A Fairy Tale Written by a Villain

Chapter 7

The prince, who had returned to the palace, was lying in bed. He was lost in thought. His lips, which would usually smile kindly at anyone, were turned down at the corners. He chewed on a tobacco pipe. “Isabelle Dejar,” he mumbled her name in a low voice. How dare you play me and choose Karl Waschke.

The prince had hated the grand duke from a young age. All the attention was on him instead of me. Even his mother, Empress Gwendolyn, paid more attention to Karl than to him. Even when Karl was put under a terrible curse and forced to roam the seas on a ship, the fact that there were still groups of people following him regardless irritated the prince.

“What are you thinking about?” A woman wearing a thin robe, sitting on top of the prince’s body, tilted her head. Her name was Flute. She was the nimble, illegitimate daughter of Viscount Hamel and had the ability to control small animals by playing a flute. Thanks to that ability, she became the prince’s informant and was also his publicly known lover.

“Don’t ask useless questions, Flute.”

“But you keep ruining the fun. You keep thinking about something else, Your Highness.”

“Then move.” The prince pushed the woman to the side without any hesitation and shook the bell. A servant came into the room cautiously. “I told you to prepare a blonde woman today,” he told the servant.

“But, Ms. Flute...” The servant flushed red and glimpsed at Flute. She, being a natural brunette, had bleached her hair blonde.

“I meant a woman who was a natural blonde, you idiot.” How dare he mock me with a bottle blonde like this?

When the prince pointed the tobacco pipe at Flute with disapproval, she lowered her head sorrowfully. “I’m sorry, Your Highness. I just bleached my hair because you wanted a blonde.”

“I did not want you.” He was already irritated because of the ship party incident. The prince brushed back his hair. “Where is my dear brother?”

“The crown prince has not yet woken up after the accident,” the servant said.

He had invited his younger brother, the crown prince, to a party on a ship. I handed the crown prince over to pirates I paid off. They said that the navy under Waschke came and saved everyone. And afterward, a tsunami surged and I almost died instead.

He wasn’t sure if he should be relieved that the crown prince was in a coma from the poison he used at the party. Sh*t. It’s clear that that Waschke bastard caught wind of my plan and sabotaged it. Although he thought it was strange that Karl Waschke’s ship arrived early on the shores of the Dejar Kingdom, suspicion was all he had to go off on. “I’m going to go and check on my brother.” Then, I’ll hopefully be rid of this bad taste in my mouth. Oh, yes. My dear brother who that damned Waschke bastard saved.

The prince threw on the new shirt that the servant handed him, then smirked. “Flute.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Investigate Princess Isabelle Dejar thoroughly.”

“The... princess?” That princess is blonde. Flute, who was pretending to be pitiful, suddenly sharpened her glare. Although the prince claimed women easily, he had never specifically ordered her to find information about any of them. What kind of woman was she for him to fall so deeply? “Are you interested in her?” she asked.

“Yes. She’s the woman who should have been mine.”

“How come she’s not?”

“That bastard, Karl Waschke, beat me to it.” But it’s not all that bad, he thought. Wouldn’t it be more fun to get back what was taken away?

***

It had been ten days since the marriage contract was signed.

Snow went to the grand duke, who was training his soldiers on the warship. Once the grand duke spotted him, he asked, “Is the princess staying holed up in the tower today as well?”

“Yes, they said that she never goes out.” The princess, who had promised to go on a splurge, hadn’t left her room yet for some reason. She even took her meals there.

The grand duke furrowed his brows. “Is she sick?” She shouldn’t die from starvation before the wedding.

“According to the servants, she eats meals and snacks on time and is in a good mood as well.”

“Any other problems?”

“Well, apparently, she sees things from time to time.”

“‘Things?’”

“She says that she sees a red-haired ghost in the water every once in a while.”

“A ghost in the water?”

“My liege, wouldn’t it be better for you to visit the princess, just once?”

“Well... All that matters is that she stays alive until the wedding.” The grand duke turned his attention to the soldiers training on the deck. She’s going to die on the first night anyway. Whether the princess saw things or not, he concluded that it had nothing to do with him. He thought that it wouldn’t do him any good to care about her.

But Grand Duke Karl Waschke would realize later on that this was a grave miscalculation on his part. A future where he would come and go like a dog at the flick of Isabelle’s hand was just around the corner.

***

“Your Highness, are you not going out today either?” Badelle combed Isabelle’s hair, which was tousled all over the bed.

“Well... I was going to splurge when I get money from the grand duke, but I don’t want to go outside.”

“Is there something making you uncomfortable?”

“The fact that I feel so comfortable is what’s uncomfortable.” Isabelle raised her upper body. When the plates that she left on top of the bedsheets rattled, Badelle quickly moved them to the side. Evidently, she had taken all her meals on the bed every time they were served like it was room service.

