TVOWW 18

Chapter 18

A New Feeling Arises
2022.02.01

Estelle’s pulse throbbed beneath Johann’s palm. A warm yet vivid sensation ran through her body. Johann swallowed unconsciously.

“It’s not even a difficult task.”

He couldn’t bring himself to press his fingers against Estelle’s neck. They didn’t move at all. For a moment, Johann wondered if there was something wrong with his hand.

“I can’t kill her.”

He feared that he might accidentally injure this delicate woman. Johann tensed even more, gripping her hand tightly. His heart raced. He couldn’t tell whether the pounding he felt was hers or his own. Johann glared at the sleeping Estelle with his unnervingly crimson eyes. It was a ridiculous emotion—but it, and the impulse behind it, completely consumed him. Johann was torn between the rationality that wanted to deny this fact and the impulse that wanted to accept it. It was like an endless knot with no solution.

“Hah.”

Johann let out a ridiculous laugh.

“It was nothing at all.”

At first, Estelle had merely been a target for Libertan’s revenge in his eyes. But if that were all she was, it would have been easy for him to kill her immediately.

“I thought it was a trivial feeling.”

Even if any emotion had arisen, he was confident he could erase it. That fact hadn’t changed.

“…But.”

Even though Johann considered Estelle a variable in his revenge, he couldn’t coldly discard her. In the end, she became more than just a target. He reluctantly admitted it.

“My wife.”

Even now, she slept soundly without a hint of caution.

Foolishly, she had no idea who was beside her, or what might happen while she slept.

“Estelle Libertan.”

Johann slowly spoke her name. He had never cared for the name of a mere revenge target, so he had never used it. But Estelle had always called him “Duke,” so it didn’t feel odd. Johann gently grasped a handful of her pink-platinum hair and carefully pressed his lips to it. Memories of fleeting moments with Estelle crossed his mind.

‘It’s my fault. I just didn’t want to worry you over something minor.’

‘It wasn’t something worth wasting emotions over.’

‘If I want, can the Duke heal me?’

Estelle continually provoked Johann. Seeing her calm, gentle, and unguarded demeanor made him angry—even when it was to his advantage, he couldn’t suppress the emotional surge of rage.

“What if she knew I tried to kill her?”

Even then, she might respond calmly. That thought made his head heat up again.

“…Duke?”

Estelle slowly opened her eyes. Fortunately, there were no marks on her neck. Johann, relieved by this, reminded himself of the absurd fact that even a slight squeeze could leave a mark on her.

“Duke, is something wrong?”

“Nothing at all.”

Johann smiled gently as he watched Estelle stretch.

“Seeing my wife this morning makes me so happy.”

“D-Don’t tease me.”

“Was I too sincere?”

Johann shrugged, and Estelle’s cheeks flushed. He touched one of her beautiful cheeks with his hand.

“…We just woke up together.”

“You may think that, but I didn’t.”

Her innocent reaction delighted him. A desire he hadn’t planned arose toward a woman who had been merely a target of revenge. He wanted to possess all of her, to be the only one left in her world—this obsession grew.

“Every time I see you, a new feeling arises.”

He needed to confirm this desire toward her, no matter what, so it wouldn’t interfere with his revenge.

“It’s strange.”

Johann’s gaze softened as he looked at Estelle. *** Sleeping with Johann was dangerous for her heart in more ways than one.

‘What’s happening so early in the morning?’

She had sensed something unusual since waking. Johann seemed to have gone mad and made some vow while she slept.

‘Especially those eyes…’

For a moment, his crimson eyes felt like hellfire, ready to drag her into the abyss. It had been a long time since she’d felt such a chilling sensation.

‘I haven’t even done my lady’s duties yet.’

But it didn’t matter. She had already warned Patricia and Johann had given instructions, so she could ask Betty. Betty entered with a cheerful face.

“Lady, did you sleep well?”

“Yes, and did you sleep well, Betty?”

“I couldn’t sleep, worrying about you.”

“Worrying about me…?”

She blinked.

“Do I have a problem?”

“Not a problem exactly… but today was the first time you two shared a bedroom.”

Betty approached cautiously.

“I never imagined the master would sleep in the couple’s room with you. He normally doesn’t sleep with anyone.”

“….”

“When he left the room briefly, I worried you might be shocked.”

She felt the opposite.

‘I wish Johann hadn’t come in!’

Her tension spiked when he entered wearing only a gown. Even waking up in the morning was uncomfortable. She held Betty’s hands and smiled brightly.

“Don’t worry. Even if that happened, I would have been fine.”

“…Lady… you really are…”

Tears welled in Betty’s eyes. She seemed about to speak but closed her lips and smiled sadly.

“I’m glad. It seems the two of you aren’t in conflict.”

What could she possibly be thinking?

‘Perhaps she’s worried about something from the original story.’

In the original, she had welcomed Johann to her bedroom. But no consummation happened, and he didn’t nap beside her. Feeling unloved by family and ignored by her husband, she clung to Johann even more—just as he had planned.

‘Though there are differences.’

