It may have been a small curse at first, but now it doesn't matter.
The person who made the small curse grow into something huge was none other than Florier, the mistress of the Illeston family.
How should she explain the story of the past 7 years to Louis?
“The curse itself really isn’t a big deal.”
It may be possible to destroy it with a crude amulet made by Simone.
The problem is how to resolve what Florier did.
“Looking at the situation, it seems like a very difficult and difficult task. What are you going to do now?”
“Hmm...”
Simone, who hesitated for a moment, stood up.
“Let’s go first.”
"Yes?"
Simone held up the box containing the saint's desires and motioned for Louis to follow her.
Louis quickly followed her and asked urgently.
“You mean this suddenly?”
“Do you need to prepare your mind?”
“...No need. Let’s go.”
These are people who gathered together to do dangerous work anyway. There is no need to waste any more time here.
Feeling that Louis was following her, Simone slowly headed towards the center of the hallway.
Curved stairs are located on both sides of a long hallway.
The grandeur that was once the pride of the mansion was obscured by a thick layer of stale dust.
“...It looks like it hasn’t been touched by anyone at all.”
Louis frowned as he waved his hand in the air, swatting away the flying dust.
The most striking exterior of this immaculate mansion is that it shows no signs of cleaning.
"Excuse me."
Simone raised her hand and pointed to the huge double doors located at the end of the stairs.
“This is Madame Florier’s room.”
This place would have been the Grand Duke and his wife's room until seven years ago. But now it has become Florier and Jace's territory.
Louis took a step back without realizing it.
Is it because of the dampness of old dust? Or maybe he just heard what Simone said.
The smoke of death seemed to be flowing through the crack in the door. Just looking at it gave him a feeling that it was so dangerous that he wanted to run away.
“Are you really going to go in now?”
Louis suddenly turned his head to look at Simone, as if avoiding the door. Simone nodded, clutching the jewelry box tightly in her hands.
“I’m just going to soak my feet in it for a moment.”
“Is that possible?”
If you think it's dangerous, come out right away. Just to briefly observe the movements.
Even if you put your mind to it and come up with a plan, how can you call it a plan if you don't know what the situation is in that room?
It's just a delusion.
“Let’s just come and see what the situation is like inside.”
“...All right. Then I will go first.”
Simone said she was willing and moved out of the way, and Louis put his hand on his sword sheath and took a step forward. Then he paused and asked Simone.
“Do I have to knock?”
“... Yes?"
What are you talking about?
When Simone looked at Louis with her bewildered face, he added as if it were only natural for Louis to ask.
“Isn’t this the Grand Duchess’ room? You have to knock, right?”
Simone's eyebrows furrowed.
“If you knock, will she open the door? This is the situation.”
“That’s right.”
It was only after hearing the answer from Simone that Louis started walking again. Anyway, in a situation like this, it's a good idea to be polite. Even if he hides his identity, the Crown Prince is still the Crown Prince.
Louis went up the stairs, embarrassed by Simone's pitiful look.
'There are footprints.'
Louis' eyes turned to the shoe prints on the stairs.
This is the only place untouched by human hands and filled with dust. It really seemed like no one would use these stairs, but only one person was coming and going.
“Isn’t the Grand Duchess locked in her room?”
"No? He said she would come out and wander around the mansion whenever she wanted.”
There were actually encounters, and even though it was not common for people in the mansion to encounter Madame Florier, it seemed to be quite common.
Just like Simone at first, Louis also tilted his head, doubtful that Madame Florier, who had been locked in her room under a curse, would come out on her own.
Simone explained this.
“From what I heard, she usually comes out to talk to the Grand Duke. I didn’t hear much details because everyone seemed to be hissing and avoiding it.”
"Ah."
Simone followed him and started climbing the stairs. It was quite high and full of more ominous energy than she expected.
Even though it was an ordinary door, it felt strangely intimidating.
Finally, the two climbed the last stairs and Louis placed his hand on the doorknob.
Open.
“Isn’t this the Grand Duchess’ room? You have to knock, right?”
Simone's eyebrows furrowed.
“If you knock, will she open the door? This is the situation.”
“That’s right.”
It was only after hearing the answer from Simone that Louis started walking again. Anyway, in a situation like this, it's a good idea to be polite. Even if he hides his identity, the Crown Prince is still the Crown Prince.
Louis went up the stairs, embarrassed by Simone's pitiful look.
'There are footprints.'
