Chapter 45

Even though Walter was spouting words that could easily land him in trouble, he didn’t flinch at all. His arms around Hermia’s waist were as solid as iron, and all she could do was weakly push at his chest, letting out groans of frustration.

She felt it more strongly now than when she saw the ghostly prince.

This was definitely a curse. It had to be. There was no other explanation for how this stoic duke could suddenly act so insane in just a few seconds.

Yet her jumbled thoughts remained unclear. Unlike Walter, who had found a solution before losing his sanity, Hermia was too flustered by the situation she faced.

It was clear that the unfamiliar sensation in her palms was paralyzing her reason.

‘What’s going on? Why is his chest so… big?’

With Walter’s arms crossed, her already curvy chest seemed to bulge even more. The thin shirt he wore felt almost nonexistent.

No, this isn’t the time for that. I shouldn’t be thinking about my fiancé’s chest right now, Hermia!

“Get a hold of yourself! Your Grace!”

She tried to ignore the sensations flooding her palms and shouted desperately.

“Your Grace, you’re not yourself right now. But it’s okay! I can understand. I’m just like you…”

When their eyes met, her mouth instinctively closed.

Walter’s lazily relaxed face captivated Hermia. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from this unfamiliar sight.

“Walter.”

“Yes…?”

“Not ‘Your Grace.’ Call me ‘Walter.’”

He tightened his embrace around Hermia and whispered in her ear. With their bodies pressed together so closely, it was impossible to tell whose heartbeat was thumping loudly.

“I can’t believe it. What kind of curse is this…?”

If it were a curse that turned him into a pervert, she’d honestly prefer her tongue getting tied instead. Does he even realize what he’s doing right now?

She struggled to grasp the situation with her dizzy mind. She couldn’t push him away with strength.

Finally managing to free her hands, Hermia awkwardly flailed and reached over Walter’s shoulder. Instead of touching fabric, she felt a warm sensation where she expected to find cloth.

It seemed the fabric had torn; it must have been on his back. She felt dizzy again.

“Ah, I understand. Walter. I’ll call you by your name if you let go of me…”

“No way. If you let go, you’ll run away.”

“I-I won’t run… H-how did you know?”

Did he overhear her conversation with the Princess? Just as her knees buckled in shock, he pressed even closer.

“You’ll leave me behind too, won’t you?”

She didn’t understand what he meant, but there was a strange sense of pity in his voice. This isn’t fair!

“Not right now…”

“Then hug me. Okay? Hah…”

“Ack! Never mind! Take back that pity I felt for you!”

The moment warm breath brushed against her nape, Hermia felt like she wanted to faint.

Amidst the confusion and discomfort, what drove her crazy was that she didn’t entirely dislike their bodies sticking together.

Was I always like this? Am I really someone who feels impure thoughts toward men like this?

Oh my god, Hermia. Where did the noble lady go? I wasn’t like this when I met Frederick!

She suddenly recalled her former fiancé who would reach for her hand when they were alone during dates.

In fact, holding hands wasn’t too much of an issue. What had been unbearable was when he leaned in for a kiss inside the carriage taking her home.

‘This seems a bit early!’

‘How long will my fiancée remain stuck in the last century? Well, as a gentleman, I suppose I must endure.’

At that time, she had forced a smile, but immediately felt sick at his words of “Next time, I hope we can go further” She had hoped that there wouldn’t be a next time.

Afterward, when Duke Leonard’s will was revealed and their engagement was canceled, she felt relieved deep down. No matter how handsome Frederick was, she didn’t want to get close to him at all.

Unconsciously stroking Walter’s back, she suddenly stopped and stood on tiptoe. She wrapped her arms around his neck once and patted him gently a couple of times. It felt more like camaraderie than romance.

“I hugged you, so let me go now. I don’t know what to do either…”

If she shouted out loud, anyone outside—be it a subordinate or worker—would come running, but she couldn’t bring herself to do that. It wasn’t Walter’s will that caused this; she couldn’t make him seem like an outrageous person for no reason.

“What are we supposed to do? Of all the curses to get, it had to be this perverted one…”

While she sighed helplessly, he slowly began to pull away. The rock-solid upper body withdrew as his hands around her waist dropped down and took a step back.

“Uh? Is it over? Are you okay now?”

“……”

A glimmer of hope flickered across her face but quickly turned into confusion.

Walter was unbuttoning his shirt with a flushed face. His eyes burning with desire remained firmly fixed on her.

