STVWDTD Chapter 29

If You're a Beast, Act Like One

Crash—lightning struck, and the flashing brilliance swept past pink eyes. When had pink ever been such a cold color?

Irin hid her trembling fingers beneath the table and clenched them tight.

"Are you insane?!"

She felt humiliated by Diana's actions. Irin was terrified, yes, but her chin stayed high.

I won't just take this! She glanced around, desperate to throw Diana down, but even the maids and attendants seemed frightened of her.

The curse of enchantment couldn't protect its master—they kept their heads bowed. Fear conquered the curse.

"Oh my, why are you shaking like that? It's like I scared you or something."

Diana's sharp gaze softened, folding away. Her expression changed completely. The oppressive atmosphere vanished as if it had never existed.

When she touched the fork, it pulled free from the wooden table with ease—it had been embedded deep.

"I simply caught a bug that landed in front of you, my lady."

It was true. A bug was skewered on the fork, perfectly intact. Still alive, wriggling—like it was sending Irin a warning.

This will be your future soon. That's what it seemed to say. Irin forced herself to ignore it and spoke with affected calm.

"Ha, you're good at making excuses."

"If you don't want to believe me, don't."

She dropped the fork casually to the floor. But no maid moved to pick it up.

Everyone in this greenhouse was on Irin's side. Yes, everyone's on my side. Every servant in this castle is mine.

As if she'd never been afraid, Irin clenched and unclenched her fist. When the trembling stopped, she stood from her chair.

"I think I'll take my leave now. I can't stand being here with someone so beneath me."

As Irin turned to go, Diana caught her.

"Lady Irin of the Count's family."

What now? Irin looked back with irritation.

Diana propped her chin on her hand, fingers tracing the rim of her teacup. The question that followed left Irin flustered.

"That stone. Where did you get it?"

"Stone...?"

How does she know about that? Irin's heart dropped, but she forced a smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Do you even know it's a curse? That thing. It looks like it'll devour you instead."

Diana's gaze lifted from the teacup to fix on Irin.

"Where did you get it? That thing."

Under that penetrating stare, Irin stepped back.

"I have no idea what you're saying! And I have no obligation to tell you!"

Irin rushed out, and the attendants and maids standing in a line hurried after her, streaming out of the glass greenhouse. Diana's eyes narrowed as she watched Irin flee.

Curses beget more curses. Irin's condition looked unstable too, bound to the curse as if they were one body.

Diana hadn't planned to ask directly about the stone, but the crude words about Rodrick had made her furious.

She returned her gaze to the tea in her cup.

"Poison."

The tingling on her tongue suggested a paralytic toxin. No damage taken. Just as Noel said—poison laced with malice became medicine for her. One of Irin's over-loyal attendants must have slipped it in secretly.

"Thanks, I guess."

According to Noel, destroying the curse's medium could drive its owner mad.

Since they'd gone this far, she wouldn't need to feel guilty if that happened. Diana lifted the teacup and drained the poisoned tea in one gulp.

Crack—the cup fractured as she set it down.

Ah. Her emotions must be running high; she couldn't control her strength. Fortunately, her magic hadn't leaked yet. Her physical condition was optimal.

She leaned back in her chair and tilted her head to look at the sky. Water poured down over the glass ceiling like something shattering.

Beneath clouds dark as night, the sky wept and howled—grieving something.

Crash! The sound of breaking objects and maids' screams echoed beyond the corridor.

"M-Miss, please calm down! Eek!"

Back in her room, Irin threw every piece of furniture at the maids and attendants. She looked anxious somehow.

"Get out! Everyone get out!"

"We're just worried about you."

"You shouldn't be alone at times like this."

"I'll decide that! Get out!"

Irin kept throwing things whether anyone got hurt or not, but stopped once the maids and attendants left. She gasped for breath, seething.

"It's mine. This castle, the Duchess's position. Mine. As long as I have this."

She pulled out a jewelry box and lifted the stone tablet radiating with red energy.

A small figure stood watching by the wide-open door. Noel stood in the doorway, his red eyes sinking strangely.

He'd used his power to manipulate her into a frenzy. Now she won't be able to torment Diana. If left alone like this, she'll lose her mind on her own.

As Noel turned to leave, he jumped in surprise at a man's presence he'd failed to notice.

Rodrick entered the secret passage and opened the door without conscious will.

[Come.]

A shadowy figure shaped like a man surrounded him, clinging close.

"What. Is this."

Rodrick came to his senses in front of the portrait that resembled Diana, but it was already too late.

[I'll borrow your body for a moment.]

His body was engulfed by the specter of the past in an instant.

"Hah."

The man flexed his fingers, then drew a deep breath into his lungs for the first time in ages. He stripped off his gloves as if they suffocated him.

A descendant with the same build and appearance. Not bad. No resistance at all in moving this body.

The man reached toward the portrait staring at him. He touched the woman brought to life by delicate brushstrokes, then smiled bitterly.

