***

“Were you the main character or the supporting actor in the past life you remember?”

Jeong Se-ha couldn’t properly answer Isabelle’s question.

“Ah.”

The only thing that came out of Jeong Se-ha’s mouth was a stupid exclamation.

The back of her head stood up as if she had been hit hard in the head.

It was then that she realized how foolish her question was.

“My question is.. I was rude. I’m sorry.”

“It’s nice to know.”

Isabelle let out a crooked laugh and walked towards the darkness with her back to Jeong Se-ha. Splash. The sound of waves breaking through the pitch black was heard. It was then that she saw the sea at the end of that darkness.

“Wait, Isabelle, where are you going?”

Jeong Se-ha tried to catch Isabelle, but her feet were stuck to the ground and did not fall.

“I am going where I have decided. You too, go to the place you decided.”

The way she walked gracefully was as determined as the voice she left behind. She did not stop walking until her body was immersed in the sea. That was the end of the dream.

****

When she opened her eyes again, Jeong Se-ha had become Isabelle.

A red sunset could be seen through the window.

Above it, for a moment, the figure of the Grand Duke’s back rose and then sank.

Had she been asleep for a long time?

“Were you the main character or the supporting actor in your previous life?”

The question the original Isabelle had asked in the dream flashed through her mind once more.

‘My previous life.’

There was no mother, and the busy father was always cold.

So she went out and looked for love.

Jeong Se-ha filled her open heart through other people.

When they said they loved her, she became the main character, and when they said they were bored, she became a desperate supporting character.

What was the center of the story in her life?

She realized now that she was always someone else.

‘Annoying.’

Sad tears flowed down the corners of her eyes, and what was hot turned into cold sadness and wet her pillow.

Isabelle raised her hand to wipe the tears away.

Ouch! Her shoulder was throbbing like it had been cut with a knife.

‘That’s right, I was hurt.’

The moment she saw the blood, she felt dizzy. She couldn’t breathe and fainted as the fear of being eaten, that the beast would chew up her blood and flesh.

“I’m sorry.”

A low voice filled with guilt was heard from a distance.

Isabelle later realized that the Grand Duke was there.

‘I didn’t want to be caught crying.’

Isabelle frowned again at the pain that rushed in while trying to wipe her tears with her injured arm.

“I was trying not to visit the Princess...”

The Grand Duke’s big hand touched Isabelle’s cheek. His hand wiped away the tears instead of Isabelle.

“When I was an animal, it was difficult to act rationally.”

A cold hand moved slowly along the trail of tears. The smell of leather wafted from his hand, as if he had just been wearing gloves.

“I will make sure that I’ll never come near the Princess again.”

“You didn’t mean to hurt me. Rather, you saved my life.... ”

“Princess.”

The Grand Duke, who had wiped Isabelle’s tears clean, took a step back and cut off her words.

“Soon Prince Edwin will visit the estate.”

“The Prince...?l”

“Yes. So it is not too late now.”

“What?”

“I’m going to break the marriage contract.”

The Grand Duke looked at Isabelle lying there with an emotionless face.

Isabelle, startled by the word ‘break up the marriage’, opened her eyes wide to face the Grand Duke, but he naturally averted his gaze.

“There is no need to worry, as I have no intention of taking back the gifts or other expenses.”

The Grand Duke paused for a moment, then resumed speaking.

“Prince Edwin is interested in you.”

“So?”

“If the marriage is broken due to my negligence, it will not hurt the Princess too much.”

Nobles valued honor. In a way, it was natural that the position of the Grand Duke, who had status, wealth, and military power, fell to the ground with a single curse.

There was no harm to him if he drew another red line over the honor that was thrown into the trash can.

“It’s not a bad choice to start over.”

He said that he would actively support her even if she met a man other than the Prince, followed by his d*mn kind words.

“You seem to be misunderstanding something, but it’s not that..”

“You introduced yourself to me as a time limit.”

The Grand Duke cut Isabelle’s words coldly.

“If you have a set day to live, use your time wisely.”

Shouldn’t you avoid dying earlier than the day you die?

He put on the gloves he had in his pocket again and left the room with a soldier-like pace.

‘What did that man just say?’

All the words he spit now were foggy like smoke and hard like a piece of wood.

Isabelle cleared her complicated head as she looked away from the Grand Duke’s distant back.

“Are you okay, Princess?”

Verdel, who was waiting outside the room, came to Isabelle as soon as the Grand Duke left.

“You don’t know how much I was worried about you being seriously injured, huh.”

Verdel explained the situation to Isabelle. Thanks to the Grand Duke’s first aid, the bleeding stopped quickly, but consciousness did not return. It had been ten days.

The tower lord, Chaiman, diagnosed Isabelle’s consciousness as broken.