“What the—? No! Stop! Don’t take that off!”

He narrowly avoided her hand trying to stop him and stubbornly finished undressing. While she was still serious about the situation, he showed no signs of backing down at all.

Finally, the silhouette of the man backlit by the light became visible.

No way. It was Walter’s body that she had longed to admire through opera binoculars.

Hermia withdrew her outstretched hand and covered her mouth in shock.

This wasn’t just a private show—it was a front-row seat, and she was the only member of the audience.

Or worse… this might even be an interactive performance.

No matter what, this wasn’t how she wanted to see him! Hermia truly turned pale and began to step back.

“I-I might really scream.”

The tattered white shirt fell helplessly from his hands.

Even amidst the fear, his sculpted upper body was firmly etched in her mind.

The Duke’s body, large and solid yet also sleek, was excessively stimulating. She couldn’t take her eyes off the scars where the fabric had ripped and healed around his sides and shoulders.

It was just that he had taken off his clothes. It was just a curse.

It felt like she was peering into the other side of the Duke, who was a model of neatness and propriety. There was a sense of betrayal, as if she had caught a pious priest in a secret hobby.

Fear, excitement, and strange anticipation enveloped her completely. If she wanted to run away, this might be her last chance. If she was going to scream, it had to be now.

She needed to scream.

Whether she thought it or spoke it aloud, at some point her throat tightened.

“Come here.”

The moment the half-naked Duke extended his hand, her legs faltered. His voice wasn’t overly commanding, but it sounded almost like an order to her.

Why wasn’t she running toward the door that wasn’t far away? Did she not want to escape from that man? Or did she want to run but felt unable to?

At this point, she had to admit it. Even in moments when she could have easily escaped, she hadn’t moved.

Just once, just for a moment, something she could reminisce about. Wouldn’t that be okay?

If she viewed it as a way to satisfy her curious desire without any special meaning.

‘Have I really gone crazy?’

As her heart began to lean one way, Walter, under the curse, approached with an irresistible temptation.

Hermia desperately squeezed out excuses for herself.

He’s handsome. Both his face and body. And this might not even be my will. The curse is deceiving me… So I have no choice…

Somewhere in the distance, she faintly heard a voice calling her name.

“Hermia.”

Ah. Was it the Duke? She suddenly looked up. Walter had come closer and was playing with her hair.

When his fingers brushed against her skin near her ear, Hermia curled her toes tightly. The spot where he touched felt like it was burning.

He nibbled on her earlobe before gently rubbing his thumb along her lower lip.

“So soft…”

Oh God. This absolutely had to be the result of a curse.  Otherwise, there would be no way to explain the feeling twisting deep within her abdomen.

A dry swallow struggled down her throat. Now it was she who felt anxious.

Walter gently cupped her cheek with his other hand and slowly lowered his head. Hermia’s eyelids fluttered shut.

The embarrassing thoughts she once had about him were finally about to become reality. Her tightly closed eyelashes trembled slightly.

Soon enough, she felt something lightly touch her upper lip. Ah. Finally.

“Miss!”

Is he going to call me ‘Miss’?

…Huh?

In that moment, a thunderous voice splashed cold water on reality.

Startled by the booming voice, Hermia turned her head. Someone who burst through the open door called out to her.

The intruder looked familiar despite their disheveled hair and dirty face; however, one purple eye stood out clearly in her vision.

“…Mel?”

As Hermia spoke the name, her pupils dilated in shock. Mel appeared before her looking like a beggar and charged at them like an angry bull.

“Get away!”

Mel barreled toward Walter without slowing down at all.

The sound of their collision was one that couldn’t possibly be attributed to two people bumping into each other; Walter vanished from sight with a loud thud against the wall as he fell down.

After squeezing her eyes shut and then opening them again, Hermia saw Mel standing where Walter had been moments before.

There was no time to be surprised that Mel had pushed aside someone much larger than herself; Walter lay on the ground groaning softly with his head bowed down.

Hermia rushed over and knelt beside him.

“Your Grace! Please wake up! Walter!”

She shook Walter’s arm but received no response.

Hermia immediately stood up and ran toward the door but stumbled heavily as Mel grabbed hold of her sleeve from behind.

Unlike Hermia who almost fell over, Mel stood firmly in place like an old tree rooted in the ground.

With a face that looked like she might cry, Mel shook her head quickly.

“No! Please don’t, miss! Not Walter!”