At Nertian’s funeral, Fazel felt a heavy weight in his heart. It wasn’t that the death of someone who tormented him bothered him. What bothered him was that Nertian died after the Duke asked if he would become the heir.

It felt like someone had killed Nertian to make him the heir. Especially since the Duke was the type of person who would do such a thing without hesitation, he was even more on guard.

For now, he’d been told to come to the funeral alone, so he had to go. He knew the ducal family’s situation with the heir gone, but there was no reason he had to take responsibility for it.

Even if they stripped him of his Count title. He could live as the Count’s husband by Louelle’s side.

Besides, if he became Duke and stayed by Louelle’s side, the imperial family might be wary even though Louelle had given up her succession rights. He had to prevent that.

Fazel looked at the carriage and pressed his lips firmly together. When he arrived, it was the last day of the funeral. The Duchess had fainted from crying and wasn’t present, and only the Duke in black clothes was meeting people.

When Fazel entered the funeral hall, the gazes of others were cold. Nertian had died horribly with blood flowing from his blood vessels. 

The doctor said it was an unknown disease. He said it seemed to be a hereditary illness passed down through the ducal family, and as a precaution, he kept the body separate and left only an empty coffin.

Fazel approached Aegis.

“I’ve arrived, Your Grace.”

As Fazel approached, the Duke smiled faintly. He didn’t look like someone who’d lost a son.

“Didn’t Lady Asnel come?”

“I departed first.”

Fazel nodded.

“She’ll come soon. First, I have something to say to you before Lady Louelle arrives.”

Even though he deliberately made me come first. If he’d wanted me to come with Louelle, he would have sent a letter to Louelle.

“Understood.”

What had to come finally came. Fazel followed Aegis.

Aegis led Fazel to the garden. The garden where beautiful flowers bloomed was full of fragrance.

Fazel covered his nose with his palm. The scent he’d smelled in prison seemed to vibrate. The sensations from that time seemed to rush back.

‘Ah, I should have come with Louelle.’

“Fazel, you’ll be turning 18 soon, won’t you?”

“That’s correct.”

“Now that Nertian is dead, there’s no one but you to become the heir.”

“I refuse…!”

At that moment, powerful mana enveloped Fazel. A sensation that wasn’t human gathered around Fazel.

“Refusal isn’t an option.”

Aegis smiled. Aegis, who wore long sleeves even in summer, rolled up his sleeves and showed his arms to Fazel. On the Duke’s arms were massive scales.

“The glorious position of our family will pass to you.”

At that moment, the energy in Aegis’s body transferred to Fazel. Massive mana was forcibly injected into his body.

Fazel couldn’t resist. Writhing in pain, he screamed in his mind.

“Next, you’re the heir.”

He never wanted this. But Fazel couldn’t refuse.

When the pain ended, Fazel collapsed to the ground. Breathing heavily, Fazel glared at the Duke.

“What have you done!”

“I transferred the family’s power.”

The Duke rolled up his sleeves and checked his arms.

“Finally, the curse is over.”

“What on earth…!”

The Duke thought the time had come and began telling Fazel the story. The Zieten ducal family had been born with powerful strength for generations. Children who couldn’t endure that power were devoured by mana and died.

Even if a child who could withstand the mana was born and became the heir, that power grew stronger each year, and after a certain time, even the family head was consumed by mana. As time passed, the body gradually transformed into a reptilian form.

Most family heads gave their power to the heir when their arms began to change. Family heads who didn’t transfer their power to an heir went berserk and died shortly after the transformation began. When the family head died, that mana automatically passed to the heir.

A family head who passed on the family’s power became an ordinary human with mana. Only then could the family head survive.

After hearing the entire story, Fazel felt like his chest would burst.

“The family head shares energy through having relations with women and producing heirs. Only that way can he delay the rampage. He can only have one woman and one child, and only male children.”

Aegis’s words were utterly ruthless. He didn’t want relations with anyone but his beloved Louelle. Not now, but later when they both became adults and were ready—that’s when he wanted to have relations.

That future was crumbling.

“I’ll kill you!”

For the first time, Fazel was enraged. Until now, even when Aegis stood by, even when Nertian tormented him, he’d never thought of killing anyone.

But now he wanted to kill Aegis and erase him immediately.

“I thought you’d say that.”

Aegis spread both arms without resistance. But Fazel withdrew his hand.

He couldn’t let things flow according to this man’s thoughts. There had to be another trap.

“Fazel!”

Louelle’s urgent voice came from behind.

“Louelle…!”

Louelle approached Fazel. Knowing he’d already become the heir, she looked at Aegis.

“Did you kill Nertian?”

Fazel’s eyes widened in shock.

“Nertian was a boy born with the qualities of an heir. For his mana to rampage like that would be impossible without Your Grace’s mana.”

“Lady Asnel knows too much.”

“What on earth!”

When Fazel was about to say something to the Duke, Aegis suddenly drew a sword.

“The me inside tells me to die and separate you two!”

Aegis smiled bitterly.

“I should do my last duty as family head.”

After saying that, Aegis took his own life. Louelle and Fazel were engulfed in shock.

Esran, who arrived a step late, was also horrified. That Aegis had taken his own life.

