The red moon that rose high was reluctant to set.

Even when morning came, the surroundings remained dark, and the moon stayed the same. Gradually, even the concept of time was fading away.

The red moon cast an impossibly deep shadow.

Diana, standing in front of the huge window that gave a sense of grandeur, placed her hand on the window.

It was vast. The witch’s house. This place, which was too embarrassing to even call a house as it went beyond the scope of an ordinary one, was an ancient castle.

It was of a size that seemed like a giant could live in it. She realized where the sense of déjà vu originated from when she was walking through the huge corridor made of stone walls.

It resembled a wizard’s castle. Of course, there weren’t magic circles appearing everywhere or traps set up like there.

Diana opened the arched window wide and stepped onto the stone window frame without hesitation. The cold, swirling wind swept over her entire body.

She peeked down slightly. It was so deep that the ground was not visible. Hmm, if I just jump down, I would die, right?

It was at that moment when she was quietly looking down while facing the wind.

Tap. Someone pushed her, and she lost her balance. Her body tilted forward, swaying.

“Uh…”

Her sharp eyes turned to the culprit behind her back. However, before she could see who the culprit was, her body was pulled forward.

Oh no! She was balancing on her tiptoes, but her body was already completely tilted out the window.

Someone pulled her back in an instant as she closed her eyes tightly. As if being sucked in by someone’s touch, she was held in their arms.

“Haa.”

For now, she was alive. As she fumbled with her hand on the fluffy body in relief, a growl of a beast was heard above her head.

“Grrr-”

It was a bear. The wild bear that had become her dedicated companion. It bared its teeth and growled as if telling her to get out of the way quickly.

“Oh, sorry.”

She quickly got up from her spot. The bear tried to move out of the way as if it had done its job.

“Wait. Were you the one who pushed me?”

“…”

The bear avoided eye contact and kept its mouth shut. As she stared at it as if interrogating, the bear gestured with its hands and feet, claiming its innocence through body language.

Diana, roughly grasping what the bear was trying to say, nodded her head.

“You were trying to catch me because you thought I was going to jump out the window, but you accidentally pushed me?”

Nod nod.

“Yeah, I appreciate that. But I nearly died because of you.”

Glumly. The bear lowered its head. As it clasped its hands together as if apologizing, she missed the timing to get angry.

Yeah, what’s the point of getting angry at a beast?

Even though Diana wanted to pat its head, the huge bear was too tall.

Its head was too high for her hand to reach, so she patted the bear’s plump buttocks.

“It’s fine. Just don’t do that again in the future.”

“Kwang!”

But this bear. It overreacts too much. Startled by her touch, it grabbed its bottom and ran across the corridor as if fleeing in a hurry.

No, I mean, why are you running on two feet like a human instead of on all fours?

The corridor where the bear disappeared was filled with a red darkness due to the red moon. In the silent space, Diana tapped the ring on her finger.

“Ancestor. Come out now.”

[…]

“I know the magic has been lifted, so come out, will you? I didn’t see you being so brazen, Ancestor.”

[…]

“The witch is asleep, so don’t worry and come out.”

Bensi fell asleep while studying the curse pattern on her back.

She had used too much magical power unexpectedly and was exhausted.

She gave Diana a bell-attached key, telling her to look around the castle while she took a short nap.

Jingle- The bell on the gold-made key rang. As she grabbed it tightly and proceeded down the corridor again, a dejected voice was heard.

[It’s not that I wanted to do that.]

Levant, who had descended like a fairy, climbed onto her shoulder.

“Ah, yes.”

[I was enchanted by something at that time! I didn’t try to love another woman. It was a misunderstanding.]

What kind of nonsense is this? A vein popped up on Diana’s temple.

“People who have made a mistake always do that. They say it’s not their fault. They only blame others and don’t reflect on themselves. The person who got hurt is put on the back burner.”

Levant shrank as if he would crumble and bowed his head deeply.

[I kept asking for forgiveness.]

“Yes, you died without receiving forgiveness and remained trapped there with lingering attachments. I don’t want any regrets.”

At her biting words, Levant couldn’t say anything.

“You said you were looking for the tombstone that contains my ancestor’s soul. Isn’t that to harass them in the name of seeking forgiveness?”

[No! I…! Gasp.]

“Ancestor? Where are you going!”

Levant flew forward quickly as if being pulled. Following the soul that was connected to the ring, Diana quickly walked and soon began to run.

It was a familiar magical power. This time, she could also clearly recognize it. It was Angela’s magical power that she had been searching for in the castle, just in case.

Bensi said that Angela’s magical power was mixed into the curse pattern, making it difficult for others to dismantle.

If Angela’s soul remained and if there was even a part of her magical power, it would help sever the connection with the curse pattern.

However, Bensi also said that he didn’t know what happened to Angela or her whereabouts after she died.

[It’s here! This is definitely the place.]

Did Bensi lie? What is this magical power? It was as if Angela’s magical power was leaking out at the perfect timing to call Diana.

