Dorothea stared at the hooded figure with interest.
As she reached out her hand as if to look inside the tightly covered hood, 'that being' slid back with surprising agility.
"How presumptuous of you to come looking for me by cursing me. It would be foolish to trust the Prince and your well-to-do family by your side."
“You talk a lot.”
Dorothea was relaxed, even though she stood precariously as if she might fall over at any moment.
So much so that the other person is left speechless due to excessive leisure.
“You told me to come to you right away, but it took you this long.”
One corner of her mouth turned up crookedly.
“Did you try to break the spell?”
“...”
Even without hearing the answer, she was able to understand the situation just from the other person's silence.
Dorothea also understood why he had used such a loud and reckless method.
Should she applaud the recklessness of trying to get rid of 'life' with petty sorcery?
It would be impossible for magic to be implemented using only the magical power within one’s body, or for one to control spirits through a contract...
It is a scar that is engraved on the soul of the other person by risking one's own soul.
A deep, dark scar that will never be erased even if the other person's breath stops and their soul leaves their body.
“I guess you didn’t think much of it.”
She looked down on it as nothing more than the witchcraft spread by a young woman and thought that she could do something like exorcism.
However, carelessly touching the wounds already deeply engraved in the soul would actually be poisonous.
Even if you forcefully try to reattach the misaligned piece to the crack that already existed, it will not stick.
The crack would have widened, the pieces breaking off from the wound would have crumbled even further, and the body, unable to support the torn soul, would have become a mess.
"What on earth have you done?"
The voice that filled the space was filled with a soft anger.
Dorothea simply straightened her back with a pale face, saying nothing as she heard a voice that was clear but had no way of knowing where it was coming from as if it was speaking directly to her head.
"If you lift the curse right now, I will spare your family's life as a sign of my goodwill."
“Well, how dare you touch my family? Nothing has ever gone your way so far.”
The evil that swarmed toward the mansion climbed over the sturdy walls several times, but never once did it take away anything precious from her arms.
Countless attempts were easily thwarted by her hands.
In the end, rather than trying to break her even once, he let his guard down and ended up getting hit in the face.
Even if she lies down and cries and begs, they just laugh and ignore her, but then they raise their head stiffly and try to threaten her.
"You seem to be proud of causing trouble for me, but there are many people who are after you and your family, not just me."
Dorothea, who had been standing there with a faint smile on her face, reached out and pulled back the hood in front of her eyes.
Surprisingly, there was nothing inside the hood that had been peeled off.
The hood, which had been floating in the empty air as if it were invisible, slowly fell to the ground.
“Stop talking nonsense and come see me in person.”
It seems like he has difficulty showing his face or lacks confidence, but Dorothea has no intention of dealing with those who can't even come forward and only talk behind her back.
"Funny. In fact, aren't you also in a position where you can't do anything right now? Just as I can't use my strength, you can't move your great magic or spirits either."
Dorothea's last words must have hurt the other person's pride, as his voice, which had been trying to remain calm, became shaky.
"Even if I run out of breath today..."
The voice kept getting smaller and larger.
Since his pulse was cut off here and there, he wouldn't be able to exert his strength properly, but she could feel his determination to somehow destroy her.
Dorothea's feet were planted on the ground as she felt the faint force of restraint holding her arms.
"Come here, my lowly servant, and cut this child down. Destroy her. Leave only her mouth to speak, and twist her limbs!"
Mrs. Jennix, who had been blocking the door to prevent Marilyn from getting out of the carriage, slowly raised her head at the call.
"Come here, my mate..."
“I never thought you would do something so reckless as open the gates of death in the human world, but did you really come here without any preparation?”
Somewhere, a bell rang.
"Who are you!"
A panicked, shrill voice echoed through the air.
Marilyn, who had been in the carriage, lifted her head slightly and began shaking a bell in her hand that was slightly smaller than the one Jane had once held.
“The Life Gate is to the south, so shake the bell toward it, Marilyn.”
Marilyn nodded and asked seriously with her brows furrowed.
“Is it okay to just shake it?”
“If you’re going to do it, do it to the beat.”
“What beat should I play to?”
