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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Cheshire's Devotion
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Cheshire slept a very long time in a place that was cold year-round.
And when he emerged into the world, he had a gut feeling that he was screwed.
Even as time passed, the existence of Del-nim was not forgotten.
Fabrications ran rampant, claiming she was bizarrely ugly or had a wicked heart.
For a while, Cheshire hunted down each and every one of those liars to punish them.
He especially hounded the one who mass-produced monstrous illustrations and insisted they were depictions of Del-nim, following him until the day he died.
Afterward, he was once again consumed by a swamp-like helplessness.
*Should I just die…*
It was then that news arrived of something peculiar being born into the Nectarian ducal family.
Cheshire rushed over to the ducal estate.
*“...You wish to see the head of the house? You look suspicious. Do you have identification?”*
Of course, he didn't have anything of the sort.
Only then did he take a look at himself.
His clothes were rags, and his hair had grown down to his ankles.
His face, which Del-nim had once called tolerable, was now hideous, caked with all sorts of filth.
Seeing Cheshire without any shoes, a man from the ducal house offered him a few coins.
*“I’ll let it slide without reporting you this once. Make sure there isn’t a second time.”*
He was a kind man.
Cheshire, whose specialty was repaying kindness with malice, decided to trespass.
However, the Duke of Nectarian was a man of such skill that he would have been ranked among the top five even in Cheshire’s era.
Moreover, he was extremely on edge due to the rumors that his child was a monster.
*I won’t die a pretty death if I get caught. Will they hang my head on the main gate?*
Even as he said it, a chill ran down his spine.
Cheshire cleanly gave up and bought shoes and clothes.
Then he began to collect items that would pique the interest of nobles.
A few years later, thinking it might be safe to approach, he stealthily opened a shop in the marquisate.
The management of the territory was such a mess that he could easily forge an identity.
Furthermore, luck was on his side, and soon, Kivrin Nectarian escaped from the Snake Pit.
Ignoring the bothersome people of the marquis’s family, Cheshire was filled with dreams.
That is, until he saw the head of purple hair.
He always kept an ear out for news related to the ducal family, so he knew who she was.
She was the so-and-so Young Mistress Nectarian. There were stories that she was incredibly cute, sickly, and treasured by the ducal family like a gem.
Her wide, sparkling eyes, which were staring at him, looked as if the morning stars were embedded within them.
*“I’m Del.”*
Cheshire was momentarily dazed.
*Then what’s the Young Lord? No, whatever he was, they can’t get married like this, can they? If ‘he’ found out, everyone but Del-nim would be dead.*
That man who had intended to be Del-nim’s partner had a terrible temper.
He was a sly fox who only wagged his tail for Del-nim, but behind her back, he slaughtered humans with supernatural abilities.
It was no wonder his name was Jaehae, meaning Disaster.
Now that Del-nim had returned, he was the type to claw his way out of hell even if he’d fallen into it.
And since they had passed away side by side right before their wedding, his grudge must be immense.
Cheshire sighed and pushed himself up from the sofa.
He remained blankly wrapped in the blanket Del-nim had given him before belatedly discovering the note.
“Wow, what terrible handwriting… I mean, what exquisite penmanship.”
Cheshire smoothly corrected the thought that had instinctively slipped out.
His heart swelled at the simple message, which said they should meet again.
“No, but still, you have to get a divorce!”
Unaware that Jaehae and Kivrin were the same person, he couldn't help but feel his world go dim.
***
Menelik had not yet arrived when I returned to the marquis’s castle.
I asked a maid I met in the hallway for some jewelry cleaning supplies.
“I will wait here until the Duke arrives.”
Cesar said, glancing at the servants.
“Why don’t you get some rest too, Sir Cesar?”
He looked puzzled.
“But my activity level today is not much different from usual. Must I rest?”
“...”
I quietly closed my mouth.
I shouldn't judge others by my own pitiful stamina.
I returned to the guest room.
The chilly temperature of the room, made colder by Kivrin and Rose’s cold war, greeted me.
Seeing my hair, which was damp from the heavy snow, Kivrin looked for a towel.
Rose crossed her arms.
“Why did you leave the castle without a word? And why do you smell like alcohol?”
The smell still hasn't faded!
I sniffed at my sleeve.
