Chapter 1
“Ugh…”
A faint groan slipped out from behind the wardrobe.
As soon as I arrived at the wardrobe, I heard the sound and cautiously opened the door.
Creeeak…
Through the small gap, I saw a boy curled up and trembling.
‘That kid…’
Why is he here?
As confusion swept over me, the faces of two boys, greedy and cruel, flashed through my mind.
My brow furrowed tightly on its own.
‘They bullied him again, didn’t they?’
Normally, I would have ignored the boy and moved to another wardrobe, unable to bring myself to intervene. But today felt different.
Carefully, I opened the wardrobe door and stepped out. I slowly approached the boy, stopping just a step away.
For a moment, I stared at him, as if in a trance.
Though his appearance was a mess, covered in dirt and dust, even the pained expression on his face couldn’t hide his beautiful features.
The sunlight streaming gently through the window illuminated him, enhancing his features.
‘Wow…’
The light made his face look even clearer. His deep black hair, which seemed to shine, softly swayed near his shoulders. His long bangs partially covered his eyes, but I could see them faintly.
His long eyelashes were slightly wet, with tears that were glistening like jewels.
His delicate facial structure, full lips, and even the red scabs on his skin—everything about him caught my attention.
I was studying him closely when his body suddenly trembled, snapping me back to reality.
“This isn’t the time for this.”
Closing the remaining distance without hesitation, I crouched down in front of him.
Up close, his black hair seemed even shinier. I resisted the urge to touch it and focused on his condition instead.
His clothes were a complete mess, with footprints scattered across them.
The signs of a severe beating were all over him, making my face twist with anger.
“Those bastards…”
At that moment, a warm breath escaped from his lips. I looked closely at his face and noticed a faint flush over his injured cheek.
‘Does he have a fever?’
I instinctively raised my hand to check his temperature but paused mid-air.
‘I’ve seen him around before, but I’ve never touched him directly…’
Carefully, I reached out toward his forehead, making sure not to wake him.
Just as I was about to touch him—
His long eyelashes fluttered, and his eyes shot open.
“…!”
“…?!”
We locked eyes directly.
His round, startled eyes roamed over my face and stopped at the horn on my forehead. His blue pupils shook violently.
Seeing his reaction made me feel a bit self-conscious.
Awkwardly, I rolled my eyes and raised my hand in a small wave.
“Uh, hi…?”
I tried greeting him kindly, but—
The boy flinched and suddenly sat up in shock.
Thud!
Our foreheads collided with a loud thud, and I fell backward from the impact, landing on my butt with a painful thump.
“Ouch!”
A sharp pain shot through my lower back. Holding my throbbing forehead, I rolled on the floor.
Since becoming a wardrobe monster, this was the first time I had felt pain so vividly. It was so intense that I almost teared up.
“Ow, ow…”
Peeking through tear-filled eyes, I saw the boy staring at me with an expression of disbelief, his forehead was just as red as mine.
His deep blue eyes, reminiscent of the ocean, were locked onto me, clearly focused.
‘So he can see me after all.’
The realization made my chest tingle with an odd sense of joy.
Since becoming a wardrobe monster, this was the first time I’d ever met someone’s gaze.
The thought of someone finally seeing me made me happy.
I was so happy, that I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.
“Ehehe.”
But as soon as I smiled, the boy’s face turned pale with fear.
Was my smile really that creepy?
Quickly, I wiped the grin from my face and tried to explain.
“Sorry if I scared you. It’s just… you’re the first human who’s ever seen me.”
“…!”
The boy’s fear only grew, and he stepped back cautiously.
“Oh, is it because I said ‘human’? That’s just—”
Before I could finish, the boy jumped to his feet and ran out of the room without looking back.
Left alone, I rubbed my sore forehead and muttered, “Hey, you should at least let me explain…”
Let me first introduce myself. For this situation, a proper explanation might be necessary.
To put it simply, I’m not human.
I’m a monster that lives in wardrobes.
If I elaborate, I was a normal person in my past life. I even read a novel back then. In that novel, there was a minor character—a wardrobe monster.
And now, I’m that very wardrobe monster.
This monster tormented the third son of the Blackwood family, Dedrick, the male lead of the story, during his childhood. It was one of the many hardships he faced in the novel.
The wardrobe monster had an unusual obsession with the male lead, who was the only one capable of seeing it.
Unfortunately, that obsession manifested in all the wrong ways, becoming a source of trouble.
It would deliberately set traps for him, provoke his half-brothers, tarnish his relationship with the Duke of Blackwood, and even cause him serious injuries.
‘The half-brothers bullied him. The father turned a blind eye. And the wardrobe monster stirred up trouble… What a disastrous collaboration.’
Although the wardrobe monster was the one behind all the accidents, the male lead took the blame for everything. Eventually, he was cast out and sent to the remote Herba Academy.
