《The Hero is Crazy About Me!》 Chapter 1 1 Curse of lust ¡°How could you do something so stupid?!¡± When his teacher, the Master of the Tower, sternly rebuked him, he bowed his head. He knew very well that despite his scolding, his Master would not abandon him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why did you put such a curse on the duke! If I hadn¡¯t been by his side, neither you nor the tower would have been safe!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a curse that will kill you.¡± It would have been better if he kept his mouth shut and quietly nodded his head. His teacher opened his mouth and sighed. It was clear he did it because he had no awareness that he had done something terrible. ¡°Then, you can curse yourself and go to the streets.¡± Hearing the chilly voice of his master, he fell flat on the floor. His teacher did not raise his voice when he was truly angry. Rather it would sink into calmness. Many people didn¡¯t know this and argued harder, but he was different. It wasn¡¯t for a day or two that the Master of the Tower was his teacher. ¡°I made a mistake. Forgive your foolish disciple.¡± ¡°You idiot, you couldn¡¯t have done this in the spur of the moment¡­¡­. I don¡¯t understand you this time. Why? Do you have a personal grievance against the duke?¡± The curse his disciple cast on Duke Aslei was of lust, making the cursed one crazy with desire. Aslei was a swordmaster and the most powerful in the empire. If he had been an ordinary man, he would have been reduced to a rapist. As soon as he was cursed, the duke realized something was strange and suppressed it with his mental strength. And just in time, he called the Master of the Tower, who was nearby. ¡°¡­..If it¡¯s a grievance, it¡¯s a grudge.¡± At the sight of his student muttering bitterly, the Master of the Tower clicked his tongue. He was full of desire to whack the back of this cheeky bastard¡¯s head until his skull was broken, but he was still his disciple. He was a child he had raised with his own hands. ¡°Why the hell did you do this? Then, I will judge how to punish you according to your answer.¡± This was not something that could be overlooked. It is true that Aslei suppressed his curse because he was a strong man, but if he hadn¡¯t, not only himself but also the women around him could have suffered terrible damage. Contrary to his calm inquiry, the Master of the Tower was even thinking of taking all the magic away from his disciple. Because he had done such a thing. ¡°I thought he could repress the curse because it was Duke Aslei. In addition, teacher was nearby, so you fixed the curse.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± The Master of the Tower also expected his student to have calculated to that extent because he was too smart. He thought his student had made a plausible plan. It was natural to deal with ¡°that¡± Aslei. Aslei, the Duke, inspected the land around this time to subdue monsters. Originally, the subjugation of demons was the job of knights, but these beasts were difficult for ordinary knights to deal with. Such opponents could be dealt with, with squadrons of knights, but there was often the problem of the loss of lives. Not one to overlook the loss of one or two knights, Aslei fought directly because he was strong enough. However, there was a trap among the monsters slaughtered this time. A curse fell upon Aslei when he cut down a beast, and it exploded. He could have avoided it himself, but he couldn¡¯t because his men were behind him. Since he was a swordmaster, he could defend against most attacks by casting mana over his body. But this time, he couldn¡¯t defend himself against the spell. ¡°Master must have not been able to completely solve the jinx. Because that curse won¡¯t perish even if you summon a High Priest.¡± It was because he crafted this spell using the power of a god. Due to this, if Aslei had committed a crime because of the spell, the goddess could have burned him to death, but he had endured it. Because he trusted the bloody Aslei¡¯s patience and the teacher¡¯s ability. ¡°So you would have changed the focus of the jinx. The Duke of Tintalion has a wife!¡± He said, looking at the teacher with burning eyes. He was still lying flat on the ground, but his gaze was like a torch. ¡°Yes, I adjusted the curse so that the Duke could only feel lust for his wife.¡± ¡°Making a married person desire his wife. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± the Master of the Tower clicked his tongue in his voice, which contained his anger. ¡°Is the relationship between people so simple?¡± At the words of the Master of the Tower, the foolish disciple shut up. the Master of the Tower recalled the flustered expression of the Duke, who was embarrassed by his words that he could not lift the curse, but he could make him only lust after one person. He looked awkward and rather troubled. That alone told him that his relationship with his wife was not smooth. While the Duke was unable to reply, his vassals urged him. Duchess Tintalion had no children yet, and if Aslei died because he could not overcome the curse, the dukedom would be over. It was clear that there wasn¡¯t anyone worthy of being his heir, so they would be divided and eventually eaten by the imperial family. His wife¡¯s help was needed to adjust the curse, so the Master of the Tower also had to face his wife, Frisia Tintalion. ¡®The pale expression of the woman I saw then!¡¯ Even the cold the Master of the Tower had no choice but to feel sorry for them. It was all the more so because at the time he was convinced that the person who casted the spell was his disciple. Chapter 2 They eventually agreed to adjust the curse, but that did not mean that his student¡¯s sins were eliminated or alleviated. ¡°Because of you, a woman now needs to sleep with someone she doesn¡¯t want. Are you still without sin?¡± There was a slight crack in his pupil¡¯s stern expression when referring to the duchess and not the Duke of Tintalion. ¡°Isn¡¯t she the woman who married him? Either way, they must have already consummated their relationship already.¡­.¡± ¡°How do outsiders know what goes on between a couple?¡± the Master of the Tower noticed that they were people who had little to no physical contact because both the Duke and Duchess were either stunned or awkwardly embarrassed and overly reluctant. Judging from the people¡¯s reactions, the public image of their marriage wasn¡¯t bad at all, but it was clear from the woman¡¯s pale complexion that this was something she did not want. ¡°Your reason is probably because of that young girl. Her name¡­ Wasn¡¯t Marianne?¡± ¡°The lady has nothing to do with this! I did this on my own!¡± At his hasty shout, the Master of the Tower¡¯s eyes became fierce. He thought he raised his pupil quite strictly, but it seemed that he was still lacking in education. ¡°I¡¯m sure. Judging the nature of this work, that young lady Marianne has her heart on the Duke of Tintalion!¡± At the words of the Master of the Tower, the disciple bit his lips and bowed his head. He was resentful and embarrassed, but it was also an undeniable fact. Although the Duke rejected the woman he loved, she still couldn¡¯t forget him. That¡¯s why he did it. He hoped that Aslei would stay with his current wife even by force. But, for some reason, Marianne was wholly convinced that Aslei had a contractual marriage. ¡°You have committed an indelible sin against the Duke and his wife! And you have the audacity to be stubborn by refusing to admit your sins!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Are you jealous of the duke? Don¡¯t you think that young lady who is greedy for a married man who even got married is filthy?¡± At the command of the Master of the Tower, he raised his head. Everything else he could endure, but he couldn¡¯t stand the insult to Marianne. ¡°I am the one lacking¡ªeverything is my fault, not the lady¡¯s fault!¡± He had occasionally thought the same thing as his teacher. But he realized there must be a reason for Marianne¡¯s insistence. Now, in fact, he also believed that the Duke and his wife had a contractual marriage. Wasn¡¯t it obvious? How could Frisia Artreille, who was not interested in any man, suddenly get married? ¡°You fool!¡± the Master of the Tower¡¯s words became cold, and he poured mana into him. At the sudden pouring of magic, the disciple screamed, ¡°Master!¡± He felt his body getting smaller and smaller. Although he respected the Master of the Tower as his adoptive father and teacher, as he grew in strength, the more he had looked down on him. He had mistakenly assumed his talents were better than his teachers¡¯. Perhaps it was a wild guess, but the Master of the Tower was a much better wizard than his disciple had thought. ¡°200 years! That¡¯s the period you should be punished for!¡± Feathers grew on his ever-shrinking body. He realized that he was turning into a crow with black and glossy feathers sprouting and a beak growing from his mouth. ¡°How could¡­. Master!¡± It seemed that only the skeleton was left because the arms became wings and the legs became thin. the Master of the Tower narrowed his eyes at his pupil emerging from the hem of his now-too-big clothes while flapping his wings. Now that his power has been sealed, his foolish disciple would no longer be able to use magic. the Master of the Tower cast another spell so that he was unable to speak a human language. Caw! The cries of the grieving disciple rang. Now he can only talk to the Master of the Tower and a few wizards. ¡°Why are you punishing me like this?¡­. You¡¯re too much!¡± ¡°Too much? Think of your sin of planning such a thing only with ¡®possibilities.¡¯ What would have happened when your plan went wrong?¡± Not only would the impact on Duke Tintalion would have been enormous, but he could have also traumatized the would-be victims and his wife. Even if it went according to the student¡¯s plan, things were not settled. The relationship between the two was also unknown to the Master of the Tower, but this could become a big wound. Even if it happened to work out smoothly, it would only be due to the efforts of the two, not to his disciple. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to be associated with the lady you like. To you who doesn¡¯t even know what crime he committed, I¡¯m afraid what more crimes you will commit under the pretext of love!¡± His student was sentenced to a punishment of 200 years, but if he could not truly repent, he would extend the period more and more. ¡°Reflect, and repent! If I deem your apologetic rumination is sincere only then I will release you!¡± Caw! Caw! Caw! As in anger, he flew around, flapping his wings. Crow feathers scattered, and loud cries rang the room. ¡°Go! Witness the harm you¡¯ve inflicted with your eyes!¡± At the cry of the Master of the Tower, the crow circled over his head and headed toward the window. Before leaving the room, he glanced with resentment and flew out of the room. the Master of the Tower kicked his tongue as he saw the crow moving away. ¡°You idiot.¡± When the Master of the Tower flicked his finger, the open window slammed shut. Chapter 3 Frisia was washing herself with a pale face. This was not apart of her plan. The original storyline kept distorting. ¡®Why?¡¯ The meeting between female protagonist Marianne and male protagonist Aslei happened earlier than the original. This was also the case when Marianne met the sub-male leads. Everything was faster than expected. The heroine solved many cases faster than in the original. It was as if she were solving big problems in advance. Seeing him, Frisia was convinced. The original female protagonist has regressed or was possessed like herself. ¡®Well, I guess technically I¡¯m not possessed, I¡¯m reincarnated¡­¡­.¡¯ When she was reborn in this world, Frisia was not sure what world he was reincarnated into. It was because there were so many books she had read. She did not see just one or two books in her life, but she was always reading dozens of ropan stories [t1v: relatable af]. There were hundreds of books a year; how could she remember all of them! So she kept wandering in uncertainty until she heard the female protagonist¡¯s name and finally realized where she was. This world was the setting for the ropan ¡°I Will Leave It To You.¡± She finished it a month before she died. The novel¡¯s protagonists were named Aslei Tintalion and Marianne. ¡®It was such a dilemma because I couldn¡¯t remember the heroine¡¯s last name.¡¯ Marianne, the heroine, was a fallen aristocrat, and Aslei was a divorced man who had once married and became a bachelor again. He had married his ex-wife to receive his ducal title, but even after the divorce, she was obsessed with Aslei and harassed him. He was looking for a suitable partner to finalize his separation from his wife. The female lead, who noticed the fact, boldly stormed into the duke¡¯s estate and offered a contract marriage. ¡®Probably, after her regression, the female lead didn¡¯t want this marriage to happen.¡­.¡¯ But this reality had a harsh law. In order for Aslei to succeed as a duke, he needed to marry a woman of high status. In other words, an imperial princess, a royal princess, or a ducal princess. No matter how many times Marianne, a fallen aristocrat, received recognition for her contributions, it wasn¡¯t a position that could be reached. Unfortunately, Marianne, a possessed woman, did not notice this. So even before the original work began, she had already solved many cases and made a lot of effort. Thanks to this, she avoided having to visit the Duke¡¯s office and presenting a contract, but her status did not seem to have risen as much as she thought. In the original work, problems had festered until they exploded with devastating results. But with great harm came great distinction. However, because it had been solved in advance, there was not much acclaim. Still, she had raised her family¡¯s honor and received a medal and a title. Because of her efforts, she had started off as Baron Nelson¡¯s daughter and now was Viscount Rowain! It was something to celebrate. ¡®Aslei must have been interested in her¡­¡­.¡¯ Frisia thought, dipping her head into the bath. She enjoyed reading the original but did not watch them. All she had was a glimpse of the two talking at a gathering of nobility. It was too early for the story to start, so she thought it had nothing to do with her. But, just as the heroine Marianne had changed, so did she. That1villainess girl, Ducal Princess of Frisia Atreille, was also different from the original. Even before she had regained memories of her previous life, she did not commit evil deeds. Instead, she had simply lived quietly as the daughter of Duke Atreille. She had an older brother who was five years older than her, and he was the heir, and the duke would pass on everything to him. She wasn¡¯t very close to her brother, but it wasn¡¯t a bad relationship. Besides, what was given to Frisia was not small. She had earned the title of the woman with the greatest dowry in the Empire. Frisia was comfortable and content. Perhaps it was because her previous life had been so difficult, God had bestowed some grace on her in this life. Until she was summoned by her father and heard this: ¡°Marry Aslei Tintalion.¡± In the original, he married Frisia because she had hung on to him. It was also because the marriage was necessary to be received his title. But he was a man of power. Marriage was convenient and a bloodless compromise, but he could fight and win the ducal crown without marrying anyone if he was determined. If he killed about half of the blood and vassals of the Duke of Tintalion, he would have received the duke¡¯s title. Frisia assumed Aslei had already met Marianne and fallen in love. Or he liked her but didn¡¯t realize it yet. Duke Atreillie claimed that talks with Aslei had already been finalized. However, Frisia didn¡¯t believe her father¡¯s words. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d marry another woman if he liked someone already! ¡®Did he get blackmailed?¡¯ She wondered about it, but it was not time to be concerned about Aslei. Frisia had realized that life, which she thought to be free, was not really. The reason Frisia of the original work chased Aslei and was supported was because he had a similar and suitable status for the duke¡¯s daughter. But now she knew the real reason. ¡®Damn, there¡¯s no one else!¡¯ Just as Aslei had to find marriage targets amongst the imperial princesses, royal princesses, and ducal princesses, so did Frisia. She also had to suitors amongst the imperial princes, royal princes, and ducal heirs, but there was no suitable man. Really! Firstly, all imperial princes were married or had fiancees, there was no ordinary royal princes in the surrounding kingdoms, and the sons of other dukes were trash and scum. ¡®Did their parents raise their sons with their feet?¡¯ Chapter 4 The only people who could be salvaged were Aslei and Frisia¡¯s older brother. The remaining were serious criminals who really shouldn¡¯t get married. This was the case even though the female protagonist, who began to appear earlier than the original, was being punished. Duke Atreille pretended not to know the shortcomings of these men. If it didn¡¯t work out with Aslei, he would marry Frisia to them. Frisia wondered if a successor of a marquis would be acceptable to her ducal father, but¡­¡­ Unfortunately, this also wasn¡¯t an option. All the good men were chasing Lady Marianne. ¡®I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m a commoner!¡¯ She could raise her status through contributions later. She thought her status wouldn¡¯t matter much because her brother would pretend not to know her. But her operation was interrupted by Duke Atreille! So Frisia stuck first the day she met Aslei. She offered a contract marriage earlier than the heroine. She thought she might be rejected, but surprisingly Aslei accepted the offer. ? ? ? Aslei approached the bed and took off his clothes. It was shameful, but there was a limit to repressing the curse. It could have been more dangerous. [t1v: this is in the past during their first meeting¡ªitalics will indicate the past] ¡°I know you like Viscount Marianne Rewain.¡± Frisia¡¯s face, while talking to him with a nervous expression, floated up in his mind¡¯s eye. He was embarrassed to hear that. However, it was true that he had harbored a crush on Marianne. But it hadn¡¯t been to the point of liking her. He was not a man who could marry while another woman was in his heart. It was true that he once knew a woman named Marianne, but it had never amounted to love. Marianne¡¯s strange attitude had touched his nerves. While feigning courtesy, she seemed arrogant and haughty, which offended him and made him feel repulsed. So he had folded the little favoritism he had for her and kept his distance. Marianne was embarrassed by his changed attitude and tried to restore their relationship, but he was a busy man. Meaning that with her status as a baron¡¯s daughter, he was a person of a distant high position that could not be easily met even if she had become a viscount. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a reasonable favor anyway.¡¯ Aslei knew Frisia had misunderstood, but he had not cleared it up. The provision that he must marry a princess was too big of a shackle on him to jeopardize this agreement with unknown variables. The contract marriage Frisia offered was a good offer for him, too. ¡°¡­¡­¡­How can I trust that a princess will keep her promise with me?¡± Even if he didn¡¯t want to be arrogant, Aslei knew that he was someone who received the attention of many women. The number of women who had hid in his bedroom alone exceeded 100, and many women confessed to him and did not hesitate to stalk him. So Aslei was feeling rather distrustful of this woman. He had seen many women who pretended not to be interested in him and then suddenly turned into beasts, attempting to molest him. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to draw up a contract. I also have someone I love.¡± Of course, Frisia¡¯s words were lies. She named one of Marianne¡¯s followers sub-male lead #3. [t1v: lol #3] As a knight from a family of commoners, Duke Atreille would object to their marriage even from his grave. ¡°I chose the Duke because I can trust you.¡± Frisia said Duke Atreille would not let her go even after she and Aslei divorced. ¡°He would kill my lover and marry me to a man I don¡¯t want. But since you¡¯re a duke, you can block it.¡± After the three years of their contractual marriage was up, they would get a divorce; she said she would live in the Duchy of Tintalion. It was probably the only place her father couldn¡¯t reach. Listening to Frisia calmly unraveling her story, Aslei contemplated what to do. Princess Atreille had been considered a suitable marriage prospect as soon as marriage came to mind. Just as Frisia had agonized over a suitable groom, there were not many women in the empire who were well matched with Aslei. There were many women who wanted him, but it was women of high status that could stalk Aslei. That¡¯s why Frisia Atreille was concerned. Because she was a woman who didn¡¯t show interest in him. If he married Frisia he thought they could make a quiet and peaceful family. ¡®Should I decline?¡¯ Aslei thought that an arranged political marriage could be agreeable as long as a good friendship was the foundation. Even if there was no love or passionate affairs, you could continue your friendship. Didn¡¯t cheating and betrayal also occur in love marriages? If marriage wasn¡¯t sincere anyway, it would be better to have a political marriage. Because at least the couple could establish a minimum courtesy. ¡®It would be right to refuse. I didn¡¯t propose with an intention to divorce. But¡­.¡¯ This woman in front of him; Frisia Atreille was concerned. Her love would not be protected in a marriage to another man. On the contrary, it was clear that they would mock and trample her. Aslei thought he wanted to protect Frisia. Even though she was a woman with a splendid and elegant appearance, she somehow reminded him of gypsophila*. [t1v: baby¡¯s breath¡ªa type of flower] So, he accepted the contract marriage with her. It wasn¡¯t a marriage where he was losing anything. On the contrary, by marrying Frisia, he avoided marrying a woman who might chase him. *t1v baby¡¯s breath symbolism¡ª White: A positive color, is affiliated with purity, virginity, innocence, light, goodness, heaven, understanding, cleanliness, faith, beginnings, possibility, sincerity, protection, softness, and perfection. Pink: Showcasing a relationship which is romantic, charming, feminine, and tenderness. Blue: An abiding trust, loyalty, sincerity, wisdom, confidence, stability, faith. Chapter 5 ¡®Three years wasn¡¯t that long.¡¯ It was awkward at first. Sharing space with Frisia. She meticulously planned, specified, and revised the provisions of the contract. One of them included the couple¡¯s image. ¡°I don¡¯t want the duke¡¯s servants to look down on me.¡± In a quiet, shaky voice, she explained her goal. Being a duchess did not consist solely of marrying the duke. At least, it had to seem that the Duke trusted the Duchess. They agreed to eat together five times a week and take a walk together once. In addition, it was decided that they would share a room two days a month. If nothing else, their nights together were simply following the doctor¡¯s orders. ¡°We¡¯re uncomfortable with each other.¡± The two of them ate in a large dining room on time. They didn¡¯t want the servants to observe their indifference, so they dismissed them. It felt ridiculous to sit at the end of a huge table and eat. Frisia could not see Aslei¡¯s face because of the distance, but he had no trouble. Since he was a swordmaster. He could observe the expressions she made as she ate. They agreed not to make efforts to get closer to each other to keep their loyalty to their loved ones. So Frisia brought a book and read it during her mealtime. It was not polite, but he also brought documents and ate while working. Then, suddenly, he saw Frisia. Frisia with a soft and friendly expression. A wife who doesn¡¯t pay attention to him. He thought it was fortunate while at the same time thinking it was regrettable. ¡®I wish I had met you before you met that man.¡¯ When the thought spontaneously popped up, he was shocked, then embarrassed, and then it became a combination of awkward, flustered, and self-condemnation. Frisia couldn¡¯t see his expressions because he was far away. It was the same when taking a walk. Upon entering the garden, they dismissed all the maids and servants. Then, they pretended to walk together until they entered the park and went their separate ways. Frisia would take out a book hidden on one side of the garden and read it. Sometimes on garden benches, tree stumps, pavilions or in a gazebo. Aslei also brought documents and books to read, but he also secretly watched her. Sometimes he sat next to her and talked to her for no apparent reason. Frisia seemed surprised when he showed interest. He also felt embarrassed. He was secretly worried that she would avoid him, but she didn¡¯t. ¡®Is it possible her feelings for that man disappeared?¡¯ He knew that Frisia harbored unrequited love. Because the man she named was an avid follower of Marianne. It was only later that he learned that the whole thing was a lie. When they attended a party as a couple, Frisia didn¡¯t recognize him. It wasn¡¯t as if she was pretending not to be interested, but it seemed she only knew his name and used it for her cover story for her unrequited love. ¡®Did she give me a fake name?¡¯ Maybe because trust wasn¡¯t established? But knowing her, Aslei felt pretty good. It could have been that Frisia¡¯s heart held no one at all. When they shared a bedroom for a night, they slept separately. She slept on the bed and him on the sofa. Frisia¡¯s trust in him was like steel, even though they were a man and a woman sleeping alone in the same room. ¡°There¡¯s no way the duke would do that to me.¡± Why do you trust me so much? However, Frisia¡¯s trust in him was substantiated not only in words but in her actions. At first, she had seemed nervous, but now she quickly fell asleep. Three years passed by dangerously fast. He was also busy after receiving the duke¡¯s title from the old Duke and continuing his work, but in the meantime, the times he spent with Frisia were not bad¡ªno, in fact, they were pleasant. After that, he started to look forward to those times. ¡®¡­¡­We can be friends even after the divorce.¡¯ She said she would set up a residence in the Duke of Tintalion¡¯s territories after their divorce. So he can be a good friend. Their relationship wouldn¡¯t end. With only a month left before their contract, Aslei thought so. But then this happened. At the same time as he was shocked and shaken, Aslei was deeply afraid. He was worried this would hurt their delicate relationship, and Frisia wouldn¡¯t want to see him. Chapter 6 ? ? ? When Frisia entered the bedroom, Aslei was lying in bed. Well, he wasn¡¯t just lying down. He was tied to the bed with his limbs spread apart. It was a precaution in case he went crazy with lust. Just in case he could accidentally hurt Frisia¡¯s body. Something terrible could have happened if he, a Sword Master, lost control. Frisia looked at Aslei, who was covered in blankets, with a confused face. There was also a blindfold at his bedside. What do you mean a duke¡¯s arms and legs are shackled and tied up while naked? However, this was also what Frisia asked for. She didn¡¯t want Aslei to touch her when they were having sex. She didn¡¯t allow him to talk, nor would she permit him to see. ¡®Why did this happen to me?¡¯ This was something that could have happened only when he was in a relationship with the heroine. Not when he was married to her. In the original, Aslei never slept with Frisia. Throughout their three-year marriage. An event occurred during their first night, and later, he refused to sleep with her. Because Frisia had a lover in the original work. She was caught sleeping by another man in retaliation by Aslei, who stood her up on their consummation night. Although it was a political marriage, Aslei, who had a stubborn temperament and was very angry, that¡¯s why the Duke of Noh divorced as soon as the three-year period ended. Even the old Duke knew Frisia¡¯s infidelity and did not interfere with the divorce. On the other hand, now¡­¡­. ¡®Aslei has been very good to me.¡¯ He was a sweet husband. Even if it was a contractual marriage, he celebrated all anniversaries, including wedding anniversaries and birthdays, and tried to make up for it when he was away for work. He was respectful to her in places where others were present, and when they were alone, he did not lose his chivalry. Frisia thought the past three years were decent. Living as Aslei¡¯s wife was a good experience. That¡¯s why, when this happened, she couldn¡¯t refuse him. Because he was so sweet. Considering Frisia¡¯s own position, she could call another woman even if she was not the heroine. ¡®I¡¯m sure there are already rumors.¡¯ A woman having sex could cause problems if she became obsessed with him. If it wasn¡¯t her, she thought it would be a terrible memory for Aslei. It would hurt Aslei to buy a person in need or to ask one of the women that followed him and were already obsessed with him all the time. Frisia read the original and knew Aslei. He was a beautiful and strong man, but he was also a very vulnerable person. Frisia didn¡¯t want to abandon the man who was kind to her. On the surface, she thought it would be less repulsive because she was his wife. Moreover, they had at least a friend-like intimacy. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± What kind of expression Aslei had when Frisia accepted? She couldn¡¯t recall. She was just dizzy and confused about this situation, overwhelmed with trying to calm down after she had made up her mind. ¡®It¡¯s okay. You can do it. It¡¯s not a bad thing.¡­.¡¯ She didn¡¯t even allow him to touch her. Aslei accepted all of Frisia¡¯s terms and conditions. Wearing shackles and handcuffs may be humiliating, but it only made the face blush a little. The fact that he meekly accepted all of her conditions was unusual for him, but Frisia did not think anything of it in this urgent situation. One month. There was only a month left. ¡®I¡¯m going to get divorced after a month.¡­.¡¯ If this had happened after that, Frisia might have felt sorry, but she would not have agreed to this. But she allowed it, and if she didn¡¯t engage with him, Aslei could lose control or die from enduring. Funny enough, the Master of the Tower affirmed that Aslei could really die. Frisia had to be serious about this when they were in a world where the hero could die from something like this. ¡°Frisia.¡± With a confused face, Aslei called out to her. As Frisia approached the bed, she saw his face, and her expression darkened. You don¡¯t like it. There is a woman you like, and a month before the divorce, you had to have a relationship with me, so it¡¯s like spraying mud on a finished meal¡­ But Frisia was not in the position to like or dislike this situation. She tried to prepare herself for it with the little time she had but instead wondered where this bolt from the blue came from. ¡®There won¡¯t be any children¡­but¡­. I¡¯m nervous.¡¯ Already, he and Frisia were wearing contraceptive rings. However, she didn¡¯t feel safe enough with that alone, so she even wore anklets and bracelets. All of them were magic tools with contraceptive spells. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± It had already been five days since he had been cursed. He was holding out with only mental strength. Even if the Master of the Tower touched the curse, the pain did not disappear. Aslei¡¯s dark red veins were up to his cheeks. His eyes were red, and his strained face alone showed that he was in pain. ¡°I can endure it. If it¡¯s too much right now, I¡¯ll call the owner of the tower.¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Even if he died soon, he wouldn¡¯t be able to call the woman he was in love with. Frisia thought that inside. Before, Frisia thought it wouldn¡¯t be bad if she was Aslei¡¯s first, but when it came down to it, it wasn¡¯t. ¡°¡­¡­..I¡¯ll tie the blindfold on you.¡± When Frisia, who approached, said so, Aslei sealed his mouth shut. He felt complicated. He didn¡¯t want to hurt Frisia, but he didn¡¯t want to be involved with another woman. ¡®I¡­¡­¡¯ While hesitating, Frisia approached and put the blindfold on his eyes. The reason why she tied his limbs wasn¡¯t that she was afraid of Aslei running wild under the curse, nor was it because she didn¡¯t want him to touch her. ¡®I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll remember it later.¡¯ So she didn¡¯t want to be embraced, held or touched. Fearing what expression he would make while looking at her, she put a scarf over his eyes. Chapter 7 ¡®I don¡¯t feel good.¡¯ The self chanting that she was alright was a lie. Although she got married by contract, Frisia also had dreams. At least she wasn¡¯t dreaming about having sex with Aslei. She also considered herself an unromantic person. ¡®Anyway, my first experience in my previous life was not good.¡¯ It was a failed relationship, and it wasn¡¯t with a good person either. Even if it had been clumsy, it would have been a good memory if she had felt loved. For him, she was one of the numerous women he could have taken to the motel. ¡®What am I now?¡¯ At least for Aslei, Frisia would not be one of many. Even if they got divorced, the fact that she was his first wife would not disappear. ¡°Aslei. I¡¯ll take the blanket off.¡± He nodded at Frisia¡¯s words. The part of his naked body exposed outside the blanket looked nervous because the muscles in his arms were taut with tension. Feeling strange, Frisia pulled back the blanket. Aslei faithfully followed her words. Since she had many prerequisites, he could have asked for the same. Like also asking her to take off all her clothes. But he didn¡¯t. Instead, he allowed himself to lie in bed naked and be tied up. She slowly climbed onto the bed. She took off her gown, but she was still dressed in a white negligee underneath. Even though she didn¡¯t wear underwear, she didn¡¯t plan on taking it off her nightgown. She intended to wear it throughout the relationship. ¡®It¡¯ll be alright.¡¯ She hated being in pain, but she was not confident in making herself excited, so there wouldn¡¯t be pain. So Frisia decided to borrow the effects of an aphrodisiac. When she asked Aslei yesterday, he got it quickly through the butler. He had handed it to her a few hours ago. Frisia took it out of the drawer and applied it to her secret place. She heard that it had an immediate and substantial effect. So even if they didn¡¯t want each other, she couldn¡¯t hesitate because she didn¡¯t want it to hurt. Soon, she felt her vagina getting wet. Frisia carefully put her finger inside her to ensure it was loose enough. It seemed to her that it was still too tight, and her anxiety wasn¡¯t helping. ¡®I think it¡¯s going to hurt.¡¯ In the meantime, Aslei, who had been left unattended, held his breath and listened to Frisia¡¯s voice. The sound of her coming up on the bed and taking off her clothes. And¡­¡­ There was a soft wet sound as if she was touching herself between her legs. ¡®Ugh¡­¡­¡¯ He tried to stop his shameful thoughts, but the thought of doing it with Frisia heated up his body. Of course, blood rushed to his lower extremity, making it stand up. ¡®Frisia will see it.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what she would think of it. While he was embarrassed and unable to raise his head, he also wanted to know what expression she had. He also wanted to see her touching herself¡­. Masturbating. With his own two eyes. Aslei waited for Frisia, swallowing his dry saliva. It smelled familiar, as if she had opened a new bottle. It smelled like an erotic potion. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll put some potion on your body. Because I don¡¯t want it to be uncomfortable.¡± This time again, he only nodded. He was trying to keep his promise not to talk to her. Soon, a cold liquid soaked his penis. Aslei had told her to apply potion to reduce the initial pain. He was the one that had prepared it. It was cold, but he was glad because his body was so hot. Aslei¡¯s body felt a sweetness as he sensed a cautious presence near his thighs. ¡®I wish I could just touch her.¡¯ Frisia was careful. Aslei, before he had become a duke and after, had to be prudent around many people, including the many women he encountered. They would attack him like a timely assassin or like a beast. He would evade them every time. Some encountered ¡®accidents,¡¯ collapsed, and leaned on him, asking for assistance in getting up. There were also many women who asked for a dance and touched his hands, arms, and thighs. But Frisia was cautious in everything. She watched his expression as if asking for his consent and quickly moved away if he hesitated even a little. To the point where it was sad. Even though she was within reach of his fingertips, he was always at a loss about what to do. She would be surprised if he grabbed her, and there was nothing he could say to hold her. Because they had a contract. ¡°Aslei, I¡¯m going to climb up on you now,¡± she said with a soft but nervous voice. He wanted to tell her not to be afraid and that he was fine. But he couldn¡¯t say anything because he had promised her. Soon, there was a sound of rubbing cloth, and Frisia moved over his body. She didn¡¯t sit on him. Aslei¡¯s body seemed to be positioned between her legs. ¡®Can I do it right now like this?¡¯ A voice told her that a woman¡¯s body should be warmed up before the act, but Frisia refused. She told herself she had the power of the aphrodisiac on her side. Aslei couldn¡¯t dissuade Frisia. Because they were neither lovers nor a couple in a true sense. While he was worried, he felt a wet opening on the tip of his penis. Soft flesh stretched out, pushed apart, and he felt his own digging into her. ¡°Haa¡­¡± His whole body rang and trembled. He could feel his hot body flush with the desire to go wild and seething with mad lust. It was not like the time when she peacefully slept on the bed while he was on the sofa. ¡®Fuck!¡¯ Chapter 8 Don¡¯t hurt her. You shouldn¡¯t have hurt Frisia. He was a man who had to endure and suffer. Frisia tried to limit his movement by binding him, but¡­¡­. ¡®It¡¯s useless.¡¯ Aslei didn¡¯t tell her because she was already frightened. That he could release himself from these shackles just by pulling them. And the bed the restraints were connected to would be destroyed even before these iron cuffs were broken, but it was clear that he could not be bound anyway. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Her body sitting and collapsing over, shivered and twitched. He felt her flesh tightening and wrapping around his desire. It felt so good that Aslei wanted to move recklessly with abandon. He had really wondered if there was such joy in the world. He was also a man, so there had been times when he had comforted himself. But compared to the feeling of pleasure now versus then it was completely different. He desperately wished he could move. He wanted to make a mess because he didn¡¯t care what happened to him, but Frisia only shifted a little further. ¡°Ugh, ah¡­¡± Just noticing how her body was shaking thinly, he realized that she was in pain. The moment that realization hit him, fear took over, but Frisia moved again. Further down. She moved in a direction she allowed him to settle deeper inside her. ¡°Ah!¡± Frisia made soft exclamations as she swallowed him down to his roots. Aslei could only hope and pray that the potion she had applied on him would be of good use. ¡®¡­¡­..how weird.¡¯ Frisia could feel Aslei¡¯s stuff that filled her insides. This side and that side were slippery because she had applied medicine and solution [aka lube]. It would be because of a mixture of potion and herbal aphrodisiac medicine. But, even if it wasn¡¯t that, the inside was soaked with the drug¡¯s effect, so it went in easier than she thought. Even though it was so big. ¡®Regardless the hero has too much excess!¡¯ She was still struggling because it was enormous. There was a strange and eerily feeling like it was moving inside of herself. Even though it was Frisia that was actually moving. ¡°Oh, uh, uh¡­ Uh¡­¡­.¡± She slowly pushed her ass up and down and teased her waist as if she was rubbing her flesh against Aslei¡¯s penis. It was so embarrassing, and she was shy, but Aslei¡¯s eyes were covered so it was tolerable. ¡®Good, it¡¯s alright to feel good.¡¯ They were not doing anything shameful. Aslei allowed it, and it was also to break his curse. So.¡­¡­ ¡®It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll be fine.¡¯ Focusing on Aslei¡¯s stuff filling her interior, Frisia chanted to herself. ? ? ? He ejaculated once, but Aslei¡¯s desire did not subside. The changes caused by the curse were still there, so Frisia had to ride him until her back ached. Aslei came in Frisia over and over again, but she never climaxed. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t like his body or that she didn¡¯t feel it. It was because she, from the beginning, set her intention to not orgasm with Aslei. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ The curse eased but did not disappear. The mage had warned her that she would have to have intercourse several times before he had left the duke¡¯s estate. ¡®Do I have to do more?¡¯ Exhausted, Frisia caught her breath and looked at the dark red veins on Aslei¡¯s cheek. The blood vessels were stained dark red as if poison was spreading, but it wasn¡¯t to the extent that it was ugly. Rather, since he had tasted his climax over and over, and his cheeks were dyed red. He seemed to be ashamed of himself but couldn¡¯t help but feel it. It wasn¡¯t risky for Frisia either. She would have been hurt and offended if he had touched her. ¡°¡­¡­ Are you still hot?¡± ¡®You can answer me,¡¯ Frisia had added. Aslei, who was breathing slowly, answered. ¡°It has eased up. Now that I can tolerate it, there is no need to overdo it.¡± Perhaps this was the end of the night. Frisia didn¡¯t want to have to repeat the same thing over and over again to break his curse, but¡­ ¡­ . ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like it will be resolved in a day or two.¡¯ It was unavoidable; her heart sank down miserably. Frisia hoisted herself up, exhausted and with a weary spirit. She felt an erotically strange sensation as his penis brushed against her insides. That not-unpleasant sensation made her depressed again. Aslei groaned, and his semen poured down her entrance. She was embarrassed, but at the same time, she was angry. ¡®Why do I have to go through this?¡¯ She wanted to be angry with Aslei. But he was not the perpetrator. He was the victim of an unfair curse, and he also yielded everything according to her conditions. Her legs trembled from overexerting herself. She squeezed the last of her strength and came down from Aslei¡¯s waist, smoothing out her outfit. His semen ran down her thighs and down her calves, but it was tolerable. ¡°¡­¡­ I will release you now.¡± Aslei¡¯s heart sank at the sound of her subdued voice. She untied him from the shackles on his ankles and unshackled his handcuffs. With his wrists loosened, Frisia stopped him when he tried to remove his blindfold. ¡°Take off the blindfold after I leave.¡± As she spoke hastily, Aslei looked at Frisia with clothe still over his eyes. ¡°Frisia, are you alright?¡± She was going to say she was fine. It didn¡¯t hurt as much as she expected, nor was she in pain. It was bearable. Still, she couldn¡¯t open her mouth. ¡°Frisia?¡± ¡°I¡¯m al¡­¡­ right.¡± Feeling like she was about to cry, she lowered her head. She thought it was a good thing she had him put on a blindfold. She wasn¡¯t really alright. Chapter 9 Click. As soon as the door closed, Aslei took off his blindfold. He felt like his heart was tearing, but it was stuck in his chest and difficult to express. He was frustrated and worried about Frisia but could not figure out why. ¡®You¡¯re not crying, are you?¡¯ They had never been involved before even on the nights they spent in the same room. This was the first time for him and her. Aslei had liked that Frisia was his first. He was relieved that it was his marriage partner on paper and thought himself lucky. But what about Frisia? To avoid an unfair marriage she had ventured into a fake one and ended up sleeping with a man she didn¡¯t want. That fact weighed heavily on Aslei¡¯s chest. ¡®I wanted to protect you.