BLTP 01

In the middle of the night, a loud disturbance broke out.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The alarm bell rang sharply, as if it meant to tear apart the silence of the night, without stopping even for a moment.

“Intruder!”

“There’s an intruder!”

“Everyone assemble!”

The servants of the Marcellla Ducal House, along with the knights and guards, rushed out in perfect order.

Lights quickly turned on all throughout the darkened mansion.

It was bright enough to look like daytime.

Amid all the chaos and noise, only Fiorentia remained calm.

Her gaze moved to an antique desk clock placed on an old mantelpiece.

Two in the morning.

Fiorentia frowned slightly.

“…Ha.”

She let out a long sigh and slowly got up.

“So it really is following the original story.”

She closed her eyes tightly, then opened them slowly.

Between her eyelids, her red eyes were clear—there was not the slightest trace of sleep, as if she had never been asleep to begin with.

She pressed her temple for a moment as if she had a headache, then reached for a shawl and wrapped it around herself.

She hurried toward the door, but stopped just before stepping out.

“Ah.”

Clicking her tongue softly, she turned back to the dressing table.

There, she picked up a white mask that had been neatly placed on top.

She stared at it with tired, annoyed eyes for a moment, then put it on her face as if she were used to it. Only then did she leave the room.

Today was the day the male lead would sneak into her house.

And be captured and imprisoned.

“Just wait. I’ll come save you.”

Fiorentia muttered firmly and quickened her steps.

By the time Fiorentia left the annex and arrived at the main building, everything had already been settled.

The butler and the head maid—loyal servants of Desdemona—were quickly sending the curious servants back inside.

“It seems they’ve already figured out who the intruder is.”

The reason they were desperately removing witnesses was because Desdemona had no intention of letting the intruder go peacefully.

She was cutting off any possible path for rumors to spread.

However, Fiorentia, who had just arrived, did not seem to be included among those who were to be chased away.

The butler and the head maid merely glanced once at the white mask she wore and left her alone.

Thanks to that, Fiorentia was able to watch everything that followed.

She quietly stood at the back, where she would not catch Desdemona’s eye, and held her breath.

“Good thing I’m wearing a mask.”

Otherwise, it would have been obvious that her expression was twisted.

She swallowed a sigh and carefully looked around to grasp the situation.

“That crazy woman. She knows who he is, yet she still plans to imprison him?”

Fiorentia was stunned at the death flag that had just appeared right before her eyes.

Meanwhile, her half-sister and the head of the Marcellla Ducal House, Desdemona Marcellla, looked down at the man kneeling before her and smiled faintly.

“Hmm. I don’t remember sending you an invitation.”

Instead of being angry at the midnight intruder, Desdemona was smiling.

Watching that face, Fiorentia pressed her lips tightly together.

No matter how many times she saw it, she could never get used to Desdemona smiling brightly with her face.

At Desdemona’s feet, a man knelt on the stone floor, both arms bound behind his back.

“Theodore Beringham. The second son of the Beringham Ducal House. What brings you sneaking into Marcellla like a night guest?”

“….”

The man gave no answer.

Fiorentia carefully examined him.

She absolutely could not let Desdemona notice that she was paying attention to him, so she was careful with her gaze.

Her brows soon drew together.

It seemed he had already been beaten. His condition was terrible.

He was covered in dirt, and beneath his torn clothes, fresh wounds could be seen on his skin.

In addition, restraints that suppressed his strength were locked around both his wrists and ankles.

Fiorentia shifted her gaze to her black-haired half-sister standing before him.

“So it wasn’t an exaggeration when the original story said Desdemona was skilled in magic.”

To subdue a male lead with such outstanding combat ability.

But Fiorentia knew, having read the original story, that it was only possible because of his willingness to sacrifice himself.

If he had truly infiltrated the Marcellla estate alone, he would never have been caught.

He was not careless by nature.

Someone who came with him must have intentionally betrayed him, abandoned him here, and caused him to be discovered.

And even in this situation, because of his trust in that “someone,” he was drawing attention to himself and sacrificing his own safety.

“How foolish.”

It wasn’t like anyone would praise him for it.

Fiorentia almost clicked her tongue, but she pressed her lips tightly instead.

While she was thinking that, Desdemona continued questioning him.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

Through his black hair, his blue eyes shone cold and deep, like a frozen ocean.

Desdemona took a deep breath.

“I don’t like that look in your eyes.”

She muttered as if she were displeased and stretched out her hand.

“So very Beringham of you. Standing tall even in this situation. But how long can that last?”

With a small laugh, Desdemona chanted a short spell.

A red energy flowed from her palm and formed a small magic circle in the air.

With a flicking gesture, she sent it flying straight into the left side of the man’s chest.

“Ugh—!”

For the first time, a groan escaped his lips.

The magic circle flew toward where his heart was and began pressing into his skin as if it would burrow inside.

Crack! Sparks flew, and a sharp, burning smell filled the air.

Fiorentia clenched her teeth.

“So it really happens like this.”

It was a slave curse.

A cruel spell created to make someone submit only to her.

Once the magic circle was fully absorbed, Desdemona would be able to tighten the man’s heart whenever she wished.

It was the very first scene in the tragic original story.

But Fiorentia could not stop Desdemona.

If she did, the man would die immediately—and she would not survive either.

“Since it’s come to this… I have no choice. I just have to wait for the right time.”

Meanwhile, the magic circle completely sank into his heart.

Strangely, not a single mark remained on his skin.

After watching the process, Desdemona spoke.

“Throw him into the underground prison. I’ll use him for experiments starting tomorrow.”

“Yes, my lady.”

The butler swallowed nervously and bowed.

“I’ll make sure no one else sees him.”

“Good. As expected of you.”

Click.

With her arms crossed, Desdemona stepped closer to the man.

“This is a top-grade item that’s impossible to obtain. How did you end up in my hands?”

Still in pain, he curled his upper body and breathed heavily.

Desdemona stroked his head as if he were an animal, then lightly scratched his chin.

“Try being obedient. Who knows? I might treat you well.”

At the obvious treatment like a beast, the male lead jerked his body in resistance.

But only the clinking of chains echoed through the air. He couldn’t even touch Desdemona with a finger.

For some reason, his reaction made her laugh brightly.

“You’ve got good spirit.”

Even though he glared at her with eyes devoid of warmth, Desdemona looked thrilled, almost intoxicated.

“What terrible taste.”

Fiorentia desperately held back the urge to click her tongue, biting her lower lip instead.

Meanwhile, Desdemona continued praising him.

“My hair is as ugly as a crow’s, but yours is like polished obsidian.”

At her fingertips, his black hair slipped softly through her fingers.

Watching from up close, Fiorentia still could not get used to this situation.

Seeing Desdemona speak words of admiration and affection with her face felt deeply strange.

“But looking at his face… I can’t say I don’t understand.”

Desdemona was an extreme aesthete, and the man kneeling before her was truly beautiful.

And then—

Crunch!

The man, who had been glaring at Desdemona with burning eyes, suddenly bit down hard the moment her fingers touched his lips.