Chapter 32
“Where did this scar come from?”
“Do you really want to know?”
Would I have asked if I didn’t?
The scar across his chest—right above his heart—was long and horizontal. Judging from its color, it wasn’t that old. I must’ve missed it before, but now I could see it clearly.
“Want to guess?”
I tried to pull my hand free from his grip, but he didn’t let go.
“I don’t know.”
“If you kiss me, I’ll tell you.”
“No thanks. I’ll just ask Francis.”
Even when I dug my nails into his skin in irritation, he still didn’t release me. Instead, I brushed my fingers over the scar the way he had, and even though it must have stung, he stayed still.
“You made this one.”
“That’s a lie!”
“It’s true.”
Oh, for f***’s sake—seriously?! My brain felt like it had just cracked open all over again, like when Francis broke it the first time.
It was like there was this buzzing in my head keeping any information from getting through.
“How the hell did that happen…?”
“You said you’d kill yourself if I didn’t agree to the engagement. I tried to stop you—and this happened.”
I froze, staring at him with disbelief. He just smiled.
So it was true!
Why did I have to transmigrate into Princess Gracie of all people?! If I’d become her sister instead, I could’ve beaten the crap out of her! Now I’m stuck being the one who throws the crap instead of the one who steps in it!
I just want to go back to my own life! Seven billion people, G Company, whatever—just take me home, please!
“Why are you crying?”
Wouldn’t you cry in this situation?!
The tears wouldn’t stop.
“Waaah…!”
Adrian looked at me in utter disbelief, finally letting go of my hand. The sorrow hit like a wave. I tried wiping the tears that ran down my chin, but they kept coming.
“There’s nothing to apologize for. It’s all in the past—and because of it, I got to see your true feelings.”
He stood up and pulled me into his arms.
I must have a weakness for hugs.
Maybe because no one’s ever really hugged me before. Whenever someone holds me like this, I know I should pull away—but I don’t want to. His bare chest was warm against me, and the heat radiated through my body.
“Calm down.”
Even the gentle pat on my back made my heart flutter.
Damn you, Adrian Russell.
Get ugly, please—so I don’t have to feel this way!
He kept patting my back until I finally calmed down. His shoulder was soaked from my tears, and even some snot had gotten on it. When I noticed the mess stretching as I moved away, the embarrassment made me flinch. He just smiled softly.
My ears burned from shame.
“Ugh. I need to see my face.”
“Hahaha. You look like a pufferfish.”
“You can see that with the lights off?”
“You’re so swollen anyone could tell even in the dark.”
His teasing stung, but I ignored him and stepped down from the bed. He lit a candlestick and handed it to me, so I took it and went to the mirror.
[ Quest! The Mirror of Truth ▼ ]
Huh?
Why is a Mirror of Truth quest popping up when this isn’t even my room?
“The sages said there’s a hidden relic somewhere.”
“If I find it… can I return to my original world?”
“That’s right.”
The conversation I’d had with the Emperor flashed through my mind.
“What’s wrong?” Adrian asked.
The cursed artifact.
Lilfei’s strange behavior.
Kiira’s calm smile, even after I drove Lilfei out.
Lilfei hadn’t been holding anything, but if all she needed was to trigger the curse…?
And if my face had been healing before—then got worse again after that incident…
A sudden clarity hit me. I grabbed the chair in front of the vanity mirror. The coldness in my hand helped steady me.
“What are you doing?”
I took a deep breath—and threw the chair at the mirror.
Crash!
“Gracie!”
Adrian started toward me, but I raised a hand to stop him. He froze.
Was that not it?
Shattered glass covered the floor, reflecting my face in dozens of fragments.
“Your Highness! Are you all right?”
Francis burst through the door without permission.
“Don’t come in!”
“Your Highness?”
He must’ve heard the crash, but I couldn’t trust him—not after what the real Princess Gracie had done to him.
“It’s nothing! Stay out!”
“…Understood.”
He closed the door quietly.
Now the only person who could see me was Adrian. I took a deep breath and slowly lifted my head.
“Gracie?”
His expression said it all.
I felt shards of glass cutting into my bare feet, but it didn’t hurt.
Because I knew—what was mine had finally come back.
“Gracie…”
Adrian stepped closer, still looking stunned. I met his gaze coolly.
“My face. It’s back, isn’t it?”
“…Yeah.”
He was completely speechless, just staring at me. The reflection in the shards scattered at my feet showed a face of breathtaking beauty.
Just like the first time I’d seen Kiira.
“Lilfei came to my room last night. I didn’t know why, but now I do.”
“…”
“She must’ve done something to the mirror.”
He started to speak but shut his mouth.
“Because of the curse she placed on my face.”
“I understand. Stay still for a bit.”
He put on his slippers, picked me up princess-style, and carried me back to the bed. Each step crunched over the broken glass.
“Don’t tell anyone about this.”
“Why not? Isn’t this good news?”
“What if the people who cursed me find out—and curse me again?”
“Then this time, I’ll protect you.”
“You didn’t protect me last time. What makes you think you can now?”
I have to be strong enough to protect myself. Even if the Emperor shields me for now, one day I’ll have to stand on my own.
“This time, I swear I will.”
“Adrian.”
“I’m listening.”
“Who do you think cursed my face?”
The Emperor had been certain it was Kiira—because she loved Clayton and was jealous enough to destroy me.
But what did Adrian think?
“I don’t know.”
“Do you really not know?”
He stayed silent. Then he picked up a white shirt lying nearby and began wiping the blood from my feet. The white turned black with blood.
“If you truly don’t know, then you can’t be my ally.”
If I can’t trust you, then as long as Clayton’s heart belongs to me, I can always marry him. And if that makes him Emperor—so be it.
There are two dukes in this empire.
One of them will have to be engaged to me. Right now, that happens to be Adrian.
But if you can’t be trusted, I’ll have to discard you.
The return of my face seemed to have flipped a switch in me. The tears and emotions were gone; only logic remained.
“I know it was Kiira.”
“Why do you think so?”
“Because that bastard Clayton loves you.”
“…”
Adrian knelt, focused on my feet again. Then he got up, rummaged through the drawers, and pulled out a first-aid kit—how he even knew where it was, I had no idea—and came back.
“If you’re still doubting me, stop. I’ve already proven myself.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ah, right. You lost your memories.”
He frowned slightly, holding the kit. He really seemed to believe that.
“I wish at least those memories would come back.”
“What exactly did you prove?”
“When you remember, you’ll be embarrassed you even asked me that. You’ll feel guilty for doubting me.”
Oh, confident, aren’t we?
“Ah!”
“Bear with it.”
The cold tweezers pulled a shard of glass from my foot. It hurt like hell. My hands gripped his arm—his muscles were so firm they kept slipping.
“Ahh…!”
“If it’s too hard to endure, try not to make those sounds.”
Another shard came out.
“Ow—ah! Why are there so many stuck in there?!”
“You smashed the mirror and then walked right over it. What did you expect?”
“Ahhh!”
The pain was so sharp my legs trembled.
Just then, a bright blue screen appeared before my eyes.
[ Quest Complete! ]
You’ve cleared the quest without reading the description. Additional rewards granted!
Reward 1: Your face is fully restored.
Reward 2: The curse is returned to its caster. (The caster receives the reversed curse multiplied by the number of days since it was cast.)
Reward 3: You may choose when the reversed curse begins.
Activation phrase: “Reverse curse, begin!”
You absolute f**ing b****.*
If you’re the one behind all this, I swear I’ll [censored] you and then [censored][censored] before I [mosaic] your entire miserable existence, you—bleep—of a human being!
