Chapter 3
He looked at me as though I were spouting complete nonsense.
Or perhaps the pain had become so overwhelming that he could no longer think clearly.
His eyes drifted in and out of focus.
“…Leave.”
He called loudly for Viscount Vilfran.
Perhaps because his determination to keep me restrained wavered, the black mist binding me loosened.
I seized the opportunity.
Twisting free, I pushed through the strange fog that felt both tangible and intangible and moved closer to him.
“I have healing powers. If I’m lying, then afterward you can do whatever you want with me.”
He raised his eyes and glared at me.
“Don’t come any closer.”
“It’ll only take a moment.”
To prove I wasn’t holding anything, I showed him both palms before slowly extending one hand toward him.
Then—
He suddenly grabbed my wrist and yanked me forward.
The soft mattress hit my back.
“—!”
In an instant, I found myself thrown onto the bed with humiliating ease.
The strength was unbelievable.
I’d subconsciously underestimated him because he was ill, but the crushing grip around my wrist left me completely unable to move.
It felt as though he might snap it in two.
Tears welled in my eyes from the pain and fear.
He hovered over me, so close I could feel his breath.
His pupils had widened dramatically.
They were the terrifying eyes of a predator pinning down its prey.
“When I told you not to come closer…”
“…that warning was for your sake.”
His body pressed against my chest.
He buried his face in the hollow of my neck.
His nose and cheek brushed just below my ear.
His breath was burning hot, probably from his fever.
In a low, growling whisper, he murmured,
“You smell delicious.”
“What is this scent?”
His voice had slowed, yet become even sharper.
Although he was speaking human words, at that moment he seemed more beast than man.
Every warm breath against my sensitive neck sent shivers through me.
I couldn’t stop trembling.
It felt as though his teeth might pierce my throat at any second.
He’s not in his right mind.
Despite the heat radiating from him, a chill ran down my spine.
“It feels… good.”
When he lifted his head, his eyes were heavy-lidded.
Like someone deeply intoxicated.
A low rumbling vibration echoed from his throat.
Like a cat rubbing its scent onto its territory, he slowly brushed his face against my cheek…
My shoulder…
My hand…
The places his burning skin touched felt as though they’d been scorched.
Afraid of provoking him further, I remained perfectly still.
Only my heart refused to obey, pounding violently inside my chest.
Why is he acting like this?
I had no idea what scent he kept talking about.
I’d never liked perfume or artificial fragrances.
I didn’t wear any.
Ruwayne had owned an entire collection of perfumes…
But I’d never used a single one.
The pain must have driven him delirious.
Steadying my breathing, I focused.
Use my power.
He pulled my hand to his face and inhaled deeply.
Touching another person’s face was stranger than I’d expected.
I could clearly feel the smoothness of his eyelids…
The sharp bridge of his nose…
The softness of his lips.
His hot breath tickled my palm.
Suppressing the urge to shudder, I stiffened my neck and concentrated.
I’ve practiced this several times.
I can do it.
Soon, a warm yet refreshing energy began flowing through my body.
I gathered it into my hand.
Then, through the palm resting against his cheek, I released it into him.
The sensation was indescribable.
It felt as though I were connected to him…
Or wandering through the inside of his body.
The energy started from his face, broke through whatever blockage it encountered, circled through his head, and spread into every corner of his body.
Suddenly—
His eyes flew open.
Unlike before, they were perfectly clear.
“You…”
He grabbed my wrist and pulled my hand away.
“What just…”
His brow furrowed as he looked back and forth between my face and my hand.
“Something entered my body.”
“What exactly did you do?”
His voice was calm.
Realizing he’d regained his senses, I finally answered.
“I told you.”
“I have healing powers.”
Still looking at me with bewilderment, he suddenly sat upright.
“Back away.”
“It isn’t finished yet. Just a little more—”
“Didn’t you hear me?”
“I said back away.”
His sharp shout made me instinctively flinch.
He climbed out of bed and walked over to the open window, taking several deep breaths of fresh air.
I was speechless.
He’s the one who dragged me onto the bed and rubbed himself all over me…
Just then, there was a knock.
Without waiting for an answer, Viscount Vilfran entered.
“My lord, why are you stand—”
“…Miss Ruwayne?”
His face froze the instant he spotted me.
“The butler has been looking for you downstairs. Why are you here?”
The Duke, who had kept his back turned toward us while staring out the window, spoke in a low voice filled with anger.
“The mansion’s security is pathetic.”