¡¯ That¡¯s how he felt when he had first met Frisia. He felt that their fake marriage had helped her, but he had ended up hurting her too. He shouldn¡¯t have slept with her. He could not inflict his cursed desires onto others or get Frisia involved with this. But why did I hesitate? Why? Aslei stared at the closed door with a look of confusion and embarrassment growing in his eyes. The curiosity he felt while watching Frisia, his growing affection, and¡­¡­ eventually him thinking only she could touch his heart. ¡®Oh my God.¡¯ He wondered why he was such an idiot. It was a feeling that even a five-year-old child could understand. If he had been a child, at least he would have been honest with his heart. At first, he was jealous when she said that she had only one man in her heart and had been relieved that there was no such person. As the contract terms were coming to an end and the date of their divorce approached, he became more and more anxious and wanted to get closer to Frisia. He had convinced himself. He had thought she was his best ¡®friend¡¯ and that there was no better friend than her. Even his longing to reach out suddenly was dismissed as a yearning for a platonic companion rather than his desire for her as a woman. He was uncomfortable and reluctant to even talk to other women! ¡°I made h- her¡­ her¡­ ¡­ .¡± For nearly three years, she had slowly taken over his heart. So quietly that he did not even notice that he had come to want her. At first, during the busy days on the duke¡¯s estate, the time spent with Frisia allowed him to take a breath. After spending several months like that, he looked forward to spending time with her. He would occasionally talk to Frisia, who murmured and dined with him, and would even deliberately sit next to or take her side during their walk. On the nights they shared a room¡­¡­. He found himself looking at her sleeping face for hours. Even though he had done all these actions, he had not realized his heart. Aslei had an urge to kick himself. If he¡¯d noticed a little earlier¡ªif only he had¡­. at the very least, he could have won her heart before he had sex with her¡­¡­. ¡®Was it painful?¡¯ Aslei couldn¡¯t fathom the pain that Frisia must have felt. Even in his heart, he couldn¡¯t help but harbor a selfish terror that she might hate him. It was overwhelming ¡°Frisia¡­ ¡­ .¡± Aslei stared blankly at the door leading to the Duchess¡¯s room that was connected to his own. Even the curse cast on his body did not torment him as much as his emotional turmoil did. ? ? ? He realized that his master had attached a sentry to him only later. Jeremy, who is a disciple of the Master of Magic and a senior wizard, was chased by an eagle and had to fly to the duke¡¯s mansion. Initially, his destination was Marianne¡¯s residence in the capital, but he had to turn around when attacked by an eagle bound to him by the Master of the Tower. ¡®I can¡¯t believe he is even interfering with this!¡¯ Jeremy flapped his wings with a miserable heart, swearing at his master. His teacher said his punishment would last 200 years, but he had no intention of complying. After all, his Master didn¡¯t intend on carrying through either. When his anger subsided, his disciple would come to mind, and he would forgive him with a reasonable excuse. It was the first time he had been this angry. ¡®What did I do wrong?¡¯ They were a couple, and they were lucky enough to get along. Things probably got better between them. Rather, Jeremy thought they should thank him. It was a trap he had dug for his own greed, but he wondered what was wrong with the Duke. As for the wife¡­ ¡­ . ¡®Frisia Atreille was a quiet, gentle woman.¡¯ Jeremy didn¡¯t know exactly what kind of woman Frisia was. But she was the last person that would make trouble or a scandal at any ball or banquets. She wasn¡¯t a wallflower, but she was always the first one to leave. She attended and left as if just greeting for courtesy¡¯s sake. So, when a single young nobleman managed to dance with her to at least one song, it became a hot topic of discussion. For she was a beautiful woman with ample status and dowry that stole everyone¡¯s attention. ¡®I heard Marianne was incredibly jealous of her, equal to her prestige.¡¯ Chapter 10 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? Some called her arrogant, but most were in awe. She was the ducal princess of Atreille, and retained an elegant beauty. It was common for high-ranking aristocrats to be overly pretentious and treat nobles of lower rank rudely. But had never heard of such a rumor about Frisia. Jeremy harbored no ill will towards her; she just happened to be unlucky. Because she was Aslei¡¯s wife. ¡®Well. She¡¯s not very innocent. Her father is corrupt.¡¯ Unlike his daughter, the Duke of Atreilles was not passive and quiet. On the contrary, although he was a member of the royal family, he resembled a wild dog and did not let go of those who harmed his children. As there are many women chasing Aslei Tintalion, so as soon as news of their engagement spread, malicious gossip about Frisia had also just started to grow when it had suddenly stopped. Duke Atreille was so vicious that those rumors disappeared within a day. Jeremy vaguely wondered if she deserved it since she had a father like that. Because it seemed that there must have been one or two young children who suffered terrible things at the Duke of Atreille¡¯s hands. He was conscious of his insensibility and had an inkling of something that resembled shame, but that¡¯s just how much regard Jeremy had for her. For he had never thought about Frisia for so long before. At first, he had only thought of putting Aslei together with another woman, but never thought of her. He landed on the roof of the duke¡¯s mansion as urged by the eagle. Jeremy could barely rest his wings. It was a tiresome flight. ¡®Bloody duke! Why do you live so far away!¡¯ If he wanted to see Marianne in the capital, he would have to fly that long journey again. Jeremy felt dizzy just thinking about having to go without magic and just flapping his wings. ¡®Couldn¡¯t I somehow get magic or hitch a ride on a carriage?¡¯ These damn eagles watching him were also a problem. It wasn¡¯t just one now but five. They kept tabs on Jeremy in case he caused trouble in his crow form. Unlike Jeremy, the eagles were enchanted with veiling their existence. The spell made a spectator not register their presence even if they were spotted. It was also magic that made one not think of their existence as strange unless they were attacked or came within a meter radius. ¡®Bloody vultures!¡¯ Jeremy was fed up with their threats, forced to fly back into the sky. The direction the eagles were directing him was the garden located to the south of the duke¡¯s mansion. In the middle of the garden, someone was sitting in a spot overlooking the fountain. He quickly recognized the beautiful woman with silver hair and blue eyes. ¡®Frisia Atreille!¡¯ She belonged to the Tintalion household now, but she was that to him. Jeremy found her sitting on her bench, gazing blankly at the fountain, looking idle and lazy. Look at this, when others were hard at work; the duchess was playing around happily. In fact, Frisia was taking a break after finishing her work. But it didn¡¯t look like that to Jeremy¡¯s eyes. He was an orphan of commoner stalk, and had to toil and struggle until he was noticed by the Master of the Tower and became his disciple. So, in his eyes, the children of aristocratic families like Aslei and Frisia, were nothing but contemptible. A romance novel lay next to her. Frisia looked at the fountain with a blank face and then suddenly blinked and raised her head. Her mind returned to her thoughtful eyes, and she picked up her book by her side. She seemed to open and read the bookmark, but she couldn¡¯t manage to read a single page. Snap. The book was closed and set aside. Frisia shook her body back and forth in frustration, glancing around her. Jeremy thought it was curious, so he reproduced her behavior. She was the Duchess, so he assumed there would be many people following her, but she was alone, and it was quiet. Perhaps she ordered the attendants not to follow her into the garden. Jeremy turned his head to Frisia. She, too, was looking around her. Perhaps, checking to see if there was a maid approaching her without listening to her orders. Taking off her shoes, Frisia put her legs up on the bench. Jeremy was at a loss for words as she brought up her knees and hugged her legs, looking like a little girl. Her ankles, visible under the hem of her dress, looked slender and frail. He could see her well-maintained toenails but wasn¡¯t as jealous as he was before. Frisia did not shed any tears. She just stared blankly at the fountain¡¯s steam. That was it but Jeremy felt uncomfortable for some reason, so she quickly turned his head and flew away. Chapter 11 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? ¡®It¡¯s not a big deal.¡¯ Wasn¡¯t it? ¡®You will soon be forgotten.¡¯ Frisia was sure about that. That¡¯s what eventually happened to all memories. Memories that are not cherished over and over again fly away. That night with Aslei was not a memorable one to hold onto. Instead, she could only recall her lonely struggle. She had covered Aslei eyes with a cloth, making his expression difficult to discern. ¡®It wasn¡¯t that bad. Just¡ª¡¯ She was miserable. Everything was dismal. She had thought everything was fine so far. In fact, she actually professed she was really alright too. Even though her fixed marriage had an end, she had managed to get along with Aslei. It just felt like last night ruined everything. What made her even more miserable was that his curse still remained, and she had to do it again tonight. Aslei said it was tolerable, but the healer told her, ¡°The symptoms include a torturous pain that feels like it¡¯s splitting your whole body apart¡­¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t called a curse for nothing. Aslei endured the pain for five days for her. Even now, he was paying lip service that he was fine for fear that she would overdo it. ¡®He can¡¯t be fine.¡¯ This was probably the hardest on Aslei. There was another woman he liked, but now he was involved with another woman and had to walk on eggshells. Last night Frisia locked the door connecting hers to the Duke¡¯s room. She usually left it unbolted, but she felt strange yesterday. And she avoided Aslei in the morning as well. Even though he looked like he wanted to talk to her. ¡®But I¡¯m afraid to face him.¡¯ It didn¡¯t mean that she was frightened by Aslei himself. But having to see his expression as he looked at her was terrifying. Frisia dreaded that she would witness his contemptuous disdain for her and that his bitter animosity about last night¡¯s act would be evident. ¡®The human heart is deceitful. I don¡¯t care if Aslei hates me.¡¯ He was a man of character who would keep his promise even if he hated Frisia. He would give her a clean divorce and protect her from the Duke of Atreille as he vowed. However, she didn¡¯t want to feel as miserable as she was human. Wasn¡¯t it a basic human desire to breed affection in relationships? Even more so if it involved acts of intimacy and vulnerability. ¡®¡­¡­ Some people are able to have one-night stands. But I am afraid I can¡¯t.¡¯ She used to be in a world where there were all types of people, and casual relationships were common. She wasn¡¯t disappointed with herself because of her inability to be relaxed about this, but she was worried about what she had to deal with in the future. It probably won¡¯t end with tonight. She didn¡¯t know how many more days she would have to sleep with him. If she felt this way every time she did it¡­¡­. ¡°It¡¯s hopelessly bleak.¡± Aslei¡¯s heart, while spying from afar at the sound of her murmur, collapsed again. ? ? ? He stayed up all night with his eyes wide open. He had taken the documents from Sid, his secretary, and worked on them in his quarters besides Frisia¡¯s room. He was catching up on work because he had been unable to do any work for five days under the spell. Then, on the pretense that he would happen to run into Frisia after she had woken up, he thought it would be the time to converse with her. But Frisia ended up saying she was tired and locked herself in her room. Aslei couldn¡¯t help but be restless as he could not talk to her. Frisia got up late and had breakfast in her room. And when he felt her presence leaving her room, he couldn¡¯t approach her. She had openly asked her maid ¡®Is Aslei in the hallway?¡¯ If Friscia wanted to speak with him, she only needed to knock on the side door. Aslei would have sent Sid out, opened the door, and invited her to come in. But when she heard the maid¡¯s reply that he wasn¡¯t there, she hurried out into the hall and went downstairs. ¡®You are avoiding me.¡¯ It was a situation where she was too embarrassed to see his face. He was ashamed of himself too. For Frisia, who was shy, it was probably even harder for her. ¡®Should I postpone facing her?¡¯ It seemed the correct course of action at first glance, but on second thought, it felt cowardly. He couldn¡¯t believe he was avoiding Frisia because he was afraid of how she would react. But on the other hand, it would be low of him to push Frisia when her overflowing emotions were too heavy. He couldn¡¯t make a judgment based only on his own position. ¡®What should I do? Should I do what Frisia wants?¡¯ Having lost his parents in childhood and raised by the elderly Duke of Noh, Alsei knew very little about love and relationships. He had comrades around him, but they were all single-mindedly focused on wielding a sword or a pen and were devoid of any aptitude for courting. I can¡¯t even tell my secretary or lieutenant that my relationship with the Duchess is actually a contract marriage. According to employees of the Duke¡¯s estate, Aslei and Frisia had already had their first night three years ago. But in reality, it was just yesterday! ¡®How does Frisia feel¡­..?¡¯ Aslei had been contemplating and brooding over his relationship with Frisia all night long. They were a paper married couple whose contract was nearing the end, and she mistakenly under the impression that he fancied another woman. It was the morning of the next day after they had consummate their relationship. According to her, she had sex with a man who loved another woman in order to save his life. Aslei thought he would be angry if he were in Frisia¡¯s position. She probably felt miserable too. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but be grateful it was Frisia and no one else he was involved with. But, of course, that was his feeling because she liked Frisia. It was different for her. ¡®First of all¡­¡­. We need to clear up that misunderstanding!¡¯ Chapter 12 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? The misinterpretation that he liked Marianne Rowain needed to be cleared up. Even though he didn¡¯t know much, the relationship would not progress without resolving their misunderstandings. Frisia was just as stubborn as he was. Aslei entered the garden and coughed to announce his presence. The maids and attendants, who were standing at the entrance to the park, bowed their heads to him. He could sense movement from inside the garden. Frisia must have noticed that Aslei had arrived. ¡®You¡­ ¡­ Won¡¯t run away, will you?¡¯ There was no guarantee. So Aslei strode across the garden to where he felt her presence. As expected, Frisia was frightened out of her wits. The problem was that her movements became arduous in the aftermath of last night. Even though she hastily put on her shoes and stood up, Aslei had already arrived where she sat at the circular fountain. If she turned her back and ran away, it would be overtly advertising that she was avoiding him. Frisia felt her face heat up and bowed her head. Her silver hair fell down as she half bent forward and half-lowered her body. ¡°Frisia¡­¡­ .¡± Aslei strode up to her, drawing close. It was when winter was departing, and spring was arriving, but he thought it was still chilly. Frisia donned a light indoor dress. He was worried that she might catch a cold, especially after last night¡¯s overexertion. As he approached, he took off his robe and wrapped it around her shoulders, catching Frisia unawares as she looked up in surprise and paused. Their eyes met in the air. They both turned red and looked away, but Aslei didn¡¯t stop his movements and wrapped his clothes around her shoulders. ¡°The wind is still cold.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡± She tried to take it off, but Aslei shook his head and held her hand. He wondered with bated breath what would happen if she pulled her hand away or shook him off, but Frisia only paused. She bowed her head and was relieved that his reaction was not disastrous. Aslei felt the same way. If she saw him looking at her in scorn, she wouldn¡¯t know how to make it up to him and express her apologies. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± [t1v: the phrase in Korean literally asks ¡°is your body okay?¡± which also has more meaning after a night of sex] He asked the same question he had asked last night again. Although his tone was different, he asked with similar words. Frisia didn¡¯t like that kindness. She didn¡¯t want to fall in love with Aslei accidentally. He was the hero who was fated for the heroine. ¡°I¡¯m fi-fine, fine.¡± Her voice broke as if she was on the verge of tears. It was challenging to reply appropriately. Frisia asked him while averting her eyes, ¡°The Duke¡­¡­ How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± [t1v: although Frisia addresses Aslei with usual formality, he addresses her with utmost deference even though he is male, older, and higher in status. It implies how upright he is and also how much he respects and honors her.] He was so close that she could only peek at him from the side because he had wrapped his clothes around her shoulders. But, because he was gazing at her, her eyes met his, and he gulped. Unlike earlier, where she had previously avoided his eyes, Frisia stared into his eyes. There was a red tint present that was different from a bloodshot hue. On the back of his neck, she saw his veins rise. The curse lingered like poison. She clasped Aslei¡¯s hand that had still held hers. Heat spread across his face, which had been fluttering for a moment. ¡°¡­¡­ You¡¯re still hot, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­¡­ !¡± He couldn¡¯t bring himself to admit it was because she gripped his hand. Moreover, her expression of concern for him gave him a strange feeling of satisfaction. ¡®I¡¯m an idiot.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t have a fever.¡± confessed Aslei, softly implying more and stealing a glance at Frisia. He had no clue how to bring up the fact that he wasn¡¯t in love with another woman. It was ridiculous to bring it up abruptly, out of the blue, without any context. Suddenly, his eyes caught Frisia¡¯s lips. She hadn¡¯t even allowed him to kiss her last night. He hadn¡¯t been able to touch or embrace her because he had been tied up. ¡®Can you say that we made love?¡¯ It may have been lust, the desire may have been relieved, but that wasn¡¯t a relationship. Aslei felt bitter about it. The fact that they couldn¡¯t exchange any emotions just like their closed doors. So he impulsively asked: ¡°May I hug you?¡± Frisia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. However, the expression that appeared in her blue jewel-like eyes was not disgust, so Aslei gained a little more courage. ¡°Why¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ve been wanting to reach out, touch and connect with my wife all last night.¡± Even though she had covered his eyes and he couldn¡¯t see anything, he had felt something. Even in the midst of his excruciating pleasure, Aslei wanted to embrace Frisia. Reach out, touch, connect, comfort¡­¡­. he wanted to love her because he cared for her. She seemed to hesitate. Aslei decided to use a slightly cowardly method. ¡°Is it difficult?¡± Her resolve seemed to melt as he looked down and gave her a depressed countenance. Because she was weak to the weak. He was ashamed of himself that he wielded such tactics, but there was nothing he wouldn¡¯t use now. As long as he could reach Frisia. Chapter 13 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? As she nodded almost invisibly, Aslei took Frisia into his arms. His chest ached as her body felt too thin in his embrace. His heart froze with distress that he might have starved her during these three years. As he held her and put strength in his arms, he realized that he had never embraced her before. ¡®You¡¯re a foolish bastard!¡¯ Even if he cursed himself for days, it would not be enough. He should have been trying to get closer to Frisia during those countless hours. Frisia was confused as she felt her heart beat fast and pound loudly. She didn¡¯t know why Aslei was doing this. She regretted being moved by his sad face and impulsively allowing this. ¡®My heart is beating too fast and hard. Aslei will hear it!¡¯ But he was not in the mood to let go. She did not know how much time had passed. Even though they had done worse last night, she was for some reason more ashamed now. ¡°Aslei¡ª¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Are you in touch with that man?¡± At the words whispered in her ear, Frisia was dumbfounded. What man? Seeing her expression, Aslei smiled strangely. He knew better than anyone else that there was no man she kept in contact with. Because as long as she was given romance novels and cake, she didn¡¯t bother to go out. [t1v: i feel attacked] That a commoner knight was the object of her unrequited love was a lie to protect herself. Frisia, who had been scanning Aslei¡¯s expression for a hint for an lengthy moment, belatedly realized what he was asking. Her long-standing falsehood that had never been mentioned again after she had signed the agreement with him. ¡°That is¡­¡­ my one-sided love¡­¡­ N-now I¡¯m a married woman¡­ ¡­.¡± ¡°The term stated in the contract was three years.¡± Frisia flinched at the mention of the contract that came up out of nowhere. Aslei, who felt it acutely as she was pressed up against him as he hugged her, looked at her gently. His fine-grained blonde hair came close to her cheek as he bowed his head. His deep blue eyes, different from Frisia¡¯s, met her eyes and approached the tip of her nose¡­¡­. he stared at her lips again. ¡°I like my wife, Frisia.¡± At his whispered words, Frisia¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. Aslei continued his words while looking into those blue eyes as if he was bewitched. ¡°I don¡¯t want a divorce. Can¡¯t you please remain my Duchess even after the term is over?¡± What? She froze for a moment, but Frisia was startled and pushed him away. Aslei was heartbroken, but he quietly let her go. ¡°What do you mean¡ª?¡± Bewildered, Frisia looked at Aslei and then found her footing. Sorrow and misery mixed in her blue eyes. ¡°You are doing this because of yesterday! If you¡¯re doing this to take responsibility¡ª!¡± ¡°No! Frisia¡­¡­ .¡± Imploringly, Aslei pleaded with Frisia. His face turned red with a handsome blush. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about this for a long time! However, it was difficult to find an opportunity¡­¡­. That¡¯s why I procrastinated telling you.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­ what about Viscount Rowain?¡± Frisia, like Aslei, was unaware of her spouse¡¯s every move. She only guessed that he would stay in touch with Marianne away from her eyes. ¡°I had only spoken to Viscount Rowain a few times three years ago. We had only chatted a little, but haven¡¯t seen each other since.¡± At his earnest words, Frisia was confused. The day she first met him, he was the one who said nothing when she mentioned he liked Marianne. ¡°When I signed the contract, I knew that you had misunderstood me, but¡­¡­. At the time, I did not correct your misunderstanding, as it was my priority at the time to sign and close on an advantageous deal. I apologize.¡± It became difficult to get angry at his sincere apology. Especially since Frisia herself lied to Aslei. She couldn¡¯t believe all of this. How could he be free? ¡®Aslei is the hero, right?¡¯ During their first meeting, the original female lead captivated the male lead, Aslei, and the heroine quickly became close to him. There was no such thing as a series of exchanges and interruptions and reconnecting again. Cautiously, Aslei approached Frisia, who was taking a step backwards from him. He was careful not to surprise her. ¡°Initially, I intended to go along with your plan. But as time passed as you accompanied me as my wife, I came to love you. I¡¯ve fallen in love with you, Frisia.¡± Pardon? She blinked and opened her eyes, but Aslei was still in front of her. It was neither a dream nor a fantasy. ¡°Frisia. It is my fault and due to my insensibility that I did not confess before we slept together last night.¡± Aslei slowly knelt down before her eyes. It was so incredulously unbelievable that Frisia could only watch him in shock. ¡°Will you forgive me?¡± What? No¡ªI mean! Why are you on your knees? Fortunately, there were no employees on the path or around here. She would have wanted to run away if he had done this in public. ¡°Wh-why are you on your knees! What did the Duke do wrong¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It is an egregious enough crime I¡¯ve committed to make my wife look like that.¡± Since there was no mirror, Frisia did not know what kind of expression she was donning. But she could guess what kind of face she had made in front of Aslei. That¡¯s why she had blindfolded him. ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± Aslei did not have the courage to get up. Instead, he just walked over to her on his knees and grabbed her hand. ¡°Hey, get up!¡± ¡°If you allow me to kiss the back of your hand, I will get up.¡± When asked to allow heart-stimulating behavior, Frisia paused but nodded hurriedly. Aslei smiled brightly and kissed the back of her hand. At the touch of his hot lips, she felt a tingling sensation on the back of her neck.¡­ ¡­ I want something. That was the expression on his face as he got up from kneeling before her and gazed deep into her eyes. He was still a shy and polite man, but something about him was different. Chapter 14 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? I can¡¯t take it anymore! ¡°Frisia. Oh, Frisia!¡± It was quite a coincidence that Frisia, upon seeing Aslei smiling broadly at her, panicked, turned and slipped ¡ªtwisting her ankle¡ªwhile trying to run away. ? ? ? Speechless, Frisia, who was caught while running away because she couldn¡¯t even control herself, was punished with a princess carry. ¡®I know¡ªI¡¯m embarrassed, so don¡¯t look at me!¡¯ Unlike Frisia, who hid her face in shame, Aslei was brazen. He was the duke in the duke¡¯s house, and why should it be unusual for him to walk around with his wife in his house? What was more worrisome to him was that Frisia was too light. Since he had never held a woman before, he had forgotten that his standards were set for men. ¡°You¡¯re too light, madam. Are you eating properly?¡± ¡®No! I¡¯m not light, I¡¯m completely heavy!¡¯ she said, shaking her head in excitement and suppressing her desire to shout. Following the direction of her eyes to the side, Aslei¡¯s gaze grew cold. Her maid and her attendant noticed his gaze and retreated. Frisia spoke as they moved away, ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to let me go, but don¡¯t do this in front of other people.¡± ¡°I apologize. I¡¯m slow. I misunderstood, and thought you wanted us to be alone.¡± He spoke with a mischievous countenance completely distinct from what he showed around others. The devilish words he said with a beaming smile bright as sunlight had a tremendous impact on her heart. Held in his arms and unable to run away, she felt a cold sweat running down her back. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯ She had a good hunch. He seemed determined to prevent Frisia from pursuing a divorce. ¡®Do you really like me? But isn¡¯t that impossible?¡¯ What does the original mean? The original story was already tattered by the heroine¡¯s page skipping, but it would be restored somehow if it were to be concluded with the male lead. In fact, it was not unusual for Aslei to be kind to Frisia. Even though he was a contractual husband on paper, he was a generous man by nature. He couldn¡¯t always be by her side, but at least when he was around, he supported her. ¡°I¡¯m alright now, so you can drop me off.¡± She was so embarrassed that she wanted to find a mouse hole to hide in. So she hid her face and remained motionless. Aslei saw Frisia like that and immediately cradled her. He asked if she was okay, and she replied that she was not hurt. But he said he had to show and have the doctor check properly, so he was on his way to the place where the doctor resided in the duke¡¯s mansion. ¡°No, you hurt your ankle.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t even turn red, it¡¯s just a little sore¡­ ¡­ .¡± It hurt when she moved her ankle; Aslei quickly sensed it. She never moaned, nor did she have any bruises, so it was surprising that he noticed. ¡®I feel weird.¡¯ It felt like her heart was pounding, and she was in a good mood. She was also afraid of being caught flying, being elated. ¡°Duchess!¡± The maid and attendants, who had previously fled, brought the physician. The doctor placed the bag he was carrying on the chest of drawers next to the nearby sofa. ¡°Duke, please drop the madam here.¡± Aslei seemed to be at odds with the physician¡¯s words for a moment. Frisia was terrified that he might insist the medic treat her in his arms. ¡®Not that!¡¯ As she shook her head hard, Aslei chuckled. ¡°Alright, madam,¡± he whispered and lowered her down on the sofa where the doctor had directed. As she sat down, the doctor knelt over and looked over her ankles. It was Aslei¡¯s job to lift the hem of her dress a little. Even as a medic, it was an act he could not do except in an emergency. ¡°¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s just that the ligaments in her ankles are a little startled. If you don¡¯t overdo it for a few days, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± She couldn¡¯t believe she was so surprised that she fell. Frisia peeked at Aslei, thinking her ankle was unnecessarily weak. When her doctor¡¯s treatment was over, she noticed that he wanted to hold her again. As she saw him approaching, Frisia held out her palm. ¡°Now, wait! I¡¯m not seriously injured and I can walk¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he say not to overdo it? I was the one who surprised her, so I will take responsibility for your ankle,¡± Aslei vowed and hugged her. Then, he looked at the physician. The lawmaker nodded his head broadly at the cold eyes asking for his confirmation. ¡°It is true that you should not overdo it!¡± Giving her a look that said, ¡®Did you hear?¡¯ Aslei held back his urge to kiss Frisia¡¯s innocent eyes that were bashfully searching the floor. Chapter 15 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? It was night. The only difference from yesterday was that she drank potions before going to bed. She painstakingly washed her body, brought the aphrodisiac and applied it between her legs. Aslei was also lying in bed waiting. The handcuffs and shackles on his wrists and ankles were the same as last night. Even the eyepatch that would go over his eyes. ¡®No need to be nervous.¡¯ Frisia entered the bedroom with a throbbing heart. Although, the people and the external environment had not changed, it felt like everything had changed. It was because of the confession she heard from Aslei during the day. He was also waiting for Frisia in bed with his heart pounding and his face fluttering with an intense blush. ¡®Calm down! She¡¯s going to notice!¡¯ His face seemed to heat up even more, even though it was only in reaction to feeling her gaze on him. Even more so when he thought about what they would do next. How did he manage to get through yesterday? He was trembling like this! ¡®I¡¯m so nervous!¡¯ ¡°Do I have to wear a blindfold today? I want to see my wife.¡± asked Aslei as he looked at Frisia approaching. She flinched and shook her head. He was now watching her. She was so mortified that she couldn¡¯t even breathe deeply. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, please allow me to speak.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She thought it was too much to insist that he stay silent during the act. So Frisia couldn¡¯t refuse, nodded, and conceded: ¡°Al-alright. Then¡­¡­ then we¡¯ll do it that way.¡± ¡°Thank you, madam.¡± Aslei beamed at her permission. Frisia felt her face heat up, and she put the blindfold over his eyes. It was a pity that she couldn¡¯t see his beautiful eyes, but it would be impossible for her to move on her own and on top of him under his gaze. ¡®This curse is exceptionally grave.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like last night, but she could see the veins popping up on his neck and dyed a dark red. Aslei had not conveyed any signs of pain or burden to Frisia even though he must have been undergoing an incredible amount of agony. He had a great deal of patience. ¡®I wish I could break the spell tonight.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t do this every evening. But, aside from the burden it put on her body, she was concerned about Aslei¡¯s pain. Even if he endured with grace, it didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t suffering. She didn¡¯t want a good man to be tortured. ¡°I will do it.¡± Even if Aslei couldn¡¯t see her through the clothe, she didn¡¯t want to masturbate in front of him. So she had dismissed her maids, applied lube and readied herself before in the Duchess¡¯s bedroom. With her insides fully warmed up and loosened enough, she thought it would be okay to do it right away. ¡®I can do it.¡¯ It didn¡¯t finish with one or two orgasms last night. Unfortunately, the curse didn¡¯t seem to ebb, so Frisia could only do as much as she could muster. It was also apparent because Aslei¡¯s penis did not sink. ¡®Even though he had ejaculated so much.¡¯ At the time, she had been preoccupied with her melancholy, but looking back, she thought his stamina was remarkable. ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± Frisia straddled Aslei, hovering over his core. She lifted her negligee, and slowly lowered herself as the unfamiliar feeling of his penis opened her narrow opening. ¡®It¡¯s still¡ª¡¯ It was too big and thick. Something hot, stiff and elastically buoyant penetrated her wet skin and went inside. Frisia felt more heat gathering in her face. ¡®I feel weird.¡¯ Aslei in front of her, also had his mouth slightly parted with his cheeks stained. Even though part of his face was covered with a blindfold, she noticed his flush. She turned her eyes away from the erotic sight in shame, but then she noticed that Aslei¡¯s chest and abdominal muscles flexed and pulled tautly. She could see his muscles twitching and his small nipples standing up. ¡°Haa, ahhh¡­¡­ .¡± Chapter 16 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? Last night, due to the rush, she didn¡¯t realize that this intercourse was solely to extinguish his curse. What made him wait with all his clothes off¡­¡­. ¡®I think it would make me feel more miserable if we did it with both of our with clothes on¡­¡­.¡¯ Aslei¡¯s body was more beautiful than Frisia had imagined. It was strange to see his clearly defined abs showing off their presence and twitching within her reach. ¡°Frisia.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Frisia was trembling violently with his penis half accepted. Aslei groaned lowly and begged her: ¡°I know you don¡¯t want me to touch you. But¡­ ¡­ Can you touch me?¡± Frisia was startled by his request as if he had looked into her heart. She wanted to touch him, but she didn¡¯t expect to be asked. ¡°Haa, is¡­¡­. is that alright with you?¡± ¡°I would be happy with whatever you touch.¡± It was Aslei¡¯s honest feelings. Yesterday, he had been disappointed that she didn¡¯t want to touch his body during their affair. Frisia had not touched his chest or abs even when she rode him hard. Frisia also wanted to touch Aslei. Having already been embraced against his chest, she thought she wanted to hug him. ¡®Is this really okay?¡¯ With her heart pounding, she reached out to his lower abdomen. Aslei flinched when she placed her hand on the firm stomach that rippled slightly. ¡°Are you ticklish?¡± ¡°A little. But it feels good.¡± Encouraged by those words, Frisia moved her hand over his abs. Her gentle, light caress made him shiver with pleasure and gulp even though his mouth suddenly went dry. ¡°Please be rougher with me, Frisia¡­¡­. it¡¯s agonizing¡­ ¡­ .¡± He wanted to break the chains and embrace her. The impulse that tormented him last night still haunted him. ¡®I can move today.¡¯ Yesterday, in fear that Frisia might get hurt, he did not move while she rode him on the bed. The pleasure was so intense that he felt he was soaring to the sky from the ground. It seemed that Frisia would suffer from him moving his big one. But today, he could sense with his body that something was different. It felt as if he was welcomed by an unusually soft inner skin that wrapped itself around him. ¡°Ah, ha¡­ ¡­ .¡± She barely managed to sit on his core. It felt as if she had reached his roots and bent her legs as if readying herself to move, but Aslei was faster. ¡°Ah! Ah, Asl, lei¡­¡­ ha!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be less tired this way,¡± Aslei said, moving his waist. Just by shaking his back slightly, his inserted cock moved incredibly. ¡°Ahhh, oh, oh¡­¡­ Wait¡ª uhn!¡± ¡°Wife just¡­ ¡­ just rest.¡± I¡¯ll do the rest, Aslei whispered as he listened intently to Frisia¡¯s voice. She didn¡¯t want to make a sound, but her suppressed moaning breath leaked out when he stroked where she felt the most sensitive and hit the spots she felt the best. ¡®Here, here, and here, too¡­¡­.¡¯ ¡°Hgnhh, uh¡­¡­.¡± Frisia moaned and pressed her hand against her mouth. She was sitting on Aslei¡¯s waist, no different than yesterday but the stimulus she felt was completely different. ¡®My insides¡­¡­.¡¯ It felt like she was melting helplessly. Then, as her pleasure-swelled flesh began to strongly contract on his cock, Aslei¡¯s pleasure grew as well. ¡°Hot, unn¡­¡­. Ha, Frisia¡­ ¡­ .¡± Her face lit up as he called her name with an erotic groan. She felt her already hot face catch on fire, and she lost control. ¡°Ah! Ah¡­ ¡­ Aslei, ah¡­ ¡­ Ooh!¡± Her insides melted in sweetness. Her core swallowed and contracted on Aslei¡¯s penis ecstatically, sensitizing and arousing her center further. ¡®Something is¡­¡­.¡¯ He had been still concerned that Frisia would get hurt, so he hadn¡¯t moved much. Rather, it seemed like Frisia had moved more on her own yesterday. Still, it was terrific. ¡°Ha! Oh! Ah, ah, ah!¡± Something seemed to explode inside her. A dizzying rush of passion overcame her; her head tilted back, and then she fell over Aslei. ¡°Ah, ah¡­ ¡­ . Uhnn.¡± Aslei also climaxed around the same time, so a sticky liquid gushed inside of her. Her face flushed at the obscene sensation. ¡°Haa, ah¡­¡­.¡± Her face was red with shame, but she was not miserable. Yesterday, she felt sad even though Aslei had cummed. ¡®I feel¡­¡­ good,¡¯ Frisia thought absentmindedly as she buried her face in Aslei¡¯s chest. She thought it felt good. She felt like she could do it again. ¡°Frisia¡­ ¡­ .¡± She felt a hand stroking her hair, accompanied by the rattle of chains. Frisia raised her head in astonishment and her eyes met Aslei¡¯s. He smiled apologetically. ¡°I was so excited¡­ ¡­ I broke the chain. And took off the blindfold because I wanted to see my wife¡¯s face.¡± To be exact, he didn¡¯t want to miss when she felt her first climax with him. He hadn¡¯t even gotten to see it when she first accepted him, so he just wanted to see this. She was beautiful. She was so immersed she didn¡¯t seem to notice that his chains had been broken or that he had taken off the blindfold with the hand he had released ¡­¡­ She was so lovely that he wouldn¡¯t get tired of looking at her all day long. Chapter 17 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? Surprised and ashamed, Frisia¡¯s face turned even redder. Aslei did not regret his actions. But if he had not witnessed her first climax with him, he would have regretted it to his last days. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t keep my promise, madam.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± His still inserted penis moved. It was bigger than before, and she could feel it stirring her insides and savoring the taste of it. At the same time, Aslei¡¯s freed arms hugged her. ¡°Frisia¡­¡­. is prettier than I imagined.¡± ¡°Ah, ah¡­ ¡­ Aslei, agh!¡± Aslei¡¯s bright blue eyes pierced her with an intense stare. Because of his blatant gaze, Frisia felt so self-conscious she wanted to disappear, but she never managed to get the words ¡®put on the blindfold¡¯ out of her mouth. She had thought the blindfold and chains were unfair. She just wanted to rebuke Aslei for this situation. ¡°The look you had on your face.¡± The rest of the chains broke while he had been shaking his back with a grunt. Frisia was perplexed that the steel restraints had snapped so easily. ¡°Yesterday, I missed seeing you¡­ ¡­. Oh, Frisia¡­ ¡­ .¡± His strong arms held her. Gently stroking her cheek with his fingertips, Frisia was in a daze. Wasn¡¯t this what I was afraid of? She hadn¡¯t let Aslei touch her because she was afraid. ¡®I¡¯m scared.¡¯ The original Frisia died horribly. For the offense of attempted murder on Aslei¡¯s new Duchess. Even so, Frisia knew much of the original plot had irrevocably been altered but¨C ¡®Can I like Aslei?¡¯ For a long time, Frisia had imagined life after she divorced him. And she hadn¡¯t just thought about it idly; she had actively planned and prepared for it. She had even calculated various scenarios, including the possibility of Aslei betraying her and cooperating with the Duke of Atreille. ¡®If Aslei gets better and I remain as the Duchess¡­¡­.¡¯ Can I do that? She feared some horrifying conspiracy would unfold, and she would be discarded. The original story had changed a lot, but it wasn¡¯t out of touch. Everything Marianne, the heroine, obtained in the novel she collected in this world too. The only difference was that she got her hands on it ahead of time. So Frisia was anxious. She feared that her own scheduled death would also be hastened. ¡®I didn¡¯t do anything to deserve such an end!¡¯ She didn¡¯t think she was out of the woods yet. Nor did she believe that Aslei had yet escaped the long-reaching hands of the novel¡¯s plot. As some things had hastened, maybe other things¨Clike the timing of him falling in love with Marianne¨C had been delayed. So Frisia could not accept his heart. Even if all the book¡¯s plotlines were over, Aslei was not a reliable entity. But she couldn¡¯t help but be thrilled at how Aslei¡¯s hand caressed her flushed cheeks while his passionate gaze pierced through her. Frisia closed her eyes and tried to deny her rising excitement. ¡°Oh, ah, aha haa!¡± Frisia reached her peak several times in Aslei¡¯s arms, her efforts clearly amounting to nothing. ? ? ? Even if his master, the Lord of the Tower, had attached surveillance, a beast was a beast. When it was late, they had fallen asleep on a tree. Jeremy scoffed at the eagles and crept down from the branch. Then, when he deemed himself far enough, he flapped his wings and flew into the night sky. ¡®I want to go see Marianne right now, but¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ The Duchess¡¯s expression earlier that day had disturbed him. To be precise, it had made him uncomfortable. Jeremy still didn¡¯t think he had done anything wrong. He shrugged off his doubt, reckoning that the duchess¡¯ difficulties were those experienced by all married women. That¡¯s nothing to fret over! When I was a kid, I had to suffer even more! Jeremy felt his suffering, and Frisia¡¯s pain had no cause. He saw that Frisia was born into a good family and lived without troubles, so it was alright if she had to go through some difficult things. It was only about sleeping with her husband. After all, they had to consummate their relationship; he had only hastened it. Even if Frisia married and hated Aslei, he thought it had nothing to do with him. Who told you to enter a marriage like that in the first place! In the end, it was her choice to become his wife. After getting married, it was natural to have marital relations, so it can¡¯t even be classified as a hardship. ¡®My teacher told me to check it out, so I should take a look at it myself!