* * *

When I glanced in the mirror, two vividly red marks were etched on my neck.

No matter how you looked at it, they were obviously man-made.

Claiming they were bug bites would be a stretch.

Staring at those strangely suggestive marks, I felt a sudden surge of unease—or maybe it was fear—pounding in my chest.

Covering my mouth with a hand, I sighed heavily.

‘Baek Yigang, why are you suddenly acting out? What button got pushed to make you go from all-ages-appropriate to… this?’

“…Let’s start by changing out of this dress.”

Standing around in this utterly mismatched wedding dress wasn’t just humiliating—it was downright mortifying.

After letting out a deep, frustrated breath, I quickly swapped back into my regular clothes.

Then, slowly, I stepped out from behind the curtain.

Baek Yigang, who was lounging on the sofa with his eyes closed, seemed to sense my presence and opened his eyes.

With a faint, hazy smile, he extended a hand toward me.

“Cheong Dowoon, come here.”

Lately, he’s been calling me like that on a whim.

Does he think I’m some kind of pet?

Like I’ll just trot over whenever he says so?

…But if I don’t go, he might try to bite me again.

Suppressing my irritation as best as I could, I reluctantly approached him.

When I stopped in front of him, he looked up at me with an unusually gentle gaze, something rarely seen from him.

“How’s the dress? Do you like it?”

‘Like it? Are you serious? How could I possibly like a dress I had no say in choosing?!’

…But, of course, I couldn’t say that out loud. I bit my tongue.

“You seem to like it more than I do.”

“Really?”

The light in his violet eyes shifted into something unreadable, and I had a bad feeling about it.

Something was off—ominously so.

Alright, let’s just play along for now. I had no intention of getting on his bad side again.

But before I could even finish my thought, Baek Yigang spoke again.

“If you don’t like it, we can have another one made.”

The sheer audacity of the statement left me momentarily speechless.

Another one?

The engagement ceremony is tomorrow!

If we did that, Rata would probably curse me every night for the rest of my life.

Actually, if cursing me was all that happened, I’d be lucky.

I’d likely be banned from even passing by the tailoring shop.

Yet Baek Yigang, completely unbothered, gave me an indulgent smile and told me to speak up if I wanted something else.

‘If this isn’t tyranny, then what is?!’

“No, this one’s fine.”

“You don’t look particularly convinced.”

It wasn’t until his oddly teasing response that I realized: this wretched manipulator was fishing for a very specific answer.

I didn’t want to give it to him—every fiber of my being screamed against it—but I knew exactly what he wanted to hear.

And that knowledge was just so, so depressing.

In the end, my opinion didn’t matter to Baek Yigang.

‘Damn it, this is gaslighting! In Korea, this is a crime!’

“…The dress is beautiful. I like it.”

‘Like hell I do.’

My robotic response was the complete opposite of my true feelings, but it seemed to satisfy him.

His lips curved into a pleased smile.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Really, just when you think he’s finally mellowed out, he pulls something like this.

It’s almost impressive how reliably people don’t change.

After much fuss and frustration, the fitting was finally over.

Naturally, we headed toward the Imperial Palace.

Apparently, when I mentioned going to the tailor’s to try on a wedding dress, Baek Yigang had dropped everything and rushed over, leaving his secretary, Philip, on the verge of tears.

‘This whole mess isn’t really my fault, but… I still feel a bit guilty.’

To make it up to poor Philip, who was probably still buried in work, I decided to drop Baek Yigang back at his office before heading to the Imperial Magic Department.

I needed to figure out what kind of spell had been cast on my wedding dress.

Knowing Reggie, it was bound to be something unconventional.

And ideally, I’d get that spell removed—no matter what.

“Baek Yigang, let’s part ways here.”

We’d reached the fork in the palace corridors where one path led to the Imperial Wing and the other to the Imperial Magic Department.

I came to a stop and turned to face him.

“Why?”

“I have some business at the Imperial Magic Department.”

In other words, ‘go do your job and leave me alone.’

I tried to make my intentions clear with a glare as I turned to leave, but Baek Yigang grabbed me.

