Episode 4
Having been a slave his whole life while harboring a secret about his birth, Richard was a character with such an emotional void that he was deeply twisted.
For the first time, he experienced someone’s care when he met Melissa.
Perhaps it was such a precious experience, even if it was mere sympathy.
After escaping from the annex before Evgenia’s marriage, and later taking control of the underworld, Richard revealed both his thirst for revenge and his obsession with Melissa.
‘That was a pretty grim journey. He didn’t hesitate with kidnapping and imprisonment.’
I was firmly attracted to kind men, so Richard held no appeal for me. However, he had a substantial following.
In reality, he was the kind of dangerous man one should avoid, but in writing, his tragic past and obsessive traits appeared quite attractive to some.
‘But what really matters is Melissa’s feelings…’
Even Melissa, who had pitied Richard, clung to him in tears, pleading to be returned to the Duke’s estate when she was imprisoned by him.
Despite the dire situation at the Basilia estate caused by Evgenia at the time.
Seeing that scene left me with a strange discomfort.
Even though I anticipated that the heroine wouldn’t be dragged into misfortune and knew that the crown prince would ultimately come to her rescue, it still made me anxious.
Perhaps because of those memories, I felt a slight bitterness in my mouth, knowing that Melissa had already shown kindness to Richard.
If only I had possessed this body a bit earlier, he wouldn’t have been brought from the black market, and even if he had been rescued, I wouldn’t have let him meet Melissa.
With a brief sigh, I quickly made my way down to the basement, feeling that I couldn’t afford to waste any more time.
Unlike Melissa, who had snuck in, I, as the owner of the annex, didn’t need to be cautious.
Striding confidently with the sound of my heels echoing, I entered the prison, feeling the damp, musty smell and the chill characteristic of underground spaces.
I was already cold, but the eerie atmosphere caused my entire body to tense up. Then, as if by instinct, I halted.
“…!”
Our eyes met—Richard’s doll-like gaze staring right at me.
***
Correction.
The reason behind Richard’s large fanbase was not merely because his backstory evoked sympathy or because obsessive men were popular.
‘He has the complete look of an idol.’
From his delicate frame to his fair skin that gleamed despite the lack of proper hygiene, his soft, pink cotton-candy hair, and his adorable, fawn-like features!
Reading about him in text didn’t quite capture the allure, but seeing him in person made all the difference.
After seeing Richard in reality, I found myself marveling at his captivating appearance that could easily captivate anyone.
‘Of course, my heart beats only for Euclid.’
Euclid’s appearance had little to no description, but outward looks weren’t all that mattered to me.
‘Ah… Just the thought of meeting my favorite in person already has my heart racing.’
Barely managing to calm my unexpectedly racing fan’s heart, I began to observe Richard slowly.
Richard, slumped weakly against the wall with his eyes open, likely due to Melissa’s recent visit, appeared listless.
His face was blank, yet his widened eyes gave a hint of surprise.
Clang.
Then, with an irritating noise in my ear, Richard stood up, moving closer to the bars.
Absentmindedly searching for the source of the noise, I noticed the shackles around his feet.
Shackles connected to the wall, with some items, likely left by Melissa, lying in front of the cell.
After confirming it was bread and medicine, seemingly smuggled from the kitchen, I looked up again.
Unlike before, where I was looking down, Richard’s now-upright stance brought his face to my level.
At that moment, I furrowed my brow.
His red eyes, which had seemed beautiful from a distance, now filled me with an inexplicable sense of repulsion up close…
No, it was more than just repulsion.
The thought of the Crown Prince—a man who allegedly she bought Richard as a slave just because his eye color matched the one she adored—suddenly filled me with intense disgust.
Even though Richard wasn’t my type, I still pitied his past and didn’t feel any particular dislike toward him.
‘But it’s as if I’m facing my archenemy… Ah!’
I stopped short, meeting Richard’s gaze, which was fixed intently on me.
