77 – damn curse

It’s been a week since the sticky calm came. I thought the sudden, heterogeneous tranquility was a temporary phenomenon, but it wasn’t. The serenity did not disappear, but rather thickened.

but i don’t like it

At first I felt anxious and repulsive, but as the calm deepened, they faded.

As the feelings of insecurity and rejection faded, the benefits of serenity began to show.

Thanks to the serenity, I can concentrate well on whatever I do, and I can handle everything faster than before.

Thanks to that, I can shoulder more of her burden, and her burden is reduced.

The amount of time I could spend with her also increased.

As I spent more time with her, my anxiety and rejection completely disappeared.

Now that the anxiety and rejection are gone, there is no reason to take issue with this tranquility. On the contrary, luck came because it could lighten her burden.

I thought so. I lived a life like no other.

Afternoon tea time on an ordinary day, Rachel participated after a long time.

She sipped her sweet drink and looked at me with a strange expression.

“Brother, it seems that something has changed.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The atmosphere has changed a bit. It’s hard to explain, but should I say that I’ve calmed down? Or should I say it’s dull? Anyway, yes.”

The last words bothered me a little, but the irritation soon went away.

When the intrusiveness disappeared, Iris opened her mouth.

“I don’t agree that it’s dull, but I think it’s calmer.”

“Right? Am I not the only one who feels that way?”

Iris nodded at Rachel’s bold words.

“It is not strange. Aliq is also over 50 years old.”

“That is true. Speaking of age, by the way, how old is your sister?”

“I am 21 years old.”

“Ah, not at my current age. The age of my last birth.”

“I don’t remember.”

Iris’s voice spread coolly.

“Chit, okay. I won’t ask any more. It’s really mean.”

As Rachel was grumbling like that, Iris’ arms vibrated along with a slight light.

She took the crystal ball out of her bosom and placed it on the table.

Then, the figure of an old man wearing a robe appeared in the crystal ball.

“What is it?”

“As instructed by the Duke, while investigating the witch’s residence, I found a new location and contacted you.”

“Isn’t that something I have to report to my father?”

“I have reported to the head of the house, so I have contacted you and told you to do so from now on as all matters related to the witch’s dwelling will be entrusted to the head of the house.”

“Hmm, I see. Report.”

Having gone through the succession process for a long time, she replied as if she were used to it.

“We will show you the new space.”

The figure of the old man disappeared from the crystal sphere, and a space with a huge red magic circle was visible.

Then, an indescribable feeling came from deep inside. The feeling was burning hot and dark.

Those feelings were slowly buried in the serenity and disappeared.

When the sudden emotion disappeared, Rachel’s expression looked a little dark after the report.

“Sister, I think we should visit there.”

“It doesn’t matter, but is there something that bothers you?”

“Yes.”

Rachel’s voice sounded a little dark.

“Then go with me. My father delegated it without saying anything, but since I am in charge, I need to check.”

“Then I will go with you.”

I am concerned about Rachel’s dark expression and voice, and her sudden emotions.

“That’s good!”

With those words, Rachel’s dark expression disappeared.

“Then, let’s prepare a little and set off.”

“Yes!”

*———————*

Time passed and we crossed the snowfield and arrived at the witch’s residence.

“I didn’t know you would come back here.”

“I didn’t expect to come back to such an eerie place.”

Their voices dissipated, and the old man we saw in the crystal ball came up to us and bowed.

“Meet the Lord Soga.”

“Take me to the place where I saw you last time.”

After that, we were guided by an old man.

After walking through the maze-like library for a long time, the space I saw through the crystal came out.

The indescribable emotions I felt the other day came flooding back.

It came a little bigger and bolder than last time.

When that feeling was diluted with tranquility, Rachel took out a dagger and brought it to the magic circle. Then, the red light shimmered in the magic circle and permeated the dagger, and the magic circle lost its red color.

Rachel took out a small bottle of blue liquid and sprayed it on the colorless magic circle.

Then, a shrieking scream rang out, which I did not want to hear.

My heart fluttered at the sound, but I quickly calmed down.

“Rachel, what are you doing?”

Rachel didn’t answer Iris’ question. I just looked at the dagger that was tinged with red light.

We watched Rachel like that.

After a while, a drop of red water flowed from the tip of the dagger.

It fell to the floor and flowed in front of me as if pointing at me.

A sigh escaped Rachel’s mouth. And a dark voice came out of her mouth.

“Brother, I think you are cursed.”

“what…”

“What do you mean by that?”

I tried to express my doubts about Rachel’s words, but Iris’ cool voice cut off.

