Chapter 59: Help

 “Haa, haa.”

 She couldn’t remember how she escaped from the grand ducal residence.

 Someone called her name several times and chased after her, but now there was no one around.

 Aria looked around.

 There was no one she recognized. She had run so far that the surroundings were completely unfamiliar.

 ‘Why is this happening only to me?’

 When Aria finally escaped the curse, she was very happy.

 Because she could finally live a free life.

 She rejoiced that she would no longer be dragged around by something like a curse.

 Although someone else now had to continue bearing what she should have carried, Aria felt no guilt.

 She thought she deserved it compared to the wrongs she had committed against her.

 ‘I did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong.’

 Aria was shaken inside by what she learned when Edmund visited.

 Was it right to burden others with misfortune for her own happiness?

 Clea was the villainess of all villainesses.

 This was a fact anyone could recognize without asking others.

 But if asked whether she was still a villainess now, Aria would doubt it.

 Clea had changed completely a long time ago.

 The person who committed evil acts to hide her weakness had completely disappeared.

 She was quiet, gentle, calm, and showed no interest in her surroundings.

 Aria felt anxious about Clea’s sudden transformation.

 She feared losing her position if people began to like Clea.

 So she continued to portray Clea as a villainess by any means.

 She thought this was the only way to keep her place beside Edmund.

 But now, that place beside him was occupied not by her, but by the person she had made into a villainess with a death sentence.

 “Ugh, why is it suddenly raining?”

 “Damn, I didn’t bring an umbrella.”

 As rain suddenly fell from the clear sky, people walking on the street began to curse.

 Unlike those walking quickly to avoid the rain, Aria stared blankly at the sky.

 Remembering what almost happened to her just now, she felt a chill inside.

 ‘If I couldn’t break the curse, how could you?’

 The rain grew heavier, soon completely soaking Aria’s body.

 But her mind was too busy thinking about Clea.

 Hoping that Clea would meet a miserable end without escaping the shackles of the curse.

 When her thin dress became wet and she began to feel cold, someone approached her.

 For a moment, Aria flinched, thinking of Lloyd, but…

 “Your clothes are getting wet. May I offer you some help?”

 The voice in her ear was very gentle.

 Aria turned her head to look at the person who spoke.

 The gentle tone momentarily reminded her of Edmund, but the person wasn’t Edmund.

 Aria frowned at the person who was giving her a gentle smile while holding an umbrella over her.

 “Thanks, but I’ll decline.”

 “Why is that?”

 “I don’t want help from someone I don’t know.”

 Although she desperately needed someone’s help right now, she didn’t want it from a suspicious stranger she was seeing for the first time.

 She thought,

 People, cunningly, don’t show their true feelings on their faces.

 The man before her might be smiling on the outside, but who knew what he was thinking inside.

 Aria wanted to keep her distance from him.

 But the man said,

 “If I tell you my name, will you accept my help?”

 Aria almost clicked her tongue at his persistent attitude.

 Just as annoyance began to rise within her, the man smiled and said.

 “Bawin Lockin, that’s my name.”

 The rain fell heavily.

 As her body began to shiver, Aria bit her lip.

 It was a family name she had heard somewhere, but she couldn’t remember exactly.

 Thinking it wasn’t a particularly important family, Aria sighed.

 “Fine. I’ll accept your help.”

 “A wise choice.”

 “But we won’t meet again after today.”

 She concluded that it was better to accept the help offered than to wait for people to find her.

 ‘What an attitude when asking for help. A lady is truly a lady.’

 She was the lady of the prestigious Hersher ducal family.

 She could have commanded any passerby to give her an umbrella, or requested a carriage, and they would have complied.

 Normally, Aria would have asked people for understanding and done just that.

 But now it was difficult to think that way.

 Whether because of what happened with Lloyd, or because of matters related to Edmund, her mind was completely in disarray.

 That’s why she accepted Bawin’s help, whom she met by chance.

 Looking at the fastidious Aria, Bawin continued to smile gently, unlike his usual self.

