She Dies if You Love Her

”You
e back, Elroy? How is Viscountess Tierney doing? ”

”Worse than I thought… ”

”Huh?! Really?! She has a serious infection?! ”

”No, thats not it. ”

”What do you mean—could it be hypothermia? ”

Elroy allowed his friend to keep guessing Mariettes condition while he sat with his mind wandering.

His brain was still trying to process all the information he had just received. Its all hard to capture and understand. I mean, what did he just hear?

A curse from the late Queen? Frozen heart?

This was the first time Elroy had heard of it.

”W-what do you mean, My Lady? ”

”I mean, like what I said just now. I got a curse from the late Queen. My heart is frozen, thats why you can find my pulse and heartbeat. ”

”Huh? What? So thats to say, you
e actually an undead? ”

”Im not dead yet. My heart just doesn beat. ”

That kind of name is dead, right? thought Elroy confused to himself.

”Hey, Elroy! Answer my question! ” Ferdinand interrupted Elroys reverie. ”If it gets that bad, Her Ladyship will die, right?! ”

Elroys hand automatically hit the back of his friends head. ”Don talk carelessly. Viscountess Tierney not gonna die. When I got there, she was even working. ”

”Huh? ” Ferdinand rubbed his head. ”Then what do you mean by the severe condition earlier? ”

”Just forget it. ”

Ferdinand chuckled angrily, then started to grumble.

The Queens curse… Frozen heart, Elroy was chanting those two things over and over in his head, trying to make sense of the situation.

It wasn polite, but Elroy was curious. Its just that he remembered what Mariette had said when he brought her back earlier.

”Few people know of this curse, Sir Elroy. Im telling you because you helped me. So please keep this matter a secret from everyone. ”

Already being told that, how was Elroy going to find out more?

***

Mariette Tierney was one of the most famous noblewomen in the Lamamont Kingdom. Her tragic life story and the peerage she received at a young age made her famous. Apart from that, Mariette is also famous for her closeness to any man at the age of 22.

Elroy knew Mariette because the fort he guarded was close to Tierneys estate. Theyd also seen each other occasionally at dances or something. But yeah, thats about it. To Elroy, Mariette was just a neighbor he needed to get to know.

At least until he learns the facts about the curse.

”Whats got this young man daydreaming on his snowy day off? ” asked his mother, Lady Gauthier, who suddenly served Elroy tea and a small snack.

Elroy immediately sat up straight. ”You don need to bother bringing it, Mom, ” he said hastily. ”I was just thinking about Viscountess Tierney. ”

Lady Gauthier immediately choked on her tea. Elroy hastily helped his mother calm down.

”Mom, be careful, please! ” like Elroy. ”Wait, Ill get the maids— ”

”No, theres no need, ” interrupted Lady Gauthier. ”Im just surprised because you finally think of a woman. ”

”What? I didn think about it in that direction, ” Elroy said quickly. ”Viscountess Tierney just had an accident and I just happened to be helping her. ”

”Then the seeds of love emerge from it? ” teased Lady Gauthier.

”Mom, its not like that, ” groaned Elroy. He was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say. ”Did you ever think that… there was anything different about Her Ladyship? ”

Lady Gauthier seemed to think for a moment. ”For a young lady, she does look quite formidable. The type that is neither easily offended nor explodes when ridiculed. No, no. I think Viscountess Tierney is a person who doesn care what other people say―and thats what makes her look tough, ” she explained. ”Oh, all of a sudden a boy asks a woman. Mom is so happy. ”

”I told you, Mom, I wasn thinking in that direction, ” sighed Elroy.

”You see, among women, Viscountess Tierney is the woman that many women secretly want to overthrow and men want. ”

”What? I just heard about it. Why is that? ”

”Because Viscountess Tierney is the woman closest to the Palace. Imagine if someone could become her husband, what kind of connections he could get for free. ”

Elroy furrowed his brows. ”Disgusting, ” he commented in disgust.

Lady Gauthier laughed at this. ”The way you comment is exactly how Her Ladyship did when someone at the salon informed her of the fact, ” she said. ”Thats the reason why Her Ladyship hasn married yet. ”

”Because all the men who approach her are not sincere? That… What a pity. ”

”Yes. If Im being honest, I once offered Her Ladyship to get to know you― ”

”Haaah, Mom― ”

”But she refused. You know what she said, which kept me from forcing her to meet you? ” Lady Gauthier let out a long breath. Her expression suddenly turned sad. ”She said she didn deserve to be loved and if anyone loved her, they would die like her parents and uncle. ”