I Want to Die One Day Before You - Chapter 2.8

“You…”

“Don’t look,” Sarubia pulled her clothes up, but it was not enough to cover it all.

There were numerous bright red scars under the sign of the saint left on Sarubia’s shoulder.

The hideous wounds lined up on each other, and a fresh injury was on top of another unhealed scar.

When he saw her three years ago, there was definitely nothing.

She was in a healthy condition without a scratch.

But why now…

“I heard you’ve been eating and living well for the past three years.”

“…” Sarubia turned her head.

He was frustrated because she didn’t say anything.

Rufus unintentionally turned his sight to the sword thrown over the bed, the one given to him by his grandmother, Baroness Inferna.

It was reliable enough to cut the Devil’s neck with a single strike.

“Who did it?”

“Why, will you go and kill that person?”

“Yes,” Rufus meant it.

Sarubia, who stared him in the eyes, soon breathed a light sigh.

“It’s tough to work in the royal palace.”

“Did your master beat you?”

When Rufus turned to his sword again, Sarubia hurriedly stopped him.

“If you kill the princess, you will die, too!”

It seems that the princess was indeed the person behind it.

He couldn’t believe Princess Sordid was such a woman who treated her servants like this. His feelings towards Princess Sordid, which had cooled down after joining the punitive forces, has now turned into hatred.

“This must hurt.”

“If you know, stop staring.”

“Have you applied any medicine?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“It’s no use to me. It will happen again.”

At Sarubia’s reply, Rufus did not know what to say.

How much has he seen? How long has she been dragging those wounds on her own?

“It’s really nothing compared to what you have been through. Never mind.” Sarubia tried to laugh it off.

“Sarubia.” Rufus looked straight at her. “Don’t compare pain.”

Just because he was hurt doesn’t mean she was not hurt.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Rufus puts his lips to Sarubia’s wound, which has not healed.

“Ah…!” The part where his tongue brushed and passed stings.

At first, a bitter pain broke out into a groan, but gradually the mind calmed, and the pain eased. The wound on her shoulder healed up.

“What, what did you do?” Asked Sarubia while gasping for breath.

“I gave you my mana.”

“Mana…? Oh, you’re a nobleman. I’m just a commoner, so I don’t have any mana…”

Mana, no matter how saintly she was, was a separate matter. Some people, like Sarubia, could not manage their mana even though they had the signs of a saint. She hasn’t been able to take care of herself since she had no mana.

Rufus looked as if a big needle had pierced his heart.

[Read this at https://blog.millenniumsnow.com ♡♡♡♡]

“Other places?”

“What?”

“I’m asking if there are any wounds elsewhere on your body.”

At the words of Rufus, Sarubia even forgot to breathe.

“…do you want to do it somewhere else?”

“I want to treat them.”

“Don’t. Will you do it even up to my feet?”

“Yes. Take off your shoes.”

Sarubia looked blankly at the man sitting next to her. Looking at his expression, he seems to be sincere.

“No, how could I do that to Sir Rufus…”

“It’s Rufus. Take out the title.”

“If one just calls the name of a nobleman, they’ll be arrested.”

“If you get caught, I’ll take care of it.” Rufus, who said so, grabbed Sarubia’s shoes.

Sarubia freaked out when she saw him peel off her old leather shoes.

“Ah, my feet are fine!”

But Rufus was a man who didn’t believe until he checked it with his own eyes. First, a small shoe tumbled over the carpet. Then, socks fell under the sofa. Her wounded calves that had been hidden under the fabric were revealed.

It wasn’t just one or two places. So much… Rufus wondered how painful it must have been for her.

She was a woman with such a tender body that she couldn’t bear a thorn. How did she receive so many wounds on her body? Shouldn’t her body be wrapped up in gold?

“Why did you keep working in the princess’ palace?”

He couldn’t stand it and questioned her. He didn’t mean to criticize her. However, when he saw this broken little body, he couldn’t help but feel emotional.

“Because that’s the only place I can go.”