It was an accident that occurred because part of the power of the curse the Grand Duke had transferred to Isabelle. Chaiman spent two days and two nights to bring Isabelle’s consciousness back, which allowed Isabelle to wake up safely.

Verdel glanced at Isabelle’s wounds.

“I’m glad you didn’t bleed a lot.”

“You must be worried about the blood I shed, Verdel.”

Isabelle said sternly.

She deliberately acted like a wounded child.

Verdel’s betrayal was still a pus-filled wound, and Isabelle wanted her to be as uncomfortable as half of herself.

Verdel shook her head as she took Isabelle’s outstretched hand.

“No. It’s not like that.... .”

Because she had committed a crime, she couldn’t make a big excuse. Versel wrapped the robe around Isabelle’s shoulders and helped her get out of bed.

Seeing Verdel with her mouth shut without any excuses, Isabelle’s distorted anger turned into a form of sympathy.

‘No. If you are easily swayed by your emotions. You know how easily people change in the face of great gains. If I want to protect myself, I have to judge rationally.’

Isabelle imagined her heart as cold ice, keeping her emotional equilibrium.

At that moment, what was the reason that the Grand Duke, who was blunt in everything, came to her mind?

‘After all, I must do what I say properly.’

As soon as Isabelle stood up, she hurriedly walked down the tower.

***

Isabelle came out of the tower and quickly followed the Grand Duke.

‘He has long legs, so he’s very fast.’

Isabelle also walked as fast as possible, but the Grand Duke was already moving too far away.

“Hey, Grand Duke Karl Bashke!”

Isabelle cried out his name in disrespect.

At the same time, a strong sea breeze blew, and the robe that was hung over her shoulders fluttered in the opposite direction. Verdel, who was struggling to follow Isabelle, stretched out her arms toward the robe, but it was not enough.

It crossed the support fence and was tucked away in a corner. The Grand Duke, who was looking back at Isabelle at the sound of calling him, looked alternately at Isabelle and the robe with a displeased expression.

Then, while undoing the gold buttons of the jacket he was wearing, he strode closer to Isabelle.

“Are you crazy, Princess?”

The large stride quickly reached Isabelle.

“If you have just come to your senses, shouldn’t you be resting inside?”

He continued nagging.

“In the future, if you want to say something, you should not come in person and send a servant instead.”

He took off his epaulette jacket and draped it over Isabelle’s shoulders.

Her slender body disappeared into the jacket.

The jacket blocked the cool sea breeze and conveyed his warmth.

‘It’s as warm as being hugged by this man.’

The heavy weight of the uniform jacket felt over her shoulders was not bad either.

‘What. Why am I being shameless!’

Isabelle tilted her head slightly to hide her expression. The Grand Duke’s body scent wafted through her nose, which was closer to the jacket lapels.

The smell of the cold night sea and the heavy scent of cedar.

She liked it so much that she sniffed it a few more times. It was an action she was not aware of. Belatedly, she noticed the stinging gaze that reached her.

Looking straight ahead, she met his bewildered eyes.

“Ah, this....”

When she tried to make a rough excuse, the Grand Duke lowered his head slightly again and avoided his gaze. And he buttoned up the jacket one by one to cover Isabelle’s thighs.

As he bent down, he was at eye level with Isabelle.

Every time the wind blew, his neatly arranged black hair flowed down on his forehead.

‘It’s much better with a disheveled look.’

Isabelle looked at his face and explained why she had followed him.

“I came out because you were not polite and just said what you wanted to say. I also have something to say.”

“There is no need for hasty consolation.”

“Even if I die, I will die in this mansion, Grand Duke.”

“!”

The Grand Duke, who had just finished all the buttons, straightened his upper body again and looked down at Isabelle. He was surprised because Isabelle pressed her finger to his heart.

The thick chest felt at the fingertip was hard enough that even a bullet could not penetrate, and Isabelle knew his body under his shirt.

‘Crazy. Why did this suddenly come to mind!’

The afterimage climbed up the hand that had touched him and she shook her head.

Isabelle pulled her hand away awkwardly.

“Hey, anyway, I’m going to spend a lot of money here and live a very comfortable life and then I’m going to die here.”

What was so confusing? The Grand Duke, who licked his lips, did not respond.

“Well, if you’re breaking up with me because you don’t like me, do whatever you want.”

If he didn’t like her, what could she do?

Instead, she’ll take the settlement money. With that money, she can spend the rest of her time comfortably.

Isabelle raised the hem of her pajamas, greeted elegantly like a Princess, and returned to the tower. Verdel, who looked at her and the Grand Duke alternately, followed her master.

Until Isabelle went into the tower and disappeared.

Grand Duke Karl Bashke stood stunned and looked at Isabelle’s? back.