Episode 146. What Eric feared most
The day when Doana was dragged away.
Eric hadn't stepped out of his room.
No, it was more accurate to say he couldn't.
"Haa... haa..."
Eric was breathing heavily.
Having just woken from sleep, he was as pale as a ghost. His body was so soaking wet that it would have been believable if he'd just showered.
In his dream... Cedric appeared.
After Cedric disappeared, Eric had dreamed of his father more than once or twice.
But today was different.
It was a dream so different from the dreams he'd had every day.
Even now, after waking up, it was so terrifying... it was a terrifying dream.
Eric's lips trembled, still unable to come to his senses. Like a dry desert, his chapped lips were lifeless.
"Why... why...!"
His voice cracked.
Even though he'd woken from the dream, Eric's mind was filled with vivid images.
Endless darkness.
Within it, he saw his father, Cedric, and himself.
In the dream, one of them was unilaterally curled up.
They were curled up tightly, covering their heads as if protecting themselves.
Up until this point, it had been no different from any other dream.
But Eric soon witnessed a shocking scene that sent chills down his spine.
The one curled up in the dream wasn't him.
The one begging for his life was... not him, but Cedric.
'Eric... Eric, please... please stop.'
Cedric's face, looking up at Eric, wasn't his usual confident expression.
He held onto Eric's trouser leg, his expression desperate, like someone whose world was crumbling, pleading.
Stop, please stop.
He held onto Eric in a pitiful voice.
"Why... why!! Did I have this dream!!"
Eric clutched his head and curled up, his eyes unfocused and shaking helplessly.
The memories from his dream felt so real that he couldn't easily control his emotions.
Cedric's murder was already unsettling enough, but then he had this damn dream.
Why did he dream this?
Panting heavily, Eric suddenly looked around.
He felt wary, as if he sensed someone's gaze in this empty room, where he was alone.
Even though it was early morning, with sunlight streaming in, Eric's room felt pitch-black. A dreary aura permeated the spacious room. The only sound in the silence was the sound of someone swallowing. Then,
"Eric."
Cedric's voice rang out from the air.
Eric's face turned pale, and he looked around.
The hallucinations didn't stop there.
"Eric."
At the faint sound of Cedric's voice, Eric screamed as if he was about to explode.
"Stop, stop, stop!!"
A booming voice echoed throughout the room.
Eric, with trembling hands, dug himself under the covers. He squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears.
Knock.
Someone knocked on Eric's door.
The knock was gentle, but to Eric, it sounded like a terrifying, "bang bang!" He was so tense that he reacted to even the slightest noise.
Eric cringed even more at the knock.
"Count, Count! We're in trouble!"
The new butler, who had taken Gwen's place, called Eric urgently.
He had to deliver the news that Countess Beliana had gone missing and Doana had been taken away.
"I think you should come out!"
Knock, bang.
The knocking continued.
Buried under the covers, Eric trembled like a child.
The excruciating fear, suffocating him, threatened to engulf him forever.
Eric, who had been closing his eyes, suddenly felt his mind clear.
The cursed energy he had been under had temporarily faded.
In an instant, his fear vanished, and his mind snapped back to normal.
Eric pulled back the covers and looked around the room. His room, no different from usual, seemed remarkably peaceful.
He felt as if he were possessed by a ghost.
"What kind of dream was this, making me tremble in silence..."
He struggled, anxious that he might be swept away by the waves and die, but it turned out to be an embarrassing feeling, like crying out for help in a shallow stream.
“...I can’t believe I’m so agitated over a mere dream.”
It was clear that he was on the verge of madness. His unfocused eyes quickly regained their composure. He brushed off today’s events with extreme lightness. He stood up, lightly brushing back his disheveled hair, oblivious to the terrible curse that occasionally suffocated him.
What had been cast on Eric was the Grand Duke's curse magic.
A curse that reveals the person under the spell’s greatest fear.
Was Eric’s greatest fear his father, Cedric, or...?
Knock.
There was another knock.
“Count!”
“Damn it, that’s so loud.”
Eric frowned arrogantly and slowly left the room.
“Cough, cough!”
A cold chill hung in the prison cell.
Grand Duke Artaeum covered his mouth with one hand and coughed.
He hadn't been feeling well since yesterday. It wasn't a cold or anything.
The Grand Duke slowly removed the hand he had placed on his lips. Dark red blood stained his palm.
'... The aftereffects of the curse are stronger than I thought.'
Eric hadn't stepped out of his room.
No, it was more accurate to say he couldn't.
"Haa... haa..."
Eric was breathing heavily.
Having just woken from sleep, he was as pale as a ghost. His body was so soaking wet that it would have been believable if he'd just showered.
In his dream... Cedric appeared.
After Cedric disappeared, Eric had dreamed of his father more than once or twice.
But today was different.
