~Chapter 42~
Rubiana was nowhere to be found in the mansion.
As soon as Damien realized this, a splitting headache hit him.
His perfectly sculpted face—like a statue used by artists—twisted in pain.
“Master, what do we do? She’s not in her room, and we checked everywhere she might be.”
“…Search again. Focus on the entrances and exits.”
“Yes, right away.”
The servant reporting the news turned and hurried off.
Damien rubbed his dry eyes, trying to endure the sharp headache.
‘Did she run away after all?’
It would make sense.
Making a soul contract with someone cursed like him could easily scare her.
She’d already been through so much—maybe she didn’t want to suffer anymore.
If she had run away on her own, he should let her go.
But—
Bang!
“Damn it…!”
He slammed his fist into the stone wall. Dust scattered, and blood dripped from his gloved hand.
He clenched his teeth, trying to suppress the storm of emotions and thoughts that filled his mind.
For the first time, he felt something new—loss and possessiveness.
He knew logically that if she had run away because of him, he should let her go.
But his heart screamed otherwise.
He wanted to find her, lock her in the mansion, chain her up—and make her his.
‘Damien! Look at this!’
He missed her bright smile and those innocent red eyes.
He snapped back to reality.
“What was I just thinking…”
Horrified at himself, Damien shook his head.
‘I need to find her. If she’s safe… that’s enough.’
But what if he confirmed she left on her own?
‘Then… I should let her go… right?’
A wave of regret hit him harder than ever.
‘If I knew this would happen, I wouldn’t have mentioned the soul contract…’
‘Even if I died early or lost control, I could’ve stayed by her side a little longer…’
‘Or better yet—I wish I’d never met her in the first place.’
With all these regrets, he walked heavily down the hallway.
Three Nights After the Red Moon
Still no sign of Rubiana.
“She still hasn’t shown up. She always came to eat before, but now she hasn’t touched a meal.”
The mansion was on high alert.
The bride disappeared just after the red moon appeared for the first time in decades.
“There are no signs of forced entry or exit. And she’s not well enough to climb over high walls…”
The cursed beings also showed no change, unlike when the cursed doll was involved.
Other women who ran from the royal family were found in a day or two.
But Rubiana left no trace—no direction, no clue.
Everything was a mystery.
“Master, pardon me, but should we consider the royal family might have kidnapped or persuaded her?”
Damien had thought of it too.
But it didn’t add up.
“Even if they don’t like Ruby, now that the red moon is here, it’s smarter for them to accept her. Interrupting the ritual wouldn’t benefit them.”
And if it was the royal family, they would’ve threatened or sent some signal by now.
But they were silent.
Damien finally ordered the search to stop. He couldn’t let the staff push themselves further.
‘If I just knew where she was…’
But even then, seeing her happy somewhere else wouldn’t bring peace.
‘Still, she has to be safe.’
At first, the strongest feeling was loss—but now, it was worry.
If she hadn’t been found after three days, maybe she was in danger.
And that was worse than losing her.
Creak—
Damien, almost possessed, opened Rubiana’s bedroom door.
It was empty and cold.
He sat on her bed, staring blankly around the room.
Then he noticed—
Her slippers on the floor.
“…”
He stood and slowly approached them.
Rubiana only wore those slippers inside the mansion.
Suddenly realizing something, he rushed to the closet.
“…Twenty pairs.”
She only brought two when she married.
The rest were gifts from Damien—so he knew exactly how many there should be.
All her shoes were still here.
That meant—
Rubiana had no shoes. She must’ve left barefoot.
And someone trying to run away wouldn’t leave barefoot.
“…She didn’t run away.”
She was taken.
It wasn’t the royal family—they would’ve used her as leverage by now.
So whoever took her wasn’t human.
‘A curse this strong, able to hide its presence and abduct someone without a trace…’
Only one curse fit that description.
Damien’s eyes fell on the mirror above her vanity.
Crash!
He shattered it with a curse.
Annoying as it was—this was the only way to save Rubiana.
Meanwhile – Inside the Curse
“Huh? Where am I…”
My head and body ached like they were splitting in two.
All around me was darkness.
‘What happened? Just a moment ago I was…’
I was brushing my hair, getting ready for bed in my room.
Then—
“Gasp.”
It came back.
The me in the mirror suddenly smiled wickedly—and the mirror rippled like water. Then it sucked me in.
“Agh, I just got free from a curse not long ago…”
Grumbling, I stood up.
Curses are beautiful and mysterious when observed from afar—but not when they kidnap you.
‘I need to finish this fast before Damien gets worried again.’
I prepared to use my ability and looked around.
“Hello?”
Since I was dragged into a mirror, it was likely a mirror-related curse.
But there was nothing here.
Just as I scratched my neck in confusion, a voice echoed.
[Hmm, so bold and arrogant?]
I looked up.
And saw… myself.
More precisely, my face reflected back from dozens, hundreds of mirrors.
I was surrounded—completely trapped.
[Trying to erase me with your fancy power? Hehehe.]
A disturbing female laugh echoed.
‘This is it. A mirror curse.’
I’d seen it in Damien’s curse encyclopedia.
This curse shows terrifying illusions in mirrors to break your mind.
‘Stronger than the twin curse. This might take a bit longer.’
There was no time to chat.
I activated my power.
“Disappear.”
The reflections of me collapsed instantly.
They coughed up blood, screamed, and died in agony.
‘So it’s showing me dying to scare me.’
But I wasn’t afraid of death anymore.
And I knew it was just an illusion.
“Disappear.”
I calmly spoke again, reaching toward the mirror.
[Kihihihihihihi…]
But then—one of the dying reflections twisted its joints crack-crack—and stood up again.
It faced me directly.
[Heh, long time no see.]
White hair. Sharp fangs. Blood-red eyes.
That thing.
“Gasp… no…”
I froze.
This was my worst fear.
I backed away, hand pulling away from the mirror.
Just then—
[Kyaahahahahaha!]
The monster in the mirror leapt out—
And swallowed me whole.