Rachel didn’t answer her words right away, but came in front of me and reached for the red water that fell on the floor.

Red water formed circles on her fingers.

“This is the catalyst for this magic circle. After using the Blessing of Pursuit, it turned out to be the brother’s blood.”

She said that and pointed at the magic circle.

“I don’t know the details of this magic circle, but I do know one of the formulas that went into it.”

She pointed to the strange pattern engraved between the magic circles.

“This is a formula that only goes into curse magic.”

“Rachel, it’s no fun. Stop kidding.”

Iris’ cool voice spread again.

“Sister, I’m not kidding…”

“Do not lie! Why did Alik’s blood come out as a catalyst!”

Her voice sounded more like resentment than irritation.

“I understand how you feel, but please listen to me for a moment.”

Even Rachel’s words did not ease her distorted expression. He hugged her from behind.

“Iris. I’m fine, so let’s listen to Rachel.”

She didn’t answer and hung her head.

Seeing her like that, the serenity shook.

It shook but did not disappear.

As I was feeling that way, Rachel looked at me and opened her mouth.

“Brother. Remember when you opened the door and got hurt?”

“Yes, I remember.”

Her words reminded me of a needle sticking out of the door when I stopped by last year and stabbing my hand.

“Probably, the blood that flowed from the wounds received at that time was transmitted to this magic circle, and it was activated as a catalyst.”

“Is that possible?”

“Nothing is impossible. If you think of the owner of this place.”

Her words remind me of the witch’s deeds.

The one who destroyed the kingdom in which he was born and corrupted the apostles. And the one who killed God. That’s the owner of this place, so nothing is impossible.

“Brother, has anything strange happened since then? It doesn’t matter if it’s a small thing.”

In her words, she spoke of recent dreams and a strangely sticky calm.

When I told them all about them, I could feel the trembling from her hugging me.

Then came a sound close to sobs.

“Please… tell me lies. I barely escaped the curse. I was barely happy. Why why! This happened to us…”

Without saying anything to the sobs, I held her in my arms and waited until her heart calmed down.

After a while, her sobs stopped, and a hushed voice came out.

“Alric. Is what you said true?”

“It is true.”

After that, she fell silent again.

I waited for her quietly.

While waiting like that, she slipped out of my arms and looked at me.

Red, wet eyes stare straight at me.

“Alik, you seem to be under the same curse as me.”

The tranquility was clouded by her subdued words, and the blurred emotions began to rise.

Along with those emotions, now forgotten pains pass by.

The pain I suffered because of the damn curse.

The pain passed through me so clearly that I said something stupid.

“What do you mean?”

That sounds really stupid. I already guessed from her reaction, even though I heard the answer from her mouth… I wanted to deny it. I wanted to turn a blind eye.

I said that because I wanted to deny that the curse that had eaten away the lives of me, her, and the children had returned. Even though I know it’s a meaningless action.

“The things you said… are the things I’ve been through.”

The meaningless actions and the desire to deny were denied. It’s broken.

The serenity that seemed unlikely to disappear was torn away.

Despair took its place.

“That serenity will gradually grow, diluting and swallowing all emotions. Just like I did.”

The darkness in her voice was clearly visible.

it pierced my heart And a dream came to mind.

She is crying with a strangely calm heart.

It came to my mind clearly, and I dug my heart again and hacked it to pieces.

When my heart was being torn apart by a dream that might be the future, she took my breath away.

Breath was taken away, and thick, hot breath was transmitted.

It clouded the pain, so I relied on it.

The breath that blurred the pain leaves a deep trace and goes away.

And I felt warmth in my hands.

“Since you are cursed this time, it is my turn to lift your curse.”

She speaks calmly, but tears flow from her eyes.

The pain became clearer and warmer at the sight.

“Even if I turn my life around like you did, I will break your curse. So don’t make that face.”

She said that, but her face was thick with sadness.

It hurts.

It hurts, but I forcibly swallowed the pain and tried to hide it. But it doesn’t work. It’s just hiding the expression, but it’s so hard.

I couldn’t hide it, so I buried my face in her arms, and I felt her touch.

That’s how I covered the pain with her warmth and raised my head.

When I looked up, her hand pulled me in and took my breath away.

Warmth and breath entangled and fell away.

Her still wet eyes look at me.

“Alik, I love you. Even if you say your feelings disappear, even if you hurt me. I will love you forever. I will love you as you did.”

Her voice is getting wetter.

“So please wait a bit.”

“I will.”

Stupid me, I said the same thing every time, and hugged her.

Feeling her warmth, I grabbed hold of the emotions that were about to disappear.

And I prayed that she would not be as sick and tired as I was then.