#29
Naturally nodding his head, he glanced once at the stomach bandages that seemed freshly changed, then looked at him meaningfully.
Even though he pretended otherwise, a brief look of embarrassment crossed his face.
Seeing that, I made an expression of holding back laughter, then answered him.
“Hmm, well. I did have a good teacher.”
Actually, I wasn’t imitating anyone, and it did somewhat resemble my past life…
The ‘manner of speaking’ he was asking about probably referred to the characteristics ‘that person’ had taught.
I was applying what I’d learned—the atmosphere of words ingrained in the upper class, small habits and such.
‘A mysterious villain would be more fitting for that side.’
“Teacher?”
I gave an eye-smile to hyung-nim who stopped and gave me sharp eyes.
And I showed him a lie utilizing truth.
“I told you. I have no memories, but there are things remaining in my soul. That’s how I understood when hyung-nim mentioned Eris. I don’t particularly remember that person, but…”
“……”
When I openly mentioned Eris, Marcus hyung-nim erased his blank expression and stared at me silently. Though he pretended to be rough, it was that characteristic cool face that was basically cruel or indifferent to enemies.
A bit more… emotion was dwelling in it than what I knew.
“My soul tells me that to grasp what’s mine, I should be able to do anything.”
“Your soul said that…”
“Hyung-nim knows this isn’t nonsense, right?”
Because you’re a half-demon.
Perhaps guessing the omitted words, hyung-nim chuckled.
“I wouldn’t know. What that great ‘teacher’ taught.”
Though he said something somewhat mysterious.
Before I could understand the meaning of those words, he wiggled his finger and spoke.
“However, I can clearly see that Your Highness has become very lively now.”
“Ah, were you waiting to confirm that too?”
“You said Your Highness was precious.”
Marcus hyung-nim drew an emotionless smile while resting his chin on his hand.
“Yes yes. I’m a precious object!”
I hummed like singing as I responded to his words.
And without checking his expression, I hopped up and stood silently under the bed, then looked at him with a mischievous smile.
“So about that, hyung-nim. It’s about time to help this object.”
“…Aha.”
Interest briefly appeared in the mysterious silver-gray eyes that had been languidly lowered like an arrogant noble sitting in a premium seat.
He asked in a listless tone.
“I see. What is it this time?”
The contract Crown Prince Theodore hyung-nim and I made was that in exchange for him helping with my affairs, he would receive nullification treatment from me.
Though the contract target was only Theodore, strictly speaking, Archduke and Marcus hyung-nim, who were Theodore hyung-nim’s hands and feet, had practically become contract targets too.
‘From what I can see, Sercil would probably be included too.’
To break the curse.
‘…Ah. I want to quickly break their curses.’
It’s so regrettable that I have to do it slowly.
‘If possible, I’d like to do that person next after Theodore hyung-nim.’
The Archduke probably wasn’t showing any signs to those around him, but by now he would be enduring a curse more terrible than Theodore hyung-nim’s.
‘The beast’s curse that makes basic human desires rampage to the extreme.’
It was a curse that would have made an ordinary person, even if they became a transcendent, go mad within a month and become a serial killer on the streets or a rape-murderer.
‘I heard they cast such a curse to bury that family’s honor in the ground.’
A person who endured that with willpower alone, yet wanted to protect his people rather than break the curse.
It would be good if you could be comfortable even a day sooner.
Still, I forcefully suppressed my impatience.
If I pretended to know about their curses first, I’d face excessive wariness instantly like before my regression.
Following our contract, it would be best to make them think they’re helping me while breaking the curses as quickly as possible without the half-demons knowing.
So.
“It’s nothing special. Just take turns being my partner.”
“Hmm. Partner?”
Like a clown addressing a special audience, with playful politeness.
I spoke to hyung-nim whose indifferent face showed slightly deeper interest.
“Yes, I should start doing social activities too, shouldn’t I?”
“Well. Sure, good. Twenty is an appropriate age.”
“Right?”
Hyung-nim raised the corners of his mouth deeply without answering.
As if he knew what humiliation 2nd Prince Ersen would face if he went to balls.
“Do you want all of us as partners?”
“Mm-hmm. That’s right.”
“Unexpected.”
What is?
When I tilted my head, he slightly curved his eyes.
Like a boy who had thought of some mischief.
“Fine, I’ll pass it along. Though I don’t know how many times my turn will come.”
“Don’t let your guard down, you’d better prepare yourself.”
