Märchen For A Villain - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was her wedding night.

 

Princess Isabelle, from a weak country, married a nobleman of the empire who had wealth, appearance, and status.

 

‘There is only one problem.’

 

It was the fact that she would die tonight.

 

She was the thirteenth bride of the cursed Grand Duke, whose brides died every wedding night. After her bath, Isabelle sat on the bed wearing a thin dress.

 

After gulping down the wine, she placed the empty glass on the small table. The fourth glass of wine had already run out.

 

Death was still unfamiliar to her, even after all the regressions she had been through.

 

A mountain of horror seized her shoulders and bound her limbs.

 

Creak-

 

The bedroom door opened and her husband, Grand Duke Karl Bashke, entered. Unlike Isabelle, who had a bath, he was still in his stiff formal attire. Especially with his tall stature and his body trained in sword fighting, he wore his formal attire perfectly. But Isabelle, who had been looking forward to seeing him in his gown, was a little disappointed.

 

“Are you ready, Princess?”

 

‘You mean ready to die?’ Isabelle let out a sigh of relief.

 

“From the look on your face, it seems that the Grand Duke is not ready.”

 

Isn’t he the Navy Admiral who was solid despite the tsunami big enough to cover the sky? Now, however, he looked as anxious as a boy with a paper boat floating on a muddy river.

 

“This is your thirteenth marriage. The Grand Duke must get used to it.”

 

How could he use his handsome face like that? If anyone saw him, they would think he was dying.

 

Isabelle stood up from the bed and approached the Grand Duke.

 

Isabelle’s cheeks and lips were redder than usual.

 

The Grand Duke immediately glanced at the wine on the side table.

 

“Where are you looking?”

 

Isabelle grabbed the Grand Duke’s face with both hands and smirked.

 

The Grand Duke’s eyes opened wide. He dropped his gaze, hesitating for something.

 

“Princess, you can leave now. I won’t catch you,” the surprisingly small voice sounded like a rapid fire gun.

 

This was the first time in the past twelve marriages that the Grand Duke had visited the bride’s bedroom. He had come with difficulty

to Isabelle to tell her to leave. Isabelle, who couldn’t possibly know how he thought, only smiled sadly.

 

“Even if I leave, I’m going to die today anyway. “

 

Isabelle hugged the Grand Duke tightly.

 

‘It’s warm.’

 

This was something she would never normally do.

 

Whether it was because of alcohol or because she was about to die, her emotions were revealed on the surface.

 

“You and I are so pitiful.”

 

“What?”

 

“We’re being treated like bad people. We’re the ones who are unhappy.”

 

They were incomprehensible words.

 

Isabel looked out the window. Pitch black darkness hung like a curtain.

 

“The sun has set today and you haven’t changed into a beast?”

 

“The first night is the only exception.”

 

“It’s a strange curse.”

 

Isabelle smiled and looked up at the Grand Duke.

 

The moment when their gazes met in the air.

 

The man with one head larger was as motionless as a beast caught in a trap. The Grand Duke stared at her, speechless.

 

“Thank you so much.”

 

Isabelle was sincere. She had lived the rest of her life without shortage because of the Grand Duke.

 

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have some regrets, but I don’t.”

 

She chose the Grand Duke. Isabelle tapped the Grand Duke on the tip of his nose. Instantly the Grand Duke’s face contorted.

 

He raised his hands and covered Isabelle’s face. Isabelle could not avert her gaze.

 

In an instant their lips overlapped.

 

Unlike his neat attire with buttons all the way to his neck, his actions were relentless.

 

‘I may have regretted my life, but I had no regrets.’

 

So Isabelle waited for midnight in his arms.

 

Ding-

 

The wall clock struck twelve.

 

“D*mn it, God.”

 

The Grand Duke held Isabelle tightly as if crushing her.

 

The black curse that killed the bride rose like a mist from the Grand Duke’s body.

 

It struck Isabelle in a flash.

 

And yet.

 

“What is this?”

 

The pitch black curse that tightened around her neck began to be sucked somewhere else. Isabelle dropped her gaze.

