Chapter 37: Wishing for Your Death

 Clea lost her words for a moment after hearing Edmund’s answer.

 ‘Since when have you been aware?’

 He knew that she was hiding something. After all, she hadn’t told him where she was hurting.

 But his question meant more than just health issues.

 Clea was surprised by the question that seemed to know something was troubling her mind.

 Judging by the way he asked, he probably hadn’t heard anything from Oberon.

 ‘Then perhaps my behavior was unnatural.’

 Instead of sighing, she raised the corners of her mouth.

 He must have wanted to ask from the moment he noticed. But he probably agonized over how to ask.

 Clea didn’t want to make Edmund anxious.

 ‘How should I answer?’

 She wasn’t without frustration either.

 She had thought about how to tell him, but…

 Still, she didn’t expect the timing so quickly.

 She briefly looked at the back of her hand.

 Being next to Edmund calmed her heart. Even the rapidly moving second hand seemed to slow down.

 With a calm mind, she organized her thoughts for a moment.

 “You should know too.”

 She had reached a conclusion about what answer to give him.

 It would be better for him to know her exact condition as they continued their relationship.

 “But I hope you won’t be agitated.”

 “I’ll try not to be.”

 Clea tasted bitterness in her mouth.

 She said she hoped he wouldn’t be agitated, but…

 Who wouldn’t be shaken upon hearing that the person they love has a terminal condition?

 With that thought, she bit her lip.

 Of course, he wouldn’t abandon her just because he knew the truth.

 Clea was only worried that he would suffer.

 So even though she had resolved to answer, the words wouldn’t come easily.

 Meanwhile, Edmund was willing to wait until the end.

 Even if today passed and tomorrow came.

 He understood that she must have her own difficult reasons for not speaking.

 The longer it took, the more curious he became about what could be so difficult to say.

 After a while, Clea swallowed and opened her mouth.

 “Actually…”

 “What are you doing here?”

 Just as Clea was about to say something, someone’s voice wedged between the two. Their gazes turned toward the source of the sound.

 “Lady?”

 “Aria.”

 A familiar voice with familiar pink hair.

 The two were bewildered by the sudden appearance of this person at their table.

 Aria Hersher. It was her first time seeing her since that day they had parted.

 Clea felt chills at how she could be here, while Edmund was primarily displeased at the interruption.

 Aria’s gaze was directed solely at Edmund.

 “Do you really love her instead of me?”

 “How did you know about this place?”

 “Answer my question first, Edmund.”

 She completely ignored Clea and appealed to Edmund with tears.

 Asking if he really loved her instead of herself.

 Her tearful eyes looked remarkably pitiful.

 When Aria shows this kind of appearance, most people’s hearts soften.

 Even if they’re meeting her for the first time, or even if they personally dislike her.

 But the two people present were different. Especially Edmund, who had seen this side of Aria often, clicked his tongue inwardly.

 “Why are you here?”

 He spoke coldly despite Clea’s presence.

 His voice carried the displeasure of having their time together interrupted.

 Clea was startled by Edmund’s cold voice, which she was hearing for the first time, then shifted her gaze toward Aria.

 Aria’s hands trembled, not having expected Edmund to speak so coldly to her.

 How had their relationship come to this?

 She thought they had been close friends since the academy. She believed all of this was because of Clea Odoi.

 ‘You tried to hurt me first. So I wanted you to feel the same.’

 Aria glared at Clea as if to kill her.

 Watching this scene, Clea sighed in disbelief.

 Then she stood up and slowly approached her.

 Like Edmund, Clea was not in a good mood either.

 As he said, today was their first date. Moreover, she was about to tell him something important.

 Yet at this crucial moment, not only had an intruder appeared, but she was ruining the occasion.

 At this rate, she seemed determined not to leave until Edmund answered her.

 Clea didn’t want to waste time watching Edmund deal with Aria.

 So before he could step in, she spoke first.

 “Didn’t I make it clear before? Who that man belongs to.”

 “Don’t be ridiculous! You don’t even deserve to be near him!”

 “Deserve? Who decides that?”

 Clea had already reached right in front of Aria.

 Since Clea was taller, Aria had to look up at her.

 Aria ended up lowering her head due to the pressure she felt from Clea.

 Though her pride told her to raise her head, Aria found it difficult to handle the tense atmosphere.

 Clea reached out her hand, grabbed Aria’s chin, and lifted it to meet her gaze.

