Chapter 14

***

***

“Are you back?”

It was the day Duke Aslan finally returned home from the Imperial Palace. In front of the carriage he was riding in stood two of his sons who had just returned from the academy.

“Father. Long time no see.”

“Yes. How have you been?”

The three men exchanged greetings in a very friendly manner. When Yuri heard that he had returned, she also went out to the front door. Yuri, who was standing next to the servants, looked at him quietly.

“Yes. How were you too?”

When Duke Aslan made eye contact with Yuri, he approached Yuri and greeted her. Yuri looked up at him slightly.

‘Were his eyes this color?’

Something was strange. His purple eyes always contained a little affection, now his dry red eyes were staring at Yuri.

“Come on, let’s go in. I have good news for you.”

“Yes….”

‘I must have seen it wrong.’

His eyes flashed red. Aslan’s eyes were purple. Yuri was the only part that resembled Aslan. Somehow, she felt strange. She felt like she was missing out on something very big.

***

“I heard about your grades. Both are great.”

“It’s a big compliment, father.”

At the dinner table with all the family members, Yuri sat at the end of the table. They sat together at a large table, but the three seemed oddly close.

‘I don’t know what’s going on…’

Was it the distance of the heart or the real distance? Yuri’s seat felt a little farther away from them. It felt distant.

“Because we resembled our father.”

As Adres said those words, he glared at Yuri. He seemed to want to say that Yuri did not resemble his father. Yuri immediately looked away from them and ate some bread.

“Yes. I’m glad you’re doing well.”

Aslan’s eyes turned purple again. As if looking at a precious child, Yuri shrugged her shoulders involuntarily.

To say that she had seen it wrong, his eyes were bright red earlier. 

‘Is it the influence of darkness?’

In the temple, Yuri had seen people affected by darkness. Their clouded eyes flashed.

‘Just… Did I see it wrong?’

Perhaps she had been very tired these days. Thinking she must have seen it wrong, Yuri put a piece of bread in her mouth.

“Yes. I have something to tell you.”

“Yes….”

Yuri quickly swallowed a piece of bread and answered. Why do they always talk to each other while eating? It was a little burdensome for Yuri.

“It’s time for you to get married.”

Yuri was still 18 years old. She will soon be nineteen, but she was too young to get married. But Yuri didn’t say anything back.

“……yes.”

“His Majesty has decided on your place of marriage.”

‘What decision?’

If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be impossible to even refuse? Yuri smiled and looked at his face.

‘Why?’

Aslan’s eyes flashed red again as he looked at her.

“It’s a marriage to the Northern Duke of Erentail.”

“Yes…”

“It’s one of the oldest families, so it won’t be a loss for you.”

The red light disappeared quickly in Aslan’s eyes, but it was definitely red.

“Yes. Oh, I’m very happy.”

Yuri replied with a smile. Seeing her smiling, Adres was dumbfounded. But it didn’t matter.

“Father, but she….!”

“Adres.”

His harsh voice filled the dining room. It was also the spirit of the lord who had protected the empire for 30 years. Adres, suppressed by that spirit, paused for a moment, but did not stop opening his mouth.

“I am against this marriage.”

“What?”

“This kid is too young to get married.”

“Young Master……”

“Neither I nor my brother are even engaged yet. So….!”

He opposed the marriage of Yuri, citing that he and Herian were not even engaged.

Those words made Yuri happy. Yuri did not want to marry. Even if Adres probably wasn’t talking purely for Yuri, she was happy to hear those words.

“Adres.”

Adres’s angry voice was blocked by a heavy voice. The fork the Duke was holding was red with energy.

“Are you going to find a fiance too?”

“It’s not like that…!”

“Then, are you talking about ignoring His Majesty’s orders?”

A cold voice stopped Adres’ actions. Adres sat still, biting his  lip.

“Since when did Slevard become the dog of the Imperial Family?”

They heard a mumble like that, but no one said anything. A terrible silence filled the dining room.

****

“As expected, I have indigestion.”

“Do you want me to bring you some medicine?”

“Yes, I’d appreciate it if you could.”

Yuri’s stomach was subtly sore. It was obviously because of the meal time she had with her family earlier. The food wasn’t a problem, so it was probably because of the atmosphere.

“Yuri, I’ll come in for a moment.”

“Yes.”

There was a knock on the door, she thought it was a maid, but the one who came in was a handsome blond man.

Yuri opened the door and looked at the man coming in. Shiny blond hair, a face that closely resembled the Duke. Heian was the first Young Master of this Duchy.

“Why, why are you here……”

“I came to give this to you.”

Herian said so, and held out a book that looked quite old to Yuri. With both hands, Yuri politely received the book Herian held out.

“Oh…!”

“….”

There was a very small mistake. When Herian and Yuri’s hands touched, Herian’s forehead twitched subtly. After Yuri received the book, Herian took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his hands.

“Ah….”

“Sorry. I think I touched something dirty.”

It was a brighter smile than expected as he said so. If anyone saw it, it was obvious that they would see him as a gentle gentleman. Then he threw the handkerchief he had used to wipe his hands with on the floor.

Yuri’s face turned red with embarrassment. Herian looked at Yuri and spoke to her quietly.

“The five families that helped the Goddess all inherited abilities and curses. you know that?”

