IRMY Chapter 13

Raymond froze at the unexpected bombshell. He stuttered, like a malfunctioning machine, caught off guard by the answer.

Feeling slightly apologetic, Yuro waved his hands frantically.

“Oh, um… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, it’s not that… It’s just…”

“It must have been something you didn’t want to hear, but it’s such a well-known story in Norden that I didn’t think about how shocking it might be to others.”

Even Yuro, although it was about his own body, felt like he was talking about someone else because it had happened before he took over.

Of course, it was his problem now, but infertility wasn’t a big deal. He hadn’t dreamt of having children and a happy family life even before his transmigration.

‘Because he’s gay.’

As long as his lower parts functioned, nothing else mattered. However, since infertility could be interpreted as impotence, Yuro quickly added,

“I was around nineteen, I think? I took medicine. It was practically poison, but I wasn’t sick or anything… It was given to me for that specific purpose. There are no problems other than the fact that I can’t have children.”

“…”

“You probably don’t want to hear this, but only that part is the problem, and everything else is perfectly fine… No, never mind. Forget it.”

He couldn’t bring himself to say that he was only infertile, not impotent, and that he preferred men anyway, so it didn’t matter.

He was relieved that Melione didn’t want children and didn’t care about gender. He couldn’t have children and had no intention of having them, so in that sense, they were perfectly compatible.

He couldn’t bear children in a male body anyway. Of course, Melione’s acceptance of men was probably limited to a distant marriage partner, and whether he was open to sleeping with a man was uncertain, but Yuro had a solution for that.

Honestly, he didn’t care about Melione’s sexual preferences. He was doing this to survive, and once Melione understood the reason, he would likely accept it.

Non-consensual sex wasn’t something Yuro wanted to do. That’s why he needed to acquire a certain drug.

‘It can’t be helped if we want to live. Neither of us wants this.’

Yuro was incredibly grateful that Melione wasn’t unattractive. If his appearance had been as unpleasant as his personality, Yuro would have given up, even if it was just a medical procedure.

“I seem to have been terribly rude.”

Raymond looked troubled. Yuro felt even more apologetic. He was the one who had overshared, yet Raymond was the one suffering.

“Not at all. Forgive me for saying something unnecessary. It just slipped out because it’s such a common topic in Norden. Don’t worry about it.”

“It’s not something to be taken lightly. I don’t know what to say.”

“Well, I don’t know if this will be of any comfort, but I never wanted to have children anyway. Even if things hadn’t turned out this way, I would have felt the same.”

“…”

“My situation in Norden wasn’t good, and knowing that better than anyone, it would be absurd for me to have children and pass on that kind of life.”

“…”

“This kind of life is enough for me.”

That was true. Perhaps the original Yuro Lechis felt the same way. Yuro’s time in this body was brief, but it was Yuro Lechis’s entire life.

Yuro Lechis, forced to live a life as a shadow, wouldn’t have desired children.

He, more than anyone, would have understood the feeling of not being born out of choice.

“So, I understand His Grace’s decision. No one is born into this world by choice. But if the life you’re given is filled with only suffering, how painful would that be?”

Yuro Lechis and Melione were bound by a terrible fate, but if they hadn’t met under such circumstances, they might have become the only ones who truly understood each other.

“So, wouldn’t His Grace and I make good companions? It would be even better if we could find happiness together while we live. Even if that time is short.”

He planned to reveal the truth after saving the Duke. He couldn’t tell him about the transmigration, but he intended to tell Melione that he possessed the healing ability and had come this far because he knew how to cure him.

He wasn’t revealing it now because there was no guarantee Melione would believe him, and he wasn’t sure what Melione was thinking.

If Melione harbored any suspicion, it was better to be seen as a pathetic fool blinded by love.

“So, I would appreciate your help, Raymond. Aside from our marriage, after becoming a member of the Spioren family, I want to work and help out. His Grace isn’t well.”

Raymond, who had been gazing at Yuro with a gentle expression, bowed his head slightly after a brief silence.

“I will assist you to the best of my ability, Your Highness.”

Raymond seemed to have many questions, but he simply offered his assistance.

* * *

Since Raymond was taking care of the wedding preparations, Yuro had nothing to do.

He was sleep-deprived and exhausted from choosing clothes and having his measurements taken, so he considered taking a nap, but it was too late.

So, at Raymond’s suggestion, he decided to take a walk in the gardens. He could have had a servant guide him through the mansion, which was like a castle, but Yuro declined.

It was a tempting offer, but the few servants the duchy had were busy with the wedding preparations. Even though it was supposed to be a small ceremony, there seemed to be quite a lot to prepare.

“It’s only natural, with only three days.”

Yuro muttered and nodded. The duchy didn’t have many servants. Melione had significantly reduced the staff as his health deteriorated.

The fact that he was still maintaining his sanity despite having only a year or two left to live was practically a miracle.

Being consumed by madness meant suffering from hallucinations and delusions. Currently, his symptoms were limited to headaches, vomiting, and insomnia, but as it progressed, he would become increasingly violent.

That would inevitably put those who served him in danger.

Once his bloodlust became uncontrollable, he would be moved to a separate building on the estate and practically imprisoned.

It was impossible to serve someone who would attack anyone in sight.

The staff was already small, and having been further reduced, it was clear they were struggling to manage the vast estate.

Yuro didn’t want to bother them. His plan for the day was to take a leisurely stroll, have dinner, and go to bed early.

The gardens of the Duke’s estate were much larger and more meticulously maintained than those of the detached palace where he used to live. Despite the small staff, the vast, tranquil space was spotless, without a single weed.

Yuro strolled through the gardens, admiring the trees and flowers. As befitting a southern city, the trees were lush, and the flowers were vibrant and colorful.

It was a stark contrast to the monotonous white landscape of Norden, a land best described as desolate. There, all you could see from the window was snow. The perpetually gloomy weather was enough to drive even a healthy person to depression.

For Yuro, born and raised in Korea with its distinct four seasons, a world of perpetual winter was simply cold. Perhaps it was partly due to being in an unfamiliar place, but no one was kind to him, and the environment was cold and desolate.

“People need sunlight.”

As he muttered this, he spotted a tiger lying under a large tree ahead.

Despite knowing that a tiger named Kisha lived in the mansion, he instinctively flinched and stopped walking.

He hesitated, unsure whether to continue forward or turn back. However, as if sensing his presence, Kisha turned its head and met his gaze.

“He, hello…?”

Although Melione had said there was no need to be formal with Kisha, Yuro unconsciously used polite language, intimidated by the tiger’s aura.

As expected, Kisha didn’t respond, simply staring at him before turning its head and licking its paw.

‘Let’s just go back.’

Yuro, lacking the courage to face Kisha again, was about to turn around when he noticed something strange. Kisha was persistently licking only one paw.

Intrigued, Yuro unconsciously approached Kisha, his attention fixed on the paw it was licking.

“Huh?”

As he got closer, he saw a wound. Kisha’s right paw was torn, probably from an injury.