TSPGD 07

Chapter 7

I struggled again while lying beneath Yure.

“Ugh. No!”

I simply couldn’t understand how Yure, who had been full of energy just moments ago, had suddenly passed out.

“You just killed more than a dozen people by yourself, and now you’re like this?”

There was really no way to explain him using ordinary logic.

So, for the moment, I just wanted to get away from this abnormal man.

“Haa…… you’re really heavy.”

It felt as though someone had placed a boulder on top of me, making it impossible to move.

Even under normal circumstances, I wasn’t sure whether I could escape from him, but now my stamina was completely depleted.

I twisted and struggled in every direction, but I couldn’t find a way out, and eventually I gave up.

“I don’t know anymore…….”

I felt like I’d done everything I could. I wanted to lie down and rest for a little while too.

“Well…… at least I won’t freeze to death…….”

Once I gave up, my eyes strangely began to droop.

Whether an animal or a bandit came along, Yure lying on top of me would be attacked first.

Then he’ll get up and do something about it.

With that utterly nonsensical thought, I let go of my fading consciousness.

It felt like I was dreaming.

A dream where I came home after work and lay down on my cozy bed.

That is, Kim Jin-kyung’s bed, not Arina’s.

It was a tiny studio apartment, but it was entirely my own space, a sanctuary I had built with my own strength.

To protect that space, I never hesitated to put up with unreasonable things.

For the sake of that small 18-pyeong space, and to make the hope that I would live a better life tomorrow come true, I tormented myself in the present.

“……”

I sniffled sadly.

After dying so meaninglessly, I realized that everything had been pointless.

Yeah. It was all meaningless. I shouldn’t live like that ever again.

After that, my only wish had been to work while the sun was up and return home when the workday was over.

Haa…… I’m feeling sad again.

Tears streamed down my face.

Then I felt as though someone was wiping away my tears.

And a hand began gently patting my stomach, as if comforting me with a soothing rhythm.

There’s no way being treated like a little kid like this could comfort me……

It does.

The hand was only patting me in rhythm, but for some reason, warmth spread through my heart.

It felt as though someone was telling me that it was okay to rest now, so I nodded.

I should rest when I’m told to.

Having finally realized something that should have been obvious, I closed my eyes and fell asleep even within the dream.

Snore—

The large hand that had been gently patting Arina’s stomach as she tossed and turned stopped carefully after confirming her breathing had become steady.

Yurgen looked down at the sleeping Arina and let out a long sigh.

“She cries and laughs in her sleep…… What a strange creature.”

The promiscuous Grand Duke Yurgen Brüllhardt was, in fact, forced to do things he never wanted to do because of a curse.

He never wanted to go around changing women every time.

On top of that, he wished for no more victims to suffer because of his curse.

So whenever he had the opportunity, he wandered the world searching for a way to break the curse.

Then he encountered something completely unexpected.

After meeting Sugar, he lost consciousness.

It was astonishing that he, a Sword Master, had fallen asleep as though he had simply passed out.

At first, he had also been feverish and suffering terribly.

Did I pass out again this time?

When Yurgen opened his eyes, he frowned as he saw the soft Sugar pinned beneath him.

This guy.

He had only met him yesterday.

Yet there were more than a few things about him that were strange.

“Why is a man…… emitting a woman’s aura?”

And not just any aura.

An incredibly powerful one…….

He couldn’t understand it.

Confused, Yurgen acted roughly without bothering with proper etiquette.

He says he’s a man.

But Yurgen wanted to confirm it with his own eyes.

There was no one else in this forest, and Sugar was asleep as though unconscious.

“……”

After a brief moment of hesitation, Yurgen reached out his hand.

“This is important to me…… So please forgive my rudeness.”

Contrary to the rumors circulating about him, Yurgen was quiet, disciplined, and placed great importance on manners.

He would never normally do something like undressing someone who was sleeping defenselessly.

To think I have to do something I’ve hated my entire life.

A filthy life where he used the curse as an excuse to grab anyone and press their bodies against his.

Yurgen had pathologically avoided all of it.

“Haa.”

His hand reached toward Sugar’s delicate nape and touched her pale skin.

Stop.

Yurgen unconsciously froze.

He had sworn that he would never do the same things as his father…… yet he clenched and unclenched his fist.

It’s shameless, but……

He had to confirm it.

Because it concerned the curse surrounding him, he had to find out even if it meant abandoning his principles and conscience.

“I’m only going to take a quick look…….”

Yet, strangely, his hand wouldn’t move.

“Damn it.”

His hesitation grew stronger, making it impossible for him to act rashly.

“If I confirm that he’s a man…….”

If Sugar really was a man, Yurgen would keep him by his side.

He didn’t care whether Sugar became his aide or his squire.

Then there won’t be any more scandals.

And if that happened, no more young ladies would have to become victims because of him.

But Sugar might be exposed to threats from the Imperial Family because of Yurgen.

Because this curse is connected to the Imperial Family.

The situation was becoming complicated in many ways, making Yurgen’s inner conflict even stronger.

Just as he repeatedly withdrew his outstretched hand and then reached it out again—

“Sniff.”

Suddenly, Sugar whimpered.

