Translator: Nox

Chapter 1

[The Runaway Countess Returns]

It was love. Or, I mistook it for love.

That day was a cold winter day, just like when we first met, with heavy snow falling.

He breathed out white air in the pure white garden and whispered,

"Will you become my most beautiful masterpiece?"

In his hand, a large diamond ring sparkled.

I blushed at his radiant smile and said,

"Yes, even if I am reborn countless times, I will be your wife."

That day, I walked into the cage myself.

The life of a Countess that he gave me was tempting.

Expensive clothes and jewelry.

Praise pouring out from everywhere.

Before I knew it, I had become a canary chirping only for him.

Around the time life was growing in my womb, I realized this place was a cage.

It was the child I had been waiting for so eagerly. That's why I didn't want to raise the child as his even more.

In the end, I ran away from the Count's Residence for the future of my beloved child.

I did labor for the first time in my life. My delicate hands were ruined, and the face he admired so much began to deteriorate little by little.

But I was happy.

For the first time since marrying him, I looked back at myself. I also prepared a small house where I could live happily with my child.

While waiting for the due date, I imagined a peaceful future. But that was just a dream that would be shattered in an instant.

---

A cool hand stroked Rebecca's cheek.

Barely awakened from a rush of sleep, Rebecca suddenly felt that the touch caressing her face was familiar.

With a sense of foreboding, she couldn't bring herself to open her eyes.

"Rebecca."

When the owner of the hand spoke, Rebecca despaired deeply.

I've been found out. I've returned to his grasp after all.

"I know you're awake. Why don't you get up now?"

Rebecca opened her eyes.

Her eyelids fluttered as if she didn't want to admit reality.

Blue eyes like crashing, crumbling waves.

Blonde hair neatly arranged without a single stray strand.

Her husband, her master, the reincarnation of a demon from hell, stood before her.

"Zeppelin..."

Her whole body screamed as if a cold hadn't completely gone away.

Rebecca somehow managed to get up.

Looking around the room, she realized that the baby's cradle was empty.

"My child... Zeppelin, where is my child?"

"What a warm greeting to your husband after so long. You're so naive. Did you think I wouldn't find you?"

"Zeppelin, please... give me back my child."

"Don't look at me like that. Do you think I would harm my own blood?"

Zeppelin smiled coldly.

He wasn't the type to harm a child. Rather, he would cherish the child as if it were the most precious jewel in the world.

But Rebecca wished he had killed the child instead.

If the child had entered eternal rest, she could at least enjoy peace by God's side.

Yes, it was better to die than to grow up as the child of Zeppelin Devonshire Earl.

"Isn't it enough to torment me this much? Zeppelin, please let me go. I'll live like I'm dead with the child. I'll even abandon the Devonshire name."

Rebecca desperately grabbed his sleeve.

Zeppelin brushed her hand away without a moment's hesitation.

"That's a problem. You are the best masterpiece I've ever created. Who gave you permission to remove the artisan's name? Besides, the child you gave birth to, it's a daughter, isn't it? A blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl who looks just like us, the one I've been longing for so much! A very pretty girl."

Zeppelin's eyes gleamed with greed.

Rebecca knew him well. He was very dangerous when he had that look in his eyes.

He was a man who would have everything he wanted, no matter what.

That won't do. I can't let my child live like me.

"Psyche! Psyche!"

Rebecca pushed Zeppelin away and opened the door. And she started looking for the child, calling the child's name like crazy.

It was a small house, so there weren't many rooms, but it was like a palace for her staggering body to move around.

Rebecca desperately searched for the child, almost crawling.

Then she heard someone coming up the stairs.

It was the sound of clear footsteps.

"Re, Rebecca?"

"Alicia...?"

A gorgeously dressed Alicia looked at Rebecca with a pale face.

She was patting Psyche, who was fast asleep, in her arms.

Alicia looked back and forth between Rebecca and the child, not knowing what to do.

Rebecca stared blankly at her daughter, who was wearing a dazzling dress instead of the clothes she had made herself.

Sparks flew from her eyes.

Rebecca, her eyes full of murderous intent, slowly approached Alicia.

Alicia, instinctively feeling fear, hesitated and stepped back.

"It's you. It was you who betrayed me after all. Alicia! I trusted you! I gave you everything! I only asked you to protect one thing, just one thing, how could you do this!"

"Rebecca, I had no choice!"

"Shut up! Give me my child! Who are you holding with those dirty hands!"

Rebecca reached out for the child. She could see the child's small, wriggling fingers.

But before she could smell the baby's scent, Zeppelin grabbed the back of Rebecca's neck.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Argh! You bastard, let go of me! Let go!"

Zeppelin dragged Rebecca as she was and threw her into the room.

"It seems my wife has clearly lost her mind."

He shook his hands as if he had touched something dirty, his face contorted.