“Any beat is fine. It’s better if it’s a beat that you’re used to. For example, a waltz beat.”
“Waltz? You just said waltz?”
There was a look of distrust on her face as she asked back incredulously.
"You, you bitch!"
That was only for a moment.
The hand that was hesitating to stop began to quickly shake the bell again when the voice became clearer.
Charang- Chararang- Charang-
Before she knew it, Marilyn's feet were lightly rolling on the floor, shaking the bells to the beat of the waltz.
Marilyn shook the bell vigorously with a passive gesture and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Angry voices were occasionally mixed in with the sound of bells that filled the surroundings to the point of giving a headache.
"That... ! Stop...! That thing...!"
“If you’re going to do it, try some matching movements. Since it’s a waltz beat, how about trying some light steps?”
In rituals, body movements are not greatly restricted by form because they are closer to 'acts of showing one's sincerity to nature, which lends energy.'
Because it is important to do it with sincerity using the rhythm and gestures that are most familiar to you.
Marilyn, who had been cowering in fear at the floating hood, hid behind the door and shouted, waving her arms vigorously.
“Are you asking me to believe that?!”
“It's true.”
Of course, Marilyn wasn't a sorcerer, so she couldn't use great power, but by taking simple steps and harmonizing her body and voice as one, she could greatly enhance the divine power of the water.
'I don't believe in the power of shamanism (shaman dance: dance moves performed when using shamanic tools).'
Come to think of it, the sorcerers here mostly just stand still and recite spells.
Even though they use the power of Mother Nature, they don't even show any gesture of respect towards nature.
It seemed like she knew why their magic was all so one-dimensional and repetitive.
“Marilyn is very suspicious.”
Marilyn, her eyes wide, shook the bell madly, then gritted her teeth and shouted at Dorothea.
“There- in front of me- stands a talking hood! Floating around- like a ghost!”
Marilyn, with her eyes unfocused and frantically swinging her bubbles in the air, exuded an air of danger that would make even the talking Hood hesitate.
“But do you really think I should believe you when you tell me to waltz in front of that hood?!”
“There’s nothing to lose by dancing, right? There’s no one to see it anyway.”
“You call that talking?!”
As the voice rose, a cracking sound was heard from somewhere.
Thanks to Marilyn, who shook the bell so vigorously that it looked like she was about to burst into tears, the artificial air of death surrounding her began to shake.
It was evidence that the sorcerer's concentration was waning.
Dorothea turned her back on the hood, who could only threaten but could not use his power properly, and walked lightly.
The being, whose only remaining feature was a trembling voice, gave instructions in a hissing manner.
"My lowly servant, quickly call 'them' and bring that woman..."
Mrs. Jenix, who had been quietly observing the situation, slowly pulled the communication port out of her bosom.
She stared at the brightly shining communication device for a moment, then dropped what she was holding onto the floor and stepped on it, breaking it.
"What are you doing?!"
Mrs. Jenix, with her head raised calmly, offered advice to Dorothea.
“There are those waiting in ambush outside, Young Lady. It would be dangerous if you release the barrier right now.”
"You, who dare to... now!"
Dorothea ignored the voice that was trembling and took out the sagging Phi phi from her arms.
They still did not fully understand the source of the power she wielded.
“Wake up, sleepyhead.”
The squirrel yawned as if nothing had happened and quickly got out of Dorothea's arms, wiggling its butt.
Although the barrier was collapsing at a rapid rate, the surrounding area was too full of evil spirits for a normal human to escape.
In the first place, unless it is a divine instrument that is not affected by the aura of death, it would be difficult to cross the barrier.
Madame Jenix approached Dorothea, who was watching Phi Phi running away and handed her something.
“This is what they told me to feed Young Lady.”
“Interesting. Is it something similar to a go?”
A parasite that invades the human mind and takes control of it.
But it looked like something much more simple than a lump of protein.
Marilyn, who was shaking the bell vigorously from the side and trying to break down the barrier around them while keeping the hood from getting close to them, protested in a crawling voice.
“Hey, your hand hurts a little?”
“Oh, what should I do?”
Mrs. Jenix, who had been watching quietly, extended her hand toward Marilyn.
