Chapter 134. In the original, Rose
It was completely unexpected.
Until then, Rose had thought of herself as a foolish woman, yearning for one-sided love from someone who didn't even look back at her.
She had thought of herself as a fool who knew Eric didn't love her, yet refused to admit it.
"Wow... This is truly shocking."
Rose couldn't contain her surprise. And she felt a pang of regret that she hadn't lost sight of this novel until the very end. Even a run-down, third-rate novel had its own twists.
Rose's family had fallen when she wasn't even ten years old. And yet, she had lived with a deep-seated dream of revenge...
"Rose... You've staked your entire life on revenge."
Seeing her struggle at an age when she was struggling to find her own happiness, she felt a strange sense of kinship.
Her past self had felt the same way.
Of course, she hadn't acted on it like Rose, but she had fantasized about revenge hundreds, if not thousands, of times.
In a life punctuated by resentment and anger, happiness was a mere luxury.
“...”
Rose stared at the mirror opposite the bed. She saw herself in it.
Her light pink hair was disheveled, and her eyes were sparkling.
Her expressionless face looked just as gloomy as it did in her dream yesterday.
Rose, staring blankly at the mirror, placed her fingers on her cheeks. She forced her sagging lips upward.
“This really suits you better.”
The corners of her mouth lifted, softening her expression.
She muttered to herself in the mirror with a satisfied expression,
“From now on, there will be nothing but smiles, Rose.”
So don’t worry about what happens next.
I’ll exact my ultimate revenge in my own way.
Rose smiled bashfully. And then
—Bam.
The bedroom door opened without a knock.
Rose looked at the door through the mirror, her eyes slightly startled. Who could enter the bedroom without even knocking?
“Ah, Your Highness.”
However, her anger quickly calmed down. The one who opened the door was none other than the Grand Duke of Artaeum.
The Grand Duke didn’t respond to Rose’s greeting. He simply stared at Rose with wavering eyes, as if he had lost his mind.
“Why are you frozen like that?”
He was frozen stiff, as if he had seen a ghost.
“...Excuse me, Your Highness?”
Rose called the Grand Duke to confirm his presence once more. This time, she even waved at him.
The Grand Duke flinched, flinched, and blinked in disbelief. Then, with difficulty, he opened his tightly shut mouth.
“Rosee... you.”
He muttered to himself, and without finishing his sentence, he ran towards Rose.
“Good morning...”
Rose tried to greet the Grand Duke brightly. But,
“Ugh!”
The Grand Duke ran to the bed and hugged her body. Thanks to this, Rose’s body, which was sitting on the bed, tilted backwards and fell over along with the Grand Duke. A loud “thud” was heard. But it didn’t hurt. The Grand Duke was supporting her head.
The Grand Duke collapsed onto the bed and hugged Rose’s body even tighter. He hugged her so tightly that Rose’s whole body felt like it was going to crumble.
“Ugh, the greeting is too harsh today. It’s like I haven’t seen you in days.”
Rose’s body, which had shrunk, crumpled even more like a piece of paper.
“Ugh, ugh.”
Not only her body, but her face was also crushed.
Rose struggled to escape the Grand Duke’s embrace. However, the Grand Duke seemed to have no intention of letting her go, and instead, he held her tighter.
He seemed unaware of Rose’s struggle in his arms and only let out a relieved voice.
“...I’m so relieved.”
A sense of relief was felt in the faint voice.
“I was worried that you wouldn’t wake up... if you stayed like this.”
“Huh? You were worried that I wouldn’t wake up?”
Rose, upon hearing the Grand Duke's words, struggled with both hands and grabbed his arms. Then she peeked her head out of his embrace.
“Phew!”
Finally, she could breathe. Rose looked at the Grand Duke, panting heavily. Then she asked back,
“What do you mean? I won’t wake up?”
The Grand Duke raised the corners of his mouth as he looked at Rose, who had only peeked her head out of his embrace. He couldn’t tell her how much he had missed this utterly adorable sight.
The Grand Duke embraced her again.
“Ah, Grand Duke!”
Her voice was pure and clear, her eyes brimming with curiosity. He could feel Rose waking up with his whole body.
The Grand Duke chuckled at Rose’s struggling, struggling hands. Then, he gently placed his lips on her forehead.
“I really can’t take my eyes off you for even a day. You always make me worry like this.”
Rose pouted at the Grand Duke’s words, feeling as if he were treating her like a child.
“Wait a minute. Could you tell me what happened first?”
Rose pushed the Grand Duke away, who was barraging her with his lips. His eyes twinkled with a strange longing.
“You woke up after a week.”
“...Huh?”
Rose’s eyes widened at the Grand Duke’s words.
“Me? Why?”