It was a dream so different from the dreams he'd had every day.
Even now, after waking up, it was so terrifying... it was a terrifying dream.
Eric's lips trembled, still unable to come to his senses. Like a dry desert, his chapped lips were lifeless.
"Why... why...!"
His voice cracked.
Even though he'd woken from the dream, Eric's mind was filled with vivid images.
Endless darkness.
Within it, he saw his father, Cedric, and himself.
In the dream, one of them was unilaterally curled up.
They were curled up tightly, covering their heads as if protecting themselves.
Up until this point, it had been no different from any other dream.
But Eric soon witnessed a shocking scene that sent chills down his spine.
The one curled up in the dream wasn't him.
The one begging for his life was... not him, but Cedric.
'Eric... Eric, please... please stop.'
Cedric's face, looking up at Eric, wasn't his usual confident expression.
He held onto Eric's trouser leg, his expression desperate, like someone whose world was crumbling, pleading.
Stop, please stop.
He held onto Eric in a pitiful voice.
"Why... why!! Did I have this dream!!"
Eric clutched his head and curled up, his eyes unfocused and shaking helplessly.
The memories from his dream felt so real that he couldn't easily control his emotions.
Cedric's murder was already unsettling enough, but then he had this damn dream.
Why did he dream this?
Panting heavily, Eric suddenly looked around.
He felt wary, as if he sensed someone's gaze in this empty room, where he was alone.
Even though it was early morning, with sunlight streaming in, Eric's room felt pitch-black. A dreary aura permeated the spacious room. The only sound in the silence was the sound of someone swallowing. Then,
"Eric."
Cedric's voice rang out from the air.
Eric's face turned pale, and he looked around.
The hallucinations didn't stop there.
"Eric."
At the faint sound of Cedric's voice, Eric screamed as if he was about to explode.
"Stop, stop, stop!!"
A booming voice echoed throughout the room.
Eric, with trembling hands, dug himself under the covers. He squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears.
Knock.
Someone knocked on Eric's door.
The knock was gentle, but to Eric, it sounded like a terrifying, "bang bang!" He was so tense that he reacted to even the slightest noise.
Eric cringed even more at the knock.
"Count, Count! We're in trouble!"
The new butler, who had taken Gwen's place, called Eric urgently.
He had to deliver the news that Countess Beliana had gone missing and Doana had been taken away.
"I think you should come out!"
Knock, bang.
The knocking continued.
Buried under the covers, Eric trembled like a child.
The excruciating fear, suffocating him, threatened to engulf him forever.
Eric, who had been closing his eyes, suddenly felt his mind clear.
The cursed energy he had been under had temporarily faded.
In an instant, his fear vanished, and his mind snapped back to normal.
Eric pulled back the covers and looked around the room. His room, no different from usual, seemed remarkably peaceful.
He felt as if he were possessed by a ghost.
"What kind of dream was this, making me tremble in silence..."
He struggled, anxious that he might be swept away by the waves and die, but it turned out to be an embarrassing feeling, like crying out for help in a shallow stream.
“...I can’t believe I’m so agitated over a mere dream.”
It was clear that he was on the verge of madness. His unfocused eyes quickly regained their composure. He brushed off today’s events with extreme lightness. He stood up, lightly brushing back his disheveled hair, oblivious to the terrible curse that occasionally suffocated him.
What had been cast on Eric was the Grand Duke's curse magic.
A curse that reveals the person under the spell’s greatest fear.
Was Eric’s greatest fear his father, Cedric, or...?
Knock.
There was another knock.
“Count!”
“Damn it, that’s so loud.”
Eric frowned arrogantly and slowly left the room.
***
“Cough, cough!”
A cold chill hung in the prison cell.
Grand Duke Artaeum covered his mouth with one hand and coughed.
He hadn't been feeling well since yesterday. It wasn't a cold or anything.
The Grand Duke slowly removed the hand he had placed on his lips. Dark red blood stained his palm.
'... The aftereffects of the curse are stronger than I thought.'
He thought his damaged mana would show signs of improvement after a night's sleep...
'It's not getting better; it's worse than yesterday.'
The mana's movements were unusual.
The mana, which had been no different from a gently flowing stream, had become violently violent since yesterday, as if it would explode at any moment.
Moreover, the mana, which had been transparent and clear, had become cloudy.
'... They call it curse magic for a reason.'
He had underestimated it because it didn't cause direct harm.
Curse magic was truly a terrifying spell.
It was a dark magic that consumed not only the person affected but also the one who cast the curse.
The Grand Duke didn't think he'd be fine while cursing others.
However, this was his first experience, and he was simply bewildered.
He didn't know how long the aftereffects would last, but he had no regrets about casting the curse.
He absolutely could not forgive Eric, who had humiliated Rose every night before his eyes, promising to hug her. He felt that only by casting the curse could he calm his turbulent heart.
