“I’m sorry.”
When I spoke without lifting my head, Cedric quietly draped a robe over my shoulders and gently wrapped his arms around me.
“You’re back now. That’s what matters.”
Then he naturally led me toward the stairs. I glanced around. The servants were all standing with their heads bowed. Herder and Batis were nowhere to be seen.
“What about Herder?”
“I sent him home. I told him I’d take care of Mother.”
“They agreed and just left?”
Cedric nodded with a faint smile.
“What about your mother? I thought she’d be strongly against it.”
Cedric looked down at me. When I saw the look in his eyes, I couldn’t help but lower my head again, remembering what had just happened.
“Revril, you’ve been avoiding my eyes ever since earlier. It’s strange.”
“What?”
Cedric smiled. When I looked up at him, startled, he calmly continued.
“Don’t worry about Mother. She did object, but this is my mansion, so she didn’t say much.”
But since I had experienced what his mother was like, his words somehow felt untrue. Still, it felt awkward to push further, so I asked something else instead.
“How is your mother these days?”
“She’s still sharp. She says she’s sick, but she’s strong enough to walk on her own.”
I glanced at Cedric just in case. But he was looking ahead casually, as if it didn’t mean much. Then Cedric opened the door.
I slowly stepped into the bedroom. Cedric stood by the door and asked,
“Do you want to leave tomorrow?”
“Why?”
“You can’t go right away in that condition.”
I looked down at my clothes, completely soaked. Cedric glanced at my collarbone, then looked away. His eyes looked strangely hungry, full of desire. I spoke without thinking.
“Cedric, if I don’t leave today… will we be using separate rooms?”
A brief silence fell. My palms grew sweaty. Just as I started to regret asking—
“Revril, it’s better if you leave today.”
“What?”
“If you stay here, your health might get worse.”
“Why all of a sudden…?”
“Wash up and have dinner with me.”
Before I could answer, Cedric closed the door. Not long ago, he kissed me and acted like he liked me. Now he was keeping his distance. I sighed and went into the bathroom. The warm water was already prepared. I stayed in the tub for a long time before returning to the room.
I was thirsty and pulled the bell cord. But even after a while, no maid came. I had no choice but to go out myself. Just as I reached the bottom of the stairs—
“Master, your condition is very serious right now.”
Cedric let out a short laugh.
“Then should I use black magic or something?”
The doctor stayed silent. I froze, remembering the time Cedric killed the butler so casually.
Then the doctor spoke.
“What about the method I mentioned before? Using the calming effect of being with Madam…”
“I’ve been thinking about that. Things have settled down enough now, so it should work.”
“Yes, this is a good time. It’s been three years, hasn’t it?”
Cedric nodded. I was shocked. Three years. It had already been three years since Cedric and I got married. I looked at Cedric with trembling eyes. He looked serious, deep in thought.
“Anyway, how is Revril these days?”
“Madam’s condition is very bad. Since she’s been in poor health for so long, the symptoms are overlapping.”
“It’s because of Mother, isn’t it?”
“I can’t say for sure, but probably…”
“So a hospital would be better than staying here?”
“Judging from her current condition, she should be admitted to fully recover.”
I couldn’t move forward. A hospital? I didn’t even know I was that sick, and I didn’t want to be in such a place.
Then the doctor asked,
“Shall we proceed with the admission?”
Cedric nodded and murmured,
“We should’ve done this a long time ago.”
“It’s late, but it’s still the best option to lift your curse.”
Cedric nodded again and added,
“Make sure no one but me can enter her hospital room.”
What is he trying to do by admitting me? And why not allow anyone else in?
“That’s the best way to kill someone quietly.”
I stepped back and hurried up the stairs. My hands were trembling. Kill me quietly?
I quickly climbed the stairs, grabbed all my belongings, and left the room. I passed the parlor and was just about to go out the door when—
“Revril.”
Startled, I turned around. Cedric was standing at the entrance to the parlor, looking at me.
“Why are you leaving now?”
“…”
“Without saying anything.”
“I just wanted to leave early.”
“At least eat dinner before you go.”
“No. I don’t want to stay any longer.”
“Revril.”
Cedric walked toward me. I flinched and stepped back. He looked at me closely, his expression tense.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
Cedric naturally reached out and cupped my cheek. I slapped his hand away. His hand hovered in the air for a moment. He looked at me calmly. His gaze no longer had the warmth it used to. Something felt off, but I managed to speak.
“I heard what you were saying in the parlor.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You want to lock me up in a hospital and eventually kill me.”
Cedric let out a short laugh.
“Revril, what are you saying right now?”
“You said it yourself. That the best way is to kill someone quietly.”
“That wasn’t about you…”
“Then why do you want to lock me up in a hospital? I’m not that sick.”
“You are. You need treatment right now.”
Cedric stepped closer. I remembered how he had cruelly killed the butler earlier. I backed away without realizing it, and Cedric’s brows furrowed slightly.
“Revril.”
His voice was much quieter now. I felt a chill as I opened the door. Then I almost ran to the carriage. The coachman looked confused but quickly opened the door. I jumped in and shouted,
“Go now!”
But everything was quiet. I looked out the window and saw the coachman talking to Cedric.
“We should’ve done this a long time ago.”
Cedric had meant that he’d planned to admit me for a while. Maybe he had always intended to lock me up. I immediately opened the carriage door and ran toward the forest.
“Revril!”
Cedric’s voice rang out, but I ignored him. No matter what, I couldn’t accept being locked up in a hospital. I didn’t want to be alone in a place like that.
‘I should’ve realized when he killed someone so cruelly.’
I had foolishly believed he was misunderstood and hurt by others. Especially when his mother saw him as a brutal monster. I believed until the end that he wasn’t like that.
I was running blindly when I heard horse hooves behind me. I ran faster, but I was out of breath, and I couldn’t outrun the horse. Cedric turned his horse in front of me and looked down. When I hesitated, he quickly got off and approached.
“Revril, listen to me. Right now, you—”
I slapped Cedric across the face. The loud smack echoed through the forest.
“I trusted you…”
Cedric slowly looked up at me. His icy blue eyes looked colder than ever.
“Revril.”
His voice was strained, as if holding back something. I stepped away from him and shouted,
“Don’t follow me!”
My voice shook with anger and fear. Even the medicine Cedric gave me had started to seem strange. It made me sleep deeply, but I still felt anxious. No, it only made things worse.
Cedric looked at me steadily and said,
“What you heard…”
“You are trying to lock me up in a hospital.”
“It’s for your sake.”
“For my sake? Then doesn’t my opinion matter?”
Cedric’s eyebrows furrowed.
“Revril, that’s—”
I didn’t want to hear any more. I walked past him. “For my sake”? That excuse was terrifying.
Then I heard his voice behind me.
“If you come back now, I’ll pretend none of this happened.”
His voice was calm. So calm it made it sound like if I went back, we could pretend nothing ever happened. But I ignored him and ran faster.
“You think you can get away from me?”
My heart clenched. His cruel side, long hidden, was showing. But I didn’t look back. I just wanted to escape from Cedric. It was better than being locked away and dying in a hospital.
I heard hooves again, and Cedric grabbed my arm. My bag fell to the ground.
“Revril, stop being so stubborn and come with me.”
I shoved his arm away.
“In the end, you’re just using me to lift your curse.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I saw it. You killing your butler cruelly.”
