~Chapter 25~
“What should I do……”
Holding paper, brush, and palette, I trudged down the corridor.
After our union night ended and overhearing the maids’ morning gossip, I couldn’t bear the embarrassment and had pushed Damien away to flee his bedroom.
The reason was simple: I just couldn’t look Damien in the eye.
‘We’ll see each other at breakfast anyway… why did I run away?’
But even during breakfast, the sight of his wet hair and gaze from last night kept flashing in my mind, making it impossible to meet his eyes.
Though Damien tried to ease the awkward atmosphere, I realised I hadn’t given him a single proper answer.
‘That’s so rude of me…’
We’re married and will keep seeing each other. I can’t live like this forever.
Thankfully, by afternoon, my heart wasn’t racing as wildly anymore.
So I thought: Today, I’ll go apologise to Damien for running out midway.
‘Until then, let’s think of what to say while drawing.’
If it was my lesson day with the art teacher Damien assigned me, I could’ve calmed down while studying, but sadly today wasn’t class day.
So, I decided to just draw freely.
At the moment I grabbed the studio’s doorknob with my tools in hand, a sudden gust blew by.
“Yaaaaaaah!”
Footsteps thundered behind me.
Turning around, I saw a pale-faced blonde girl charging at me with a gleaming knife and a bright smile.
Her lips were stained red with blood, and her grin stretched nearly to her ears.
Anyone else would have fainted on the spot. But I calmly unfolded my paper and sidestepped.
Slash—
Instead of my face, the paper split into two neat pieces.
“Aw, too bad.”
Alice, who failed to slash me, fiddled with her silver knife and muttered.
“Hello, Alice.”
She pouted in displeasure.
“You’re still here.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“I thought you’d leave.”
Alice pouted further and raised her gaze.
“I don’t really get what you’re saying, but I’m not planning on leaving.”
I wondered what she’d heard to say something like that.
But why would I abandon the chance to live with such a human-like high-grade curse in daily life?
‘That would be insane.’
I’ll live here until I die!
“By the way, is that knife new?”
“Huh? Oh, this?”
“Yeah, where’d you get it? It’s pretty.”
The twin curse siblings had lived here for ages but died before becoming adults, leaving them with childish traits.
One was this: compliment something they owned and their mood lifts immediately.
“Ha, for someone who rolled in from outside, you’ve got decent taste.”
Alice lifted her silver knife proudly and crossed her arms, flipping her golden hair with a smirk.
“Yeah, it’s a new addition to my collection. I snatched it from the chef.”
Poor Martin. Bought it with the budget only to have it stolen.
‘Well, Damien’s rich. He’ll sort it out.’
Thinking I’d console Martin at dinner tonight, I humoured Alice’s pride.
“Yeah, it suits you perfectly.”
“Hmph, flatterer.”
She turned away with a sniff, but I saw her lips twitch upwards in delight.
“By the way, you’ve got something on your mouth.”
“Eh? Really?”
“Yeah, hold still.”
Taking out a handkerchief, I approached her. Surprisingly, Alice let me wipe her mouth without protest.
Sticky, sweet-smelling residue stained the cloth.
“Did you eat strawberry jam straight again?”
“……It’s tasty.”
“That’s true.”
Though eating just sweets isn’t healthy… Then again, Damien probably scolded her already.
Since this was my first time witnessing it, I decided to let it go.
“Anyway, I came to give you this.”
“What, already?”
Her eyes widened as I took out a small canvas from my bag.
“Yeah, it’s your portrait.”
“Give it!”
She snatched it greedily.
On the tiny canvas was a blonde girl hugging a teddy bear on a chair, surrounded by her beloved silverware and her only blood relative, Elliot.
Painted in soft oil colours, the girl looked just like the curse standing before me, but brighter and more peaceful.
“It’s really me……?”
Alice stared at it, mesmerised, her fingers gently stroking the surface.
“It even has my silverware and Elliot……”
She looked as if she couldn’t believe it was hers.
“Yeah, it’s your portrait.”
I glanced around to check no one was nearby, covered my mouth with my hand, and whispered:
“Actually, there’s a secret. Don’t tell anyone, especially Elliot.”
Alice mimicked me, covering her mouth and whispering back.
“What is it?”
“I put extra effort into yours. More than Elliot’s.”
Her pale face instantly lit up with joy.
“Really?”
“Yeah. The owner was too cute, so I couldn’t help it.”
“Hmph!”
She snorted proudly, unable to hide her rising lips.
“At least you’ve got an eye for quality!”
Thank goodness. I’d worried a lot while painting, but she seemed truly happy.
“Can you… paint more of these?”
“Of course. I love painting.”
Alice turned away, counting on her fingers with a thoughtful expression.
“Then you’ll have to stay here….”
“Hmm? What?”
“Ah, nothing.”
She turned back and said firmly:
“Hey, let’s go inside and talk.”
“Uh, okay?”
She pushed me inside the studio, forcing me to sit.
Alice hummed as she admired her portrait, then suddenly asked:
“By the way, do you two ever… go on dates?”
“Dates? With who?”
“Ugh, who else? Damien, of course! You’re married to him, aren’t you? Or are you cheating?”
“W-what?! No!”
Impossible. I was single all my life. No way I’d cheat.
“Anyway, you two should go out on dates.”
“Um… we have. Inside.”
“That doesn’t count!”
She pointed out the window, exasperated.
“Like other couples, go outside and date properly!”
She pounded her chest in frustration.
I wondered why it mattered so much to her.
‘Do we really have to go outside?’
This mansion is full of curses I love, but outside only has people who gossip behind my back. Damien probably doesn’t want to drop his mask in public either.
“……I don’t think we can.”
“Why not?!”
I couldn’t tell her it was because exposing our vulnerabilities felt too raw.
“Um… honestly… I feel awkward with Damien right now.”
Alice’s expression changed instantly.
“Did you guys really fight?”
“No, not really….”
She crossed her arms, tapping her foot with a prove it to me gaze.
“Ugh, fine. You need a reason to act, huh.”
“Eh?”
From under her skirt, she pulled out a fluttering flyer.
“Let’s see if you can read this and not make up with him.”
She tossed it before me, and as I caught it,
my eyes widened in shock.
Crash—
With a tremendous noise, the office door burst open.
“Ruby?”
It was exactly 5:55 PM.
“D-Damien……”
Rubiana, with a face that looked like she was about to cry at any moment, came running into the office.
