🔊 TTS Settings
Episode 9
His eyelashes were so long, I could see each one.
There was no space between us—
so close it was almost overwhelming.
‘Uh… what do I do? Is he really asking me to…?’
After hesitating, I cautiously placed my hand on his forehead.
As I’d expected, it was burning hot.
“Good heavens, Zar…! You have a terrible fever!”
“Ah… so it was true.”
“I’ll call the adults. Vitti! Vitti, come here quickly!”
While Vitti checked his temperature again, Tania returned with our parents.
“Mother, Father. Zar has a high fever. He needs to rest.”
“I’m fine…”
He muttered as if to hold me back, but Father turned to Vitti.
“Vitti, is Edel speaking the truth?”
“Yes, master. The young master’s fever is very high.”
Father’s face filled with concern.
“Zar, you’d better rest in your room. Forgive me for asking too much of you while you’re unwell.”
“It’s nothing, Lord Knightley… but I’ll rest.”
Before leaving, Zar glanced back at me.
“…Thank you, Edel.”
“No… I’ll look after Tania. Just get plenty of rest.”
He departed with the Marquis of Persis and the other adults.
His retreating back looked so frail that worry twisted in my chest.
‘I hope it isn’t serious…’
A little while later, Tania grew bored of opening presents.
Nothing strange had happened—perhaps my morning dream had just been a false alarm.
‘Could it be that I changed her fate already?’
But the day wasn’t over yet. I couldn’t lower my guard.
Clink, clink, clink.
Father tapped his fork against a glass, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Now then, let us bring in the birthday cake.”
“Wowww…!”
Tania’s eyes sparkled with delight.
Father, smiling, lifted her into his arms.
“Tell the patissier to bring it in.”
The heavy curtains at the back of the hall parted with grandeur.
“Whoaa…!”
Gasps rippled through the guests as the patissier wheeled in a massive cake.
“My cake!”
Tania spread her arms wide, smiling.
But unlike the others, Father and I could not smile.
“Ah… Father.”
“…Wait a moment, Edel.”
His face tense, Father put Tania down and strode toward the cake.
I stood frozen, staring.
It was enormous—taller than me.
Chocolate glaze gleamed, white cream balanced the colors perfectly.
But that wasn’t the problem.
‘Why…’
The cake’s main decoration was unmistakable: glittering sugar orbs.
The very shape banned from our household.
“Why… why would this be on the cake?”
The patissier puffed out his chest proudly.
“I was struck by inspiration in a dream, my lord! Sparkling sugar orbs would make the finest decoration of all!”
Father turned to me, troubled. He knew how carefully I had purged every circle from our home.
“Edel, it’s alright. They’re only sweets.”
‘No. Not alright. Not at all.’
Like the king and queen who destroyed every spindle, only to have their daughter prick her finger on her birthday…
And there, at the very center of the cake, lay a crimson orb identical to the one I’d seen in my dream.
Unfortunately, that was the one that captured Tania’s heart.
“Papa, I want the red one!”
“First we must cut the cake.”
He quickly picked her up again, guiding her tiny hand with the knife.
Applause filled the hall as the cutting finished.
A slice with the glittering red orb was placed on a plate.
As the plate passed to Tania, the Marquis of Persis arrived.
“Oh, Lord Knightley! Zar has fallen asleep.”
“Ah, I see.”
The event was over. Father, distracted, went to greet the Marquis.
Now was my only chance.
Tania’s small fingers reached for the orb.
Clatter!
I hurled my own plate to the ground.
“No, Tania! Don’t eat that!!!”
And then—
even if I became an embarrassment to my parents, even if I earned my sister’s resentment—
I swallowed the cursed orb myself.
A scorching heat devoured me, dragging my consciousness into the dark.
‘It hurts… so much…’
In silent darkness, I writhed as pain spread through every vein.
It felt like shards of glass pierced me from the inside.
‘I wish I could just faint…’
Maybe this was a dream.
If my plan worked, then I had taken Tania’s curse in her place.
And in the novel, after being cursed, she had met the one who cast it.
The villain—a master of dark magic.
Invading dreams would be easy for him.
‘If this is a dream, then show me your face. I want to see what that shameless villain looks like.’
As if my words had summoned him—
Step, step.
“……!”
Footsteps echoed, drawing closer until they stopped just behind me.
A hand pressed against my burning forehead.
So hot it burned, even though I was already aflame.
“So it really was you.”
A low, beautiful voice whispered.
Even in my haze of pain, the voice was familiar.
And then—I gasped.
My body… was healing.
The searing heat ebbed away.
I was standing upright, as though the world had shifted around me.
The hand left my forehead, and I finally managed to turn.
And my breath caught.
“Why… why are you in my dream?”
I was staring at the boy before me.
“Zar… why are you here?”
He smiled, radiant, his crimson eyes gleaming with joy.
The same color as that cursed orb.
“Because you came to find me, Edel.”
“Me?!”
“Yes. You swallowed the invitation I sent.”
So it was him…?
“You— you… don’t tell me…!”
I pointed at him, stammering. He caught my hand gently and pressed his lips to my fingertips.
Imitating an adult, yet looking perfectly natural.
“Yes. We were drawn to each other. You won’t deny it, will you? Fate has bound us together.”
“Nonsense!”
The boy I’d tried to pair with my sister… might actually be the villain who cursed her in the original story?
The one who would one day kidnap her?
My thoughts spun, rage boiling over.
But Zar only smiled softly.
“Don’t be angry, Edel. I’m glad you came. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if it was Tatania or you… who was truly the one I was searching for.”
“The one you were… searching for?”
He gently tucked my hair behind my ear.
And again—the pain inside me eased at his touch.
Though at the same time, it felt like I was sinking deeper into darkness.
“If you’re curious, you can ask me anything.”
“…Then tell me. What do you mean by ‘fated partner’? And are you even really the Marquis Persis’ nephew? Why curse an innocent child with that orb?!”
He listened silently.
Then, after a long pause, he smiled faintly.
Our eyes met—his crimson gaze clearer than ever.
“I am Baltazar Crime. I’ve been searching for the one destined to draw me out of the long darkness.”
