chapter 22
“Just thinking about the Crown Prince makes me tired…”
He was the person who had given me unimaginable scandals and trials. Just the thought of being entangled with him again was unbearable.
“But what are the chances of meeting him at the masked ball?”
I recalled the date of the masked ball in my mind. There were still a few days left.
“I can just think about it when the time comes.”
Overcome by fatigue, I collapsed onto my bed the moment I arrived in my room and fell asleep. A few days later, I awoke.
When I opened my eyes, Johan was right in front of me.
“Madam? Are you awake?”
Fortunately, I hadn’t had any dreams this time, so I could just look at his excited expression without worry.
“What… happened to me?”
For some reason, my voice sounded slightly hoarse.
“What happened?”
Johan clenched his teeth tightly. His gaze was intense.
“You were unconscious for three whole days.”
“Three whole days?”
I opened my eyes wide like a rabbit.
“No wonder I feel so refreshed…”
It felt too good to be caused by illness. Even the little fatigue I usually felt had disappeared, leaving me feeling completely refreshed.
“If my body feels this good, maybe it’s fine to sleep for days at a time.”
However, contrary to my casual thoughts, Johan spoke in a low, serious tone.
“I thought you might never wake up.”
“It’s just that I slept a long time. Thanks to that, my body feels amazing. Really.”
“……”
“Honestly. I feel like I could go out and run around right now.”
I could somewhat guess the reason for my long sleep.
“It’s probably because I’m a fairy.”
I had asked the tree about it once.
-
You are still between being human and fairy. Whether it’s due to a curse or because you’ve lived too long among humans, I don’t know.
-
Do you have any fairy powers? Of course. But your body is so weakened by the curse that your fairy power is being used to protect you.
It seemed likely that this long sleep was also the effect of that.
“Madam…”
Johan’s gaze darkened slightly.
“No… it’s good that your body is well.”
For some reason, he was holding back his words. I tilted my head and asked.
“Do you want to say something?”
“There’s a lot I want to say.”
Johan nodded and smiled softly.
“But if I ask everything now, I don’t think you’d be able to answer me. Right?”
“That’s… true.”
Even if he suddenly asked why I slept so long, I had no answer.
“If I told him I’m a fairy, the misunderstanding would be cleared… but then I’d lose my only card for escaping.”
“Tomorrow is the day of the masked ball we planned to attend together.”
Johan, sitting on the edge of the bed, let out a sigh.
“Can you go?”
“Tomorrow already… I think I could, but…”
Though my body felt fine, others might see it differently. Logically, anyone would probably try to stop me from going straight to a party.
“I’d want to stop you if I could, but if you want to go, you should.”
“You can’t just go without preparing, right?”
“I prepared everything just in case, so you could attend once you woke up.”
Johan brushed my hair behind my ear.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“I think I’m a little hungry.”
“I’ll tell the kitchen to prepare your meal immediately.”
Hearing that, I felt something strangely warm in my chest. After sleeping for so long, it seemed my body had unresolved natural processes.
“Ah, then I’ll just be a moment.”
Johan let me go when I glanced toward the bathroom. Once inside, I placed a handkerchief at my lips, and black blood immediately poured out.
“Ah, this is proof I was fighting the curse.”
It seemed my fairy powers had been working hard. After spitting out the black blood, my body felt much lighter. Refreshingly good.
“Good thing no one saw.”
I quickly washed my hands and disposed of the bloodied handkerchief. Johan was already waiting by the door, his expression serious.
“Madam. Did something happen?”
I gave a bright smile, wondering if he had noticed.
“What happened?”
“I smell blood…”
My body shivered, but I pretended to be nonchalant.
“I’m not sure… I don’t notice anything.”
Even the mastermind could detect blood’s scent remarkably well.
“If he finds out, I have no way to explain.”
I smiled brightly, pretending nothing had happened. Johan scrutinized my face, hands, and dress. Fortunately, I had only spat onto the handkerchief, so no other blood remained. Nothing could betray me.
“Sorry, must’ve been my imagination.”
After scanning me carefully, Johan relaxed and patted my shoulder.
“The meal’s ready. Let’s eat.”
Though the immediate crisis had passed, I worried that Johan might still sense something strange. I asked cautiously while eating.
“If you’re too worried about me, I won’t go to the ball. I don’t want to overexert myself.”
There was no special reason I had to attend the masked ball.
“No. I want to go with you.”
“The Duke?”
“Yes. Who knows when we’ll have another chance.”
Was Johan’s gaze sad? I pretended not to notice.
“Why? I can go to a ball anytime with you, right? You won’t stop attending in the future?”
“…No. I guess I said something weird again.”
Still, Johan misunderstood my condition.
“Even without blood, there are plenty of things that might look strange.”
The day of the masked ball arrived.
While I couldn’t wake, Johan listened to the diagnostic results Dr. Henry had prepared, his face hardening.
“Madam… it’s an incurable disease?”
“Yes. Tragically so.”
Henry nodded gravely.