In the meantime, Kivrin, having found a towel, began rubbing my hair.
“I heard there was a jeweler who accepts information instead of money, so I went to check it out. The owner there drank a lot…”
“He got wasted in front of you?”
Rose said menacingly.
She looked ready to dash off to the Fairy Jewelers at any moment.
I quickly added.
“But he said he was Del’s right-hand man.”
“...”
At my words, a complex emotion flickered in Rose’s eyes.
I tilted my head.
“Rose?”
“It’s nothing. I was just suddenly reminded of some annoying guy. He became a follower just because Del saved him once… Anyway, you should have taken me with you!”
“...”
She looked ready to launch into a full-blown lecture. I changed the subject.
“You didn’t say a single word to the Young Lord while I was gone, did you?”
Rose raised an eyebrow but answered dutifully.
“I said one word.”
You really only said one word…
“You’re not going to keep being awkward with the Young Lord, are you? You used to like him.”
“That was when I thought he was Del.”
Rose grumbled.
But she didn’t forget the thoughtful gesture of leading me to the fireplace.
“Still, he was someone that Del cared for deeply. As you know, I have neither Del’s memories nor her abilities. The Young Lord has them. Del wouldn’t have entrusted them to him for no reason.”
“...”
The Kivrin of my past life had described it as him ‘storing’ them.
Cheshire also said that I liked him a lot.
*“You can forget me, but you can’t forget Jaehae-nim! You liked him so much! When you said you were considering marriage after knowing him for just one day, I thought you’d really lost your mind!”*
…Maybe I should accidentally step on his foot the next time we meet.
I tried to shake off the thought of Cheshire and focused on Rose.
“You still don’t like the Young Lord? You and the Young Lord from your past life never even met. His ability might be unpleasant, but the Young Lord now is so cute, isn’t he?”
“All the cute people are dead… ah, fine! I’ll get along with him, okay?!”
I grinned.
“Good girl, Rose. And you didn’t even drink!”
“...”
Ignoring Rose, who was at a loss for words, I took off one of the necklaces Cheshire had put on me.
It was the one Sabrina had wanted.
After pressing the back a few times, a faint light began to swirl within the gem.
Sabrina didn’t know it, but this necklace was an artifact.
It was enchanted with the highest-grade defensive magic, which was why in the novel, Sabrina couldn’t obtain it, and it ended up in her sister’s hands.
“Lean down.”
At my words, Rose bent over with a look of half-resignation.
I fastened the necklace around Rose’s neck.
“It’s a defensive artifact, so don’t take it off.”
“Shouldn’t you be the one wearing this, not me?”
Rose muttered, looking unconvinced.
What was she talking about?
“Once my sealing spell is broken, I’ll be super strong, so I’m fine.”
Rose scoffed.
“Right, but you’re under that sealing spell *now*. And yet you go around meeting just anyone and telling them you’re Del! Cheria? Are you going to keep pretending not to hear the things you don’t want to hear?”
Ahem. I feigned ignorance and stood before Kivrin.
I held out the flowers, which were still fresh despite the midwinter cold, to Kivrin.
Cheshire told me to give them to him.
“This is a present for you, Young Lord!”
“For me?”
Kivrin accepted the flowers.
“I smelled them on the way here, and they smell wonderful. What do you think?”
“I-I like them too.”
Kivrin smiled.
“Since they’re mine now, c-can I do whatever I want with them?”
“Of course.”
At that, Kivrin began to snap the flower stems.
Excuse me?!
Just as I froze in shock at Kivrin’s actions, a maid spoke from outside the door.
“Young Mistress, I’ve brought the supplies you requested.”
Rose accepted the jewelry cleaning supplies on my behalf.
I calmed down after seeing that Kivrin wasn’t throwing the flowers away but was weaving them together.
I took out the rusted ring.
If I used it as is, I felt like I’d get tetanus instead of healing a burn.
I was planning to polish it as best I could, but Rose approached with curiosity.
“Need some help?”
“Do you know how to polish a ring?”
Rose flicked an eyebrow.
“What do you take me for?”
Suddenly, the ring caught fire.
The rusted and discolored parts began to peel away in the flames.
My eyes went wide.
Just as I had been fine touching Rose’s true form, the table the ring was on wasn't even slightly scorched.