Rose tilted her head, as if she truly didn’t know anything.
“The wound Finn inflicted on you was quite deep.”
“Ah...”
Was the wound really that threatening?
Rose naturally placed her hand on her neck. There were rough scars on her skin, but the wound had already healed.
“If it healed in a week, it must not have been that serious.”
Rose shrugged, unaware that the Grand Duke had barely saved her by using magic.
It was completely unexpected.
Until then, Rose had thought of herself as a foolish woman, yearning for one-sided love from someone who didn't even look back at her.
She had thought of herself as a fool who knew Eric didn't love her, yet refused to admit it.
"Wow... This is truly shocking."
Rose couldn't contain her surprise. And she felt a pang of regret that she hadn't lost sight of this novel until the very end. Even a run-down, third-rate novel had its own twists.
Rose's family had fallen when she wasn't even ten years old. And yet, she had lived with a deep-seated dream of revenge...
"Rose... You've staked your entire life on revenge."
Seeing her struggle at an age when she was struggling to find her own happiness, she felt a strange sense of kinship.
Her past self had felt the same way.
Of course, she hadn't acted on it like Rose, but she had fantasized about revenge hundreds, if not thousands, of times.
In a life punctuated by resentment and anger, happiness was a mere luxury.
“...”
Rose stared at the mirror opposite the bed. She saw herself in it.
Her light pink hair was disheveled, and her eyes were sparkling.
Her expressionless face looked just as gloomy as it did in her dream yesterday.
Rose, staring blankly at the mirror, placed her fingers on her cheeks. She forced her sagging lips upward.
“This really suits you better.”
The corners of her mouth lifted, softening her expression.
She muttered to herself in the mirror with a satisfied expression,
“From now on, there will be nothing but smiles, Rose.”
So don’t worry about what happens next.
I’ll exact my ultimate revenge in my own way.
Rose smiled bashfully. And then
—Bam.
The bedroom door opened without a knock.
Rose looked at the door through the mirror, her eyes slightly startled. Who could enter the bedroom without even knocking?
“Ah, Your Highness.”
However, her anger quickly calmed down. The one who opened the door was none other than the Grand Duke of Artaeum.
The Grand Duke didn’t respond to Rose’s greeting. He simply stared at Rose with wavering eyes, as if he had lost his mind.
“Why are you frozen like that?”
He was frozen stiff, as if he had seen a ghost.
“...Excuse me, Your Highness?”
Rose called the Grand Duke to confirm his presence once more. This time, she even waved at him.
The Grand Duke flinched, flinched, and blinked in disbelief. Then, with difficulty, he opened his tightly shut mouth.
“Rosee... you.”
He muttered to himself, and without finishing his sentence, he ran towards Rose.
“Good morning...”
Rose tried to greet the Grand Duke brightly. But,
“Ugh!”
The Grand Duke ran to the bed and hugged her body. Thanks to this, Rose’s body, which was sitting on the bed, tilted backwards and fell over along with the Grand Duke. A loud “thud” was heard. But it didn’t hurt. The Grand Duke was supporting her head.
The Grand Duke collapsed onto the bed and hugged Rose’s body even tighter. He hugged her so tightly that Rose’s whole body felt like it was going to crumble.
“Ugh, the greeting is too harsh today. It’s like I haven’t seen you in days.”
Rose’s body, which had shrunk, crumpled even more like a piece of paper.
“Ugh, ugh.”
Not only her body, but her face was also crushed.
Rose struggled to escape the Grand Duke’s embrace. However, the Grand Duke seemed to have no intention of letting her go, and instead, he held her tighter.
He seemed unaware of Rose’s struggle in his arms and only let out a relieved voice.
“...I’m so relieved.”
A sense of relief was felt in the faint voice.
“I was worried that you wouldn’t wake up... if you stayed like this.”
“Huh? You were worried that I wouldn’t wake up?”
Rose, upon hearing the Grand Duke's words, struggled with both hands and grabbed his arms. Then she peeked her head out of his embrace.
“Phew!”
Finally, she could breathe. Rose looked at the Grand Duke, panting heavily. Then she asked back,
“What do you mean? I won’t wake up?”
The Grand Duke raised the corners of his mouth as he looked at Rose, who had only peeked her head out of his embrace. He couldn’t tell her how much he had missed this utterly adorable sight.
The Grand Duke embraced her again.
“Ah, Grand Duke!”
Her voice was pure and clear, her eyes brimming with curiosity. He could feel Rose waking up with his whole body.
The Grand Duke chuckled at Rose’s struggling, struggling hands. Then, he gently placed his lips on her forehead.
“I really can’t take my eyes off you for even a day. You always make me worry like this.”
