“What is that...”
Every moment Abigail opened her mouth was a shock and pain to me. But Abigail seemed more interested in heaping curses on me than in listening to me. She gripped the bars and screamed.
"You don't deserve to love Jul, Belina! You cursed Isaac! You deserve to be cursed! Die! Isaac was mine! He was in my hands! I worked so hard to get you married to the Marquis of Amber, so why did you go to Isaac? Why did you go to Isaac?"
In the end, even my marriage to Kaiser was in Abigail's hands. I realized how long I'd been manipulated, but strangely, I felt no regret. Only a resounding "ah," a realization, came over me.
Yes, I put that curse on myself.
I stared blankly at Abigail, who was running wild like a madman.
“Why?”
I recalled the moment I first met Julian. I wrapped that moment in countless words: salvation, comfort, a contract, an alliance. But the truth was, I knew.
“Because I love Julian.”
I loved him from the moment I first met him, no, even before I met him.
“I wanted to be by his side, so I went to see him.”
“...Belina Duchzan!”
Abigail gritted her teeth and called out my name, the name that was mine.
"I want to curse you. I wish I were you. I would have been stoned for hundreds, thousands of years if it meant receiving Isaac's love!"
I rose from Sylvia's embrace. When she asked if I was okay, I only nodded faintly. I clenched and unclenched my fists repeatedly before her eyes. As I became aware of everything, the sensation in my fingertips became strangely acute.
“Me too, Evelyn.”
I reached out to Abigail's forehead. She seemed to realize something and tried to run away, but my hand touched her forehead first.
Tak.
It was only a small touch, but Abigail screamed in agony, as if her soul had been sucked out. I felt a tremendous force radiating from my fingers. It was immense, and at the same time, it was raging, as if no one had been able to soothe it for so long.
'It's okay, come back.'
As I whispered that, a powerful force surged toward me. At that moment, I stumbled backward, and Abigail's screams ceased. It was as if black paint had poured over my head, blinding me.
“Layla!”
Then, behind me, I heard the voice I loved so dearly. Abigail's screams seemed to have reached outside the dungeon. I clutched my stomach and remained motionless.
“Isaac!”
Abigail screamed like a madman.
"Isaac! It's her! The witch who cursed you! The woman who has doomed you to decades of misery!"
I slowly opened my eyes. My vision hadn't recovered, but I could almost see Abigail pointing at me. And through the faint contrast of light and dark, I could tell someone was standing behind me. So I couldn't turn around.
“...What a terrible woman.”
Julian spoke with a disgusted expression. I bit my lip, feeling as if his words were aimed at me. But Julian carefully picked me up.
“Let’s get out of here now. It’s not a good place to stay for too long.”
"Isaac! Isaac! Listen to me! That woman is a witch! Don't trust her! I will take care of you!"
"Dirty woman. My wife and children are listening, so I regret not being able to say anything harsher."
I hugged Julian's neck as he hurled abuse at Abigail. As we were about to leave, Abigail pleaded desperately.
"Don't go! Don't go! Please give it back! Without it, I won't be able to remember what happens next! Please!"
Julian, perhaps worried that I might hear Abigail's voice, held me close and held me close. Leaning on him, I escaped the dungeon. Burying my head on his shoulder and closing my eyes, I managed to hide my blindness from anyone, not even Julian.
“Is Your Highness the Grand Duchess alright?”
The captain of the guard who came out to greet me asked anxiously. Instead of raising my head, I waved my hand. Instead of me, Julian quickly answered.
“I guess I’ll stop.”
“Yes, yes.”
I didn't insist on getting off like I usually do, which seemed to make Julian even more impatient. I couldn't see in front of me, but I could tell Julian was taking longer, faster strides than usual.
I heard the carriage door open, and Julian led me into the carriage. He placed me on the soft carriage seat.
“Layla, are you okay?”
“I’m okay.”
I tried to look at Julian as naturally as possible. But Julian was a sharp-witted person, and he couldn't have missed the slightest change. Julian very carefully touched my cheek and the corner of my eye.
