When she heard the word “early night,” she swallowed her saliva without realizing it.
‘It was a story that didn’t exist at all in the original.’
Of course, it’s true that she hoped that it wouldn’t turn out as the original. However, she couldn’t guarantee that John’s change would be a good change for her.
‘I didn’t make a mistake and it ended up like this, right?’
A tension rose up her spine. John looked at her like that and smiled as if it was cute.
“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen until my wife gives permission.”
His finger that touched his lips dropped, and he whispered softly.
“When will that happen?”
“…”
“I think it would be difficult to hold on for too long.”
* * *
Estelle has been sleeping a lot lately. John looked down at Estelle who was sleeping. The sight of her lying down quietly, making a wheezing noise, looked like a princess in eternal sleep.
‘…It seems like she often feels tired.’
He could see the traces he had left on her white, thin neck and delicate collarbone. His eyes darkened as he looked at the traces he didn’t need to leave behind. After this masquerade, she seemed to have fallen asleep again without realizing it.
“What if she never wakes up like this?”
After stroking Estelle’s sleeping forehead, John slowly went out.
“I will be back.”
Outside, Erich, who had returned, was waiting for him.
“Master. We have completed our investigation into the Labiane Orphanage.”
“So, what is the result?”
“Currently, it is said that the orphanage has been completely closed due to corruption. It will likely take some time to investigate as the people involved are scattered all over the place. There was just one thing that came to mind.”
He held out what he was holding in his hand. It was a picture of the floor of the closed Ravine Orphanage.
“An old magic circle was found on the floor of the orphanage. Do you recognize it, master?”
“I have no idea.”
A magic circle that John, who was well versed in magic, couldn’t even recognize the type. It meant magic that had been practiced since ancient times.
‘If it’s magic…’
Suddenly, the fragile Estelle came to mind. He was always reminded of his lovely wife for no reason. But this time the reason was a little different.
‘A constitution that does not work well with magic.’
Estelle was basically not good at magic. The magic that John had cast to protect Estelle mostly bounced or made errors.
‘Even when that bastard Anton was there.’
If the magic had worked normally, his body should have burned to ashes. But there was only a magical reaction.
‘It cannot be cured with magic.’
John recalled the time when he placed a ruby anklet on Estelle’s thin, white ankles. He placed a spell on the ruby that transferred the pain to himself. The pain was unbearable even for those with a high tolerance for pain, and the magic itself collapsed. And Estelle’s symptoms became increasingly severe.
‘The proof is that she can’t feel much pain now and her sleep time is increasing.’
Could it be that the fact that she seemed accustomed to danger and pain was all because she was in pain? John’s sharp eyes, as he was studying the report, turned to Erich.
“If you look for traces related to ancient magic, you may be able to get clues.”
“All right. Then, I will follow your orders and continue to investigate this orphanage.”
* * *
It’s early in the morning. This was something that must be done in order for a marital relationship to be officially recognized in the empire.
‘Can I keep avoiding it?’
Above all, there was no reason to continue avoiding it.
‘The last time will probably be around my birthday.’
In the original work, John’s revenge on her began in earnest starting on her birthday.
‘I might have to find a way to escape before then.’
Her sigh came out spontaneously. Then the tree next to her talked.
-Your face looks really worried.
“That’s right. But there was no way to do it.”
She ran away into the forest because she wanted to be alone. Betty always wanted to stick by her side, but when she sneakily added to her work and hid in the woods, she couldn’t find her right away.
‘Of course, if I go any further than this, John will notice.’
Still, she felt a little safer when she was in the forest. This was especially true because the trees pampered her like grandfathers meeting their granddaughter for the first time. She especially liked the feeling that they would take her side no matter what the situation. Trees were also the first people who just cared for her without any prejudice.
-Are you still planning to run away?
“If only there was a way to escape. You said I can’t use the fairy power right now.”
The trees say that the fairy power within her was very strong. So much so that she could disappear wherever she wanted at any time. However, it was said that the fairy power couldn’t be used in a cursed situation like this.
-How could you get involved with such a terrible guy…
The trees clicked their tongues and each began to add a word.
‘Still, it looks perfect on the outside.’
John wasn’t just good at his looks. He has the bloodlines of a perfect Duke that no one could find fault with, and although he has not been a nobleman for a long time, he has more elegant movements and posture than nobles, and even speaks eloquently. Honestly, no matter how pretty she was, she was born an orphan. Everyone probably thought she had a very lucky marriage. However, the trees’ hearts seemed to be displeased as they looked at John’s misfortune.
-I didn’t like it from the beginning though. How can you leave such a mark on someone who is not even an animal but your wife?
-Even animals wouldn’t act so blatantly.
She didn’t know how they saw it, but the trees didn’t particularly like John’s obsessive behavior.
-Anyway, what are warlocks? It’s always awful.
-Yes. When you run away, you have to run away well.
-If you do it sloppily, you might get scolded even more.
They seemed to know a lot about warlocks, so she asked them carefully.
“Have you seen many warlocks?”
-Of course. They must be hiding, but how can they avoid our eyes?
-Each person’s appearance is different, but they all have one characteristic.
“What are its characteristics?”
The trees that were easily telling stories fell silent for a moment. Since they were naturally talkative, this ambiguous silence felt even more strange.
“What is it? Is it that serious?”
-That’s it…
A tree that was speechless spoke firmly.
-It’s an obsession.
“Yes?”
-To become a warlock, you basically have to be extremely obsessed with something. It takes so much obsession that you don’t even care about your own life.
