Chapter 51
A thick stream of blood ran from the thin wrist of Camilla. Even though she had injured herself, she didn’t so much as blink. Despite her delicate appearance, she was a woman who exuded a vicious, poisonous air.
Luna frowned and spoke to the servants.
“Quick — bring someone who can treat this.”
After all, the self‑proclaimed noblewoman had been badly hurt; as the prospective lady of the house, Luna had to take responsibility.
At Luna’s command the servants finally moved in coordinated haste. The last of them hurriedly shut the door — and at that moment—
Smack――!
A sharp slap landed on Luna’s cheek.
Camilla, without hesitation, put strength into her wrist and struck the bride-to-be she was to marry tomorrow.
She’d wanted to tear that pretty face to shreds; instead, the fair face turned to her as if begging to be struck.
Camilla didn’t care if the bride was injured. After all, with her own power she could heal everything in an instant. Frankly, she wanted to beat the woman all over, not just slap her.
No background, no money. The only thing that made her tolerable was a well‑built body six years her junior — and yet why should she be pushed aside by the granddaughter of some minor baron? How much had she wanted this position! The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Camilla swallowed her coarse thoughts and raised her arm again.
Then—
Smack――!
The soft cheek that had known nothing more stimulating than applying lotion trembled under a fierce force.
The unfamiliar sting stunned her; she was speechless — she’d never experienced anything like it in her life.
Camilla lowered her raised arm and touched her swollen cheek. Because she’d scratched the inside of her wrist, her cheek was smeared with blood.
“You just… hit me, right now?”
“Who hit first? Once the treatment’s done, leave immediately.”
Camilla’s eyelids twitched; she still couldn’t believe she’d been struck. Very few people in the Empire could raise a hand against her.
What gave him the right to climb so high? Khalid fell for someone like this at first sight? This woman lacked dignity in every way — pretty only to look at, untamed like a wild animal.
Is she Bahir’s mistress?
A cold smile curved Camilla’s lips.
“Fine, I’ll leave after the treatment. But answer my question first. What deal did you make with him for the position of duchess‑consort?”
“…….”
Camilla had watched Khalid for a long time and knew how cruel and calculating he could be. She also knew how difficult it was to obtain that position.
Surely this marriage was for some value Bahir and he found in it. Otherwise the match made no sense.
Her guess must have been right — the prospective housemaster’s face darkened.
“I thought you were joking… but it’s true?”
Camilla clenched her fist and lowered her voice to a hiss.
“You — do you even know what Khalid’s curse is? You’re marrying him even though you know? How could the woman who’ll be his wife tomorrow not know that?”
At Camilla’s words Luna slowly widened her eyes. It felt as if a rose thorn of venom was stabbing straight into her heart.
What curse? She… did not know.
Even this woman knew something Luna didn’t. She knew nothing about him.
She had thought he was cursed to die someday, but why did she feel she’d missed the most important thing?
Her deep pink eyes trembled violently.
Camilla’s expression finally smoothed into a triumphant smile as she looked at Luna. She didn’t know what use this nobody could be to Khalid, but she was sure of one thing: she (Camilla) remained above her.
‘Oh, so she’s a trapped, pitiable beast? How pathetic. I suppose I can forgive her ignorance for striking my face once.’
When Luna made no move and sank into thought, Camilla sneered inwardly.
‘If you stay still like that I won’t forgive you. She should be hit back, that’ll set things straight. How dare she raise a hand against me?’
Camilla’s arm rose as if to strike again.
Then—
Kraaang!
The half-open parlor doors burst violently open with a thunderous crash.
Startled, Luna and Camilla both turned their heads toward the doorway.
Every eye in the room was drawn to the man who now stood there: Khalid Bahir, the master of this castle.
“Khalid!”
Camilla reacted first. She purposely bumped Luna’s shoulder as she hurried forward and put on the most dazzling smile.
“When did you get here?”
“…….”
She shyly held the edge of Khalid’s sleeve. The sight made her wrist — which had stopped bleeding more or less — seem all the more conspicuous.
