I poured out so many emotions.

My parents, who I relied on alone. No, my parents who saw me as a wallet. When they suddenly died in a traffic accident, I received a large compensation payment, and my relatives coveted it.

But I wasn’t the same person I used to be. Thanks to that man, I learned that people’s hearts can’t be bought with money. And I ran away from those who started seeing me as money.

“I lived like a pushover and then came to my senses.”

I told a long story.

Luden narrowed his eyes and looked at me.

I couldn’t tell the story rationally. I just vomited emotions, then raged, then calmed down again and spoke softly. ‘Luden must be suffering. Listening to this kind of story must be hard.’ I worried that Luden was having a hard time listening to my negative stories.

When the story ended and I cried again, Luden held my hand tightly.

“Do you feel better?”

He asked.

“A little.”

The raging past me had diminished.

“I must have been wrong, right? I was wrong for conditioning that man like that and for not being firm with my parents.”

I spoke while recalling that time. ‘It happened because I was foolish.’ Then he pulled me into his arms.

“No, Annelia. Of course there were aspects where you weren’t firm enough, but you’re not at fault.”

At Luden’s words, I widened my eyes.

“You just wanted to give affection, and they’re the bad ones for taking advantage of that.”

Everyone told me. That it happened because my past self was foolish. I thought that way about myself too.

“You know that too, don’t you? But if you corner yourself like that now…”

Luden slowly exhaled and paused his words briefly.

“Won’t your past self become even sadder? Even if I was foolish, if even I turn away from myself, who will comfort that foolish self?”

Ah.

I couldn’t think anymore. I couldn’t suppress my emotions any longer and just cried like a child.

Luden held me. Clothes came off. One by one, they fell to the floor. Luden led me, crying like a child, to the bed. He held me warmly without words. While making love, I didn’t resist and stayed in his arms.

* * *

Luden canceled his schedule and stayed with me.

Just like the dragon prophesied, after about two weeks passed, tears stopped coming.

Emptiness washed over me. The things that had been lodged in my heart suddenly disappeared, and I couldn’t think of anything.

“Are you really okay?”

Luden looked at me and asked.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

I said with a smile.

I wasn’t speaking through tears anymore.

He needed to go on a business trip but couldn’t leave because he was worried about me. I waved my hand at him.

‘Still, I’m okay now. If I had just faced my past self and cried, I wouldn’t feel this way.’ 

But what Luden said saved me. He stayed with me and held me. 

‘Yes, I was foolish back then. But I blamed myself without comforting that wound. I should have comforted myself. I should have loved myself.’

After Luden left, Lella came in.

“My lady, your face is half its size.”

At her words, I laughed.

“I know.”

“What kind of curse was it!”

“I’m fine now.”

When I smiled leisurely, Lella felt relieved.

“It feels like you’ve returned to your original self.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Because Luden comforted me, I could recover my energy quickly.

I thought of Luden. ‘I can’t block my heart anymore.’

‘Luden… I love you.’

I thought of him silently.

“I want to cast magic on Luden too.”

‘He can’t cry either, similar to me. He’ll suffer a bit, but it would still help heal his heart.’

“The Duke has arrived.”

“Father?”

“Lord Luden said he couldn’t leave you alone.”

‘Luden, really.’

I smiled and went to meet Father.

* * *

Caromiel looked at me with worried eyes.

“I heard you were cursed by a dragon!”

“A curse?”

“That’s what Lella said.”

‘No, when did such a rumor…’

“That’s not true. It’s a blessing.”

Father tilted his head.

“Did you diet while I didn’t see you?”

“A little.”

‘I only cried and couldn’t eat properly, so this was inevitable.’

I sat down with a smile. If before I just smiled formally, now it was a peaceful smile.

“You shouldn’t get too thin.”

“I should eat meat.”

“You should.”

‘How terrible must my condition have been for those words to come from Caromiel’s mouth?’

Out of curiosity, I looked in the mirror after Father left.

And I almost fainted.

My eyes and lips were all swollen. ‘Ah, of course my lips were swollen because Luden… ahem.’

Anyway, knowing my condition wasn’t great, I got massages and ate diligently.

‘By the time Luden returns in three days, I need to look human.’

* * *

Annelia’s crying echoed in his ears.

Sella said that situation happened because so much crying had been suppressed. She said not to worry because ordinary people wouldn’t be that severe. And she said that after crying, the pent-up emotions disappear a bit, maintaining more composure than before.

“I’m glad I finished all the schedules.”

Andre sighed.

