Chapter 13 – ​13

Raymond’s ​body ​froze ​stiff ​at ​the ​bombshell dropped without ​warning. ​Perhaps ​because ​the ​answer was so completely ​unexpected, ​he creaked like ​a broken machine.

Seeing ​this, ​Euro ​felt ​unnecessarily ​apologetic ​and waved his ​hands ​frantically.

“No, ​I mean. I’m ​sorry. I said something ​unnecessary.”

“No, it’s ​not that. ​It’s just…”

“It ​probably wasn’t ​something ​you ​wanted to know, ​but this ​story is so famous ​in Norden that I ​didn’t think about how ​shocking it ​would ​be for the listener.”

Even for Euro, ​although it concerned his ​own ​body, ​it ​was ​something that had ​happened when ​it ​wasn’t his body, ​so ​he had spoken of it ​too casually, ​as ​if it were ​someone ​else’s ​story.

Of ​course, ​it was ​his ​business now, ​but infertility wasn’t exactly a major problem. ​In the first ​place, even before ​the possession, he had ​never dreamed ​of a future ​where ​he had children ​and lived happily ​ever after.

‘Because ​I’m ​gay.’

As long ​as ​the lower ​half ​functioned, nothing ​else ​really ​mattered. However, since ​the ​word “infertility” ​could ​be ​linked ​to “impotence” in the listener’s mind, Euro hurried to continue.

“Was I around nineteen? I took some medicine. It was [stolen content]practically poison, but there was Read on Read BL Novelsno pain or anything… Since it was administered Read on Read BL Novelsspecifically for that purpose, there are no problems other than not being able to have children.”

“…”

“You probably didn’t want to hear this, but just—that one part is the problem, and everything else is perfectly fine… No, never mind. Forget it.”

He couldn’t bring himself to say that he was merely infertile, that there was no problem with doing the deed, and that since he liked men anyway, it didn’t matter… so he shut his mouth.

It was a relief that Melione had no intention of having children and didn’t care whether it was a man or a woman. Since Euro was someone who could not and would not have children anyway, didn’t that align perfectly with what Melione wanted?

Besides, it was impossible to give birth to a child in a man’s body. Of course, the part about not minding a man was strictly limited to a distant marriage partner, and it was uncertain whether rolling around in bed with a man was possible, but since there was a way to solve that, it was fine.

Honestly, he didn’t care about Melione’s sexual orientation. Euro was doing this to survive, and once the Duke knew the reason, he would likely accept it.

A relationship without consent was something Euro wasn’t particularly fond of either. To do that to a sick person, he would have to find and administer a certain drug.

‘Both of us are doing what we must to survive. It’s not like anyone wants to do this.’

Euro thought it was a great relief that Melione wasn’t ugly. If his looks had been as foul as his personality, Euro would have thrown everything away, even if it were merely a medical procedure.

“I feel as though I have committed a great discourtesy.”

Raymond’s face was clouded with complex visit our siteemotions. Seeing this, Euro felt sorry instead. He was the [visit our site]one who had poured out useless information, yet the listener ended up suffering more.

“Not at all. Forgive me for talking nonsense. It’s just such a trivial matter to me that it just spilled out. Don’t worry about it.”

“It is not a trivial matter. I don’t know what to say.”

“Well, I don’t know if this will be comforting, but I had no intention of having children anyway. Even if the situation hadn’t turned out like this, I would have felt the same.”

“…”

“My situation in Norden wasn’t very good, and as someone who knows that better than anyone, it would be absurd to have a child and pass that life down as a legacy.”

“…”

“One person living like this is enough.”

That was the truth. Perhaps Euro Leches would have thought the same. While Euro’s life after the possession had been very brief, for Euro Leches, it had been a lifetime.

For Euro Leches, who had been forced to live as if he didn’t exist, there was no way he would have had a desire to have children.

Wasn’t he the person who had thought more than anyone that he hadn’t been born because he wanted to be?

“That’s why I understand Your Grace’s decision. No one in this world is unauthorized copyborn because they wanted to be. But if the life [Read on Read BL Novels]given to them the moment they are born visit our siteis nothing but misery, how painful would that be?”

Euro Leches and Melione were tied together by a terrible fate, but if they hadn’t met in such a way, they might have become the only people who truly understood each other.

“So, perhaps Your Grace and I could become good companions? It would be even better if we could find happiness together while we live. Though that time may not be very long.”

