She didn’t intend to do such a childish thing from the beginning. In any case, let’s not push him.

‘I don’t want to push him first and create a clumsy spectacle of me lying on the floor instead.’

Yelena made up her mind and opened her mouth, “Anyway, if not, why should I be afraid to spend time with you?”

“…I’m not going to harm my wife. No matter what the situation is.”

“Yes. That’s what I thought.”

“However, the curse usually has little to do with a person’s will.”

Curse?

Yelena opened and closed her eyes at the unexpected topic.

She needed time to think about what that meant.

Three seconds was enough.

“Are you talking about your rumors? Last time, you told me that wasn’t the reason…”

“It’s not like that.”

Duke Mayhard denied it and faced Yelena, who raised her head.

“I’ve never lied to you before, wife. I was speaking the truth when I said I didn’t push you away because of my rumors.”

Hearing the plain denial, Yelena didn’t easily withdraw her suspicious gaze.

“…If not, why are you suddenly telling me that? About the curse?”

“It’s just a question.”

“…… ”

“No matter what the truth is, people are reluctant or afraid to get close to me.”

Duke Mayhard spoke in such a casual voice that, for a moment, Yelena wondered if he was talking about someone else.

“Aren’t you scared, wife?”

Her brows narrowed.

Oh, that was why.

‘So that question was meant in ‘that’ manner.’

She snorted straight away.

“I’m not scared.”

“…”

“I’m rather curious about what’s going on in the minds of those who are afraid. Why should I be scared? If I go near you, will the marks on your face be transferred to me?”

She suddenly remembered what her cousin Mielle said.

Yelena snorted again.

She was dumbfounded at the ridiculous thoughts.

“Well, that’s a relief. I’m glad if you understand.”

“A relief?”

“It’s not an infectious disease, however, no cure exists for it just yet.”

“…… ”

“Isn’t that right? At most, it’s just a sort of ‘curse’ with a little stain.”

Yelena was annoyed.

Ah, she ought to have told Mielle this then.

Not just listen stupidly.

Duke Mayhard stared at Yelena, who had clenched her fists in regret of the past, and remained silent.

The moment Yelena raised her eyes, he broke the silence.

“Among all the gardens of the castle, I like the eastern garden the most.”

It was a sudden story.

But Yelena was already aware of it.

“I know. Ben told me.”

Not long after Yelena came to the castle, Ben had mentioned it as he introduced her to the people.

“The master cherishes the gardens very much. Especially the eastern garden.”

Yelena recalled those words.

She was never a person of exceptional memory, but sometimes she remembered certain things quite well.

It was nothing special, but the words she heard would occasionally be strangely memorable for a long time.

“Why do you like the eastern garden the most?”

While the subject was changed, Yelena asked with curiosity.

She was now curious about the eastern garden.

Although it was neat and well-managed, it was the same as any garden in the castle.

To the naked eye, it didn’t look much different from other places.

At that moment, Duke Mayhard spoke, “When I was young, the gardener who managed this place was very negligent.”

“Really?”

“He didn’t do his job properly, so everywhere in the garden, there would be tangles of bushes that reached the height of my waist right now.”

That was about the height of Yelena’s chest.

‘Such bushes were even tangled all over the place.’

It was unimaginable considering the way the garden appeared now.

“The bushes were so dense that a child wouldn’t be found at all if they hid themselves.”

“…”

“So when I was a child, I used to hide in the bushes whenever I wished someone wouldn’t find me.”

Did he want to tell her a story of hide-and-seek?

‘No.’

Yelena immediately denied her opinion.

Instead, it sounded like he would find a bush whenever he really wanted to be alone.

But why the bushes?

Yelena thought it was strange.

Was that really the only place the Duke’s son could be alone without being disturbed by others?

Tangled bushes were rough.