VHRTDM 02

Chapter 2

“….”

“What exactly am I supposed to do with this?”

I could tell Kahinel was angry just from his sharp gaze and the rough scrape of his voice.

“I understand. It must be absurd. That’s why I thought we could try getting along now, but I guess I rushed it.”

From my perspective, death was right around the corner, so pushing myself onto Kahinel was the correct choice.

But from his perspective, I was nothing more than a capricious wife behaving unpredictably.

“Still… can’t we at least have meals together?”

I understood Kahinel.

But I couldn’t afford to consider his feelings.

I wanted to live.

“…Can we?”

“If I say no, will you stop?”

“No. I’ll still eat with you.”

Kahinel’s sharp eyes twisted slightly.

Ah. Sorry. That was too forced.

He didn’t give a clear answer, and soon dessert was served.

I honestly thought he would leave right after finishing his meal.

But he stayed—and even had coffee.

Was this unexpected behavior giving me courage again?

“You shouldn’t drink coffee at night.”

“…”

Okay. At least I tried.

A single meal couldn’t erase two years of distance.

Let’s stop here for today.

I cut into a lemon pie, hoping tomorrow would go better.

Clink.

The spoon slipped from my hand and hit the floor.

“Haah…”

A searing pain tore through my skin, as if my heart itself was being ripped apart.

“Ugh…!”

I groaned and collapsed onto the table.

“Lady!”

“…Madam?”

I vaguely heard Kahinel’s voice, but it felt distant—uncertain.

The world blurred into nothingness, like I had been locked in a vacuum.

Blackness swallowed everything, with no sky or ground.

Is this… the curse?

It was the first time I had experienced it since possessing Rishua’s body.

If this really was the curse, there was only one way to escape the pain.

I forced myself up with whatever strength I had left.

Anna tried to support me, but I pushed her away and staggered forward.

Just a little more… just a little more…

The moment I reached Kahinel, my strength completely gave out.

Like a puppet with its strings cut, I collapsed.

Kahinel caught me instantly with frightening reflexes.

“What is going on?”

“Ugh…”

Instead of answering, I grabbed his shirt tightly.

“Madam.”

“Just… a moment…”

I buried my face into his chest.

His body was stiff—or maybe just naturally solid. Either way, it felt firm against my nose.

“What are you—”

“Smell.”

“…?”

“Your smell… I need it.”

According to the original story, just being within Kahinel’s influence reduced the curse’s pain.

And his scent amplified that effect.

The curse had come unexpectedly, and now that I faced it, the pain was unbearable.

So I inhaled deeply into his chest, clinging to the only thing that could keep me alive.

“Huff… haah…”

And just like that—

The pain vanished.

Kahinel’s scent was complex.

Heavy yet soft, like all four seasons woven together.

So this is the scent of my salvation…?

“Darling…”

The effect was incredible.

So he really was my savior!

As I clung to him with an emotional face, Kahinel frowned and pushed me away like brushing off an insect.

“I told you not to use that address.”

“Oh… sorry. I’m a bit out of it.”

He brushed off where I had touched him.

The atmosphere around us had become… strange.

When I looked around, everyone was staring at us with various expressions.

“Haha… I’m fine.”

No one had even asked if I was fine, but I waved anyway.

Anna rushed over and hugged me tightly.

“Lady… how desperate must you have been… sob…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, but I could guess what she meant.

Oh no. This misunderstanding is deeper than I thought.

Anna clearly thought I had thrown myself at Kahinel intentionally.

Of course, I did cling to him.

But not for romantic reasons…

How awkward.

Anna kept sniffling while I awkwardly comforted her.

“…Ha.”

A short sigh from Kahinel made me swallow hard.

His expression was openly displeased as he ran a hand through his hair.

Anna, stop crying.

This man is pissed.

“Have you lost your mind?”

“I was a little out of my mind earlier. Sorry.”

I had once thought 24 years of illness meant I could endure any pain.

That was arrogance.

Physical illness and curse pain were on completely different levels.

Kahinel let out a mocking smile.

“First I thought it was strange.”

His sharp gaze, almost blood-red in intensity, pinned me down.

“Is this your father-in-law’s order?”

“No.”

“Whether it is or not, I hope this doesn’t happen again.”

“….”

“That performance just now was disgusting.”

Sorry, husband—but that wasn’t acting.

That was real.

And I was genuinely wronged.

There were many reasons, but the biggest injustice was this:

“You might misunderstand, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention the Deil Marquis around me.”

“Is this also acting?”

“It’s not.”

I shook my head firmly.

“Not acting. Not lying either.”

“You expect me to believe you?”

I understood why he suspected me. Kahinel utterly despised Marquis Deil.

As the novel once described:

“Every time I see that bastard Marquis, I want to gouge his eyes out.”

Yeah. That level of hatred.

Rishua had been the Deil family’s obedient tool.

But now—

“I’ll clarify something.”

“What now?”

“I am Rishua Hyrent. There is no Deil name anywhere in mine.”

“So you’re saying you abandoned your family?”

“Yes.”

Finally, some understanding.

I nodded.

“It’s exhausting being tied to a family I don’t even get along with. And since you hate them too, I figured it worked out.”

“I thought you had a good relationship with them.”

“Good? Not even close.”

The Marquis, Athios Deil, was violent, cruel, and unstable.

And Rishua had been nothing more than a disposable punching bag.

Hyrent Manor — Bath Scene

“Lady, the bath is ready.”

I stepped into the bathroom.

Warm water wrapped around my body, and I let out a sigh.

“So warm…”

“Is the temperature okay?”

“Perfect. Nothing beats a bath after a long day.”

Anna smiled warmly.

While watching her, a question suddenly came to me.

“Why do you like me?”

“Pardon?”

“Everyone else avoids me, but you stay by my side all the time.”

“Because I like you, my lady!”

“But why?”

Anna was the first person I met after possessing this body.

At first, I thought we weren’t close.

But she stayed by my side every day.

In this confusing world, she was my only anchor.

So why wasn’t she like everyone else?

“You are kind and just. That’s why I like you.”

I straightened up in the bath.

“Me? Kind and just?”

“Yes! You were the one who saved me!”

Anna clenched her fists.

“You saved me from that hellish household! If not for you, I would still be trapped there!”

“…Ah. Right.”

I had no idea what she was talking about, but I nodded anyway.

I saved Anna?

This was the first I’d heard of it.

Probably something from Rishua’s past that wasn’t mentioned in the main story.

Even if I didn’t remember, hearing it made my heart feel strangely warm.

Anna gently washed my body.

Then she suddenly stopped.

“Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt.”

“But still…”

“It’s an old scar.”

On my right shoulder was a large scar.

Flesh had once been torn away.

I scratched it casually to show her it didn’t hurt.

But Anna’s eyes filled with tears.

“Even if it doesn’t hurt now… it must have hurt so much back then…”