CH 17

“I never thought His Majesty would come.”

“They say they’ve been friends since childhood… … I guess that was true.”

“I wasn’t sure about Lady Vivian, but I was completely unfamiliar with Duke Estella since he doesn't attend banquets or gatherings. Seeing the three of them together earlier, I'm sure... … .”

“They seemed friendly.”

They just watched and talked from a distance. No one approached the trio willingly.

At that, Vivian’s expression wrinkled in displeasure.

She quickly fluttered her fan and hid her expression so others couldn't see it.

“I feel like a monkey in a circus troupe.”

Theodore, lifting his wine glass slightly, said, “It can't be helped. Isn’t because we're just so cool and popular?”

“Hmm. That's right.”

Vivian nodded in agreement with Theodore's nonsense.

‘Oh my god.’

No matter how much Rosenta suppressed his voice, he still had to listen to the two of them talking.

A mischievous laugh came out.

"Pfft."

Hearing Rosenta’s laughter, the two of them winked mischievously.

“Rozen, don’t you think we’ll live a little longer because we went oh so out of our way to come?”

“Isn’t it an honor to know that I’ve personally burdened myself just to make the time to attend.”

In the end, Rosenta couldn't hide his smile.

He answered them with a smile on his lips.

“Yes, it is an honor. So, are you two going to stay until the end?”

“Um, I think I’ll have to leave a little earlier because my older brother is coming to pick me up.”

“I would also like to stay longer, but I have to leave early because of tomorrow's schedule. After all, if I'm here, more attention will be drawn to me than to the host of the banquet.”

‘Does that mean this won't last long?’

Well, Roesnta had no intention of enjoying the banquet until late.

As the host of the banquet, if he left, the guests would gradually leave as well.

He nodded.

*

Breaking up a banquet was not as easy as it had seemed. Especially since Rosenta was the main character of the banquet.

In the end, there was no choice but to remain until the end of the banquet.

When he finally saw that the number of people was gradually decreasing, he quietly slipped out of the banquet hall at the right time.

Caw.

He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but these days, it seemed like he had been hearing crows cry often.

He shrugged it off.

As he accelerated his steps, his true nature revealed itself. Tired, he went up to the bedroom at once.

The room was dark and quiet.

“Is Anna still there?”

There were more than one or two new magic tools that needed to be brought back. No wonder it was taking a long time.

He loosened the bow tie that was tight around his neck.

Even after doing so, it seemed that his fatigue hadn't gone away, and his cheeks were burning red.

He opened the balcony door and went outside to get some fresh air.

Caw.

Crows again.

He saw a crow circling above his head.

“I heard that crows are a bad omen.”

‘Does this mean that there will be tough things ahead?’

A sigh escaped automatically.

‘Haha, there are a lot of troublesome things that will happen in the future’.

Even at this very moment... … .

“It’s won’t be too long. She might even fall from the sky tomorrow.”

"What?"

A sleepy voice.

The voice came from the mouth of a crow perched on the balcony railing.

As the crow spoke, Rosenta was surprised that the voice was so familiar.

Stepping back, he asked the crow to confirm.

“… … Enoch?"

"Yes."

In an instant, the crow transformed into the form of Enoch.

He was perched on the ledge where the crow had been sitting, looking at Rosenta.

Then he blinked his sleepy eyes and said hello.

“We meet again, Duke.”

Enoch used the recoil to take a big leap, similar to a long jump.

He landed and stood tall in front of Rosenta, staring at him intently.

Those eyes were so burdensome that Rosenta averted his eyes without realizing it.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’d asked to see you again.”

Enoch reached out to him.

Rosenta hadn't forgotten what happened yesterday. He reflexively smacked that hand away.

All evidence kept pointing to Enoch as the culprit.

So Rosenta refused his approach thinking that he could drain all his magical tools.

“Don't touch me.”

Enoch withdrew his hand at once. He even took a step back.

Rather, Rosenta was embarrassed that he had overreacted. It wasn't that he had any doubts about Enoch, though.

While contemplating what to say, Enoch spoke first.

“You didn’t like it?”

Enoch sat down again on the railing.

The thick night melted into his black hair.

Even in such darkness, Enoch's light green eyes shone like starlight.

Rosenta stared blankly into his twinkling eyes, but as soon as he heard Enoch's next words, he suddenly came to his senses.

“Is it a secret?”

Rosenta felt a chill.

‘Is it a secret?’ This question alone was sufficient for him to know.

It had been Enoch.

He gave vague answers to Enoch's ambiguous questions, omitting the object of the question.

“Yes, I hate it. It is a secret.”

Enoch, whether aware of his troubled heart or not, just stared at him blankly.

The more he did, the more Rosenta’s lips dried up. He didn't know what Enoch would do to break this silence.

He should be prepared just in case, the only choice would be to curse Enoch.

Enoch's mouth opened slowly.

"All right."

"Huh?"

It was an unusually bland answer.

Enoch shrugged once and crossed one leg. Then he rested his chin on his hand, resting his elbow on his thigh.

In an instant, his hazy focus became clear.

"What do you mean?"

‘Could it be that he has another ulterior motive? There was no way Enoch’s motives could have been so innocent.’

He glared at Enoch and assessed him.