 Not wanting to be overwhelmed, Aria glared at her and said,

 “You, you should never be by Edmund’s side.”

 Seeing her fearful appearance despite being the one who appeared first to interfere, Clea almost laughed.

 Indeed, anyone who saw this scene would think Aria was entirely the victim.

 ‘It was always like this back in the academy.’

 The Aria she remembered was always like this.

 She would hurt Clea first with actions that showed no awareness of her, and when Clea tried to point out her rudeness, she would show a pure face and tremble.

 Even while recalling her actions, Clea didn’t release her chin.

 “So, I’m asking. Why?”

 When they encountered each other in Edmund’s office before, Clea had suspected something.

 It was clear that Edmund didn’t love Aria.

 At the end, Aria had tried to say something but stopped, and clearly looked at the back of Clea’s hand.

 More precisely, at the wrist where the second hand was ticking due to the curse.

 What did she know?

 Clea wanted to find out this time.

 Looking slowly into Aria’s eyes, she saw anxiety swirling within them.

 When Clea didn’t back down, Aria whispered as if delivering a decisive blow:

 “I know about your curse.”

 ‘I see.’

 Hearing the word ‘curse,’ Clea became certain of what she had been suspecting.

 But there was still more to discuss.

 ‘How do you know about it?’

 If Aria had simply broken her curse, she would have no way of knowing that Clea was cursed.

 Yet Aria now knew that Clea was under a curse.

 Clea pondered.

 Whether it would be better to tell a lie to draw out how Aria knew, or to interrogate her here and now.

 “You can never stay by his side for long. You know that well too. So disappear before then.”

 “What if I don’t leave his side despite that?”

 “Then I’ll do my best to crush even that last happiness of yours.”

 Aria was rather flustered to see Clea unmoved even after mentioning the ‘curse.’ She had expected her to be shaken after having her vulnerability exposed.

 Due to Clea’s lack of reaction, Aria had only ended up revealing a dangerous card.

 Unable to overcome her bewilderment, Aria pushed Clea away and fled the scene.

 ‘She just says what she wants and leaves.’

 It was laughable to her, knowing that that person was supposed to become the empress and assist Edmund.

 In the novel, it was said that Aria and Edmund ushered in the empire’s golden age, but…

 Looking at it now, she could tell that Edmund would have achieved that golden age alone.

 “Clea.”

 Clea turned her head toward the sound of Edmund’s voice.

 “She said what I was about to tell you.”

 “What does she mean by curse?”

 Clea saw Edmund looking at her with a sorrowful face.

 Edmund appeared more confused than when Aria had suddenly appeared.

 Seeing him trying hard to keep his promise not to be agitated, Clea extended the back of her hand.

 “Can you see anything?”

 “……Nothing at all.”

 “There’s a clock pattern drawn here.”

 If it had been someone else, they might have told her not to lie so blatantly, but Edmund silently listened to Clea’s words.

Clea continued to explain.

 There was a clock drawn there, with a second hand that kept turning.

 She didn’t know how long it would keep turning.

 She only knew that the more it turned, the more intense the pain became. At the same time, her body gradually weakened.

 Edmund seemed to understand even without further explanation.

 “Is that all you know?”

 “Yes, I’ve told you everything I know.”

 “I have something to say too.”

 With those words, Edmund drank the water in his glass.

 Clea remained silent until he spoke.

 She was afraid of what he might say.

 She imagined him telling her to leave his side after hearing about her terminal life.

 What should she do then?

 Clea smiled bitterly.

 As she was coldly steeling her heart, thinking she would do so if that’s what he wanted…

 “Will you marry me?”

 Edmund quietly took out a ring and held it out to her.

 * * *

 Returning to the mansion, Aria skipped greeting her family and headed straight to her room.

 Upon reaching her room, she locked the door, took out the key to her drawer, and retrieved an old book from inside.

 Aria looked at the book and finally relaxed her frozen expression.

 She smiled as she opened the book.

 “According to what’s written here, you can never be happy. Never.”

 Relief swirled in Aria’s eyes as she read the contents.

 The old book contained not methods to break curses, but something else.

 For instance, content about making others bear one’s curse instead.

 “In the end, you’ll die for me, and I’ll survive and have everything.”

 Although Edmund’s attention was currently captured by someone else, Aria thought she would soon reclaim that too.

 “I wish for your death, Clea.”