The wardrobe monster, left behind without anyone who could see it, became bored…
‘And then it dies.’
Taking advantage of the male lead’s absence, his half-brother, Somerset, who wanted to erase all traces of him, burned everything that belonged to him—including the wardrobe, which was practically the monster’s heart.
And so, the wardrobe monster turned to ashes and disappeared.
‘That’s me, isn’t it?’
Damn it.
When I regained my memories of my previous life just yesterday, I was overwhelmed with despair. But there was still hope.
If I could protect the wardrobe in the male lead’s room—the one connected to my heart—I wouldn’t have to die.
So, I had one simple goal: Unlike the original story, I would stop tormenting the male lead and sincerely help him.
If I helped him enough, he wouldn’t be exiled to the academy. When he eventually became the head of the Blackwood family, he might not forget what I did for him.
‘A male lead is all about loyalty, right?’
But despite my resolve, it seemed far from easy to win the male lead over.
“Hey, Dedrick?”
“…”
“I know you can see me. Hellooo?”
“…”
“Didi!”
Even when I called him by the nickname only his mother used, Dedrick refused to acknowledge me.
Was he afraid I might be some kind of ghost?
There’s a saying—that if you respond to something inhuman, it might haunt you and make you disappear one day.
He’s still young, so it’s understandable if he believes such superstitions.
I spoke with utmost sincerity.
“I don’t haunt people. I’m not a ghost.”
“…”
“I’m a monster.”
“…!”
Dedrick immediately clamped his hands over his ears.
Hmm. Maybe now isn’t the right time.
‘It’s only natural for him to be startled by my sudden appearance.’
For now, I decided to back off. Before leaving, I placed an ointment on his desk and said, “Don’t hold back when you’re in pain.”
Quietly, I moved to another wardrobe so he could apply the ointment in peace.
Once the room grew silent, Dedrick slowly lowered his hands from his ears.
The inhuman voice that had kept echoing in his head and the face as pale as flour wouldn’t leave his mind.
No matter how much he tried not to think about the monster’s appearance, his thoughts were already filled with the image of the girl.
Her long, curly gray hair was so abundant that it trailed on the ground. On her head were two small, cute horns decorated with tiny blue, teardrop-shaped jewels. Her big golden eyes were so beautiful, and her round features made her look more adorable than scary.
She had a disarmingly gentle appearance that could even make wary people drop their guard.
But he couldn’t bring himself to respond to her.
It seemed like he was the only one who could see her. If someone overheard him talking to her…
‘They’ll think I’ve lost my mind. Just like my mother…’
His mother had been locked away in the tower and met a tragic end.
If anyone thought he was insane, he’d likely face the same fate.
Dedrick glanced at the ointment on his desk before turning his eyes away.
He prayed he would never hear that voice again. Just as he picked up his pen, the wardrobe door flew open with a loud bang.
“Dedrick! DiDii!”
The girl’s urgent voice rang out.
“Somerset is about to ask you to have dinner with him! Don’t eat any meat with sauce on it! He poisoned it!”
Before her words could fully sink in, the door to the room burst open.
A boy with navy-blue hair strutted in with a triumphant smirk.
It was Dedrick’s half-brother, Somerset, who sneered cruelly.
“Hey, worm. Today, I’m feeling generous enough to dine with you.”
Dedrick’s pupils trembled.
Chapter 2
“What are you doing? Let’s go.”
“……”
“Are you refusing?”
Dedrick hesitated before getting up, knowing full well that refusal would only provoke a barrage of insults from him.
I prepared to follow Dedrick out of the room as well. Though I couldn’t stay outside the wardrobe for long…
‘Still, I should be able to manage for about an hour, right?’
If there were wardrobes in the dining room, I could have traveled there directly and observed from inside. But there were no wardrobes in the dining room.
Seriously, wardrobes should be a mandatory feature in every room. Even the dining hall could use one as decoration!
As I stepped out of the wardrobe, Dedrick flinched.
“Follow me.”
On the other hand, Somerset, who couldn’t see me, wore a broad smile.
Was he really looking forward to poisoning his younger brother?
“You little bastard.”
I let out a harsh insult, causing Dedrick’s shoulders to twitch.
Yes, I know I sound scary.
I wanted to pat his shoulder to comfort him, but seeing how frightened he was, I pretended to fan myself and spoke instead.
“It’s not poison meant to kill you.”
No matter how reckless Somerset was, he wouldn’t outright kill him. After all, Dedrick was still a member of the Blackwood family.
Somerset was just a brat desperate to torment Dedrick, the half-brother he hated so much.
He couldn’t stand that Dedrick, who had no allies or support, was chosen as a candidate for succession by the Duke.
“He’s just trying to make you suffer. But it’ll still hurt a lot if you eat it, so don’t.”
“……”
Dedrick gave no reply, staring straight ahead as he silently followed Somerset.
“Why won’t you answer me?”
