122 He who curses is
***[Crown Prince Robert]***
After Igor came, the nightmares calmed down a lot.
I still have strange dreams sometimes, but the intensity has weakened considerably.
Robert looked up from his desk in the office.
He quietly inspects the faces of his aides and attendants so as not to be seen.
Everyone had serious faces.
From the outside, no one seems to hold a grudge.
But there is an enemy in me.
Someone was cursing themselves.
“…”
Robert gently pressed the amulet he had placed in his bosom on the cloth.
If you are anxious, you will touch the talisman without realizing it.
Then my mind became loose and calm.
Perhaps this is also the effect of the talisman.
I get dazed sometimes because of the talisman, but that’s because of the curse.
Igor said it was because he used a strong amulet to suppress the curse.
‘But who the hell is it?’
Robert looked at the people with stern eyes.
I can’t say for sure who’s in it.
The person who cursed could be in here or somewhere else.
It may be very far away, Igor was saying.
[If so, it must be a fairly powerful curse. The farther away the curse is, the harder it is to cast.]
Remembering Igor’s words, Robert clenched his teeth.
‘How dare you treat the crown prince.’
This is a betrayal of the kingdom.
Under normal circumstances, you should immediately tell your father the truth and find out who cursed it.
However, on Igor’s advice, he did not reveal to anyone that he was cursed.
According to Igor, it is certain that it is cursed, and that if left alone, it will die of exhaustion from nightmares.
But there wasn’t enough evidence to tell anyone yet.
It is not enough simply to tell the fortune teller.
Who would believe that there is someone who curses the Crown Prince?
Indeed, even Robert himself found it difficult to believe at first.
If the nightmares hadn’t subsided thanks to Igor’s amulet, I still wouldn’t believe it.
Robert got up from his seat.
The servant came closer and bowed his head.
“Go to your room.”
“But in a little while I’m supposed to attend an event at the temple.”
“…”
Robert glanced at the attendant.
Don’t look down on your anger and keep your mouth shut.
It reminded me of Igor’s words that since you don’t know who’s cursing, you better be careful for the time being.
If you provoke the opponent by mistake, the curse may become more severe.
“My head hurts a little. It’s okay to attend the temple ceremony a little late. The fact that the royal family showed their faces is important anyway.”
“All right.”
The attendant gave a small answer and lowered his head again.
Then he quietly turned around and followed Robert.
Robert hurried to his room.
A little while ago, my head started to hurt, albeit slightly.
Thinking that it might be because of the curse made me feel scared.
“Igor! Where is Igor? Call Igor.”
When I shouted that as I headed toward the room, the attendant at the back crossed the hallway.
By the time Robert reached the room, Igor was already waiting.
“His Highness Robert.”
“Igor, come inside.”
Robert enters the room and Igor immediately follows.
“You wait there.”
Robert had his attendant at the door and led Igor across the room.
Deep inside, at a distance where no one could hear, Robert opened his mouth.
“Igor, you still haven’t figured out who it is? I think the curse is getting worse. I’ve been fine for a while, but my head started hurting a little while ago.”
“…”
Igor’s deep wrinkles moved a little, as if troubled.
“I also had a nightmare yesterday. I’m still weak, but it seems to be starting again.”
“… that is.”
Igor stopped talking and closed his mouth with a troubled face.
“Igor! Be honest.”
“I’m not sure yet. But I guess…”
Igor fell silent again.
Only after Robert’s urging, Igor barely opened his mouth reluctantly.
“It’s not certain yet. But it seems that it’s Duke Weiss who is cursing.”
“What? Nonsense…”
Robert murmured, and Igor’s eyes shone grimly in his wrinkled skin.
“I’m sorry, but my crystal says so.”
Robert was absent-minded and suddenly muttered.
“Duke of Weiss… is that…? He’s…”
***[Catherine, Duchess]***
A gorgeously lit chandelier hangs over the dining table, and a fragrant smell wafts through your nose.
The butler brought a knife, and Oscar-sama cut a large piece of meat once.
With this action, the supper begins.
Originally, it is said that the head of the family handed out the meat to the people sitting around the table.
However, there is no way that the head of the household cuts the food and distributes it directly.
It is symbolic anyway.
