The Duke's Cursed Cat
The Bookstore Purchase
A quiet street after school. The sun is setting, and rain drizzles softly
Rick
(thinking)Ugh… my phone’s dead, and it’s raining.
Why did I take the long way home again?
Rick jogged under the awning of an old, dusty bookstore he’d never noticed before.
Its wooden sign swung with a faint creak — “Eden’s Pages.”
Rick
(murmuring)Never seen this place before.
Looks kinda… ancient.
He stepped inside. The smell of old paper and ink filled the air.
Books lined the shelves from floor to ceiling — some glowing faintly, like they were alive.
Rick
(thinking)Okay… creepy but cool.
Let’s see if they have any fantasy novels.
As he wandered, a faint shimmer caught his eye.
On the highest shelf, a thick, dark-blue book seemed to call to him.
Its title was carved in silver letters that twisted as if moving.
Rick
(reading aloud)
“The Duke’s Two Sons.”
Never heard of that one.
He reached for it. The moment his fingers brushed the cover, a tiny spark jumped across his skin.
Rick
(flinching)Ow!
Weird… static?
unimportant person
Bookstore Clerk : (from behind)
That one’s special, boy.
Rick
(turning around)Huh? Oh— sorry, I didn’t mean to damage it or anything.
unimportant person
Clerk : (smiling mysteriously)You didn’t.
That book chooses its reader.
Rick
(frowning)Chooses… its reader?
You mean like a cursed item in an anime?
unimportant person
Clerk : Something like that.
It’s been waiting for someone to finish the story
Rick
(raising an eyebrow)Finish it? Isn’t it already complete?
unimportant person
Clerk : You’ll find out when you start reading.
But be warned — once you open it, you can’t stop until the very end.
Rick
(half-joking)That’s fine.
Maybe it’ll finally cure my boredom.
He paid for the book, tucking it into his bag.
The cover seemed warm to the touch, like it was pulsing with life.
Rick
(thinking as he leaves)Weirdest bookstore ever.
Still… this book feels different somehow.
“The Duke’s Two Sons,” huh?
Guess I’ll read a few pages tonight.
Outside, thunder rumbled across the sky.
The bookstore lights flickered — and for a second, the silver letters on the book’s cover shimmered again…
as if smiling
The Reading Begins
Rick’s bedroom – night. The rain still patters softly outside
Rick dropped his backpack beside the bed and fell face-first onto the sheets.
The mysterious blue book, The Duke’s Two Sons, rested on his pillow like it had been waiting.
Rick
(thinking)Alright, creepy bookstore, weird spark, mysterious book...
If I grow cat ears tomorrow, I’m suing someone.
He sat up and ran his fingers along the silver title again.
The letters shimmered faintly — almost alive.
Rick
(murmuring)“The Duke’s Two Sons.”
Sounds like one of those sad fantasy dramas where everyone dies.
...Well, guess I’ll find out.
He opened the book.
A faint scent of ink and rain filled the room.
And on the first page, a single line was written
> “To the one who dares to read — may your heart not break before the final page.”
Rick
(frowning)That’s... dramatic.
Okay, author, let’s see what you’ve got
He turned the page — and the story began
> Long ago, before the rise of the modern world, the Empire was divided into three ranks: Alphas, Betas, and Omegas.
Each lived in balance — until the birth of the Enigma race.
Rick
(thinking)Enigma? Never heard of that one before.
> The Enigmas were born neither Alpha nor Omega, yet held the strength of both. They were unpredictable, their pheromones unstable, their emotions dangerous.
They could heal — or destroy — with a single heartbeat.
Rick
(reading faster)Okay... that’s kinda cool.
A race too powerful for society to handle — that’s classic fantasy setup.
> The Empire, fearful of what it could not control, hunted them to extinction.
Yet rumors whispered of one Enigma child who survived.
A boy born to House D’Avier, the family of the Duke.
Rick
(raising an eyebrow)So that’s the “Duke’s Two Sons” part.
One normal… and one cursed.
He flipped another page, the excitement bubbling in his chest.
> The first son, Adrian D’Avier — a golden Alpha, blessed by the Empire, destined to inherit everything.
The second son… Leo D’Avier.
Born under a blood moon, silent and pale, his eyes silver as frost.
His existence was a secret the Duke could not afford to reveal
Rick
(softly)So they lied about him…
Told the world he was an Omega to hide the truth.
> The servants feared him.
His mother refused to touch him.
The only warmth he ever knew was from the stray cat that wandered near his window at night
Rick
(smiling faintly)Ah, poor kid.
If this was my story, I’d adopt him myself
The deeper he read, the quieter his room seemed to become.
The ticking clock, the rain outside — everything faded, replaced by the vivid world inside the pages.
> Despite the neglect, Leo was brilliant. Quiet. Observant.
He spent his childhood hidden in the library, reading about freedom, love, and the outside world.
He dreamed of one day proving that Enigmas weren’t monsters
Rick
(thinking, eyes soft)He’s… not what I expected.
He’s kind. Lonely.
