Chapter 18

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: The Obsessive Mad Dog is Trying to Imprison Me 116

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A chill seeped through the gap in the open window, making my body shiver uncontrollably.

"Cough."

"Are you hurting?"

Just a single cough, and Dillon scrambled over the windowsill in a panic.

"It's just a cold, Dillon. I took some medicine, so I'm fine."

Dillon reached out as if to check my temperature, gently touching my forehead.

The cool sensation felt good for a moment, but then I remembered something I'd forgotten and pulled away.

"If you touch me... you'll suffer, Dillon."

"I'm... fine, Rose."

Like hell he was.

I studied Dillon closely.

Thank goodness—he was unharmed.

"...Why the sudden engagement?"

But Dillon looked furious.

"Did they blackmail you or something?"

"Everyone's going on about blackmail."

Sure, it had started with blackmail, but now it was my choice.

"So this is... your choice?"

"Yes."

"Why? You've never cared about engagements before."

"Interests can pop up anytime."

But why was he so angry?

"...So you don't want to go back to Korea anymore?"

Dillon asked in a voice that had sunk even lower.

"...Could I even go back?"

I murmured blankly.

...Strangely, ever since possessing Rozhi's body, I had no memories of Korea.

"Dillon, weirdly enough, I hardly ever thought about that place for years."

Was it because of the memory loss?

After coming here, I'd barely considered returning to Korea.

"Why is that?"

It puzzled me.

"It's because you have no memories."

"You think?"

"...Rose, you desperately wanted to go back there."

Rozhi must have.

That was my only sentiment. Strangely, nothing else stirred in me.

"I don't get why you're suddenly getting engaged, but don't do it."

"I've already decided."

"...Then back out. Or run away again."

"Run away again?"

"Yeah. I'll help you. Wherever you want to go..."

"Dillon."

I cut off his excited shouting.

"Thanks for helping me. But you don't have to anymore."

"...You said you needed my help."

"I did?"

"You won't remember, but you definitely did. That's why you're... to me..."

Dillon choked up, pausing mid-sentence.

He swallowed dryly, as if parched and frustrated. His Adam's apple bobbed several times before he spoke again, face flushed deep red.

"...You asked me to stay by your side."

"..."

"You said you couldn't live without me... You definitely did."

Rozhi had said that?

I stared in quiet shock, but Dillon looked mortified, his face rose-colored.

"...Dillon, I don't remember anything."

I'm not Rozhi.

"So you don't have to keep old promises."

Incomprehensibly, he looked hurt.

His eyes reddened, fists clenched tight.

I couldn't bear seeing him so pitiful and moved toward him.

That's when I noticed the cold sweat beading on his skin.

"You're hurting even from this distance without touching."

"...Rose."

"Being near me hurts you."

"...No."

"You're sweating from the pain right now."

Yet you think you can help me like this?

I wanted to hand him a handkerchief, but I couldn't close the gap.

"Go home, Dillon."

"No."

"How can you help me when you're suffering like this? Just admit it."

"...Rose, please."

He pleaded, breathing raggedly.

But I couldn't grant his plea.

Dillon hurts when he's with me. I had no choice but to push him away.

"Stop bothering me and go."

"..."

"I don't need you anymore."

The words weren't in my heart at all, stabbing my own like sharp thorns.

Dillon stared at me, wounded, then left.

Even long after he was gone, his image lingered in my mind, refusing to fade.

'I should have cut him off sooner.'

No regrets.

Dillon was trying to help Rozhi, not me.

I couldn't let that poor man burn himself out making needless sacrifices.

That night, after sending Dillon away, my fever spiked worse than ever, like a lie.

It was the most lethargic I'd felt in ages.

Even sipping water was handled by the Northern Castle servants, who freaked out and did it for me—I didn't have to lift a finger. All under strict orders from my fiancé-to-be, Arjen.

'It's just a cold—does it warrant all this?'

It was suffocating overprotection.

"Miss."

Then a maid approached me.

"The physician has arrived."

"Physician?"

I was puzzled. The castle's own had visited this morning.

...Had Arjen really called in an outside doctor?

This was ridiculous overkill for a cold.

"He's from Persen Territory. They say he's the best in the North!"

That made me feel even more burdened. Was it okay to drag such a renowned figure here like this?

'Persen Territory, though...'

I'd seen in the papers recently that something big had happened there.

A Savior had appeared, right?

"Oh! And get this—he even examined that mysterious 'Savior' who showed up in Persen!"

What?

"The marquis must really love you, miss."

"Wait, what did you just—"

At that moment, the door opened, and the physician entered.

"Greetings, miss. I'm the physician from Persen Territory, here on orders to examine you..."

The physician trailed off abruptly. The moment our eyes met, all color drained from his face.

His hand twitched violently, nearly dropping his bag.

"...Doctor? What's wrong?"

"...N-no, nothing."

...What was that about?

He looked like he'd seen a ghost he wasn't supposed to. The physician hurriedly averted his gaze and approached.

"...The cold seems almost gone."

His hand trembled faintly as he took my pulse.

Thanks to the medicine and rest, my fever had broken, but his demeanor sent a strange chill through me.

"Just keep taking the same medicine."

Throughout the exam, he avoided my face entirely.

His eyes lingered on my chin or empty air.

As he finished and hastily packed to leave, I couldn't hold back.

"...Doctor, do you know me?"

He wasn't in my memory, but while running the merchant guild with Michel, I'd traveled everywhere.

...Maybe he knew 'Rozhi,' not me.

"No."

The physician spoke quickly.

"I don't."

His voice was oddly urgent.

"W-well then, I'll be going..."

He bolted from the room as if the exam was done.

'What's his deal?'

...He was weird.

I brooded over that physician all morning, uneasy.

My thoughts stopped only in the afternoon.

"Lina!"

Michel had come to see me.

The party was canceled, but she'd slipped back into the castle.

"Engaged all of a sudden? Is it true?"

I'd expected her to be mad, but her glare was fierce enough to burn everything down.

"He must cherish you if he's throwing a party, but... it's still dangerous, Lina."

"..."

"Think it over again. Please?"

Michel pleaded, but I couldn't give her the answer she wanted.

"I'm fine, miss."

"...Lina, are you serious?"

Michel looked incredulous. But reading the resolve in my eyes, she bit her lip and fell silent.

She realized I wouldn't change my mind.

"...Sigh."

After a long silence, she rubbed her face dryly and backed off.

"Fine, if that's your choice. But promise me one thing."

"..."

"I'm always on your side. If it's too much, tell me anytime. Don't shoulder it alone."

I was grateful for Michel's concern to the end.

But we shouldn't meet for a while.

The night before leaving the North arrived.

When I complained of cold, Arjen brought every artifact he could, warming the room excessively.

Too much, in fact... it was like a furnace.

"Water..."

Half-dreaming, I mumbled and tossed, when cool glass touched my lips.

Water trickled in a thin stream between my lips, following the tilted cup.

In my dazed state, I drank, then snapped awake.

"Cough cough!"

Realizing the bizarre situation, I jolted up, clutching my sore throat and hacking.

Moonlight filtering through the window gradually illuminated the man. I saw a man with venomously exquisite beauty.

Rihart gazed at me with calm, expressionless eyes.

"Why are you here..."

I asked, startled, and he forced a smile.

"I'm debating."

"...Debating?"

The smile on his lips was somehow eerie.

As unease gripped me and I clutched the blanket—

"Whether to kidnap you again or not."