“I’ll come with you.”

Unfortunately, my glare didn’t seem to register with him—or worse, he understood it perfectly and simply didn’t care.

“You don’t need to come. I’m just asking Reggie something.”

“What?”

He wasn’t going to let this go until I answered, was he?

Fine.

It wasn’t like I had anything to hide.

“Apparently, Reggie cast a spell on my dress. But I can’t figure out what it does, so I’m going to ask him directly.”

Baek Yigang nodded calmly at my explanation and naturally followed me.

Well… I guess it’s fine if he tags along.

When we arrived at the Imperial Magic Department, we left our attendants, Asel and Anna, outside and entered the building.

“Oh, what brings you two here?”

Inside, we ran into Blue. He blinked at us, clearly surprised by our unannounced visit.

Before I could respond, Baek Yigang narrowed his eyes and spoke.

“Am I somewhere I’m not allowed to be?”

‘Why does he have to phrase everything so obnoxiously?’

I nudged Baek Yigang aside and stepped forward with a smile.

“Haha, it’s nothing serious. Reggie supposedly cast some kind of spell on my dress, but I can’t figure out what it is. Do you know anything about it?”

It seemed Reggie wasn’t around, so Blue was my next best option.

The two of them were close, so maybe he’d know something.

Hearing my explanation, Blue seemed to recall something and let out a small sigh, scratching the back of his head with a troubled expression.

“Uh… this is supposed to be a secret, but…”

Blue hesitated, saying Reggie had specifically told him not to reveal anything.

At that moment, Baek Yigang’s sharp gaze shifted toward him.

“I’ll tell you.”

Blue, who had been retreating a moment ago, straightened up instantly under Baek Yigang’s intimidating stare and smiled awkwardly.

‘Hah, bringing Baek Yigang was the right call. With him around, nothing is impossible.’

“The spell Reggie used is probably ‘Can’t Take It Off Alone.’ I’ve only heard about it secondhand, so I’m not sure of the details…”

‘Can’t… what? What kind of ridiculous name is that? I’ve never heard of anything like it!’

“What does that mean?”

“Exactly what it sounds like. You might be able to put the dress on by yourself, but you won’t be able to take it off. Someone else has to help you. Without another person’s touch, it’s impossible.”

Blue added with a sheepish grin that it was one of Reggie’s recent inventions.

I was stunned.

Completely and utterly floored.

‘Reggie, where are you? You lunatic!’

“Why the hell would he make a spell like that—ugh, never mind. Just undo it! Baek—I mean, Hail! Say something!”

Baek Yigang, who had been idly standing by with a bored expression, finally spoke up after I shouted at him in desperation.

“That’s a good spell.”

“I think so too.”

The two men, who had just exchanged a ridiculous conversation, nodded slowly in agreement, locking eyes with each other and completely leaving me out of it.

No, seriously, why am I always surrounded by people who are out of their minds?

At this point, I feel like the crazy one…

“What the hell is so fine about this?!”

Seeing Baek Yigang’s satisfied expression, I was about to confront him, but he turned and walked away without hesitation.

“Let’s head back. It’s not dangerous enough to warrant undoing the spell.”

“What are you talking about? It’s totally dangerous! Super dangerous!”

Baek Yigang was hopeless. He clearly had no intention of listening to me.

If that’s the case, my last hope was Blue.

When I turned my fierce gaze toward Blue, he shrugged helplessly, as if to say he had no choice in the matter.

“This spell can’t be undone unless by the caster. There’s nothing I can do. Oh, but the magic will wear off in three days.”

What? So, if no one helps me in three days, I’m stuck wearing this dress until then?

These insane wizards!

“Good. That works.”

“What works?!”

“Take care, then.”

Just as I felt the deep anger inside me about to burst, Baek Yigang grabbed me without permission and opened the door to the magic bureau.

“Take care, Your Highness!”

“Hey! No! Let go of me! Undo this spell!”

Let me go, you lunatics!

That day, my desperate screams echoed throughout the palace, but the dress spell was never undone.

* * *