Once he saved the Duke, he intended to tell him the whole truth. He couldn’t go as far as explaining the possession and all that, but he planned to tell him at least that he possessed a healing ability and had come this far because he knew how to treat him.

The reason he wasn’t speaking now was that there was no guarantee the Duke would believe him, and he wasn’t sure what the man was thinking.

If Melione suspected him even slightly, it was better to let him believe Euro was just some pathetic human clinging to him because he had fallen in love without a second thought.

“So, I hope Raymond will help me a lot. Aside from the married life, once I become a member of the Dukedom, I want to do various things and help out. Since Your Grace is frail.”

Raymond, who had been gazing steadily at Euro with a gentle expression, bowed his head slightly after a brief silence.

“I will help you with all my heart, Your Highness.”

Raymond looked as if he had many things he wanted to ask, but he simply stated that he would help as much as he could.

ꕥ ꕥ ꕥ

Since Raymond was taking charge of the wedding preparations, there was nothing for Euro to do.

He was lacking sleep, and he had become exhausted from choosing clothes and having his measurements taken, so he thought about taking a nap, but it was already too late for that.

Thus, upon Raymond’s recommendation, Euro decided to take a walk in the rear garden. He was told that he could tour the various parts of the mansion, which was almost like a castle, with a servant’s guidance if he wished, but Euro shook his head.

It was a decent offer, but it was because all the few servants in the Dukedom were currently preoccupied with the wedding preparations. Although it was said that the wedding wouldn’t be grand, it seemed there was still quite a bit to prepare.

“It’s only natural since there are only three days left.”

Euro nodded, muttering to himself. There were already very few servants in the Dukedom. This was because as Melione’s health declined, he had drastically reduced the number of staff.

Still, it was practically a miracle that he maintained his sanity to this extent when he had only a year or two left to live.

To be seized by madness was the same as suffering from hallucinations and auditory delusions. Right now, it was limited to headaches, vomiting, and insomnia, but as it worsened, intense aggression would emerge.

If that happened, it was inevitable that those serving Melione up close would be harmed.

Once he became desperate to see blood, he would be moved to an annex attached to the large mansion and live almost in confinement.

It was impossible to serve a man who swung a sword or threw punches at anyone he saw.

There probably weren’t many people to [stolen content]begin with, and since he had reduced them even further, it must be a stolen contentstruggle just to manage this vast place in a single day.

He didn’t want to bother them. Euro’s plan for the day was to take a moderate walk, have dinner, and go to bed early.

The rear garden of the Dukedom, which was far larger than the garden of the detached palace where he had stayed, was exceptionally well-maintained. Despite the lack of people, the vast and secluded space was clean without a single weed.

Euro walked leisurely through the garden, admiring the trees and flowers. Being a southern city, the trees were lush and the flowers were all colorful.

It was a world of difference from the scenery of Norden, which was so entirely white that the word “desolate” suited it well. There, the only thing visible when opening a window was snow. It was a continuous stretch of gloomy weather, perfect for even a healthy person to fall into depression.

To Euro, who was born and raised in Korea with four distinct seasons, a world where only winter existed was simply cold. It might have been because he had dropped into an unfamiliar space, but no one had been kind to him, and it had been cold and bleak.

“As expected, people need to see some sun to live.”

While muttering this, he saw a tiger lying down under a large tree ahead.

Even though he already knew a tiger named Kishara lived in this mansion, Euro instinctively flinched and stopped in his tracks, hesitating for a moment.

He wondered whether to keep walking forward or turn back. However, as if sensing his presence, Kisha turned her head and stared at Euro, and their eyes met.

“H-hello… how are you?”

Melione had said there was no need to be formal with Kisha, but stolen content[stolen content]Euro unconsciously used polite language due to the strange aura emanating from the tiger.

Naturally, Kisha gave no particular response; she looked at him, then turned her head and began licking her paw.

‘Let’s just go back.’

Lacking the courage to face Kisha again, Euro tried to turn around, but the way Kisha obsessively licked only one paw felt somewhat strange.

At this, Euro unconsciously approached Kisha, focusing on the paw she kept licking.

“Eh?”

As he got close enough to be right in front of her, he saw a wound. He didn’t know where she had been hurt, but the center of Kisha’s right paw, which she had been licking repeatedly, was torn.