 ‘We’ll see if charm works on her.’

 It was a quicker meeting than expected. He was satisfied with this approach.

 Bawin was confident that he could naturally melt away the other’s crooked attitude over time.

 * * *

 “His Highness the Crown Prince still hasn’t arrived.”

 The preparations for penance were almost complete.

 Clea sipped the fragrant tea before her without showing any particular expression.

 Hayden continued to smile while looking at Clea.

 Ruphia, right beside him, remarked that Hayden was annoying.

 “He must have his own busy matters to attend to.”

 To be honest, whether he was busy or not didn’t matter.

 If it was Edmund, there must be a reason he hadn’t appeared.

 Clea didn’t think much of it.

 “This is something I need to resolve on my own anyway.”

 This matter was entirely her responsibility to resolve.

 Therefore, she didn’t expect help from Edmund or anyone else.

 It was time to erase all the evil deeds committed as Clea.

 Of course, even if the penance completely erased everything, various problems would still remain.

 In reality, people like Duke Hersher were still slandering Clea behind the scenes, discussing the problems she was thinking about.

 “Then please come see me once more after the penance is over.”

 “Are you going to officiate the wedding?”

 “While that would be an honor, I would like to help you in other ways.”

 Clea found it somewhat surprising that Hayden wanted to help her.

 Aria had continuously tried to persuade him. She promised honor, power, money, and various other things.

 She even promised substantial support to the temple.

 But Hayden had been a figure who maintained neutrality and refused to help Aria, citing his desire not to get involved in worldly affairs.

 That’s why Clea felt awkward about Hayden occasionally visiting to talk, and even providing her with medicinal herbs related to the curse.

 But now that he was explicitly offering help, it was very awkward.

 ‘But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.’

 If she continued to receive his help, she could become somewhat free from the curse.

 Even now, Clea was taking medicine provided by Hayden.

 While taking it, she could be somewhat free from pain.

 She looked at the back of her hand.

 ‘Time still moves forward though.’

 The clock hands didn’t slow down as they did when she was with Edmund.

 Clea smiled awkwardly.

 She didn’t feel resentful towards him, but she still had a thought.

 If she were to die from the curse while he was away, what feelings would Edmund, left alone, harbor?

 ‘I wish the curse would help me.’

Clea smiled bitterly and looked at Ruphia’s expression beside her.

 She was puzzled by her somewhat dark expression.

 “Why are you making that face?”

 “Ah, I’m sorry.”

 “There’s no need to apologize. I’m just curious about what you’re thinking.”

 Ruphia tried to brush off Clea’s question.

 But she advised Ruphia not to evade.

 Thinking her thoughts had been read, Ruphia cleared her throat briefly, but it seemed difficult to escape the situation.

 “Actually, I know where His Highness is right now.”

 “Hmm, so you knew.”

 Hayden momentarily showed a surprised expression at those words.

 In contrast, Clea’s expression remained calm.

 Ruphia asked her.

 “Aren’t you going to ask where he is?”

 “Somehow I feel it’s not a place I could go even if I heard.”

 It seemed obvious that she would only be a hindrance if she went.

 Ruphia’s visible relief at Clea’s response was apparent.

 It seemed she had been worried about what to do if Clea insisted on going after hearing the location.

 That place was absolutely not suitable for someone about to undergo penance, or for anyone with penance approaching.

 “Still, I’m curious where he is. Can you tell me?”

 Having become curious about Edmund’s whereabouts based on Ruphia’s reaction, she asked for the location.

 Believing Clea’s promise not to go, Ruphia answered.

 “He’s at the Curtis House.”

 “What kind of place is Curtis House?”

 Since Ruphia seemed reluctant to mention it because it was quite dangerous, Clea asked again, not knowing exactly what Curtis House was.

 She only remembered part of it.

 Curtis House was connected to Lloyd in the original work.

 She was certain it couldn’t be a good place.

 “Well, it’s a gambling house.”

 Hayden, who had been listening quietly beside them, spoke up.

 “And the largest underground gambling house at that.”