“Your eyes... what’s wrong with you?”
Julian's voice was trembling slightly. I groped and reached forward. Julian was kneeling, and I grasped his knee. Soon, his hand was covering the back of mine.
“It’s nothing.”
"It's nothing. Are you really blind? What did that woman do to you?"
“It’s the opposite. What did I do to her?”
“Layla. I’m worried, so please tell me what happened.”
I forced a smile and patted the seat next to me.
“Stop standing there with your knees hurting and come sit next to me. Then I’ll tell you.”
Julian hesitated for a moment, but eventually sat down next to me. I gently placed my hand on his shoulder, then ran down his arm and took his hand.
“Julian.”
"Yes."
“Did you hear what Abigail said?”
"No."
I wrinkled my nose. Abigail screamed so loudly, and you didn't hear her? But Julian said, as if it were obvious.
"I was so worried about you that I didn't hear anything. All I remember is that it was noisy."
My heart was touched by the sincerity of his words, which seemed to be unadulterated. I intertwined my fingers with each of Julian's, trying to maintain eye contact with him. In reality, Julian was probably looking me in the eye.
“Julian.”
“Yes, tell me.”
“I stole Abigail’s magic. I became a witch.”
If I had been able to see at that moment, I would have been too scared to open my mouth. But fortunately, I was blind, and even if I wanted to see Julian's expression, I couldn't.
Even if a hint of disgust crossed Julian's expression, I wouldn't notice. Because he loved me, and because he was a kind person. He'd tell me it was okay to feel a moment of disgust. Those were the words I blurted out, thinking that.
And Julian responded even warmer than I expected. He embraced me. His large, warm embrace seemed to embrace everything I was, even the sins of my past life.
“So can we break the curse now?”
I said again with a hollow laugh.
“Julian, didn’t you hear? I told you I became a witch.”
"I heard correctly. If you received magic from Abigail and became a witch, shouldn't you be able to lift the curse? Am I wrong, madam?"
“...There are many other things to ask. How did I take it away? What will happen to us if I become a witch?”
"I don't care how you stole it. Even if you become a witch, we'll still be a couple. I only have one question. I've been asking this question for a while, three times already."
Julian kindly asked the third question again, without hesitation.
“Now that the curse has been lifted, can you live by my side for the rest of your life?”
How can I say no to that question?
'You put a curse on Isaac. And on Julian.'
Abigail's eerie voice seeped into my ears, but I nodded, pretending not to hear anything.
“Yes, that’s right. Now I can live by your side for the rest of my life.”
Julian took both my hands and kissed the backs of them. Then he kissed my forehead and the hollow of my eyelids. Julian seemed to express joy, but then he asked with concern.
"Are your eyes really okay? Can you really break curses?"
"It's okay. It's just a side effect of the magic being drained. I'll be fine in a few days. The curse is practically lifted."
“Just in case, let’s call a wizard...”
“Julian.”
I smiled and grabbed Julian's arm.
“There is no wizard greater than me. If I am, then so be it.”
Julian remained silent for a moment. Was he worried? Was he feeling suffocated? But the moment Julian let out a deep breath, any worries vanished.
“You have no idea how happy I am.”
I thought as I hugged Julian.
'You have no idea how anxious I am.'
Julian was abandoned by his father at birth, without any explanation. By the time he grew up, he was already trapped in a narrow world with his mother. His only friend was a toy, and the woman who confidently promised to open the world to him was actually... a curse placed on him.
'Will you still love me knowing this?'
I tried to calm my anxious heart.
'Even if you love me, do I deserve that love?'
Are we destined to live unhappy lives again?
But still.
I thought as I dug into Julian's arms.
If I don't deserve love, I will keep trying until I do. I will never leave him, run away, or become discouraged. I will beg for forgiveness, beg for it again and again, and even if my fingerprints wear away and my knees become sore... I will stay by your side.
Because I love you. For that reason alone.
