ERTHMB Chapter 58

Dark Red Possession Firsts were precious things. At least, they always were to me.

Something so dear and precious that I dared not let go or forget it. Something branded like an imprint. That’s what firsts meant to me.

Yet to give away something so precious so easily.

Helena opened her mouth to refuse, unable to bear accepting it.

“Then I’m leaving. I’m tired, so don’t come looking for me again.”

But, as always, Gelda was faster.

Even after the sound of the door closing, Helena remained standing there. Only after a long while did she move slightly. She scratched at the groove carved into the dagger’s handle with her fingernail.

Helena. Her own name was carved there as if gouged out with a chisel.

That night, Helena lay in bed clutching the dagger in its sheath to her chest. Her thoughts drifted toward the ceiling she stared at blankly.

‘I still don’t understand.’

How one lives life rather than merely enduring it.

Death frightened her now, but that didn’t mean she had learned why she should live. The passion she harbored felt insufficient for yearning for life.

Among so much intensity, her small flame seemed unable to even warm her feet.

Still, when she closed her eyes like this, and when she opened them again.

She thought it would be alright if tomorrow morning came, and the morning after that.

Continuously, continuously.

****

The next afternoon, two men accompanied Helena. As they entered a slightly narrower path, Sakin on the left asked:

“Is your ankle completely healed now?”

“Everyone was being too overprotective. It’s been fine for a while now.”

Helena stopped briefly. She lifted the hem of her skirt and extended one leg slightly forward. Her ivory-carved ankle was clean without a trace of swelling.

Sakin’s small guilt finally disappeared completely. With the expression of someone who had swallowed a fish bone stuck in their throat, he advised:

“Still, there’s no harm in being careful.”

“Thank you for worrying about me.”

“But who exactly brought you here that day—”

“This way.”

Ian suddenly placed his hand on Helena’s shoulder and pulled her along. This cut off Sakin’s question, making him purse his lips. However, he soon understood the reason and moved closer to the two of them.

Shortly after, a cart loaded with goods appeared from the alley. Among them, cut logs protruded horizontally, so Ian pulled Helena closer to his body.

It was a natural contact like that of long-time lovers, and Helena naturally accepted the intimate touch.

The only one feeling unnatural in this situation was Sakin. He had exactly the face one makes when miscalculating the amount of milk for butter cookies.

“Hmm…miss, even if your husband isn’t by your side…”

“Did I say I was married?”

Sakin’s words were cut off for the second time.

Even though the cart had passed, Helena asked while leaving Ian’s hand still resting on her shoulder.

“Uh, well, um…”

Facing those transparent blue eyes, Sakin instantly became like a chick that had eaten honey. Ian shot him a sharp glare. Until then, he only fumbled with his lips.

Just as Helena began to feel a strange tingling on top of her head, the words continued.

“No, it’s just… I had a feeling… a feeling-like feeling that you might be…?”

Helena’s brow furrowed slightly. She couldn’t tell what that feeling was, but she didn’t particularly like it.

Though it wasn’t really any of her concern either. Still, Helena bothered to correct him.

“I’m divorced.”

“What?”

“I don’t have a husband. I’m divorced.”

After stating this firmly, Helena placed her hand on her chest, bracing for the pain to come. But no matter how long she waited, the stirring sensation never appeared.

Even though she had spoken of her end with him.

Thinking she knew the reason, Helena looked up. She immediately saw the corner of his mouth turned up in satisfaction above his straight jawline.

“Divorce doesn’t seem like something to be so happy about.”

“You’re right, it’s not good news.”

Helena’s brow drew closer together.

“Then why are you smiling?”

“Did I do that? Oh my. I’ve been eating poorly lately, so sometimes the muscles around my mouth don’t listen to me. Besides, I’m grateful.”

“For what?”

“That fool kicked away his good fortune with his own feet.”

“……”

Helena’s lips, which had been about to retort immediately, trembled and closed.

It was the first time. When everyone saw her as some Cinderella who had grasped good fortune, he was the first person to call her good fortune.

When she had always thought that if there was a word made for her, it would undoubtedly be misfortune…

‘Me, good fortune.’

Helena slowly savored those two words. While she remained silent, his hand moved.

Still lingering on her shoulder, it seemed unsatisfied there and began to slowly move downward.

It was a firm and warm touch. Though she didn’t dislike it, Helena removed his hand and strode ahead with large steps.

The two men exchanged brief glances and slowly followed her.

That evening, Sakin and Helena were in charge of cooking.

Everyone except one person enjoyed a satisfying meal. That one person, Ian, had to struggle with lasagna that seemed inexplicably spicy only on his plate.

“I prepared plenty so you wouldn’t eat poorly, so finish it all.”

Helena pushed an unusually large plate toward him again.

Ian forced a smile while suppressing his burning tongue.

“Since you made it for me, of course.”

