Fortunately, I had a handkerchief that Betty had brought me. I don’t think I’d go around staining my clothes with blood in such a disgraceful way.
‘But…’
I didn’t want to show Erich my bloodied face. Already, he disliked me enough; I didn’t want to give him any more reasons to hate me. Unaware of my situation, Erich slowly opened his mouth.
“I don’t want to see anyone getting hurt in front of me.”
“…”
“Even if that person is you, whom I despise.”
A swirl of emotions crossed Erich’s eyes.
“…Then if you want to die, go somewhere else.”
I slowly opened my mouth, feeling my throat grow hot.
‘When will Erich leave?’
I just wish he’d go already. But it seems Erich misunderstood my silence.
“Are you saying you don’t want to talk anymore? Yet your complexion…”
Erich’s last words trembled slightly.
‘My complexion?’
Since there’s no mirror, I don’t know what my face looks like. Erich, looking worried as if he cares, stared at me with a flustered expression then suddenly spun around.
“No, it’s my fault for thinking I could speak with someone like you.”
And he immediately left the room.
‘Good. I couldn’t endure any longer anyway.’
As soon as Erich disappeared, I took out the handkerchief and covered my mouth. Blood gushed out uncontrollably.
‘It’s darker than before.’
The trees around me seemed more distressed than I was.
-Oh dear. The color is very black because it’s so severe.
-What evil person cursed our little one like this?
“It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt.”
-That’s because it’s healing. You shouldn’t let your guard down too much.
-Right, he’s right. For now, your fairy’s power is holding it back, but if the curse grows stronger, your body might completely collapse.
“I’ll be careful, just as you said.”
Who would like being sick? I also hate being ill.
“When do you think I’ll recover?”
-The curse inside you is too deep; even we don’t know exactly.
I sighed as I looked at the bloodstained handkerchief.
‘Did the Duke and Duchess of Libertan hate me so much that they cursed me?’
Honestly, I didn’t expect them to hate me so much. But on the other hand, I felt a bit relieved—at least I wouldn’t have to pity them if they fell into ruin.
‘First, I need to think of ways to strengthen my fairy’s power.’
~·~·*· . ·*· . ·*· . ·*·~·~
As soon as I returned to the mansion, Betty greeted me.
“Lady. The master is looking for you.”
“Lord?”
“It seems he’s prepared something for you.”
Betty led me somewhere else. Soon, she noticed the handkerchief I was holding absentmindedly.
“Oh, Betty. This is…”
“Lady.”
Betty’s voice carried a strange sadness.
‘What do I say in my defense?’
With evidence right in front of me, I couldn’t deny that I wasn’t hurt. The thought that I might lose my freedom if I made a mistake made my expression stiffen.
‘That would be very problematic.’
Not only would I lose my freedom to move, but I could also be confined within the mansion, unable to do anything. I was already in a situation where I couldn’t do anything inside the mansion.
‘No, I have to do something.’
I pressed my index finger to my lips and looked at Betty. Tears welled up in her eyes as she nodded with a face that seemed to be holding back tears. She took the handkerchief from my hand.
“I’ll handle this myself.”
“Thank you.”
“And the master is waiting for you in that room.”
I entered the room Betty led me to. Inside, John, dressed in a black tailcoat, was waiting with his arms crossed. He looked handsome, suited to the opulent jewelry and decorations. His sharp, decadent face carried an air of nobility.
“Ah, you’re here?”
He smiled gently at me, tilting his head lazily. His uniform, embroidered with gold epaulets, emphasized his muscled body. His broad shoulders and large frame looked even more imposing. Especially, the open shirt revealed a manly throat and a rugged neck.
‘He’s definitely a dangerous man.’
He looked like he was dressed for a fancy ball.
“Lord, are you going to some kind of party?”
“Yeah.”
John nodded readily.
“The place the wife wanted to go.”
“Did you say the place you wanted to go…?”
I don’t recall telling John anywhere I wanted to go.
“Maybe I’m going to make happen what she wished for?”
His cryptic words made me even more confused. I tried recalling his usual mannerisms, but nothing came to mind. Seeing my confusion, John chuckled softly, as if he found me cute.
“Shall we go, my princess?”
His large hand was extended toward me. A big hand that seemed ready to take me somewhere immediately. I looked at John’s hand and smiled softly.
“What do you mean, princess?”
“My wife, you know. The princess I must serve and live with. Is that uncomfortable?”
“No, I don’t dislike it.”
Honestly, calling me “princess” felt a bit strange. I was dressed in a plain white dress. If I had to be precise, I didn’t look like a princess. But perhaps because the man in front of me was so handsome, holding his hand made me feel like I was the most precious princess in the world—even if I was just an ordinary girl. I slowly placed my hand on his. John naturally escorted me. And as we took a step forward, the room suddenly transformed into a grand banquet hall. An enormous space, big enough for dozens of people. A sparkling chandelier hung from the ceiling, and ornate paintings decorated the walls. Lights shimmered like jewels scattered everywhere.
“You said you regretted not dancing back then.”
John whispered lazily into my ear.
“So I thought of a way for us to dance alone.”
At that moment, my plain white dress shimmered with a gentle glow and transformed into a luxurious gown. A sky-blue silk dress, decorated with jewel ribbons and flowers, with my hair tied up with a ribbon. Even gloves appeared suddenly. Everything felt surreal. The most astonishing part was that all of this was prepared solely for me.
