The Terminally Ill Villainess Goes on a Journey - Chapter 5

“…Because I wanted to travel.”

I looked at him as I answered, keeping my voice as calm as possible.

His brow furrowed as if he had just heard the most absurd excuse.

“Do you really think I’m going to believe that?”

“It’s the truth. I just felt suffocated and wanted to go on a trip.”

I knew why he was reacting so sensitively to my presence on the train.

‘In the novel, Irene stalked Albert…’

Albert had been engaged in political marriage discussions with me since childhood due to my noble lineage. Irene, at one point, had gone around declaring that he belonged to her.

But Albert had never considered marrying Irene.

At one point, he had lost his temper and publicly humiliated her. Since then, their relationship had become awkward.

Irene, however, had refused to back down and continued to pursue him.

“It’s the truth, Your Highness. Please believe me just this once.”

It was unfair. I truly just wanted to travel…

Who could have predicted I would run into him here?

“I didn’t expect to meet Your Highness in a place like this either.”

“…I see.”

Huh?

His response was much simpler than expected. I blinked at him in confusion.

“I believe you. That this is just a coincidence.”

“Ah… Yes.”

I responded in a surprised tone.

“Thank you for believing me.”

…Why?

I had expected him to growl at me and accuse me of lying. But he had accepted my words far too easily.

“Excuse me, your breakfast is ready.”

Just then, a staff member arrived, carrying a tray. Various breads, soup, and salad were placed neatly before me.

Finally, a cup of black coffee was set down, and the staff member stepped away.

Albert spoke, “…Eat.”

“…Yes.”

I picked up my fork in response. The clinking of cutlery filled the air.

The food was as delicious as I had expected, but I could hardly taste it. My mind was entirely occupied with the question: ‘Why is Albert acting like this?’

‘What am I missing?’

He was supposed to hate me…

“So, if you’re traveling, where is your destination?”

“Ah…”

As I was thinking, Albert suddenly asked.

I set down my fork and answered, “I plan to go to the Turk Kingdom, the final stop, and then return. I’ll also stop in places I find interesting along the way.”

“I see.”

“…Yes.”

I debated whether I should ask about his journey as well, but I didn’t want to prolong the conversation and get involved with him any further.

I decided to quietly continue my breakfast, but then he spoke again.

“Is your body alright?”

“…Excuse me?”

I was so taken aback that I couldn’t control my expression.

What kind of sudden concern was this?

“I heard your health has been poor ever since your magic manifested.”

“Ah… Yes, I’m fine.”

I couldn’t possibly tell him I was terminally ill. In the novel, Albert never found out that Irene was dying.

So I simply replied that I was fine and lowered my gaze, focusing on my meal.

Clack.

“Your Highness, may I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

Albert, who had solemnly set down his fork, looked at me.

“Why are you so willing to believe me?”

“……?”

“I could have followed Your Highness onto this train with ulterior motives. Even your concern for my health—it doesn’t add up. I thought you disliked me.”

“…Well. Do I have a reason to dislike you?”

“What…?”

His response was calm, and he tilted his head slightly as if my question confused him.

‘Ah. Could it be…?’

A realization suddenly struck me, as if I had been hit on the head.

Right.

Come to think of it, Albert didn’t have a reason to hate me yet.

‘Albert only started hating me after Emily appeared.’

At this point, things were only slightly awkward because of Irene’s past troublesome behavior.

‘He probably questioned why I was on the train because he was afraid of more strange rumors spreading.’

Just then, the train’s announcement blared loudly.

【Next stop, Lisman Station. The train will stop for three hours before departing.】

This was the first announcement since the train had departed, and passengers began to stir.

“Three hours of stopover.”

Albert, having finished his meal, wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin and spoke.

“Lisman is famous for its harbor. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to explore a bit. But be cautious—there are many pickpockets.”

“…Ah.”

“And one more thing—you seem to be mistaken. I’ve never disliked you. I simply have no romantic interest in you. As long as you don’t cross that line, I don’t think of you unfavorably as a friend.”

“……”

“Well then, have a good trip.”

With that, Albert stood up and left first.

I quietly watched his retreating figure.

***

“Finally, we get to step off the train. Let’s make the most of our time while we’re here, Miss!”

Having finished my meal, I was now preparing to disembark with Sophie.

“Yes, I’m excited too.”

Although the train was spacious and comfortable, stepping onto unfamiliar ground after a long ride felt refreshing.

‘Alright, I’ll stop thinking about the male leads and just enjoy my trip.’

Running into Albert had been unsettling, but I decided not to dwell on it any longer.

I had arrived at my first travel destination!

‘Now that I think about it… Lisman Harbor. I feel like I’ve heard of it somewhere before…’

Feeling a surge of excitement, I stepped out of the cabin. Other passengers were also getting ready to disembark.

Bwoo—

The train’s roaring engine gradually quieted as it pulled into the platform.

Clank—

The massive train doors opened, and passengers began to step off one by one.

Sophie, my escort knight, and I also took our turn disembarking.

“Miss, be careful. There are a lot of people around.”

Sophie gently held my hand as I stepped down from the train.

Tap.

The moment my shoes touched the platform, a refreshing breeze rustled my dress.

 <Lisman Station>

The first thing that caught my eye was the large station sign. Beneath it, a throng of people bustled about the platform.

Lisman, the port city.

This place, with its proximity to the sea, was well-known as a popular tourist destination.

Perhaps because of that, despite the station itself being relatively small, the sheer number of people made it feel crowded.

“Ah, the air is so refreshing… Let’s see, since we have a three-hour stop, we should aim to return by noon.”

Stretching slightly, Sophie glanced up at the clock tower and spoke.

“Miss, where should we go? Would you like to take a look around Lisman Harbor?”

“Yes, that sounds good.”

Albert had also recommended the harbor, and it was indeed one of the most famous spots in the city.

Ships from all over came and went, trade flourished, and the marketplace was full of freshly caught seafood and various goods.

Plus, the harbor was close to the station, making it an easy place to visit.

Looking around, I noticed that most of the other passengers also seemed to be heading in the same direction.

Following the road along the sea, we made our way toward the harbor.

A cool breeze tousled my hair as I took in the vast, open scenery.

“This is wonderful. I think I’ll get my fill of ocean views on this trip.”

“I agree.”

Even this morning, when I had looked out the train window, I had realized how much I enjoyed watching the sea.

Long ago, back when I was Yoon Se-hee, there was a time when life had felt suffocating, and on impulse, I had gone to see the ocean. The sight of the vast, open water had brought an unexpected sense of relief.

‘That impulsive trip turned out to be one of my best decisions.’

Suddenly, I remembered a woman I had met there.