“……”
“Oh, right. You can’t answer out loud right now.”
If he talked to me, he’d be labeled insane. How could he respond in such a situation?
“It’s going to be delicious, so eat every last bite,” Somerset said with a grin, clearly enjoying his little scheme.
“No, don’t eat it. Got it?”
“……”
‘Don’t listen to that bastard!’
Dedrick tried his best not to look back at the girl trailing behind him.
Her long gray hair dragged along the floor, and her loose clothes hid her arms and legs, making her movements look strange. Despite appearing to be about his age, she had a surprisingly sharp tongue.
“Want me to trip him? Just nod your head, and I’ll take care of it,” she whispered mischievously.
She seemed to enjoy teasing and playing tricks, yet…
‘She can leave the wardrobe?’
The realization surprised him, though he quickly shook it off.
‘She was already outside the wardrobe when we first met. It must be possible for her to move around.’
What puzzled him more was how she had returned to his wardrobe.
There were so many things he wanted to ask, but fear held his tongue.
“You just need to nod,” she murmured wistfully.
Dedrick unconsciously straightened his neck, keeping his gaze firmly ahead.
“Should I force you to nod?”
Her ominous muttering made Dedrick cautiously brought his hands up to cover his neck.
What a strange monster!
“That’s it! That thick piece of meat with the sauce on it—no matter how tempting it looks, don’t eat it. Got it?”
Standing next to Dedrick, I glared at him intently.
“Sure, it looks juicy enough to burst in your mouth, but don’t even think about eating it. Tsk.” I said firmly, but I couldn’t help swallowing hard.
The smell of the steak filled my nose, and for the first time in a while, I realized I was feeling hungry.
“……”
Hesitant, Dedrick poked at the salad on his plate with a fork and began eating it instead, just like I had told him.
‘At least he’s listening.’
Dedrick was a kind-hearted, gentle boy in his younger days, so it made sense that he would listen.
‘And that’s why he was so helpless against the wardrobe monster back then.’
As pity welled up within me, Somerset’s irritated voice broke the silence.
“You’re not eating the steak? I went through all the trouble of preparing it for you.”
“……”
When Dedrick hesitated, Somerset raised an eyebrow.
“The sauce is poisoned. But if you don’t eat it, he’ll keep pestering you. So just pretend to eat the part without sauce, then act like you’re in pain and roll around.”
That should shut Somerset up. His goal was to see Dedrick suffer anyway.
I crouched down beside Dedrick’s chair, hiding beneath the table to get closer.
“Just give him what he wants and then get out of here. It’s better than actually being in pain!”
“……”
“You don’t have to endure everything. If you’re hurt, it’s okay to say so.”
I looked at him sympathetically and gently poked the back of his hand with my finger.
Dedrick flinched sharply.
After hesitating for a long time, staring at the steak with his fork in hand, Dedrick finally cut off a piece of the meat without sauce, and put it in his mouth, and began to chew it slowly.
“Now, collapse from the chair! Fall all the way to the ground, clutch your stomach, and curl up!” “Do it!”
Dedrick hesitated for a moment, then dropped his fork and flopped to the ground with a groan, just as I had instructed.
“Hey, are you alright?”
There wasn’t a hint of concern in Somerset’s voice as he asked, laughing.
“Follow exactly what I say. ‘I’m sorry, sir. My stomach hurts too much… Can I leave first?'”
“S-Sorry, s-sir. My stomach hurts too much…”
Before he could even finish speaking, Somerset waved his hand dismissively.
“Yeah, go on. Honestly, trying to eat with you is making me sick.”
Now that Dedrick had fallen over and was writhing in pain, Somerset had no more business with him.
Dedrick, stumbled as he got up, and made his way out. Before the door closed, Somerset spoke loudly to his servant, making sure Dedrick could hear.
“Throw all that stuff away. The chair and the table too. It’s too filthy to use.”
I quietly followed behind Dedrick as he walked out. After all, Dedrick was destined to become the master of Blackwood, and Somerset would eventually be crushed under his feet. So I looked at him with concern, hoping he could endure just a little longer.
“Your stomach’s okay, right? You didn’t eat even a little bit of that sauce earlier, did you?”
He stubbornly kept his mouth shut.
Well, it probably wasn’t easy for him to open up to a wardrobe monster, of all things.
As I hurriedly followed after Dedrick, who was walking a bit faster than usual, we eventually reached his room.
He sat down straight away at his desk and opened a book.
‘So diligent.’
I sidled up next to him and peeked over. His pen didn’t stop moving.
The notebook was filled with difficult characters I’d never seen before, and my head started spinning just looking at it.
I had no idea writing could look this messy. Rubbing my eyes, I spoke to him sincerely.
“You’re working hard.”
“……”
“Tell me if your stomach hurts, okay? I’ll go get you some medicine.”
“……”
“Fine, you don’t have to say anything. I can tell just by watching you.”