I had heard when I was young that there was a place where such a ritual was performed in an old family.
It’s a process that didn’t exist in my parents’ house.
I found out later, but I heard that it’s not often done even in the duke’s family.
However, it is for Catherine that she has to go through this process during meals.
It was to learn the family customs of the ducal family, and to know first-hand how to behave properly when attending a family dinner with such a ceremony later on.
The meat that Oscar-sama once cut was cut beautifully by the butler before he knew it.
The meat was placed on each person’s plate little by little and the meal began.
Katrin put the food in her mouth slightly nervously.
As Oscar started the conversation, Mother received it and passed it on to Oscar.
Katrin saw a suitable gap and joined the conversation.
Dinner is also a time for Katrin to be confirmed by her mother how much she has grown.
Sometimes Katrin had conversations that were difficult to pass through, so her body was tense without realizing it.
But composure… composure… on the outside, no one should know.
That is what my mother is asking for.
The purpose was to learn the skill of sneakily skipping over unknown or difficult topics so that others would not notice.
Catherine remembered what her mother had said.
[You can’t know everything in this world. However, there are things that are not flawed and things that are not. And most things don’t know what’s wrong.]
Even if you don’t know much, it usually makes sense if you listen to the conversation.
The problem is how to pass the ball in moderation when the ball of the conversation is passed over to oneself.
You need to learn the art of tricking the eyes of the quick-witted ladies and fooling around.
And in this place, there were only the heavy-mouthed butlers and allies, mother and Oscar, as if they had closed their eyes and ears.
It’s okay to make a little mistake because it’s like a place for Katrin’s study.
‘But never!’
If you show rudeness in front of Oscar, you’d rather stick your nose in the saucer and die.
Until now, I have been attending dinners with such determination.
But today, because of the news, I feel like my emotions will spill out without even realizing it.
‘oh my god! A monster appeared in the river and the boat sank?’
His eyes widened in surprise.
‘Are people okay? No, Oscar-sama said that a lot had just died.’
To hide her bewildered face, Katrin lowered her head slightly and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.
As you do so, adjust your expression.
My aunt always said
[In an aristocratic society, even when you are surprised, you shouldn’t be genuinely surprised, Catherine. Acting out a surprised expression and being really surprised are two different things. It’s okay to pretend to be surprised at the right time, but you shouldn’t be really surprised in front of people. Then people will know what your emotions are moving about. It becomes known to the enemy what your weakness is.]
It seems that Oscar’s only weakness is his own, but in any case, Auntie’s words have never been wrong.
Feelings are weaknesses, feelings are weaknesses.
Don’t be alarmed, Katrin.
And my aunt said it again.
Most things in this world can be solved with spirit.
Catherine put a cheer on her face.
‘Skin like armor! Be strong, brazen!’
That’s what I always say in my heart.
As her heart calmed down, Catherine raised her head.
Mother was asking Oscar-sama about the situation in the royal capital.
“Bad rumors are spreading. The royal family will be in a difficult situation for a while. Besides… even if it’s not because of the beast, the ship won’t be able to go there for a while. I heard the damage to the ship was quite severe.”
Mother turned her gaze to her.
‘come.’
Katrin quickly replayed the conversation in her head, careful not to let any tension come out.
Mother asks with a soft face.
“Catherine, what do you think?”
I’m not sure if I’m asking about the future of the royal capital, or if I’m just asking about my impressions of Oscar-sama’s words.
But it’s probably the former.
‘Uh, how do I answer?’
Even if it’s difficult for ships to reach because of the Witchbeast, I have no idea what kind of problems that will create.
Katrin was a little taken aback on the inside, but on the outside, she put on a worried expression.
For that brief moment, bewilderment and despair pass.
Something plausible for the future…
Thinking so, Katrin felt sorry for herself.
Mother did not want grandiose answers from Catherine.
Her mother knew best what Katrin’s knowledge was, and she knew better than anyone that Katrin was vulnerable.
‘I see. What my mother wants.’
Catherine recalled the play she had seen with Oscar the other day.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I remembered the tragic lover.
He lifts his face and looks at his mother.