“You couldn’t even keep track of one woman, and she managed to sneak all the way into my bedroom?”
Viscount Vilfran squeezed his eyes shut.
“I’ll see that it’s corrected immediately!”
“Lock her up.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The Duke’s illness was a closely guarded secret.
And I’d broken into his room without permission.
I’d expected something like this might happen.
Before the Viscount could grab me, I quietly indicated that I would go willingly.
Then I looked directly at the Duke.
“I’ve already shown you every card I have.”
“If you ever want my help…”
“I hope you don’t wait too long.”
“I can be fickle too.”
By the Duke’s orders, I was confined to the same guest room in the annex that had originally been assigned to me.
Flopping onto the bed, I stared at the ceiling.
Even if I was technically imprisoned, there were only guards stationed outside my door.
It wasn’t a dungeon.
There was nothing particularly frightening about it.
I managed to dull the pain temporarily…
But I couldn’t remove the curse.
Closing my eyes, I quietly felt the warm energy still swirling inside my body.
I hadn’t discovered my healing ability until sometime after awakening in this world.
Ruwayne had never possessed such a power.
As far as I knew, no one in the novel had healing abilities.
A power that only I possess.
I slowly opened and closed my hand, warmth flowing through my palm.
Maybe God felt guilty about giving me only misfortune…
…so He gave me medicine along with the illness.
Perhaps forcing me to die young…
And waking up inside the body of a villainess…
Had pricked His conscience.
Who knew?
Even if God truly existed, how could a mere human understand His intentions?
Still…
I couldn’t help thinking—
I wish I’d had this power before.
Then perhaps I could have saved my cats.
They’d died before I had any chance to help them.
After my mother passed away…
I had only two wishes.
To live happily with my cats for a long, long time.
And…
To be able to heal every sick animal I met.
That was all I’d ever wanted.
That night, Dimitri couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.
What exactly did she do to me?
His memories were hazy.
Ruwayne had entered while he was barely conscious from the pain.
The fragrance surrounding her had intoxicated him, snapping the last thread of reason he’d managed to cling to.
After that…
His own body no longer obeyed him.
It had felt unbelievably pleasant.
The fresh scent lingering at the tip of his nose dissolved his vigilance and soothed his sharpened nerves.
Fresh grass.
It wasn’t enough simply to smell it.
He’d wanted to cover himself in it.
To lick it.
To bite it.
To swallow it whole.
If it wasn’t a seduction spell…
Was it some kind of hallucinogenic magical perfume?
But magical perfumes weren’t nearly that powerful.
And ordinary human magic barely affected someone like him, who commanded demons.
Besides…
How could his body suddenly feel completely fine?
Even if he assumed he’d briefly fallen victim to an illusion, once he’d regained his senses the pain should have returned.
Instead…
He felt lighter than he had in years.
Ever since being poisoned by cursed magic, he’d relied on demonic power to suppress the effects.
But a dull ache had always lingered.
When that pain accumulated beyond what he could suppress…
He’d collapse into agony, just as he had earlier that day.
For the first time in ages…
He felt refreshed.
Healing powers…
He’d never heard of such a thing.
Ancient historical records mentioned people who had healed others through divine miracles.
But nowadays those stories were considered little more than myths.
No known magic could cure illness.
Whatever she did…
I should investigate her.
Especially that strange fragrance…
And the mysterious energy that had flowed into his body.
Lost in thought, Dimitri finally drifted to sleep near dawn.
Then…
He dreamed.
Ruwayne appeared in the dream.
No…
Looking closer, it wasn’t Ruwayne at all.
It was a woman he’d never seen before.
She wore unfamiliar clothes and smiled while surrounded by four cats.
One after another, the cats carried green leaves in their mouths and placed them onto her lap.
The same fresh grassy scent that had surrounded Ruwayne drifted from those leaves.
One of the cats suddenly turned to look directly at him.
A soft voice echoed inside his mind.
We sent her to you.
Another voice followed.
She arrived far too early.
Another whispered.
We’ll grant her wish.
And finally—
We want her to be happy.
All four cats stared at him together.
Their bright, innocent eyes seemed to be pleading for something.
It was an incredibly strange dream.
When Dimitri awoke…
Morning sunlight was already pouring through the windows.
He thought it had been an odd dream.
But after the bizarre events of the previous night, strange dreams hardly seemed surprising.
He quickly pushed the dream from his mind and began his day.
The next time he thought of Ruwayne…
Was around noon.
A messenger had arrived from the residence of Count Larsel.
