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nChapter 62

nAn unexpected horror ran down her spine.

n‘What does that mean?”

nAria couldn’t understand exactly what the Grand Duke was saying.

nHowever, Aria could tell that she had been caught doing something secretly.

n‘Did you know that I’m a Siren?’

nShe bit her lips tightly. Cold sweat seemed to run down her back.

nSabina, Carlin, and Lloyd. These three were the only ones who knew Aria’s secret, but it’s unlikely they would have told Tristan.

nThen how? Did he really hear the song?

n“I heard it most clearly when I was fully embracing the devil’s malice.”

nShe doesn’t know how that’s possible.

nBut if the Grand Duke’s words are true. It meant that he had known she was a Siren from the beginning.

nSuddenly, she remembered what Lloyd had said in her last life.

n“Sing when you need me. Your song can reach anywhere.”

nAnd it really was. When Aria started singing her song, Lloyd appeared in the Imperial Palace. It really felt like he had heard her song.

n‘I thought it was a coincidence.’

nAria thought, maybe it was a mysterious ability, hidden in the devil’s malice.

n‘But why….’

nTristan didn’t ask her, he didn’t interrogate her. He, unlike everyone else, did not seek to exploit her abilities by coveting it. He didn’t even tell the world.

n‘You just didn’t do anything.’

nConsidering the Grand Duke’s circumstances, he must have been more desperate than anyone else.

nShe could only stare at him with his faded gray eyes, where even the embers of hope had been extinguished.

n‘Faded gray eyes.’

nIt is white as if there is a thick fog, and the color is like ashes left behind.

n‘The bored eyes that seem to disappear as if they are momentarily blown away by the wind.’

nTen years later, Lloyd had gray eyes like the current Grand Duke.

nBut now he had a sparkling obsidian. The pupils, purely black that it couldn’t be seen, were alive at every moment.

nIf that’s the case….

n‘The Grand Duke’s eyes must have been originally black.’

nLike the current Lloyd.

n‘Is it contaminated by malice?’

nAria felt certain.

nBefore Lloyd could have eyes like this, she had to unleash the curse completely before that.

nHow long has he been doing that? Tristan smiled and said.

n“It’s funny. What’s the use now…”

nBut Aria did not miss the words he muttered as if passing by.

n‘In fact, it was because he didn’t even expect anything from me.’

nHe was too tired to hold on to such passionate feelings. He looked like Lloyd, who had chosen to go crazy. It was as if she was looking at her past self, imprisoned in the Emperor’s cage.

nAria took out her card.

nMy songs reach anywhere.

nAnywhere.

nBattlefield, slums, brothels.

nAnyone

nOn wild flowers blooming among the bricks, even on the stones on the street that are always bright.

nNo matter how miserable the place, no matter how low it is, even the bottom.

nEven in hell. Even if it’s the devil.

nThe Grand Duke’s eyes darkened for a moment. This time, the contents of the card seemed to be read properly.

nIf there is a darkness that is eating you, give it to me.

nAria came back for that purpose.

nTo accept anything in Lloyd’s darkness. To make him shine again.

nIf Lloyd’s darkness had been passed down from Grand Duke Valentine, Aria was ready to embrace the Grand Duke’s darkness as well.

nI came here for that.

nShe clasped the card into the Grand Duke’s hand. He looked down at it for a moment and then tucked it into his arms so no one could see it.

n“It’s ridiculous.”

nThen he leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes and muttered.

n“What the hell are you going to carry with that small body?”

nThen Aria lowered her head and whispered in his ear secretly.

n“I’ll sing you a lullaby at night.”

nAnd she gently brushed away the disheveled bangs that pierced his eyes.

n***

nThe Grand Duke’s bedroom was incomparably easier to infiltrate than Sabina’s bedroom. No spells or movement scrolls were needed.

nBecause there was not a single knight guarding the front door.

n‘He must be strong enough that he doesn’t even need an escort…’

nEven in the midst of losing power.

nAria sneaked into the room. And she saw Tristan lying quietly on the bed with his eyes closed.

n‘Are you sleeping?’

nHis breathing sounds even. Aria waved her palms in front of the unmoving Grand Duke with closed eyes.

n‘Well, even with insomnia, a few people will fall asleep. Because they can’t stay awake all day.’

nAs he lay down like this with his eyes closed, his unrealistic appearance like a statue stood out again.

