Episode 10
Even after hearing his words, Christine found it hard to accept them.
She had been sitting in shock, but once she realized he wasn’t just sick with a cold — it was something serious — her face went pale.
“Christine,”
Seimon called her gently, trying to calm her down after seeing her expression.
“I’m okay for now. The medicine helps.”
“I told you not to lie to me. You said it yourself — it’s terminal, right? That means it’s serious.”
Christine’s voice grew sharp. Her fists began to tremble as she stared at him with intense green eyes.
Yes. Terminal.
That damned word.
Seimon took another sip of wine and replied as calmly as he could.
“Yeah. The doctor said I have at most six months left.”
His face stayed emotionless, but his voice was low and heavy. His fingers around the wine glass slightly shook.
Christine’s mind went blank.
At most six months? That’s all? She couldn’t believe he might be gone from this world so soon.
She couldn’t breathe properly. Her chest tightened, and her fingers started trembling. Suddenly, she stood up from her seat.
The plates and glasses on the table clattered from her movement.
“Medical science is so advanced now! How can there be no treatment? You’re rich! You should’ve used your power to find a cure!”
Seimon gave a faint smile.
“Sit down, Christine.”
“But—!”
“The elegant princess lived in the Republic for a few months and turned into a gangster, huh?”
He joked, and her face flushed red.
Christine frowned and raised her eyebrows, staring at him coldly.
“This isn’t a joke.”
“I’m not joking either. I looked into everything. There’s no way to treat it. The doctors basically told me to get ready to die.”
“Don’t talk like that.”
Her voice trembled.
“…Yeah. It was hard to accept at first.”
It felt like her world was crashing down.
This wasn’t how things were supposed to be.
She had planned to raise the child away from Seimon — but to think their child wouldn’t even get to see his face… it broke her heart.
Even though she still resented him, she never wanted him to die like this.
Never…
Whether he knew her thoughts or not, Seimon kept speaking calmly as he turned his wine glass slowly.
“As I said, there’s nothing more I can do. All that’s left is to settle my affairs and make sure everything is ready after I’m gone.”
His eyes shimmered as he took a sip. He clenched his jaw, clearly trying to suppress his emotions.
“So I’m planning to end things cleanly — so there’s nothing left to regret.”
That’s why he already wrote a will.
He spoke so calmly that it was hard to believe he was facing death.
‘Ah…’
But Christine soon noticed the slight tremble in his fingers. Her eyes began to burn with tears.
Even in front of death, he was pretending to be strong. That made her heart ache.
Seimon Deirt had lived fiercely — and now he planned to die fiercely too.
He looked at her gently and spoke.
“The most important thing was the heir. My father is too old to take over. I thought about adopting someone quickly, but then a surprise gift showed up.”
A gift.
Did he really call their child a gift because he cared? Or was it just because he needed an heir?
Christine’s eyes darkened. With her hands folded on her lap, she spoke slowly.
“Our child has royal blood. And you want to name them as the heir to a major Republican company? The Republican side will obviously oppose.”
Seimon’s smile faded.
“I don’t care if they oppose. It’s my company, not the Republic’s. And if my father finds out I’m dying, he’ll have no choice but to accept our child.”
He spoke calmly, like a rational businessman.
So cold and logical.
Christine lowered her eyes for a moment before raising her gaze and asking,
“What if I don’t give you our child?”
For the first time, Seimon looked surprised. After a pause, he shrugged.
“Then I’ll have to give you half my fortune and beg. A dead man doesn’t need money anyway.”
“…How noble of you.”
Christine bit her lower lip in anger.
“Christine.”
Hearing him call her name so gently only made her more confused.
She didn’t know why she was so angry.
Was it because he decided their child’s future on his own? Or because he seemed so ready to die?
She had no idea.
“If that’s your reason, then I can’t accept it.”
“…Why?”
Christine’s lips trembled.
“Are you crazy? Don’t you care? About your life, everything you built? You’re just leaving it all behind?”
She raised her voice.
“All of it — you worked so hard for it. And what about the child? Have you even thought about them?”
Seimon stayed silent for a moment, then hid his face in his hands.
After a while, he whispered,
“…I do care.”
Christine didn’t hear his quiet words. She took a deep breath to calm herself and spoke clearly.
“I don’t care about money. I’m not like you. And my child won’t care either.”
“Oh, the noble princess doesn’t care about money,”
Seimon chuckled, lowering his hands.
Christine glared at him.
“Don’t mock me. This is about my values!”
“Don’t get angry. I wasn’t mocking you. And think of the baby — don’t shout, Christine.”
She took a deep breath to calm herself, and silence returned between them.
“I’ll bring the appetizers now,”
The waiter cautiously stepped in, trying to break the tension.
“Just bring everything at once.”
Seimon nodded, and soon the dishes were placed on the table.
He skillfully cut the meat and pushed it toward her.
‘What is this guy doing…?’
The more caring he acted, the more confused she felt. Seeing her still standing, he raised an eyebrow.
“What are you doing? Sit down. Aren’t you hungry?”
“This isn’t the time to eat.”
“I think it’s the most important time right now.”
He stood up and calmly pulled out her chair, smiling gently.
“As long as I’m alive, I want to take care of you and the baby. So sit down.”
Christine’s mind went blank. She never imagined such kind words coming from Seimon.
He’d picked a fight with Duke Edyton, confessed he was dying, and now — he wanted to share a meal?
It felt like riding a train that had gone off track.
He was acting like everything was normal. Maybe he really had given up.
They rarely had meals together before, but now he was being kind, insisting she eat.
“Why are you doing this? This doesn’t suit the great CEO Deirt.”
Seimon gently pushed her shoulder to make her sit and looked her in the eyes.
With a deep, almost heartbreaking gaze.
“I just want to try… being like this before I die.”
“Oh, now you want to?”
“Yeah, now. Before it’s too late.”
There was no joke in his voice.
His honest, deep gaze poked at her heart. Christine couldn’t help but quietly sit down.
She didn’t realize it…
But she was slowly starting to melt from Seimon’s sincerity.
Maybe that’s why…
Christine smiled — just a little — without even knowing it.