 

The yellow light that flowed from her heart gathered in one place and formed the shape of a clock, the hands of the clock spinning faster as it absorbed all of the curse of the Grand Duke.

 

Psss- The clock, having exhausted its strength, turned to light dust and fell to the floor.

 

“…Isabelle?”

 

The Grand Duke’s lips, which had been calling her name all night, called her name once more.

 

He hurriedly bent over and placed his ear to her heart. He could clearly hear the sound of her heart beating.

 

Isabelle also raised her hand and touched the Grand Duke. His warmth and touch were vividly felt.

 

‘Crazy. I’m not dead.’

 

‘I think I survived. I’m really saved.’

 

“I’m not dead, Grand Duke!”

 

Isabelle embraced the Grand Duke’s neck.

 

The Grand Duke couldn’t believe it either, and hugged her compassionately.

 

It was the first miracle that had ever overcome death. They held each other like that for a while.

 

Then they slowly moved away from each other, awkwardly, as if they had made a pact.

 

“… I’m glad you’re alive, Princess.”

 

He was really happy. The Grand Duke rubbed his reddened neck and turned his gaze to somewhere in the air.

 

“Yes. I’m so happy that I avoided the curse..……….”

 

Isabel was also embarrassed, covering her eyes with her hands.

 

‘I see. He must be surprised that the bride survived.’

 

If she survived, wouldn’t they have to write a contract to live like strangers? He couldn’t possibly have any feelings for her.

 

Isabelle rubbed her face and brushed away the buds of regrets.

 

‘For that matter, yesterday’s act was pretty intense…. ‘

 

That should be regarded as an adult situation where they were carried away by the atmosphere before death.

 

“What will happen to me from today?”

 

Will they start living separately because he told her to live like strangers? Or divorce? Unlike Isabelle’s serious question, the Grand Duke gave a plain answer.

 

“Isn’t the Princess already the Grand Duchess?”

 

The Grand Duke fixed the gown that had fallen under Isabelle’s shoulders and jumped out of bed. Isabelle couldn’t see his face because he had turned his body to rearrange his clothes.

 

‘Is he embarrassed?’

 

Isabelle looked at the tip of his ears, which was brightly reddish.

 

“I’ll make room in the mansion for the Grand Duchess. If there is anything you need, you can always tell the servants. “

 

The Grand Duke quickly poured out only his words without giving Isabelle time to refute. And the steps out of the bedroom were busy.

 

“What is that reaction?”

 

Isabelle muttered as she looked at the closed door.

 

The way he was in a hurry…..He looked like a man who had fallen in love.

 

(*This is the end of the prologue which will happen in the future)

 

****

*Beginning of the story*

**

 

Jeong Se-ha was traveling to a rural village in Europe.

 

The Rabbit Hole River that crossed the village was a famous place for bungee jumping.

 

Jeong Se-ha jumped powerfully toward the bright blue river.

 

She fell straight into the river and died.

 

It was a mistake on the part of the company that had prepared too long a line.

 

***

 

She was sure she was dead.

 

“Where am I?”

 

Jeong Se-ha woke up on an unfamiliar beach.

 

<tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock>

 

She tilted her head as she looked up at the strange clock floating in the air.

 

It was only later that she realized what it was.

 

She possessed the fairy tale ‘The Little Mermaid’.

 

She had become the Princess of a neighboring country who married the Prince that the Little Mermaid saved.

 

Jeong Se-ha knew the original story.

 

The Prince was trash, and the Princess of the neighboring country, whom she thought was just a supporting cast, was an evil woman, but she successfully married the Prince just like in the fairy tale.

 

Of course, married life with the Prince was not easy. But there was nothing she couldn’t do, so she held on firmly.

 

But there was a twist.

 

The Little Mermaid, who had become bubbles, awakened as the Spirit of Air.

 

‘Wait a minute, isn’t this the fairy tale world?’

 

The Little Mermaid, along with her helpers, destroyed the empire, and Jeong Se-ha was killed once more. It had been exactly three months since her resurrection.

 

***

 

<Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.>

 

There was a clock in the air.

 

This time, Jeong Se-ha woke up on the beach again.

 

‘It’s the same as last time!’

