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Chapter 57
Eric and Beliar had arrived first and were walking side by side, shoulders almost touching.
“Look at them trying so hard to seem affectionate.”
Doana felt extremely displeased seeing Beliar walking side by side with her man. And the fact that Eric wasn’t paying attention to her made her heart even heavier.
To think that he was ignoring his pregnant wife while walking affectionately with his new wife—it made her blood boil.
“…He must just be too tired to notice me. After all, that marriage is only a political arrangement. No need to rush things.”
Doana clenched her lips and quickened her pace to catch up with them. Then, deliberately, she inserted herself between the two.
“There’s no room for you here, Beliar.”
Doana glared at Beliar with cold eyes and gently pushed her aside. Beliar didn’t react at all. Exhausted from the long journey, all she wanted was some sleep.
The servants frowned at Doana’s behavior and exchanged whispered questions among themselves.
“The new countess is surprisingly quiet, isn’t she?”
“Isn’t it because the Count is watching? I don’t think he’d let things slide if he called her aside later. If you cross her in front of him, it might cause trouble in the marriage.”
“I think so too. It’s annoying, but it’s true that Doana is favored.”
The maids whispered while keeping an eye on Beliar. No one knew that Beliar’s stern expression was just from fatigue.
Doana linked her arm with Eric’s and let out a small huff.
“It’s too late for a walk, so how about a glass of wine and some conversation?”
Eric glanced at her, feeling slightly bothered by her sly look.
“Haven’t you heard I’m tired?”
Eric’s cold words made Doana pout slightly. She felt embarrassed for making a scene in front of Beliar. But she didn’t lose her smile and slowly released her hand from Eric’s arm.
“I just wanted our child to hear the Count’s voice,” she muttered in a low voice, placing both hands on her belly.
Eric twitched his eyebrows and tugged at the cravat around his neck, loosening it. He threw the loosened cravat to a nearby attendant, then strode away. The attendant quickly grabbed it and followed Eric.
With Eric gone, a maid bowed to Beliar and spoke.
“I’ll show you to your room, Countess.”
Beliar nodded haughtily and followed the maid.
Doana watched Eric and Beliar leave, then let out a sigh of relief. They had gone to separate rooms.
“I don’t need to worry tonight.”
Doana, who had been anxious about whether Eric and Beliar would share a room, now smiled and commanded the attendant.
“Hey, what are you doing? Why aren’t you showing me my room?”
The sharp tone made the maid frown. “Bold enough to follow me even on my honeymoon,” she muttered internally.
The maid reluctantly handed over a guest room to Doana. The room was quite spacious. She collapsed onto the bed as soon as she entered.
“Ha… I’m sleepy.”
Her eyelids felt heavy.
“I can’t sleep…”
She needed to stay alert to prevent any interference with the first night, but exhaustion—both mental and physical—made it impossible. Less than a minute after lying down, Doana closed her eyes.
Doana dreamed.
The sound of gentle waves.
She stood alone on a pristine, empty beach. The emerald sea was crystal clear and stunning. The sand was unusually white, reminiscent of the white beaches of Seychelles she had visited during her studies abroad.
“The sea…”
A smile spread across her face as she gazed at the vast ocean. The sight lifted the heaviness in her chest.
Carefully, she removed her shoes and placed them on the sand, then ran toward the water. She dipped her bare feet into the incoming waves and savored the cool splash.
“Ah, refreshing.”
She walked lightly on the sand, feeling the tickle of grains between her toes. The waves lapped irregularly at her feet. The vast beach was empty except for her. Even though it was a dream, it felt perfectly natural.
“Maybe I’ll swim.”
Doana tossed her outer coat onto the sand and leapt into the sea. The cold water embraced her pleasantly, and she swam like a mermaid.
After a while, she lay back, floating on the water, gazing at the clear sky. Floating atop the waves wasn’t uncomfortable. The sun bathed her warmly, and the only sound was the gentle roar of the waves. She closed her eyes, savoring the moment.
“This is wonderful.”
