~Chapter 3~
“If we live together in the mansion, we can find out for sure whether you really bring misfortune.”
…What was this man even saying?
‘Is he crazy?’
We just met, and now he’s talking about living together?
Turns out he wasn’t a scammer. He was just insane.
My face grew hot, and I looked down.
No matter how hard I thought about it, I still couldn’t figure out why he wanted to marry me.
“Shall we give it a try?”
When I looked up again, the Duke had silently gotten up and knelt on one knee in front of me.
His calm voice offered a sudden proposal for cohabitation. Then he held out a small velvet box.
Inside was a silver ring with a red diamond that sparkled mysteriously in the light.
“I thought it looked like your eye color.”
He whispered gently.
I shook my head slightly.
“I appreciate it, but both marriage and living together are just too sudden.”
He stayed there on one knee, quietly listening.
“We just met, and I don’t even know anything about you. To be honest… I don’t even know what your face looks like.”
That’s when the Duke reached up and touched his mask.
He was famously known for never removing his mask in public.
People often spread rumors that he must have terrible scars or some kind of disfigurement.
“Wait! I didn’t mean you have to take off the mask.”
He hesitated, then pulled his hand away from it, seeming relieved.
“There must be a reason. You could have chosen anyone else instead of me.”
Even with all the scary rumors about him, he was still the most eligible Duke in the Empire. There were probably plenty of women trying to marry him—both publicly and behind the scenes.
“You could’ve chosen Cecilia instead of me.”
“She’s not suitable.”
The Duke shook his head.
“Someone that greedy cannot become the Duchess of my house.”
His cold, sharp voice made his opinion of Cecilia clear.
As far as I knew, he hadn’t even spoken directly with Cecilia before. Yet, with just that short encounter, he had read her perfectly.
“I see. But even if not Cecilia, there must be plenty of other candidates.”
“No.”
Surprised by the quick response, I looked up at him.
“It has to be you.”
There was desperation in his voice now—very different from when he’d calmly said he fell in love at first sight.
“I wanted to propose properly, but when I arrived and saw you were about to be taken, I had to act fast.”
He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to me.
“Rubiana, don’t you want freedom?”
Freedom.
That word lit something up in me.
He was looking at the mark on my cheek.
“If you marry me, I’ll let you do whatever you want. I won’t interfere in your private life at all.”
Do whatever I want…
Almost hypnotized, I read the paper he handed me.
‘So… this is a contract marriage.’
The document listed all the benefits I would receive if I married him.
An annual allowance of over 200 million gold, complete privacy, a personal residence, shares in lands owned by the Duke’s household, and more.
In contrast, he only asked one thing of me:
1. Spend at least one night every three months at the Duke’s estate.
It was such a small condition compared to the massive benefits that I asked,
“Why are you going this far?”
The white mask looked at me.
“I need your ability—to see and remove curses.”
I looked up at him in shock, forgetting the contract in my hands.
“You… you know about curses?”
“Yes. I know them all too well.”
He answered like it was no big deal.
“You removed the curse that was clinging to me at the ball.”
So he knew.
Everything suddenly made sense.
“My body is overwhelmed with curses. That’s why I need your help.”
He explained that he wanted my power to save himself from the pain caused by curses eating away at his body.
He said I was the first person he’d ever seen with such an ability.
“And since you can see curses, I thought you would adapt to life in the Duke’s mansion better.”
“How come?”
Why would seeing curses help me fit in?
“Because the Duke’s estate is full of them.”
His words stunned me.
‘Full of them?’
Not just a few curses… it’s crowded with them?
“No one has lasted long there. The curses are too intense.”
And regular people couldn’t endure them?
“There are ghosts too. Occasionally, a mummy created by one of my ancestors shows up.”
I gasped and covered my mouth.
‘Curses, ghosts, and mummies?’
My hands trembled with excitement. It felt like I could hear church bells ringing in my ears, celebrating my future.
“Sometimes we don’t even know what appears. The furniture moves on its own.”
That’s basically a haunted house!
His mansion sounded like a 24/7 free pass into the supernatural.
“Is all that true?”
I asked, voice shaking.
He nodded.
“What kind of ghosts appear?”
“All kinds. Some bleed, some just sit silently and scare you… there’s even one that stays on the ceiling.”
“Really?”
I tried to sound calm, but I wasn’t sure I managed.
To think I could see the creepy things I love—ghosts, curses, the undead—in real life!
Just hearing about it made my heart race.
“Actually, there are more curses than ghosts, and many different types.”
“How often do curses show up?”
“About once a day.”
“And… you can’t avoid them?”
“I don’t think so.”
‘I’m jealous.’
A wild thought entered my head.
‘I want to go.’
If I could live surrounded by curses and ghosts…
Free from the people who called me creepy or disgusting…
“I’ll let you do anything you want.”
His promise echoed in my ears.
If that promise was true—
“She’s so weird. Always staring into space.”
“Reading those horror novels messed her up.”
“She’s useless and just wastes food.”
Then maybe… I wouldn’t have to hear that kind of thing anymore.
Because of my weak body, I never made enough money to live on my own. So I’d just been dreaming of freedom all this time.
“…Your face is pale. And you’re shaking.”
The Duke’s low voice snapped me back.
“You must be scared.”
He looked at me seriously.
“No, that’s not it—”
“I understand. It’s natural to be afraid.”
No, that’s not it.
I was trembling from excitement.
“I guess even if you can see curses, it’s too much to live in a haunted house with the Mad Duke.”
Then he stood up.
“Well, I’ll take my leave for now.”
“W-wait!”
He got up without hesitation.
But unlike his calm actions, I could see disappointment on the face under the mask.
“Thank you for your time.”
I still hadn’t made up my mind. Should I stay in my cage, with just enough food and water? Or follow this man I barely knew and break free?
Which was the better choice? I didn’t know.
“Well then, I’ll go. I haven’t given up yet, but if this is your final answer—”
For some reason, I felt I had to stop him.
I quickly grabbed the edge of his sleeve.
And made my decision.
“No.”
I would break this cage and escape.
“I’ll marry you.”
