Edited

Episode 11

“It stings.”

As if assessing a wound with the tip of his fingers, Igon, with lowered eyes, raised his head to meet mine.

Tsk.

Igon, his tongue clicking disapprovingly, withdrew his hand and straightened my dress.

It was incredibly frightening and embarrassing, the thought of someone seeing.

I clenched my fist, biting my lower lip.

Suddenly, when I lifted my head, I locked eyes with Liam, who was standing in this direction.

He slowly lowered his head as our eyes met.

Why is Liam here…?

Ah, right, didn’t Liam agree to be my escort at the reception?

My forehead creased.

So, was it Liam who called Igon here?

Why would he do unnecessary things without being asked…?

Glaring at Liam with resentment, A large hand gripped my chin and moved downward.

Blue eyes and tightly sealed lips came into view.

“I’ll let it slide, just get it treated.”

“…It’ll be awkward if other people find out.”

Igon chuckled softly at my concerned words.

“Eve, think carefully. Consider which option would be more favorable for gossip: staying here after receiving treatment or returning home in my embrace.”

I bit my inner cheek hard.

Expanding the choices only sealed the exit.

In the end, I obediently nodded.

“I dislike seeing you in pain. I dislike you nonchalantly wandering around here as if nothing happened.”

“…Alright.”

“I’ll clear out the lounge on the fourth floor for you.”

Igon pulled out a pair of women’s shoes.

A duke holding women’s shoes, what an unusual sight.

I reached out to take the shoes back from him with a delicate expression, but Igon firmly turned his head with a resolute face.

“Wearing these might be difficult for you to climb upstairs, so I’ll keep them for safekeeping. I’ll arrange for comfortable shoes. Wait.”

Nodding lightly, Igon finally displayed a satisfied smile.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

What else did he want to say?

Looking at him with a worried expression, Igon pointed at someone with a nod.

“Acquainted?”

Huh?

Caught off guard by the sudden question, I couldn’t even see who he was pointing at.

I glanced briefly in the direction Igon indicated, but there were too many people to pinpoint exactly who he meant.

And generally… except for Igon, everyone here had no close connection with me.

“Which person…”

“The Count Durant’s daughter. Acquainted?”

The Count Durant’s daughter, Eunice Durant.

Igon asked me about Eunice Durant.

In other words, about the female lead.

About my future self.

My heart sank with a loud thud.

I couldn’t control my expression for a moment.

It felt like my lips were stiffening.

I realized belatedly that I should have acted nonchalant.

I rolled my eyes like a child caught doing something wrong.

It was nothing.

I had simply asked if they were friends.

Slowly, I turned my head.

Wishing to convey as little emotional fluctuation as possible, I responded succinctly,

“Not really.”

“I saw you talking for quite a while earlier.”

“I just exchanged greetings.”

“What?”

Igon’s interest in my affairs was nothing new. He often delved into the details of conversations and even inquired about the expressions of those I spoke with.

So, there was no need to be overly cautious.

However, unexpectedly, a sharp tone emerged.

“It was nothing. Why do you care?”

Perhaps it was an unexpected reaction, as his eyes slightly widened before returning to his usual impudent expression.

A slow gaze reached me.

In the young sky-blue eyes, a girl with finely scattered hair was visible.

Fingers, now without gloves, approached, brushing against the necklace and gently grazing down the neck, reaching just under the chin and lightly touching the lips.

Only after Igon withdrew his teasing hand did I realize that my mouth was slightly agape.

Lifting one corner of his mouth, Igon laughed.

Even if horns sprouted from his head and black wings emerged behind him, his cruel smile was enough to not be surprised.

“Because I became interested.”

A soft voice smoothly flowed between his twisted lips.

*Thunk!*

And right at that moment, whether it was a musician’s mistake or something falling to the ground, a loud noise interrupted. People gasped in surprise, and a commotion followed.

In the midst of the chaos, I pondered the words I heard.

It sounded like a verdict of death to me.

I wanted to believe that the unsteady steps were due to alcohol.

My head was spinning, making it difficult to think clearly.

I couldn’t remember exactly how I got upstairs and where I went.

I needed to shake it off, but the voice lingered in my ears, and the words stabbed my chest like thorns.

Why hadn’t I thought about it before?

Perhaps Igon knew the female lead even before the original story began and had feelings for her.

