Chapter 3 – The Mysterious Appearance (Part 1)

Something felt like it was pressing down on her body.

Ellerdin frowned and opened her eyes at the sensation pressing on her stomach.

“……Fer?”

She saw a black snout resting on her stomach.

Fer was sitting next to the bed with his chin resting on her stomach.

In an instant, memories of last night flooded back, and Ellerdin jolted up in surprise.

However, even when she tried to push herself up with her arms, her body wouldn’t move, and her upper body fell back onto the bed.

“Huh……?”

She couldn’t muster any strength in her body. It wasn’t just a matter of lacking strength; it felt more like she couldn’t exert any force at all.

“Fer. Come up here. Are you okay?”

A hurried and gentle voice was heard. Fer jumped up onto the bed and lay down beside her.

Because of his large size, half of his body was hanging off the bed. Ellerdin looked him over with worried eyes.

“Are you hurt?”

Fer, noticing her gaze on his stomach, growled softly and rubbed his snout against her face.

“You’re okay. That’s a relief.”

Ellerdin smiled and brought her face close to his forehead. In the peaceful and quiet room, only the sound of the clock’s second hand could be heard.

“Actually, I don’t really remember what happened last night. I don’t remember anything after soaking in the water. I feel like I did something……. But seeing you like this, it seems like I succeeded.”

Ellerdin blinked sleepily after finishing her sentence. Despite feeling like she had slept for a long time, an inexplicable drowsiness washed over her.

“I… I’ll wake up after a little more sleep. You go rest too.”

With those words, Ellerdin fell back into a deep sleep as if she had collapsed.

And when she woke up again, the mansion was in an uproar.

“Hic, ugh.”

Her head felt like it was going to split open. Ellerdin whimpered and shook her head at the kind of pain she had never felt before.

“Madam! Madam! Please wake up!”

Celine tightly held Ellerdin’s hand. The pain was so severe that her trembling hand was shaking.

Since there had never been a sick person before, there was no doctor in the mansion.

Everyone in the mansion was flustered by the absence of a doctor and moved around in confusion.

Urgent footsteps were heard beyond the room, and Fernan burst through the door.

“Ellerdin.”

Even though she clearly heard his voice, Ellerdin couldn’t even open her eyes and was shaking.

“Everyone, get out.”

Fernan chased everyone out of her room.

He hoped she wouldn’t be in pain anymore.

With a troubled expression, he placed his hand on her pale forehead.

“Sleep a little more.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ellerdin’s pain gradually subsided, and the same drowsiness as before washed over her.

It was a powerful sleep spell that even worked on monsters, so it would also alleviate the pain.

Feeling the stiff fur on her forehead, Ellerdin thought of Fer. But only for a moment, as she soon fell into a deep sleep.

Fernan, who had left the room, fell into deep thought.

Ellerdin’s pain was likely due to using her power last night.

‘A half-blood between a mermaid and a human……’

Even though she was a special being, she had been treated like that. Perhaps she had deliberately hidden her identity.

Fernan vowed to ensure that she would never have to reveal her identity in the future.

***

When she opened her eyes again, it was dawn. Somehow, her body felt lighter than usual.

Ellerdin got out of bed and looked around. The faint scent of daffodils in the room made it clear that it was Fernan’s room.

At that moment, she saw Fernan lying on the sofa.

The large sofa seemed endlessly small compared to his body.

His uncomfortable sleeping position, crammed into the sofa, reminded her of Fer. Ellerdin cautiously approached him.

She could hear his soft breathing.

‘Beautiful.’

His silver hair, similar to moonlight, shone brightly in the darkness.

His firmly closed lips were red, and the collarbone visible through his shirt was straight and beautiful. It seemed like the first time she had seen him up close in such detail.

Unintentionally, she looked him over and then raised her gaze to meet his red eyes.

“Gasp!”

Ellerdin stepped back in surprise.

Fernan got up and extended his arm to support her back.

Looking at Ellerdin’s wide, surprised eyes, he smiled softly.

“Are you okay?”

Ellerdin rolled her eyes and nodded slightly. Fernan took her hand and pulled her closer to him.

“Ellerdin.”

He called her name in a warm voice. The changed atmosphere made Ellerdin fidget nervously.

“Ellerdin.”

Fernan brought her small hand to his cheek. The warm body heat felt unfamiliar, and Ellerdin stiffened.

Trying to escape the awkward situation, Ellerdin pulled her hand away and changed the subject.

“Um, why am I here?”