****

Extinguished cigars piled up beside black shoes. Eugene inwardly sneered and dry-washed his face.

‘Congratulations. You won.’

The woman who had never strayed from his expectations was now not going according to his expectations for even a moment.

The woman who had always lost was beating him at every turn.

Perhaps he had been the one to start a losing love from the beginning. At that thought, Eugene’s wick was burning away moment by moment.

‘It’s all my fault, isn’t it, Helena. But it doesn’t matter. Even if your heart has changed now, it doesn’t matter. I’ll just make it change back.’

Helena Evergale was a woman who didn’t change easily, but Eugene deliberately reassured himself as if it were no big deal.

In the end, she was the one who had chosen him.

She was the one who had fallen helplessly in love first, who had given everything to the relationship called marriage. It was all her.

So she should have been a woman who fell in love as he manipulated her. She should have remained such an innocent woman. He wished she would be a foolish woman who knew nothing of the world and hadn’t run out of his arms.

It was a crude wish, but if it was a wish that could be fulfilled with just that much, he could show his depths to any extent.

He took one last deep drag and roughly stubbed it out in the ashtray. Soon after, the sound of footsteps from the alley arrived at its destination without hesitation.

It was an inn where he had finally found through inquiries that a red-haired woman was often seen.

“So you were hiding in a place like this.”

The inn was clean and fairly large. However, it was located in an area somewhat distant from the bustling district where nobles mainly lived.

Helena had abandoned everything that wouldn’t catch the world’s eye to become a noble Grand Duchess. For such a woman to have stayed here seemed somewhat suspicious, but he wasn’t in a position to be picky.

If even a trace of her breath had touched a place, he would thoroughly search even a dirty sewer.

“Welcome… sir.”

The inn owner, who had opened his mouth cheerfully as soon as the bell rang, discovered Eugene’s intimidating presence and shrank his voice.

Eugene immediately described Helena’s appearance and features. The owner showed recognition. A momentary ecstasy arose in Eugene’s eyes.

‘Finally.’

Finally, I’ve caught your tail.

Eugene barely opened his parched vocal cords and urged him on. Sensing something ominous, the owner carefully searched his memory.

“That young lady… if it’s her, she seemed to be visiting Futuo for the first time, going around the village without missing a day, and always returning by evening.”

“When did she check out?”

“About… two weeks ago, I think.”

A hollow breath escaped through Eugene’s teeth.

The timing was exquisite. As if she knew of his arrival, she had left Futuo as soon as he had set foot there.

‘Are you trying to run away from me?’

His teeth ground together audibly. Seeing his neatly pressed uniform and mistaking Eugene for a sherrif, the owner asked cautiously:

“But what brings you to look for her… did she steal something? I thought they were an honest couple…”

“Couple?”

His energy became even sharper at that single word. The owner hesitantly continued:

“I remember she was always with her husband. He was so worried about something that he kept her completely wrapped up. And for good reason—the woman looked quite ill at first. She had so little vitality that I wondered if my hand would pass right through her if I touched her.”

‘I’m her husband, so who the hell is she going around with.’

Now Eugene’s jaw was so tense with gritted teeth that veins stood out prominently.

The owner, lost in recollecting events from several weeks ago and not looking at him, began rummaging under the counter.

“He was so devoted I thought he might even bathe her… Oh right, come to think of it, there’s something they left behind. I washed it and forgot to give it to them, so it got left behind.”

‘Bathe her?’

In the owner’s hands as he stood up was a familiar piece of clothing.

It was the dress that remained in his last memory—what Helena had worn when she left Evergale.

With everything now clear, a dizzying vertigo struck.

‘You walked the streets with someone I don’t know, shared time, used the same room.’

And you’ll continue to do so unless I find you.

You’ll live beside someone other than me.

‘How dare you.’

[I’m going to find her myself.]

Suddenly, the voice of the man he had met before came to mind.

The man who had declared with certainty that he would recognize Helena at first sight.

‘Could it be with that man…?’

Thinking that man had gotten ahead of him made Eugene’s insides twist. More than twist—they throbbed with pain.

Just imagining that man’s hands touching her white skin was unbearable. A dark red emotion like nausea swirled. It spread through his bloodstream to his entire body, dominating him.

‘Whether I catch you or not, you were planning to leave from the beginning. To abandon me and go with him.’

Helena was not someone who could be shared with anyone.

She was entirely his. His complete possession.

From the moment she met him, she had chosen to be that way. She shouldn’t have given him such feelings.

A cracking sound came from Eugene’s grip. Without realizing it, he had put so much force that the counter broke.

“Are… are you alright?”

The shop owner cautiously asked, glancing around nervously. Instead of answering, Eugene released his hand and stepped back. Crushed wood fragments fell below.

Like the dark red mass he couldn’t control and had spilled.

Eugene regretted once again.

‘I should have at least given you a chance to turn back, Helena.’

He should have broken her legs and locked her up from the beginning.