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“Repeat what you have just said.”
Rashed’s voice was quiet as he turned around.
A deep blue coat reaching down to his knees, a sword at his waist, and a hand that held the sword tightly. At first glance, nothing had changed.
“W, well, I was told that the Duchess had gone to the carriage for a moment, but she didn’t come back….so I went out again, but she wasn’t there either…”
“No. That was not what I asked.”
Even as he looked at the woman lying at his feet, the man’s head did not sway. Only his red eyes shone like diamonds that had been lit up.
“I am not asking where that woman went.”
“Y, your Highness.”
“Why…why isn’t my woman, who I personally brought, not, here?”
“…..”
Within the slowly brewing anger of Rashid, the owner of the dressing room could not even breathe and trembled.
For a moment, he felt like he didn’t hear something threatening, but there was no time to turn a blind eye in front of the Emperor’s arrogant eyes.
“Sniff”
He thought today was a day of fortune, but it turned out to be a moment of luck that came just before dying.
“As soon as he was trapped in a corner, the owner felt unfair and lowered his head.
“S, she said she would be back soon. It didn’t seem like she was going to leave. And this kind of situation is not very rare, I…”
“What are you trying to say?”
Rashid’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the drenched window and held his sword.
“Not very rare?”
“…… Ah, even when ladies come to get new dresses, they often hesitate because of their feelings for the deceased. ”
“….”
“I thought that was the case, so I waited and waited….but she never came….your Majesty?”
The progressively darkening look on Rashid’s face suddenly turned cold.
There was no longer any need to listen, it seemed, as he decided to confirm with his own eyes, and the rain was no longer of any significance in front of his determination.
“Your majesty! The umbrella…….”
“Step back.”
Rashid, who had already entered the rain, prohibited anyone from approaching him.
He had always been this strict. And if anything came to his attention, he never took his eyes off of it.
“….”
But not today. He couldn’t today.
When he saw her in front of him wearing a dress the same color as Catherine’s eye pupils, he couldn’t think of anything else.
Even though he forced her into the dressing room with some hesitation, his nervous steps couldn’t stay in one place.
So he went looking for other dresses. Instead of that ugly veiled black suit, he found something that sparkled, but had never existed before in his eyes.
Dresses that would suit her, who was always dignified.
“….”
No, dresses that he wanted her to wear..
“Catherine!”
“Sq, squawk!”
Suddenly, as the door of the carriage was opened, the swan inside was startled and flapped its wings.
But that was all.
Even without wondering if it was a similar situation or a basket, it was clear that that was all. It was not clear how he knew, but he just knew.
“It’s so warm when we’re together. If we just hold each other…”
Shhink!
When Rashid unsheathed his sword, the swan sprawled on the floor in fear. Her attempts to convey innocence by shaking her head stopped and only clacked her beak in fear.
“…Selene.”
“Squeak!”
When Rashid turned around towards her, the swan was so terrified that her eyes flew back into her skull.
No, dying here won’t do.
As if trying to lift the eyelids of the near-dead swan, Rashid’s silverlight sword inched closer.
“You are not allowed to die until you find your friend and her mother.”
_________________
“Haniel? Is that really you? Haniel?”
“Mooom.”
A thin, young voice echoed in my embrace. I kept stammering the same question in disbelief but there was no denying it.
“M, my baby.”
The sweet scent of my baby and the comforting temperature that filled my chest –
Haniel. It was really her.
“Mom, why did you come so late!”
Her eyes, which were doll-like and innocent, were cruelly distorted.
Tears streaming down my face, I hugged my child who was burying her head in my chest.
“What happened!? Huh? Why did you become a person again?”
“Sniff”
“Who did this? Do you remember who did it?”
Even though I tried not to ask, since I didn’t know what was going on, I didn’t know where to start.
Finally, was she free from the curse?
But who, and why suddenly?
My head was about to explode from the thoughts that assaulted my mind.
“D, did you meet Roam or something?”
“Roam oppa? No, no.”
As she shook her head, her curly golden hair stroked my cheek.
Even in this situation, it was so pretty –  I couldn’t believe it and rubbed her cheek several times.