The unexpected information Diane discovered was relayed to Bridget through Leticia.
Bridget, who had been wondering where to begin her search for Queen Beatrice's lost records, was delighted.
It was incredibly hopeful to know that it was still out there, somewhere, and in someone's hands.
Of course, the problem is that it's the Duke of Linchester.
"We must find a way to search the Duke of Linchester's residence."
As she said that, Bridget's eyes sparkled.
Julian gazed at Bridget's bright smile of delight.
"Are you that happy?"
"Of course. Queen Beatrice is the person who came closest to the true nature of the Shadow Curse."
Queen Beatrice was a true King who cared for her people and her country.
She was wise, kind, and lucky.
In that era, many people with supernatural abilities were stronger and more outstanding than those in other eras.
Of course, Queen Beatrice was the most outstanding, having an eye for finding good gems and placing people with supernatural powers in the right positions in the government.
Still, it was certainly luck that there were so many people with superpowers around her who had the power she needed.
"Perhaps Queen Beatrice also had a subject with purifying powers. There also seem to have been many other power holders who were of great help in researching the Shadow Curse."
Bridget clenched her fists with a face full of passion.
"The missing records must be full of references to the curse. And to Queen Beatrice's later years, which I have not found anywhere in the royal records I have seen. She may have escaped death by the shadow curse. If so, It must be there."
"If I knew how to break the curse. I would have taken steps to prevent It from being passed down to future generations."
Julian was a little skeptical.
Bridget shook her head as if she could not agree.
"I thought so at first too. But what if it was inevitable that it would be passed down even if you avoided it yourself? You thought it was destroyed, but in reality, it was just passed on to someone else, and Queen Beatrice might not have known about it."
"How could someone known to be so smart not have thought of that possibility?"
"You never know. What if..."
Bridget made many assumptions.
These were assumptions based on the premise that Queen Beatrice had been freed from the curse.
Everything reflected Bridget's wishes.
It felt like a desperate attempt to hold out hope, not knowing whether or not the record contained any mention of a curse.
Julian felt sorry for Bridget
On the one hand, he was happy.
"Why are you laughing?"
Bridget, who had been chattering enthusiastically, narrowed her eyes at Julian's smile.
It was a suspicious smile that made one question its true intentions.
It didn't seem like a laugh of sympathy for Bridget, but rather a cynical laugh at someone chasing after something absurd.
"Are you laughing?"
Julian laughed again.
"No way."
"Is this mocking?"
"Why should I mock someone who is trying to live longer?"
"Then what does that laughter mean?"
"Well. Are you touched?"
Bridget shut her mouth tightly and glared at Julian.
"You lie so hard that you can't even dry your mouth."
He shrugged.
"I'm happy to do that. I'm happy to see you trying."
And then he finally burst into laughter.
"It's like when a child wakes up and prays for his crazy dreams to come true. That's exactly what it feels like."
Bridget, who had been full of hope... sank as if she had been doused with cold water.
"Julian. I'm not talking about someone else. This is your story. This is about your life."
Why won't you listen to me seriously?
Bridget's heart raced when she heard from Leticia that Queen Beatrice's records had not been lost...
She was so excited that she couldn't sleep or eat.
But why did Julian, the person involved, react like that?
"Dream on, Bridget. It's beautiful to see you.
"Don't joke around. I'm serious."
"Yeah. That's why it's nice to see. I like it because it's pure, serious, and allows you to have wild imaginations."
"Julian."
Bridget got angry.
Only then did Julian point out the art he had been missing because he was so, so happy.
"Think about it. Bridget. If the Duke of Linchester took it, then the record must have been in the palace all along. Why wouldn't the successors of the Shadow Curse have looked for it?"
"..."
Julian was right. Bridget was speechless
Those who suffered from the curse before Julian would have seen Queen Beatrice's records.
But the fact that the record was not treated with importance and was kept in the royal library like other records meant that no one got a hint from it.
Bridget was ashamed that she had not thought of such a basic thing.
No, it felt like her high hopes were suddenly crumbling down. It was despair.
Julian didn't seem to have much intention of comforting Bridget whose face was quickly turning pale.
He smiled as if he knew it, and scratched Bridget affectionately but painfully.
"Don't get too excited about hopes that aren't even certain. If you get caught up in hopes and only focus on the future you want, your vision of reality will be obscured."
"..."
Bridget looked at Julian with a long look.
Everything he said was true.
But it was so true that it made her feel bitter.
"That's stupid."
Bridget bit her lip in self-reproach.
Julian clicked his tongue as he watched Bridget, who was finally shedding tears.
It would be a normal human feeling to be moved when seeing Bridget so excited and in pain for him.
But why does a strange sense of sadism arise in me?
Julian reached out and absentmindedly moved Bridget's tears over his fingers. The tears sparkled like jewels at his fingertips.
He looked at it quietly and muttered.
"Isn't it strange?"
"what?"
"Why are you trying so hard to save me now, why did you try to kill me in the past?"
Julian wiped away Bridget's tears from his fingertips and looked at her.
Before he knew it, a cruel smile filled his face.
"Sometimes I wonder. What did Josephine give you? What was more valuable and precious that you traded my life for?"
Bridget was breathless. Her body felt frozen.
She never thought she'd be attacked like this at this time.
She was at a loss as to what to do in his surprise attack and was left holding her breath.
"..."
She gritted her teeth because her heart ached.
Julian looked at her distorted face with his eyes, appreciating every corner of it. It was a languid and affectionate face.
He felt satisfied with the guilt that Bridget was unable to hide and showed so clearly.
"I find stories of the past more thrilling than vain tales of the future."
He asked softly, soothingly.
"Tell me, Bridget. What did you trade me for?"
"..."
Bridget's chin trembled with sorrow.
Tears welled up and fell repeatedly.
"There's no need to cry about the past."
"..."
Bridget wiped away her tears.
Yeah, let's not cry.
He had the right to bring up the past, and she was prepared to be there for him, willing him to poke at her wounds.
"At that time......"
Bridget swallowed her dry saliva and cleared her throat.
"I thought it meant something back then, but it doesn't anymore. I traded you for something like that."
"It's vain."
"That's right. I came to you because I realized it was vain and wrong. After what I did, I realized that there was nothing more valuable or precious than you."
"That was foolish."
Julian grinned, showing his teeth.
Today's sadism was satisfied. But his satisfaction would soon be emptied a gain. Then, just like now, he would suddenly feel the urge to dig up the past. Bridget knew it, and Julian knew it.
He reached out and pulled her towards him.
Bridget hugged him without resistance and rested her head on his chest.
"Are you satisfied now?"
"You can't change the past, so that's a good answer."
Julian was so satisfied that he gave back the hope he had taken from Bridget.
"There must be a reason why the Duke of Linchester stole those records. It must be something more than trivial. Ironically, that's why the Duke of Linchester is trustworthy."
He was even willing to suggest some amazing methods.
"There is no need to search the Duke of Linchester's residence. All we have to do is come up with a pretext."
"Pretext?"
"You just have to manipulate the situation."
The idea was to dig a trap.
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