“Shall I shake it?”
“Would you please do that...”
"Okay, you lowly servant. If you stop that drop right now, I will forgive you everything and once again..."
Marilyn, who was just about to hand the bell to Mrs. Jenix, got startled, turned around, and started shaking the bell again.
The voice of the hood echoed weakly along with the sound of the bells shaking madly.
"That thing, that thing is messing with my mind!"
I guess so.
It was proof that the opponent's condition was not good enough for him to be affected by a makeshift weapon waved around by Marilyn, who did not even have a proper form and was not even a sorcerer.
"Do you think you'll be safe if I can't break the spell? You fool!"
Dorothea's eyes, having heard the words she could not ignore, rested on Mrs. Jenix.
Indeed, is this the kind of creature that a noble lady who serves as a role model for others is?
She pretended that even her shaky breathing was natural, and hid her slightly trembling fingertips between the hems of her dress so that they would not be noticed.
A blue light slowly rises over the pale complexion.
She almost got fooled.
“You have entered into a contract of subordination, madam.”
A smile slowly spread across Mrs. Jenix's face at her soft words that seemed to indicate certainty.
Under the collar that was tightly packed without any gaps, a blue, shining seal caught her eye.
Marilyn, who had been busy shaking the bell, took a deep breath.
“Only then will they believe that I am truly blind to my own goals and that I am trying to harm Young Lady.”
Their suspicions were deep and persistent.
“Thanks to you, I was able to teach Young Lady many things, so it was a profitable business.”
Whoosh, the surrounding barrier collapsed in an instant as if a candle had gone out.
At the same time, Mrs. Jenix, who had been holding on with all her might, also collapsed.
A gentle voice filtered through Marilyn's eyes as she rolled her eyes in fear.
“It’s okay. Keep going. Young Lady is doing well.”
The voice that was fluttering was small, but it reached her more clearly than anything else.
As the sound of Marilyn's bell grew louder, the surrounding scenery shook more and more like a shiver, and Mrs. Jenix's breathing became too rough to hide.
In an instant, the scenery surrounding the group suddenly changed with a loud noise.
Freed, guided by Phi Phi, entered the barrier by cutting down the already collapsing gate of space with his sword.
Dorothea said coolly, without a trace of laughter.
“Don’t miss the sorcerer.”
Dorothea reached out through a gap in the open space and pointed to where the sorcerer was hiding in the shade.
“Heeeeeeek...!”
The assassins who had been waiting in ambush suddenly appeared without warning, but Freed's sword was faster.
The crouching barrier master tried to crawl away but was caught by Freed's hand.
The moment Dorothea confirmed that the struggling wizard had passed out after hitting his neck, she heard the last screams of a voice that had lost its reason.
"You're such a vicious woman! You planned this from the beginning! How dare you trap me!"
Dorothea turned her head towards Mrs. Jenix, ignoring the loud voice as if she couldn't hear it.
It was at this moment that she was about to touch the seal that was emitting a strange light from her body as she lay on the floor, gasping for breath.
“Don’t do that, Young Lady.”
“...”
“I know. Right now, Young Lady is having a hard time even handling the spirit you carry around.”
The fingertips that were caught trembled slightly.
Mrs. Jenix continued speaking with difficulty, looking at Dorothea's hand, which was cooler than her own.
“I didn’t have any attachment to life to begin with, so I was thinking of leaving regardless of whether Richard’s work was successful or not.”
"Ma'am."
“At the moment when I was about to end it, strangely enough, I was concerned about Young Lady. Even the child I raised with my own hands didn’t understand my feelings... Her eyes, as if she completely understood... The empathy that Young Lady, who has barely lived half of my life, gave me...”
It was a life in which she had never been comforted.
Some admired her elegance and behavior, while others used her to oppress other noble ladies, telling them to emulate that aspect of her.
Her status has brought about envy and jealousy from some and contempt from others.
The only child who was important in her life suddenly became a monster.
Even though Madame Jenix's life was a mess, others did not understand her suffering.
Except for the girl in front of her.
As she reached out her hand as if to look inside the tightly covered hood, 'that being' slid back with surprising agility.
