MLCDF 62

~Chapter 62~

When I opened my eyes, everything was dark.

‘Good… that means nothing happened yet.’

I must have won the fight against it last night.

While I was relieved, someone suddenly flung open the closet door.

“Ruby?”

Damien looked surprised.

“What… what is this…?”

It made sense—because I was kneeling inside the closet, my hands tied to the post with rope.

[Ru–hi!!]

Ruhi, who had been perched on Damien’s shoulder, leapt into my arms.

It nuzzled my knees affectionately, but I couldn’t pet it back—my hands were still tied.

“…A few days ago, I read a ghost story about ropes,” I said. “If you tie yourself in a closet at dawn, a spirit who died unjustly will appear.”

A total lie.

But since I’d been caught like this, I had to make up something.

“I just wanted to test it out. I didn’t really expect anything to show up.”

Damien nodded, but I couldn’t tell if he actually believed me—or if he was just letting it slide.

“I see.”

He bent down and reached for the knot.

“You tied this really tight. What if you couldn’t untie it by yourself?”

“Yeah… I guess I got a bit too into it and tied it too well.”

Another lie.

I had to tie it tightly so I couldn’t untie it in my sleep.

“I’ll untie it now.”

Damien skillfully undid the knot.

Finally free, I stepped out of the closet.

“Thanks. It feels so much better being out.”

I smiled at him, but Damien wasn’t looking at my face—his eyes were fixed on one spot.

“…Ruby.”

“Yes?”

He suddenly grabbed my wrist.

“What… what happened to this?”

My wrist was covered in raw, red marks.

Like I had thrashed wildly to escape my bonds.

I didn’t answer right away.

After a long pause, I forced a reply.

“I must’ve done it in my sleep. I fell asleep in the closet.”

“…I see.”

But he didn’t let go of my hand.

Instead, he gently linked his arm with mine and guided me away.

“Let’s treat that before breakfast.”

He didn’t ask anything else.

And I was grateful. But at the same time, I felt… guilty.

‘How long can I hide this?’

If he ever found out the truth…

Could I really stay here with him?

Later that day.

“This time, it’s chains.”

I stood in front of the closet and dropped clinking metal chains on the floor.

This mansion had all kinds of strange things—some hard to get elsewhere.

To get these chains, I even went to the underground prison with the twins’ help.

‘Chains? There are tons in the dungeon. But… what do you need them for?’

“For drawing reference,” I lied.

Elliot didn’t suspect anything and handed me old chains and a key.

‘With these, my hands won’t get cut up like with rope.’

They were stronger too.

‘Just a few more days… I can do this.’

I wrapped the chains around my wrists and hooked them onto the closet pole.

‘Just a few days… a few days…’

Suddenly, exhaustion hit me like a wave.

I was so tired, my eyes shut on their own.

‘Why am I so sleepy…’

My strength faded. My chained arms drooped.

And then—

[It’s my turn now, keeheeheehee.]

When I heard its laugh, it was already too late.

Meanwhile – Damien

‘So this was it.’

Even late at night, Damien hadn’t gone to sleep.

Rubyana’s recent behavior was too strange. He stayed up researching and watching her closely.

And just now, he found a clue.

Still, he didn’t plan to ask her directly.

She clearly wanted to hide it. And Damien had no desire to dig up a secret she wasn’t ready to share.

She had accepted him even at his worst—when he was overtaken by curses, a raging monster.

‘Whether she hides a secret or not, it doesn’t matter to me.’

All Damien wanted was to stay by her side—as her husband.

But if that secret was hurting her… that was different.

When he saw the bruises on her wrists that morning, he realized:

Whatever she was hiding—
—it was starting to hurt her.

That’s why he gathered information and quietly observed.

‘Now that I know what I’m dealing with, I need to act carefully and protect her.’

Just then—creak—his office door opened.

None of the staff would dare enter without knocking, especially not his private office.

Which meant—only one person could be standing there.

“Damien…”

Rubyana stood in the doorway.

Her favorite nightgown was torn and barely hanging from her shoulders.

Her cheeks and legs had cuts, her wrists were red and bruised, her hair was a mess, and her face was unusually pale.

She looked like someone who had been attacked.

“A curse attacked me. I… I don’t know what kind, but…”

She stammered, approaching him in that wounded state.

Her eyes, more red than usual—almost blood-colored—glistened with tears.

“I think it was the same curse that came into my room last time. This time… I think it really tried to kill me.”

Trembling, she grabbed Damien’s sleeve.

“Damien, I’m scared.”

And then she threw herself into his arms.

Soon, he felt tears soaking through his shirt.

“Please hold me… I’m so scared…”

Her voice was soft, broken. He’d never heard her cry like this before.

“Damien…”

She lifted her head and whispered his name.

Her tear-streaked face leaned closer—arms wrapping around his neck.

Slowly, she moved toward his lips.

But—

“Wait.”

Damien raised his hand and stopped her lips.

“I wouldn’t normally refuse this… but…”

He looked directly into her bloodshot eyes with his cold, sharp amethyst gaze.

“You’re not trying to kiss me, are you? You’re trying to bite my lips.”

Rubyana’s face hardened.

“Am I wrong?”

Damien smiled faintly—facing whatever was pretending to be his wife.

“You’re the one thing she fears most… aren’t you?”

“You’re it.”