Rose pouted at the Grand Duke’s words, feeling as if he were treating her like a child.
“Wait a minute. Could you tell me what happened first?”
Rose pushed the Grand Duke away, who was barraging her with his lips. His eyes twinkled with a strange longing.
“You woke up after a week.”
“...Huh?”
Rose’s eyes widened at the Grand Duke’s words.
“Me? Why?”
Rose tilted her head, as if she truly didn’t know anything.
“The wound Finn inflicted on you was quite deep.”
“Ah...”
Was the wound really that threatening?
Rose naturally placed her hand on her neck. There were rough scars on her skin, but the wound had already healed.
“If it healed in a week, it must not have been that serious.”
Rose shrugged, unaware that the Grand Duke had barely saved her by using magic.
“For that, your wound has already healed.”
“There’s a very rare herb at the Artaeum Mansion. It was thanks to it that I was able to save you.”
Of course, the herb part was a lie. He couldn’t say outright that he had used magic, so he had made up an excuse.
The Grand Duke had told Rose that she had come back from the brink of death, but it hadn’t really hit Rose.
There was no pain, and the wound had healed.
'...I must not have been sleeping too hard for a week because I had pushed myself too hard.'
Perhaps, the thought occurred to her, her body had simply fallen into a deep sleep because it couldn’t handle it anymore.
‘By the way... Luna’s Tears. Where on earth are they?’
The ones she took from Cedric must be with Rose.
Otherwise, the monsters wouldn’t follow her like this.
“Your Highness... Luna’s Tears.”
Rose carefully opened her mouth.
“I think I brought them out.”
Rose trailed off, and the Grand Duke stared at her quietly. She moved her mouth before speaking honestly.
“I don’t remember where I put them.”
“...”
You don’t remember...?
The Grand Duke let out a hollow laugh at Rose’s words.
‘You absorbed Luna’s Tears into my eyes, and you pretend not to know...’
The Grand Duke searched Rose’s dazzling eyes.
Luna’s Tears were bound to Rose.
The necklace had lost its form and been absorbed into her eyes.
‘Absorbing Luna’s jewel into your eyes means you performed a ritual. But...’
Why do you pretend not to know?
Why?
What are you hiding from me?
The Grand Duke's chest tightened.
The Grand Duke knew all about the secrets of Luna's Tears.
Neruan, because he was a member of the family that protected Luna's Tears, had passed everything down to him.
You could control demons, and your power exploded even more on the night of the full moon.
And to become the ruler of demons, one must perform a ritual and absorb it into one's own eyes.
He gazed at Rose with a mysterious gaze.
In fact, there were more than a few things about Rose that made him suspicious.
She had said she had absolutely no connection to Luna's Tears, yet today, a week later, she was admitting that she had actually stolen Luna's Tears from Cedric.
Moreover, despite knowing that Luna's Tears possessed the power to control demons, she had taken a risky action. One that could have cost her his life.
'I hope you... aren't just trying to deceive me.'
The Grand Duke's eyes were suddenly filled with longing.
In fact, even on the day Finn was with Rose, the Grand Duke had been suspicious of her.
His heart sank when he learned that Rose had Luna's tears, which should have belonged to Cedric.
His first suspicions were that Rose might have some connection to Cedric, that she might betray him.
However, the Grand Duke didn't press Rose.
No, he couldn't.
He thought that if it were true, Rose might leave him.
The Grand Duke didn't ask any questions this time either.
He affectionately tucked Rose's hair behind her ear. A smile spread across Rose's lips, as if the warmth of the Grand Duke's touch had lifted her spirits. The Grand Duke placed his hand on Rose's face, gently stroking it.
"You don't remember at all, do you?"
He gently kissed her above her eyes.
"It doesn't matter."
It doesn't matter why you haven't told me the truth.
Even if you approached me with a purpose from the beginning... I don't care.
"Because I like you."
"...Huh?"
From Rose's perspective, it was a sudden confession.
She stared at the Grand Duke with wide eyes. She was not accustomed to hearing such words, as he was not used to expressing his emotions.
The Grand Duke's lips curled up at Rose's reaction. He pulled his lips away from Rose's eyes and kissed her forehead, nose, and lips in succession before looking at her.
"I like you, you."
So... don't even think about leaving my side.
"Don't go anywhere now and stay by my side."
The Grand Duke naturally laid Rose's body down and spoke softly.
It didn't matter anymore. He didn't care what Rose had seduced him for. He would never let her go.
"You... seduced me first."
With those words, he covered Rose's lips with his. Rose naturally wrapped her arms around the Grand Duke's neck. With her eyes closed, she shared his hot breath.
The clothes she removed one by one scattered across the floor. Rose pressed closer to him, as if burying herself deeper into his embrace.