Louis' eyes turned to the shoe prints on the stairs.
This is the only place untouched by human hands and filled with dust. It really seemed like no one would use these stairs, but only one person was coming and going.
“Isn’t the Grand Duchess locked in her room?”
"No? He said she would come out and wander around the mansion whenever she wanted.”
There were actually encounters, and even though it was not common for people in the mansion to encounter Madame Florier, it seemed to be quite common.
Just like Simone at first, Louis also tilted his head, doubtful that Madame Florier, who had been locked in her room under a curse, would come out on her own.
Simone explained this.
“From what I heard, she usually comes out to talk to the Grand Duke. I didn’t hear much details because everyone seemed to be hissing and avoiding it.”
"Ah."
Simone followed him and started climbing the stairs. It was quite high and full of more ominous energy than she expected.
Even though it was an ordinary door, it felt strangely intimidating.
Finally, the two climbed the last stairs and Louis placed his hand on the doorknob.
Open.
After sending a signal to Simone with his eyes, he carefully opened the door.
“Huh!”
Neither Louis nor Simone were able to say anything, holding their breath. The only sound that comes out of the open mouth is a moaning sound that comes out of a surprised mind.
Florier stood upright in front of the open door as if she had been listening to Simone and Louisi's story the whole time.
She opened her bloodshot eyes and glared at Louis.
Louis took a step back without realizing it.
“...Excuse me.”
And without even realizing it, he strengthened his arm to close the door again.
Although she couldn't even look inside the room yet, Simone didn't stop Louis.
She, too, was equally surprised by Florier's sudden appearance.
Of course, she thought Florier would be in the room. There was no talk of Florier wandering around in this mansion.
But who would have thought that she would be standing at the door with her red eyes open.
But Louis couldn't close the door.
This was because Florier, who was still watching them in silence with her eyes wide open, reached out her hand through the crack in the door and stopped Louis.
She rolled her eyes again and looked at Simone.
Simone looked at her in shock. How much time passed while they looked into each other's eyes like that?
Louis, who was unable to do anything due to the Grand Duchess holding on to the door, was taken aback by the sudden force and withdrew his hand from the doorknob.
Because Florier pulled the door open from the other side. It was so strong that if he had held on stubbornly, he would have been thrown into the room.
There was a disgusting smell in the room. This is a fraud, the smell of death. If he went in there...
It felt like he would be crushed to death by the energy of death even before any threat came.
Louis slowly stepped back to escape her gaze.
But there was no need for that. Anyway, Florier's goal wasn't Louis.
Simone's eyes widened. She was approaching at a fast pace, giving off her scent.
It was so fast that she didn't even have time to dodge or dodge it.
"...Uh?"
Before she knew it, Simone's hand was grabbed by Florier and dragged away with tremendous force.
“What is this...”
By the time Simone made eye contact with Louis in confusion, it was already too late.
She was dragged into the room, and the door slammed shut right in front of Louis, leaving behind only a terrible smell.
“.. Uh?"
Nothing but stupid sounds came out of Louis's mouth. Louis had never stood there looking like an idiot for so long.
It was such a sudden and embarrassing situation.
When his head, which had not been able to move as much as his loud and heavy heartbeat, finally began to turn, Louis looked at the door blocking the deadly quiet room and violently pulled down the doorknob.
Rattle rattle!
“Grand Duchess, please open the door!”
Naturally, the already closed door never opened again. Finally, ignoring etiquette, he knocked on the door with the intention of breaking it down, but she did not react as she was clearly watching Louis's actions inside.
Suddenly, a loud sound echoed through the hallway, and people began to gather little by little.
“Um, who is this?”
“Well, you know! A prosecutor with Simone!”
“What does it matter now! Quickly, get the man away from the door! That place...!”
“B-But, the stairs...”
"No! Come down! Adventurer, please come down!”
Louis could hear the workers being agitated. Undeterred, Louis continued to lower and knock on the doorknob, and eventually, smacking his lips, he came down the stairs and started running in the other direction.
“Uh oh!”
The employees ran away without realizing it and then belatedly chased after Louis. But Louis was very quick, and without any hindrance, he burst open the door to the Grand Duke's study and entered.
It was an action that did not follow any rules of etiquette. The Grand Duke and Kelle's gaze fell on Louis' sudden action.
“What are you doing?”
The one who got angry before the Grand Duke was Kelle, the head deacon. He approached Louis with quiet steps.