In the original, she never used the couple’s bedroom. The master bedroom was too precious to Johann. Even rebuilt, he wouldn’t want someone like Libertan’s daughter inside.

‘Did I end up here because I fainted?’

Returning her to the annex after the Anton incident might have been tricky. Betty confirmed excitedly:

“So, the master did sleep with you, right?”

“…I don’t know if he left and returned midway.”

A meticulous person like him could easily do so. Betty shook her head.

“No way. The master must have felt something for you.”

She was overly optimistic. But she let Betty’s happy imagination stand.

‘If she’s happy, then so be it.’

After breakfast, before starting her lady’s duties, she decided to explore the mansion. Betty gave a detailed tour and then brought a letter from the nearby office.

“This is an invitation to a royal masquerade, sent to you in your name.”

“In my name?”

Receiving an invitation in her own name was surprising.

‘By now, I must be quite famous.’

The adopted Libertan daughter would marry into the Blanchet family to repay the Libertan family’s debt. Meanwhile, the original Libertan family was arrested for treason, and no one knew the adopted girl’s fate.

‘Even I’d be curious.’

She put the invitation back in its envelope and told Betty:

“Place this in my room.”

“No. Will you explore the main building further?”

Unlike the annex, the main building was vast. She shook her head.

“I’ll go to the garden now.”

“The garden is beautiful. Shall I guide you?”

“No, I want to walk freely alone.”

After getting rough directions, she headed to the garden. Unlike the greenhouse-style garden in Libertan, this garden had a forest-like maze.

‘I think the sounds have been coming from here.’

The closer she got, the clearer the voices.

• A strange black magic feels in the mansion…

• Something big might happen soon.

• That child enters the forest again, but I don’t see him.

It was the same deep male voice that had warned her before Anton came.

• I wonder if you can hear us now.

• Last time when you were sick, it seemed you could hear us…

She placed her hand on a tree, trying to figure out what to say. Light glowed faintly around the tree, and the voices grew louder.

• Can you hear us?

She nodded.

“Yes. But… are you really trees speaking to me?”

• Oh! Finally! I couldn’t see him before, but now we can talk.

• When he was here, I was too scared to speak!

The trees were angry at Johann among themselves. Then some intervened.

• Calm down, everyone. What are you doing, grown trees?

• Embarrassed in front of a child? What a waste of nutrients.

They reconciled and spoke solemnly:

• We are the trees of the Blanchet garden.

• We’ve waited long to speak with you. All the trees around you have been waiting.

She focused, since this was new even beyond the original story.

“…Me? Why me?”

• You are the last fairy.

‘I’m a fairy?’

One tree lowered a branch as if stroking her head.

• You must be surprised to hear this.

“Um… so, I’m really the last fairy?”

• Yes. Haven’t you seen things others cannot see?

She thought back—she had never seen ghosts.

“No.”

• That can’t be. Perhaps even here in the mansion? Fairies see truths independent of the present.

She realized nothing.

“Then why has this never happened before?”

• You were blocked from us.

• Especially you…

A solemn mood spread among the trees.

• You are cursed, losing your fairy powers.

A curse.

• Fairies are valuable sacrifices, often used as such.

• Some cruel humans cast such dreadful curses…

She recalled something from the black magic book:

‘A sacrifice and a curse are necessary.’

Her heartbeat thundered. She asked tremulously:

“Do you know what curse is on me?”

• Unfortunately, we do not. There are too many complex curses.

The conversation returned to square one.

‘Who cast this curse?’

In the original, Johann was the most prominent dark magician with a grudge against Libertan.

‘But is it really Johann?’

She couldn’t conclude yet.

“Is there a way to confirm who cast it?”

• Every curse needs a medium. If you are cursed, you can find it.

“If I destroy the medium, will the curse break?”

• Probably.

Then her next action was clear:

‘Johann’s study.’

If hidden deep in the mansion, she couldn’t find it, but Johann’s study was accessible.

‘He spends the most time there.’

Last time, she hadn’t inspected it properly due to crowds.

“I’ll go look now. But if I don’t… can we not talk?”

A leaf drifted down, and light flowed into her.

• Don’t worry. From now on, you can speak to us just by thinking of us.

*** She immediately went to Johann’s study. Fortunately, no one blocked her. But as she approached the door, she hesitated.

‘What if Johann is inside?’

She shook her head.

‘I’ll just say I’m here about the wish or the deal.’

Her hands trembled opening the door. But the study was empty.

“Good.”

She immediately checked Johann’s desk. Papers were scattered, as if he had left in a hurry. One thing caught her eye:

‘A teddy bear-shaped cookie?’

The same cookie Johann had given her before.

‘Did he leave this for me?’

She thought so, reaching for a document with “Libertan” written on it, when suddenly the door opened.

“This time Baron Blinieu is investigating…”

She had expected this, having prepared an excuse.

‘But why am I hiding here?’

As soon as someone approached, she instinctively hid under the desk.

‘If I leave, it’ll look suspicious!’

Near the door were surely the captain and Johann. Then, a person slowly approached the desk.