Episode 13. You Like This Kind of Stuff, Don't You?
“Dance a song.”
“Dance a song.”
“With me?”
Rose gave an awkward smile to the Grand Duke, who had caught her. The Grand Duke knew Rose was uncomfortable, but he had no intention of letting her go.
“...I was planning to dance the first song with my husband.”
"It wasn't true, but shouldn't I betray my husband even in times like these?" At Rose's words, the Grand Duke glanced at the center of the banquet hall.
“Your husband is already dancing with another woman.”
When Rose turned her head towards the Grand Duke's gaze, she saw that indeed her husband was dancing with another woman.
'You're a really useless man.'
With no more excuses, Rose awkwardly grabbed the Grand Duke. Thinking she should just dance quietly and disappear without bothering him, she decided to just keep quiet.
“It’s sloppy.”
It couldn't be helped. It was her first time hearing the 'waltz'.
'I've never seen anything like this in Korea.'
Having learned the waltz in a hurry, just after being invited by the Grand Duke, her form was quite sloppy.
“Do it in moderation.”
Eric's gaze as he glared at Rose in the pitch-black darkness was quite sharp.
“What do you mean?”
“Why are you suddenly doing something you’ve never done before? What’s with that hideous waltz?”
Eric frowned in annoyance and looked at Rose.
"I waltzed with another woman, and you asked the Grand Duke to dance with me, just to show off. Stop being so stupid. No matter how hard you try, I'm not interested in you."
At Eric's last words, Rose felt as if her breath had stopped for a moment.
'Let's stop. No matter how hard you try, I'm not interested in you.'
Because the words Do-Hyeon said in my previous life, which stabbed her heart like a dagger, came back to her.
Rose, speechless, simply stared blankly at Eric. With trembling lips and unfocused eyes, she looked utterly hollow. Eric flinched as he met Rose's wavering gaze. Seeing Rose's shocked expression at his own words, he wondered if he had pushed too hard. He thought he should calm her down a bit before she resorted to another pointless act of attention-seeking. Eric softened his sharp voice and looked at Rose.
“But I’ve been so indifferent to you lately.”
He fiddled with Rose's neatly braided hair and ended up untying the tie that held it together. Rose suddenly came to her senses and grabbed her own hair, which had come loose limply.
“What are you doing?”
“Didn’t I always say that it’s good to let your hair down at night?”
Eric's hand, which had been caressing Rose's face, slowly lowered. He gently, gently stroked Rose's hair. But that was short-lived, as Eric grabbed Rose's hair tightly.
“Let go.”
“You like this kind of thing too.”
What are you talking about...? Rose, who had been blankly staring at him, suddenly came to her senses. She knew what the Count was planning. Rose was startled when she saw Eric staring at her with half-open eyes.
'No way... here?'
It was late evening and pitch-black, but the garden where Rose and Eric were was a place where it wouldn't be strange at all for someone to pass by at any time. This crazy guy's face was already flushed with thought.
"I deserve to act like that. We haven't done it once in the past three weeks."
Eric's eyes were already filled with greed. He reached out to grab Rose with his large hands.
“Come here. I’ll hug you all, even the ones I haven’t been able to hug before.”
Eric's words sent goosebumps down Rose's body.
‘...Let’s run away.’
Rose watched Eric approach her, pondering how she could best navigate this predicament. Since Eric was usually a force to be reckoned with, Rose quickly began to think.
"Why."
“I’m on period.”
Eric paused at Rose's words, then ran his hand through his hair in annoyance.
“Say that quickly.”
You made me so excited, and now you're just going to leave me? Rose saw Eric hesitate, and only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.
“Then I’ll go in first.”
Rose fled the garden, leaving Eric behind. Eric was left alone in the garden, sighing deeply.
“I’m going crazy.”
His burning heart wouldn't calm down easily. He wanted to whisper sweet nothings to someone right away.
"I'm tired."
Instead of going straight into the banquet hall, Rose wandered around. Entering the banquet hall with this kind of mood seemed pointless. Rose sat down near the flower bed. In contrast to the bustle of the banquet hall, the chirping of insects could be heard.
“Let’s rest for a bit and then go in. We should approach the other nobles first.”