"If you knew, would you scold me? I'm already a sinner to you anyway. Forgive me this once."

The man left the passage where he'd been trapped and walked through his castle for the first time in centuries. But. An unpleasant energy had spread throughout the castle.

The smell made his nose numb—no, it felt like it would rot off. He followed the scent to its source.

"Why is our kind mistress acting like that?"

"It's because of that vicious woman. She's been in a bad state ever since meeting her."

"Right? Isn't that woman really creepy?"

The maids and attendants who'd rushed from the room and were pacing in the corridor jumped in surprise when they saw him, bowing their heads hastily.

"..."

He looked down at the women quietly. They bowed deeply and hurried away from his unreadable blue-green eyes.

The man strode past the wide-open door and into the room.

That's when he passed Noel. He paid no attention to Noel's presence and lifted the stone tablet Irin was clutching.

"Wh-what are you doing?!"

"Ha, I was wondering where that stench was coming from. Why is this in my castle?"

"Give it back! It's mine! Mine!"

Irin lunged at him frantically. Thud—the man grabbed Irin's throat effortlessly.

"Hk—"

"Poor child. Someone put malice into something corrupt. You don't even know it's devouring you."

One hand on Irin's throat, one hand holding the stone tablet—the man tightened his grip on one.

Veins bulged. Crumble. The stone tablet turned to powder and fell. As it shattered, the red energy spread throughout the castle began to dissipate.

Irin's eyes turned bloodshot at the tablet that broke so easily.

"No. I need that. For me. For me to be Duchess!"

Irin reached into empty air, then couldn't close her mouth. Cold sweat ran down her spine at the creeping feeling of standing before a massive predator's maw.

He didn't squeeze her throat. Just. Stared intently.

His gaze commanding silence—Irin instinctively shut her mouth. The presence was powerful enough to suppress the stone's influence entirely.

"Brother! What's going on?"

Hearing from attendants that Rodrick had headed to Irin's room, Felice came running.

The room was a disaster, furniture smashed everywhere. The worst disaster seemed to be Irin, held in Rodrick's hand.

Rodrick tilted his head and practically threw Irin into Felice's arms.

"Brother?"

"Is that thing your fiancée or something?"

Felice wrinkled his nose like he was genuinely disgusted.

"What nonsense."

"Good."

"Won't you tell me what's going on?"

"Clean this up."

The man patted Felice's shoulder and left the room leisurely.

"How long are you going to keep staring? If you have something to say, follow me."

Noel, who'd been watching him warily, followed silently.

The man strode confidently through the castle's interior, which he knew by heart. Then he stopped himself from heading to the lord's room out of habit.

Frowning, he searched Rodrick's memories for Rodrick's room.

The man settled onto the sofa like it was his own room, leaning back arrogantly and crossing his long legs.

"How did you get out?"

Noel spoke first.

"Mm, this descendant and I resonate quite well."

Noel gritted his teeth. He'd definitely sealed the passage with magic so it couldn't open.

Damned Schwartz. With only partial memories, Noel retained only his ill will toward Schwartz.

"I have a question for you? Why are you in my castle?"

"I'm leaving soon. Don't worry about it."

The child puffed out both cheeks and turned his head sharply away.

Did his body getting younger cause regression?

The man tapped his fingers on the sofa's armrest. Tap tap. The man's gaze held killing intent as he looked on with apparent interest.

'I really don't like you.'

"Leave right now."

"What?"

"Ah, leave the Beatus descendant here, I mean. My descendant seems to like her very much? Though this fool doesn't seem to realize how deep his feelings have gotten."

I like her very much. The man smiled deeply. Finally, a connection with her. What he and she couldn't achieve, their descendants could accomplish.

"Don't joke around. If I leave, Diana comes with me."

"That child seems cursed too? Isn't that why she needs my descendant's curse?"

The man who'd skimmed Rodrick's memories understood the entire situation.

"And. You. Your name is Noel now? You don't even remember what you originally were."

"I-I'm human!"

"Kek. Hahaha."

The man laughed for a long time like he was genuinely amused, then erased his smile completely.

"If you're a beast, act like one. Don't pretend to be human."

Noel's pupils elongated vertically at those words, fury rising.

"You have no power anyway. Why are you clinging around Beatus? If it weren't for you, I could have begged her for forgiveness."

It was a very, very old story.

A dragon who loved a woman gave her all his power to grant her wish.

But she loved another man, and the woman used the wish's power for the man she loved.

How wonderful it would have been if the woman and man had simply lived happily together.

Tragedy began when the woman died.

The man resented the dragon who'd stayed by her side. The dragon resented the man who'd failed to protect the woman.

"...I don't remember everything, but I remember this. Because of you, Angela cried until she died."

"..."

"You should live in suffering. That's why your soul remains trapped here."

"..."

"I'm alive. I'll live as a human. Angela said so. To live happily no matter what."

Noel climbed down from the sofa on short legs and glared at the man.

"Don't interfere. This time, no matter what, I'll protect her."