Khalid only clicked his tongue with a scowl and said nothing to Camilla.
“Luna Bahir, what are you doing right now?”
Instead he turned to the stunned Luna and asked.
“You’ve come… yes?” Luna replied falteringly.
When Camilla bumped her shoulder she had suddenly felt a healing sensation and had checked the back of her hand and the cheek that had been slapped. Then, hearing Khalid call her by a wrong name, she stammered.
Why has he already started calling me Luna Bahir?
As Luna made a confused face, Khalid changed his question.
“I asked why you were just standing there while Camilla raised her hand.”
Ah — she had been too absorbed in thinking. No — why did he call her ‘Luna Bahir’…?
Luna delayed answering with a complicated expression. Khalid hardened his jaw and strode forward, saying,
“The servants say you haven’t even done a wedding dress fitting yet.”
“I was just a bit late from the library…”
Luna’s mind raced. Where to begin? Tracing back, she realized the story would have to start when she’d met that eccentric magician.
Behind him she glimpsed the servants who had come for her, the other servants, and the butler’s face.
Luna gave an awkward smile. She’d said she’d be quick, then lingered far too long — she had no excuse.
“Would you tell me what happened?”
“…….”
The man had already come so close that his large shadow fell over Luna’s face. She swallowed involuntarily.
“Khalid! Look here — I’m hurt.”
Camilla grabbed at Khalid as if to drag him to her.
Khalid exhaled tiredly and turned, narrowing his eyes into a dry look.
“I know. I’ve had a priest brought — let her be treated.”
“That woman you brought did it.”
At Camilla’s words Khalid raised an eyebrow. His gaze drifted slowly toward Luna.
Luna sucked in a breath; she had been waiting to be accused by Camilla the minute His Highness arrived.
“That’s not true. The servants who left saw everything. Your Highness, Lady Elfreze was punishing the servants and then healed them with her power. How could this have happened otherwise?”
Luna gave him a face that said she was fed up. She wondered if the woman who acted like that — who behaved so shamelessly — could really be his friend.
“Are you… all right?”
“Yes?”
Instead of answering, Khalid gently cupped Luna’s chin with his large hand. He remembered that she had just checked the back of her hand and her cheek.
“Wai— wait…!”
Everyone’s attention snapped to them. Khalid didn’t care; he checked both of Luna’s cheeks one by one. Then, delicately as if handling something precious, he examined both of her hands. It would have been nice if that were the end.
Suddenly he bent his knees and bowed his head. It was Luna who found her face flushing with embarrassment.
“Your Highness, what… what are you doing?”
Luna asked in a voice pressed thin. Being fully exposed to the unwavering, reliable presence of his body made her frantic. Camilla’s murderous glare made it worse.
“Your dress is wet. Go and change.”
“Th-that’s fine. We can talk on the way.”
Luna was relieved to hear that; it was better to speak in his study.
The focused attention made Luna uncomfortable. She grabbed his arm without hesitation and headed for the door.
“Wait, Khalid. There’s something I want to say. She insulted me — I want her to apologize.”
Just then Camilla, her face flushed red and purple, blocked the doorway.
“Young lady, she didn’t do it on purpose. There was an accident while pouring tea. But because of that trivial reason she tells me not to come to the wedding.”
“…….”
Luna’s blood boiled at Camilla’s silver-tongued weaving of truth and lies.
How could pouring hot tea on me be a trivial thing?
But it was also true there had been a rough exchange of hands with the marchioness’s daughter, and pointing that out might put him in an awkward position. Besides, the lady was not yet treated; she was still bloody.
“I’m upset because she outright says she’ll ruin my one and only wedding…”
Camilla’s eyes filled and tiny tears of bitterness followed.
“Wait, that’s— it was the young lady who—”
“Camilla.”
Luna could not stand it and opened her mouth, but Khalid gently drew her to his side. Without a smile he murmured to Camilla,
“Did my wife say that? Then make it so.”