“What on earth…”

Louelle couldn’t understand the current situation.

In the original, he survived, gave Fazel heir training, and then died!

There was no more information to gain from the original. With Aegis’s death, the ducal family was shocked once again.

Since Aegis had left a will stating he’d already designated Fazel as heir, everyone bowed their heads toward Fazel. Fazel felt overwhelming mana different from before.

“Fazel.”

Beside him was the beautiful Louelle.

“Ollos told me, carrying out the Duke’s will. The curse begins at age 25.”

Seven years from now, he’d have to embrace women he didn’t love and wander around producing heirs. Fazel was dumbfounded.

What should he do? 

Fazel’s eyes turned toward Louelle. Her blue eyes soaked in sadness were incredibly beautiful.

Yes, he’d been intoxicated by these eyes and fallen in love. And he still loved her now.

Louelle Asnel. The woman he’d keep in his heart forever.

At that moment, the mana suddenly reacted. The thought of wanting to see Louelle cry surged up.

What kind of thought is this!

Yet the urge to keep tormenting her and treat her harshly kept rising.

“Count Asnel, please take Louelle and step far back!”

Hearing Fazel’s words, Esran pulled Louelle away. Only then did Fazel’s heart settle again.

“What’s wrong?”

Louelle murmured the words Fazel couldn’t say.

“You want to torment me?”

Fazel stepped back.

“If I’m by your side, I feel like I’ll destroy Louelle.”

The gentle, bright Louelle. Louelle who smiled at him.

But if she broke, she wouldn’t show him that healthy, beautiful smile anymore. He wanted to bind her to his side in the name of love. But he knew better than anyone that he couldn’t.

Had another curse activated because Aegis died?

“Fazel, don’t cry.”

Louelle shed tears.

“I’m not crying.”

Even as tears came out, Fazel said that, pretending otherwise. After the Duke’s death, Esran sent Louelle to the territory and stayed with Fazel.

He helped organize various documents related to heir matters. Since the Duchess said she’d return to her family home, he arranged dividing the ducal family’s assets for her and organizing the Duke’s duties.

A month passed and everything ended. The time for Esran to leave approached.

Fazel and Esran had tea time. Fazel asked Esran.

“What should I do?”

Esran picked up his teacup.

“We’ll break the engagement. Now that you’ve become Duke, it’s become dangerous for Louelle. You’re thinking the same thing.”

Fazel also nodded.

“If she’s by my side, Louelle will be unhappy.”

He lowered his head.

“I’ll permit writing letters.”

Esran, who Fazel thought would tell him to sever ties, said something unexpected.

“Is that alright?”

“My daughter is capable. She’ll probably find another way.”

Fazel’s eyes wavered at those words.

“You don’t want to end it here either, right? You have several years until you turn 25, so do your best to find a solution.”

If this could be resolved, they might have broken the family head’s curse. That’s why it wasn’t an easy matter.

What should he do first to break the curse? He couldn’t see the answer yet.

But Esran told Fazel not to give up.

“To say your connection ends here—you two love each other too much.”

Fazel suppressed the surge of emotion rising up and nodded. He tried to hold back, but tears seemed to come again.

* * *

I spent several days in a daze. Father stayed to help Fazel, and I returned to Asnel territory alone.

“Fazel.”

When I was in a daze, I thought of Fazel. Because the time I spent with him was so precious.

I ate food while sniffling. The soup stuck in my throat and wouldn’t go down easily, but if I didn’t eat, people around me would worry.

I sighed. In the original, Fazel killed Nertian and became the Duke’s heir. Then after he became cursed, he despaired and stopped at nothing to keep Liliet by his side.

He lost his friends and grew distant from Liliet forever. Then the curse activated and he had relations with other women, hated himself, and ultimately died in place of the male protagonist.

But this time, as fate veered off course, I ended up standing in Liliet’s place. Fate seemed to be moving to prevent Fazel from loving.

“Why! Didn’t you set up a solution?”

The author didn’t write down a way to break the Zieten curse. What if there’s no method?

Tears came while eating.

“Louelle, it’s Father.”

Father arrived. I left the soup I’d eaten about halfway and opened the door.

“Oh my, your face is all swollen.”

Father stroked my cheek.

“Fazel is doing well, right?”

“He gave me a letter.”

I immediately opened the envelope. It didn’t contain other words.

[I love you, Louelle]

Fazel had written the words he couldn’t convey. Tears came again.

“Fazel.”

In childhood, I wanted to change this boy’s fate to happiness. But fate more cruelly soaked the boy in sadness.

“I said he could write letters if possible, but I don’t know how it’ll turn out.”

I gritted my teeth.

“Fazel.”

“Will you give up?”

“No!”

I shook my head firmly.

“We’re only separating until we find a method.”

There must be a way to break the curse. I spoke determinedly.

Then suddenly my eyes flew open. The Dragon Lord who possessed all the world’s knowledge.

Originally, Liliet met that Dragon Lord.

Wait. I was the female lead’s close friend.

And Fazel was stronger than anyone.

“Ah!”

“Louelle?”

“Father. There might be a way.”

I can still use the flow of the original work! 

A tiny bit of hope appeared.