In front of the massive mahogany door, she calmed her racing heart and placed her hand on the doorknob.

“This area is off-limits.”

A heavy voice descended above her head. She quickly stepped back from the figure that appeared without any presence.

An unknown person. The huge man with tanned skin reached out his hand towards her and then froze like that. It was an unexpected situation for both of them.

The wavering gazes of the man and woman clashed and then gradually went down.

The man, overflowing with wildness, had a sturdy muscular build and distinct six-pack abs.

“Ah.”

“Oh.”

[Aaaargh! No! Diana! You can’t be unfaithful!]

Levant enlarged his body and covered Diana’s eyes. Although he was translucent, it was enough to obstruct her vision.

Thanks to Levant’s wit, her sight was blocked. But she still saw it.

Yeah, I only saw up to there.

“Eek!”

As if he had just discovered his state, the man turned around with a gasp.

It was a man whose back view also boasted muscularity as if his entire body was made of muscles.

As her gaze was drawn to the man, she turned her head at Levant’s nagging.

Ahem. Indeed, there’s nowhere to look.

“How. How. How is this possible?”

The low voice echoing like a cave was filled with tears. The man was sobbing as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Um, excuse me.”

When Diana called out to the man who seemed to be in confusion, Levant panicked.

It seemed like he thought she was showing interest in the man.

[Diana. This won’t do. Let’s come back later. Let’s go quickly.]

‘No, who was the one who rushed out first?’

[It’s not urgent! Let’s quickly go somewhere else.]

‘But now that we’ve come this far, we should go inside and take a look.’

[Who did you take after to be so stubborn!]

As she was arguing with Levant, the man spoke to Diana.

“Young lady. Could you possibly lend me that cloak you’re wearing?”

His polite tone was tinged with resignation. Diana quickly handed the cloak she was wearing to the man.

Bowing his head, the man promptly wrapped the thick cloak around himself.

Even though he only put on a layer of cloak, just having one layer covering him brought a sense of relief.

The man timidly gauged Diana’s reaction.

“I apologize. For showing you such an unsightly appearance.”

“No, that’s alright. I’ve seen plenty of male bodies.”

“What?”

[What?!]

Not only the man with tanned skin but also Levant was startled and gasped.

Why are they so surprised? Is it only Rodrick? When training at the family estate, she had also been among men who took off their tops without hesitation, including Nathan.

So she didn’t mind. In other words, she had built up a tolerance to muscular bodies.

“So, who are you?”

At the most important question, the man rolled his deep amber eyes back and forth.

“I, I am.”

“Pardon?”

What kind of absurd answer is this?

“Excuse me.”

“I said I am!”

So who are you? Diana’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Didn’t you just now to-touch my buttocks, young lady!”

No, what kind of dangerous words is this man saying! Why would I touch someone else’s buttocks when I have my own man?

Diana, who was about to argue, suddenly froze. Strictly speaking, she had touched a buttock before.

She patted the furry beast’s bottom. As for touching a man like this…

“You, could it be that you’re the bear?”

The tanned man buried his face in his large hands and nodded. From the hands covering his face to his entire body, he was flushed bright red.

“No, you were walking around naked from the beginning?!”

And yet you accuse me of harassment. This guy is brazen too?

“Th-there was fur! For beasts, that’s their clothing!”

The man who had been a bear didn’t back down and appealed his grievance.

“I don’t know why I returned like this either. They said the punishment would continue.”

“What kind of heinous crime did you commit to be receiving punishment?”

As Diana took a step back, looking at him with the eyes of someone seeing a vicious criminal, the man quickly lowered the hands covering his face and waved them.

“No! My father harassed the witch and got cursed, but I took the blame for everything and ended up like this!”

Hmm, you’re also suffering because of your family. Rodrick is also suffering because of his ancestor.

Diana gave Levant a sarcastic look.

[Why are you looking at me like that?]

‘No reason.’

Shaking her head slightly, Diana looked up at the tall man with a large build and smiled.

“Congratulations. Seeing how you’ve returned to your original form like this, it seems the curse has ended…”

As soon as those words ended, with a pop- sound, the cloak fell off.

“Kweong?”

The beast had returned. The bear, blinking its eyes as if grasping the situation, soon shed thick tears.

Seeing the bear crying to the point of making even the onlooker feel pitiful, Diana sighed.

“Hey, don’t come over.”

The bear tried to cling to Diana as if she were the answer to the curse.

[Yeah, get lost. You beast! Diana only has our descendant!]

‘Ancestor, you back off too. A bit.’

Diana pushed away the huge bear and the shrunken soul. Right now, she was overwhelmed just thinking about herself and Rodrick.

“I don’t have the capacity to take care of you too…”

“Kweh-ong!”

The hope he had briefly tasted was too sweet. The unexpected event ignited a spark in his heart that had been giving up.

I can also return. If I stay with this young lady!

The bear resolved to stick close to Diana and not let go.