I was staring intently at Dedrick, wondering if he’d break into a cold sweat or show any signs of pain, when—
Shwoop!
Suddenly, my body was pulled into the wardrobe.
“Mm.”
I wasn’t that surprised.
When I stayed outside the wardrobe for too long, I would often get forcibly summoned back like this.
‘Wardrobe monsters belong in wardrobes, after all.’
I brushed it off casually and was about to open the wardrobe door when—
Clunk.
There was a sound of something getting stuck, and the door wouldn’t open.
“Huh? Dedrick! The door’s not opening!”
“……”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“I’m in here!”
“……”
No way…
Did this little brat lock it on purpose?!
Chapter 3
Seeing no intention to open the door, I quietly lay down inside the wardrobe. There was no need to force my way out and upset Dedrick. As a wardrobe monster, being locked inside wasn’t scary—rather, it felt cozy and comfortable. With my body and mind at ease, I drifted into thought.
‘Why is Dedrick so wary of me?’
…The answer was simple: because he didn’t know me. Of course, I never explained who I was to him.
People naturally become cautious around the unknown.
So, maybe I just needed to explain myself.
Then, wouldn’t it be fine if I just explained who I was?
Anyway, the wardrobe door was closed, and it seemed like he could hear me even if I kept talking, so I decided to give a full-on speech about myself.
It was time for a proper introduction. I should’ve done this when we first met.
Sitting up, I looked at the closed wardrobe door and began my introduction.
“Hi, Dedrick. I’m a wardrobe monster.”
“……”
“I may be a monster, but I don’t go around eating people. I just live quietly inside wardrobes.”
I didn’t need to eat anything to survive, but…
“If someone offers me food, I’ll eat it. I can still taste things, you know.”
It was quiet, but I noticed the faint scratch of his pen stopping every time I spoke. It seemed like he was listening.
“Earlier, I really wanted some of that meat…”
“……”
Oops, that just slipped out. The thought of thick cuts of meat drizzled with sauce made my mouth water, but I quickly shook it off and continued my introduction.
“I can move between wardrobes, but only the ones I’ve seen before. So, I can pretty much roam around most of the grand manor except for a few places.”
“……”
“I can come out of the wardrobe, but sometimes I get pulled back in, like earlier. When that happens, I end up back here in this wardrobe, which is kind of like my main base.”
“……”
“I can’t be seen by most people, but you seem to be an exception. I’m not really sure why. Still, I can touch things, so it’s not like I’m a ghost.”
Because I wasn’t a ghost, I could handle objects without my hands passing through them. Though sometimes, when I touched things in front of others, it looked like they were floating in midair, which tended to freak people out a bit.
That had accidentally happened a few times before…
“Were you the one behind the ghost incident the other day?”
He asked me! I didn’t want to ruin this moment by getting too excited, so I answered as calmly as possible.
“Yep, that was me!”
“……”
Maybe I sounded a little too eager.
“I didn’t mean to scare anyone. It’s just, every time I was holding something, I’d accidentally run into the servants…”
The sound of his pen resumed, but my introduction wasn’t over yet. I picked up where I left off.
“I like staying inside wardrobes. If I spend too much time outside, I start to lose my strength. I even need to sleep inside the wardrobe. Otherwise, I get really weak!”
Hmm, what else should I explain?
“I don’t know how old I am. I can’t see my reflection in the mirror, so I’m not even sure what I look like. All I know is I have gray hair and small horns. But I think I’m about the same age as you?”
Dedrick was fourteen. Because he wasn’t eating well, his growth was slower than other kids his age. He was much shorter than his peers and painfully thin. However, as he grew older, he would eventually be taller than most adult men and be known across the continent for his stunning looks. I was already looking forward to that day.
I smiled at the thought and continued my explanation.
“I don’t even know when I first ended up here. At some point, I just knew I was a wardrobe monster and that this wardrobe was my home.”
And that’s pretty much it… If he was curious about anything else, he could always ask later.
“That’s all about me. I’m definitely not the kind of monster that would hurt you. I don’t eat humans.”
Despite my long-winded introduction, Dedrick remained silent. But then, I heard a clunk, and the wardrobe door creaked open slightly.
I gently pushed the door open a little further and saw that he had used a long wooden stick to prop it closed. He was retrieving it now.
Staring at the back of his round head, I called out,
“Thanks, Didi!”
“……”
I called him by his nickname, but he didn’t say anything about it.
Since he didn’t seem to mind, I decided to keep calling him by that nickname. It might help us get closer.
After watching him all night, I was relieved to see that Dedrick didn’t seem to fall ill.
‘I was a little worried when I told him to eat the meat…’
It seemed like the food hadn’t been poisoned after all.
Letting out a sigh of relief, I kept staring at him as he read his book.
It was still before dawn, yet Dedrick woke up without any sign of fatigue and opened a book. He was so diligent.
‘Doesn’t this kid ever get sleepy?’
