CH 31

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“I never heard about that.”

It was the duke’s job to research witches, and he knew more about the witch than any other person. The doctor replied when the duke said he didn’t know about the information.

“It was discovered that when the duke went to invade the kingdom.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m almost certain. I’ve got a new piece of information recently.”

“Then why is my heart pounding so hard?”

The duke smiled vaguely and replied.

“You’ll find out over time.”

“Is it serious?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Perhaps it’s arrhythmia*.”

*TL/N: Arrhythmia is a situation when the heart beats with an irregular or abnormal rhythm.

“It’s not arrhythmia. I assure you.”

“Aren’t the symptoms similar?”

“Not at all.”

It would be hard to talk about it while the duke is not in his right mind. So the doctor thought it would be better to realize it on his own over time, but there is only one thing that bothers him.

“By the way, does she look like a witch?”

“She said she was an apprentice witch.”

They talked without hesitation since the doctor knew about his condition and kept it secret.

“Do witches have apprenticeships?”

“I guess they have. She said that.”

“I see. That’s also new information. Can I see her later?”

“Yes, do as you please.”

“Thank you.”

He bowed his head and grabbed his paper.

***

Sobs-

Luana sobbed and rubbed her swollen eyes.

‘He was really trying to torture me!’

She always trusted the duke, but he betrayed her. Luana has been doing well, but the duke got suspicious and sent her straight to the dungeon! She was not even a witch in the first place.

‘Why is this happening?’

She stared at her toes and tried to hold back the tears about to flow out again.

The dungeon was cold, and she was hungry and felt dirty. But she couldn’t help it. Luana was born and lived as an abandoned princess, but she felt lonely now more than ever.

Luana was lonely. She wanted someone by her side, but there was no one.

‘There was even my nanny in the kingdom.’

But there is no nanny here. She felt cold and heard footsteps in the hallway outside the cell. The sound of footsteps in the dark should have been scary, but it wasn’t.

‘Is someone perhaps…’

Perhaps…

A faint expectation swelled up in her heart. Maybe the duke came to release her? She had such expectations. But the person who appeared with the lamp was not the person to be expected.

“Miss Luana.”

The butler brought the lamp close to her and called Luana’s name.

‘It’s not him. Who the hell was I expecting?’

Luana’s heart sank with disappointment.

‘Villain duke, damned duke, a really, really evil human being.’

Luana bit her lips and cursed the duke in her heart.

“Just in case, I brought something to eat.”

Then the butler put a bowl of warm soup and a blanket.

“The chef himself made the soup. He’s worried about Miss Luana, too.”

“Thank you.”

It wasn’t even winter, but the dungeon was strangely cold. She was glad to see the blanket and warm soup. She wrapped herself in the blanket, and her body felt a little warm.

The cold fingertips slowly began to warm up as she put her hands around the bowl.

“No need to thank me. When you are done, put your dishes in front of the iron bars. I will take it for you.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be back.”

Perhaps the butler had come secretly, only delivered the soup and blanket, and disappeared immediately. Now she is alone again. Luana stretched her crouched body and straightened her legs. She rubbed her cheeks with her warm hands and felt slightly better.

After Luana felt her body warm up a little bit, she picked up the spoon. What was in the bowl was mushroom soup with rich ingredients. She took a deep breath in the familiar scent and put the soup in her mouth.

“It’s delicious.”

The tears she had been holding back began flowing down as she ate.

“As expected from the chef.”

Other chefs said Way was a genius for his age. Maybe that’s why the soup he made was very delicious. Luana doesn’t think she has ever eaten anything this delicious.

Gurgle-

There was a loud noise as the warm soup entered the stomach. But she didn’t want to miss this feeling, so she moved the spoon slowly. She didn’t want to miss this soup that was filled with sincerity. While she tasted the soup, a shadow suddenly covered her head.

“Butler?”

Luana raised her head, wondering if the butler, who had said to take her bowl, had come again. But it wasn’t him who stood in front of the iron bars.

Thud

Her heart dropped.

“What’s that?”

The duke opened the iron bars door and entered. She wanted to see his expression but couldn’t see anything because of the backlight. Luana grabbed the bowl as if it were her last hope.

