I'm a Villainess, Can I Die?-Chapter 97

Morning came, and I opened my eyes.

I hadn't tossed and turned all night, it seemed, as I got out of bed in the same position I had fallen asleep in, neatly arranged.

As I stood up... I wasn't dizzy. Lately, it had become a routine to see everything white in front of my eyes when I woke up in the morning.

That wasn't all.

I didn't feel the nausea or the stomach burning that usually plagued me from breakfast to lunch.

I felt so good that I wondered if I was finally feeling better.

Maybe the chaos from last night was what made me feel better now. I stretched my arms with a sigh of relief and glanced at the bag of medicine on the nightstand.

Goodbye, tasteless medicine. I'm not taking you anymore.

"Miss. I have good news!"

Jane was beaming with a smile from the moment she walked in. She had always smiled, but recently, she often had a look of concern due to my horrible condition... but today, she was truly smiling, just like old times. It was so refreshing to see her so genuinely happy, so I nodded cheerfully.

"What is it?"

As I was organizing the dress I was going to wear for the day, Jane quickly approached me with a smile.

I combed my hair with my fingers, gently brushing it down past my shoulders, and met Jane's eyes.

Her smile, which looked sly, seemed to say, "I'm sure you'll be thrilled to hear this."

Hmm, I wonder what it could be. Did all the monsters just drop dead overnight?

"The Duke has asked to have dinner together."

Dinner... together? My hand stopped mid-motion. My fingers, frozen in an awkward position, couldn't move. I gathered both hands together in front of me, twitching my fingers.

I felt the roughness of my hands.

There could only be one reason for today's dinner.

It must be about the hunt.

Although I was excited about sharing a meal after such a long time... I sighed briefly and asked Jane again.

"Tonight? Dinner?"

"Yes. Isn't that wonderful?"

Jane's eyes sparkled brightly. But the reflection of my eyes in her bright gaze looked lifeless, like a dead fish.

A sudden headache surged, and I squinted my eyes before quickly opening them. That sharp pain... it must have been a real, stress-induced headache.

Realizing something was wrong, Jane quickly noticed and stopped smiling, looking at me with a more subdued expression.

Such a shame, I liked seeing her smile.

"I didn't sleep too well, but... it’s really good."

I pressed my temples, replying casually.

With a voice so flat, no matter how I spoke, it would sound the same.

Before going to dinner, I decided to visit the doctor and Ian.

They were almost a package deal at the Duke's mansion, so it was convenient to see them both at the same time. Maybe that's why bundled deals are so popular. Wait, is that different?

"You're feeling better after waking up last night?"

"Yes. But... Is it something that comes and goes...?"

I trailed off, noticing the doctor’s expression—he looked like he was silently judging my weird comment.

Of course, he tried to hide it... but some emotions just can't be hidden.

Before I could finish my sentence, the doctor quickly responded.

"Shall we check?"

As he had done a few days ago, the doctor began his examination.

He looked inside my throat, told me to stick out my tongue, checked my eyes, measured my pulse, and had me take deep breaths... There was a lot to check even for a simple examination.

Ugh, how bothersome.

Finally, after the examination, the doctor started writing something on the medical chart without saying much.

I felt a little anxious and glanced at the chart. Ian, standing behind the doctor, was also staring at it with interest.

When the doctor finally stopped writing, he raised his head with a serious expression.

"You’re fine."

Ugh, why does he say "fine" like it's some big deal? He’s scaring me.

But despite my thoughts, I nodded nonchalantly, listening carefully to the doctor's words.

"Your throat is a bit irritated, and it seems the wrong food caused some inflammation in your stomach and esophagus. You’ve also lost some weight... but other than that, you’re fine. From today, we'll change the medication. Oh, and make sure to eat well."

Wait, is that really okay?

In my mind, I couldn’t help but think that everything from my throat to my stomach was a mess, but the doctor casually rambled on about my symptoms, and when he mentioned the medicine, he smiled slyly.

That smile felt so sinister, I couldn’t help but shrink a little.

"I don’t like the green, round pills."

The doctor’s eyebrows drooped in disappointment at my firm statement. But they quickly returned to their normal position, and a mischievous smile followed suit.

What was that?

The doctor then mentioned he would send the medication via the servant.

After the examination, I nodded as Ian replenished my divine power.

Oh, and there was one important thing left. Keeping it a secret.

"You know this is a secret from my family, right?"

When I spoke, the doctor awkwardly looked at me, unsure whether to say anything or remain silent.

I pretended not to notice and added.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

"You know how busy I’ve been lately. I’m not a child, and it’s not a fatal illness. I’ll get better if I just take the medicine... but if I make my family worry about it and things go wrong... ugh."

I sighed dramatically, cutting off my sentence.

"Yes, I understand. Your Highness."

The doctor replied in a tone as if he had been threatened, with a sad look on his face.

No need to act so dramatic. If you answer like that, I’ll seem like the bad guy. I'm just a good daughter, after all.

Like the filial daughter Sim Cheong... Filial daughter Selina. Ah, that sounds weird.

