Chapter 15: CH 15

‘What? What did I just hear?’

Juliana looked back in surprise. Louis’ face looked terribly lonely.

‘A-A monster?!’

For a moment, Juliana thought she had heard wrong as it didn’t quite fit him. But she realized that he wasn’t lying when she saw Louis’ eyebrows drooping.

“What…”

Juliana shut her mouth, she couldn’t believe it.

“Literally.”

Louis calmly answered, referring to when he said that people called him a monster. Juliana noticed that his voice, at the end of his words, slightly trembled.

“…I’m a monster…”

Louis raised his hands slowly and rubbed the corners of his sullen eyes. It had been a long time since his smile disappeared from his red lips.

‘W-What, are you crying now?!’

Juliana was taken aback at the sight of Louis rubbing his eye.

‘Something went into my eye.’

Louis paused for a moment as he pulled a foreign object from his eye.

“Louis…”

Juliana, unaware of the situation, bit her lower lip.

‘Is he overwhelmed by his emotions?’

Her heart ached at Louis’ sorrow.

‘Who on earth……!’

Juliana’s eyes fiercely lit up.

Louis had silky blue hair and a sharp nose. He also had lips that were a deeper red than roses and a whiter complexion compared to other men.

‘Who would dare call such a man a monster?!’

Her anger erupted at the fact that someone dared to insult a man that was perfectly Juliana’s taste.

‘No, wait a minute.’

Perhaps. Could he have misunderstood them saying that his appearance was out of this world? Maybe he was called monstrously handsome and it was conveyed strangely.

There was a very slim chance, but it was probable.

‘By chance…’

Juliana looked bitterly at the man who had his eyes closed. Louis recalled the wounds of his past, he was immersed in his thoughts.

At first glance, he looked like a priest repenting for his sins. If he had been wearing a white cloak, everyone who passed by would, without a single doubt, believe him to be a priest.

‘This kind of a man…’

Fire blazed in Juliana’s eyes.

The word ‘monster’ did not suit Louis, that’s for sure! In fact, it was more a word more fitting to describe the Empire’s Lunatic.

‘Who the hell were the people who called Louis a monster…!’

Those people must’ve been blind.

“Louis.”

Juliana said his name with strength.

“I don’t know who called you a monster.”

“But I’m sure they were just jealous of Louis. Don’t worry about them!”

Juliana huffed as she tried to comfort Louis.

“…Really?”

Louis, who had his head bowed down, slowly lifted his head and asked.

“Yes!”

‘Which part of that face can even be called a monster?’ Juliana frowned.

“Do you really think so?”

Louis’ who was in an unattractive and withdrawn posture, asked again. She was sad to see the man who looked like a national treasure not have confidence in himself.

Yes. Being handsome must’ve been a headache. Juliana despaired.

“Don’t worry too much about what other people say.”

Juliana comforted Louis by patting him. Her heart broke for him.

“Yes, Juliana.”

The corner of Louis’ lips formed a faint smile and held the hem of Juliana’s dress.

When she looked at the man who completely depended on her, her emotions surged. She was furious at those who called Louis a monster.

‘He is such a nice person….’

“By the way, how did…”

“How did such a rumor come about?” Juliana asked cautiously. Louis slowly met her eyes.

‘Hkk, did I make a mistake?’

Juliana spit her words out and regretted them. She may have unintentionally scratched on his wounds. It was awful to bring up wounds of someone else’s past.

‘This is bad!’

As she glanced at him, Louis had a troubled look. She couldn’t take her words back after she had already uttered them, so Juliana quickly added instead.

“I’m sorry, it’s okay if you can’t tell me.”

Even with her urgent voice, Louis’ distressed expression did not disappear. Juliana blamed herself.

‘Stupid Juliana!’

She didn’t mean to bring it but she became needlessly nosy. Juliana’s nails dug into her palms. Instead of comforting him, she had revealed an old wound.

“I’m sorry. That was thoughtless of me….”

She blamed herself and lowered her head.

“No.”

She heard a warm voice.

“If it’s Juliana, I can tell you.”

Louis stared at her with soft eyes.

“… A-Are you sure it’s okay?”

Juliana’s voice trembled. She was very surprised but was glad that he didn’t refuse. On the other hand, she was excited at the thought of becoming closer to Louis.

“Yes, because Juliana already knows it.”

Louis humbly nodded his head as he spoke.

