Chapter 7

Doah expected Pietro to immediately agree to her proposal.

“Why do you think that way?”

However, with an expressionless face that gave no hint of his thoughts, he threw an unexpected question.

“Why?”

Anyone who knew about Bunny would say the same.

“I know about it as well.”

“You know about it?”

“Yes. If the person initially cursed and the host who transferred the curse are close to each other, there’s a risk that the curse might return to its original state.”

Angelus and Salvador speculated that Ophelia was staying in the rural countryside because of that.

All because of Bunny.

But if it was all because of Bunny…

“Wouldn’t the problem be solved by just sending me out of this family and bringing Lady Ophelia in?”

However, Pietro’s eyes, upon hearing those words, became surprisingly intense.

He muttered darkly.

“Who would say such things…”

Huh?

Doah blinked with a bewildered expression.

What kind of reaction was that?

‘Could it have been a baseless rumor?’

In reality, was there no connection between Ophelia and Bunny, and all the rumors were groundless?

‘But everyone believed it.’

The source of the rumors couldn’t be identified.

However, she suspected it must have come from a credible source.

Even the Kredel lords blamed Bunny for this matter.

Since it was widely known as an established fact, Doah, too, believed it without any suspicion.

‘Ah, just a moment.’

This is troublesome.

It meant that the almost sole card she had was now useless!

Pietro stared intently at Doah’s anxiously shaking eyes and drove the point home.

“There’s no need to take it seriously. It’s not true.”

Darn it.

‘I suspected it, and as expected.’

Doah tried to appeal to emotions.

Even if it was a rational decision to keep Bunny here, would he really abandon his ten-year-old daughter whom he loved endlessly?

Would he leave the pitiful child who lost her birth mother at birth and had been living alone for eight years away from the family?

Childhood memories last a lifetime.

She had intended to convince him like that.

‘It’s all messed up.’

With her eyes tightly closed, Doah swallowed her desperate feelings.

But then, upon reflection, there was something odd.

“Then why on earth is Lady Ophelia in the countryside?”

If it had nothing to do with the curse, couldn’t they just live together with Ophelia?

Bunny could be kept in a tower-like place that wouldn’t be noticeable to the servants.

It wouldn’t be a difficult task. They could just do as they had been doing so far.

“You have no right to know that.”

Right. He probably wouldn’t say anything important, of course.

If Bunny, who received even someone else’s curse, had the right to know, then he certainly had the right to know.

Doah bit her lip in frustration.

Even if the card she held became meaningless, she couldn’t retreat now.

“If you wish, we can make a solemn vow.”

The solemn vow was an oath with one’s life at stake. The moment you disclose a secret, your breath is cut off.

Usually, even if it’s highly confidential, it’s rare to make a solemn vow. There were cases where people said similar things and died immediately, even if they had no intention of breaking the vow.

Doah agreed to it.

“Or, you can put me under surveillance. You can send me abroad instead of to the garbage dump. Even in the countryside, it doesn’t matter.”

She added urgently, “Send me wherever you want.”

If she could gain freedom, Doah was ready to live anywhere with an almost greedy determination.

Thanks to Bunny’s talent.

Doah had her own abilities too.

Even with a solemn vow, it was okay. As long as she subtly disclosed the secret according to the oath and found a way to lift the curse.

“Go back to your place.”

However, as if there was no value in answering, he ignored her words.

Of course, he would.

Why would he bother with such a troublesome thing for Bunny?

It would be much more convenient to keep her close and monitor her.

‘Ugh…’

Doah stared at Pietro with a disgusted, cold face.

Regardless of her expression, he still seemed impervious, as if not a drop of blood would come out even if he were stabbed with a knife.

With just one word from him, she could immediately step outside Kredel.

On the contrary, with just one word from him, she might be forever bound to this hellish Kredel family.

Until she became a cold corpse.

‘Those eyes.’

The two eyes lying dead beneath lazily drooped eyelids were dry and lifeless.

It was like stagnant water gone bad.

Pietro seemed to observe everything with an air of indulgence.

“Really, you don’t have the slightest intention of letting me go?”

His gaze, slowly drifting like chasing after floating dust in the air, turned towards Doah.

“I made the best choice for my daughter.”

“….”

“You stay here, and Ophelia stays there. There will be no changes in the plan.”

Did I ever say that I’ve seen the wall so far?

How can there be no trace of hesitation?

It felt like having a robot that only knows how to give the same answer in front of her.

‘Well, yeah. Looking at his eyes, it seems like he can’t even gather his own thoughts.’

For someone like that, it’s absurd to expect them to understand others’ situations.

Even now, this seemed more like an inconvenience rather than malicious torment.

He didn’t have the affection or enthusiasm to bear any inconvenience for Bunny.

