***

After a sleepless night spent in a whirlwind of emotions, Valetta came down for a late breakfast – more like brunch – with a tired look on her face. Her aunt and uncle and Irmina were already in the dining room.

“Do you know what time it is? Why are you getting up?”

Her aunt, the Countess of Dampierre, scolded her.

“I’m sorry. I was so exhausted last night…”

“Of course you were. I heard you met the Duke of Carnies. How could anyone not be exhausted after seeing that face up close?”

Her uncle, the Count of Dampierre, shook his head as he plunged his fork into his food. For once, Irmina didn’t interfere and simply nodded in agreement. Valetta’s brow furrowed slightly.

“He… really looked like a monster to you?”

“What are you talking about? I was looking for you because of the carriage and I saw you talking to Duke Carnies. I remember thinking you must have a strong stomach.”

What were they saying? Was Leonard really cursed?

“Did you see his skin? How can it be so grotesque? It must be because he was soaked in filthy dragon blood after killing the dark wyrm. Isn’t that right, Mother?”

“Of course. Good heavens, I shudder to think that I once considered such a vile man as a potential husband for you.”

“It’s all right. For me.”

Irmina glanced at Valetta, who was sitting across from her.

“I have Eric, after all.”

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Irmina’s lips. She had spent quite a bit of time with Eric Rigius the day before. He was a kind, gentle man – with a good sense of humour, good looks and a respectable background. He was undoubtedly an ideal husband.

Valetta, not noticing Irmina’s victorious little grin, asked her.

“How…? What did he look like? Tell me in detail.”

“Is there something wrong with your eyes?”

Irmina made a face of disgust as she began to describe the face she had seen the day before.

“His skin was scaly, like that of a snake, and his eyes were long and slitted. His voice had that eerie hissing sound – it was like a monster speaking. No, he was a monster.

Maybe he had always been a monster and had just been wearing a human disguise all this time!

Valetta was confused. Was he really cursed? She had thought that his misfortune would bring her satisfaction, but it didn’t feel that way at all. To be honest, her feelings were complicated. Part of her wanted him to live well, for Friedrich had risked his life to save him. But whenever she thought of her dead brother, hateful words came first.

Just as Valetta was trying to decide how to react, two messengers arrived at the count’s estate.

“Count! A letter has arrived!”

“It must be from Eric! To me!”

Excited, Irmina jumped up and snatched the letter out of the servant’s hand.

“Ah, wait-!”

Despite the servant’s attempt to stop her, Irmina had already opened the letter. Her face fell immediately.

Sender: Leonard Carnies
Recipient: Valetta Irpman

Irmina’s lips curled. She picked up the rest of the letters and examined them all. The Marquis of Rigius had sent a letter to both Count Dampierre and Valetta, and the Duke Carnies had sent one to Valetta as well.

Seizing the moment when Valetta was too distracted by Leonard’s letter, Irmina secretly tore open the one addressed to her. Her face contorted horribly.

And with good reason – it was a love letter from Eric Rigius to Valetta.

After intercepting Valetta’s letter, Irmina went stiffly to her father, Count Dampierre, her face hard as stone. She wanted to know what the Marquis of Rigius had written to him.

“Father. What does your letter say?”

“Oh, Irmina…”

Count Dampierre sighed heavily. Meanwhile, Valetta crumpled up Leonard’s letter and threw it on the floor. It was just a continuation of what he had told her the day before – an explanation of how he was cursed and why the curse didn’t work on her. The details were all there.

At the end he asked for her help.

And this request infuriated Valetta.

“Valetta! What kind of behavior is that!”

Her aunt, the Countess, scolded her harshly, but Valetta’s eyes flared with anger.

“He want me to do a favour for the man who killed Friedrich? That is an insult to me.”

“He’s a duke! Even if you’re angry, you should react properly and with respect!”

“He may be a duke, but he killed Friedrich. Friedrich died because of him!”

While Valetta and her aunt argued, Irmina asked her father again.

“Father, what’s in the letter that makes you look like that?”

She stepped closer, determined to see the contents, and looked over his shoulder to read what he was trying to hide.

— I wish to formally request the marriage of Valetta and Eric.

It was a proposal letter.

The moment she read it, Irmina’s face turned crimson. Her eyes shot over to Valetta and she glared with pure fury. Her face contorted with rage, Irmina stormed towards Valetta without hesitation.

And without a second thought, she slapped her across the face.

“Ah…”

Valetta lost her balance and stumbled backwards, falling hard to the ground. She clutched at her cheek, her eyes brimming with tears from the sheer shock.

Irmina had never liked her – that wasn’t new – but this was the first time she’d actually hit her. Now shaking with rage, Irmina grabbed Valetta by the collar and shook her violently.

“You useless leech! Know your place – how dare you!”

“Irmina! What on earth has gotten into you?”

The Countess shouted, but Valetta couldn’t hear clearly – her ear was ringing from the slap, and she could feel her heartbeat pulsing beneath it.

Even as Irmina shook her by the collar, it all felt unreal. The Countess tried to pull Irmina away, while the Count just sighed deeply and looked at his daughter with pity. Irmina cried out through her tears:

“The Marquis of Rigius has proposed to Valetta! This is absurd! She’s nothing but a penniless orphan who’s been living off our family all her life – how could she end up with Eric? He was nice to me yesterday and it was all to impress her!”

She was so devastated by the loss of Eric Rigius that tears welled up in her eyes.

‘Why do I have to be treated like this?’

Valetta was stunned by what had just happened. Since her parents had died, she hadn’t just sat around doing nothing in House Dampierre.

As a child, she had been constantly abused and made to do the dirtiest jobs like a servant. As she grew older, her brother Friedrich became a Knight of the Imperial Court and sent generous sums of money to support her. Even then, the family continued to treat her with contempt and resentment.

And after Friedrichs death, the condolences and rewards from the imperial family were swallowed up by Count Dampierre. Valetta wanted to run away from that wretched house. She wanted to make them pay.

So, in a moment of impulse, she declared:

“Uncle. I’ll accept the proposal.”

“…What? Are you out of your mind?”

“I will use the condolence money and the reward from the Imperial Family as my dowry. If this marriage doesn’t happen, I will personally ask Her Majesty the Empress to arrange it. You know that, don’t you? Her Majesty still cares for me – because of Friedrich.”

Valetta fought back tears with all her strength. She was beyond grief – this was utter humiliation. But she refused to cry in front of them.

The moment she mentioned the Empress, a flicker of fear passed through the eyes of her aunt, uncle and Irmina. None of them reacted, but their silence was enough for Valetta. And with that, she walked away.

Biting her lip hard to keep up the pretence of being fine, Valetta burst into tears the moment she stepped into her room.

“Friedrich… Friedrich…”

Today, more than ever, she felt the bitterness of Friedrich’s death.

“How could you leave me alone in such a place?”

The only way to escape the misery of the Dampierre household was to marry. Eric Rigius had good prospects and seemed to like her, so he wouldn’t be a bad match.

She had once dreamed of marrying someone she loved and building a happy home. It had been her life’s ambition. But now it all felt meaningless.

‘Love means nothing.’

So she would marry someone suitable and leave this place. It might not be an exciting life, but just being treated fairly would be happiness enough.

And so Valetta decided to get married.