 

This time, she left the fallen Prince unattended and fled, and the Prince died of respiratory distress. Isabel was caught and burned at the stake for murder of the imperial family.

 

The date was the same as the last death.

 

****

 

<Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.>

 

She woke up to the sound of a clock ticking.

 

“Fxxx!”

 

As soon as she saw the beach, she instinctively started swearing. This time she lived a good life and bonded with the Prince and the Little Mermaid. However, the Prince confessed to her.

 

“Isabelle, marry me.”

 

“You have Delphine, my Prince!”

 

“I can’t have a half human who can’t speak, as the Empress.”

 

The Little Mermaid, who was secretly listening to this, stabbed Isabelle with the dagger she was holding.

 

“If you’re going to kill……the Prince….you should have stabbed him.”

 

‘It’s unfair. I’m only guilty of what I’ve been confessed to.’  Isabelle’s consciousness gradually faded away. As usual, the date of death was the same.

 

****

 

<Tick tock.>

 

I just want to die. Don’t save me. Don’t tick.

 

Isabelle closed her eyes again, though the sound of the diminished second hand bothered her.

 

‘Are you playing with people? No matter how God exists, this is not right.’

 

In the quiet silence, the sound of waves that she didn’t want to hear again fluttered in her ears. Unfortunately, time did not stop.

 

‘Let’s save the Prince for now to avoid the burn.’

 

Isabelle rushed to the Prince and gave him CPR with her hands on his midsection. She pressed it only three times.

 

“Ha!”

 

The Prince coughed as he woke up. How can a man who almost died and came back to life cough so gracefully? Isabelle gave him a self-interest punch on the midriff one more time, then withdrew her hand. The Prince groaned and opened his eyes wide.

 

“Did you just hit me?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then you saved me….”

 

“No.”

 

After cutting off the Prince’s question firmly, Isabelle pointed to the sea with a blank face.

 

“That mermaid saved you and ran away.

 

“…I don’t see anything.”

 

“Then maybe your eyes are too small to see.”

 

“What did you just say?” the Prince countered, but Isabelle did not answer. Perhaps because she died three times because of the Prince, just looking at his face made her angry.

 

‘You can’t see it? Alright, let me pull her out.’

 

Isabelle jumped into the sea and pointed at the Little Mermaid hiding under the water.

 

“Hey! Aren’t you coming out? If you saved people, you should take responsibility!”

 

However, as she got closer, the Little Mermaid hid even deeper.

 

‘Oh, really!’

 

”Don’t run away and regret it, just come out bravely. So you don’t stick a knife in people’s bellies later!”

 

The sea water fluttered to Isabelle’s neck, but she didn’t stop. When a big wave came crashing in,  Isabelle’s body was quickly lifted up. The Prince picked Isabelle up.

 

“Are you insane! Are you trying to drown!”

 

“I have to catch that red-haired woman. That woman is the Prince’s savior.”

 

“Let’s get out of here first and talk.”

 

The Prince walked out of the sea with Isabelle in his arms.

 

‘If I stay like this, I’ll be riding the imperial apocalypse route.’

 

Isabelle swept her face in despair. As soon as the Prince lowered Isabelle down onto the sand, she just sat on the ground as she was.

 

“Lady, what’s wrong with you?”

 

“I’m going crazy.”

 

The Prince silently agreed with Isabelle’s words. The beautiful woman who looked somewhat cold unfortunately seemed to have a unique mental problem.

 

“By the way, where are we?”

 

It was a very unfamiliar place. The Prince scanned the area.

 

“I see a castle built near the seaside… It looks like the Kingdom of Desar.”

 

The only response to the Prince’s words was silence.

 

Slowly looking around, the Prince turned his head towards Isabelle.

 

“…Hello?”

 

There was no one else around.

 

Isabelle lifted up her skirt and ran away to the other side at once.

 

She was so fast. The Prince stared at Isabelle, who was running away with a puzzled expression.

 

Thin and slender calves were visible under her skirt. Blonde wavy hair looked like it was drenched in water.

 

The Prince, who was staring in awe, muttered a famous line of the land.

 

“You are the first woman who has run away from me.”