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A discussion of business matters ensued since then. When Jade heard that Lobelia was thinking of investing in mines as her first business, he was quite surprised. “Either you’re courageous or you’re reckless,” he said, looking at her questionably.

Lobelia quietly raised her glass and drank the wine from it. “If it weren’t for the fact that I could break the curse,” she said, “I wouldn’t have spoken to a reckless businessman like you.”

Jade leaned forward. “Now that you mention it,” he said, his demeanor becoming more serious contrary to the way he had listened to Lobelia’s plan, “My curse, I want you to start treating me tonight.”

“I see,” Lobelia replied, unfazed. She had anticipated Jade’s rush.

“I can call you to my bedroom, right? I’ll tell them I’m spending the night with you.”

At his request, Lobelia nodded, which marked the end of their conversation. The two began to eat the dishes that had gotten cold in silence and left the hall thereafter. When Lobelia returned to her room, she saw the three handmaidens (their names Mary, Hilda, and Adele) waiting for her. They looked surprised when they heard that Lobelia was going to Jade’s bedroom today.

“Tonight…right away?”

Judging from the reactions of the maids, it seemed that it was rare for Jade to invite a woman into his chambers so quickly.

‘Indeed, because you were so favored, you were so proud earlier.’

Lobelia read the thought on their faces and laughed inwardly. She was not going to sleep with the duke, but she didn’t care if the maids misunderstood. Hilda, the representative, stepped forward and said, “I’ll prepare a bath for you.”

The maids, thinking that Jade would be intimate with Lobelia, adorned her with all their might. It was different from when they had dressed her neatly for dinner. She bathed in perfumed water and wore a lightweight, silk nightgown. Thinking that it would soon be disheveled, the maids painstakingly combed and shaped Lobelia’s hair. When preparations were finally complete, Lobelia was ushered into Jade’s bedroom. The handmaidens gave Lobelia a lamp before disappearing into the hall.

Left alone, Lobelia cautiously but firmly knocked on Jade’s door. The door opened, and Jade appeared. He, too, was dressed in loose comfortable clothes. Lobelia dreaded that it might be a little awkward, but fortunately, there was no sign of that.

“Come on in,” Jade said. He was so engrossed by the thought of finally healing the curse that he didn’t even notice the sed*ctive clothes that Lobelia wore.

The door slammed shut, and the air in the room became calm. Lobelia placed her lamp on the table and looked around the room.

“I heard you need to come into my dreams, do you need the sleeping potion this time too?” Jade asked.

“I’m going to use my own magic to enter the Duke’s dreams, so I don’t need the potion,” Lobelia replied, “but I’ll smoke it because it will help you fall asleep.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Jade inquired further.

“Lie down comfortably,” answered Lobelia, “and if I signal you, try to fall asleep.”

Jade stared at Lobelia doubtfully, wondering if it was really enough. His questioning eyes were quite burdensome, but Lobelia nodded nonchalantly. Jade Ferrado’s curse and its solution were detailed in the Original. Upon learning about Jade’s illness and treatment, Aina used it to put an end to his evilness. However, the treatment had begun too late, which inevitably led to Jade’s demise. On second thought, Jade’s death seemed to have been a device for the protagonist’s perfect happy ending. And that protagonist was none other than Aina.

“Alright, let’s get started.”

At the sound of Jade’s voice, Lobelia slipped out of her thoughts and returned to reality. Jade plopped down on the bed, while Lobelia dragged a chair from the table and sat down in front of him, smoking the potion on the bedside table. Soon, a dreamy fragrance filled the room.

Jade looked at Lobelia suspiciously and positioned himself comfortably. As Lobelia took Jade’s hand, his eyes widened. Before he could open his mouth, Lobelia spoke.

“I  need physical contact to get into your dreams,” she explained calmly. Jade looked up at her with an indescribable expression, but eventually closed his eyes in surrender.

Lobelia drew a pattern on Jade’s palm with the red dye she had prepared in advance. At this moment, she felt a little nervous. It was the first time she had ever performed witchcraft with her own hands. Now, it was Jade’s turn to fall asleep. The scent grew thicker, and Jade’s breathing became clearer. Lobelia also closed her eyes. In her case, it wasn’t to fall asleep, but to plunge into the darkness and enter Jade’s dreams.

At last, Jade slipped into a deep slumber and his dreams began to appear in Lobelia’s vision, which had been nothing but darkness.