“It’s hard to make it disappear.”
“Why? Is there no way at all?”
Cedric nodded.
“I’ve looked for ways since a long time ago, but there was nothing that really worked.”
Cedric spoke calmly, but there was a kind of emptiness in his voice. I couldn’t open my mouth easily. I didn’t know what to say.
When I looked at him with a slightly worried face, Cedric said,
“Don’t worry too much. I’m used to it anyway.”
When I still didn’t say anything, Cedric smiled and said,
“I want to have a good relationship with you.”
“……”
“My mother and brother called me a monster.”
I looked at Cedric in surprise when I heard the word “monster.” But he didn’t seem to think too deeply about it. He looked like someone watching passing clouds—calm and without meaning.
When I stared at him with a stiff face, Cedric smiled gently.
“I just don’t want you to call me a monster.”
I nodded. Then I suddenly remembered that ever since I started living with Cedric, I hadn’t seen him do anything strange.
Except for that day—my birthday—when he kissed my forehead, I didn’t find anything particularly odd.
“I don’t think of you that way. Then… is that why you didn’t tell me you were cursed?”
“People who knew me since I was young were creeped out. I couldn’t control my emotions properly.”
“…But now you seem okay.”
Cedric smiled softly.
“I’ve gotten more stable now, so I’m fine.”
Cedric raised his head and looked at me. After thinking for a moment, I opened my mouth.
“All the things you’ve done to me were…”
“I just wanted things to go well between us.”
Those words alone made my heart tremble. Even now, it was hard to believe Cedric would say something like that. Come to think of it, I didn’t really know much about him. I had just looked at him and let my feelings grow.
Then, I heard his low voice.
“If I’m lacking, please tell me.”
When I slowly looked up, Cedric was smiling at me.
“I want to do well, at least for you.”
His words were so sweet. It even felt like he was here just for me. Then suddenly, I remembered what Mrs. Jenkins had said—that a husband once killed his wife to break a curse.
If Cedric had really wanted to kill me, he wouldn’t be treating me so well now. That would just be too tiring.
Setting all that aside, I focused on eating. Unlike before, I could actually taste the food. Especially the cheese that lingered in my mouth—it was soft and savory.
Maybe I had always wanted someone to say they needed me. That’s why I wanted to show my presence to Cedric and get his attention.
It felt like a dream—just in that moment.
“I’m thinking we should combine our rooms.”
I nearly dropped my fork when I heard that.
“Our rooms?”
“I feel like we’ve been living too far apart. Do you not like the idea?”
“It’s not that I don’t like it…”
Cedric looked at me with interest. He tilted his head slightly. I blinked for a moment before answering.
“It’s just a bit sudden.”
“Then should we take it slow?”
I shook my head. Cedric chuckled and put down his fork.
To share one bed, we decided to move to a bigger bedroom. So we were going to combine several rooms, but it would take some time to renovate. I didn’t mind. In fact, it felt like a dream that Cedric was the one who suggested combining rooms.
Then the day Mrs. Jenkins had mentioned—the day of the social gathering—came. It was today. Cedric had something to do and couldn’t eat with me, so he left the house first. Normally, he wouldn’t say anything, but this time he left a note.
[Revril, I have something urgent today, so I’ll leave first.
Let’s make sure to eat dinner together.]
I looked at Cedric’s handwriting for a moment. It was clean and sharp, without any unnecessary strokes.
‘He even writes well.’
As I admired it inwardly, a loud knock suddenly startled me.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and a maid walked in. She bowed and said,
“Ma’am, today is the day of Mrs. Jenkins’ social gathering.”
When I nodded, the maid continued,
“After breakfast, we will begin preparing you right away.”
After breakfast, the servants surrounded me. They took care of my hair and dress in turn before stepping back. In the mirror, someone lively-looking was staring back at me. I was amazed by how bright my face looked, so I kept staring. Then the maid said with admiration,
“Ma’am, you look beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
I replied simply and stepped out of the room. The maid followed, so I stopped and said,
“I’ll be back before dinner.”
The maid nodded and opened the front door for me. The carriage was already waiting. But it wasn’t the same one I used to ride. It was slightly larger and a darker color. When I looked at it curiously, the coachman explained,
“The master arranged this specially. He said the previous carriage might be too dangerous.”
“It wasn’t that dangerous…”
“Still, this carriage is stronger than the one you used to ride, so it should be safer.”
Since it was better to be safe than sorry, I didn’t say anything and got in. The inside was clearly different from the old one. It was more comfortable and spacious. It felt too big for just one person, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.
Before, I found Cedric’s attention uncomfortable, but now I liked it. As I looked curiously around the carriage, I glanced out the window. The weather was clear, and today, I felt good.
The carriage slowly stopped. Mrs. Jenkins’ mansion was near the capital, in an area with many luxurious homes. I slowly stepped down.
Mrs. Jenkins happened to be outside. I hesitated a bit and looked at her. As soon as our eyes met, she greeted me with a bright smile.
“You’re finally here. I’ve been waiting!”
She never used to treat me this warmly. Her enthusiastic welcome surprised me. When I just stood there quietly, Mrs. Jenkins energetically guided me.
“This way, please. I tried to prepare everything to your liking, but I’m not sure I did it right.”
When I looked puzzled, Mrs. Jenkins kindly explained,
“This gathering is special since it’s your first time coming out in a while. I wanted it to be extra thoughtful.”
I felt oddly pressured.
“You didn’t have to go that far.”
Mrs. Jenkins waved her hand.
“You came all the way here, so I should put in the effort.”
I looked at Mrs. Jenkins, still unsure what was going on. She smiled while watching my reaction.
Just as we reached the mansion entrance, Mrs. Jenkins smiled and led me inside. I stepped in with a bit of unease.
The inside of the mansion was as luxurious as I remembered. As soon as I entered the parlor, several people greeted me with bright smiles.
I forced a smile in return. In gatherings like this, people always seemed friendly on the outside but subtly clashed beneath the surface.
Especially those who disliked my family—they quietly showed their displeasure. That’s why I always felt uncomfortable at these events. But I couldn’t avoid them completely.
If I didn’t attend, people would think I was strange and completely out of place in society. One downside of marrying Cedric was this. Since Cedric held a certain status, I couldn’t just ignore it.
“It’s really been a long time, Lady Revril.”
Just as I sat down, a noblewoman next to me smiled brightly. I smiled in response instead of saying anything. I didn’t want to talk for long—I just wanted to hear some gossip and go back home.
At that moment, a servant rushed up to Mrs. Jenkins.