I rested my cheek on the table and yawned. Even if I didn’t eat, I still needed to sleep. Normally, I’d be asleep by now, but I’d stayed up all night watching over Dedrick.
My eyelids drooped as I struggled to stay awake, but eventually, I couldn’t fight it anymore, and my eyes gently closed.
“……”
“……”
As her breathingg became steady and regular, Dedrick quietly put down the book he’d been holding. The pages hadn’t changed since he first opened it.
He’d been distracted by the girl who had been watching over him all night. Dedrick had noticed her cautiously sneaking out of the wardrobe, checking on him late into the night. Sometimes, she’d put her hand on his forehead, only to groan in frustration because she couldn’t tell whether he had a fever or not.
‘I can’t tell if he has a fever because my hands are too warm!’
Because of that, he ended up staying awake through the night as well.
Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Dedrick recalled what the girl had said the previous day. “I have to sleep inside the wardrobe. If not, I’ll lose all my strength!” “…That’s what she said, right?”
After hesitating for a moment, Dedrick glanced at the wardrobe, which was now wide open.
Cautiously, he picked up the girl in his arms.
She was small and incredibly light—so much so that, despite Dedrick’s small figure, she still fit perfectly in his embrace.
Her warmth, soft and comforting, was something he hadn’t felt since his mother passed away.
It was so unfamiliar yet so soothing, that Dedrick bit his lip, trying to suppress the emotions stirring within him.
“……”
He clenched his hands tightly, but he made an effort to relax them.
With great care, Dedrick gently placed her inside the wardrobe. As he brushed aside her messy gray hair, he could see her long eyelashes. His gaze wandered, and it landed on the little horns on her head.
The small red horns that poked out from her hair were so cute that he couldn’t resist his curiosity.
He hesitated for a moment before lightly touching one.
Tap.
The horn twitched ever so slightly.
Startled, Dedrick quickly withdrew his hand and slammed the wardrobe door shut. He rushed back to his desk, flipping open his book. But even as breakfast time neared, the pages remained untouched.
“I didn’t notice whether they put something strange in your food since I was asleep.”
“……”
“I’m sorry.”
Being the youngest, Dedrick was the last in line for succession.
To make matters worse, with his mother’s passing, there was no one left to support him.
His mother had been the daughter of a fallen noble family, so there was no external support to turn to either. In this grand duchy, the only person Dedrick could rely on was himself.
‘But now, he has me too.’
Feeling a sudden urge, I sidled up closer to Dedrick and glanced at the table. The meal laid out before him was far from anything you could call a proper breakfast, and a sigh escaped from my lips.
The servants were too busy staying on the duchess’s good side, Delani, since she despised Dedrick, a child born out of wedlock. Naturally, this meant Dedrick wasn’t treated well.
‘On top of that, Somerset and his younger brother, Axel, loved to mess with his food.’
But I wasn’t going to play along with their cruel pranks anymore. “They probably didn’t poison it. It’d be a bit too tasteless to do that first thing in the morning…”
“……”
“Then again, they’re the type who could.”
“……”
“I’ll taste it for you. Even if there’s some mild poison, I can detoxify myself! I won’t die from it.”
It might sting a little, but if I spent the day cooped up in the wardrobe, I’d recover quickly.
Unless someone set the wardrobe on fire or smashed it to pieces, I couldn’t die. That was something I instinctively knew when I reincarnated as a wardrobe monster.
‘Although, I’m not sure if it’s reincarnation or possession.’
The only memories I’d recovered were from a previous life, were the long and grueling years of illness.
So I wasn’t sure if I had finally died and moved on—or if there was something else going on.
‘My memories are all jumbled…’
I didn’t know where I had come from or why I had been born as a wardrobe monster.
Maybe, like fairies, I’d just spontaneously appeared.
“I’m serious.”
But Dedrick remained silent. Fine. If you won’t give me the food, I’ll lick it! ‘Dedrick can’t afford to get sick!’
I stuck my tongue out playfully and began to move an inch closer to the plate. Seeing this, Dedrick hastily reached out to cover the plate with his hand. As a result, my tongue accidentally brushed against the back of his hand.
A startled yell escaped from Dedrick’s lips. “Ah!”
Chapter 4
“…….”
When he clenched his hand, I took a step back, smiling awkwardly.
“Sorry…….”
“…….”
He kept his head down, gripping the fork tightly with his reddened hand, and began twirling the pasta.
The noodles looked springy and perfect on the outside.
It looked delicious.
I could feel Dedrick sneaking glances at me.
“Is it awkward? Should I just crawl into the closet?”
Instead of answering, he hesitated with the fork full of noodles mid-air, looking unsure.
He seemed worried as if it might be poisoned.
“Are you hesitant because you’re worried it’s poisoned, but you feel bad about making me test it? Don’t feel bad! If I go into the closet, I recover quickly.”
