Chapter 33

5. Chamber of Secrets.

It was a night when the bright full moon was filled with a gloomy red colour. On the branches of ghost trees surrounding the huge mansion, owls began their activities under the influence of darkness and looked around the mansion with their bright yellow eyes.

They flew on the branches of dry ghost trees with a harsh momentum, as if anyone who would visit the mansion would be pecked by their sharp beaks.

Among them, the largest owl with the brightest eyes flapped its big wings and flew in front of a window of the mansion.

Unlike other rooms,the room beyond the window had, black and thick curtains that were lowered to prevent light from leaking out. The owl tilted its big head to look around, and soon began to peck at the window with its large and sharp beak.

Knock, knock.

How many times did it make the sound of stones flying and hitting onto it?*

[*T/N: It’s as if the narrator is asking curiously, how many times did the owl make sounds of stones hitting on the window.]

A man covered from head to toe in a long robe approached the window. He violently opened the window and said,

“Oh, my. Gregory. It was you, you noisy fellow.”

He greeted the owl sitting by the window with an unpleasant metallic sound and let it in. The owl rolled its big, round eyes, spread its large wings, and flew off to the perch in the room.

The man quickly closed the window and covered it with black curtains again. The room where the moonlight leaked from the window disappeared and was filled with strange green lights emitted by crystal beads on the center table. He said, stroking the owl’s head sitting on the torch with his skinny hands.

“Gregory, tell me what you’ve seen and heard.”

The owl growled low and began to make a sound as if the wind were blowing hard. The man listened to the sound and soon shouted nervously.

“Oh, my God!”

He stomped and walked to the wall of the bookshelf on one side, and began to take out books on the first shelf.

Then magically, the books floated and unfolded themselves and flew naturally. He grabbed each of the open books with his skinny hands and checked them, and spoke to himself in a furious voice.

“Why on earth? Why is the ‘curse’ getting slower? As expected, it was a big failure to complete the spell of ‘blessing’ at that time! Crap!Even if it is a defective product with no ability, the blood of the great ancestors flows, right? Unlike other women, I didn’t expect to notice the hidden magical power.”

He shouted nervously and hit the blank book hard. Then the books flew away weakly and fell on the parchment that filled the room, scattering the papers. He circled around the ruined room and murmured continuously.

“We have to do something about it somehow. I really don’t have time now. That stupid emperor! What’s the point of disrupting the subject of wanting things to go faster than anyone else! … No, if the emperor hadn’t sided with the monster, the monster would have tried to do something with ‘suspicion’ again. We can’t do that. That’s right. Ah! But we don’t have time! How the hell is the work gonna be done!”

It was a time when he was convinced and irritated by himself.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door of his room. He reacted nervously to the sound.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me.”

A high-pitched voice came from outside the room. Hearing that voice, he waved his hand in the air as if he had waited. The tightly closed door opened by itself, and he saw a woman was standing outside the door. Even though it was late at night, the woman was not disheveled at all, and entered through the door slowly. After confirming that the woman had completely entered the room, he once again swung his hand in the air and closed the door firmly.

After that, he spoke sharply to the woman.

“What is it this late at night? Did he come to get that ‘medicine’ or something?

“Hah! What’s wrong with the medicine? It didn’t even work. It’s not that, so be relieved.”

“It’s not that the medicine didn’t work. It didn’t meet the conditions for the magic to be established!…. Anyway, what’s the matter with you visiting me at this late hour?”

When he waved his hand as if he was bothered, the woman twisted her cold mouth in a displeased manner. She spoke to him in a sarcastic tone.

“You shouldn’t treat me like a peddler today.”

“What does that mean?”

“I brought the news you wanted. Grace, that woman accepted the invitation. I don’t know if she’s fearless or stupid, but she even let go of the monster husband.”

“Is that true?”

He exclaimed with delight at the woman’s words. Then the woman replied, distorting her nervous forehead.

“Yes. I just received a reply.”

“Really?…. Good. I’m so glad to hear that.”

