Beauty and the Beast: Rose Castle 2

“I will leave. After all, brother is the master of this castle.” Before leaving, Ulysses turned back and said with a light laugh, “Oh, I forgot to tell you, a gorgeous woman came today. She seemed to have a good chance of breaking the curse… but unfortunately, I drove her away.”

With that, he laughed and left. I hid in the darkness, peeking out with one eye, expecting the snake to rage and rush out to kill him, but it stayed in the cage without saying a word.

This situation left me confused. Why was this snake different from the legend? Was he really the cold-blooded, cruel, and fickle python from the stories?

As I hesitated about whether to approach, that hoarse voice spoke again: “Peeping tom, leave with your master.”

Oh no, he knows I’m here!

Cold sweat covered my forehead, but I quickly forced myself to calm down. He knew I was here but didn’t kill me. Either he wasn’t as ruthless as the legend said, or he couldn’t kill indiscriminately. Either way, I was safe for now. With this thought, I steadied myself, picked up a candlestick, and carefully approached the cage.

In the darkness, those golden eyes stared coldly at me: “Leave. Don’t make me repeat it.”

No wonder they are brothers; even their threatening tone is identical. I thought, then without hesitation, aimed the candlestick at his face.

He wasn’t a snake—he had hands, feet, and a complete face. The candlelight outlined his features, which were quite beautiful, with a high nose bridge, deep-set eyes, and a sharp, lean jawline. Seeing me shine the light on him, he turned his head and blocked the light with the back of his hand. Black, hard scales covered his hand, which was shocking to see.
After a while, he turned his head back, and sure enough, the sides of his face were also covered with those terrifying black scales.

“Courting death,” he said in a low voice. A gust of cold wind hit me, and before I could drop the candlestick and run, he was already standing in front of me. He was tall and slender, wearing a dark blue double-breasted uniform with a vest and white shirt underneath, the collar and cuffs embroidered with dazzling silver thread. Despite the noble and elegant attire, he exuded a sinister and wild aura.

He grabbed my neck and pressed me heavily against the stone wall: “Don’t think I won’t kill you, Ulysses’ lackey—”

His fingers were as cold and clammy as a cold-blooded animal, and his tone was dark and twisted. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a snake’s tongue flicking in his mouth…

As the air gradually left my nose and mouth, my mind raced, thinking of a way to escape. A few seconds later, I blurted out, “I’m here to save you!”

As soon as I said it, I wished I could bite my tongue off. What a lie. It would have been better not to say anything. But he hesitated, squinting his eyes in half-belief, and loosened his grip, though his heavy upper body still pressed against me: “Proof.”

What proof?

Regretting my lie, I stammered to cover it up: “…You might not believe it, but I often dream of this castle. In my dreams, a voice tells me that if I can save the master of this castle, I will gain untold wealth and supreme status…” At this point, I swallowed hard, showing a greedy expression, afraid he would doubt my words.

A woman shamelessly claims to save him yet is driven by money and status.

He should have been angry, but his expression was very calm: “It’s a pity, there’s nothing here, only a beast clinging to life.”

Perhaps I should have comforted him that he wasn’t a beast, but he indeed had beastly features—half of his body was covered in snake-like scales, his nails curved like those of a beast, and his golden eyes contracted in bright light. I couldn’t deceive myself into thinking he wasn’t a beast, not even the greedy version of me.

I thought for a moment and cautiously said, “Although I haven’t read many books, I know that the biggest difference between beasts and humans is that beasts lack humanity. It’s clear that you have humanity… you are human.”

He glanced at me, gave a cold smile, and said, “Leave.” He turned around and extinguished the candle flame with his fingers, “Before I change my mind.”

The snake, said to be devoid of humanity, was actually a person with independent thoughts. How could I leave after discovering this?

I took a deep breath and boldly said, “I want to stay here!” Until I find a way to save my father.

“Ridiculous,” he said. “You have no idea who you’re talking to.”

What I was about to say next would be the most shameful thing in my life. I steadied my trembling hands, rubbed my flushed cheeks, and walked up to him. Even in the dim light, I could feel his cold and suspicious gaze.

My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would burst. Bracing myself, I took his hand, the clammy and cold touch giving me goosebumps. But for my father, I had to do this: “I really don’t know who you are… I only know that you are the man of my dreams.”

His eyes were like golden ice. It was clear he didn’t believe a word I said.

No, no. A handshake isn’t enough. I need to be more intimate.

Kiss him?

Although his features were beautiful, the dense black scales on his cheeks were terrifying. No girl would want to kiss such a face, none. But I had to go all out.

Under his cold gaze, I stiffly said, “I… I was born for you…” After saying this, I pushed him against the wall and kissed him before he could react.
Fear and shyness surged in my chest when my lips touched his. I didn’t know whether to feel fear or shyness first…

Soon, his reaction diluted my complex emotions. He pushed me away forcefully, covering his mouth with his hand, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks. Yes, I could confirm that the pink on his cheeks was a blush.

He stared at me almost fiercely, like an enraged beast. I took two steps back, thinking he would grab me by the neck and throw me out of the castle. But he did nothing, said nothing, and turned to walk towards the only staircase.

Does this mean… he agreed to let me stay in the castle?

I hesitated for a moment and followed him.

A strange shyness lingered in my heart… This was my first kiss. Lost in thought, he suddenly spoke: “Lambert.”

“Huh?” I was confused.

He said nothing more and continued walking. After a few seconds, I realized that was his name and quickly said, “Rosalind.”

He remained silent.

Wait, “Lambert” means “light,” yet its owner resembles a snake and has long lived in a gloomy, sunless castle.

How ironic. What happened in his past? Why would a witch cast such a vicious curse on him?

Unknowingly, we had reached the castle’s third floor, a “凹”-shaped corridor with various rooms on either side. Despite trying to suppress my curiosity, I was still drawn to the luxurious and spacious rooms. What were these rooms used for before? Did anyone live here? Or does this castle belong solely to him?

He led me to a bedroom. Until then, I had always thought a bedroom was just a room with a bed, but this one had a study, a bathroom, a dressing room, and a terrace with roses and moonflowers.

“You will stay here,” he said, turning to leave.

“Wait…” I called out to him, “Thank you.” This was sincere. After finding a way to save my father, I would do my best to break his curse. Though it seemed unlikely I could ever love him…

“No need. Remember what you said.” He didn’t look back, his voice low and cold. “Save me. Live for me.”