As I babbled on, he blinked slowly, then cautiously extended the fork toward me.
“For me to eat?”
He gave a small nod.
Before he could change his mind, I took a bite.
After chewing thoroughly, I declared, “No poison. It’s safe to eat now.”
Even after my assurance, Dedrick hesitated with the fork, unsure of what to do.
“Why? It’s really not poisoned.”
“…….”
He kept glancing between me and the fork before reluctantly twirling another bite and putting it in his mouth.
Watching him chew with puffed cheeks was adorable.
If I poked him, he’d probably glare at me.
So I quietly sat across from him.
Suddenly, a tomato was pushed toward me.
“Ah, to test if it’s poisoned again?”
That’s easy enough.
Chomp!
I grabbed the tomato with my mouth. Its squishy texture melted unpleasantly. Unable to hold back, I spit it out.
“Don’t eat this. It’s rotten.”
I knew it. It was suspicious that we had decent pasta today.
“If you’re hungry, let me know. I’ll borrow something from the kitchen.”
If I said I’d steal it, the righteous Dedrick would definitely disapprove.
“Okay?”
“…….”
Even after I showed up, Dedrick’s daily life didn’t change much.
He woke up early to study, and often endured verbal abuse from Somerset and Axel.
Sometimes, they even hit him. Whenever that happened, I’d slam the wardrobe door or throw things around, pretending to be a ghost to scare them off.
But…
“I can’t keep pretending to be a ghost forever.”
Seeing the fresh blue bruises bloom on Dedrick’s pale skin made my heart ache.
“At least, thanks to stopping his brothers, he doesn’t seem as wary of me anymore.”
Still, despite my attempts to chat with him, he never responded, just like when we first met.
He acted as though he was alone.
Occasionally, our eyes would meet, but he always quickly looked away.
“But I won’t give up!”
It’s been over two weeks since I revealed myself and started living with him. By now, he should be used to my presence. It’s time to get him to open up!
“How should I approach him this time?”
What did romance novel heroines usually do to get closer to the male lead?
Usually, they’d save him from danger or stick by his side…
“I’ve already been doing that!”
Maybe he hasn’t fully opened up because no major danger has occurred yet.
“What else could work?”
While pondering deeply, an idea suddenly struck me.
‘A keepsake!’
Male leads in stories often cherished keepsakes from their mothers, who usually passed away early. Dedrick was no different.
There was a necklace left behind by his mother, who had passed away in solitude at the tower.
Before Dedrick could retrieve it, the Duchess Delani had taken it and used it to torment him relentlessly.
If I could bring that necklace to him, it might win me at least a little favor.
“Let’s do it!”
Without hesitation, I decided to act and moved to Delani’s room via her closet.
After confirming no one was around, I carefully stepped out.
Usually, accessories were kept in the dressing room, but Delani had stored the necklace in her bedroom, fearing Dedrick might secretly take it.
“Though there’s really no need for that.”
Dedrick was so overwhelmed and timid that he couldn’t even claim ownership of his own belongings.
“Aside from trying to make him open up, I just feel so sorry for him.”
I felt a strong urge to bring it to him, no matter what.
“She should’ve kept it in the vanity drawer, right?”
When I opened the last drawer, I found a beautiful necklace adorned with a small pink diamond.
It perfectly matched the description of Dedrick’s mother’s necklace from the novel.
“This is it. His mother’s keepsake!”
I found it!
I needed to bring it to him right away.
As I reached out to grab the necklace…
Zap!
A tingling electric shock jolted through my body, not enough to kill me but enough to leave me paralyzed.
Sizzle…
With a faint burning smell, I collapsed. Somehow, I managed to close the drawer in my last conscious effort to hide the evidence.
Before losing consciousness, I cursed the novel.
“It didn’t say anything about an anti-theft spell….”
Whoosh!
The sensation of being forcibly summoned back to the closet was the last thing I felt before blacking out.
The girl, who usually sat in the wardrobe chattering away, had gone silent.
Though he tried not to be curious, but after more than four days of eerie silence, he couldn’t resist anymore.
He carefully opened the closet door.
Screeeech.
The faint smell of burning lingered as the wardrobe door opened, revealing singed clothes and charred hair.
When he noticed the unconscious girl inside, Dedrick’s face twisted in confusion.
‘…Could she be hurt?’
“Ugh…”
A soft groan escaped from her lips, making him flinch. Hastily, he shut the wardrobe door.
He didn’t know what was going on, but it was clear she had been up to something.
Today marked the tenth day of my efforts to get the necklace.
I stretched my stiff body with a groan.
No matter how many times I got zapped, I would never get used to it.
Luckily, I could recover quickly in the wardrobe. Every time I passed out and got dragged back inside, my singed clothes and hair would somehow restore themselves to their original state.
“Thank goodness I’m a wardrobe monster.”
Over the past ten days, I had made repeated attempts to grab the necklace, relying on the wardrobe’s miraculous recovery powers.
