When I Finished Playing the Terminally-Ill Villainous Omega C32

Chapter 32

Lila had a servant summon the disciple who had been waiting downstairs.

After briefly explaining the situation, the disciple nodded a couple of times before taking a jade medicine vial from inside his robe.

“I only have two pills with me at the moment. Will that be enough?”

“You’re giving them to me even though you only have two? Thank you so much!”

When I asked how much I should pay, he thought for a moment before answering slowly.

“There’s no need for payment. Instead, whenever I visit the estate, please allow me to enter Allure’s Domain to gather medicinal herbs. If that’s acceptable, I’ll prepare suppressant pills for you whenever you need them.”

No one outside House Hestian could freely enter Allure’s Domain.

That was why it contained countless mysterious plants that had never been studied, along with untouched medicinal herbs.

Naturally, anyone who made medicine dreamed of visiting it.

“Granting you access isn’t a problem. However, there are lesser monsters my older brother released into the area, so it isn’t exactly safe. Will that be all right?”

“A healer is still a mage at heart. Lesser monsters pose no threat to me, so you needn’t worry.”

If he understood the danger and was capable of protecting himself, there was no reason to stop him.

Although his rank was lower than Lila’s, the suppressant pills of a high-ranking healer were both rare and expensive.

If I could obtain them regularly, they would be a tremendous help for Locke, a dominant Alpha, whenever he went into rut.

The only concern was that if anything happened within House Hestian’s territory, the family would be held responsible.

When I voiced that concern, he immediately promised that no matter what occurred, he would never hold House Hestian accountable.

He also assured me that, since Allure’s Domain was a confidential area, he would visit no more than once a month and would gather only the agreed-upon amount of herbs.

“Is that really all you want in return?”

“It’s more than enough. The herbs growing in Allure’s Domain are so valuable they’re beyond price.”

I nodded without hesitation.

“I’ll inform Mother.”

“Thank you.”

“No, I should be the one thanking both of you. This will make a wonderful gift for someone important to me.”

“I’m the one who should be grateful. You’ve given me an incredible opportunity to study those herbs.”

“How wonderful.”

Lila smiled warmly.

Having gained an unexpected windfall, I quickly stood and escorted Lila and her disciple to the front of the estate.

After watching their carriage disappear into the distance, I noticed Howard standing beside me.

“Why are you here?!”

The words escaped before I could stop them.

If Howard was here…

That meant Locke and the boutique owner were alone together in the drawing room.

I hurried toward it.

“Locke!”

I flung the door open.

The room was empty.

I stood frozen in the doorway for quite some time.

Howard approached, asking whether I’d forgotten something.

“It’s nothing.”

I quietly closed the door.

…Why did I run all the way here?

For some reason, the mere thought of Locke and the boutique owner being alone in the same room had made my heart shrink with an icy chill.

And when I discovered the drawing room empty…

It felt as though every drop of blood had drained from my body.

Unable to understand the source of that unsettling feeling, I remained troubled for quite some time.

❖ ❖ ❖

Someone must have left the window open.

From early morning, the scent of dew-covered grass drifted inside.

A faint fragrance of roses floated above it.

Still sleepy, I climbed out of bed and rubbed my eyes before looking toward the table.

The smell of roses made me hopeful for a moment…

But today, too, the vase was empty.

I guess he isn’t bringing them anymore.

Now Locke also understood what it meant to give roses to a noble.

If he continued bringing them, Mother would naturally assume he was giving them with the feelings she’d feared.

I understood that logically…

But emotionally…

I couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

The rose fragrance I’d noticed must simply have been carried over from the rose garden by the strong dawn breeze.

Still feeling a little down, I picked up the medicine on the plate and swallowed it.

Normally, I would’ve thrown it away.

But I’d made a promise to Lila, so I decided I’d keep taking it for the time being.

“Phew…”

After washing it down with water, I walked over to the sofa.

It was about time to prepare for our departure to the Marquis’s estate.

Spread across the table before the sofa were colorful accessories I’d had the servants bring yesterday.

No matter how fine my clothes were, this sickly face wasn’t exactly commanding.

If I wanted the nobles to stop looking down on me, I’d have to at least flaunt House Hestian’s overwhelming wealth.

So I’d prepared jewelry crafted by famous artisans.

“Young Master, we’ll help you dress.”

Right on cue, Anna entered with another servant, wheeling in the outfit I’d be wearing.

Without a word, I let them dress me.