“Can such things be done with magic?”
“Usually, no.”
John shrugged lightly.
“But nothing is impossible for me.”
The space was breathtakingly beautiful, almost divine. He was the most radiant person in this magical place. I felt so privileged to hold his hand like this. John came closer, almost brushing noses with me. Our foreheads touched. Suddenly, I heard music starting nearby. My eyes met with a pair of ruby-like red eyes. John gently and softly whispered while holding my hands tightly.
“Princess, shall we dance to a song?”
“Yes. I’d love to.”
~·~·*· . ·*· . ·*· . ·*·~·~
With each step, the dazzling lights of the banquet hall flickered as if they would shatter.
‘It feels like I’m dreaming.’
Every movement made me feel oddly close to John’s body, as if we would brush against each other. The sticky heat, the breeze coming through the window cracks, heightened the sensation. John pressed close to me, his solid muscles palpable even through his uniform. His hand on my waist made me hyper-aware of the situation. The gentle music of the banquet filled the air. I could smell John’s scent nearby. And somewhere, I vaguely heard the beating of a heart that didn’t belong to anyone I knew. John, so handsome that he seemed like a beautiful illusion, was shining the brightest in this magical place, making me feel so grateful just to hold his hand. John leaned in so close that our noses almost touched. Our foreheads met. Somewhere, the music grew louder. I looked into his dark eyes.
‘To be precise, he’s not really mine.’
We behaved as if we were married, but in reality, we hadn’t even registered our marriage.
‘I shouldn’t be thinking like this.’
To calm my racing heart, I reminded myself of the harsh facts. Since the moment I was adopted by Libertan, John was someone I wasn’t allowed to have any relationship with. So, right now, it was just like a fleeting summer night’s dream that would eventually shatter. Without realizing, I whispered.
“…Is this a dream?”
“No, it’s not.”
John looked at me with tender, honey-like eyes.
“…It’s real.”
His gaze strangely made my heart feel cold and heavy.
“Have you danced a lot at events like this, Lord?”
If it weren’t for John, I wouldn’t have been able to follow the dance at all. He shook his head.
“No. I hardly ever do.”
“I thought you were experienced because you led me so naturally.”
“Before I became a duke, I wasn’t in a position to enjoy noble life like this.”
A faint, bitter smile crossed John’s lips. At that moment, I naturally recalled the hell he had endured. His parents executed by burning, his sister lost to torture—only a young boy left behind.
‘Even when I think about it now, it’s incredible.’
The Duke of Libertan thought that a mere boy running away wouldn’t change anything. No one believed that a boy who had lost everything could do anything. But John succeeded. He faked his death, escaped from the Duke’s mansion, and pursued his goals by any means necessary.
‘Of course, I don’t know everything.’
The original story didn’t show all of John’s revenge plans. But even just the cold hints he dropped revealed traces of a fierce and harsh life. Perhaps even his perfect noble etiquette was something he had polished himself for revenge.
‘Your revenge should never come true.’
Thinking about that, John’s face, as he looked at me, seemed a little sad.
‘But I want your revenge to succeed.’
He had endured so much and was chasing after just one thing. It would be too heartbreaking if he achieved nothing. Yet, knowing that I was part of his revenge tore my heart apart. Even if I were to die, I couldn’t help feeling sorrowful.
‘Maybe I’ve changed.’
It seemed as if John had cast some kind of spell over the entire ball. When he met my gaze, he asked softly.
“Are you feeling exhausted? Should we take a break?”
“Thank you.”
As soon as I moved closer, a bench appeared where I could sit and rest. John sat right beside me as soon as I did.
“Exactly what kind of place is this? Is it part of the mansion?”
“Think of it as being transported there by magic; it’s simpler that way.”
“Magic really is amazing.”
The fact that even my clothes could be changed entirely by magic. Suddenly, the beautiful music ceased with a loud bang—like glass shattering.
A rough scraping sound from outside drowned everything out. The sparkling lights flickered violently. John’s expression darkened.
“These bastards…”
“What is this…”
John, smiling, turned to me and said:
“It looks like a bunch of idiots who don’t know what they’re doing tried to barge into my magic.”
“Shouldn’t we get out of here immediately?”
“Don’t worry. I can handle those fools in one go.”
But for some reason, I felt uneasy. A strange vibe from him made my skin crawl.
‘As a fairy, you are more sensitive to magical energy than others.’
I remembered what the tree had told me last time.
‘So, what you’re feeling is real.’
My gaze shifted to John’s hand. His hand, covered in a black glove, trembled with a sinister aura. He spoke as if nothing was wrong.
“Don’t worry. Just trust me.”
John gently stroked my head. The reason black magic was forbidden was because, although more powerful than regular magic, it had severe side effects.
‘I don’t know much about its side effects.’
The only cure for the side effects of black magic is divine energy. Unfortunately, I lacked divine power. It was never related to divine energy in the first place. Still, I reached out to his hand without hesitation and removed his glove.
“As expected…”
The tips of his fingers were darkened. A sign of impending chaos. A sharp, piercing sound—like glass breaking—resounded sharply in my ears.
~·~·*· . ·**##^^##**· . ·*·~·~
Hey there, It’s Green Rose 😉
Since I human I might have make some mistakes while translating so please if you find them let me know here in the comments or in the Discord group so I can correct them and be careful in the future so they do not repeat.
Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
~~~Next Chapter~~~
Next chapter will be released Tomorrow.
See you then!!