Zap! “Aah!” “It’s a ghost!”
At first, the people who saw the necklace acting out were terrified.
Zap! “…There it goes again.” “It must be broken.”
But as it kept happening, they grew indifferent.
“Perfect. Just as I planned.”
To make it seem like the anti-theft spell was broken, I intentionally triggered it over and over.
Sooner or later, they’d get annoyed and deactivate the spell. That would be my chance to steal the necklace and give it to Dedrick.
“Just wait a little longer, Didi!”
I flung open the wardrobe door. Dedrick flinched, his shoulders jumping in surprise.
“Did I scare you?”
“…….”
Still silent, as always.
I casually moved closer, hovering near him as he focused on his studies.
“I’m going to give you an amazing gift soon,” I hinted slyly.
“…….”
“Yes, I want something in return.”
“…….”
“Please, stop pretending I don’t exist…”
Pouring my sincerity into the words, I returned back to the wardrobe and shut the door.
In the now-quiet room, Dedrick hesitated for a moment before stepping toward the wardrobe and opening the door. There was no one inside.
Lately, that had become a familiar sight.
Lately, it had been like this—she’d disappear for hours or even days, only to reappear completely unharmed, despite how badly injured she might’ve seemed before.
And today, she’d left him with a cryptic remark about some kind of gift before vanishing again.
“What is she up to now?”
A gift? What kind of gift?
Rather than feeling happy, suspicion crept into his mind.
Sighing, Dedrick closed the wardrobe door.
Chapter 5
I immediately returned to the Grand Duchess’s wardrobe.
From the crack in the door, I could hear the voice of a woman.
“So, you’re saying there’s nothing wrong with the anti-theft magic?”
“Yes, Madam. It seems someone must have touched it to trigger the magic. Otherwise, there would’ve been no reason for it to activate…”
“……”
Even after the maid Gemma finished speaking, the Duchess remained silent for a while.
Peering through the gap, I couldn’t help but admire the Duchess’s presence.
“Wow…”
She truly resembled Somerset. The only difference was the undeniable elegance that radiated from her even as she sat still.
The way she held her teacup was graceful, and even when Gemma spoke about the necklace causing chaos, there wasn’t the slightest change in her expression.
Without a sound, the Grand Duchess lowered her teacup onto its saucer.
“So, we don’t know who this ‘someone’ is?”
“No, Madam. That much is still unclear.”
“Hmm.”
“All that boasting, yet these so-called magicians are quite useless, aren’t they? They’ve figured out nothing.”
Her words were followed by a heavy silence. Slowly, the Duchess’s gaze lowered, her eyes clouding as she stared at the teacup in her hands.
I clasped my hands together in the wardrobe and silently prayed.
‘Please, please, let the anti-theft magic be lifted now, please!’
Finally breaking the silence, the Grand Duchess spoke in her usual calm tone.
“What is Dedrick doing these days?”
“The youngest master is the same as always, Madam. He stays holed up in his room studying or occasionally goes for walks but otherwise does not come out.”
“Do you think it’s possible that he’s the culprit?”
“……”
“No, I suppose not.”
The Grand Duchess let out a self-deprecating chuckle, as if mocking herself for even considering the idea.
“I’ll have the anti-theft magic removed. This commotion is making it impossible to live in peace.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“Finally!”
Without realizing it, I let out a loud cheer.
The moment Gemma picked up the necklace and started heading out, I quietly stepped out of the wardrobe to follow her.
But then, the door suddenly opened, and a pale-faced maid entered the room in a rush.
“Ma-Madam… His Grace, the Grand Duke, is…!”
Before the maid could finish her sentence, the heavy sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway and reverberated into the room.
Thud. Thud.
The maids in the room swallowed nervously.
Even though everyone lived in the Grand Duke’s castle, seeing him in person was rare for anyone who wasn’t part of his inner circle.
Even for me.
I hadn’t expected to see him here…
Creak.
The door opened slowly, revealing a towering man who stepped inside.
His jet-black hair, the same as Dedrick’s, was slicked back neatly, and his sharp eyes were deeply set.
As his cold, lowered gaze swept across the room, a suffocating silence settled in, along with an overwhelming sense of intimidation that seemed to radiate from his mere presence.
Instinctively, I shrank back like a turtle retreating into its shell and took a few steps backward.
“…”
“…?”
For a brief moment, I felt like as if the Grand Duke’s gaze met mine.
Hesitant, I whispered quietly, “C-Can you see me?”
But instead of answering, his piercing, indifferent eyes shifted back to the Grand Duchess as if nothing had happened.
‘Was it just my imagination?’
Carefully, I edged closer toward him.
Delani, the Grand Duchess, rose from her seat, pretending to be calm and composed. She greeted him with a soft smile and delicate eyes.
“Welcome home, dear.”
The Grand Duke, however, did not respond to her greeting.
