Märchen For A Villain - Chapter 20

Chapter 20

***

 

Unfortunately, Hook’s watch, which had permeated the Princess, could not be restored. The princess, who was strong until the very end, could not bear the power and fainted.

 

‘I should take a bath.’

 

The Grand Duke looked down at Isabelle in his arms.

 

What a strong woman. Her white skin was glistened with cold sweat. Looking at her appearance, the Hook’s watch, which had been stolen from him, was not worth it.

 

“My lord doesn’t know because he doesn’t have any sickness, but weak people get coughs when cold sweat cools down in the cold wind.”

 

The Grand Duke remembered Snow’s grumbling words during cruise training.

 

“Get the coat ready.”

 

He ordered dry, still staring at Isabelle.

 

The servant who was next to him quickly brought his large overcoat. The Grand Duke wrapped Isabelle in it and left his mansion.

 

Following the garden where wisteria flowers were in full bloom, he headed to the tower where the Princess was staying. The scent grew stronger and stronger, and he could feel the mellow scent enveloped them.

 

 ‘That’s strange.’

 

He didn’t know that the smell of flowers which he didn’t usually care for was this sweet.

 

Hundreds of tiny purple flowers need to be gathered to create this scent…

 

‘This little Princess blooms this scent alone.’

 

She wasn’t small compared to ordinary women, but she was infinitely short and slender to the Grand Duke. 

 

‘Was it this close?’

 

He looked up at the tower, which had arrived earlier than expected, and tilted his head slightly. And he walked up one step at a time to Isabelle’s room without taking the portal. Isabelle’s room was cluttered.

 

Verdel, who was preparing the dinner table, was surprised to see Isabelle.

 

“Ah, Princess!”

 

“She was exhausted and fainted. She’ll wake up soon.”

 

The Grand Duke beckoned to the princess’ bed.

 

The bed lined with wrinkled blankets and novel books was messy.

 

“The Princess doesn’t like me touching the bed, so… ”

 

While Verdel was making excuses, the maids quickly made the bed.

 

The Grand Duke laid Isabelle on a neat bed and covered her with a blanket.

 

Her sleeping appearance looked more like a brooding angel than a rumored villain. It was then that he smelled something savory.

 

The Princess’ bedroom was filled with the smell of eels.

 

“Why are you preparing food in the bedroom?”

 

The Grand Duke looked at the prepared grilled eel and folded his arms.

 

“Usually, she eats in the bedroom while reading…..”

 

Verdel muttered a few words behind his back.

 

The smart maid, Laura, tossed her body and covered the adult romance novels piled on the floor with her skirt.

 

‘Will she be able to eat while reading that?’

 

Glancing at the pile of books, the Grand Duke slowly nodded his head.

 

And as he left the room, he turned around as if he remembered something.

 

Verdel hurriedly bowed her head. The Grand Duke’s fine black shoes came into her sight. 

 

“Take care of your master, Verdel.”

 

Each letter he uttered became a heavy stone and fell to the top of Verdel’s head.

 

‘Is this the way to live?’

 

An eerie feeling of choking. Verdel, turned white, did not answer.

 

‘How did the princess hold her head up against a man like this?’ 

 

Verdel’s head bowed lower, and she closed her eyes tightly.

 

“Answer.”

 

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

 

“I asked for the same thing last time. Do you remember?”

 

The Grand Duke looked down at Verdel’s gray-haired head, and put his hand in his pocket.

 

“You gave the same answer back then. But this time the behavior will be different. If you want to protect your son.”

 

“!”

 

Surprised, Verdel lifted her head. She couldn’t breathe at the fierce gaze.

 

‘The Grand Duke knew. That I took the Princess’s hair.’

 

How…. Did the princess tell him? No, it can’t be. As the Princess’s nanny, she knew the Princess better than anyone.

 

‘Even if she got sick and rotted, she wouldn’t tell.’

 

Perhaps the Grand Duke’s eyes were everywhere.

 

“I …mistake… … … … . never again… ” 

 

Verdel was afraid. She couldn’t speak properly because she thought her throat would be cut off at any moment. The Grand Duke 

looked at the trembling Verdel and shifted his gaze to Isabelle. 

 

“Careful. I don’t think I’m going to get past the bullsh*t anymore.”

 

He glared at Verdel again with his sharp eyes, and then left the room.

 

Verdel plopped down on the floor.

 

***

 

“What kind of grilled eel is this?”

 

She had never thought she’d eat it in a novel. Isabelle, waking up from her sleep, raised her fork with a happy face.

 

“It is a special meal. It’s good to restore energy.”

 

Now, instead of Verdel, the maid by her side was Laura. The maid who threw herself to cover Isabelle’s novels.

 

When Isabelle finds useless trinkets, she gives them to the most serious of her poor maids.

 

It was Laura, and Laura, the head of her family, didn’t have to worry about her sisters’ meals.

 

To her, the Princess was a very generous owner.

