“‘Maybe? Doesn’t that mean you could get hurt?”
'This is the look that Abel hated.'
When Louis showed this kind of behavior, it meant that he really didn't want to do it, and Abel would always give up his opinion and look for another way.
Actually, she thinks she understands why that stubborn Abel had no choice but to give up and step down.
For some reason, it gave off an aura that seemed like something shouldn't be forced. The darkness tells the power of death to go away.
But what can she do? There really is no other way.
If Simone had been able to find another way as quickly as Abel, she would not have bothered to use this method.
Even though it could be cut down normally, there was a reason why it couldn't be harvested for 300 years.
“Anyway, please.”
Simone had no intention of persuading Louis. Whether it's the Crown Prince or something, he's in a relationship with a clear superior right now, so what?
He has to do it anyway if he receives a request, and even if he doesn't like it, if Simone gets eaten, he will have no choice but to cut it down.
“I can’t leave the client in danger alone, so I will follow, but if it looks dangerous, I will quit immediately. I don’t think my life is a waste.”
“Of course.”
Honestly, Louis was a bit disappointing.
The cursed Grand Duchy of Illeston. Before isolation, it was the family closest to the imperial family that assisted the Emperor.
There is a saying that they cursed themself after daring to use black magic, but something happened recently that made Louis think that might not be the case.
He thought that they had a similar situation as he did. So when the request came in, he accepted it despite the risk.
But was his thinking wrong?
Is the Illeston family really, as rumored, a family that was cursed after killing people and using them as wealth to practice black magic?
'You want to arbitrarily sacrifice these helpless people.'
Louis's grip on the sheath tightened. At that time, Simone's clear voice was heard along with her long sigh.
“Then let’s rest until dinner.”
Louis' pretty face didn't know how to straighten.
Looking at Louis's expression, Anna became restless and spoke timidly.
“Sir Adventurer, do you like the meal?”
“A meal just fills my stomach, what flavor do you need?”
"Yes...”
“I can’t leave the client in danger alone, so I will follow, but if it looks dangerous, I will quit immediately. I don’t think my life is a waste.”
“Of course.”
Honestly, Louis was a bit disappointing.
The cursed Grand Duchy of Illeston. Before isolation, it was the family closest to the imperial family that assisted the Emperor.
There is a saying that they cursed themself after daring to use black magic, but something happened recently that made Louis think that might not be the case.
He thought that they had a similar situation as he did. So when the request came in, he accepted it despite the risk.
But was his thinking wrong?
Is the Illeston family really, as rumored, a family that was cursed after killing people and using them as wealth to practice black magic?
'You want to arbitrarily sacrifice these helpless people.'
Louis's grip on the sheath tightened. At that time, Simone's clear voice was heard along with her long sigh.
“Then let’s rest until dinner.”
***
Louis' pretty face didn't know how to straighten.
Looking at Louis's expression, Anna became restless and spoke timidly.
“Sir Adventurer, do you like the meal?”
“A meal just fills my stomach, what flavor do you need?”
"Yes...”
Anna stepped back. Louis's gaze turned to Anna and then back to Simone, who was eating happily alone in the distance.
“Tell the chef it’s delicious. It’s a level of skill that would be a waste of work in an isolated mansion like this.”
“...Yes!"
Then he continued eating helplessly again.
What does this do?
Louis remembered the moment he first entered the back road of this mansion.
Until then, he was extremely nervous that he would finally discover the secret of this mansion.
However, it had already been eight hours since he entered the mansion, and all he had done so far was listen to the explanation and eat.
The rest of the time was spent looking around the mansion or resting.
"Ha."
Louis sighed once more. His own client was cutting her steak without any tension.
Soon, she must risk her life to lift a 300-year-old curse.
'Isn't it more serious than I thought?'
...In his opinion, just hearing about dealing with that monster tree is an arduous task.
Night will come soon, so can she just relax like this without any preparations?
Can he really trust that woman?
'She doesn't even look like she has much power.'
Everything started to feel untrustworthy.
At first, he thought she was a mage, but there was no trace of research or a single related book in this room.
'What kind of curse are you trying to lift without tension like this?'
However, once you enter, you cannot leave this place on your own.
Above all, he thought that if he were to go away, a woman named Simone would...
'Tonight she will break the family curse. Make sure you cooperate well with her.'
The head of the Illeston family said that and added a word.
'If she can't break the curse, kill her on the spot.'
At first, I thought there was some kind of contract between the Illeston family and Simone.
Because life-threatening contracts are more common than you might think.
