Chapter 6
She stepped carefully forward, opened the door, and peeked out into the corridor.
Inside the castle, there wasn’t a single light to illuminate the hallway, so it looked like it stretched endlessly in both directions.
Though she was used to dark places, this particular darkness felt suffocating.
Gripped by sudden fear, Elledeen stood frozen, unable to go out or even close the door.
But the sound of the wind, eerily similar to someone weeping, bothered her even more than the fear itself. Her trembling legs slowly stepped out.
With one hand on the wall, she walked cautiously through the darkness and eventually reached the stairs.
Her room was supposed to be near the stairs, but strangely, it had felt far.
Elledeen descended the staircase slowly, relying on the faint moonlight that streamed through the large windows of the main building below.
Once she reached the bottom, she exhaled with a soft sigh.
‘At least it’s bright here.’
Just as she felt a sense of relief and turned to look at the window, she froze in place.
Behind the transparent window, a black, furry creature was grinning with its mouth stretched grotesquely wide.
It was clearly a monster.
Its sharp teeth filled its mouth, and a long, red tongue hung all the way down to the floor.
When their eyes met, its glowing red eyes widened in amusement.
It was only then she realized that the wind sound she’d been hearing had turned into a chilling, raspy breathing.
Elledeen’s legs gave out, and she collapsed where she stood.
Like a predator eyeing its prey, the monster didn’t take its gaze off her.
A minute passed, feeling as long as an hour.
Then came the distant call of a crow, drawing the monster’s attention away.
Elledeen seized the moment, sprang to her feet, and ran up the stairs.
The monster, realizing she was escaping, slammed into the window with a loud thud.
With the pounding noise behind her, Elledeen forced her trembling legs to move, bolted into her room, and locked the door.
Wrapping herself tightly in her blanket, she was drenched in cold sweat.
She spent the whole night wide awake, trembling in fear that the monster might climb up to her window.
However, contrary to her fears, the monster vanished with the morning light after banging around all night.
When she finally looked at the clock with an exhausted face, it was already past nine.
Her body was sticky from sweat.
She wanted to wash, but since breakfast time had already begun, she forced herself up and changed into the dress she wore yesterday.
When she went down to the dining room, the Duke was already seated.
“Foolish girl. I told you before—you must always tidy yourself and wait before your husband arrives at the dining room. You can’t even manage something so simple. This stupidity is what caused your mother such pain.”
The Count of Pure’s scolding voice echoed in her head—words she’d heard at every meal.
Because of the bad memories tied to dining rooms, Elledeen’s stomach churned the moment she stepped inside.
As she sat down, she quietly said to the Duke:
“I’m sorry.”
“…It’s fine,” he replied.
Fernan glanced at her.
He didn’t know what she was apologizing for, but since she did, he said it was okay. Still, he was curious.
But her voice sounded so worn out that Fernan chose to remain silent.
The meal began. Elledeen cut her steak into fingernail-sized pieces and placed one in her mouth.
But after just two bites, her stomach turned, and she couldn’t eat any more.
She had only eaten salads or thin porridge before; meat was too heavy for her digestion.
Sitting still with her utensils down, Fernan asked, puzzled:
“Is it not to your taste?”
“No,” Elledeen quickly lowered her head and replied. She didn’t want to upset him any further.
She quietly picked up her fork again. But the food she forced down now felt like poison.
Her stomach felt ready to revolt. In the end, she had to set her fork down again, having eaten less than half.
Seeing her bow her head again, Fernan sighed softly.
‘I suppose it really doesn’t suit her taste. I should have Nisrock prepare simpler dishes.’
At his sigh, Elledeen flinched.
The heavy atmosphere felt unbearable.
She desperately wanted to retreat to her room and be sick, but she couldn’t rise until her husband did. So she stayed seated.
‘Why is she still sitting there?’
Fernan tilted his head as he ate.
She was so composed it was hard to read her state.
If only her eyes were more visible.
Ever since she arrived and spoke in the carriage, she hadn’t said much at all.
He wondered if she had something to say, but seeing her bowed head, it didn’t seem so.
After thinking for a while, Fernan came to a sudden conclusion and looked at her in surprise.
‘Could she be waiting for me to finish?’
The thought of someone waiting for him to finish his meal touched him.
‘Is this what it means to be a couple?’
Still, he couldn’t just sit around admiring the moment.
Waiting without actually enjoying the meal together was just uncomfortable.
Fernan cleared his throat and spoke.
“Thank you for waiting. I’m finished now, so please feel free to go rest.”
At his words, Elledeen cautiously stood and offered a short bow.
She tried to appear calm, but her hurried steps gave her away.
After she left, Fernan murmured quietly:
“Molek. Nisrock.”
The head chef and a weary Molek appeared before him.
“Did you take care of the matter?”
“Looks like Girtin came during the night,” Molek reported.
Fernan frowned.
Of all times, it had to be while he was in hibernation.
‘Surely they didn’t meet?’
Girtin was a monster that lured people away.
Anyone who encountered it would end up in the forest where it lived, no matter the circumstances.
If Girtin had come all the way here… The fact that a creature who normally stayed in one territory showed up here…
Was it simple curiosity? Or was his wife not an ordinary human?
“I want guards posted. Get some capable ones from this world. Around fifteen should do,” Fernan said as he stood.
Molek sighed with his exhausted face—another task added with no time to rest.
“And prepare various kinds of food. I don’t think she likes what we’ve been serving.”
The short chef Nisrock nodded.
“But, master,” Nisrock said, causing Fernan to raise a curious brow.
“Don’t you think the madam might need a human maid?”
At that, Molek grew visibly anxious.
“W-Who? You don’t mean her, do you?”
Nisrock glanced at him, then slowly spoke.
“You know… the hag’s granddaughter—”
“AAAGH! Absolutely not!”
Molek shrieked and clung to Fernan’s pant leg.
“Anyone but her!”
He threw a fit, rolling on the floor.
But Nisrock seemed even more convinced by Molek’s reaction.
“She’s the only human who has a connection with us. Wouldn’t she be helpful to the madam?”
Fernan nodded thoughtfully, and Molek shot up in protest.
“No! Please don’t! That woman argues with me about everything! I’d rather the hag come. But the problem is her granddaughter! You’ve seen how she bullies me!”
Molek shouted, pale-faced, but Fernan was already firm in his decision.
“If you have the energy to whine, go find the guards. I’ll be going to Resten.”
Resten was the hag Molek referred to.
Realizing his protest was useless, Molek dragged himself up. Since he couldn’t avoid it, resting a bit first seemed like the better option.
He trudged out of the dining room.