Even if it’s due to the contract, being my public partner wouldn’t be pleasant.
Just as I was about to tell him to prepare mentally, he shrugged and replied.
“What preparation. Preparation to get my feet stepped on?”
“…Goodness! You’ll even dance with me, hyung-nim?”
“It’s not impossible. Rather than watch Your Highness’s wounds burst while dancing, wouldn’t it be less trouble to knock you out depending on the situation?”
“…My half-demons aren’t stupid enough to cause trouble at balls again…?”
“Anyway, you naturally have a specific ball in mind, right?”
Somehow I felt like the man’s mysterious eyes were persistently engraving my movements on his retina.
So persistently…
‘Is there something to find out?’
I feel like I’ve told him almost everything. But there was no problem.
I smiled broadly and exclaimed.
“How did you know?”
The center of the second incident targeting the Crown Prince was Isabella Marsien.
Before my regression, as soon as she learned Sercil was a fairy, she led the charge in placing another supreme curse on him—the flower of high society who admired the Crown Prince.
‘If we’re only talking about making people’s blood run dry, she’d probably be more impressive than the half-demons.’
The important thing was that her conspicuous actions would capture even the half-demons’ attention.
At least for this episode.
I drew the perfect villain’s smile as if to show off and answered.
“Lady Marsien’s awakening ceremony is tomorrow, right?”
* * *
“You know well?”
“Well, she could become our hyung-nim’s fiancée, so I should know.”
Watching Ersen answer with a thin smile, Marcus smiled back as if it was nothing.
“Fine. I’ll help.”
“Ooh.”
When he answered obediently, a playful reaction came back as if surprised.
Every movement was natural.
He’d only been unconscious for a day—how much better could his body have gotten?
The stomach wound wasn’t just from being stabbed with a knife, and he’d been attacked by Theodore while defenseless, plus Marcus himself had grabbed him by the collar and thrown him around.
‘There probably isn’t an intact spot below his neck.’
Yet he moved as if nothing was wrong.
The actions of someone familiar with this.
Looking at his reactions, it wasn’t that he couldn’t feel pain, so he must be indifferent to pain.
‘A shadow. That’s what he is.’
Beings who would do anything until death with loyalty brainwashed solely for their master.
They were, so to speak… not just made with magic, but ‘objects’ that required a lot of money, time, and effort.
Worse than slaves…
Marcus could have been raised as a shadow too if he hadn’t had ability and if his maternal family hadn’t been powerful.
Half-demons were exceptional at making shadows.
There were few who could endure the process of becoming a shadow while not dying easily.
Shadows who endured that inhumane and cruel process were mainly used to assassinate key figures or infiltrate impregnable fortresses as spies.
It was also because Marcus knew this background best that he was here now.
“However, you need to tell me what the purpose is, Your Highness.”
“Aha.”
He deliberately positioned himself away from him and captured every moment of Ersen’s spinning movements with his eyes.
And he reached a conclusion.
“Purpose.”
He wasn’t perfectly raised as a shadow.
‘But traces of being raised that way are definitely visible.’
A peaceful face without even a tremor around the eyes.
Natural but lukewarm movements as if moving reluctantly.
If raised as a shadow, Ersen would have been a failure.
‘Failed but couldn’t be killed because he was a prince?’
“Observe him, Marcus.”
Skyle’s cold voice came to mind.
“What happened between Eris and the prince very likely has direct connection to our curses.”
Though it was revolting just having someone raised almost like a shadow nearby, he accepted it because his words were correct.
He was also a bit bothered because his intervention had made Ersen’s condition more serious…
He silently watched Ersen, who was half-lowering his eyes and pondering an answer.
Suddenly, he felt unfamiliar.
If the prince he knew before was like a hedgehog, the Prince Ersen over there was like a mirage.
“Yes. In other words, I want to get a bit close to the young lady…!”
“What?”
“In that sense, hyung-nim. I’d like Theodore hyung-nim to be my partner tomorrow, please tell him.”
Marcus asked with feigned interest.
“Are you saying this knowing something? If you want to get close, you seem to have chosen the worst method.”
“Come on, hyung-nim. If it’s not that much, would that noble duke’s daughter even glance my way?”
Wiggling his finger as he spoke, it was ambiguous whether he was serious or joking.
‘It’s certain he’s trying to catch that young lady’s attention.’
The meaning of getting close was suspicious.
“What kind of trouble are you planning, Your Highness?”
When he asked with feigned interest, Ersen only smiled mysteriously.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