After actually meeting, he suspected that Simone was unilaterally falling victim to the Illeston family's black magic.
At first glance, she looked young and didn't seem to have the power to break the curse.
But he doesn't know anything now.
Look at that happy expression while eating meat.
Where did he see that? Is that the face of someone who will risk her life?
“You must be so relaxed because you are properly prepared, right?”
Simone smiled at Louis' words.
"Sure."
What kind of plan is there?
'Tonight she will break the family curse. Make sure you cooperate well with her.'
The head of the Illeston family said that and added a word.
'If she can't break the curse, kill her on the spot.'
At first, I thought there was some kind of contract between the Illeston family and Simone.
Because life-threatening contracts are more common than you might think.
After actually meeting, he suspected that Simone was unilaterally falling victim to the Illeston family's black magic.
At first glance, she looked young and didn't seem to have the power to break the curse.
But he doesn't know anything now.
Look at that happy expression while eating meat.
Where did he see that? Is that the face of someone who will risk her life?
“You must be so relaxed because you are properly prepared, right?”
Simone smiled at Louis' words.
"Sure."
What kind of plan is there?
Just eat it and destroy it.
However, Simone did not tell Louis about this plan.
It seemed like if that poor plan was discovered, that rational and intelligent person would just run away.
Soon night came.
Anna cleaned up the place after Simone finished eating and returned to the dorm early as always.
“Ha, how long...”
Does he have to sit still and spend meaningless time like this?
There wasn't even a conversation between the two. Simone and he did not even look at each other while they were in the same room, as if she would never create a relationship between him and her.
Why is it like that?
However, Simone did not tell Louis about this plan.
It seemed like if that poor plan was discovered, that rational and intelligent person would just run away.
***
Soon night came.
Anna cleaned up the place after Simone finished eating and returned to the dorm early as always.
“Ha, how long...”
Does he have to sit still and spend meaningless time like this?
There wasn't even a conversation between the two. Simone and he did not even look at each other while they were in the same room, as if she would never create a relationship between him and her.
Why is it like that?
Louis couldn't understand Simone's actions.
Louis, who had been looking out the window since Anna left, looked at Simone with a bored expression.
Then he widened his eyes and lifted his hand to rest his chin.
Simone, who had been playing all day, was finally going through the documents.
“Hmm.”
Simone did not respond to Louis' words but checked the documents. What Simone was looking at was the diary of bedtime records of the people in the mansion that Anna had given her.
Looking at a week's worth of sleep records, she can see that everyone fell asleep early as she suggested, except for the first day Simone came and the next day.
And if everyone's bedtime remains the same today, the tree will move within an hour or two.
“Are you moving now?”
Simone shook her head in response to Louis’ question.
“He will be here soon.”
“What’s coming? That monster?”
Louis snorted as he looked at the trees filling the entrance.
“How does it move?”
If something that big could move, there's no way the people in the mansion wouldn't know. But Simone only glanced at Louis. She didn't respond and she just sat back down.
“If you don’t understand, just sit there. Prosecutor, you just have to do your job well, right?”
While they were together, she noticed that Louis wanted to investigate this mansion.
She didn't mind investigating, but asking questions to her was a no-brainer.
Simone looked up from her papers and headed toward the door. Then she locked all the doors, windows, and even the terrace door.
“Please say anything quietly from now on.”
Simone put her index finger to her mouth with a serious expression.
Seeing the serious expression on this person's relaxed expression all day, Louis also became serious and nodded.
"All right."
The atmosphere in the air suddenly changed to the point where he wondered when he had relaxed.
The room is bright with moonlight even without having to light a candle.
‘Oh, again...'
Louis looked at her quietly.
Her light brown hair seemed to have darkened slightly. Is it an illusion that this place is getting dark?
In fact, it was because the dye magic was losing its effectiveness, but Louis couldn't have known that.
Simone stared at the tightly closed door. Louis also saw the door. Then he looked at Simone again.
'Seventeen, even if you give it a lot, would it be around the same age as me?'
This may not be something that Louis, who is on a journey to save the empire at the age of only 19, would say, but Simone is too... Too much to kill someone or deal with monsters...
Louis, who had been looking out the window since Anna left, looked at Simone with a bored expression.
Then he widened his eyes and lifted his hand to rest his chin.
Simone, who had been playing all day, was finally going through the documents.
“Hmm.”
Simone did not respond to Louis' words but checked the documents. What Simone was looking at was the diary of bedtime records of the people in the mansion that Anna had given her.