¡¯ He didn¡¯t have a hobby of peeping but he wanted to check to see if Aslei was properly cursed. So Jeremy flew to the Duke¡¯s mansion and groaned: Be miserable. Jeremy was praying to god that Aslei would be unhappy. He wielded the goddess¡¯ power for his curse to prevent it from breaking, but it hadn¡¯t also hinted at a great revelation. His master had come forward and was able to turn the spell of lust towards one person: his wife, the Duchess. And if the Duchess did not truly love Aslei, the curse would never be lifted. Chapter 18 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? Aslei would be tormented by his desire for the Duchess for the rest of his life. And the Duchess would be repulsed and come to hate him. No matter how much men loved someone, if they were overwhelmed with lust, many men spent the night according to their own desires, without consideration. They figured if they had enjoyed it, the other party had enjoyed it and judged a woman¡¯s mood according to their own. Such was common among powerful and aristocratic men. They overlooked the fact that power, strength, handsome looks, and money could never buy a heart. Moreover, Frisia Atreille was a ducal princess. She also had money, power, and beauty, so she would consider it well within her rights to demand to be treated well. Their relationship was bound to collapse. The Master of the Tower sincerely rebuked Jeremy, but he had no idea: That Jeremy hated Aslei much more than he could have imagined. Jeremy hated nobility and hated those who had power and wealth. Even though he, himself, strived and gained wealth with his power. The suffering he experienced as a child still lingered. It seemed his trauma would disappear, but it reared its ugly head whenever a noble stood in his way. So, he wondered what if Aslei and Frisia became unhappy as well. The violence he suffered was due to his lack of strength. So Aslei had to suffer, too. Likewise, as Aslei also had no power to escape his curse, he rightly deserved it. The mansion on the Duke¡¯s estate had large windows in each room. In particular, the Duke¡¯s room had a lower window and an upper window. The lower part had a curtain, but the upper window relied on the shadow of the eaves. Jeremy flew toward the upper window and sat on the window sill outside. ¡®You left the lights on.¡¯ It was midnight, so the lights were dim. But it wasn¡¯t too difficult to see the situation in the bedroom. ¡®What is that?¡¯ Seeing the handcuffs and shackles hanging from Aslei¡¯s arms and legs, Jeremy clicked his tongue. He could guess what they were for. It seemed that he had been tied up in case he became violent, but Aslei was already free. Frisia¡¯s expression was not visible from his view. She was wearing a pure white negligee, and her bare skin was exposed outside of her clothes. It was Aslei who hugged Frisia naked and coveted her. ¡­ ¡­ Oh, ah¡­ ¡­ . A suppressed moan as if withstanding some unbearable ache. The sound of the man¡¯s heavy breathing overlapped her sob. Aslei¡¯s beautiful face was filled with pleasure. Blue eyes glinting with possessiveness as he watched his wife with a look that would not miss a single moment. ¡­¡­ Ah! A high-pitched cry rang, the woman in the man¡¯s arms trembled and then collapsed. Aslei smiled contentedly as he hugged her like that. What did you see? He couldn¡¯t comprehend what was happening in front of him. There were neither the screams nor the pain Jeremy had anticipated were felt in their bedroom. He was outraged¡ª Even though I¡¯m like this! ¡®You motherfucker!¡¯ He had heard that even when he was cursed, he never succumbed to the spell with great patience. Jeremy felt irritated and uneasy. His teacher was the one that had told him. What¡¯s special about you? Aslei Tintalion, he thought, was just lucky enough to be born a duke. He was lucky to be born into a good family, lucky to have the qualities of a sword master, and lucky to have such a handsome face! It didn¡¯t matter that at a young age, his parents were murdered and that he had become a swordmaster through cut-throat training. In this empire, it was not uncommon to lose one¡¯s parents, and many trained to become swordmasters. Chapter 19 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? Caw¡­ ¡­ . It was a crow¡¯s vocal cords, but Jeremy cleared his voice to cast a spell. The Master of the Tower sealed him in the form of a crow, but his magic did not disappear completely. He had some magical powers, even if it was contained in a small creature. However, the amount of that mana left in his current form could not be compared to the amount he had had in his original body. ¡®But this is my spell and my curse! No one knows this curse better than me!¡¯ He was confident that he could change the jinx with just a little magic, even if his teacher had altered its shape. Jeremy knew it was dangerous. But, if a catastrophe occurred while the two of them were together due to the spell and one of them died¡­ ¡­ . even the goddess wouldn¡¯t let him go. He knew that the curse of God was crueler and merciless than that of man. ¡®But¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ He couldn¡¯t stand it when he saw that man look so happy. How dare you be happy with another woman while being loved by Marianne! Even though he knew it was an antagonistic incongruity, Jeremy genuinely felt outraged. Although he wanted Aslei to marry a woman other than Marianne, he didn¡¯t want him to be happy. He simply wished that he would remain with his present wife and have children. Maybe then, Marianne would give up on him. What Jeremy hoped was for Aslei to be tied to a woman he didn¡¯t love and to have children, thus being reduced to a stereotype of what commoners had of aristocrats. Instead, Jeremy was positive that it was his nature to be a pretentious person, drunk on the authority and power of a nobleman he didn¡¯t have. He was the Duke of the Dukedom of Tintalion, the most powerful among the nobles! Caw! Even though he had cleared his voice, it wasn¡¯t easy. A crow¡¯s voice rang out through the incantations that resembled a human voice. That cry caught the eyes of a knight standing on the sentry. ¡®What is that?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t the suspicious sort that thought crows brought bad luck, but he felt innately uneasy seeing the bird watching and clinging to the window sill. Already, the Duke he served had been cursed. ¡®Inauspicious.¡¯ It would be difficult to climb up to several floors above the Duke¡¯s bedroom in a hurry from where he was. So¡­ ¡­ . Picking up a suitable stone from the floor, he infused mana into it. He was not up to the level of a Sword Master, but he was a magical-awakened man. ¡°Scram, you pest!¡± With an extensive childhood career of chasing away birds that damaged crops under his belt, he threw the stone. Usually, he couldn¡¯t hit quick-witted birds on the first try, but¡­ ¡­ . Puck! The bird was squarely hit, soundly beaten, and fell straight away. ¡°Good.¡± It was a positive sign. He felt proud, thinking that he had repaid a favor as big as a fingernail to the Duke who saved his village in the past. ? ? ? Aslei, who had an ominous foreboding and looked at the window, then tilted his head. It was because the uncomfortable energy disappeared suddenly. ¡®Didn¡¯t I hear a crow?¡¯ He knew that many considered corpse-eating birds to be ominous. He had seen plenty of crows on the battlefield, but it was an irrelevant creature to him. ¡°Ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± As he turned to Frisia and watched her trembling in his arms, that anxiety melted away like snow. Aslei gazed into her face, contemplating her expression as his arms encircled Frisia tightly. She was so fascinatingly lovely that the dim light that barely illuminated her was regrettable. Now that he could finally hold her in his eyes, it would not be enough to stay up all night and make love. ¡°Frisia, may I kiss you?¡± Aslei whispered. Frisia, tired of pleasure, shook her head helplessly. She had already peaked several times while enveloped in his arms. ¡®Why?¡¯ She had never felt it yesterday. Tonight, she felt an enormous amount of elation over and over again. In Aslei¡¯s embrace, in front of him, she had continued to be overwhelmed with the sensations of her climaxes. Although it was embarrassing and scary, her desires pried through her armour. ¡°We can¡¯t?¡± When Aslei asked, he poked Frisia¡¯s insides with his penis as if he was upset. Wet syrupy insides that were already fluttering in the afterglow were now stirred and vigorously stabbed by his member, causing her to tremble wildly. ¡°Ah, ah, ah! Ungh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Using her moans as an excuse, Frisia did not answer. Instead, she could feel Aslei looking at her open, quivering lips with a greedy, avaricious gaze every time she made a sound. ¡®I¡¯m shy.¡¯ She was glad that he lusted after her, even if it was only because of the curse. But she could not allow him to kiss her for fear that that joy would turn into love. Despite the fact, they were doing far more lewd things right now, down there. Aslei couldn¡¯t have guessed her intentions that far and was only disappointed that Frisia didn¡¯t accept his heart. It was an emotion he was getting more familiar with as his love became more apparently unreciprocated. ¡°Will you allow me to kiss you on the cheek?¡± Aslei¡¯s pained face was too woeful for her to reject that appeal as well. But, even if she stood still, the barriers in her heart that she had painstakingly built up shuddered and crumbled; it was too much for him to make such an expression. Weakened, eventually, Frisia nodded. As soon as her permission fell, Aslei¡¯s lips touched her cheek. It was hot. Enough to make her heart sink. Chapter 20 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? ¡®It¡¯s because of the curse.¡¯ He wanted to kiss her because his body was in heat. However, her heart was shaking this much solely because of her.¡­. Her feelings had nothing to do with the curse. ¡°Frisia.¡± Her heart plummeted at his passionate, sweet voice calling her name, full of heat. Again and again, his gentle, feverish lips ceaselessly landed on her cheeks, eyebrows, bridge of her nose, and forehead. Shall I just let you kiss me? Kissing doesn¡¯t change anything. But Frisia knew it wasn¡¯t true for her. If that last barrier were left unattended, the rest of her would crumble down into rubble. ¡°I love you.¡± His eyes filled with naked pain and raw ecstasy were looking into her eyes. Her eyes trembled from the impact of his affection. But, even so, in her sight, he looked endearing. The hero¡ª¡¯that¡¯ Aslei¡­ is in love with me. Her heart quaked. Frisia struggled to calm down. The human heart is not everlasting. Once fate¡¯s ¡®plot armour¡¯ kicked in, the hero would manage to find a way to go to the novel¡¯s heroine, Marianne. He might be a suitable once-in-a-lifetime¡ªbut temporary¡ª companion, but he wasn¡¯t the right person for her to fall in love with. Of course, it would have been different if she had been ignorant of the future, but she didn¡¯t want to crawl into a trap pretending not to know about it. ¡®I am Princess Atreille, and currently the Duchess. Even if I¡¯m jealous, I don¡¯t think I would try to kill Marianne like in the original, but¡­ ¡­ afterall people act in unforeseen ways.¡¯ Frisia was well-positioned to pick on Marianne. Even if she didn¡¯t use that power now, who knows what she would do in the future. Power and might made people arrogant. Frisia was not immune to jealousy, even though it wasn¡¯t currently as intense as the original Frisia¡¯s envy. When she was jealous of someone in her previous life, she neither had the strength nor the spare time to intimidate someone. Still, she had wanted to rip into the woman her boyfriend had cheated on her with. Of course, she hadn¡¯t been able to put it into practice, but the problem was that Frisia now had the power to do such a thing with ease. In the setting of a medieval ropan, as daughter of a duke and now a Duchess, there were many ways to punish someone without putting a drop of blood on her hands. So Frisia was going to leave Aslei. She would work on ending his curse from now on, and after completing the period, she would go away as she had vowed. Aslei wasn¡¯t an obsessive character, so she thought he¡¯d let her go even if he didn¡¯t like it. ¡®He will meet his true love afterwards anyways.¡¯ Frisia had never been in a relationship since she had reincarnated into this world. She was afraid of her father¡¯s eyes and concerned about her brother¡¯s criticisms, so she hadn¡¯t even dared to try. As a ducal princess, there was nothing her life lacked but¡­ autonomy. She saw that she would gain true independence when she left Aslei. Even as a Duchess, she had to care about the eyes around her¡­ ¡­ . ¡®I will do whatever I want to do.¡¯ And that was how she was able to resist Aslei¡¯s allure, who had unparalleled looks, ability, and character. Because nothing shined to her like freedom. ¡°Frisia?¡± A gentle hum breathed into her ear, piercing through her insides and reverberating within her. His honeyed tone seemed to reflect the extent of his emotions. Her heart was pounding in her ears. ¡®No, I can¡¯t.¡¯ She wouldn¡¯t trade freedom for mere love. Tempting whispers said she could be happy at Aslei¡¯s side¡ªbut was that really the case? Just from Aslei smiling beside Marianne, Frisia was sure she would feel anxious and insecure. If she didn¡¯t and couldn¡¯t trust him, their life together would be hell. She would only make herself and Aslei unhappy. Frisia had no intention of making that choice. ¡®I know everything, so I have to restrain myself.¡¯ Of course, there was also the possibility that Aslei would not betray her. Because the male lead had an upright heart. But this world was for the heroine. Marianne was already shining as the master of this world. She already obtained the title of Viscount in her own right, was an acting noblewoman, as the head of her household, and not as a ¡®daughter of a nobleman.¡¯ She was not the only woman to have earned her title, but that¡¯s what it looked like to Frisia, who read the novel. ¡®Even Aslei will eventually fall in love with Marianne.¡¯ His heart for Frisia was like a first crush. After that, it would be a vague nostalgia of a time that would eventually disappear with his passing days of youth. Frisia wrapped her arms around Aslei¡¯s neck in silence. She couldn¡¯t stop her body from swaying and shaking as sweet euphoria bloomed from the heat building up from deep within her body. Although Aslei¡¯s hot eyes stared at her piercingly, Frisia avoided his gaze, and she buried her face in his chest. Her heart was pounding ominously. Chapter 21 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? ¡®Fuck.¡¯ Jeremy fell from the window and crashed into the balcony floor. He grunted and hurried to examine his wounds. He would have only been surprised if it had been a child throwing the stone, but it was clear that the one who had just hit him was not ordinary. ¡®My wing is broken.¡¯ Even by just slightly moving his shoulder blade, he felt a pang of pain. He tried to fly with the broken wing but failed. ¡®If you see something like this¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ He wasn¡¯t expecting a fairy tale twist in which a young attendant or a kind-hearted maid noticed him and received treatment. Although not aristocrats, poor commoners often caught birds and boiled them in soup. It was also common for children who wanted to eat meat to deliberately make slingshots to hunt birds. Jeremy was horrified at the thought of being a soup on the Duke¡¯s servants¡¯ table. He would rather his neck be twisted by a servant¡¯s hand and then revert to his human form in death. ¡®At least I wouldn¡¯t be soup.¡¯ The teacher might also grow angry at such absurd news. Then he imagined that anger would be poured out on the Duke of Tintalion, so he thought it might be worth it, satisfied. If he died, the Duke of Tintalion would not be safe. No, maybe Aslei would find his dead body first, notice the curse¡¯s source, and begin to distrust the tower. Flap. Jeremy, who was painting an ominous future, raised his head at the welcome sound. It was the eagles that the Master had attached as overseers. ¡®Ahh!¡¯ An eagle that dived in snatched him up and soared into the night sky. Jeremy, who thought that he was about to die, was relieved. The eagle¡¯s claws gripping his body were painful, but it could have been worse. The eagle flew towards its destination. The Magic Tower. He had a lot to say to his teacher. ? ? ? It was clear that his condition was transmitted through an eagle. The Master of the Tower temporarily released the spell he had cast on him, perhaps in order to make the treatment easier. Sitting in a chair, Jeremy glared at the Master of the Tower with a defiant look. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I watched the two of them as Master wished.¡± ¡°But?¡± The wizard asked curtly while preparing the potion. Jeremy felt his hostility grow. It was clear that he, too, had checked their state with the eagle¡¯s eyes. ¡°It didn¡¯t matter! The Duke was clearly enjoying the situation! But yet does it mean that I should be punished?¡± ¡°It seems that Duke Tintalion is a better person than I thought. He is a man of great patience and talented in many ways.¡± Jeremy clenched his teeth at the sound of admiration from his teacher. He almost wanted to shout, ¡®What¡¯s so great about being patient when you¡¯re a man who has everything?¡¯ He could have endured even more if he had the same circumstances as Aslei. ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough now¡ªAck!¡± His teacher aligned his bones and back into the socket without warning. He almost bit his tongue. The Head of the Tower sprayed a potion on Jeremy¡¯s wound and made him drink the rest. ¡°I have said it before. Even if the outcome is favorable, it doesn¡¯t mean that your sins will go away.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why Master is siding with that bastard so much.¡± He thought that his Master hated his nobility as well. Not as much as him, but he also disliked most nobles. ¡°It¡¯s not crude to take sides with the innocent.¡± Jeremy wanted to say Aslei was not innocent. It was a sin for him to have so much, and moreover, it was a sin to be loved by the woman he loved. ¡°Yes. I see that you will not reflect on yourself by watching them.¡± He felt the broken bones reconnect and the pain vanish. But, of course, it was a potion made by The Master of the Tower himself, so it was natural. The Archmage looked at Jeremy with a disturbed expression. He was a disciple whom he cherished, and he had intended for him to inherit his position as Master of the Magic Tower. It was a waste of his potential to dismiss him away based on some character flaws alone. But he couldn¡¯t leave Jeremy with such dangerous thoughts. ¡°¡­ ¡­ No harm done, isn¡¯t that right? Rather, he seemed to have strengthened his relationship with his wife. I don¡¯t know why Master is doing this to me.¡± ¡°If the Duke got along well with his wife, it must have been because of his hard work. You seem to want to say that your curse was the trigger, but the trigger can be anything.¡± Even if such an opportunity did not exist, Aslei would have created a chance on his own. Such was the character of the Duke he had met to alleviate his spell. He was an intelligent, upright young man that made him want to tell his students to learn from and emulate. ¡°If you don¡¯t repent, I will. You leave me no choice. The only option left is to inform the Duke that you cursed him, and to ask for their punishment.¡± Chapter 22 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? Jeremy was greatly shocked by his words that came out like a bolt from the blue. He looked at her teacher, not understanding what he had heard. ¡°What do you mean¡­ ¡­ . Are you saying you will abandon me?¡± ¡°Jeremy, the won¡¯t kill you if I tell him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like killing me! If this is known¡­ ¡­ .¡± Jeremy¡¯s face turned pale as he screamed in a torn voice. It meant that other people¡ªespecially Marianne¡ª would find out what he had done. Marianne might eventually try to understand him, but she would never see him as she did before. Besides, he was a commoner. If this became known, the elders of the tower would not leave Jeremy alone. They were the ones who didn¡¯t like him in the first place. He rapidly concluded that even if the Archmage of the Tower protected him, he would only be able to save his life. ¡®My magic would be sealed and I¡¯ll be kicked out of the tower.¡¯ There was no way a commoner who couldn¡¯t even use magic would be able to stand by Marianne¡¯s side. She may sympathize with him, but she would eventually distance herself. The thought of her moving away from him and losing her made her go crazy. Jeremy looked at the Master of the Tower in desperation. ¡°Master! You can¡¯t do this to me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s what you did. Considering how the innocent suffered by your hand, you should be punished.¡± Jeremy still couldn¡¯t use his mana. His return to his human form was only a temporary change. It would have been better to use magic when he was in the form of a crow. Jeremy realized that he was cornered and had no way out and knelt down on his knees. Then he bowed his head and began to plead in front of his Master. ¡°I was wrong! Forgive your disciple¡¯s folly!¡± ¡°I know what you are saying, you think this is unfair.¡± ¡°No! No¡ªplease do not forsake me!¡± At his distraught shouting, the Archmage looked down at Jeremy, unable to answer. He realized that even if he now explained to Jeremy that accusing him was not abandoning him, he wouldn¡¯t understand. ¡°¡­ ¡­ It was late at night. You better rest now.¡± The magician changed Jeremy¡¯s appearance into a crow. As the Archmage extended the cage out, Jeremy cried in mourning and flew up from his seat. Caw! Caw! Caw! As if he was approaching the cage, Jeremy instead rushed at his Master¡¯s face. Cut by his sharp beak, the Master of the Tower screamed and waved his arms. The cell fell, and blood splattered on the floor. He couldn¡¯t afford to use magic. His desperate attack aiming for his eyes made the Archmage shield his eyes and back away. ¡°Argh! What is this!¡± Blood ran into his eyes, and he couldn¡¯t see anything. Jeremy took advantage of his distraction, flapping his wings and escaping through the lab¡¯s ceiling. ¡°Jeremy!¡± The Archmage furiously screamed his name, but he didn¡¯t look back. Only the beating of his wings echoed through the dark night sky. ? ? ? When her body¡ªmore precisely her waist¡ªreached it¡¯s limit, Frisia came down from Aslei¡¯s body. And she tried to go retreat to the room next door. The Duchess¡¯s room. It was Aslei who caught her before she slipped away. ¡°Can¡¯t you stay by my side just for tonight?¡± She was embarrassed by the aggressive Aslei, but she struggled to refuse. Her heart was already shaken. She couldn¡¯t sleep beside him. As Frisia shook her head in refusal, Aslei said without showing his disappointment. ¡°I will carry you home.¡± The words that she could walk on her own did not come out of her mouth because her back hurt, and her ankle hadn¡¯t healed yet. Aslei took her in his arms and headed to the room next door. In contrast to Frisia, who wore a negligee, he was naked. It was quiet as he crossed the massive room with her in his arms. He glanced at Frisia¡¯s face, but she quickly turned her gaze away to avoid meeting his eyes. The door connecting their rooms was, of course, open. Aslei went into the Duchess¡¯s room and gently lowered her down on the bed. Frisia¡¯s sigh of relief was cut short when soft lips touched her forehead. ¡°May you have sweet dreams.¡± Whispering, Aslei took her palm and kissed the back of her hand before he left the bedroom. Click. At the sound of the door closing between them, Frisia released the breath she held back. Her heart was beating like crazy. Chapter 23 Thank you raw provider ????haebaragi_syk? ¡®When will this curse be lifted!¡¯ It had already been four days, and even though she exerted all her strength, Aslei¡¯s curse did not wholly disappear. Frisia became tearful and buried her face in her pillow. Aslei returned to his room, looking at his chest in the light. Traces of the affliction, like the image of the black sun, had remained. Thanks to being involved with Frisia, the agony halted. However, by the lurking aura that permeated his heart, he could tell that the curse had not completely disappeared. ¡®¡­ ¡­ If the curse doesn¡¯t go away, won¡¯t Frisia leave me?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t be sure, but it was a possibility. With the help of the Archmage, the spell transformed to only having lust for Frisia. Because she had a weak heart, he thought, she would not leave him. The person behind the curse probably assumed that he would not be able to have his wits about him if he felt pain and desire at the same time, but it was the opposite. The pain was bearable. He might have been more likely to act indiscriminately if it had been only heat and desire. ¡®I can bear any pain.¡¯ Of course, he didn¡¯t like being in pain. He still felt a cold shudder when he recalled the moments he was tortured by the person who killed his parents and kidnapped him. Aslei was tortured for six months before his grandfather found him. It could have been years if he hadn¡¯t been found in time. It was then that Aslei learned it was foolish to trust anyone other than his grandfather as it was his father¡¯s lieutenant who had tortured him himself. But falling in love and trust were two different things. He didn¡¯t trust anyone and thought he would never fall in love with someone¨Cbut here he was. ¡®I don¡¯t want to let Frisia go.¡¯ He was more fearful of the passing of time than his curse. After the days passed, soon the duration he had promised her would end. He knew that Frisia didn¡¯t dare say it aloud, but she rejected his heart. There was no way he couldn¡¯t have known. She never met his eyes, avoiding his ardent gaze, and never allowed him to kiss her. ¡®I know that just because we get a divorce doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have a chance.¡¯ But the moment they got divorced, he knew that others had a chance too. Frisia was one of the most gorgeous women in the empire. Her enormous dowry would be solely hers after the divorce, plus, Aslei was going to pay alimony. Since she didn¡¯t want to return to the Duke of Atreilles¡¯ estate, she would be a free and powerful divorcee who could marry without the Duke¡¯s meddling. ¡®Since people are generally apathetic to divorce, many will be eager to seduce her.¡¯ Even commoners, nobility of low status, and knights would enter the competition. Even high-ranked aristocrats would not mind her. Especially with her character, beauty, family, and vast dowry. Prior to her marriage, many had been afraid of the Atreille¡¯s name and could not approach her. But now, the fight would be a free-for-all. Aslei was displeased. He held insuppressible jealousy and a childish heart. He did not want to let go of her, who was now trapped in his arms. ¡®Many will see the Atreille¡¯s name, her dowry and torment Frisia.¡¯ Aslei himself wanted to say that he was different from those people. It is true that when he accepted Duke Atreille¡¯s proposal, he had considered family, but now it was different. Aslei now knew Frisia. He dared to think that no one could care for her as much as he did. ¡®It¡¯s not over yet.¡¯ A week has passed since the last month of their contract commenced, but there are still three weeks and a few days left. Aslei was determined to do his best during this time. ? ? ? In the first place, Frisia was not a hard-hearted person. On the contrary, she was weak towards the weak and strong against the strong. But Aslei was weak against Frisia. ¡®Don¡¯t make that face¡ªIt¡¯s forbidden!¡¯ Seeing his dejected, forlorn, or sheepishly timid expression naturally weakened her heart. She might have been slightly bothered if he had only shown a melancholy manner, but he acted like a puppy, following her every action. As a result, her tenacity weakened against him each time. Moreover, there was also the dilemma that every night she had to sleep with Aslei. Frisia hardened her resolve and prevented him from taking off his blindfold all these nights, but now, they somehow ended up sleeping together without handcuffs or shackles. Even if she firmly told him not to, Aslei hugged Frisia tightly when he came. She didn¡¯t allow touch, so that¡¯s all she tolerated. Even so, she could acutely feel Aslei¡¯s fluttering passions and pounding fervor. ¡®I can¡¯t do this¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Additionally, she was anxious because his condition seemed to worsen little by little, far from breaking the curse. At this rate, it appeared that she would not be able to leave Aslei¡¯s side even after the period of her contract was over. As Aslei had deduced, Frisia never thought of leaving him while still under the spell. ¡®Why? Why is it getting worse!¡¯ Chapter 24 Each night, the number and duration of their affairs were about the same. Finally, more than that was too much for Frisia¡¯s body, so they agreed to break off. So it could not be that the curse worsened because they neglected their sex life. ¡®Do we have to keep doing it until it all disappears? That¡¯s unreasonable!¡¯ At first, it was just a curse of lust. If it had been a curse that would have been lifted after having a lot of trysts with women, it probably wouldn¡¯t have been cast on him, to begin with. ¡®¡­ ¡­ is it because you are not satisfied?¡¯ Aslei ejaculated numerous times, over and over again but perhaps it was only a biological response. She couldn¡¯t say that it was a satisfying affair just because he had climaxed. Frisia looked back over the conditions that she had set. Blindfold, no touching, no kissing¡­ ¡­ etc. Aslei asked her only the first few times, and after that, he did not express any dissatisfaction, only occasionally pestering her with impeded kisses from time to time. In their liaison, he thought he was the one who was unfairly asking Frisia to sleep with him. ¡®If it is done right, will the curse go away if you do it like you¡¯re really love?¡¯ Nothing was for certain. But Frisia knew that she had few options left. As he fled from the eagle¡¯s chase, Jeremy thought about which wizard he should approach for help. His Master, the owner of the tower, must have warned all the magicians belonging to the tower by now. ¡®Those who are sorcerers not associated with the tower will receive the news belatedly!¡¯ A name came to Jeremy. A mage with excellent skills, to whom he had secretly blocked from coming to the tower because he thought she would become his rival. Clarisse Belude. She was a wizard who belonged to the Duke of Atreilles in the past. She was an apprentice when he last saw her, but now she was a full-fledged magician. He knew that she had not renewed her contract with the Duke and had since become independent. ¡®It¡¯s annoying that she belonged to the Duke of Atreilles, but¡­ ¡­ There is no way that the Dukes of Tintalion would have informed the Dukes of Atreilles about the curse.¡¯ Moreover, it had been over a year since Clarisse had left the Duke of Atreilles. He probably wouldn¡¯t have shared a secret story with the wizard there, even if she was acquainted with him. Jeremy had occasionally checked in on her, reporting to the Master of the Tower, and lowered Clarisse¡¯s abilities from time to time. So he knew where she lived. Fortunately for him, Clarisse resided in the Duchy of Tintalion. Perhaps she intended to concentrate on her research in a secluded place, as she was living in a cabin on the city¡¯s outskirts. Caw! After dinner and brushing her teeth, Clarisse found a crow crying outside her window and frowned. ¡°What is that?¡± Caw! The crow knocked on the window with its beak with a loud cry. Clarisse stared at it, then noticed that it was no ordinary crow. It wasn¡¯t even a demon; it was a transformed human with mana. If this were their destination, they would have returned to their human form and knocked on the door. However, the fact that it did not change into a human form is¡­ ¡­ . ¡®Did you fall for someone else¡¯s magic?¡¯ Clarisse was worried and opened the window. The crow came in as if waiting and sat gently on her chest of drawers. ¡°Who are you?¡± Caw! Jeremy wept bitterly, unable to speak human words. She cautiously approached the crow to check its magic. If it were someone she had known before, she would recognize them through their powers. He was aware of what she was doing and stared at Clarisse with black beaded eyes without avoiding her. She focused on the insignificant mana emanating from the crow¡¯s body. ¡®Who is this? Someone I¡¯ve met somewhere. Who¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Clarisse, who slowly looked back at her memories, was able to think of one person. He was a cheeky boy who had come to the Dukedom of Atreilles with the Master of the Tower. A genius wizard with impressive mana that had overwhelmed and impressed her! ¡°Jeremy Wood?¡± she asked, her voice rising with her astonishment. The crow nodded. Chapter 25 Caw! Clarisse looked at the crow suspiciously. If it was truly Jeremy, she couldn¡¯t figure out why he came to her. ¡®Why don¡¯t you go to the wizards in the tower?¡¯ It was suspicious, but it was quite a distance from here to the tower. If it was by the flapping of a crow¡¯s wings, it would have taken eight days to get there. ¡®Is it because I¡¯m the only wizard he knows nearby? Is it a coincidence?¡¯ Clarisse was unaware that he had been constantly monitoring her. She was so preoccupied and absorbed with researching new magic that she had no interest nor paid attention to anything else. The only thing she cared about besides magic was Frisia, her childhood benefactor and friend. After deciding that it wouldn¡¯t be disadvantageous for Jeremy to be in her debt she reached out to him. She intended to intervene in the magic placed on him and release his transformation. As a wizard, she saw elements of the spell that were preventing Jeremy from returning to his human form. As she unraveled it layer by layer, she suddenly felt a signature of mana that had left a deep impression on her, similar in a sense to Jeremy. ¡®Is this the Master of the Tower¡¯s¡­ ¡­ ?¡¯ [t1v: she¡¯s realizing that it was his teacher that transformed him] Startled for a moment, she released her hand, and attempted to discontinue her work but it was already too late. Jeremy was able to wield some of his own magic since she had just started releasing him from his restraints, and began to resist the magic of his teacher with his own power. The wild magic whipped around in a rampage, wounding him but he didn¡¯t care. He was determined, he couldn¡¯t go back to being a crow after getting so far. ¡°Argghhhhhh!¡± Screaming, Jeremy ricocheted off the magical fragments of the Tower Master¡¯s power. Clarisse fell in the mana¡¯s explosive fallout and gaped at Jeremy with astonishment. Covered in blood, he rejoiced with a shout and a laugh. ¡°Finally!¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Jeremy Wood, what the hell is going on?¡± Upon her sharp interrogation, Jeremy laughed with a fishy smile. He had wanted to kill her so that the tower wouldn¡¯t have noticed that he was here. [t1v: ( ¡ã¡ã) ] However, Clarisse today was not the apprentice wizard he knew in the past. She had also joined the ranks of strong and formidable wizards. Maybe if he was in his best condition it would have been possible, but with his current body after fighting against the Master¡¯s magic it would be too burdensome. ¡°You lucked out, remember, you narrowly escaped death.¡± After he said so, he instantly turned into a ball of light and flew out of hers window. Clarisse bit her lip as he turned into a monster and soared high in the sky. Belatedly realizing that she had committed a grave mistake. Aslei had a complicated look when Frisia shared her thoughts with him. His countenance reflected his happy yet troubled feelings. ¡°To break the curse, um¡­ ¡­ . You¡¯ll allow everything?¡± At his query, she nodded. She was embarrassed and trembling, but it had already been over ten days since she had been involved with him. She couldn¡¯t imagine being embraced by Aslei like this for months. No, if the curse persisted after several months it may extend for even longer. ¡°You can¡¯t go on living like this.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Aslei, who wanted to continue living like this even after the curse passed, was silent. But he also knew that the affliction was growing inside of me little by little. The curse had to be correlating with ¡®something¡¯. ¡®I don¡¯t know what it is¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ The wizard who first casted the hex must have prepared it so that it could not be lifted. In other words it would have established conditions that Aslei could not achieve. At first he wondered what it was, but now he didn¡¯t think it really mattered. If only he could keep Frisia by his side, he could endure the curse even if it got more severe than it was now. If there was one thing he was worried about, it was the desire he felt for her was growing greater and greater. He was somehow managing to endure the agony imposed by the curse, but his lust for Frisia was truly unbearable. ¡®So we should cooperate.¡¯ It was frightening that the curse could be lifted, but on the other hand, it was good to see the ban on Frisia being lifted. Seeing her while embracing her in his arms, and touching her ¡­¡­ . Aslei, who was staring blankly at her, took a step towards her. Frisia was nervous at the sight of him approaching her. ¡°Then can I kiss you?¡± Chapter 26 ¡°Y-yes.¡± A stare that seemed to devour her fell on her, so she thought Aslei would kiss her as soon as she allowed it. But he stopped and just looked at Frisia. ¡°But, still¡­¡­ will my wife be alright?¡± Will I be alright? Frisia felt like she wanted to scream. If you look at Aslei¡­ ¡­ She honestly wanted to touch and be touched by him. Even if she denied being drawn to him, he was gorgeous and kind. It would be a lie if she denied being attracted to him and her fluttering with every word he said. There were moments when Frisia wanted to kiss Aslei too, so she was more than fine. Admittedly, she wanted it too. ¡°You say it¡¯s fine. Now, so¡­ ¡­ .¡± He glanced at Frisia who avoided his eyes with her face flushed. Aslei¡¯s gaze, scouring and seeming to be looking through her made her shy and her heart pound. Why do you like me? Frisia thought Aslei¡¯s attitude suddenly changed so it was difficult for her to speak. Because he wasn¡¯t a cold person by nature. But it seemed that he was not kind to everyone. To be precise, he was more of someone who kept a distance from everyone except for his close aides. She had been surprised when he had let her in, past his wall, since they got married. Maybe it was a natural course of action since they were bound in marriage but she still found it strange since the marriage was only in name. Because Aslei was affectionate and friendly not only when they were in public, but also in private. He was good to Frisia from the start. So she was apologetic. Rejecting Aslei. Pushing away his goodwill, pretending not to know his kind heart. And he¡¯s not completely unattractive, so she especially had to work hard. As Aslei watched her, trying to judge Frisia¡¯s feelings, she moved first. She could no longer stand his silence and hesitation. Aslei¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as her soft lips overlapped his. Frisia wasn¡¯t the only one who had tried to kiss him in this way, but she was the only one who had succeeded. ¡®Ah¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ His heart throbbed with joy. She first approached her and tasted his lips, but he caught Frisia, who was about to back off in apprehension. To be exact, he hugged her. Fearing that she would run away, Aslei wrapped her in his arms and even covered the back of her head with his hands. ¡°Chu¡­ ¡­ .¡± Then his hot lips rubbed against hers. It was Frisia¡¯s first kiss, but it was Aslei¡¯s first kiss too. His tongue heistated, awkward at first, digging through the gap between her lips and entering her mouth, but soon a heated fervor enveloped both of them and swept them up. ¡°Um, ha, huh¡­ ¡­ .¡± His breath seemed to tremble as Friscia responded as if comforting the impatient Aslei. His blue eyes burned, threatening to devour her. Frisia was sorry for that and closed her eyes tight. She felt apologetic towards his shaking hand, caressing her cheek. ¡®I¡¯m not going to like you, though.¡¯ The wall around her heart could be rebuilt over and over again as soon as it was torn down. She had no intention of softening her resolve to this extent. She had already planned and prepared even in case Aslei would betray her. ¡®I don¡¯t have blind belief in things like the original male lead.¡¯ No matter how delicately and carefully he holds her in his arms as if he were holding something precious. Aslei hurriedly sucked and savored her lips, and then parted his eyes, his face ecstatic. The sight of his blue eyes submerged in passion and reverence was enough to make even the determined Frisia¡¯s gaze linger. Why are you so pretty? She was so beautiful that she suddenly wanted to tease her. ¡°Frisia¡­ ¡­ .¡± Frisia¡¯s heart sank at the sound of his deep, thick voice. She could tell just by seeing his eyes and hearing his dark, warm voice. ¡®Don¡¯t say it.¡¯ His forehead leaned against hers, his wet eyes full of happiness. His body temperature, which could not escape the curse, was hotter than usual. ¡°I love you. I love you¡­ ¡­ .¡± he whispered as his lips approached. Frisia felt an urge to shake him off. A fear struck her and she instinctively knew that if he kissed her now, something about her would change. However, she was not harsh enough to turn away from Aslei¡¯s wet eyes. Their lips overlapped, a sweet tenderness from inside was mixed and shared between the two. ¡®Oh¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Her heart leaped and raced, Aslei must have noticed it too. Sword Masters developed and honed advanced senses, enough to recognize the heartbeat of a person nearby. ¡®I¡¯m not excited about you!¡¯ she denied, but her cheeks were already burning. Her own body temperature also got hotter with excitement. He slowly tasted Frisia¡¯s lips and caressed her over her pajamas. Even though they had been together for many nights, it was the first time he had touched her. Aslei could feel her body stiffen. It was sad and heartbreaking. Chapter 27 ¡®Frisia.¡¯ I¡¯m sorry. I will treat you with respect. He wanted to calm and soothe her by whispering this, but he didn¡¯t want to remove his lips. Frisia¡¯s lips were so sweet that it was difficult to pull his tongue out. Now that Frisia gave permission and freerein, he only felt savage. At first Frisia wore only negligees, but she now came into his bed in thick pajamas since she hadn¡¯t bound him with shackles or handcuffs. Maybe it was because Aslei embraced her every time they slept together, maybe because her body was exposed by its thinness. Or maybe because his pounding heart was burdensome. So she put on her thick pajamas whenever she came into his bedroom. Aslei thought it was cute and sad. ¡°Frisia, I¡¯m in a hurry¡­ ¡­ .¡± She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was plainly stripped. The curse took away that leeway. Aslei just parted his lips from her a little to whisper this, fearing that Frisia would be scared if he just tore her pajamas without warning. Frisia blinked her big eyes. Even the lashes on her thin eyelids were so long and lovely that he couldn¡¯t take a breath and was suffocated by the sight. Did she hear him? Did she understand? Before he could even measure, found himself reaching out his hand to caress Frisia¡¯s thigh. ¡°Haa¡­ ¡­ .¡± He was going crazy. Every time her smooth thighs brushed and pressed against his body, he suffered from a death-inducing desire to touch them. Aslei slipped his hand from the edge of her pajamas and touched her knee. Frisia felt a strange excitement at his slowly climbing touch. ¡®It¡¯s supposed to be unpleasant!¡¯ She didn¡¯t feel bad about kissing or touching him. She only felt shameful when her passionate appetite started to thrill her. Aslei smiled brightly, feeling it was unfair she pouted. He knew the expression on Frisia face when she was acting up. ¡°¡­ ¡­ adorable.