The Ring of Bondage - Chapter 2.8

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Serabella climbed straight up the castle tower with a shawl draped over her. Because at times like this, it was the only place she could rely on. A secret library that only women who had inherited the blood of the Tocelli family could enter was hidden at the top of that tower. A place packed full of parchment scrolls so old it was impossible to know when they had been written.

There, Serabella learned dark magic on her own.

Tocelli hadn’t seen a daughter for a long time. Serabella was born just before the lineage of witches in Tocelli was about to be cut off, one day before her great-grandmother drew her last breath.

Having inherited her great-grandmother’s pink hair and golden eyes exactly as they were, Serabella only learned that she had inherited the blood of a witch after entering the hidden library according to her will.

With dark magic she had taught herself without a proper teacher, Serabella brainwashed Damian. Naturally, it wouldn’t have been strange if there had been mistakes. Serabella rummaged through the scrolls with hurried hands.

During the short time it took to find what she wanted, all sorts of thoughts came to her mind. Among them, the most terrible was Damian’s contemptuous gaze after being released from the brainwashing.

She absolutely hated that, even just the thought of it made her vision go dark. Damian had to love her forever. Just as she loved Damian, he too had to be unable to let go of her. Wouldn’t that be fair? Wasn’t it too unfair for her alone to love him and suffer as if her heart were breaking?

After a long while, Serabella unfolded the scroll she had found and bit her lip. Please, please. As she traced the ancient characters with her fingertips, Serabella pleaded inwardly.

Please, let him keep loving me. Let him remain by my side, still broken. Let me not have made a mistake.

And only after reading the same passage over dozens of times did Serabella become certain.

“…I didn’t make a mistake, did I?”

Her dark magic was perfect. She hadn’t added or omitted a single thing. There was nothing shoddy about the spell or the ingredients. Just in case, she also checked whether there was a limit to the number of times the spell could be used, but there was no problem with that either.

If Serabella wished it, if she whispered the spell to him together with the magic circle every day, he had to belong to her forever.

“Was I just being sensitive after all?”

Serabella pulled her shawl close to cover herself and murmured. Until just before she left the basement, Damian hadn’t wanted to let her go. If he were still brainwashed, there was no way he would have held on to her.

Perhaps she had just been too paranoid about how his brainwashing might have come undone… Even though she had confirmed several times that there was no way that could be true, Serabella was still anxious.

If she opened the basement door again, would Damian welcome her then too? Serabella had no confidence at all.

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Serabella went back to the basement. It was still the middle of the day, but she simply couldn’t calmly wait until night. The anxiety filling her head was on the verge of driving Serabella mad.

The spell was perfect. It would be fine. Don’t be so sensitive over tiny changes.

But what if the magic was gradually coming undone solely because her talent and magical power were lacking? What if Damian eventually returned to the gallant and brilliant man he had once been?

Of course Serabella loved Damian in his perfect form too, but it was obvious that once he was whole again, he would despise Serabella. What man would like a witch who had cast dark magic on him?

Her anxiety led Serabella to the basement, but at the same time, it kept her from opening the door. Serabella was afraid of what expression Damian beyond the door would be wearing. He must have already heard the sound of her footsteps coming down the stairs, and he must surely be preparing to greet Serabella.

Only, until she opened the door, Serabella couldn’t know what that preparation would be. Whether it would be a warm embrace and a kiss, or a strong hand choking her neck. What emotion would be held in his eyes. Serabella’s hand, holding the lock, trembled finely.

Even though she knew there would probably be nothing wrong, she was afraid. The thought that Damian might hate her terrified her to the point of madness. Just as Serabella had been hesitating for a long while, a voice she missed came from beyond the door.

“Bella? That’s you, isn’t it? Why aren’t you coming in to see me?”

“D-Damian…”

“I’ve been waiting this whole time. I miss you, Bella. Please come in.”