Between Your Letter and My Reply

Chapter 48

[Translation By Divinity]

“Is it really that painful?”

At Lilliana’s question, Asher’s face contorted as if recalling a horrible memory.

“I wished everyone in the world except me would just die.”

‘Wow, what a personality.’

Lilliana inwardly criticized Asher’s character.

“Anyway, this seems more serious than I thought…”

Lilliana looked at the examination room door with a worried expression. Just then, the door opened. She leaned forward, thinking Damian might be coming out, but Hendrick beckoned Asher.

“Asher, for a moment.”

“Yes.”

As Asher also entered the examination room, Lilliana, left alone, crossed her arms. The brief conversation with Asher reminded her of something Damian had mentioned casually before.

“I can live without an arm, but it’s inconvenient, and people stare… It’s a bit scary.”

That statement stuck with Lilliana more than Damian’s complaints about the inconvenience of missing an arm. It was natural for people to feel fear when they deviated from what they considered normal, and it was inevitable to be hurt by such reactions.

Damian always had an indifferent expression, and although Lilliana hadn’t known him for long, she could tell that he had lost more than just an arm in the war.

***

“You said we were going out before I got hospitalized, so I thought we’d do something special today…”

Damian looked at Lilliana, who was expertly slicing a lobster across from him.

“Is this really all?”

Damian asked in disbelief, and Lilliana playfully pointed the lobster knife at him.

“‘Is this all?’ you say. Don’t you know what flower viewing is? Damian, your romantic cells are completely dead.”

Lilliana transferred the sliced lobster to his plate, as he couldn’t use a knife. Then, she gestured with her fork towards the riverside.

The riverside was a breathtaking sight, with various flowers blooming simultaneously. A clear blue sky without a single cloud, the clear water, flowers, and people enjoying the scenery. It was the ultimate luxury one could enjoy in the heart of the city.

“We need to conserve our energy, so I can’t drag you around too much. Besides, it’s the peak blooming season for the flowering trees along the Nell River, so there’s no better time to stroll along the riverside than now. Do you know how fiercely I had to compete to get this table with a view?”

Sitting at an outdoor table at the restaurant, Lilliana had ordered a rather expensive course meal and was busy pushing the dishes towards Damian.

As Damian poked at the lobster meat with his fork, Lilliana started eating her own food with a satisfied expression, like a mother bird watching her chick eat.

“Isn’t the river where you used to live more beautiful? This is a big city, so the water quality is relatively poor, and there are too many people…”

“That’s true, but I’m in Nichio now. And the most beautiful and largest river in Nichio is the Nell River. It’s a must-see for any tourist visiting Nichio. And besides, this has its own charm, you know? The lifeline of the people flowing through the heart of the city. The riverside view between tall buildings. All of this has its own unique atmosphere…”

Lilliana tried to explain the beauty of the scenery before them, but Damian just chewed his food with an indifferent expression. Lilliana sighed softly and focused on cutting the food into small pieces with a knife and placing them in front of Damian.

“Well, I brought you here to eat something good because you have surgery tomorrow. The scenery doesn’t matter.”

“I’m well aware that my appreciation isn’t very romantic. But you came here to see this view, didn’t you, Lilliana? So if you like it here, I’m fine with it too.”

“Okay, okay. Is it delicious?”

“Yes, it’s delicious.”

“That’s good. Eat more. I get full easily, even with a small amount.”

‘A small amount? You can eat a whole cake in one sitting, and you call that a small amount?’

Damian had his doubts, but when Lilliana pushed her portion of food towards him, he nodded in gratitude and savored the beef stew.

After dessert was served, they finished their meal with a light palate cleanser. Before leaving, Damian called the waiter to pay the bill while Lilliana excused herself to go to the restroom.

Although the main purpose of the outing was to treat Damian to a delicious meal, she was quite pleased to see him eat so well. She had even touched up her makeup before leaving, and when she returned, she found a woman talking to Damian. Judging by the atmosphere, she didn’t seem to be a restaurant employee.

They didn’t talk for long and ended their conversation quickly. The woman handed Damian a piece of paper and left.

Lilliana returned to Damian’s seat and asked, looking at the woman walking away,

“Damian, who was that? Do you know her?”

“No, I’ve never met her before. She asked if I was alone, and I said I was with someone. Then she gave me her contact information and said to call her when I have time.”

“…Did you just get hit on?”

“…Seems like it?”

Damian said awkwardly, and Lilliana slapped his back with her hand.

“Are you happy?”

“I don’t feel anything in particular.”

“Why?”

“What am I supposed to feel? I have no intention of contacting her.”

Lilliana picked up her bag from the chair, and Damian stood up. Lilliana walked ahead and said,

“Why not? It’s good to be popular.”

“But I’ve never been popular. Honestly, I don’t even know why being popular is a good thing.”

Damian’s words made Lilliana ponder the benefits of being popular.

“Um… because you win the student council election?”

“I’m not trying to be a politician, so I don’t really care.”

The riverside promenade was right in front of the restaurant, so they naturally started walking along it. They came across a booth selling freshly squeezed juice and bought an orange juice and a lemonade, sipping them through straws as they chatted.

“What about you, Damian? Have you ever had a girlfriend or anything?”

“Do I look like I have?”

Lilliana narrowed her eyes at his seemingly rhetorical question, and Damian chuckled.

“But considering you got hit on today, it seems like you’ve been quite popular. Haven’t you ever been confessed to?”

“No one has ever expressed their feelings for me directly.”

“No way. There must be so many people who failed to recognize what a great guy you are. Then have you never liked anyone or had any romantic feelings for someone?”

At that question, Damian looked up at the sky for a moment, lost in thought.

‘Lady Lintray.’

Someone he had only exchanged letters with for a few months. He didn’t know her face or her voice. He knew very little about her. Could he express his feelings for someone he barely knew with such words?

He didn’t know. But he couldn’t think of any other way to describe the feelings he had for her. So Damian chose his words carefully.

“There is someone I think I… like.”

Lilliana’s eyes widened like a rabbit’s, and she asked, half-excited,

“What? Really? You like someone? Wait, but if you like her, why did you say ‘think’?”

“Because I haven’t confirmed it myself, so I’m not sure.”

“Confirmed?”

“I don’t know if this is a romantic feeling or just a feeling I have for a friend. So I was going to try to confirm it, but…”

Damian fidgeted with the orange juice glass and thought.

The people around him had told him it was more than just a liking. They said he wouldn’t care so much about someone he wasn’t interested in.

But those were the words of people who didn’t know the relationship between him and Lady Lintray. Couldn’t friends have feelings like this too, sometimes? So he had thought about it for a long time. About how he felt about Lady Lintray.