¡± Frisia¡¯s cheeks heated up at the sudden whisper. Aslei kissed her cheek lovingly, and then took her lips. His hand, rising above her thigh, started to dig into a more intimate area. Today she did not apply any lube, but she could tell she was wet. ¡®How embarrassing.¡¯ Since she hadn¡¯t allowed him to touch her before and didn¡¯t want to masturbate beforehand she had used the potion almost every day. Even though Aslei tried to dissuade her, she had been firm, when he realized that she warmed up faster from habit he no longer protested. Maybe that¡¯s why his hand felt so good when he rubbed and fondled her wet folds. Frisia pressed her legs together when she felt his drenched, long fingers smoothly enter and stir her. As she lifted her vision, her eyes met Aslei¡¯s blue eyes. Don¡¯t look. She averted her eyes, flushed in shyness. His fingers inside started to gently rub and stroke her while watching Frisia¡¯s reaction. ¡®Ah! You¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Aslei didn¡¯t have to do this. Before he had been blindfolded and although she had prevented him from touching her, his penis had pierced Frisia¡¯s insides over and over again. He savored and tasted the insides of Frisia to his heart¡¯s content. So he must have gathered where and how he had poked her from how she reacted, and where she was so sensitive she couldn¡¯t even moan. He was still skillfully tormenting Frisia. ¡°Ah, ho¡­ ¡­ . un, oh!¡± A different type of pleasure, different then the one brought on from his penis came over and shook Frisia. A growl leaked out of Aslei¡¯s sealed lips. Her face was burning hot as her insides were dripping wet. Embarrassed, she wanted to turn her head away, but as long as he intertwined his tongue deeply with hers, it was impossible. ¡°Ugn!¡± Her body reached a light climax and convulsed in Aslei¡¯s arms. He hastily but carefully pulled out his fingers and grabbed Frisia¡¯s pajamas. Rip! She was wearing pretty tough and thick clothes, so she didn¡¯t know it would tear so easily. Aslei simply ripped it apart to create an opening in the front. Because she was not wearing any underwear under her pajamas, Frisia¡¯s pure pale naked body was exposed. It was ripped almost in a straight line from the bottom of her pajamas to the hemline around her neck. While wearing her pajamas that had become like a robe, Aslei kissed her. His hands were pouring down on her unclad body. She didn¡¯t even know that her pajamas had been removed. Frisia¡¯s bare breasts fluctuate up and down between his arms. While she was being kissed she was breathing heavily. ¡°Haa. Frisia¡­ ¡­ .¡± Frisia¡¯s body trembled at his rapturous exclamation. She was happy even though she was flustered and self-conscious. Feeling feverish and dizzy she leaned against Aslei¡¯s chest. Her legs spread apart and Aslei¡¯s thick thighs entered. Suddenly, his entire body came in, and his terrifyingly enthusiastic desire rubbed against Frisia¡¯s drenched entrance. ¡°May¡­¡­ I?¡± Only Aslei himself knew how heavy and difficult the question was. This was especially since his pain could only be reduced by having sex with Frisia. you can Chapter 28 ¡°Yes. Ah, y-you can put it... ¡­ . Uhh!¡± When she asked him to put it in, his excitement exceeded his limits. His penis rushed into Frisia. ¡°Ahhh¡­ ¡­ .¡± It felt good even though the hot and large thing squeeze in and opened her up a lot. Frisia rationalized that this was a side effect of overusing an excess amount of aphrodisiac in the past. Otherwise why would she feel like this? Aslei, who supported her body, pushed in all the way to his root. The big thing completely penetrated her inside and went into her depths. The resounding of her thumping heart could be felt through it as well. ¡°Haa haa.¡± Holding onto Aslei¡¯s firm shoulders, she endured it. As Frisia grabbed onto his neck and hugged her naked body against his, Aslei felt the hairs all over his body stand up. This moment was terrifyingly good. Aslei had lifted her with his penetration since they started while standing, so he decided to move to the bed. Fortunately, they started kissing by the bedside. Drunk with ecstasy, Aslei took steps. Friscia struggled, her legs wrapping around him, making him go crazy and blind with pleasure. It was fantastic to taste her insides as she squirmed while making Frisia look hazzy and stunning with pleasure. ¡°Uh! Oh!¡± As he climbed onto bed and laid her down, Frisia looked at him with joy-soaked eyes. It was only once before that Aslei had seen her look like this. He wasn¡¯t allowed except that day, so behind his blindfold he had imagined that expression while listening to her moans. As if drunk Aslei hugged her and kissed her again and again. Clinging to each other, becoming one, soon their saliva also mixed, lewd and sloppy with overwhelming lust, driving him crazy. Reacting sensitively, she instinctively contracted her insides that wrapped around his cock. As she looked at her, he felt helplessness. Aslei felt like he was not in control. She tasted so sweet he wanted to make her feel more¡ªand more. He felt as if her already hot body was about to explode with passionate lust that had grown infinitely. ¡°Oh, Ah! Ah, As¡­ ¡­ lei! Ah¡ªohhh! Frisia twisted her waist and struggled as he continued to thrust into her. Aslei swallowed even her moans and devoured her with a ferocity. She was moaning lovingly under his hand. It was hard for him to understand how he had been able to control and restrain himself so far. He wanted to spend the rest of his life loving only Frisia like this. ¡­ ¡­ Can¡¯t it be? There was no energy in her body. She accepted Aslei, who coveted her like a beast, with her whole body, so it was only natural. Still, she didn¡¯t feel bad, and she just felt good. An ecstatic drowsiness filled and soaked her whole body. ¡®What time is it?¡¯ Cuddled in Aslei¡¯s arms, she looked out her window, the sunlight streaming through her embroidered curtains. The sun was soft and cozy, so she could sleep some more. ¡®Isn¡¯t it enough to say that I overslept?¡¯ Pretty early she had grabbed Aslei¡¯s wrist and she went into his bedroom. It was because of the vain expectation that if she started early, they would be able to finish sooner. No matter how much she tried, my legs didn¡¯t have any strength. For nearly ten days, she had exerted her strength on Aslei, but when she had allowed him to touch her, he had tried various positions. Aslei hugged her tightly in every position as though he would never let go of her. ¡®The curse?¡¯ Being held by him even in his sleep, Frisia carefully moved her body to create a gap so she could look at Aslei¡¯s chest. She saw a black circle drawn on her chest, resembling the sun¡­ ¡­ . ¡®What? Is it broken?¡¯ The drawing of a rim-like circle looked like it had snapped. There were cracks and shatter marks as if a round gem had been beaten. It was as if he had taken a slice from a large cake and ate it. ¡®You did the right thing yesterday.¡¯ Perhaps because the circle had been broken, the traces of black blood vessels rising out of the circle had disappeared. All that was left was a broken circle. If it continued like this, it would have been enough to spend about five days like this. There were more than 20 days left until the contract period ended, so it was enough time. ¡®What a relief.¡¯ Frisia was truly relieved. It was better like that for both for Aslei and herself. Once Aslei was cured from this hex he could run away from this marriage. She thought her back was not good but she thought it was alright. There was a slight throbbing. Chapter 29 ¡®It¡¯s amazing how much it hurts after doing it too much.¡¯ Frisia¡¯s cheeks warmed as she recalled last night. Aslei bit, licked and sucked on her, coveting her desperately. He was so tenacious and intense last night that all other affairs they had in the past paled in comparison. Still, he made her reach so many climaxes that she seemed to only move from one rapture to another ecstatic pleasure. ¡®That we have to break up¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s slightly regrettable.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t as if she had slept with another sub-male protagonist or anyone else other than Aslei so she had no reference to compare their nights to. Regardless, she instinctively discerned that if Aslei was like this, divorcing him would be very regrettable. ¡®Still, I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t overlook the possibility of infidelity.¡¯ But if she had to do it anyway, she figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to allow herself to enjoy her duties a little more. Right after that thought, she was surprised at herself that it had come up so naturally. She had been initially very depressed about the fact that she had to sleep with Aslei. ¡®Is it because I¡¯m not someone who means nothing to Aslei?¡¯ It was not as much as Aslei seemed to care for Frisia, but she also cared for him. He was the one who taught her that there could be good sweet men. He was a type of man she had never met in his previous life, and was met in the world of books. He was a character that might have been only possible because he was the male lead in a book. Somehow in the midst of so much pain, he could still be so kind. Frisia caught herself thinking, ¡®Maybe¡­ ¡­ ¡® ¡ªbut cut it off. She didn¡¯t want to throw herself at that small possibility. Although she had the grand status of being a ducal princess, she knew she had no great power. It would not be easy for her to marry the person she wanted. Unless she was under Aslei¡¯s custody, or she ran away and lived in hiding in disguise, she would end up in another unwanted marriage. ¡®I have no strength.¡¯ She was not a saint, nor was she an elementalist, a wizard, or a knight. Even though she was the lady of an aristocratic family, she was nothing more than a powerless person unless she had the support of the patriarch. Frisia felt regretful and resentful about it. She wished she had some power of her own. So she felt that she had no choice but to make a safer choice. If she made one misstep, her life would be nothing but a disastrous ruin. Frisia still remembered the passage in her original book where she died atrociously. She never wanted to perish like that. In their previous lives, Aslei and Frisia divorced in less than three years. Marianne frowned as she checked her notes. It was because rumors about the couple¡¯s feud was not spreading. ¡®Your fate has changed so much!¡¯ It¡¯s probably because Frisia¡¯s personality was different from what she remembered. It seemed that she now did not commit any of her misdeeds, and she did not seem to have any extramarital affairs unlike her previous self. ¡®Is it because I have sped up and forwarded many events?¡¯ But that was bound to be the case. Because she wanted to have more power than she had in her previous life. This made it possible for Marianne to become a Viscount rather than a Baron¡¯s daughter. She had not elevated the family¡¯s title, but was given a title in her own right. This was a remarkable growth, but not a huge one. Because she already had a love interest that was a marquis. Plus, Marianne¡¯s title was lower than she had anticipated. ¡®I thought I could at least become a count!¡¯ It had not grown to become the huge problem it had been before because the case was resolved before it escalated. It was also because Frisia, that 1 villainess, had meddled in before, blocking her path. They hadn¡¯t become enemies yet. Her stomach churned when she thought of Frisia. Precisely, it must be because of her that Aslei was still stolen away. When she realized that she had regressed, she tried to save Aslei. But she had no way to attack the problem cleanly. He had already been kidnapped. She had no idea who had captured Aslei or where he was being held. Marianne was only spying for a chance, as she could have been kidnapped herself. ¡®Why hasn¡¯t Aslei crossed my path?¡¯ Maybe it was because she was a different person than she was before. Before her return, she married Aslei and rose to the rank of Duchess, and even executed that villainess Frisia and other evildoers. But the ending was not pretty. Because she had an affair with Jeremy. She had insisted that the child in her womb was Aslei¡¯s, but had been found out by a paternity test. you can Chapter 30 Jeremy wasn¡¯t the only one she had had an affair with. She was loved by many people, some of whom had different charms than Aslei. It was only natural for her that someone who had everything would want to get one more¡ª no, two¡ªthree more. Aslei was extremely devoted to her, and she had even calculated that he would not be able to forsake her even if he had found out about her affairs. But Marianne had forgotten. Frisia had also cheated on him and he divorced her. Jeremy dug a trap for Aslei to witness her cheating spectacle, and Marianne was caught motionless and Aslei was stunned. Their extreme love instantly cooled down. It was like realizing that the shining jewel was actually useless gravel. She had regretted it and hung on to him, but Aslei did not accept her. All of Marianne¡¯s deeds were indicted by Jeremy, and she shuddered to the point of disgust. There were moments of anger, tears and regret. ¡®You can¡¯t do this!¡¯ As she fell from the Duchess¡¯ position, everything that shined seemed to have vanished. The baby in her womb and Jeremy stayed by her side, but Marianne wanted the best. She had everything in the palm of her hands at one point, and she couldn¡¯t be satisfied merely with Jeremy. That¡¯s why she was desperately looking for a way. After rummaging through the ancient books in the magic tower, she finally found a way to turn back time by using Jeremy as her sacrifice. She was an elementalist, loved by many spirits, not a wizard, so she succeeded. She lost a lot in return for turning back time, but she was fine. Because she got a chance once more! ¡®I¡¯m no longer an elementalist, and there are many deficits but¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Marianne was first an elemental loved by many spirits, but the spirits abandoned her. The spirits had loved her until she committed an affair and had another man¡¯s child. But they were further repulsed when Marianne had made Jeremy her sacrifice. She thought she would be different if she returned, but it didn¡¯t. Now, she couldn¡¯t even see spirits. Marianne was furious, but couldn¡¯t do anything about it. She instead had the advantage that she already knew her future. It was an extraordinary ability and advantage to know the future. Thanks to this, Marianne was able to solve cases without being an elementalist and earn wealth and status. Although she did not elevate her family title to marquis as she had before her return, she herself became a viscount. No one could ignore her because she had such a fortune. Except for the three ducal families! ¡®There is also a formidable obstacle.¡¯ The magic book that contained the regression ritual had a warning. If she returned, she would have an adversary who would interfere with her work. At first, Marianne wasn¡¯t sure who it would be, but she soon knew. She had no choice but to know. Because Frisia Atreille had become a completely different person! She had begun to wonder if she had turned back time just like her, but it hadn¡¯t seemed like that was the case. In the first place because of their differences in statuses, she was difficult to get close to. After Frisia married Aslei, she seldom came out of the duchy, making it difficult for her to make friends. ¡®The two of them have to divorce soon¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Marianne¡¯s ultimate goal was Aslei. Only those who have received such a supreme love like him would know. That she could never be satisfied with anything else. She wanted Aslei, and he belonged to her. Before her return, she was unable to convince Aslei to reconcile. The relationship between the two was irreversibly broken. She was one of the best elementalists, but Aslei was also strong. So Marianne chose to regress. She had to pierce Jeremy¡¯s heart with a dagger, whom she had cherished in her own way, but she had no regrets. Besides, Jeremy had brought it on himself and started it all. However, when she started again, her life did not turn out the way Marianne had planned. Most of the men who had loved her before loved her again, but Aslei was different. It was as if he had noticed that she was not the one he had loved before. When Marianne had first met him, she couldn¡¯t have imagined an affair. She was naive and stupid, and much too upright. ¡®What¡¯s so different about me! You were the one who loved me first!¡¯ Aslei¡¯s brief interest in Marianne was short-lived. After that, he did not pay any attention to her. She tried to get close to Aslei through the men around her, but they only interfered. Marianne was nervous and anxious. Because now her world was not like the world she knew. Chapter 31 That¡¯s why Marianne insisted despite Jeremy¡¯s urging to give up. Up until then, she was convinced that Aslei and Frisia were going to get a divorce. It¡¯s Frisia! Even if she pretended to be meek, her nature would eventually shine through. Three years was a long time. She was convinced Aslei would notice the gap in Frisia¡¯s acting, see her true disposition and then divorce her. But when they approached and even passed the time of their initial divorce, her anxiety peaked. As it is, it didn¡¯t look like he would cast her away¡ªthen when would she even get the chance to approach Aslei? ¡®Should turn back time and come back again?¡¯ Because of that lingering question Marianne couldn¡¯t completely push Jeremy away. He was the hateful being who separated her from Aslei, but she needed him just in case. ¡®No¡ª not yet. It¡¯s too early. I haven¡¯t even tried everything¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She never thought that Frisia would easily divorce Aslei. Even before her return, she had clung on to him. Since she was certain that her adversary was Frisia, she was certain about this belief too: ¡®After all, Frisia is destined to have a cruel and brutal death for me.¡¯ Marianne clenched her teeth in resentment when she thought about the way she suffered at Frisia¡¯s hands and what she went through before she returned. At that time, she could not take revenge and resolve all of her anger, so it would not be a bad prospect for her to settle scores in this life. If there was anything that got in her way, she had to extricate it. It was rather easy for Marianne, who already once had the blood of loved ones on her own hands. Even with the deep cuts on the Archmage¡¯s eyelids, there was no damage to his eyes. He used his magic to heal it with ease, but his anger did not subside readily. He intended to indict him in front of the duke, but he would not abandon him to the end. It was enough for him to make an irresistible offer to the Duke of Tintalion and the deal to alleviate Jeremy¡¯s guilt. The Duchy of Tintalion was also a place with great power, but he was also The Master of the Magic Tower. But Jeremy didn¡¯t believe him. He was suspicious of his teacher and adoptive father, and ran away while bestowing him with severe wounds. The Master could not forgive this. ¡®You bastard!¡¯ He knew that he had to temper his anger and consider the environment in which Jeremy was raised in, but he was still furious. Jeremy was ten years old when the Archmage brought him in. Although the hardships up to that time were by no means small, he became the most cherished disciple of his and enjoyed many things. Even so, he still coveted other people¡¯s things and built up resentment and anger. For that reason he could not be considered the successor to the Tower. ¡®A man with such great magic and talent! Why can¡¯t you be generous!¡¯ There are many people in the world that had it harder than Jeremy. His teacher didn¡¯t believe that his circumstances or hardships were justified because of that, but Jeremy couldn¡¯t live his life by always being immaturely envious. You can hate, but don¡¯t allow hatred to corrode your life. If he couldn¡¯t reconcile this, it was better to be convinced that he had no qualifications to be the Master of the Tower that led and had the power to judge all wizards. Rather, it would be dangerous to raise him as a successor. No, Jeremy¡¯s very existence was dangerous to the Tower. Even if Jeremy became the Lord of the Tower with his tremendous talent, he could not even compete with the imperial family, the Temple, or even the Duke¡¯s family. His teacher contemplated deeply and pondered over and over again, but again, there was only one conclusion: ¡®You must have thought that I wouldn¡¯t be able to report your wrongdoings to the Duke. To some extent, you were right.¡¯ The Archmage of the Tower had no chance of winning if he collided head-on with the Duke of Tintalion. If the Duke found out about Jeremy¡¯s curse and gathered evidence, he would be forced to hand him over. The honor and face of the Magic Tower would fall, it was a situation the Master of the Tower would want to avoid. ¡®He won¡¯t let go of his feelings of resentment in the end. Even if he was banished. Should I wait until he inflicts irreparable damage to the tower!?¡¯ The Tower¡¯s Master convened a meeting of elders. He was the one who loved Jeremy more than anyone else, so he had a bitter taste on his tongue. ¡°Jeremy Wood wounded me and fled with the relics of the Tower. He is the traitor who betrayed his teacher, and he no longer belongs to the Tower.¡± A tracking team was not organized. Jeremy was the most outstanding disciple who received almost all the knowledge of his master. If he was chased by wizards it would only increase the number of casualties. In truth it was an empty declaration, insurance for later in case the Duke of Tintalion wanted to hold them accountable. ¡°I will evict him from the Tower and exile him. And¡­ ¡­ The Tower will be closed for four years.¡± Jeremy was a shrewd fellow. As the most outstanding disciple of the Archmage, he had solid connections and a strong network, so he could mobilize many wizards if he wanted to. The Master was worried about that possiblity. Chapter 32 It would not cease with just Jeremy, but many of the Tower¡¯s magicians could get entangled. The Magic Tower had already lost too many talents because of the war 10 years ago. A single mage should not be harmed again by a conflict. ¡®Four years will be enough.¡¯ The Archmage determined that Jeremy would clashed with the Duke of Tintalion and eventually self-destruct. Aslei¡¯s suspicions grew when he was notified that the Magic Tower had shut down. The Archmage help was willing, but the timing was too exquisite. In addition, the news that Jeremy Wood, whom he was close to, had been excommunicated, was also suspect. ¡°The Lord of the Tower knew who the culprit was!¡± One of the vassals raised his voice with outrage. They didn¡¯t know what the nature of the curse was on Aslei, but they were aware of one fact¡ª The fact that the Archmage had softened the curse, so there was no damage to his life. This was not true, but the vassals had to be informed. Since the Duke of Tintalion had no heirs yet, the facts had to be hidden even more. ¡°But there is no clear proof! They are already starting to burn the evidence¡­ ¡­ .¡± The Tower¡¯s actions made it clear that the culprit was Jeremy Wood, but how to prove it was a problem. It would be difficult to hold him accountable, as the Magic Tower had already excommunicated him and went into lockdown. In addition, Aslei had to keep in mind that the content of the curse placed on him was sensitive and was easy to elicit harmful rumors. Although through his marriage to Frisia, things had calmed down and there was a vast improvement, he was still a man that was surrounded by several ladies aspiring to seduce him. He could foresee scandals and more blatant attacks if his curse was known. It was a situation that Aslei wanted to avoid. ¡°You forgot the most important thing. The important thing is not to hold the Magic Tower accountable, but to punish the criminal.¡± At his words responding to the vassals, everyone was silent. Jeremy himself may have already been punished for being abandoned in the tower, but the position of the Duke was completely different. He was none other than the Duke of Tintalion. The closest to the imperial family, and the family that would produce an emperor if the two princes of the imperial family were killed or deposed. If he wanted, Jeremy¡¯s life could be spared after some punishments, but if he condemned him himself, he would not just end up being imprisoned. He would be most likely executed after the abolition of his magic. Or toil away for the rest of his life. ¡°Evidence is not unobtainable. The Duke is living proof. If you ask a wizard who knows Jeremy Wood¡¯s magic to examine the Duke¡¯s curse¡­ ¡­ .¡± Distinguishing the unique footprint of mana used in magic was only possible with very good magicians among advanced sorcerers. Archmage-class wizards. Even within the vast continent, it would be only possible with the best mages and a couple of their best disciples¡ªless than ten in total. The question would be whether they were ever even acquainted with Jeremy and could discern his magic. ¡°Even if they don¡¯t know him they should just capture Jeremy Wood!¡± You could tell by comparing Jeremy¡¯s mana with the magic of Aslei¡¯s curse. However, the retainers wondered if Jeremy would approach the duke out of freewill. If he was guilty, he would not come. Especially since the Archmage and Magic Tower had already forsaken him. At this, Aslei opened his mouth. ¡°Invite Jeremy Wood to come see me in person.¡± The idea was to set up notices all over the Empire and send men to order Jeremy Wood to be brought to the Duchy of Tintalion. If he was innocent, he would come on his own feet to clear his name. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t come after a set period, we will have no choice but to judge him as a condemned felon.¡± Not coming forward was the same as confessing that you were culpable. Jeremy Wood was a brilliant wizard, but he was not a nobleman. He was a magician who refused to receive a title and enlist amongst the Imperial Wizards so he could stay in the tower. Since he was deemed as the successor and next Archmage of the Tower it was a natural choice. But at the same time it meant that the Duke of Tintalion could kill him with impunity even if he was in the imperial court without notice. Because he was a commoner. The suspicion of a Duke alone was enough to have killed Jeremy. Aslei was almost certain that he was the culprit. He recalled his face fill of murderous intentions just becuase he had had a talked with Marianne for a moment. He didn¡¯t know why he had to deal with such a curse because of Marianne, who had nothing to do with him, but he didn¡¯t even want to care. He didn¡¯t have to ask every criminal why. Aslei did not want to bother creating any narrative for him as the perpetrator. Even more so, since he had wounded his precious one. Chapter 33 Upon hearing that Jeremy was the culprit, Frisia was both certain and puzzled. It was only after Aslei¡¯s divorce from Frisia that Marianne and him became fervently entangled with each other. Before Aslei was married to her, he had briefly interacted with Marianne, but he professed he had no relationship with her. So since he said so, Frisia believed him. He wasn¡¯t the sort of man who would lie about that. ¡®Although Jeremy was an envious character but¡­¡­ why? Aslei isn¡¯t even courting Marianne right now.¡¯ In the original story, he only burst into anger when Aslei and Marianne were involved in a romantic affair but now Aslei was still married to her but bizarrely he put a curse on him. It was also peculiar that the Magic Tower banished Jeremy. It was a place where he was respected and held dear. That the Archmage kicked Jeremy out was something she still couldn¡¯t get her mind around. Indeed, it must have been regrettable for him that the Duke of Tintalion was the second highest authority and leader in the Empire. Even more so now that the imperial power was not so great. If the Duke of Tintalion came forward and held the tower responsible, he could have suffered fatal damage. But Frisia remembered the novel: Although his teacher had been concerned about Jeremy¡¯s character, he changed his mind when he saw that his disciple had sincerely held Marianne in his heart and worked hard for her. At the end of the story she even remembered Jeremy becoming the Master of the Tower. ¡®Again, the original story has changed. Is it because Marianne solved all the cases and problems early on?¡¯ Even if that was so, it was odd. Even though many people were saved by working out dilemmas before they got bigger, why would the situation between the main characters only get worse? At this rate, the relationship between Marianne and Aslei might also be at stake. But Marianne was the protagonist of this world. She would try to make everything right, and the world would sway at her will. Before Frisia hadn¡¯t noticed that, so she resolved to guard herself from harm while being at Aslei¡¯s side. ¡®¡ªSo, don¡¯t do this!¡¯ Frisia stared at Aslei, who was sitting near her and tilted towards her seat. She was eager to scream at him, as their eyes met. Aslei smiled with his eyes twinkling. His smile was cute, but she was also sheepishly at a loss at what to do. ¡®That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to eat in the large dining hall!¡¯ It was Frisia, who didn¡¯t go down to the dining table under the pretext that she was tired after their tryst. When she fell asleep in her own room, alone, the excuse worked for her, but when she woke up in the same room as him, the justification fell apart. When she would try and part and say she was eating in the next room Aslei would follow her. Frisia couldn¡¯t openly say that she was avoiding him so she had no choice but to go down to the large dining room hoping he would at least be at a distance. But Aslei didn¡¯t sit at the far end of the huge table as usual, but instead sat down right next to her. ¡°Why did you move here?¡± When Frisia asked much to her chagrin and embarrassment, Aslei laughed as if he was absolutely happy. ¡°I want to listen to your voice up close,¡± he said. ¡°Even from my usual distance, I can hear my wife¡¯s voice and see your face well¡­ ¡­ . But it¡¯s more difficult to see my face well, isn¡¯t it?¡± That¡¯s why I want you to go back to your seat! Instead of voicing her thoughts, Frisia concentrated on her meal. They had agreed long ago to excuse all the servants from the dining room while they ate so they wouldn¡¯t have to keep up pretense of being a couple during mealtimes, but Aslei used this as an excuse to serve her meal. ¡°Frisia, this meat is more tender.¡± If she had allowed Aslei, he would have not only chopped up the steak into bite size pieces but would have directly fed it to her mouth. Frisia averted her eyes from his adoring gaze, recalling last night¡¯s embarrassment. Aslei smiled broadly. She just said that he could take off the blindfold and touch and kiss her. Frisia was confident that even if she allowed things, the essence wouldn¡¯t change, no matter what he said. However, Aslei was very much conscious that many things had changed. It was too late when Frisia realized that he believed that she had accepted his heart. She should be forthcoming, she told herself. But Frisia¡¯s heart sank to the thought of revealing it. She felt like she was going to get indigestion. ¡®I feel sick.¡¯ However, she had to admit the meat was objectively delicious, Frisia thought as she slowly chewed. She promised herself she would tell him after they finished eating. Chapter 34 ¡°I haven¡¯t been misled nor am I under any such delusion. I¡¯m just elated I am able to get closer and connect with you more¡­ ¡­ That I¡¯m in the situation that I am able to court my wife.¡± Courtship? At his words, Frisia looked positively puzzled. She was just drawing a line between the two of them as they drank tea after the meal. ¡ªThat their divorce will go as planned. As expected, Aslei looked wounded for a moment, but he quickly looked at Frisia with a soft gaze. ¡°Our marriage was genuine on paper, but it wasn¡¯t true for both of us. So it¡¯s my responsibility to woo my wife.¡± ¡±You want a divorce, but I don¡¯t,¡± Aslei added and continued. ¡°We had a wedding and went on a honeymoon, but it wasn¡¯t sincere¡­ ¡­ . I would like my wife¡¯s permission to do our wedding and honeymoon again¡ªproperly this time.¡± Their wedding had been grandiose, but it had not been a true marriage for the two of them. So, neither of them took interest in any of the planning ¡ªguests, decorations or dresses¡ªfor the wedding. The same was true of their honeymoon. They were only concerned with each other when the public¡¯s gaze was concerned, so they were often apart, visiting the places they wanted to see separately until they were in front of others and had to act like a couple. The trip had been enjoyable, but it hadn¡¯t been a couple¡¯s trip by any means. The distance between the two of them in private was very apparent during their honeymoon. She hadn¡¯t known Aslei had even been thinking about that. But it was just empty words to Frisia, who was determined to divorce. However¡­ ¡­ . ¡®I really¡ª I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡¯ Becuase Frisia had read the original story she knew well that Aslei¡¯s life had not been easy. When she found the memories of her previous life, it had already been when Aslei had already overcome all his hardships and became what he was today. So she hadn¡¯t been able to assist him at all. Considering the misery he suffered, his kind and affectionate appearance was remarkable, so it was especially hard for her to treat him carelessly. ¡®But dragging it out will only hurt you more later on.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t saying that the topic should be left unattended. It had not been once or twice that Frisia during her previous life had been hurt by the ambiguous attitude of others. She had no intention of re-doing her honeymoon. But as she tried to retort back, Aslei got up first. ¡°Would you like to go up to the room? Or even a walk¡­ ¡­ .¡± Missing her timing to speak, Frisia hesitated. She wondered if she should speak properly after going up to the room, but she thought it would be better to go for a walk. ¡®Because there are no beds there.¡¯ She had a premonition that if they entered the bedroom it would create a strange atmosphere and something would happen. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk¡ªah, but¡­ ¡­ .¡± As she spoke, it occurred to her that it wasn¡¯t a good idea. The aftermath of their affair made her unable to stand properly without support. ¡°I can¡¯t go for a walk, my legs are like this¡ªoh!¡± Aslei approached and effortlessly embraced and lifted her up in a princess carry. His eyes lit up as they met Frisia¡¯s eyes up close and he kissed her forehead. Aslei smiled apologetically at the sight of a surprised Frisia covering her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My wife is so cute when surprised, so I inadvertently¡­ ¡­ .¡± What¡¯s inadvertent! Convinced Aslei was being sly, Frisia glared at him. But she was startled by Aslei¡¯s next move, taking steps towards the door and grabbed his arm. ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡± ¡°You decided to go for a walk, so we should go to the garden.¡± Like this? Incomprehensible! Her long hair fluttered as she shook her head with fervor. It only grazed the cloth covering his chest and arm but Aslei¡¯s mouth went dry for some reason. ¡°Oh, no! It¡¯s shameful!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I carry you down like this, just earlier?¡± Even though it was true, it was still embarrassing. She had gone down the stairs in his arms. She regretted not insisting on eating her meal in her room. ¡®Huh, come to think of it, I would have had to be carried by Aslei even if I went up!¡¯ Aslei insisted it would be better if he carried her, rather than seeing supported on the arm of a servant because her legs were wobbly. ¡°If you are shy, I will tell the servants not to follow.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ugh, she resented his bright smile that beamed at her like she was adorable. When she shot him a glare with her red-tinted face, he just smiled wider. The attendants and housekeepers outside the dining hall spotted their master and his wife and pretended not to see them. As was the attitude of qualified employees. Aslei apprised them that they were going out for a walk and not to follow them. ¡®What are you planning?¡¯ He was doing quite a lot of things he hadn¡¯t done in weeks. It was the first time since she was a child that someone carried her like a princess. Frisia entered the garden in Aslei¡¯s arms and tried to hypnotize herself to remain apathetic: As if there wasn¡¯t a dangerously handsome man who hugged her and radiated joy and happiness with his whole body and heart. Chapter 35 The hallway and path leading to the garden were empty, probably because the attendants quickly informed each other to clear the way. Fortunately, the weather was clear and although a few thick clouds cast shadows, it was rather clear with the blue sky shining between them. Rays of bright sunlight poured through the branches of the trees. The leaves and petals fluttered lightly in the wind, and a faint but refreshing scent wafted over. Frisia couldn¡¯t help but stare. It seemed as if it had been a long time since she had seen such a landscape. It seemed so different when she strolled through the garden just a few days ago in a despondent and miserable mood. ¡®Ugh, my heart changes too fast.¡¯ Although the situation of his curse still remained, the world seemed different with Aslei¡¯s confession. Her so-called wretched thoughts were gone. ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m being a dunce, fooling myself! But I¡¯m happier!¡¯ She was sorry she had to refuse him but at the same time she held contradictory feelings of pride that her husband, Aslei, had confessed to her. As he carried her, Aslei walked to a corner of the garden and settled on the bench while Frisia was immersed in her thoughts. He initially wanted to put her on his thigh, but decided she would hate it and instead put her down on the seat next to him. ¡°¡­ ¡­ It looks like the mark of the curse on your chest seems cracked now. Have you noticed any other changes?¡± When she suddenly asked, Aslei glanced down at his chest. He, too, must have witnessed its changed state reflected in the mirror. ¡°The pain is gone.¡± At his words, Frisia¡¯s eyes widened with hope. She was elated to hear such. ¡°But the thirst still remains¡­¡­ .¡± Oh. Aslei¡¯s gaze heavy with ecstasy met Frisia¡¯s delighted regard, making her blink in surprise and gradually coloring her with shyness. He was so happy to be able to touch her lips now. His body was already anxious because he wanted to hold her again if she would allow it. ¡°I still want to do it now.¡± ¡°M-may I take a look inside your shirt?¡± Aslei expressed his consent with a nod, and Frisia opened his collar to check. The broken circle remained like it had from the morning. But earlier, the black blood vessels-like energy spreading around it had disappeared. However, now she could see those shadowy traces rising like poison again. Frisia was bewildered by the appearance that reemerged and spread through his skin. ¡®Isn¡¯t it worse?¡¯ Didn¡¯t he say that the pain was gone though? So the curse would not have gotten worse. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± But his desire to devour Frisia grew more desperate. If there was one thing that made it more agonizing than before, it was that the pain, which had been helpful at suppressing his lusts and impulses, had now disappeared making it unbearable. So the tormented Aslei decided to be brazen. He wasn¡¯t unscrupulous enough to beguile Frisia and seduce her using the excuse of his curse in this position. But he thought the other things would be fine. ¡°But it¡¯s agonizing ¡­ ¡­ Would you mind holding my hand?¡± It didn¡¯t hurt, but it¡¯s agonizing. Was he saying it was hard to hold it in? Frisia looked at him and she took his hand. His larger and hotter hand was caught in hers. That alone made Aslei¡¯s neck turn red. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t do this.¡¯ Her desire to sigh in helplessness and do more after witnessing his reaction sored. There was no way his desire could be quenched by barely holding her hand. When she let go of Aslei¡¯s hand, a deep regret appeared on his face. That disappointment turned into joy and surprise when Frisia¡¯s hand covered his cheek instead. His blue eyes, darker than Frisia¡¯s, were staring at her. The figure of a confused woman was reflected in Aslei¡¯s gaze. It belonged to a woman who was shaken and unable to grasp and still her heart. Although she knew it well, she drew in Aslei¡¯s face. As she looked deep into his eyes coming closer to hers without any resistance, she placed her lips on his. Chapter 36 If she looked at him with contempt and asked why he did it¡ªhe was sure he would blurt out the truth without thinking: Why is it that Aslei bastard and not me?! ¡®If that was the case, would your heart towards him waver¡ª even a little bit?¡¯ Jeremy wanted to impulsively check her reaction but knew it would be useless. Marianne would despise him. It was only natural since he had cursed Aslei because of his envy and greed. He gritted his teeth at that fact and flapped his wings. He had just finished killing all five eagles attached to him by his master in the form of a flying goblin. His form didn¡¯t matter right now because he was flying over a remote forest but once he approached a village, he would have to transform into another animal. The eastern part, where the Duchy of Tintalion was located, had fewer demons than the northern part, but was always on the lookout and wary of monster raids. Watchmen stood at attention in any villain, town or city, so he would be immediately noticed in his monster form. Jeremy turned into a wide-winged eagle and headed for the Duke of Tintalion¡¯s mansion. He was going to act in a way no one would have imagined. And this time he was going to ravage Aslei Tintalion¡¯s life. Frisia may have started it first, but Aslei took the initiative. He was obsessively indulging in her lips, melting her walls away and making her blissfully unaware that she was pulled up on his thigh, or that she was being ravenously embraced by him. ¡°Uh, ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± Her lips were lightly bitten, licked and sucked. Every time their tongues were intertwined, she sighed as a tingling sensation spread all the way to the tip of her head to her toes. More. Thinking that she wanted to touch him a little more, Frisia¡¯s hand, who had been holding his collar, started to wrap around Aslei¡¯s neck, astonishing him. ¡®Oh?¡¯ She was puzzled when Aslei, who had feverishly coveted her, raised his head. He looked at Frisia with a flushed, vulnerable¡ªand then increasingly troubled and embarrassed complexion. ¡°Any more than this¡­ ¡­ .¡± Frisia became aware of the presence of something stabbing her thigh, and also turned red. With just a kiss lasting a moment, Aslei was firmly erect. ¡°I¡¯ll get off¡­ ¡­ .¡± Frisia stated her intention since she was still sitting on his thigh, but Aslei hugged her and immobilized her as if he could not let her go. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Leave it alone and it will come down.¡± Maybe. He was not sure himself, but he thought it would. Probably. But even if it wasn¡¯t, Aslei didn¡¯t want to give up his current warmth. He greedily pulled Frisia into his chest as she watched him silently. ¡®Do you not like me holding you?¡¯ As he tried to read Frisia¡¯s face with anxious eyes, she quietly casted her eyes down and rested her head on Aslei¡¯s chest. It was tacit permission. He was relieved and thought she was kind and affectionate. ¡®The kiss was just a kiss¡­ ¡­ There must be no other intentions.¡¯ He only asked her to hold her hand, but who would have thought that the curse would have been eased that much. But he still found himself wondering how he could ask for more. How unscrupulous he was when he was already shamelessly coveting her body every night! ¡®Ugh.¡¯ Frisia wasn¡¯t just leaning against him. She was gently caressing Aslei¡¯s arm that was holding her. Her touch was soft¡ªweak and light as a feather, but just that was boiling his blood. ¡°Ha¡­ ¡­ .¡± Despite shedding a heated breath, Aslei did not want to let go. His heart was desperate to love her. ¡°Shall we go up to the bedroom?