n‘His complexion is also seriously bad.’

nShe was swept away in an instant when he opened his mouth, so she didn’t even notice. His skin was rough and bloodless, his lips were bluish and chapped, and there was a pitch black shade under his eyes.

n‘It’s great that you’ve endured so far.’

nAria reached out her hand and gently stroked the Grand Duke’s head as she gently licked her lips.

n“Hush, hush, sleep well, lovely baby.”

nAt that moment, the Grand Duke’s fingertips seemed to tremble for a moment.

n‘…Did I see it wrong?’

nPerhaps he’s cold.

n‘Come to think of it, he’s sleeping without a blanket.’

nAria grunted and pulled the blanket that was under the Grand Duke’s body.

nBut it couldn’t move. She clenched her teeth and pulled it with all her might. Thankfully this time, the blanket fell out.

nAs if the Grand Duke gently lifted his waist.

n‘Are you sleeping or awake?’

nTo say that he was awake, she was confused because there was no movement as if he was dead except for the sound of breathing. Aria once again waved her hand in front of the Grand Duke to make sure he was sleeping.

n‘You are sleeping.’

nThere’s no reason to pretend he was sleeping. She sighed and carefully covered him with the blanket.

n“Hush, hush, sleep well, lovely baby.”

nShe hesitated for a moment where to put her hand, then placed it on his chest.

n‘Pat, pat.’

nA song of sleep.

nIt was a song she could sing very well. It was because there were many times that the nobles had called her to cure their insomnia.

n“The stars, the moon, is full of light, Mother’s hand gently shakes you…”

nAria tilted her head and continued to narrow her brow as she sang.

nStrangely, the more she patted, the more she felt the vibration in her hand touching his chest.

n“Until the sun comes and hits you dazzlingly,

nSleep with an angelic face….”

nIt was then.

nIt seems that the ‘angelic face’ was the problem. As soon as that verse came out, a short laugh burst out as if desperately suppressed.

nThe Grand Duke burst out laughing out loud as if he couldn’t stand it.

n“…..”

nAs expected, he was awake.

n“Don’t laugh.”

n“Aah, right.”

nThe Grand Duke replied with a laugh.

n‘I told you not to laugh.’

nHow much time has passed.

n‘He’s laughing until now?’

nTristan laughed, shaking his shoulders until Aria was tired. And he barely managed to get a laugh.

n“Ha, really. It’s the first time I’ve laughed like this.”

nUntil, he was barely, barely laughing. Aria thought he was laughing so hard that he laughed whenever he said something.

nTristan asked, leaning his upper body towards her.

n“Did my sleeping face look like an angel?”

n“…..”

nNope. It was like a demon king sealed in a labyrinth.

nAria wiped her face. She suddenly felt tired.

n“It only works if you listen seriously.”

nAria made a face as strict as possible.

nThen the person who doesn’t match the seriousness responded with a rebellious smile to her words. The faded gray eyes seemed to glisten with playfulness.

n“My face is as pretty as an angel, so how can I not get up with excitement?”

nOh, get some sleep.

nAria raised one of her hands and covered the Grand Duke’s eyes.

nShe only got one eye covered. So she raised her other hand and covered it.

n“Close your eyes.”

nThe Grand Duke quietly closed his eyes.

nShe squeezed her shoulders and tried to put him back on the bed.

nHe didn’t move, so she struggled and he laid down, as if the effort was imaginary.

n‘It’s a shock, really.’

nIn fact, Aria responded calmly, but she was deeply shocked. It was because she had never seen anyone in her life hold onto their stomach and laughed while listening to her song.

n‘It hurts my pride.’

nEven though she sang it without magical power as much as possible. She sang as softly as possible in case it would stimulate his madness.

n‘I’ll sing it right this time.’

nAria coughed and asked.

n“There are other lullabies too.”

n“Do babies, mothers, the sun, the moon, and the stars appear there too?”

nHow did he know? Not only that, baby birds, foxes, and squirrels also appear.

n“……I will go.”

nAria was stabbed and slowly stepped back, her cheeks blushing.

nSince he’s already burst out laughing once, it seems unreasonable to expect him to listen to her lullabies seriously.

n‘Should I come by the time he begged for sleep so he’ll listen seriously?’

nNo, but most of the lyrics for lullabies are like that.

n“Don’t go. I really felt like I was going to fall asleep just now.”

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