Second Life, I’m Dying Soon

Chapter 7 

It was on his way back from the central library.

He had heard the news that Yuria would be entering the palace today. Although he hadn’t planned to visit her, as soon as he spotted her standing alone, his mouth opened without thinking.

“What are you doing here? You couldn’t have come alone, right?”

There was no sign of Alexis, nor any attendants nearby. As Cecil looked around, Yuria’s eyes started to tremble.

“Uh… well, I….”

Of course, she didn’t recognize him. Being questioned by a stranger in this way, the innocent woman immediately became frightened.

“Did you get lost?”

Yuria’s face turned so red that it seemed impossible for a person to turn that color. Thinking that she might be regarded as suspicious, she hurriedly gave an honest explanation.

“I… I was looking for the restroom…”

Once she said it, she felt embarrassed and couldn’t bear it.

Realizing her situation, Cecil let out a short, understanding sigh. Without hesitation, he turned his body toward a different direction.

“Come with me.”

Cecil immediately took the lead as a guide. Yuria, a bit flustered, followed behind him. She hurried to catch up with his long strides, and before she knew it, they found the restroom in the vast palace in no time.

As Yuria quickly disappeared inside, Cecil stood in front of the door like a guard.

Just then, one of the attendants who had come looking for Yuria was seen peeking around the hallway. Upon making eye contact with Cecil, the surprised attendant quickly bowed. Cecil’s gaze immediately turned sharp.

“You there. Come here for a moment.”

“Yes, Lord Cecil. Is there something you need?”

The attendant quickly walked toward him, head lowered, while Cecil’s sharp gaze stayed fixed on him.

“You were looking for Yuria, right?”

“Y-Yes…”

“She’s new to the palace. It’s only natural to get lost wandering around such a vast place without a guide. Why was she left unattended? Are you out of your mind?”

“I… I wasn’t leaving her unattended, but… Lady Beatrice left so quickly, I couldn’t catch up…”

“Do you expect me to believe that?”

The cold expression on Cecil’s face reminded the attendant of Empress Elizabeth. Knowing his sharp temperament, the attendant quickly lowered his head repeatedly, unsure of what to do.

He had only wanted to tease a girl who seemed like a country bumpkin, but he never expected to get caught by Cecil.

“I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“Be careful next time. Make sure you attend to her properly.”

“Yes, yes! I will do so.”

Cecil waved his hand dismissively, and the attendant took off in a hurry. Just then, the bathroom door opened, and Yuria shyly peeked her face out. She had been eavesdropping on the conversation inside without meaning to.

“Th-thank you for helping me.”

“No need for thanks.”

Cecil turned around and smiled at her as if nothing had happened, his expression calm again.

It was strange. In his previous life, he had been desperate to torment Yuria, but now, he found himself wanting to do something nice for her instead.

“Here, use this.”

Seeing her hands wet, Cecil took a handkerchief from inside his coat and offered it to her. Yuria gratefully accepted it and dried her hands. The handkerchief was soft and smelled lovely. As she cautiously looked up at Cecil, she was struck by his appearance.

Now that she looked closely, the man before her was undeniably a striking beauty.

Despite being a man, his features were delicate and beautiful. His skin had a soft glow, and he looked as if he had never experienced hardship in his life, exuding an aura of nobility. Even his attire and poised demeanor made it clear that he was no ordinary person.

“If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask your name?”

“Cecil Adrian.”

“…Ah!”

“Yes, I’m that Cecil Adrian.”

Yuria’s reaction made Cecil smile, his eyes curving gently. She must have heard of him from Alexis or others around him. Of course, it was unlikely they had spoken highly of him.

“I’m Yuria Beatrice. I greet the Empire’s little star.”

Yuria hurriedly offered her greeting, but Cecil waved his hand, stopping her.

“It’s fine. Little star? I’m more like a falling star.”

“I am ignorant of proper etiquette. I apologize for not recognizing such a noble person.”

“I said it’s fine, yet you persist. If anyone is esteemed, it’s you, Lady Yuria. Please follow me. I’ll guide you to the castle gate instead.”

“Come, follow me. I’ll escort you to the palace gates.”

Since he was headed out as well, he decided to walk with her.

As Cecil continued talking, Yuria, who had been nervous, slowly began to relax and answered in kind. Soon, their conversation, which seemed awkward at first, started flowing comfortably, as though they had known each other for a long time.

“It’s strange. It’s like I’ve known you for a long time, Lord Cecil.”

“Perhaps we met in a past life.” 

Cecil replied lightly with a smile.

Looking back, this was the first time he had such a normal conversation with Yuria. Usually, he would be scolding her or throwing insults.

He still remembered the last prayer she had made for him. Perhaps it was that prayer that allowed him to meet the Goddess Gaia.

He wanted to say thank you, but the words only lingered on the tip of his tongue. Since he couldn’t speak them directly, he wanted to repay her kindness in another way, in a manner that he himself could manage.

