Chapter 20

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Grace watched him leaning towards her, frowning gently. It felt like she might know him.

But when a slightly reddish short blonde haired man, with dark blue eyes like the night sky, a sleek nose and stern mouth came into view, he was definitely handsome, but not someone from Grace’s memory. Grace said as he stopped at a distance from her, “Is there any reason why I should answer Mr. Owen about who I’m looking for?

“……”

“I’m sorry, but I’ll excuse myself. If you need someone to talk to, you’d better talk to someone else.”

As she retorted in a slightly cold tone at his question, Owen stared at Grace’s face without saying much.

Grace turned around.

“Don’t you think it’s too much of a waste to ruin your life because of the cursed Duke Arthur Felix, Lady Grace-”

Grace halted at Owen’s words. She said, glaring at Owen, who looked at her with unfathomable dark blue eyes, “….what do you mean by that?”

“Just what I said. I don’t see why someone as beautiful, good, and righteous as you would ruin your life because of him.”

“What?”

“It’s not too late now. Run away right now. If you need help, I’ll help you.”

‘What the hell is this man talking about?’

While Grace was staring at Owen, who was blocking her and spouting nonsense, someone intervened.

“Oh my God, this is… Your Highness, the Crown Prince?”

“Oh my! It is! It’s him!”

A group of women, who were moving to find a place to rest when the music stopped, shouted where Grace and Owen were standing.

At these voices, Grace alternately looked at Owen and a group of fast- approaching women in front of her with a stupid expression. Owen, who felt their gaze, looked embarrassed, mumbling as if he was about to say something.

“Oh gosh! I greet HIs Highness!”

“Long time no see!”

“Aren’t you studying in the Pelne Empire? Did you come back on vacation?”

But before Owen could say anything to Grace, women quickly began gathering around him.

Grace still looked at the man in front of her. The Crown Prince? This person?

She wasn’t sure until a while ago, but she was convinced by the reaction of those women. This rude man was the only son of the emperor, “Eugenius Clive,” and the future husband of her sister Marianne Alberton.

He gazed at Grace, regardless of the women surrounding him, and she looked back with a troubled face.

‘……I was an idiot. I should have noticed when I heard the name ‘Owen’ which means noble.’

She had been desperate to find Arthur. Grace reflected on herself for being mean to him a while ago, recalling what she had said to him: ‘rude words’.

[A monster. He’s a monster.]

Then, Grace heard someone’s voice again in her ear. It was the terrible voice from a little while ago. Grace was surprised and covered her ears with both hands.

[You have to use the blood of the ‘bride’ for the monster ——.]

[…Is it necessary?]

[Yes. I’m afraid — — that’s the only way to do it.]

But no matter how hard Grace pressed on her ears, the voices never stopped. Rather, it sounded clearer. The louder the voice, the louder the unidentified unpleasant noise.

– Jik. Jik.

– Jik. Jik.

[Until when should ———— be! This might really —————do it!] [Wait a little longer, please. ——is real.]

[But we really don’t have time anymore!]

[——Don’t worry. I have an idea.]

Grace’s whole body began to tremble with fear at the growing grotesque noise and the voice of the two men talking. She didn’t want to hear any more, but with the constant noise, Grace now had the urge to tear her ears apart.

‘I have to run away. Somehow, I have to stay away from this sound.’

Grace stumbled back, instinctively repeating that.

[——Be happy! I finally found her. The bride!]

Then, suddenly, as she was stepping back, her eyes turned black. A flash and dark green flame flared up, and the face of a man wearing a robe appeared in front of her.

“——Argh!” The face smiled at her with a look of a beast that had found its prey. As soon as she saw it, Grace felt extreme pain, as if her heart was being teared out. Grace’s consciousness naturally snapped in unbearable pain, and her body lost strength like a dead branch and she collapsed to the floor.

***

When Grace collapsed screaming, the people quickly panicked. Owen pushed away the women around him and went to Grace’s side.

Then, hugging her sagging body, he shouted, tapping her cheek, ” Lady Grace! Get a hold of yourself!”

“…My Lady!

Arthur, who had been looking for Grace, appeared among the crowd.

After the first dance, he missed Grace with all the people moving in and out the party hall, and had been wandering around looking for her. Meanwhile, he heard the screams of the women and Grace’s name. Arthur squeezed around the people and went near.

On seeing Grace’s fallen body, he rushed to her side, face growing pale.

Arthur looked at Owen with an unknown look for a moment, before acting cool and politely expressed his respect.

“I greet the Crown Prince.”

“Long time no see, Duke Felix.”

When Owen received his greeting, Arthur quickly bent over and sank in front of Grace. He said, sticking out his arms to Owen, who was still holding Grace, “Now that I’m here, I’ll take care of her. Give her to me.”

But despite Arthur’s words, Owen wouldn’t let go of Grace’s arms. Arthur stared at Owen with a cold stare and stretched his arms closer, urging him to do so. However, even when Arthur’s lips thinned, Owen just held Grace tighter, refusing to let go.

“Y-Yes. Your Highness, please hand over the cursed woman to the Monster Duke!”

“That’s right! What if that terrible curse turns on you!”

The noble women surrounding Owen were making a fuss and shouting at him. Arthur glanced back in surprise. Owen stared coldly at them and growled, “…Lady Loren, Lady Rebecca. Don’t say rude things.”

“Your Highness, please listen to us! The reaction from a little while ago! There’s a curse! I’m sure!”

“That’s right! S-She screamed and suddenly fell down, right? What was it, if not the curse?”

At Owen’s warning, they shouted, explaining Grace’s actions from a little while ago, with frightened faces. At the words of those women, people crept back, looking frightened.

“Oh my God. Is it true?”

“…Y-Your Highness!”

Some of the men, with scared faces, pulled Owen’s collar and shouted at him to let go of Grace.

When Owen lost his hand holding Grace in the confusion, Arthur quickly put out his hands and took Grace’s body into his arms. Then, Arthur tightened his arms, as if he would never let her go. Acting like he would no longer let Grace ever be in anyone else’s arms again, Arthur glared briefly at Owen, who was still sitting awkwardly. He briefly bowed to him and said, “Excuse me first, Your Highness. Please tell His Majesty that we will return first and that we are sorry.”

Arthur turned around without hesitation and walked to the door leading out. Owen gave a piercing stare at his back, who was getting farther away from him.

“Your wife is a very nice person. To the extent that I felt it was a waste for her to be your bride.”

“I think so too.” Arthur laughed as if he were talking to himself.

At the end of that, he walked faster, opened the door and went outside. Owen bit his lower lip indignantly at Arthur’s reply. Why did his answer feel like, ‘She’s too good for me, but she’s too good for you too’?

Owen stumbled to his feet, staring at the spot where Arthur was standing a while ago with a cold look on his face. People reached out to support him, but Owen refused all of them.

“…Your Highness.”

Marianne, with a stiff expression, spoke to him as he was leaving, nodding at the people who blocked his way. Owen murmured, staring at his fiancee Marianne, who stood in front of her with an indifferent look.

“Long time no see.”

“……why did you come home without contacting me…”

“Why should I contact you?”

“..Prince!” Marianne shouted in dismay at his cold words, but Owen ignored her and passed.

Marianne’s face tightened and gazed at his back. Her gaze was filled with cold hatred, lingering feelings, and greed, emotions that would not be seen in a fiancee for her husband.