'My magic is surging, but it's not out of control, so it's okay.'
'It's not getting better; it's worse than yesterday.'
The mana's movements were unusual.
The mana, which had been no different from a gently flowing stream, had become violently violent since yesterday, as if it would explode at any moment.
Moreover, the mana, which had been transparent and clear, had become cloudy.
'... They call it curse magic for a reason.'
He had underestimated it because it didn't cause direct harm.
Curse magic was truly a terrifying spell.
It was a dark magic that consumed not only the person affected but also the one who cast the curse.
The Grand Duke didn't think he'd be fine while cursing others.
However, this was his first experience, and he was simply bewildered.
He didn't know how long the aftereffects would last, but he had no regrets about casting the curse.
He absolutely could not forgive Eric, who had humiliated Rose every night before his eyes, promising to hug her. He felt that only by casting the curse could he calm his turbulent heart.
'My magic is surging, but it's not out of control, so it's okay.'
He would have to refrain from using magic for the time being. Using magic was fine, but the aftereffects could explode in any way. There was no harm in being cautious.
The Grand Duke decided to conserve his power in case something unexpected happened.
He gazed at the crimson blood on his palms with a firm resolve, then clenched his fists in silence.
Meanwhile, the captured Doana was repeating the same words like a parrot.
"Lady Doana, are you really not going to say anything?"
“I have nothing to say. I won’t say anything until I hire a lawyer.”
Doana, sitting before the investigator, arrogantly folded her arms and kept her mouth shut. She remained silent about the missing Beliana, only muttering unnecessarily when she was grumbling.
“Forcing a pregnant woman to sit on such a hard chair? Those uneducated people are so thoughtless.”
The cold, hard chair was quite uncomfortable for Doana, with her protruding belly.
The investigator sighed as Doana grumbled before him and called to her again.
“Lady?”
“Haven’t you heard that I won’t speak a word without a lawyer? How many times are you going to make me repeat the same thing? Count Wence will hire a lawyer for me. Until then, don’t ask any questions. I don’t intend to answer.”
“Haa. It’s not me who doesn’t understand, it’s the Lady. I’ve confirmed it several times, but Count Wence’s family won’t hire any lawyer for the Lady.”
“Ha, this guy is really funny!?”
Doana shouted at the detective’s words.
“Ha! Are you planning to frame me as the culprit? You’re conspiring with Beliana to mock me, right?! Because I’m pregnant with the Count’s child! That’s why you’re doing this to get rid of me!”
Doana clenched her fists and trembled.
At this point, the only person who could have trapped Doana was Beliana.
However, no one believed Doana, no matter how much she appealed.
“You’ve been on bad terms with the Countess.”
“Stop conducting this investigation underhandedly. I won’t fall for such a petty trick.”
Several hours passed.
Doana truly didn’t respond. She simply waited silently for her lawyer to arrive.
Both the investigator and Doana were exhausted.
Sitting for hours, repeating the same story, wasn’t easy.
Doana’s once confident gaze was now filled with worry.
'Really... You’re not going to call a lawyer?’
I... I really didn’t do anything wrong this time?
Doana bit her lower lip. As the endless wait dragged on, her eyelashes trembled with impatience.
‘... You’re not going to abandon the child and me in my womb, are you?’
The Grand Duke decided to conserve his power in case something unexpected happened.
He gazed at the crimson blood on his palms with a firm resolve, then clenched his fists in silence.
***
Meanwhile, the captured Doana was repeating the same words like a parrot.
"Lady Doana, are you really not going to say anything?"
“I have nothing to say. I won’t say anything until I hire a lawyer.”
Doana, sitting before the investigator, arrogantly folded her arms and kept her mouth shut. She remained silent about the missing Beliana, only muttering unnecessarily when she was grumbling.
“Forcing a pregnant woman to sit on such a hard chair? Those uneducated people are so thoughtless.”
The cold, hard chair was quite uncomfortable for Doana, with her protruding belly.
The investigator sighed as Doana grumbled before him and called to her again.
“Lady?”
“Haven’t you heard that I won’t speak a word without a lawyer? How many times are you going to make me repeat the same thing? Count Wence will hire a lawyer for me. Until then, don’t ask any questions. I don’t intend to answer.”
“Haa. It’s not me who doesn’t understand, it’s the Lady. I’ve confirmed it several times, but Count Wence’s family won’t hire any lawyer for the Lady.”
“Ha, this guy is really funny!?”
Doana shouted at the detective’s words.
“Ha! Are you planning to frame me as the culprit? You’re conspiring with Beliana to mock me, right?! Because I’m pregnant with the Count’s child! That’s why you’re doing this to get rid of me!”
Doana clenched her fists and trembled.
At this point, the only person who could have trapped Doana was Beliana.
However, no one believed Doana, no matter how much she appealed.