“I’ll help you a lot this time.”

“Really?”

“The palace is more dangerous than you’d think. You’ll be coming here often, so it’s good to know at least one person.”

Her heartfelt kindness seemed to reach Yuria, and she smiled, a round curve appearing on her lips. As she nodded her head, they heard a voice calling out her name.

“Yuria!”

Turning around, Yuria saw Alexis coming towards them quickly with a serious expression on his face.

“Your Highness.”

“I told you to wait up ahead.”

“Ah, well…”

He immediately took charge of Yuria, and Cecil became almost invisible, like a transparent figure.

“…I’ll be going now.”

Cecil clutched the book tightly in his arms and bowed his head towards Alexis and Yuria. Not bothering to say goodbye to the man who was ignoring him, he turned around without any lingering regrets.

Alexis remained tense until Cecil disappeared from sight. Afterward, he asked Yuria about what had happened.

“Was everything alright? He didn’t do anything to you, did he?”

“Do anything? No, he actually helped me.”

“Cecil helped you?”

“Yes. He even guided me. He was so kind to me.”

In such a short time, Yuria had developed a great affection for Cecil, and her face was now lost in a dreamy expression as she looked at the empty space.

“He was a wonderful person. So beautiful.”

“What?”

“I’ve never seen such a beautiful man in my life.”

It seemed that Cecil’s appearance had made an impact on Yuria. She had always liked beautiful and delicate things, and after years of being surrounded by rugged men, it was only natural that Cecil’s face would leave an impression on her.

“Don’t be fooled by that face. You’ll fall for him if you’re not careful.”

“Why do you dislike Cecil so much, Your Highness?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

“Just be kinder! Even if you’re not blood-related, he’s still your brother.”

At her bold words, Alexis let out a dry laugh. He then pressed his forehead with his hand and stared out the window. He watched Cecil’s confident stride as he walked away.

At least he had done something right. Cecil Adrian.

After sending Yuria off in the carriage, Alexis returned to his estate. The Saint’s Palace, which he had returned to after five years, hadn’t changed a bit. His attendants welcomed him warmly, and a precious guest was waiting for him as well.

Duchess Vandell, holding the hem of her lavish dress, courteously greeted him.

“Olrike Vandell. It’s an honor to meet the great star of the empire.”

“Duchess Vandell, it’s been a long time.”

“Please, speak casually. This old woman will be hurt.”

“It’s been a long time, nanny.”

When Alexis opened his arms, Duchess Vandell smiled brightly and stepped forward, embracing him warmly. The two of them exchanged a joyful reunion.

“My goodness! What happened in the last five years that you’ve grown so much? The last time I saw you, you still seemed like a boy… Now you’re a proper man.”

Duchess Vandell couldn’t help but marvel at Alexis’ now larger frame. He had grown taller and bigger over the five years, and it was hard to remember the cute young prince he used to be.

“You’ve grown older too.”

“Of course, I’ve aged! Worrying about His Highness and my son every year has added more wrinkles.”

“But you’re still beautiful, so don’t worry.”

Alexis led Duchess Vandell as they sat down to talk. They had much to catch up on after such a long time.

As they were sipping tea, Duchess Vandell noticed the handkerchief Alexis was holding with a puzzled look. He had been staring at it with a serious expression.

“Is there something wrong with that handkerchief?”

“I’m not sure how I should return it.”

He had taken back the handkerchief that Yuria had borrowed. He wasn’t planning to meet with her again using that excuse.

Alexis stared at the handkerchief before asking.

“Do you think Cecil is beautiful, nanny?”

“Suddenly?”

“I was surprised. Last time I saw him, he was just a small, skinny kid. But now, after five years, he’s grown up.”

“He’s grown a lot, yes. His appearance was always beautiful even back then. He looked like a doll, didn’t he?”

“That’s right. But now…”

Duchess Vandell seemed to understand Alexis’ thoughts and smiled gently after taking a sip of tea.

“He’s the spitting image of the late Empress.”

“He was. But now, how should I put it…” 

The Duchess seemed to read Alexis’s thoughts and smiled gently after taking a sip of tea. 

“He looks exactly like Her Majesty the Empress, doesn’t he?” 

“Ha, right. That’s the biggest problem.” 

Alexis rubbed his eyes with his empty hand. He finally found the reason why he felt uneasy whenever he saw Cecil.

He had heard later that Cecil had put a lot of effort into the banquet. He also found out later that separating the guests had been entirely Cecil’s decision.

He probably didn’t have any bad intentions. He must have done it to avoid provoking anyone.

Alexis sighed as he threw the handkerchief on the table.

“It’s unfortunate. As long as he looks like that, I’m not going to hear anything good about him.”

He understood that Cecil was trying hard to gain favor, but Alexis had no desire to get closer to him.

What could be done? There was nothing to do but blame his mother.

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