~ Prologue ~
“You really enjoy pushing people into the jaws of death, don’t you?”
The banquet hall, which had been buzzing with lively conversation just moments ago, fell into an uncanny silence at the words spoken by a single man.
Heavy footsteps echoed across the floor.
A towering man appeared, his entire body drenched in fresh blood, calmly walking toward the gathered guests as though nothing were amiss.
“Duke Whistler…”
A murderous monster, infamous for leaving a trail of blood wherever he went and for severing the heads of anyone unfortunate enough to stand in his way.
Wait… Is that thing in his hand…?
As Duke Whistler drew closer to the crowd, the sounds around him gradually faded.
“…Is that… a bear’s head he’s carrying?”
At the sound of people swallowing nervously, the more faint-hearted ladies had already collapsed in shock or hidden behind their partners, watching the scene unfold in terror.
When Duke Whistler came to a stop, he removed the helmet he had been wearing. Beneath it was an exceptionally handsome man with sweat-soaked silver hair and sorrowful violet eyes.
“…How noisy.”
The Duke’s deep voice rang through the hall. As his icy gaze swept across the murmuring nobles, silence instantly descended upon the deathly pale crowd.
Having quieted the room, Duke Whistler turned his head and began searching for the small woman who was always chattering endlessly in front of him, getting on his nerves.
“There you are.”
A woman with brown hair and an ordinary build, yet somehow she always stood out to him even in the middle of a crowd.
Unlike everyone else, who kept their distance from the blood-crazed killer, she constantly hovered around him, insisting she would stay by his side, that she loved him, that he should trust herâtalking incessantly without pause.
“Alosha.”
“…Eddy.”
She clearly seemed afraid of him.
Yet at times, she casually shortened his name into a nickname, calling him “Eddy.”
She would tense up, begging him not to kill her, only to smile brightly at him moments later as if none of it had ever happened.
A strange woman.
Alosha Nocturn.
Just what was it about that woman that kept disturbing his peace of mind?
Whistler suddenly felt like teasing her.
“A present.”
With those words, Duke Whistler tossed the object in his right hand toward Alosha’s feet.
Though a bear’s head was certainly no ball, it rolled across the floor surprisingly well before gently bumping against her foot and coming to a stop.
**”…”
“…”**
Whatever Duke Whistler was thinking, Alosha was completely bewildered by what had just happened.
She had been certain that showering him with kind wordsâtelling him he was wonderful, kind, lovable, that she cared about himâwould soften his cruel nature.
Then why…?
A chill crawled up from her feet as overwhelming terror consumed her.
“Why are you making that face? Didn’t you say you’d gladly accept anything I gave you, no matter what it was?”
She vaguely remembered saying something like that once.
But she had definitely not meant a situation like this.
Staring blankly at Duke Whistler, whose body was still covered in blood, Alosha felt her mind go completely blank.
She needed to say something.
But no words came.
I actually thought… I could teach someone like him what love is and make him fall for me.
Hadn’t she decided to change everything if she wanted to survive?
Yet despite that firm resolve, everything kept going in completely unexpected directions, and Alosha was rapidly losing confidence.
“Alosha. Come here.”
Duke Whistler called to her leisurely, like a lion that had already finished its meal.
But she had nothing to say.
Nor did she have the courage to walk toward him anymore.
At times like this… fainting is the answer.
It seemed far easier to control her own body than to win over that terrifying man.
“I’m going to faint now.”
The moment Alosha swayed on her feet, Dain, who was standing to her left, jumped in alarm.
“Alosha!”
Ah! I can’t collapse into his arms!
Dain reached out to catch her, but Alosha clenched her teeth, deliberately avoided him, and instead fell into the arms of her older brother, Alexis, who was standing beside him.
“Alosha!”
As her consciousness faded, she heard Alexis calling her name.
A faint smile appeared on Alosha’s lips.
At least I just saved a few pages that would’ve been wasted on Whistler and Dain fighting over me.
To think I’m still making judgments like this in a situation like this! I’m amazing.
The readers should be grateful to me.
With that final thought, complete darkness enveloped Alosha.
She had fainted perfectly.