It was incredibly peaceful.
But the peace didn’t last long.
As she closed her eyes, a dark, creeping energy began approaching her. The sapphire-blue water gradually turned a blood-red color. The pleasantly lapping waves became a murky spread. Doana, unaware of the change, splashed in the crimson water.
At first, swimming was easy, but the water felt thick and sticky.
“What… why is it so gooey?”
She opened her eyes and looked around. The once-clear water was gone, replaced by a sticky red liquid. Even the white sand had turned black.
“Gross…!”
Her legs couldn’t touch the bottom. She splashed desperately, trying to reach the shore, but couldn’t move forward. Her body sank further. What had been water up to her shoulders was now up to her chin.
Then, she heard the sound of a child crying.
“Waaah!”
The faint sound grew closer until it seemed to echo from her very feet.
“What’s…?”
A tickling sensation rose from her right leg. Suddenly—
“Kyaaah!”
Something grabbed Doana’s ankle. She looked down into the dark water. A blurry figure, a child around three or four years old, was clinging to her ankle, crying.
“Wh-what! Let go!”
Despite its small size, the child pulled hard. No matter how Doana struggled, she couldn’t shake it off. The more she tried, the deeper she sank. A shiver ran through her body.
“Help me! Waaah! Someone, please help!”
Her cries echoed across the empty sea. There was no one to save her. Exhausted, Doana’s strength waned.
“Ugh… waaah!”
She was dragged helplessly into the deep sea.
Just before losing consciousness, a chilling voice whispered:
“Mom, now we’ll be together.”
“Huff! Huff… haah.”
She woke with a start, gasping for breath. Her hands clutched her body as she looked around.
White ceilings, luxurious bedding—it was the Count Wens estate’s guest wing.
“Ha… ha.”
Doana exhaled shakily in relief.
“It was just a dream.”
The sensations had been far too vivid for just a dream. She hugged herself, trembling from head to toe.
“Gross.”
Why had she had such a dream? The strength with which the child had grabbed her ankle was unforgettable.
“But… what was the last thing it said?”
She remembered the child gripping her ankle vividly, but oddly, she couldn’t recall what it said.
Doana immediately checked her ankle. She half-expected to see marks. Even though she knew there wouldn’t be any, her eyes trembled slightly as she examined it.
“Haah…”
After carefully inspecting, she sighed in relief. There were no marks.
“What was I thinking…”
It was just a dream, yet she had worried about marks on her ankle.
Her gaze landed on her ankle again.
“What’s this?”
A large red spot sat atop her ankle bone.
“I don’t remember seeing this…”
Normally, it wouldn’t have mattered, but the unsettling dream made her worry.
“Phew…”
She grabbed her dress, which was damp with sweat from the vivid dream, and let it flutter around her.
“I didn’t bring extra clothes.”
She had followed along unexpectedly, so no change of clothes was available. She checked the clock—it was already past 4 a.m. A time when all the maids and guards should be asleep.
“I guess there’s no choice…”
Doana crawled into the blankets and closed her eyes. The unsettling dream made it hard to sleep. She tossed and turned, forcing herself to rest.
—Creak!
The old door opened. Doana rubbed her eyes and looked toward the door.
It was too dark to see who had entered. A tall man approached slowly. Was it Eric?
“Eric?”
The man paused and cautiously approached, sliding naturally beside her. Doana, excited at first, immediately froze in fear.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
It wasn’t Eric. It was a red-haired junior knight.
The knight gently stroked her hair.
“You seem restless, so I came to help you sleep.”
Although it sounded kind, Doana saw through his dark intentions. As she expected, the hand stroking her hair slid toward her shoulder.
“Shall I make sure you sleep so soundly that no one could take you away?”
He whispered seductively in her ear. Doana wanted to push him away, but, still shaken from the dream, she didn’t want to be alone.
Seeing her passive stance, the knight smiled widely and pulled her into his arms, covering them both completely with the blanket.
Rustling sheets and intense movements continued. Faint moans subsided only by dawn.
