Under the Realm of the Beast - Chapter 1: The Switched Groom (4)

“You claim this ‘state’ of mine is pitiable, but I only see you as… happy.”

“You… do you see me as… my true self? Do you see my face as it was before?”

At his words, Valetta let out a small, incredulous laugh. She couldn’t understand what he was talking about. Truly, he had a knack for provoking her.

“A curse? What nonsense are you spouting?”

Three months ago, during an expedition, Leonard had driven his sword through the heart of the last evil dragon on earth. Black blood flowed down the blade, coating his hands in its sticky warmth. Amidst the grotesque sensation, the dragon’s voice echoed.

“You shall live to greet death.”

At the time, he hadn’t understood what it meant. To live and meet death? If it was poetic, he thought he was already living as if dead. The pain of Friedrich’s death was not Valetta’s burden alone. Survival itself had become a living hell.

As the dragon’s corpse collapsed, Leonard called out to his comrades.
“Let’s dismantle the body and get out of here.”

But when he met their gazes, he realized something was wrong.

“Le… Leonard… your… your face…”

He touched his face, his hands trembling. And as he saw the shock in his comrades’ eyes, he understood. The dragon’s curse had worked.

It signified social death.

And so, the empire’s hero became a monster—a creature of unspeakable appearance.

* * *

The cursed Leonard searched desperately for ways to break his curse, screaming in frustration as every attempt failed. He sought advice from the world’s most renowned wizards, consulted dragon experts, and even pleaded for assistance from curse practitioners.

Yet, the wizards shook their heads, insisting that a dragon’s magic was beyond the reach of mere mortals. Dragon experts turned his tragedy into tavern gossip, relishing the tale over their drinks. As for the curse practitioners, they were so eager to study the curse on him that Leonard had to deal with them violently, reducing them to pulp with his hands.

He had to break the curse. According to ancient tomes, his death awaited at the end of this curse. But he had things to do in life—things he had to accomplish, no matter what.

Thus, Leonard refused to give up. Barricading himself in his castle, he explored every possible method to lift the curse. Just when every avenue seemed to lead to failure, Tobias, a wizard, arrived with a worn, tattered tome in his hands.

“Your Grace, read this! It contains a method!”

Leonard snatched the book and frantically scanned the contents.

• A dragon’s curse can only be broken through one thing: love.
• Depending on the strength of the curse, the person capable of sharing love with the cursed individual will differ. If the curse is at its most powerful stage, only the one who despises the cursed person can break it.

Leonard wanted to confirm the stage of his curse. However, the book was so old that the paper had deteriorated, rendering the letters unreadable. He turned the page.

“…Ah…”

• Just as love can undo a curse, hatred is immune to its effects.

That was the end of the text. Leonard felt disoriented. He needed more details. He had to know more. But the rest of the book was so charred and damaged that the pages were illegible.

Wizard Tobias offered his advice:
“You must find someone who can see Your Grace’s true form. Only that person can break the curse!”

Following this revelation, Leonard met with every person in his domain, one by one, hoping to find someone who could see him as he truly was. However, no one could. The citizens, who had once praised him with reverence and admiration, screamed in terror and fled at the sight of him. Eventually, Leonard retreated to his castle, isolated from the world.

Meanwhile, the Emperor continued to send invitations, nearly daily, to honor Leonard for slaying the last evil dragon on earth. But Leonard, unwilling to appear before people as the monster he had become, rejected every single invitation.

When the Emperor, having run out of patience, commanded Leonard to attend the capital’s grand ball, Leonard had no choice but to comply. He donned a mask to conceal his grotesque appearance, knowing full well that wearing a mask in the presence of the Emperor and Crown Prince Joseph was a grave breach of etiquette. Inevitably, Leonard was forced to reveal his disfigured face.

“Oh my goodness! What is that?”

The murmur of the crowd quickly turned into chaos. Some screamed, others gasped in shock, and he could even hear retching from somewhere in the distance. The Emperor, visibly distressed, hastily ordered Leonard to put the mask back on. Seeing the panic and horror on the Emperor’s face, Leonard fled the ballroom, unable to endure the humiliation any longer.

And that was when he encountered Valetta.

Valetta Irfman—the only person who could see his true form and the one who hated him.

• Hatred is immune to curses.

At that moment, Leonard understood the meaning of those words. Only Valetta Irfman, who despised him, could break his curse.

But it would require an act of love.