A raspy voice flowed out as soft skin met hers, enough to make her toes curl.
Rose let out a soft exclamation and locked eyes with the Grand Duke.
Something he had said bothered her, but
'I... I didn't seduce you first, Grand Duke.'
"Ugh."
That wasn't the point right now. Her thin voice groaned.
Without time to think about anything else, Rose kissed the Grand Duke.
The reunion after a week was intense and hot.
Of course, the herb part was a lie. He couldn’t say outright that he had used magic, so he had made up an excuse.
The Grand Duke had told Rose that she had come back from the brink of death, but it hadn’t really hit Rose.
There was no pain, and the wound had healed.
'...I must not have been sleeping too hard for a week because I had pushed myself too hard.'
Perhaps, the thought occurred to her, her body had simply fallen into a deep sleep because it couldn’t handle it anymore.
‘By the way... Luna’s Tears. Where on earth are they?’
The ones she took from Cedric must be with Rose.
Otherwise, the monsters wouldn’t follow her like this.
“Your Highness... Luna’s Tears.”
Rose carefully opened her mouth.
“I think I brought them out.”
Rose trailed off, and the Grand Duke stared at her quietly. She moved her mouth before speaking honestly.
“I don’t remember where I put them.”
“...”
You don’t remember...?
The Grand Duke let out a hollow laugh at Rose’s words.
‘You absorbed Luna’s Tears into my eyes, and you pretend not to know...’
The Grand Duke searched Rose’s dazzling eyes.
Luna’s Tears were bound to Rose.
The necklace had lost its form and been absorbed into her eyes.
‘Absorbing Luna’s jewel into your eyes means you performed a ritual. But...’
Why do you pretend not to know?
Why?
What are you hiding from me?
The Grand Duke's chest tightened.
The Grand Duke knew all about the secrets of Luna's Tears.
Neruan, because he was a member of the family that protected Luna's Tears, had passed everything down to him.
You could control demons, and your power exploded even more on the night of the full moon.
And to become the ruler of demons, one must perform a ritual and absorb it into one's own eyes.
He gazed at Rose with a mysterious gaze.
In fact, there were more than a few things about Rose that made him suspicious.
She had said she had absolutely no connection to Luna's Tears, yet today, a week later, she was admitting that she had actually stolen Luna's Tears from Cedric.
Moreover, despite knowing that Luna's Tears possessed the power to control demons, she had taken a risky action. One that could have cost her his life.
'I hope you... aren't just trying to deceive me.'
The Grand Duke's eyes were suddenly filled with longing.
In fact, even on the day Finn was with Rose, the Grand Duke had been suspicious of her.
His heart sank when he learned that Rose had Luna's tears, which should have belonged to Cedric.
His first suspicions were that Rose might have some connection to Cedric, that she might betray him.
However, the Grand Duke didn't press Rose.
No, he couldn't.
He thought that if it were true, Rose might leave him.
The Grand Duke didn't ask any questions this time either.
He affectionately tucked Rose's hair behind her ear. A smile spread across Rose's lips, as if the warmth of the Grand Duke's touch had lifted her spirits. The Grand Duke placed his hand on Rose's face, gently stroking it.
"You don't remember at all, do you?"
He gently kissed her above her eyes.
"It doesn't matter."
It doesn't matter why you haven't told me the truth.
Even if you approached me with a purpose from the beginning... I don't care.
"Because I like you."
"...Huh?"
From Rose's perspective, it was a sudden confession.
She stared at the Grand Duke with wide eyes. She was not accustomed to hearing such words, as he was not used to expressing his emotions.
The Grand Duke's lips curled up at Rose's reaction. He pulled his lips away from Rose's eyes and kissed her forehead, nose, and lips in succession before looking at her.
"I like you, you."
So... don't even think about leaving my side.
"Don't go anywhere now and stay by my side."
The Grand Duke naturally laid Rose's body down and spoke softly.
It didn't matter anymore. He didn't care what Rose had seduced him for. He would never let her go.
"You... seduced me first."
With those words, he covered Rose's lips with his. Rose naturally wrapped her arms around the Grand Duke's neck. With her eyes closed, she shared his hot breath.
The clothes she removed one by one scattered across the floor. Rose pressed closer to him, as if burying herself deeper into his embrace.
A raspy voice flowed out as soft skin met hers, enough to make her toes curl.
Rose let out a soft exclamation and locked eyes with the Grand Duke.
Something he had said bothered her, but
'I... I didn't seduce you first, Grand Duke.'
"Ugh."
That wasn't the point right now. Her thin voice groaned.
Without time to think about anything else, Rose kissed the Grand Duke.
The reunion after a week was intense and hot.
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