The Only Way to Break the Curse is Through Contact with You - Chapter 99

#99

Adelia McGregor’s hanging took place, and House Wheaton locked their doors and cut off contact with the outside world. The Empire is famous for imposing harsh punishments on prisoners, but the fact that a prisoner committed another crime and the Duchess had not regained consciousness to this day had a significant impact on the punishment.

The Empire was shaken by the unusual news of the execution, but the Wheatons were an exception. Diart had no reaction, even after hearing news about Adelia. If Roeni had gotten up from bed, he would have strangled Adelia himself. But now all his attention was focused on Roeni’s firmly closed eyes, as she had not yet woken up.

“I hung a swing in the garden. It’s higher than the one in Violet House, so you’ll like it.”

Diart, who always told various stories to Roeni, wiped his face with both hands in exhaustion. His complexion was much worse than Roeni’s lying down. He hadn’t been sleeping properly, and the dark circles under his eyes were sunken.

“I planted some violets too. They’ll bloom nicely next spring.”

At that moment, a knock was heard. No one wanted to let anyone into the room, but he allowed the visit because he was waiting for news from the Sau clan. He expected that Gordon would come in, but when the Sau clan member, who had been waiting so long, appeared before him, Diart stood up abruptly.

“Have you found a way to wake Roeni?”

“Um…”

Diart stopped in his tracks as he was about to grab the Sau clan’s neck, hesitating.

“We searched thoroughly through the books, but we couldn’t find the cause.”

If you don’t know the cause, you don’t know the solution. Diart’s last remaining hope crumbled, and he clenched his fist tightly.

“The body under the curse is more sensitive to external factors, but not regaining consciousness for so long is probably because… because Madam doesn’t seem to want to wake up on her own.”

The Sau clan member finished speaking and glanced at Diart. His scary, frozen face didn’t feel as intimidating as usual because his heart was crumbling behind his expressionless mask. The Sau clan member looked at Diart’s back as he approached his wife, unable to find words of comfort.

Unlike himself, who had slumped down, Diart gently stroked Roeni’s face, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully with a calm expression. He muttered in a despondent voice.

“…she doesn’t want to wake up.”

* * *

‘No! That’s not true!’

I wanted to scream, but my voice wouldn’t come out. I wanted to hit my chest, but it was frustrating that I couldn’t even move a finger. My body, which wouldn’t move as I wanted, was driving me crazy.

‘What is that quack saying?!’

I’m the one who wants to wake up more than anyone else!

I wanted to grab the neck of the man spouting nonsense and shake him, but I had to lie here helplessly, which made me furious. Judging from the way Diart had reacted, he must be from the Sau clan member, to think someone who’s supposed to be skilled in healing would say such irresponsible things.

I gritted my teeth, convinced that this world must be full of quacks.

I had already regained consciousness a long time ago. It was just that my body couldn’t move. In other words, I was in a state of complete paralysis. When I realized this, I was very scared, but thanks to Diart, who kept talking to me and didn’t leave my side, I was able to calm down.

There seemed to be several complex factors that contributed to my current state. Since I was possessed and cursed, died, and came back to life, it seemed that my body was overloaded. So I planned to wait patiently and take enough time until my body recovered. But that damn quack was destroying my peace of mind.

I was already worried about Diart, who only stayed by my side all day without taking care of his own body, so I wanted to sew his mouth shut for making things worse. I promised myself that I would grab that quack by the neck as soon as I could move my body.

‘No, Diart must feel the same. Do you believe those words?’

Holding my hand as he muttered in a low voice, it was clear that Diart believed the words of the Sau clan member. Even without looking at him, it was clear that he was in pain. I couldn’t understand how he could believe those words.

‘I told you I liked you!’

Come to think of it, he believed the words of the fortune-teller we met on the street during the festival as if they were made of steel. When I heard the sound of the door closing as the Sau clan member had left, I resolved to take good care of Diart so that he wouldn’t be scammed anywhere.

It’s good to make that promise, but I have to be able to move first.

I put all my strength into opening my eyes again. But as expected, it was useless. I wanted to sigh heavily in frustration, but I couldn’t even do that, and I felt like I was really going crazy.

After a while, I heard Diart’s low voice asking,

“Why don’t you want to wake up? Do you hate me?”

He really seemed to believe it. Did you forget that I was trying to propose to you? I wanted to shout that out loud and to grab Diart’s neck before the quack.

“Or are you angry because I didn’t come to save you in time?”

Diart listed his own reasons. If he continued like this, he would reveal his shortcomings that he had been hiding from me. But for me, who had become more affectionate towards him through this incident, it was all nonsense.

Even when I fell into the ocean to escape Adelia and was swept away by the strong current, the only thing that kept coming to mind was Diart’s face.

Even when my whole body was painfully frozen and my grip on the rope was weakening, I endured while thinking of him. And finally, when I saw Diart’s desperate face staring at me through my blurry vision, a sense of relief flooded over me, and I let go of the grip I had been holding onto.

It seems like I truly love that man.

‘But why!’

Is this all the faith you have in me? Wake up, and let me brainwash you to the point where you can’t help but be completely infatuated with me!

Perhaps because of the frustration of having my love doubted, I felt like if I pushed a little harder, I could open my eyes. Disappear, disappear! I shouted while straining my eyes, and at that moment, I felt Diart approaching suddenly. And his chilling voice reached my ears.

“Are you trying to escape from me? I will never let you go. Even if you lie here for the rest of your life, stay by my side.”

…… Weren’t we just having a tender scene a moment ago? Why did it suddenly turn into a horror scene?

In that instant, I flinched as Diart’s obsessive and intense personality came to mind. If it’s this man, he really would do something like that. Whether it was due to the sudden change in atmosphere or not, my eyes opened without me realizing it.

The first thing I saw was the familiar ceiling of the bed. And lastly, the thin silver hair that had become much more disheveled than when I last saw it.

Diart, who poured his immense obsession into my ears, stiffened his body at my slightest movement and looked up. His eyes widened in disbelief at first, as if he hadn’t realized what was happening. He opened his mouth as though to call my name, but stopped abruptly. Diart, who had been staring at me intently, cautiously brushed my cheek with his trembling hand. I could feel his hand clearly shaking.

I frowned after seeing Diart’s face, which had become more gaunt than I expected. There was a reason why Gordon had been pouring out so much concern. Why has this strong man become so haggard? I was about to say something, but he immediately covered my mouth.

“Don’t say anything.”

Judging by his pained expression, I could tell that he was afraid that this situation might be a dream. He had dreamed of this many times while I was still unconscious.

How much pain did he feel every time he woke up from that dream? When I saw Diart’s anxious face, I felt like I was going to burst into tears as well. I’m alive. I met this man again. My throat felt tight with emotion.

I wished that he would smile with relief and believe completely that I had really opened my eyes. So, I decided to play a mischievous joke. My voice, which I hadn’t used in a long time, was so hoarse that it sounded unfamiliar to me.

“…… Who are you?”

As soon as I finished my words, Diart’s eyebrows twisted in fear, and tears immediately fell from his eyes.