The chimera’s tears, which alleviated the pain caused by the curse, were jewels made from their hardened bodily fluids. So it was not an unreasonable assumption that the curse might be lifted if she was directly touched by the chimeras producing such jewels.
‘I might be able to break my curse if I approach that man.’
Since she returned to the past, the man wouldn’t know her yet. She had never been caught breaking into the Black Fang Guild yet, so it was not impossible to form a relationship with a member of that guild, pretending it was a coincidence.
It would have been impossible for the twenty-two-year-old Christine, but she now had memories of her previous life. She knew everything that happened until she was twenty-nine years old, and it was possible to make use of all the events that would unfold in the future.
If things went well… Wouldn’t both her mother and she be able to break the curse and live freely in this newly started life?
If the situation allowed, she might even be able to take revenge on Duff, who had been extorting them using their lives as an excuse.
In her second life, the hope she longed for until the moment she stopped breathing was with her from the beginning.
Christine believed in her newfound hope and was willing to take action for it.
And in order to do so, she knew the first step she had to take.
***
First, Christine headed to the western village where the hideout of the Golden Horseshoe Guild was located. She did not forget to evade those who tried to follow her.
‘I could easily stop a chase like this even when I was twenty-two years old.’
She had the best skills in the guild. Even if all the money she had earned using her skills was being spent on her mother’s care and guild fees, that didn’t change the fact.
When Christine reached the western village, she held back the urge to run to the hideout to see her mother and walked from the town square to the largest restaurant.
At the same time, she began to organize her thoughts about how to move forward.
‘When I was twenty-two years old… My mother was still healthy enough to take a walk around the village. I was able to survive for about a month without the Chimera’s Tear.’
By the time she was twenty-nine, her condition had deteriorated so much that she had to ease her pain by borrowing Duff’s necklace once a fortnight. As the cycles got longer, the pain became so severe that it made daily life impossible.
But at this point in time, the interval was about a month.
This meant that Christine could leave the guild for a month and put into action a plan to change her future. As long as she could come up with a reason for Duff to let her go during that time.
And Christine knew who could help her avoid Duff’s gaze.
She immediately headed to a large restaurant named ‘Allen’s Table’. It was a very old-fashioned space with expensive chandeliers and candlesticks placed everywhere and the rich aroma of butter and steak permeating the air.
If it were evening, rich people would have been filling this space, but it was still morning, so most of the diners were having a simple meal.
She followed the waiter to where she had been guided and asked, “Is Mr. Allen here by any chance?”
“Mr. Allen is busy making something in the kitchen right now.”
It seemed that she would have to wait a little.
Christine decided to wait outside because the money she had spent on breakfast was the last she had, so she couldn’t afford to buy anything.
“Then I’ll take a look around and come back later. Please let him know.”
“Why don’t you come inside and have a cup of tea? Mr. Allen said to give anything to Miss Christine.”
“It’s all right. I’m not hungry right now.”
Christine was so hungry that she felt sick after walking from the inn to the village, but she didn’t show it. She had come to ask him a big favor, so she didn’t want one more reason to be indebted to him.
As an elite guild member, hiding her expression was a piece of cake. Christine smiled softly and the waiter’s cheeks turned red.
“I u-understand. Then, I will let him know.”
As the waiter hesitatingly stepped back, Christine walked towards the entrance of the restaurant. If she waited a little while nearby, Uncle Allen, her benefactor and owner of this restaurant, would show up to help her.
He, who was also a friend of his deceased father and mother, had once said to Christine, “Christine, if you need my help, please tell me. I promised your deceased father that I would take care of his daughter and his wife.”
But the mother and daughter could not get his help.
Duff had no intention of letting the two go even if he received billions of gold coins.
In this situation, asking for help from Uncle Allen was no different from asking for endless money.
However, things were different now that she knew how she might be able to break her curse.
‘It’s about time Uncle Allen showed up.’
However, there was someone who appeared before the one she had been waiting for.
“Look who we have here. I’m meeting all of our guild’s elites here.”
“…”
“You didn’t report to me even after finishing your request, so I thought you had run away and abandoned your mother, who is nothing but a burden. Shall we sit together for a moment?”
The man who exploited Christine and her mother in a past life until they were on the verge of death.
Duff Goldman, the master of the Golden Horseshoe Guild.
YOU ARE READING
Beast in the Woods, Deep in the Night
Romance{ +18} Christine was an elite member of a guild who had excellent commissioning skills, but she couldn't break the curse that caused abnormalities in her body. She suffered her whole life and was only exploited by the guild she worked for. She infi...