But still.

‘It makes me angry.’

Even though I tried to stay calm, anger was welling up.

I understood why Angelus and Salvador rejected Bunny.

It wasn’t their will.

Who would appreciate it when a sudden imposter, resembling their younger sister, comes in and causes a ruckus?

However, Pietro…

‘You’re the one who let me in.’

Even if you pick up a stray dog from the street and raise it, it’s animal abuse to neglect it like this.

Moreover, considering it’s a human!

The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became.

“I should be grateful that the noble lady of Kredel has given an opportunity to a commoner like me.”

Doah said sarcastically.

“Nevertheless, I understand if you dislike me, as I stole from the lady’s belongings without appreciating the favor.”

“…”

“But can you show mercy to me just once?”

“You are safe here.”

Ha, safe?

“To me, there was no difference between Kredel and the garbage dump.”

No, it was even worse here.

In the garbage dump, if it seemed like the adults were going to scold you, you could run away immediately.

Bunny was very quick.

Busy with their lives, they didn’t relentlessly chase after a child like a mad dog.

They quickly gave up.

But here, there was no escape.

For Bunny, those three maids were like an endless pit that she could never escape from.

They were the worst of the worst, holding the survival rights of a child hostage.

If Bunny trembled in fear every night, would Pietro care even a little?

She didn’t think so.

But still, Doah had to say it.

“I don’t want to starve anymore. I don’t want to be cursed without reason. I don’t want to roll down the stairs for no apparent cause.”

“I don’t want to live like this anymore.”

Doah’s chest fluttered.

Even though it wasn’t her own experience, she couldn’t help but empathize deeply as tears welled up, holding Bunny’s memories so vividly.

She bowed her head and suppressed the intense emotions when a massive hand suddenly surrounded her chin, lifting it up.

“…”

“…”

When did he come so close?

Just a moment ago, he was sitting at the desk, and now he was right in front of her nose.

How could a person’s presence be so unnoticed?

A static, lifeless atmosphere, eyes filled with a decadent gaze as if they were not truly alive.

For a moment, she felt her heart drop to the floor.

It didn’t feel like the presence of a living person.

In that moment, Pietro’s hand wiped under Doah’s dry eyes.

Her eye area involuntarily wrinkled.

His rough fingers, marked with calluses, brushed past her delicate skin, stinging and tingling.

‘What is this?’

It seemed as if he thought she was about to cry.

He looked down at the finger that revealed nothing and, just as quickly as he approached, withdrew it.

“Ophelia was reported to have been infected with a contagious disease and was undergoing treatment in isolation until now.”

“…”

“Now that she has recovered from the illness, she has returned to the main palace.”

Since he had already set the stage, there was no chance of resisting from the beginning.

“Go back. It’s pointless to use the healing power if you don’t take a break.”

How did he know that she received healing power?

She came right after waking up.

‘Ah, I see.’

Angelus, from the beginning, received orders from Pietro and treated her.

If Ophelia, who was reported to have recovered from the contagious disease, continued to suffer from a fever, it would raise suspicions.

“…”

Doah looked up at the Duke without expression.

She, who had vented her passionate anger, gradually cooled down and became indifferent.

Perhaps she had some expectations.

When rejecting her request, he could have at least said a warm word or two.

Expressing regret for not noticing the maids’ actions.

Assuring that such a thing would never happen again.

Promising to make her future more comfortable, to pay a little attention.

Even if Pietro didn’t say those words to Doah or didn’t care about them.

Just to soothe Bunny’s heart, which had been left to fester.

To comfort Bunny.

But…

‘He has no intention of letting me go, no matter what I do here.’

It’s done now.

Doah confirmed the Duke’s firm intention and completely abandoned any expectations.

It was fortunate that he clearly stated that Bunny was nothing more than a ‘tool’ and an ‘accursed one.’

Thanks to that, she could be sure that Cradle was no different from the Park family.

Yes, if that was what he hoped for by playing the role of a fake daughter.

She would willingly comply.

‘He told me to live as if I were dead.’

That’s how she planned to live.

Doah was more confident than anyone else about living as a tool, replacing other people’s lives.

Since she had lived her whole life as a tool to replace others and died.

She would willingly bend like a puppet with strings attached.

Until she could trust her without being wary, without doubting her, until she deeply trusted her.

Until she was so distracted that she didn’t notice if the tool she held was tightening around her neck.

Doah raised her eyebrows gracefully.

“I understand your intentions very well.”

She smiled like petals blooming in the warm spring sun, concealing the slowly intensifying gaze of coldness.

“I hope you won’t regret your choice now.”

And when the time finally comes,

Doah planned to vanish without a trace.

As if she had never existed in this world from the beginning.

Of course, returning the curse marks to their original places.