Luana decided to decline politely.
“Thank you for your kindness, but I have to decline your offer.”
As soon as she said that, his gently curved eyes became cold. She suddenly felt as if she had been thrown from spring to winter. She rubbed her arms with her hands, then Gerald asked with a cold voice.
“Why?”
“It’s because I don’t feel the need to escape?”
“The duke might kill you, no?”
“I don’t think he will kill me, though?”
Even now, the duke was going to give up. He would unlikely kill the only person who could feed him. But she was reluctant to explain why.
How can Luana believe in this person who claimed to be her mother’s friend? And even if it were true, it was unlikely that her witch mother’s friend would be ordinary because a witch cursed the duke. She thought it would be better not to say anything, just in case.
“He might kill you. Do you know how many witches the duke’s family has killed so far?”
“No, I don’t know about that, though?”
“You don’t know because you’re still young.”
No, the other party doesn’t look very old either, but she doesn’t know why he always called her young and little at the end of every word.
“I’m not young!”
“You’ve lived for about 20 years now, haven’t you?” Then you’re young.”
“But, you look young, too.”
“Is that so?”
Gerald covered his lips with his fingers and smiled.
“Luana, witches live differently than humans. And I’m a wizard, too.”
Gerald erased his cold attitude and explained it kindly. His attitude was like a kindergarten teacher dealing with a child. She felt like he was overdoing it.
“That’s why, Luana, let’s get out of here together. I’ll take you somewhere safe.”
He sounded like a gentle kidnapper.
“No, I don’t mind staying here.”
“The duke is a dangerous man.”
“It’s fine.”
“Hah.”
Gerald sighed and looked into the air. He lifted the bag he was carrying and said,
“If you follow me, I’ll show you Elanya’s diary. Aren’t you curious about your mother’s past?”
“Not at all.”
Luana was reincarnated. In addition, she lost her mother as soon as she was born, and after that, she found out that she had entered a novel. Therefore, the existence of a mother was not recognized as part of her life. To be honest, if she had to choose someone she missed, that would be her nanny. So she couldn’t be curious about her mother’s past.
Gerald, who did not know such circumstances, doesn’t understand Luana.
‘Why isn’t she curious about her mother’s diary?’
He was puzzled, but there was something more urgent than that right now. He was supposed to get Luana before the guards who had been put to sleep woke up. He can listen to the rest after that.
Meanwhile, Luana glanced at Gerald. It was because there was something that suddenly came to her mind. He said he was a wizard, so maybe he didn’t know.
“Excuse me, Mr. Gerald?”
“Just call me Gerald.”
“Then, Gerald.”
“Yes.”
“Do you happen to know how to lift the duke’s curse?”
Gerald immediately frowned at the remark. It didn’t seem to be a very welcome topic. But if not now, when else would Luana meet a wizard!
“Since he has suffered this much from the curse, wouldn’t it be okay to release the curse slowly?”
“Luana, you’re not someone who can judge that.”
“Still, I feel sorry for him whenever I see him. Besides, the Duke wasn’t cursed for doing anything wrong. I heard that the previous Duke suffered from the same curse.”
“Do you think parents’ sins have nothing to do with their children?”
“I don’t think so?”
He seemed to be talking about some kind of system. But Luana thought it was too much for an innocent child to get caught up in a curse, no matter how. The duke has a lousy personality since he has been through a lot since childhood.
‘Do you know? If he had grown up properly, the duke might have a normal personality.’
“Actually, what would a child know?”
“Is that why you feel sorry for the duke?”
Does she feel sorry for the duke? It was a bit odd when she thought about it. Because the duke was a person who tried to live to the fullest even after being cursed. Luana treated the effort as pitiful. But now she had to convince the witch!
“Yes! So I want to lift his curse.”
“What do you mean by lifting a curse that another witch has cast? I’ve never heard of that before.”
Gerald answered and clicked his tongue, but Luana did not back down.
“Then you can listen to me this time!”