“Wren, it is true that I allowed you to enter the mansion, but I never said it was okay to behave so rudely. Go back quickly.”
Despite Kelle's quiet threats, Louis only took a deep breath and made no attempt to move. He didn't even look at Kelle. He just looked at Grand Duke Illeston in silence with an urgent expression.
As if asking permission to speak. Illestone frowned, looked at him, sighed, and nodded.
"Say it."
“Simone was dragged into the Grand Duchess’ room.”
As soon as permission was given, Louis began speaking as if he had been waiting.
“Huh!”
Neither Louis nor Simone were able to say anything, holding their breath. The only sound that comes out of the open mouth is a moaning sound that comes out of a surprised mind.
Florier stood upright in front of the open door as if she had been listening to Simone and Louisi's story the whole time.
She opened her bloodshot eyes and glared at Louis.
Louis took a step back without realizing it.
“...Excuse me.”
And without even realizing it, he strengthened his arm to close the door again.
Although she couldn't even look inside the room yet, Simone didn't stop Louis.
She, too, was equally surprised by Florier's sudden appearance.
Of course, she thought Florier would be in the room. There was no talk of Florier wandering around in this mansion.
But who would have thought that she would be standing at the door with her red eyes open.
But Louis couldn't close the door.
This was because Florier, who was still watching them in silence with her eyes wide open, reached out her hand through the crack in the door and stopped Louis.
She rolled her eyes again and looked at Simone.
Simone looked at her in shock. How much time passed while they looked into each other's eyes like that?
Louis, who was unable to do anything due to the Grand Duchess holding on to the door, was taken aback by the sudden force and withdrew his hand from the doorknob.
Because Florier pulled the door open from the other side. It was so strong that if he had held on stubbornly, he would have been thrown into the room.
There was a disgusting smell in the room. This is a fraud, the smell of death. If he went in there...
It felt like he would be crushed to death by the energy of death even before any threat came.
Louis slowly stepped back to escape her gaze.
But there was no need for that. Anyway, Florier's goal wasn't Louis.
Simone's eyes widened. She was approaching at a fast pace, giving off her scent.
It was so fast that she didn't even have time to dodge or dodge it.
"...Uh?"
Before she knew it, Simone's hand was grabbed by Florier and dragged away with tremendous force.
“What is this...”
By the time Simone made eye contact with Louis in confusion, it was already too late.
She was dragged into the room, and the door slammed shut right in front of Louis, leaving behind only a terrible smell.
“.. Uh?"
Nothing but stupid sounds came out of Louis's mouth. Louis had never stood there looking like an idiot for so long.
It was such a sudden and embarrassing situation.
When his head, which had not been able to move as much as his loud and heavy heartbeat, finally began to turn, Louis looked at the door blocking the deadly quiet room and violently pulled down the doorknob.
Rattle rattle!
“Grand Duchess, please open the door!”
Naturally, the already closed door never opened again. Finally, ignoring etiquette, he knocked on the door with the intention of breaking it down, but she did not react as she was clearly watching Louis's actions inside.
Suddenly, a loud sound echoed through the hallway, and people began to gather little by little.
“Um, who is this?”
“Well, you know! A prosecutor with Simone!”
“What does it matter now! Quickly, get the man away from the door! That place...!”
“B-But, the stairs...”
"No! Come down! Adventurer, please come down!”
Louis could hear the workers being agitated. Undeterred, Louis continued to lower and knock on the doorknob, and eventually, smacking his lips, he came down the stairs and started running in the other direction.
“Uh oh!”
The employees ran away without realizing it and then belatedly chased after Louis. But Louis was very quick, and without any hindrance, he burst open the door to the Grand Duke's study and entered.
It was an action that did not follow any rules of etiquette. The Grand Duke and Kelle's gaze fell on Louis' sudden action.
“What are you doing?”
The one who got angry before the Grand Duke was Kelle, the head deacon. He approached Louis with quiet steps.
“Wren, it is true that I allowed you to enter the mansion, but I never said it was okay to behave so rudely. Go back quickly.”
Despite Kelle's quiet threats, Louis only took a deep breath and made no attempt to move. He didn't even look at Kelle. He just looked at Grand Duke Illeston in silence with an urgent expression.
As if asking permission to speak. Illestone frowned, looked at him, sighed, and nodded.
"Say it."
“Simone was dragged into the Grand Duchess’ room.”
As soon as permission was given, Louis began speaking as if he had been waiting.
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