He giggled low, rubbing his skinny hands together being satisfied with the woman’s answer. The woman frowned as if she was disgusted and spoke to him in a sharp tone.

“This time, the curse must be completely implanted in her body, you understand? I don’t have time anymore.”

“I know it, so don’t rush me! What the… Whatever. That’s enough.”

At the woman’s urging, he replied nervously. Then he muttered to himself again and walked to Gregory, the owl sitting on the perch on one side of the room.

The owl snapped and reacted as the man muttered, scratching the owl’s cheek with his skinny finger.

“….Now all we have to do is drive the offerings into the room.”

If things go as he planned and the offering falls asleep in a room full of magic he had set up…

Unknowingly, he burst into a grim smile as he imagined her falling into the trap he had set up.

***

Meanwhile, time went by and morning came when Grace left for the Alberton mansion. Unlike the last time she attended a wedding celebration, the ceremonies carried by servants and maids were light. This time, it was because Grace went out alone. Grace woke up early in the morning and went out to the annex with Sally’s help. Arthur and Leon, who were waiting in front of the entrance, greeted her.

“Sister-in-law!”

“Leon!”

Grace picked up Leon as he ran towards her and headed towards Arthur.

Arthur smiled affectionately at her and opened his arms. It seemed to mean to give Leon to him. Grace gently shook her head and said.

“I’ll hug him a little longer.”

“Your arm might hurt.”

“It’s alright.”

“I’m going to let you hug him for a bit more”.

Eventually, Arthur was forced to step down due to the stubbornness of his wife and younger brother. Grace walked side by side with Arthur to the front of the main gate of Felix’s mansion, where the wagon stood, with Leon in her arms.

Arthur said to Grace, glancing at Leon, who was hugging her even more childishly.

“I guess Leon doesn’t want to let you go.”

“I know.”

“Hurry up and come down and walk. You’re not even a baby.”

Grace laughed a little and hugged Leon’s little body as he turned his head away pretending not to hear Arthur.

Arthur smiled bitterly, approaching Grace, he mumbled softly as he shrugged Grace’s shoulders.

“I envy you. Being able to be so honest and whimsical.”

“…Duke.”

“I don’t want to be separated from my wife either. I’m very disappointed that I can’t do that because I’m an adult, because I’m a Duke; because of my dignity.”

[T/N: My “AWWW meter” just bursted.(✷‿✷)]

Grace’s cheeks burned red. Grace looked away awkwardly avoiding his gaze, but Arthur continued to stare at his wife tenderly and heartily. Grace was embarrassed by the stinging gaze and shyly said.

“Well, I’ll be back in just a few days. Then what is wrong?”

“That’s what it is. But what I’m saying is I know… It’s just because I don’t feel good.”

“…What’s the big deal? Haha.”

Grace replied with an awkward smile at Arthur’s worried words. It was as if she was trying to shake off the worries that remained in the depths of her heart.

The trio then walked without saying much. After a few minutes, Grace’s carriage arrived in front of the vacant lot.

Grace carefully put Leon, who had been in her arms, down to the floor and looked at him with tearful eyes.

“Then Leon, I’ll be back. You have to listen to the Duke well, okay?”

“How many nights will you sleep this time?”

“Hmm… 2 nights maybe?”

“Do you really have to sleep only for two nights?”

“Yes. I Promise.”

Nevertheless, unlike last time, Leon whined and complained no more. Grace smiled sweetly and put her finger on the child’s outstretched finger. Grace then stood up and greeted Arthur, who stood beside Leon.

“Well, I’ll be back.”

“…I’ll pick you up in two days.”

“Yes. Please do that.”

“I’ll be happier if you come back sooner than that.”

“Haha, yes. I’ll try to come back as soon as possible.”

Grace replied with a big smile at Arthur’s slightly indecisive remarks.

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

T/N: So this is the last chapter from me before going to hiatus. And here is a good news for you all, This novel will be continued by another kind translator yayy (≧▽≦). So Wish all the Best for me So That I can come back alive.(╥﹏╥)