"How presumptuous of you to come looking for me by cursing me. It would be foolish to trust the Prince and your well-to-do family by your side."
“You talk a lot.”
Dorothea was relaxed, even though she stood precariously as if she might fall over at any moment.
So much so that the other person is left speechless due to excessive leisure.
“You told me to come to you right away, but it took you this long.”
One corner of her mouth turned up crookedly.
“Did you try to break the spell?”
“...”
Even without hearing the answer, she was able to understand the situation just from the other person's silence.
Dorothea also understood why he had used such a loud and reckless method.
Should she applaud the recklessness of trying to get rid of 'life' with petty sorcery?
It would be impossible for magic to be implemented using only the magical power within one’s body, or for one to control spirits through a contract...
It is a scar that is engraved on the soul of the other person by risking one's own soul.
A deep, dark scar that will never be erased even if the other person's breath stops and their soul leaves their body.
“I guess you didn’t think much of it.”
She looked down on it as nothing more than the witchcraft spread by a young woman and thought that she could do something like exorcism.
However, carelessly touching the wounds already deeply engraved in the soul would actually be poisonous.
Even if you forcefully try to reattach the misaligned piece to the crack that already existed, it will not stick.
The crack would have widened, the pieces breaking off from the wound would have crumbled even further, and the body, unable to support the torn soul, would have become a mess.
"What on earth have you done?"
The voice that filled the space was filled with a soft anger.
Dorothea simply straightened her back with a pale face, saying nothing as she heard a voice that was clear but had no way of knowing where it was coming from as if it was speaking directly to her head.
"If you lift the curse right now, I will spare your family's life as a sign of my goodwill."
“Well, how dare you touch my family? Nothing has ever gone your way so far.”
The evil that swarmed toward the mansion climbed over the sturdy walls several times, but never once did it take away anything precious from her arms.
Countless attempts were easily thwarted by her hands.
In the end, rather than trying to break her even once, he let his guard down and ended up getting hit in the face.
Even if she lies down and cries and begs, they just laugh and ignore her, but then they raise their head stiffly and try to threaten her.
"You seem to be proud of causing trouble for me, but there are many people who are after you and your family, not just me."
Dorothea, who had been standing there with a faint smile on her face, reached out and pulled back the hood in front of her eyes.
Surprisingly, there was nothing inside the hood that had been peeled off.
The hood, which had been floating in the empty air as if it were invisible, slowly fell to the ground.
“Stop talking nonsense and come see me in person.”
It seems like he has difficulty showing his face or lacks confidence, but Dorothea has no intention of dealing with those who can't even come forward and only talk behind her back.
"Funny. In fact, aren't you also in a position where you can't do anything right now? Just as I can't use my strength, you can't move your great magic or spirits either."
Dorothea's last words must have hurt the other person's pride, as his voice, which had been trying to remain calm, became shaky.
"Even if I run out of breath today..."
The voice kept getting smaller and larger.
Since his pulse was cut off here and there, he wouldn't be able to exert his strength properly, but she could feel his determination to somehow destroy her.
Dorothea's feet were planted on the ground as she felt the faint force of restraint holding her arms.
"Come here, my lowly servant, and cut this child down. Destroy her. Leave only her mouth to speak, and twist her limbs!"
Mrs. Jennix, who had been blocking the door to prevent Marilyn from getting out of the carriage, slowly raised her head at the call.
"Come here, my mate..."
“I never thought you would do something so reckless as open the gates of death in the human world, but did you really come here without any preparation?”
Somewhere, a bell rang.
"Who are you!"
A panicked, shrill voice echoed through the air.
Marilyn, who had been in the carriage, lifted her head slightly and began shaking a bell in her hand that was slightly smaller than the one Jane had once held.
“The Life Gate is to the south, so shake the bell toward it, Marilyn.”
Marilyn nodded and asked seriously with her brows furrowed.
“Is it okay to just shake it?”
“If you’re going to do it, do it to the beat.”
“What beat should I play to?”
“Any beat is fine. It’s better if it’s a beat that you’re used to. For example, a waltz beat.”
“Waltz? You just said waltz?”