Looking at a week's worth of sleep records, she can see that everyone fell asleep early as she suggested, except for the first day Simone came and the next day.
And if everyone's bedtime remains the same today, the tree will move within an hour or two.
“Are you moving now?”
Simone shook her head in response to Louis’ question.
“He will be here soon.”
“What’s coming? That monster?”
Louis snorted as he looked at the trees filling the entrance.
“How does it move?”
If something that big could move, there's no way the people in the mansion wouldn't know. But Simone only glanced at Louis. She didn't respond and she just sat back down.
“If you don’t understand, just sit there. Prosecutor, you just have to do your job well, right?”
While they were together, she noticed that Louis wanted to investigate this mansion.
She didn't mind investigating, but asking questions to her was a no-brainer.
Simone looked up from her papers and headed toward the door. Then she locked all the doors, windows, and even the terrace door.
“Please say anything quietly from now on.”
Simone put her index finger to her mouth with a serious expression.
Seeing the serious expression on this person's relaxed expression all day, Louis also became serious and nodded.
"All right."
The atmosphere in the air suddenly changed to the point where he wondered when he had relaxed.
The room is bright with moonlight even without having to light a candle.
‘Oh, again...'
Louis looked at her quietly.
Her light brown hair seemed to have darkened slightly. Is it an illusion that this place is getting dark?
In fact, it was because the dye magic was losing its effectiveness, but Louis couldn't have known that.
Simone stared at the tightly closed door. Louis also saw the door. Then he looked at Simone again.
'Seventeen, even if you give it a lot, would it be around the same age as me?'
This may not be something that Louis, who is on a journey to save the empire at the age of only 19, would say, but Simone is too... Too much to kill someone or deal with monsters...
Knock.
Louis' eyes turned to the door again.
Simone immediately put her finger to her mouth to quiet Louis once again and carefully approached the door.
"Came in."
He can’t believe it came. Did that strange tree really move and come find them?
He brought his hand to his sword and looked out the window. Then he had no choice but to freeze at the sight he saw.
The tree was blocking the entrance. The only thing that was different was that the middle of the huge wooden pillar was wide open as if it had been torn out.
"Be careful. Because it’s fast.”
“Come behind me, Simone.”
Knock.
Simone shook her head at Louis who was trying to protect her.
“Let me get caught.”
“...Are you serious?”
“So would I make a joke in this situation?”
Simone is scared to death, so where can she afford to joke about it?
Simone pointed to the terrace.
“Hold on here, and if it catches me, jump down to the terrace and wait.”
Of course, for an ordinary person, jumping from this high place would be the same as telling him to die, but hey, it's Louis. It will be possible.
Louis pursed his lips and nodded.
“That thing knocking on the door now is going to eat me and head to the red tree at the front door.”
“What is that!”
“If the monster returns to the tree, you will cut down the entire tree along with it.”
“So why does the monster return to the tree-”
Tokttook.
Kwaang!!!!
Rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle!
Louis couldn't speak anymore.
While Louis and Simone are talking, it seems that patience has finally reached its end.
"Damn!"
Louis pulled out his sword.
He ended up looking through the crack in the door. It was looking at this place with murderous red eyes beyond the door.
Even Louis was so scared that his head froze, but Simone was looking at it with red eyes as if she was used to it.
Its bloodshot eyes were wide open.
She said it would be open today.
“Ah-did I do that?”
Louis was startled by the sound of the medicine being slandered and looked at Simone.
Louis tried to stand in front of Simone again, but Simone raised her hand to block it.
“If you don’t want to die, stay still.”
Heeheeheehee!
Hehe!
Quang! Rattling, rattling, rattling! Quang!
The door shakes impatiently and strongly with the sound of laughter. And after a while, the door, which was already wide open, could not hold on and opened wide.
Better... It's me... Grand Duke, hey!
Simone's eyes widened for a moment and then returned to normal.
The first sight of the monster was stranger than she expected.
“What is this...”
Louis was speechless.
You said I could eat today.
Bloodshot eyes.
Covering it is the woman's twisted, rotten skin and scattered hair.
Human bones, skin, and blood-soaked clothes were all over its body, sticking and shaking without drying.
I said that even if I eat today, it's only for the Grand Duke. Ahhh!!!!!!
The running leg was not a leg but a human arm, and the hand outstretched towards Simone was a tree branch with a piece of skin attached.
The most bizarre thing was running at high speed towards Simone, snarling its lips.
Support Novellate!
Why did I read this at night? T-T
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