Chapter 15

***

The moment Isabelle fell.

“Kong!”

The beast, whose eyes lit up, quickly raised its front paws and lifted Isabelle’s body as it fell.

The recoil caused Isabelle’s body to float in the air, and she entered the window safely.

Ouch! Isabelle, who barely managed to save her life, rolled on the floor and grabbed her shoulder.

‘I’ve been scratched by the Grand Duke’s claws.’

Her blood-stained pajamas were seen along with the pain of torn flesh.

“Grrrr!”

The beast roared and tried to jump into the window, but a jelly-like barrier appeared and blocked his entry.

It was a magic barrier that Isabelle had never felt before.

The beast hanging from the high tower trembled and swung its front paws strongly, but the barrier didn’t break.

Just then, the light of the rising sun glimmered behind him.

It was morning.

With the sunrise, black smoke rose from his body, and he returned to human form. The barrier that blocked the beast disappeared, and the Grand Duke, who became a human, hurriedly entered the room through the window.

“What the hell am I doing here? Darn it!”

He moved away from the window with a white face. He seemed afraid of heights despite his large size.

‘No wonder he didn’t come near the window when he visited the tower. I guess he’s really scared of heights.’

It didn’t really suit him, so Isabelle smiled brightly even in the midst of her pain. 

“…?”

The Grand Duke, who noticed Isabelle’s presence belatedly, stiffened as he looked at her on the floor.

His pupils tremble like candles hit by the sea breeze. 

“What the hell did I do…… !”

He wiped Isabelle’s wounds with the handkerchief lying on the side table.

‘He’s a soldier, so he’s good at handling wounds.’

Isabelle reached out to the Grand Duke with the hand that covered the wound.

Her white hand was stained with blood.

“Would you like a drink?”

‘It’s really good for the body’, but Isabelle couldn’t explain it.

Seeing Isabelle speaking strange words, the Grand Duke wrinkled his face.

“Just take one bite.”

Isabelle placed her finger on his tightly closed lips.

Red blood dripped from his thick lips.

The Grand Duke quickly turned his head with a ferocious gaze.

Seeing the expression on his face as if he wondered if Isabelle was joking even in this situation, Isabelle burst into laughter.

‘You were trying to save me. It’s not your fault.’

She wasn’t seriously injured, but strangely, her mind wandered.

Isabelle closed her eyes, unable to say anything she wanted to say.

Even though he saw blood, he didn’t lust after the blood, and his eyes were worried about her wounds…

It’s been a long time indeed.

***

It was a quiet morning.

Snow was out on the shore, carrying a bag full of dried dates.

‘The coordinates that Master sent were around here.’

Snow took the watch out of his pocket and wandered along the shore, counting the current time and the angle at which the sun rose.

He wore a wide-brimmed hat to block the morning sun.

If he’s careless, his skin will get freckles.

At that moment, a blue light circled in the air and a portal appeared.

An exotic man in a changpao walked out slowly from a large mass of light. A person with reddish hair hanging over one shoulder. It was Chaiman.

“Master!”

“Who is Master? I’ve never had a stupid disciple, so call me the tower lord.”

Chaiman turned as if he was in a bad mood.

“Haha, you came very timely.”

Snow took a date palm out of his pocket and put it in Chaman’s mouth and paced with him.

It was Snow’s warm hospitality.

“It makes me nervous to see you behave like this.”

“Princess Isabelle is in critical condition, Master.”

“What?!”

“She was injured by the claws of the Grand Duke who turned into a beast…She has been unconscious for several days.”

“I am not a doctor, Snow.”

“The wounds healed quickly, but the doctor couldn’t find a reason why the Princess didn’t wake up.”

“Maybe… the curse has flowed in.”

Chaiman muttered softly.

In order for the Grand Duke to cast his curse on his opponent, he had to have a sincere heart. However, with reason crumbling and only violent instincts remaining, such a thing was impossible.

‘If possible, the curse would have been resolved earlier.’

He was just going to ignore it as nonsense. 

But the eyes of his foolish disciple explaining the situation were quite serious.

“The curse seems to have been intertwined as the Master said.”

“Don’t call me Master.”

“Please help me just once, Master.”

Snow did the best he could.

The Master’s power would be able to help Princess Isabelle’s recovery.

Even the anxious Grand Duke had been informed of the visit of the tower lord, and the Grand Duke rarely welcomed him.

Now, as long as Snow took that picky Master to the Grand Duke’s residence, he would be successful.

“Ha. I didn’t come here to work.”

Chaiman rubbed his dark eyes and checked his pockets.

Two of the finest manastones were caught. It looked like jewels, but the price was too high to compare with jewelry.

‘Such a waste. I don’t want to use it.’

He wanted to pretend he didn’t know, but he had to keep Isabelle alive as safely as possible.

‘Last Chance of Heaven.’

The prophecy he had heard from the high priest a month ago crossed his mind.

“The Grand Duke will take care of you so you won’t be disappointed.”

“I don’t need any money, so ask for some blood.”

Like a wizard who was fascinated by experiments, Chaiman demanded something unique. 

‘Crazy guy.’

Recalling the days when he had to write a thesis at the tower, Snow swallowed a curse inside, but on the outside put on an infinitely kind smile.

“Anything you want. Come this way, Master.”

***

Isabelle lifted her eyelids with difficulty.

With a narrow, open field of vision, a large back was visible.

The Grand Duke, dressed in a white shirt, had his hand on his waist and was scolding someone.

“You’re not good at it, Chaiman.”