There was a look of distrust on her face as she asked back incredulously.
"You, you bitch!"
That was only for a moment.
The hand that was hesitating to stop began to quickly shake the bell again when the voice became clearer.
Charang- Chararang- Charang-
Before she knew it, Marilyn's feet were lightly rolling on the floor, shaking the bells to the beat of the waltz.
Marilyn shook the bell vigorously with a passive gesture and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Angry voices were occasionally mixed in with the sound of bells that filled the surroundings to the point of giving a headache.
"That... ! Stop...! That thing...!"
“If you’re going to do it, try some matching movements. Since it’s a waltz beat, how about trying some light steps?”
In rituals, body movements are not greatly restricted by form because they are closer to 'acts of showing one's sincerity to nature, which lends energy.'
Because it is important to do it with sincerity using the rhythm and gestures that are most familiar to you.
Marilyn, who had been cowering in fear at the floating hood, hid behind the door and shouted, waving her arms vigorously.
“Are you asking me to believe that?!”
“It's true.”
Of course, Marilyn wasn't a sorcerer, so she couldn't use great power, but by taking simple steps and harmonizing her body and voice as one, she could greatly enhance the divine power of the water.
'I don't believe in the power of shamanism (shaman dance: dance moves performed when using shamanic tools).'
Come to think of it, the sorcerers here mostly just stand still and recite spells.
Even though they use the power of Mother Nature, they don't even show any gesture of respect towards nature.
It seemed like she knew why their magic was all so one-dimensional and repetitive.
“Marilyn is very suspicious.”
Marilyn, her eyes wide, shook the bell madly, then gritted her teeth and shouted at Dorothea.
“There- in front of me- stands a talking hood! Floating around- like a ghost!”
Marilyn, with her eyes unfocused and frantically swinging her bubbles in the air, exuded an air of danger that would make even the talking Hood hesitate.
“But do you really think I should believe you when you tell me to waltz in front of that hood?!”
“There’s nothing to lose by dancing, right? There’s no one to see it anyway.”
“You call that talking?!”
As the voice rose, a cracking sound was heard from somewhere.
Thanks to Marilyn, who shook the bell so vigorously that it looked like she was about to burst into tears, the artificial air of death surrounding her began to shake.
It was evidence that the sorcerer's concentration was waning.
Dorothea turned her back on the hood, who could only threaten but could not use his power properly, and walked lightly.
The being, whose only remaining feature was a trembling voice, gave instructions in a hissing manner.
"My lowly servant, quickly call 'them' and bring that woman..."
Mrs. Jenix, who had been quietly observing the situation, slowly pulled the communication port out of her bosom.
She stared at the brightly shining communication device for a moment, then dropped what she was holding onto the floor and stepped on it, breaking it.
"What are you doing?!"
Mrs. Jenix, with her head raised calmly, offered advice to Dorothea.
“There are those waiting in ambush outside, Young Lady. It would be dangerous if you release the barrier right now.”
"You, who dare to... now!"
Dorothea ignored the voice that was trembling and took out the sagging Phi phi from her arms.
They still did not fully understand the source of the power she wielded.
“Wake up, sleepyhead.”
The squirrel yawned as if nothing had happened and quickly got out of Dorothea's arms, wiggling its butt.
Although the barrier was collapsing at a rapid rate, the surrounding area was too full of evil spirits for a normal human to escape.
In the first place, unless it is a divine instrument that is not affected by the aura of death, it would be difficult to cross the barrier.
Madame Jenix approached Dorothea, who was watching Phi Phi running away and handed her something.
“This is what they told me to feed Young Lady.”
“Interesting. Is it something similar to a go?”
A parasite that invades the human mind and takes control of it.
But it looked like something much more simple than a lump of protein.
Marilyn, who was shaking the bell vigorously from the side and trying to break down the barrier around them while keeping the hood from getting close to them, protested in a crawling voice.
“Hey, your hand hurts a little?”
“Oh, what should I do?”
Mrs. Jenix, who had been watching quietly, extended her hand toward Marilyn.
“Shall I shake it?”
“Would you please do that...”