“Wow, the view’s amazing,” Isabelle commented. Even a penthouse overlooking New York City wouldn’t be this nice. She could see the mansion’s garden and the sea through the wide window. But if she had to point out one downside to this perfect view... “She’s looking over here again today.” Isabelle noticed Little Mermaid taking glances at the grand duke’s castle.

How could you follow me from the kingdom’s sea to all the way here? It seemed like the Little Mermaid thought that the prince was here. I can’t believe she’s so desperately in love with that man. He doesn’t even seem to have a conscience. The little mermaid’s personality seemed gloomier than before.

“Your Highness, are you seeing the red-haired ghost in the water again?”

“It’s not a ghost but a mermaid, Badelle.”

“There are no mermaids in the real world, Your Highness—only fairy tales.” My goodness, dear princess. Badelle finished combing Isabelle’s hair, pitying her.

We are inside that fairy tale. Isabelle, who could not just bring herself to say this aloud, touched her stinging scalp. “Badelle, if you continue to comb my hair so roughly, all my hair will fall out.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

“You know, you’re good with your hands when it comes to everything else, but you’re always so rough when combing my hair.”

“I’ll keep it in mind,” Badelle mumbled with a dejected voice. Noticing the change in emotion, Isabelle quickly smiled, feeling bad that she may have been too harsh on her one and only companion. But, as if that smile were scarier, Badelle dropped her head even lower.

***

It had been fifteen days since Isabelle came to the grand duke’s residence.

I guess I was more worn out than I thought. She rolled around on the bed. How long had it been since she went outside? She counted with her fingers but soon gave up. She thought that if her days were numbered, she would enjoy her life more diligently than anyone else. Who could’ve known that I would get this lazy? Of course, it was not like she wasn’t doing anything.

“Your Highness, the masseuse is here,” Badelle said.

“Send them in.”

“What should I do with the novel you were reading?”

“This one was quite enjoyable, Badelle. Bring me the next one in the series.” She really liked the steamy plot, although it made no sense. Isabelle handed the book she was reading to Badelle, flipped around, and lay down on her stomach.

Soon, the masseuse’s gentle touch relaxed her entire body, and the scent of oil mixed with flowers wafted around her. Why try so hard to live when I’m going to die soon? The pocket watch had only ticked once the last time she had revived. That was probably a sign that this life is the final one. Would she go to heaven at the end? After experiencing death a few times, Isabelle came to believe in the afterlife. Although she didn’t know whether she would go to heaven or hell, she didn’t care much. This is heaven right here. Isabelle closed her eyes in satisfaction at the masseuse’s touch.

“How does this feel, Your Highness?” the masseuse asked.

“Just right. Please continue.”

“When I first met you, you were so thin, but now you’ve put on some weight.”

I did gain some weight. Isabelle, who only ate and lay on her bed these days, felt a bit guilty and glimpsed at the masseuse. Due to her aura, the masseuse misunderstood Isabelle’s gaze and turned as white as a ghost.

“I-I meant that you look better, Your Highness!” Your waist is still small but the rest of you has... filled out...? That’s why I... Have mercy, please. I didn’t mean to offend you! The masseuse suddenly dropped to the floor and started begging Isabelle to spare her life.

Hey! You have to continue what you were doing! Why are you touching the floor with those precious hands that should be helping out with my blood circulation? The moment Isabelle was going to tell the masseuse to get up quickly, a voice came from outside the room. “Your Highness, His Grace is here.”

Wow, really, what wonderful timing. She was lying down with her upper body fully exposed and covered with a blanket from her waist down. Isabelle quickly looked for her clothes, but they were nowhere to be seen. “Where are my clothes?” Isabelle stared at the masseuse on the ground.

“I-I spilled oil on it a bit before, so it’s in the wa-wash-washing room...” The masseuse, who was particularly nervous today, confessed her mistake. She was waiting for the princess’s new clothes, having left the soiled ones outside without the princess knowing. Never did she expect something like this to happen. “I... I deserve to die, my princess!”

As she burst out into terrified sobs, the door opened. She saw the grand duke and Snow. Isabelle quickly pulled the blanket up to cover her torso. “Your Highness, are you all r—!” Taking in the scene, Snow thought, You are all right. Clearing his throat with narrowed eyes and assessing the situation, Snow turned away. The tips of his ears reddened as if he’d seen more than he should. Following him, all the servants turned around and closed their eyes.

Only Grand Duke Karl Waschke did not stop moving. What’s wrong with him? Isabelle thought. He’s barging in without any hesitation when I’m completely naked! Isabelle hugged the blanket tighter against her body.