They put me into an elegant blouse trimmed with luxurious gold thread and a pair of ivory-colored trousers.

Then they draped a navy jacket embroidered with gold over my shoulders before carefully adjusting every crease.

Once everything was in place…

I looked considerably better than before.

Truthfully…

Cedric wasn’t unattractive.

His portrait in the room had been torn, so I had no idea what he’d looked like before falling ill.

But good bone structure didn’t simply disappear.

The Count and Countess were both over forty, yet they still carried themselves with remarkable elegance.

Mother, in particular, looked young and beautiful enough that anyone would believe she was still unmarried.

Ciel wasn’t interested in romance, but marriage proposals and bouquets of roses never stopped arriving for her.

Even the utterly despicable Cassian couldn’t be criticized for his appearance.

Despite looking deathly ill, Cedric still possessed perfectly shaped double eyelids and long, thick golden eyelashes.

His high nose and soft lips were already attractive enough.

Most of all…

His eyes.

They shone with a beauty surpassing any jewel.

The most beautiful and elegant green eyes I’d ever seen.

If only he gained another ten kilograms…

He’d be incredibly handsome.

As I stared gloomily into the mirror, Anna fastened a swan-shaped brooch—the Hestian family crest—to my left chest.

“Don’t I look too much like a skeleton?”

I asked.

Though if she answered honestly…

I’d probably end up hurt.

She carefully examined me from head to toe.

“Hmm…”

She hesitated.

…So that was a yes.

My shoulders drooped.

“This is bad. I don’t want Eclat to regret choosing me as her partner.”

“Huh? Regret? Not at all!”

“But… isn’t the reason you can’t answer because I look so pitiful…?”

“No!”

“It’s just… something feels like it’s missing.”

“I remember Young Master Cassian always added something here…”

“But I can’t remember what it was.”

Cassian had entered noble society long before anyone else.

He’d worked hard to secure his position among the aristocracy and always kept up with the latest fashions.

He’d always enjoyed dressing up, and extravagant styles suited him.

Compared to someone like him…

Of course I looked rather plain.

Besides, Anna hadn’t been the servant responsible for dressing Cassian, so her memory wasn’t perfect.

She continued inspecting my outfit.

Only when it was almost time to leave did she suddenly clap her hands.

“Ah! I remembered!”

“A magic artifact!”

“You’re not wearing one!”

In the world of The Emperor’s Consort, magic artifacts weren’t merely protective items against monsters.

They were also accessories symbolizing one’s status and wealth.

Much like ceremonial swords or expensive jewelry in medieval times, the value of the mana stone embedded within them reflected the prosperity of a noble house.

Because monsters could appear anywhere, nobles carried magic artifacts with them like accessories.

Once indoors, they either entrusted them to their servants or stored them separately.

While another servant tidied the room, Anna leaned closer and whispered,

“Should I quietly borrow one of Young Master Cassian’s?”

I proudly puffed out my chest.

“I have one too!”

Carrying my light luggage, I headed downstairs to the lobby, where the carriage was waiting.

Eclat and Ciel, who had been staying at the estate for several days so we could travel together to the Marquis’s residence, would come down after finishing their preparations.

Since Eclat had arrived in her own family’s carriage and planned to return directly home after the banquet, we’d be traveling in two separate carriages.

I’d already arranged Locke’s morning schedule beforehand.

He should’ve been here already, waiting to greet me.

Yet there wasn’t a trace of him.

Was I just too excited and came down too early?

I stretched my neck toward the servants’ quarters.

Then…

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Footsteps echoed across the marble floor behind me.

I turned immediately.

Locke was walking toward me.

The moment our eyes met, he bowed his head politely.

“I wasn’t used to wearing formal clothes, so I ended up being a little late.”

I’d planned to proudly tell him that I was wearing the magic artifact he’d given me.

But…

The instant he walked toward me dressed in his formal attire—

My mind went completely blank.

His hair, darker than the night sky itself, rippled gently with each step.

Beneath it, his long, deep-set eyes shimmered with brilliant golden light.

The perfectly tailored jacket draped elegantly over his broad frame, accentuating every line of his flawless physique.

The black silk trousers wrapped snugly around his powerful thighs, tightening and relaxing with each stride.

My gaze became hopelessly fixed on the fabric.

The boutique owner had been right.

Formal wear truly seemed to have been created for Locke alone.

…Holy hell.

Those thighs.

Even another man could lose his senses looking at him.

He was absolutely perfect.