“You welcomed me. When it’s over, is it a treat?”

Chaiman roughly threw the mana stones on the side table.

The dazzling mana stones turned into ordinary stones.

“It’s dubious that you came on time.”

The Grand Duke pulled out a slender sword from his waist and aimed it at Chaiman’s neck.

“You still can’t even joke. Yes, poke it now.”

Chaiman thrust his neck into the tip of the sword.

The tip of the sword pierced his flesh, and blood dripped down, and the collar of his shirt, which half-covered his neck, was stained red.

He didn’t moan a single groan like a person who didn’t know pain in the first place.

“Ah, I see blood, and I’m craving sweets.”

With his throat stabbed, Chaiman calmly picked up a date palm on the side table and chewed it softly. The Grand Duke, who was staring at him, took his sword and wiped the blood off the tip of the sword.

“Why is the Princess still unconscious?”

Even the tone of concern was like a cold command.

Contrary to the calm words, the wheezing shoulders and back muscles are strong behind the shirt.

“She’ll wake up soon, so wait.”

Chaiman, lying on the sofa, wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“I’ve been working hard for two days and nights, and it won’t be a surprise if I pass out right away, but do you even stab my neck?”

He waved his hands roughly, feeling disappointed, and the thin bracelets on his arms made a rattling sound.

It didn’t sound so scary, though.

Isabelle, lying on the bed, instinctively tensed up. This wasn’t the reaction to the wound, but Isabelle’s own reaction.

‘I’m sure I don’t know him, but I’m strangely nervous.’

Isabelle’s gaze, which had reached far away, turned to the Grand Duke again.

Her heart, which had been dyed blue with fear, calmed down again as she looked at his wide back. 

‘If that man protects me.’

She felt relieved that no one would be able to steal her blood or hair. Isabelle stretched out her hand with difficulty.

It was hard. Her eyelids kept coming down.

Her hand, which was as heavy as iron, could not reach the Grand Duke and fell. The Grand Duke noticed the small gesture like a ghost and turned his head.

“Princess?”

The Grand Duke reached out to Isabelle’s hand that came out of the blanket. She thought he would hold her hand, but he just put her hand back into the blanket.

‘A very strange man.’

From the outside, he exuded cold air, but when he touched it, it was warm. It was as cozy as a piece of yarn.

Her tense body relaxed.

Isabelle fell asleep again.

***

Isabelle, no, Jeong Se-ha, who possessed Isabelle’s body, was standing alone in a black space. On the other side, the owner of the body, Isabelle Desar, was facing her with a cold expression.

“Isabelle….?”

“What do you think? Are you living a new life?”

The original Isabelle waited for an answer with a blank expression on her face. How can you be so shameless? Jeong Se-ha clenched her teeth.

“You, what are you?”

“It’s funny. Why are you asking something obvious? I’m Isabelle.”

She lifted her skirt and bent her knees gracefully.

“Don’t play with me. Why did I come into your body? Where the hell am I!”

“I don’t know what you mean. You’re back in your place.”

“This is a book!”

“A book?”

“Yes, you were a supporting actor in The Little Mermaid.”

A wicked one.

“A supporting actor.”

The original Isabelle smiled haughtily and rolled her eyes. Jeong Se-ha strode towards her.

“Thanks to possessing your body, I died painfully over and over again. Bring me back!”

“Bring you back? Where?”

“I was originally… !”

Jeong Se-ha couldn’t finish her words and shut her mouth.

Yes, she died while bungee jumping.

It was a rural village in the remote mountains, and did the rescue team find her body? It was probably still stuck in the riverbed. 

Come to think of it, she had nowhere else to go.

“I’m very pitiful.”

Jeong Se-ha rubbed her forehead and smiled bitterly.

“Do you still do that?”

“What?”

“Are you still feeling sorry for yourself?”

“Well. Now I have a good husband and I eat well and live well.”

‘I’m going to die soon, though’, but Jeong Se-ha smiled weakly, blurring the latter part.

“I see. That’s good.”

The original Isabelle nodded her head slightly and turned around.

As she listened to the sound of the pocket watch wrapped around her wrist, she tried to disappear into the pitch black space.

“Isabelle!”

Jeong Se-ha ran quickly and grabbed her wrist.

“Tell me where this novel, no, this world is.” 

From The Little Mermaid to Snow White to the Beast. She wanted to know the identity of the miscellaneous fairy tale.

“What do you mean?”

“Tell me the identity of this world now. That way, I can act according to my role or struggle to survive.”

Jeong Se-ha was desperate. Even though she was ready to die, she wanted to hold on to the rope. 

“Role? If it’s a role, then it’s Isabelle.”

The original Isabelle pointed to herself and raised one corner of her lips.

“You?”

When Jeong Se-ha pointed at Isabelle, Isabelle nodded her head. 

“People die, you idiot.”

Don’t play with words. Isabelle struck Jeong Se-ha’s hand. 

“Wait a minute!” Jeong Se-ha hurriedly grabbed Isabelle again.

“I’m not joking, I’m serious. Are you going to die because you’re a supporting actor in this story?”

“Why do you keep calling me a supporting actor?”

“Then are you the main character?”

“I don’t really know what you’re talking about. What about you?”

“Me?” As Jeong Se-ha pointed at herself, Isabelle nodded.

“Were you the main character or the supporting actor in the previous life you remember?” 

What were you confident in yourself and did?

No, could you be sure until you died?

The original Isabelle asked calmly in an emotionless voice.