Chapter 18

[——must be done]

“…….!”

[——For you to——your——is required. —— enough to soak the entire body.]

Someone’s voice was heard mixed with the sound of a bug crawling in her ears. The voice was one that Grace had never heard of. It was shady, unpleasant, and disgusting just to hear. The voice, which seemed to draw out negative emotions, was constantly chattering in Grace’s ears.

[—must die, Duke Felix’s brides, all of them. — — — until.]

“…..!”

Grace hurriedly breathed in at the eerie voice and laughter that followed.

‘I can’t believe I have to die. Why? Who the hell are you? Why are you saying that?’

Grace shouted desperately at the voice whispering in her ear, but all she could hear was a chilling laugh. Grace felt goosebumps all over her body at the sound. The laughter seemed to be chaining her whole body and strangling her neck like a chain. Grace tried to scream in fear, but no sound came out, as if someone had shut her mouth.

‘……no, I’m scared. I’m afraid! I don’t want to die again. Someone, someone, please…!’

‘Please, someone, stop this noise.’

Grace was praying in her heart.

“Stop, Duke Alberton.”

Suddenly, she saw a hand lying on the Bible and all the sounds stopped. Then, in Grace’s ear, Arthur’s voice rang. Arthur, who had removed her hand from the Bible, had brought a halt to this. At that moment, Grace looked at her surroundings with blank eyes, with the terrible noise that disappeared like a lie. Realizing what had happened a while ago was a fantasy, Grace let out a breath.

‘What the hell was that? Is it… is it the curse?’

Grace looked at the face of her father, Duke Alberton, who had stopped chanting with confused eyes. Duke Alberton, with a cold sweat on his forehead, glanced at Grace, who was still trembling with fear, and soon growled at Arthur, who stood beside him.

“What are you doing, Duke Felix? I can’t believe you stopped the ritual of blessing.”

Arthur glared back at Duke Alberton.

“Can’t you see it?”

“What do you mean?”

“My wife is shaking.”

With those words, Arthur held Grace’s hand. Grace tried to pull out her hand, surprised by the way he clasped her wet hand without hesitation, but Arthur held it even tighter. Then, he said to the emperor, who sat on the throne and watched the situation with a strange gaze.

“Forgive me your rudeness, Your Majesty. I think the blessing ritual should stop here.”

“Oh, why?”

When asked by the emperor, Arthur looked down at Grace once and answered.

“As your Majesty knows, Felix Castle had a bad cold at this time of year. That’s why I always told the people of the castle to warm themselves up, and I don’t know if Leon was lacking caution because he caught a terrible cold.”

“Really? Come to think of it, I thought it was weird that I couldn’t see Leon. Is that why you couldn’t bring Leon?”

“Yes, until this morning Leon was in a bad condition, so I couldn’t bring him today.”

“Well, I understand the situation. But what does that have to do with today’s ritual?”

“She took care of Leon, and I think she caught a cold as well.”

As Arthur looked down at Grace with a worried look, the emperor raised one eyebrow and asked, “Oh, so that’s why Duchess Felix kept sweating.”

“Yes, the symptoms weren’t that serious until morning, but I think her fever has risen because she used up her energy on the way to the capital.”

When Arthur replied, the emperor looked at Grace with suspicious eyes. Grace realized the Emperor’s gaze was on me and deliberately leaned on Arthur, who stood beside her, pretending to be dizzy. Then the emperor made a humming sound and soon nodded quietly, “……I see. She certainly doesn’t look well to look at all right? Duke Felix, do you want me to bring you the Imperial doctor right now?”

“It’s not enough to call them a happy occasion. She’ll be better if she takes some rest after some rest and medicine.”

“Really? That’s a relief. I was also worried that the party might have a mishap without the first dance.”

The emperor stroked his chin with one hand and glanced at Grace. Grace gave a coy look. It was the greatest disrespect to the host that the stars of the party returned without even doing the first dance. So Grace gave him a hint, and Arthur answered her with his eyes, saying, ‘Don’t worry’.

“Oh, no. It will be hard to stay in her seat until the end of the party, but it’s not as serious as not being able to do the first dance.”

“I see. I see. Then, let’s stop the ritual here.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty.”

Arthur bowed on one knee to thank the emperor for his consideration. Following him, Grace also bent, spreading her dress, and the emperor gazed at the two.

“Okay, then take some medicine and rest, Duchess Felix. We’ll resume when you’re ready. Duke Felix, you may leave with your new bride. Duke Alberton, let’s stop the ritual here.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, then I shall stand down.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty.”

“…Alright.”

At the Emperor’s words, Arthur and Grace stepped back as if they had waited. Duke Alberton also looked unhappy, but soon returned to where he had been a while ago after giving his silent respect.

When the situation was somewhat over, the emperor clapped lightly twice and shouted at the people.

“Now, the boring ritual is over! Let the new bride eat and drink during a short break. Today I have no intention of letting you all return until the sun rises!”

The emperor burst into laughter, with the nobles remaining silent. A moment later, people gathered again to make a fuss, and the band began to play cheerful music with instruments that had been put down.

“You’re welcome. I’m grateful. You lied like that because you cared about me.”

“How are you feeling?’ I don’t think you’re going to stop sweating… and if it still hurts a lot, I’d rather you not dance… ” Still worried about Grace, who was wiping her cold sweat with a pale face, Arthur, who was keeping an eye on her, asked carefully.

Grace smiled helplessly and shook her head before answering, “……No, I can’t do that. It’s rude of us to stop the blessing ceremony at the Emperor’s personal party, but I can’t say I won’t even dance.”

“Are you sure you’re okay? It would be good to see a doctor…”

“No, I’m really fine. Don’t worry.”

“……okay. But if you’re having a hard time, you should tell me.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Then stay here. I’ll go get some medicine from the carriage.”

Grace smiled as if nothing had happened. Apparently relieved to see this, Arthur sat Grace on a nearby sofa and went out of the party.

“…Haa.”

Arthur left the party, and Grace sighed loudly.

To be honest, she was still nervous and afraid of what happened a while ago. Apparently, the sound she heard a while ago was inexplicable unless it was the curse.

But, nevertheless, she didn’t want to show him. She knew it was better for her to be honest with him and distance herself from him at this point. Grace didn’t want to, even if she knew it was better for her. She couldn’t do that.

‘Whether you die or go crazy, or leave me because you don’t want to go crazy, are you not the one to part with me first, anyway?’

‘I hate it when someone dies or goes crazy.’

‘I’m scared.’

That night, Arthur’s words, which had sounded sharp and wary, kept bothering me. She didn’t want to part with him, due to his countless heartbreaks in the past.

Strangely enough.

‘What is this feeling? ……is it sympathy?’

But, was sympathy always so intense?

Grace smiled bitterly and rolled her hand, trembling with fear. She couldn’t understand herself for not being able to speak to him and distance herself, even though she was so afraid. It was only right for her to confess to Arthur, but she was afraid to be kicked out of this mansion before she prepared anything — she was afraid of being hated by him.

Grace convinced herself that this fear might somehow lead to her hating him, and that she might even be cursed to death or go insane.

If her father, Duke Alberton had put a curse on her, her resentment would of course be the first to return, and the aftermath of the curse was obvious as well.

‘I’m sorry. I still give myself more importance than you.’

Grace bit her lower lip with endless guilt.