The poignant love from the novel came to mind.

Maybe the depth of emotions like that wouldn’t accumulate overnight.

Could they have been observing each other for a long time?

Their connection seemed deeper than I thought, and despite my best efforts, I couldn’t find a flaw in that well-crafted original story.

All of my actions were within the flow of the original story. Perhaps even the current dilemmas were already scheduled in the original work.

“Ah!”

I moaned softly and looked down.

The physician treating my foot looked up in surprise at my cry.

“Apologies, Lady.”

Only now did I snap back to reality from this minor injury.

Compared to the pain I would endure in the future, this was nothing.

“It stung a little… I’m sorry for startling you.”

The physician gestured not to worry and offered a light apology.

His touch became more cautious during the meticulous treatment.

As I continued to think, the physician, done with the treatment, left the lounge.

Liam knocked on the open door a couple of times.

It meant it was time to go downstairs again.

I had to go down again.

But I couldn’t possibly pretend to smile again. What should I do?

I lifted my body as if lying down on the couch, and as I rose, I accidentally touched a small table placed nearby. The table shook.

The empty wine glass on it fell to the floor, shattering.

I had received a glass during the treatment as an excuse for pain, but I hadn’t taken a sip. Now, the spilled grape wine created a red stain on the white marble floor and carpet, resembling blood.

I stared blankly at the red substance crawling on the floor.

“Where are you hurt…”

Liam’s concerned voice approached, and as I lifted my head, he stood nearby, peering at me with worried eyes.

His gaze felt uncomfortable.

I pushed him away as he came closer, wrinkling my forehead.

“Just show me the way.”

I quickly left the room with long strides.

I informed the maid who was in the lounge about my mistake, and I told her to inform the mansion about the carpet, assuring that I would compensate for the damage.

As I walked through the corridor, my feelings became strange.

I greeted the people who approached with polite nods.

My body felt light, as if floating, yet my steps were heavy.

Conflicting emotions confused my mind and heart.

I wanted to cry and laugh.

I wanted to release the pent-up emotions tormenting me.

But how do you do that?

Suddenly, a breeze came, cooling my flushed cheeks.

The wind carried a fresh scent of grass.

Standing in front of the stairs, I turned abruptly to find the source of the wind.

A slightly open terrace door appeared a few steps behind me.

Through it, a cool breeze wafted in.

I impulsively pushed the door open, observing the fluttering curtain edges. I informed Liam to wait and walked into the terrace.

Closing the door behind me, I leaned on the railing, allowing the refreshing air to fill my lungs.

Beyond the gardens of the royal palace, the lights of the capital sparkled. The distant, shimmering lights were so beautiful that they seemed almost suffocating, like stars hovering above the earth.

Staring blankly at the view, I took off my shoes. The new shoes Igon had sent had no heels. I pondered whether these strange shoes adhered to etiquette as I slowly climbed onto the railing.

Strangely, standing here, I felt nothing. Without thoughts, there were no lingering attachments. Unconsciously, I lifted one foot into the black emptiness.

The hem of my skirt fluttered in the void. Perhaps due to the effects of alcohol, I swayed a few times, but strangely, I didn’t feel afraid.

‘If I could die like this, it would be truly blissful.’

Suddenly, such a thought crossed my mind. Yes, if I couldn’t change anything about myself, at least my death should be something I could choose.

The idea briefly flashed in my mind. If my fate was to suffer and die, then, rather than being pitiable and insignificant…

But then, I glanced sideways.

No.

Regrettably, I wanted to live. More than anyone, my life was fervent. Even if death was inevitable, I would choose to live, even for a week, even for a day. The ground under my feet and the life I grasped with my own hands were precious.

Just as I was about to move my foot back to its original position, a sharp pain around my waist struck me.

“Huh?”

The first thought was that I felt pain as if I had been hit near my lower back.

The next moment, I realized I was hanging in the air.

Beneath the swaying hem of my skirt, I saw a dark and dense void.

“Oh, damn it.”

Slowly, my consciousness returned, as if someone had poured cold water on me.

I found myself instinctively lowering my hand to my waist. It was warm. What was this?

I raised my head, and there was a face.

He was holding me tightly, preventing me from falling.

Who was he?

Why did he catch me?

I stared at his face with perplexity. He seemed puzzled by my incomprehension.