Every moment Abigail opened her mouth was a shock and pain to me. But Abigail seemed more interested in heaping curses on me than in listening to me. She gripped the bars and screamed.
"You don't deserve to love Jul, Belina! You cursed Isaac! You deserve to be cursed! Die! Isaac was mine! He was in my hands! I worked so hard to get you married to the Marquis of Amber, so why did you go to Isaac? Why did you go to Isaac?"
In the end, even my marriage to Kaiser was in Abigail's hands. I realized how long I'd been manipulated, but strangely, I felt no regret. Only a resounding "ah," a realization, came over me.
Yes, I put that curse on myself.
I stared blankly at Abigail, who was running wild like a madman.
“Why?”
I recalled the moment I first met Julian. I wrapped that moment in countless words: salvation, comfort, a contract, an alliance. But the truth was, I knew.
“Because I love Julian.”
I loved him from the moment I first met him, no, even before I met him.
“I wanted to be by his side, so I went to see him.”
“...Belina Duchzan!”
Abigail gritted her teeth and called out my name, the name that was mine.
"I want to curse you. I wish I were you. I would have been stoned for hundreds, thousands of years if it meant receiving Isaac's love!"
I rose from Sylvia's embrace. When she asked if I was okay, I only nodded faintly. I clenched and unclenched my fists repeatedly before her eyes. As I became aware of everything, the sensation in my fingertips became strangely acute.
“Me too, Evelyn.”
I reached out to Abigail's forehead. She seemed to realize something and tried to run away, but my hand touched her forehead first.
Tak.
It was only a small touch, but Abigail screamed in agony, as if her soul had been sucked out. I felt a tremendous force radiating from my fingers. It was immense, and at the same time, it was raging, as if no one had been able to soothe it for so long.
'It's okay, come back.'
As I whispered that, a powerful force surged toward me. At that moment, I stumbled backward, and Abigail's screams ceased. It was as if black paint had poured over my head, blinding me.
“Layla!”
Then, behind me, I heard the voice I loved so dearly. Abigail's screams seemed to have reached outside the dungeon. I clutched my stomach and remained motionless.
“Isaac!”
Abigail screamed like a madman.
"Isaac! It's her! The witch who cursed you! The woman who has doomed you to decades of misery!"
I slowly opened my eyes. My vision hadn't recovered, but I could almost see Abigail pointing at me. And through the faint contrast of light and dark, I could tell someone was standing behind me. So I couldn't turn around.
“...What a terrible woman.”
Julian spoke with a disgusted expression. I bit my lip, feeling as if his words were aimed at me. But Julian carefully picked me up.
“Let’s get out of here now. It’s not a good place to stay for too long.”
"Isaac! Isaac! Listen to me! That woman is a witch! Don't trust her! I will take care of you!"
"Dirty woman. My wife and children are listening, so I regret not being able to say anything harsher."
I hugged Julian's neck as he hurled abuse at Abigail. As we were about to leave, Abigail pleaded desperately.
"Don't go! Don't go! Please give it back! Without it, I won't be able to remember what happens next! Please!"
Julian, perhaps worried that I might hear Abigail's voice, held me close and held me close. Leaning on him, I escaped the dungeon. Burying my head on his shoulder and closing my eyes, I managed to hide my blindness from anyone, not even Julian.
“Is Your Highness the Grand Duchess alright?”
The captain of the guard who came out to greet me asked anxiously. Instead of raising my head, I waved my hand. Instead of me, Julian quickly answered.
“I guess I’ll stop.”
“Yes, yes.”
I didn't insist on getting off like I usually do, which seemed to make Julian even more impatient. I couldn't see in front of me, but I could tell Julian was taking longer, faster strides than usual.
I heard the carriage door open, and Julian led me into the carriage. He placed me on the soft carriage seat.
“Layla, are you okay?”
“I’m okay.”
I tried to look at Julian as naturally as possible. But Julian was a sharp-witted person, and he couldn't have missed the slightest change. Julian very carefully touched my cheek and the corner of my eye.