“I don’t remember asking someone to give you this.”

A cold voice fell over her head.

“Who gave it to you?”

“Oh, that’s….”

As Luana tried to speak, she closed her mouth again at the thought that came to her mind. 

‘Maybe something bad will happen to the butler or Way because of this?’

She couldn’t speak at the thought of it.

“Who gave you that?”

The Duke pressed Luana and asked again. Her hands, which were holding the bowl tightly, began to tremble. She wanted to throw the bowl at him, but the thoughts in her head stopped her. She couldn’t let Way’s sincere soup be gone in vain. So, she held the urge.

“I can’t tell you.”

Luana said firmly with tearful eyes.

She was different from how she had been trembling with fear of torture. Now, she seemed determined to do something.

The duke approached Luana and placed his hand on her hands. Her hand trembled even more.

“What will happen to me?”

“Well, I still can’t tell.”

Luana bit her lower lips and saw him looking inside the bowl. What was in it was just plain soup.

“Aren’t you afraid of torture?”

“I am. I’m so scared that I’m going to cry.”

“Then, why won’t you tell me?”

“Even if I’m scared, I shouldn’t sell someone who has been nice to me.”

The duke looked at Luana, who said that words. Her determination caught the duke’s attention. He was looking at Luana’s dry, chapped lips.

Her lips were red like fruits and looked particularly appetizing. The duke unconsciously drew closer to Luana. He felt her body tremble, but he didn’t care. Now his eyes were fixed in one place.

They got close enough to feel each other’s breath. Luana closed her eyes. Her long eyelashes were quivering because of fear.

The Duke then slapped himself without mercy.

Slap-

Due to the violent sound, Luana opened her eyes. She saw the duke with a surprised look. She couldn’t understand the situation.

‘What?’

Luana blankly blinked her eyes while the duke turned away and left. He left the dungeon without a word and disappeared quickly.

“What the hell happened?”

She mumbled belatedly, but no one answered.

***

The duke, who was walking fast, stopped only after leaving the dungeon. When he saw Luana, his heart was pounding strangely. That’s not all; this time, he has a desire and appetite for a person.

‘I have an abnormal appetite and arrhythmia. But all this isn’t a witch’s curse? Then is the curse that was originally being made become worse?’

The duke put his hand on his chest, and his expression grew serious. There was no sign of another witch yet, but as the situation turned out like this, he had no choice but to be shaken. Then a person standing in the dark approached him.

It was the butler.

“Duke.”

“What are you doing here tonight?”

“Everything is my fault. Please don’t blame the chef.”

“Did the chef make the soup?”

“That’s right.”

The butler did not hide the fact because he knew it was no use. There were many duke’s eyes in the mansion, and it would not take long for the truth to be revealed. It was better to admit it first and ask for atonement.

“He seemed worried about Luana because they are close friends.”

“They are close?”

Yeah, come to think of it, they were close. Luana quickly became acquainted with the chef as she entered the duke’s mansion. On a sunny day, the duke looked out at the garden, and he could see Luana and Way hovering around a jar she had left in a corner.

He suddenly felt pain.

“I’ll take the blame, duke.”

“How bold. It is up to me to decide.”

“I apologize. I was presumptuous.”

The butler bowed deeply, unable to hide his embarrassment.

“I’ll decide your punishment later. Instead, call the doctor again.”

“Yes, I’ll call him right away.”

At the Duke’s order, the butler moved quickly with his feet. Not long after they part, the duke meets with the doctor again.

“I think the symptoms are becoming serious.”

“Does your heart still hurt?”

“This time, it got worst. I felt an appetite for people.”

At the duke’s serious words, the doctor’s expression twitched.

“What do you mean?”

The Duke described the situation in detail, recalling the time when he went to the dungeon. And the longer the explanation continued, the more the doctor’s expression crumbled.

“Hmm, that’s what you meant.”

‘How the hell should I explain this?’

The doctor knew the duke had stayed away from women because of the curse. But he didn’t think it would be this serious. He doesn’t know where to start explaining. In the end, he just repeated the same thing as before.

“You’ll find out later in time. So why don’t you just follow your heart first?”

That was the best that the doctor could do.