 

“What about Verdel?”

 

“That… … She took a break for a while because she felt ill.” 

 

Isabelle’s fork, which had been moving diligently, stopped.

 

Vacation? As far as she knew, Verdel was a woman who never took a break from work.

 

“Does she hurt a lot?”

 

She didn’t really want to worry, but she couldn’t stop her heart from sinking coldly. 

 

‘Why affection? I’m a pushover.’

 

Isabelle scolded herself.

 

“No. After seeing the Grand Duke, her face turned pale, and she said she was going to take a break for a while.”

 

“….”

 

Did she do something that could be caught? Why happened to the careful talent that stole her hair over the years?

 

Isabelle took her ring from her finger and handed it to Laura.

 

“Verdel has no one to look after her when she gets sick. Go and take care of her. Don’t tell her I ordered it.”

 

Isabelle gave her last words as she stared out of the window in the distance.

 

“Okay, Princess. I’ll take care of it !”

 

Laura smiled and tucked the ring into her apron.

 

“Oh, and Princess! You should check the outfit you will be wearing at the banquet. Madame Fairy’s dress has arrived.”

 

Isabelle shouldn’t have let her go.

 

She should have asked what banquet it was and who was coming.

 

Isabelle, who had been through a lot of today, sent Laura back after trying on her dress appropriately.

 

***

 

The next morning.

 

“Princess, wake up. You have to dress up early today.”

 

Verdel’s expression was stiff when she returned, but she didn’t show much.

 

She woke Isabelle by opening the curtains wide. Isabelle mumbled under her blanket as she slowly got up.

 

“The red novel I read last night fell under the blanket while I was sleeping.”

 

‘How far did I read this? I’ll mark it.’

 

 Isabel took a silver bookmark from the bedside table that did not match the novel.

 

“I heard the Prince will be arriving at the estate today.”

 

“What? That damn b*stard is coming today?” 

 

Isabelle jumped out of her bed. Prince Edwin. Just thinking about him made her angry.

 

“Ah, Princess.” 

 

Verdel followed after Isabelle, who was running wild, and advised the Princess not to curse.

 

In the meantime, the stiff tension disappeared, and Verdel returned to her original self. Isabelle grinned and traced her memory.

 

“Soon Prince Edwin will visit the estate.”

 

Was it the day the Grand Duke proposed to break up the marriage? He obviously said that. 

 

“That b*stard is really coming.”

 

Isabelle ignored Verdel’s advice and spoke harshly. She then found  her clothes after tossing the book in her hand… 

 

However, there was no sound of the book falling on the floor.

 

 

‘Do ghosts appear even in the morning?’ Isabelle, feeling terrified, slowly turned behind her.

 

The Grand Duke and Snow could be seen towards the wide open door.

 

Snow stood outside the door, but the Grand Duke was inside the room. He bent on one knee and managed to pick up the book Isabelle had thrown.

 

It seemed that he ran into the room to catch the book.

 

“Oh My God.”

 

It was Snow who broke the silence. With a sombre expression, he raised his hand and covered his eyes.

 

It was terrible.

 

His Lord, whom he treated with respect, caught things thrown by a woman like a dog… 

 

And the item he caught was an adult novel.

 

‘Why did I pick up what the princess threw?’

 

The Grand Duke also managed to hide his embarrassment, then slowly straightened his knees and stood up. 

 

“The Cursed Beast and the Wet Night.”

 

A low-pitched voice recited the promiscuous title.

 

The Grand Duke frowned and threw the book he was holding on the floor. 

 

“You must have been disappointed, Princess.”

 

Isabelle couldn’t tell he was joking or serious when the Grand Duke spoke with a stern face. Isabelle hurriedly made an excuse.

 

“Well, I read it in case it would be of any help.”

 

Yes. She was wondering if the Grand Duke was the beast from ‘Beauty and the Beast’, so she just borrowed it because there was a similar material.

 

“Help?”

 

The Grand Duke tilted his head slightly.

 

“It may sound a bit strange, but sometimes certain stories fit like prophecies.”

 

Snow White eats apples every day for beauty, or the Grand Duke is cursed and turned into a beast.

 

‘I am the self-proclaimed beauty who lives at the top of this tower.’

 

But do these people know about fairy tales?

 

There was no way to explain this feeling. But what did she just say?

 

“Prophecy.”

 

The Grand Duke’s gaze turned again to ‘The Cursed Beast and the Wet Night’.

 

“So what prophecy was there in that book?”

 

The Grand Duke’s purple eyes stared straight at Isabelle.

 

His eyes were full of playfulness.

 

Snow poked the Grand Duke in the side.

 

“Lord, just keep your mouth shut.”

 

“Why?”

 

“The Princess doesn’t wear makeup but her face is already turned red over there.”

 

After Snow advised the Grand Duke in a whisper, he winked (Snow) at Isabelle.

 

‘I heard everything, child.’

 

Isabelle closed her eyes gloomily.