“Haa, haa.”

She couldn’t remember how she had escaped from the Grand Duke’s residence.

Several times along the way, someone had called out her name and chased after her, but now there was no one around.

Aria looked around.

There was no one she knew. She had run so far that she was in a completely unfamiliar place.

‘Why is this happening only to me?’

When Aria had finally broken free from the curse, she was overjoyed.

Because she could finally live a free life.

She was happy that she would no longer be dragged around by curses and such.

Although because of that, someone else had to continue bearing what she should have shouldered, Aria felt no guilt at all.

She thought that compared to the sins committed against her, this much was deserved.

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

Aria was shaken inside by what she learned when Admund came to see her.

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

Clea was the villainess of all villainesses.

This was a fact that one could know without asking others.

However, if asked whether she was still a villainess now, one would doubt if she truly was a villainess.

Clea had changed significantly a long time ago.

Her behavior of committing evil acts to hide her weak self had completely disappeared.

She was now quiet, gentle, calm, and completely uninterested in her surroundings.

Aria felt anxious about her suddenly transformed appearance.

She felt that if people started to like her because of her new demeanor, she would lose her own place.

So she had tried to keep Clea a villainess by any means necessary.

She thought that was the only way to keep her place beside Admund.

But now, the place beside him was occupied not by her, but by the one she had made into a villainess and a terminal patient.

“Agh, sudden rain, what’s this?”

“Damn it, I didn’t bring an umbrella.”

As raindrops fell from the clear sky, people walking on the street started cursing.

Unlike the people walking quickly to avoid the rain, Aria blankly looked up at the sky.

As she recalled what she had almost gone through just moments ago, her insides turned cold.

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

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

But right now, she was busy thinking about Clea in her mind.

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

Just as she began to feel cold from her thin dress getting wet, someone approached her side.

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

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

The voice that reached her ears was very gentle.

Aria turned her head to examine the appearance of the person who had spoken.

For a moment, the gentle tone reminded her of Admund, but the person she turned to face was not Admund.

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

“Thank you, but I’ll have to decline.”

“Why is that?”

“Because 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 had just met.

She thought to herself.

Cunningly, people don’t show their true intentions on their faces.

The man before her might be smiling on the outside, but who knows what he’s thinking on the inside.

Aria wanted to keep her distance from him as much as possible.

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 an annoying feeling was starting to rise within her, the man said with a smile,

“Barwin Rockin, that’s my name.”

The rain was pouring heavily.

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

It was a family name she had heard somewhere before, 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 would be better to accept the help in front of her rather than waiting for people to find her like this.

‘What an attitude for asking a favor. I suppose a duke’s daughter is still a duke’s daughter.’

She was the daughter of the long-standing Hersher ducal family.

With one command to a passerby, she could have gotten an umbrella, and if she had asked for a carriage to be prepared, it would have been done without question.

The usual Aria would have easily asked people for understanding and done so.

But now, it was difficult to think like that.

Whether it was because of what happened with Lloyd, or because of something related to Admund, her mind was completely in disarray.

So she accepted the help of Barwin, whom she had met by chance like this.

Barwin, looking at the picky Aria, continued to smile gently, unlike her.

‘We’ll see if charm offensive works.’

It was a quicker encounter than expected. He was satisfied with this approach for now.

Barwin was confident that her prickly attitude would naturally melt away with time.

* * *

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

The preparations for the atonement were almost complete.

Clea sipped the fragrant tea in front of her without showing any particular expression.

Hayden, looking at Clea, was still smiling.

Rufia, right next to him, said something about how annoying Hayden was.

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

To tell the truth, it didn’t matter whether he had busy matters or not.

If it was Admund, there must be a reason why he wasn’t showing up.

Clea didn’t have any particular thoughts about it.

“This is a matter that I must resolve on my own anyway.”

This was entirely a matter she had to resolve herself.

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

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

Of course, even if the atonement could completely erase everything, various problems would still remain.

In reality, beneath the surface, people like Duke Hersher were still talking about the problems she was thinking of, slandering Clea.

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

“Are you planning to officiate the wedding?”

“While that would be an honor, I’d like to help young lady in other ways.”

Clea found it somewhat unexpected that Hayden was offering to help her.

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

She even promised substantial support to the temple.

But Hayden was a person who had maintained neutrality, refusing to help Aria on the grounds of not getting involved in worldly affairs.

That’s why Clea felt awkward about everything from Hayden’s occasional visits to chat, to receiving medicine related to the curse.

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

‘But it’s not like that’s a bad thing.’

If she continued to receive his help, she might be able to become a little freer from the curse.

Even now, Clea was taking the medicine Hayden gave her.

While taking it, she could be a little free from things related to pain.

She looked at the back of her hand.

‘Time is still moving, though.’

The speed of the clock hands didn’t slow down as it did when she was with Admund.

Clea smiled awkwardly.

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

What if she were to die from the curse while he was away, how would Admund, left alone, feel?

‘I wish the curse would help me.’

Clea, with a bitter smile, looked at Rufia’s expression beside her.

She was puzzled by Rufia’s expression, which somehow looked dark.

“Why are you making that face?”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize. I’m just curious about what young lady is thinking.”

At Clea’s words, Rufia tried to brush it off.

But she advised against evading.

Thinking her inner thoughts had been read, Rufia cleared her throat for a moment, 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 of knowing.

In contrast, Clea’s expression remained calm.

Rufia asked Clea,

“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’s obvious that even if I went, it would only be a hindrance.

Rufia’s relief at Clea’s answer was visible.

It seemed she had been worrying about what to do if Clea heard and said she wanted to go.

That place was definitely not somewhere suitable for someone about to face atonement, with little time left before it.

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

Curious about Admund’s whereabouts based on Rufia’s reaction, she asked for the location.

Having heard the answer that she wouldn’t go, Rufia believed her words and answered.

“He’s at the Curtis House.”

“What kind of place is the Curtis House?”

It seemed like she was reluctant to say it was quite a dangerous place. Clea, not knowing exactly what the Curtis House was, asked again.

To be precise, she only remembered parts of it.

The Curtis House was related 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 quietly listening beside them, spoke up.

“And the largest underground gambling house at that.”