¡± At her whisper, a dense blush ran up his flushed face. He felt hot, held his breath for a moment and his mouth went dry¡ªhe was at a loss. Frisia already couldn¡¯t even walk from being overworked last night. Aslei also had a conscience. ¡°I-It¡¯s alright,¡± Aslei declined, unable to take a deep breath. Frisia stared at him like that, and then made up her mind. She wasn¡¯t unaware of her own physical condition, but¡­ ¡­ . ¡®It¡¯s better to finish up sooner.¡¯ She wanted to break Aslei¡¯s curse as soon as possible and she herself wanted to prepare for her divorce. There was only three weeks left until the date of their seperation and she needed all the time she could get so she could properly prepare. Telling Aslei¡¯s these facts would hurt him. It was hard for her to say that his curse could be troublesome. ¡®Aslei¡¯s probably going to stick by his refusal, insisting on worrying about my body.¡¯ If he couldn¡¯t be persuaded, she could only resort to other means. She knew how Aslei would never turn her down. Chapter 37 Frisia reached out and caressed his cheek. Aslei looked at her with trembling eyelashes. Frisia thought his blue eyes, distinct from her blue ones, were very pretty. Like the hue of the deep ocean or the color of the sea at night. ¡®It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it.¡¯ Of course she didn¡¯t hate it. He was sweet and gentle, while also being a strong and dependable person. His kindness came from strength. Frisia leaned against his chest and raised her upper body. She hugged her arms around his neck and placed her lips on his jugular vein. Aslei¡¯s blue eyes seemed to ripple. ¡®It would have been better if he wasn¡¯t the male lead¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ If only he had been a sub-male lead, she wouldn¡¯t have given up like this. As she tickled his hot lips with her tongue and her fingertips caressed down his chest, Aslei made a sound as if he was in pain. He trembled as Frisia¡¯s hand went further down. When she grabbed his penis, his body shook as if on fire. Eventually unable to resist, Aslei picked her up in a flash and hurried back to her mansion with Frisia in his arms. We can just go into any suitable bedroom on the first floor¡ª Frisia thought, but Aslei seemed to be in such a hurry that she was unable to reach him. As Aslei climbed up to find the duke¡¯s bedroom on the 3rd floor, Frisia donned a mischievous look as she was held in his arms. Seeing the thick darkness before his eyes, Aslei knew it was night. He instinctively looked inside his arm. Frisia fast asleep and deep asleep in his embrace. She looked tired, as if she had completely melted away from his previous actions. Seeing her unharmed and safe, his body, which had been stiff with tension, finally loosen. Aslei took a deep breath and kissed Frisia¡¯s forehead. Although he was in the dark, his sight was honed from his skills as a sword master. With only moonlight, he could see every detail on Frisia. The curtains were half-closed, and a thin haze of moonlight was shining through it. Aslei watched her, who had fallen asleep in ecstasy. To him her lightly closed eyelids, or her breasts, which slowly rose and fell with each exhalation, were lovely. From the tip of her head to the tip of her toes, Aslei¡¯s restless gaze passed. He pressed his lips to Frisia¡¯s cheek once more and looked down at his chest. A trace slightly smaller than his fist remained. Traces of the curse. The imprint of magic that was like damn shackles. ¡®It decreased again.¡¯ From the broken circle one more piece seemed to have disappeared. Frisia¡¯s stamina was pushed to her limit, so his curse seemed to be satisfied. Or maybe his satisfaction was being reflected in the curse. The shape of the curse was partly broken. At this rate, it seemed that he would be completely freed from the curse within three or four days. What should I do then?¡­ . The curse had to be lifted, but knowing that this was just his greed by catching Frisia under pretext, Aslei wiped her face and sighed. ¡®Shall I beg and hang on to her anyway?¡¯ He knew that Frisia didn¡¯t hate him, either. Just as Aslei desired her, Frisia sometimes desired him too. Just not as much, but it still was there. Aslei sighed and for such a brief moment, squeezed Frisia in his arms. They only had about 3 weeks left until their promised divorce. During that time, he had to hold onto Frisia with all his might. He would seduce her for now, but he wondered what if the temptation didn¡¯t work. The thought of parting with Frisia was so terrifying and frightening he felt as if he was suffocating. ¡®If you procrastinate and drag on the divorce as long as you can, you will be hated.¡¯ He hated being hated by Frisia. Just the thought of it made his heart burn. Aslei¡¯s anguish grew at the thought that he could not break up as sworn, and he could not keep his promise. While in the midst of the tornado of thoughts and agonizing emotions he was watching Freesia blankly¡­ ¡­ . Flapping!¡ª Some presence was detected with his developed sense of awareness. It wasn¡¯t something big enough to be wary of. It was a small bird that could only fit in the palm of his hand. ¡®What?¡¯ The bird that flew into the balcony seemed to be sitting on the window sill. For some reason he thought of the last crow, but Aslei thought he was overthinking things. ¡®Not even an owl, at this time of night¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Birds were quiet during the dead of night. It is only a nocturnal owl that flew through the darkness of this forest. Even while noting the oddity, Aslei ignored it and watched Frisia. As he continued to be embroiled in his thoughts and worries, his chest was seized¡ªhis hand clenched it heavily. Pound! Thump! Thump!¡ª A mighty, evil-willed force pierced and dug through his chest and penetrated into his throbbing heart. He felt his pulsating heart darkening, spreading around him, swallowing up the shattering curse, and turning it into an overwhelming darkness. No! An instinctive rejection came over, but his unguarded body had already left an opening that let the intrusion in once. Aslei¡¯s eyes widened as the pain that started from his heart rushed to the rest of his chest, then into his arms, legs, and extremities. He couldn¡¯t overcome the pain. Afraid he would injure Frisia in his withering, he shook violently and pulled her out of his arms. Ah¡­ ¡­ . Aslei was astonished to find that his hand, pressed against her skin, had turned silver-gray. That wasn¡¯t the only anomaly. His fingernails grew into animal-like claws, and the back of his hands began to be covered with black fur. ¡°Hak¡ª Grrr¡­ ¡­ .¡± The moment he realized that his mouth was torn and her teeth were growing, Aslei thought he had to get away from Frisia. He rolled out of the bed and struggled with the agony. Frisia should have awoken to such a commotion. But it was as if she, too, could not open her eyes, because she had been enchanted. ¡®The wizard!¡¯ Realization struck him, but it was already too late. The bird perched on the window sill just looked at him, with a sneer with his eyes shining in the dark. Aslei felt the bones all over his body bulge and swell as if they were being rearranged. He couldn¡¯t help but scream from the terrible, excruciating pain. A non-human cry shook the duke¡¯s mansion. Chapter 38 It felt like someone tapped her on the shoulder. Frisia hazily opened her eyes and looked into the darkness. It was quiet in her bed with the four pillars reaching up to the ceiling. ¡®Strange.¡¯ Aslei¡¯s arms that were supposed to hold her were absent. His warm embrace was gone. Frisia yawned her slightly and patted the area next to her. It was very dark, so she couldn¡¯t see if Aslei was there or not. ¡®Not here.¡¯ On second thought, it was peculiar. Ever since she allowed him to see, touch and kiss her, Aslei struggled with holding himself back and always stayed close to her. Haaaaaa, it was then that Frisia felt the breath of a giant beast. Her body froze in an instant. Frisia, who turned her head to look at the darkness outside her bed, almost screamed. Two lights, each the size of her fist flashed into the dark air. She realized a beat later that it was the eyes of a beast or a monster. ¡®Am I dreaming?¡¯ Her blood ran cold. Frisia moved slowly, not taking her eyes off it. She didn¡¯t know if this was a wise idea, but she had to check. Frisia¡¯s hand came out to the side table next to the bed. As her fingertip touched the magic tool on the side table, a small lamp lit up. In the spreading light, the huge beast retreated to the edge as if trying to avoid it. Crrrr¡­ ¡­ . The sound of breath coming from the huge breathing chamber slowly spread out. Frisia looked at the sight as she held her breath. ¡®That¡¯s¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ It was like a dog or wolf with black hair. The Duke of Tintalion¡¯s room was so large that it could be seen as small, but it was enormous. ¡®It¡¯s too big. How did it come in?¡¯ If an animal¡¯s head could come through the rest of them could possibly follow but his head was so big she could fathom it fitting past the duke¡¯s bedroom door or the glass door leading to the balcony. Frisia slowly climbed out of bed and picked up her robe. She had to wear her clothes, whether to call someone or run away. Because she was naked with nothing on. ¡®At a time like this.¡¯ My legs trembled as she climbed down the bed. It felt like she was about to collapse at any moment, but she endured because her life was at stake. As she applied strength to her toes, a piercing sensation spread from her toes to her head. Frisia forgot her situation and she wanted to vomit her resentment towards Aslei. [t1v: pain from their affair] I seduced you, but still, there is a degree! Suddenly, cold water poured on Frisia¡¯s head. Aslei was nowhere to be seen. Such a gigantic beast or monster invaded the duke¡¯s mansion, but he was not a person who would not appear. ¡®Oh, no! No way¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Aslei would have noticed it before anyone else and would have been by Frisia¡¯s side. As a sword master, he should have noticed such a monster before it even crossed the duke¡¯s fence. Drip¡­ ¡­ . Tears welled up in Frisia¡¯s eyes as she looked at the giant black wolf. It couldn¡¯t be. It¡¯s¡­ ¡­ it was absurd. ¡®The curse was being lifted.¡¯ Now only a few days. A job she had to endeavor for only for three or four days. As Frisia stepped forward and stumbled, it flinched and looked at her. It was a movement as if he wanted to support her. ¡°No¡­ ¡­ .¡± Her voice mixed with weeping leaked from between her teeth, she could see her golden eyes filled with a sorrowful sadness. ¡®Why?¡¯ Frisia, who knew the original story, knew what kind of hardship Aslei had to go through. He was a person who should not suffer again from such a curse. To the point that she hoped that Aslei was the only person in the world that should not have to suffer anymore. Chapter 39 ¡®It¡¯s¡­ it is too¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡ªAwful! Just horrible! Just what did Aslei do to deserve this? He was a person who did not lose his integrity even after going through so many ordeals. Yes, she was going to divorce him and leave, but she never wanted him to be unhappy. ¡°Ah¡ª Aslei¡­ ¡­ ?¡± ¡ªKeeaahh¡­ ¡­ . As if ashamed of himself, as if sad, Aslei backed away. The duke¡¯s bedroom was large enough for an animal the size of a house to run around, but Aslei¡¯s hind feet soon reached the window leading to the balcony. Tears flowed from Frisia¡¯s eyes as she took in his changed appearance. She was at a loss at what to do in this sudden and shocking situation. Just as she was starting to wonder why he was like that and what to do¡ª Bang! At the sharp sound, Frisia as well as Aslei were startled. A murmur was heard in front of the bedroom door. ¡°Duke! Princess! Are you okay?¡± Aslei noticed that he had awakened everyone in the Duke¡¯s mansion with a cry of pain. ¡®I have to show this to other people too! I¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ He felt like his head was going blank with the immensity of shame , horror and despair that was rolling over him. Maybe if he was seen by the duke¡¯s wizards he would return to his original form, but¡­ ¡­ . ¡®How? I¡¯ve already tried everything!¡¯ After being transformed into a creature, such a huge beast that was beyond an arm span, Aslei realized. The only way to break the curse was to be entangled with Frisia, and instead this is what happened. In this form, he could not hold her nor did he have any intent to try, but if he did, Frisia would be killed. Now he could not return to his original form. ¡®I¡¯ll harm Frisia!¡¯ Already being a cursed husband was a burden to Frisia, even though he was only a contractual husband. He already promised to part ways with her and the date was set and fast approaching. Furthermore, he was conscious he was still longing for Frisia even though he was like this. He was afraid that he would give in to this desire. Boom! Bang! ¡°Princess! Lady! I¡¯m going in!¡± When Frisia couldn¡¯t answer, she heard the door unlock with a key. The moment she hurriedly looked at Aslei, he moved. ¡°No!¡± A huge body shattered the window and disappeared out of the bedroom. It was possible because one side of the wall was all made of windows. Frisia was left behind, unable to catch him, and then collapsed on the floor as her steps faltered. The servants of the duke¡¯s house, which opened the door late, rushed in. ¡°Lady!¡± ¡°Madam, are you okay?¡± ¡°The Duke¡­ ¡­ .¡± People screamed in the garden. It was clear that Aslei, who had become a huge wolf, ran into a confrontation and was attacked. Frisia felt numb with panic¡ªwhat if Aslei died or got hurt? ¡°Oh, stop! Don¡¯t attack¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Duke!¡± Frisia¡¯s head instantly snapped toward the voice. Only she knew that Aslei had become a giant wolf. So who would have called ¡°Duke¡±? Unclothed, a naked Aslei was walking in through the shattered window, bleeding. It was as if he had been on the balcony and had been attacked by the huge monstrous wolf that had shattered the wall of windows. She watched Aslei approaching feeling as if she was in a nightmare. Jeremy had intended to transform him into an even more terrifying monster. Not a gigantic wolf, but such a hideous and repulsive aberration that would make everyone turn away in revulsion. But when he tried to cast his spell, building upon and changing his previous curse, someone had intervened. It was the work of the goddess he borrowed power from. He borrowed the power of the Goddess, so it was easy to put a hex on the Duke of Tintalion. Otherwise, the Duke would have deflected almost all sorcery. Although Jeremy gritted his teeth and complied with the goddess¡¯ will. Aslei didn¡¯t become the terrible, reeking nightmare he envisioned, but a giant wolf covered in black fur. He was furious, but reasoned that the result was the same anyway. ¡®No, I can¡¯t let it end like this.¡¯ So an even more terrifying thought crept into Jeremy¡¯s head. He wanted to make Aslei feel it too: The feeling of being deprived and robbed of a woman you thought as your own. Wouldn¡¯t it be great to use the duke¡¯s own knights to hunt him down? he thought. ¡®I lost Master and my tower because of you!¡¯ So these malicious schemes were only like a drop in the ocean. The Archmage seat, the Tower and his Master that was a father to him was his whole life and now that was taken away from him. It was easy for him to recast himself as Aslei¡¯s form because they had already encountered each other several times. He had been turned into a raven by the Master of the Tower and had left all his clothes and belongings behind. When he had been freed from his magic he had flown to the duke¡¯s castle. So there would be no one doubting him. Chapter 40 ¡®It seems that the enchantment was properly cast on the woman.¡¯ Jeremy had no intention of having an eyewitness to Aslei¡¯s transformation into an aberration. He had to live and die as a monster on the run. If he sinned with the hex, he too would be punished by the goddess, but he was willing to endure it. Or he could capture him in the form of Aslei and imprison him in a dungeon! When Jeremy snapped his fingers, Friscia¡¯s eyes sealed shut with his sleep spell, opened her eyes. He waited for her to scream, but she was surprisingly quiet. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ Duke Tintalion¡¯s bedroom was huge, and the bed was far behind, so he couldn¡¯t tell what she was muttering from his vantage point, peeking in from the balcony. He couldn¡¯t even see Frisia because of Aslei, who had turned into a giant wolf, blocked his view. ¡®You didn¡¯t just faint, did you?¡¯ Considering that she was the noble princess of the Duke of Atreilles, it was possible. As Jeremy was wondering about what to do, he saw a light coming through the window in the hallway. Hearing the howl of Aslei screaming in pain, servants started running towards the room. It was only natural since his cry shook the whole mansion. Jeremy smirked and waited for his cue. Soon, servants were banging on the door. ¡°No!¡± He dodged the fleeing massive shadow that rushed towards the windows. A huge black beast smashed through the windows and doors and leapt over the balcony. It landed gracefully into the courtyard and traversed the garden to avoid the rushing soldiers. Under the moonlight, he could see the gigantic beast moving swiftly. Jeremy clicked his tongue in disappointment. He was injured so it would have been better if he was caught right away. ¡®The soldiers of the Duke of Tintalion seemed to be highly skilled. How disappointing.¡¯ Unlike him, who could not use magic properly in the form of a crow, Aslei seemed to be able to manipulate mana even though he could not hold a sword. It was annoying, but it didn¡¯t look like he would die easily, so maybe he would suffer for longer and that wasn¡¯t too bad. Jeremy turned around and entered the Duke¡¯s bedroom. Recognizing Jeremy as Aslei, the servants ran to him in surprise. ¡®The Duchess¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Frisia was sitting on the floor, looking shocked and unladylike, her face blue as if she could not take a breath. ¡®Aslei seemed to be fond of his wife.¡¯ Jeremy wondered if he could deceive the Duchess, but thought the Duchess couldn¡¯t do anything even if she found him a bit strange. ¡®I must kill them, or chase them out before they notice me.¡¯ Now not Aslei¡ªbut he, himself was the Duke of Tintalion. ¡®What is going on?¡¯ Obviously, the giant wolf in the bedroom before was Aslei. Logically, that was right. If Aslei had not changed, he would have been the first to notice the beast¡¯s approach. The person walking through the broken windows and glass doors was completely naked. Rather it would have made sense if he slept with Frisia, hadn¡¯t gotten out of bed and had on a robe. ¡®There is no trace of the curse on that person¡¯s chest!¡¯ Is that all? When the giant wolf broke the window, this man had been struck by its shards, and he was bleeding from all the little cuts from all over his body. Aslei was a sword master. His body was always protected and fortified by his mana, so it was rare for Frisia to scratch him during an affair. If he had seen the windows break, he would have turned his mana to protect his body. If it was really him he should have been unscathed. The fake, who was walking, met Frisia¡¯s eyes. His blue eyes did not contain any concern for her, nor could she detect even a handful of affection. Perhaps, it was as if his heart froze cold. It wasn¡¯t as if she hadn¡¯t seen her husband in a week and he had changed but it was only a few hours. Aslei¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t change that much. What¡¯s more¡­ ¡­ . ¡®That¡¯s not the gait of a sword-wielder!¡¯ Her father, Duke Atreilles, and brother, Ryan, were both skilled swordsmen. Additionally Frisia, a ducal princess, had picked up on it instinctively because she had been raised all her life under the protection of many knighted escorts and guards. People who did not wield a sword held themselves differently and had a certain type of walk. Aslei Tintalion was not some ordinary sword-handler but a Sword Master. He couldn¡¯t change that much in a few hours. Chapter 41 ¡°Frisia, are you okay?¡± Frisia felt goosebumps crawl up her skin at the naked man approaching her with an affectionate expression on his face. Even if his face was the same, he wasn¡¯t Aslei. ¡®It¡¯s disgusting!¡¯ Offended, she pressed down her revulsion and her instinct to oust him out as she saw the attendants approaching. They wrapped a gown around the fake Aslei¡¯s shoulders. ¡®Making Aslei look like that¡­ ¡­How dare you impersonate him!¡¯ Frisia¡¯s body trembled with cold rage. Considering the pain and despair that Aslei must have felt, it was not enough to tear him to death a thousand times. ¡°Mia¡­ ¡­ .¡± One of the knights approached after hearing Frisia¡¯s call. Although the Duchess was kind to many, she wasn¡¯t particularly close to her. Even so, since she was her master¡¯s mistress, Mia dutifully came to Frisia¡¯s side. The maids parted and made room for Mia. Fake Aslei was still guarding one side of Frisia. He adjusted his robe and took notice of her and searched her face. ¡°Frisia, everything will be alright. I¡¯m with you.¡± His hand approached her, and although she shivered she did not avoid it. Her body lost its balance and found herself leaning against the fake¡¯s chest. Mia approached, pointing a questioning look at Frisia. ¡ªCloser, she beckoned and Mia took a couple of steps closer. To her left was Aslei, supporting her, and to her right was Mia. Frisia mouthed the words silently. Jeremy, disguised as Aslei, looked down at her to see what was going on. Finally, Mia came so close she brought her ear to Frisia¡¯s lips and heard her licking her lips in anxiety. Jeremy¡¯s nerves were also on high alert and looked at her mouth. Frisia glanced at the fake with a piercing gaze and looked at Mia. She whispered in her ear and grabbed the handle of the dagger that was tucked into her thigh. ¡°¡­ ¡­ that Aslei is an imposter.¡± A startled Mia fell on Frisia. She noticed that the dagger stored on her thigh had been pulled out, but Frisia was already moving. Jeremy was about to laugh awkwardly and ask her what she was talking about. Arghh! Everyone was astonished by the sharp, high-pitched scream. The dagger dug into Jeremy¡¯s shoulder as he reflexively retreated. The guards seized Frisia and tried to protect the fake Aslei. Or they would have if the imitator¡¯s hair hadn¡¯t changed the color from light blonde to brownish-orange instantaneously. Because of the pain, some of the transformation illusion unraveled. Everyone in the room witnessed Aslei¡¯s red, well-groomed face swaying like a wave, and witnessed other faces come up. ¡°F-fraud!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sorcerer!¡± The hands that had held Frisia back now changed to protecting her. Frisia instructed Mia who was supporting her. ¡°The black wolf that escaped earlier is the Duke! Send someone to tell them not to attack Aslei! Track him, but don¡¯t provoke him!¡± Heeding her command without delay, a couple of servants ran out of the bedroom with frightened complexions. The knights drew their swords and surrounded the imitator that changed into Aslei again. Jeremy gritted his teeth and pulled out the dagger from his shoulder. Although he could momentarily evade, he could not fly away as his shoulder was injured. ¡°Damn it, fucking bitch¡­ ¡­ .¡± Clink! The dagger fell to the floor with a sharp clank. Jeremy¡¯s body started to shrink and he became a slender leopard. He slipped through her knights and ran towards the broken window sill. ¡°Catch him! Don¡¯t let him get away! He can break the Duke¡¯s curse!¡± At her sharp declaration, the knights chased after the leopard. But even though they were on the third floor Jeremy was able to glide his body off the balcony. In the middle of transforming his arms into wings he tried to flap his arms but the pain from his wound made him falter. He fell to the ground with a thump and didn¡¯t land properly. Anngh! Jeremy¡¯s howl of pain was music to her ears. Escorts rushed out of the bedroom. The only ones left by Frisia¡¯s side were her servants, her maid and two of her guards. She spotted the butler, Bunter, and beckoned him. He hurriedly approached her. If the esteemed mistress hadn¡¯t recognized that fake¡­ ¡­ . It was too terrifying to imagine. ¡°Bunter, make sure he doesn¡¯t get away! The Duke hasn¡¯t completely lost his sanity, so we can bring him back later¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Oh, I see! I will mobilize all the knights in the castle!¡± The Duke of Tintalion had a total of five orders of knights. Among them, three of the knighthoods were dispatched to the provinces to subdue monsters, and the other two orders were stationed in Mulia, the capital of the duchy. Frisia had no idea she could hold Jeremy inside her duke¡¯s house. She saw earlier that he could transform into a multitude of beasts, so if he so desired he could turn into a little creature and escape¡­ ¡­ . ¡°Release the hounds! Use everything at our disposal to support the search!¡± With Bunter¡¯s affirmative, he hurriedly left the bedroom. Losing her strength, she sat down in a chair near her, supported by her maids. If her legs were fine, she would have pursued Aslei herself. Chapter 42 It was enough for Jeremy to be pursued by the knights, but Aslei was different. It may have been that his sanity was fluctuating, as he did not stay and ran away. ¡®Why did you run away? Even if you can¡¯t speak, you can write.¡¯ It was obvious he was of sound mind when he saw her waking up from her sleep and tried not to startle her. The problem, however, was that he ran away as people flocked in. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I need to get dressed,¡± she declared and looked at her maids for their assistance. They supported her and raised her up. A couple of voices urged her to rest, but Frisia had no intention of resting. Even though her legs and pelvis hurt, it was more pressing to save Aslei. And to capture Jeremy Wood! ¡®Jeremy, let¡¯s see what you got, you bastard!¡¯ She had no clue as to why he would curse Aslei, but she was willing to take revenge upon him a hundredfold¡ªor a thousandfold!¡ªon Aslei¡¯s behalf. Damn it, damn it! Jeremy kept transforming and running away. He used mana to attack too, but the duke¡¯s knights were different from the chaff he had ever faced before. If he tried to depart from above¡ªprobably because of her instructions to keep him alive¡ªwith the slightest opportunity a swarm of attacks aimed at his arms and legs bombarded him. It was a world in which a severed limb could be recovered by giving a huge donation to a high-ranking priest. So the damn nobles didn¡¯t mind cutting off human limbs. Not all nobles were like that, but at least it was clear that they thought it was okay to cut off the limbs of a wizard who cursed the duke and turned him into a beast. ¡®The moment you get caught, it¡¯s over!¡¯ He thought for a moment that he could transform into a huge monster and harm the knights, but then he realized there was a sword master to worry about. Even if he turned into a large monster in front of the Sword Master, he would become a large moving target. Boom! Boom boom! ¡­ ¡­ He turned into a small animal such as a mouse or a cat and tried to run away, but they had even released the hunting dogs. He hated the knights, but he hated the animals that were chasing him with their sharp teeth exposed even more. Jeremy gritted his teeth and vowed to get out of here at any cost. He didn¡¯t take over the Duke¡¯s life, but he was already half victorious since he succeeded in turning him into a monster. Jeremy chortled with the thought and ran into the woods. He didn¡¯t even know how unsightly and hideous his smile was. Aslei, who had escaped the duke¡¯s mansion, moved his steps in grieving anguish. Now he was left riddled with anxiety and despair over what he should do. ¡®Frisia recognized me.¡¯ Therefore, he did not know that if he returned even now, a comfortable life would be guaranteed even if he looked like a monster. However, Frisia would be miserable just like him. He turned Frisia into the wife of a monster, a woman with a cursed, wretched husband. ¡®Frisia¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Just the mere thought of her name made his hollow heart deeply ache. He could feel his heart torn and bloody with the longing to see her and hold her again. But with her body like this, he would not be able to hold her. Even getting close to her might hurt her. He was too big. ¡®I can¡¯t touch you again.¡¯ How miserable Frisia would be by his side. The man she was planning to divorce was cursed and within a couple of days of the deadline he became a monster. If she divorced him as he was, the world would instantly label Frisia as a vicious woman who had abandoned her cursed husband. They may have formed a friendship, but they were not lovers. It was too much for her to ask her to take on a burden for the rest of her life. ¡®This does not mean that the Ducal House of Tintalion will be destroyed.¡¯ His grandfather was still alive. It would be simple enough for him to choose a useful son from a collateral, distant branch of the family and adopt him as the heir to the dukedom. A grandson who has turned into a monster should be left on an island somewhere in the Duchy. He couldn¡¯t drag Frisia with him in exile. ¡®It¡¯s going to be a miserable life anyhow.¡¯ If it was known he was alive, Aslei thought his grandfather would not let her go. Attaching Frisia to him would be used to assuage his guilt for abandoning his grandson. He was a great ruler of the duchy, but was a deficient grandfather. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to make Frisia unhappy. However, he desperately wanted to see Frisia one last time, with a determination to give her up, with a final farewell and definite closure. He just wanted to meet her eyes, hear her voice, feel her breath. If only he could do that one more time¡­ ¡­ . Kkkrrraaaahhh! At the inhuman breath that came out of his mouth, Aslei laughed self-disparagingly at his disgusting self. Everything was over now. Everything. Chapter 43 Frisia bit her fingertips until blood came out. She couldn¡¯t sleep. Jeremy Wood had escaped and Aslei was missing. Although he had such a gigantic body, he had hid so swiftly that they hadn¡¯t even caught a trace of him. ¡®Damn it! I¡¯m doomed.¡¯ Frisia was contemplating whether or not to send word to the former Duke, who could be said to be her grandfather-in-law. She didn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t know exactly where he was, and didn¡¯t know how he would react. ¡®What if he says to forsake Aslei?¡¯ Of course, the former Duke also cherished Aslei. However, he was a person whose family honor and political affairs were more important than the life and death of his own blood. He would be ashamed of his successor being cursed, and he would be furious if he knew that Aslei had been transformed into a giant wolf. ¡®But it has already become impossible to hide from my side.¡¯ A giant wolf escaped the duke¡¯s castle and a commotion broke out to catch the fugitive wizard. Now that two knighthoods were chasing the wizard, rumors were inevitable. Already, a number of vassal families in the duchy had sent people to inquire about the situation. She could cover for Aslei¡¯s duties for now, but the tumultuous unrest of nobility was inevitable. ¡®Even if it¡¯s not me, someone will try to tell Grandfather the news.¡¯ Frisia did not have any children with Aslei. To be precise, she was on contraception because she didn¡¯t have any intention of starting a family yet. If he knew about the curse, it was clear that his grandfather would use that excuse to take all the powers away from Frisia. ¡®When you¡¯re in contact.¡¯ Fortunately, out of all of her misfortunes, his grandfather traveled with his friend to another continent. It was an expedition in tracking down a real dragon. In a sense, it was like saying that he would not return until he died, so Aslei and Frisia were only asserting that the former Duke had gone on a trip. ¡®But if the news arrives.¡¯ He would surely return to the Duke of Tintalion, to protect his clan. It would take several months to find the old duke and that was on the quick side. Before that, Frisia wanted to find Aslei and break his curse. ¡®I don¡¯t think that damned Jeremy will be found, and there¡¯s no other way to break the curse¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ The former curse seemed to be undone through physical and emotional interactions with Frisia. At least it seemed so. The pain had also dissipated. ¡®We can¡¯t do that in his current form.¡¯ First of all, it was physically impossible. She wondered if Aslei could change from a wolf to a human like a werewolf in legends. ¡°Madam.¡± One of her maids approached Frisia with a worried expression. Seeing the hot meal on the tray, she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t need it. If I eat something, I will fall asleep.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve only nibbled on snacks for the past few days. The knights will soon bring the duke.¡± She sincerely hoped so. Aslei was not caught, despite using all possible means to catch him. Frisia was convinced that he was doing this on purpose and hiding from her. ¡®You must be concluding things on your own and digging yourself into a hole again!¡¯ Aslei was the male lead, but because of his delicate setting, he was sometimes frustrating. It was obvious he was thinking something like ¡®I can¡¯t be with you in this form.¡¯ He must be considering the worst possible scenario. He didn¡¯t even consider showing up when the duke¡¯s wizards looked for him. Beforehand she had thought he was just wandering around without being able to enter the castle. ¡°Madam, you are bleeding.¡± Frisia, who had bitten her fingers, not her nails, raised her head. She hadn¡¯t slept in five days, so didn¡¯t even register the pain. ¡°Uh¡­ ¡­ .¡± She was so angry she couldn¡¯t help herself. She had to find Aslei, by all means but the way¡­ ¡­ . ¡®Oh.¡¯ There was one way she could think of. A good way to check and see if Aslei is sane. Suddenly in a good mood, Frisia gathered her maids. Happy with the thought she might have Aslei come to the Ducal mansion on his own two feet. The news naturally spread to the capital that two of the Duke¡¯s Knight Orders were pursuing a wizard and the other was looking for the duke who had turned into a monster. This was such a big deal that even the imperial family had to pay attention to such gossip. ¡®Is there something wrong with that Aslei Tintalion?¡¯ The emperor had always been dissatisfied with the fact that the power of the aristocracy was stronger than that of the imperial family. It was the Duke of Tintalion who became the focal point of that power, as was the Duke of Atreille. It was the emperor who was absorbed in how to bring them to his side, as the marriage was a combination of the two powers. ¡®How very tempting!¡¯ The previous old duke traveled to another continent and all that remained was a lonely Duchess. She was a young and beautiful woman, that was not yet thirty. Chapter 44 Happy New Years! ¡®Duke Atreille will interfere, but¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s not hard to wield a wench!¡¯ If only he could take advantage of Aslei¡¯s curse and disperse the forces of the Duke of Tintalion, he could wish for nothing more. The emperor looked at his two sons. Compared to the Duke of Tintalion, they were absurdly incompetent, but they were still his children. They were always growling over the throne. There had been a Crown Prince above them to keep them in check, but the balance was distrubed when he had died in an accident. The emperor, who suspected it was an assassination rather than an accident, had yet to promise the crown prince position to either of the two princes. ¡°You must have heard the rumors about the Duke of Tintalion.¡± The emperor broke his silence on the matter by secretly calling the two princes. They had always been compared to Aslei, so the two princes had a strong animosity towards him. At least the first prince, the previous crown prince, had been a man of character who had the qualities to become a saint, but his two sons did not. The emperor was sure that no matter which of these two princes became emperor, he would not receive the same loyalty as the dead prince. Is the third more likely? ¡°Go and kill the Duke of Tintalion, whether it¡¯s disguised as an accident or by borrowing someone else¡¯s hand.¡± If Aslei could be killed before the previous Duke returned, the imperial faction might be able to raise a new Duke who suited his taste. Through marriage to the remaining Duchess, Frisia. For him, his task would be to convince Duke Atreille, but he thought it would be possible. A son-in-law who was cursed and turned into a monster would be a flaw in the Atreille Duke¡¯s family as well. ¡°Whoever kills the monster will be emperor. Do you understand?¡± The two princes¡¯ eyes lit up at the bait offered up by the emperor. The curse alone was strange. Because in the world before her return, Aslei had never been cursed. ¡®Is it because I changed the future? Is that why it changed?¡¯ He was not as interested in Marianne as before, and they did not become lovers. Instead, all that happened was there was a rumor floating around that Aslei had been cursed. It would be nice if it was just gossip but a few days later, news broke out that the curse had intensified and that Aslei had become a giant monster. The aristocrats in the capital were greatly shocked, and public sentiment was forming that the culprit, a wizard, should not be left alone. If such a thing happened to the great noble Duke of Tintalion, they might not be safe either. There were also voices that the tower should be closed and the wizards should be slaughtered. Jeremy Wood, who is known to have cursed the Duke, was a wizard of the Tower! Marianne was confused. Why would Jeremy put her curse on Aslei? Of course, he acted strangely, unlike before his return. ¡®You don¡¯t remember, do you?¡¯ It was not impossible, since it was Jeremy¡¯s heart that had been sacrificed for her return. Jeremy, unlike her other men, was the first to notice Marianne¡¯s feelings for Aslei. He tried to persuade her to give up on her feelings and even revealed his hostility towards Aslei. Marianne pained to use Jeremy to come back again if her life was ruined again, so she couldn¡¯t push him away completely. Had she been doing well with Aslei, she would not have continued her relationship with him. Jeremy was the decisive factor in Aslei divorcing her. ¡®What should I do? Do I have to go back in time again?¡¯ The problem was that the magic tower was closed, so the magic book that was used at that time could not be obtained. Before her return, she was kicked out by Aslei and lived in the tower, so she was able to do that. She could have been helped by the spirits. ¡®It¡¯s impossible to be helped by the spirits right now. I can¡¯t even see them! It¡¯s a problem I have to solve on my own.¡¯ If she asked Jeremy, he would risk his life to her bidding. But it was clear that he would check the contents of the book she would ask for. Knowing the contents of her book, he would realize that she needed his own life as a sacrifice. ¡®Jeremy shouldn¡¯t know the book. Even if he has memories of a past life like me, his memories won¡¯t be perfect.¡¯ Since he was used as an offering, perhaps he had fragments of memories. He didn¡¯t even know what she had done because he hated Aslei only with the fragments of his memory. Like a fool. He might be a substitute for Aslei, but he couldn¡¯t be Aslei. Even the baby in her womb wasn¡¯t Jeremy¡¯s. Marianne didn¡¯t feel any sympathy for him. Because it was Jeremy who drove her and Aslei¡¯s relationship into an irrevocable state. She thought Jeremy had to pay the price. ¡®¡­ ¡­ Anyway, I have to go!¡¯ From the moment she heard that he had been cursed, she knew she had to go to him. Wasn¡¯t it even said that Aslei is missing now? If anyone could find Aslei, it would be her, not Frisia! Chapter 45 Happy New Years! The Duke of Tintalion¡¯s castle was surrounded by deep woods. It was located on the outskirts of Mulia, the capital of the duchy, surrounded by a huge forest and gardens. Aslei hid himself in the forest but found himself unable to get out of the vicinity of the duke¡¯s mansion. Because Frisia was there. He thought that she would make Frisia unhappy if he was by her side, but Aslei couldn¡¯t bring himself to leave from her side. ¡®I just want to see her face one more time.¡¯ If that happened, he was determined to completely disappear and go far away from the duke¡¯s residence. Originally, he had planned to take his life by jumping off a high cliff, but it was impossible in the nearby vicinity. His body had changed so much that it seemed that he would only be injured on the nearby cliff. He didn¡¯t see her up close, he just wanted to see her face from afar, but Frisia seldom came out of the mansion. But far from taking a walk he couldn¡¯t even spot her near a window. ¡®Why?¡¯ Aslei, who had turned into a giant wolf, still had extraordinary hearing, and kept an eye on the movements of the workers in the duke¡¯s residence. They were busily coming and going, whether they were on guard or running errands, they all had anxious expressions. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t know if she will be okay.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Madam can¡¯t get up.¡± Aslei¡¯s ears pricked up at the maid¡¯s talk in the garden. They said that Frisia collapsed after not eating properly for several days. She refused to sleep and waited for reports from the knights. If the duke became like that and even the wife got ill¡­. the maids exchanged anxious conversations saying that it would be the end of them. Aslei was sweating. He was so worried about Frisia that he was tempted to walk into the mansion on his own. ¡®No! I am just a burden to Frisia!¡¯ He hardened his resolve when he thought of Frisia making an effort to break his curse while like this. Clenching his teeth, he look at the Duchess¡¯ bedroom and then turned away. Not far away, the ducal knights were coming after Aslei¡¯s trail. Frisia was frustrated by the news that only traces of him had been found for several days. In an attempt to lure Aslei in, she had even spread rumors that she was sick and locked herself in her room, but it seemed to no avail. Meanwhile, people like a herd of wolves were sending people to target the Duke of Tintalion. The Duke of Atreille, her father, even politely offered to send someone to help her. She did not even allow him to visit, but she had a vassal family who suddenly sent people, and the imperial family ¡®notified¡¯ her that they would send a suitable person to check on the situation. Frisia ruthlessly rejected everyone but the imperial family, while she waited for her knights to return. Those she waited for were not those sent to pursue Jeremy. Before Aslei turned into a giant wolf, she had sent out people to chase Jeremy. They had been tracking Jeremy and found his lab outside the tower. The laboratory inside the tower was acquired before the tower was closed. [t1v: raws say outside and then inside, sometimes there are typos, so idk, it¡¯s anyone¡¯s guess] Most of the items in it had been moved to the duke¡¯s residence before the Archmage closed the tower completely. The duke¡¯s sorcerers were investigating it under Aslei¡¯s orders. It was said that a decisive clue was found in the laboratory outside the tower, so she was waiting for it. ¡°That wizard must have mixed the curse with the divine power of a god!¡± The chief magician explained in a definitive tone. Frisia made her leave out the detailed explanation and made her get to the point. The chief wizard said that relics were also found in Jeremy¡¯s lab. According to the records he left behind, he studied how to combine holy magic and cursed spells through holy relics. Holy magic was magic that borrowed the power of the gods. It was mainly used by priests, but was also rarely used by white magicians or general wizards. ¡°You mean that is possible?¡± ¡°Theoretically it is possible. Real success is rarely seen. I¡¯ve never been successful because literally god didn¡¯t allow it.¡± There is no such thing as lending power to a curse placed on the basis of a person¡¯s private desires, unless the gods were angry and cursed him. She didn¡¯t know what Jeremy did, but he made it possible. That¡¯s why the spell succeeded on being cast on Aslei, who could repel any sorcery. ¡°Then how do we break the enchantment?