“You’re still young. There must have been a lot of places to work.”

“If you want to go somewhere else to work, you would need to take a physical exam. Then I can’t hide the fact that I’m a saint.”

“You didn’t have a physical exam when you entered the princess’ palace?”

“Ah… I was young and didn’t need to be examined.”

“How did you managed not to get caught so far?”

“I don’t have any friends.” Sarubia shrugged. “I use a room alone in the dorm. I also eat alone and take baths alone.”

“Why are you hiding the fact that you are a saint?”

Rufus still couldn’t understand. Why does Sarubia hide the fact that she was a saint?

Wasn’t a saint a noble and honoured being?

If Sarubia reveals that she was a saint, she would be welcomed with open arms in an effort to take her anywhere. However, Sarubia tried to live in seclusion, completely hiding her identity.

Sarubia turned her head.

“I don’t want to say that.”

“…”

What the hell… what a tough, stupid woman.

Rufus, who kneed in front of Sarubia, began to treat the wound without saying anything.

“Ouch…”

“Even if it hurts a little bit, bear with it,” murmured Rufus. He put his lips once again on her wounds and breathed in as much mana as he could.

One couldn’t tell because it was all hidden by her clothes, but she was covered with wounds. The fact that the only thing he could do for her was to heal a few wounds made him so resentful.

“Sarubia.”

“Huh, yes, yes?”

“Don’t go back to Princess Sordid’s palace in the future. Come with me to the Inferna territory.”

The home of Rufus. The Inferna territory.

“I’ll decorate you a pretty room where you can stay. I’ll make you a delicious meal every day. You don’t have to work since I can do it all.” Rufus murmured incessantly.

Rufus could not tell why he said all that on impulse. But he didn’t want to be away from her somehow, and he didn’t want to miss this woman.

That’s all.

“And didn’t you say you wanted to see the fuchsia flowers? The flower that looks like a fairy is genuinely beautiful. I really want to show them to you.”

At Rufus’ words, Sarubia, who was shedding tears at the soreness of the wound, laughed bitterly.

“Are you trying to seduce me?”

“You may think so.”

“Really? Do you like me?”

“Yes.” In front of Sarubia, the kneeling Rufus raised his head. “I think you’re right.”

An emotion too serious to call desire, too heavy to call capricious.

If you won’t call it love, what would you call it?

That’s why.

“I hope you feel the same way.” Rufus looked up at Sarubia.

Sarubia slowly raised herself and bowed down to the kneeling Rufus in front of her.

They were both afraid of breaking the silence first.

“Rufus.” Heated with emotions, Sarubia called his name. “I don’t like it here. Take me to your hometown.”

“Okay.”

“Please show me the fuchsia flowers there. I want to see the flower that has your name.”

“Okay.” Rufus hugged her little body.

[Read this at https://blog.millenniumsnow.com ♡♡♡♡]

He removed the sword thrown on the bed to the side table. Instead, he brought her small and soft body on the white sheet.

There were indescribable emotions that could not be said between the lips connecting each other. The soft warmth was so comfortable that he couldn’t let go of it.

“This really doesn’t make sense,” Sarubia sobbed at the shudder coming in from her back.

“What?”

“Three years ago… we met only once three years ago, so why me?”

“I know. That’s very strange. Why was it you among so many people?”

At first, he thought it was just a passing connection.

He thought she was like snow that would melt away over some time. But that was a miscalculation. The melted snow moistened his barren heart and soon began to sow seeds freely.

After that, he couldn’t control it. Those rooted seeds settled in his heart and grew. When he came to his senses, he couldn’t find any other traces besides hers.

He tried to escape, but he couldn’t escape. It was poison with no antidote, and on top of it, he seemed to be addicted to it. He just wanted to reach her with all his might.

“Don’t overthink it. It’s not complicated.” Rufus stroked Sarubia’s hair. “Let’s say it’s fate.”

With that, Rufus hugged Sarubia, and the ceiling shook gently in her vision.

Rufus’ heart was overflowing with sweetness…