“You’ve been on bad terms with the Countess.”
“Stop conducting this investigation underhandedly. I won’t fall for such a petty trick.”
Several hours passed.
Doana truly didn’t respond. She simply waited silently for her lawyer to arrive.
Both the investigator and Doana were exhausted.
Sitting for hours, repeating the same story, wasn’t easy.
Doana’s once confident gaze was now filled with worry.
'Really... You’re not going to call a lawyer?’
I... I really didn’t do anything wrong this time?
Doana bit her lower lip. As the endless wait dragged on, her eyelashes trembled with impatience.
‘... You’re not going to abandon the child and me in my womb, are you?’
I’m not going to be imprisoned like this... right?
‘There’s no way. The cold floor is so bad for a pregnant woman. There’s no way the Count would leave me here, pregnant with his child.’
Doana brushed her belly and lowered her head.
For some reason... an ominous feeling was gathering around her. A sense of unease crept through Doana, a sense that she couldn't escape this place.
Doana refused to say a word without a lawyer.
She ended up spending the night wide awake.
The lawyer didn't come.
Not even Count Wence, Tercia, or the red-haired knight who had been so caring for her.
Doana was clearly trapped here, alone.
No one came to look for her, no one offered to help her.
The investigator, who had been absent, returned.
He sat across from Doana and asked her the same question as yesterday.
"Let me ask you again. I heard you weren't on good terms with Countess Wence. Is that true?"
The investigator repeated, using the same voice and tone as yesterday.
Doana, who had been staring blankly into space, stared at him in silence.
"I guess you have no intention of speaking yet."
Even though a day had passed, the investigator, still as silent as yesterday, stood up. And just as he was about to turn and leave,
"It's because the Countess was jealous of me. Not only was a woman prettier than her seizing her husband, but she was also pregnant."
Doana, who had been silent, finally spoke.
The investigator raised the corners of his lips slightly and sat down again. He barraged her with questions as if he had been waiting for them.
"According to the servants' testimonies, you were usually quite violent. You punished them terribly for even the smallest mistakes, and it was common for you to stamp on your feet with your high heels or smash their heads."
"That never happened."
"Never happened? There were more than one or two people who testified like this."
"They... They're all jealous of me. We were both maids, but I was the only one who got the Count's hand. I had a man no one else could even look at. So... they were all jealous of me."
A calm voice slowly spread through her.
With her eyes downcast, she was as beautiful as a single flower. Her delicate figure, so delicate that she wanted to be protected, was the complete opposite of her sullen demeanor yesterday.
Realizing she had been abandoned by Count Wence, she had deployed a new strategy.
"Everything they say is a lie. I was an outcast in Count Wence's household."
Tears welled up in her large eyes, and the tears rolled down her cheeks.
‘There’s no way. The cold floor is so bad for a pregnant woman. There’s no way the Count would leave me here, pregnant with his child.’
Doana brushed her belly and lowered her head.
For some reason... an ominous feeling was gathering around her. A sense of unease crept through Doana, a sense that she couldn't escape this place.
Doana refused to say a word without a lawyer.
She ended up spending the night wide awake.
The lawyer didn't come.
Not even Count Wence, Tercia, or the red-haired knight who had been so caring for her.
Doana was clearly trapped here, alone.
No one came to look for her, no one offered to help her.
The investigator, who had been absent, returned.
He sat across from Doana and asked her the same question as yesterday.
"Let me ask you again. I heard you weren't on good terms with Countess Wence. Is that true?"
The investigator repeated, using the same voice and tone as yesterday.
Doana, who had been staring blankly into space, stared at him in silence.
"I guess you have no intention of speaking yet."
Even though a day had passed, the investigator, still as silent as yesterday, stood up. And just as he was about to turn and leave,
"It's because the Countess was jealous of me. Not only was a woman prettier than her seizing her husband, but she was also pregnant."
Doana, who had been silent, finally spoke.
The investigator raised the corners of his lips slightly and sat down again. He barraged her with questions as if he had been waiting for them.
"According to the servants' testimonies, you were usually quite violent. You punished them terribly for even the smallest mistakes, and it was common for you to stamp on your feet with your high heels or smash their heads."
"That never happened."
"Never happened? There were more than one or two people who testified like this."
"They... They're all jealous of me. We were both maids, but I was the only one who got the Count's hand. I had a man no one else could even look at. So... they were all jealous of me."
A calm voice slowly spread through her.
With her eyes downcast, she was as beautiful as a single flower. Her delicate figure, so delicate that she wanted to be protected, was the complete opposite of her sullen demeanor yesterday.
Realizing she had been abandoned by Count Wence, she had deployed a new strategy.
"Everything they say is a lie. I was an outcast in Count Wence's household."
Tears welled up in her large eyes, and the tears rolled down her cheeks.
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