Rebecca tried to get up and run at him, but she couldn't get up because of the terrible pain.

It seemed like her ankle was broken when he threw her.

Zeppelin scanned Rebecca's miserable appearance from head to toe.

"Ah, how unfortunate. You were once a very brilliantly shining figure. Humans are so helpless in the face of time. But fortunately, Octavio has found a replacement for you. And since I have my daughter, the kingdom will soon be complete."

Zeppelin smiled bitterly and glanced at his wristwatch.

"Anyway, I have to go now. It would be a problem if I'm late for the Duke's funeral."

"Where do you think you're going! Go to hell, Zeppelin Devonshire!"

Rebecca grabbed his foot as he tried to leave and bit him hard.

He hated having scratches on his body more than death.

Soon, a fierce kick rained down.

Rebecca, gritting her teeth and enduring, finally let go only after seeing red blood gushing from his ankle.

Zeppelin's red blood stained his pants.

Rebecca had always thought that cold blue blood would flow through his body.

Funnily enough, he was a human with warm blood like her.

Rebecca spat out the flesh she was holding in her mouth onto the floor.

He screamed.

"I was going to spare your life considering our past relationship. Rebecca, this is all your fault! It's all your fault!"

He kicked Rebecca once more and walked to the door.

Rebecca followed him relentlessly, even crawling.

But the door was firmly closed in front of her eyes.

Rebecca pounded on the door that wouldn't open.

"Open it! Open it right now! Zeppelin! Zeppelin!"

After a moment of silence, Zeppelin's low voice was heard.

"Rebecca, you were the best doll. But, it seems like the time has come to discard you. I've gotten everything I wanted from you."

Rebecca's consciousness gradually faded. She heard the baby crying.

Acrid smoke seeped in through the cracks in the door. Someone shouted that it was a fire.

The hot flames slowly engulfed Rebecca's body.

The pain of being burned was nothing compared to the pain her heart was experiencing.

She felt death approaching.

Rebecca squeezed out her last strength and begged the approaching grim reaper.

"If I can go back... if I can go back just once..."

Rebecca lost consciousness and closed her eyes.

Soon after, a white light emanating from Rebecca's heart began to envelop her.

---

"Madam! Wake up!"

At the cheerful voice, Rebecca's eyelids twitched.

It felt like she had been dreaming for a very long time.

A very vivid and terrible nightmare.

Someone opened the window. A cool sea breeze blew in.

Air with a slight salty smell tickled Rebecca's nose.

Slowly opening her eyes, Rebecca stared blankly at the blue ceiling. Strangely, her body felt light.

"The weather is disgustingly clear. I wish it would rain."

Alice said, placing the washbasin on the table.

Rebecca, carefully looking at the freckles scattered on her nose, jumped up from the bed.

"Alice?"

"Oh my, you startled me. What's wrong, Madam? Did you have a bad dream?"

"Why are you here? More than that, how are you..."

"Huh? Of course, I'm here because I have to attend to Madam. Get up quickly. There's a lot to do."

Alice wet a clean towel and gently wiped Rebecca's face.

Rebecca looked at Alice with shocked eyes, as if she had seen something she shouldn't have.

'You died!'

Alice was the maid Rebecca trusted the most.

Unlike other maids, Alice, who had been by her side for a long time, had long been killed by Rebecca's husband, Zeppelin.

'Am I dead? If so, is this heaven...? No, maybe it's hell.'

As Rebecca sat there in despair, Alice sighed and grabbed Rebecca's hand.

"Madam, I know you're very upset, but what can we do? If you just bear with it today, you'll be fine."

"..."

"Oh my. Well, who would want to go to their husband's wedding? The Count is too much."

"Wedding? Zeppelin is getting married again?"

"You're really strange today. Yes, today is the wedding day. The day the damned Alicia and the Count are getting married!"

Rebecca's eyes widened.

At that moment, countless memories flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern.

Rebecca hurriedly ran to the wide-open window.

Far away, the blue sea surged below the steep cliff.

In the picturesque garden with a panoramic view of the vast sea, wedding preparations were in full swing.

Rebecca blankly listened to the cries of the seagulls and looked at the servants busily moving below.

"It would be better to put that decoration over there. Ah, the Count hates that color. Throw it away."

"Yes, Robert."

Robert, who was giving instructions to the servants, looked up at the gaze he suddenly felt.

And when he made eye contact with Rebecca, he quickly turned his head away.

Robert?

Rebecca, chewing on the quite familiar name, suddenly raised her head.

'Robert!'

He was also one of the many employees who had died at Zeppelin's hands.

Although it was disguised as an accident, Rebecca knew for sure that Zeppelin had killed Robert.

He died unfairly after being falsely accused of harboring feelings for Rebecca.

"Oh my god..."

Her legs gave way.

Rebecca slipped from the window and collapsed to the floor.

I've come back. Even on my husband's wedding day.