¡± When Frisia asked the most important thing, the chief wizard blurred her words as if troubled, ¡°Let the god take their power back ¡­ ¡­ I think we will have to catch the wizard himself.¡± ¡°God reaps power, was there ever such a case?¡± She said that if a priest committed a transgression sometimes their divine power would be taken away. Or, a god who is disappointed with the dishonest behavior of a believer or a priest, takes power from the holy relics or temples. ¡®But Aslei has never sinned enough to suffer such a curse!¡¯ She couldn¡¯t understand why a god would lead power to such a corrupt mage to cast sorcery on such a good man. Chapter 46 He was not a demon or evil spirit, so wealth, magical powers, and lifespan would not be enough to entice a god. He must have borrowed power in exchange for something powerful¡­ ¡­ . ¡®Jeremy looked fine.¡¯ At least it was like that when he transformed into Aslei and appeared in front of people. When Friscia recalled Jeremy, who had brazenly appeared as Aslei, she felt furious again. Aslei should not be treated like that. He was not one to curse a certain denomination or to commit blasphemy, so Frisia was even more skeptical by this situation. ¡°Did you find out which god¡¯s divine power was used?¡± ¡°The found relics belonged to Astera.¡± She was Astera, the goddess of the sky. Prior to her ascension to the Head Goddess, she was widely revered as the goddess of war and love. ¡®Of all things, the goddess of love.¡¯ Frisia suddenly remembered that night. That night, which she allowed Aslei to touch her and see her. ¡®¡­.Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s the way to break the curse?¡¯ Frisia told the wizard that she had done a good job and sent her out of her parlor. ¡°Madam.¡± As Bunter went upstairs himself, Frisia wondered what was going on. The bright expression on Bunter¡¯s expression looked like something promising had happened. But his subsequent words upset her. ¡°The Viscount Rowain and her friends came directly to us saying they wanted to help.¡± Marianne and her companions were famous within the Empire. She was treated like a problem solver or adventurer who jumped into many incidents and figured them out. As the original title suggested ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to the Esteemed Lady¡±, if it had been the original heroine, Frisia would have gladly entrusted Aslei¡¯s work to her. ¡®But not now.¡¯ The only thing that remained the same between this Marianne and the one from the original work was the number of sub-male leads she had following her. She wasn¡¯t even an Elementalist, and she couldn¡¯t even accept Aslei as her companion. He was cursed and it was Frisia, not her, that received his love until the day he became a giant wolf. So Frisia was convinced Marianne or her colleagues would not be helpful. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I know you have been through hard times.¡± Nevertheless, just in case, she accepted them as guests. Because there were two priests among Marianne¡¯s sub-male leads. Kion, a paladin, and Ruud, a priest. As they were sub-male protagonists, she knew that each individual¡¯s divine power and ability were excellent. Frisia looked back at the people who had gathered in the parlor on the first floor. She nodded in polite acknowledgement as Ian greeted her, as if representing the party. There was no one with a higher rank than her here. In fact, it was difficult to find anyone with a higher status than Frisia¡¯s unless it was a member of the imperial family. Frisia greeted them lightly and invited them to sit down, and Marianne and her sub-males cautiously took their seats. Except for Jeremy, there were five sub males. Except for paladins and priests, there was one marquise, one beastman, and the rest were mercenary-born swordsmen. There was a tycoon who hid his identity from the party, but actually had a mercenary group. ¡°Did you say you would help?¡± Watching the tea come out, she asked. None of these people had any personal relationship with Frisia. The marquis, Ian, may be acquainted with either the Duke of Atreilles or her brother Ryan. Nevermind the Zen, the beast man, or Trevor, the leader of the mercenaries. At most Priest Ruud or Paladin Kion, she may have encountered at the temple, but she could not remember. ¡°You may not know us, but I have known your husband for a while.¡± Frisia nodded her head slowly. She had also heard that Marianne and Aslei knew each other. Besides what Aslei had told her, she had seen them talk before. Chapter 47 In fact, it was because of the sight of them facing each other that Frisia remembered her previous life. She thought they looked like a good fit for the way they happened to look through people. And¡­ ¡­ After vertigo accompanied by headaches and vomiting, she recalled her previous life. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you are friends with the Duke, but how are you planning to help?¡± Frisia already had talented people from the duke¡¯s side. She was using two knight orders to pursue Aslei and Jeremy. Neither of them produced results, but reports were coming in from time to time. Jeremy seemed to have crossed the mountain range, and Aslei was looming around the duke¡¯s castle. ¡°I think you¡¯ve heard the stories about us.¡± In the town where there was. a werewolf, stopping the incident before it escalated, stopping a cursed baron from killing children, discovering that a cult was kidnapping and killing people, etc¡­ ¡­ . There are quite a few, but most of the things that Frisia knew where from the story she read in her past life. She was also aware that those events were blocked before they snowballed into bigger problems. Rumors know how to get to your ears. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to get involved in tracking the wizard. I¡¯d like to help bring the Duke to you. If possible, I will help you break the curse.¡± At Ian¡¯s words, Frisia glanced at Ruud and Kion, who were seated. Although she already had a high priest residing within the duke¡¯s residence, they had been brought in from the temple after Aslei was cursed. ¡°To help¡­ ¡­ Do you know how to break the curse?¡± Frisia asked this because she knew Jeremy was their colleague. Jeremy was friendly with them, but it wasn¡¯t widely known. Perhaps these people also thought that Frisia would not know that far and visited her. At her words, Ian hesitated for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Of course.¡± It was Marianne who interjected. Ian kept a calm expression, but a look of flustered bewilderment crossed his face for a brief moment. Ruud and Kion also seemed surprised. Frisia had an intuition that the eyes of her party were asking her why she would say such a thing. She wouldn¡¯t know anything about Jeremy¡¯s curse. It was doubtful that Marianne really knew anything, so Frisia gaze turned to her. ¡°So how can I break the curse?¡± ¡°Uh,¡­ ¡­ I can¡¯t tell you until I see the Duke. Most curses lose their shape and disappear when the core of the curse is destroyed, but I understand the Duke¡¯s case is unusual.¡± Frisia was a person who remembered her previous life and, moreover, the original. The original novel also described how to break curses. Obviously, some curses were simply dispelled by breaking the curse¡¯s core. However, the curse that struck Aslei was like a black mist, and no traces left on his chest were found in any books. ¡®If it was enough to break the core, we¡¯d have solved it already!¡¯ Perhaps Marianne¡¯s confidence came out of fear that she would drive them away. Frisia looked at them without hiding her disappointment. Those were the words that Bunter had ever heard through the mouths of countless others. The butler, himself, drove them out of the duke¡¯s residence without guiding them to Frisia. ¡°If there is nothing you can say for sure then you don¡¯t have an answer. Does that mean that only by seeing the Duke can you know whether the curse can be lifted or not?¡± Marianne¡¯s expression hardened at her words, which stabbed her in her weak spot. She didn¡¯t even think that she was on the verge of being kicked out of the duke¡¯s estate. ¡®Of course I don¡¯t intend to.¡¯ ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust us. But we¡¯ve had a lot of experience and we think we¡¯ll be helpful again.¡± Ian came out to rectify the unreasonable words that Marianne had uttered. Freesia looked at them silently. ¡°There are a lot of people who say they can help, but everyone has a different agenda. Can I believe that you are not those?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t want anything but the Duke¡¯s return,¡± Ian declared with a serious face, and the other party members nodded in agreement as well. They would all know it was Jeremy who did this. They would not be able to stand at the Duke of Tintalion¡¯s if it was revealed that they were Jeremy¡¯s associates. ¡°However¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s dangerous too. Because that wizard even broke into the duke¡¯s residence and put such a curse on the duke. There¡¯s no guarantee he won¡¯t cast the same curse on those who stand in his way.¡± Frisia was convinced that it was Marianne who persuaded the male subordinates to intervene in this matter. She could tell when she looked into her piercing eyes glaring at her. After the news of her marriage to Aslei was announced, or after she married Aslei, Frisia saw such a look in the eyes of many women. In a sarcastic way she marveled at those willing to jump into danger for him. It was stupid though. Chapter 48 ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Duke Tintalion¡¯s reputation is well known, and I don¡¯t think a good person like him should be subjected to such a thing. We will do everything we can to help the Duchess.¡± These words came from Marianne¡¯s mouth, not her Ian. It was also the sentiment that Frisia coaxed out and waited for. ¡°By all means? Are you serious?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Marianne promised naively and nodded. Frisia stood up from her seat with a smirk. ¡°You seem so determined to cover up the sins of your comrades.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What the¡­ ¡­ .¡± At the sight of the knights pouring into the drawing room, Marianne and her companions hardened their faces. Frisia stepped back from her seat and glared at them. ¡°How dare you come into the duke¡¯s drawing room and deceive me, you are so arrogant.¡± ¡°Princess, there seems to be a misunderstanding.¡± The paladin, Kion, said while looking at the duchess with her serious expression. Frisia narrowed her eyes and she answered. ¡°Is not Jeremy Wood your colleague?¡± Frisia smiled bitterly as they looked at each other with bewildered and embarrassed expressions and gazes. Jeremy didn¡¯t like the aristocrats, so he didn¡¯t show up in the social world, but she was the most promising disciple of the Archmage. If it¡¯s the household of Tintalion, it¡¯s no wonder she knows him. It was something anyone could accuse them with, even if Jeremy wasn¡¯t as famous as Viscount Marianne Rowain¡¯s other associates. ¡°It¡¯s true that Jeremy helped me once, but in a few cases, that¡¯s it. He is not our friend!¡± Ruud, the priest, was the first to abandon Jeremy. According to the contents of the original story, he had a bad relationship with Jeremy, so this situation would seem even more unfair to him. The knights had already drawn their swords and were aiming at them. ¡°I want to believe what you say, but it is you who lied about your acquaintance with him and visited my home. I don¡¯t know what words to trust.¡± To put it bluntly, Frisia gave them a chance. When she mentioned Jeremy, they should have revealed that they were his acquaintances. ¡°We really came here with the intention of saving the Duke! Trust me!¡± Marianne got up from her seat and knelt down on her carpet, pleading. Frisia looked down at her with her expressionless face. To be honest, Frisia had a hard time judging what Marianne was inside. Her face right now¡­ ¡­ She wasn¡¯t like the heroine she saw in her romance fantasy book. ¡°It is the wizard who cast the curse whom I want to hold accountable, not you.¡± At Frisia¡¯s words, the expressions of the sub males, including Marianne, brightened. Ian would know, the others could have been imprisoned for just one reason, that they dared to deceive the duke. ¡°But there¡¯s no reason to risk that you might help the wizard.¡± When she ordered them to take them away, the knights moved in unison. Frisia also added that if Jeremy was caught or the duke¡¯s curse was lifted, they would also be released. Because she didn¡¯t mean to hurt them. Although Marianne was a somewhat irritating character, she was the person she would later be with Aslei. As long as Aslei was well, she had no intention of treating them poorly. ¡®If I use Marianne as bait, I can lure Jeremy in.¡¯ Watching the female heroine and her companions being dragged without any resistance, Frisia was convinced. The Duchess¡¯s promise not to do them harm was not a lie. She put a restraint orb that prevented the use of mana on the two dangerous beings, Zen and the Sword Master, but other than that, there was no discomfort. Even in a basement room, there was a small window hanging from a high ceiling, and each room had its own bathroom and toilet. Fine meals and clean clothes were delivered timely. If it wasn¡¯t for being locked up, one could even think of it as hiding away in a residency or retreat. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you not to come!¡± Ruud grumbled, bursting with complaints. He was firmly opposed to going to the Duke of Tintalion from the beginning. It was only natural since that Jeremy was their colleague. Chapter 49 If Marianne¡¯s party had their weapons, they might have been able to resist their imprisonment, but from the moment they had entered the duke¡¯s residence, they were ordered to leave them aside. Indeed the Duchess had every reason to distrust them. It must have been that she had shown the utmost patience by just providing such comfortable accommodations and being confined to a dormitory rather than a dungeon. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t even understand why Jeremy would do such a thing¡ª Why? He didn¡¯t even have any grudges against the Duke of Tintalion.¡± ¡®Right?¡¯ Jen seemed to ask for an affirmation with a look at Marianne. Instead she sighed, unable to nod her head as usual. ¡°Do you know anything?¡± Marianne shook her head at Ian¡¯s question. ¡°Just¡­ ¡­ it must be Jeremy¡¯s hatred of the aristocracy. He especially hated high-ranking nobles.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t think he would do such a foolish thing.¡± Some agreed with Kion¡¯s words. It was irrational and ludicrous to put a curse on the Duke of Tintalion. Didn¡¯t the Archmage and Head of the Magic Tower also abandon him in the end? Jeremy had no problem disparaging emperors and princes terribly, but he had never been involved with them before. There must have been a reason why the Duke of Tintalion was his target. Trevor knew Jeremy had quarreled with Marianne before he left, but kept his silence concerning them. Instead, he examined Marianne. She was hiding something from them. But he didn¡¯t know what it was. ¡®Why are you so enthusiastic in trying to save the Duke?¡¯ Indeed, in other cases, Marianne was proactive and pressed that she should be involved to solve the case. Nevertheless, she harbored a strange passionate heat that was different from then. Trevor seemed to know what it was, but he didn¡¯t want to admit it. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Anyway, we can¡¯t be stuck here indefinitely.¡± The group seemed to agree with Ian¡¯s words. They didn¡¯t even want to believe that Jeremy was the culprit. Rudd believed he was the culprit, but Ian was skeptical. Whereas, Jen and Kion were sure he wasn¡¯t the culprit. Marianne also claimed that Jeremy wasn¡¯t the culprit, but she knew inside: That Jeremy was a man capable of far worse things than a curse. ¡°Let¡¯s think about how to get out of here first.¡± Marianne¡¯s gaze fell on the two sword masters and the beastman. Frisia widely publicized the fact that Jeremy had been with Marianne¡¯s party, and rumors spread that the group had come to deceive the Duke and were caught. She didn¡¯t know if Jeremy was wandering through the woods or wilderness, but he was bound to stop by town or city to procure necessary supplies along the way and then hear the tale. Plus, gossip about Viscount Marianne Rowain was always the most popular in the Empire lately. It was because she was first a poor maiden from a fallen noble family that became a famous adventurer and later earned a noble title in her own right. ¡®The Duchess may be criticized, but it doesn¡¯t matter if I can lure Jeremy in.¡¯ Now all that was left was to capture Aslei. For some reason, it seems that the Duke refused to return back on his own two feet, so she has no choice but to go catch him herself! Frisia donned a tranquil countenance, but her stomach was actually boiling inside. ¡®You say that you like me but when I¡¯m sick, you don¡¯t even show your face even once?!¡¯ In fact, Aslei was afraid that he would harm her, and couldn¡¯t get close to her, but there was no way Frisia would have known that. After she rested her body and fully recovered, she put on a riding suit and decided to go directly into the woods. Convinced that Aslei was hiding in the nearby forest she also reduced the number of her escorts to a minimum. Bunter jumped in opposition and protested to her taking only two knights. Elman, the commander of the 1st Knighthood, who is responsible for the security of the duke¡¯s mansion, insisted that at least six of them be taken. But Frisia had a different idea. It seemed that the greater the number of guards, the more likely Aslei would be reluctant to approach her. The forest around the duke¡¯s castle wasn¡¯t dangerous anyway, so she insisted that two was enough, but Bunter and Elman were adamant. ¡°Over my dead body! If something significant happens to you too¡ªwhat will happen to the dukedom?¡± Ever since the impostor appeared and turned the duke¡¯s mansion upside down, Bunter had been serving Frisia with the utmost sincerity. Even before she had earned his heartfelt respect, he had always politely attended to her. Bunter believed it was only possible to save Aslei if Frisia was around. ¡®I¡¯m trying to make something significant happen!¡¯ Frisia wanted to shout, but she kept her mouth shut. If they knew she was willing to risk her life to lure Aslei, both would oppose. ¡°Fine. Then I will compromise with four knights and instead, I will choose who will come with me.¡± No matter how stubborn they were, Frisia was the Duchess, so they finally accepted her deal begrudgingly. Chapter 50 ¡®Her Excellency may do something reckless! So make sure to take good care of her!¡¯ Commander Elman lectured the four escorts. Indeed Frisia did choose the four who would accompany her, intentionally leaving out all the talented knights and choosing the ones whose skills were relatively low. There was no way Frisia was ignorant of the skills of the knights. She was shrewd, and she showed immaculate abilities both as a hostess of the household and acting Duchess. Obviously, the most exemplary knights in the order always stood by the ducal couple. Although all of the knights of the duke¡¯s family were outstanding in different ways, a separate set of skills were needed to successfully undertake such tasks such as guarding or reconnaissance. The Duchess entered the forest surrounded by four escort knights. Her maids fretted, anxious. A prevailing worry amongst them was that if the Duchess tried to do something dangerous, the knights would not be able to save her in time. ¡®The forest near the duke¡¯s castle is safe. So far, it belongs to Mulia.¡¯ As memories of her previous life came to mind, Frisia¡¯s first task was to collect enchanted items. She also occasionally bought magic scrolls. Just in case. Since she was caught up in the role of that1villainess, she was careful not to get caught up in the original incident even if she did not commit any evil acts. ¡®But if you light the incense that summons evil demons¡­ ¡­ . It won¡¯t be safe at all.¡¯ Frisia had no intention of doing such a thing in the Duke¡¯s Forest. She slowly rode her horse, carefully examining the terrain around her. Her escorts were on high alert, never knowing when Aslei might appear. When she thought she was far enough away from the estate, Frisia turned to her knights and informed them: ¡°¡­ ¡­ I will walk from here.¡± With an uncompromising face that did not allow any objections, the knights got off their horses. Frisia also got off her steed and looked back at them. Two were looking around, and one was tying Frisia¡¯s horse. While the last one was busy tying his steed to a thick branch. Frisia pulled out a scroll from her arms. She then turned and tore it, directing its mana towards them. It was a scroll with light sleep magic. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Madam, what are you doing¡­ ¡­ .¡± Their bodies covered in yellow mana slowly collapsed and fell to the floor. They were indeed knights of the Duke of Tintalion who diligently resisted the sleeping spell until they were overcome by magic. ¡°Go back to the Duke¡¯s mansion. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± She had purposefully made sure they were off their horses so when they fell into slumber they wouldn¡¯t fall off their mounts and get injured. Frisia ran to her own horse and only needed to lightly tap her awake. Although the steed fell asleep under the influence of the spell, it did not affect her as deeply because it was a scroll for humans. There were different weight classes. Upon awakening her horse, Frisia climbed onto her horse and headed deeper into the forest. As she galloped away, her chest was pounding with anxiety. ¡®I have the means to protect myself even if no one shows up¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ In fact, she had only ever fought a monster once. Aslei knew she enjoyed collecting magical instruments, but didn¡¯t know if she could use them. So he would show up. ¡®If you don¡¯t come, I¡¯ll divorce you according to the contract¡ªcurse or no curse or whatever!¡¯ Frisia strengthened her resolve. Chapter 51 After running away from the knocked out knights for a while, Frisia took out a box of incense from her magic pouch. It was used by demon hunters to lure monsters. ¡®I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d really have to use this.¡¯ It was illegal to use it near private residences, so Frisia ran her horse as far as she could. She explored during a break so she could get a better idea of ??where the city was. She passed through the forest, she reached the top of some hills where she could see smoke rising from the city in the distance. It was smoke from the chimneys. ¡®The distance¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She took out a map and compass, checked the location and measured the span, and was relieved. Frisia seemed to have come farther than she initially thought. She surveyed her surroundings before opening the box. The forest where Frisia was standing looked empty, but she was also only a few steps away from thick overgrowth. ¡®Is Aslei following me?¡¯ Her mouth dry, Frisia¡¯s eyes reflected her desperation. Inwardly praying, she wished Aslei would show up. ¡°If you don¡¯t show up¡­ ¡­ I¡¯m going to cry.¡± She mumbled as she opened her box, and lit it with a flint. Soon she began to smell black smoke and a foul, unpleasant stench. Frisia, who was holding it, quickly put it down on the floor. ¡®Monsters like this?¡¯ If she had smelled this in the woods she would run a thousand li away. She turned her gaze around as she backed away from the box. She had sent her maid to bring her something that met her two conditions. One was that it was an object to attract monsters, and the other was that the type of creature she attracted would be a four-legged animal that walks on land. ¡®Damn it, but why a Wyvern!¡¯ There was no answer to her inner angst. Two Wyverns were flying and rapidly approaching. There¡¯s no way there¡¯d be a nest around here! ¡®Well, if there was a nest, it would have been even more chaotic!¡¯ It was a forest not far from the vicinity of Mulia, the capital of the Duchy of Tintalion. Of course, up to here, the knights of the duke family went and cleared the monsters. It is natural that there are no monsters, but if you are unlucky, you may encounter them. Frisia ran and hid under some nearby trees, her body turning cold with terror. She needed to avoid the eyes of the Wyvern once they came here. ¡®The problem is¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡­with the unpredictable wind she was exposed to the smoke while she lit the incense. Her clothes probably smelled. She suddenly recalled the location of the lake she had seen from the map earlier. Frisia had prepared for many possibilities, including the chance that Aslei would return to his original form, so she had arranged clothes for him and even for herself. Just in case she was attacked by a monster and injured or your clothes were torn. ¡®Shit!¡¯ Frisia got on her horse and ran towards the lake. She had wished for a monster to appear, but never a Wyvern. Roar! Rumble! After landing, the wyvern investigated the ground and surroundings for the source of the smell. Through the thick trees she could see them running and chasing her on the ground instead of flying away. ¡®Ahh!¡¯ Frisia sped up her horse as much as possible with a silent scream. She was good at riding, so she was able to maintain a distance from the wyvern skillfully running through the woods. ¡®Don¡¯t come! Don¡¯t come!¡¯ One stayed on the ground pursuing her and the other flew into the sky as if checking for Frisia¡¯s location. Frisia wondered if it was really a good idea for her to jump into the water to erase the smell. But even if she escaped, if the smell remained, she would be tracked down and hunted! ¡®Ugh! Aslei!¡¯ As she exited the forest and reached the shore of the lake, the flying wyvern, soaring over the forest and watching Frisia, dived towards her. Just as a huge shadow fell on Frisia, who was running on horseback, something black popped out from the darkness of the forest. Kyyyyyyaaaaaa! It bit and snapped the wyvern¡¯s neck in one breath and flung it to the floor. The other wyvern pursuing rushed in for an attack as if angry, but to no avail. It ripped off the wyvern¡¯s neck and with a ferocity drove it to the ground and tore off its wings. It ripped open the wyvern¡¯s stomach, revealing its ribs and intestines, as if in a mad fury. ¡°Haaaa, haaa¡­ ¡­ .¡± Breathing hard and trembling, Frisia stopped her horse and dismounted. Aslei, in his giant wolf form, was biting and tearing up the wyvern as if his anger had not yet subsided. The whole body of a wolf the size of a house was completely exposed under the pouring sunlight. Friscia examined his black matte fur, wondering where and how his body would fit in the mansion. Although the Duke¡¯s room was spacious enough, the problem was that the doorway and hallways were not large enough for him to pass through. ¡®I have to think about the bathroom too¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ The most basic, but it¡¯s also a more sensitive issue. Aslei would obviously die of shame. Grraauuuu! Graauuu!¡­ ¡­ . Grrr. After his fit of excitement, Aslei seemed to have calmed down and he quickly turned his head to look at Frisia. He belatedly realized the wyvern blood dripping from his mouth and claws and tried to run away. Chapter 52 ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± At the sound of her piercing voice, Aslei looked back at her in surprise. I really didn¡¯t want to use this method, but¡­ ¡­ . Frisia pulled out her dagger and held the blade to her wrist. His large golden eyes watching her shook with her astonishment. ¡°Don¡¯t go. No more Aslei¡­ ¡­ .¡± Aslei¡¯s tail wilted. His sad eyes full of misery made her eyes tear up but she held back. ¡°If we go on like this¡­ ¡­ . I¡¯ll cut myself. There is no one here to help me, so even if it might take some time, I will die.¡± It was a lie. There were several bottles of potions in her magic pouch. But she had no hobby of self-harm, so she wanted Aslei to listen to her. She knew it was a dishonorable tactic, but when Aslei ran away, she couldn¡¯t think of anything else. ¡°Please, don¡¯t go, Aslei.¡± ¡­ ¡­ . Aslei bowed his head and looked at Frisia. He had been watching her since she came out of the duke¡¯s castle. Watching her go into the forest after putting her knights to sleep with her scroll, he was worried that she might do something dangerous. What if he left the Duke¡¯s surroundings earlier? He wanted to get angry, but he couldn¡¯t say a word to Frisia with this appearance. ¡®Don¡¯t do anything dangerous.¡¯ Looking intently at Frisia, he tried to speak, but could only reply with the growl of a beast. ¡°Aslei¡­ ¡­ .¡± Aslei gave up when he saw her on the verge of tears. No matter how much more painful his desire for her was, if he couldn¡¯t stand it, he could just put his head on the castle¡¯s spear and die. As his huge body sank down to the ground as if he had lifted a white flag, Frisia breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn¡¯t able to speak with words, but as his golden eyes seemed to say he would obey her. Frisia shoved her dagger into her sheath. ¡°You are not going to run away, are you?¡± Frisia spoke as if insisting on a promise. Aslei nodded her head slightly. He was able to express herself to that extent. ¡®Now¡­ ¡­ Let¡¯s try it.¡¯ She remembered hearing from the wizard that the curse had been mixed with divine power, borrowing from the goddess of love before the deity became the head of the pantheon. Because this world was based on a romance fantasy. Moreover, Aslei¡¯s enchantment seemed to show signs of shattering when Frisia gave him even a little bit of her heart. ¡®I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d have to try something like this, but¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ In fairy tales, didn¡¯t the princess wake up from the prince¡¯s kiss? Aslei was a duke, and Frisia a duchess, so she could argue that they were similar. While Frisia was organizing her reasonings, Aslei was scanning his body. Since the lake was not far away, he thought he should at least wash the blood off of him. Frisia, agonizing over her thoughts, saw Aslei moving and was disturbed. She was worried that he might run away. Aslei saw the sight of her chasing after him and seemed to smile at her. Splash¡ª Frisia stared blankly at his figure washing his huge front paws and the corners of his mouth. Then she suddenly remembered the stench that had permeated her body. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Does my body smell strange?¡± Aslei glanced at her. In addition to her characteristic scent, her body had a strange odor. It was similar to the stinky smell that came out of that box earlier. As he nodded, Frisia panicked, and began to take off her cloak and coat. When she was left with her shirt and pants, she walked without hesitation into the waters of the lake. It had been a long time since he had washed, so the blood had been completely washed off. Aslei knew that noblewomen couldn¡¯t swim, so he kept an eye on her lest she drown. Frisia dipped her head in the water and came out. ¡°Uh¡­ ¡­ . Ha, is it still there?¡± Aslei looked at Frisia quietly and took in a breath. Along with the smell of water, her scent was very faint. Frisia approached him as he shook his head. She had been agonizing and mulling over Aslei¡¯s spell during his absence. About how she should break the curse. Chapter 53 She thought it was just about being physically involved with him, but it didn¡¯t seem like it was just that. Each time Frisia¡¯s heart opened up to Aslei, even just a little, she noticed that the curse weakened. ¡®So maybe¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ In the fairytale ¡®Beauty and the Beast,¡¯ the Beast returns to being human after being kissed by the beauty. Of course, they¡¯ve kissed countless times before, so it¡¯s maybe not¡­ ¡­ . As Frisia approached and reached out to touch Aslei¡¯s face, he seemed nervous. His sad eyes sank, darkening with a struggle between wanting to avoid her hand and wanting to reach out to her too. ¡°Aslei¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was impossible to kiss him deeply because of his form, but she would be able to kiss him lightly on the lips. Finally, Frisia managed to kiss him on the corner of his mouth. At her brief touch, Aslei closed his eyes. Just moments ago, he believed that this very same person was someone he would never be able to see or reach out to again. ¡®He hasn¡¯t changed¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Aslei looked down at her with soft eyes. Frisia clenched her fist, wondering what should be her next move. To hell with true love! The pit of Frisia¡¯s stomach was boiling with indignation, wondering, ¡®what the hell is love!¡¯. She cherished Aslei but did not passionately love him wildly or intensely. The subtle feelings of attraction between people¡­ ¡­ . Yes, she could confidently say that she liked him, as evident by her efforts on his behalf. But it wasn¡¯t love. ¡®No! I love Aslei! This is love too!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a profound romantic love¨C but as a friend, partner, and colleague, she could definitely say it was love. Who says friendship is not love? This is love too! The feeling that bloomed in parents as they cared for their children was love, and the heart of children that followed their parents could also be love. A friendship between friends is also love, so why not say ¡®I love you!¡¯ ¡®So¡­ ¡­ you can do it!¡¯ Frisia opened her mouth and felt her brazen face swell as she looked at him. At her ever-changing expressions, Aslei stared at her, wondering what she was up to. ¡®FUCK. No matter how much I try and think myself out of this, this must be what the goddess required.¡¯ Although she was afraid of taking responsibility for her words later, she had to lift Aslei¡¯s curse right now. ¡°I¡­ ¡­ .¡± I? Aslei¡¯s droopy ears reflexively stood up. Ugh, it was unavoidable. ¡°*Cough* Haaa¡­ ¡­ .¡± After taking a deep breath, Frisia stared at Aslei, looking solemn. Lives were on the line! She could do this! ¡°I¡­ I love you.¡± As those words finally managed to leave her mouth, Aslei¡¯s eyes widened. His golden eyes were piercing. He had observed Frisia for a long time. So he knew what she said was a lie, but his heart still trembled. The moment he thought he was happy, even if it was a lie, his whole body became hot. Along with his heart, there was a visible change. His body, covered with black fur, started to shine with a golden glow and began to diminish. Ah¡­ ¡­ . Frisia standing close to him, covered her agape mouth in astonishment. Then, while still making eye contact with her, Aslei, previously standing on four legs was now standing on his two feet as his body began to shrink and transform into his original physique. Her heart filled with joy. ¡°Frisia!¡± Aslei spread his arms; she ran to him, splashing water around, and hugged him. Holding him tightly, Frisia almost sheds tears of joy¡­ ¡­ . ¡®Huh?¡¯ She found a pointy protrusion through his golden hair and stroked it. Aslei blinked, looking puzzled as he registered the sensation. It wasn¡¯t the only unusual thing that caught her eye. A black-haired wolf¡¯s tail was wagging around Aslei¡¯s ass. ¡®Shit.¡¯ This seemed to be the limit for a curse lifted by a false confession. Although now he resembled the beast people who were a hybrid of humans and animals, his curse had been lifted to some extent. Frisia took out the clothes she had packed for him, avoiding his gaze that had been staring at her since before. ¡°Here are the pants, the top and the shoes. Oh, are you going to wash first?¡± ¡°What about my wife?¡± She hadn¡¯t heard his voice in a long time. She had always thought Aslei¡¯s tone was pleasing, but now it seemed to tickle and melt the inside of her ears. ¡°Your clothes are wet, so you need to change.¡± His deep and sweet voice gave her a shiver and goosebumps. She knew that it wasn¡¯t the cold water in the lake that caused this change. ¡®You¡¯re exuding a ton of alluring pheromones!¡¯ Frisia swallowed a gasp at the resonating voice of a gorgeous young man who seemed to be blatantly asking her to devour him. Chapter 54 She thought she should change her clothes too, but the problem was the person who would be watching. Aslei must have spent too many days in abstinence while still suffering under the curse of lust. ¡®Wasn¡¯t that supposed to be gone?¡¯ But her disingenuous confession still left the traces of his curse on his chest intact. Now that all troublesome sorts were aiming for the duke, she needed to break the enchantment as soon as possible. ¡®No, even if my confession wasn¡¯t completely true¡ª shouldn¡¯t the spell at least be lessened?¡¯ Frisia was studying his chest as he handed her the spare clothes without the intention of wearing anything yet. Aside from the traces of the curse, he still had an incredible body. As she stared at him without realizing it, a signal came from Aslei¡¯s lower body. She didn¡¯t even touch him. Frisia¡¯s face became hot and flustered as she quickly turned away. Aslei was splashing into the water. When in the form of a beast, he often ran into this lake to wash, but now he had a different plan. As she spied on Aslei bathing from the corner of her eye, she hastily undressed. Frisia was going to change her clothes while he was bathing. She intended to be with him, but now there was a subtle anxiety that made her whole body shrink. ¡®If I make a mistake¡ªwhat if he questions my previous confession!¡¯ Maybe Aslei had already noticed her true feelings, so he knew he didn¡¯t even need to mention her confession. Or perhaps he was trying to find the right time to bring it up? She could put on her coat over her wet clothes, so she stripped off everything including her underwear¡ªwhen she heard a splash. Hiccup! ¡ªFrisia was suddenly trapped in Aslei¡¯s hot arms and looked back at him. His naked body overlapped her nude body. ¡°Oh, we can¡¯t. I put the knights under a sleep spell¡­ ¡­ .¡± She had told them to go back to the duke¡¯s mansion, but since they were loyal, there was a high possibility that they would pursue Frisia as soon as they woke up. ¡°Additionally, you must be tired.¡± Aslei had wandered through the forest as a beast for several days. He must have slept poorly, and it must have been difficult to eat. Despite Frisia¡¯s whispers, he did not release his arm wrapped around her. Instead, he buried his face in her wet nape and answered while savoring her scent deeply: ¡°I will be able to notice that the knights are coming. And my body is fine. Instead, right now, this is¡­ ¡­ .¡± His penis, hotter than his arm, was pressed against Frisia¡¯s ass. It was so hot that it seemed to burn her just by rubbing it slowly. ¡°¡­. more arduous. Frisia¡­ ¡­ . My lovely wife, can¡¯t we?¡± Frisia¡¯s face flushed, lighting up at his soft voice. Indeed, he would be able to notice the approach of the knights. Even if he wore clothes, it was still a problem if something this large was announcing its presence. Frisia found herself twisting and wiggling her body as he rubbed against her while speaking. Then, embarrassingly, she found herself getting wet and exposed. ¡°Well, since we don¡¯t know who will come, so we can do just a little¡­ ¡­ . ¡ªoh!¡± Upon permission, his arm, wrapped around her, traveled down her body. Her nerves were on edge as his hand caressed her lower belly and still was coming down. ¡®Ah¡­ ¡­ we¡¯re going to do it outside like this.¡¯ Aslei must have known that there was no one around. Still, her face heated up at the thought that they were doing something lewd and obscene out in the open in broad daylight. ¡°Haa.¡± Aslei¡¯s hot hand entered between her thighs, wet and cold with water. His fingers squeezed through and gently caressed her wet pussy. ¡°Frisia, spread your legs.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± In embarrassment, Frisia¡¯s eyes trembled as she spread her legs apart. He massaged her petals lovingly and then pushed his fingers into the gap. It had only been a few days, but before, her body was loved every day. While looking for Aslei, she was unaware of it, but now Frisia realized that she had missed this quite a bit. ¡®Because Aslei hugs me tenderly¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡°Oh, oh my, uh¡­! ¡­ .¡± Even though his big fingers slowly went in, the stimulation was great. Aslei pushed his long, beautiful fingers deep in and stroked her insides. He was delighted to find her soft insides were soggy and squishy. ¡°Ugh-uh, huh, um¡­ ¡­ . oh! Ahhhhhh!¡± His lustful touch made Frisia¡¯s waist flinch and her ass quiver. Aslei squeezed her body tight and slid his other hand between her thighs. Frisia felt shy as he opened her petals, wet with her clear liquid, exposing her swollen clit. ¡°Ah, ah¡­ ¡­ . Aslei, I- I¡¯m shy. Ohh!¡± If someone appeared, she knew he would hide her, but one corner of her mind was still afraid that she would accidentally show this to the escorts. Aslei kissed her neck and wetted her stamen with her own honey. ¡°Indeed, the sight of my wife¡¯s cute figure belongs to me, but¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t know if your coy sounds will be overheard.¡± ¡°Ungh! Oh!¡± His fingers that were sweetly stirring inside her came in and out with a rhythm. While his other hand gently brushed against her honey-soaked flower bud. At the long-awaited arousal, Frisia saw stars twinkling in front of her eyes. Chapter 55 ¡°Ah!¡± Aslei placed his cock at Frisia¡¯s entrance; the act had her trembling. Pushing the tip of his penis in, he made the deep constriction open. He wanted to pierce and bury himself in her right away, but didn¡¯t want to hurt her. While encircling Frisia¡¯s waist with his arm, he slowly pushed the rest in with a groan. Frisia¡¯s eyes widened at the huge pillar that dug in. He felt bigger than she remembered. ¡°Ugh¡­ ¡­ . Aaaah!¡± As he drilled in deeper and she started trembling from being stabbed to her depths, Aslei¡¯s fingertips eagerly rubbed her flower buds. She was frantic by the successive lewd stimulation. Since it was an affair after a long time, the provocation was overwhelming. Terrified, she tried to pull away, but she was pulled back. Frisia could feel Aslei vigorously moving his waist and penetrating her insides. ¡°Ah, ah, ah!¡± Her pleasure filled and warmed her stomach and then boiled over into her body. With his thumb and index rubbing her flower bud, Frisia sobbed and struggled as he drove into her insides, and as it continued, she felt like she was going to die. ¡°Heh, uh. ahh! Aaaah, stop there¡­ ¡­ . Ahhh!¡± As she reached her zenith, Frisia¡¯s body collapsed, but Aslei held her up in an embrace and continued hammering her. Her insides were drenched with wetness, so the sound of wet slapping against skin became louder and louder as her insides melted sweetly. Since he held her up her curled toes swayed up in the air. Frisia¡¯s eyes started to water from the pleasure, moaning and being aroused from her immobility. Her head was dyed white as her pleasure swelled until it exploded over and over again. ¡°Ahh! I keep¡­ ¡­ . Ugh, oh!¡± While still embracing her, his thrusting became fiercer. His erection was soaking wet now! As the ferocity increased, Frisia¡¯s legs were completely spread apart. Frisia struggled with trying not to drool. His raging erection penetrating and filling up her depths left her unable to think. All she could do was endure the succession of climaxes. ¡°OOoohhhh! Ah, ah ah ah ah ah! Ahh!¡± Her body suffering from what seemed like an relentless orgasm, bent back like a bow and quaked. It was then while Aslei savored her climax that he came inside of her. ¡®Oh¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ A hot, sticky liquid filled her and flowed out through the narrow gap where they were still connected. It was a huge amount that soaked Aslei¡¯s thighs. ¡°Ahh¡­ ¡­ . Wait, whoa!¡± But Aslei stopped for only a moment. Frisia was startled that he was starting again right away and that he hammered her in the afterglow. His length rubbed her inner tunnels and his width massaged her narrow entrance. As she shook her head in the sense that she was about to orgasm again, Aslei¡¯s eyes were soaked with a look of covetousness. ¡°Keep cumming, continue to feel it¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Ah, ah, ah!