‘I already know?’

“It’s the first I’ve heard of it…”

Juliana’s head tilted.

“No. It’s something that even Juliana knows.”

Louis firmly said, without hesitation. But she really had no idea. Juliana swallowed her words and waited for Louis to begin his story.

To let him confide in her.

“Juliana.”

Louis hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened his lips.

“…It’s because I… I am cursed.”

It was a calm voice, but the content was unsettling.

“Cursed?”

Juliana’s expression became serious. It had been a long time since witches disappeared from the Emmivelden Empire, but they were a race that could live for over 500 years. Perhaps descendants of the extinct witches remain.

‘If that’s the case then this is a serious problem.’

Even if a powerful wizard tried, a witch’s curse could not be broken no matter what. Even the witch who had cast the curse herself could not break it.

It could only be lifted if certain conditions were met.

Juliana’s complexion darkened at the thought that Louis might have been cursed by a witch.

“It’s not a witch’s curse.”

Louis shook his head slowly. Juliana let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m glad it’s not a witch’s curse…”

“In my opinion, I think it is a blessing.”

‘What?’

Juliana’s pupils dilated at the words that turned her assumptions completely upside down.

“What? What do you mean?”

‘…Then why is it a curse?’

Juliana’s gold eyes shook, asking him to explain. Louis, who noticed her gaze, raised the corners of his lips beautifully and said.

“Yes……”

‘What?’

“…Isn’t this a curse? This face?”

She was stunned by what he said. His tone was playful. At the sound of the man’s laughter and seeing his eyes closed, Juliana knew he was joking.

‘I feel like I’ve been deceived.’

In her heartbreak, Juliana’s lips pursed.

‘I totally fell for it, didn’t I?’

He spun around saying “Isn’t this appearance harmful?”.

“…….Haa.”

Juliana narrowed her eyes at him and frowned. He seemed to be praising himself, but it didn’t feel that way because it was the truth.

‘But still…’

The sight of Louis, who usually spoke shyly, seemed terribly brazen.

‘How could he be so bold…!’

Juliana’s face turned red like a ripe apple. She felt a feverish heat. Juliana swung her head to the side and fanned her face with her stretched-out hands.

Her heart was beating wildly. She blamed it on his naughty prank.

“Juliana. I am innocent.”

Louis didn’t even blink as he recited his words calmly.

“Lies…….”

What do you mean innocent!

‘I thought it was a real curse… I was worried!’

Juliana turned her head back at his blatant remarks and glared at him.

His moist, reddish lips caught her eye.

“Ugh……”

Why was she so embarrassed?

The person who actually uttered the words was okay, but Juliana, who had heard it, was not. She was embarrassed to look at Louis.

Her lips were dry from the anxiety while Louis’ lips looked moist and supple. She struggled to keep herself from drooling and tried not to say anything embarrassing…

Juliana’s nerves rose sharply. As she distanced herself from Louis, he followed her.

“Juliana……”

The pale blue eyes looked sad and started to well up.

What are you doing, pretending to cry…!

“Go away!”

Juliana grabbed a cushion on the couch and threw it at Louis. Louis calmly caught the flying pillow with his large hands. He had precise and fast reflexes.

“Juliana, I’m saying…”

He calmly spoke in a low voice. He held the pillow in his left arm and approached with his usual leisurely gait. She was offended by the relaxed appearance of the man who was approaching, maintaining a constant tempo.

“Don’t come. I told you, don’t come near me.”

She warned Louis.

“……”

Louis did not back down from Juliana’s words. Slowly, he dragged his slippers and approached Juliana.

“I told you not to come closer.”

Juliana slapped his chest with a cushion. Why was she embarrassed? Her face was hot.

“Bad… Ugh.”

Even when she pushed Louis using a cushion, his chest, hard like a stone, didn’t budge. As she whimpered and pushed him away, Louise smiled.

‘What, you’re smiling?’

“It’s useless.”

Juliana was stunned by his dazzling smile. She puffed her cheeks and glared at him. Whether it was a staring contest or not, he didn’t look away either.

Juliana’s competitive spirit was on fire. She stared at him trying hard not to close her eyelids.

“Blow the air.”

However, her eyes closed first because of the man that cheated by pressing on her slightly protruding cheeks.

“Euah…….”

Juliana’s cheeks deflated.

Poke. Poke.

Louis poked his fingers at her soft cheeks then pulled them.