“I’m sorry, mother. It hurts my heart to think of the person who died by the Witchbeast…”
So when I said it as if I couldn’t think of anything else, my mother’s eyes narrowed and she smiled.
It seems to pass.
Alright then, now is the time to put into practice the seduction technique you learned from your aunt.
Katrin adjusted her angle and looked up at Oscar.
The eyes look the best, and the right shoulder is slightly narrowed.
“Oscar.”
After saying that, Katrin lowered her eyes a little.
Tears, tears are needed.
After recalling the sad play, Catherine looked up at Oscar again.
Looking at it still, it feels soft and nice.
Katrin stared at her husband’s very beautiful face.
Her gaze was nailed to Oscar’s face.
It seems that Oscar’s eyes are a little red from the candlelight.
It’s very, how to say, should I say it’s s*xy or should I say it’s cute, anyway, it’s cute and pretty.
‘… really good.’
Those feelings flowed, and the forced tears dried up in an instant.
I was in a daze, but suddenly Oscar-sama and my mother started laughing.
“You really…”
Mother smiles at Catherine.
Oscar-sama suppressed a laugh, covering his mouth slightly.
“…”
oh, i did it again
I don’t know why.
It’s just nice to see Oscar.
My head went blank, good, good, good, that kind of emotion came up and I went blank without even realizing it.
Maybe it was because Oscar’s red eyes were funny.
Are you holding back a laugh?
Catherine’s shoulders drooped slightly.
The techniques of seduction that my aunt had taught me in the royal capital didn’t work at all.
Even though it was a much more sophisticated and leveled up skill than what I had learned before.
‘Anne said that she received something really nice from her fiancé with this.’
The face of Anne, who snorted and said that if this technique did not work, the only thing left to do was to dance naked came to mind.
“…”
No, if you do that, Oscar-sama will laugh rather than be tempted.
I can’t hear anything, but the butlers must be laughing too.
I know without seeing
I’m sure your eyes are smiling.
‘I want to run away into the rat hole.’
Katrin’s shoulders drooped endlessly.
“Catherine, do you remember what I said the other day?”
“…”
“You said you would reward me if you didn’t do anything dangerous and wait.”
“… yes.”
When I raised my head a little, my mother and Oscar-sama were smiling.
“In the dukedom, they inspect the territory around spring. Because the territory is so large, it is not possible to see all of them at once, so we divide them into regions.”
The beating heart beats loudly.
After meeting her mother’s eyes, Oscar smiled.
“I want to go with you this year.”
Katrin jumped up involuntarily, clenching her fists.
“Good!”
With the sound of foot, Oscar-sama burst into laughter.
It seems that everything I had been holding back up until now exploded all at once.
“Oscar, don’t you feel sorry for Catherine if you laugh like that?”
Mother said, but Oscar-sama’s laughter did not stop for a while.
At other times, I would have been a little depressed when Oscar laughed.
However, the laughing Oscar seemed happy for some reason, so Katrin shrugged her shoulders a little and smiled a little herself.
Anyway, she is very happy too.
‘If I inspect it, I’m sure it will move in a bed carriage.’
When we are at the mansion, we only see each other briefly during dinner and at night, but when we move, we can watch Oscar-sama at work.
always together
When I think of that, my body seems to float up and down, and I am very happy.
nice! Let’s ask your aunt for ‘The Skill of Seduction 3’.
If it worked for Anne’s fiancé, Auntie’s technique would work anyway, and if you learn something a little more advanced, it will definitely work.
‘I’m going to climb the stairs of an adult within this year.’
While she was making up her mind, for some unknown reason, her mother also began to laugh.
***[Heroine Oscar]***
After thinking that Kyung-Wan might be there, a corner of my heart felt a little uncomfortable.
Anyway, I remember my ex-wife and his work.
Even though I knew it wouldn’t happen to Catherine, I became anxious.
But when I saw Katrin, who fell in love with me, that anxiety melted away like snow.
It is said that even if you know ten roads in the water, you do not know the heart of a person one way, but when you look at Katrin, you can clearly see that heart as if you could hold it in your hand.
But be careful.
I remembered the face of Crown Prince Robert and muttered to myself.
‘Even if I’ve been beaten once, I can’t do it twice.’
Catherine is not taken away.
Whether she wants it or not, never.