[It was directly utilizing the nature of dark magic.
- Dark magic has a property called mutual attraction. Larger-scale magic can draw smaller-scale magic into its vortex of misfortune.
- Dark magic spells that become closer to each other start to collide and wear away. As a result, the intensity of the curse may temporarily decrease, but…]
My eyes widened. If dark magics could collide and wear down each other, it seemed like I could take advantage of that.
“Is my dark magic colliding with Carlothian’s dark magic, causing my voice to gradually improve?”
However, right on the next page, there was another statement.
[But that is merely a temporary measure; the strong vortex of misfortune cannot be stopped by anyone.
Dark magic spells that collide and wear away will eventually merge into one, and thereafter they will bring even greater disasters.]
“Ah, this is unsettling.”
I continued to read the book. It mainly taught the basics of dark magic, but the explanations were somewhat vague and difficult to understand.
‘It feels a bit like when I was taking vocal lessons.’
I remembered our vocal teacher cheerfully saying, “Imagine a balloon above your head and fill it with sound.” That’s how you achieve a head voice.
I also recalled the Pilates instructor telling us to open our rib cage. But how exactly do you open your rib cage?
After reading for a while longer, I eventually closed the book. I felt it was time to head back up.
When I returned to the surface, the door closed naturally and the keyhole disappeared. I put the key back in my pocket.
Looking out the window, I noticed the sun was slowly setting. I walked up the stairs at a leisurely pace.
When I returned to Carlothian’s room, he was already there. He frowned and asked me,
“It’s a close call.”
“Since I came back before sunset, it’s fine, right? And that’s because you didn’t properly tell me how to get down to the basement.”
I grumbled and flopped onto the bed. Carlothian looked at me with an incredulous expression.
I stretched out my arms.
“Is it alright if I keep the key for a while?”
“Go ahead.”
Carlothian naturally climbed onto the bed, pressed his body into my arms, and wrapped his arms around my waist.
Ah, I should have taken off my dress. It’s so cumbersome.
As I squirmed underneath him, Carlothian looked down at me.
“I want to take off my dress.”
“……You.”
“No, it really is cumbersome every time.”
When I pushed his shoulders, he willingly backed off. I removed the dress piece by piece and tossed it beneath the bed.
“Hey, could you untie the strap in the back for me?”
“…”
“Can’t you hear me?”
“I can hear you, but…”
“Then hurry up and untie it.”
I felt his hands touch my back. However, his movements were painfully slow, almost hesitant.
‘What’s wrong with this guy?’
He’s making me nervous too. The sensation of his fingers brushing against my skin through the fabric was strange. I swallowed my saliva without realizing it.
Oh no, was the sound too loud? His hands stopped moving. No, pretend you didn’t hear that!
He slowly started to untie the straps of the dress again, and soon his hands fell away. I couldn’t turn around for a moment, feeling my heart racing.
“Have you never untied a woman’s dress before? Why are you so slow?”
I gave a pointless jab and pretended to be nonchalant as I took off the dress. Once I removed it, my white underdress was revealed.
Is this enough? I thought as I flopped back onto the bed, but Carlothian leisurely settled on top of me and said,
“No.”
“What?”
“……I’ve never untied a woman’s dress before.”
“Oh, oh.”
I looked up at him. He has been infatuated with Dorothea for a long time. He wasn’t young anymore, but since he had never paid attention to another woman, it made sense.
But why am I so nervous about this? I forced a laugh, feeling my heart racing again.
“At your age, that’s quite a claim to fame!”
He didn’t respond to my words. He just slowly pressed his body against mine. What’s with this guy, acting like this all of a sudden?
Eventually I had to keep quiet. For a while, silence hung between us.
Until my madness began to creep in. Only the quiet sound of our breathing filled the room.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
The next morning, I woke up groggily. When I opened my eyes, Carlothian was asleep, holding me in his arms.
Now that it was a regular occurrence, I squirmed out of his embrace and stretched.
“Ugh—.”
Struggling against his weight, it seemed like my throat was improving rather than getting worse. Then, as that thought crossed my mind, I suddenly remembered something.
[Dark magic spells that become closer to each other start to collide and wear away. Therefore, the intensity of the curse may temporarily lessen…]
If that’s true, I looked down at the sleeping Carlothian.
Does that mean that just being in contact with this man is improving my voice?
Of course, if that’s true, it’s something to consider.
[It’s just a temporary measure; the strong whirlpool of misfortune cannot be stopped by anyone.]
‘So, it’s just a temporary fix.’
I shook him awake to confirm. He probably hadn’t slept until dawn because of me, but it was better to address important things as they came.
“Carlothian. Carlothian. Wake up.”
I shook him, but he only groaned and frowned, showing no signs of waking up.
“Carlothian, please wake up for a moment.”
When I shook him more vigorously, instead of getting up, he stretched out his arms. Then he pulled me into his embrace and continued to sleep.
“Uh?”
His gentle breathing sounded right next to my ear, and I felt my ear grow hot.
“Ah, no, I’m telling you to wake up.”
“……Just a little longer.”
Of course! I know you’re sleep-deprived!
But still, this is a bit much. I felt my face growing warm with embarrassment. Yet Carlothian remained comfortably asleep, holding me close.
Then, I heard someone running quickly outside the door. What’s this? No one should be running around like that in the Duke’s household.
Just then, as the footsteps reached the door, it swung wide open.
Hey! You should knock!
I was stuck in Carlothian’s embrace, unable to move. To my surprise, it was the butler who opened the door.
“Y-you two?”
“P-please don’t misunderstand. Carlothian, can you wake up for a moment?”
As I said that, the butler nodded as if something serious was happening.
“Indeed. The Duke… right now…”
Eventually, Carlothian reluctantly got up with a grim expression. As he did, the butler shouted,
“Someone has come from the imperial palace!”
“What’s the matter?”
The butler spoke with a trembling voice.
“They say they’re transferring the sinner, Ariadeline, to the palace prison.”
“…What?”
The butler squeezed his eyes shut and continued.
“Someone has cursed Princess Dorothea again, causing a commotion in the palace!”
At those words, my eyes widened in shock. Oh, damn. Why does it feel like everything’s falling apart? I looked at Carlothian.
His expression was filled with confusion.
“I didn’t…”
I wanted to say I didn’t do it. But Carlothian was still looking at me with uncertain eyes.
A surge of anger welled up inside me.
Yeah. I didn’t expect you to believe me anyway, I stubbornly thought.
I quickly put on a robe over my nightwear and hurried outside. My eyes felt hot; it was definitely from frustration.
I sensed Carlothian following behind me, but I deliberately didn’t look back.
😟🥺😔🤡