That was the goal of this banquet. Rose, who had been muttering to herself absentmindedly, gathered her composure and rose from her seat. As she turned to return to the banquet hall, a voice whispered in her ear.
“Ugh. Sa, save me.”
A human voice could be faintly heard. And it was a voice of great pain.
'What is that sound?'
Rose listened intently to the sound coming from not far away. And then,
“Ahhh!!”
The man's ear-piercing scream left Rose frozen in place.
The eerie chirping of insects broke the silence. Nothing could be heard. The only sound was the chirping of insects accompanied by the eerie wind.
'He must be dead.'
Rose froze in place, terrified. Someone had died right next to her. A chill unlike anything she'd ever experienced gripped her body.
Rose gave up everything and waited for death. She hoped the moment the killer's blade pierced her body, she would die painlessly.
Why? Even after a long time, there was no pain, not even a feeling. Only then did Rose realize something was wrong and slowly opened her eyes. She'd been slamming them shut so tightly that her vision was blurry. In the darkness, a human figure could be faintly seen. Rose was shocked to see the person staring down at her from right in front of her.
“What were you doing here...?”
He was the Grand Duke of Artaeum.
“Your Highness?”
Rose's face, gazing at the Grand Duke, was filled with fear. It was inevitable that she would be afraid, even terrified. The Grand Duke of Artaeum was approaching, covered in blood.
Rose gave an awkward smile to the Grand Duke, who had caught her. The Grand Duke knew Rose was uncomfortable, but he had no intention of letting her go.
"Yes."
“...I was planning to dance the first song with my husband.”
"It wasn't true, but shouldn't I betray my husband even in times like these?" At Rose's words, the Grand Duke glanced at the center of the banquet hall.
“Your husband is already dancing with another woman.”
When Rose turned her head towards the Grand Duke's gaze, she saw that indeed her husband was dancing with another woman.
'You're a really useless man.'
With no more excuses, Rose awkwardly grabbed the Grand Duke. Thinking she should just dance quietly and disappear without bothering him, she decided to just keep quiet.
“It’s sloppy.”
It couldn't be helped. It was her first time hearing the 'waltz'.
'I've never seen anything like this in Korea.'
Having learned the waltz in a hurry, just after being invited by the Grand Duke, her form was quite sloppy.
Rose stumbled as she walked. Stepping on the Grand Duke's feet was a given, and she banged her head into his chest more than three times. Every time, Rose would check the Grand Duke's reaction and hold her breath, fearing that the madman might throw her to the ground. She wanted to quit right then and there, but standing before the Grand Duke, who even said she could bring down a bird, Rose couldn't easily open her mouth.
Rose smiled awkwardly and looked at the Grand Duke of Artaeum before her. His naturally unkempt blonde hair fluttered above his eyebrows.
‘I just thought he was scary...’
Despite his fierce appearance, he was quite handsome. The beautiful melody faded. Contrary to my worries, the first song ended without a hitch.
"Thank goodness. Still, I don't think I made any major mistakes, do I?"
Rose sighed in relief and bowed politely to the Grand Duke of Artaeum. Then she quickly left. A dark shadow loomed over Rose as she hurried to the corner of the banquet hall.
“With such skills, you can dance with the Grand Duke.”
The owner of the sharp voice was none other than Eric.
“You don’t seem ashamed, do you?”
He was looking at Rose with a very displeased expression, perhaps because he saw her dancing with such a shaky expression. Angry would be the more accurate term.
“Hey, did you see it?”
She could also hear people chattering.
“It’s a shame. Maybe it’s because she couldn’t even do a debutante, but jer waltz isn’t very good.”
“If I were jer, I don’t think I could do it with those skills.”
A mocking gaze was directed at Rose. Perhaps Eric thought Rose's actions were a disgrace to his own reputation. Even if their relationship was merely superficial, Rose's status as a member of the Countess of Wence remained an unchangeable fact.
'I shouldn't have brought a woman like that.'
Eric regretted attending the Grand Duke's banquet and dragged Rose out of the banquet hall.
‘I just thought he was scary...’
Despite his fierce appearance, he was quite handsome. The beautiful melody faded. Contrary to my worries, the first song ended without a hitch.
"Thank goodness. Still, I don't think I made any major mistakes, do I?"
