the fact that the diary was quickly stolen before they were searched.

As a result, the knights searched the Duke Kandel mansion thoroughly, but found no clue. There was no attempt to assassinate. So the case went further into the labyrinth.

After safety was ensured, Lariette could only leave the mansion after hearing Asrazan’s new request to take care of herself. As usual, after meeting the princess and the ladies she was going to take a class in Doha.

However, the meeting with Erze, whom she had been waiting for for several days, was not very pleasant.

Of course, it wasn’t Erze’s fault, Lariette’s soulmate.It wasn’t the fault of Jeniver who always gives out new products nor was it the fault of Juana, who is indifferent but cares about people.

As expected so easily, it was Sheria’s ignorant remarks that caused the mood to subside.

“Please, Lariette!”

Sheria said with her pink eyes twinkling. Her tone was polite, but her voice was too bold and impudent.

Lariette asked with a smirk.

“So… Do you want me to go to dinner with Asrazan?”

“Yes! Wouldn’t it be better if we all get to know each other?”

It was an absurd question, but unfortunately she didn’t seem to have even read the intention.

With the bright answer that a child would have, the smile that she smiled was pure. Lariette was frustrated and unknowingly patted her chest with her hand.

“Lady Mirchen.”

“It’s Sheria, not Lady Mirchen. Your Majesty the Crown Princess told you to call my name.”

Juana called her to stop the reckless request, but got a blunt reply.

Juana was looking at her. It was because Sheria’s actions were blatant.

In her eyes, it was clear that Sheria was covering up people. From the first time we met, it was funny to see that she was just clinging to Erze’s side.

A Baron’s lady, who had suffered from difficulties since her debut, was ignoring her, Lady Osman’s, with the thought that she had built a close relationship with the princess. Even though it was she who had known Erze longer.

The proof of that was that she always pouted at Juana’s point of view and lowered her tail as soon as Erze joined. It was the same with the tone that subtly ignored Lariette.

Juana’s desire to show that timid kid a taste of hot power surged, but she struggled to suppress it. She didn’t like that kind of atmosphere, so she left the social world, but she couldn’t show it here.

“Sheria. It would be better not to make unreasonable demands.”

In the end, as always, Erze intervened.

Normally, it was Sheria who immediately lowered her tail when she spoke, but this time it was a little different.

“It’s just a place to eat with friends? Is this too much, Lariette?”

The direction of the question again turned to Lariette. Fortunately, she had found a decent partner.

Lariette tucked her hair behind her ear in embarrassment. Her lips twitched as if she was contemplating on what to answer.

“It’s not too hard.”

Shelia’s expression brightened in an instant at her answer. On the other hand, Juana raised her head slightly as if frustrated.

However, as Lariette continued, her expressions quickly changed.

“But I don’t want to, Sheria.”

“Yes, yes? what…. Is there any reason?”

Sheria asked in a disbelievable voice. It was believed that if a friend and a person of higher status refused to do so, there must be a good reason.

But the answer that came back was only shameless.

“Our Asrazan are very shy.”

Erze, who knew the usual appearance of the Duke of Kandel, spit out a groan after imagining a shy Asrazan without realizing it.