More human than everyone else around him
Rick leaned closer, his eyes glued to the glowing lines of text.
> But the world feared what it could not understand.
And Leo D’Avier, the cursed second son, was destined to live in the shadows.
Rick
(whispering)Destined, huh?
I don’t buy that.
Every “cursed” character deserves a happy ending.
He yawned and closed the book halfway through the next page, heart oddly heavy.
Rick
(thinking)It’s late… but I can’t stop thinking about that kid.
What happens to him?
Does he ever find someone who actually cares?
He turned one more page — and felt the faintest pulse beneath his fingertips.
The words seemed to shimmer, rearranging slightly… as if waiting for him to continue.
Rick
(smiling sleepily)Alright, Leo.
Tomorrow, I’ll finish your story.
Let’s hope it doesn’t break my heart.
The Tragic Ending
Rick’s room – morning light filters through the curtains
Rick barely slept.
All night, images of the silver-eyed boy haunted his thoughts — the loneliness, the quiet strength, the way the world feared him for simply existing.
Rick
(thinking)Just one more chapter.
I have to know how Leo’s story ends.
He grabbed the book from his desk, flipped it open, and continued reading.
The ink shimmered faintly — the words alive, waiting for him to return.
> Years passed. The world still called Leo D’Avier the cursed son.
But now he was twenty-one — tall, graceful, calm. The whisper of a smile still lived somewhere behind his cold eyes.
And beside him stood his fiancée, Lady Serene Valcrest.
Rick
(thinking)So he actually got engaged?
Finally, something good.
> She was bright and gentle — a noble’s daughter with eyes that shone when she looked at him.
While others avoided him, she stayed.
When he doubted himself, she took his hand and whispered, “You’re not a monster, Leo. You’re just... you.”
Rick
(softly)She sounds like an angel.
Maybe this’ll finally be a happy ending.
> The Duke had opposed the engagement at first — but Serene insisted.
“I love him,” she said. “Not his title. Not his blood. Him.”
The wedding day arrived, and for the first time in his life... Leo dared to hope.
Rick smiled faintly as he read — heart warming for the first time since he’d opened the book.
> The grand cathedral bells rang. Flowers lined the marble path. Guests whispered — some in awe, some in disgust.
Leo waited at the altar, dressed in black and silver. His hands trembled slightly as he looked toward the door.
Rick
(whispering)You’ve got this, Leo. You deserve this.
> Then the doors opened.
Serene walked in — radiant in white silk.
Her eyes met Leo’s… and for a moment, everything stopped.
He smiled softly. “You came.”
> But then her gaze shifted.
She looked past him — to his older brother, Adrian, standing among the guests.
And she said, clear enough for all to hear:
“I can’t do this.”
Rick
(frowning)Wait— what?
> Leo froze.
“Serene?” he said, voice barely a whisper.
She turned, tears on her cheeks — but not from sorrow.
“I’m sorry, Leo. I can’t marry you. I love Adrian.”
Rick
(gripping the book)
No. No, don’t—
> The crowd gasped. The Duke’s face turned to stone. Adrian didn’t deny it — he simply walked forward and took her hand.
“It’s true,” Adrian said. “Serene will be my wife.”
Rick
(furious)His own brother…?!
> Leo’s world shattered. The light in his eyes dimmed, replaced by something hollow.
He took a step back, trembling.
“You said you loved me,” he whispered.
“I did,” she said softly. “But I can’t live my life with a curse.”
Rick
(voice low)She used him.
> Laughter echoed among the nobles. “An Enigma dreaming of marriage? How absurd!”
Adrian turned to Leo, sneering.
“You should’ve known, little brother. Monsters don’t get happy endings.”
Rick
(angrily)I swear I’ll punch this guy—
> Something in Leo broke.
The air around him trembled. Silver light began to ripple from his skin.
The cathedral windows cracked — one by one — as his hidden power awoke.
Rick
(whispering)Leo… calm down…
> “Stop!” Serene screamed.
Guards drew their swords. The Duke shouted, “Restrain him!”
Leo clutched his chest, his power spiraling out of control — fear and grief twisting into chaos.
> “I never wanted this,” he said.
“I only wanted to be loved.”
Rick
(shaking)This isn’t fair…
> A guard’s sword pierced through the silver light.
Leo’s eyes widened as blood stained his suit.
He fell forward, toward the woman he once loved — reaching for her one last time.
> “Serene…” he whispered.
“Don’t cry.”
> But she didn’t.
She turned away as he hit the marble floor, the light fading from his eyes.
The cathedral fell silent.
And in that silence — the Enigma race died again.
Rick slammed the book shut, tears sliding down his face.
Rick
(furious)That’s it?!
He dies just like that?!
After everything?!
His hands trembled.
He’d read tragedies before, but never one that hurt like this.
Rick
(voice breaking)Leo deserved love.
He deserved happiness — not this betrayal!
The book pulsed faintly, almost like it could feel his anger.
But Rick didn’t notice.
He wiped his eyes and glared at the silver title.
Rick
(through gritted teeth)Whoever wrote this…
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