"Okay, you lowly servant. If you stop that drop right now, I will forgive you everything and once again..."
Marilyn, who was just about to hand the bell to Mrs. Jenix, got startled, turned around, and started shaking the bell again.
The voice of the hood echoed weakly along with the sound of the bells shaking madly.
"That thing, that thing is messing with my mind!"
I guess so.
It was proof that the opponent's condition was not good enough for him to be affected by a makeshift weapon waved around by Marilyn, who did not even have a proper form and was not even a sorcerer.
"Do you think you'll be safe if I can't break the spell? You fool!"
Dorothea's eyes, having heard the words she could not ignore, rested on Mrs. Jenix.
Indeed, is this the kind of creature that a noble lady who serves as a role model for others is?
She pretended that even her shaky breathing was natural, and hid her slightly trembling fingertips between the hems of her dress so that they would not be noticed.
A blue light slowly rises over the pale complexion.
She almost got fooled.
“You have entered into a contract of subordination, madam.”
A smile slowly spread across Mrs. Jenix's face at her soft words that seemed to indicate certainty.
Under the collar that was tightly packed without any gaps, a blue, shining seal caught her eye.
Marilyn, who had been busy shaking the bell, took a deep breath.
“Only then will they believe that I am truly blind to my own goals and that I am trying to harm Young Lady.”
Their suspicions were deep and persistent.
“Thanks to you, I was able to teach Young Lady many things, so it was a profitable business.”
Whoosh, the surrounding barrier collapsed in an instant as if a candle had gone out.
At the same time, Mrs. Jenix, who had been holding on with all her might, also collapsed.
A gentle voice filtered through Marilyn's eyes as she rolled her eyes in fear.
“It’s okay. Keep going. Young Lady is doing well.”
The voice that was fluttering was small, but it reached her more clearly than anything else.
As the sound of Marilyn's bell grew louder, the surrounding scenery shook more and more like a shiver, and Mrs. Jenix's breathing became too rough to hide.
In an instant, the scenery surrounding the group suddenly changed with a loud noise.
Freed, guided by Phi Phi, entered the barrier by cutting down the already collapsing gate of space with his sword.
Dorothea said coolly, without a trace of laughter.
“Don’t miss the sorcerer.”
Dorothea reached out through a gap in the open space and pointed to where the sorcerer was hiding in the shade.
“Heeeeeeek...!”
The assassins who had been waiting in ambush suddenly appeared without warning, but Freed's sword was faster.
The crouching barrier master tried to crawl away but was caught by Freed's hand.
The moment Dorothea confirmed that the struggling wizard had passed out after hitting his neck, she heard the last screams of a voice that had lost its reason.
"You're such a vicious woman! You planned this from the beginning! How dare you trap me!"
Dorothea turned her head towards Mrs. Jenix, ignoring the loud voice as if she couldn't hear it.
It was at this moment that she was about to touch the seal that was emitting a strange light from her body as she lay on the floor, gasping for breath.
“Don’t do that, Young Lady.”
“...”
“I know. Right now, Young Lady is having a hard time even handling the spirit you carry around.”
The fingertips that were caught trembled slightly.
Mrs. Jenix continued speaking with difficulty, looking at Dorothea's hand, which was cooler than her own.
“I didn’t have any attachment to life to begin with, so I was thinking of leaving regardless of whether Richard’s work was successful or not.”
"Ma'am."
“At the moment when I was about to end it, strangely enough, I was concerned about Young Lady. Even the child I raised with my own hands didn’t understand my feelings... Her eyes, as if she completely understood... The empathy that Young Lady, who has barely lived half of my life, gave me...”
It was a life in which she had never been comforted.
Some admired her elegance and behavior, while others used her to oppress other noble ladies, telling them to emulate that aspect of her.
Her status has brought about envy and jealousy from some and contempt from others.
The only child who was important in her life suddenly became a monster.
Even though Madame Jenix's life was a mess, others did not understand her suffering.
Except for the girl in front of her.
A New Series, Traces of Moonlight was out now! For you who are tired of regression stories, you can check it out.You can check it HERE!
The New Series, Reincarnating As My Husband's Mistress is out now!
You can check it HERE!
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