His blatant disregard caused the Grand Duchess to clasp her trembling hands together in an effort to conceal the shaking.
Meanwhile, I couldn’t hide the glint of excitement in my eyes.
‘This is my chance!’
I hadn’t expected the Grand Duke to show up.
Delani quickly signaled Gemma with her eyes, silently instructing her to take the necklace and leave the room as fast as possible.
If another lightning strike occurred here, the Grand Duke would become aware of the necklace’s existence. And that couldn’t happen.
Why?
Because if the Duke didn’t see something with his own eyes, he wouldn’t acknowledge it. If it was visible to him, however, the situation would change.
There was an incident like this once before:
The Grand Duchess had repeatedly insulted Dedrick’s mother. Unable to endure the constant humiliation, Dedrick confessed everything to the Grand Duke. But the Grand Duke coldly responded to young Dedrick with this:
“Bring me proof. I only believe what I can see with my own eyes.”
And he didn’t stop there.
The Grand Duke believed that only visible evidence could resolve everything. It was almost an obsession.
Maybe he had a history of being falsely accused due to a lack of proof. In short, he didn’t care if the evidence was fake. As long as it was something he could see with his own eyes, he was willing to act.
And I planned to use that to my advantage.
‘Visible proof!’
Without hesitation, I approached the maid carrying the necklace and touched it.
Zap!
As always, lightning coursed through my body.
“……”
The Grand Duke’s gaze shifted sharply and landed directly on the necklace.
Even though Delani frantically called out to him, but the Duke blocked the maid’s path as she tried to rush out.
“W-Wait!”
“D-Dear!”
Maybe I’d been struck by lightning too many times, or maybe I’d built up some resistance, but this time, I neither passed out nor was forcibly summoned back to the wardrobe.
It seemed forced summoning only occurred if I was injured so badly that I couldn’t move.
As long as the wardrobe’s fine, I don’t need to worry about dying.
Cough…
The lightning had caused me to cough, and black smoke billowed out of my mouth.
“Eek!”
The maid gasped as the smoke materialized in the empty air, but the Duke didn’t even glance at it, still holding the necklace in his hand.
“This keepsake… didn’t they all go to Dedrick?”
The Duke’s presence grew more ominous. The atmosphere in the room turned cold, and everyone present trembled in fear.
I felt it too. The killing intent in the air made my body shake uncontrollably, something I had never experienced before. I didn’t want to feel this way, but my body was reacting to the pressure.
For a brief moment, though, I felt the killing intent lessen as if it had been momentarily subdued.
“I’m curious to see what kind of excuse you’ll come up with this time.”
His icy voice made Delani stiffen for a moment, but she quickly composed herself, clasping her hands together and lifting her chin.
“Yes, that necklace is indeed a keepsake of Amelia’s.”
She didn’t even try to hide it.
Her face, smiling as if nothing was wrong, answered with a somewhat feminine grace.
“I found it late, and I was going to bring it to you, but it seems you noticed it first.”
“What’s the magic on the necklace?”
Now that I thought about it, the Duke had touched the necklace, and yet no lightning struck him. He was still holding it, unaffected by the magic.
“Impressive, the Blackwood Duke…”
I was struck hard by the lightning, yet he seemed untouched. I was fascinated and couldn’t help but glance around him.
“It’s a magic spell to prevent theft.”
“Was it really necessary to keep it on?”
“Because it’s Dedrick’s precious possession.”
Delani’s response was smooth, almost like she had a serpent hidden in her mouth.
I almost found myself admiring the smooth lies coming out of her.
“Then this magic wouldn’t work on Dedrick, would it?”
Despite the accuracy of the question, Delani answered calmly.
“…That’s because Dedrick needs to be present. I was about to place the magic again, so only he could touch it.”
“…”
In the heavy silence, I saw Delani nervously biting her lip as the Duke’s cold gaze bore down on her.
He looked at her for a moment, then nonchalantly added,
“You’re quite good at avoiding the truth.”
“….”
“If there are any other keepsakes, bring them all to me. I’ll let this go for now.”
It was clear he knew she was lying. But he still chose to let it slide.
It was disappointing, but I understood.
In this situation, it was better to find the keepsakes and return them to Dedrick rather than questioning Delani one by one.
If Delani had hidden them deliberately, even the Duke might not be able to find them.
While physical threats were an option, she was still the Duke’s wife, and the Duke made sure to show her basic respect.
Yet, she didn’t move from her spot.
The Duke gripped the necklace tightly.
A small magic circle appeared above the necklace, inscribed with runes. Then, with a crackling sound, it shattered and disappeared.
“…”
Was he capable of doing that too?
As I carefully tried to touch the necklace, the Duke’s hand lowered slightly.
It seemed as if he was adjusting it to be in line with me.
This was the second time he had acted as though he knew I was there.
I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously.
“… Can you really not see me?”
