‘Is that a notification explaining that the curse on my body has been activated?’

This is the first time Ernest received a notification before fainting due to the curse he suffered.

The problem was, could that notification have appeared earlier? He hoped so. Ideally speaking, a few hours earlier, when his body condition began to deteriorate, was the best scenario. So he could prevent himself from passing out. 

It’s useless for Ernest to think counterfactually. 

Too late.

Shortly after Ernest read the notification message, his vision started to blur. It was as if someone was pushing the back of his body, causing him to gradually collapse. Miraculously, Ernest’s body fell until it slumped onto Olivia’s lap.

“Injury... back... I entrust... to you.”

That was Ernest’s final message before losing consciousness completely.

Unfortunately, Ernest lost consciousness before he could feel Olivia’s soft thighs.

Feeling ticklish with Ernest’s face buried in her lap, Olivia wanted to push him away immediately. However, she paused for a moment after noticing the red color behind Ernest’s back. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be blood.

‘Oh, right! It seems he mentioned earlier that he had a bleedout.’ Olivia’s doctor instinct kicked in.

Olivia grabbed the first aid box to administer first aid to Ernest.

There was no disgust as she tore open Ernest’s crumpled clothes and checked his back carefully. When she finished cleaning Ernest’s wound, she realized that the wound on Ernest’s back had an unusual shape. One thing was for sure, the injury did not come from an accident or a fight with an ordinary person because Olivia could sense traces of Mana from Ernest’s wound.

After closing the wound on Ernest’s back, Olivia observed Ernest and the woman lying on the stretcher carefully.

While the ambulance was moving, Olivia allowed Ernest’s head to remain on her lap, feeling Ernest’s breath occasionally tickling her.

***

Maybe the Circle of Hope hospital building wasn't a tall skyscraper, but the scent of luxury and modernity was strongly smelled if you went inside.

On the top floor of the Circle of Hope hospital building, there were only a few rooms. Those rooms weren't open to the regular folks. If you wanted to get in, you had to use a special elevator.

In one of the rooms on the top floor, which even VIP patients couldn't access, Olivia was seen sitting in a big and fancy chair, lit up by the faint morning sunlight peeking through thin clouds.

Olivia looked pretty intimidating as she sat there, propping up her chin with a clenched fist. Olivia's eyelids couldn't help but try to close, making it seem like she was glaring at someone. But truth be told, Olivia was just feeling tired and drowsy.

The main character in the room was not Olivia but Juliet. Juliet still lay unconscious, lying on a bed worth hundreds of thousands of dollars like the main character in a sleeping beauty fairy tale. Literally speaking, you might agree with the analogy if you saw how big the bed occupied by Juliet was. Large flower carvings adorned the bed frame, adding to the aristocratic atmosphere emanating from the room.

Some time passed, and Juliet’s beautiful eyebrows twitched. Juliet opened her beautiful eyes calmly. There was no expression of surprise on Juliet’s face at all. Juliet just turned her eyes as if already knowing why she was there. Then she saw Olivia sitting beside her bed.

“Are you awake?”

Although Olivia’s eyes occasionally closed due to drowsiness, when she felt Juliet’s gaze, Olivia’s eyes widened. Olivia didn’t speak softly to Juliet but rather with an angry glare. Unfortunately, as sharp as Olivia’s tone was, it failed to break Juliet’s icy expression.

Shortly after seeing Olivia’s presence, Juliet was sure why she was there.

Previously, when in the car with Ernest, Juliet saw that the person Ernest called was Olivia. Therefore, Juliet never took extreme steps to escape from beginning to end.

Judging from the familiar interior of the room, she guessed that Olivia had been treating her in the special room of the Circle of Hope Hospital.

“So, I’m not dead yet.”

“What kind of remark is that?!”

Olivia almost leaped to grab Juliet’s collar.

Luckily, Olivia’s emotional control was still powerful. She just gritted her teeth, a sign of annoyance.

Unlike Olivia’s fiery reaction, Juliet still exuded a cold demeanor with her expressionless face.

“How long was I unconscious?” Juliet asked.

“Don’t worry. You were only unconscious overnight. But... Is that the question you should be asking me? Aren’t you planning to tell me what happened?”

Seeing Olivia inquire about what had happened, Juliet assumed that the man who helped her had not told Olivia anything. Nevertheless, Juliet had no intention of telling Olivia.

“Hey, are you really going to keep it a secret from your only friend?”

“It’s nothing special. I just handled my personal affairs. You don’t need to know about it. You are indeed my friend, but don’t forget you’re also my employee.”

“... Do you want to use your other identity to silence me?”

Olivia asked incredulously.

However, Juliet’s words were not without reason. There was a reason why Juliet previously thought that the luxurious room full of expensive paintings felt familiar. Actually, this special room was for treating Juliet alone.

Why? Why not! Because Juliet is the owner of this hospital.

“Is this how you want to play, Mr. Red Rose?”

A mocking smile, furrowed brows in anger, and an upright sitting position depicted the complexity of emotions Olivia felt. 

When Olivia refers to Juliet as Mr. Red Rose, Olivia manages to trigger Juliet’s rare emotion.

As Olivia continued to taunt Juliet, Juliet immediately cut off Olivia’s words and said, “I don’t like that name!” Electric sparks seemed to emanate from Juliet’s eyes.

Another nickname for Juliet was Mr. Red Rose. In general, people gave this nickname. Although rumors circulated as such, Juliet consciously knew that the person who spread the name to people was Olivia.

“Why don’t you like it? Isn’t that a good name? Besides, they don’t know who the real Mr. Red Rose is.”

Of course, everyone else except Olivia didn't know that Red Rose was actually Juliet. It shouldn't affect Juliet's life. But every time a recovered patient thanked Mr. Red Rose when questioned by reporters, a cringe that could kill would always be felt by Juliet. 

"I know you're the one who is spreading that name. Stop it!" 

Juliet gave a warning with a face that was already cold and expressionless as usual.

“Oh, so you already know,” Olivia muttered softly. “Okay, okay. If you don’t like it, you can just announce that you are the owner of this hospital.”

“You yourself know that it is very impossible.”

“.... No. I don’t know.”

The tug-of-war between the cold and the talkative person continues.