Perhaps because of Rosenta’s eyes, Enoch tilted his head and opened his mouth again.

“I don't know why, but I want to be by the duke's side. Being called Enoch by you every day. In order to make that happen, I have to be someone you need.”

Rosenta was overcome with a strange feeling.

It was hard to believe that these words came out of the mouth of the hedonistic and moody Enoch.

It sounded like a confession.

“Do you like m-… … .”

He almost asked if he liked him. But he quickly shut his mouth.

There was no need to make Enoch realize his unconscious, uncertain feelings.

After all, when Yura appears, the direction of his crush will change.

That wasn't reassuring.

‘If Enoch's heart turns to Yura later, then he might want to make things difficult for me.’

He approached the railing and held out his hand to Enoch.

Enoch looked up at him.

“Could you give me a handshake as a sign of my promise to keep you close?”

Enoch's long black eyelashes fluttered, then he stood up and grabbed his hand.

Rosenta didn't miss the moment.

He gripped Enoch's hand with the best grip he could.

And he uttered a long curse, one of the few that he had learned from his father.

“A person who recklessly spits out the stories he’s swallowed. The seal of this contract will be engraved on your heart and create a spark. This is a curse and contract placed on you. This is a contract of the heart.”

When choosing a target and casting an everlasting curse, a specific spell had to be memorized.

But something was strange.

While he cast the spell, Enoch offered no resistance. Even after he finished placing his curse.

Soon black smoke erupted from the vicinity of Enoch's heart, and the smoke formed a sphere and disappeared into Enoch's heart.

The curse was completely absorbed by him. Then Rosenta released his hand and explained to Enoch, “It is both a contract and a curse. If you break your promise to keep my secret, your heart will burst.”

‘He’s going to be really angry this time that I cursed him.’

However, Enoch seemed to be satisfied, holding the area around his heart tightly.

He even smiled brightly.

“A mark on my heart. Is it like bondage? A sign that I am yours.”

The unexpected, unhinged reaction made Rosenta laugh out loud, dumbfounded.

Meanwhile, Enoch was reaching out to him.

This time he didn't avoid his hand.

“Can I touch you?”

Asking permission while already putting a hand on his cheek. It was contradictory.

Enoch stared at him with a hand on his cheek. As if he wanted to engrave himself in his eyes.

But that only lasted for a little while.

He avoided Enoch's hand again. Long contact with an uninvited guest was not very pleasant.

More than anything, he just wanted to take a break.

He pointed outward and said, “I want you to go now.”

“Are you tired?”

"Yes."

“Well, today won’t be the only day.”

Enoch licked his upper lip with his tongue and laughed with his eyes narrowed.

Then he turned around and jumped lightly over the railing.

He had jumped off the castle.

Surprised, Rosenta ran forward and looked down. Fortunately, no body was seen.

He only saw a solitary crow taking flight.

Caw.

*

"My head… … .”

The hangover from the banquet had not gone away.

Riding in the carriage in such a situation made his stomach ache even more.

With a pale face, he leaned his head against the side of the carriage.

Vivian couldn't help but worry about him.

“Oh, what should I do? Should I ask the coachman to stop for a second?”

"That’s all right. You can’t be late for your appointment... … There’s no need.”

After trying hard to smile at Vivian, he leaned his head against the carriage side again.

He looked out the window, remembering that it's good to look into the distance when you’re sick to your stomach.

He was staring for a while when he heard Vivian's voice from the other side.

“If I had known this would happen, I would not have made the appointment for the day after the banquet.”

"I know. I didn't expect my stomach to be this bad... … That’s why I agreed.”

Yesterday, while seeing the two of them off, the trio made an appointment to have a quick cup of tea the next day. He regretted it greatly now.

‘I should have waited at least a few days to meet them’.

He barely raised the corners of his trembling lips.

He grabbed his stomach and turned his gaze back to the window.

“The sky is clear.”

Today was the clearest sky he’d ever seen. It was so clear that you could even see the white moon.

‘Come to think of it… … .’

In the original book, there was a mention that the day Yura fell was a clear day like this one.

It was when the day was sunny enough to see the white moon.

"No way… … .”

‘It couldn’t be today.’

*

Theodore had dismissed everyone.

When he was enjoying tea time, he wanted to have a comfortable conversation without worrying about other people's eyes.

“First of all, the flowers… … .”

He suddenly had the idea of ​​giving flowers as a gift.

Perhaps, because it was the first tea time in the largest garden of the imperial palace, he wanted to give him a special gift, thought Theodore.

“It looks like… … .”

Purple Rose Geraniums. They were Theodore's favorite plant.

It was dark maroon on the inside, but purple on the outside. Five petals were spread out wide without any sharp corners.

Strictly speaking, it was closer to an herb, but it was a geranium that exuded the scent of roses.

Like Rosenta, who has a gorgeous appearance but is actually more affectionate than anyone else.

“Rosenta.”

Theodore squeezed his heart with one hand.

When he spit out his name, strangely, his heart trembled.

“I want you to be happy.”

At first, he thought he would give those two a gift of flowers, but before he knew it, Theodore was only thinking of Rosenta.

He bent over and began to pick a purple rose geranium with his own hands.

Theodore's mouth wore a small smile that he didn't even notice.