* * *

“Do you… do I really look like my original self to you? My face, as it truly was?”

Valetta let out a bitter laugh, her tone sharp and mocking as she replied,
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. What exactly is your ‘true form’ supposed to be?”

Leonard’s body trembled—not with fear, but with a surge of elation that coursed down his spine. At last, he thought, the key to breaking his curse was within reach. He strode toward Valetta, his voice thick with suppressed excitement.

“Valetta. I need your help.”

He knew full well how shameless his request was. Yet, with the curse gnawing at his heart and time running out, he had no other choice. The curse was no ordinary affliction; it consumed both the body and the mind. First, the physical transformation. Then, the gradual erosion of his sanity, leading to uncontrollable aggression. Finally, death by heart failure—a cruel end to those ensnared by a dragon’s curse.

Leonard could already feel his temper fraying, his personality shifting. If he didn’t act soon, he would lose not only his humanity but also his chance to right the wrongs he had yet to make amends for.

“I need your help,” he repeated, his tone firm despite the desperation underlying his words.

“Me?” Valetta’s expression was blank.

“Yes, you.”

“For what?”

“Help me break the curse. I’ll reward you for it.”

Valetta tilted her head, her confusion deepening. Irmina’s claims and Leonard’s explanation of his supposed curse still made no sense to her. What curse? And why did it seem like she was the only one who could see his “true self”?

“What kind of curse are we talking about?” she asked.

Leonard’s voice softened, almost pleading.
“Valetta, listen carefully. You might not notice anything different, but to everyone else, I appear as a hideous monster.”

Valetta stared at him, her expression hardening. His words seemed absurd, but the sincerity in his tone gave her pause. She recalled what Irmina had said about Leonard being cursed, piecing it together with what he was telling her now. He truly believed he was cursed, that he was grotesque.

Yet Valetta saw no monster. In her eyes, Leonard Carnies was exactly as people had always described—handsome, noble, and untouchable. Her face flushed crimson, anger rising as she considered the possibility that this might be some elaborate scheme to humiliate her.

Was this his way of mocking her? Her irritation flared.

Leonard, seeing her confusion, tried to clarify.
“It seems curses don’t affect you. According to the book, only someone immune to the curse can break it. That’s why I—”

“Leonard Carnies.”

Valetta’s cold voice sliced through his words. Her trembling tone betrayed her inner turmoil despite her effort to remain composed.

“If you’re really cursed, shouldn’t I be happy about it?”

“…What?” Leonard froze, stunned.

“You say you look like a monster? Why a monster, of all things? If I had my way, I’d prefer you cursed to rot away and die slowly.”

Her venomous words struck like a whip, and Leonard’s golden eyes widened. For Valetta, his plea for help was nothing but an infuriating game.

At Valetta’s words, Leonard’s face hardened, his expression freezing as if carved from stone. She, however, continued speaking, unfazed.

“If you’re truly cursed, why should I help you?”

“…You’ve grown cruel in the time we’ve been apart,” he said, his voice low.

“Thanks to you,” she retorted, her lips curling into a bitter, scornful smile—sharp and acrid, like the taste of bile.

“I have no obligation to help you. So don’t bother me with ridiculous requests. And don’t show yourself to me again. I don’t ever want to see you.”

Before Friedrich’s death, Valetta had been a gentle, soft-spoken young woman who would never have uttered such harsh words. But her brother’s death had changed her.

Now, she could spit curses if she wanted, her once-bright eyes darkened and lifeless, struggling against the weight of her despair. Her world had collapsed, and the vibrant spirit that used to define her was no longer there.

Leonard was left speechless by the transformation.

Without another glance at him, Valetta brushed past, climbing into her carriage. All she wanted was to leave, to return home and try to find some measure of peace in sleep.

* * *

Valetta, unable to sleep due to a restless heart, went downstairs for a late breakfast with a tired expression. Already seated in the dining room were her aunt and uncle, the Count and Countess of Dampierre, along with Irmina.

“Do you have any idea what time it is? And you’re just getting up now?”
Her aunt, the Countess of Dampierre, chided her.

“Apologies, I was so exhausted yesterday…”

“Exhausted, indeed. I heard you ran into the Duke of Carnies? Staring directly at that face—no wonder you’d feel drained,” her uncle, the Count of Dampierre, said, shaking his head while stabbing his fork into his food.

Unusually, Irmina didn’t interject but simply nodded in agreement. Valetta’s brow furrowed as she asked,

“Does he… really look like a monster?”