If you think about it, John was also very obsessed with revenge, so it wasn’t wrong.
-So, baby. You too must be careful. Even now, that guy is in a bad mood.
-Yes. Your husband is.
The trees spoke together and spoke firmly.
-He is the most outstanding and scary warlock we have ever seen.
“I guess so.”
Since she already had an idea of the magnitude of the darkness, it didn’t strike her as particularly special.
-Baby. There is a reason we say this.
-Usually, the obsession is just as strong as the skill. Maybe, you might have to deal with all that obsession.
-Those guys are so attached to their things that once they capture something, they never give up and rush at it. He will be extremely obsessed with you.
Perhaps they had lived for a long time for no reason, but what the trees said was half accurate.
‘Because in the end, revenge is completed in the original work.’
She nodded in agreement.
“That’s right. I think that might be possible.”
The trees were agitated by her cool answer.
-Hmm? Then why are you trying to run away? I feel like you’re going to provoke him more for no reason.
-Yes. Wouldn’t it be better to just stay still?
“I want to do that too, but…”
The reason John was obsessed with her was because she was the target of his revenge.
“He will probably get rid of me or abandon me soon. To avoid that, I’m trying to run away.”
-Oh. Oh my…
-My poor baby…
-How did the last fairy get caught by such a crazy person…
The trees lowered their branches and stroked her. John and others seemed to want to pat her head whenever they saw her.
‘Is it because you want to touch my hair?’
The pinkish platinum hair was criticized by the Libertan Dukes for being different from Yestella. But Betty, John, and the trees she met here all liked this side of her. She didn’t think she cared much, but she guessed she was conscious of the criticism she heard from Libertan. The more she heard those words, the better she felt.
-Do you need a change of mood?
One tree gave down a thick branch.
-The scenery seen from up the tree is different. Why don’t you come up and take a look?
“Great.”
-I’ll put you up safely, so sit down.
As soon as she sat down on the tree, the tree stretched out its branches and lifted her up.
‘The scenery is definitely different.’
A fresher breeze than below blew in.
“Thank you.”
She leaned against the tree with her legs dangling. The place didn’t change much, but it still felt oddly stable.
“There’s no way I can increase my fairy powers right now, right?”
-Ah! I already asked other trees that question. I was wondering if there might be a tree that knows better.
“Really?”
-Yes. Hmm. First of all, it seems like it was said that artifacts related to fairies can increase the power of fairies. You too, learn about fairies.
‘It’s a relic.’
There was a risk of being caught if she openly investigated fairies.
‘But I think I’ll have to use the Duchess’ power to get something like a relic.’
Or at least she had to secretly go outside and made a request to an information guild or something.
‘I think the best way would be to find out secretly while doing the Duchess’ work.’
She enjoyed the wind passing by while thinking of various ways. Then she guess she dozed off.
-Baby. baby!
-Someone is coming. I guess you need to get up…
She opened her eyes, rubbing them, hearing a dizzy sound.
“-you!”
A person had already arrived under the tree. It was Erich wearing a black suit. Erich opened his blue-grey eyes wide and was astonished, unable to take his eyes off her.
“How did you climb that dangerously high place?”
The tree she climbed now was the tallest among the trees in the forest. So it was a rather difficult height to climb by oneself.
‘But it seems like I suffer from this misunderstanding every time I meet Erich.’
It was a little surprising. She was looking at Erich, thinking about what to say, and then gave him a light greeting.
“It’s been a long time, Baron Bougne.”
“Is now the time to say hello?”
Erich’s voice rose.
“I don’t know how you got up there, but it’s dangerous. Please come down quickly.”
“Ah… Can I come down a little later?”
“Do you think I’m kidding?”
Erich’s gray-blue eyes were filled with nervousness as he looked at the distant heights.
‘If I have an accident, the situation will become more complicated.’
Anyway, this is not what was important. When Erich was around, it was difficult to ask the trees to put her down.
‘Do the trees move their branches and let them down on their own?’
It looked so strange to anyone who saw it. If Erich was particularly hostile towards her, she would definitely report it to John. The cool wind shook her platinum hair. She calmly answered him while brushing her messy hair.
“Never mind.”
“…Don’t worry about it?”
“You hate me anyway. I will go down on my own, so you don’t need to interfere any more.”
Erich bit his lip as if he disapproved of those words.
“Then what if you fall and have an accident? Coming down when there is someone to accept it…”
“I’ll take care of it. Even if I fall, I won’t die anyway.”
Of course, if she was the weak person people thought she was, she could die. But that didn’t happen.
“Why are you saying such irresponsible things?”
“Baron Bougne suffered great damage from the Duke of Libertan, right?”
Erich twitched his fists at those words.
“How did you know that? Who told you?”
“I understand just from what you said to me.”
Anyone could see that Erich’s actions were blatant. Even if it wasn’t mentioned in the original work, she would have noticed it long ago. Erich let out a long sigh and nodded his head.
“Yes. I am the person who hates the Libertan Dukes more than anyone else.”
“Then wouldn’t it be a good thing if I died?”
Because Erich thought of her as Libertan’s beloved daughter.
“Why are you so worried about me?”
In the original, Erich was one of the people who put pressure on her. He didn’t comfort Estelle or save her. Rather, he was one of those who rejoiced in Estelle’s downfall.
“If I accidentally die, you’ll be happy.”
“I am…”
At that time, she felt a warm feeling in her chest.
‘Ruined.’
Maybe she would vomit blood again like last time. Of course, in front of Erich.
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
If you like my work please support me with Ko-fi or Patreon. Next post will be released on September, 27.
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