Startled by the delicate sound of his breathing, Yurgen quickly withdrew his hand.

Sugar’s face was completely exposed, revealing fine and delicate features.

From above, his face looked completely different from what Yurgen had seen before.

His skin was white as snow, while his long, pale eyelashes, almost white themselves, gave him an ethereal appearance.

How could anyone possibly think he’s a man……?

No matter how stubbornly he insisted that he was male, his sleeping face was unmistakably that of a woman.

A small face, a high, elegant nose, and red lips.

And a waist so slender it could fit in one hand, along with wrists that looked as though they might snap if gripped.

“Sniff.”

The creature, like a small animal left helplessly beside the water, shed tears.

When Yurgen saw the transparent tears running down her pure-white skin, he abruptly stood up.

“……”

He bit down hard on the tender flesh inside his mouth.

I almost did something insane.

Regardless of his circumstances, undressing someone while they were asleep was something only filthy people would do.

“Hoo…….”

Having regained his composure, Yurgen let out a long breath and picked up the sleeping Sugar.

Looking at Sugar more closely, he realized that her condition was poor.

“If I leave her like this, she’ll die.”

As proof, Sugar’s lips were already turning blue.

I need to get to the middle point quickly.

With no other choice, Yurgen returned to the scene where the bandits’ corpses were scattered in order to find a horse.

There should still be a few horses wandering around nearby.

“Huuugh.”

Now that Sugar had begun trembling, Yurgen held her tightly against his chest and quickened his pace.

When he arrived, several horses were indeed wandering around.

Neighhh.

Still holding Sugar in his arms, Yurgen hurriedly mounted a horse and rode away.

For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to let Sugar die.

He had never been particularly cold-hearted by nature, but toward this person he’d met only yesterday, he’d developed a feeling he couldn’t put into words.

I’ll keep her alive for now and watch what happens.

Yurgen’s grip tightened around the reins.

Fortunately, after arriving at the middle point, Yurgen came face-to-face with a familiar figure.

“Bruno.”

The man called Bruno nodded and approached his lord.

“Your Grace. You’re late…… What are you carrying?”

“……First, show me somewhere I can lay her down.”

“Isn’t this the child who was flirting with you at the inn yesterday?”

Bruno took one look at Sugar’s face and was visibly taken aback.

He was the bald man with a scar around his eye who had helped Arina at the inn.

“Bruno. I’ll say it again. Show me somewhere I can lay her down.”

Bruno was a Brüllhardt knight, but his main duty was to disguise himself as a mercenary and guard the mountain paths of the Tipus Mountains.

Because of that, he sometimes acted like a genuine mercenary.

However, faced with the sheer weight of Yurgen’s authority, Bruno quickly came to his senses.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The middle point was like a rest station consisting of three buildings.

One was a medical building, while the other two were used for sleeping.

Yurgen carried Sugar toward a room.

Sugar wriggled and burrowed deeper into his arms.

“Mmm……”

Yurgen suddenly stopped.

“……”

Bruno, who had been watching this, froze as well.

“Your Grace…… have you really changed your preferences?”

“Say that one more time and I’ll cut you down.”

At Yurgen’s growling words, Bruno immediately shut his mouth and straightened his posture.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Hurry up and show me.”

“But, Your Grace.”

“What is it?”

“There are currently many people being accommodated here, so I can only give you one room.”

“……”

“Please, do not commit any crimes.”

At Bruno’s words, Yurgen remembered how he’d tried to examine Sugar’s body in the forest.

Like a thief caught red-handed, he suddenly snapped.

“Shut up, Bruno.”

“Yes, sir!”

With that, Bruno opened the door to the last remaining room.

Yurgen carried Sugar inside as though nothing had happened.

Click.

Once the door closed and the two of them were alone, a long sigh escaped him.

I absolutely must not lose my reason and act recklessly.

He made the resolution to himself before laying Sugar down on the bed.

He covered her with a blanket, then sat down on a chair.

“……Haa. I don’t understand myself either.”

Yurgen stared intently at the sleeping Sugar.

“Sniff.”

Even while sleeping peacefully, Sugar whimpered so sadly that Yurgen patted her stomach, worried someone outside might hear.

“Shh. It’s all right.”

Huff…… huff……

After stroking and patting her stomach several times, Sugar finally became completely quiet, as though she had fallen into a deep sleep.

“What…… really is this?”

Yurgen sighed unconsciously and scratched his head.

“I don’t understand it at all.”

To Yurgen, Sugar was undoubtedly a woman.

Because of the nature of his curse, he could sense the presence of women better than anyone.

Without a woman’s aura, I become a bloodthirsty madman.

That was why, with the women he changed every month, he would drink tea, take walks, or simply hold their hands for a while in order to replenish himself with their aura.

But Sugar was different.

Simply from the aura Sugar emitted, the blood that was slowly hardening within Yurgen became thinner.

That was why, instinctively, he had grabbed Sugar and forcibly pulled her closer.

It was then that Yurgen realized—

This might be dangerous.

It was an extraordinary aura, one that made him feel as though he might cling to this person for the rest of his life.

And yet, at the same time, he couldn’t help being curious.

“What could you possibly be?”

Yurgen tilted his head, then remembered the moment he had first come into contact with Sugar.