“What are you saying? Yesterday, when I went to fetch you because of the carriage situation, I saw you chatting with the Duke of Carnies. Honestly, I thought your nerves must be made of steel,” her uncle remarked.

What on earth was this about? Could he truly be cursed?

“Did you see his skin? How could it look so horrifying? It must be because he was covered in foul blood when he slew the evil dragon. Isn’t that right, Mother?” Irmina chimed in.

“Of course. Honestly, the mere thought that I once considered such an impious man a potential husband for you sends shivers down my spine,” the Countess replied.

“It’s fine. For me…” Irmina glanced briefly at Valetta, seated across from her.

“I have Erik,” Irmina said, her lips curling into a faint smile. The previous day, she had spent quite some time conversing with Erik Ligius. He was kind, charming, and had a suitable sense of humor—not to mention his handsome features and impressive background. Undoubtedly, he was the perfect match.

While Irmina basked in her silent triumph, Valetta, oblivious to her smugness, pressed further,
“How…? How did he look? Tell me in detail.”

“Is there something wrong with your eyes?” Irmina pulled a face as she described what she had seen the day before.

“His skin was covered in scales, like a snake’s. His eyes were slanted, and his voice hissed—it was exactly like a monster’s. No, he is a monster. Maybe he’s been one all along and only now shed his human disguise!”

Valetta felt unsettled. Was he truly cursed? She thought she’d feel nothing but joy at his misfortune, but the reality wasn’t so simple. To be honest, her feelings were complicated. While part of her wanted him to live well, given how Friedrich had risked his life for him, the memory of her deceased brother filled her with bitterness and hateful words.

As Valetta wrestled with her confusion, two errand boys arrived at the Count’s estate.

“Count! A letter has arrived!”

“It must be from Erik!”

An overjoyed Irmina sprang up and snatched the letter from the servant’s hands.

“Wait, that’s—!”

Despite the servant’s attempt to stop her, Irmina checked the letter, and her face instantly twisted.

Sender: Leonard Carnies
Recipient: Valetta Irfman

Irmina’s lips curled in displeasure. She grabbed the rest of the letters and inspected them as well. One was addressed to the Count of Dampierre and another to Valetta, both sent by the Marquis of Ligius. Lastly, there was one sent by Duke Leonard Carnies to Valetta.

While Valetta was distracted by Leonard’s letter, Irmina seized the opportunity to secretly tear open her letter. Her expression soon contorted with rage—it was a love letter from Erik Ligius to Valetta.

With a hardened face, Irmina approached her father, the Count of Dampierre. She was dying of curiosity about the contents of the letter Erik had sent to her father.

“Father, what does it say?”

“Oh, Irmina…”

The Count sighed deeply. Meanwhile, Valetta crumpled Leonard’s letter and threw it to the ground. The letter was essentially an extension of what he had said the previous day—detailing how he had been cursed, why the curse didn’t affect Valetta, and finally, pleading for her help.

Valetta was furious at his request.

“Valetta! What kind of behavior is that?”

Her aunt, the Countess of Dampierre, scolded her sharply.

Valetta’s eyes burned with anger. “Are you telling me to entertain a request from the man who killed Friedrich? This is an insult to me!”

“He’s a duke! No matter how angry you are, you should respond appropriately and with decorum!”

“He’s not just a duke; he’s the man who caused Friedrich’s death! Friedrich died because of him!”

While Valetta and her aunt argued, Irmina pressed her father again.

“Father, what’s in the letter? Why won’t you tell me?”

When her father refused to show her, Irmina leaned over his shoulder and read it herself.

– A request for the marriage of Valetta and Erik.

It was a proposal.

After reading it, Irmina’s face turned beet red, and she glared at Valetta. Her face twisted in fury, and she stormed over to Valetta. Without hesitation, she slapped her hard across the face.

“Ah…”

Valetta stumbled and fell to the floor, clutching her stinging cheek. Shocked, tears welled up in her eyes. While Irmina had always disliked her, this was the first time she had ever hit her. Irmina, trembling with anger, grabbed Valetta by the collar and shook her.

“You worthless parasite! How dare you—how dare you!”

“Irmina! What are you doing? Stop this at once!”

Her aunt tried to pull Irmina away, but the ringing in Valetta’s ears drowned out everything else. Her heartbeat thudded in her ears, and despite being shaken so violently, it all felt unreal.