Rose sighed in relief and bowed politely to the Grand Duke of Artaeum. Then she quickly left. A dark shadow loomed over Rose as she hurried to the corner of the banquet hall.
“With such skills, you can dance with the Grand Duke.”
The owner of the sharp voice was none other than Eric.
“You don’t seem ashamed, do you?”
He was looking at Rose with a very displeased expression, perhaps because he saw her dancing with such a shaky expression. Angry would be the more accurate term.
“Hey, did you see it?”
She could also hear people chattering.
“It’s a shame. Maybe it’s because she couldn’t even do a debutante, but jer waltz isn’t very good.”
“If I were jer, I don’t think I could do it with those skills.”
A mocking gaze was directed at Rose. Perhaps Eric thought Rose's actions were a disgrace to his own reputation. Even if their relationship was merely superficial, Rose's status as a member of the Countess of Wence remained an unchangeable fact.
'I shouldn't have brought a woman like that.'
Eric regretted attending the Grand Duke's banquet and dragged Rose out of the banquet hall.
***
“Do it in moderation.”
Eric's gaze as he glared at Rose in the pitch-black darkness was quite sharp.
“What do you mean?”
“Why are you suddenly doing something you’ve never done before? What’s with that hideous waltz?”
Eric frowned in annoyance and looked at Rose.
"I waltzed with another woman, and you asked the Grand Duke to dance with me, just to show off. Stop being so stupid. No matter how hard you try, I'm not interested in you."
At Eric's last words, Rose felt as if her breath had stopped for a moment.
'Let's stop. No matter how hard you try, I'm not interested in you.'
Because the words Do-Hyeon said in my previous life, which stabbed her heart like a dagger, came back to her.
Rose, speechless, simply stared blankly at Eric. With trembling lips and unfocused eyes, she looked utterly hollow. Eric flinched as he met Rose's wavering gaze. Seeing Rose's shocked expression at his own words, he wondered if he had pushed too hard. He thought he should calm her down a bit before she resorted to another pointless act of attention-seeking. Eric softened his sharp voice and looked at Rose.
“But I’ve been so indifferent to you lately.”
He fiddled with Rose's neatly braided hair and ended up untying the tie that held it together. Rose suddenly came to her senses and grabbed her own hair, which had come loose limply.
“What are you doing?”
“Didn’t I always say that it’s good to let your hair down at night?”
Eric's hand, which had been caressing Rose's face, slowly lowered. He gently, gently stroked Rose's hair. But that was short-lived, as Eric grabbed Rose's hair tightly.
“Let go.”
“You like this kind of thing too.”
What are you talking about...? Rose, who had been blankly staring at him, suddenly came to her senses. She knew what the Count was planning. Rose was startled when she saw Eric staring at her with half-open eyes.
'No way... here?'
It was late evening and pitch-black, but the garden where Rose and Eric were was a place where it wouldn't be strange at all for someone to pass by at any time. This crazy guy's face was already flushed with thought.
"I deserve to act like that. We haven't done it once in the past three weeks."
Eric's eyes were already filled with greed. He reached out to grab Rose with his large hands.
“Come here. I’ll hug you all, even the ones I haven’t been able to hug before.”
Eric's words sent goosebumps down Rose's body.
‘...Let’s run away.’
Rose watched Eric approach her, pondering how she could best navigate this predicament. Since Eric was usually a force to be reckoned with, Rose quickly began to think.
“Just a moment.”
Rose called out to Eric as he approached.
“I can’t do it today.”
Rose called out to Eric as he approached.
“I can’t do it today.”
"Why."
“I’m on period.”
Eric paused at Rose's words, then ran his hand through his hair in annoyance.
“Say that quickly.”
You made me so excited, and now you're just going to leave me? Rose saw Eric hesitate, and only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.
“Then I’ll go in first.”
Rose fled the garden, leaving Eric behind. Eric was left alone in the garden, sighing deeply.
“I’m going crazy.”
His burning heart wouldn't calm down easily. He wanted to whisper sweet nothings to someone right away.