I got the new medication, went back to my room, applied light makeup to make myself look presentable, and then headed down to the dining room just in time.

At the door to the dining room, I repeatedly grabbed and released the doorknob with trembling hands, then took a deep breath before forcefully opening the door.

"Selina."

My mother’s voice was the first thing to greet me.

"Selina, come in."

"Come, sit down."

The voices that greeted me in order followed one after another.

For some reason, my throat felt dry. The familiar scene, which felt like it had been so long since I’d seen it, made me wonder if this was just a dream for a moment.

“Yes.”

I answered shortly and sat down. The long-awaited family meal began, carrying a mix of happiness, worry, fear, and anticipation.

Throughout the meal, we talked about each other's recent lives. To be living under the same roof and talking about recent events... it felt like such a strange thing.

So, when the family burst into laughter, I couldn’t help but curl the corners of my lips slightly.

Well, if it’s funny, I should laugh too, right?

“Selina, aren’t you too thin? Should I ask for more food?”

After managing to finish my share of the meal in the cheerful atmosphere, my mother brought it up with a concerned tone.

She glanced at my empty plate, probably wanting to refill it.

I briefly considered telling her to give me more food to avoid worrying her, but I quickly shook my head.

If I ate more carelessly, I’d end up with an upset stomach.

"Mother, Father... even Brother. You all look thinner."

Instead of saying I wanted more, I turned the topic to the others.

As I said, it wasn’t just me who had lost weight. Everyone in the family looked gaunt, as if they’d been struggling a lot. Their faces had grown thinner too.

It hurt my heart.

What were those monsters, and why did they have to appear?

The guilt I had forgotten about slowly crept back into my mind.

"Selina."

At that moment, my father’s heavy voice called my name, and I slowly raised my head to meet his gaze as I had been staring blankly at my empty plate.

Ah, this was it.

Now was the time for the family to tell me the truth.

Follow current novels on ƒreewebηoveℓ.com.

But even after calling my name, no one could easily bring themselves to speak. The awkward silence stretched on.

Everyone was doing their best with their own matters, but when it came to me, they couldn’t be the same. They were apologetic, grateful, disappointed, and affectionate all at once.

I slowly blinked my eyes. I had read somewhere that blinking like this can provide comfort to the other person.

Was it in an animal encyclopedia? Hmm? Does that apply to humans too... Well, humans are animals, so maybe.

As I waited for someone to speak, I realized the blink had worked, because my father, who had been silent, gradually parted his lips.

"Selina, don’t be shocked, but listen carefully."

How could I not be shocked?

"...It seems like a large-scale hunt will take place because of the monsters. The ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ royal family, the magic tower, and other nobles will join in. The hunt will be based outside the territory, and it will take at least a month just to travel back and forth. As for the war... we don’t know when it will end."

I licked my dry lips.

As my father spoke, the image of a battlefield started to form in my mind.

Huge, dark figures, humans standing against them. My mind was busy imagining what looked like a child’s crayon drawing.

"And, your father is going to lead the hunt as the commander."

This time, I imagined my father as a warrior, wielding a sword while wearing a helmet that looked like a toy.

Keep going, keep going. I was unknowingly cheering on my imagination.

But then I shook my head a few times to erase the image. I didn’t want to associate such a ridiculous image with a battlefield.

It was terrifying.

Humans can get hurt and die much easier than we think.

Look at me and Eunji.

Eunji struggled for 19 years to live but died, and I struggled to die but ended up alive.

"...Has the date been set?"

I forced my mouth open and asked. Fortunately, my voice, which lacked any emotion, helped conceal my anxiety.

However, whether I had hidden my unease was questionable, as the atmosphere in the dining room quickly grew heavy.

In the suffocating silence, my brother answered my question.

"Exactly 13 days from today. We’ll depart then."

The hand resting on the table slid limply to my thigh.

With a small sound of friction, my head turned blank.

I knew there wasn’t much time left, but hearing the exact date made the feeling hit me differently.

Two weeks later. No, not even two weeks.

How can they give me just two weeks when they’re risking their lives to go to war?

I thought I was mentally prepared, but hearing it from the person himself, the anxiety in my chest began to choke me.

"Selina."

I couldn’t tell whether it was my mother, father, or brother. One after another, my name was called with such concern that I had to squeeze my eyes shut and then open them again as those worried voices swirled in my mind.

"I’m fine. I’m fine. You’ll all come back safely, right? So, I’m fine."

I spoke with a hoarse throat, trying my best to keep my voice calm, not wanting to show any weakness in front of my family who had brought such heavy news.

Even though I didn’t have to try, my face and voice probably seemed the same as always.

‘It’s fine. Everything will be fine, Miss.’

The voice of a kind man echoed in my ears.

Yes, everything will be fine. After all, stories end with the villain dying, and then a happy ending follows.

And the villain I’m playing will die in three years, no matter how long I live. Isn’t that my fate, to have a happy ending after three years?

So, my father will return safely.

Yes, everything will be fine.