She couldn’t understand why Fernan was acting this way.

“I brought you here because I wanted to take care of you. Was that inappropriate?”

Fernan smiled and took her hand again.

Ellerdin, flustered by his unhesitant touch, lowered her gaze, and through his half-open shirt, she could see his firm chest muscles.

For some reason, her neck felt hot, and she averted her gaze. Fernan, finding her reaction adorable, smiled with his eyes.

“You’re beautiful.”

At his sudden words, Ellerdin’s eyebrows furrowed.

‘The Duke has changed.’

Seeing her confused eyes, he burst into laughter, realizing her misunderstanding.

“Haha, really. Why are you so cute?”

“I’m not cute. Nor am I beautiful. It’s because…you can’t see properly, Duke.”

She regretted her last words as soon as she said them and looked at him nervously.

“Call me Fernan.”

“Pardon?”

“I want to hear you call me Fernan.”

“How could I… dare.”

Ellerdin, flustered, pulled her hand away and hid it behind her back.

But as soon as she moved away, Fernan took her hand and kissed her fingers.

“Call me. Please?”

He tilted his head and pouted.

‘What is this situation?’

Ellerdin’s mouth fell open in shock.

Seeing a glimpse of Fer in Fernan’s pouting face, she found it cute.

But since she couldn’t say he was cute because he looked like a dog, she could only make a flustered expression.

“Haha, are you going to keep making such cute expressions?”

Fernan bent over, chuckling.

“I didn’t mean to…”

Just as she was about to refute his teasing tone, she stopped at his words.

‘Fernan shouldn’t be able to see my expression.’

His red eyes, which looked like they held stars, were filled with affection as they gazed directly at her.

“Can you… see?”

Her voice trembled. Fernan smiled mischievously.

“Yes. You healed my damaged vision.”

“Oh…”

Ellerdin’s expression quickly darkened.

‘So, this kindness is for the person who healed his vision. It’s not for me.’

She couldn’t understand why Fernan mistook her for that person, but she had never even tried to heal his vision, so she could only listen to his words bitterly.

The fact that she, who had no abilities, had healed his vision was less believable than the idea that God had blessed kind Fernan.

‘…Still, I’m glad Fernan’s vision has returned.’

It was something to be celebrated that his vision had returned to normal.

‘I’m really pathetic…’

She hated herself for not being able to fully celebrate Fernan’s joy.

Instead of being grateful to the person who broke his curse, she was envious of their abilities.

‘I wish I had abilities too…’

If she had proper powers like the person who healed Fernan, instead of the uncertain power of a mermaid, she could have broken his curse too.

‘What is it?’

Fernan’s expression hardened as he looked at her.

He had expected her to be happy, but she seemed even more upset.

A moment of silence passed, and Ellerdin pulled her hand away and forced a smile.

“Congratulations on getting your vision back. But… I don’t think I was the one who did it.”

“…Ah.”

Fernan was silent for a moment.

‘As expected, such words can’t lighten your burden.’

He should have approached more carefully.

For Ellerdin, who didn’t trust herself, it was essential to take the time to build trust and give love.

‘But how do I clear up this misunderstanding?’

Fernan’s expression hardened in embarrassment.

To explain that she was the one who broke the curse, he would have to confess that the black dog was actually him.

But he couldn’t stand the idea of her misunderstanding that someone else had broken the curse.

He could reveal that the black dog she healed was him, but he couldn’t use that method.

He couldn’t bear to imagine how Ellerdin would look at him if he revealed his true identity.

Although she was kind-hearted and wouldn’t hate him like others, she would definitely be afraid of him.

‘Or maybe she would hate me.’

Demons were objects of fear to humans.

‘First, I need to clear up the misunderstanding that someone else broke the curse.’

Desperate, Fernan made another reckless move.

“Ellerdin, it really was thanks to you. No one else has been here. It must have naturally healed because you were by my side!”

“…”

Ellerdin looked at him with a disbelieving expression.

It was only natural for her to make such an expression.

“No. I don’t have such abilities. I think you are mistaken, Duke.”

The word “Duke” pierced her heart. Ellerdin swallowed her bitter feelings at his wounded expression.

She truly felt pathetic and insignificant.

To be moved by kindness that wasn’t even meant for her. It was embarrassing not to know her place.

Even if it was just for a moment, the looks and actions directed at her were so radiant that she felt she could live without loneliness for months.

“I’ll be going now. Please rest well.”

Ellerdin clasped her hands in front of her and bowed. It was a clear display of drawing a line.