Translated by Tam
To the horror of Opheliaâs words, Sylvesterâs expression became mysterious. He looked gravely at Ophelia.
âTell me.â
Gulp.
Ophelia swallowed her dry saliva.
She doesnât know where to start and how to talk.
However, once she mentions âIâm not Ophelia,â she canât back down.
Ophelia swallowed her dry saliva once again and slowly inhaled.
âI canât remember, but it seems that Ophelia used the magic circle she received from the 2nd Prince.â
âWe already talked about it. So what?â
Sylvester asked in an unusually sharp voice. Ophelia held her hands together.
âThat timeâ¦she dies. The real Ophelia.â
Sylvester could feel his mind dizzy for a moment.
Sheâs dead?
So who is Ophelia in front of him?
He leaned forward and asked back.
âThen, who are you?â
Ophelia answered cautiously.
âIâm a new soul.â
Aah.
Sylvester is now understood.
âSo, the original Ophelia died and you came into that empty shell.â
âThatâs right.â
âHa?â
He snorted back.
âI thought it was weird. Didnât you suddenly declare that you wouldnât go after the Crown Prince you loved so much, or ask for a divorce?â
Thatâs not all.
Opheliaâs personality, her speech, her behavior, everything changed. Butâ.
âWhy didnât I know?â
Why didnât he notice?
He just thinks sheâs changed and doesnât think of any other possibility.
Why did he do that?
Sylvester thought that he was really stupid, and at the same time felt a strange sense of betrayal from Ophelia.
âThatâsââ
Did she guess what Sylvester was thinking?
Ophelia said cautiously.
âBecause you never doubted me. So you didnât know.â
ââ¦.â
Thatâs true.
Sylvester had never doubted Ophelia.
Even when he didnât get along well with her.
So he was fooled by itâ. Thatâs ridiculously funny.
âI see.â
Sylvester laughed and swept his hair.
âWhy didnât you tell me?â
This is the source of the betrayal that he feels from Ophelia.
Why didnât she say it earlier?
If she was hiding such a big truth, she should have said it right away, why didnât she say it until now?
Sylvester had nothing to hide from Ophelia, so he hated Ophelia for lying to him. He hates it.
âIf I told youâ¦â
Ophelia wet her dry lips and bowed her head.
And she answered in a murmuring voice.
âIâm afraid youâll hate me.â
âWhat?â
Sylvester asked in bewilderment, but Ophelia didnât stop talking.
âBecause you know the original Ophelia, you loved the changed Ophelia, so I thought you wouldnât love me if I told you the truth. Thatâs why I couldnât tell you.â
âHa!â
Sylvester jumped to his feet.
âDonât be stupid!â
Then he held Opheliaâs shoulders.
âI love you. I never really cared about the original Ophelia or anything like that!â
Her heart pounded when she heard such firm words.
Nevertheless, the guilt that remains doesnât go away easily.
âBut the shell is Ophelia.â
Because she is borrowing Opheliaâs appearanceâ. So Ophelia became smaller.
Sylvester looked as if he didnât understand Ophelia.
âI love you no matter what you look like.â
He squatted down in front of Ophelia and looked up at her. And he held Opheliaâs hand tightly.
âIâm already in love, so what does it matter? Did my love look so small to you?â
It was a rather harsh word, but the meaning contained inside was very moving.
Ophelia suddenly felt the tip of her nose getting hot and shook her head.
ââ¦No. You didnât.â
âSee, so thereâs nothing to worry about.â
Sylvester got up with a face as if it had just happened. He sat down next to Ophelia again.
âIs this all right? You donât hide anything from me anymore, right?â
ââ¦No.â
âGood.â
Whoo.
He sighed and swept his hair away as if he was satisfied with the situation that had been sorted out.
Then he looked at Ophelia again.
âWho knows youâre not Ophelia?â
âThere is only you. But I think His Highness2nd prince noticed it.â
Sylvester narrowed his eyes.
âThatâs why heâs trying to bring you to the temple trial. To examine the soul.â
âYes. Thatâs right.â
âI have to stop this somehowââ
Sylvester bit his lips nervously.
If her soul turns out to be different, itâs clear that Ophelia will be executed for using illegal black magic.
Whatever the reason.
So it had to be stopped somehow.
âIâll take care of it.â
Sylvester said, holding Opheliaâs hand.
âSo donât worry.â
Opheliaâs eyes shook.
What should she say?
What should she say to convey this overwhelming feeling?
Ophelia, who had been thinking for a long time and stuttering for words buried in her mouth, soon lowered her head and murmured.
âIâm sorry.â
She spoke with all her heart.
âI always feel like Iâm indebted to youââ
Sylvester chuckled. Then he put his hand on Opheliaâs head, which was bowed, and messed up her hair.
âYou donât talk like that between a couple.â
Then he whispered softly in her ear.
âAnd look forward to tonight. I will punish you for deceiving me.â
Heâs going to say that until this moment?
Ophelia shouted that he should stop, and Sylvester was happy to see Ophelia returned to her original state and hugged her tightly.
******
The temple trial is coming tomorrow.
I wandered nervously around the room.
In fact, it was just my heart, and I couldnât really move around.
I couldnât move my body properly because I was so tired last night.
So I was just sitting on the sofa biting my nails, holding back my desire to move.
Sylvester told me to trust him. Will that work?
Shouldnât I be doing something?
I thought about it, but it wouldnât make much difference if I came forward. I will only get in the way.
So I was just sitting like this without doing anything.
âMadam!â
At this time, Irene opened the door and came in.
âAre you okay? I brought you tea that will help you relax. Please try this.â
I stared at Ireneâs tea water.
âThis isnât from Countess Fleur, right?â
âNo way! Itâs tea leaves that we brought ourselves. You donât have to worry.â
âHaa. Okay.â
I lifted the tea cup.
As Irene said, a sip of tea made me feel a little relieved. Whoo, I sighed and tilted my head back.
âWhat will happen?â
âYes?â
Irene asked back.
âI was asking about what will happen tomorrow?â
âAah.â
Irene walked up to me and said.
âActually, itâs a nonsensical trial. How much did the Madam use black magic? Itâs sure itâs come to an end. So donât worry. Everyone was thinking that way!â
Well.
Not only Irene but others would think I was put on trial just because I used âblack magic,â so it was natural for this to be said.
But for another reason, I couldnât just say yes.
Phew.
I sighed deeply and put down the tea cup.
âLetâs get out and get some fresh air. It will help you refresh yourself.â
Irene pushed me.
As she said, going out for a walk would calm me down a little.
But in my current physical conditionâ.
âI canât even move.â
How can I walk when itâs so hard just sitting here?
I shook my head.
âPlease make room on the terrace. Iâll get some fresh air there.â
âI will!â
Irene moved in a hurry, and soon showed me around. I sat down on the terrace and greeted the spring breeze.
Itâs such a nice day, but my heart is dry.
I hope nothing happens tomorrow.
I thought so and looked around.
But then.
âHuh?â
I saw Sylvester. Andâ.
âTheo?â
I saw him grab Theo by the collar and drag him away.
What the hell is going on?