“Your eyes... what’s wrong with you?”
Julian's voice was trembling slightly. I groped and reached forward. Julian was kneeling, and I grasped his knee. Soon, his hand was covering the back of mine.
“It’s nothing.”
"It's nothing. Are you really blind? What did that woman do to you?"
“It’s the opposite. What did I do to her?”
“Layla. I’m worried, so please tell me what happened.”
I forced a smile and patted the seat next to me.
“Stop standing there with your knees hurting and come sit next to me. Then I’ll tell you.”
Julian hesitated for a moment, but eventually sat down next to me. I gently placed my hand on his shoulder, then ran down his arm and took his hand.
“Julian.”
"Yes."
“Did you hear what Abigail said?”
"No."
I wrinkled my nose. Abigail screamed so loudly, and you didn't hear her? But Julian said, as if it were obvious.
"I was so worried about you that I didn't hear anything. All I remember is that it was noisy."
My heart was touched by the sincerity of his words, which seemed to be unadulterated. I intertwined my fingers with each of Julian's, trying to maintain eye contact with him. In reality, Julian was probably looking me in the eye.
“Julian.”
“Yes, tell me.”
“I stole Abigail’s magic. I became a witch.”
If I had been able to see at that moment, I would have been too scared to open my mouth. But fortunately, I was blind, and even if I wanted to see Julian's expression, I couldn't.
Even if a hint of disgust crossed Julian's expression, I wouldn't notice. Because he loved me, and because he was a kind person. He'd tell me it was okay to feel a moment of disgust. Those were the words I blurted out, thinking that.
And Julian responded even warmer than I expected. He embraced me. His large, warm embrace seemed to embrace everything I was, even the sins of my past life.
“So can we break the curse now?”
I said again with a hollow laugh.
“Julian, didn’t you hear? I told you I became a witch.”
"I heard correctly. If you received magic from Abigail and became a witch, shouldn't you be able to lift the curse? Am I wrong, madam?"
“...There are many other things to ask. How did I take it away? What will happen to us if I become a witch?”
"I don't care how you stole it. Even if you become a witch, we'll still be a couple. I only have one question. I've been asking this question for a while, three times already."
Julian kindly asked the third question again, without hesitation.
“Now that the curse has been lifted, can you live by my side for the rest of your life?”
How can I say no to that question?
'You put a curse on Isaac. And on Julian.'
Abigail's eerie voice seeped into my ears, but I nodded, pretending not to hear anything.
“Yes, that’s right. Now I can live by your side for the rest of my life.”
Julian took both my hands and kissed the backs of them. Then he kissed my forehead and the hollow of my eyelids. Julian seemed to express joy, but then he asked with concern.
"Are your eyes really okay? Can you really break curses?"
"It's okay. It's just a side effect of the magic being drained. I'll be fine in a few days. The curse is practically lifted."
“Just in case, let’s call a wizard...”
“Julian.”
I smiled and grabbed Julian's arm.
“There is no wizard greater than me. If I am, then so be it.”
Julian remained silent for a moment. Was he worried? Was he feeling suffocated? But the moment Julian let out a deep breath, any worries vanished.
“You have no idea how happy I am.”
I thought as I hugged Julian.
'You have no idea how anxious I am.'
Julian was abandoned by his father at birth, without any explanation. By the time he grew up, he was already trapped in a narrow world with his mother. His only friend was a toy, and the woman who confidently promised to open the world to him was actually... a curse placed on him.
'Will you still love me knowing this?'
I tried to calm my anxious heart.
'Even if you love me, do I deserve that love?'
Are we destined to live unhappy lives again?
But still.
I thought as I dug into Julian's arms.
If I don't deserve love, I will keep trying until I do. I will never leave him, run away, or become discouraged. I will beg for forgiveness, beg for it again and again, and even if my fingerprints wear away and my knees become sore... I will stay by your side.
Because I love you. For that reason alone.
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