Chapter 39

“Argh! What? What is it?”

Arthur’s hand wrapped around her waist and soon lifted her up and held her in his arms. Surprised, she screamed. Her heartbeat was harder than before.

“…… Your whole body is icy cold.”

“So you could have taken me to my room faster.”

Even with her words, Arthur walked calmly holding her. Holding her in his arms, she shook her head hurriedly because she remembered the night she spent with him. Arthur’s body temperature was conveyed to her. When she was in his arms with no heart, the warm eyes that looked at her came to mind.

‘Why am I thinking of that right now?’

She thought it was ridiculous, too. The touch and breath when he hugged her passed vividly. She felt queer. Arthur’s arms, holding her tightly, were unusually warm.

Did she fall asleep without even realizing it? Suddenly Arthur opened the door and laid her on the bed. She opened her eyes to a soft touch with cold air. She could feel the heat in her breath, perhaps because she had a slight fever.

“A little more…”

She grabbed Arthur’s arm without realizing it. She didn’t want the warmth to disappear. It was really just that. She wanted to feel his warmth a little more.

“I thought you were asleep, but what does this mean?”

Arthur looked at her hand quietly. She cracked her drowsy eyes and looked at him. She could see his face lowering his head toward her.

Black eyes and black hair. The serenely sinking eyes contained her.

“…..If you’re going to do it, you should have done it properly.”

She just wanted to be in his arms a little longer. It was just that. This room suddenly became too scary to sleep alone. No, maybe he’s already hypnotized her since then.

She wanted Arthur.

She needed him.

……What she wants is nothing else but Grand Duke Arthur Douglas.

“Do you even know what I’m talking about?”

“There’s no way I don’t know what you said.”

She put her hand around Arthur’s neck. His lips pulled toward her, touched her. However, Arthur’s lips did not open.

He put his hand on her forehead and soon made a frown. As soon as he pushed himself away, he took off his top and threw it away. She closed her eyes slowly and opened her eyes to his sudden behaviour.

“You won’t have to walk around alone again.”

Coming into the bed and holding her in his arms, he covered her with a blanket.

She couldn’t see Arthur’s face on the blanket almost up to the top of her head. She just looked at his chest under the blanket and tried to figure out the situation while holding him in her arms.

“And don’t say it’s just your body.”

“What?”

Suddenly, she wondered what he was talking about, so she removed her blanket and looked at him. When Arthur’s body temperature touched, her body felt like it was melting, so she was much better than before.

‘I guess I’m going to catch a cold.’

Nothing will be warmer than human body temperature. She asked Arthur with a dreamy consciousness. She just didn’t want to sleep alone. There was no other reason.

She just liked this body and tried to give him what he wanted. It’s natural to give and receive what each other needs.

That’s exactly how she felt about Arthur. She chose Arthur, not Carl because she and Arthur were just like that.

He doesn’t know, but she did. The feelings he felt for her were not important. It’s rather good that he loves her.

Loving Mary meant that he would do everything for her, and she was willing to use it.

It was more important for her to survive and live here now.

“What are you saying all of a sudden?”

“You gave me your body carelessly..….”

Arthur’s voice somehow felt watery. His throat rumbled and soon breathed deeply. Her body slumped as if she had been pulled up from a very deep place.

Why does Arthur sometimes look sad? She still doesn’t get him. And it may not be known in the future either.

No, she shouldn’t be curious. The first time she faced him when she reached out to him, the present question was useless.

“Mary, no more. You used me to live a selfish life anyway.”

She will continue to swallow the questions she wants to ask him. She’ll just pretend to love. Just to the point where he’s mistaken, just that much.

To get what she wants, and to survive as Mary, she has to change everything.

First of all, the first thing to do is to get out of this beggar-like swamp of death. She loves herself. Arthur is talking, he’s just mean.

She hypnotized herself again. He doesn’t really love her either, so they just need each other.

“I’ve never been not sincere to you.”

But her heart thumped off at his words to where her determination was overshadowed. Her eyes shook when she faced Arthur’s sincerity in both eyes.

Why does his heart look so clear at this moment, which she always faced even though they were dark and could not be known beyond those eyes? She could feel his heart beating with his body facing each other.

‘Why… Why can you love Mary so much?’

Anxious thoughts. She was shouting in her head to stop here, but she felt she might not stop now.

She became curious about his blind love for her and his feelings. And she realized.

She cannot overcome this curiosity.

Did her spell really work?