¡± He pulled out and pushed back in, causing Frisia¡¯s head to tilt back. She felt his penis spur her, speeding up with an erotic aggression. They never ended with just one or two orgasms. Frisia sensed a crisis, attempted to dissuade him, but ended up moaning in a sweet voice to his successive thrusts. Frisia was convinced that her knights must have come all the way to their vicinity and then ran away. Even so, even as the sun was setting, he was still embracing her. Several times she was coveted on a boulder or used a rock to hold her position, standing while poking out her ass. Laying her down on her wet clothes, he ejaculated in her to the point of embarrassment and then picked her up from the muddy place and continued. ¡°Oh, oh! Oh, uh huh!¡± It was in a good position for Aslei to covet her lips, as they face and embraced each other. He hugged her hotly as if he was releasing all his lusts from the past. Her skin was still flushed and glowing. ¡®Oh no, what should we do¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s embarrassing, but it feels so good.¡¯ She wanted to hide from the shame when she thought of going back to the duke¡¯s mansion and having to face everyone, but it was too good to be coveted by Aslei. Both the top and the bottom were filled with him, and she even felt happy to be loved. ¡°Ugh, ahh! Uhnnn!¡± Frisia, who had tasted her climax, drooped, and her strength drained from her legs that tightened around his waist. However, Aslei did not let her go, and was persistent in the rhythm of his waist. ¡®Really a man of excellence¡­ ¡­ no! I can¡¯t do it anymore.¡¯ Over and over again, the body coveted during her climaxes was reacting as if in ecstasy. There was no pain there, only her legs grew limp probably because he was the male lead in a novel. Rather, her insides twitched and tightened around Aslei¡¯s penis, only making him more vigorous. ¡°Uh-huh, huh¡­ ¡­ . Ugh!¡± Aslei responded with a sticky kiss, savoring the inside of her to his heart¡¯s content. Frisia felt like she was about to melt in the profane heat. In such a position, no matter how much someone was a sword master, his back should have hurt, but instead Aslei looked even more excited than before. ¡®Indeed, even if the men in romance fantasies did it for ten days and nights, they would be fine.¡¯ Rather, their faces would become so bright and healthy that the bittersweet mistress could help but be resentful. Frisia, too, was shaking, trapped in Aslei¡¯s arms. She probably wouldn¡¯t be able to walk properly for three or three days after this. Even though she knew that, she could not bring herself to stop Aslei. In the first place, her mouth was blocked with his kissed, so she couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡®No, it feels good¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She felt as if she rescued someone from drowning, but instead got robbed in return, was she mistaken? Chapter 56 When Frisia could endure no more, exhausted and droopy, he stopped just then. She glanced at Aslei with her indignant face and fell asleep, utterly depleted. ¡°Ha¡­ ¡­ .¡± He felt sorry for her, but Aslei did not want to break his bond with her. He wanted to take her to the duke¡¯s mansion as she was, if she would allow it. ¡®If that happens, she might shun me for a year.¡¯ Maybe for the rest of his life. Aslei pulled out his penis with a look full of regret. Semen flowed between Frisia¡¯s legs, who had fallen asleep as if she had fainted. Aslei held his breath when he glanced at her slit. The sight of his semen flowing from her sweet mouth made his penis stand up again. ¡®That¡¯s why¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ He was worse than a beast. He turned into a giant wolf for a while due to the curse, but even he thought that it was only making his inner nature and feelings perceptible. Aslei sat down on a large rock, holding her carefully in his arms while leaning on his thigh. Frisia¡¯s magic pouch was a gift from him, so he recognized it. Aslei rummaged through it, took out a towel. He carefully wiped her body, and to put her clothes on. ¡®The clothes are¡­ ¡­ . Enough.¡¯ Unable to lay the clothed Frisia on the grass, he held her in one arm and unfolded the cloak he had pulled out with his other hand. He put Frisia down on the cloak and then proceeded to wipe his body and put on his clothes. Even though it¡¯s only been a few days, wearing clothes felt novel. Although he was cursed and his form had changed he thought it was a special experience to run around the duke¡¯s forest naked. ¡®But it¡¯s an experience I don¡¯t want to go through again.¡¯ He had completely abandoned his hopes of ever going back. Although he had already grabbed Frisia¡¯s ankle with a curse once before, he thought that he could not be an even bigger burden. ¡®I was like that, but Frisia held on to me.¡¯ Frisia even declared her love for him directly, but Aslei was not dumb. Although she cared for him and treated him with kindness, she was still guarded. Still, he loved Frisia. Even if he couldn¡¯t be loved, he could live with a single glimmer of hope. ¡®Frisia would probably be terrified if I said that to her.¡¯ With her weak heart and kindness, it was clear that she would worry about Aslei getting hurt. Perhaps¡­ ¡­ it would be difficult to talk about divorce. ¡®So I won¡¯t bring it up first.¡¯ He thought he was being a cowardly manipulator, but if it was to catch her, he was willing to suffer. Now fully clothed Aslei, glanced at the side of the lake, where the traces of their love affair were evident. He could just have left it alone but he thought Frisia would fret over it. So he roughly tidied it up, shoved the messed up clothes into the magic bag, and walked up to where she was sleeping. As he hugged her gently, he felt her breath. ¡°Frisia¡­ ¡­ .¡± Now the shores of the lake were completely dark. As if conscious of the chilly night air, Aslei hugged her tightly and approached Frisia¡¯s horse. The famous horse, sent from the Duke of Atreilles to the Duke of Tintalion, was not surprised by its master¡¯s love affair, but retreated from a distance to graze. Whistle¡ª When called, the horse approached warmly. This horse followed Frisia¡¯s and Aslei¡¯s words well. He knew that the escort knights had come all the way around and returned. They briefly heard Frisia¡¯s moan and retreated. They did not go far, but seemed to be restless, waiting in the vicinity. Perhaps they had been prepared to rush in if they heard Frisia¡¯s scream. To save her from Aslei. ¡®It¡¯s a wise decision.¡¯ However, he could not tell Frisia about it. If she knew that her own moans had reached the ears of the knights, she would be too ashamed. He found her shyness cute, but he didn¡¯t want Frisia to be hurt. Chapter 57 ¡°It¡¯s the Duke!¡± Thrilled emotional expressions donned the escorts¡¯ faces when Aslei appeared on horseback. Then, he motioned for them to be quiet because Frisia was soundly asleep in his arms. The knights nodded vigorously, moved to tears. Their hearts sank when the madam tore the scroll; they would never have dared to hope or imagine their hostess being able to save the Duke. Wolf¡¯s ears were visible through the Duke¡¯s hair, and something was bulging around his buttocks, but compared to his previous appearance, he was in good shape. ¡°Duke, sire, it would be better to conceal it. There are outsiders¡­ ¡­ .¡± A knight put his hooded cloak around Aslei¡¯s shoulders. He then explained the situation in a whisper so as not to wake Frisia. Upon explaining what happened while he was cursed and wandering outside the Duke¡¯s residence, Aslei gritted his teeth at the news that the two princes sent by the emperor would come in a few days. It was said that the Dukedom of Tintalion had great power and authority, but it was only a sky supported by two pillars. It must have been amusing to them when one pillar had left for another continent, saying they were traveling and that the other pillar was also cursed and unable to use its strength. ¡°Then I will have to disappoint you.¡± The guards trembled at Aslei¡¯s cold, sharp tone. The knights of the Duke of Tintalion knew that he was a fearsome person, unlike the gentle side he showed to Frisia. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Let¡¯s go back.¡± At Aslei¡¯s command, the knights moved in perfect order. Upon arriving at the Duke¡¯s residence, Bunter greeted Aslei and Frisia with a bright countenance. He had been pale and stunned speechless when a guard accompanying the madam had returned and reported their Duchess had fled. He had just been praying to the gods for the safe return of the hostess and the Duke, and that wish came true. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for the madam¡¯s wits, what would have happened?!¡¯ Just yesterday, the princes brazenly informed them that they would visit the Duke¡¯s residence, claiming that they had received an order from the emperor. Now he was ready to blindly obey whatever the mistress ordered. ¡°Welcome, my lord.¡± ¡°Bunter.¡± Just hearing Aslei¡¯s voice again made Bunter feel like he was being rewarded for his hard work. Now everything would go back to where it belonged. ¡°We were waiting.¡± He did not dare to shed tears least he became overwhelmed with emotion. Indeed, all the employees present were of the same mind. Aslei said that Frisia was very tired. Some of the maids rushed upstairs to prepare the bath water while other attendants prepared Aslei¡¯s bedroom. A messenger ran to notify the kitchen to prepare food for their master, who hadn¡¯t had a proper meal in days. Servants and maids were busy with their respective tasks. Bunter followed Aslei upstairs and reported about what had happened. It was of course that Frisia became supervisor as the acting Duke, and then he delivered the news that Viscount Rowain and her companions came to visit and were being detained. ¡°¡­ ¡­ they came?¡± ¡°They had the audacity to come here to help. Had it not been for the madam, I would not have known that the sorcerer was a colleague of Viscount Rowain and her companions!¡± When the group of famous adventurers volunteered to help, Bunter thought it was heaven¡¯s help. However, as it turned out, they were allies with the wizard Jeremy. Aslei remembered a conversation he had once had with Viscount Rowain. For some reason, it became an unforgettable name because Frisia had mistakenly thought he was in love with her. ¡®Did you come to help just to find him?¡¯ When it came to the reputation of the Duke of Tintalion, all sorts of people would come to ask for help, citing relationships that didn¡¯t even exist. Since Aslei thought they had no meaningful relationship if they had been looking for and out for their companion, Jeremy. ¡®They might have thought that their comrade was facing false charges.¡¯ It was even beyond his comprehension why Jeremy would curse him. If he had done something worthy of such ire, he would have understood it, but he was someone who had never done anything worthy of objection from others. Of course, regardless, there were those who wanted to slander or criticize him, but he couldn¡¯t be cursed for just that much. Because attacking the Duke of Tintalion was such a huge risk. However, it was a vast world where many people committed crimes with the foolish assumption that they would never get caught. ¡°Did you find out what their intentions were?¡± ¡°I had someone interrogate some of them yesterday and today. I will brief you on the report soon.¡± At Bunter¡¯s answer, Aslei slowly nodded his head. Chapter 58 The upheaval in the Duke¡¯s residence also spread to the dungeon. The space where they were confined was too neat and comfortable a room to say that it was a dungeon, but since they were detained, they felt it was no different from a prison. ¡°What happened?¡± Even the soldier standing guard in the hallway in front of the door was excited and brimming with joy. When Ian asked this, the soldier responded with a cheerful disposition: ¡°There is news that the madam has returned with the Duke! She even lifted the Duke¡¯s curse¡ªI¡¯m so happy!¡± The soldier bursted into a friendly laugh, remarking that¨CJudging from the kind temperament of the madam and the Duke, you guys would be released soon. Upon overhearing the conversation between the two, Rudd brightened the most at the soldier¡¯s words. He had been reticent when he heard his colleagues plotting a prison break. ¡°The Duchess is truly amazing! How could you have lifted the Duke¡¯s curse in such a short amount of time!¡± ¡°Then are we going to be released too?¡± Jen perked up ans asked Rudd. Rudd looked optimistic about the situation. ¡°Of course! We have no deep relationship with Jeremy! Didn¡¯t she say she was imprisoning us until the curse was broken after all!¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ You¡¯re too optimistic. Don¡¯t you think we¡¯ll be punished because there¡¯s no use for us?¡± Trevor¡¯s words made Jen feel uneasy. He regretted not resisting his restraints. ¡°Then are we going to die?¡± When he raised a question with a forlorn face, Ian interjected. ¡°Of course not. The Duke and Duchess of Tintalion are reputed to be righteous and just people¡­ ¡­ .¡± Of that, he was sure of, although he prepared himself for interrogation, a fine, or a prison term. At least for someone like the Marquis. Regardless, Ian knew that even if he were penalized, he would be punished with a lot of generosity. Since Duke Tintalion was a member of the royal family, being even a temporary colleague of Jeremy¡¯s, who injured a royal, could be a significant weakness. Concealing that fact while barging in and professing to aid the Duke¡¯s mansion was enough deception to indict them. ¡®That¡¯s why I tried to stop her.¡¯ Ian glanced at a disquieted Marianne. She had been silent since before, with a shocked look on her face. ¡°Marianne, what¡¯s wrong?¡± When the paladin, Kion, raised a question, Marianne looked back at him, then her other companions, suddenly cognizant. Finally, she stood up from her seat, looking befuddled and dismayed. The place where the Duchess imprisoned them had not only private sleeping quarters, but also a connecting living room where they could gather in the center. Marianne spoke haltingly as she got up and stepped back from the sofa in the common room. ¡°Uh, just¡­ ¡­ I have something to think about. I¡¯ll go to bed first.¡± All of her men flinched at the sight of Marianne¡¯s face contorting and becoming pale while turning around and retreating, but none of them caught her. Marianne hurriedly entered her room and shut the door behind her. Bang. Jen pouted at the sharp slam of the door. ¡°Strange.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Marianne¡¯s colleagues could not have been unaware of her strange attitude in all matters involving the Duke of Tintalion. At first, it was something that they had not taken much notice of but only detected later when they arrived here and witnessed a strange heat about her. Marianne was too interested in the Duke of Tintalion. Not sure if there was an actual association between them, but it was quite disappointing. ¡°During the day, a person close to the Duchess said something strange.¡± Trevor slowly opened his mouth, taking his eyes off Marianne¡¯s door. ¡°Jeremy cursed the Duke because he had a crush on Marianne.¡± When he heard that, he thought it was ridiculous. He wondered if the person who interrogated them had also erroneously accused Jeremy of possessing a bizarre nature. The Duke of Tintalion and Viscount Marianne Rowain were completely unrelated. The interrogator must have regarded Jeremy as a psychopathic son of a cockroach. As if it would be natural for such a lunatic to be jealous of the two of them who had no relationship. So he had casted a terrible curse. But they knew what Jeremy really was like. ¡°Nonsense! She doesn¡¯t even like the Duke!¡± Jen spat out, looking sulky and sullen. He was the only one among them who had not been subject to such accusations and questioning because he looked like a young boy. At Jen¡¯s objection, the other four men shut up. They were unconfident that Marianne was uninterested in the Duke. ¡°Anyway, if the Duke is back, today or tomorrow, he¡¯ll decide what to do with us. Even if it is decided, the punishment will not fall immediately, so there will be plenty of time to escape.¡± They were already preparing to run away. It was clear the Duke¡¯s mansion had not considered them serious enemies, so they weren¡¯t strictly guarded. The commoners, Trevor, Jen, and Rudd, even admitted that they felt like they were in a luxurious inn. ¡°Alright.¡± In reply, they looked at Marianne¡¯s room. The light leaking through the crack in the door had disappeared as if she had already gone to bed. Suddenly, some of them wondered if they had been with her for too long. Chapter 59 Returning to the Duke¡¯s bedroom with Frisia in his arms, Aslei looked around the room with a fresh gaze. His emotions could not be encompassed by the feeling that everything looked new to him, for he had genuinely thought it was a place he would never return to. The Duke¡¯s bedroom had been large enough that he could maneuver around with his colossal wolf body, but the corridor had not been big enough for him to pass through. Opening a new entrance on the third floor would have been nearly impossible. ¡®It¡¯s all thanks to my wife.¡¯ After putting Frisia on the bed, Aslei laid down and gazed upon her with deep affectionate eyes. Meanwhile, the maids came out of the bathroom in a hurry. ¡°The bath is ready.¡± ¡°The meal is ready, Duke.¡± The attendant also entered the room and informed him. When deciding what to do first, he looked down at Frisia. He wanted to take her to the bathroom to wash her while she was asleep. Even if her body had received warmth from his embrace earlier, she would have cooled down on the way here. But she didn¡¯t seem to like taking off her clothes while sleeping. ¡°Frisia, madam¡­ ¡­ Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± As he stroked her cheek and gently asked, Frisia opened her eyes. She had come to for a moment as she entered the Duke¡¯s residence and fell asleep again. She had been awake for a moment when they had gotten off the horse. Since then, she slept lightly again, and half listened to the going on. ¡°The meal¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t the first time Aslei had acted according to Frisia¡¯s will, so her maids and attendants moved in perfect order. The ladies-in-waiting adjusted the magic tools attached to the bathtub so that the bath water would not cool down, and the attendants informed the kitchen to prepare to send the food right away. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry, Duke?¡± When Frisia asked, rubbing her eyes, Aslei smiled at her. ¡°Watching my wife made me forget I was hungry.¡± For days he drank water and sometimes hunted and ate wild animals. They were edible, but he couldn¡¯t bear it. Because the fishy meat and blood of wild beasts tasted sweet, he had been afraid. He was scared to forget himself; every time he ate wild animals, it was like admitting he would never become human again. ¡°You have no idea how much I missed this time.¡± He loved her beyond what words could express. While Aslei was away, that fact had been desperately carved into his heart. ¡°Thank you for bringing me back to my former self, Frisia.¡± When Aslei wrapped her hands in his and spoke reverently, her face heated up. ¡°Oh, you haven¡¯t fully come back yet.¡± ¡°This is as good as coming back.¡± He had the same appearance as the beastmen tribe, but he was satisfied with being able to hold and love Frisia. The curse would be lifted gradually. Even if it didn¡¯t work out, he could live and love Frisia. ¡®Even though the emperor may try to find fault¡­ ¡­ . Aslei¡¯s power has not gone anywhere.¡¯ The situation was different from when he was in the form of a giant wolf. Of course, if Siegfried, the former Duke, returned, he would be angry, but that was all he could do. The title of Duke could not be taken away from Aslei, and the curse could not be used as an excuse to do other tricks. ¡°After eating¡­ ¡­ May I have the honor of using the bathroom with my wife?¡± At his sweet, secretly whispered words, Frisia hurriedly looked around her. The maids who waited on them pretended not to hear. ¡°The time seperated from my wife was too long, so I don¡¯t want to be apart for even a moment. Please allow me.¡± As he buried his face in her palms and begged earnestly, Frisia hesitated. If we go into the bathroom together, there¡¯s no doubt¡­¡­. ¡®He¡¯ll do something lewd.¡¯ Remembering his fierce form by the lakeside, Frisia hesitated. In her heart, she wanted to break Aslei¡¯s curse before the princes came. In order to break his curse, it was inevitably advantageous to do a lot with Aslei. ¡®And making a fake confession is a bit¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She doubted it was useful. She would be put into a difficult position if Aslei inquired about it and her true feelings. He was quiet now, but when he would ask about her confession at that time, it would only seem like she was teasing Aslei. ¡°That, yes. then¡­ ¡­ .¡± Aslei, raised his head, and approached her with a delighted face. Frisia¡¯s eyes widened as his lips overlapped hers. ¡­ ¡­ Oh my gosh! She could see the maids suppressing their smiles and leaving the bedroom quietly. Frisia glanced around and eventually closed them tightly. A kiss shared with Aslei was sweet. She didn¡¯t think she loved him yet, but she felt odd. She strangely felt her heart pounding and thumping wildly. Chapter 60 ¡®Why did this happen?¡¯ All Marianne wanted was to advance the future a little. She met Aslei earlier and wanted to personally receive a title not her family. She succeeded in obtaining her title, but everything regarding Aslei went awry. Although dismayed by the news that Jeremy had cursed him, Marianne saw it as an opportunity. Even if she missed her chance to get to know him, things would be different if she became his benefactor. But that woman had taken him away from her. That vicious and shameless woman. That same woman who cheated on Aslei and obsessed over him even after their divorce and even tormented Marianne! ¡®I¡¯m sure that woman returned too!¡¯ So it was clear that she was pretending to be modest and calm, unlike back then. Because he had married Frisia first, not Marianne! Marianne, who tried to captivate Aslei by breaking the curse, despaired. Everything is not the same as before, including her close colleagues. ¡®Everything has changed!¡¯ The affection between Trevor, Ian, and Kion was not the same as before. They felt love for Marianne again, but not as keenly or as desperately as before. Of course, Marianne admitted that she could never be the same as before. Because they fell in love with her before she returned and met Aslei. Marianne, at that time, was a lovely young lady befitting a story¡¯s main character. ¡®Kion and Trevor are getting away from me too!¡¯ Ian or Rudd was the first to leave when Marianne got married. However, Rudd continued to wander the continent without settling down, and Ian returned to his manor. However, Kion and Trevor remained by Marianne¡¯s side as her personal knights. Hurt, Jen left but returned after a couple of months. ¡®It should have been the same as that time¡­ ¡­ . why!¡¯ Seeing Trevor giving her a cold gaze, Marianne felt a sense of injustice. Before her return, she was sure the child in her womb must have been Trevor¡¯s or Kion¡¯s. She wanted it to be Kion¡¯s baby rather than Trevor¡¯s, but it was clear that they were close enough to bear a child between them regardless. Still, they were pushing her away. It was a betrayal that should never have happened, she thought. ¡®I can¡¯t believe the only love interest I have left is Jeremy¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Arrogant Jeremy, stupid Jeremy. Even before her return, with that arrogance, he ruined her marriage by assuming that Marianne¡¯s child was his own! She still needed Jeremy, but she had no intention of spending the rest of her life with him. She would never let that happen. ¡®The reason I was able to steal the Magic Tower¡¯s spell book was because Jeremy was the Master of the Magic Tower! As long as Jeremy isn¡¯t the Archmage, I won¡¯t be able to get my hands on the magic book again!¡¯ Now, it would be a slow and difficult process to meet Jeremy and persuade him to become the Master of the Tower again. Marianne didn¡¯t want to do that. She wanted faster results. She could use her knowledge of the future to get a definite result! A plan came to Marianne¡¯s head as she stared into the shadows. Deep darkness crept into her green eyes. While soaking in hot water, Aslei caressed the woman¡¯s smooth body in his arms as if in rapture. She was soft like a feather. ¡°Uh-huh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Frisia twisted her body as if his touch tickled her. She didn¡¯t seem to know that it provoked him. ¡®So cute.¡¯ Aslei sighed, kissing the pale peach-colored skin. He cupped her half-submerged breasts in the water with her palms and kneaded them, feeling dizzy with ecstasy. Why was Frisia so lovely and tantalizing? ¡®Slowly¡­ ¡­ . I was planning to be gentle.¡¯ Frisia¡¯s nudity provoked and aroused him to the point that being soft and slow was difficult. Aslei sighed deeply and gently pinched the top of her breast. As he grabbed her still-soft nipples and kneaded them, then their hardened tips rose from under his fingertips. ¡°Ah, hehe¡­ ¡­ .¡± As he raised her two nipples and stimulated her breasts, a sweet breath escaped from her mouth. Mesmerized, Aslei watched her respond and rubbed his desire against her body. He hoped that his longing to be inside her had also passed on to Frisia. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to see it before¡­ ¡­ .¡± Frisia, intoxicated by Aslei¡¯s sweet teasings, did not know what he was talking about. Instead, she was engulfed in the thoughts of what it would be like if that thing poking her ass came into her own. Chapter 61 ¡°The water seems a little hot¡­ ¡­ . But, I don¡¯t think this would be too bad.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, huh? Ahhhhh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Aslei was holding Frisia¡¯s asscheeks apart, skillfully opened her wet entrance, and pushed his penis in. The feeling of something significant coming in with hot water was unfamiliar. ¡°Ha ha¡­ ¡­ . Ugh, ah.¡± Her insides were extra slippery because she hadn¡¯t been able to scrape all the semen out yet. It mixed with the water and created a strange tactile sensation. It was sticky. ¡°It sticks well. I want to go back to bed and do it, so I want you to relax and hope you don¡¯t use your body as much as possible and just enjoy it.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ ¡­ Oh, my!¡± As soon as his erection filled her up, Aslei lifted her up. Frisia struggled as his cock dug even further in, wriggling side to side following Aslei¡¯s motions. ¡°Ha, ah! Unn, what are you doing¡­ ¡­ .no, don¡¯t! Ahh!¡± ¡°I want to see it in the mirror.¡± Frisia¡¯s eyes widened at his whispered words while hugging her from behind. What did he want to try? Aslei was already getting up from the bathtub and turning her body toward the mirror. Of course, a massive mirror in the colossal bathroom was attached to the Duke¡¯s bedroom. It was easy to see their reflection now because a huge mirror was installed across one side of the wall. Because it was the Duke¡¯s bathroom, there were only two sides, but the Duchess¡¯s room had mirrors on three sides, excluding the wall on the side of the door, under the pretext that it was a woman¡¯s bathroom. Seeing her reflection in the mirror, Frisia¡¯s face flushed red to the top of her head. It was because she saw his huge penis, contrasting with her deep pink flesh. ¡®Why are you looking at this!¡¯ Clearly an arousing, sexy scene, but it was also an erotic sight that she did not want to face because she was embarrassed. However, Aslei moved her waist with satisfaction. Frisia curled at the sensation of rubbing against her insides as if showing off his thick and magnificent cock. ¡°Hiccup! Oh, ah! I don¡¯t want to¡­ ¡­ .¡± She was utterly shy and ashamed. The lewd sight of Aslei¡¯s penis coming in and out of the place where semen and love juice leaked out and dripped. Since she twisted her body, new sensations shot up her spine. As Frisia tried to bring her legs together in shame, Aslei put his hands behind her knees and lifted her. As he shook his waist, he pushed her up at a different angle than usual; it felt like all of her inner flesh was stirred into a frenzy. ¡°Huh! Aang, ah¡ªah, ahhh¡­ ¡­ .!¡± Sloppy, splash, slosh! The sound of water and liquids slapping against dripping flesh and colliding with flesh was loud. Frisia orgasmed, her back curling up, and her dark pink nipples hardened and aimed at the ceiling. Even while she was immersed in cumming, the obscene sight of his pillar sticking in and tasting her insides did not leave her gaze. ¡°Oh, oh! Ahhhh!¡± What was even more lewd was that her flesh came out every time he pulled out. She felt even more embarrassed as she saw what it looked like when she tightened around Aslei¡¯s penis while twitching. ¡°Oh¡ªah, ah! No more¡­ ¡­ . Oh my god!¡± Aslei embraced her bouncing breasts in one of his arms and smiled contentedly. Frisia sobbed and shook her head at the lustful movement of his thrusts as if he were stirring inside her. ¡°Ah, ah¡­ ¡­ . Ahhh, I don¡¯t know¡ª even that¡­ ¡­ . Ahak! Aang Ahhhh!¡± Melting the whining and writhing Frisia with his erection, Aslei focused on her reflection in the mirror. As he watched her form with brightly dyed cheeks as she felt endlessly, it occurred to him that this was happiness. ¡°Frisia¡­ ¡­ .¡± Aslei shuddered and jolted as he repaid the feelings of joy with unscrupulous abdomen motions. It looked like it would be an unforgettable night in many ways. ¡°Ah, ah¡­ ¡­ . Oh, it feels so good. More¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was only for a moment that Aslei maintained reason at the sight of Frisia clinging on to him. It was right after they moved to the bed and made love a couple of more times. By then, her stamina was exhausted, and her eyes were half-closed, but somehow she wrapped her legs tightly around Aslei¡¯s core. Aslei wouldn¡¯t deny her. He could cut off the head of the emperor of this empire if it meant that Frisia¡¯s lovely lips said she felt good. Although Frisia hadn¡¯t the slightest idea of Aslei¡¯s temperament. ¡°Ah, ah! Yes¡­yes ¡­ .¡± While being embraced again and again, Frisia also sensed something strange going on with her. Initially, she didn¡¯t even notice it because her relationship with Aslei was good. However, something seemed to have changed. What was it? It was a separate matter from Aslei shrewdly noticing and stimulating Frisia¡¯s sensitive points. She¡¯s been entangled with Aslei for quite some time now¡ªin fact, several times now, and her back was fine. ¡®Somehow, I only feel really good.¡¯ Rocking her up and down his lascivious loins, Frisia exhaled in rapture. They did it at the lake, in the bathroom, and in the bedroom¡­ ¡­ . Maybe that¡¯s why many of the traces of the curse disappeared. ¡®I think it will disappear soon.¡¯ What had been predicted to take three or three more days seemed to take less than two days. Even though she was supposed to be happy, Frisia was even afraid that she would never feel this great again. She¡¯d be fine without it, but it was the first time she¡¯d felt like this. ¡°Ah, ah¡­ ¡­ . Aang! Ah ah ahhh!¡± Moaning at the ecstatic climax that washed over her again, her hips shook. She vividly felt Aslei grip her convulsing abdomen and his penis twitching. ¡®Ahh¡­ ¡­ That¡ªthat feels amazing!¡¯ Her hazy eyes meeting Aslei¡¯s stare seemed to convey her meaning. Frisia was convinced by the way he patted her ass. ¡°A kiss¡­ ¡­ . Uhh!¡± Aslei quickly licked and overtook her lips as she begged. The tip of her head throbbed, and the tips of her toes tickled with strange stimulation. ¡°Haa! Frisia¡­ ¡­ I, I love you.¡± Unable to overcome his feelings, Aslei whispered to her in intense hushed tones and that ecstatic stimulation that aroused her orgasm and contractions to grow more intense. Frisia was embarrassed but fell into the pleasures that Aslei gave. Chapter 62 ¡­ ¡­ Cost¡­ ¡­ cast¡­ ¡­ . ¡­ ¡­ Is¡­ ¡­ case¡­ ¡­ the price¡­ ¡­ what¡¯s wrong¡­ ¡­ . Angry voices were making the air quiver. Frisia thought with hazy consciousness: I must be dreaming. She fell asleep while enjoying herself with Aslei, so it was only natural that she was swimming high in the night sky. Her body was light as if only her soul had escaped and was flying. So were the voices around her. However, there was a lot of dissatisfaction mixed in the chattering voices. ¡°Quiet!¡± A soft, solemn voice spoke, and hundreds and thousands of protests all at once subsided. It wasn¡¯t even a loud sound in the first place, so Frisia was rather uncomfortable with the silence. Because they seemed to focus and pay close attention to her floating presence. ¡°What has already happened cannot be helped.¡± However, when someone broke the quiet, countless voices spoke again. He protested that it was unfair because all the effort and sacrifice of someone during that time has become nothing. ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ ¡­ ¡­ This world and the other world could not be separated! ¡­ ¡­ She didn¡¯t deserve it in the first place! It¡¯s not fair! When someone shouted, countless voices gathered into one. ¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s not fair! ¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s not fair! The booming voices seemed to echo through the sky, perhaps even the universe. Frisia blinked her eyes and looked around. The only thing floating around was her; she didn¡¯t know who was talking. ¡°Did that child achieve anything in the end?¡± ¡ªHer return was unacceptable. ¡ªI might have been convinced if it was a self-sacrificing regression or if it was to save someone. But it wasn¡¯t that either. Her return was just to satisfy her own greed. A solemn voice said so, but many did not seem to understand. ¡­ ¡­ But he wasn¡¯t loved, right? ¡­ ¡­ in the end he will be abandoned¡­ ¡­ . The chattering voice seemed to be talking about Aslei, so Frisia felt a cold chill. But, as they said, she would eventually leave him. ¡ªNow, the timing has been only delayed. If he becomes unhappy and finally accepts her, she will achieve her goals at the expense and sacrifice of countless people with her return. The voices raised their voices with that profound point. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I won¡¯t let that happen. I have a plan.¡± The solemn voice said so and closed its mouth. With the resuming silence, Frisia felt that their eyes seemed to focus on her. She couldn¡¯t see the eyes swimming in the darkness, but it felt like someone was watching. Hundreds and thousands of eyes. Creepy goosebumps ran over her skin as Frisia held her breath and listened. ¡°You will have to help with the plan.¡± ¡®Will you?¡¯ the solemn voice asked. Then many voices, like tidal waves, replied that they would. Frisia covered her ears as the echoes grew louder and louder. Her light body swayed to and fro at their countless words and shouts. ¡°You¡¯ll do the same¡­ ¡­ Won¡¯t you?¡± As a soft voice whispered in her ear, Frisia opened her eyes. Then she woke up. Chapter 63 ¡®What is this¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ A rush of cold overcame her and a chill reached deep within her. Marianne pulled the blanket over her. Countless voices of beings that filled the whole world. Fairies. Spirits dwelled in everything, including grass, trees, and rocks. They were all against her. ¡®Why?¡¯ Marianne wanted to scream. She returned and did nothing wrong. She was only awarded a small title for obviating a number of terrible things from happening. ¡®Just because you get paid doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s a bad thing!¡¯ If there was one bad thing Marianne did, it was that she murdered Jeremy. But Jeremy put her in such a mess, so it could be said that it was his karma. ¡®You¡¯re so unfair.¡¯ She knew she had done bad things before her return. But that was something Aslei could blame her for, not something that should turn the whole world against her. So, in return, she turned the whole world around and went back in time before hurting Aslei. He would fall in love with her again, so she was just trying to be nice to him! ¡®Of course, it¡¯s not that I wasn¡¯t greedy¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Aslei was hers from the beginning. She figured there was nothing wrong with being greedy for things that were already hers. She was not going to have an affair in this life and was planning to get along with Aslei. ¡®I won¡¯t give up.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t just getting a free ride at the expense of Jeremy. Marianne herself made an immeasurable sacrifice. Her baby. Regressing also cost Marianne her baby. In fact, she was horrified to learn that she was with child, but she forgot that. She even cursed her child for not being Aslei¡¯s, but Marianne couldn¡¯t recall such a thing. All she remembered was that she had a baby and she lost him. ¡®I was disappointed that it wasn¡¯t Aslei¡¯s child, but I never thought of giving up on him!¡¯ Using her unborn child as bait to manipulate and use Jeremy, Kion, and Trevor was also a thing of the past. Now that she had regressed, all of that was erased. She had never committed such sins! ¡®Yes! I didn¡¯t sin!¡¯ Although that assertion contradicted her claim that Aslei was hers, Marianne didn¡¯t think so. There was only one thing that mattered. Aslei. ¡®If he becomes unhappy¡­ ¡­ he will accept me.¡¯ By any means necessary¡­. as long as Aslei would love her again, she thought, Marianne would do her best for him. They could be happy again. ¡®Unhappiness, misfortune¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ As Marianne knew, Aslei had been unhappy in the past. After becoming a duke, he escaped misfortune but lived without thought of being happy. ¡®What about Aslei now?¡¯ Since his marriage, Marianne had not met Aslei. As Ian¡¯s partner, she attended balls and banquets held by high-ranking nobles, but it was not easy for her to greet Duke Tintalion. In addition, he, who had just become a duke, was very busy. Marianne thought she would have to meet Aslei before going ahead with her original plan. Frisia woke up in Aslei¡¯s arms. Relieved by the languid sound of his breathing, she blinked. ¡®What kind of dream was that?¡¯ Whatever it was, it was an unforeseen dream. However, there was one word that answered her mounting pile of questions on why everything had changed. Regression. ¡®Marianne turned back time? Why?¡¯ Perhaps Marianne¡¯s life had unfolded according to the plot she knew. Including marrying Aslei, the Duke of Tintalion, and becoming the future Duchess. Even though she grew further from Ian, they exchanged letters, and she lived a life receiving the protection and affection of a wizard, a priest, two knights, and a youth from the beastman tribe. It was a perfect ending for the main character¡ªbut to turn back time? She didn¡¯t understand. It was a life that not only had it all but was overflowing. She was loved so much that she couldn¡¯t carry it in her arms, so it didn¡¯t make sense why she had regressed. Plus that criticizing voice was condemning her! ¡®It said it was for selfish reasons.¡¯ If it¡¯s a selfish reason, it was probably not because the male lead or a sub-male lead died, nor was it because the world was doomed. It seemed that countless voices were rallying against her, trying to stop her. ¡®¡­ ¡­ That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t become an Elementalist.¡¯ Chapter 64 She was convinced but still puzzled. Frisia vaguely speculated that Marianne might have regressed because of her mistake or sin. If not, she wouldn¡¯t have been abandoned by the spirits. Ping! Frisia flinched at the sight of a tiny figure soaring around her. A small figure no larger than the size of her thumb was flying through the sky. Not just one or two of them either. ¡®What is that?¡¯ With her memories of reading many romance fantasy novels, she guessed what it was. However, she was more embarrassed because she thought she knew. ¡®Could it be that I became an Elementalist instead of Marianne?¡¯ So all of a sudden¡ªwithout any signs beforehand? Of course, it was said someone could become an Elementalist while swimming as a child, while lighting a fire to bake cookies, or drying her hair in the wind. There was no requirement for a dramatic element in order to become an Elementalist, like dying and coming back to life. So this would be normal. Frisia knew that. ¡®Should I be happy about this?¡¯ Troubled, Frisia was contemplating as she touched her spirit¡¯s cheek with her fingertips. Numerous spirits in the form of small children or simple animals were floating around like dust. There were about forty or fifty of them. Considering the size of the Duke¡¯s bedroom, it was sparse. ¡®Are these the qualities of an Elementalist?¡¯ Frisia wondered as she grew flustered and red. She wasn¡¯t even flirting or doing something obscene with Aslei, but things changed when the spirits showed up. A space that she thought was only the two of them now became a space with countless souls. Nor were the spirits not inattentive or uncaring to the actions of humans. Look! He¡¯s about to kiss her! ¡­ ¡­ Wow! ¡ªKiss! Kiss! Kiss! ¡®Do you think I¡¯m your TV drama?¡¯ Even though Aslei was only kissing her lightly on the cheek, they flocked to see it¡ª what if he tried to do more than that? ¡®I feel like I¡¯m going to die of embarrassment! ¡ªNo, I¡¯m definitely going to die!¡¯ Shame set fire to her bones. Aslei, utterly ignorant of her thoughts, was puzzled as to why she was suddenly so shy. ¡°Why are you so red? It makes me want to touch you again and again.¡± ¡­ ¡­ You seem to be more than happy. Aslei clung to her and kissed all over her face and the spirits cheered, now even more delighted as they fluttered around. Ughh! Stop watching! Go away! She pretended to be completely ignorant of everything. She couldn¡¯t bear to say it, lest a ghost follow her around and ask, ¡®Can you see me?¡¯ However, when Frisia recklessly pushed him away, he was disappointed. Aslei, who had entered her lips, was plotting to have a relationship beyond that by laying Frisia on his bed. ¡®There is also a curse¡­ ¡­ . Ha, I have to!¡¯ At the risk of death by extreme shame, Frisia tightly closed her eyes. The words ¡°why is this happening to me¡± filled her head. Aslei became excessively excited at the sight of the adorable Frisia crying out of embarrassment. ¡®If she¡¯s this cute now, what will happen to me in the future?¡¯ Occasionally, her gaze lingered on a strange place, but Aslei chalked it up to her shyness. When Frisia was embarrassed, she often averted her eyes. When he coaxed her that he would covet her under the covers to comfort her, she seemed to feel better. Making love under her thin blanket had its own distinct taste, so Aslei was satisfied. After making love to the fullest, they had food brought to the room and ate. Aslei savored this time. He would rather spend mornings together in bed than in the dining room. If possible, he wanted to spend time like this with Frisia every day. ¡°¡­ ¡­ What about Viscount Rowain and her companions?¡± Frisia asked after almost finishing her meal. She was about to taste the tea and cake that came out for dessert. Reports from Bunter had informed him that they had dared to deceive the Duke of Tintalion. ¡°What would you like to do, dear wife?¡± ¡°I was¡­ ¡­ I thought of using them to lure the wizard, but I didn¡¯t want to insist. There are also paladins and nobles entangled in this.¡± Ian, the Marquis, and Kion, the Paladin, were famous in their own right and each had their own reputations, making them difficult opponents to detain for a long time. Ruud was also slowly making a name for himself. Although they were disrespectful to the Duke of Tintalion, they were also adventurers who traveled all over the empire to solve cases. Since many people praised them, they could be criticized if they punished them. But that was no reason not to punish them just because it was risky. Chapter 65 Aslei had a bad feeling about them. He didn¡¯t like the fact that they were Jeremy¡¯s colleagues, but hiding the truth and coming to the Duke¡¯s residence was considered an insult to the imperial family. If you claim that encountering each other and exchanging a few words casually meant they were friends, then they have something to do with it. But Aslei hated them for the fact that they burdened his wife during her most difficult period and encumbered her more. To be exact, he found their opportunistic behavior to be repugnant. ¡®My feelings aside, dealing out a punishment is something I have to do regardless.