Seeing him tremble sweetly made Serafina decide to speak the truth without further delay.
Just as she was about to start.
"I'm sorry."
She lost her chance to speak.
Oh, um. Ahem.
Having missed her timing, Serafina fidgeted with her lips before firmly closing her mouth.
For now, she intended to listen to his story.
After a brief apology, Dante buried his face in his large hands.
"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that."
His voice was so painfully sorrowful that it evoked sympathy.
No. That shouldn't be the case.
She had planned to playfully say, "Actually, I'm not terminally ill!" and "Oh my, that's surprising!" to brush it off.
However, the atmosphere had already turned serious.
After a moment of hesitation, Serafina reached out to pat his shoulder in comfort.
But once again, Dante's words came out faster than her actions.
"So please, don't abandon me."
Serafina flinched at his voice, which resembled a plea.
...Abandon?
Suddenly, the family history she had heard from the noblewomen came to mind.
The betrayal of someone he trusted, the death of his brother as a result.
At the same time, she thought about how Dante must have felt losing both of them.
Impulsively, she grabbed Dante's cheek tightly. Then she stood up abruptly.
Her head, which had been facing down, naturally tilted upward.
Over the distorted face hidden beneath her hand, confusion was layered.
At the end of their forced gaze, there was Serafina, speaking firmly.
"I won't abandon you."
Yes. She would not abandon him.
Though she dreamed of a beautiful farewell, she had no intention of leaving like in the original story.
She had never once thought of coldly abandoning the pitiful male lead.
"...You really won't abandon me?"
"Of course not. Why would I abandon you?"
"You cried. I made you cry."
"Well, people cry and make others cry sometimes. Besides, I'm apologizing right now. Aren't I? You're saying sorry to me, right?"
Nod, nod.
Seeing his head move obediently, Serafina smiled faintly.
It was a smile like one would give to a child.
"Don't worry, I won't abandon you or leave over something like that. And it seems there was a misunderstanding between us."
"...Misunderstanding?"
Yes. A misunderstanding. A very significant one.
"I'm not dying."
"Excuse me?"
At Serafina's words, Dante looked at her as if he couldn't believe it, and she couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm not a terminally ill patient."
No matter how she thought about it, it was truly an absurd misunderstanding.
* * *
The conversation was thick and brief.
After confirming the truth several times like the three before him, Dante slumped into his chair as if his soul had left his body.
Even that was such a new sight that Serafina's eyes widened.
"So, how do you feel?"
As Serafina playfully asked while resting her chin on her hand, Dante's gaze creaked toward her.
"How it feels to know it was all a misunderstanding."
He didn't respond easily.
Since she had expected this reaction, her mischievous smile deepened.
However, the next response was something she never anticipated.
"I'm really relieved."
His lips, which formed a straight line, drew a curve upward, mixed with a breath of exhaustion and relief.
Even his lightly closed eyes seemed to convey that feeling.
Though she had seen Dante smile several times, this was the first time it felt like this.
Her heart felt like it was floating up and then dropping down with a thud.
Taking a sharp breath, Serafina gulped down her tea to calm her trembling heart.
"Oh, that's hot."
And she touched her tongue to her lips.
She didn't know what kind of foolishness this was. Startled, Dante quickly handed her some water.
After gulping down the cold water, the pain on her tongue subsided, and her trembling heart gradually calmed.
As Dante repeatedly asked if she was okay, Serafina nodded vigorously.
Once the commotion passed, the atmosphere returned to calm.
Dante had also returned to his usual self.
He poured another glass of cold water and pushed it toward Serafina before speaking.
"And again, I'm sorry."
"Excuse me?"
"Though it stemmed from a misunderstanding, I hurt you. I'm truly sorry. It won't happen again."
His firm tone resembled a promise he was making to himself.
Indeed, he was the male lead.
Serafina nodded playfully, trying to act superior.
"Well, it's fine. I'll forgive you this time. I'm giving you special treatment, Duke. If it were anyone else, it wouldn't have worked."
Serafina extended her hand for a handshake.
Dante took her hand.
"It’s an honor."
Thus, the short yet long cold war between the two came to an end.
However, Serafina had another main point to address.
"Then, it seems like now is the perfect time to confess the truth."
Glancing around, Serafina shrugged her shoulders and continued.
"I'll also make a confession."
"A confession?"
"Actually, I heard about your brother at a gathering of noblewomen a while back."
Ah. A low, short sigh broke the silence.
"It felt a bit guilty to hear someone's family history that could hurt them from someone else's mouth. It might be something they don't want to talk about."
"It's okay. That story is something everyone whispers about, but it's already spread so much that no one is unaware of it."
"Still. Just because everyone knows the story doesn't mean it's pleasant to hear it from someone else's lips."
Dante blinked slowly at her clear response.
In fact, she was right.
Although the story about his brother had spread far and wide, it still felt disgusting to have it treated as gossip.
Especially Julia.
It angered him that the woman's name still dragged his brother's name like a label.
He felt sorry for his brother, who, even in death, could not be free from that woman.
"So I want to be fair too."
'Fair'?
What does that mean?
"I'll share my story too. Just for you, Dante."
With her eyes narrowed, Serafina whispered as if sharing a secret.
"You probably already know, but I was a love child. When I was young, I lived with my mother and grandmother, but after my mother passed away, I had to go to my father's house because my grandmother fell ill."
Tick, tick.
Her delicate white fingers lightly tapped the handle of her teacup.
"I was treated like a nobody at the Count's house."
"What do you mean..."
"So I didn't receive a proper education, I don't know much, I'm weak, and I don't act like a noble."
Her calm words carried a weight that was heavier than expected.
Clenching his jaw, Dante's muscles bulged, and his fierce gaze revealed his anger.
But Serafina was unaware of this.
Somehow, her gaze was directed out the dark window, toward an unknown place.
"The funny thing is, when I lived there, I didn't realize how hard it was for me. It became so normal and familiar that I didn't even think I was being abused."
A hollow laugh that resembled a sigh escaped her lips.
She suddenly realized how truly terrible her past had been.
The original Serafina would have lived her whole life without knowing anything, trapped in a nightmare.
"You were born a sin."
She must have lived blaming herself for being born, recalling the Countess who always said that to her.
Oh dear. How pitiful.
So, it was a great relief that she no longer had to live like that.
Even if she divorced Dante and left now, she believed she could live like a human being.
It wasn't just because she recalled her childhood memories and past life.
Yes. This was all...
"But after coming here and being surrounded by warm people... I finally learned what peace is."
It was thanks to the people of the Richter mansion.
Because there were those who decided to keep quiet for her happiness, even knowing she was supposed to be terminally ill.
So.
"I'm glad I married you. Really."
It was an utterly pure sentiment.
At this moment, thoughts of divorce or the original story were nowhere in her mind.
She was glad to have married Dante.
No matter what future awaited her, she was certain that marrying him would be the best choice of her life, just based on the memories she had built with him so far.
Ah. Of course, it wasn't really her choice...
"Me too."
"...Excuse me?"
"I'm really glad that you became my wife."
It was another sincerity that matched Serafina's heartfelt words.
The flickering candlelight seemed to sparkle in Dante's eyes.
Serafina quietly gazed at that light and smiled silently.
How strange.
Her face felt hot.
It had been a long time since she had fully recovered from her cold, yet a delayed warmth enveloped her body.
It was truly a strange occurrence.'''