Chapter 9

***

Grand Duke Karl Bashke slowly raised his eyelids.

‘I can’t believe I opened my eyes in the garden.’

His strong muscles were exposed between his shirt and pants torn like a rag.

A servant who had been looking for him all morning found him and ran to him. The servant put the cloak he was holding on the Grand Duke’s shoulder.

“Snow?”

“He’s overseeing the morning training of the soldiers.”

“I’m later than usual.”

Even in the form of a beast, he returned to his room when the time came for the curse to be lifted.

Today, strangely, he woke up outside.

‘My body seems to be less painful.’

When he turned into an animal, he suffered from burning pain all over his body, like pouring boiling oil.

However, the pain was less severe today.

Furthermore….

“What are these slippers?”

The Grand Duke looked down at the tattered slippers he was clutching at.

In an instant, a fragmentary memory of last night came to his mind.

‘Did I meet the Princess?’

She threw these slippers and shouted something out loud.

As he struggled to recall those words, the servant hurried his steps.

“Let’s go eat. This morning I prepared a fresh mashed bean soup, Master.” 

“Bean?”

The Grand Duke, who was in a bad mood for no reason, wrinkled his brow severely.

“No, if you don’t like it, I’ll change it to something else.”

“Tell them to change it now.”

The Grand Duke got up from his seat and headed for the mansion.

***

Isabelle only woke up after lunchtime. As she got up from bed and sat down on the dressing table, Verdel ran to her and combed her hair.

“Are you awake, Princess? You must have been very tired.”

“Yes, Verdel.”

“Did you have a difficult massage yesterday? Let’s change another masseuse……”

“Verdel I have a headache right now.”

“I’m sorry, Princess. As I get older, I make more mistakes. At this rate, I’m going to pluck out all of the Princess’s hair.”

Verdel smiled awkwardly and continued combing Isabelle’s hair.

“I know. Didn’t you mean to pick them all up and give them to your son?”

Isabelle stared at Verdel in the mirror.

“Oh, Princess?”

The comb that Verdel was holding fell to the floor.

She did not dare to face Isabelle’s angry face and shook her head.

“Why didn’t you say it, Verdel. You desperately need my hair.” 

How hard it must have been to stand by the Princess’s side trying to get some of her hair. Poor Verdel.

Isabelle spoke calmly with an expressionless face.

Verdel, who was afraid, knelt on the floor.

“Princess, I’m wrong. Spare me!”

“Even though I’ve been vicious, I’ve never killed anyone. It’s strange to hear that.”

“My son is sick, so I couldn’t help it.”

“Then you should have said it, Verdel.”

Isabelle looked down at her well-manicured nails and listened to the excuses sullenly.

“What country’s etiquette is it to pull out someone’s hair carelessly?”

She raised her eyes fiercely towards Verdel reflected in the mirror.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Princess.”

Verdel sobbed as she put her forehead on the floor.

“… But, Princess. I didn’t stay with the Princess just because of your hair.”

Isabelle started laughing at that. She was speechless.

“If you were me, would you believe that?”

“I am serious, Princess. It’s true that I took your hair because of my sick son, but I thought of the Princess… !”

“Stop.”

Isabelle interrupted Verdel’s words and picked up the scissors on the dressing table. And she cut off her luscious hair that fell down to her waist down to her shoulders. It wasn’t a difficult decision. The judgment was swift, thanks to the quiet, seething anger.

“Ha, Princess!”

“Here.”

Isabelle held out her cut hair to Verdel. 

‘This should be enough, so she won’t pull my hair out until I die.’

‘I have about 80 days to live.’

Those who knew her secrets could not be expelled prematurely at this time.

It would be all over if Verdel exposed the secret to someone.

‘I can’t live the rest of my life trembling with anxiety.’

In the past three regressions, Verdel had never harmed her.

Rather, whenever someone coveting her blood appeared, she was terrified and chased them away.

‘It must have been to get hair consistently.’

Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter.

Giving away the hair and beware of the bigger foes was the wisest thing to do now.

Isabelle waved her hand holding the cut hair one more time. 

“Is this not enough?”

“Ah, uh, what should I do? Princess’s hair!”

“You will get it or you won’t.”

“Princess, I didn’t mean to do this… I never meant to do this!”

Isabelle hated that word. An excuse to cover up the bad intentions.

“You deceived me and kept pulling my hair out. What are you talking about?”

Isabelle threw her cut hair in front of Verdel’s hands, which were on the floor.

“I think that would be enough.”

“Ugh, Princess!”

“So until I’m alive, my hair. Don’t take a single string.”

“Hic hic.”

“If you understand, get up and comb my hair again.”

“Trust me, I wasn’t trying to hurt the Princess… !” 

“Didn’t you try to pull out my hair without our permission?”

“!”

“Why? Until I die, you will draw my blood with a knife.”

“Princess, never, never do that!”

“Otherwise. Isn’t it the same as touching my body without permission?” 

Isabelle looked into the mirror again with an expressionless face.

“Get up. Don’t make me say it twice. Verdel.”

Wiping the tears with her sleeve, Verdel cautiously began to braid Isabelle’s hair. Since that day, Isabelle never had a stinging scalp again.

***

Another full month has passed.

After that, Isabelle changed her life day and night, and went out for a walk every morning.

The reason was…..