“Anyway, what’s going on suddenly? A dragon’s curse.”

Rumors spread throughout the mansion that Annelia had been cursed by a dragon. Hearing that, Sella laughed and said she’d leave soon. Igol had adapted to Sella to some extent and was accepting her as his mother. The imprinting phenomenon had decreased considerably.

“Andre, what do you think my feelings for Annelia are?”

At Luden’s question, Andre spoke without hesitation.

“You love her very much.”

“I see.”

‘I thought my love wouldn’t last long. I thought I harbored such feelings because she became light in a difficult moment.’

“I should cry too.”

‘After crying, my heart will feel more at ease. Like Annelia’s did. Then wouldn’t I be able to view my emotions more objectively?’

“You want to get cursed too?”

“It’s not like that.”

Luden chuckled.

Facing those emotions wasn’t easy for him either. Experiencing the emotions he suppressed in the past again wasn’t easy. But Annelia overcame it. And he wanted to overcome it too, face his past self, and understand his feelings for Annelia better.

Having made that decision, Luden looked for Annelia as soon as he arrived at the mansion.

Annelia was waiting for him in front of the entrance.

“Welcome back.”

Annelia waved her hand.

“I’m back.”

Luden greeted her.

And Luden thought this moment was special.

* * *

Luden gave Annelia flowers as a gift. Annelia received the flowers and smiled.

“Thank you.”

She had returned to her leisurely, somehow confident self like before.

Thinking that only he knew that dark side of Annelia made him proud. A strange possessiveness arose. ‘I hope Annelia won’t show this side to others.’

“Please cast magic on me too.”

“What?”

Annelia was flustered.

“Of course, before I cast magic on myself, I thought it would be good to cast it on Luden, but… you know, right? When this magic is cast, your past self bursts out.”

At Annelia’s words, Luden nodded.

“I won’t be as severe as you, Annelia.”

“How can you say that! Everyone’s heart hurts the same.”

‘That isn’t something to compare.’ He found her lovely.

Still, Luden asked her. Then Annelia reluctantly cast magic on him.

Luden stared at her intently. And the wounds he felt in the past came to mind.

His uncle, whom he followed more than anyone. When he betrayed him first, the past Luden who suppressed his resentment came forth.

“I wanted to ask.”

Luden started with this instead of a preamble.

“Why did you betray me?”

Annelia sighed and hugged him.

“He won’t know how hurt I was.”

He began to cry quietly. Like Annelia who wailed, he too began crying like a child.

‘You’re young.’

‘That’s not your place.’

‘Die!’

The words his uncle said came to mind.

They were embedded in Luden’s heart.

Wounds that couldn’t heal were being healed with tears. The crying that burst from emotions looked somehow sad.

Annelia tried to undress him like Luden had done.

“Annelia, don’t seduce me.”

“It’s comfort.”

“Ah, well. If that’s the case.”

He smiled and accepted Annelia’s comfort.

* * *

Unlike Annelia, Luden didn’t cry for two whole weeks. Because Annelia controlled her power appropriately.

“Don’t do it to Anan.”

After Luden stopped crying and calmed down, Annelia declared. ‘Crying is physically exhausting too.’

“You need to control your power.”

At Sella’s words, Annelia blinked.

“It’s hard because you burst all emotions at once.”

“You should have told me earlier.”

Annelia shouted. Then Sella smiled and placed her hand on Annelia’s shoulder.

“Still, a lot of sad emotions have disappeared.”

“Thanks to you.”

“If you truly think in your heart to cry just a little, the power will come out only enough to cry slightly.”

At Sella’s words, Annelia nodded.

Sella left with Igol. She said to visit her lair anytime.

“But why did Luden suddenly want to cry?”

At Annelia’s words, Luden narrowed his eyes. He also shouted like Annelia had done. He cursed at them, filled with past resentment. Annelia silently accepted it. Like he had done for her.

After sorting out his emotions, he could view her more objectively.

Being attracted externally is entirely possible. Because Annelia is beautiful and lovely. But how long does that last? 

If she were a woman who hurt people’s hearts, he would have withdrawn his heart too. She’s a woman who knows how to be considerate and understands people’s pain. That’s why he was swayed by those qualities. And now he truly loves her.

“I just wanted to cry.”

Luden said that and held her hand.

‘Just looking at her is lovely.’

He stopped whispering that it was a passing fancy.

‘Now I’ve bent my stubbornness and acknowledged my love.’

‘This feeling won’t disappear easily.’

‘I will never let go of this warm hand.’

He vowed that.