She clasped her hands, and her eyes sparkled. She was not interested in saving her own life but rather in saving the duke. Gerald felt frustrated seeing Luana doing this. He tried to think positively by pressing down the sigh that slipped out. Still, he felt he could use it to persuade Luana to discuss the topic she was interested in.
“All right, I’ll tell you about the curse.”
“Wow!”
Luana raised her hands and made a happy expression.
“But, you have to follow me.”
Galard said with a grim expression.
“Why?!”
“Do you think it’s that easy to lift the curse? Besides, it’s a curse cast by another witch. Are you asking me just to devise a way to break the curse?”
Now that he mentioned it, it does make sense. Gerald was her mother’s friend, but it was their second time seeing each other, so she did not want to miss this chance. Luana groaned and pondered.
“We don’t have much time. Decide quickly.”
The duke will not be happy with Luana escaping the dungeon and disappearing. Or maybe it was the right choice? The duke might come and cut part of her body with a sword.
‘I might have to risk my life. But Is it worth following the wizard?’
Luana thought so, but suddenly she remembered the duke’s figure. He was skinny, had a sensitive temper due to not eating, and had a terrible voice. All of it stemmed from the curse.
For that reason, only a few people opened their hearts to the duke in the novel. However, they were the only ones he had known since he was young, and he had no one he could trust. Ingrid, who he fell in love with, did not stand by his side in the end because he is originally a second male lead.
But what if the curse is lifted? He will be able to gain weight, and his voice will return to its original state. When he feels more comfortable, he will have a better personality. In that case, women might approach him first.
‘Huh?’
As she thought about it, her heart suddenly throbbed. She guessed it was because she had been eating and rolling around recently and had been stressed. She felt she needed to exercise and be less stressed. This is all the duke’s fault. Luana grumbled and rubbed her chest.
‘Yes, once the curse is lifted, the duke will be able to fall in love with someone else. Then everyone has a happy ending!’
Although Luana was afraid of the consequences if she escaped, she was overcome by the desire to lift the duke’s curse.
Luana made up her mind.
“Alright, I’ll follow you!”
Even if she gets out of here now, she can come back later.
‘Does he need to kill the person who will return voluntarily? I’ll be back with a way to lift the curse.’
“It’s a wise decision.”
The iron bars door opened silently. Gerald’s fair hand reached out to Luana. When she placed her hand on his, he lifted her with a stronger force than she had expected.
‘Your hands are stronger than I thought.’
Thinking so, Luana stepped out of the dungeon. She didn’t know how long it’s been since she had freedom as she didn’t bother to count the time. As she came out of the well-decorated room, she felt a chill. She put on a cloak that she got from Gerald.
He was more considerate than she thought.
“Let’s go.”
Gerald took the lead and began to move. Luana followed him carefully. As she went a little further, she saw the guard guarding the dungeon lying down. She could hear small snoring, so he wasn’t dead.
‘I can’t believe there is a guard so close! Then, he must have heard all my shouting, yet he ignored it.’
Luana pouted her lips.
She went up the stairs and came out; someone was lying there too.
‘How many people are there to keep a vulnerable person like me locked up?’
She looked at them slightly weary expression and then walked past those who had fallen. Luana sped up the pace and bumped her forehead against something.
“Ouch!”
Gerald turned around, and she covered her mouth in surprise.
‘You’re taller than I thought. Are you a man? Or…?’
As she was thinking, she heard a similar voice.
“Where are you going?”
It was the duke! The garden was strangely shrouded in fog, and it was hard to see, but it was not difficult to recognize him.
Clank-
The sharp metal made a creepy sound as it came out of its sheath.
‘It’s a sword!’
Luana swallowed her saliva unconsciously.
“And who are you?”
“I am under no obligation to reveal my identity to you.”
Gerald looked more composed than Luana thought. His opponent was called the Empire’s best sword, but he was not afraid.
The Duke paused for a moment and said,
“You’re a witch.”
Gerald shrugged at the remark.
Her body trembled as she felt something thick in the air and began to panic. It was the duke’s murder intent.
My gosh, Luana is being annoying and stupid. Stockholm syndrome be kicking in.