¡¯ It would be different if they offended Frisia, but that was his principle. ¡°I want to punish them by banishing them from the Duchy. I don¡¯t want them to bother my family and wife again, including this one.¡± Determined, Frisia had no intention of confronting the original heroine, Marianne. Unless she came to someone else¡¯s land and created mischief, she had no intention of touching her. In the first place, they didn¡¯t need the ¡®helping hand¡¯ offered by Viscount Rowain or her sub-male leads. The Duke of Tintalion¡¯s knights were already dispatched to solve the problem. Most of her party were relieved at the announcement of release and exile. Ian was displeased, aware that his honor as a marquis was tarnished, but ultimately accepted it. It was Marianne who became desperate. ¡°If you are deported, does that mean you will be expelled right away?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You attach a guard, but he said he won¡¯t do that for the sake of the Viscount and your reputation.¡± Saying that, the official glanced at them with eyes telling him to thank the Duke for his generosity. ¡°But please remember that if you do not leave the duchy within the deadline, you will be punished even more severely!¡± After that, the man returned Marianne and her companions¡¯ luggage. They were happy to receive their belongings, but Marianne¡¯s expression hardened. She couldn¡¯t leave the Duke¡¯s mansion like this. At least she had to meet Aslei and his wife before she could put her own plan into action. ¡°Please convey my appreciation for the lenient punishment¡ª¡± ¡°Is there any way to meet the Duke and Duchess?¡± Ian, who was bidding farewell, was cut off by Marianne¡¯s sudden interruption and was taken aback. ¡°Uh.¡± The official looked at Marianne with a bewildered expression. He was annoyed by this group of famous adventurers who had ridden all the way from the capital and dared to taunt their lord. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what situation you are in, Viscount?¡± ¡°I just want to say hello before I leave! I know that Jeremy¡¯s crime is serious, but that¡¯s why I¡¯m more concerned about the Duke¡¯s safety¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Ahem!¡± Ian interrupted her urgent words. Then Marianne raised her eyebrows and raised her voice. ¡°Why? What I¡¯m saying is true! Everyone knows what a great wizard Jeremy is¡ªHis curse couldn¡¯t have been lifted so easily! I have to see it with your own eyes! If the Duke¡¯s condition gets worse later.. ¡­ .¡± His curse was just an excuse, but it was clear it was a good rationale. Even though the curse looked fine on the outside for now, he might be dealt with a blow later. In addition, among her companions were a paladin and a priest. Marianne, who had been ardently arguing and insisting, looked back at her companions and felt apologetic. Her heart sank at the looks of disappointment on their faces. Why? Why are you giving me that look? You should love me more than that. Marianne was dissatisfied but couldn¡¯t express that feeling. However, her excuses seemed to fuel the anxiety of the official. Even though he still donned a look of blatant displeasure, he now hesitated. Instead, the official left his post to brief his superiors about her request. Soon he returned and told them to wait. Chapter 66 The only ones the Duke permitted to meet were Kion, the paladin, and Rudd, the priest. However, Marianne tenaciously insisted that she should go with them. She had never been like this before, so Ian was incredibly embarrassed. He tried to coax Marianne, but she was uncompromising. Rudd sided with her. He even lied that she was his assistant in order to give her exactly what she wanted. But mixed feelings seeped from his eyes as well. The feeling was shared amongst Ian, Kion, and Trevor. Even Jen seemed surprised to see Marianne¡¯s foreign appearance. ¡°This way.¡± An attendant guided them to the drawing room of the main building of the Duke¡¯s residence with an expressionless face. It was probably not a place to welcome distinguished guests. Rudd thought that Duke Tintalion would already have his own high-ranking priest residing in the mansion. It was a certainty since he was under a spell. ¡®The reason why the priest hasn¡¯t greeted me must be because I committed a sin.¡¯ Considering the behavior of the imperial family, deceiving the ducal family and being exiled without any punishment was tantamount to showing incredible generosity. Rudd licked his lips and followed the attendant. He looked out of the corner of his eye at Marianne, who was walking alongside Kion. Formerly the daughter of Baroness Marianne Nelson, she became a Viscount with the new surname ¡®Rowain.¡¯ It was because of her great foresight, but lately, that light had faded. ¡°My power to see the future is fading, Rudd. You¡¯ll be by my side, won¡¯t you?¡± Facing the troubled Marianne, Rudd swore to be her strength. However, in the Duchy of Tintalion, she was a very different person from what he knew. As if she had been acting up until now. Rudd did not believe in Marianne¡¯s ¡®power to see the future.¡¯ He only trusted her willingness to save people and her brilliant background knowledge of the cases. She was mostly right when she said something, and she could save the people without much harm. However, in the Duchy of Tintalion, Marianne could not demonstrate her power at all. He had no intention of relying on her strength alone for everything, but apart from that, she was disappointing him and the rest of them. ¡®Maybe she knows we all like her.¡¯ She was a woman he had seen many times taking advantage of the favors from the opposite sex. Rudd didn¡¯t want to blame Marianne for borrowing his power. However, it became a problem that her nature was different from the ¡®Marianne¡¯ he knew. ¡®I want to keep my oath, but¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Just as he cared for her, he began to wonder if he was precious to her. It must have been the same for others. Upon reaching a particular door, the waiting attendant opened the door. Kion and Rudd glanced at the unfamiliar room for a moment, and Marianne gave a delighted glance and then turned her head. The attendant guided them to their seats and told them to wait. ¡®When will Aslei come?¡¯ After returning, she was trembling now more than when she met him before. Especially since she was so confident when she planned to regress and run into him. ¡®How long has it been since I¡¯ve seen him!¡¯ It was the first time since Aslei got engaged, so it must have been almost four years. Marianne looked at the door with a pounding heart. Seeing Marianne like that, Kion had a complicated expression. He admired her confidence and flawlessness and thought he wanted to be her strength. His heart still hasn¡¯t changed but¡­ ¡­ . ¡®She has changed.¡¯ Change was natural since they had been together over the years. However, Kion felt that this change was too fast. He thought he would be her sword to protect her, silently following her. But the true love he had for the young lady, that young lady seemed to no longer exist. The speculation that maybe that young lady he had been idolizing for years was never there to begin with tormented Kion. ¡°The Duke and Duchess are coming.¡± The attendant opened the drawing-room door again and informed them. Kion and Marianne rose from their seats, following Rudd, who stood up while examining his clothes. The Duke and his wife entered the parlor in hooded cloaks. Marianne had seen the Duchess¡¯s beautiful features a couple of years before. She had just seen her from a distance, but she didn¡¯t talk to her. What bothered her more was the hood worn by the Duke. ¡®Why?¡¯ The Duke sat down and instructed the other three to sit down. Rudd and Kion sat down and glanced at Marianne. Marianne looked pale. They feared she would further disturb the fragile atmosphere by saying something absurd, but fortunately, she showed no sign of it. Rudd obtained the Duke¡¯s permission to examine his curse. In terms of divine power, the paladin Kion also had some, but Rudd was superior when it came to curses. Behind the Duke, the Duke¡¯s escort knights glared at them, ready to slash them. Hated for being Jeremy¡¯s colleague. ¡®Oh¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Thinking that it was a truly unique curse, Rudd almost exclaimed but held back. Indeed, Jeremy was a talented person worth being considered as the successor to the Magic Tower Master. ¡°Did you say that the Master of the Tower changed this spell?¡± Duke Aslei explained that after that, Jeremy reappeared, played a trick, and modified the spell. He thought Jeremy had cast new magic on him, but according to the Duke¡¯s wizard, he said it was a modified version of the original curse. ¡°Hmm, the sorcerer is right. Oh my¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was expected that he would sense an ominous energy if it were a jinx, but this spell was different. He dared to borrow the power of a god to concoct the curse. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 67 ¡®Goddess Astera is an eccentric person.¡¯ As she doubles as the god of war, she is also a fearsome and unforgiving goddess. On the other hand, however, she was known to adore lovers and love stories. The Archmage transformed his curse so that the Duke¡¯s curse would only respond to his wife. Perhaps that¡¯s why the spell affected the Duchess as well. Rather than just a curse though, divine power was mixed with that magic. ¡®Does the goddess have a special intention?¡¯ He decided that if Goddess Astera had a plan of her own and she lent her powers to Jeremy, Rudd shouldn¡¯t meddle. Because he didn¡¯t know what punishment a mere human like himself would receive if he went against God¡¯s will. ¡®Goddess Astera is generous to the good. He will be fine.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t know how you did it, but if you continue as you have, the curse will dissipate smoothly. The aftermath of the spell may linger, but it won¡¯t be of a harmful kind, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Just by looking at the form of the curse, he could feel the blessing of Goddess Astera. Jeremy, who had ill- intentions, didn¡¯t seem to notice it. Rudd¡¯s words eased and made the Duchess more relieved than the Duke, Aslei. Rudd liked that. ¡®What an exemplary couple!¡¯ It was admirable to see such affectionate partners. Since they even had the blessing of the goddess, he was certain that good news would come out sooner or later, so Rudd smiled. Although the result was an unsightly banishment from the duchy, it was pleasing that good people like the Duke and Duchess of Tintalion were safe. Her whole body seemed to tremble with anger. Marianne was desperately looking for a reason because if she stopped thinking about it, she would burst into tears. Why? Why! She could tell from Aslei¡¯s expression that he was utterly in love with Frisia. Clearly, it was a gaze that she had not seen even when they were married. In only three years. During those three years, Aslei seemed possessed by that1villainess. There was no reason she could think of other than that. ¡®How could this be?¡¯ Why did I not become an Elementalist! What was the reason I gave up on my child and returned? How dare you fall in love with another woman¡­ ¡­ . Even Aslei¡¯s gaze on Frisia seemed deeper and thicker than when they were in love. As if his love for Marianne at that time couldn¡¯t compare to his greater love for Frisia now! ¡®It can¡¯t be!¡¯ Marianne clenched her fists, feeling like she wanted to scream. While Rudd was talking to Aslei, she couldn¡¯t say a word. She just sat next to Kion and stared at Aslei¡¯s face. Then she saw Frisia, subtly casting aimlessly gazes around her. Other people around them didn¡¯t seem to notice, but Marianne knew. ¡®No.¡¯ It couldn¡¯t have been. She thought that no matter how cruel the world was, it couldn¡¯t do that to herself. Being able to see the smallest and weakest elemental in a visualized form was a phenomenon that could only be seen by the highest-ranking Elementalist. It was impossible to see a spirit with almost no power, no matter how excellent an Elementalist was. She was barely sure it was possible to feel them. ¡®Like me¡­ ¡­ . An Elementalist of the level to make a contract with the Spirit King¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Marianne was no longer an Elementalist, so it was out of place to say they were the same. Marianne knew it deep inside which made her even more resentful. ¡®Why¡ª why did you go to that wicked woman! It¡¯s my talent!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t certain yet. She might just be mistaken, but Marianne was more than half sure. She was deprived of everything by a mere villainess. Before her return, she was the one who had sinned against Marianne and would have been put to death. It was also a terrible punishment to be torn to pieces by monsters after being flogged. Marianne cried and suppressed her urge to run away as she waited for the time to pass. She could barely breathe. Now, only a small amount of the curse remained. Perhaps tonight, if she had a relationship with Aslei, it would disappear completely. ¡°What a relief,¡± Frisia said with all her heart. She worried that even if the spell was lifted, what would happen t if Aslei suffered for a long time from the traces left behind by the curse? After sending Marianne and her sub-boyfriends out of the drawing room, Frisia was suddenly embraced in Aslei¡¯s arms. The maids, accustomed to this kind of situation, quickly left the drawing room with the rest of the attendants. Maybe tonight¡­ ¡­ Could the curse end? She was glad that he could end the curse before the two princes came to the duke¡¯s residence and looked for faults. ¡°But just in case.. ¡­ .¡± They also planned to have high-ranking priests summoned from the Great Shrine look him over. She thought they would give a similar opinion to Rudd¡¯s, a sub-male lead, but there was nothing wrong with double-checking and being cautious. At Frisia¡¯s words, Aslei nodded his head kindly. As he lowered his head and kissed her, Frisia closed her eyes. She had a hunch that it was going to be a pleasant day. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 68 ¡®Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t ask about the hood.¡¯ Rudd thought as he walked lightly through the hallway. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t think to ask, it was that he felt he couldn¡¯t ask. Even his expressionless face showed his displeasure at them. ¡®Duke Tintalion seemed to be offended by us.¡¯ Rudd couldn¡¯t even protest against it. They denied it in front of the Duchess, but they were Jeremy¡¯s colleagues. He was only intertwined in a few incidents, but as they went through life and death together, they were colleagues. Surely the Duke was one of the strongest people on the continent, just meeting his cold gaze made his hamstrings tingle. He did not dare to ask for the hood to be removed. ¡®There must be a reason¡­ ¡­ . The reason why I didn¡¯t mention it because it might have nothing to do with the curse, or the reason for the hood may disappear when the curse disappears.¡¯ He was in the form of a gigantic beast until the Duchess brought him back, it was said. He did not know exactly what kind of beast he was, but he thought that the courage of the Duchess, who had chased it all the way to the forest and brought the Duke back, was incredible. Even though she seemed like an ordinary person who never mastered the sword or was learned in magic. ¡®Duke Tintalion is a lucky man.¡¯ Rudd thought so and stroked his chin. He quietly glanced at Kion, who was following him. Marianne was silent even at the meeting with the duke she had been looking forward to so much. She barely opened her mouth when they said hello. ¡®I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking.¡¯ He was the one that thought Marianne was hopeless from the beginning. The other comrades didn¡¯t seem to notice, but the woman he loved was sensitive to rank and wealth. If Rudd was ambitious and focused on success, the most he could raise was a high-ranking priest in the Great Shrine. The very most would be a high priest. But there were only five High Priests in the church he was in. It was a small number, but it was not an impossible position given the qualities and divine power he possessed. However, this was not enough to fill Marianne¡¯s heart. It was the same for Ian, who had the highest title among her companions. He wondered if she was aiming for the imperial family, but when they met the two princes in the capital, she didn¡¯t seem to be very interested. ¡®I never thought that what you wanted was the position of the duchess¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ As far as he knew, there was almost no contact between Marianne and Duke Tintalion, so that¡¯s why it never occurred to Rudd. When it came to appearances and abilities, neither Ian nor the paladin Kion and Trevor were lacking. Of course, Duke Tintalion was a little better in terms of appearance and ability. He did not judge nor denounce a woman¡¯s desire to elevate her status through marriage. It was only natural since society had developed that way, and in many ways it was the only chance and opportunity afforded to women. Now Marianne had accomplished much and earned acclaim and earned the title of a viscount, but beyond that would be difficult. Even if she was a man, unless it was a hereditary title, it was difficult to rise more than a viscount. Rather, if Marianne could make her mark on the battlefield, she might be able to become a count, but she is neither a swordsman nor a wizard. ¡®The duke seemed deeply in love with his wife.¡¯ Even if it was him, he would too. Few would risk waiting for and finding a duke that disappeared as a beast. Moreover, wasn¡¯t she the daughter of the Duke of Atreille? She didn¡¯t have to risk herself, just send someone to her parents¡¯ house to help her. She could have sent knights of the Duke of Atreille to search the forest. They, of course, may have killed the duke who had turned into a beast using the curse as an excuse. In front of the main building, the horses they rode were prepared. Like those who have traveled for a long time, they skillfully mounted horses. Since the party was an uninvited guest at the duke¡¯s residence, they could not wait inside and were waiting for them outside. ¡°Miss Marianne.¡± Kion, who got on the horse first, urged her. Marianne, lost in her own thoughts, gave her a slow nod and started her horse. She led the way, followed by Kion and Rudd. ¡°Finally, they are leaving.¡± Watching them walk away, one of the servants looked relieved. She had heard of the great group, but had no idea that among them was the sorcerer. Most of the people at the duke¡¯s residence suspected that they would have caused trouble if the madam hadn¡¯t taken action preemptively. As some of the servants took turns eavesdropping over the wall at the lady¡¯s command, they found out first the adventurers were with Jeremy. Although they did not seem to be involved in the curse, it is true that they were colleagues with Jeremy. ¡°You can¡¯t judge a book by its cover!¡± Spitting on the floor, the servants turned around. . If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 69 After a long time passing through the grounds and garden of the Duke¡¯s residence, they were able to meet their colleagues waiting in front of the door. The soldiers guarding the main gate opened the door and let them out when they arrived. ¡®Augh¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Marianne even felt a pang in her chest. She had a feeling that if she left now, she would never return. She didn¡¯t come for this. It was their reunion for the first time in years, but Aslei looked at her as if she was worse than a stranger and that woman¡­ ¡­ . ¡ªThrob ¡®It can¡¯t be like this.¡¯ Everything was taken away. She was deprived of everything: no man, no ability, no position. Because of that woman! She had it all from the beginning! Prior to her return, Frisia was a woman who could be said to be Marianne¡¯s nemesis. Even though she was Aslei¡¯s ex-wife, she could only suppress her because she was born with the status of the ducal princess of Atreille. Frisia¡¯s bullying was painful, but she could endure it because Aslei and many others defended her. ¡®As expected, she is my enemy¡ªFrisia Atreille!¡¯ Rather, it would have been easy for her if Frisia had antagonized her. If she had not concealed her malice and had vented her anger wherever she encountered her, Aslei would have turned away from Frisia without hesitation. Before her return, Frisia had been so stupid. After being tried, imprisoned, and flogged ¡­.¡­ . With such an ending, she seemed to have learned how to use her brain a little. Not only did Marianne live this life differently, but Frisia Atreille faithfully rewrote her life after her regression. ¡°The date given is pretty tight. It must be a warning to leave the duchy without delay,¡± Ian, who opened the map, explained to her colleagues. The timeline would be sufficient if they took the safe route from the Duchy of Tintalion to the capital. Part of the reason for the schedule he set was that he was concerned that Marianne was showing a peculiar attitude only when it came to Duke Tintalion¡¯s affairs. However, the date given by officials was short. It was a not-so-subtle nudge to leave the territory immediately, not to look around the area or think about wasting time. If they did not pass the gate on the set date, a wanted order would be issued within the duchy, and if caught they were that time, they would be serving a sentence this time. Ian explained, pointing to the corner of the map with his hand. ¡°The two Highnesses are coming down from the capital. If the routes overlap, our journey may be delayed¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°The two? Are you saying the princes are coming down?¡± asked in a shrill Marianne voice, broken out of her stupor. Ian felt uneasy about her reaction. ¡°Yes.¡± It was a generous tip offered by the official who informed them of their timeline when they were about to depart. ¡®The two princes aren¡¯t on good terms, and since they¡¯re coming down to the duke¡¯s mansion like they¡¯re in a competition, it¡¯s better for you and your companions to not get entangled.¡¯ It was a thoughtful remark. It was probably the Duchess that ordered him to be tipped off to help the marquis, Ian. Hearing this, Marianne swallowed her dry saliva. The fact that Aslei was cursed and the two princes came down here had never happened before the return. ¡®The Emperor hated the union of the Duke of Tintalion and the Duke of Atreille!¡¯ So, he welcomed Aslei¡¯s divorce with open arms. It was the emperor who supported Marianne, who was of low status. Marianne was not completely ignorant of politics. When the emperor heard that Aslei had been cursed and became a beast, he must have thought it was a good opportunity to get rid of him. If he was cursed to become a demon and died as he ran amok, or if there was some excuse that he had perished in an accident, everyone would accept it. It was a perfect chance to kill Aslei. ¡®But Aslei has returned to the Duke¡¯s mansion.¡¯ Even if they delivered such news now, the princes could not turn their procession around. With the pretense of ensuring the safety of the cursed Duke they would still have to pretend and carry on. In the first timeline before the regression, the 2nd Prince Julien tried to kill the 3rd Prince, Aaron. It will happen much later than now, but Julien¡¯s attempt had failed. The emperor is enraged and seemed set on making the third prince the crown prince. ¡®Julien¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ He accused the Countess of assassination who was present at the scene. The Countess was an acquaintance of Trevor¡¯s, so she and her companions scrambled to rescue her. In the end, Marianne saved the Countess and uncovered that it was Julien who tried to assassinate Aaron. The emperor, unable to cover up the incident because the Duke, Aslei, was her colleague, sent Julien into exile. ¡®But if¡ªif I help the second prince kill the third prince¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She wouldn¡¯t even need to intervene deeply in the case. Just by giving him some wisdom, Julien would succeed in the assassination. Instead¡­ ¡­ . ¡®What if I ask him not to accuse the countess, but to charge the Duchess Tintalion¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t the second prince, Julien, listen to her? Even though the power of the Duke of Tintalion was strong, the murder of the prince was a sin that could not be easily eluded. The Countess was cleared of the false accusation with their help, but Marianne had no reason to help Frisia. Because she was the villainess who took everything from her. ¡°I have something to tell everyone.¡± If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 70 ¡°I have something to tell everyone.¡± The faces of her comrades turned towards her. Marianne had decided that Ian and Trevor should be separated if nothing else. Ian might notice what she¡¯s trying to do. As would Trevor. Trevor was a quick-witted and calculating man. But he was someone who indulged and didn¡¯t mind Marianne¡¯s selfishness, but this time it would be different. It¡¯s a scheme to destroy the second prince and the Duchess of Tintalion together. She felt a little uneasy at the thought of Aaron, the prince. Until now, she had only used her power to save lives. She wondered if Aaron was not destined to die by nature and if she could kill him. In the before-regression future, he defeated his rival, Julien, and became crown prince. ¡®No, it will be fine. There are more people I saved! Aaron wasn¡¯t even a good emperor¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ It was said that Julien was more ill-tempered, but what did that matter! People tend to change when they have power. Aaron wasn¡¯t a good emperor after all. ¡®I¡¯ll only change one person¡¯s future. I saved more people, so I deserve that much!¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s split up here and regroup later.¡± Ian and Trevor¡¯s expressions hardened at Marianne¡¯s bombshell declaration. The other companions looked at her with astonished faces, each trying to dissuade her. She had no intention of dropping them altogether. At least one member of the party, Jen, was needed. That fact made Trevor suspicious of her intentions. ¡°You¡¯re not going to stay here, are you? No¡ª we¡¯ve done enough! I checked. I don¡¯t know how the Duchess did it, but sooner or later the Duke will be freed from the curse!¡± At Rud¡¯s words, Marianne almost sneered twistedly. ¡®I¡¯m the one that used to be the Duchess. I¡¯m also the one who would break Aslei¡¯s curse¡ª but it was taken away by that woman!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s not about the Duke.¡± It¡¯s about that woman¡ªthe Duchess. Marianne thought that to herself; she would explain everything later. Then, when Prince Aaron died, and Frisia was dragged into prison, then the only thing she¡¯d have to say is: ¡°I did it because I noticed something bad might happen to the prince. I was afraid that you guys might get caught up too¡­ ¡­ .¡± Jen, who was the only one allowed to stay by her side, was excited, and Marianne insisted that she be fine. So you guys should leave immediately. The other party accepted Marianne¡¯s will reluctantly, unable to hide their anxiety. Although Ian¡¯s gaze scrutinizing her was jarring, Marianne ignored him and remained with Jen. Jen seemed to just love the fact that she could be alone with Marianne. With his lack of common sense about human society, Jen was Marianne¡¯s most gullible companion and easiest to deceive. ¡®It will be different this time.¡¯ Frisia would suffer the same fate as before; she would make it so. As soon as they heard Marianne and the others had passed through the main gate of the Duke¡¯s residence, Frisia and Aslei went upstairs. They intended to completely end the curse starting from this day. ¡®The princes are still coming to Mulia¡­ ¡­ . We need to lift this curse quickly!¡¯ On the other hand, Aslei was thinking about something else while watching Frisia actively lying on the bed. He wondered if getting rid of the curse so fast like this would be okay. ¡®If there is no curse, my relationship with Frisia won¡¯t go back to what it was before, right?¡¯ It was possible, but it was difficult for him to think it would happen. They had gotten closer. Additionally, albeit in a rather sleazy way, he could use Frisia¡¯s confession as an excuse. ¡®Frisia is so sweet and kind, she will not be able to kick me away.¡¯ Aslei thought her confession was a lie, but he didn¡¯t think her confession was entirely far-fetched. She had no one in her heart apart from himself, and she had a certain affinity for him enough that her affection was genuine. He thought it was just a matter of working harder to make her like him more. ¡®She¡¯s never told me why she wants to get a divorce but¡­ ¡­ . it¡¯s not because she never thinks of me.¡¯ At least Frisia liked him enough to risk her life for him. But was that due to cold calculation? ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the case when I look at her expressions when we kiss.¡¯ Maybe she just didn¡¯t know her own feelings. Just as Aslei didn¡¯t notice his heart until the third year of their marriage. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 71 Why has the curse not lifted? Any trace of the curse had surely disappeared from Aslei¡¯s firm chest. He himself said that his endless lust for Frisia had subsided to some extent. Although the desire he originally had for her did not disappear. His chest was clean, and the pain from before was gone. Now all that remained were his wolf ears and a tail¡­ ¡­ . ¡®Why isn¡¯t it disappearing?!¡¯ From yesterday¡¯s day to night. And from the night again until this morning, Frisia did it again and again with Aslei. Although she devoted herself to it with all sincerity, Aslei¡¯s wolf ears and tail were still intact. ¡°Why¡­ ¡­ .¡± Was this a punishment for her fake confession? Or was the goddess telling her he¡¯d remain the same until the honest confession? Watching the tearful Frisia, Aslei¡¯s mind became complicated. She was cute when embarrassed but also pitiful at the same time. Do you want to end the curse so quickly? That way, if there¡¯s no curse, you can run away from me without feeling guilty. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Maybe this is the aftermath of the curse. Perhaps I will stay like this for the rest of my life.¡± At the word ¡®the rest of my life,¡¯ Frisia looked shocked. Aslei smiled wryly at her devastated expression. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°How can I not worry when you look like this!?¡± The Empire was a place of inflexible discrimination. It was only through great merits that it was possible to increase one¡¯s status to some extent in the rigid caste system, but that was only for full humans. Severe bigotry against the beastmen tribe was widespread. Even though slavery was illegal, many tried to capture and enslave beastmen. If the fact was known that Aslei became a beastman through a curse the position of Duke Tintalion among nobility would be jeopardized. At worst, there was the very real possibility that there would be a debate about revoking the Duke of Tintalion¡¯s title. So, Frisia had been paying close attention and given firm warnings to the attendants of the duchy. Only the closest servants working in the main building were partially privy to the secrets, and the rest did not know that Aslei still had wolf ears and a tail. ¡°I ordered the wizard to receive these.¡± Aslei took one of his rings from a drawer and put it on his finger. Then the black wolf ears visible through his hair and the tail from his buttocks disappeared. Frisia stretched her hand over Aslei¡¯s head, her eyes wide. ¡°Huh?¡± She couldn¡¯t see them but could feel his fluffy ears. Aslei¡¯s cheeks dyed red as if Frisia¡¯s touch was pleasant and mumbled: ¡°It is invisible to the naked eye, but it is not really absent. It is said that it is a magic tool used by the beastmen tribe. This will fool them for a while.¡± Frisia removed her hand from his head and sat down. For some reason, she suddenly felt very exhausted. ¡°Then¡­ ¡­ . you¡¯ll be fine for the time being.¡± ¡°For the time being, yes.¡± That is unless Aslei needed to go up to the capital and have an audience with the emperor. But, unfortunately, the imperial palace in the capital was covered with magic shields that repelled magic, so illusion magic wouldn¡¯t work. If he entered the imperial palace, the mana of the ring would be broken immediately. ¡°Sorry for not telling you earlier.¡± ¡°Oh, no. We had to lift the curse anyway¡­ ¡­ .¡± Frisia sighed and pulled the blanket wrapped around her. They had just finished making love and having breakfast. Since she hadn¡¯t even washed yet, only Frisia was covered in a blanket. ¡°Madam.¡± Aslei suddenly grabbed her hand; she raised her head. His serious blue eyes were on her. ¡°Are you still determined to divorce?¡± Frisia trembled at the gentle question. He had asked the question she least wanted to face. ¡°Wh-why are you asking that now?¡± ¡°My heart remains the same, but my wife seems to be preparing to leave me.¡± Each soft-spoken word left Frisia speechless. Because he was so accurate. Frisia was trying to break his curse before the contract with him ran out and the date of its expiration came to pass. ¡°Can¡¯t we still¡ª? Can¡¯t I and my dear wife stay together?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Frisia looked at Aslei, unable to answer. She liked him but¡­ ¡­ . ¡®Would remaining like this be okay?¡¯ Marianne, whom she had been the most worried about, seemed not to be a problem. Aslei had met her the day before and had only glared at Marianne. There is no place for Marianne in his heart. Concerning that turn of events, Frisia was both anxious and happy. However, from the moment she realized her feelings of elation, she noticed that her divorce plans from Aslei had gone awry. ¡®But¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ This world was a world of fiction in a novel, and she was afraid of the original storyline. Unfortunately, this was still the case even though there were already only a few similarities to the original work. After Frisia, in the novel, is whipped, she is tied to a tree. The soldiers light incense around her to attract her monsters, leaving her to be eaten by her monsters. All of those sentences and punishments were done under Aslei¡¯s direction. It happened because Frisia hurt Marianne in a similar way. Of course, it was self-inflicted in the novel, but she was also afraid of the possibility of it happening in real life. Even if the reality is different from the novel, considering the prospect and anxiety, she wondered if she should stay by Aslei¡¯s side. ¡®I can¡¯t persuade Aslei by only insisting on breaking up randomly.¡¯ Having made up her mind, Frisia held his hand. Perhaps she could try now because he was not interested in Marianne. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± At her words, Aslei slowly nodded. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 72 t1v: Last month I was dealing with a sudden death in the family and was busy with a funeral and was very overwhelmed. So I was behind on chapters and this month should be a normal number of updates. Thank you for your understanding in advance and my apologies for the inconvenience and going MIA. Frisia¡¯s explanation was long and convoluted because she didn¡¯t remember every part of the original work. Nevertheless, Aslei listened to her rationale without raising an eyebrow. She confessed that the scenes in the novel she had seen in her dreams were very similar to reality. Frisia didn¡¯t divulge everything. Like the fact that she remembered a previous life¡ªshe left that out. One day, she explained, she had a dream in which she was reading a novel about the future of this world. Because that was true to some extent. ¡°¡­ ¡­ But isn¡¯t my wife different from the Frisia in the novel?¡± That part always made Frisia feel ambiguous. Because even before she remembered her previous life, she was completely different from the original Frisia. The original villainess, Frisia, was entangled in a strange cooperative relationship with her father and older brother. However, now, Frisia had only a superficial relationship with them. ¡°You are only you. I am just me.¡± Aslei felt like all the puzzles were finally coming together. He now understood why Frisia wanted a divorce from him, even though they seemed to get along. ¡°I will never forsake or abandon my dear wife. No matter what evil you do, I will always be on your side. Already¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡ªDon¡¯t I belong to you? he whispers. He was firmly convinced that Frisia had brought him back to life. If he had been left in the woods and couldn¡¯t return to his original form, he would have died. He even thought he did not want to become Frisia¡¯s nightmare while living as a beast. ¡°Her wife¡¯s dream story is wrong. You¡¯ve never been a villain, and you¡¯re the only one I love.¡± Aslei now understood it must have been for the same reason Marianne was so arrogant when she met him. It seemed that she also had a similar dream. So she seemed to believe that he would love her. ¡®Rather, that certainty became poison.¡¯ Even before he had heard of a future that would not come to pass from Frisia, Aslei had not been interested in the human named Marianne. After hearing her story that he would harm Frisia because of Marianne, her presence was rather irritating. Although he rebuked himself for thinking of such, a desire occurred to him: he wanted to kill Marianne in order to resolve Frisia¡¯s misunderstandings. ¡°You¡¯re the only one for me. If my wife wishes, I will not be in the same room with her, nor breathe the same air.¡± ¡®So please don¡¯t abandon me,¡¯ pleaded Aslei. Frisia mistook him for being just a good person, but Aslei knew he was not. He was just being good because living in the world like that was advantageous. It was how he was instructed. He was taught that one could survive only by being obedient, patient, and doing hard work. However, Aslei was a man who would do anything to get Frisia. It¡¯s just that he didn¡¯t want her to get hurt. It was well within his capacity to kill Marianne on a whim or any of the ¡®sub male leads¡¯ and everyone else who was a possible threat to her. ¡°Madam, my Frisia.¡± Aslei pulled her into a gentle embrace. He whispered in Frisia¡¯s ear several times in a hot voice: ¡°I love you.¡± He was afraid that no matter how much he whispered, he wouldn¡¯t be able to reach her heart. Aslei repeated over and over again, feeling his eyes watering. I love you. It seemed that no matter how many times he confessed, it would not be enough. Fear was inherently irrational, and if she said that being by Aslei¡¯s side made her anxious and distressed¡­ ¡­ . Aslei became afraid that just barely imagining it made his thoughts dark and twisted. He loved her and wanted to make her happy. If being by his side made her suffer from anxiety, he¡¯d let her go. Tears flowed from Aslei¡¯s eyes at the thought of missing her, his heart broken. ¡°Please, Frisia¡­ ¡­ .¡± At his whispered forlorn sigh, Frisia blinked and blankly looked at him. She was still uneasy and concerned but sure of one thing. Aslei¡¯s crying was pretty, but it made her heart ache. It bothered her; she hated him being in pain. ¡®I¡¯m not a good person.¡¯ Frisia thought she was a selfish person. She pretended to be a just figure in public, but the standard of fairness she upheld was always according to her own convenience. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 73 ¡®Of course I like Aslei.¡¯ He was undoubtedly a kind, strong and beautiful man. He seemed to think otherwise, but the Aslei she knew was. If he were the same as in the original novel, her assessment wouldn¡¯t change. It was only that the current Aslei was more affectionate and kind to her because of his infatuation. ¡®Is this not love? Is it friendship?¡¯ Frisia thought she honestly didn¡¯t know love or friendship. Her emotions were so soft that they changed this way and that way and confused her. It was only until much later that she realized what that feeling was. A loner and recluse for most of her life, her emotional intelligence was zero. ¡®I can¡¯t discern even more because it¡¯s my feelings.¡¯ Is this love? Is this heart pounding an aching? Or is this heart pounding due to excitement? Many times before, she made excuses that Aslei was an attractive, sensual man and that all the throbbing and pounding her heart was going through was natural. So was it not love? Hadn¡¯t she put herself in danger, wandering through a forest he didn¡¯t even know well, to find him? When the wyvern¡¯s shadow passed over her head, she honestly resented him. She had the conscious thought that she risked her life for nothing. Still, she thought she would do the same thing if she went back in time. ¡®Ah¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Damn, I must have fallen in love. She kept her distance to avoid becoming a wicked woman struggling with fiery jealousy, hatred, and resentment. She realized how arrogant she had been. She knew she wouldn¡¯t fall in love if she made up her mind. How stupid she had been. How could she be so blind to her own bloody emotions! Frisia watched his tearful countenance. Wondering why he looks so pretty. Regardless of men or women, finding someone who looked pretty when he cried was rare. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Did you really not feel anything when you saw Viscount Rowaine?¡± When she asked, Aslei met her eyes squarely and said clearly: ¡°I just felt vexed with her and her company. I have no feelings for her. I swear.¡± Aslei thought she was a goon who came to ¡®help¡¯ and instead made trouble for his wife when she was in a crisis because he had been cursed. Some of the warriors looked useful, but the other characters were of no interest to him. It is true that when he ran into Marianne in the past, he felt a slight interest. But due to her staring and tone of voice, he felt reluctant around her. Now having heard the contents of suspicious dreams from Frisia, Aslei was determined to keep his distance from her. ¡®¡­ ¡­ If the viscount also had the same dream.¡¯ Unlike Frisia, it was clear that she had used the information to her advantage. Even if not all of the dreams did not come to pass, some of them did come true. Thus the daughter of a Baron, Marianne Nelson, was able to become Viscount Marianne Rowaine. Aslei found it difficult to erase the ominous sensation he felt at her strange smugness in herself. Even if she knew her future, it did not mean she knew his. She was unusually vain. It was hard to blame her for knowing the future and using it, but she was a nuisance and intruder. ¡°How can you trust me? That the only person I love now and in the future is you, my wife.¡± It didn¡¯t matter if it was in a dream or a future lover that would never happen; if it was an obstacle between Frisia and himself, it was just an existence he wanted to eliminate. Aslei held his breath, resisting the urge to say he could kill her and get rid of her fears. If he revealed his true intentions, Frisia would not be happy, but rather repulsed by him. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I will believe you.¡± Finally, when Frisia whispered, his heart leaped. He looked at her with disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m still afraid¡­ ¡­ . I will trust you even if it takes a long time, so can you wait for me?¡± Aslei was simply at a loss for words as his heart swelled. She hadn¡¯t yet told him that she loved him, but his heart felt like it was beating again with hope. ¡°Of course. Just¡­ ¡­ Please stay by my side.¡± When he said it didn¡¯t matter if it took a hundred or a thousand years, Frisia said it wouldn¡¯t take that long and dug into Aslei¡¯s chest. Aslei felt overflowing joy at her unreserved skinship. But, until now, unless they were having intercourse to break his curse, she had hesitated to touch him, even when he wanted to hold her hand. ¡°Thank you, Frisia.¡± Aslei hugged her with his whole body and whispered: I love you. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.