Eric, with a drowsy gaze like a hyena searching for prey, loitered near the mansion. Seducing women with his looks wasn't difficult. Now that he was married, it was no easy feat to woo the arrogant young ladies, but maids were different. For them, Eric's attention was a chance for social advancement. Then, Eric's eyes fell on a cute maid with braids on both sides. Without a second thought, he approached her.
“Can you spare me a moment?”
It was a gentlemanly tone. It worked well with women he'd just met. The maid blushed at Eric's face, then nodded quietly. Eric smiled, as if he'd expected her to do so, and took her hand. Just as he had with Rose, Eric untied the maid's hair tie and led her deep into the garden.
“Can you spare me a moment?”
It was a gentlemanly tone. It worked well with women he'd just met. The maid blushed at Eric's face, then nodded quietly. Eric smiled, as if he'd expected her to do so, and took her hand. Just as he had with Rose, Eric untied the maid's hair tie and led her deep into the garden.
***
"I'm tired."
Instead of going straight into the banquet hall, Rose wandered around. Entering the banquet hall with this kind of mood seemed pointless. Rose sat down near the flower bed. In contrast to the bustle of the banquet hall, the chirping of insects could be heard.
“Let’s rest for a bit and then go in. We should approach the other nobles first.”
That was the goal of this banquet. Rose, who had been muttering to herself absentmindedly, gathered her composure and rose from her seat. As she turned to return to the banquet hall, a voice whispered in her ear.
“Ugh. Sa, save me.”
A human voice could be faintly heard. And it was a voice of great pain.
'What is that sound?'
Rose listened intently to the sound coming from not far away. And then,
“Ahhh!!”
The man's ear-piercing scream left Rose frozen in place.
"Phuk! Phuuk!"
Even the sound of the sword being swung could be heard vividly. And soon, as if by magic, silence fell around her. The man's agonized groan was no longer audible.
'Is he... dead?'
She was screaming for help, but then it became so quiet.
'I'm scared.'
'Is he... dead?'
She was screaming for help, but then it became so quiet.
'I'm scared.'
The eerie chirping of insects broke the silence. Nothing could be heard. The only sound was the chirping of insects accompanied by the eerie wind.
'He must be dead.'
Rose froze in place, terrified. Someone had died right next to her. A chill unlike anything she'd ever experienced gripped her body.
Thump, thump.
Before she could even recover from the shock, she heard mysterious footsteps. One step, then another. Fortunately, the slow footsteps gradually grew farther away. She couldn't relax. Cold sweat trickled down her forehead. Rose waited until the mysterious footsteps disappeared. Frozen as a stone, she covered her mouth so that not even her own breath could escape.
'Did you go?'
She had to run! She couldn't face the miserable end of a murderer. Rose mustered up every ounce of strength she had, barely managing to take a step. A rustle!
'...!'
The moment she set foot on it, the sound that resonated was quite loud.
'Please... I hope you didn't hear...'
In the silence, Rose clasped her hands and prayed, hoping he hadn't heard her. But, tadada!
'Did you go?'
She had to run! She couldn't face the miserable end of a murderer. Rose mustered up every ounce of strength she had, barely managing to take a step. A rustle!
'...!'
The moment she set foot on it, the sound that resonated was quite loud.
'Please... I hope you didn't hear...'
In the silence, Rose clasped her hands and prayed, hoping he hadn't heard her. But, tadada!
Rose despaired. She could hear footsteps approaching at a frightening speed. She might die. No... She will die.
At that thought, Rose's body trembled like an aspen leaf. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed on the spot. She squeezed her eyes shut, curled up tightly.
‘My second life ended so vainly...’
‘My second life ended so vainly...’
Rose gave up everything and waited for death. She hoped the moment the killer's blade pierced her body, she would die painlessly.
“...”
Why? Even after a long time, there was no pain, not even a feeling. Only then did Rose realize something was wrong and slowly opened her eyes. She'd been slamming them shut so tightly that her vision was blurry. In the darkness, a human figure could be faintly seen. Rose was shocked to see the person staring down at her from right in front of her.
“What were you doing here...?”
He was the Grand Duke of Artaeum.
“Your Highness?”
Rose's face, gazing at the Grand Duke, was filled with fear. It was inevitable that she would be afraid, even terrified. The Grand Duke of Artaeum was approaching, covered in blood.
Comments
Post a Comment