“Kong Kong!”

“Wooooo!”

“You hate that name so much? I’ll just call you Grand Duke.”

It was because the Grand Duke, who had turned into a beast at two of o’clock in the morning, always wandered around the tower.

“Duke, do you come here every night to see me?”

“Have you eaten?”

“Is your health okay?”

During the day, like a doctor doing a health check, he came to ask if she was doing okay and left the room.

‘Does your personality change when you turn into a beast?’

‘Why are you so friendly at night?’

Isabelle was puzzled as she saw the large tail waving violently.

“Grrrrrrrr!”

“Okay, okay.”

Isabelle sat down on the grass.

Then the large beast lay face down with Isabelle’s legs as a pillow.

It’s been a full month since she met the Grand Duke this early in the morning. He was completely tamed by Isabelle’s skills.

“I don’t know why other people are afraid of the Grand Duke. To me, you’re just a big dog.”

If she throws something, it will bite it, and if she strokes his chest or chin, he closes his eyes in a pleasant way.

Isabelle gently brushed his black fur.

“Sir Snow said that turning into a beast hurts your body?”

“Grrrr.”

The Grand Duke tapped Isabelle’s hand with his nose.

“It looks like you want me to brush your hair this time.”

Isabelle’s slender fingers swept down the thick fur.

The pointed ears that were raised go down gently. She got used to seeing a pair of huge horns rising above it.

The feel of soft fur brushing through her fingers.

‘Is this what it feels like to actually stroke the head of the Grand Duke?’

She wouldn’t be stroking that cold man’s hair, though.

“I went downtown today and spent a lot of money. I bought everything I wanted to buy. My closet is full.”

So Isabel laughed softly as she said that she even bought the wardrobe.

“The villagers say that because of me, the pillars of Grand Duke Bashke will be uprooted.”

“Grrrrrr!”

“I’ll understand what you just said means don’t worry.”

Isabelle opened the Grand Duke’s elongated snout slightly.

Fangs as long and pointed as her fingers glisten fiercely.

It was scary at first, but now she was pretty sure he wouldn’t hurt her, so it was okay.

Isabelle slightly poke her finger at the sharp end of his fang.

“I have a small but special ability, Grand Duke.” 

A drop of blood gushed out of her finger. Isabelle dropped it on the beast’s tongue.

The Grand Duke’s eyes widened as if bewildered by the taste of blood.

“It’s a special reward because I’m sorry that I’m only wasting your money. Actually, I have the power to heal people.”

It was pitiful to see him, a beast, grunting in pain. This will probably make it less painful. After all, he hardly remembers anything when he was a beast. Isabelle comfortably shared her secret. 

“That’s why I have been more harsh with people. To protect myself.”

Even before she possessed it, Isabelle must have been like that. Otherwise, everyone will try to eat her.

“Well, even now, my facial expressions and actions are tough at times, so I live by hearing the curses of the people. This is why habits are so important.”

“Grrrrrrr-“

“The Grand Duke is also waiting for the bride to break the curse, right? With that hope alone, you witnessed the death of many brides. Why do we have to live so hard?”

Isabelle smiled bitterly and leaned her upper body against his body. The beast’s body was so large that it felt like she was cuddling a large teddy bear.

‘It’s warm.’

The cool breeze of the dawn and the smell of grass blowing on her cheeks.

With the scenery of the Milky Way scattered like jewels over the ultramarine sky. The pounding sound of the Grand Duke’s heart.

Everything was so cozy that Isabelle closed her eyes. It was the tranquility that she hadn’t experienced in a long time.

***

The Grand Duke sat up. Early morning when the sun hasn’t risen yet.

‘How the hell did this happen?’

The Grand Duke had returned to being a human again. Furthermore… 

‘Why is the Princess here?’

He saw Isabelle sleeping in his arms.

The Grand Duke, who was about to get up quickly, lay down again, hoping not to wake Isabelle from her sleep.

‘Recently, a lot of strange things are happening.’

Not only did the pain of turning into a beast lessen, he kept waking up near the tower. Besides, the sun hasn’t risen today, but the curse was lifted.

‘One day a bride will come to break the Grand Duke’s curse.’

The high priest’s prophecy, which he thought was nonsense, flashed through his mind.

‘After this Princess came, it started to get weird.’

She was a woman whom he felt bothered by.

The Grand Duke moved his hand to tidy up the blonde hair that had been scattered across Isabelle’s face. He couldn’t touch the sleeping woman.

Instead, his eyes scanned Isabelle’s face.

She has neat eyebrows, closed eyes that seem to conform to everything, a straight nose, and red lips filled with flower water.

‘You look like an angel when you sleep after setting up a day like that.’

The Grand Duke clenched and extended his fists, relaxing his tense body.

‘I should put you on the bed first. I’ll have to ask the next time why you slept here.’

The Grand Duke carefully hugged Isabelle and frowned. 

‘I heard you eat well, so why are you so light?’

Maybe it was because of her presence, but from a distance, she looked pretty big, but when he hugged her, she was so small and fragile.

He stared still at the tower, then turned and headed for the mansion.

The reason was simple.

A slender and soft woman who was ridiculed for being a vicious evil woman.

It was a choice he made with the urge to protect this woman.

That was how he ended up with her in his own bedroom.

The Grand Duke looked down at Isabelle in his arms.