“The most likely diagnosis is Sleeping Beauty Syndrome. And currently… there’s no cure.”
Johan clenched his teeth, unable to relax his strained expression.
“So, there’s no way to know how much time my wife has left?”
Sleeping Beauty Syndrome was frightening because medicine could not predict its progression. One could never know when the patient might sleep forever. I might not wake up. Johan gripped his fists as he watched his wife still unconscious.
“I had my suspicions from the start.”
I had always been considered frail, but my symptoms were far more serious than simple weakness.
“Especially this symptom of falling into a death-like sleep.”
There was only one diagnosis: Sleeping Beauty. A disease with no cure. Johan felt as though my existence had slipped from his hands. It was a sensation his instincts rejected.
“Does she know she’s sick?”
“It seems… from her reactions, she suspects it. But she doesn’t want to tell anyone.”
This foolish woman must have one reason.
“She doesn’t want to trouble anyone.”
I remembered her smiling brightly when she spoke about attending the masked ball.
“Could this have been the last chance?”
Perhaps she wanted to fulfill her dream knowing she might not live long.
“Wake up.”
I was still, breathing softly. The faint sound of breath was the only proof that I was alive.
“So we can go to the ball together.”
This woman gave Johan no time to confirm his feelings. His careful heart sank deeper into confusion. And I woke. The wife who had tormented him for three days.
“What happened to me?”
I just smiled sweetly.
“Did she already know about the incurable disease?”
Normally, he’d have been shocked to hear I had slept for three days straight.
“I just slept a long time. Thanks to that, my body feels amazing. Really. I feel like I could go outside and run around right now.”
Seeing me smile casually, Johan made up his mind.
“If that’s what you want…”
He would pretend not to know, for now.
At the masked ball, I carefully held Johan’s hand, wearing a rabbit mask. Despite knowing this hand could harm me, I felt secure.
“At least for now, it will protect me.”
I asked Johan, who wore a simple black half-mask.
“Why am I wearing a rabbit mask?”
“Because you resemble a rabbit.”
“…Me?”
Sometimes, Johan said things that made no sense. The royal hall was luxurious. Even the fountains sparkled with gems. The night shone brighter than day. Fortunately, people only glanced at me, unaware of my identity.
“The wig must be helping.”
Still, being among the crowd made me nervous.
“It’s been a while since I dressed like this.”
Since marrying Duke Blanchett, I hadn’t dressed up much. At the Libertan estate, I had to wear styles Estella liked and pretend to be her, being punished if I slipped. Now, I could dress freely.
Johan guided me to a secluded area of the ballroom.
“This is problematic.”
He frowned.
“What if people stare at you and I get jealous?”
“This…”
Relieved by his words, I shook my bracelet. A platinum bracelet inlaid with pink diamonds and rubies, a piece of art.
“Especially this ruby.”
Jewelry matching the eye color is a gift for someone you love. I smiled softly, touching the bracelet.
“You said it’s enchanted to keep me safe?”
“…Yes.”
“And soon we’ll go back to the Blanchett estate holding hands.”
Johan nodded.
“Yes. If you’re in danger, I’ll save you.”
The music for the dance began to flow through the hall.
“Do you want to dance?”
People were dancing in the center.
“I came to dance, but I don’t want to join them yet.”
I wanted to observe first.
“My throat is dry.”
Johan nodded.
“What drink do you want?”
“Alcohol?”
“Yes…?”
Though I hadn’t debuted formally, I was old enough to drink.
“So I should try at least a sip at a party like this.”
Johan draped his coat over my shoulders.
“I’ll bring you something you’ll like. Wait a little.”
Johan stepped away, and I clutched the coat, steeling myself.
“Don’t be deceived. This bracelet and affection are all just appearances.”
A tall, striking blonde man appeared across the hall. Even with a gem-covered mask, his beauty stood out.
“Why does he feel so familiar?”
As he turned toward me, he strode over.
“You… the lowborn of the Libertan estate?”
At that moment, I recognized him. Only one man spoke to me that way.
“Crown Prince Carlos.”
I had first met him at a noble social gathering. My body had been trained to appear noble, but the Crown Prince despised me at first sight.
“Even the Libertan family is impressive, bringing me here proudly.”
I could no longer remain at the ball. I leaving was natural; the problem was that my presence embarrassed the Libertans.
“Because of you, they’ve offended the royal family. How did you behave?”
“If this were Estella, none of this would have happened. How did I provoke the Crown Prince so?”
The Crown Prince approached me leisurely.
“You already know who I am. Why aren’t you answering?”
He smelled of alcohol. His golden eyes behind the mask were intoxicated.
“Johan?”
I turned my head slightly, attempting to push him away.
“Your Highness, you must have mistaken me for someone else.”
“What does that matter to me?”
“Eh?”
“He didn’t come to punish me because I’m lowborn?”
The Crown Prince laughed as he removed his mask.
“Either way, it doesn’t matter.”
He grabbed my chin roughly, forcing me to look at him.
“I’ll let you be with me tonight. If I like you, I’ll even take you as a concubine.”