In that quiet night, I remembered why I’d snuck out here, going against even the Duke’s orders.
‘Thank goodness. At least Evgenia hasn’t taken out one of Richard’s eyes yet.’
I was worried I might have missed the chance to stop her in time.
Yes, that was it. That deranged Evgenia would soon make Richard one-eyed.
Whether she craved red eyes like the Crown Prince’s or couldn’t contain the strange fury that had consumed her, I couldn’t tell. The only hint was the rage I imagined boiling within her after hearing about Caiden’s marriage proposal to Melissa, or perhaps even the rumors of his forced engagement to another woman.
Regardless of the rigid class system, and despite Richard’s status as a slave, how could anyone starve another person and then go so far as to disfigure their body?
Evgenia’s wickedness twisted my face in distaste. And perhaps it was that same cruel figure—the villainess herself—who now stirred discomfort within me.
I’d rushed here to sever the ill-fated bond with Richard, intent on achieving a rosy future, but guilt, even shame, gnawed at me.
I had to shoulder all of Evgenia’s sins now.
At least this way, I’d be able to see my beloved and even grasp the fortune of marriage.
I brushed aside the last traces of resentment lingering in me.
With this weight of apology, I no longer felt the intense emotion I’d had when I first looked into Richard’s eyes.
Just as I was about to speak, relieved, a soft, unexpected voice reached my ears.
“I heard you were in pain.”
The delicate tone caught me off guard.
“That you’d fainted… And that’s why you wouldn’t be coming for a few days.”
Murmuring in an emotionless voice, Richard tilted his head, almost as if questioning if I was real.
I was slightly flustered by his reaction.
Honestly, I expected him to display hostility as soon as he saw me.
After all, I was the woman who’d purchased him as a slave and locked him in this underground cell. He had every reason to feel far more disgust than I ever could.
But no, he didn’t.
In fact, his blank expression seemed to hint at something like relief and worry… if that made any sense.
‘Ha! That’s impossible.’
I scoffed at the ridiculous thought.
But no matter how hard I tried to dismiss it, there wasn’t even a trace of hostility or fear in his unwavering gaze.
And that wasn’t the only thing that seemed strange.
I lowered my gaze to the items Melissa had brought over earlier.
There, laid out in the open without any effort to hide, rather than locked inside the cell. And from what Richard had said just moments ago…
It didn’t seem like he was expecting I wouldn’t show up. If anything, he wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that someone else had entered his cell.
Why? He surely knew he wasn’t supposed to get food without my permission.
Seeing someone bring him meals and medicine—he knew that would certainly make me angry.
Melissa could even end up suffering repercussions, yet he acted with such indifference.
Curious, I began to observe Richard carefully, from head to toe.
Though he was slightly disheveled, his appearance didn’t look all that bad.
Maybe he hadn’t been beaten after all, I thought, only to be reassured too soon.
“…!”
I caught sight of the scars extending from the back of Richard’s left hand up his wrist, and I held my breath.
Could I even call this just a ‘scar’?
It looked like a burn mark, maybe from something scalding being pressed repeatedly…
Clenching my fist, I stared at his hand, knowing those scars would likely remain permanently.
Seeing this, all further questioning felt pointless.
I immediately took out the key I’d brought and unlocked the iron door.
A faint crack appeared in Richard’s expression as he watched me, astonished.
“What are you… doing?”
“Come out.”
At my command, Richard hesitated but slowly stepped out of the cell.
The moment he stood before me, I held out the set of keys I’d just used to open the door… Clatter!
‘Ah, I meant to hand them over nicely!’
Maybe because I’d just escaped my room with the help of a rope, my hands had no strength, and I dropped the keys.
As the keys clattered loudly against the floor, I swallowed nervously, feeling Richard’s curious gaze on my face.
“Take them off.”
“…”
The silence that fell seemed even colder than when I’d dropped the keys.
Blinking, unsure of the reason, I gasped.
What was I doing? Did I just sound like a villainess?
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
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