“… … Yes, I heard that story.”

“Yes. This is a book about those abilities. There is also a story about the North, so read it.”

Yuri scanned the front of the book Herian had given her with her hand. She felt the rough touch on her fingertips. There was not much writing on the cover, and it was quite old. Rather than a book, it was like a memoir that someone had written.

“It’s a book from our family. Read it and return it to me.”

“…”

“Any questions? If not, I’ll go.”

Yuri’s hands were shaking slowly. An unfamiliar wind blew past her hair. Yuri, very carefully, turned around and asked him who was about to leave.

“Why… Why are you telling me this?”

“Is that important?”

“For me, that…. is the most important issue.”

Yuri gently bit her lip. Herian’s expression hardened for a moment. A moment of silence passed. No one spoke first. It was Herian who broke the silence and spoke up after a few moments.

“…. Because I don’t want you to die right away.”

“What…?”

Yuri asked with a surprised face. Herian’s eyes narrowed. Soon, his characteristic pretentious smile appeared.

“If you die quickly, there will be problems in the trade between Slevard and Erentail.”

“Ah….”

“Now is the busiest time.”

“…”

“I don’t want to be disturbed.”

It was amazing. How could he say something like that with a smile on his face? On the other hand, Yuri even thought it was wonderful.

“Don’t die too soon. Don’t even expect help.”

He answered her kindly as if he had explained everything now.

“So, if you had rejected your father then… … ”

“……… Reject?”

“No, I made a mistake. Forget it.”

But Yuri couldn’t be satisfied with this. Hearing such an answer could not be tolerated.

“Is that really all?”

It was a desperate voice. A voice that was so desperate that he was surprised even when he heard it. Upon hearing Yuri’s voice, Herian’s face had a smile like a mask.

“…Yuri.”

‘Please, please’. Yuri prayed earnestly. It was unknown whether it was to her god or to Herian, but earnest prayer filled her heart.

“What more do you want?”

“What?”

“I think I gave you many opportunities.”

“….”

“Did I lack the opportunity I gave you?”

Yuri couldn’t breathe. It was clear that there was no God. No, even if there was a god, it was clear that there was no God only for Yuri. 

“Yuri.”

“…”

“I hope you understand your subject.”

Bang. The sound of the door closing echoed loudly in the room. Yuri sat down and stared at his back for a long time.

‘You can stab someone with a smiling face.’

She thought that Adres, who was only angry, was better. Herian was not like a human at all. He did not treat Yuri as a human being.

‘I’m… I’m being sold.’

Yuri was terribly resentful. She didn’t want to get married. But she accepted it. It was what her father wanted, so she thought she had no choice but to do it.

If she got married, it was clear that Yuri would soon die. She accepted the marriage, or death, simply thinking that it was the price of her sins at that time.

And Aslan accepted it. Then she too had to accept it. Wouldn’t that be fair?

‘It’s like a wax doll.’

Hiding all his emotions, he was always smiling towards Yuri. When she was by his side, it seemed as if she had become a means rather than a person. Yuri felt suffocated.

In terms of simply the size of the hatred, Herian was one step ahead of Adres. Yuri closed her eyes. When she thought that there was only one month left here, she felt more at ease.

Yuri began to open the book that Herian had left behind.

[First… … I didn’t want to write this book. 

Perhaps…… These abilities and the curse may be one.

Some blessings and curses may be the same.

I am the heir of the East, Arion Slevard. 

I would like to thank my friends for their great help in conducting this research.]

Yuri decided to do what she could do right now. She decided to do everything she could possibly do.

Yuri nodded and read about the history of abilities. It was a secret document that was not left in any history books. Most of it was written about the information he found out, but it was also the diary of Arion Slevard.

[D*mn. Pickles are really bad. Anyone who thought of putting this on a sandwich should go to hell.]

‘You are a person who has lived a more enjoyable life than I thought.’

Yuri thought so, and turned the page. It was after the curse came upon him that his diary began to darken in earnest.

[I decided to protect her. 

She will lose all her heart, but…

I decided to be thankful that I did not lose her.

This would be the worst curse. This blood is cursed.]

A curse passed down to the Slevard. It was a curse of ‘choice’. It must have been around this time that this curse was placed. Yuri thought so and turned over the diary.

Seeing other people’s painful memories was not very enjoyable.

‘This story… I’ve heard it somewhere.’

Yuri blinked. Fragments of memories that had been locked in the white wall seemed to come to her mind. Yuri hurriedly moved to the next page.

[ ‘It’ offers me the most terrible options.

And I was forced to choose.

Whatever choice I make, my life will fall to hell.

I don’t know about my father, but in my case it was this.

I leave it for future generations who want to break this curse.

My curse was sleeping with a woman I did not love.]

Yuri’s head hurt like it was going to break. Was it just because of the unknown owner of the diary that gave her a headache?

No, it wasn’t. She thought it was a white wall that was blocking her memory, but it wasn’t, it was a dam.

Memories of the unknown owner began to overflow.

A man and a woman stood among the greenery and were talking. This was not Yuri’s memory. Amid the fading memories, a friendly voice struck Yuri’s ear.

The dam was cracking little by little.

“Whose voice was it? Remember.”

Yuri grabbed her fragile head.