I Just Wanted to Avoid Death - Chapter 121
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He blinked.
Sitting before Adelio, Yeshion quietly gazed into his face. After combining strength with Rosaline to suppress his curse, Yeshion was now waiting for Adelio to regain consciousness.
‘Will he remember?’
That was what Yeshion was most curious about right now.
Whether Adelio, like Eldis and Rosaline, remembered the time spent not with the original ‘Yeshion,’ but with himself.
“Ugh…”
Shortly thereafter, a low groan escaped Adelio’s lips. And when he abruptly opened his eyes, Yeshion also widened his own in surprise.
Adelio furrowed his brow deeply, alternating his gaze between Yeshion and Rosaline.
“What…?”
Seemingly checking exactly where he was, he then remained silent for a long moment, staring intently at Yeshion.
Then, reaching out a hand, he gently caressed Yeshion’s cheek.
“…So pretty.”
What was he doing?
Confused, Yeshion’s eyes rolled around nervously, prompting Adelio to continue speaking.
“How foolish I was, dying and leaving someone this beautiful behind. I should’ve met you more often when I was alive.”
“…Pardon?”
After caressing Yeshion’s cheek, Adelio then began kneading the soft flesh of Yeshion’s face, as if determined to finally do something he’d always wanted but never got the chance to do.
“….What…are you doing right now?”
As Yeshion narrowed his eyes in suspicion, Adelio laughed softly and lowered his hand. Sliding gracefully down Yeshion’s shoulder, his fingers interlaced tightly with Yeshion’s own.
“…..?”
What on earth was he planning now?
Just as Yeshion stared quietly at Adelio in bewilderment, Adelio suddenly tightened his grip and pulled Yeshion toward him.
“Ah!”
With no strength to resist, Yeshion collided directly into Adelio’s firm chest.
While rubbing the tip of his nose in pain, Yeshion felt Adelio nestling his face into his shoulder and embracing his waist securely.
“You’re…Warm.”
“Well, of course…”
“Not hot. Warm.”
Adelio murmured in a relieved voice, as if he were witnessing a miracle.
Watching this, Yeshion finally understood.
‘He remembers… he does…’
Yeshion tightly sealed his lips and silently remained embraced by Adelio.
In truth, Yeshion had never considered what might happen after his death. He had never once imagined anyone mourning his passing, let alone grieving deeply.
“If only you had truly been this healthy from the start…”
At that moment, Adelio mumbled softly, slightly pulling away to examine Yeshion’s face. His crimson eyes were filled with profound sadness.
“Did you know, Yeshion? It seems even the dead dream. I’m sure I died…but here you are, right before me now.”
Hearing these words, Yeshion’s face stiffened.
Indeed, Eldis had also said he’d returned to this moment after experiencing death.
‘Could it be…?’
As Yeshion quietly studied Adelio’s face, he slowly turned to look at Rosaline.
Did that mean Rosaline and Adelio had also died, and thus returned to this moment?
‘But why?’
Why were these people, whom he thought would surely survive and live well, all speaking about death as if they had truly experienced it?
With a tense expression, Yeshion turned again toward Adelio. Even now, Adelio’s gaze was hazy, seemingly believing this moment to be a mere dream.
His red eyes, still clouded from the recent onset of the curse, appeared unfocused. His muttered words sounded less deliberate and more like the rambling flow of consciousness.
“…Please, Your Highness, tell me. What do you mean by having died?”
At Yeshion’s gentle urging, Adelio slowly blinked a few times before answering.
“You remained unconscious for more than half a year.”
“…..”
“Then, finally, you woke up after taking medicine brought by a foreign doctor. Overjoyed, I set off to get more of that medicine, but…”
Yeshion nodded slowly.
The day Adelio was talking about was etched clearly in Yeshion’s memory—the day his mind finally cleared, and he barely managed to move his weakened body.
The day he died.
“…I shouldn’t have gone.”
“What happened?”
“As soon as I reached the Imperial Palace, I was captured.”
He’d tried explaining that he needed to meet the doctor, to secure more medicine for Yeshion, but Adelio’s desperate pleas were completely ignored.
The imperial guards, waiting as if planned, immediately dragged him off to the Empress.
“They said the most ridiculous things.”
“Strange rumors are spreading within the palace, Prince Adelio. Terrible rumors about you being cursed.”
“…..”
“And with rumors that you frequent the temple to suppress that curse spreading rapidly, you must step forward and explain yourself.”
